LOCUS OF CONTROL AND JOB SATISFACTION: PSU EMPLOYEES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lakshman Vijayashree

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Previous research studies have demonstrated that internal/external locus of control impacts jobsatisfaction. The present study thus aims to analyze type of locus of control and its relation with jobsatisfaction. The study will be of great help for organization to understand and know what type oflocus of control their employees has and how it has an impact on job satisfaction.The objectives of this study were: 1- To identify the type of Locus of Control (i.e. Internal orExternal present in Public Sector Units (PSU in Bangalore and 2- To analyze the impact of differenttype of Locus of Control on job satisfaction of PSU Employees. Further hypothesis was also set tocheck the relationship between locus of control and job satisfaction. In addition, the relationshipbetween different demographic factors was also examined. The tool used for this study was LocoInventory. The concept of locus of control by Levenson (1972 was used to develop Loco Inventory(Locus of Control in Organization Inventory. The survey used a questionnaire, which had thirty fivestatements which highlights the factors that determine the locus of control and job satisfaction levelof the employees. The Ratio, ANOVA, and Correlation analysis were used as statistical techniquesfor analysis.The results indicate that there is a positive correlation between internal locus of control and jobsatisfaction as well as between External (other locus of control and job satisfaction. And in case ofExternal (Chance locus of control and job satisfaction there exists partial positive correlation. As perthis study Job satisfaction level among the employees is also good as the mean is 17, which is closerto maximum scale value of 25. As per ANOVA table there is a significant variance betweeninternality and age as well as between externality (chance and age. There is no significantrelationship between internality and demographic factors like gender and education. There is nosignificant relationship between

Final Report on Development of Thermoanaerobacterium saccharolyticum for the conversion of lignocellulose to ethanol

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Herring, Christopher D.; Kenealy, William R.; Shaw, A. Joe; Raman, Babu; Tschaplinski, Timothy J.; Brown, Steven D.; Davison, Brian H.; Covalla, Sean F.; Sillers, W. Ryan; Xu, Haowen; Tsakraklides, Vasiliki; Hogsett, David A.

2012-01-24

This project addressed the need for economical technology for the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to fuels, specifically the conversion of pretreated hardwood to ethanol. The technology developed is a set of strains of the bacterium Thermoanaerobacterium saccharolyticum and an associated fermentation process for pretreated hardwood. Tools for genetic engineering and analysis of the organism were developed, including a markerless mutation method, a complete genome sequence and a set of gene expression profiles that show the activity of its genes under a variety of conditions relevant to lignocellulose conversion. Improved strains were generated by selection and genetic engineering to be able to produce higher amounts of ethanol (up to 70 g/L) and to be able to better tolerate inhibitory compounds from pretreated hardwood. Analysis of these strains has generated useful insight into the genetic basis for desired properties of biofuel producing organisms. Fermentation conditions were tested and optimized to achieve ethanol production targets established in the original project proposal. The approach proposed was to add cellulase enzymes to the fermentation, a method called Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation (SSF). We had reason to think SSF would be an efficient approach because the optimal temperature and pH for the enzymes and bacterium are very close. Unfortunately, we discovered that commercially available cellulases are inactivated in thermophilic SSF by a combination of low redox potential and ethanol. Despite this, progress was made against the fermentation targets using bacterial cellulases. Thermoanaerobacterium saccharolyticum may still prove to be a commercially viable technology should cellulase enzyme issues be addressed. Moreover, the organism was demonstrated to produce ethanol at approximately theoretical yield from oligomeric hemicellulose extracts, an ability that may prove to be uniquely valuable in pretreatment configurations in

PSU-LEOPARD, Program LEOPARD in PFMP System, Fast Neutron and Thermal Neutron Spectra Calculation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petrovic, B.G.; Smuc, T.; Pevec, D.; Grgic, D.

1992-01-01

1 - Description of problem or function: LEOPARD is a unit cell code for generating two and/or four group constants for PWR fuel assemblies. It assumes that the fuel assembly consists of a large array of identical unit cells, each unit cell being composed of a fuel pin and cladding, surrounded by a moderator. A non-lattice part of the fuel assembly is accounted for by introducing an 'extra' region. The most important feature of PSU-LEOPARD is the capability to fit the group constants as polynomials in burnup and soluble boron concentration, providing easily accessible data for in-core fuel management calculations. The polynomial coefficients are stored in a file called ADD (Assembly Data Description) in a Format compatible with the MCRAC code. RBI version 90.1 of PSU-LEOPARD (PC, IBM mainframe and VAX versions) includes a restart option, numerically more stable polynomial fit, PC and VAX timing routines, and a few other new options. 2 - Method of solution: LEOPARD is a spectrum dependent non-spatial depletion code, based on the modified MUFT and SOFOCATE models. The MUFT model, dividing the fast energy range into 54 energy groups, calculates the fast constants by utilizing the B1 and Grueling-Goertzel approximations. The SOFOCATE model, representing the thermal energy range by 172 energy levels, calculates the thermal constants averaged over the Wigner-Wilkins spectrum. ABH method is used to homogenize the unit cell for each energy level to provide the equivalent homogeneous macroscopic Cross sections for use with Wigner-Wilkins spectrum. The LEOPARD energy range is from zero eV to 10 MeV with a 0.625 eV cutoff between the fast and thermal groups. 3 - Restrictions on the complexity of the problem: PSU-LEOPARD works with Nuclides commonly used in water reactors. Thorium and U-238 chains are allowed

Fiscal 1997 achievement report. Coal liquefaction technology development - Bituminous coal liquefaction technology development - Study for supporting pilot plant - Study using 1t/d PSU (Study of operation using PSU); 1997 nendo seika hokokusho. Sekitan ekika gijutsu kaihatsu - Rekiseitan ekika gijutsu no kaihatsu - Pilot plant no shien kenkyu - 1t/d process support unit (PSU) ni yoru kenkyu (PSU ni yoru unten kenkyu)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-03-01

The operation of a 1t/d PSU (process support unit) was studied for the NEDOL coal liquefaction process. In the modification of facilities, equipment and devices were procured for the product oil reforming facilities and their installation was partly accomplished. In the coal injection operation, a 60-day slurry operation was conducted, using coal types of the upper limit and lower limit qualities, for expanding the scope of coal types applicable to the NEDOL process and for exploring optimum conditions, and another operation of 37 days was conducted using Chinese coal and Chinese-prepared liquefaction catalysts, and the two operations were studied for difference in yields and in operationality. Characteristics of the liquefaction reactors were investigated and basic studies were made relative to the physical property of the yielded coal oil. In the operation for maintenance, the 1st liquefaction reactor was singly operated for an 8-day slurry operation, which was to check the progress of liquefaction in a 1-reactor setup. Concerning the reforming of the product oil, the hydrogenation reactors were checked for their response to temperature control. Moreover, hydrogenation solvents were produced for the PSU and for China. (NEDO)

The ethanol pathway from Thermoanaerobacterium saccharolyticum improves ethanol production in Clostridium thermocellum.

Science.gov (United States)

Hon, Shuen; Olson, Daniel G; Holwerda, Evert K; Lanahan, Anthony A; Murphy, Sean J L; Maloney, Marybeth I; Zheng, Tianyong; Papanek, Beth; Guss, Adam M; Lynd, Lee R

2017-07-01

Clostridium thermocellum ferments cellulose, is a promising candidate for ethanol production from cellulosic biomass, and has been the focus of studies aimed at improving ethanol yield. Thermoanaerobacterium saccharolyticum ferments hemicellulose, but not cellulose, and has been engineered to produce ethanol at high yield and titer. Recent research has led to the identification of four genes in T. saccharolyticum involved in ethanol production: adhE, nfnA, nfnB and adhA. We introduced these genes into C. thermocellum and observed significant improvements to ethanol yield, titer, and productivity. The four genes alone, however, were insufficient to achieve in C. thermocellum the ethanol yields and titers observed in engineered T. saccharolyticum strains, even when combined with gene deletions targeting hydrogen production. This suggests that other parts of T. saccharolyticum metabolism may also be necessary to reproduce the high ethanol yield and titer phenotype in C. thermocellum. Copyright © 2017 International Metabolic Engineering Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Occurrence and Detection of Thermoanaerobacterium and Thermoanaerobacter in Canned Food

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christian Dotzauer

2002-01-01

Full Text Available In order to determine the reason for loss of vacuum in canned food, obligately anaerobic, spore forming thermophilic organisms were isolated from shelf-stable canned food containing vegetables, noodles and potatoes as main ingredients. Thermophilic bacteria from 44 canned food samples that had been stored under anaerobic conditions at 37 °C for at least 7 days were isolated. In addition, organic fertilizer used for the cultivation of some of the foods’ ingredients was examined and anaerobic, thermophilic bacteria could also be isolated from this source. Identification of bacterial strains was carried out by partial and complete 16S-rRNA-gene sequencing. Some of the obtained gene sequences showed a high level of similarity to existing 16S-rRNA gene sequences towards strains of the genera Thermoanaerobacter, Thermoanaerobium and Thermoanaerobacterium respectively, which have not yet been reported to be of importance as food spoilers. In the course of identification of these thermophilic bacteria we developed genera specific PCR-based approaches for detecting isolates belonging to the genera Thermoanaeroacterium and Thermoanaerobacter. Direct capturing of free DNA from contaminated samples using oligonucleotides coupled with paramagentic beads allowed the reduction of the detection time to six hours with a lower limit of 104 cells/mL.

Same-source parallel implementation of the PSU/NCAR MM5

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Michalakes, J.

1997-12-31

The Pennsylvania State/National Center for Atmospheric Research Mesoscale Model is a limited-area model of atmospheric systems, now in its fifth generation, MM5. Designed and maintained for vector and shared-memory parallel architectures, the official version of MM5 does not run on message-passing distributed memory (DM) parallel computers. The authors describe a same-source parallel implementation of the PSU/NCAR MM5 using FLIC, the Fortran Loop and Index Converter. The resulting source is nearly line-for-line identical with the original source code. The result is an efficient distributed memory parallel option to MM5 that can be seamlessly integrated into the official version.

Coal liquefaction in early stage of NEDOL process 1t/d PSU; 1t/d PSU ni okeru ekika shoki hanno ni kansuru kento

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ikeda, K.; Kawabata, M.; Mochizuki, M.; Imada, K. [Nippon Steel Corp., Tokyo (Japan); Nogami, Y.; Inokuchi, K. [Mitsui SRC Development Co. Ltd., Tokyo (Japan)

1996-10-28

To investigate the behavior of coal liquefaction reaction in early stage as a part of studies on the coal liquefaction characteristics using NEDOL process 1 t/d process supporting unit (PSU), coal slurry sample was taken from the outlet of slurry preheater located in the upflow of liquefaction reactors, and was tested. Tanito Harum coal was used for liquefaction. Preheater was operated under the condition of pressure of 170 kg/cm{sup 2}, gas flow rate of 64 Nm{sup 3}/hr, and at temperature up to 410{degree}C at the outlet, in response to the standard test condition. The slurry sample was discharged into a high temperature separator with temperature of 250{degree}C. Liquefaction was not proceeded at the outlet of preheater. Solid residue yielded around 80%, and liquid yielded around 15%. Gases, CO and CO2, and water yielded also small amount around 3%. The solid sample contained much IOM fraction (tetrahydrofuran-insoluble and ash), and the liquid contained much heavy oil fraction. Hydrogenation was not proceeded, and the hydrogen consumption was very low showing below one-tenth of that at the usual operation. Hydrogen sulfide gas was formed at early stage, which suggested that the change of iron sulfide catalyst occur at early stage of liquefaction. 1 ref., 5 figs., 2 tabs.

Site description of the SFR area at Forsmark at completion of the site investigation phase. SDM-PSU Forsmark

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2013-05-15

The site descriptive model (SDM) presented in this report is an integrated model for bedrock geology, rock mechanics, bedrock hydrogeology and bedrock hydrogeochemistry of the site investigated in the SFR extension project (PSU). A description of the surface system is also included in the report. However, the surface system is not integrated with the other disciplines as new data regarding the surface system will not be available until after the completion of SDM-PSU. It is noted that SDM-PSU does not include all disciplines handled in SDM-Site Forsmark (SKB 2008b), the focus is to produce a site description that meets the needs of the SFR extension project. The overall objective of the SFR extension project is to have the application for the extension ready by 2013. This report presents an integrated site model incorporating the historic data acquired from the investigations for and construction of the existing SFR facility (1980-1986), as well as from the recent investigations for the planned extension of SFR (2008-2009). It also provides a summary of the abundant underlying data and the discipline-specific models that support the integrated site model. The description relies heavily on background reports concerning detailed data analyses and modelling in the different disciplines. It is noteworthy that the investigations conducted during the SFR extension project were guided by the choice of site prior to the investigations, which was based on the experience gained during the construction of the existing SFR facility.

Site description of the SFR area at Forsmark at completion of the site investigation phase. SDM-PSU Forsmark

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2013-05-01

The site descriptive model (SDM) presented in this report is an integrated model for bedrock geology, rock mechanics, bedrock hydrogeology and bedrock hydrogeochemistry of the site investigated in the SFR extension project (PSU). A description of the surface system is also included in the report. However, the surface system is not integrated with the other disciplines as new data regarding the surface system will not be available until after the completion of SDM-PSU. It is noted that SDM-PSU does not include all disciplines handled in SDM-Site Forsmark (SKB 2008b), the focus is to produce a site description that meets the needs of the SFR extension project. The overall objective of the SFR extension project is to have the application for the extension ready by 2013. This report presents an integrated site model incorporating the historic data acquired from the investigations for and construction of the existing SFR facility (1980-1986), as well as from the recent investigations for the planned extension of SFR (2008-2009). It also provides a summary of the abundant underlying data and the discipline-specific models that support the integrated site model. The description relies heavily on background reports concerning detailed data analyses and modelling in the different disciplines. It is noteworthy that the investigations conducted during the SFR extension project were guided by the choice of site prior to the investigations, which was based on the experience gained during the construction of the existing SFR facility

Coal conversion rate in 1t/d PSU liquefaction reactor; 1t/d PSU ekika hannoto ni okeru sekitan tenka sokudo no kento

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ikeda, K.; Imada, K. [Nippon Steel Corp., Tokyo (Japan); Nogami, Y.; Inokuchi, K. [Mitsui SRC Development Co. Ltd., Tokyo (Japan)

1996-10-28

To investigate the coal liquefaction characteristics, coal slurry samples were taken from the outlets of the reactors and slurry preheater of NEDOL process 1 t/d process supporting unit (PSU), and were analyzed. Tanito Harum coal was used for liquefaction, and the slurry was prepared with recycle solvent. Liquefaction was performed using synthetic iron sulfide catalyst at reaction temperatures, 450 and 465{degree}C. Solubility of various solid samples was examined against n-hexane, toluene, and tetrahydrofuran (THF). When considering the decrease of IMO (THF-insoluble and ash) as a characteristic of coal conversion reaction, around 20% at the outlet of the slurry preheater, around 70% within the first reactor, and several percents within the successive second and third reactors were converted against supplied coal. Increase of reaction temperature led to the increase of evaporation of oil fraction, which resulted in the decrease of actual slurry flow rate and in the increase of residence time. Thus, the conversion of coal was accelerated by the synergetic effect of temperature and time. Reaction rate constant of the coal liquefaction was around 2{times}10{sup -1} [min{sup -1}], which increased slightly with increasing the reaction temperature from 450 to 465{degree}C. 3 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab.

CARTOGRAPHIE DU PLASMIDE pSU100, PLASMIDE CRYPTIQUE DE LACTOBACILLUS CASEI

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F BENSALAH

2003-06-01

Ce plasmide appelé pSU100 a été cloné dans le vecteur de transformation pUC18 au site EcoRI chez E. coli JM103. Les profils électrophorétiques de restriction obtenus par des digestions simples, doubles et triples sous l’action de 33 endonucléases, ont contribué à l’élaboration d’une carte de restriction de ce plasmide. Cinq sites uniques ont été identifiés, ainsi que d’autres sites doubles et multiples. Une étude préliminaire du rôle physiologique de ce plasmide a permis de déceler une résistance à la kanamycine.

Occurrence and molecular characterization of cultivable mesophilic and thermophilic obligate anaerobic bacteria isolated from paper mills.

Science.gov (United States)

Suihko, Maija-Liisa; Partanen, Laila; Mattila-Sandholm, Tiina; Raaska, Laura

2005-08-01

The aim of this work was to characterize the cultivable obligate anaerobic bacterial population in paper mill environments. A total of 177 anaerobically grown bacterial isolates were screened for aerotolerance, from which 67 obligate anaerobes were characterized by automated ribotyping and 41 were further identified by partial 16S rDNA sequencing. The mesophilic isolates indicated 11 different taxa (species) within the genus Clostridium and the thermophilic isolates four taxa within the genus Thermoanaerobacterium and one within Thermoanaerobacter (both formerly Clostridium). The most widespread mesophilic bacterium was closely related to C. magnum and occurred in three of four mills. One mill was contaminated with a novel mesophilic bacterium most closely related to C. thiosulfatireducens. The most common thermophile was T. thermosaccharolyticum, occurring in all four mills. The genetic relationships of the mill isolates to described species indicated that most of them are potential members of new species. On the basis of identical ribotypes clay could be identified to be the contamination source of thermophilic bacteria. Automated ribotyping can be a useful tool for the identification of clostridia as soon as comprehensive identification libraries are available.

A study of the process control and hydrolytic characteristics in a thermophilic hydrogen fermentor fed with starch-rich kitchen waste by using molecular-biological methods and amylase assay

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Yu-Hsuan; Li, Shiue-Lin; Chen, I.-Chieh; Tseng, I.-Cheng; Cheng, Sheng-Shung [Department of Environmental Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, No. 1, University Road, Tainan 701 (China)

2010-12-15

Starch-rich kitchen waste was chosen as the feedstock in this study, and a 3-L intermittent-continuous stirred tank reactor (I-CSTR) was established. Within 240 days, the maximum average hydrogen production rate of 2.2 L-H{sup 2} L{sup -1} day{sup -1} and the highest average hydrogen yield of 2.1 mmol-H{sub 2} g-COD{sup -1} were both observed in run 3-2, which was operated at an eight-day hydraulic retention time (HRT) and 39 g-COD L{sup -1} day{sup -1} of organic loading rate. According to the analyses of amylase and reducing sugar, the maximum average amylase activity was about 11 U mL{sup -1} in run 1, but the maximum solid carbohydrate hydrolysis rate was about 45% in run 3. Some Michaealis-Menton kinetic parameters, such as K{sub M} (17 g L{sup -1}) and the maximum activity (1.5 U mL{sup -1}) of the amylase were obtained. The best amylase reacting temperature was 55 C, and the best reacting pH was 4.4 tested with acetate buffer. Twenty-seven operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were selected from this reactor by using a cloning method. According to the data of terminal restricted fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) and amylase assay, the OTUs that were related to Thermoanaerobacterium thermosaccharolyticum and Clostridium sp. were in direct proportion to the amylase activity. (author)

Particle size variations of activated carbon on biofilm formation in thermophilic biohydrogen production from palm oil mill effluent

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jamali, Nur Syakina; Jahim, Jamaliah Md; Isahak, Wan Nor Roslam Wan; Abdul, Peer Mohamed

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Biofilm was developed on GAC by self-attachment immobilisation. • Effect of various micropore size of GAC was evaluated in H_2 production. • Capability of attached-biofilm to degrade cellulosic fibre in POME was evaluated. • Microbial community colonized on GAC was characterised. - Abstract: In this study, we examined the formation of thermophilic microbial biofilm by self-attachment on microbial carrier of granular activated carbon (GAC) in five different micro-pore volumes 0.31, 0.41, 0.44, 0.48, and 0.50 cm"3/g. It was found that the highest hydrogen production rate of 100.8 ± 3.7 mmol H_2/l.d and yield of 1.01 ± 0.07 mol H_2/mol sugar were obtained at 0.44 cm"3/g volume size of GAC. The cellulolytic activity of attached-biofilm was further investigated using POME as a feedstock. The results showed that in all diluted POME substrate, the total sugar consumed by the microbes was found higher than that the amount of soluble monomeric sugar present in the POME medium. It is believe that the microbial biofilm was able to hydrolyse polymeric sugar of cellulosic fibre in the POME by performing enzymatic hydrolysis into simple monomeric sugar. The isolated biofilm bacteria that subjected to 16S rRNA gene analysis presented 99% high homology to the species of Thermoanaerobacterium thermosaccharolyticum which were guaranteed to perform a cellulosic degradation activity.

Characterization of the various catalyst for solvent hydrogenation at 1t/d PSU; 1t/d PSU ni okeru kakushu yozai suisoka shokubai no seino hyoka

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kakebayashi, H.; Nogami, Y.; Inokuchi, K. [Mitsui SRC Development Co. Ltd., Tokyo (Japan); Aihara, Y.; Imada, K. [Nippon Steel Corp., Tokyo (Japan)

1996-10-28

Performance of various catalysts for hydrogenation of recycle solvent was evaluated for the operation of NEDOL process 1 t/d process supporting unit (PSU). Distillate between 220 and 538{degree}C derived from the liquefaction of Tanito Harum coal was used as recycle solvent. Deactivation behaviors of catalysts were compared using a prediction equation of catalyst life, by which aromatic carbon index (fa) after hydrogenation can be determined from the fa of recycle oil before hydrogenation, reaction temperature, and total hydrogenation time. Total hydrogenation time satisfying the {Delta}fa, 0.05 before and after hydrogenation were 8,000, 4,000, and 2,000 hours for NiMo-based catalysts C, A, and B, respectively. Catalyst C showed the longest life. Used catalysts were also characterized. The catalyst C showed larger mean pore size than those of the others, which resulted in the longer life due to the delay of pore blockage. From measurements by XPS and EPMA, relative atomic concentration of carbon increased remarkably after the use for all of catalysts, which was considered to be due to the adhesion of hydrocarbons. Increase of metal atoms, such as Fe and Cr, was also observed due to the contamination of entrainment residues. Deactivation of catalysts was caused by the adhesion of hydrocarbons, and metallic compounds, such as Fe and Cr. 3 refs., 1 fig., 5 tabs.

Improved cellulose conversion to bio-hydrogen with thermophilic bacteria and characterization of microbial community in continuous bioreactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang, Hongyu; Gadow, Samir I.; Tanaka, Yasumitsu; Cheng, Jun; Li, Yu-You

2015-01-01

Thermophilic hydrogen fermentation of cellulose was evaluated by a long term continuous experiment and batch experiments. The continuous experiment was conducted under 55 °C using a continuously stirred tank reactor (CSTR) at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 10 day. A stable hydrogen yield of 15.4 ± 0.23 mol kg −1 of cellulose consumed was maintained for 190 days with acetate and butyrate as the main soluble byproducts. An analysis of the 16S rRNA sequences showed that the hydrogen-producing thermophilic cellulolytic microorganisms (HPTCM) were close to Thermoanaerobacterium thermosaccharolyticum, Clostridium sp. and Enterobacter cloacae. Batch experiment demonstrated that the highest H 2 producing activity was obtained at 55 °C and the ultimate hydrogen yield and the metabolic by-products were influenced greatly by temperatures. The effect of temperature variation showed that the activation energy for cellulose and glucose were estimated at 103 and 98.8 kJ mol −1 , respectively. - Highlights: • Continuous cellulosic-hydrogen fermentation was conducted at 55 °C. • Hydrogen yield was improved to 15.4 mol kg −1 of consumed-cellulose. • The cellulosic hydrogen bacteria were close to Clostridia and Enterobacter genus. • The mixed microflora produced H 2 within a wide range of temperatures (35 °C–65 °C). • Activation energy of cellulose and glucose were 103 and 98.8 kJ mol −1 , respectively

PSU/WES interlaboratory comparative methodology study of an experimental cementitious repository seal material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roy, D.M.; Grutzeck, M.W.; Mather, K.

1980-09-01

A study is underway in two separate laboratories to investigate possible use of portland cement grout as repository sealing material for underground isolation of nuclear waste. The labs involved are the Materials Research Laboratory of the Pennsylvania State University (PSU) and the Structures Laboratory (SL) of the US Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station. The same cementitious (grout) mixture was prepared in each laboratory in September 1980, and tests were started. Testing included characterization of cement and fly ash by chemical, physical, and petrographic procedures. Tests of hardened specimens included restrained expansion, compressive strength, modulus of elasticity, density, permeability, x-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy. Each laboratory made many of the same tests and some that were not directly comparable. This document (Report 1) contains largely 3- and 7-day results and none beyond 28-day ages

Fiscal 1998 achievement report. Coal liquefaction technology development - Bituminous coal liquefaction technology development - Study for supporting pilot plant - Study using 1t/d PSU (Study of operation using PSU); 1998 nendo seika hokokusho. Sekitan ekika gijutsu kaihatsu - Rekiseitan ekika gijutsu no kaihatsu - Pilot plant no shien kenkyu - 1t/d process support unit (PSU) ni yoru kenkyu (PSU ni yoru unten kenkyu)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1999-06-01

The operation of a 1t/d PSU (process support unit) was studied for the NEDOL coal liquefaction process. For the modification of facilities, product oil reforming facilities were installed. In the coal injection operation, a 59-day slurry operation was carried out using Tanito Harum coal, which was for the evaluation of the reforming effect under the product reforming conditions, operationality, and liquefaction characteristics. A 37-day slurry operation was also performed using Chinese coal, which was intended to pursue improved cost performance and to collect the light oil fraction in the flow of reforming operation. In the operation for maintenance, investigations were conducted into conditions for hydrogenation in a 1-through operation involving the solvent hydrogenation process and the normal pressure distillation facilities and into the effect of pre-hydrogenation solvent properties, which aimed at grasping the effect of product oil reforming measures and their influence on operationality. In the survey of environments, the properties of wastewater from the liquefaction process using Tanito Harum coal were studied and toxicity evaluation tests were conducted for activated sludge. (NEDO)

Isolation of acetic, propionic and butyric acid-forming bacteria from biogas plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Cibis, Katharina Gabriela; Gneipel, Armin; König, Helmut

2016-02-20

In this study, acetic, propionic and butyric acid-forming bacteria were isolated from thermophilic and mesophilic biogas plants (BGP) located in Germany. The fermenters were fed with maize silage and cattle or swine manure. Furthermore, pressurized laboratory fermenters digesting maize silage were sampled. Enrichment cultures for the isolation of acid-forming bacteria were grown in minimal medium supplemented with one of the following carbon sources: Na(+)-dl-lactate, succinate, ethanol, glycerol, glucose or a mixture of amino acids. These substrates could be converted by the isolates to acetic, propionic or butyric acid. In total, 49 isolates were obtained, which belonged to the phyla Firmicutes, Tenericutes or Thermotogae. According to 16S rRNA gene sequences, most isolates were related to Clostridium sporosphaeroides, Defluviitoga tunisiensis and Dendrosporobacter quercicolus. Acetic, propionic or butyric acid were produced in cultures of isolates affiliated to Bacillus thermoamylovorans, Clostridium aminovalericum, Clostridium cochlearium/Clostridium tetani, C. sporosphaeroides, D. quercicolus, Proteiniborus ethanoligenes, Selenomonas bovis and Tepidanaerobacter sp. Isolates related to Thermoanaerobacterium thermosaccharolyticum produced acetic, butyric and lactic acid, and isolates related to D. tunisiensis formed acetic acid. Specific primer sets targeting 16S rRNA gene sequences were designed and used for real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR). The isolates were physiologically characterized and their role in BGP discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Valorisation of mixed bakery waste in non-sterilized fermentation for L-lactic acid production by an evolved Thermoanaerobacterium sp. strain.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Xiaofeng; Zhu, Muzi; Huang, Xiongliang; Lin, Carol Sze Ki; Wang, Jufang; Li, Shuang

2015-12-01

In this study, an advanced biorefinery technology that uses mixed bakery waste has been developed to produce l-lactic acid using an adaptively evolved Thermoanaerobacterium aotearoense LA1002-G40 in a non-sterilized system. Under these conditions, mixed bakery waste was directly hydrolysed by Aspergillus awamori and Aspergillus oryzae, resulting in a nutrient-rich hydrolysate containing 83.6g/L glucose, 9.5 g/L fructose and 612 mg/L free amino nitrogen. T. aotearoense LA1002-G40 was evaluated and then adaptively evolved to grow in this nutrient-rich hydrolysate. Using a 5-L fermenter, the overall lactic acid production from mixed bakery waste was 0.18 g/g with a titer, productivity and yield of 78.5 g/L, 1.63 g/L/h and 0.85 g/g, respectively. This is an innovative procedure involving a complete bioconversion process for l-lactic acid produced from mixed bakery waste under non-sterilized conditions. The proposed process could be potentially applied to turn food waste into l-lactic acid in an economically feasible way. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fiscal 1996 achievement report. Coal liquefaction technology development - Bituminous coal liquefaction technology development - Study for supporting pilot plant - Study using 1t/d PSU (Study of operation using PSU); 1996 nendo seika hokokusho. Sekitan ekika gijutsu kaihatsu - Rekiseitan ekika gijutsu no kaihatsu - Pilot plant no shien kenkyu - 1t/d process support unit (PSU) ni yoru kenkyu (PSU ni yoru unten kenkyu)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-03-01

The operation of a 1t/d PSU (process support unit) was studied for the NEDOL coal liquefaction process. In the modification of facilities, detailed designs were prepared for product oil reforming facilities and some equipment and devices were procured. In addition, the 3rd liquefaction reactor cone section and the neutron attenuation-aided measuring device were refurbished. In the injection of coal, a 62-day and 23-day slurry injection operations were accomplished using Tanito Harum coal, when the impact imposed on the yield of the product, etc., by the change of liquefaction catalysts and by gas phase hydrogen concentration enriching conditions was investigated, and the unit was examined for operationality. During a 42-day operation for maintenance, the unit was operated using only the slurry heater for the investigation of the initial reaction in liquefaction, and studies were conducted about the heater exit temperature, G/L (gas-liquid ratio), and the effect to ensue from the use of a different solvent. In the effort to develop and evaluate new materials, implantation tests were conducted for metallic materials and the 3rd liquefaction reactor was subjected to a non-destructive inspection. Wastewater from the process was examined for quality, and environment-related measurements were performed for the atmosphere. (NEDO)

Efficient production of l-lactic acid by an engineered Thermoanaerobacterium aotearoense with broad substrate specificity

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background Efficient conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to optically pure lactic acid is a key challenge for the economical production of biodegradable poly-lactic acid. A recently isolated strain, Thermoanaerobacterium aotearoense SCUT27, is promising as an efficient lactic acid production bacterium from biomass due to its broad substrate specificity. Additionally, its strictly anaerobic and thermophilic characteristics suppress contamination from other microoragnisms. Herein, we report the significant improvements of concentration and yield in lactic acid production from various lignocellulosic derived sugars, achieved by the carbon flux redirection through homologous recombination in T. aotearoense SCUT27. Results T. aotearoense SCUT27 was engineered to block the acetic acid formation pathway to improve the lactic acid production. The genetic manipulation resulted in 1.8 and 2.1 fold increase of the lactic acid yield using 10 g/L of glucose or 10 g/L of xylose as substrate, respectively. The maximum l-lactic acid yield of 0.93 g/g glucose with an optical purity of 99.3% was obtained by the engineered strain, designated as LA1002, from 50 g/L of substrate, which is very close to the theoretical value (1.0 g/g of glucose). In particular, LA1002 produced lactic acid at an unprecedented concentration up to 3.20 g/L using 10 g/L xylan as the single substrate without any pretreatment after 48 h fermentation. The non-sterilized fermentative production of l-lactic acid was also carried out, achieving values of 44.89 g/L and 0.89 g/g mixed sugar for lactic acid concentration and yield, respectively. Conclusions Blocking acetic acid formation pathway in T. aotearoense SCUT27 increased l-lactic acid production and yield dramatically. To our best knowledge, this is the best performance of fermentation on lactic acid production using xylan as the sole carbon source, considering the final concentration, yield and fermentation time. In addition, it should be

Thermophilic bio-energy process study on hydrogen fermentation with vegetable kitchen waste

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Ze-Kun; Li, Shiue-Lin; Kuo, Pei-Chen; Chen, I.-Chieh; Tien, Yu-Min; Huang, Yu-Jung; Chuang, Chung-Po; Wong, Son-Chi; Cheng, Sheng-Shung [Department of Environmental Engineering, National Cheng Kung University No. 1, University Road, Tainan 701, ROC (China)

2010-12-15

An intermittent-continuous stirred tank reactor (I-CSTR) was evaluated for thermophilic anaerobic hydrogen fermentation with vegetable kitchen waste (VKW). The seeding sludge was enriched from kitchen waste compost. Because of different seasonal dietary habits, the quality of vegetable kitchen waste was unstable, and all variations of composition were in the range from 20 to 40%. The I-CSTR process was conducted under different volumetric loading rates (VLR) with different VKW-diluted concentrations. The hydrogen production rate and yield in Run 2 (VLR as 28 g-COD L{sup -1} day{sup -1}) were 1.0 L-H{sub 2} L{sup -1} day{sup -1} and 1.7 mmol-H{sub 2} g-COD{sup -1}, which were higher than those in Run1 (VLR as 19 g-COD/L-day). The hydrolysis efficiency of organic solids (VSS) was about 45% in Run 1 better than the 32% in Run 2. The carbohydrate component of VKW was clearly degraded with the accumulation of butyrate, while the organic nitrogen component was converted to ammonia. The vegetable cellulose was degraded from 3.2 g L{sup -1} and 3.6-1.8 and 3.2 g L{sup -1} in Runs 1 and 2, respectively. In addition, the high concentration of lactate from the acidified VKW could be degraded completely both in Runs 1 and 2. According to the results of the time series profile in day 59, oil and grease were not degraded significantly. The removal of oil and grease was superficially caused by stacking on the wall, pipe, and propeller of the reactor, or by floating on the liquid surface. The 16S rDNA cloning library and sequence were applied for analyzing microbial communities. The dominant OTU was closely affiliated to Thermoanaerobacterium thermosaccharolyticum, which is considered as the predominant hydrogen-producing bacteria. The OTUs closely related to Moorella thermoacetica and Clostridiaceae bacterium FH052 were considered as acetogenic bacterium and hydrogen-producing bacteria in the I-CSTR system. (author)

Investigation of the deposit formation in pipelines connecting liquefaction reactors; 1t/d PSU ni okeru ekika hanno tokan fuchakubutsu no seisei yoin ni kansuru ichikosatsu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Okada, Y.; Nogami, Y.; Inokuchi, K. [Mitsui SRC Development Co. Ltd., Tokyo (Japan); Mochizuki, M.; Imada, K. [Nippon Steel Corp., Tokyo (Japan)

1996-10-28

The liquefaction reaction system of an NEDOL process coal liquefaction 1t/d PSU was opened and checked to investigate the cause of the rise of differential pressure between liquefaction reactors of the PSU. The liquefaction test at a coal concentration of 50 wt% using Tanito Harum coal was conducted, and it was found that the differential pressure between reactors was on the increase. By the two-phase flow pressure loss method, deposition thickness of deposit in pipelines was estimated at 4.4mm at the time of end operation, which agreed with a measuring value obtained from a {gamma} ray. The rise of differential pressure was caused by deposit formation in pipelines connecting reactors. The main component of the deposit is calcite (CaCO3 60-70%) and is the same as the usual one. It is also the same type as the deposit on the reactor wall. Ca in coal ash is concerned with this. To withdraw solid matters deposited in the reactor, there are installed pipelines for the withdrawal at the reactor bottom. The solid matters are regularly purged by reverse gas for prevention of clogging. As the frequency of purge increases, the deposit at the reactor bottom decreases, but the deposit attaches strongly to pipelines connecting reactors. It is presumed that this deposit is what Ca to be discharged out of the system as a form of deposition solid matter naturally in the Ca balance precipitated as calcite in the pipeline connecting the reactor. 3 refs., 5 figs., 4 tabs.

A Comparison of Methods and Results in Recruiting White and Black Women into Reproductive Studies: The MMC-PSU Cooperative Center on Reproduction Experience

Science.gov (United States)

Sweet, Stephanie; Legro, Richard S; Coney, PonJola

2008-01-01

Establishing a holistic approach for the enrollment of subjects into clinical trials that includes strategies for the recruitment of non-traditional and minority populations has been an elusive task. The existence of such a design, that is understood and embraced by investigators and the target communities, would streamline the current level of commitment of time, energy and resources. This is necessary to successfully encourage individual and community participation in research studies. The Center for Research in Reproduction at Meharry set out to recruit a large number of African American women volunteers of reproductive age into clinical trials. The experience, of recruiting volunteers from the African American community for clinical trials in the Meharry Medical College/Pennsylvania State University (MMC/PSU)'s Cooperative Center for Research in Reproduction at Meharry, is presented. PMID:18082470

Hydrogen and methane production from desugared molasses using a two‐stage thermophilic anaerobic process

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kongjan, Prawit; O-Thong, Sompong; Angelidaki, Irini

2013-01-01

Hydrogen and methane production from desugared molasses by a two‐stage thermophilic anaerobic process was investigated in a series of two up‐flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors. The first reactor that was dominated with hydrogen‐producing bacteria of Thermoanaerobacterium thermosaccharo......Hydrogen and methane production from desugared molasses by a two‐stage thermophilic anaerobic process was investigated in a series of two up‐flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors. The first reactor that was dominated with hydrogen‐producing bacteria of Thermoanaerobacterium...... molasses. Furthermore, the mixed gas with a volumetric content of 16.5% H2, 38.7% CO2, and 44.8% CH4, containing approximately 15% energy by hydrogen is viable to be bio‐hythane....

Salinity mediates the toxic effect of nano-TiO2 on the juvenile olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Xizhi; Lan, Yawen; Liu, Zekang; Huang, Wei; Guo, Qindan; Liu, Liping; Hu, Menghong; Sui, Yanming; Wu, Fangli; Lu, Weiqun; Wang, Youji

2018-06-04

Increased production of engineered nanoparticles has raised extensive concern about the potential toxic effects on marine organisms living in estuarine and coastal environments. Meanwhile, salinity is one of the key environmental factors that may influence the physiological activities in flatfish species inhabiting in those waters due to fluctuations caused by freshwater input or rainfall. In this study, we investigated the oxidative stress and histopathological alteration of the juvenile Paralichthys olivaceus exposed to nano-TiO 2 (1 and 10 mg L -1 ) under salinities of 10 and 30 psu for 4 days. In the gills, Na + -K + -ATPase activity significantly deceased after 4 days 10 psu exposure without nano-TiO 2 compared with 1 day of acclimating the salinity from the normal salinity (30 psu) to 10 psu. Under this coastal salinity, low concentration (1 mg L -1 ) of nano-TiO 2 exerted significant impacts. In the liver, the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, the levels of lipid peroxide and malondialdehyde increased with nano-TiO 2 exposed under 30 psu. Such increase indicated an oxidative stress response. The result of the integrated biomarker responses showed that P. olivaceus can be adversely affected by high salinity and high concentration of nano-TiO 2 for a short-term (4 days) exposure. The histological analysis revealed the accompanying severe damages for the gill filaments. Principal component analysis further showed that the oxidative stress was associated with the nano-TiO 2 effect at normal salinity. These findings indicated that nano-TiO 2 and normal salinity exert synergistic effects on juvenile P. olivaceus, and low salinity plays a protective role in its physiological state upon short-term exposure to nano-TiO 2 . The mechanism of salinity mediating the toxic effects of NPs on estuarine fish should be further considered. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Do Acartia tonsa (Dana) eggs regulate their volume and osmolality as salinity changes?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Benni Winding; Drillet, Guillaume; Pedersen, Morten Foldager

2012-01-01

Subitaneous eggs from an euryhaline calanoid copepod Acartia tonsa were challenged by changes in salinity within the range from full strength salinity, down to zero and up to >70 psu. Egg volume changed immediately, increasing from 2.8 × 105 μm3 at full strength salinity (35 psu) to 3.8 × 105 μm3...... at 0 psu and back to its initial volume when gradually being returned to full strength salinity. Egg osmolality followed the molality of the surrounding water when challenged within a salinity range from 2 to 50 psu. Egg respiration was not affected when eggs kept at 35 psu was exposed to low salinity...... (2 psu). These results suggest that eggs are unable to regulate their volume or osmolality when challenged with changes in salinity. Gradual changes in salinity from 35 to 2 psu and back did not harm the eggs (embryos), since the hatching success remained unaffected by such changes in salinity...

Construction of novel shuttle expression vectors for gene expression in Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus pumilus.

Science.gov (United States)

Shao, Huanhuan; Cao, Qinghua; Zhao, Hongyan; Tan, Xuemei; Feng, Hong

2015-01-01

A native plasmid (pSU01) was detected by genome sequencing of Bacillus subtilis strain S1-4. Two pSU01-based shuttle expression vectors pSU02-AP and pSU03-AP were constructed enabling stable replication in B. subtilis WB600. These vectors contained the reporter gene aprE, encoding an alkaline protease from Bacillus pumilus BA06. The expression vector pSU03-AP only possessed the minimal replication elements (rep, SSO, DSO) and exhibited more stability on structure, suggesting that the rest of the genes in pSU01 (ORF1, ORF2, mob, hsp) were unessential for the structural stability of plasmid in B. subtilis. In addition, recombinant production of the alkaline protease was achieved more efficiently with pSU03-AP whose copy number was estimated to be more than 100 per chromosome. Furthermore, pSU03-AP could also be used to transform and replicate in B. pumilus BA06 under selective pressure. In conclusion, pSU03-AP is expected to be a useful tool for gene expression in Bacillus subtilis and B. pumilus.

Superparticle and superstring in AdS3 x S3 Ramond--Ramond background in the light-cone gauge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Metsaev, R. R.; Tseytlin, A. A.

2001-01-01

We discuss superparticle and superstring dynamics in AdS 3 x S 3 supported by R--R 3-form background using light-cone gauge approach. Starting with the superalgebra psu(1,1|2)(circle plus)psu (1,1|2) representing the basic symmetry of this background we find the light-cone superparticle Hamiltonian. We determine the harmonic decomposition of light-cone superfield describing fluctuations of type IIB supergravity fields expanded near AdS 3 x S 3 background and thus the corresponding Kaluza--Klein spectrum. We fix the fermionic and bosonic light-cone gauges in the covariant Green--Schwarz AdS 3 x S 3 superstring action and find the corresponding light-cone string Hamiltonian. We also obtain a realization of the generators of psu(1,1|2)(circle plus)psu (1,1|2) in terms of the superstring 2-d fields in the light-cone gauge

Pathway engineering to improve ethanol production by thermophilic bacteria

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lynd, L.R.

1998-12-31

Continuation of a research project jointly funded by the NSF and DOE is proposed. The primary project goal is to develop and characterize strains of C. thermocellum and C. thermosaccharolyticum having ethanol selectivity similar to more convenient ethanol-producing organisms. An additional goal is to document the maximum concentration of ethanol that can be produced by thermophiles. These goals build on results from the previous project, including development of most of the genetic tools required for pathway engineering in the target organisms. As well, we demonstrated that the tolerance of C. thermosaccharolyticum to added ethanol is sufficiently high to allow practical utilization should similar tolerance to produced ethanol be demonstrated, and that inhibition by neutralizing agents may explain the limited concentrations of ethanol produced in studies to date. Task 1 involves optimization of electrotransformation, using either modified conditions or alternative plasmids to improve upon the low but reproducible transformation, frequencies we have obtained thus far.

Self-assembled polymeric nanocarriers for the targeted delivery of retinoic acid to the hair follicle

Science.gov (United States)

Lapteva, Maria; Möller, Michael; Gurny, Robert; Kalia, Yogeshvar N.

2015-11-01

Acne vulgaris is a highly prevalent dermatological disease of the pilosebaceous unit (PSU). An inability to target drug delivery to the PSU results in poor treatment efficacy and the incidence of local side-effects. Cutaneous application of nanoparticulate systems is reported to induce preferential accumulation in appendageal structures. The aim of this work was to prepare stable polymeric micelles containing retinoic acid (RA) using a biodegradable and biocompatible diblock methoxy-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(hexylsubstituted lactic acid) copolymer (MPEG-dihexPLA) and to evaluate their ability to deliver RA to skin. An innovative punch biopsy sample preparation method was developed to selectively quantify follicular delivery; the amounts of RA present were compared to those in bulk skin, (i.e. without PSU), which served as the control. RA was successfully incorporated into micelle nanocarriers and protected from photoisomerization by inclusion of Quinoline Yellow. Incorporation into the spherical, homogeneous and nanometer-scale micelles (dn 400-fold. Drug delivery experiments in vitro showed that micelles were able to deliver RA to porcine and human skins more efficiently than Retin-A® Micro (0.04%), a marketed gel containing RA loaded microspheres, (7.1 +/- 1.1% vs. 0.4 +/- 0.1% and 7.5 +/- 0.8% vs. 0.8 +/- 0.1% of the applied dose, respectively). In contrast to a non-colloidal RA solution, Effederm® (0.05%), both the RA loaded MPEG-dihexPLA polymeric micelles (0.005%) and Retin-A® Micro (0.04%) displayed selectivity for delivery to the PSU with 2-fold higher delivery to PSU containing samples than to control samples. Moreover, the micelle formulation outperformed Retin-A® Micro in terms of delivery efficiency to PSU presenting human skin (10.4 +/- 3.2% vs. 0.6 +/- 0.2%, respectively). The results indicate that the polymeric micelle formulation enabled an increased and targeted delivery of RA to the PSU, potentially translating to a safer and more efficient

Factors influencing the sporulation and cyst formation of Aphanomyces invadans, etiological agent of ulcerative mycosis in Atlantic menhaden, Brevoortia tyrannus

Science.gov (United States)

Kiryu, Y.; Blazer, V.S.; Vogelbein, W.K.; Kator, H.; Shields, J.D.

2005-01-01

Oomycete infections caused by Aphanomyces invadans occur in freshwater and estuarine fishes around the world. Along the east coast of the USA, skin ulcers caused by A. invadans are prevalent in Atlantic menhaden, Brevoortia tyrannus. From laboratory observations low salinities appear crucial to transmission of the pathogen. To better understand aspects of transmission, we characterized sporulation and cyst formation of secondary zoospores of two isolates of A. invadans at different salinities and temperatures. Sporulation occurred only at low salinities. At room temperature (ca. 20-22 C), using "pond water" augmented with artificial sea salts, the endemic strain WIC and the Thailand strain PA7 of A. invadans produced free-swimming secondary zoospores at salinities of 0, 1 and 2 psu (practical salinity unit = ???), but not at 4 psu or higher. Secondary zoospores of another species, ATCC-62427 (Aphanomyces sp.), were observed at 1, 2, 4 and 8 psu but not at 0 and 12 psu. Secondary zoospores of all three isolates, especially WIC, were abundant and motile 1-2 d post-sporulation. Sporulation was temperature dependent and occurred over a relatively narrow range. No sporulation occurred at 4, 30 or 35 C for either WIC or PA7. For both strains zoospore production within 1-3 d after the initiation of sporulation was more prolific at 25 C than at 20 and 15 C. At 15 C production of zoospores was sustained over 11 d for WIC and 5 d for PA7. At room temperature single WIC secondary zoospores remained motile 12-18 h. Salinities exceeding 4 psu or vigorous shaking caused immediate cyst formation of WIC secondary zoospores. Exposure to menhaden tissue, but not tissues of other fishes to secondary zoospores (WIC), caused rapid (2 h) cyst formation. Cysts were capable of excysting when transferred to 1 psu water within 2-3 h of cyst formation. Cysts that had remained encysted in 6.5 psu for 24 h did not excyst when transferred to 1 psu water. Salinity and temperature requirements

The Second "Ring of Towers": Over-sampling the Mid Continent Intensive region CO2 mixing ratio?

Science.gov (United States)

Richardson, S.; Miles, N.; Davis, K.; Crosson, E.; Denning, S.; Zupanksi, D.; Uliasz, M.

2007-12-01

A central barrier preventing the scientific community from understanding the carbon balance of the continent is methodological; it is technically difficult to bridge the gap in spatial scales that exists between the detailed understanding of ecological processes that can be gathered via intensive local field study, and the overarching but mechanistically poor understanding of the global carbon cycle that is gained by analyzing the atmospheric CO2 budget. The NACP's Midcontinental Intensive (MCI) study seeks to bridge this gap by conducting a rigorous methodological test of our ability to measure the terrestrial carbon balance of the upper Midwest. A critical need in bridging this gap is increased data density. A primary goal of the project is to increase the regional atmospheric CO2 data density so that 1) atmospheric inversions can derive well-constrained regional ecosystem carbon flux estimates and 2) the trade off between data density and accuracy of the flux estimates can be determined quantitatively using field observations, thus providing guidance to future observational network designs. Our work adds a regional network of five communications-tower based atmospheric CO2 observations to the planned long-term atmospheric CO2 observing network (tall towers, flux towers and aircraft profiles) in the midcontinent intensive region. Measurements began in April-June 2007, If the measurements are shown to be spatially dense enough to over sample the CO2 mixing ratio, the experiment will provide an upper bounds on the density of measurements required to produce the most accurate flux possible with current atmospheric inversions. The five sites for "Ring 2" and deployment dates are Centerville, IA (Apr 07), Round Lake, MN (May 07), Kewanee, IL (Apr 07), Mead, NE (Apr 07), Galesville, WI (June 07). Two heights are sampled at each tower (30 m AGL and between 110 and 140 m AGL). More details are available at www.ring2.psu.edu. In addition, two systems in PSU's network of

Halophilic and halotolerant actinomycetes from a marine saltern of Goa, India producing anti-bacterial metabolites.

Science.gov (United States)

Ballav, Shuvankar; Kerkar, Savita; Thomas, Sabu; Augustine, Nimmy

2015-03-01

Marine salterns are estuarine ecosystems in Goa, receiving inputs from riverine and marine waters. The Salinity fluctuates between 0 and 300 psu which makes it a conducive niche for salt tolerant and salt loving Actinomycetales. Halotolerant and halophilic Actinomycetales producing anti-bacterial metabolites were studied from crystallizer pond sediments of Ribandar saltern, Goa. Three media viz. Starch casein, R2A and Inorganic salt starch agar at four different salinities (35, 50, 75 and 100 psu) were used for isolation. R2A agar at 35 psu was the most preferred by hypersaline actinomycetes. The dominant group was halotolerant Streptomyces spp. others being rare actinomycetes viz. Nocardiopsis, Micromonospora and Kocuria spp. More than 50% of the isolates showed anti-bacterial activity against one or more of the fifteen human pathogens tested. Eight strains from 4 genera showed consistent anti-bacterial activity and studied in detail. Most halotolerant isolates grew from 0 to 75 psu, with optimum antibiotic production at 35 psu whereas halophiles grew at 20 to 100 psu with optimum antibiotic production at 35 psu. Four Streptomyces strains showed multiple inhibition against test organisms while four rare actinomycetes were specific in their inhibitory activity. This is the first report of a halophilic Kocuria sp., Nocardiopsis sp., and halotolerant Micromonospora sp. producing anti-bacterial compound(s) against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus citreus, and Vibrio cholerae, respectively. Sequential extraction with varying polarity of organic solvents showed that the extracts inhibited different test pathogens. These results suggest that halophilic and halotolerant actinomycetes from marine salterns are a potential source of anti-bacterial compounds. Copyright © 2014 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Seasonal plant water uptake patterns in the saline southeast Everglades ecotone.

Science.gov (United States)

Ewe, Sharon M L; Sternberg, Leonel da S L; Childers, Daniel L

2007-07-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the seasonal water use patterns of dominant macrophytes coexisting in the coastal Everglades ecotone. We measured the stable isotope signatures in plant xylem water of Rhizophora mangle, Cladium jamaicense, and Sesuvium portulacastrum during the dry (DS) and wet (WS) seasons in the estuarine ecotone along Taylor River in Everglades National Park, FL, USA. Shallow soilwater and deeper groundwater salinity was also measured to extrapolate the salinity encountered by plants at their rooting zone. Average soil water oxygen isotope ratios (delta(18)O) was enriched (4.8 +/- 0.2 per thousand) in the DS relative to the WS (0.0 +/- 0.1 per thousand), but groundwater delta(18)O remained constant between seasons (DS: 2.2 +/- 0.4 per thousand; WS: 2.1 +/- 0.1 per thousand). There was an inversion in interstitial salinity patterns across the soil profile between seasons. In the DS, shallow water was euhaline [i.e., 43 practical salinity units (PSU)] while groundwater was less saline (18 PSU). In the WS, however, shallow water was fresh (i.e., 0 PSU) but groundwater remained brackish (14 PSU). All plants utilized 100% (shallow) freshwater during the WS, but in the DS R. mangle switched to a soil-groundwater mix (delta 55% groundwater) while C. jamaicense and S. portulacastrum continued to use euhaline shallow water. In the DS, based on delta(18)O data, the roots of R. mangle roots were exposed to salinities of 25.4 +/- 1.4 PSU, less saline than either C. jamaicense (39.1 +/- 2.2 PSU) or S. portulacastrum (38.6 +/- 2.5 PSU). Although the salinity tolerance of C. jamaicense is not known, it is unlikely that long-term exposure to high salinity is conducive to the persistence of this freshwater marsh sedge. This study increases our ecological understanding of how water uptake patterns of individual plants can contribute to ecosystem levels changes, not only in the southeast saline Everglades, but also in estuaries in general in response to

Is the propagation speed of ultrasound in human organs a diagnostic parameter for tissue characterization? Evaluation using the liver parenchyma in children and adolescents as an example

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Born, M.; Franke, I.

2011-01-01

New sonographic machines permit the measurement of the propagation speed of ultrasound (PSU) in humans. The liver seems to be an appropriate organ for examining whether the PSU may be used as a diagnostic parameter for tissue characterization since the liver is easily accessible to sonography and its variable content of fat impacts the PSU. Purpose: To determine whether there is a measurable correlation between obesity and PSU in the liver. Methods: In 69 children and adolescents, the PSU in the liver was measured sonographically and correlated to BMI, age, size and weight of the children. Results: A strong correlation was found between the PSU in the liver and the BMI. The PSU was significantly lower in obese children (1507 m/s) than in children with normal body weight (1564 m/s). Conclusion: PSU seems to be promising as an additional diagnostic parameter for characterizing liver tissue. Further evaluation is necessary. (orig.)

Mathematical model of parking space unit for triangular parking area

Science.gov (United States)

Syahrini, Intan; Sundari, Teti; Iskandar, Taufiq; Halfiani, Vera; Munzir, Said; Ramli, Marwan

2018-01-01

Parking space unit (PSU) is an effective measure for the area size of a vehicle, including the free space and the width of the door opening of the vehicle (car). This article discusses a mathematical model for parking space of vehicles in triangular shape area. An optimization model for triangular parking lot is developed. Integer Linear Programming (ILP) method is used to determine the maximum number of the PSU. The triangular parking lot is in isosceles and equilateral triangles shape and implements four possible rows and five possible angles for each field. The vehicles which are considered are cars and motorcycles. The results show that the isosceles triangular parking area has 218 units of optimal PSU, which are 84 units of PSU for cars and 134 units of PSU for motorcycles. Equilateral triangular parking area has 688 units of optimal PSU, which are 175 units of PSU for cars and 513 units of PSU for motorcycles.

Is the propagation speed of ultrasound in human organs a diagnostic parameter for tissue characterization? Evaluation using the liver parenchyma in children and adolescents as an example; Die Schallleitgeschwindigkeit im menschlichen Gewebe. Ein diagnostisch verwertbarer Parameter? Evaluation am Beispiel der Leber bei Kindern und Jugendlichen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Born, M. [Bonn Univ. (Germany). Radiologische Klinik - Kinderradiologie; Franke, I. [Bonn Univ. (Germany). Kinderklinik

2011-09-15

New sonographic machines permit the measurement of the propagation speed of ultrasound (PSU) in humans. The liver seems to be an appropriate organ for examining whether the PSU may be used as a diagnostic parameter for tissue characterization since the liver is easily accessible to sonography and its variable content of fat impacts the PSU. Purpose: To determine whether there is a measurable correlation between obesity and PSU in the liver. Methods: In 69 children and adolescents, the PSU in the liver was measured sonographically and correlated to BMI, age, size and weight of the children. Results: A strong correlation was found between the PSU in the liver and the BMI. The PSU was significantly lower in obese children (1507 m/s) than in children with normal body weight (1564 m/s). Conclusion: PSU seems to be promising as an additional diagnostic parameter for characterizing liver tissue. Further evaluation is necessary. (orig.)

The SU(2 vertical stroke 3) spin chain sigma model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hernandez, R.; Lopez, E.

2005-01-01

The one-loop planar dilatation operator of N = 4 supersymmetric Yang-Mills is isomorphic to the hamiltonian of an integrable PSU(2,2 vertical stroke 4) spin chain. We construct the non-linear sigma model describing the continuum limit of the SU(2 vertical stroke 3) subsector of the N = 4 chain. We explicitly identify the spin chain sigma model with the one for a superstring moving in AdS 5 x S 5 with large angular momentum along the five-sphere. (Abstract Copyright [2005], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Myofibril Changes in the Copepod Pseudodiaptomus marinus Exposed to Haline and Thermal Stresses.

Science.gov (United States)

Ibrahim, Ali; Souissi, Anissa; Leray, Aymeric; Héliot, Laurent; Vandenbunder, Bernard; Souissi, Sami

2016-01-01

Copepods are small crustaceans capable to survive in various aquatic environments. Their responses to changes in different external factors such as salinity and temperature can be observed at different integration levels from copepod genes to copepod communities. Until now, no thorough observation of the temperature or salinity effect stresses on copepods has been done by optical microscopy. In this study, we used autofluorescence to visualize these effects on the morphology of the calanoid copepod Pseudodiaptomus marinus maintained during several generations in the laboratory at favorable and stable conditions of salinity (30 psu) and temperature (18°C). Four different stress experiments were conducted: at a sharp decrease in temperature (18 to 4°C), a moderate decrease in salinity (from 30 to 15 psu), a major decrease in salinity (from 30 to 0 psu), and finally a combined stress with a decrease in both temperature and salinity (from 18°C and 30 psu to 4°C and 0 psu). After these stresses, images acquired by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) revealed changes in copepod cuticle and muscle structure. Low salinity and/or temperature stresses affected both the detection of fluorescence emitted by muscle sarcomeres and the distance between them. In the remaining paper we will use the term sarcomeres to describe the elements located within sarcomeres and emitted autofluorescence signals. Quantitative study showed an increase in the average distance between two consecutive sarcomeres from 2.06 +/- 0.11 μm to 2.44 +/- 0.42 μm and 2.88 +/- 0.45μm after the exposure to major haline stress (18°C, 0 psu) and the combined stress (4°C, 0 psu), respectively. These stresses also caused cuticle cracks which often occurred at the same location, suggesting the cuticle as a sensitive area for osmoregulation. Our results suggest the use of cuticular and muscle autofluorescence as new biomarkers of stress detectable in formalin-preserved P. marinus individuals. Our

Psychoactive substances, alcohol and tobacco consumption in HIV-infected outpatients.

Science.gov (United States)

Jacquet, Jean-Marc; Peyriere, Hélène; Makinson, Alain; Peries, Marianne; Nagot, Nicolas; Donnadieu-Rigole, Hélène; Reynes, Jacques

2018-06-01

To assess the alcohol consumption, tobacco addiction and psychoactive substance use (PSU) of people living with HIV (PLHIV). Cross-sectional study in an HIV outpatient unit. Autoquestionnaire systematically proposed to all patients during their usual clinical care visit during a 6-months period, for alcohol (AUDIT test), tobacco (Short Fagerstrom Test) and PSU (ASSIST V3.0 test). Of 1334 distributed questionnaires, 1018 PLHIV responded: 76.8% were men [528 patients were MSM), and the median age was 49 years (interquartile range: 42-46). A prevalence of excessive alcohol drinking was found in 22% [95% confidence interval (CI) 19.5-24.7%] and 44.6% (CI 41.5-47.7%) were current smokers, with high dependence in 29.1% (CI 24.9-33.7%). The prevalence of PSU was 37.8% (CI 34.8-41%) in the past 3 months: cannabis 27.7%, poppers 16.4%, cocaine 8.9%, psychotropic medications 7.1%, gamma-hydroxybutyrate/gamma-butyrolactone (GHB/GBL) 4.7%, stimulants 3.1%, synthetic cathinones 2.7%, hallucinogens 1.5%. In the past 3 months, PSU was more prevalent in MSM than in non-MSM patients (46 versus 30%, P poppers) 31.0 versus 1.1%, GHB/GBL 7.8 versus 0.8%, stimulants 5.0 versus 1.1%, synthetic cathinones 4.9 versus 0.3%, and hallucinogens 2.3 versus 0.5%. Given the high prevalence of PSU and other addictions (alcohol and smoking) among PLHIV, and particularly among MSM, a systematic screening of PSU and other addictions should be part of routine clinical care.

Transport dynamics in membranes of photosynthetic purple bacteria

Science.gov (United States)

Caycedo, Felipe; Rodriguez, Ferney; Quiroga, Luis; Fassioli, Francesca; Johnson, Neil

2007-03-01

Photo-Syntethic Unit (PSU) of purple bacteria is conformed by three basic constituents: Light Harvesting Complex 2 (LH2) antenna complexes, where chromophores are distributed in a ring in close contact with caroteniods with a function of collecting light; LH1s, ring shaped structures of chromophores which harvest and funnel excitations to the Reaction Centre (RC), where phtosynthesis takes place. Studies concerning a single PSU have been capable of reproducing experimental transfer times, but incapable of explaining the fact that architecture LH2-LH1-RC of phototosynthetic membranes changes as light intensity conditions vary. The organization of antenna complexes in the membranes that support PSU seems to have its own functionality. A hopping model where excitations are transferred within a membrane is used, and populations of RC, LH1 and LH2 are investigated. Different statistics concerning arrival times of excitations that excite a single PSU are considered and compared with the global model where coordinates of a great portion of a membrane are included. The model permits in a classical basis to understand which parameters make photosynthesis in purple bateria efficient and reliable.

Hydrography of the eastern Arabian Sea during summer monsoon 2002

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Shankar, D.; Shenoi, S.S.C.; Nayak, R.K.; Vinayachandran, P.N.; Nampoothiri, G.S.; Almeida, A.M.; Michael, G.S.; RameshKumar, M.R.; Sundar, D.; Sreejith, O.P.

Section G 8 5th August, 2200 9th August, 0945 Section B 12 12th August, 0345 14th August, 2205 Figure 2. Temperature (left, openbulletC) and salinity (right, PSU) along section G (off Goa, similar 15openbulletN) during SK-178 (24th?26th June 2002). Contour... July, 462 D Shankar et al Figure 3. Temperature (left, openbulletC) and salinity (right, PSU) along section G (off Goa, similar 15openbulletN) during SK-179 (5th?9th August 2002). Contour intervals are 1openbulletC and 0.1 PSU. The inverted triangles...

Poly(Ethylene Oxide)-block-Polysulfone-block-Poly(Ethylene Oxide) / Poly(etherblock-amide) Composite Membrane for Carbon Dioxide Separation

KAUST Repository

Omoniyi, Adekunle

2012-07-01

This research study describes the gas separation performance of different sets of Polyethyleneoxide-block-Polysulfone-block-Polyethyleneoxide/poly(ether-block-amide) (PEO-b-PSU-b-PEO/Pebax) composite membranes for CO2 separation from N2 and CH4. Gas permeation properties of the membranes prepared were studied at ambient temperature (21oC) and 8bar. The dependence of gas flux and selectivity on pressure was explored for different pressures from 2.5 bar up to 19 bar also at ambient temperature. Pebax/PAN composite membranes have a range of CO2 permeance of 4467±274 GPU, 365±64 GPU for CH4 and 152±17 GPU for N2 with CO2/N2 and CO2/CH4selectivities ranges of 30 and 13 respectively. Improved CO2/N2 and CO2/CH4 selectivities coupled with flux reduction were obtained from the introduction of PEO-b-PSU-b-PEO films on Pebax/PAN composite membranes. The gas flux reduced to about one-tenth of Pebax/PAN membrane’s while the selectivities obtained for all the PEO-b-PSU-b- PEO/Pebax/PAN membrane range from 33 to 60 for CO2/N2 and 17 to 33 for CO2/CH4 as the thickness of PEO-b-PSU-b-PEO top layer increases.

White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) infection in shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) exposed to low and high salinity.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramos-Carreño, Santiago; Valencia-Yáñez, Ricardo; Correa-Sandoval, Francisco; Ruíz-García, Noé; Díaz-Herrera, Fernando; Giffard-Mena, Ivone

2014-09-01

White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) has a worldwide distribution and is considered one of the most pathogenic and devastating viruses to the shrimp industry. A few studies have explored the effect of WSSV on shrimp acclimated to low (5 practical salinity units [psu]) or high ([40 psu) salinity conditions. In this work, we analysed the physiological response of WSSV-infected Litopenaeus vannamei juveniles that were acclimated to different salinities (5, 15, 28, 34 and 54 psu). We evaluated the osmotic response and survival of the shrimp at different times after infection (0 to 48 hours), and we followed the expression levels of a viral gene (vp664) in shrimp haemolymph using real-time PCR. Our results indicate that the susceptibility of the shrimp to the virus increased at extreme salinities (5 and 54 psu), with higher survival rates at 15 and 28 psu, which were closer to the iso-osmotic point (24.7 psu, 727.5 mOsmol/kg). Acute exposure to the virus made the haemolymph less hyperosmotic at 5 and 15 psu and less hypo-osmotic at higher salinities ([28 psu). The capacity of white shrimp to osmoregulate, and thus survive, significantly decreased following WSSV infection. According to our results, extreme salinities (5 or 54 psu) are more harmful than seawater.

Continuity, psychosocial correlates, and outcome of problematic substance use from adolescence to young adulthood in a community sample.

Science.gov (United States)

Steinhausen, Hans-Christoph; Eschmann, Susanne; Metzke, Christa Winkler

2007-10-11

The study of the continuity, psychosocial correlates, and prediction of problematic substance use (PSU) across time from adolescence to young adulthood. Substance use was studied in a cohort of N = 593 subjects who had been assessed at three times between adolescence and young adulthood within the Zurich Psychology and Psychopathology Study (ZAPPS). Based on the frequency of tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis consumption, groups with PSU were defined at each of the three measurement points in time and compared to the rest of the sample. Comparisons included questionnaire data regarding emotional and behavioural problems, life events, coping style, self-related cognitions, perceived parenting style, perceived school environment, and size and efficiency of the social network. The size of the groups with PSU increased continuously across time. The cross-sectional correlates of PSU were characterized by a similar pattern that included higher scores for externalizing behaviour, and both number and negative impact of life events across all three times. At time 1 and 2 subjects with PSU also experienced less favourable parenting styles and school environments. Longitudinally, PSU in young adulthood was predicted most strongly and persistently by previous risk status, externalizing problems and male gender. Problematic substance use is a major problem in youth. Its contributing pattern of associated and predictive psychosocial variables can be identified in the community.

Continuity, psychosocial correlates, and outcome of problematic substance use from adolescence to young adulthood in a community sample

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Metzke Christa

2007-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The study of the continuity, psychosocial correlates, and prediction of problematic substance use (PSU across time from adolescence to young adulthood. Methods Substance use was studied in a cohort of N = 593 subjects who had been assessed at three times between adolescence and young adulthood within the Zurich Psychology and Psychopathology Study (ZAPPS. Based on the frequency of tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis consumption, groups with PSU were defined at each of the three measurement points in time and compared to the rest of the sample. Comparisons included questionnaire data regarding emotional and behavioural problems, life events, coping style, self-related cognitions, perceived parenting style, perceived school environment, and size and efficiency of the social network. Results The size of the groups with PSU increased continuously across time. The cross-sectional correlates of PSU were characterized by a similar pattern that included higher scores for externalizing behaviour, and both number and negative impact of life events across all three times. At time 1 and 2 subjects with PSU also experienced less favourable parenting styles and school environments. Longitudinally, PSU in young adulthood was predicted most strongly and persistently by previous risk status, externalizing problems and male gender. Conclusion Problematic substance use is a major problem in youth. Its contributing pattern of associated and predictive psychosocial variables can be identified in the community.

Prevalence and correlates of problematic smartphone use in a large random sample of Chinese undergraduates.

Science.gov (United States)

Long, Jiang; Liu, Tie-Qiao; Liao, Yan-Hui; Qi, Chang; He, Hao-Yu; Chen, Shu-Bao; Billieux, Joël

2016-11-17

Smartphones are becoming a daily necessity for most undergraduates in Mainland China. Because the present scenario of problematic smartphone use (PSU) is largely unexplored, in the current study we aimed to estimate the prevalence of PSU and to screen suitable predictors for PSU among Chinese undergraduates in the framework of the stress-coping theory. A sample of 1062 undergraduate smartphone users was recruited by means of the stratified cluster random sampling strategy between April and May 2015. The Problematic Cellular Phone Use Questionnaire was used to identify PSU. We evaluated five candidate risk factors for PSU by using logistic regression analysis while controlling for demographic characteristics and specific features of smartphone use. The prevalence of PSU among Chinese undergraduates was estimated to be 21.3%. The risk factors for PSU were majoring in the humanities, high monthly income from the family (≥1500 RMB), serious emotional symptoms, high perceived stress, and perfectionism-related factors (high doubts about actions, high parental expectations). PSU among undergraduates appears to be ubiquitous and thus constitutes a public health issue in Mainland China. Although further longitudinal studies are required to test whether PSU is a transient phenomenon or a chronic and progressive condition, our study successfully identified socio-demographic and psychological risk factors for PSU. These results, obtained from a random and thus representative sample of undergraduates, opens up new avenues in terms of prevention and regulation policies.

Low fouling polysulfone ultrafiltration membrane via click chemistry

KAUST Repository

Xie, Yihui

2014-10-13

Hydrophilic surfaces are known to be less prone to fouling. Ultrafiltration membranes are frequently prepared from rather hydrophobic polymers like polysulfone (PSU). Strategies to keep the good pore forming characteristics of PSU, but with improved hydrophilicity are proposed here. PSU functionalized with 1,2,3-triazole ring substituents containing OH groups was successfully synthesized through click chemistry reaction. The structures of the polymers were confirmed using NMR spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). High thermal stability (>280°C) was observed by thermal gravimetric analysis. Elemental analysis showed the presence of nitrogen containing triazole group with different degrees of functionalization (23%, 49%, 56%, and 94%). The glass transition temperature shifted with the introduction of triazole pendant groups from 190°C (unmodified) to 171°C. Ultrafiltration membranes were prepared via phase inversion by immersion in different coagulation baths (NMP/water mixtures with volume ratios from 0/100 to 40/60). The morphologies of these membranes were studied by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The optimized PSU bearing triazole functions membranes exhibited water permeability up to 187 L m-2 h-1 bar-1, which is 23 times higher than those prepared under the same conditions but with unmodified polysulfone (PSU; 8 L m-2 h-1 bar-1). Results of bovine serum albumin protein rejection test indicated that susceptibility to fouling decreased with the modification, due to the increased hydrophilicity, while keeping high protein rejection ratio (>99%).

Maximum standard metabolic rate corresponds with the salinity of maximum growth in hatchlings of the estuarine northern diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin terrapin): Implications for habitat conservation

Science.gov (United States)

Rowe, Christopher L.

2018-01-01

I evaluated standard metabolic rates (SMR) of hatchling northern diamondback terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin terrapin) across a range of salinities (salinity = 1.5, 4, 8, 12, and 16 psu) that they may encounter in brackish habitats such as those in the Maryland portion of the Chesapeake Bay, U.S.A. Consumption of O2 and production of CO2 by resting, unfed animals served as estimates of SMR. A peak in SMR occurred at 8 psu which corresponds closely with the salinity at which hatchling growth was previously shown to be maximized (salinity ∼ 9 psu). It appears that SMR is influenced by growth, perhaps reflecting investments in catabolic pathways that fuel anabolism. This ecophysiological information can inform environmental conservation and management activities by identifying portions of the estuary that are bioenergetically optimal for growth of hatchling terrapins. I suggest that conservation and restoration efforts to protect terrapin populations in oligo-to mesohaline habitats should prioritize protection or creation of habitats in regions where average salinity is near 8 psu and energetic investments in growth appear to be maximized.

PSU/WES Interlaboratory Comparative Methodology Study of an Experimental Cementitious Repository Seal Material. Report 2. Final Results.

Science.gov (United States)

1982-03-01

SO3 t 1.90 2.05 1.86 Na 2OS 0.09 0.21 0.15 Na2 Ott 0.12 0.11 0.12 K 2OS 0.49 0.47 0.51 K 2Ott 0.47 0.46 0.51 TiO 2S 0.19 0.18 0.18 TiO 2tt 0.19 0.20...ths ctibatiti.basI o Ot 81 ialdepencdcni ivieasiarcinctits, is 0.004 jam tafrdClstancN from I to 5 pim and 0.CtO pmr tar distatices trunm 10 to 50 pmi

Bioaccumulation of Heavy Metals

African Journals Online (AJOL)

komla

acute toxicity and sublethal chronic action the devastating effects that the accumulation - including ... the laboratory and kept in holding glass (a) Copper as CuSO,.5H,0 ... from 2 psu to 21 psu) depending on time of The choice of heavy metals for this s year. ... serving as substrate and food source for Salinity of test media.

EFL Oral Communication Teaching Practices: A Close Look at University Teachers and A2 Students' Perspectives in Thailand and a Critical Eye from Serbia

Science.gov (United States)

Bruner, David Allen; Sinwongsuwat, Kemtong; Radic-Bojanic, Biljana

2015-01-01

This paper aimed to reexamine current EFL oral communication teaching practices from the perspectives of teachers and A2 students at two universities, namely Prince of Songkla University (PSU), Thailand and University of Novi Sad (UNS), Serbia. The main objectives were: (1) to analyze current practices from the perspectives of teachers and…

Landau-Lifshitz sigma-models, fermions and the AdS/CFT correspondence

OpenAIRE

Stefanski Jr, B.

2007-01-01

We define Landau-Lifshitz sigma models on general coset space $G/H$, with $H$ a maximal stability sub-group of $G$. These are non-relativistic models that have $G$-valued N\\"other charges, local $H$ invariance and are classically integrable. Using this definition, we construct the $PSU(2,2|4)/PS(U(2|2)^2)$ Landau-Lifshitz sigma-model. This sigma model describes the thermodynamic limit of the spin-chain Hamiltonian obtained from the complete one-loop dilatation operator of the N=4 super Yang-M...

N=4 superconformal mechanics as a non linear realization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anabalon, Andres; Gomis, Joaquim; Kamimura, Kiyoshi; Zanelli, Jorge

2006-01-01

An action for a superconformal particle is constructed using the non linear realization method for the group PSU(1,1/2), without introducing superfields. The connection between PSU(1,1/2) and black hole physics is discussed. The lagrangian contains six arbitrary constants and describes a non-BPS superconformal particle. The BPS case is obtained if a precise relation between the constants in the lagrangian is verified, which implies that the action becomes kappa-symmetric

DOE/PSU Graduate Student Fellowship Program for Hydropower

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cimbala, John M. [Pennsylvania State Univ., State College, PA (United States)

2014-03-30

The primary objective of this project is to stimulate academic interest in the conventional hydropower field by supplying research support for at least eight individual Master of Science (MS) or Doctoral (PhD) level research projects, each consisting of a graduate student supervised by a faculty member. We have completed many of the individual student research projects: 2 PhD students have finished, and 4 are still working towards their PhD degree. 4 MS students have finished, and 2 are still working towards their MS degree, one of which is due to finish this April. In addition, 4 undergraduate student projects have been completed, and one is to be completed this April. These projects were supervised by 7 faculty members and an Advisory/Review Panel. Our students and faculty have presented their work at national or international conferences and have submitted several journal publications. Three of our graduate students (Keith Martin, Dan Leonard and Hosein Foroutan) have received HRF Fellowships during the course of this project. All of the remaining students are anticipated to be graduated by the end of Fall Semester 2014. All of the tasks for this project will have been completed once all the students have been graduated, although it will be another year or two until all the journal publications have been finalized based on the work performed as part of this DOE Hydropower project.

Component, Context and Manufacturing Model Library (C2M2L)

Science.gov (United States)

2013-03-01

Penn State team were stored in a relational database for easy access, storage and maintainability. The relational database consisted of a PostGres ...file into a format that can be imported into the PostGres database. This same custom application was used to generate Microsoft Excel templates...Press Break Forming Equipment 4.14 Manufacturing Model Library Database Structure The data storage mechanism for the ARL PSU MML was a PostGres database

Palliative Sedation at the End of Life: Patterns of Use in an Israeli Hospice.

Science.gov (United States)

Azoulay, Daniel; Shahal-Gassner, Ruth; Yehezkel, Malka; Eliyahu, Ester; Weigert, Nir; Ein-Mor, Eliana; Jacobs, Jeremy M

2016-05-01

Palliative sedation (PS) is indicated for refractory symptoms among dying patients. This retrospective descriptive study examines PS in an Israeli hospice. Palliative sedation was defined as PS to unconsciousness (PSU), PS proportionate to symptoms (proportional palliative sedation [PPS]), or intermittent PS (IPS). Among 179 patients who died during 2012, PS was used among 21.2% (n = 38): (PSU 34.2%, PPS 34.2%, and IPS 31.6%), using midazolam (n = 33/38), halidol (21/38), and concurrent morphine (n = 35/38). Indications included agitation (71%), pain (36.8%), and dyspnea (21%). Survival following initiation of PS was 73 ± standard deviation 54 hours. No differences in survival were observed according to who initiated the decision to use PS (patients/medical staff/family) or type of PS (PSU/PPS/IPS). Survival following PS was longest with higher sedative doses, an observation that may help dispel fears concerning the use of PS to hasten death. © The Author(s) 2015.

Exploring the structure-properties relationships of novel polyamide thin film composite membranes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Briceño, Kelly; Javakhishvili, Irakli; Guo, Haofei

Polysulfone (PSU) is a material widely used in the fabrication of membranes for ultrafiltration and as a support for nanofiltration and reverse osmosis membranes. Interfacial polymerization usually combines amine and acid chloride monomers for the fabrication of thin film composite membranes[1......] . However, only few publications describe it’s usage for the modification of supports for the fabrication of ultrafiltration membranes [2]. This research focuses on the modification of PSU supports to produce new ultrafiltration membranes. The advantages of interfacial polymerization in the fabrication...... of UF membranes includes: Negatively charged PSF surfaces that could be less prone to biofouling Scale up process for the modification of PSU. An alternative to costly and technically challenging processes as in situ interfacial polymerization [3]....

Coastal Freshening Prevents Fjord Bottom Water Renewal in Northeast Greenland: A Mooring Study From 2003 to 2015

Science.gov (United States)

Boone, Wieter; Rysgaard, Søren; Carlson, Daniel F.; Meire, Lorenz; Kirillov, Sergei; Mortensen, John; Dmitrenko, Igor; Vergeynst, Leendert; Sejr, Mikael K.

2018-03-01

The freshwater content of the Arctic Ocean and its bordering seas has recently increased. Observing freshening events is an important step toward identifying the drivers and understanding the effects of freshening on ocean circulation and marine ecosystems. Here we present a 13 year (2003-2015) record of temperature and salinity in Young Sound-Tyrolerfjord (74°N) in Northeast Greenland. Our observations show that strong freshening occurred from August 2005 to August 2007 (-0.92 psu or -0.46 psu yr-1) and from August 2009 to August 2013 (-0.66 psu or -0.17 psu yr-1). Furthermore, temperature-salinity analysis from 2004 to 2014 shows that freshening of the coastal water ( range at sill depth: 33.3 psu in 2005 to 31.4 psu in 2007) prevented renewal of the fjord's bottom water. These data provide critical observations of interannual freshening rates in a remote fjord in Greenland and in the adjacent coastal waters and show that coastal freshening impacts the fjord hydrography, which may impact the ecosystem dynamics in the long term.

Antimicrobial potential of endophytic fungi derived from three seagrass species: Cymodocea serrulata, Halophila ovalis and Thalassia hemprichii.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Preuttiporn Supaphon

Full Text Available Endophytic fungi from three commonly found seagrasses in southern Thailand were explored for their ability to produce antimicrobial metabolites. One hundred and sixty endophytic fungi derived from Cymodoceaserrulata (Family Cymodoceaceae, Halophilaovalis and Thalassiahemprichii (Family Hydrocharitaceae were screened for production of antimicrobial compounds by a colorimetric broth microdilution test against ten human pathogenic microorganisms including Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, a clinical isolate of methicillin-resistant S. aureus, Escherichia coli ATCC 25923, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, Candida albicans ATCC 90028 and NCPF 3153, Cryptococcus neoformans ATCC 90112 and ATCC 90113 and clinical isolates of Microsporumgypseum and Penicilliummarneffei. Sixty-nine percent of the isolates exhibited antimicrobial activity against at least one test strain. Antifungal activity was more pronounced than antibacterial activity. Among the active fungi, seven isolates including Hypocreales sp. PSU-ES26 from C. serrulata, Trichoderma spp. PSU-ES8 and PSU-ES38 from H. ovalis, and Penicillium sp. PSU-ES43, Fusarium sp. PSU-ES73, Stephanonectria sp. PSU-ES172 and an unidentified endophyte PSU-ES190 from T. hemprichii exhibited strong antimicrobial activity against human pathogens with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC of less than 10 µg/ml. The inhibitory extracts at concentrations of 4 times their MIC destroyed the targeted cells as observed by scanning electron microscopy. These results showed the antimicrobial potential of extracts from endophytic fungi from seagrasses.

TSC Regulates Oligodendroglial Differentiation and Myelination in the CNS

Science.gov (United States)

2011-09-01

Glutamate-Mediated Apoptosis and Trophic Factor Protection of Immature Oligodendrocytes” Weiss Center for Research, “Death and Survival in the...System, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories 1994 - 1995 Medical Embryology , PSU/College of Medicine (4 lectures) 1994 – 2000 Molecular...Instructor, Medical Embryology , PSU/College of Medicine (8 lectures) 1997 Biology of Neoplasia (1 lecture) 1999 - 2004 Medical Histology, PSU/College

Effects of high salinity from desalination brine on growth, photosynthesis, water relations and osmolyte concentrations of seagrass Posidonia australis.

Science.gov (United States)

Cambridge, M L; Zavala-Perez, A; Cawthray, G R; Mondon, J; Kendrick, G A

2017-02-15

Highly saline brines from desalination plants expose seagrass communities to salt stress. We examined effects of raised salinity (46 and 54psu) compared with seawater controls (37psu) over 6weeks on the seagrass, Posidonia australis, growing in tanks with the aim of separating effects of salinity from other potentially deleterious components of brine and determining appropriate bioindicators. Plants survived exposures of 2-4weeks at 54psu, the maximum salinity of brine released from a nearby desalination plant. Salinity significantly reduced maximum quantum yield of PSII (chlorophyll a fluorescence emissions). Leaf water potential (Ψ w ) and osmotic potential (Ψ π ) were more negative at increased salinity, while turgor pressure (Ψ p ) was unaffected. Leaf concentrations of K + and Ca 2+ decreased, whereas concentrations of sugars (mainly sucrose) and amino acids increased. We recommend leaf osmolarity, ion, sugar and amino acid concentrations as bioindicators for salinity effects, associated with brine released in desalination plant outfalls. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sleep quality as a mediator of problematic smartphone use and clinical health symptoms.

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Xiaochun; Dong, Yan; Wang, Jinliang

2018-05-23

Background and aims Although smartphone use brings many benefits for adolescents, it is also associated with many serious health problems. This study examined the relationship between problematic smartphone use (PSU) and clinical health symptoms (e.g., body dysfunction) and the mediating effects of sleep quality on this relationship in adolescents. Methods Participants in this cross-sectional survey were 686 middle- and high-school students (girls = 55.7%, M age  = 12.98 ± 1.38 years). Participants completed self-report measures of PSU, sleep quality, and physical symptoms. Correlation analyses and structural equation modeling between adolescents' PSU and the variables of interest were conducted. Results This study indicated that there was a significant positive correlation between PSU and health symptoms. Furthermore, sleep quality mediated the relationship between PSU and health symptoms. Discussion and conclusions Findings suggest that to promote health and wellness in adolescents, individuals should be encouraged to place boundaries on smartphone use, especially at bedtime. Reducing adolescents' exposure to smartphone use in this way may hold promise for improving the efficacy of PSU prevention efforts for adolescents.

Alcohol use disorder with and without stimulant use: brain morphometry and its associations with cigarette smoking, cognition, and inhibitory control.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David L Pennington

Full Text Available Little is known about the effects of polysubstance use and cigarette smoking on brain morphometry. This study examined neocortical brain morphometric differences between abstinent polysubstance dependent and alcohol-only dependent treatment seekers (ALC as well as light drinking controls (CON, the associations of cigarette smoking in these polysubstance users (PSU, and morphometric relationships to cognition and inhibitory control.All participants completed extensive neuropsychological assessments and 4 Tesla brain magnetic resonance imaging. PSU and ALC were abstinent for one month at the time of study. Parcellated morphological data (volume, surface area, thickness were obtained with FreeSurfer methodology for the following bilateral components: dorso-prefrontal cortex (DPFC, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC, orbitofrontal cortex (OFC, and insula. Regional group differences were examined and structural data correlated with domains of cognition and inhibitory control.PSU had significantly smaller left OFC volume and surface area and trends to smaller right DPFC volume and surface area compared to CON; PSU did not differ significantly from ALC on these measures. PSU, however, had significantly thinner right ACC than ALC. Smoking PSU had significantly larger right OFC surface area than non-smoking PSU. No significant relationships between morphometry and quantity/frequency of substance use, alcohol use, or age of onset of heavy drinking were observed. PSU exhibited distinct relationships between brain structure and processing speed, cognitive efficiency, working memory and inhibitory control that were not observed in ALC or CON.Polysubstance users have unique morphometric abnormalities and structure-function relationships when compared to individuals dependent only on alcohol and light drinking controls. Chronic cigarette smoking is associated with structural brain irregularities in polysubstance users. Further elucidation of these distinctive

Hydrodynamic Test Facilities at ARL/PSU.

Science.gov (United States)

1982-02-12

Dynamometers, 5-Hole Pitot Probes, Lasers, Pressure Sensors, Hydrophones, Planar Motion Mechanism, Force Balances TYPE AND LOCATION OF TORQUE & THRUST...David W. Taylor Naval Ship R&D Center Atmn: J. Henry David W. Taylor Naval Ship R&D Center Code 2741 Attn: W. K. Blake (Copy No. 28) Code 1905 (Copy No

Problematic Smartphone Use, Deep and Surface Approaches to Learning, and Social Media Use in Lectures †

OpenAIRE

Rozgonjuk, Dmitri; Saal, Kristiina; Täht, Karin

2018-01-01

Several studies have shown that problematic smartphone use (PSU) is related to detrimental outcomes, such as worse psychological well-being, higher cognitive distraction, and poorer academic outcomes. In addition, many studies have shown that PSU is strongly related to social media use. Despite this, the relationships between PSU, as well as the frequency of social media use in lectures, and different approaches to learning have not been previously studied. In our study, we hypothesized that ...

Problematic Smartphone Use, Deep and Surface Approaches to Learning, and Social Media Use in Lectures

OpenAIRE

Dmitri Rozgonjuk; Kristiina Saal; Karin Täht

2018-01-01

Several studies have shown that problematic smartphone use (PSU) is related to detrimental outcomes, such as worse psychological well-being, higher cognitive distraction, and poorer academic outcomes. In addition, many studies have shown that PSU is strongly related to social media use. Despite this, the relationships between PSU, as well as the frequency of social media use in lectures, and different approaches to learning have not been previously studied. In our study, we hypothesized that ...

Problematic smartphone use and its relation with anxiety and depression:a survey in a large sample of undergraduates%大学生智能手机问题性使用状况及与焦虑和抑郁情绪关系的初步研究

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

刘岳衡; 龙江; JoëlBillieux; 齐畅; 何浩宇; 陈淑宝; 吴秋霞; 熊一凡; 刘铁桥

2017-01-01

目的 比较不同社会人口学特征及智能手机使用特征在中国大学生是否手机问题性使用者中的发生率,以及焦虑、抑郁与智能手机问题性使用的初步关系.方法 按照我国现有的高等教育学校分类方式,采用分层随机抽样方法选取8所不同层次高等院校共35个混合教学大班的1205名学生,采用问题性手机使用问卷评估被试者手机使用情况,采用Zung焦虑自评量表、抑郁自评量表评估焦虑及抑郁症状水平.使用独立样本t检验及χ2检验等统计方法对1006份有效问卷进行分析.结果 在1006名受访者中,有207名被定义为智能手机问题性使用者,阳性率20.6%;高中文理分科情况(χ2=11.424,P<0.01)、高低年级分组(χ2=5.868,P<0.05)、每月平均生活费(χ2=12.713,P<0.01)、每天手机使用时间(χ2=20.052,P<0.01)、手机更换间隔(χ2=14.511,P<0.01)、每月平均话费(χ2=13.107,P<0.01)在智能手机问题性使用者和非问题性使用者间的分布差异有统计学意义;智能手机问题性使用者与非问题性使用者轻度及以上焦虑患病率分别为34.8%(72/207)和14.6%(117/799)(χ2=43.704,P<0.01),差异有统计学意义;智能手机问题性使用者与非问题性使用者轻度及以上抑郁患病率分别为36.2%(75/207)和15.4%(123/799)(χ2=45.159,P<0.01),差异有统计学意义.结论 高中文科生、低年级、高生活费、每日手机使用时间长、手机更换频率快及手机话费高等特征常见于大学生智能手机问题性使用者;智能手机问题性者更易出现焦虑和抑郁情绪.%Objective To investigate the differences of socio-demographics and smartphone use features among Chinese college students between problematic smartphone user (PSU) and non-PSU, and to clarify the link between PSU and psychopathological symptoms (anxiety and depression). Methods A total of 1205 undergraduates from 35 classes of 8 universities or colleges, stratified with different

Effect of salinity on growth and chemical composition of the diatom Thalassiosira weissflogii at three culture phases Efecto de la salinidad en el crecimiento y composición química de la diatomea Thalassiosira weissflogii en tres fases de cultivo

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Norma García

2012-07-01

Full Text Available The estuarine diatom Thalassiosira weissflogii (Fryxell & Hasle, 1977 has been widely used as live feed in aquaculture. The growth rate and biochemical composition of microalgae are highly influenced by environmental factors such as, light, salinity and nutrient availability. Salinity is difficult to control in some shrimp laboratories specialized in larvae production, because these laboratories depend upon the levels measured in estuaries or coastal lagoons, which are the water sources for larvae culture. The present study evaluated the effect of different salinities (25, 30, 35, 40, 45 and 50 psu, on the growth and chemical composition of T. weisflogii at three culture phases, under laboratory conditions. The highest growth rate and maximum cell density were found at 25 psu. Decrease in size and striking changes in morphology of the cells were observed at the higher salinities and drastic changes occurred at 50 psu. Protein and carbohydrate content were higher at low salinities (25 and 30 psu during the stationary phase. The lipid production was higher at low salinities, but diminished as the phase changes occurred; in contrast, the lipid content was unaffected by the growth phase at higher salinities (≥ 35 psu. The higher growth rate and better biochemical composition were obtained at 25 and 30 psu.La diatomea estuarina Thalassiosira weissflogii (Fryxell & Hasle, 1977 ha sido utilizada como alimento vivo en acuacultura. La composición bioquímica del alimento vivo afecta la nutrición de los organismos durante su cultivo. La tasa de crecimiento y composición bioquímica de las microalgas están altamente influenciadas por factores ambientales como luz, salinidad y disponibilidad de nutrientes. En algunos laboratorios productores de larvas de camarón, es difícil controlar la salinidad, debido a que éstos dependen de los niveles presentes en estuarios o lagunas costeras, los cuales son la fuente de agua para el cultivo larvario. El

Apparent carbohydrate and lipid digestibility of feeds for whiteleg shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei (Decapoda: Penaeidae, cultivated at different salinities

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Milena Gucic

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Whiteleg shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei is one of the most commercially farmed species worldwide because of its fast growth, good survival rate at high farming densities, and osmoregulatory capacity, which makes it an excellent candidate for cultures at different salinities. The knowledge of shrimp nutritional requirements is critical in the formulation of diets to allow optimal growth at different environmental conditions and development stages. The effect of salinity on apparent digestibility of shrimp feed is not well known, and this information is required in shrimp diet formulation. For this purpose, the apparent digestibility coefficients of carbohydrates (ACD and lipids (ALD were determined for juvenile whiteleg shrimps under controlled culture conditions. We evaluated the apparent digestibility of six commercial (D1:37CP, D2:38CP, D3:39CP, D4:34CP, D5:35CP, and D6:37CP and two experimental (E1:33CP and E2:33CP diets for juvenile whiteleg shrimp cultivated at three salinities (5, 35 and 50psu in 60L aquariums. ACD and ALD were determined in vivo using chromic oxide as an inert marker. Our results showed that ALD in most cases was over 80%, independent of salinity, except the E1:33CPdiet which had 74.0% at 50psu. Diet D3:39CP showed the highest ALD coefficient (90.1 and 90.6% at 5 and 35psu, respectively. For ACD, differences were detected between commercial and experimental diets at every salinity level, although salinity effect on ACD was not significant. Diet D4:34CP had the highest coefficient (92.4% at 5psu, and E2:33CP at 35 and 50psu (97.3 and 94.7%. This study demonstrated that there is no significant effect of saline variations on carbohydrate and lipid digestibility by juvenile whiteleg shrimp, under the experimental conditions. Rev. Biol. Trop. 61 (3: 1201-1213. Epub 2013 September 01.

Pennsylvania: Penn State University Integrated Pest Management Project (A Former EPA CARE Project)

Science.gov (United States)

Penn State University (PSU) is the recipient of a Level II CARE cooperative agreement targeting environmental risks in Philadelphia communities. PSU is involved in developing IPM management practices recommendations and policies.

Reduction of mercury (II) by humic substances-influence of pH, salinity of aquatic system

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Chakraborty, P.; Vudamala, K.; Coulibaly, M.; Ramteke, D.; Chennuri, K.; Lean, D.

60 80 pH 4.0 pH 7.0 pH 8.0 pH 9.0 Time (h-1) 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 0 10 20 30 40 pH 4.0 pH 5.0 pH 6.0 pH 7.0 pH 8.0 pH 9.0 Figure 5 a b c Pe rc en ta ge o f t he to ta l d is so lv ed H g re du ce d b y H S an d tr ap ed in o xi di... humic substances (wt %) 0.42 0.44 0.46 0.48 0.50 0.52 0.54 0.56 Fr ac tio n (p er ce nt ag e) o f t ot al H g re du ce d by H S 20 30 40 50 60 70 Salinity = 5 PSU Salinity = 10 PSU Salinity = 15 PSU Salinity = 20PSU Salinity = 30 PSU 0.42 0...

Problematic Smartphone Use, Deep and Surface Approaches to Learning, and Social Media Use in Lectures †

Science.gov (United States)

Rozgonjuk, Dmitri; Saal, Kristiina

2018-01-01

Several studies have shown that problematic smartphone use (PSU) is related to detrimental outcomes, such as worse psychological well-being, higher cognitive distraction, and poorer academic outcomes. In addition, many studies have shown that PSU is strongly related to social media use. Despite this, the relationships between PSU, as well as the frequency of social media use in lectures, and different approaches to learning have not been previously studied. In our study, we hypothesized that both PSU and the frequency of social media use in lectures are negatively correlated with a deep approach to learning (defined as learning for understanding) and positively correlated with a surface approach to learning (defined as superficial learning). The study participants were 415 Estonian university students aged 19–46 years (78.8% females; age M = 23.37, SD = 4.19); the effective sample comprised 405 participants aged 19–46 years (79.0% females; age M = 23.33, SD = 4.21). In addition to basic socio-demographics, participants were asked about the frequency of their social media use in lectures, and they filled out the Estonian Smartphone Addiction Proneness Scale and the Estonian Revised Study Process Questionnaire. Bivariate correlation analysis showed that PSU and the frequency of social media use in lectures were negatively correlated with a deep approach to learning and positively correlated with a surface approach to learning. Mediation analysis showed that social media use in lectures completely mediates the relationship between PSU and approaches to learning. These results indicate that the frequency of social media use in lectures might explain the relationships between poorer academic outcomes and PSU. PMID:29316697

Problematic Smartphone Use, Deep and Surface Approaches to Learning, and Social Media Use in Lectures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dmitri Rozgonjuk

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Several studies have shown that problematic smartphone use (PSU is related to detrimental outcomes, such as worse psychological well-being, higher cognitive distraction, and poorer academic outcomes. In addition, many studies have shown that PSU is strongly related to social media use. Despite this, the relationships between PSU, as well as the frequency of social media use in lectures, and different approaches to learning have not been previously studied. In our study, we hypothesized that both PSU and the frequency of social media use in lectures are negatively correlated with a deep approach to learning (defined as learning for understanding and positively correlated with a surface approach to learning (defined as superficial learning. The study participants were 415 Estonian university students aged 19–46 years (78.8% females; age M = 23.37, SD = 4.19; the effective sample comprised 405 participants aged 19–46 years (79.0% females; age M = 23.33, SD = 4.21. In addition to basic socio-demographics, participants were asked about the frequency of their social media use in lectures, and they filled out the Estonian Smartphone Addiction Proneness Scale and the Estonian Revised Study Process Questionnaire. Bivariate correlation analysis showed that PSU and the frequency of social media use in lectures were negatively correlated with a deep approach to learning and positively correlated with a surface approach to learning. Mediation analysis showed that social media use in lectures completely mediates the relationship between PSU and approaches to learning. These results indicate that the frequency of social media use in lectures might explain the relationships between poorer academic outcomes and PSU.

Problematic Smartphone Use, Deep and Surface Approaches to Learning, and Social Media Use in Lectures.

Science.gov (United States)

Rozgonjuk, Dmitri; Saal, Kristiina; Täht, Karin

2018-01-08

Several studies have shown that problematic smartphone use (PSU) is related to detrimental outcomes, such as worse psychological well-being, higher cognitive distraction, and poorer academic outcomes. In addition, many studies have shown that PSU is strongly related to social media use. Despite this, the relationships between PSU, as well as the frequency of social media use in lectures, and different approaches to learning have not been previously studied. In our study, we hypothesized that both PSU and the frequency of social media use in lectures are negatively correlated with a deep approach to learning (defined as learning for understanding) and positively correlated with a surface approach to learning (defined as superficial learning). The study participants were 415 Estonian university students aged 19-46 years (78.8% females; age M = 23.37, SD = 4.19); the effective sample comprised 405 participants aged 19-46 years (79.0% females; age M = 23.33, SD = 4.21). In addition to basic socio-demographics, participants were asked about the frequency of their social media use in lectures, and they filled out the Estonian Smartphone Addiction Proneness Scale and the Estonian Revised Study Process Questionnaire. Bivariate correlation analysis showed that PSU and the frequency of social media use in lectures were negatively correlated with a deep approach to learning and positively correlated with a surface approach to learning. Mediation analysis showed that social media use in lectures completely mediates the relationship between PSU and approaches to learning. These results indicate that the frequency of social media use in lectures might explain the relationships between poorer academic outcomes and PSU.

Satellite observations of rainfall effect on sea surface salinity in the waters adjacent to Taiwan

Science.gov (United States)

Ho, Chung-Ru; Hsu, Po-Chun; Lin, Chen-Chih; Huang, Shih-Jen

2017-10-01

Changes of oceanic salinity are highly related to the variations of evaporation and precipitation. To understand the influence of rainfall on the sea surface salinity (SSS) in the waters adjacent to Taiwan, satellite remote sensing data from the year of 2012 to 2014 are employed in this study. The daily rain rate data obtained from Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I), Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission's Microwave Imager (TRMM/TMI), Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR), and WindSat Polarimetric Radiometer. The SSS data was derived from the measurements of radiometer instruments onboard the Aquarius satellite. The results show the average values of SSS in east of Taiwan, east of Luzon and South China Sea are 33.83 psu, 34.05 psu, and 32.84 psu, respectively, in the condition of daily rain rate higher than 1 mm/hr. In contrast to the rainfall condition, the average values of SSS are 34.07 psu, 34.26 psu, and 33.09 psu in the three areas, respectively at no rain condition (rain rate less than 1 mm/hr). During the cases of heavy rainfall caused by spiral rain bands of typhoon, the SSS is diluted with an average value of -0.78 psu when the average rain rate is higher than 4 mm/hr. However, the SSS was increased after temporarily decreased during the typhoon cases. A possible reason to explain this phenomenon is that the heavy rainfall caused by the spiral rain bands of typhoon may dilute the sea surface water, but the strong winds can uplift the higher salinity of subsurface water to the sea surface.

Effect of acute salinity stress on ion homeostasis, Na+/K+-ATPase and histological structure in sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus.

Science.gov (United States)

Geng, Chenfan; Tian, Yi; Shang, Yanpeng; Wang, Liqiang; Jiang, Yanan; Chang, Yaqing

2016-01-01

Sea cucumbers ( Apostichopus japonicus ) are an imperiled fauna exposed to a variety of environmental condition such as salinity and studies are urgently needed to assess their effects to guide aquaculture efforts. The effects of acute salinity stress on coelomic fluid osmotic pressure, ion concentrations, the activity of Na + /K + -ATPase in respiratory trees and the histological variations were measured to evaluate the salinity tolerance of sea cucumbers. Significant correlations in osmotic pressure were observed between coelomic fluid and ambient environmental salinity. In coelomic fluid, Na + concentration was observed fluctuated during salinity 18 psu and the inflection point presented at the 6 h. The Na + /K + -ATPase activity in respiratory trees indicated the "U-shaped" fluctuant change and the change trend was opposite with the Na + concentration. The ions (K + , Cl - ) concentration decreased and showed the same tendency at salinity 40 psu with salinity 18 psu. The total coelomocytes counts and phagocytosis of coelomic fluid Na + /K + -ATPase activity indicated fluctuating changes under different salinity stress. Histological variation revealed a negative relation between decreasing salt concentration and tissue integrity. Tissue damages were significantly observed in intestines, muscles and tube feet under low salinity environment (18, 23 and 27 psu). The connective tissue in intestines of A. japonicus exposed to 18 and 23 psu damaged and partly separated from the mucosal epithelium. The significant variations occurred in tube feet, which presented the swelling in connective tissue and a fracture in longitudinal muscles under low salinity (18 psu). The morphological change of tube feet showed the shrinkage of connective tissue under high salinity (40 psu). The amount of infusoria in the respiratory trees decreased or even disappeared in salinity treatment groups (18 and 23 psu). The results inferred that osmoconformity and ionoregulation were

Detoxification of Eucheuma spinosum Hydrolysates with Activated Carbon for Ethanol Production by the Salt-Tolerant Yeast Candida tropicalis.

Science.gov (United States)

Ra, Chae Hun; Jung, Jang Hyun; Sunwoo, In Young; Kang, Chang Han; Jeong, Gwi-Taek; Kim, Sung-Koo

2015-06-01

The objective of this study was to optimize the slurry contents and salt concentrations for ethanol production from hydrolysates of the seaweed Eucheuma spinosum. A monosaccharide concentration of 44.2 g/l as 49.6% conversion of total carbohydrate of 89.1 g/l was obtained from 120 g dw/l seaweed slurry. Monosaccharides from E. spinosum slurry were obtained by thermal acid hydrolysis and enzymatic hydrolysis. Addition of activated carbon at 2.5% (w/v) and the adsorption time of 2 min were used in subsequent adsorption treatments to prevent the inhibitory effect of HMF. The adsorption surface area of the activated carbon powder was 1,400-1,600 m(2)/g and showed selectivity to 5-hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF) from monosaccharides. Candida tropicalis KCTC 7212 was cultured in yeast extract, peptone, glucose, and high-salt medium, and exposed to 80, 90, 100, and 110 practical salinity unit (psu) salt concentrations in the lysates. The 100 psu salt concentration showed maximum cell growth and ethanol production. The ethanol fermentations with activated carbon treatment and use of C. tropicalis acclimated to a high salt concentration of 100 psu produced 17.9 g/l of ethanol with a yield (YEtOH) of 0.40 from E. spinosum seaweed.

Effects of high salinity from desalination brine on growth, photosynthesis, water relations and osmolyte concentrations of seagrass Posidonia australis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cambridge, M L; Zavala-Perez, A; Cawthray, G R; Mondon, J; Kendrick, G A

2017-01-01

Highly saline brines from desalination plants expose seagrass communities to salt stress. We examined effects of raised salinity (46 and 54 psu) compared with seawater controls (37 psu) over 6 weeks on the seagrass, Posidonia australis, growing in tanks with the aim of separating effects of salinity from other potentially deleterious components of brine and determining appropriate bioindicators. Plants survived exposures of 2–4 weeks at 54 psu, the maximum salinity of brine released from a nearby desalination plant. Salinity significantly reduced maximum quantum yield of PSII (chlorophyll a fluorescence emissions). Leaf water potential (Ψ w ) and osmotic potential (Ψ π ) were more negative at increased salinity, while turgor pressure (Ψ p ) was unaffected. Leaf concentrations of K + and Ca 2+ decreased, whereas concentrations of sugars (mainly sucrose) and amino acids increased. We recommend leaf osmolarity, ion, sugar and amino acid concentrations as bioindicators for salinity effects, associated with brine released in desalination plant outfalls. - Highlights: • We separated salt effects of desalination brine from other deleterious components. • Sublethal salinity stress depended on both salinity increase and exposure time. • Very effective osmoregulation led to tolerance of short intervals of high salinity.

Effects of temperature, salinity and irradiance on carposporeling development of Hidropuntia caudata (Gracilariales, Rhodophyta

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George E. C. de Miranda

2012-08-01

Full Text Available The success of seaweed cultivation depends on the scientific control of the tolerance limits and the optimal physiological conditions that affect the spore germination and the early development of algal species. In order to establish cultivation techniques for spores of Hidropuntia caudata (J. Agardh Gurgel & Fredericq, the effects of irradiance, salinity, and temperature on the carpospore germination and carposporeling development were evaluated under laboratory conditions. Five photon flux densities (PFD, from 18 to 200 µmol photons m-2s-1, six salinity values (from 7 to 55 psu, and four temperatures (from 20 ºC to 35 ºC were investigated. The level of irradiance caused significant differences in the growth, in the following order: 200±5 > 100±5 62.5±2.5 > 30±1.5 > 18±1 µmol of photons m-2s-1, but they did not inhibit the carposporeling development. Maximum growth occurred under 35 psu, while at 15 psu the formation of carposporeling erect axis was limited. The optimal temperature for growth was 25 ºC, while at 35 ºC the spores died. These results show the importance of previous knowledge on the tolerance limits and optimal conditions for sporeling development of H. caudata for the implementation of an aquaculture program.

Effects of temperature, salinity and irradiance on carposporeling development of Hidropuntia caudata (Gracilariales, Rhodophyta

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

George E. C. de Miranda

2012-06-01

Full Text Available The success of seaweed cultivation depends on the scientific control of the tolerance limits and the optimal physiological conditions that affect the spore germination and the early development of algal species. In order to establish cultivation techniques for spores of Hidropuntia caudata (J. Agardh Gurgel & Fredericq, the effects of irradiance, salinity, and temperature on the carpospore germination and carposporeling development were evaluated under laboratory conditions. Five photon flux densities (PFD, from 18 to 200 µmol photons m-2s-1, six salinity values (from 7 to 55 psu, and four temperatures (from 20 ºC to 35 ºC were investigated. The level of irradiance caused significant differences in the growth, in the following order: 200±5 > 100±5 62.5±2.5 > 30±1.5 > 18±1 µmol of photons m-2s-1, but they did not inhibit the carposporeling development. Maximum growth occurred under 35 psu, while at 15 psu the formation of carposporeling erect axis was limited. The optimal temperature for growth was 25 ºC, while at 35 ºC the spores died. These results show the importance of previous knowledge on the tolerance limits and optimal conditions for sporeling development of H. caudata for the implementation of an aquaculture program.

Antioxidant responses in Mesopodopsis zeylanica at varying salinity to detect mercury influence in culture ponds

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Verlecar, X.N.; Das, P.B.; Jena, K.; Maharana, D.; Desai, S.R.

addition. CAT increased significantly from 5 to 15 psu before Hg influence, and GST increased after addition of the metal. However, a reduction in both these enzymes is evident at higher salinities (25 psu) with or without Hg. The energy cost involved...

Physical ageing and molecular mobilities of sulfonated polysulfone for proton exchange membranes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lixon Buquet, C. [LECAP EA 4528, Institute for Materials Research FED 4114, Universite de Rouen, Avenue de l' Universite BP 12, 76801 Saint Etienne du Rouvray (France); PBS Department, UMR 6270 CNRS, MPBM, FR 3038, Universite de Rouen, Boulevard Maurice de Broglie, 76821 Mont Saint Aignan Cedex (France); Hamonic, F.; Saiter, A. [LECAP EA 4528, Institute for Materials Research FED 4114, Universite de Rouen, Avenue de l' Universite BP 12, 76801 Saint Etienne du Rouvray (France); Dargent, E., E-mail: eric.dargent@univ-rouen.fr [LECAP EA 4528, Institute for Materials Research FED 4114, Universite de Rouen, Avenue de l' Universite BP 12, 76801 Saint Etienne du Rouvray (France); Langevin, D.; Nguyen, Q.T. [PBS Department, UMR 6270 CNRS, MPBM, FR 3038, Universite de Rouen, Boulevard Maurice de Broglie, 76821 Mont Saint Aignan Cedex (France)

2010-09-20

The thermal behaviour, the physical ageing and the amorphous phase dynamics of polysulfone (PSU) and sulfonated polysulfone (SPSU) are characterized by thermogravimetric analysis and temperature modulated differential scanning calorimetry. The sulfonic group introduction (the sulfonation degree is 70%) in the polymer implies a drastic decrease of the thermal decomposition temperature (220 and 517 {sup o}C for SPSU and PSU respectively) and a modification of calorimetric parameters (for SPSU, the heat capacity in the glassy state is lower and the glass transition temperature T{sub g} is higher than for PSU). In terms of molecular dynamics, the amorphous phase heterogeneities are greater and the cooperative rearranging region size at the glass transition temperature is smaller for SPSU than for PSU. Moreover, after a physical ageing process, the enthalpy recovery kinetic has slowed down by sulfonation. These results can be explained from the existence of sulfonic domains confining the amorphous phase domains.

Effect of temperature and salinity on stable isotopic composition of shallow water benthic foraminifera: A laboratory culture study

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Kurtarkar, S.R.; Linshy, V.N.; Saraswat, R.; Nigam, R.

in the laboratory. In the present work, shallow water benthic foraminiferal species, Rosalina sp. and Pararotalia nipponica were subjected to different combinations of seawater temperature (25�C to 35�C) and salinity (25 psu to 37 psu) in the laboratory to assess...

Polysulfone Functionalized With Phosphonated Poly(pentafluorostyrene) Grafts for Potential Fuel Cell Applications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dimitrov, Ivaylo; Takamuku, Shogo; Jankova Atanasova, Katja

2012-01-01

A multi‐step synthetic strategy to polysulfone (PSU) grafted with phosphonated poly(pentafluorostyrene) (PFS) is developed. It involves controlled radical polymerization resulting in alkyne‐end functional PFS. The next step is the modification of PSU with a number of azide side groups. The grafting...

Catalytic phosphonation of high performance polymers and POSS. Novel components for polymer blend and nanocomposite fuel cell membranes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bock, T.R.

2006-10-15

Aim of this thesis was the preparation and evaluation of phosphonated high performance (HP) polyelectrolytes and polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS) for polyelectrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) application. Brominated derivatives of the commercial high performance (HP) polymers poly(ethersulfone) (PES), poly(etheretherketone) (PEEK), poly(phenylsulfone) (PPSu), poly(sulfone) (PSU) and of octaphenyl-POSS of own production were phosphonated by Ni-catalysed Arbuzov reaction. Phosphonated PSU was cast into pure and blend films with sulfonated PEEK (s-PEEK) to investigate H+-conductivity, water uptake and film morphology. Blend films' properties were referenced to films containing unmodified blend partners. Solution-compounding of phosphonated octaphenyl-POSS and s-PEEK was used to produce novel nanocomposite films. An in-situ zirconisation method was assessed as convenient strategy for novel ionically crosslinked membranes of enhanced swelling resistance. Dibromo isocyanuric acid (DBI) and N-bromo succinimide (NBS) as brominating agents allowed polymer analogous preparation of the novel brominated PES and PEEK with precise reaction control. A random distribution of functional groups, i.e. polyelectrolytes' microstructural homogeneity was revealed as decisive factor concerning solubility of phosphonated PSU. Brominated phT8 was prepared with Br2 by a high temperature approach in tetrachloroethane (TCE). Brominated polymers were phosphonated by Ni-catalysis in non-coordinating high temperature solvents, such as diphenylether, benzophenone and diphenylsulfone without notable solvent influence. The lack of solvent - catalyst complexes and high reaction temperatures of 180-200 C led to halogen-free phosphonates with unprecedented high functionalities. Polymer analogous application of P(OSiMe3)3 offered a novel direct access to easily cleavable disilyl ester derivatives. These were obtained from PEEK and PSU in near quantitative yields at NiCl2-loads as

Thermohaline structure of an inverse estuary - The Gulf of Kachchh: Measurements and model simulations

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Vethamony, P.; Babu, M.T.; Ramanamurty, M.V.; Saran, A.K.; Joseph, A.; Sudheesh, K.; Patgaonkar, R.S.; Jayakumar, S.

are noticed in the eastern Gulf, where a cold and high saline tongue is observed in the subsurface layers. Salinity indicates the characteristic feature of an inverse estuary with low values (37.20 psu) near the mouth and high values (40.0 psu) near the head...

Affected family members' experience of, and coping with, aggression and violence within the context of problematic substance use: a qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

McCann, Terence V; Lubman, Dan I; Boardman, Gayelene; Flood, Mollie

2017-06-02

Families have an important role supporting a family member with problematic substance use (PSU), although this can often be challenging and confronting. Previous research has identified high rates of family aggression and violence within the context of PSU, although few studies have examined this issue from the perspective of affected family members (AFMs) supporting a member with PSU. The aims of the current study were to understand AFMs' experience of aggression and violence while supporting a member with PSU, and to explicate the strategies they used to prevent and cope with this behaviour. Semi-structured, audio-recorded qualitative interviews were conducted with 31 AFMs from the state of Victoria in Australia. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was used to guide data collection and analysis. Almost 70% of participants experienced PSU-related family aggression and/or violence. Two main themes and related sub-themes were abstracted from the data capturing their experiences of this behaviour and the strategies they used to try to prevent and cope in this situation. Aggression and/or violence were variable, changeable and unpredictable; and aggression and/or violence altering social interactions and family dynamics. As a consequence, it was upsetting, stressful and emotionally exhausting to AFMs. In response to this experience, and largely through trial and error, they used several direct strategies to try to prevent and cope with the behaviour; however, most continued to struggle in these circumstances. They also highlighted additional indirect measures, which, if adopted, would enhance their existing direct strategies. More effective primary, secondary and tertiary preventive measures are needed to address family aggression and violence within the context of PSU. More support is needed for family members affected by PSU to enable them to 'stand up to,' to prevent and cope effectively with this behaviour, and to increase their help-seeking and access to

Growth Rate and Morphology of a Single Calcium Carbonate Crystal on Polysulfone Film Measured with Time Lapse Raman Micro Spectroscopy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Liszka, B.; Lenferink, Aufrid T.M.; Otto, Cornelis

2016-01-01

The growth of single, self- nucleated calcium carbonate crystals on a polysulfone (PSU) film was investigated with high resolution, time lapse Raman imaging. The Raman images were acquired on the interface of the polymer with the crystal. The growth of crystals could thus be followed in time. PSU is

Development Achievements at Pittsburg State University for Fiscal Year 1988.

Science.gov (United States)

Smoot, Joseph G.

The development report for Pittsburg State University's (PSU) fiscal year 1988 is presented. The most important objective of PSU's development program is to provide funding beyond the state support in order to distinguish the university among its U.S. peers. Chapters include an overview of FY 1988 development activities, the Annual Fund, the…

Measurements of CO2 Mole Fractionand δ13C in Archived Air Samples from Cape Meares, Oregon (USA) 1977 - 1998

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, O.; Rice, A. L.

2017-12-01

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the most abundant, anthropogenically forced greenhouse gas (GHG) in the global atmosphere. Emissions of CO2 account for approximately 75% of the world's total GHG emissions. Atmospheric concentrations of CO2 are higher now than they've been at any other time in the past 800,000 years. Currently, the global mean concentration exceeds 400 ppm. Today, global networks regularly monitor CO2 concentrations and isotopic composition (δ13C and δ18O). However, past data is sparse. Over 200 ambient air samples from Cape Meares, Oregon (45.5°N, 124.0°W), a coastal site in Western United States, were obtained by researchers at Oregon Institute of Science and Technology (OGI, now Oregon Health & Science University), between the years of 1977 and 1998 as part of a global monitoring program of six different sites in the polar, middle, and tropical latitudes of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Air liquefaction was used to compress approximately 1000L of air (STP) to 30bar, into 33L electropolished (SUMMA) stainless steel canisters. Select archived air samples from the original network are maintained at Portland State University (PSU) Department of Physics. These archived samples are a valuable look at changing atmospheric concentrations of CO2 and δ13C, which can contribute to a better understanding of changes in sources during this time. CO2 concentrations and δ13C of CO2 were measured at PSU, with a Picarro Cavity Ringdown Spectrometer, model G1101-i analytical system. This study presents the analytical methods used, calibration techniques, precision, and reproducibility. Measurements of select samples from the archive show rising CO2 concentrations and falling δ13C over the 1977 to 1998 period, compatible with previous observations and rising anthropogenic sources of CO2. The resulting data set was statistically analyzed in MATLAB. Results of preliminary seasonal and secular trends from the archive samples are presented.

Genetic and environmental influences on alcohol, caffeine, cannabis, and nicotine use from early adolescence to middle adulthood.

Science.gov (United States)

Kendler, Kenneth S; Schmitt, Eric; Aggen, Steven H; Prescott, Carol A

2008-06-01

While both environmental and genetic factors are important in the etiology of psychoactive substance use (PSU), we know little of how these influences differ through development. To clarify the changing role of genes and environment in PSU from early adolescence through middle adulthood. Retrospective assessment by life history calendar, with univariate and bivariate structural modeling. General community. A total of 1796 members of male-male pairs from the Virginia Adult Twin Study of Psychiatric and Substance Use Disorders. Levels of use of alcohol, caffeine, cannabis, and nicotine recorded for every year of the respondent's life. For nicotine, alcohol, and cannabis, familial environmental factors were critical in influencing use in early adolescence and gradually declined in importance through young adulthood. Genetic factors, by contrast, had little or no influence on PSU in early adolescence and gradually increased in their effect with increasing age. The sources of individual differences in caffeine use changed much more modestly over time. Substantial correlations were seen among levels of cannabis, nicotine, and alcohol use and specifically between caffeine and nicotine. In adolescence, those correlations were strongly influenced by shared effects from the familial environment. However, as individuals aged, more and more of the correlation in PSU resulted from genetic factors that influenced use of both substances. These results support an etiologic model for individual differences in PSU in which initiation and early patterns of use are strongly influenced by social and familial environmental factors while later levels of use are strongly influenced by genetic factors. The substantial correlations seen in levels of PSU across substances are largely the result of social environmental factors in adolescence, with genetic factors becoming progressively more important through early and middle adulthood.

Seagrass proliferation precedes mortality during hypo-salinity events: a stress-induced morphometric response.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Catherine J Collier

Full Text Available Halophytes, such as seagrasses, predominantly form habitats in coastal and estuarine areas. These habitats can be seasonally exposed to hypo-salinity events during watershed runoff exposing them to dramatic salinity shifts and osmotic shock. The manifestation of this osmotic shock on seagrass morphology and phenology was tested in three Indo-Pacific seagrass species, Halophila ovalis, Halodule uninervis and Zostera muelleri, to hypo-salinity ranging from 3 to 36 PSU at 3 PSU increments for 10 weeks. All three species had broad salinity tolerance but demonstrated a moderate hypo-salinity stress response--analogous to a stress induced morphometric response (SIMR. Shoot proliferation occurred at salinities <30 PSU, with the largest increases, up to 400% increase in shoot density, occurring at the sub-lethal salinities <15 PSU, with the specific salinity associated with peak shoot density being variable among species. Resources were not diverted away from leaf growth or shoot development to support the new shoot production. However, at sub-lethal salinities where shoots proliferated, flowering was severely reduced for H. ovalis, the only species to flower during this experiment, demonstrating a diversion of resources away from sexual reproduction to support the investment in new shoots. This SIMR response preceded mortality, which occurred at 3 PSU for H. ovalis and 6 PSU for H. uninervis, while complete mortality was not reached for Z. muelleri. This is the first study to identify a SIMR in seagrasses, being detectable due to the fine resolution of salinity treatments tested. The detection of SIMR demonstrates the need for caution in interpreting in-situ changes in shoot density as shoot proliferation could be interpreted as a healthy or positive plant response to environmental conditions, when in fact it could signal pre-mortality stress.

Carry-over effects modulated by salinity during the early ontogeny of the euryhaline crab Hemigrapsus crenulatus from the Southeastern Pacific coast: Development time and carbon and energy content of offspring.

Science.gov (United States)

Urzúa, Ángel; Bascur, Miguel; Guzmán, Fabián; Urbina, Mauricio

2018-03-01

Hemigrapsus crenulatus is a key species of coastal and estuarine ecosystems in the Southeastern Pacific and New Zealand. Since the gravid females-and their embryos-develop under conditions of variable salinity, we propose that low external salinity will be met with an increase in energy expenditures in order to maintain osmoregulation; subsequently, the use of energy reserves for reproduction will be affected. In this study, we investigate in H. crenulatus whether 1) the biomass and energy content of embryos is influenced by salinity experienced during oogenesis and embryogenesis and 2) how variation in the biomass and energy content of embryos affects larval energetic condition at hatching. Here at low salinity (5PSU), egg-bearing females experienced massive and frequent egg losses, and therefore the development of their eggs during embryogenesis was not completed. In turn, at intermediate and high salinity (15 and 30PSU) embryogenesis was completed, egg development was successful, and larvae were obtained. Consistently, larvae hatched from eggs produced and incubated at high salinity (30PSU) were larger, had higher dry weight, and had increased carbon content and energy than larvae hatched from eggs produced at intermediate salinity (15PSU). From these results, it is seen that the size and biomass of early life stages of H. crenulatus can be affected by environmental salinity experienced during oogenesis and embryogenesis, and this variation can then directly affect the energetic condition of offspring at birth. Therefore, this study reveals a "cascade effect" modulated by salinity during the early ontogeny. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Climatology of the Eastern Arabian Sea during the last glacial cycle reconstructed from paired measurement of foraminiferal delta sup(18)O and Mg/Ca

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Banakar, V.K.; Mahesh, B.S.; Burr, G.; Chodankar, A

Paired measurements of Mg/Ca and delta sup(18)O of Globigerenoides sacculifer from an Eastern Arabian Sea (EAS) sediment core indicate that sea-surface temperature (SST) varied within 2 degrees C and sea-surface salinity within 2 psu during the last...

Topology of unitary groups and the prime orders of binomial coefficients

Science.gov (United States)

Duan, HaiBao; Lin, XianZu

2017-09-01

Let $c:SU(n)\\rightarrow PSU(n)=SU(n)/\\mathbb{Z}_{n}$ be the quotient map of the special unitary group $SU(n)$ by its center subgroup $\\mathbb{Z}_{n}$. We determine the induced homomorphism $c^{\\ast}:$ $H^{\\ast}(PSU(n))\\rightarrow H^{\\ast}(SU(n))$ on cohomologies by computing with the prime orders of binomial coefficients

A shallow convection parameterization for the non-hydrostatic MM5 mesoscale model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Seaman, N.L.; Kain, J.S.; Deng, A. [Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States)

1996-04-01

A shallow convection parameterization suitable for the Pennsylvannia State University (PSU)/National Center for Atmospheric Research nonhydrostatic mesoscale model (MM5) is being developed at PSU. The parameterization is based on parcel perturbation theory developed in conjunction with a 1-D Mellor Yamada 1.5-order planetary boundary layer scheme and the Kain-Fritsch deep convection model.

Estuarine Turbidity Maxima and Variations of Aggregate Parameters in the Cam-Nam Trieu Estuary, North Vietnam, in Early Wet Season

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vu Duy Vinh

2018-01-01

Full Text Available This study aims at exploring the characteristic parameters of the Estuarine Turbidity Maxima (ETM and at investigating their tidal variations within the Cam-Nam Trieu estuary (North Vietnam during the early wet season. Six longitudinal river transects were performed at spring tide. Two types of ETM were observed: an upper well mixed ETM with high Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM concentrations up to the surface at low salinity (0.11 to <1 psu, and a lower ETM confined in a bottom layer over stratified waters at salinities between ~1 psu and 15 psu. Their length depended on the longitudinal salinity gradient and was highest at low tide than at high tide. D50 of the flocs varied between 35 and 90 μm, their excess of density between 60 and 300 kg m−3 and their settling velocity ranged from 0.07 to 0.55 mm s−1 with values between 0.12 and 0.40 mm s−1 in the core of ETMs. The average fractal dimension of flocs was estimated to vary between 1.93 (at high tide to 2.04 (at low tide.

Development of nano-composite membranes to improve alkaline fuel cell performance

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Nonjola, P

2011-09-01

Full Text Available The work presented here describes modification of commercially available polysulfone (PSU) as well as the formation of nano-composite membrane i.e. TiO2 nano particles incorporated into anion exchange polymer matrix....

Polysulfone as a scintillation material without doped fluorescent molecules

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nakamura, Hidehito, E-mail: hidehito@rri.kyoto-u.ac.jp [Kyoto University, 2, Asashiro-Nishi, Kumatori-cho, Sennan-gun, Osaka 590-0494 (Japan); National Institute of Radiological Sciences, 4-9-1, Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8555 (Japan); Kitamura, Hisashi [National Institute of Radiological Sciences, 4-9-1, Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8555 (Japan); Sato, Nobuhiro; Kanayama, Masaya [Kyoto University, 2, Asashiro-Nishi, Kumatori-cho, Sennan-gun, Osaka 590-0494 (Japan); Shirakawa, Yoshiyuki [Kobe University, 1-1, Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe 657-8501 (Japan); Takahashi, Sentaro [Kyoto University, 2, Asashiro-Nishi, Kumatori-cho, Sennan-gun, Osaka 590-0494 (Japan)

2015-10-11

Scintillation materials made from un-doped aromatic ring polymers can be potentially used for radiation detection. Here we demonstrate that Polysulfone (PSU) works without doped fluorescent guest molecules, and thus broadens the choices available for radiation detection. The transparent PSU substrate (1.24 g/cm{sup 3}) significantly absorbs short-wavelength light below approximately 350 nm. Visible light absorption colours the substrate slightly yellow, and indigo blue fluorescence is emitted. The fluorescence maximum occurs at the intersection of the 340-nm excitation and 380-nm emission spectra; thus the emission is partially absorbed by the substrate. An effective refractive index of 1.70 is derived based on the wavelength dependence of the refractive indices and the emission spectrum. A peak caused by 976-keV internal-conversion electrons from a {sup 207}Bi radioactive source appears in the light yield distribution. The light yield is equivalent to that of poly (phenyl sulfone), which has a similar structure. Overall, un-doped PSU could be a component substrate in polymer blends and be used as an educational tool in radiation detection. - Highlights: • Polysulfone (PSU) is a scintillation material that does not require doping. • PSU is slightly yellow. • Indigo blue light with 380-nm emission maximum is emitted. • An effective refractive index of 1.70 was derived. • A peak caused by mono-energetic internal-conversion electrons appears in the light yield distribution.

Salinity reduction benefits European eel larvae: Insights at the morphological and molecular level

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Politis, Sebastian Nikitas; Mazurais, David; Servili, Arianna

2018-01-01

. Moreover, larvae were able to keep energy metabolism related gene expression (atp6, cox1) at stable levels, irrespective of the salinity reduction. As such, when reducing salinity, an energy surplus associated to reduced osmoregulation demands and stress (lower nkcc, aqp and hsp expression), likely......European eel (Anguilla anguilla) is a euryhaline species, that has adapted to cope with both, hyper- and hypo-osmotic environments. This study investigates the effect of salinity, from a morphological and molecular point of view on European eel larvae reared from 0 to 12 days post hatch (dph......). Offspring reared in 36 practical salinity units (psu; control), were compared with larvae reared in six scenarios, where salinity was decreased on 0 or 3 dph and in rates of 1, 2 or 4 psu/day, towards iso-osmotic conditions. Results showed that several genes relating to osmoregulation (nkcc2α, nkcc2β, aqp1...

A Flexible Optical pH Sensor Based on Polysulfone Membranes Coated with pH-Responsive Polyaniline Nanofibers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nedal Abu-Thabit

2016-06-01

Full Text Available A new optical pH sensor based on polysulfone (PSU and polyaniline (PANI was developed. A transparent and flexible PSU membrane was employed as a support. The electrically conductive and pH-responsive PANI was deposited onto the membrane surface by in situ chemical oxidative polymerization (COP. The absorption spectra of the PANI-coated PSU membranes exhibited sensitivity to pH changes in the range of 4–12, which allowed for designing a dual wavelength pH optical sensor. The performance of the membranes was assessed by measuring their response starting from high pH and going down to low pH, and vice versa. It was found that it is necessary to precondition the sensor layers before each measurement due to the slight hysteresis observed during forward and backward pH titrations. PSU membranes with polyaniline coating thicknesses in the range of ≈100–200 nm exhibited fast response times of <4 s, which are attributed to the porous, rough and nanofibrillar morphology of the polyaniline coating. The fabricated pH sensor was characterized by a sigmoidal response (R2 = 0.997 which allows for pH determination over a wide dynamic range. All membranes were stable for a period of more than six months when stored in 1 M HCl solution. The reproducibility of the fabricated optical pH sensors was found to be <0.02 absorption units after one month storage in 1 M HCl solution. The performance of the optical pH sensor was tested and the obtained pH values were compared with the results obtained using a pH meter device.

Use of the modular modeling system in the design of the Penn State Advanced Light Water Reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, K.A.

1988-12-01

This study involves the design and subsequent transient analysis of the Penn State Advanced Light Water Reactor (PSU ALWR). The performance of the PSU ALWR is evaluated during small step changes in power and a turbine trip from full power without scram. The Modular Modeling System (MMS), developed by Babcock and Wilcox under a contract from the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), is a computer code designed for the simulation of nuclear and fossil power plants. MMS uses preprogrammed modules to represent specific power plant components such as pipes, pumps, steam generators, and a nuclear reactor. These components can then be connected in any manner the user desires providing certain simple interconnection rules are followed. In this study, MMS is used to develop computer models of both the PSU ALWR and a conventional PWR operating at the same power level. These models are then subjected to the transients mentioned above to evaluate the ability of the letdown-injection system to maintain primary system pressure. The transient response of the PSU ALWR and conventional PWR MMS models were compared to each other and whenever possible to actual plant transient data. 14 refs., 29 figs., 5 tabs

Dendronized Polymer Architectures for Fuel Cell Membranes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Mads Møller; Dimitrov, Ivaylo; Takamuku, S.

2013-01-01

Multi‐step synthetic pathways to low‐ion exchange capacity (IEC) polysulfone (PSU) with sulfonic acid functionalized aliphatic dendrons and sulfonated comb‐type PSU structures are developed and investigated in a comparative study as non‐fluorinated proton exchange membrane (PEM) candidates. In each...... case the side chains are synthesized and introduced in their sulfonated form onto an azide‐functionalized PSU via click chemistry. Three degrees of substitution of each architecture were prepared in order to evaluate the dependence on number of sulfonated side chains. Solution cast membranes were...... evaluated as PEMs for use in fuel cells by proton conductivity measurements, and in the case of dendronized architectures: thermal stability. The proposed synthetic strategy facilitates exploration of a non‐fluorous system with various flexible side chains where IEC is tunable by the degree of substitution....

FY 1993 report on the Material Committee; 1993 nendo zairyo iinkai hokokusho

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1994-03-01

The paper reported the FY 1993 activities of the Material Committee on the R and D of materials in coal liquefaction, coal gasification, coal utilization hydrogen production, etc. As to metal materials, a PSU implant test on 3Cr-1Mo base high-strength steel was conducted to examine mainly the hydrogen erosion resistance. Concerning surface coatings, aiming at improving the sulfuration corrosion resistance of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} atmospheric plasma spraying materials, survey of the deterioration with age was made by inserting a test piece in which the structure of coated bed was altered into the PSU reaction tower. Relating to the R and D of trial manufacture of plant use equipment materials, study was made of the evaluation of characteristics of materials for improvement/trial manufacture of gasifier use refractory and the effect of improvement in erosion by coarsening treatment of mullite ceramics. As to the development of the control valve, etc., the control valve was manufactured using sintering diamond as sheet ring material and wolfram carbide as plug material, and the demonstrative test under the actual environment in PSU was carried out. The demonstrative test was also made on slurry flow meter and block valve. (NEDO)

Synthesis of Highly Porous Poly(tert-butyl acrylate)-b-polysulfone-b-poly(tert-butyl acrylate) Asymmetric Membranes

KAUST Repository

Xie, Yihui; Moreno Chaparro, Nicolas; Calo, Victor M.; Cheng, Hong; Hong, Pei-Ying; Sougrat, Rachid; Behzad, Ali Reza; Tayouo Djinsu, Russell; Nunes, Suzana Pereira

2016-01-01

For the first time, self-assembly and non-solvent induced phase separation was applied to polysulfone-based linear block copolymers, reaching mechanical stability much higher than other block copolymers membranes used in this method, which were mainly based on polystyrene blocks. Poly(tert-butyl acrylate)-b-polysulfone-b-poly(tert-butyl acrylate) (PtBA30k-b-PSU14k-b-PtBA30k) with a low polydispersity of 1.4 was synthesized by combining step-growth condensation and RAFT polymerization. Various advanced electron microscopies revealed that PtBA30k-b-PSU14k-b-PtBA30k assembles into worm-like cylindrical micelles in DMAc and adopts a “flower-like” arrangement with the PSU central block forming the shell. Computational modeling described the mechanism of micelle formation and morphological transition. Asymmetric nanostructured membranes were obtained with a highly porous interconnected skin layer and a sublayer with finger-like macrovoids. Ultrafiltration tests confirmed a water permeance of 555 L m-2 h-1 bar-1 with molecular weight cut-off of 28 kg/mol. PtBA segments on the membrane surface were then hydrolyzed and complexed with metals, leading to cross-linking and enhancement of antibacterial capability.

Effects of Light and Salinity Stresses in Production of Mycosporine-Like Amino Acids by Gymnodinium catenatum (Dinophyceae).

Science.gov (United States)

Vale, Paulo

2015-01-01

Mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) were analyzed in a Portuguese Gymnodinium catenatum strain when transferred to high salinity and high light conditions. Total MAA concentrations increased progressively between 30 and 36 psu, attaining at 36 psu 2.9-fold the 30 psu treatment. When abruptly transferred to solar light in an outdoor shadowed location, MAA concentration increased steadily along the day for most compounds. After 8 h, mycosporine-glycine, palythene and M-319 attained or surpassed 25-fold their initial concentration, while M-370 only attained 4-fold concentration. When transferred from halogen to fluorescent light, polar MAAs such as shinorine and porphyra-334, increased until day two and then declined, while M-370 increase slowly, becoming the dominant compound from the profile after 1 week. These experiments put into evidence the relation of palythene with M-319, which was further identified as its acid degradation product, palythine. Acid degradation of M-370 originated M-324, while M-311 seems to be the precursor of M-370. Under high salinity and high light conditions chain formation was altered toward shorter chains or solitary cells. This alteration can represent a morphological stress sign, which in the natural environment could affect average population speed during daily vertical migrations. © 2015 The American Society of Photobiology.

Synthesis of Highly Porous Poly(tert-butyl acrylate)-b-polysulfone-b-poly(tert-butyl acrylate) Asymmetric Membranes

KAUST Repository

Xie, Yihui

2016-03-24

For the first time, self-assembly and non-solvent induced phase separation was applied to polysulfone-based linear block copolymers, reaching mechanical stability much higher than other block copolymers membranes used in this method, which were mainly based on polystyrene blocks. Poly(tert-butyl acrylate)-b-polysulfone-b-poly(tert-butyl acrylate) (PtBA30k-b-PSU14k-b-PtBA30k) with a low polydispersity of 1.4 was synthesized by combining step-growth condensation and RAFT polymerization. Various advanced electron microscopies revealed that PtBA30k-b-PSU14k-b-PtBA30k assembles into worm-like cylindrical micelles in DMAc and adopts a “flower-like” arrangement with the PSU central block forming the shell. Computational modeling described the mechanism of micelle formation and morphological transition. Asymmetric nanostructured membranes were obtained with a highly porous interconnected skin layer and a sublayer with finger-like macrovoids. Ultrafiltration tests confirmed a water permeance of 555 L m-2 h-1 bar-1 with molecular weight cut-off of 28 kg/mol. PtBA segments on the membrane surface were then hydrolyzed and complexed with metals, leading to cross-linking and enhancement of antibacterial capability.

CTD data from the N. E. Atlantic 31N to 46N, July 1982 Discovery cruise 130

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saunders, P M

1983-01-01

Lists and graphs of CTD data obtained aboard RRS Discovery during July 1982 are presented. A series of 14 stations were occupied between approximate 31 deg N 24 deg W and 46 deg N 14 deg W in support of sound ranging trials. A further 20 stations were occupied in the vicinity of Discovery Gap, a channel for deep flow between the Madeira and Iberian basins near 37 deg 30 N 15 deg 30 W. All CTD data were reconciled with reversing thermometer measurements, and salinity and oxygen samples. Root mean square differences for pressure, temperature, salinity and oxygen were 7 dB, .012 deg C, .007 PSU and 0.3 ml/l in the depth interval 0 to 2,000 dB and 6 dB, .005 deg C, .003 PSU and .16 ml/l for depths 2,000 to 5,600 dB.

Altered frontocingulate activation during aversive interoceptive processing in young adults transitioning to problem stimulant use

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jennifer Lorraine Stewart

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Problems associated with stimulant use have been linked to frontocingulate, insular, and thalamic dysfunction during decision-making and alterations in interoceptive processing. However, little is known about how interoception and decision-making interact and contribute to dysfunctions that promote the transition from recreational drug use to abuse or dependence. Here, we investigate brain activation in response to reward, punishment, and uncertainty during an aversive interoceptive challenge in current and former stimulant (cocaine and amphetamine users using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI. Young adults previously identified as recreational users (n=184 were followed up three years later. Of these, 18 individuals progressed to problem stimulant use (PSU, whereas 15 desisted stimulant use (DSU. PSU, DSU, and 14 healthy comparison subjects (CTL performed a two-choice prediction task at three fixed error rates (20%=reward, 50%=uncertainty, 80%=punishment during which they anticipated and experienced episodes of inspiratory breathing load. Although groups did not differ in insula activation or subjective breathing load ratings, PSU exhibited lower right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG and bilateral anterior cingulate (ACC activation than DSU and CTL during aversive interoceptive processing as well as lower right IFG in response to decision making involving uncertainty. However, PSU exhibited greater bilateral IFG activation than DSU and CTL while making choices within the context of punishing feedback, and both PSU and DSU showed lower thalamic activation during breathing load than CTL. Findings suggest that frontocingulate attenuation, reflecting reduced resources devoted to goal maintenance and action selection in the presence of uncertainty and interoceptive perturbations, may be a biomarker for susceptibility to problem stimulant use.

Effects of temperature and salinity on larval survival and development in the invasive shrimp Palaemon macrodactylus (Caridea: Palaemonidae) along the reproductive season

Science.gov (United States)

Guadalupe Vázquez, M.; Bas, Claudia C.; Kittlein, Marcelo; Spivak, Eduardo D.

2015-05-01

The invasive shrimp Palaemon macrodactylus is associated mainly with brackish waters. Previous studies raised the question if tolerance to low salinities differs between larvae and adults. To answer this question, the combined effects of two temperatures (20 and 25 °C) and four salinities (5, 12, 23 and 34 psu) on survival and development of larvae that hatched at the beginning, in the midpoint and near the end of a reproductive season (denoted early, middle season and late larvae respectively) were examined. The three types of larvae were able to survive and reach juvenile phase at salinities between 12 and 34 psu and at both temperatures. At 5 psu all larvae died, but 45% molted at least once. Temperature and salinity to a lesser extent, had effects on the duration of development and on the number of larval stages in all larval types. Development was longer at the lower temperature, especially in middle season and late larvae. Most early larvae reached the juvenile phase through 5 larval stages; the number of larval stages of middle season and late larvae was higher at 20 °C and in late larvae also low salinity produced extra stages. Low salinity (12 psu) and, in early and middle season larvae, low temperature produced lighter and smaller individuals. Response of larvae to environmental factors seems to be related in part to the previous conditions (maternal effects and/or embryo development conditions). The narrower salinity tolerance of larvae compared to adults and the ability of zoea I to survive at least some days at 5 psu may be related with an export larval strategy.

Confirmed efficacy of etoposide and dexamethasone in HLH treatment: long-term results of the cooperative HLH-2004 study

Science.gov (United States)

Bergsten, Elisabet; Horne, AnnaCarin; Aricó, Maurizio; Astigarraga, Itziar; Egeler, R. Maarten; Filipovich, Alexandra H.; Ishii, Eiichi; Janka, Gritta; Ladisch, Stephan; Lehmberg, Kai; McClain, Kenneth L.; Minkov, Milen; Montgomery, Scott; Nanduri, Vasanta; Rosso, Diego

2017-01-01

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a life-threatening hyperinflammatory syndrome comprising familial/genetic HLH (FHL) and secondary HLH. In the HLH-94 study, with an estimated 5-year probability of survival (pSu) of 54% (95% confidence interval, 48%-60%), systemic therapy included etoposide, dexamethasone, and, from week 9, cyclosporine A (CSA). Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) was indicated in patients with familial/genetic, relapsing, or severe/persistent disease. In HLH-2004, CSA was instead administered upfront, aiming to reduce pre-HSCT mortality and morbidity. From 2004 to 2011, 369 children aged <18 years fulfilled HLH-2004 inclusion criteria (5 of 8 diagnostic criteria, affected siblings, and/or molecular diagnosis in FHL-causative genes). At median follow-up of 5.2 years, 230 of 369 patients (62%) were alive (5-year pSu, 61%; 56%-67%). Five-year pSu in children with (n = 168) and without (n = 201) family history/genetically verified FHL was 59% (52%-67%) and 64% (57%-71%), respectively (familial occurrence [n = 47], 58% [45%-75%]). Comparing with historical data (HLH-94), using HLH-94 inclusion criteria, pre-HSCT mortality was nonsignificantly reduced from 27% to 19% (P = .064 adjusted for age and sex). Time from start of therapy to HSCT was shorter compared with HLH-94 (P = .020 adjusted for age and sex) and reported neurological alterations at HSCT were 22% in HLH-94 and 17% in HLH-2004 (using HLH-94 inclusion criteria). Five-year pSu post-HSCT overall was 66% (verified FHL, 70% [63%-78%]). Additional analyses provided specific suggestions on potential pre-HSCT treatment improvements. HLH-2004 confirms that a majority of patients may be rescued by the etoposide/dexamethasone combination but intensification with CSA upfront, adding corticosteroids to intrathecal therapy, and reduced time to HSCT did not improve outcome significantly. PMID:28935695

Effects of salinity on the physiology of the red macroalga, Acanthophora spicifera (Rhodophyta, Ceramiales

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Débora Tomazi Pereira

2017-09-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Salinity is an important abiotic factor since it is responsible for the local and/or regional distribution of algae. In coastal regions, salinity changes with prevailing winds, precipitation and tide, and particularly in extreme intertidal conditions. Acanthophora spicifera is a red seaweed that occurs in the supratidal region in which changes in abiotic conditions occur frequently. This study evaluated the effects of salinity on the metabolism and morphology of A. spicifera. Algae were acclimatized under culture conditions with sterilized seawater for seven days. Experiments used different salinities (15 to 50 psu for seven days, followed by metabolic analyses. This study demonstrates that extreme salinities affect physiological parameters of A. spicifera, such as decrease in growth rate, as well as morphological parameters and concentrations of secondary metabolites. Acanthophora spicifera exhibited high tolerance to 25 to 40 psu, with little change in physiology, which favors the occurrence of this species in diverse environments. However, 15, 20, 45 and 50 psu were the most damaging and led to loss of biomass, depigmentation of apices, and the highest concentrations of antioxidant metabolites. The 50 psu treatment caused the greatest changes in general, greatly reducing a biomass and chlorophyll content, and facilitating the presence of endophytes.

[Survival strategy of photosynthetic organisms. 1. Variability of the extent of light-harvesting pigment aggregation as a structural factor optimizing the function of oligomeric photosynthetic antenna. Model calculations].

Science.gov (United States)

Fetisova, Z G

2004-01-01

In accordance with our concept of rigorous optimization of photosynthetic machinery by a functional criterion, this series of papers continues purposeful search in natural photosynthetic units (PSU) for the basic principles of their organization that we predicted theoretically for optimal model light-harvesting systems. This approach allowed us to determine the basic principles for the organization of a PSU of any fixed size. This series of papers deals with the problem of structural optimization of light-harvesting antenna of variable size controlled in vivo by the light intensity during the growth of organisms, which accentuates the problem of antenna structure optimization because optimization requirements become more stringent as the PSU increases in size. In this work, using mathematical modeling for the functioning of natural PSUs, we have shown that the aggregation of pigments of model light-harvesting antenna, being one of universal optimizing factors, furthermore allows controlling the antenna efficiency if the extent of pigment aggregation is a variable parameter. In this case, the efficiency of antenna increases with the size of the elementary antenna aggregate, thus ensuring the high efficiency of the PSU irrespective of its size; i.e., variation in the extent of pigment aggregation controlled by the size of light-harvesting antenna is biologically expedient.

Atmospheric Correction and Vicarious Calibration of Oceansat-1 Ocean Color Monitor (OCM) Data in Coastal Case 2 Waters

Science.gov (United States)

2012-06-08

uppermost part of the Barataria estuary in southeastern Louisiana (Figure 3). Lac des Allemands is a freshwater lake ( salinity < 1 psu) with a surface...W.; Walker, N.D. Evaluating the potential risk of microcystins to blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) fisheries and human health in a eutrophic estuary ...risk of microcystins to blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) fisheries and human health in a eutrophic estuary . Harmful Algae 2010, 9, 134–143. 5. Ren

Evaluating dispersal potential of an invasive fish by the use of aerobic scope and osmoregulation capacity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Behrens, Jane W.; Deurs, Mikael van; Christensen, Emil Aputsiaq Flindt

2017-01-01

factors such as presence of predators, competitors, and parasites. Early prediction of dispersal potential and future 'area of impact' is challenging, but also a great asset in taking appropriate management actions. Aerobic scope (AS) in fish has been linked to various fitness-related parameters, and may...... waters is unknown to date. We show that AS in round goby is reduced by 30% and blood plasma osmolality increased (indicating reduced capacity for osmoregulation) at salinities approaching oceanic conditions, following slow ramping (5 PSU per week) and subsequent long-term acclimation to salinities...... ranging between 0 and 30 PSU (8 days at final treatment salinities before blood plasma osmolality measurements, 12-20 additional days before respirometry). Survival was also reduced at the highest salinities yet a significant proportion (61%) of the fish survived at 30 PSU. Reduced physiological...

Fulltext PDF

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

1División de Genética, CIBO, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Guadalajara, CP 44340, México. 2Doctorado en Genética Humana, CUCS, Universidad de Guadalajara, .... psu dic(21) after FISH with a mix of the subtelomeric 21q (red) and.

Continuity, psychosocial correlates, and outcome of problematic substance use from adolescence to young adulthood in a community sample

OpenAIRE

Steinhausen, H C; Eschmann, S; Winkler Metzke, C

2007-01-01

Abstract Background The study of the continuity, psychosocial correlates, and prediction of problematic substance use (PSU) across time from adolescence to young adulthood. Methods Substance use was studied in a cohort of N = 593 subjects who had been assessed at three times between adolescence and young adulthood within the Zurich Psychology and Psychopathology Study (ZAPPS). Based on the frequency of tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis consumption, groups with PSU were defined at each of the thr...

Nuclear Security Education Program at the Pennsylvania State University

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uenlue, Kenan; Jovanovic, Igor

2015-01-01

The availability of trained and qualified nuclear and radiation security experts worldwide has decreased as those with hands-on experience have retired while the demand for these experts and skills have increased. The U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration's (NNSA) Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI) has responded to the continued loss of technical and policy expertise amongst personnel and students in the security field by initiating the establishment of a Nuclear Security Education Initiative, in partnership with Pennsylvania State University (PSU), Texas A and M (TAMU), and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). This collaborative, multi-year initiative forms the basis of specific education programs designed to educate the next generation of personnel who plan on careers in the nonproliferation and security fields with both domestic and international focus. The three universities worked collaboratively to develop five core courses consistent with the GTRI mission, policies, and practices. These courses are the following: Global Nuclear Security Policies, Detectors and Source Technologies, Applications of Detectors/Sensors/Sources for Radiation Detection and Measurements Nuclear Security Laboratory, Threat Analysis and Assessment, and Design and Analysis of Security Systems for Nuclear and Radiological Facilities. The Pennsylvania State University (PSU) Nuclear Engineering Program is a leader in undergraduate and graduate-level nuclear engineering education in the USA. The PSU offers undergraduate and graduate programs in nuclear engineering. The PSU undergraduate program in nuclear engineering is the largest nuclear engineering programs in the USA. The PSU Radiation Science and Engineering Center (RSEC) facilities are being used for most of the nuclear security education program activities. Laboratory space and equipment was made available for this purpose. The RSEC facilities include the Penn State Breazeale

Nuclear Security Education Program at the Pennsylvania State University

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Uenlue, Kenan [The Pennsylvania State University, Radiation Science and Engineering Center, University Park, PA 16802-2304 (United States); The Pennsylvania State University, Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, University Park, PA 16802-2304 (United States); Jovanovic, Igor [The Pennsylvania State University, Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, University Park, PA 16802-2304 (United States)

2015-07-01

The availability of trained and qualified nuclear and radiation security experts worldwide has decreased as those with hands-on experience have retired while the demand for these experts and skills have increased. The U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration's (NNSA) Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI) has responded to the continued loss of technical and policy expertise amongst personnel and students in the security field by initiating the establishment of a Nuclear Security Education Initiative, in partnership with Pennsylvania State University (PSU), Texas A and M (TAMU), and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). This collaborative, multi-year initiative forms the basis of specific education programs designed to educate the next generation of personnel who plan on careers in the nonproliferation and security fields with both domestic and international focus. The three universities worked collaboratively to develop five core courses consistent with the GTRI mission, policies, and practices. These courses are the following: Global Nuclear Security Policies, Detectors and Source Technologies, Applications of Detectors/Sensors/Sources for Radiation Detection and Measurements Nuclear Security Laboratory, Threat Analysis and Assessment, and Design and Analysis of Security Systems for Nuclear and Radiological Facilities. The Pennsylvania State University (PSU) Nuclear Engineering Program is a leader in undergraduate and graduate-level nuclear engineering education in the USA. The PSU offers undergraduate and graduate programs in nuclear engineering. The PSU undergraduate program in nuclear engineering is the largest nuclear engineering programs in the USA. The PSU Radiation Science and Engineering Center (RSEC) facilities are being used for most of the nuclear security education program activities. Laboratory space and equipment was made available for this purpose. The RSEC facilities include the Penn State Breazeale

Nudging problematic smartphone use to a lower level

OpenAIRE

Palokangas, Lauri

2016-01-01

Smartphone usage has evolved in people’s lives from a necessity to a habit, in some cases leading to compulsive use and addiction. Extremely frequent smartphone usage and usage in excess durations has previously been classified using criteria known from other addiction re-search. However, little research has been performed to understand Problematic Smartphone Use (PSU) on healthy test subjects. In the same way, there are only few studies that have focused on the prevention of PSU. Behavioural...

ANALISIS KEPUASAN SATUAN KERJA PERANGKAT DAERAH (SKPD) DAN REKANAN TERHADAP KINERJA UNIT LAYANAN PENGADAAN (ULP) PEMERINTAH KABUPATEN BADUNG

OpenAIRE

Putu Budayasa; I M.Alit K Salain; Mayun Nadiasa

2016-01-01

Abstract:Based on Presidential Decree Number 54 Year 2010 concerning Government Procurement of Goods / Services. Procurement process carried out by a unit called the Procurement Service Unit (PSU). In Government of Badung Regency, PSU was formed in 2011wich often get a negative presumption of those associated with the Unit is the Regional Work Unit and Partner Company when carry out the procurement process. Under these conditions it is necessary to evaluate the services given. The research ai...

Problematic smartphone use, nature connectedness, and anxiety.

Science.gov (United States)

Richardson, Miles; Hussain, Zaheer; Griffiths, Mark D

2018-03-01

Background Smartphone use has increased greatly at a time when concerns about society's disconnection from nature have also markedly increased. Recent research has also indicated that smartphone use can be problematic for a small minority of individuals. Methods In this study, associations between problematic smartphone use (PSU), nature connectedness, and anxiety were investigated using a cross-sectional design (n = 244). Results Associations between PSU and both nature connectedness and anxiety were confirmed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to identify threshold values on the Problematic Smartphone Use Scale (PSUS) at which strong associations with anxiety and nature connectedness occur. The area under the curve was calculated and positive likelihood ratios used as a diagnostic parameter to identify optimal cut-off for PSU. These provided good diagnostic ability for nature connectedness, but poor and non-significant results for anxiety. ROC analysis showed the optimal PSUS threshold for high nature connectedness to be 15.5 (sensitivity: 58.3%; specificity: 78.6%) in response to an LR+ of 2.88. Conclusions The results demonstrate the potential utility for the PSUS as a diagnostic tool, with a level of smartphone use that users may perceive as non-problematic being a significant cut-off in terms of achieving beneficial levels of nature connectedness. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Multi-Objective Optimization of Start-up Strategy for Pumped Storage Units

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jinjiao Hou

2018-05-01

Full Text Available This paper proposes a multi-objective optimization method for the start-up strategy of pumped storage units (PSU for the first time. In the multi-objective optimization method, the speed rise time and the overshoot during the process of the start-up are taken as the objectives. A precise simulation platform is built for simulating the transient process of start-up, and for calculating the objectives based on the process. The Multi-objective Particle Swarm Optimization algorithm (MOPSO is adopted to optimize the widely applied start-up strategies based on one-stage direct guide vane control (DGVC, and two-stage DGVC. Based on the Pareto Front obtained, a multi-objective decision-making method based on the relative objective proximity is used to sort the solutions in the Pareto Front. Start-up strategy optimization for a PSU of a pumped storage power station in Jiangxi Province in China is conducted in experiments. The results show that: (1 compared with the single objective optimization, the proposed multi-objective optimization of start-up strategy not only greatly shortens the speed rise time and the speed overshoot, but also makes the speed curve quickly stabilize; (2 multi-objective optimization of strategy based on two-stage DGVC achieves better solution for a quick and smooth start-up of PSU than that of the strategy based on one-stage DGVC.

A Flexible Optical pH Sensor Based on Polysulfone Membranes Coated with pH-Responsive Polyaniline Nanofibers.

Science.gov (United States)

Abu-Thabit, Nedal; Umar, Yunusa; Ratemi, Elaref; Ahmad, Ayman; Ahmad Abuilaiwi, Faraj

2016-06-27

A new optical pH sensor based on polysulfone (PSU) and polyaniline (PANI) was developed. A transparent and flexible PSU membrane was employed as a support. The electrically conductive and pH-responsive PANI was deposited onto the membrane surface by in situ chemical oxidative polymerization (COP). The absorption spectra of the PANI-coated PSU membranes exhibited sensitivity to pH changes in the range of 4-12, which allowed for designing a dual wavelength pH optical sensor. The performance of the membranes was assessed by measuring their response starting from high pH and going down to low pH, and vice versa. It was found that it is necessary to precondition the sensor layers before each measurement due to the slight hysteresis observed during forward and backward pH titrations. PSU membranes with polyaniline coating thicknesses in the range of ≈100-200 nm exhibited fast response times of pH sensor was characterized by a sigmoidal response (R² = 0.997) which allows for pH determination over a wide dynamic range. All membranes were stable for a period of more than six months when stored in 1 M HCl solution. The reproducibility of the fabricated optical pH sensors was found to be pH sensor was tested and the obtained pH values were compared with the results obtained using a pH meter device.

Interactive effects of ocean acidification, elevated temperature, and reduced salinity on early-life stages of the pacific oyster.

Science.gov (United States)

Ko, Ginger W K; Dineshram, R; Campanati, Camilla; Chan, Vera B S; Havenhand, Jon; Thiyagarajan, Vengatesen

2014-09-02

Ocean acidification (OA) effects on larvae are partially attributed for the rapidly declining oyster production in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. This OA effect is a serious concern in SE Asia, which produces >80% of the world's oysters. Because climate-related stressors rarely act alone, we need to consider OA effects on oysters in combination with warming and reduced salinity. Here, the interactive effects of these three climate-related stressors on the larval growth of the Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas, were examined. Larvae were cultured in combinations of temperature (24 and 30 °C), pH (8.1 and 7.4), and salinity (15 psu and 25 psu) for 58 days to the early juvenile stage. Decreased pH (pH 7.4), elevated temperature (30 °C), and reduced salinity (15 psu) significantly delayed pre- and post-settlement growth. Elevated temperature lowered the larval lipid index, a proxy for physiological quality, and negated the negative effects of decreased pH on attachment and metamorphosis only in a salinity of 25 psu. The negative effects of multiple stressors on larval metamorphosis were not due to reduced size or depleted lipid reserves at the time of metamorphosis. Our results supported the hypothesis that the C. gigas larvae are vulnerable to the interactions of OA with reduced salinity and warming in Yellow Sea coastal waters now and in the future.

Growth of common brackish marsh macrophytes under altered hydrology and salinity regimes

Science.gov (United States)

Howard, Rebecca J.; Biagas, Janelda M.; Allain, Larry K.

2016-01-01

Coastal marsh plants are increasingly subject to physicochemical stressors under rising sea levels, and the maintenance of marsh ecological functions can depend on the ability of individual species and communities to tolerate or adapt to altered conditions. We conducted a greenhouse experiment to identify hydrology and salinity effects on growth of three common brackish marsh macrophytes of coastal Florida, USA: Distichlis spicata, Juncus roemerianus, and Spartina bakeri. The species were potted as monocultures and exposed to three salinities (0, 15, or 28 psu) and two hydrologic conditions (saturated, tidal) over 22 months. Final stem density of J. roemerianus and S. bakeri did not differ among treatments. In D. spicata, however, stem density was lowest at 28 psu and lower in tidal compared to saturated conditions. Mean stem height of all species was lowest at 28 psu. Aboveground biomass of J. roemerianus was not affected by the treatments, but in D. spicata andS. bakeri it was lowest at 28 psu. Results indicated that J. roemerianus was the most adaptable species and may, therefore, be more resilient to climate-change driven stressors. However, plant-plant interactions such as interspecific competition and facilitation can alter the response of individual species to environmental factors.

Safety technical considerations on the 2012 periodic safety verification of the Beznau nuclear power plant; Sicherheitstechnische Stellungnahme zur Periodischen Sicherheitsüberprüfung 2012 des Kernkraftwerks Beznau

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2016-12-15

According to nuclear legislation, the owner of an operational license for a nuclear power plant has to provide a periodic safety verification (PSU) every 10 years. The 'North Eastern Power Plants' company (NOK), today AXPO Power AG already performed such a PSU for the Beznau-2 nuclear reactor block (KKB2) in 2002. The Beznau-1 nuclear reactor block (KKB1) received its definitive operational license in October 1970, after test operation during 7 months. After the license for test operation received on July 16{sup th}, 1971, the operational license of KKB2 was renewed several times, each time for a certain period of validity. In 1991, NOK requested a definitive operational license for KKB2, but in 1994 the Swiss Federal Council lengthened the license for only 10 years. Moreover, it laid down that NOK has to periodically report on the safety of the facility. With its letter of August 23{sup rd}, 1998, the Federal Office of Energy defined the documents to be produced for the PSU. The extent of the PSU was defined in such a way that many documents concern the whole power plant, i.e. both nuclear reactor blocks. On December 3{sup rd}, 2004, the Swiss Federal Council granted KKB2 an operational license of limited validity. The present report reviews the 2012 PSU, which covers the time interval from January 1{sup st}, 2002, to December 31{sup st}, 2011, from the point of view of safety. It contains documents for the evaluation of both reactor blocks at KKB. The Beznau interim storage pool was also taken into consideration; it is situated on the KKB site, but, according to a decision of the Swiss Federal Council of May 23{sup rd}, 1991, it has an independent operational license. The evaluation of ageing surveillance takes the whole operational period of the facility into account, i.e. the ageing mechanisms acting as from the beginning of the operation. Moreover, important developments that occurred after the surveillance time interval have been taken into account

Safety technical considerations on the 2012 periodic safety verification of the Beznau nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2016-12-01

According to nuclear legislation, the owner of an operational license for a nuclear power plant has to provide a periodic safety verification (PSU) every 10 years. The 'North Eastern Power Plants' company (NOK), today AXPO Power AG already performed such a PSU for the Beznau-2 nuclear reactor block (KKB2) in 2002. The Beznau-1 nuclear reactor block (KKB1) received its definitive operational license in October 1970, after test operation during 7 months. After the license for test operation received on July 16 th , 1971, the operational license of KKB2 was renewed several times, each time for a certain period of validity. In 1991, NOK requested a definitive operational license for KKB2, but in 1994 the Swiss Federal Council lengthened the license for only 10 years. Moreover, it laid down that NOK has to periodically report on the safety of the facility. With its letter of August 23 rd , 1998, the Federal Office of Energy defined the documents to be produced for the PSU. The extent of the PSU was defined in such a way that many documents concern the whole power plant, i.e. both nuclear reactor blocks. On December 3 rd , 2004, the Swiss Federal Council granted KKB2 an operational license of limited validity. The present report reviews the 2012 PSU, which covers the time interval from January 1 st , 2002, to December 31 st , 2011, from the point of view of safety. It contains documents for the evaluation of both reactor blocks at KKB. The Beznau interim storage pool was also taken into consideration; it is situated on the KKB site, but, according to a decision of the Swiss Federal Council of May 23 rd , 1991, it has an independent operational license. The evaluation of ageing surveillance takes the whole operational period of the facility into account, i.e. the ageing mechanisms acting as from the beginning of the operation. Moreover, important developments that occurred after the surveillance time interval have been taken into account, especially the status

Subsurface low pH and carbonate saturation state of aragonite on China side of the North Yellow Sea: combined effects of global atmospheric CO2 increase, regional environmental changes, and local biogeochemical processes

Science.gov (United States)

Zhai, W.-D.; Zheng, N.; Huo, C.; Xu, Y.; Zhao, H.-D.; Li, Y.-W.; Zang, K.-P.; Wang, J.-Y.; Xu, X.-M.

2013-02-01

Based upon seven field surveys conducted between May 2011 and January 2012, we investigated pH, carbonate saturation state of aragonite (Ωarag), and ancillary parameters on the Chinese side of the North Yellow Sea, a western North Pacific continental margin of major economic importance. Subsurface waters were nearly in equilibrium with air in May and June. From July to October, the fugacity of CO2 (fCO2) of bottom water gradually increased to 697 ± 103 μatm and pH decreased to 7.83 ± 0.07 due to respiration/remineralization processes of primary production induced biogenic particles. In November and January, bottom water fCO2 decreased and pH gradually returned to an air-equilibrated level due to cooling enhanced vertical mixing. The corresponding bottom water Ωarag was 1.74 ± 0.17 (May), 1.77 ± 0.26 (June), 1.70 ± 0.26 (July), 1.72 ± 0.33 (August), 1.32 ± 0.31 (October), 1.50 ± 0.28 (November), and 1.41 ± 0.12 (January). Critically low Ωarag values of 1.0 to 1.2 were mainly observed in subsurface waters in a salinity range of 31.5-32.5 psu in October and November, accounting for ~ 10% of the North Yellow Sea area. Water mass derived from the adjacent Bohai Sea had a typical water salinity of 30.5-31.5 psu, and bottom water Ωarag values ranged mostly between 1.6 and 2.4. This study showed that the carbonate system in the North Yellow Sea was substantially influenced by global atmospheric CO2 increase. The community respiration/remineralization rates in typical North Yellow Sea bottom water mass were estimated at 0.55-1.0 μmol O2 kg-1 d-1 in warm seasons, leading to seasonal drops in subsurface pH and Ωarag. Outflow of the Bohai Sea water mass counteracted the subsurface Ωarag reduction in the North Yellow Sea.

Analysis of the FIST integral tests 4DBA1, 6SB2C and T1QUV with TRAC-BFl/v2001.2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Analytis, G.Th.

2004-01-01

As part of the assessment of the frozen version of the PSU TRAC-BFl/v2001.2 and its qualification as a LB-LOCA and SB-LOCA code, in this work, we shall outline the comparisons between measurements and code predictions for three FIST tests: The LB-LOCA test 4DBA1, the SB-LOCA test 6SB2C and the failure to maintain water level test T1QUV. We shall study the effect of the number of axial levels in the active core as well as (in the case of the SB-LOCA test 6SB2C) the effect of the timing of the activation of the reflooding options/heat transfer package on the code predictions. Furthermore, we shall show that by using the upwinding option of some terms of the three-dimensional momentum equations, severe mass-error problems appearing in the analysis of the test T1QUV can be resolved. Generally, we shall show that although there are some differences between measurements and predictions, TRAC-BF1 captures quite well the overall behaviour of the LB-LOCA transient (depending on the number of axial nodes in the core) but underpredicts the rod surface temperatures of the SB-LOCA test 6SB2C

Microbiological quality of cooked foods and drinks sold in higher educational institutions around Yala, Pattani, and Narathiwat Provinces, Southern Thailand

Science.gov (United States)

Dalee, Abdullah D.; Sali, Khosiya; Hayeeyusoh, Nurainee; Hayeewangoh, Zubaidah; Thadah, Amporn

2017-08-01

Quality of cooked foods and drinks water sold within the vicinity of higher institutions located in Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat provinces were randomly sampled and microbiologically evaluated. As to Thai National Food Safety Standard, various food menu and drinks were subjected to conventionally determining the bacterial index; Most Probable Number (MPN) of coliform and fecal coliform as well as the detection of indicator organisms; Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella sp. As for bacterial index, results showed that curry-type likes PSU-stir-fried liver (7.5x106 CFU/g), and and the lowest was PSU-Koleh chicken Roast (1.72x103 CFU/g). The highest and lowest counts of soup-type items were observed in YPH-KaengSom soup (1.9x107 CFU/g), and PSU-Palo soup (0.4x103 CFU/g), respectively. Higher bacterial counts were also found in YPH-spicy stir-fried chicken (7.5 x 106 CFU/g), and YPH-squid salad (2.2x107 CFU/g). For drinks, bacterial count ranged 2.0 x 103 to 8.3 x 103 CFU/g, and NRU-iced grape juice having the highest bacterial count (2.0x106 CFU/g). Overall, foods not complying to the Thai National Food Safety Standard of 1 x 103 CFU/g from higher to lower were those of soup, stir-fried, salad, fried, and curry categories with as much as 4:17 (23.53%), 4:21 (19.05%), 2:11 (18.18%), 2:16 (12.5%) and 1:12 (8.33%), respectively. As for Coliform and fecal coliform, the highest (>1100 MPN/g) and the lowest (0.34 MPN/g),were not much found in all food categories with percentages of 23.53, 24.00, 13.79, 9.10, and 47.37 for curry (4:17), soup (6:15), stir-fried (4:29), fried (2:22), and salad (9:19), respectively. However, indicator organisms were not detected in almost all food samples except PSU-chicken yellowish curry, NRU-chicken TongYam soup, NRU-Long-tail tuna soup, NRU-KaengSom soup, YPE-watery soup, NRU-stir-fried liver, NRU-omelets, NRU-fried chicken, YPE-crispy fish salad, and NRU-salted eggs salad, which showed the presence of E. coli, but not

Superspace parafermions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Candu, Constantin; Schomerus, Volker

2011-04-01

We describe several families of non-unitary coset conformal field theories that possess truly marginal couplings. These generalize the known examples of Wess-Zumino-Witten models on supergroups such as PSU(n vertical stroke n) or OSP(2n+2 vertical stroke 2n). Our extension includes coset space sigma models, affine Toda theories or Gross-Neveu models which are believed to arise in certain limits. (orig.)

Superspace parafermions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Candu, Constantin; Schomerus, Volker

2011-04-15

We describe several families of non-unitary coset conformal field theories that possess truly marginal couplings. These generalize the known examples of Wess-Zumino-Witten models on supergroups such as PSU(n vertical stroke n) or OSP(2n+2 vertical stroke 2n). Our extension includes coset space sigma models, affine Toda theories or Gross-Neveu models which are believed to arise in certain limits. (orig.)

Enhanced ethanol production by fermentation of Gelidium amansii hydrolysate using a detoxification process and yeasts acclimated to high-salt concentration.

Science.gov (United States)

Ra, Chae Hun; Jung, Jang Hyun; Sunwoo, In Yung; Jeong, Gwi-Taek; Kim, Sung-Koo

2015-06-01

A total monosaccharide concentration of 59.0 g/L, representing 80.1 % conversion of 73.6 g/L total fermentable sugars from 160 g dw/L G. amansii slurry was obtained by thermal acid hydrolysis and enzymatic hydrolysis. Subsequent adsorption treatment using 5 % activated carbon with an adsorption time of 2 min was used to prevent the inhibitory effect of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) >5 g/L in the medium. Ethanol production decreased with increasing salt concentration using C. tropicalis KCTC 7212 non-acclimated or acclimated to a high concentration of salt. Salt concentration of 90 psu was the maximum concentration for cell growth and ethanol production. The levels of ethanol production by C. tropicalis non-acclimated or acclimated to 90 psu high-salt concentration were 13.8 g/L with a yield (YEtOH) of 0.23, and 26.7 g/L with YEtOH of 0.45, respectively.

Aligning BIM with FM: streamlining the process for future projects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Colleen Kasprzak

2012-12-01

Full Text Available A study performed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST, USA in 2004 found that owners account for approximately $10.6 billion of the $15.8 billion total inadequate interoperability costs of U.S. capital facility projects in 2002. Because of these inefficiency costs, it becomes vital that information produced during the design and construction phases of a project be transferred into operations with maximum leverage to the end users. However, very few owners have defined these informational needs or developed an integration strategy into existing maintenance management systems. To increase operational efficiency, an organization must first develop an understanding of their operating systems, as well as identify how Building Information Modeling (BIM will add value to their daily tasks. The Pennsylvania State University (PSU has a unique opportunity to diversely implement BIM processes because not only does the University act as an owner, but also as designer and construction manager on the majority of projects. The struggle that PSU faces is one that is unique only to owners with a large, existing, multifaceted building inventory. This paper outlines the current initiative by the Office of Physical Plant (OPP, the asset manager at PSU, to develop an information exchange framework between BIM and FM applications to be used internally. As a result of this research, PSU has been able to define owner operational requirements for future projects and develop a flexible integration framework to support additional BIM tasks and information exchanges.

Egg production and hatching success of Paracartia grani (Copepoda, Calanoida, Acartiidae) in two hypersaline ponds of a Tunisian Solar Saltern

Science.gov (United States)

Annabi-Trabelsi, Neila; Rebai, Rayda Kobbi; Ali, Mohammad; Subrahmanyam, M. N. V.; Belmonte, Genuario; Ayadi, Habib

2018-04-01

Reproductive traits of Paracartia grani [percentage of spawning females, egg production rate (EPR), and hatching success (HS)] were investigated for the first time at high salinities (39-121 psu) to examine the impact of such a particular situation. The study was done in two hypersaline ponds [A1 (39-46 psu) and C31 (70-121 psu)] in Sfax Solar Saltern, central-eastern coast of Tunisia. These ponds also differed in terms of the composition and concentrations of nutritional parameters. The EPR differed significantly between the ponds (ANOVA, F = 29.45, p eggs female- 1 day- 1 (7 December 2009) and 14 ± 1 eggs female- 1 day- 1 (19 January 2010) with an average of 13.3 ± 0.44 eggs female- 1 day- 1. HS after 48 h of incubation were significantly higher than those after 24 h. The mean values of HS after 48 h were 42.72 ± 2.58% at pond A1 and 41.67 ± 3.92% at pond C31. The two peaks of HS (after 48 h) were observed at 15 °C in pond A1 (21 December 2009, 45.18% nauplii eggs- 1) and in C31 (4 January 2010, 48.78%) at the same temperature. This study confirms that a broad salinity tolerance allows P. grani to settle itself in environments, which are normally hostile to the development of other Acartiidae.

A comparative study of byssogenesis on zebra and quagga mussels: the effects of water temperature, salinity and light-dark cycle.

Science.gov (United States)

Grutters, Bart M C; Verhofstad, Michiel J J M; van der Velde, Gerard; Rajagopal, Sanjeevi; Leuven, Rob S E W

2012-01-01

The quagga mussel (Dreissena rostriformis bugensis) and zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) are invasive freshwater bivalves in Europe and North America. The distribution range of both Dreissena species is still expanding and both species cause major biofouling and ecological effects, in particular when they invade new areas. In order to assess the effect of temperature, salinity and light on the initial byssogenesis of both species, 24 h re-attachment experiments in standing water were conducted. At a water temperature of 25°C and a salinity of 0.2 psu, the rate of byssogenesis of D. polymorpha was significantly higher than that of D. rostriformis bugensis. In addition, byssal thread production by the latter levelled out between 15°C and 25°C. The rate of byssogenesis at temperatures<25°C was similar for both species. Neither species produced any byssal threads at salinities of 4 psu or higher. At a salinity of 1 psu and a water temperature of 15°C, D. polymorpha produced significantly more byssal threads than D. rostriformis bugensis. There was no significant effect of the length of illumination on the byssogenesis of either species. Overall, D. polymorpha produced slightly more byssal threads than D. rostriformis bugensis at almost all experimental conditions in 24 h re-attachment experiments, but both species had essentially similar initial re-attachment abilities. The data imply that D. rostriformis bugensis causes biofouling problems identical to those of D. polymorpha.

Geophysical Characterization Of Groundwater in the Mangrove Lakes Region of Everglades National Park.

Science.gov (United States)

Kiflai, M. E.; Whitman, D.; Price, R.; Frankovich, T.; Allen, J.

2017-12-01

Everglades National Park has been adversely impacted by past human activities that altered freshwater flow through the system. The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) makes an effort to increase the flow of fresh water and modify the groundwater chemistry in Everglades National Park (ENP). This paper aims to present the changes in surface and ground water chemistry in response to CERP project. Electromagnetic (EM) surveys were conducted in Alligator Creek (West Lake) and McCormick Creek (Seven Palm) from 2013 to 2017. During the survey a GSSI Profiler EMP-400, multi- frequency Electromagnetic (EM) conductivity meter was deployed in a flat bottomed plastic kayak towed behind a motorized skiff. An inverse model of the data is performed by constraining the resistivity value of the surface water fixed. Then, the salinity of the groundwater is estimated by assuming a formation factor of 5. In the McCormick Creek system, between January 2016 and February 2017 the salinity of the groundwater shows a considerable decreases. In the northern end of Seven Palm, the salinity decreases from 3.64 PSU in 2016 to 2.5 PSU in 2017. In the southern end the salinity decreases from 8.05 PSU in 2016 to 3.05 in 2017. This demonstrates how the salinity of the groundwater increase from north to south and decreases yearly. Future work will integrate the EM data with DC resistivity measurements collected from a floating Schlumberger array.

Salt tolerance of estuarine benthic macroalgae in the Kattegat-Baltic Sea area

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, A.; Sand-Jensen, K.

2006-01-01

Tolerance of benthic marine macroalgae to low salinities is believed to be a main determinant of their vertical distribution across the marine coastline and their horizontal distribution from oceanic regions into low-saline bays, fjords and estuaries. Salt tolerance should also be important......, Denmark (salinity: 16 psu, tide 10 cm) to maintain photosynthesis after 4 days exposure to declining salinities (16 to 0 psu). Overall, the algal community had a high short-term tolerance to low salinities because 35 of 44 species maintained more than half the photosynthetic capacity at salinities lower...

High salinity tolerance in eggs and fry of a brackish Esox lucius population

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, A.T.; Hansen, B.W.; Vismann, B.

2010-01-01

Knowledge on the biology and physiology of pike, Esox lucius L., populations inhabiting saline environments is scarce. An experimental setup was used to examine egg development and fry behaviour and growth under varying salinity levels in a brackish-water pike population from the western Baltic Sea....... Eggs and fry developed at 8.5 psu, which is higher than hitherto reported for other populations. Fry exhibited stress behaviour and reduced growth when subjected to salinities above 13 psu. This indicates that early life stages of E. lucius tolerate ambient salinity conditions equivalent to the natural...

Effects of temperature and salinity on light scattering by water

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiaodong; Hu, Lianbo

2010-04-01

A theoretical model on light scattering by water was developed from the thermodynamic principles and was used to evaluate the effects of temperature and salinity. The results agreed with the measurements by Morel within 1%. The scattering increases with salinity in a non-linear manner and the empirical linear model underestimate the scattering by seawater for S < 40 psu. Seawater also exhibits an 'anomalous' scattering behavior with a minimum occurring at 24.64 °C for pure water and this minimum increases with the salinity, reaching 27.49 °C at 40 psu.

Freshwater springs on intertidal sand flats cause a switch in dominance among polychaete worms

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zipperle, A; Reise, K

Effects of freshwater seepage on benthic macrofauna were investigated on the sandy tidal flats near the island of Sylt (German Wadden Sea) in 2002. Several permanent seepage areas (50 to 200 m offshore; up to 200 m 2 in area) were examined, in which salinity ranged from 22-29 outside to 0-16 psu

Effect of changing temperature on anaerobic hydrogen production and microbial community composition in an open-mixed culture bioreactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Karadag, Dogan; Puhakka, Jaakko A. [Department of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Tampere University of Technology, Tampere (Finland)

2010-10-15

The temperature effect (37-65 C) on H{sub 2} production from glucose in an open-mixed culture bioreactor using an enrichment culture from a hot spring was studied. The dynamics of microbial communities was investigated by polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE). At 45 and 60 C the H{sub 2} production was the highest i.e. 1.71 and 0.85 mol H{sub 2}/mol glucose, respectively. No H{sub 2} was produced at temperatures 50 and 55 C. At 37-45 C, H{sub 2} production was produced by butyrate type fermentation while fermentation mechanism changed to ethanol type at 60 C. Clostridium species were dominant at 37-45 C while at 50-55 C and 60 C the culture was dominated by Bacillus coagulans and Thermoanaerobacterium, respectively. In the presence of B. Coagulans the metabolism was directed to lactate production. The results show that the mixed culture had two optima for H{sub 2} production and that the microbial communities and metabolic patterns promptly changed according to changing temperatures. (author)

A 2 MV Van de Graaff accelerator as a tool for planetary and impact physics research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mocker, Anna; Bugiel, Sebastian; Srama, Ralf; Auer, Siegfried; Baust, Guenter; Matt, Guenter; Otto, Katharina; Colette, Andrew; Drake, Keith; Kempf, Sascha; Munsat, Tobin; Shu, Anthony; Sternovsky, Zoltan; Fiege, Katherina; Postberg, Frank; Gruen, Eberhard; Heckmann, Frieder; Helfert, Stefan; Hillier, Jonathan; Mellert, Tobias

2011-01-01

Investigating the dynamical and physical properties of cosmic dust can reveal a great deal of information about both the dust and its many sources. Over recent years, several spacecraft (e.g., Cassini, Stardust, Galileo, and Ulysses) have successfully characterised interstellar, interplanetary, and circumplanetary dust using a variety of techniques, including in situ analyses and sample return. Charge, mass, and velocity measurements of the dust are performed either directly (induced charge signals) or indirectly (mass and velocity from impact ionisation signals or crater morphology) and constrain the dynamical parameters of the dust grains. Dust compositional information may be obtained via either time-of-flight mass spectrometry of the impact plasma or direct sample return. The accurate and reliable interpretation of collected spacecraft data requires a comprehensive programme of terrestrial instrument calibration. This process involves accelerating suitable solar system analogue dust particles to hypervelocity speeds in the laboratory, an activity performed at the Max Planck Institut fuer Kernphysik in Heidelberg, Germany. Here, a 2 MV Van de Graaff accelerator electrostatically accelerates charged micron and submicron-sized dust particles to speeds up to 80 km s -1 . Recent advances in dust production and processing have allowed solar system analogue dust particles (silicates and other minerals) to be coated with a thin conductive shell, enabling them to be charged and accelerated. Refinements and upgrades to the beam line instrumentation and electronics now allow for the reliable selection of particles at velocities of 1-80 km s -1 and with diameters of between 0.05 μm and 5 μm. This ability to select particles for subsequent impact studies based on their charges, masses, or velocities is provided by a particle selection unit (PSU). The PSU contains a field programmable gate array, capable of monitoring in real time the particles' speeds and charges, and is

Effects of temperature and salinity on resting metabolism in two ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study investigates the resting metabolic rate (RMR; mg O2 g/h) of the resident rock pool fish Caffrogobius caffer and the transient sparid Diplodus sargus capensis at a range of salinities (5, 15, 25, 35 and 45 PSU) and temperatures (14, 20 and 28°C) using closed-vessel respirometry. Both species were temperature ...

Temporal acclimation of Microchloropsis gaditana CCMP526 in response to hypersalinity.

Science.gov (United States)

Karthikaichamy, Anbarasu; Deore, Pranali; Srivastava, Sanjeeva; Coppel, Ross; Bulach, Dieter; Beardall, John; Noronha, Santosh

2018-04-01

Evaporation from culture ponds and raceways can subject algae to hypersalinity stress, and this is exacerbated by global warming. We investigated the effect of salinity on a marine microalga, Microchloropsis gaditana, which is of industrial significance because of its high lipid-accumulating capability. Both short-term (hours) and medium-term (days) effects of salinity were studied across various salinities (37.5, 55, 70 and 100 PSU). Salinity above 55 PSU suppressed cell growth and specific growth rate was significantly reduced at 100 PSU. Photosynthesis (F v /F m , rETR max and I k ) was severely affected at high salinity conditions. Total carbohydrate per cell increased ∼1.7-fold after 24 h, which is consistent with previous findings that salinity induces osmolyte production to counter osmotic shock. In addition, accumulation of lipid increased by ∼4.6-fold in response to salinity. Our findings indicate a possible mechanism of acclimation to salinity, opening up new frontiers for osmolytes in pharmacological and cosmetics applications. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sub-tropical coastal lagoon salinization associated to shrimp ponds effluents

Science.gov (United States)

Cardoso-Mohedano, José-Gilberto; Lima-Rego, Joao; Sanchez-Cabeza, Joan-Albert; Ruiz-Fernández, Ana-Carolina; Canales-Delgadillo, Julio; Sánchez-Flores, Eric-Ivan; Páez-Osuna, Federico

2018-04-01

Anthropogenic salinization impacts the health of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems worldwide. In tropical and subtropical areas, shrimp farm aquaculture uses water from adjacent ecosystems to fill the culture ponds, where enhanced evaporation cause salinization of discharged water. In this study, we studied water salinity before and after shrimp farm harvest and implemented a three-dimensional hydrodynamic model to assess the impact on a subtropical coastal lagoon that receives water releases from shrimp ponds. The shrimp pond discharge significantly increased the salinity of receiving waters, at least 3 psu over the local variation. In the worst-case salinization scenario, when harvest occurs after a long dry season, salinity could increase by up to 6 psu. The induced salinization due to shrimp pond effluents remained up to 2 tidal cycles after harvest, and could affect biota. The methodology and results of this study can be used to assess the impacts of shrimp aquaculture worldwide.

Concrete Chemical Evolution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

D.H. Tang

1998-01-01

The objectives of this analysis are to discuss and evaluate testing results that were performed for the M andO by the Pennsylvania State University (PSU) to evaluate the potential long-term evolution of organic admixtures in cementitious materials at elevated temperatures. The testing was designed to help provide a basis for a determination by the Performance Assessment group (PA) of the long-term acceptability and longevity of cementitious materials for repository use. The main purpose of the testing was to assess the evolution of gases (especially CO 2 ) from hydrated cement paste at elevated temperatures and to determine the impact on alkalinity, i.e., the pH value of cement paste pore solution. This information in turn can be used as scoping information to determine if further tests of this nature are needed to support PA. As part of this discussion and evaluation of the PSU results, an assessment of alkalinity in a ''cementitious repository'' and an evaluation of organic materials are presented

Reduced total serum bilirubin levels are associated with ulcerative colitis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kathleen M Schieffer

Full Text Available Chronic inflammation associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD results in increased oxidative stress that damages the colonic microenvironment. Low levels of serum bilirubin, an endogenous antioxidant, have been associated with increased risk for Crohn's disease (CD. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine whether total serum bilirubin levels are associated with ulcerative colitis (UC. We identified a retrospective case-control population (n = 6,649 from a single tertiary care center, Penn State Hershey Medical Center (PSU and a validation cohort (n = 1,996 from Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center (VCU. Cases were age- and sex-matched to controls (PSU: CD n = 254, UC n = 187; VCU: CD n = 233, UC n = 124. Total serum bilirubin levels were obtained from de-identified medical records and segregated into quartiles. Logistic regression analysis was performed on each quartile of total serum bilirubin compared to the last quartile (highest bilirubin levels to determine the association of total serum bilirubin with UC. Similar to CD patients, UC patients demonstrated reduced levels of total serum bilirubin compared to controls at PSU and VCU. The lowest quartile of total serum bilirubin was independently associated with UC for the PSU (OR: 1.98 [95% CI: 1.09-3.63] and VCU cohorts (OR: 6.07 [95% CI: 3.01-12.75]. Lower levels of the antioxidant bilirubin may reduce the capability of UC patients to remove reactive oxygen species leading to an increase in intestinal injury. Therapeutics that reduce oxidative stress may be beneficial for these patients.

Seasonal cycle of hydrography in the Bab el Mandab region, southern Red Sea

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Saafani, M.A.A.; Shenoi, S.S.C.

and less than 26 m deep, whereas the large strait on the west of Myyun is about 18 km wide and 300 m deep. The Strait of Bab el Mandab con- nects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden in the south. Consistent northwesterly winds blow over the Red Sea except....0 psu) con nes to the top 20 m layer. The cooler inflow is fresher (19.0 C, 36.0 psu) and is from GA. The deeper high saline water has its origin in the northern Red Sea (Maillard 1974; Murray et al 1984; Cember 1988). Keywords. Hydrography; Gulf of Aden...

Sigma E regulators control hemolytic activity and virulence in a shrimp pathogenic Vibrio harveyi.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pimonsri Rattanama

Full Text Available Members of the genus Vibrio are important marine and aquaculture pathogens. Hemolytic activity has been identified as a virulence factor in many pathogenic vibrios including V. cholerae, V. parahaemolyticus, V. alginolyticus, V. harveyi and V. vulnificus. We have used transposon mutagenesis to identify genes involved in the hemolytic activity of shrimp-pathogenic V. harveyi strain PSU3316. Out of 1,764 mutants screened, five mutants showed reduced hemolytic activity on sheep blood agar and exhibited virulence attenuation in shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei. Mutants were identified by comparing transposon junction sequences to a draft of assembly of the PSU3316 genome. Surprisingly none of the disrupted open reading frames or gene neighborhoods contained genes annotated as hemolysins. The gene encoding RseB, a negative regulator of the sigma factor (σ(E, was interrupted in 2 out of 5 transposon mutants, in addition, the transcription factor CytR, a threonine synthetase, and an efflux-associated cytoplasmic protein were also identified. Knockout mutations introduced into the rpoE operon at the rseB gene exhibited low hemolytic activity in sheep blood agar, and were 3-to 7-fold attenuated for colonization in shrimp. Comparison of whole cell extracted proteins in the rseB mutant (PSU4030 to the wild-type by 2-D gel electrophoresis revealed 6 differentially expressed proteins, including two down-regulated porins (OmpC-like and OmpN and an upregulated protease (DegQ which have been associated with σ(E in other organisms. Our study is the first report linking hemolytic activity to the σ(E regulators in pathogenic Vibrio species and suggests expression of this virulence-linked phenotype is governed by multiple regulatory pathways within the V. harveyi.

Millennial changes of the Baltic Sea salinity. Studies of the sensitivity of the salinity to climate change

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gustafsson, Bo G.

2004-05-01

An important question for safety assessments of nuclear waste repositories is the salinity of the Baltic Sea under different conditions. The salinity affects the potential recipient ecosystems, the water turnover along the coast and the hydrology as well as the groundwater chemistry. In this report a model that enables computation of the Baltic Sea salinity for different sea level positions and freshwater supplies is presented. The model is used to compute the salinities in Baltic proper, Bothnian Sea and Bothnian Bay for all combinations of global sea level changes from -10 m to 10 m and freshwater supplies from 0 to 60,000 m 3 /s. The results are presented in a series of graphs that enables the reader to make an assessment of the impact of a given climatic change. The model is also used to compute the decrease of the salinity in Bothnian Sea and Bothnian Bay during the next few millennia due to the postglacial uplift. The results show that modest changes in global sea level, say ±1 m, give a salinity change of the order of 1 psu in southern Baltic proper. Changing the freshwater supply with about 2,000 m 3 /s (approximately 10%) gives a similar salinity change. Further, a sea level drop of about 5 m or an increase of the freshwater supply by a factor of 3 is needed to reduce the salinity in southern Baltic proper below 1 psu. In this limit large parts of the Baltic would be limnic. A 50% decrease of the freshwater supply increase the salinity in the southern Baltic proper by a factor of 2 to some 15 psu, but the effect is even more drastic in Bothnian Sea and Bothnian Bay where the salinity increase to 13 and 10 psu, respectively. A less windy climate might have a significant effect in lowering the Baltic salinity due to a combined effect of lowered mixing in Kattegat and lowered exchange between Kattegat and the Baltic. A windier climate will not have such strong effect since increased mixing does not affect the Baltic as much. Most probably the shoreline

Millennial changes of the Baltic Sea salinity. Studies of the sensitivity of the salinity to climate change

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gustafsson, Bo G. [Oceanus Havsundersoekningar, Goeteborg (Sweden)

2004-05-01

An important question for safety assessments of nuclear waste repositories is the salinity of the Baltic Sea under different conditions. The salinity affects the potential recipient ecosystems, the water turnover along the coast and the hydrology as well as the groundwater chemistry. In this report a model that enables computation of the Baltic Sea salinity for different sea level positions and freshwater supplies is presented. The model is used to compute the salinities in Baltic proper, Bothnian Sea and Bothnian Bay for all combinations of global sea level changes from -10 m to 10 m and freshwater supplies from 0 to 60,000 m{sup 3}/s. The results are presented in a series of graphs that enables the reader to make an assessment of the impact of a given climatic change. The model is also used to compute the decrease of the salinity in Bothnian Sea and Bothnian Bay during the next few millennia due to the postglacial uplift. The results show that modest changes in global sea level, say {+-}1 m, give a salinity change of the order of 1 psu in southern Baltic proper. Changing the freshwater supply with about 2,000 m{sup 3}/s (approximately 10%) gives a similar salinity change. Further, a sea level drop of about 5 m or an increase of the freshwater supply by a factor of 3 is needed to reduce the salinity in southern Baltic proper below 1 psu. In this limit large parts of the Baltic would be limnic. A 50% decrease of the freshwater supply increase the salinity in the southern Baltic proper by a factor of 2 to some 15 psu, but the effect is even more drastic in Bothnian Sea and Bothnian Bay where the salinity increase to 13 and 10 psu, respectively. A less windy climate might have a significant effect in lowering the Baltic salinity due to a combined effect of lowered mixing in Kattegat and lowered exchange between Kattegat and the Baltic. A windier climate will not have such strong effect since increased mixing does not affect the Baltic as much. Most probably the

Radiochemical Ageing of Aromatic Polymers PEEK, PSU and Kapton registered

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Richaud, E.; Audouin, L.; Colin, X.; Verdu, J.; Monchy-Leroy, C.

2010-01-01

This article deals with degradation mechanism of three aromatic polymers submitted to γ-rays in air at 60 deg. C. T g measurements and GPC results indicated that thin samples (thickness lower than 200 μm) undergo mostly chain scission whereas sol gel analysis and rheometric measurements showed that thicker ones undergo mainly crosslinking. Both results are explained by oxygen diffusion control of oxidation resulting in the formation of a superficial oxidized layer experimentally observed by μATR InfraRed in which oxidative processes orientate rather to chain scission than crosslinking. Experimental results also allowed discussing relative oxidative stability, sensitivity of T g to chain scission concentration, and crosslinking mechanism (Y or H).

Salinity-related variation in gene expression in wild populations of the black-chinned tilapia from various West African coastal marine, estuarine and freshwater habitats

Science.gov (United States)

Tine, Mbaye; McKenzie, David J.; Bonhomme, François; Durand, Jean-Dominique

2011-01-01

This study measured the relative expression of the genes coding for Na +, K +-ATPase 1α(NAKA), voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC), cytochrome c oxidase-1 (COX), and NADH dehydrogenase (NDH), in gills of six wild populations of a West African tilapia species, acclimatised to a range of seasonal (rainy or dry) salinities in coastal, estuarine and freshwater sites. Previous laboratory experiments have demonstrated that these genes, involved in active ion transport, oxidative phosphorylation, and intra-cellular ATP transport, are relatively over-expressed in gill tissues of this species acclimated to high salinity. Positive correlations between relative expression and ambient salinity were found for all genes in the wild populations (Spearman rank correlation, p < 0.05), although for some genes these were only significant in either the rainy season or dry season. Most significantly, however, relative expression was positively correlated amongst the four genes, indicating that they are functionally interrelated in adaptation of Sarotherodon melanotheron to salinity variations in its natural environment. In the rainy season, when salinity was unstable and ranged between zero and 37 psu across the sites, overall mean expression of the genes was higher than in the dry season, which may have reflected more variable particularly sudden fluctuations in salinity and poorer overall water quality. In the dry season, when the salinity is more stable but ranged between zero and 100 psu across the sites, NAKA, NDH and VDAC expression revealed U-shaped relationships with lowest relative expression at salinities approaching seawater, between 25 and 45 psu. Although it is not simple to establish direct relationship between gene expression levels and energy requirement for osmoregulation, these results may indicate that costs of adaptation to salinity are lowest in seawater, the natural environment of this species. While S. melanotheron can colonise environments with extremely

Effects of seed sludge on fermentative characteristics and microbial community structures in thermophilic hydrogen fermentation of starch

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Akutsu, Yohei; Tandukar, Madan; Kubota, Kengo; Harada, Hideki [Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tohoku University, 6-6-06 Aoba, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579 (Japan); Li, Yu-You [Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tohoku University, 6-6-06 Aoba, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579 (Japan); Department of Urban and Environmental Engineering, Tianjin Institute of Urban Construction, Jinjinggonglu 26, Tianjin, 300384 (China)

2008-11-15

In this work, effects of seed sludge on thermophilic hydrogen fermentation were investigated. Five different kinds of sludge were separately inoculated in completely stirred tank reactors (CSTRs), without any pretreatment. The reactors were operated in parallel with starch as substrate under thermophilic condition (55 C) at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 24 h for 50 days. Stable hydrogen production was achieved in all reactors. The highest hydrogen yield (2.32 mol H{sub 2}/mol glucose) was obtained from the reactor seeded with thermophilically digested activated sludge. The stoichiometric equation of hydrogen fermentation calculated using the data obtained in this study was expressed as follows: starch ([C{sub 6}H{sub 10}O{sub 5}]n) {yields} 2.32n H{sub 2} + 2.14n CO{sub 2} + 0.50n acetate + 0.63n butyrate + 0.11n cell (C{sub 5}H{sub 7}NO{sub 2}). Microbial community structure was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gel gradient electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) and 16S rRNA gene cloning. Close relatives of the Thermoanaerobacterium were found to be the most predominated one in all reactors. (author)

Improved Maneuver Criteria Evaluation Program

Science.gov (United States)

1979-11-01

If the rotor rpm breakpoint (OMGBL2) is le :-s than the mininum rotor rpm (OMEGMN), then the rpm bleed :ate (OMGBDI) will be the only bleed rate used...VCP =60 PSU 1 EEF = 1 OMGBD1=2 OMGBD3=0 OMGRC2=0 VERR = 2 MPRINT= 1 OMEGMN=300 OMGBL.2=4 OMGBL4=0 OMGRD2=0 MUF = 1 BINERT:2860 TRPMMN= 0 OMGBD2=0 OMGBD4...height is within 2 feet of the measured height. These comparisons show that the MCEP maneuvers are accurate for simulating these types of maneuvers

Concrete Chemical Evolution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

D.H. Tang

1998-07-31

The objectives of this analysis are to discuss and evaluate testing results that were performed for the M&O by the Pennsylvania State University (PSU) to evaluate the potential long-term evolution of organic admixtures in cementitious materials at elevated temperatures. The testing was designed to help provide a basis for a determination by the Performance Assessment group (PA) of the long-term acceptability and longevity of cementitious materials for repository use. The main purpose of the testing was to assess the evolution of gases (especially CO{sub 2}) from hydrated cement paste at elevated temperatures and to determine the impact on alkalinity, i.e., the pH value of cement paste pore solution. This information in turn can be used as scoping information to determine if further tests of this nature are needed to support PA. As part of this discussion and evaluation of the PSU results, an assessment of alkalinity in a ''cementitious repository'' and an evaluation of organic materials are presented.

Development of a PC code package for the analysis of research and power reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Urli, N.

1992-06-01

Computer codes available for performing reactor physics calculations for nuclear research reactors and power reactors are normally suited for running on mainframe computers. With the fast development in speed and memory of the PCs and affordable prices it became feasible to develop PC versions of commonly used codes. The present work performed under an IAEA sponsored research contract has successfully developed a code package for running on a PC. This package includes a cross-section generating code PSU-LEOPARD and 2D and 1D spatial diffusion codes, MCRAC and MCYC 1D. For adapting PSU-LEOPARD for a PC, the binary library has been reorganized to decimal form, upgraded to FORTRAN-77 standard and arrays and subroutines reorganized to conform to PC compiler. Similarly PC version of MCRAC for FORTRAN-77 and 1D code MCYC 1D have been developed. Tests, verification and bench mark results show excellent agreement with the results obtained from mainframe calculations. The execution speeds are also very satisfactory. 12 refs, 4 figs, 3 tabs

When there are no good choices: illuminating the borderland between proportionate palliative sedation and palliative sedation to unconsciousness.

Science.gov (United States)

Reid, Thomas T; Demme, Richard A; Quill, Timothy E

2011-01-01

Despite state-of-the-art palliative care, some patients will require proportionate palliative sedation as a last-resort option to relieve intolerable suffering at the end of life. In this practice, progressively increasing amounts of sedation are provided until the target suffering is sufficiently relieved. Uncertainty and debate arise when this practice approaches palliative sedation to unconsciousness (PSU), especially when unconsciousness is specifically intended or when the target symptoms are more existential than physical. We constructed a case series designed to highlight some of the common approaches and challenges associated with PSU and the more aggressive end of the spectrum of proportionate palliative sedation as retrospectively identified by palliative care consultants over the past 5 years from a busy inpatient palliative care service at a tertiary medical center in Rochester (NY, USA). Ten cases were identified as challenging by the palliative care attendings, of which four were selected for presentation for illustrative purposes because they touched on central issues including loss of capacity, the role of existential suffering, the complexity of clinical intention, the role of an institutional policy and use of anesthetics as sedative agents. Two other cases were selected focusing on responses to two special situations: a request for PSU that was rejected; and anticipatory planning for total sedation in the future. Although relatively rare, PSU and more aggressive end-of-the-spectrum proportionate palliative sedation represent responses to some of the most challenging cases faced by palliative care clinicians. These complex cases clearly require open communication and collaboration among caregivers, patients and family. Knowing how to identify these circumstances, and how to approach these interventions of last resort are critical skills for practitioners who take care of patients at the end of life.

Severe transient analysis of the Penn State University Advanced Light Water Reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borkowski, J.A.

1988-08-01

The Penn State University Advanced Light Water Reactor (PSU ALWR) incorporates various passive and active ultra-safe features, such as continuous online injection and letdown for pressure control, a raised-loop primary system for enhanced natural circulation, a dedicated primary reservoir for enhanced thermal hydraulic control, and a secondary shutdown turbine. Because of the conceptual design basis of the project, the dynamic system modeling was to be performed using a code with a high degree of flexibility. For this reason the modeling has been performed with the Modular Modeling System (MMS). The basic design and normal transients have been performed successfully with MMS. However, the true test of an inherently safe concept lies in its response to more brutal transients. Therefore, such a demonstrative transient is chosen for the PSU ALWR: a turbine trip and reactor scram, concurrent with total loss of offsite ac power. Diesel generators are likewise unavailable. This transient demonstrates the utility of the pressure control system, the shutdown turbine generator, and the enhanced natural circulation of the PSU ALWR. The low flow rates, low pressure drops, and large derivative states encountered in such a transient pose special problems for the modeler and for MMS. The results of the transient analyses indicate excellent performance by the PSU ALWR in terms of inherently safe operation. The primary coolant enters full natural circulation, and removes all decay heat through the steam generators. Further, the steam generators continually supply sufficient steam to the shutdown power system, despite the abrupt changeover to the auxiliary feedwater system. Finally, even with coincident failures in the pressurization system, the primary repressurizes to near-normal values, without overpressurization. No core boiling or uncovery is predicted, and consequently fuel damage is avoided. 17 refs., 19 figs., 4 tabs

Variations of physicochemical properties in Kalpakkam coastal waters, east coast of India, during southwest to northeast monsoon transition period.

Science.gov (United States)

Satpathy, Kamala Kanta; Mohanty, Ajit K; Sahu, Gouri; Sarkar, Santosh K; Natesan, Usha; Venkatesan, R; Prasad, M V R

2010-12-01

A significant variation in physicochemical properties of the Kalpakkam coastal waters, eastern part of India, was observed during the event of southwest to northeast monsoon transition. Increase in nitrate, total nitrogen, and silicate concentrations were noticed during post-transition period. Ammonia concentration was at peak during transition period as compared to pre- and post-transition periods. Hypo-saline condition (~23 psu) was observed during post-transition as the surface water salinity decreased by ~10 psu from the pre-transitional values. Turbidity, suspended particulate matter, phosphate and total phosphorous values decreased marginally, coinciding with northward to southward current reversal. A drastic decrease (eightfold) in chlorophyll-a concentration was observed in the coastal water during post-transition period.

An Integrated Start-Up Method for Pumped Storage Units Based on a Novel Artificial Sheep Algorithm

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zanbin Wang

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Pumped storage units (PSUs are an important storage tool for power systems containing large-scale renewable energy, and the merit of rapid start-up enable PSUs to modulate and stabilize the power system. In this paper, PSU start-up strategies have been studied and a new integrated start-up method has been proposed for the purpose of achieving swift and smooth start-up. A two-phase closed-loop startup strategy, composed of switching Proportion Integration (PI and Proportion Integration Differentiation (PID controller is designed, and an integrated optimization scheme is proposed for a synchronous optimization of the parameters in the strategy. To enhance the optimization performance, a novel meta-heuristic called Artificial Sheep Algorithm (ASA is proposed and applied to solve the optimization task after a sufficient verification with seven popular meta-heuristic algorithms and 13 typical benchmark functions. Simulation model has been built for a China’s PSU and comparative experiments are conducted to evaluate the proposed integrated method. Results show that the start-up performance could be significantly improved on both indices on overshoot and start-up, and up to 34%-time consumption has been reduced under different working condition. The significant improvements on start-up of PSU is interesting and meaning for further application on real unit.

The impact of low level radioactive waste on humans and environment the next 100 thousands years

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andersson, E.; Saetre, P.; Lindborg, T.; Norden, S.; Kautsky, U. [Svensk Kaernbraenslehantering AB - SKB (Sweden); Loefgren, A. [Ecoanalytica, Stockholm (Sweden)

2014-07-01

A safety assessment for the extension of the low level repository of operational waste (SFR) has been performed (SR-PSU). The repository (both existing and planned extension) is situated c 60 - 120 m below the surface in archaean granitoid rock. SR-PSU evaluates the risk to humans and the environment for the next 100 000 years. During this time period considerable changes are expected in the surface environment due climate change and its effects on shore line displacement, terrestrialisation of lakes and expansion of forest and agricultural land. In this paper specific approaches and results for the surface ecosystems (i.e. biosphere) are presented. The transport and accumulation of radionuclides in marine, lake, and terrestrial ecosystems are modelled and expose of future human populations during present conditions, greenhouse warming, and peri-glacial climate conditions are estimated taking into account different habits and diets of future humans. A new radionuclide transport model was developed to improve the representation of C-14 in the ecosystem modelling. In SR-PSU it is shown that the primary release from the repository via the geosphere to the biosphere is focused to a small area that will be a mire in about 1000 year. The radionuclides can thereafter be transported to downstream lakes and sea ecosystems. The aquatic systems can be utilised for fish and water whereas the mire can either be utilised directly by e.g. collecting, mushroom berries, hay, or hunting, or the mire can be transformed to a small agricultural area and utilised for crops. Important dose contributing radionuclides from SFR are Cl-36, Mo-93, C-14, Ni-59 and I-129 and in some of the scenarios the dose is close to the regulatory limit of 14 μSv/y (i.e. the risk 10{sup -6}). For Non-human biota (NHB) doses are estimated with a novel implementation of the ERICA tool in Ecolego. Generally the same radionuclides contributes to dose to NHB (reference organisms and site -specific organisms) as

Some euryhalinity may be more common than expected in marine elasmobranchs: the example of the South American skate Zapteryx brevirostris (Elasmobranchii, Rajiformes, Rhinobatidae).

Science.gov (United States)

Wosnick, Natascha; Freire, Carolina A

2013-09-01

Elasmobranchs are essentially marine, but ~15% of the species occur in brackish or freshwater. The Brazilian marine coastal skate Zapteryx brevirostris, non-reported in nearby estuaries, was submitted to 35, 25, 15, and 5 psu, for 6 or 12h (n=6). Plasma was assayed for osmolality, urea, and ions (Na(+), Cl(-), K(+), Mg(2+)). Muscle water content was determined, and the rectal gland, kidney and gills were removed for carbonic anhydrase (CA) and Na(+),K(+)-ATPase (NKA) activities. The skate survived to all treatments. Plasma osmolality and urea levels decreased respectively by 27% and 38% after 12h in 5 psu (with respect to levels when in seawater), but plasma Na(+), Cl(-), and Mg(2+) were well regulated. Plasma K(+) showed some conformation after 12h. Muscle hydration was maintained. Branchial CA and NKA did not respond to salinity. Rectal gland NKA decreased upon seawater dilution, while renal NKA increased. This skate was shown to be partially euryhaline. The analysis of plasma urea of elasmobranchs in brackish and freshwater versus salinity and time-allied to the widespread occurrence of some euryhalinity in the group-led us to revisit the hypothesis of a brackish water habitat for elasmobranch ancestors. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Poststreptococcal keratouveitis associated with group C streptococcus pharyngitis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nataneli N

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Nathaniel Nataneli1, Zenia P Aguilera1, Pearl S Rosenbaum1, Tamar Goldstein1,2, Martin Mayers11Department of Ophthalmology, Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA; 2Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, IsraelPurpose: To report the first case of poststreptococcal syndrome uveitis (PSU in association with group C streptococcus (GCS.Patients and methods: Chart review of a 24-year-old man who presented with bilateral ocular redness, pain, and photophobia for 5 days and "white rings" around his eyes for a duration of 3 days. The patient further reported fever and sore throat in the preceding week. Slit-lamp examination showed bilateral keratouveitis. A thorough uveitis workup, antistreptolysin O (ASLO titer, and throat culture were obtained. The patient was treated with frequent topical steroids and systemic doxycycline. The uveitis and keratitis subsided over the next few weeks, leaving extensive peripheral keratolysis.Results: The results of laboratory diagnostic testing revealed an elevated ASLO, C-reactive protein, as well as HLA-B27 positivity. Throat cultures grew beta-hemolytic GCS; group A streptococcus was culture negative.Conclusion: GCS pharyngitis may be a causative organism of PSU.Keywords: pharyngitis, keratolysis, keratouveitis

Photoacclimation in a tropical population of Cladophora glomerata (L.) Kützing 1843 (Chlorophyta) from southeastern Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Bautista, A I N; Necchi-Júnior, O

2008-02-01

Photoacclimation of photosynthesis was investigated in a tropical population of C. glomerata (São Paulo State, southeastern Brazil, 20 degrees 48' 24" S and 49 degrees 22' 24" W) by chlorophyll fluorescence parameters and chlorophyll a content. Plants were acclimated to two levels of irradiance: low (65 +/- 5 micromol.m(-2).s(-1)) and high (300 +/- 10 micromol.m(-2).s(-1)) and exposed short-term (4 days) and long-term (28 days) under a light-dark cycle of 12:12 hours. Photosynthesis-irradiance (PI) curves revealed distinct strategies of photoacclimation. In long-term exposure, plants acclimated by altering the photosynthetic units (PSU) number and keeping fixed the PSU size, revealed by increased rates of maximum photosynthesis (Pmax), lower photosynthetic efficiency (alpha) and higher values of the saturation parameter (Ik) under high irradiance. The short-term acclimation strategy consisted of changing the PSU size, with a fixed number of PSUs, as revealed by similar Pmax but higher alpha and lower Ik under low irradiance. Chlorophyll a contents followed the general pattern reported in green algae of higher concentrations under lower irradiance. Dark/light induction curves revealed consistently higher values of potential quantum yield under low irradiance. Initial and final values showed a higher recovery capacity in the short (84.4-90.6%) term exposure than in the long-term case (81.4-81.5%). ETR (electron transport rate) and NPQ (non-photochemical quenching) values were consistently higher under low irradiance. ETR showed a continuous and steady increase along the light exposure period in the short and long-term experiments, whereas NPQ values revealed a rapid increase after 15 seconds of light exposure, kept a slightly increasing trend and stabilized in most treatments. Lower photosynthetic performance (ETR) and recovery capacity of potential quantum yield were observed, particularly in long-term exposure, suggesting that this population is constrained by the

A Real-Time Accurate Model and Its Predictive Fuzzy PID Controller for Pumped Storage Unit via Error Compensation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jianzhong Zhou

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Model simulation and control of pumped storage unit (PSU are essential to improve the dynamic quality of power station. Only under the premise of the PSU models reflecting the actual transient process, the novel control method can be properly applied in the engineering. The contributions of this paper are that (1 a real-time accurate equivalent circuit model (RAECM of PSU via error compensation is proposed to reconcile the conflict between real-time online simulation and accuracy under various operating conditions, and (2 an adaptive predicted fuzzy PID controller (APFPID based on RAECM is put forward to overcome the instability of conventional control under no-load conditions with low water head. Respectively, all hydraulic factors in pipeline system are fully considered based on equivalent lumped-circuits theorem. The pretreatment, which consists of improved Suter-transformation and BP neural network, and online simulation method featured by two iterative loops are synthetically proposed to improve the solving accuracy of the pump-turbine. Moreover, the modified formulas for compensating error are derived with variable-spatial discretization to improve the accuracy of the real-time simulation further. The implicit RadauIIA method is verified to be more suitable for PSUGS owing to wider stable domain. Then, APFPID controller is constructed based on the integration of fuzzy PID and the model predictive control. Rolling prediction by RAECM is proposed to replace rolling optimization with its computational speed guaranteed. Finally, the simulation and on-site measurements are compared to prove trustworthy of RAECM under various running conditions. Comparative experiments also indicate that APFPID controller outperforms other controllers in most cases, especially low water head conditions. Satisfying results of RAECM have been achieved in engineering and it provides a novel model reference for PSUGS.

AFRL’s ALREST Physics-Based Combustion Stability Program

Science.gov (United States)

2012-11-08

enduring challenge because of the inherent complexities in the physics of multiphase turbulent flames. The present paper provides the Air Force...Combustor F i d e l i t y URANS LES Steady RANS HLES Current SOA Capability with 2000 cores Capability at Program End in 2015 (2,000 cores+GPUs) Capability...Unlimited ALREST Validation Cases “Final Exam ” Hydrogen Stable Single Element (PSU) Stable Single Element Methane (Singla) Supercritical Non

Yield trial of baby corn (Zea mays L. in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung and Songkhla Provinces

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chushirt, T.

2003-05-01

Full Text Available Yield trial of 6 baby corn varieties, PSUSB 104, PSUSB 109, PSUSB 111, PSU-Syn 1, Pacific 444 and Chiang Mai 90 (check was done in Phatthalung, Songkhla and Nakhon Si Thammarat Provinces during 2000 - 2001. The experimental design in each environment was a randomized complete block with four replications. The results showed that the hybrid PSUSB 111 gaved the highest young ear weight of standard size (138 kg/rai, exceeding the mean yield of hybrid Pacific 444 by 27%, PSU-Syn 1 by 47% and open pollinated Chiang Mai 90 by 79%. The hybrid PSUSB 111 also showed other merits, such as more ears/plant, shorter days to first ear harvest, lower first ear height, less plant height and high plant fresh weight.

Allegheny County Soil Type Areas

Data.gov (United States)

Allegheny County / City of Pittsburgh / Western PA Regional Data Center — This dataset contains soil type and soil classification, by area. Additional info at: http://mcdc.cas.psu.edu/datawiz.htm;...

Raamatututvustus / Oskar Tanner

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Tanner, Oskar, pseud., 1939-

1996-01-01

Eliade, Mircea. Jaaniöö; Kippel, Enn. Kui Raudpea tuli; Beecher Stowe, Harriet. Onu Tomi onnike; Wallace, Edgar. Valge mask; Buchan, John. Kolm pantvangi; Rendell, Ruth. Hunditapp; Jurin, Artur. Näpsu

Degradation of cellulosic biomass and its subsequent utilization for the production of chemical feedstocks. Progress report, December 1, 1978-February 28, 1979

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, D.I.C.; Cooney, C.L.; Demain, A.L.; Gomez, R.F.; Sinskey, A.J.

1979-02-01

The ongoing progress of a coordinated research program aimed at optimizing the biodegradation of cellulosic biomass to ethanol and chemical feedstocks is summarized. Growth requirements and genetic manipulations of clostridium thermocellum for selection of high cellulose producers are reported. The enzymatic activity of the cellulase produced by these organisms was studied. The soluble sugars produced from hydrolysis were analyzed. Increasing the tolerance of C. thermocellum to ethanol during liquid fuel production, increasing the rate of product formation, and directing the catabolism to selectively achieve high ethanol concentrations with respect to other products were studied. Alternative substrates for C. thermocellum were evaluated. Studies on the utilization of xylose were performed. Single stage fermentation of cellulose using mixed cultures of C. thermocellum and C. thermosaccharolyticum were studied. The study of the production of chemical feedstocks focused on acrylic acid, acetone/butanol, acetic acid, and lactic acid.

Evaluation of medicinal plants and colloidal silver efficiency against Vibrio parahaemolyticus infection in Litopenaeus vannamei cultured at low salinity.

Science.gov (United States)

Morales-Covarrubias, María Soledad; García-Aguilar, Noemí; Bolan-Mejía, María Del; Puello-Cruz, Ana Carmela

2016-11-22

In shrimp aquaculture, reduction in the use of synthetic antibiotics is a priority due to the high incidence of resistant bacteria (Vibrio) in the white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei. An increasing number of studies show bactericidal activity of natural treatments in aquaculture. The effectiveness of neem (Azadirachta indica) and oregano (Lippia berlandieri) aqueous extracts and colloidal silver against V. parahaemolyticus were evaluated in low salinity shrimp culture. Results show that aqueous extracts of oregano and neem each present a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 62.50 mg ml-1 and inhibitory halos of 12.0 to 19.0 mm. Colloidal silver gave a MIC of 2 mg ml-1, and the inhibitory halos were found to be between 11.8 and 18.8 mm, depending on treatment concentrations. An in vivo challenge test was conducted on white shrimp postlarvae cultured at low salinity (5 practical salinity units, PSU), and a significant increase (p colloidal silver 90%), when compared to the control (0%) in the challenge test. However, no significant differences were observed between treatments, suggesting that they all act as alternative bactericidal source agents against V. parahaemolyticus infections for L. vannamei postlarvae when cultured at 5 PSU.

Biochemical characteristics and modulation by external and internal factors of aminopeptidase-N activity in the hepatopancreas of a euryhaline burrowing crab.

Science.gov (United States)

Michiels, M S; del Valle, J C; López Mañanes, A A

2015-07-01

Strikingly, in spite of its physiological importance, information about occurrence, biochemical characteristics and mechanisms of regulation of aminopeptidase-N (APN) in the hepatopancreas of intertidal euryhaline crabs is still lacking. In this work, we determined the occurrence, biochemical characteristics, response to environmental salinity and dopamine of APN in the hepatopancreas of the euryhaline crab Neohelice granulata (Dana 1851) from the open mudflat of Mar Chiquita coastal lagoon (Buenos Aires province, Argentina). APN activity was maximal at pH and temperature range of 7.6-9.0 and 37-45 °C, respectively. APN activity exhibited Michaelis-Menten kinetics (apparent Km = 0.19 ± 0.10 mM) (pH 7.6, 37 °C) and appeared to be sensitive to bestatin (I 50 = 15 mM) and EDTA (I 50 = 9 mM). In crabs acclimated to 10 psu (hyper-regulation conditions) and 37 psu (hypo-regulation conditions), APN activity was about 45 and 160% higher, respectively, than in 35 psu (osmoconformation). APN activity in the hepatopancreas was stimulated in vitro (about 137%) by 10(-4) M dopamine. Higher dopamine concentrations produced a similar extent of increase. The responses of APN activity to salinity and dopamine in vitro suggest the role of APN in digestive adjustments upon hyper and hypo-regulatory conditions and its modulation via direct mechanisms on hepatopancreas by dopamine.

Measuring the impacts of social media on advancing public transit : final report.

Science.gov (United States)

2017-06-01

This project is a collaboration between Portland State University (PSU) and the Center for Infrastructure Transportation & Environment (CITE) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute seeking to develop performance measures for assessing the impacts of soc...

Periodicity in stem growth and litterfall in tidal freshwater forested wetlands: influence of salinity and drought on nitrogen recycling

Science.gov (United States)

Cormier, Nicole; Krauss, Ken W.; Conner, William H.

2013-01-01

Many tidally influenced freshwater forested wetlands (tidal swamps) along the south Atlantic coast of the USA are currently undergoing dieback and decline. Salinity often drives conversion of tidal swamps to marsh, especially under conditions of regional drought. During this change, alterations in nitrogen (N) uptake from dominant vegetation or timing of N recycling from the canopy during annual litter senescence may help to facilitate marsh encroachment by providing for greater bioavailable N with small increases in salinity. To monitor these changes along with shifts in stand productivity, we established sites along two tidal swamp landscape transects on the lower reaches of the Waccamaw River (South Carolina) and Savannah River (Georgia) representing freshwater (≤0.1 psu), low oligohaline (1.1–1.6 psu), and high oligohaline (2.6–4.1 psu) stands; the latter stands have active marsh encroachment. Aboveground tree productivity was monitored on all sites through monthly litterfall collection and dendrometer band measurements from 2005 to 2009. Litterfall samples were pooled by season and analyzed for total N and carbon (C). On average between the two rivers, freshwater, low oligohaline, and high oligohaline tidal swamps returned 8,126, 3,831, and 1,471 mg N m−2 year−1, respectively, to the forest floor through litterfall, with differences related to total litterfall volume rather than foliar N concentrations. High oligohaline sites were most inconsistent in patterns of foliar N concentrations and N loading from the canopy. Leaf N content generally decreased and foliar C/N generally increased with salinization (excepting one site), with all sites being fairly inefficient in resorbing N from leaves prior to senescence. Stands with higher salinity also had greater flood frequency and duration, lower basal area increments, lower tree densities, higher numbers of dead or dying trees, and much reduced leaf litter fall (103 vs. 624 g m−2 year−1) over the

Remote Sensing of Salinity and Overview of Results from Aquarius

Science.gov (United States)

Le Vine, D. M.; Dinnat, E. P.; Meissner, T.; Wentz, F.; Yueh, S. H.; Lagerloef, G. S. E.

2015-01-01

Aquarius is a combined active/passive microwave (L-band) instrument designed to map the salinity of global oceans from space. The specific goal of Aquarius is to monitor the seasonal and interannual variation of the large scale features of the sea surface salinity (SSS) field of the open ocean (i.e. away from land). The instrumentation has been designed to provide monthly maps with a spatial resolution of 150 km and an accuracy of 0.2 psu

High Energy, Long Cycle Life Lithium-ion Batteries for PHEV Application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Donghai [Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States); Manthiram, Arumugam [Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States); Wang, Chao-Yang [EC Power LLC, State College, PA (United States); Liu, Gao [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Zhang, Zhengcheng [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)

2017-05-15

High-loading and high quality PSU Si anode has been optimized and fabricated. The electrochemical performance has been utilized. The PSU Si-graphite anode exhibits the mass loading of 5.8 mg/cm2, charge capacity of 850 mAh/ g and good cycling performance. This optimized electrode has been used for full-cell fabrication. The performance enhancement of Ni-rich materials can be achieved by a diversity of strategies. Higher Mn content and a small amount of Al doping can improve the electrochemical performance by suppressing interfacial side reactions with electrolytes, thus greatly benefiting the cyclability of the samples. Also, surface coatings of Li-rich materials and AlF₃ are able to improve the performance stability of Ni-rich cathodes. One kilogram of optimized concentration-gradient LiNi_0.76Co_0.10Mn_0.14O₂ (CG) with careful control of composition, morphology and electrochemical performance was delivered to our collaborators. The sample achieved an initial specific capacity close to 190 mA h g^-1 at C/10 rate and 180 mA h g^-1 at C/3 rate as well as good cyclability in pouch full cells with a 4.4 V upper cut-off voltage at room temperature. Electrolyte additive with Si-N skeleton forms a less resistant SEI on the surface of silicon anode (from PSU) as evidenced by the evolution of the impedance at various lithiation/de-lithiation stages and the cycling data The prelithiation result demonstrates a solution processing method to achieve large area, uniform SLMP coating on well-made anode surface for the prelithiation of lithium-ion batteries. The prelithiation effect with this method is applied both in graphite half cells, graphite/NMC full cells, SiO half cells, SiO/NMC full cells, Si-Graphite half cells and Si-Graphite/NMC full cells with improvements in cycle performance and higher first cycle coulombic efficiency than their corresponding cells without SLMP prelithiation. As to the full

The Potential and Challenges of Using Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP Sea Surface Salinity to Monitor Arctic Ocean Freshwater Changes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wenqing Tang

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Sea surface salinity (SSS links various components of the Arctic freshwater system. SSS responds to freshwater inputs from river discharge, sea ice change, precipitation and evaporation, and oceanic transport through the open straits of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. However, in situ SSS data in the Arctic Ocean are very sparse and insufficient to depict the large-scale variability to address the critical question of how climate variability and change affect the Arctic Ocean freshwater. The L-band microwave radiometer on board the NASA Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP mission has been providing SSS measurements since April 2015, at approximately 60 km resolution with Arctic Ocean coverage in 1–2 days. With improved land/ice correction, the SMAP SSS algorithm that was developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL is able to retrieve SSS in ice-free regions 35 km of the coast. SMAP observes a large-scale contrast in salinity between the Atlantic and Pacific sides of the Arctic Ocean, while retrievals within the Arctic Circle vary over time, depending on the sea ice coverage and river runoff. We assess the accuracy of SMAP SSS through comparative analysis with in situ salinity data collected by Argo floats, ships, gliders, and in field campaigns. Results derived from nearly 20,000 pairs of SMAP and in situ data North of 50°N collocated within a 12.5-km radius and daily time window indicate a Root Mean Square Difference (RMSD less than ~1 psu with a correlation coefficient of 0.82 and a near unity regression slope over the entire range of salinity. In contrast, the Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM has a smaller RMSD with Argo. However, there are clear systematic biases in the HYCOM for salinity in the range of 25–30 psu, leading to a regression slope of about 0.5. In the region North of 65°N, the number of collocated samples drops more than 70%, resulting in an RMSD of about 1.2 psu. SMAP SSS in the Kara Sea shows a consistent

Application of MTR soft-decision decoding in multiple-head ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

basic MTR logic circuits, and to develop, a new one, the soft-decision MTR decoder, based on such ... of integrated circuits provides their quite simple realization. ..... recording channels, PSU-UNS International Conference on Engineering and ...

Advanced Electrochemical Technologies for Hydrogen Production by Alternative Thermochemical Cycles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lvov, Serguei; Chung, Mike; Fedkin, Mark; Lewis, Michele; Balashov, Victor; Chalkova, Elena; Akinfiev, Nikolay; Stork, Carol; Davis, Thomas; Gadala-Maria, Francis; Stanford, Thomas; Weidner, John; Law, Victor; Prindle, John

2011-01-06

reactions going to completion without side reactions, and lower demands on materials of construction. Three university research groups from PSU, USC, and TU as well as a group from ANL have been collaborating on the development of enabling technologies for the Cu-Cl cycle, including experimental work on the Cu-Cl cycle reactions, modeling and simulation, and particularly electrochemical reaction for hydrogen production using a CuCl electrolyzer. The Consortium research was distributed over the participants and organized in the following tasks: (1) Development of CuCl electrolyzer (PSU), (2) Thermodynamic modeling of anolyte solution (PSU), (3) Proton conductive membranes for CuCl electrolysis (PSU), (4) Development of an analytical method for online analysis of copper compounds in highly concentrated aqueous solutions (USC), (5) Electrodialysis as a means for separation and purification of the streams exiting the electrolyzer in the Cu-Cl cycle (USC), (6) Development of nanostructured electrocatalysts for the Cu-Cl electrolysis (USC), (7) Cu-Cl electrolyzer modeling (USC), (8) Aspen Plus modeling of the Cu-Cl thermochemical cycle (TU), (9) International coordination of research on the development of the Cu-Cl thermochemical cycle (ANL). The results obtained in the project clearly demonstrate that the Cu-Cl alternative thermochemical cycle is a promising and viable technology to produce hydrogen efficiently.

Performance and population analysis of a non-sterile trickle bed reactor inoculated with Caldicellulosiruptor saccharolyticus, a thermophilic hydrogen producer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Van Groenestijn, J.W.; Meesters, K.P.M. [TNO Quality of Life, P.O. Box 360, 3700 AJ Zeist (Netherlands); Geelhoed, J.S.; Goorissen, H.P.; Stams, A.J.M. [Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University, Dreijenplein, Wageningen (Netherlands); Claassen, P.A.M. [Wageningen UR, Agrotechnology and Food Sciences Group (Netherlands)

2009-04-01

Non-axenic operation of a 400 L trickle bed reactor inoculated with the thermophile Caldicellulosiruptor saccharolyticus, yielded 2.8 mol/H2/mol hexose converted. The reactor was fed with a complex medium with sucrose as the main substrate, continuously flushed with nitrogen gas, and operated at 73C. The volumetric productivity was 22 mmol/H2/(L filterbed h). Acetic acid and lactic acid were the main by-products in the liquid phase. Production of lactic acid occurred when hydrogen partial pressure was elevated above 2% and during suboptimal fermentation conditions that also resulted in the presence of mono- and disaccharides in the effluent. Methane production was negligible. The microbial community was analyzed at two different time points during operation. Initially, other species related to members of the genera Thermoanaerobacterium and Caldicellulosiruptor were present in the reactor. However, these were out-competed by C. saccharolyticus during a period when sucrose was completely used and no saccharides were discharged with the effluent. In general, the use of pure cultures in non-sterile industrial applications is known to be less useful because of contamination. However, our results show that the applied fermentation conditions resulted in a culture of a single dominant organism with excellent hydrogen production characteristics.

Performance and population analysis of a non-sterile trickle bed reactor inoculated with Caldicellulosiruptor saccharolyticus, a thermophilic hydrogen producer.

Science.gov (United States)

van Groenestijn, J W; Geelhoed, J S; Goorissen, H P; Meesters, K P M; Stams, A J M; Claassen, P A M

2009-04-01

Non-axenic operation of a 400 L trickle bed reactor inoculated with the thermophile Caldicellulosiruptor saccharolyticus, yielded 2.8 mol H2/mol hexose converted. The reactor was fed with a complex medium with sucrose as the main substrate, continuously flushed with nitrogen gas, and operated at 73 degrees C. The volumetric productivity was 22 mmol H2/(L filterbed h). Acetic acid and lactic acid were the main by-products in the liquid phase. Production of lactic acid occurred when hydrogen partial pressure was elevated above 2% and during suboptimal fermentation conditions that also resulted in the presence of mono- and disaccharides in the effluent. Methane production was negligible. The microbial community was analyzed at two different time points during operation. Initially, other species related to members of the genera Thermoanaerobacterium and Caldicellulosiruptor were present in the reactor. However, these were out-competed by C. saccharolyticus during a period when sucrose was completely used and no saccharides were discharged with the effluent. In general, the use of pure cultures in non-sterile industrial applications is known to be less useful because of contamination. However, our results show that the applied fermentation conditions resulted in a culture of a single dominant organism with excellent hydrogen production characteristics.

Radiochemistry Education and Research Program at the Pennsylvania State University

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uenlue, Kenan

2009-01-01

A new Radiochemistry Education and Research Program was started at the Pennsylvania University, Radiation Science and Engineering Center. The program was initially supported by the Department of Energy, Radiochemistry Education Award Program (REAP). Using REAP funding as leverage we obtained support from the Los Alamos National Laboratory, Department of Homeland Security, Domestic Nuclear Detection Office, various internal funding from PSU and other entities. The PSU radiochemistry program primarily addresses radiochemistry education and secondarily nuclear and radiochemistry research. The education program consists of bolstering our existing radiochemistry and related courses; Nuclear and Radiochemistry, Radiation Detection and Measurement, Radiological Safety and developing new courses, e.g., Laboratory Experiments in Applied Nuclear and Radiochemistry, and Nuclear Methods in Science. A new laboratory has been created with state of the art equipment for the Laboratory Experiments in Applied Nuclear and Radiochemistry course. We also plan to revitalize the nuclear and radiochemistry research programs. We established a state-of-the-art Neutron Activation Analysis Laboratory and a gamma ray spectroscopy laboratory that has 10 stations including state-of-the-art nuclear spectroscopy hardware and software. In addition, we embarked on an expansion plan that included building a new neutron beam hall and neutron beam ports with a cold neutron source. One of the reasons to have a cold neutron source is for the development of a prompt gamma activation analysis facility. A detailed description of PSU radiochemistry education and research program will be given and the future plans will be discussed.

Box Model of Freshwater, Salinity and Nutrient in the Delta Mahakam, East Kalimantan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marojahan Simanjuntak

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Box Model of Freshwater, Salinity and Nutrient in the Delta Mahakam, East Kalimantan. Research has been conducted in the southern part of the Mahakam Delta, East Kalimantan. Method of measuring temperature, salinity, light transmission and turbidity by using CTD model 603 SBE and current measurement and bathymetry by using ADCP model RDI. Measurement parameters on the nutrient chemistry are based of water samples taken using Nansen bottles from two depths. The purpose of this study to determine the mechanism of freshwater, salinity and nutrient transport from the land of the Mahakam River which interact with seawater by using box models. The results illustrate that the vertical distribution of salinity in the Mahakam Delta has obtained a high stratification, where the freshwater salinity 12.30 psu at the surface of a river flowing toward the sea, and seawater of high salinity 30.07 psu flowing in the direction river under the surface that are separated by a layer of mixture. Freshwater budget of the sea (VSurf obtained for 0,0306 x 109 m3 day-1, and the sea water salinity budget is going into the bottom layer system (VDeep.SOcn-d obtained for 20,727 x 109 psu day-1. While time dilution (Syst obtained for 0.245 day-1 or 5.87 hours. Nutrient budget in the surface layer obtained by the system is autotrophic while in layers near the bottom tend to be heterotrophic

Processing and Characterization of Welded Bonds between Thermoset and Thermoplastic Composites

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

McKnight, Stephen

2001-01-01

.... The degradation is reported to decrease the shear strength in an exponential way. A layer of TP (polysulphone PSU) is cocured at the surface of the AS4/3501-6 laminate during its cure cycle in an autoclave...

Hybrid Three-Phase/Single-Phase Microgrid Architecture with Power Management Capabilities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sun, Qiuye; Zhou, Jianguo; Guerrero, Josep M.

2015-01-01

With the fast proliferation of single-phase distributed generation (DG) units and loads integrated into residential microgrids, independent power sharing per phase and full use of the energy generated by DGs have become crucial. To address these issues, this paper proposes a hybrid microgrid...... architecture and its power management strategy. In this microgrid structure, a power sharing unit (PSU), composed of three single-phase back-to-back (SPBTB) converters, is proposed to be installed at the point of common coupling (PCC). The aim of the PSU is mainly to realize the power exchange and coordinated...... control of load power sharing among phases, as well as to allow fully utilization of the energy generated by DGs. Meanwhile, the method combining the modified adaptive backstepping-sliding mode control approach and droop control is also proposed to design the SPBTB system controllers. With the application...

Environmental cues and constraints affecting the seasonality of dominant calanoid copepods in brackish, coastal waters: a case study of Acartia, Temora and Eurytemora species in the south-west Baltic

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Diekmann, A. Berenike S.; Clemmesen, Catriona; St. John, Michael A.

2012-01-01

Information on physiological rates and tolerances helps one gain a cause-and-effect understanding of the role that some environmental (bottom–up) factors play in regulating the seasonality and productivity of key species. We combined the results of laboratory experiments on reproductive success...... that included the effects of ‘controlling’, ‘masking’ and ‘directive’ environmental factors. Over a 5-year period, changes in adult abundance within two south-west Baltic field sites (Kiel Fjord Pier, 54°19′89N, 10°09′06E, 12–21 psu, and North/Baltic Sea Canal NOK, 54°20′45N, 9°57′02E, 4–10 psu) were evaluated...... production. Multiple intrinsic and extrinsic (environmental) factors influence the production of different egg types (normal and resting), regulate life-history strategies and influence match–mismatch dynamics....

Capacity Building for the Common Good: PSU's Interdisciplinary Minor in Civic Leadership

Science.gov (United States)

Nishishiba, Masami; Kecskes, Kevin

2012-01-01

Since the early 1990s, Portland State University has furthered its commitment to civic engagement education by adopting an integrated approach to its general education curriculum. As an outgrowth to this initiative, the minor in Civic Leadership was developed in 2004-05. This interdisciplinary minor was designed with the intent to further…

Ultracold Fermions in the P-Orbital Band of an Optical Lattice

Science.gov (United States)

2015-07-27

public release Response ID:4820 Data 1. 1. Report Type Final Report Primary Contact E-mail Contact email if there is a problem with the report. kohara ...to: kohara @phys.psu.edu DISTRIBUTION A: Distribution approved for public release

The algebraic curve of 1-loop planar N=4 SYM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schaefer-Nameki, S.

2004-12-01

The algebraic curve for the psu(2,2 vertical stroke 4) quantum spin chain is determined from the thermodynamic limit of the algebraic Bethe ansatz. The Hamiltonian of this spin chain has been identified with the planar 1-loop dilatation operator of N=4 SYM. In the dual AdS 5 x S 5 string theory, various properties of the data defining the curve for the gauge theory are compared to the ones obtained from semiclassical spinning-string configurations, in particular for the case of strings on AdS 5 x S 1 and the su(2,2) spin chain agreement of the curves is shown. (orig.)

Bare Bones: A Method for Estimating Provisioning Budget Requirements in the Outyears

Science.gov (United States)

1977-07-01

8217 .; ’ ; . ’-COMMON/PART/NSS, BF, U, UP, UPNHA, V( 6), PC 6), TAT( 6), OSTC 6> - COMMON/GENRL/VSUMC 65, PSLWC 6), QW, QIC 6),.Q2C 6), QOLC 6>, QEC 6...COM.-IO^/GEMRL/VSU^C 6), PSIM( 6), Q’ttJj QIC 6), Q2( 6), QOLC 6) ^ QEC 6), DIMENSION RC 6) YR=365. " " • . USLMC 1)=PSUMC 1) = Q=0. DO...10 J=2, JJ ^ . vsiw< J) = VSOMC j-n+u< j) ■ , PSU^C J) = PSUMC J-l ) + PC J) Ql (J)=02C J)= QOLC J)= QEC J) = 0. EO 1 5 J=2, JJ- 1

Foraging and metabolic consequences of semi-anadromy for an endangered estuarine fish.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bruce G Hammock

Full Text Available Diadromy affords fish access to productive ecosystems, increasing growth and ultimately fitness, but it is unclear whether these advantages persist for species migrating within highly altered habitat. Here, we compared the foraging success of wild Delta Smelt-an endangered, zooplanktivorous, annual, semi-anadromous fish that is endemic to the highly altered San Francisco Estuary (SFE-collected from freshwater (<0.55 psu and brackish habitat (≥0.55 psu. Stomach fullness, averaged across three generations of wild Delta Smelt sampled from juvenile through adult life stages (n = 1,318, was 1.5-fold higher in brackish than in freshwater habitat. However, salinity and season interacted, with higher fullness (1.7-fold in freshwater than in brackish habitat in summer, but far higher fullness in brackish than freshwater habitat during fall/winter and winter/spring (1.8 and 2.0-fold, respectively. To examine potential causes of this interaction we compared mesozooplankton abundance, collected concurrently with the Delta Smelt, in freshwater and brackish habitat during summer and fall/winter, and the metabolic rate of sub-adult Delta Smelt acclimated to salinities of 0.4, 2.0, and 12.0 psu in a laboratory experiment. A seasonal peak in mesozooplankton density coincided with the summer peak in Delta Smelt foraging success in freshwater, and a pronounced decline in freshwater mesozooplankton abundance in the fall coincided with declining stomach fullness, which persisted for the remainder of the year (fall, winter and spring. In brackish habitat, greater foraging 'efficiency' (prey items in stomachs/mesozooplankton abundance led to more prey items per fish and generally higher stomach fullness (i.e., a higher proportion of mesozooplankton detected in concurrent trawls were eaten by fish in brackish habitat. Delta Smelt exhibited no difference in metabolic rate across the three salinities, indicating that metabolic responses to salinity are unlikely to have

Quantitative analysis of oyster larval proteome provides new insights into the effects of multiple climate change stressors

KAUST Repository

Dineshram, Ramadoss; Chandramouli, Kondethimmanahalli; Ko, Ginger Wai Kuen; Zhang, Huoming; Qian, Pei-Yuan; Ravasi, Timothy; Thiyagarajan, Vengatesen

2016-01-01

might be affected in a future ocean, we examined changes in the proteome of metamorphosing larvae under multiple stressors: decreased pH (pH 7.4), increased temperature (30 °C), and reduced salinity (15 psu). Quantitative protein expression profiling

Transition cycle fuel management problems of NPP Krsko

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petrovic, B.; Pevec, D.; Smuc, T.; Urli, N.

1989-01-01

Transition cycle fuel management problems are described and illustrated using results and experience attained during core reload design of NPP Krsko. Improved version of computer code package PSU-LEOPARD/Mcrac is successfully applied to NPP Krsko loading pattern design. (author)

Transition cycle fuel management problems of NPP Krsko; Problemi gospodarenje gorivom u prijelaznim ciklusima NE Krsko

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Petrovic, B [Institut ' Rudjer Boskovic' , Zagreb (Yugoslavia); Pevec, D [Elektrotehnicki fakultet, Zagreb (Yugoslavia); Smuc, T; Urli, N [Institut ' Rudjer Boskovic' , Zagreb (Yugoslavia)

1989-07-01

Transition cycle fuel management problems are described and illustrated using results and experience attained during core reload design of NPP Krsko. Improved version of computer code package PSU-LEOPARD/Mcrac is successfully applied to NPP Krsko loading pattern design. (author)

[The red tide caused by the dinoflagellate Alexandrium tamarense in the Colombian Pacific coast (2001)].

Science.gov (United States)

García-Hansen, Ingrid; Cortés-Altamirano, Roberto; Sierra-Beltrán, Arturo P

2004-09-01

From April 26th to May 15th 2001, a large algae bloom was observed off Tumaco Bay on the Pacific coast of Colombia. This was the first harmful algae bloom (HAB) reported in the region, and reached Gorgona Island, about 120 km north. A year later, starting March 2002, an offshore HAB developed from Cabo Corrientes North to Solano Bay. The typical abundance during the blooms reached 7.5 x 10(6) cells l(-1) for the 2001 event and 1.6 x 10(6) cells l(-1) for the 2002 event. During both events, low temperature and high salinity were recorded. Typical measurements in the area are 27-27.5 degrees C and 30-31.5 psu. Values observed during the two events were 24-24.6 degrees C and 33-34 psu; 3 degrees C below normal and more than 2.5 psu above average values. These conditions are indicative of local upwelling processes at the time of the events. On both occasions, cells corresponding to the Alexandrium catenella/fundeyense/tamarense complex represented 99-100% of the biomass. It was difficult to differentiate the cells from A. catenella, but the presence of short chains of only 4 cells (single cells represented most of the biomass) was suggestive of A. tamarense. Shape, dimensions, and detailed structure of the apical pore complex, first apical plate, posterior sulcal plate, and position of the ventral pore on plate 1' of cells were consistent with the description of A. tamarense, which has not been reported in the tropical East Pacific. The Control Center of Pacific Contamination of the Maritime General Direction of the Colombian Navy has been monitoring the area since 1994 without finding this species or HABs. This leads us to consider the two events as caused by recently introduced species, where local upwelling processes favor permanent and cyclic HABs. However, during these two events, there were no reports of effects on marine biota or of human poisoning, probably because the blooms occurred some distance offshore and far from exploited shellfish beds.

Yangian Symmetry of Scattering Amplitudes and the Dilatation Operator in N=4 Supersymmetric Yang-Mills Theory.

Science.gov (United States)

Brandhuber, Andreas; Heslop, Paul; Travaglini, Gabriele; Young, Donovan

2015-10-02

It is known that the Yangian of PSU(2,2|4) is a symmetry of the tree-level S matrix of N=4 super Yang-Mills theory. On the other hand, the complete one-loop dilatation operator in the same theory commutes with the level-one Yangian generators only up to certain boundary terms found by Dolan, Nappi, and Witten. Using a result by Zwiebel, we show how the Yangian symmetry of the tree-level S matrix of N=4 super Yang-Mills theory implies precisely the Yangian invariance, up to boundary terms, of the one-loop dilatation operator.

High tolerance to temperature and salinity change should enable scleractinian coral Platygyra acuta from marginal environments to persist under future climate change.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Apple Pui Yi Chui

Full Text Available With projected changes in the marine environment under global climate change, the effects of single stressors on corals have been relatively well studied. However, more focus should be placed on the interactive effects of multiple stressors if their impacts upon corals are to be assessed more realistically. Elevation of sea surface temperature is projected under global climate change, and future increases in precipitation extremes related to the monsoon are also expected. Thus, the lowering of salinity could become a more common phenomenon and its impact on corals could be significant as extreme precipitation usually occurs during the coral spawning season. Here, we investigated the interactive effects of temperature [24, 27 (ambient, 30, 32°C] and salinity [33 psu (ambient, 30, 26, 22, 18, 14 psu] on larval settlement, post-settlement survival and early growth of the dominant coral Platygyra acuta from Hong Kong, a marginal environment for coral growth. The results indicate that elevated temperatures (+3°C and +5°C above ambient did not have any significant effects on larval settlement success and post-settlement survival for up to 56 days of prolonged exposure. Such thermal tolerance was markedly higher than that reported in the literature for other coral species. Moreover, there was a positive effect of these elevated temperatures in reducing the negative effects of lowered salinity (26 psu on settlement success. The enhanced settlement success brought about by elevated temperatures, together with the high post-settlement survival recorded up to 44 and 8 days of exposure under +3°C and +5°C ambient respectively, resulted in the overall positive effects of elevated temperatures on recruitment success. These results suggest that projected elevation in temperature over the next century should not pose any major problem for the recruitment success of P. acuta. The combined effects of higher temperatures and lowered salinity (26 psu could

Oxygen consumption remains stable while ammonia excretion is reduced upon short time exposure to high salinity in Macrobrachium acanthurus (Caridae: Palaemonidae, a recent freshwater colonizer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carolina A. Freire

2017-10-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Palaemonid shrimps occur in the tropical and temperate regions of South America and the Indo-Pacific, in brackish/freshwater habitats, and marine coastal areas. They form a clade that recently (i.e., ~30 mya invaded freshwater, and one included genus, Macrobrachium Bate, 1868, is especially successful in limnic habitats. Adult Macrobrachium acanthurus (Wiegmann, 1836 dwell in coastal freshwaters, have diadromous habit, and need brackish water to develop. Thus, they are widely recognized as euryhaline. Here we test how this species responds to a short-term exposure to increased salinity. We hypothesized that abrupt exposure to high salinity would result in reduced gill ventilation/perfusion and decreased oxygen consumption. Shrimps were subjected to control (0 psu and experimental salinities (10, 20, 30 psu, for four and eight hours (n = 8 in each group. The water in the experimental containers was saturated with oxygen before the beginning of the experiment; aeration was interrupted before placing the shrimp in the experimental container. Dissolved oxygen (DO, ammonia concentration, and pH were measured from the aquaria water, at the start and end of each experiment. After exposure, the shrimp’s hemolymph was sampled for lactate and osmolality assays. Muscle tissue was sampled for hydration content (Muscle Water Content, MWC. Oxygen consumption was not reduced and hemolymph lactate did not increase with increased salinity. The pH of the water decreased with time, under all conditions. Ammonia excretion decreased with increased salinity. Hemolymph osmolality and MWC remained stable at 10 and 20 psu, but osmolality increased (~50% and MWC decreased (~4% at 30 psu. The expected reduction in oxygen consumption was not observed. This shrimp is able to tolerate significant changes in water salt concentrations for a few hours by keeping its metabolism in aerobic mode, and putatively shutting down branchial salt uptake to avoid massive salt

An Industrial-Based Consortium to Develop Premium Carbon Products from Coal, Annual Progress Report, October 1, 2004 through September 30, 2005

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miller, Bruce G

2006-03-01

Since 1998, The Pennsylvania State University (PSU) has been successfully operating the Consortium for Premium Carbon Products from Coal (CPCPC), which is a vehicle for industry-driven research on the promotion, development, and transfer of innovative technology on premium carbon produces from coal to the U.S. industry. The CPCPC is an initiative being led by PSU, its co-charter member West Virginia University (WVU), and the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), who also provides the base funding for the program, with PSU responsible for consortium management. CPCPC began in 1998 under DOE Cooperative Agreement No. DE-FC26-98FT40350. This agreement ended November 2004 but the CPCPC activity has continued under the present cooperative agreement, No. DE-FC26-03NT41874, which started October 1, 2003. The objective of the second agreement is to continue the successful operation of the CPCPC. The CPCPC has enjoyed tremendous success with its organizational structure, that includes PSU and WVU as charter members, numerous industrial affiliate members, and strategic university affiliate members together with NETL, forming a vibrant and creative team for innovative research in the area of transforming coal to carbon products. The key aspect of CPCPC is its industry-led council that selects proposals submitted by CPCPC members to ensure CPCPC target areas have strong industrial support. A second contract was executed with DOE NETL starting in October 2003 to continue the activities of CPCPC. An annual funding meeting was held in October 2003 and the council selected ten projects for funding. Base funding for the projects is provided by NETL with matching funds from industry. Subcontracts were let from Penn State to the subcontractors on March 1, 2004. Nine of the ten projects have been completed and the final reports for these 2004 projects are attached. An annual funding meeting was held in November 2004 and the council

Milestone Report - Demonstrate Braided Material with 3.5 g U/kg Sorption Capacity under Seawater Testing Condition (Milestone M2FT-15OR0310041 - 1/30/2015)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Janke, Christopher James [ORNL; Das, Sadananda [ORNL; Oyola, Yatsandra [ORNL; Mayes, Richard T [ORNL; Gill, Gary [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL); Kuo, Li-Jung [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL); Wood, Jordana [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL)

2015-01-01

This report describes work on the successful completion of Milestone M2FT-15OR0310041 (1/30/2015) entitled, Demonstrate braided material with 3.5 g U/kg sorption capacity under seawater testing condition . This effort is part of the Seawater Uranium Recovery Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy, and involved the development of new adsorbent braided materials at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and marine testing at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). ORNL has recently developed four braided fiber adsorbents that have demonstrated uranium adsorption capacities greater than 3.5 g U/kg adsorbent after marine testing at PNNL. The braided adsorbents were synthesized by braiding or leno weaving high surface area polyethylene fibers and conducting radiation-induced graft polymerization of itaconic acid and acrylonitrile monomers onto the braided materials followed by amidoximation and base conditioning. The four braided adsorbents demonstrated capacity values ranging from 3.7 to 4.2 g U/kg adsorbent after 56 days of exposure in natural coastal seawater at 20 oC. All data are normalized to a salinity of 35 psu.

An eight pushbutton control system for the PSU ultra-safe nuclear plant: Addendum to annual report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schultz, M.A.

1988-10-01

The control system described in this report was developed for a ''Light Water Ultra-Safe Plant Concept'' studied at Penn State during a 2 year program funded by the Department of Energy. A reconfigured pressurized water reactor was designed which eliminated the conventional PWR pressurizer and added an active pumping system with a large dedicated water storage tank to control pressure. The thermal hydraulics aspects of the design were studied and reported in several master's theses and other addendum reports and first annual report. In addition to improving the inherent safety of an advanced plant by changes in the thermal hydraulic aspects of the design, a new approach to control system organization and design should also be included in an advanced plant. The study presented in this report modifies a conventional PWR plant control system to the needs of the Ultra-Safe Plant Concept and then describes implementation of the control system in a distributed network of control computers. The end result is a control system that is much simpler at the operator level. This simplicity should eliminate the possibility of operator error in the Ultra-Safe plant

Last Interglacial (Eemian) hydrographic conditions in the south-eastern Baltic Sea, NE Europe, based on dinoflagellates and pollen

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Head, Martin J.; Seidenkrantz, Marit Solveig Louise Schramm; Janczyk-Kopikowa, Zofia

2005-01-01

of arctic waters. Warm and saline conditions of 15–20 psu or more, at least twice present levels, persisted throughout the early Eemian. A rise in sea level at Licze appears to correlate with a similar event in eastern Denmark, as both coincide with the increase in Corylus (ca. 750 years...... into the interglacial). This sea-level rise might therefore have a basinwide extent, and has been attributed to an opening of the Danish Belts. Whereas dinoflagellate cysts reflect sustained high salinites within the upper water column, a concomitant increase in abundance of the chlorococcalean alga Pediastrum within......A rich organic-walled dinoflagellate cyst and pollen record from the Licze borehole in northern Poland has been used to reconstruct the hydrographic history of the southeastern Baltic Sea during the Eemian Stage (Last Interglacial) of the Upper Pleistocene. Warm and saline waters (ca. 10–15 psu...

Spatial and temporal variation of the ichthyoplankton in the Laguna El Quelele, Nayarit, Mexico

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Navarro-Rodríguez, M.C.

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Estuarine systems are the most important natural aquatic resources because, from the perspective of the fish community, they include a large number of individuals and biomass, where larvae and juveniles are especially abundant. Thanks to the implementation of Ichthyoplanktonic studies, the areas of concentration of adults in reproductive stage and potentially exploitable species are detected and evaluated, generating the basis for establishing measures for rational use and conservation. This paper analyzes the composition of fish larvae in the lagoon El Quelele in Bahia de Banderas, Nayarit. 20 daytime superficial zooplanktonic trawls were conducted by using a standard “Zeppelin” net seasonally from spring to winter 2002. From the 20 samples obtained, larvae density was 573.51 org/1000 m3. Its ichthyoplanktonic group was represented by 11 families with 12 genres and 10 species, where Engraulis mordax (40.21 %, Eucinostomus sp. (22.68 %, Trachurus sp. (15.46 % and Dormitator latifrons (13.14 % presented greater percentage of relative abundance, while in the rest of the organisms, relative abundance was represented between 7.47 to 0.25 %. Regarding temporal variation, the highest relative abundance was presented in fall with 44.74 and the lowest during the winter with 4.85 %, with moderate average temperature records of 29.1 and 30.8 °C respectively, and low salinity (24.2 psu. While spatial variation was better represented in site 3 with relative abundance 29.41 % and site 4 with the lower value during the study period (9.2 % at temperatures ranging from 22 °C to 35 °C and salinity of 24 psu to 34 psu. On the other hand, in spring and fall they showed greater diversity, greater richness and therefore these are the seasons with greatest equity in summer and winter. Cluster analysis applied to the species-variable sampling sites showed greater similarity or affinity between sites 3 and 5 (72.2 %, similarly, variables season – species along

Effects of salinity, temperature and phosphorus concentration on the chemical composition of Gelidium crinale (Turner Lamouroux (Gelidiaceae, Rhodophyta

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lúcia Rebello Dillenburg

2005-05-01

Full Text Available The effects of different culture conditions (temperature, salinity and dissolved inorganic phosphorus were investigated for seven days, under controlled conditions. The maximum production of proteins occurred in cultures where the temperature was 25°C, with concentrations of 5.0 and 10.0 µM of dissolved inorganic phosphorus and salinity between 15 and 20 psu, with values varying from 2.62 to 2.83% of algae dry weight. For carbohydrates, a third-order interaction was not observed in the statistical analysis; only a second order interaction was observed between temperature and inorganic phosphorus concentrations Efeito dos parâmetros abióticos em cultivo de G. crinale (P < 0.005 and between temperature and salinity (P < 0.000. The greatest phosphorus increase in the thalli (0.80 % occurred in the lowest temperature (15 °C, associated with low salinity (10 psu and high inorganic phosphorus concentration (10.0 µM. The Pearson’s correlation coefficient revealed positive correlations (P < 0.001 among protein content, temperature and inorganic phosphorus available in the growth medium. For carbohydrates, correlations were positive with all three abiotic parameters. For tissue phosphorus, a positive correlation occurred only with dissolved inorganic phosphorus; with temperature and salinity, the correlations were negative. Among the chemical components present in the algae, proteins and carbohydrates showed a positive correlation, while tissue phosphorus presented a negative correlation with both, although this correlation was not significant with regard to protein.

Desempenho e características da carcaça de novilhos terminados em pastejo rotacionado ou em confinamento

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D.O. Olmedo

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Foram avaliados o desempenho e as características de carcaça de 36 novilhos Brahman (Bh, Brangus (Bg e Hereford adaptado (He, terminados em pastejo com suplementação (PSu ou em confinamento (Conf. Os animais foram abatidos quando apresentavam espessura de gordura maior do que 4mm. Na dieta do Conf, a relação volumoso:concentrado foi de 60:40 (com base na matéria seca, continha 13% de proteína bruta (PB e 62% de nutrientes digestíveis totais (NDT. O capim-mombaça continha, em média, 7% de PB e 54% de NDT, e o suplemento 24% de PB e 76% de NDT. Foi observada diferença (P<0,05 no sistema de terminação para o ganho de peso médio diário, com 1,200kg/cab/dia para Conf e 0,675kg/cab/dia para Psu. Os novilhos Bh e Bg pesaram, em média, 445,8kg, e o rendimento da carcaça quente foi de 58,4%, valores maiores que os 399,1kg e 55,4% obtidos pelos animais He. A área de olho de Longissimus foi maior para os animais Bg, 76,42cm². A maciez, 3,71 vs 4,89, e a espessura de gordura subcutânea, 4,64 vs 3,39, foram melhores nos animais terminados em Conf do que nos animais em Psu, respectivamente.

Satellite observed salinity distributions at high latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere: A comparison of four products

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia-Eidell, Cynthia; Comiso, Josefino C.; Dinnat, Emmanuel; Brucker, Ludovic

2017-09-01

Global surface ocean salinity measurements have been available since the launch of SMOS in 2009 and coverage was further enhanced with the launch of Aquarius in 2011. In the polar regions where spatial and temporal changes in sea surface salinity (SSS) are deemed important, the data have not been as robustly validated because of the paucity of in situ measurements. This study presents a comparison of four SSS products in the ice-free Arctic region, three using Aquarius data and one using SMOS data. The accuracy of each product is assessed through comparative analysis with ship and other in situ measurements. Results indicate RMS errors ranging between 0.33 and 0.89 psu. Overall, the four products show generally good consistency in spatial distribution with the Atlantic side being more saline than the Pacific side. A good agreement between the ship and satellite measurements was also observed in the low salinity regions in the Arctic Ocean, where SSS in situ measurements are usually sparse, at the end of summer melt seasons. Some discrepancies including biases of about 1 psu between the products in spatial and temporal distribution are observed. These are due in part to differences in retrieval techniques, geophysical filtering, and sea ice and land masks. The monthly SSS retrievals in the Arctic from 2011 to 2015 showed variations (within ˜1 psu) consistent with effects of sea ice seasonal cycles. This study indicates that spaceborne observations capture the seasonality and interannual variability of SSS in the Arctic with reasonably good accuracy.

Observation of baroclinic eddies southeast of Okinawa Island

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

PARK; Jae-Hun

2008-01-01

In the region southeast of Okinawa, during May to July 2001, a cyclonic and an anticyclonic eddy were observed from combined measurements of hydrocasts, an upward-looking moored acoustic Doppler current profiler (MADCP), pressure-recording inverted echo sounders (PIESs), satellite altimetry, and a coastal tide gauge. The hydrographic data showed that the lowest/highest temperature (T) and salinity (S) anomalies from a 13-year mean for the same season were respectively -3.0/+2.5℃ and -0.20/+0.15 psu at 380/500 dbar for the cyclonic/anticyclonic eddies. From the PIES data, using a gravest empirical mode method, we estimated time-varying surface dynamic height (D) anomaly referred to 2000 dbar changing from -20 to 30 cm, and time-varying T and S anomalies at 500 dbar ranging through about ±2 ℃ and ±0.2 psu, respectively. The passage of the eddies caused variations of both satellite-measured sea surface height anomaly (SSHA) and tide-gauge-measured sea level anomaly to change from about –20 to 30 cm, consistent with the D anomaly from the PIESs. Bottom pressure sensors measured no variation related to these eddy activities, which indicated that the two eddies were dominated by baro-clinicity. Time series of SSHA map confirmed that the two eddies, originating from the North Pacific Subtropical Countercurrent region near 20°―30°N and 150°―160°E, traveled about 3000 km for about 18 months with mean westward propagation speed of about 6 cm/s, before arriving at the region southeast of Okinawa Island.

Tidal Pumping-Induced Nutrients Dynamics and Biogeochemical Implications in an Intertidal Aquifer

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yi; Jiao, Jiu Jimmy; Liang, Wenzhao; Luo, Xin

2017-12-01

Tidal pumping is a major driving force affecting water exchange between land and sea, biogeochemical reactions in the intertidal aquifer, and nutrient loading to the sea. At a sandy beach of Tolo Harbour, Hong Kong, the nutrient (NH4+, NO2-, NO3-, and PO43-) dynamic in coastal groundwater mixing zone (CGMZ) is found to be fluctuated with tidal oscillation. Nutrient dynamic is mainly controlled by tidal pumping-induced organic matter that serves as a reagent of remineralization in the aquifer. NH4+, NO2-, and PO43- are positively correlated with salinity. Both NH4+ and PO43- have negative correlations with oxidation/reduction potential. NH4+ is the major dissolved inorganic nitrogen species in CGMZ. The adsorption of PO43- onto iron oxides occurs at the deep transition zone with a salinity of 5-10 practical salinity unit (psu), and intensive N-loss occurs in near-surface area with a salinity of 10-25 psu. The biogeochemical reactions, producing PO43- and consuming NH4+, are synergistic effect of remineralization-nitrification-denitrification. In CGMZ, the annual NH4+ loss is estimated to be 4.32 × 105 mol, while the minimum annual PO43- production is estimated to be 2.55 × 104 mol. Applying these rates to the entire Tolo Harbour, the annual NH4+ input to the harbor through the remineralization of organic matters is estimated to be 1.02 × 107 mol. The annual NH4+ loss via nitrification is 1.32 × 107 mol, and the annual PO43- production is 7.76 × 105 mol.

Regulation of annual variation in heterotrophic bacterial production in the Schelde estuary (SW Netherlands)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Goosen, N.K.; Van Rijswijk, P.; Kromkamp, J.C.; Peene, J.

1997-01-01

Heterotrophic bacterioplankton production (H-3-thymidine incorporation rate) and abundance in the surface water of the Schelde estuary (The Netherlands) were studied during an annual cycle in 1991 along the salinity gradient (0.8 to 33 psu). Bacterial production and numbers increased from the lower

Evaluating effectiveness of project start-ups: an exploratory study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Halman, Johannes I.M.; Burger, G.T.N.

In this paper an exploratory study is reported about the effectiveness of project start-up (PSU) practices within a world-scale operating, high technology innovating and manufacturing company. The emphasis is on the focal position of both project owner and project manager. To uncover potential

Improvements in the HbVar database of human hemoglobin variants and thalassemia mutations for population and sequence variation studies.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

G.P. Patrinos (George); B. Giardine (Belinda); C. Riemer (Cathy); W. Miller (Webb); D.H. Chui (David); N.P. Anagnou (Nicholas); H. Wajcman (Henri); R.C. Hardison (Ross)

2004-01-01

textabstractHbVar (http://globin.cse.psu.edu/globin/hbvar/) is a relational database developed by a multi-center academic effort to provide up-to-date and high quality information on the genomic sequence changes leading to hemoglobin variants and all types of thalassemia and

Validation cases of CATHARE 2 for VVER-1000 main steam line break analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kolev, Nikolay P.; Petrov, Nikolay; Donov, Jordan; Sabotinov, Luben; Nikonov, Sergey

2008-01-01

Recent coupled code benchmarks identified coolant mixing in the reactor vessel as an unresolved issue in the analysis of complex plan transients with reactivity insertion. Thus, Phase 2 of the OECD VVER-1000 Coolant Transient Benchmark (V1000CT-2) was defined. The benchmark includes calculation of vessel mixing tests and main steam line break (MSLB) analysis. The reference plant is Kozloduy-6 in Bulgaria. The general objective is the assessment of system codes for VVER safety analysis and specifically for their use in the analysis of reactivity transients. A specific objective is the testing of different scale mixing models (mixing matrix, multi-1D, coarse-3D and CFD), and analysis of MSLB transients with improved vessel thermal hydraulic models. The benchmark is sponsored by CEA-France and OECD and is jointly prepared by CEA and INRNE, in collaboration with the Kozloduy NPP, IRSN and PSU. This paper summarizes CATHARE2 code assessment calculations using multi-1D vessel thermal hydraulics with cross flow. Test cases are the OECD V1000CT-1 pump start-up benchmark and the V1000CT-2 benchmarks. Emphasis is put on vessel mixing aspects. Separate effects in the lower plenum as well as component and integral system tests are considered. The comparison shows that a six-sector vessel mixing model informed by plant data or validated CFD calculations in the initial state was able to correctly reproduce the channel average temperatures at the core inlet as well as the vessel outlet temperatures. Testing at system level including code-to-experiment and CATHARE-ATHLET comparison shows that the considered CATHARE VVER-1000 system model is capable of MSLB simulation. (author)

Aquarius and Remote Sensing of Sea Surface Salinity from Space

Science.gov (United States)

LeVine, David M.; Lagerloef, G. S. E.; Torrusio, S.

2012-01-01

Aquarius is an L-band radiometer and scatterometer instrument combination designed to map the salinity field at the surface of the ocean from space. The instrument is designed to provide global salinity maps on a monthly basis with a spatial resolution of 150 km and an accuracy of 0.2 psu. The science objective is to monitor the seasonal and interannual variation of the large scale features of the surface salinity field in the open ocean. This data will promote understanding of ocean circulation and its role in the global water cycle and climate.

Use of extremophilic bacteria for second generation bioethanol production

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tomás, Ana Faria; Karakashev, Dimitar Borisov; Angelidaki, Irini

production from food crops, such as corn (starch) or sugar cane (sucrose) is already an established process, with the USA and Brazil supplying 86% of the market. The major challenge remains in the use of different waste sources – agricultural, forestry, animal and household waste - as a feedstock....... The recalcitrance of these materials and their diverse sugar composition make the industrial yeast strains currently used unsuitable for a second generation bioethanol production process. One of the alternative strategies is the use of extreme thermophilic microorganisms. Currently, selected members from the genera...... Clostridium, Thermoanaerobacter, Geobacillus and Thermoanaerobacterium are among the best candidates. A new strain of Thermoanaerobacter, closely related to T. italicus and T. mathranii, has achieved 0.43 gethanol/gxylose, which is 83% of the theoretical yield of ethanol based on xylose and the highest value...

Phenology and Growth dynamics of Avicennia marina in the Central Red Sea

KAUST Repository

Almahasheer, Hanan; Duarte, Carlos M.; Irigoien, Xabier

2016-01-01

above 38 psu and water temperature as high as 35° C. The annual node production was rather uniform among locations averaging 9.59 node y−1, which resulted in a plastocron interval, the interval in between production of two consecutive nodes along a stem

Tribological performance of polymer composites used in electrical ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

engineering applications. ZAFER DEMIR. Anadolu University, Eskisehir, Turkey. MS received 28 December 2011; revised 13 March 2012. Abstract. Sliding wear performance of 20% mica-filled polyamide 6 (PA6 + 20% mica) and 20% short glass fibre- reinforced polysulphone (PSU + 20 GFR) polymer composites used in ...

Updates of the HbVar database of human hemoglobin variants and thalassemia mutations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

B. Giardine (Belinda); J. Borg (Joseph); E. Viennas (Emmanouil); C. Pavlidis (Cristiana); K. Moradkhani (Kamran); P. Joly (Philippe); M. Bartsakoulia (Marina); C. Riemer (Cathy); W. Miller (Webb); G. Tzimas (Giannis); H. Wajcman (Henri); R.C. Hardison (Ross); G.P. Patrinos (George)

2014-01-01

textabstractHbVar (http://globin.bx.psu.edu/hbvar) is one of the oldest and most appreciated locus-specific databases launched in 2001 by a multi-center academic effort to provide timely information on the genomic alterations leading to hemoglobin variants and all types of thalassemia and

Group constants calculation for fuel assemblies containing burnable absorbers; Prorachun grupnih konstanti gorivnih elemenata koji sadrzhe sagorive apsorbere

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Petrovic, B [Institut Rudjer Boskovic, Zagreb (Yugoslavia); Pevec, D [Elektrotehnicki Fakultet, Zagreb Univ. (Yugoslavia); Urli, N; Shmuc, T [Institut Rudjer Boskovic, Zagreb (Yugoslavia)

1988-07-01

The upgrading of the computer code package PSU-LEOPARD/MCRAC is described. The upgraded package enables modelling of fuel assemblies containing burnable absorbers in the form of borosilicate glass rodlets, or, integral fuel burnable absorbers. The package is tested using the NPP Krsko core data. (author)

JCSC_129_04_0431_0440_SI.docx

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

EasyXP_V.6

b Department of Physics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Thammasat University, Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani, 12120, Thailand. c Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Thaksin University, Papayom, Phatthalung, 93110, Thailand. Email: surachai016@yahoo.co.th; sumpun.w@psu.ac.th; kc@tu.ac.th; ...

Proceedings of the Joint Meeting of The Fuel Society of Japan (1991). 28th Coal Science Conference/91st Coke Meeting; (Sha) nenryo kyokai godo taikai happyo ronbunshu (1991). Dai 28 kai sekitan kagaku kaigi dai 91 kai cokes tokubetsukai

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1991-11-07

Relating to coke, studies are made on the rapid coke production method, oven investigation during carbonization, and operational management/control. As to coal science, studies are mainly on the brown coal two-stage liquefaction (BCL) method, and data on the pilot plant and PSU are reported. Concerning bituminous coal liquefaction, PSU data mostly including the NEDOL process, and characteristics of liquefaction residue and its effective utilization by thermal decomposition are reported. Regarding the liquefaction mechanism, an experimentally extensive study on catalyst, solvent and reaction conditions is made using model materials and coal itself on the bench scale and also in the pilot plant. Engineering subjects on residue, solvent deashing, scale attachment and coprocessing are also reported. Relations of decomposition process to coal chemical structure changes and reaction conditions are investigated. As to coal gasification, studies, which are not many, are conducted on material balance, heat balance, and image characteristics of char for gasification and factors controlling reactivity.

Control of invasive marine invertebrates: an experimental evaluation of the use of low salinity for managing pest corals (Tubastraea spp.).

Science.gov (United States)

Moreira, Patrícia L; Ribeiro, Felipe V; Creed, Joel C

2014-01-01

This study investigated the use of low salinity as a killing agent for the invasive pest corals Tubastraea coccinea and Tubastraea tagusensis (Dendrophylliidae). Experiments investigated the efficacy of different salinities, the effect of colony size on susceptibility and the influence of length of exposure. Experimental treatments of colonies were carried out in aquaria. Colonies were then fixed onto experimental plates and monitored in the field periodically over a period of four weeks. The killing effectiveness of low salinity depended on the test salinity and the target species, but was independent of colony size. Low salinity was fast acting and prejudicial to survival: discoloration, necrosis, fragmenting and sloughing, exposure of the skeleton and cover by biofoulers occurred post treatment. For T. tagusensis, 50% mortality (LC50) after three days occurred at eight practical salinity units (PSU); for T. coccinea the LC50 was 2 PSU. Exposure to freshwater for 45-120 min resulted in 100% mortality for T. tagusensis, but only the 120 min period was 100% effective in killing T. coccinea. Freshwater is now routinely used for the post-border management of Tubastraea spp. This study also provides insights as to how freshwater may be used as a routine biosecurity management tool when applied pre-border to shipping vectors potentially transporting non-indigenous marine biofouling species.

Biogeochemical budgets for Tapi Estuary

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Bapardekar, M.V.; DeSousa, S.N.; Zingde, M.D.

sup(-1) comes from the wastes. Chemical fertilizers are used in the basin at the rate of 113 kg.ha sup(-1). During the dry season the salinity in the estuary decreases progressively in the upstream direction form an average 32.53 psu at the mouth to 0...

Properties of a novel thermostable glucose isomerase mined from Thermus oshimai and its application to preparation of high fructose corn syrup.

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Dong-Xu; Zhou, Lin; Zheng, Yu-Guo

2017-04-01

Glucose isomerase (GI) is used in vitro to convert d-glucose to d-fructose, which is capable of commercial producing high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). To manufacture HFCS at elevated temperature and reduce the cost of enriching syrups, novel refractory GIs from Thermoanaerobacterium xylanolyticum (TxGI), Thermus oshimai (ToGI), Geobacillus thermocatenulatus (GtGI) and Thermoanaerobacter siderophilus (TsGI) were screened via genome mining approach. The enzymatic characteristics research showed that ToGI had higher catalytic efficiency and superior thermostability toward d-glucose among the screened GIs. Its optimum temperature reached 95°C and could retain more than 80% of initial activity in the presence of 20mM Mn 2+ at 85°C for 48h. The K m and k cat /K m values for ToGI were 81.46mM and 21.77min -1 mM -1 , respectively. Furthermore, the maximum conversion yield of 400g/L d-glucose to d-fructose at 85°C was 52.16%. Considering its excellent high thermostability and ameliorable application performance, ToGI might be promising for realization of future industrial production of HFCS at elevated temperature. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Rockets for Extended Source Soft X-ray Spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

McEntaffer, Randall

The soft X-ray background surrounds our local galactic environment yet very little is known about the physical characteristics of this plasma. A high-resolution spectrum could unlock the properties of this million degree gas but the diffuse, low intensity nature of the background have made it difficult to observe, especially with a dispersive spectrograph. Previous observations have relied on X-ray detector energy resolution which produces poorly defined spectra that are poorly fit by complex plasma models. Here we propose a series of suborbital rocket flights that will begin the characterization of this elusive source through high-resolution X-ray grating spectroscopy. The rocket-based spectrograph can resolve individual emission lines over the soft X-ray band and place tight constraints on the temperature, density, abundance, ionization state and age of the plasma. These payloads will draw heavily from the heritage gained from previous rocket missions, while also benefiting from related NASA technology development programs. The Pennsylvania State University (PSU) team has a history of designing and flying spectrometer components onboard rockets while also being scientific leaders in the field of diffuse soft X-ray astronomy. The PSU program will provide hands-on training of young scientists in the techniques of instrumental and observational X-ray astronomy. The proposed rocket program will also expose these researchers to a full experiment cycle: design, fabrication, tolerance analysis, assembly, flight-qualification, calibration, integration, launch, and data analysis; using a combination of technologies suitable for adaptation to NASA's major missions. The PSU program in suborbital X-ray astronomy represents an exciting mix of compelling science, heritage, cutting-edge technology development, and training of future scientists.

Ocean circulation drifts in multi-millennial climate simulations: the role of salinity corrections and climate feedbacks

Science.gov (United States)

Dentith, Jennifer E.; Ivanovic, Ruza F.; Gregoire, Lauren J.; Tindall, Julia C.; Smith, Robin S.

2018-05-01

Low-resolution, complex general circulation models (GCMs) are valuable tools for studying the Earth system on multi-millennial timescales. However, slowly evolving salinity drifts can cause large shifts in climatic and oceanic regimes over thousands of years. We test two different schemes for neutralising unforced salinity drifts in the FAMOUS GCM: surface flux correction and volumetric flux correction. Although both methods successfully maintain a steady global mean salinity, local drifts and subsequent feedbacks promote cooling (≈ 4 °C over 6000 years) and freshening (≈ 2 psu over 6000 years) in the North Atlantic Ocean, and gradual warming (≈ 0.2 °C per millennium) and salinification (≈ 0.15 psu per millennium) in the North Pacific Ocean. Changes in the surface density in these regions affect the meridional overturning circulation (MOC), such that, after several millennia, the Atlantic MOC (AMOC) is in a collapsed state, and there is a strong, deep Pacific MOC (PMOC). Furthermore, the AMOC exhibits a period of metastability, which is only identifiable with run lengths in excess of 1500 years. We also compare simulations with two different land surface schemes, demonstrating that small biases in the surface climate may cause regional salinity drifts and significant shifts in the MOC (weakening of the AMOC and the initiation then invigoration of PMOC), even when the global hydrological cycle has been forcibly closed. Although there is no specific precursor to the simulated AMOC collapse, the northwest North Pacific and northeast North Atlantic are important areas that should be closely monitored for trends arising from such biases.

Molecular characterization of the α-subunit of Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase from the euryhaline barnacle Balanus improvisus reveals multiple genes and differential expression of alternative splice variants.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ulrika Lind

Full Text Available The euryhaline bay barnacle Balanus improvisus has one of the broadest salinity tolerances of any barnacle species. It is able to complete its life cycle in salinities close to freshwater (3 PSU up to fully marine conditions (35 PSU and is regarded as one of few truly brackish-water species. Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase (NAK has been shown to be important for osmoregulation when marine organisms are challenged by changing salinities, and we therefore cloned and examined the expression of different NAKs from B. improvisus. We found two main gene variants, NAK1 and NAK2, which were approximately 70% identical at the protein level. The NAK1 mRNA existed in a long and short variant with the encoded proteins differing only by 27 N-terminal amino acids. This N-terminal stretch was coded for by a separate exon, and the two variants of NAK1 mRNAs appeared to be created by alternative splicing. We furthermore showed that the two NAK1 isoforms were differentially expressed in different life stages and in various tissues of adult barnacle, i.e the long isoform was predominant in cyprids and in adult cirri. In barnacle cyprid larvae that were exposed to a combination of different salinities and pCO2 levels, the expression of the long NAK1 mRNA increased relative to the short in low salinities. We suggest that the alternatively spliced long variant of the Nak1 protein might be of importance for osmoregulation in B. improvisus in low salinity conditions.

18q- and 18q+ mosaicism in a mentally retarded boy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ausems, M. G.; Bhola, S. L.; Post-Blok, C. A.; Hennekam, R. C.; de France, H. F.

1994-01-01

A mentally retarded boy was found to have an unusual chromosomal mosaicism [46,XY, del(18) (q22)/46,XY,iso psu dic(18)(q23)]. The clinical manifestations are compatible with the 18q- syndrome. The chromosome alteration was defined by high resolution banding and fluorescence in situ hybridization

Temporal changes in the Red Sea circulation and associated water masses

OpenAIRE

Alraddadi, Turki Metabe

2013-01-01

Long-term variability of the Red Sea deep water (RSDW) properties was investigated using hydrographic data stretching back to the beginning of the 19th century. The analysis of the potential temperature and salinity indicate that there is a signal of cooling and freshening trends between 1950 to 2011 in the RSDW by an average of 35.5 x10-4 ± 5.6x10-4 oC yr-1 and 13.8x10-4 ± 2.8x10-4 psu yr-1 respectively. Both trends of cooling and freshening are statistically significant with a confidence le...

Arsenic concentrations correlate with salinity for fish taken from the North Sea and Baltic waters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Erik Huusfeldt; Francesconi, K. A.

2003-01-01

Total arsenic concentrations were determined in three teleost species (herring Clupea harengus; cod Gadus morhua, and flounder Platichthys flesus) taken. from four locations in the Baltic and North Sea with salinities ranging from 8 to 32 psu. Individual arsenic concentrations ranged from 0.......04 to 10.9 mg/kg wet mass, and there was a positive linear relationship between arsenic concentration and salinity for all three species (r(2) 0.44 to 0.72, all P arsenic than do freshwater fish, the data reported...... here are the first showing a relationship between the total arsenic concentration in fish and salinity....

017-028 Mamboya.indd

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Abstract—Accumulation and the effects of copper and zinc on the macroalga Padina gymnospora ... Heavy metals are toxic to both plants and animals and since they are not ... pH 8.0, temperature 26 ºC, salinity 36 psu, nitrate ..... common uptake mechanism and/or binding site. ..... Resistance gene-dependent plant defence.

Bedrock Hydrogeology-Groundwater flow modelling. Site investigation SFR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oehman, Johan; Follin, Sven; Oden, Magnus

2013-05-01

The hydrogeological model developed for the SFR extension project (PSU) consists of 40 geologically modelled deformation zones (DZ) and 8 sub-horizontal structural-hydraulic features, called SBAstructures, not defined in the geological model. However, some of the SBA-structures coincide with what is defined as unresolved possible deformation zones (Unresolved PDZ) in the geological modelling. In addition, the hydrogeological model consists of a stochastic discrete fracture network (DFN) model intended for the less fractured rock mass volumes (fracture domains) between the zones and the SBA-structures, and a stochastic fracture model intended to handle remaining Unresolved PDZs in the geological modelling not modelled as SBA-structures in the hydrogeological modelling. The four structural components of the bedrock in the hydrogeological model, i.e. DZ, SBA, Unresolved PDZ and DFN, are assigned hydraulic properties in the hydrogeological model based on the transmissivities interpreted from single-hole hydraulic tests. The main objective of the present work is to present the characteristics of the hydrogeological model with regard to the needs of the forthcoming safety assessment SR-PSU. In concrete words, simulated data are compared with measured data, i.e. hydraulic heads in boreholes and tunnel inflow to the existing repository (SFR). The calculations suggest that the available data for flow model calibration cannot be used to motivate a substantial adjustment of the initial hydraulic parameterisation (assignment of hydraulic properties) of the hydrogeological model. It is suggested that uncertainties in the hydrogeological model are studied in the safety assessment SR-PSU by means of a large number of calculation cases. These should address hydraulic heterogeneity of deterministic structures (DZ and SBA) and realisations of stochastic fractures/fracture networks (Unresolved PDZ and DFN) within the entire SFR Regional model domain

Bedrock Hydrogeology - Groundwater flow modelling. Site investigation SFR

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oehman, Johan [Geosigma AB, Uppsala (Sweden); Follin, Sven [SF GeoLogic AB, Taeby (Sweden); Oden, Magnus [SKB, Stockholm (Sweden)

2013-05-15

The hydrogeological model developed for the SFR extension project (PSU) consists of 40 geologically modelled deformation zones (DZ) and 8 sub-horizontal structural-hydraulic features, called SBAstructures, not defined in the geological model. However, some of the SBA-structures coincide with what is defined as unresolved possible deformation zones (Unresolved PDZ) in the geological modelling. In addition, the hydrogeological model consists of a stochastic discrete fracture network (DFN) model intended for the less fractured rock mass volumes (fracture domains) between the zones and the SBA-structures, and a stochastic fracture model intended to handle remaining Unresolved PDZs in the geological modelling not modelled as SBA-structures in the hydrogeological modelling. The four structural components of the bedrock in the hydrogeological model, i.e. DZ, SBA, Unresolved PDZ and DFN, are assigned hydraulic properties in the hydrogeological model based on the transmissivities interpreted from single-hole hydraulic tests. The main objective of the present work is to present the characteristics of the hydrogeological model with regard to the needs of the forthcoming safety assessment SR-PSU. In concrete words, simulated data are compared with measured data, i.e. hydraulic heads in boreholes and tunnel inflow to the existing repository (SFR). The calculations suggest that the available data for flow model calibration cannot be used to motivate a substantial adjustment of the initial hydraulic parameterisation (assignment of hydraulic properties) of the hydrogeological model. It is suggested that uncertainties in the hydrogeological model are studied in the safety assessment SR-PSU by means of a large number of calculation cases. These should address hydraulic heterogeneity of deterministic structures (DZ and SBA) and realisations of stochastic fractures/fracture networks (Unresolved PDZ and DFN) within the entire SFR Regional model domain.

Review of the use of Ceramium tenuicorne growth inhibition test for testing toxicity of substances, effluents, products sediment and soil

Science.gov (United States)

Eklund, Britta

2017-08-01

A growth inhibition test has been developed based on two clones of the red macroalga Ceramium tenuicorne, one originating from 7 PSU and the other from 20 PSU. The species can be adapted to different salinities and the test can be carried out between 4 and 32 PSU. This test became an ISO standard in 2010 (ISO 107 10) for testing of chemicals and water effluents. In this study new and published data has been compiled on toxicity of single substances, waste waters from pulp mills, leachates from antifouling paints, harbour sediments and soil used for maintenance of leisure boats. The results show that the alga is sensitive to both metals and organic compounds and to biocides used in antifouling paints. By testing leachates from antifouling paints these could be ranked according to their toxicity. Similarly, the toxicity of waste waters from pulp mills was determined and the efficiency of secondary treatment evaluated. Further, the test method proved useful to test the toxicity in sediment samples. Sediments from small town harbours and ship lanes were shown to be harmful and compounds originating from antifouling paints were responsible for a large part of the inhibiting effect. The alga proved to be sensitive to contaminants leaking from boat yard soil. The growth inhibition test is a robust test that has high repeatability and reproducibility and easily can be applied on water, soil and sediment samples without being too costly. The species is found worl-wide in temperate waters, which makes the results relevant for large areas. In the Baltic Sea C. tenuicorne is the most common red alga species and is thus particularly relevant for this area. The overall results show that contaminants from boat activities and the use of antifouling paints in particular pose a threat to the environment.

Nearshore circulation and water-column properties in the Skagit River Delta, northern Puget Sound, Washington: juvenile Chinook Salmon habitat availability in the Swinomish Channel

Science.gov (United States)

Grossman, Eric E.; Stevens, Andrew W.; Gelfenbaum, Guy; Curran, Christopher

2007-01-01

Time-series and spatial measurements of nearshore hydrodynamic processes and water properties were made in the Swinomish Channel to quantify the net direction and rates of surface water transport that influence habitat for juvenile Chinook salmon along their primary migratory corridor between the Skagit River and Padilla Bay in northern Puget Sound, Washington. During the spring outmigration of Skagit River Chinook between March and June 2007, currents measured with fixed acoustic doppler current profilers (ADCP) at the south and north end of the Swinomish Channel and with roving ADCP revealed that the currents are highly asymmetric with a dominant flow to the north (toward Padilla Bay). Maximum surface current velocities reached 1.5 m/s and were generally uniform across the channel near McGlinn Island Causeway. Transport times for surface water to travel the 11 km from the southern end of Swinomish Channel at McGlinn Island to Padilla Bay ranged from 2.1 hours to 5.5 days. The mean travel time was ~1 day, while 17 percent of the time, transport of water and passive particles occurred within 3.75 hours. Surface water in the Swinomish Channel during this time was generally very saline 20-27 psu, except south of the Rainbow Bridge in the town of La Conner where it ranged 0-15 psu depending on tide and Skagit River discharge. This salinity regime restricts suitable low salinity (

Constitutively Elevated Blood Serotonin Is Associated with Bone Loss and Type 2 Diabetes in Rats.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Igor Erjavec

Full Text Available Reduced peripheral serotonin (5HT in mice lacking tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH1, the rate limiting enzyme for 5HT synthesis, was reported to be anabolic to the skeleton. However, in other studies TPH1 deletion either had no bone effect or an age dependent inhibition of osteoclastic bone resorption. The role of 5HT in bone therefore remains poorly understood. To address this issue, we used selective breeding to create rat sublines with constitutively high (high-5HT and low (low-5HT platelet 5HT level (PSL and platelet 5HT uptake (PSU. High-5HT rats had decreased bone volume due to increased bone turnover characterized by increased bone formation and mineral apposition rate, increased osteoclast number and serum C-telopeptide level. Daily oral administration of the TPH1 inhibitor (LX1032 for 6 weeks reduced PSL and increased the trabecular bone volume and trabecular number of the spine and femur in high-5HT rats. High-5HT animals also developed a type 2 diabetes (T2D phenotype with increased: plasma insulin, glucose, hemoglobin A1c, body weight, visceral fat, β-cell pancreatic islets size, serum cholesterol, and decreased muscle strength. Serum calcium accretion mediated by parathyroid hormone slightly increased, whereas treatment with 1,25(OH2D3 decreased PSL. Insulin reduction was paralleled by a drop in PSL in high-5HT rats. In vitro, insulin and 5HT synergistically up-regulated osteoblast differentiation isolated from high-5HT rats, whereas TPH1 inhibition decreased the number of bone marrow-derived osteoclasts. These results suggest that constitutively elevated PSL is associated with bone loss and T2D via a homeostatic interplay between the peripheral 5HT, bone and insulin.

Concealment of Child Sexual Abuse in Sports

Science.gov (United States)

Hartill, Mike

2013-01-01

When the sexual abuse of children is revealed, it is often found that other nonabusing adults were aware of the abuse but failed to act. During the past twenty years or so, the concealment of child sexual abuse (CSA) within organizations has emerged as a key challenge for child protection work. Recent events at Pennsylvania State University (PSU)…

Effect of Stocking Density on Growth Performance of Hybrids of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Fingerlings of Oreochromis niloticus♀ and Oreochromis urolepis urolepis♂ hybrids were reared at stocking densities of control, 5, 10, 15 and 20 fish/m3 at 15 Practical Salinity Units (PSU) in 1m3 plastic tanks for 63 days. They were kept at low, intermediate and high densities respectively. All hybrids were fed on a ...

Green Building Research Laboratory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sailor, David Jean [Portland State Univ., Portland, OR (United States)

2013-12-29

This project provided support to the Green Building Research Laboratory at Portland State University (PSU) so it could work with researchers and industry to solve technical problems for the benefit of the green building industry. It also helped to facilitate the development of PSU’s undergraduate and graduate-level training in building science across the curriculum.

Tool Storage Problem Solved!

Science.gov (United States)

Klenke, Andrew M.; Dell, Tim W.

2007-01-01

Graduates of the automotive technology program at Pittsburg State University (PSU) generally enter the workforce in some type of automotive management role. As a result, the program does not require students to purchase their own tools, and it does not have room for all 280 majors to roll around a personal tool chest. Each instructor must maintain…

The effects of temperature, salinity, and the carbonate system on Mg/Ca in Globigerinoides ruber (white): A global sediment trap calibration

Science.gov (United States)

Gray, William R.; Weldeab, Syee; Lea, David W.; Rosenthal, Yair; Gruber, Nicolas; Donner, Barbara; Fischer, Gerhard

2018-01-01

The Mg/Ca of planktic foraminifera Globigerinoides ruber (white) is a widely applied proxy for tropical and sub-tropical sea-surface temperature. The accuracy with which temperature can be reconstructed depends on how accurately relationships between Mg/Ca and temperature and the multiple secondary controls on Mg/Ca are known; however, these relationships remain poorly quantified under oceanic conditions. Here, we present new calibrations based on 440 sediment trap/plankton tow samples from the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans, including 130 new samples from the Bay of Bengal/Arabian Sea and the tropical Atlantic Ocean. Our results indicate temperature, salinity and the carbonate system all significantly influence Mg/Ca in G. ruber (white). We propose two calibration models: The first model assumes pH is the controlling carbonate system parameter. In this model, Mg/Ca has a temperature sensitivity of 6.0 ± 0.8%/°C (2σ), a salinity sensitivity of 3.3 ± 2.2%/PSU and a pH sensitivity of - 8.3 ± 7.7%/0.1 pH units; The second model assumes carbonate ion concentration ([3 2-CO]) is the controlling carbonate system parameter. In this model, Mg/Ca has a temperature sensitivity of 6.7 ± 0.8%/°C, a salinity sensitivity of 5.0 ± 3.0%/PSU and a [3 2-CO] sensitivity of - 0.24 ± 0.11%/μmol kg-1. In both models, the temperature sensitivity is significantly lower than the widely-applied sensitivity of 9.0 ± 0.6%/°C. Application of our new calibrations to down-core data from the Last Glacial Maximum, considering whole ocean changes in salinity and carbonate chemistry, indicate a cooling of 2.4 ± 1.6°C in the tropical oceans if pH is the controlling parameter and 1.5 ± 1.4°C if [3 2-CO] is the controlling parameter.

Combined Effects of Deepwater Horizon Crude Oil and Environmental Stressors on Fundulus grandis Embryos.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodgers, Maria L; Jones, Elizabeth R; Klinkhamer, Christopher; Mahapatra, Cecon T; Serafin, Jennifer; Bosker, Thijs; Perkins, Christopher; Griffitt, Robert J; De Guise, Sylvain; Sepúlveda, Maria S

2018-04-16

In this study, we examined how sensitivity to oil changes in combination with environmental stressors in Fundulus grandis embryos. We exposed embryos (< 24 hours post fertilization) to a range of High Energy Water Accommodated Fraction (HEWAF) concentrations (0-50 ppb total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) made from Macondo oil in conjunction with various environmental conditions (temperature: 20, 30°C; salinity: 3, 7, 30 practical salinity units (PSU); DO: 2, 6 mg/L). Endpoints included mortality, hatching rates, and expression of cytochrome p450 1a and 1c (cyp1a, cyp1c) in hatched larvae. There was 100% mortality for all fish under the 2 ppm dissolved oxygen (DO) regimes. For the 6 mg/L DO treatments, mortality and mean lethal time were generally higher in the 30°C treatments versus the 20°C treatments. Oil increased mortality in fish exposed to the highest concentration in the 20-3-6 (°C-PSU-mg/L), 25-7-6, and 30-30-6 conditions. Hatching was driven by environmental conditions, with oil exposure only having a significant impact on hatching in the 25-7-6 and 30-30-6 groups at the highest HEWAF exposure. Expression of cyp1a was upregulated in most treatment groups versus the controls, with cyp1c expression exhibiting a similar pattern. These data suggest interactive effects among temperature, salinity, and PAHs, highlighting a need to further assess the effects of oil exposure under various environmental conditions. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

An atmosphere-ocean GCM modelling study of the climate response to changing Arctic seaways in the early Cenozoic.

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts, C. D.; Legrande, A. N.; Tripati, A. K.

2008-12-01

The report of fossil Azolla (a freshwater aquatic fern) in sediments from the Lomonosov Ridge suggests low salinity conditions occurred in the Arctic Ocean in the early Eocene. Restricted passages between the Arctic Ocean and the surrounding oceans are hypothesized to have caused this Arctic freshening. We investigate this scenario using a water-isotope enabled atmosphere-ocean general circulation model with Eocene boundary conditions including 4xCO2, 7xCH4, altered bathymetry and topography, and an estimated distribution of Eocene vegetational types. In one experiment, oceanic exchange between the Arctic Ocean and other ocean basins was restricted to two shallow (~250 m) seaways, one in the North Atlantic, the Greenland-Norwegian seaway, and the second connecting the Arctic Ocean with the Tethys Ocean, the Turgai Straits. In the restricted configuration, the Greenland-Norwegian seaway was closed and exchange through the Turgai Straits was limited to a depth of ~60 m. The simulations suggest that the severe restriction of Arctic seaways in the early Eocene may have been sufficient to freshen Arctic Ocean surface waters, conducive to Azolla blooms. When exchange with the Arctic Ocean is limited, salinities in the upper several hundred meters of the water column decrease by ~10 psu. In some regions, surface salinity is within 2-3 psu of the reported maximum modern conditions tolerated by Azolla (~5 psu). In the restricted scenario, salt is stored preferentially in the North Atlantic and Tethys oceans, resulting in enhanced meridional overturning, increased poleward heat transport in the North Atlantic western boundary current, and warming of surface and intermediate waters in the North Atlantic by several degrees. Increased sensible and latent heat fluxes from the North Atlantic Ocean, combined with a reduction in cloud albedo, also lead to an increase in surface air temperature of over much of North America, Greenland and Eurasia. Our work is consistent with

DEPSCOR: Research on ARL's Intelligent Control Architecture: Hierarchical Hybrid-Model Based Design, Verification, Simulation, and Synthesis of Mission Control for Autonomous Underwater Vehicles

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Kumar, Ratnesh; Holloway, Lawrence E

2007-01-01

... modeling, verification, simulation and automated synthesis of coordinators has lead to research in this area. We have worked and are working on these issues with Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) at Pennsylvania State University (PSU) who have designed autonomous underwater vehicles for over 50 years primarily under the support of the U.S. Navy through the Office of Naval Research (ONR).

A Multi-Disciplinary University Research Initiative in Hard and Soft Information Fusion: Overview, Research Strategies and Initial Results

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

Multisource Information Fusion ( CMIF ) along with a team including the Pennsylvania State University (PSU), Iona College (Iona), and Tennessee State...License. 14. ABSTRACT The University at Buffalo (UB) Center for Multisource Information Fusion ( CMIF ) along with a team including the Pennsylvania...of CMIF current research on methods for Test and Evaluation ([7], [8]) involving for example large- factor-space experimental design techniques ([9

Application of SMAP Data for Ocean Surface Remote Sensing

Science.gov (United States)

Fore, A.; Yueh, S. H.; Tang, W.; Stiles, B. W.; Hayashi, A.

2017-12-01

The Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission was launched January 31st, 2015. It is designed to measure the soil moisture over land using a combined active / passive L-band system. Due to the Aquarius mission, L-band model functions for ocean winds and salinity are mature and are directly applicable to the SMAP mission. In contrast to Aquarius, the higher resolution and scanning geometry of SMAP allow for wide-swath ocean winds and salinities to be retrieved. In this talk we present the SMAP Sea Surface Salinity (SSS) and extreme winds dataset and its performance. First we discuss the heritage of SMAP SSS algorithms, showing that SMAP and Aquarius show excellent agreement in the ocean surface roughness correction. Then, we give an overview of some newly developed algorithms that are only relevant to the SMAP system; a new galaxy correction and land correction enabling SSS retrievals up to 40 km from coast. We discuss recent improvements to the SMAP data processing for version 4.0. Next we compare the performance of the SMAP SSS to in-situ salinity measurements obtained from ARGO floats, tropical moored buoys, and ship-based data. SMAP SSS has accuracy of 0.2 PSU on a monthly basis compared to ARGO gridded data in tropics and mid-latitudes. In tropical oceans, time series comparison of salinity measured at 1 m depth by moored buoys indicates SMAP can track large salinity changes within a month. Synergetic analysis of SMAP, SMOS, and Argo data allows us to identify and exclude erroneous buoy data from assessment of SMAP SSS. The resulting SMAP-buoy matchup analysis gives a mean standard deviation (STD) of 0.22 PSU and correlation of 0.73 on weekly scale; at monthly scale the mean STD decreased to 0.17 PSU and the correlation increased to 0.8. In addition to SSS, SMAP provides a view into tropical cyclones having much higher sensitivity than traditional scatterometers. We validate the high-winds using collocations with SFMR during tropical cyclones as well as

Vulnerability of Coastal Crop Land to Climate Change in the Northern Part of Bay of Bengal: Issues, Challenges and Future Prospects

Science.gov (United States)

Kamal, A. H. M.

2015-12-01

The coastal communities of northeastern part of Bay of Bengal are used to live and survive through facing different types of natural disasters since primitive time. Among the natural disasters, salinity intrusion due to climate change and sea level rise in the coastal agriculture land is the major unpleasant incident now days. Because of that wide area of the coastal agricultural land, coastal forest, drinking water facilities and fresh water availability are in critical condition which may cause 40 million people of 147 coastal districts covering 47201 km area are placed in danger. The nation wide assessment on the detected of coastal soil and water salinity is not conducted since 9 years. The survey on the coastal soil salinity on 1973 and 2000 found that the saline effected land is increased from 0.83 million ha to 1.20 million ha within 27 years. It is assumed that at present the rate of salinity intrusion in the coastal agriculture land will be higher than those of 1973 and 2000. The soil salinity was recorded 18-20 psu after AILA in the south-eastern coast of Bangladesh and increased further 2-4 psu due to low precipitation which causes crop burning. This paper aims to know the salinity intrusion in the coastal soil and water of Bangladesh, which would help to plan and improvement of the sustainable agriculture production. Study revealed that to face any extra stresses on the coastal agriculture land due to climate change requires extensive inventory, awareness activities, mitigation measures, adaptation techniques and extension of indigenous technology.

High salinity relay as a post-harvest processing method for reducing Vibrio vulnificus levels in oysters (Crassostrea virginica).

Science.gov (United States)

Audemard, Corinne; Kator, Howard I; Reece, Kimberly S

2018-08-20

High salinity relay of Eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) was evaluated as a post-harvest processing (PHP) method for reducing Vibrio vulnificus. This approach relies on the exposure of oysters to natural high salinity waters and preserves a live product compared to previously approved PHPs. Although results of prior studies evaluating high salinity relay as a means to decrease V. vulnificus levels were promising, validation of this method as a PHP following approved guidelines is required. This study was designed to provide data for validation of this method following Food and Drug Administration (FDA) PHP validation guidelines. During each of 3 relay experiments, oysters cultured from 3 different Chesapeake Bay sites of contrasting salinities (10-21 psu) were relayed without acclimation to high salinity waters (31-33 psu) for up to 28 days. Densities of V. vulnificus and densities of total and pathogenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus (as tdh positive strains) were measured using an MPN-quantitative PCR approach. Overall, 9 lots of oysters were relayed with 6 exhibiting initial V. vulnificus >10,000/g. As recommended by the FDA PHP validation guidelines, these lots reached both the 3.52 log reduction and the levels ranged from 2 to 61% after 28 days of relay. Although the identification of the factors implicated in oyster mortality will require further examination, this study strongly supports the validation of high salinity relay as an effective PHP method to reduce levels of V. vulnificus in oysters to endpoint levels approved for human consumption. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Improvements, enhancements, and optimizations of COBRA-TF

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salko, R. K.; Avramova, M. N.; Hooper, R.; Palmtag, S.; Popov, E.; Turner, J.

2013-01-01

The Reactor Dynamics and Fuel Management Group (RDFMG) at The Pennsylvania State University (PSU) has become active in the Consortium for Advanced Simulation of Light Water Reactors (CASL) program by delivering, supporting, and further developing CTF, the PSU version of the Coolant Boiling in Rod Arrays - Two Fluids (COBRA-TF) Thermal/Hydraulic (T/H), sub-channel program. New development work on CTF was primarily geared towards decreasing the execution time of the code so that it may eventually be used for performing pin-by-pin, full-core simulations. Great gains have been made through targeting sections of source code for optimization. For example, wall clock time has been reduced for a one-assembly, three-dimensional model, containing ∼9,400 mesh cells, from 9.2 min to 1 min. A further improvement has been reduction in code memory usage, which was previously prohibitive for large models. In conjunction with the run time speedups, this has enabled the simulation of a refined quarter-core model (∼460,000 mesh cells), which saw a reduction in memory usage from over 130 GB to less than 3 GB. In addition to the optimization work, RDFMG has also created a preprocessor utility for the fast and less error-prone generation of CTF input decks. Furthermore, basic post-processing capabilities have been implemented by creating a CTF subroutine for producing Visualization Tool-Kit (VTK) files that output mesh data and associated simulation results. These VTK files can be opened with visualization software. (authors)

The effects of temperature and salinity on larval development of Armases rubripes Rathbun, 1897 (Brachyura, Grapsoidea, Sesarmidae), and the southern limit of its geographical distribution

Science.gov (United States)

Luppi, T. A.; Spivak, E. D.; Bas, C. C.

2003-11-01

The southernmost stable population of Armases (= Metasesarma) rubripes (Brachyura, Grapsoidea, Sesarmidae) is found in Montevideo, Uruguay, in the northeastern coast of the Rio de la Plata estuary. Isolated individuals have seldom been collected in the southwestern coast of this huge estuary. Since pelagic larvae are primarily responsible for the dispersion of A. rubripes, and crab larvae are generally less tolerant than adults to extreme environmental conditions, we tested the survival and intermolt period of zoeae in different combinations of salinity (10, 20, and 30 psu) and temperature (16 and 20 °C). These salinity and temperature conditions are usually found in the estuary and adjacent waters during spring and summer. We found that the survival rate of the larvae increased and they developed faster at 30 psu and 20 °C. It is unlikely that larvae from the Montevideo population of A. rubripes could be transported south and westward due to the hydrographic conditions of the region. The Rio de la Plata seems to function as a biogeographic barrier to A. rubripes, and probably to other crab species as well. However, this barrier is not absolute: it hinders, but does not entirely prevent, the dispersal of larvae.

Growth, delayed fluorescence and pigment composition of four Prorocentrum minimum strains growing at two salinities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

MAJA BERDEN-ZRIMEC

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Prorocentrum minimum is a potentially harmful and widely distributed marine dinoflagellate. Several P. minimum strains have already been studied, showing phylogenetical relations of strains isolated from the same geographical regions. Similarity among the strains was further examined on the basis of their physiology. Pigment composition and concentration, as well as delayed fluorescence (DF decay kinetics and intensity, were measured in four P. minimum strains isolated from the Baltic and Adriatic Seas. The strains were grown at two salinities characteristic of the Baltic (8 PSU and North Adriatic Seas (32 PSU. Strain differences in DF decay kinetics and growth did not always follow their genetic relations. While two strains showed similarities to the previously described strains from the Baltic and Adriatic Seas in DF parameters, the other two strains seemed to be specific. The differences among strains isolated from the same sea could stem from adaptations to conditions in the specific habitats. Cluster analysis based on the ratio of individual carotenoid pigments concentrations to the chlorophyll a concentration or to total carotenoids were not conclusive in showing relations among the strains. Among the measured pigments, only peridinin concentration depended on salinity in all st

The Need for Strategic Research and Study Centers (Think Tanks) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

2014-03-01

organized and operated exclusively for religious, charitable , scientific, testing or public safety, literary, or educational purposes. • Size and... organisations /issi/. 52 Sherif Kamel, DSS to Support Socio-Economic Development in Egypt, 1997, 1, http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi... organisations /issi/. Rabinovich, Itamar. “Damascus, Jerusalem, and Washington: The Syrian-Israeli Relationship as a U.S. Policy Issue,” Brookings Institute

Are Low Salinity Waters the Remedy to Noctiluca scintillans Blooms in the Arabian Sea?

Science.gov (United States)

Gibson, J.

2017-12-01

Noctiluca scintillans (Noctiluca) is a mixotrophic, green dinoflagellate that for the past two decades has been producing problematic algal blooms in the Arabian Sea (AS). As a mixotroph, Noctiluca obtains energy from both consumption of phytoplankton as well as its intracellular photosynthesizing endosymbionts named, Pedinomonas noctilucae. It is this autotrophic and heterotrophic dual capability that has largely enabled Noctiluca to be a highly dominant species at the planktonic trophic layer in the AS. Exacerbated by non-point source/point-source pollution in the AS, ocean acidification, and intensified monsoons, Noctiluca currently algal blooms can be as big as three times the size of Texas. By depleting the AS of oxygen, clogging the gills of fish, and altering the AS food web, these algal blooms result in mass fish die offs. In turn this propagates financial and food insecurity issues in countless coastal communities. However, through satellite imaging over the years, it has been observed that the proliferation of Noctiluca is precluded or encounters a "wall" about mid-way along the west coast of India. It is theorized that this "wall" is due to a significant change in salinity. Snow from atop the Himalayan Mountains melts and adds fresh water to the Bay of Bengal (BB), and in winter the East Indian Coastal Current (EICC) carries this fresher water around the southern tip of India and towards the AS. It is believed that this dilution effect impedes the growth of Noctiluca further south. Ultimately, in this study the salinity gradient from the Bay of Bengal (BB) around the horn of India into the AS was replicated in six pairs of culture bottles. Noctiluca was grown in six different salinities including 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, and 38 psu. Algae grown in the 34 and 38 psu bottles, were healthier and 38 psu treated Noctiluca provided optimal conditions for its photosynthesizing endosymbionts. Noctiluca does not grow well at lower salinities, thus applications of low

Evaluating dispersal potential of an invasive fish by the use of aerobic scope and osmoregulation capacity.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jane W Behrens

Full Text Available Non-indigenous species (NIS can impact marine biodiversity and ecosystem structure and function. Once introduced into a new region, secondary dispersal is limited by the physiology of the organism in relation to the ambient environment and by complex interactions between a suite of ecological factors such as presence of predators, competitors, and parasites. Early prediction of dispersal potential and future 'area of impact' is challenging, but also a great asset in taking appropriate management actions. Aerobic scope (AS in fish has been linked to various fitness-related parameters, and may be valuable in determining dispersal potential of aquatic invasive species in novel environments. Round goby, Neogobius melanostomus, one of the most wide-ranging invasive fish species in Europe and North America, currently thrives in brackish and fresh water, but its ability to survive in high salinity waters is unknown to date. We show that AS in round goby is reduced by 30% and blood plasma osmolality increased (indicating reduced capacity for osmoregulation at salinities approaching oceanic conditions, following slow ramping (5 PSU per week and subsequent long-term acclimation to salinities ranging between 0 and 30 PSU (8 days at final treatment salinities before blood plasma osmolality measurements, 12-20 additional days before respirometry. Survival was also reduced at the highest salinities yet a significant proportion (61% of the fish survived at 30 PSU. Reduced physiological performance at the highest salinities may affect growth and competitive ability under oceanic conditions, but to what extent reduced AS and osmoregulatory capacity will slow the current 30 km year-1 rate of advance of the species through the steep salinity gradient from the brackish Baltic Sea and into the oceanic North Sea remains speculative. An unintended natural experiment is in progress to test whether the rate of advance slows down. At the current rate of advance the

Analysis of aquaporins from the euryhaline barnacle Balanus improvisus reveals differential expression in response to changes in salinity.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ulrika Lind

Full Text Available Barnacles are sessile macro-invertebrates, found along rocky shores in coastal areas worldwide. The euryhaline bay barnacle Balanus improvisus (Darwin, 1854 (= Amphibalanus improvisus can tolerate a wide range of salinities, but the molecular mechanisms underlying the osmoregulatory capacity of this truly brackish species are not well understood. Aquaporins are pore-forming integral membrane proteins that facilitate transport of water, small solutes and ions through cellular membranes, and that have been shown to be important for osmoregulation in many organisms. The knowledge of the function of aquaporins in crustaceans is, however, limited and nothing is known about them in barnacles. We here present the repertoire of aquaporins from a thecostracan crustacean, the barnacle B. improvisus, based on genome and transcriptome sequencing. Our analyses reveal that B. improvisus contains eight genes for aquaporins. Phylogenetic analysis showed that they represented members of the classical water aquaporins (Aqp1, Aqp2, the aquaglyceroporins (Glp1, Glp2, the unorthodox aquaporin (Aqp12 and the arthropod-specific big brain aquaporin (Bib. Interestingly, we also found two big brain-like proteins (BibL1 and BibL2 constituting a new group of aquaporins not yet described in arthropods. In addition, we found that the two water-specific aquaporins were expressed as C-terminal splice variants. Heterologous expression of some of the aquaporins followed by functional characterization showed that Aqp1 transported water and Glp2 water and glycerol, agreeing with the predictions of substrate specificity based on 3D modeling and phylogeny. To investigate a possible role for the B. improvisus aquaporins in osmoregulation, mRNA expression changes in adult barnacles were analysed after long-term acclimation to different salinities. The most pronounced expression difference was seen for AQP1 with a substantial (>100-fold decrease in the mantle tissue in low salinity (3

AQUARIUS: A Passive/Active Microwave Sensor to Monitor Sea Surface Salinity Globally from Space

Science.gov (United States)

LeVine, David; Lagerloef, Gary S. E.; Colomb, F. Raul; Chao, Yi

2004-01-01

Salinity is important for understanding ocean dynamics, energy exchange with the atmosphere and the global water cycle. Existing data is limited and much of the ocean has never even been sampled. Sea surface salinity can be measured remotely by satellite and a three year mission for this purpose called AquariudSAC-D has recently been selected by NASA's Earth System Science Pathfinder (ESSP) program. The objective is to map the salinity field globally with a spatial resolution of 100 km and a monthly average accuracy of 0.2 psu. The mission, scheduled for launch in 2008, is a partnership of the United States National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA) and the Argentine Comision National de Actividades Epaciales (CONAE).

TNT Biodegradation by Natural Microbial Assemblages at Estuarine Frontal Boundaries

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-02

St- Jean . 2007. The use of wet chemical oxidation with high-amplification isotope ratio mass spectrometry (WCO-IRMS) to measure stable isotope ...dissolved oxygen concentration (DO, mL L-1), bacterial production and mineralization rate of TNT, naphthalene (NAH) and phenanthrene (PHE) (water...m) in the Charleston Harbor system (26 June 2011) and measured for salinity (PSU), temperature (oC), dissolved oxygen concentration (DO, mL L-1

A collection of publications and articles for a light water ultra-safe plant concept

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klevans, E.H.

1988-01-01

This collection contains reports titled: ''The Penn State Ultra-Safe Reactor Concept; '' ''Ultra Safe Nuclear Power; '' ''Use of the Modular Modeling System, in the Design of the Penn State Advanced Light Water Reactor; '' ''Use of the Modular Modeling System in Severe Transient Analysis of Penn State Advanced Light Water Reactor; '' ''PSU Engineers' Reactor Design May Stop a Future TMI; '' and ''The Penn State Advanced Light Water reactor Concept.''

A preliminary observation on the pond culture of European eel, Anguilla anguilla (Linnaeus, 1758) in Egypt: recommendations for future studies.

Science.gov (United States)

El-Shebly, Abdalla A; El-kady, Mohamed A H; Hossain, M Yeamin

2007-04-01

An experiment was conducted to assess the potential of the European eel, Anguilla anguilla for earthen pond aquaculture without supplementary feeding at Lake Manzala, Egypt. Juvenile A. anguilla of mean length 11.7 cm and 2.4 g weight were stocked in earthen ponds measuring 3 feddans (about 12,600 m2) and 1 m deep. Stocking was done in May 2003 at a rate of 5000 fish feddan(-1) in a polyculture system including tilapia and mullets and fed mainly on natural occurring prey (natural spawned tilapia) and small shrimp. The eels were culture for a period of 2 years, May 2003 to April 2005. Sampling for growth and survival were evaluated yearly. At the end of the culture period, the gross weight of the harvested eels was measured and the net pond production calculated by the difference between weight stocked and weight harvested. Temperature varied from 11.5 to 28.2 degrees C and 12.2 to 29.3 degrees C; P(H), 7.3 to 8.9 and 7.5 to 8.8; Dissolved Oxygen (DO), 5.2 to 9.8 mg L(-1) and 4.1 to 8.3 mg L(-1); and Salinity, 2.5 to 5.5 psu and 3.0 to 6.8 psu for first year and second year, respectively. At the end of the culture period, A. anguilla attained average weight of 121.4 g fish(-1) at the end of the first year and a weight range of 152.5 to 430 g fish(-1) with an average of 280.36 g fish(-1) at the end of the second year. Survival rate ranged from 91% during the first year to 100% during the second year. Net eel production was 540.18 kg feddan(-1) at the end of the first year and 723.36 kg feddan(-1) at the end of the second year. Daily increments in weight per fish were 0.33 and 0.44 for first and second year, respectively. This experiment demonstrated the possibility of cultivation of eels as well as the higher growth rate in earthen ponds. The aquaculture strategy of eel with high stocking densities through low cost artificial feeds are recommended in future studies.

Performance And Satisfaction Rating Of One State University Website In The Philippines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Randy Joy Magno Ventayen

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The Pangasinan State University information website psu.edu.ph was redesigned last August 2016. Since then the website is the main online source of information from the institution. Last June 2016 the rank of PSU website in region 1 compared to other SUC is ranked 6th with a global rank of around 9 million. Thus this study was conducted to know the satisfaction and performance rating of the institutional website of Pangasinan State University for the SY 2016-2017 after it was redesigned. For the first part of the study it uses the survey as primary means to gather information from the online visitors the researcher uses an online form to gather the data. It uses integrated sheets with pivot analysis for testing and data science analytical software RapidMiner to generate the graphical presentation. On the second part of the study Web analytics tools were used to visualize the performance of the website. The researcher extracted sessions from August 2016 to April 2017 to identify demographics of visitors from the historical data. The researcher also compared other SUC website rankings gathered from historical data for the last 3 months. The result of this study is expected to be good but there is no perfect website that could satisfy everything that a visitor needs. In this study it identifies the needs for improvement and importance of maintenance such as continuous customer feedback for continuous improvement. This study is recommended to be continuous and includes social media performance in the future study. This research fall under as NHERA-2 priority research areas in Education and Education Management.

New Dielectric Measurement Data to Determine the Permittivity of Seawater at 1.4313 Hz

Science.gov (United States)

Lang, R.; Zhou, Y.; Utku, C.; Levine, D.

2012-01-01

This paper describes the new measurements - made in 2010-2011 - of the dielectric constant of seawater at 1.413 GHz using a resonant cavity technique. The purpose of these measurements is to develop an accurate relationship concerning the dependence of the dielectric constant of seawater on temperature and salinity for use by the Aquarius inversion algorithm. Aquarius is a NASA/CONAE satellite mission launched in June of 2011 with the primary mission of measuring global sea surface salinity with a 1.413 GHz radiometer to an accuracy of 0.2 psu. A brass microwave cavity resonant at 1.413 GHz has been used to measure the dielectric constant of seawater. The seawater is introduced into the cavity through a capillary glass tube having an inner diameter of 0.1 mm. The change of resonant frequency and the cavity Q value are used to determine the real and imaginary parts of the dielectric constant of seawater. Measurements are automated with Visual Basic software developed at the George Washington University. In this paper, new results from measurements made since September 2010 will be presented for salinities of 30, 35 and 38 psu with a temperature range of 0 C to 35 C in intervals of 5 C. These measurements are more accurate than earlier measurements made in 2008. The new results will be compared to the Klein-Swift (KS) and Meissner-Wentz (MW) model functions. The importance of an accurate model function will be illustrated by using these model functions to invert the Aquarius brightness temperature to retrieve the salinity values. The salinity values will be compared to co-located in situ data collected by Argo buoys.

Hydrological changes in the Ligurian Sea (NW Mediterranean, DYFAMED site during 1995–2007 and biogeochemical consequences

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. C. Marty

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Data obtained during the monthly cruises of the DYFAMED time-series study (northwestern Mediterranean Sea in the period 1995–2007 were compiled to examine the hydrological changes and the linked variation of some biogeochemical characteristics (nutrients and pigments. A regular increase of temperature and salinity (0.005 °C y⁻¹, 0.0022 psu y⁻¹ was recorded in deep waters of the NW Mediterranean Sea (2000 m depth during 1995–2005. In February 2006 an abrupt increase in T (+0.1 °C and S (+0.03 psu was measured at 2000 m depth as the result of successive intense winter mixing events during the 3 previous years. The February 2006 event led to the mixing of the whole water column (0 to >2000 m and increased salt and heat content of the Western Mediterranean Deep Water by mixing with saltier and warmer Levantine Intermediate Water. The deficit in fresh water inputs to the western Mediterranean basin in three successive years (2003–2005 was suspected to be the major cause of this event since an increase of salinity in surface waters was monitored during these years. The measured phytoplankton biomass was specifically high after the periods of intense mixing. Chlorophyll a integrated biomass reached 230 mg m⁻² in 1999, 175 mg m⁻² in 2003, and 206 mg m⁻² in 2006. The high levels of biomass were related to the particularly high increases in nutrients content in surface layers following the intense water column mixing and the subsequent development of a diatom bloom (as seen by fucoxanthin content. The occurrence of extreme events (high mixing, high nutrients, and high biomass increased in recent drought years (2003 to 2006. Our results indicated that the NW Mediterranean Sea productivity is increasing.

Prevalence of Clostridium botulinum and thermophilic heat-resistant spores in raw carrots and green beans used in French canning industry.

Science.gov (United States)

Sevenier, V; Delannoy, S; André, S; Fach, P; Remize, F

2012-04-16

Two categories of vegetables (carrots and green beans) that are widely used in the manufacture of canned food were surveyed for their spore contamination. Samples were recovered from 10 manufactures spread over all producing areas in France. Two samples over 316 raw vegetables collected were found positive for botulinum neurotoxin producing Clostridia spores as tested by PCR-based GeneDisc assay. Both positive samplestested positive for the type B neurotoxin gene (bont/B). In parallel, heat-resistant spores of thermophilic bacteria that are likely to be associated with canned food spoilage after prolonged incubation at 55 °C were surveyed after specific enrichment. Prevalence varied between 1.6% for Moorella thermoacetica/thermoautotrophica in green bean samples and 8.6% for either Geobacillus stearothermophilus or Thermoanaerobacterium spp. in carrot samples. Vegetable preparation, e.g. washing and edge cutting, considerably reduced spore contamination levels. These data constitute the first wide examination of vegetables specifically cultivated for industrialpurposes for their contamination by spores of thermophilic bacterial species. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

PCR detection of thermophilic spore-forming bacteria involved in canned food spoilage.

Science.gov (United States)

Prevost, S; Andre, S; Remize, F

2010-12-01

Thermophilic bacteria that form highly heat-resistant spores constitute an important group of spoilage bacteria of low-acid canned food. A PCR assay was developed in order to rapidly trace these bacteria. Three PCR primer pairs were designed from rRNA gene sequences. These primers were evaluated for the specificity and the sensitivity of detection. Two primer pairs allowed detection at the species level of Geobacillus stearothermophilus and Moorella thermoacetica/thermoautrophica. The other pair allowed group-specific detection of anaerobic thermophilic bacteria of the genera Thermoanaerobacterium, Thermoanaerobacter, Caldanerobium and Caldanaerobacter. After a single enrichment step, these PCR assays allowed the detection of 28 thermophiles from 34 cans of spoiled low-acid food. In addition, 13 ingredients were screened for the presence of these bacteria. This PCR assay serves as a detection method for strains able to spoil low-acid canned food treated at 55°C. It will lead to better reactivity in the canning industry. Raw materials and ingredients might be qualified not only for quantitative spore contamination, but also for qualitative contamination by highly heat-resistant spores.

Determination of self shielding factors and gamma attenuation effects for tree ring samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dagistan Sahin; Kenan Uenlue

2012-01-01

Determination of tree ring chemistry using Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) is part of an ongoing research between Penn State University (PSU) and Cornell University, The Malcolm and Carolyn Wiener Laboratory for Aegean and Near Eastern Dendrochronology. Tree-ring chemistry yields valuable data for environmental event signatures. These signatures are a complex function of elemental concentration. To be certain about concentration of signature elements, it is necessary to perform the measurements and corrections with the lowest error and maximum accuracy possible. Accurate and precise values of energy dependent neutron flux at dry irradiation tubes and detector efficiency for tree ring sample are calculated for Penn State Breazeale Reactor (PSBR). For the calculation of energy dependent and self shielding corrected neutron flux, detailed model of the TRIGA Mark III reactor at PSU with updated fuel compositions was prepared using the MCNP utility for reactor evolution (MURE) libraries. Dry irradiation tube, sample holder and sample were also included in the model. The thermal flux self-shielding correction factors due to the sample holder and sample for were calculated and verified with previously published values. The Geant-4 model of the gamma spectroscopy system, developed at Radiation Science and Engineering Center (RSEC), was improved and absolute detector efficiency for tree-ring samples was calculated. (author)

Variation in ultrafiltered and LMW organic matter fluorescence properties under simulated estuarine mixing transects: 1. Mixing alone

Science.gov (United States)

Boyd, Thomas J.; Barham, Bethany P.; Hall, Gregory J.; Osburn, Christopher L.

2010-09-01

Ultrafiltered and low molecular weight dissolved organic matter (UDOM and LMW-DOM, respectively) fluorescence was studied under simulated estuarine mixing using samples collected from Delaware, Chesapeake, and San Francisco Bays (USA) transects. UDOM was concentrated by tangential flow ultrafiltration (TFF) from the marine (>33 PSU), mid-estuarine (˜16 PSU), and freshwater (ocean members. LMW fluorescence components fit a decreasing linear mixing model from mid salinities to the ocean end-member, but were more highly fluorescent than mixing alone would predict in lower salinities (shifts were also seen in UDOM peak emission wavelengths with blue-shifting toward the ocean end-member. Humic-type components in UDOM generally showed lower fluorescent intensities at low salinities, higher at mid-salinities, and lower again toward the ocean end-member. T (believed to be proteinaceous) and N (labile organic matter) peaks behaved similarly to each other, but not to B peak fluorescence, which showed virtually no variation in permeate or UDOM mixes with salinity. PCA and PARAFAC models showed similar results suggesting trends could be modeled for DOM end- and mid-member sources. Changes in fluorescence properties due to estuarine mixing may be important when using CDOM as a proxy for DOM cycling in coastal systems.

High performance anode based on a partially fluorinated sulfonated polyether for direct methanol fuel cells operating at 130 °C

Science.gov (United States)

Mack, Florian; Gogel, Viktor; Jörissen, Ludwig; Kerres, Jochen

2014-06-01

Due to the disadvantages of the Nafion polymer for the application in the direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) especial at temperatures above 100 °C several polymers of the hydrocarbon type have already been investigated as membranes and ionomers in the DMFC. Among them were nonfluorinated and partially fluorinated arylene main-chain hydrocarbon polymers. In previous work, sulfonated polysulfone (sPSU) has been applied as the proton-conductive binder in the anode of a DMFC, ending up in good and stable performance. In continuation of this work, in the study presented here a polymer was prepared by polycondensation of decafluorobiphenyl and bisphenol AF. The formed polymer was sulfonated after polycondensation by oleum and the obtained partially fluorinated sulfonated polyether (SFS) was used as the binder and proton conductor in a DMFC anode operating at a temperature of 130 °C. The SFS based anode with 5% as ionomer showed comparable performance for the methanol oxidation to Nafion based anodes and significant reduced performance degradation versus Nafion and sPSU based anodes on the Nafion 115 membrane. Membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) with the SFS based anode showed drastically improved performance compared to MEAs with Nafion based anodes during operation with lower air pressure at the cathode.

Timing of stressors alters interactive effects on a coastal foundation species.

Science.gov (United States)

Bible, Jillian M; Cheng, Brian S; Chang, Andrew L; Ferner, Matthew C; Wasson, Kerstin; Zabin, Chela J; Latta, Marilyn; Sanford, Eric; Deck, Anna; Grosholz, Edwin D

2017-09-01

The effects of climate-driven stressors on organismal performance and ecosystem functioning have been investigated across many systems; however, manipulative experiments generally apply stressors as constant and simultaneous treatments, rather than accurately reflecting temporal patterns in the natural environment. Here, we assessed the effects of temporal patterns of high aerial temperature and low salinity on survival of Olympia oysters (Ostrea lurida), a foundation species of conservation and restoration concern. As single stressors, low salinity (5 and 10 psu) and the highest air temperature (40°C) resulted in oyster mortality of 55.8, 11.3, and 23.5%, respectively. When applied on the same day, low salinity and high air temperature had synergistic negative effects that increased oyster mortality. This was true even for stressor levels that were relatively mild when applied alone (10 psu and 35°C). However, recovery times of two or four weeks between stressors eliminated the synergistic effects. Given that most natural systems threatened by climate change are subject to multiple stressors that vary in the timing of their occurrence, our results suggest that it is important to examine temporal variation of stressors in order to more accurately understand the possible biological responses to global change. © 2017 by the Ecological Society of America.

Plans and Living Practices for the Green Campus of Portland State University

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yoon Jung Choi

2017-02-01

Full Text Available This study aims to comprehend Portland State University (PSU’s green campus strategies, and students’ level of knowledge and living practices relating to green campus. PSU’s sustainable campus plan has been nationally and internationally recognized. A literature review, field investigation, and interviews were conducted to ascertain the PSU green campus strategies. This study also used a survey to understand students’ level of knowledge and practices. The survey results were analyzed by SPSS. Green campus projects at PSU were operated by official organizations and funded according to PSU’s long term plans in 12 multilateral categories: administration, energy, water, climate action, green buildings, green purchasing, waste reduction and recycling, food and dining services, transportation, land use, action, and education and student activity. The survey results show that the level of students’ understanding about PSU’s green campus strategies was somewhat low, but the amount of practice of a sustainable lifestyle was higher. Students who had taken courses related with sustainability or were engaged in sustainable activities had more knowledge about green campus strategies than students who had not. Therefore, it would be important to focus more on educating students and developing related programs in order to have more positive effects of green campus projects.

Processing of Polysulfone to Free Flowing Powder by Mechanical Milling and Spray Drying Techniques for Use in Selective Laser Sintering

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicolas Mys

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Polysulfone (PSU has been processed into powder form by ball milling, rotor milling, and spray drying technique in an attempt to produce new materials for Selective Laser Sintering purposes. Both rotor milling and spray drying were adept to make spherical particles that can be used for this aim. Processing PSU pellets by rotor milling in a three-step process resulted in particles of 51.8 μm mean diameter, whereas spray drying could only manage a mean diameter of 26.1 μm. The resulting powders were characterized using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC, Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC and X-ray Diffraction measurements (XRD. DSC measurements revealed an influence of all processing techniques on the thermal behavior of the material. Glass transitions remained unaffected by spray drying and rotor milling, yet a clear shift was observed for ball milling, along with a large endothermic peak in the high temperature region. This was ascribed to the imparting of an orientation into the polymer chains due to the processing method and was confirmed by XRD measurements. Of all processed powder samples, the ball milled sample was unable to dissolve for GPC measurements, suggesting degradation by chain scission and subsequent crosslinking. Spray drying and rotor milling did not cause significant degradation.

Coupled 3D neutronics/thermal hydraulics modeling of the SAFARI-1 MTR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosenkrantz, Adam; Avramova, Maria; Ivanov, Kostadin; Prinsloo, Rian; Botes, Danniëll; Elsakhawy, Khalid

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Development of 3D coupled neutronics/thermal–hydraulic model of SAFARI-1. • Verification of 3D steady-state NEM based neutronics model for SAFARI-1. • Verification of 3D COBRA-TF based thermal–hydraulic model of SAFARI-1. • Quantification of the effect of correct modeling of thermal–hydraulic feedback. - Abstract: The purpose of this study was to develop a coupled accurate multi-physics model of the SAFARI-1 Material Testing Reactor (MTR), a facility that is used for both research and the production of medical isotopes. The model was developed as part of the SAFARI-1 benchmarking project as a cooperative effort between the Pennsylvania State University (PSU) and the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa). It was created using a multi-physics coupling of state of the art nuclear reactor simulation tools, consisting of a neutronics code and a thermal hydraulics code. The neutronics tool used was the PSU code NEM, and the results from this component were verified using the Necsa neutronics code OSCAR-4, which is utilized for SAFARI-1 core design and fuel management. On average, the multiplication factors of the neutronics models agreed to within 5 pcm and the radial assembly-averaged powers agreed to within 0.2%. The thermal hydraulics tool used was the PSU version of COBRA-TF (CTF) sub-channel code, and the results of this component were verified against another thermal hydraulics code, the RELAP5-3D system code, used at Necsa for thermal–hydraulics analysis of SAFARI-1. Although only assembly-averaged results from RELAP5-3D were available, they fell within the range of values for the corresponding assemblies in the comprehensive CTF solution. This comparison allows for the first time to perform a quantification of steady-state errors for a low-powered MTR with an advanced thermal–hydraulic code such as CTF on a per-channel basis as compared to simpler and coarser-mesh RELAP5-3D modeling. Additionally, a new cross section

Immobilization of anaerobic thermophilic bacteria for the production of cell-free thermostable. alpha. -amylases and pullulanases

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Klingeberg, M [Goettingen Univ. (Germany, F.R.). Inst. fuer Mikrobiologie; Vorlop, K D [Technische Univ. Braunschweig (Germany, F.R.). Inst. fuer Technische Chemie; Antranikian, G [Technische Univ. Hamburg-Harburg, Hamburg (Germany, F. R.). Arbeitsbereich Biotechnologie 1

1990-08-01

For the production of cell-free thermostable {alpha}-amylases and pullulanases various anaerobic thermophilic bacteria that belong to the genera Clostridium and Thermoanaerobacter were immobilized in calcium alginate gel beads. The entrapment of bacteria was performed in full was well as in hollow spheres. An optimal limited medium, which avoided bacterial outgrowth, was developed for the cultivation of immobilized organisms at 60deg C using 0.4% starch as substrate. Compared to non-immobilized cells these techniques allowed a significant increase (up to 5.6-fold) in the specific activities of the extracellular enzymes formed. An increase in the productivity of extracellular enzymes was observed after immobilization of bacteria in full spheres. In the case of C. thermosaccharolyticum, for instance, the productivity was raised from 90 units (U)/10{sup 12} cells up to 700 U/10{sup 12} cells. Electrophoretic analysis of the secreted proteins showed that in all cases most of the amylolytic enzymes formed were released into the culture medium. Proteins that had a molecular mass of less than 450 000 daltons could easily diffuse through the gel matrix. Cultivation of immobilized bacteria in semi-continuous and fed-batch cultures was also accompanied by an elevation in the concentration of cell-free enzymes. (orig.).

On the spectrum of AdS/CFT beyond supergravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beisert, N.; Bianchi, M.; Morales, J.F.; Samtleben, H.

2004-01-01

We test the spectrum of string theory on AdS 5 x S 5 derived in /arxivno{hep-th/0305052} against that of single-trace gauge invariant operators in free N = 4 super Yang-Mills theory. Masses of string excitations at critical tension are derived by extrapolating plane-wave frequencies at g YM = 0 down to finite J. On the SYM side, we present a systematic description of the spectrum of single-trace operators and its reduction to PSU(2,2|4) superconformal primaries via a refined Eratostenes' supersieve. We perform the comparison of the resulting SYM/string spectra of charges and multiplicities order by order in the conformal dimension Δ up to Δ = 10 and find perfect agreement. Interestingly, the SYM/string massive spectrum exhibits a hidden symmetry structure larger than expected, with bosonic subgroup SO(10,2) and thirty-two supercharges. (author)

New species of Ciliates (Genus: Strombidium sp.) from hypoxic waters of the Bay of Bengal, Northern Indian Ocean

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Elangovan, S.S.; Gauns, M.

water (125m depth). Temperature: 20˚C, Salinity: 34.8 psu Dissolved oxygen: 0.02 ml/l Key features Cell almost heart shaped, anterior cylindrical, posterior conical. Cell almost heart shaped, anterior cylindrical, posterior conical. 10 15..., including a description of Apostrombidium parakielum spec.nov. (Ciliophora, Ologotrichia), Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol., 63 (2013), 1179-1191. 7. Lynn, D.H & Montagnes D.J.C., Taxonomic descriptions of some conspicuous species of Strombilidiine...

Recent Honey Bee Colony Declines

Science.gov (United States)

2007-06-20

podcasts.psu.edu/taxonomy/term/62]. Staple crops such as wheat , corn, and rice do not rely on insect pollination and are mostly wind pollinated...are interacting to weaken bee colonies and are allowing stress-related pathogens, such as fungi , thus causing a final collapse.27 Others note the...possible role of miticide resistance in bees. High levels of bacteria, viruses, and fungi have been found in the guts of the recoverable dead bees

Cyber Enabled Direct Digital Manufacturing

Science.gov (United States)

2015-05-15

optimization of both clad height and dilution by varying travel speed, laser power and powder flow rate. Song et al. (2011) developed a two-input...Systems and Test Methodologies (F2921), Standard Specification for Additive Manufacturing Titanium -6 Aluminum-4 Vanadium with Powder Bed Fusion (F2924... Powder Nozzles</title> <creator>ARL at PSU</creator> 38 <description>Orientation of powder nozzles relative to substrate and laser beam.</description

Nudging Problematic Smartphone Use to a Lower Level

OpenAIRE

Palokangas, Lauri; Suomala, Jyrkin

2017-01-01

Smartphone usage has evolved in people’s lives from necessity to habit and in some cases leading to compulsive use and addiction. However, only a little research has been performed on the prevention of Problematic Smartphone Usage (PSU). Behavioral economics has been applied to investigate how smartphone users respond to nudges that try to lower their smartphone usage. Findings revealed that the Total Screen On Time (SOT) decreased when nudging smartphone users with informa...

Integrable lambda models and Chern-Simons theories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmidtt, David M.

2017-01-01

In this note we reveal a connection between the phase space of lambda models on S 1 ×ℝ and the phase space of double Chern-Simons theories on D×ℝ and explain in the process the origin of the non-ultralocality of the Maillet bracket, which emerges as a boundary algebra. In particular, this means that the (classical) AdS 5 ×S 5 lambda model can be understood as a double Chern-Simons theory defined on the Lie superalgebra psu(2,2|4) after a proper dependence of the spectral parameter is introduced. This offers a possibility for avoiding the use of the problematic non-ultralocal Poisson algebras that preclude the introduction of lattice regularizations and the application of the QISM to string sigma models. The utility of the equivalence at the quantum level is, however, still to be explored.

Super-Galilean conformal algebra in AdS/CFT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakaguchi, Makoto

2010-01-01

Galilean conformal algebra (GCA) is an Inoenue-Wigner (IW) contraction of a conformal algebra, while Newton-Hooke string algebra is an IW contraction of an Anti-de Sitter (AdS) algebra, which is the isometry of an AdS space. It is shown that the GCA is a boundary realization of the Newton-Hooke string algebra in the bulk AdS. The string lies along the direction transverse to the boundary, and the worldsheet is AdS 2 . The one-dimensional conformal symmetry so(2,1) and rotational symmetry so(d) contained in the GCA are realized as the symmetry on the AdS 2 string worldsheet and rotational symmetry in the space transverse to the AdS 2 in AdS d+2 , respectively. It follows from this correspondence that 32 supersymmetric GCAs can be derived as IW contractions of superconformal algebras, psu(2,2|4), osp(8|4), and osp(8*|4). We also derive less supersymmetric GCAs from su(2,2|2), osp(4|4), osp(2|4), and osp(8*|2).

Integration of EGA secure data access into Galaxy [version 1; referees: 2 approved

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Youri Hoogstrate

2016-12-01

Full Text Available High-throughput molecular profiling techniques are routinely generating vast amounts of data for translational medicine studies. Secure access controlled systems are needed to manage, store, transfer and distribute these data due to its personally identifiable nature. The European Genome-phenome Archive (EGA was created to facilitate access and management to long-term archival of bio-molecular data. Each data provider is responsible for ensuring a Data Access Committee is in place to grant access to data stored in the EGA. Moreover, the transfer of data during upload and download is encrypted. ELIXIR, a European research infrastructure for life-science data, initiated a project (2016 Human Data Implementation Study to understand and document the ELIXIR requirements for secure management of controlled-access data. As part of this project, a full ecosystem was designed to connect archived raw experimental molecular profiling data with interpreted data and the computational workflows, using the CTMM Translational Research IT (CTMM-TraIT infrastructure http://www.ctmm-trait.nl as an example. Here we present the first outcomes of this project, a framework to enable the download of EGA data to a Galaxy server in a secure way. Galaxy provides an intuitive user interface for molecular biologists and bioinformaticians to run and design data analysis workflows. More specifically, we developed a tool -- ega_download_streamer - that can download data securely from EGA into a Galaxy server, which can subsequently be further processed. This tool will allow a user within the browser to run an entire analysis containing sensitive data from EGA, and to make this analysis available for other researchers in a reproducible manner, as shown with a proof of concept study.  The tool ega_download_streamer is available in the Galaxy tool shed: https://toolshed.g2.bx.psu.edu/view/yhoogstrate/ega_download_streamer.

The Aquarius Level 2 Algorithm

Science.gov (United States)

Meissner, T.; Wentz, F. J.; Hilburn, K. A.; Lagerloef, G. S.; Le Vine, D. M.

2012-12-01

The Aquarius L-band radiometer/scatterometer system is designed to provide monthly salinity maps at 150 km spatial scale to an accuracy of 0.2 psu. The sensor was launched on June 10, 2011, aboard the Argentine CONAE SAC-D spacecraft. The L-band radiometers and the scatterometer have been taking science data observations since August 25, 2011. This presentation discusses the current state of the Aquarius Level processing algorithm, which transforms radiometer counts ultimately into sea surface salinity (SSS). We focus on several topics that we have investigated since launch: 1. Updated Pointing A detailed check of the Aquarius pointing angles was performed, which consists in making adjustments of the two pointing angles, azimuth angle and off-nadir angle, for each horn. It has been found that the necessary adjustments for all 3 horns can be explained by a single offset for the antenna pointing if we introduce a constant offset in the roll angle by - 0.51 deg and the pitch angle by + 0.16 deg. 2. Antenna Patterns and Instrument Calibration In March 2012 JPL has produced a set of new antenna patterns using the GRASP software. Compared with the various pre-launch patterns those new patterns lead to an increase in the spillover coefficient by about 1%. We discuss its impact on several components of the Level 2 processing: the antenna pattern correction (APC), the correction for intrusion of galactic and solar radiation that is reflected from the ocean surface into the Aquarius field of view, and the correction of contamination from land surface radiation entering into the sidelobes. We show that the new antenna patterns result in a consistent calibration of all 3 Stokes parameters, which can be best demonstrated during spacecraft pitch maneuvers. 3. Cross Polarization Couplings of the 3rd Stokes Parameter Using the APC values for the cross polarization coupling of the 3rd Stokes parameter into the 1st and 2nd Stokes parameter lead to a spurious image of the 3rd Stokes

Evidence for the existence of Persian Gulf Water and Red Sea Water in the Bay of Bengal

Science.gov (United States)

Jain, Vineet; Shankar, D.; Vinayachandran, P. N.; Kankonkar, A.; Chatterjee, Abhisek; Amol, P.; Almeida, A. M.; Michael, G. S.; Mukherjee, A.; Chatterjee, Meenakshi; Fernandes, R.; Luis, R.; Kamble, Amol; Hegde, A. K.; Chatterjee, Siddhartha; Das, Umasankar; Neema, C. P.

2017-05-01

The high-salinity water masses that originate in the North Indian Ocean are Arabian Sea High-Salinity Water (ASHSW), Persian Gulf Water (PGW), and Red Sea Water (RSW). Among them, only ASHSW has been shown to exist in the Bay of Bengal. We use CTD data from recent cruises to show that PGW and RSW also exist in the bay. The presence of RSW is marked by a deviation of the salinity vertical profile from a fitted curve at depths ranging from 500 to 1000 m; this deviation, though small (of the order of 0.005 psu and therefore comparable to the CTD accuracy of 0.003 psu), is an order of magnitude larger than the 0.0003 psu fluctuations associated with the background turbulence or instrument noise in this depth regime, allowing us to infer the existence of RSW throughout the bay. PGW is marked by the presence of a salinity maximum at 200-450 m; in the southwestern bay, PGW can be distinguished from the salinity maximum due to ASHSW because of the intervening Arabian Sea Salinity Minimum. This salinity minimum and the maximum associated with ASHSW disappear east and north of the south-central bay (85°E, 8°N) owing to mixing between the fresher surface waters that are native to the bay (Bay of Bengal Water or BBW) with the high-salinity ASHSW. Hence, ASHSW is not seen as a distinct water mass in the northern and eastern bay and the maximum salinity over most of the bay is associated with PGW. The surface water over most of the bay is therefore a mixture of ASHSW and the low-salinity BBW. As a corollary, we can also infer that the weak oxygen peak seen within the oxygen-minimum zone in the bay at a depth of 250-400 m is associated with PGW. The hydrographic data also show that these three high-salinity water masses are advected into the bay by the Summer Monsoon Current, which is seen to be a deep current extending to 1000 m. These deep currents extend into the northern bay as well, providing a mechanism for spreading ASHSW, PGW, and RSW throughout the bay.

Environmental studies of the Arabian Sea using remote sensing, GIS and GPS techniques

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Saxena, A.

Fig 4. Principle of Radar altimetry 17 Fig 5. Block diagram of ArcGIS platform 20 CHAPTER IV RESULT AND DISCUSSION CHAPTER II TOOL FOR STUDY Fig 6. Seasonal Variation of Sea Surface Temperature 24 Fig 7. Seasonal... from any major rivers, the excessive evaporation over precipitation (E-P) as well as proximity to the Red Sea and Persian Gulf makes the surface salinity of Arabian Sea high, in excess of 36psu (practical salinity unit). Motivation Arabian Sea...

Expositions of the Botanic Garden of Petrozavodsk State University: "Рagan Meadow"

OpenAIRE

Eglacheva Arina

2015-01-01

"Pagan Meadow" - one of the business cards of Botanic Garden of PSU filled deep sense of creation and originality. Pyramidal junipers were rescued and brought to the mining sites shungit in 1999. The unique expedition was attended by students and graduate students of the Ecology-Biological Faculty. Stone maze and seids appeared in 2011 as a result of the competition landscape projects "Northern motives." Despite the initial dissociation of the two projects lined up a complete picture of the ...

L-band Dielectric Constant Measurements of Seawater (Oral presentation and SMOS Poster)

Science.gov (United States)

Lang, Roger H.; Utku, Cuneyt; LeVine, David M.

2003-01-01

This paper describes a resonant cavity technique for the measurement of the dielectric constant of seawater as a function of its salinity. Accurate relationships between salinity and dielectric constant (which determines emissivity) are needed for sensor systems such as SMOS and Aquarius that will monitor salinity from space in the near future. The purpose of the new measurements is to establish the dependence of the dielectric constant of seawater on salinity in contemporary units (e.g. psu) and to take advantage of modern instrumentation to increase the accuracy of these measurements. The measurement device is a brass cylindrical cavity 16cm in diameter and 7cm in height. The seawater is introduced into the cavity through a slender glass tube having an inner diameter of 0.1 mm. By assuming that this small amount of seawater slightly perturbs the internal fields in the cavity, perturbation theory can be employed. A simple formula results relating the real part of the dielectric constant to the change in resonant frequency of the cavity. In a similar manner, the imaginary part of the dielectric constant is related to the change in the cavity s Q. The expected accuracy of the cavity technique is better than 1% for the real part and 1 to 2% for the imaginary part. Presently, measurements of methanol have been made and agree with precision measurements in the literature to within 1% in both real and imaginary parts. Measurements have been made of the dielectric constant of seawater samples from Ocean Scientific in the United Kingdom with salinities of 10, 30, 35 and 38 psu. All measurements were made at room temperature. Plans to make measurements at a range of temperatures and salinities will be discussed.

Transcriptomic and proteomic analysis of Oenococcus oeni adaptation to wine stress conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mar Margalef-Català

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Oenococcus oeni, the main lactic acid bacteria responsible for malolactic fermentation in wine, has to adapt to stressful conditions, such as low pH and high ethanol content. In this study, the changes in the transcriptome and the proteome of O. oeni PSU-1 during the adaptation period before MLF start have been studied. DNA microarrays were used for the transcriptomic analysis and two complementary proteomic techniques, 2-D DIGE and iTRAQ labeling were used to analyze the proteomic response. One of the most influenced functions in PSU-1 due to inoculation into wine-like medium (WLM was translation, showing the over-expression of certain ribosomal genes and the corresponding proteins. Amino acid metabolism and transport was also altered and several peptidases were up regulated both at gene and protein level. Certain proteins involved in glutamine and glutamate metabolism showed an increased abundance revealing the key role of nitrogen uptake under stressful conditions. A strong transcriptional inhibition of carbohydrate metabolism related genes was observed. On the other hand, the transcriptional up-regulation of malate transport and citrate consumption was indicative of the use of L-malate and citrate associated to stress response and as an alternative energy source to sugar metabolism. Regarding the stress mechanisms, our results support the relevance of the thioredoxin and glutathione systems in the adaptation of O. oeni to wine related stress. Genes and proteins related to cell wall showed also significant changes indicating the relevance of the cell envelop as protective barrier to environmental stress. The differences found between transcriptomic and proteomic data suggested the relevance of post-transcriptional mechanisms and the complexity of the stress response in O. oeni adaptation. Further research should deepen into the metabolisms mostly altered due to wine conditions to elucidate the role of each mechanism in the O. oeni ability to

The Abundance and Activity of Nitrate-Reducing Microbial Populations in Estuarine Sediments

Science.gov (United States)

Cardarelli, E.; Francis, C. A.

2014-12-01

Estuaries are productive ecosystems that ameliorate nutrient and metal contaminants from surficial water supplies. At the intersection of terrestrial and aquatic environments, estuarine sediments host major microbially-mediated geochemical transformations. These include denitrification (the conversion of nitrate to nitrous oxide and/or dinitrogen) and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA). Denitrification has historically been seen as the predominant nitrate attenuation process and functions as an effective sink for nitrate. DNRA has previously been believed to be a minor nitrate reduction process and transforms nitrate within the ecosystem to ammonium, a more biologically available N species. Recent studies have compared the two processes in coastal environments and determined fluctuating environmental conditions may suppress denitrification, supporting an increased role for DNRA in the N cycle. Nitrate availability and salinity are factors thought to influence the membership of the microbial communities present, and the nitrate reduction process that predominates. The aim of this study is to investigate how nitrate concentration and salinity alter the transcript abundances of N cycling functional gene markers for denitrification (nirK, nirS) and DNRA (nrfA) in estuarine sediments at the mouth of the hypernutrified Old Salinas River, CA. Short-term whole core incubations amended with artificial freshwater/artificial seawater (2 psu, 35 psu) and with varying NO3- concentrations (200mM, 2000mM) were conducted to assess the activity as well as the abundance of the nitrate-reducing microbial populations present. Gene expression of nirK, nirS, and nrfA at the conclusion of the incubations was quantified using reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). High abundances of nirK, nirS, and nrfA under particular conditions coupled with the resulting geochemical data ultimately provides insight onto how the aforementioned factors

Salinity and temperature tolerance of the invasive freshwater gastropod Tarebia granifera

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Renzo Perissinotto

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Invasive aquatic species, such as the gastropod Tarebia granifera, can cause ecological isturbances and potentially reduce biodiversity by displacing indigenous invertebrates. In South Africa, T. granifera was first recorded in an estuarine environment in the St Lucia Estuary. Its tolerance to salinity and temperature was investigated through the experimental manipulation of these factors. T. granifera can tolerate temperatures between 0 ºC and 47.5 ºC, allowing it to survive high temperature extremes. The species may also survive cold snaps and invade higher altitude areas. More remarkably, this snail survives high salinity for a relatively long time, as LS₅₀ (lethal salinity for 50% of the population was reached at 30 psu over 65–75 days. However, higher salinity adversely affected the T. granifera population. Snails acclimated to freshwater conditions and suddenly transferred to 30 psu experienced 100% mortality within 48 h. Snail activity also declined with increasing salinity. T. granifera’s environmental tolerance and parthenogenetic characteristics are the keys to successful introduction and establishment. Therefore, the management of T. granifera may prove diffcult in the short to medium term. The present findings constitute a contribution to the knowledge of biological invasions in Africa and to the understanding of estuarine invasions by T. granifera.

Substance use and suicide risk in a sample of young Colombian adults: An exploration of psychosocial factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Pereira-Morales, Angela J; Adan, Ana; Camargo, Andrés; Forero, Diego A

2017-06-01

Young adults might engage in many risk behaviors, including alcohol and drug use, which could lead to mental health problems, such as suicide. The aim of this study was to examine specific psychosocial and clinical factors that could influence the possible relationship between polysubstance use (PSU) and suicide risk in a sample of young Colombian participants. A sample of 274 young participants (mean age = 21.3 years) was evaluated with two substance use screening tests (ASSIST and AUDIT) and five scales for clinical and psychosocial factors and suicide risk: The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale, Zung Self-Rating Anxiety scale, Family APGAR, the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, and the Plutchik Suicide Risk scale. Correlation and multiple regression analyses were conducted. Use of cannabis and tobacco was significantly correlated with suicide risk in the total sample (p < .05). Depressive and anxiety symptoms, family functioning, and emotional abuse during childhood were significantly associated with suicide risk (p < .001), while alcohol use, anxiety symptoms, and family functioning were variables significantly related to PSU. Our findings are consistent with previous evidence suggesting a relationship between substance use, several psychosocial factors, and suicide risk in young participants. Our study is one of the first reports the relationship between substance use and suicide risk in a Latin American population. (Am J Addict 2017;26:388-394). © 2017 American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry.

Relationship between spatial distribution of chaetognaths and hydrographic conditions around seamounts and islands of the tropical southwestern Atlantic.

Science.gov (United States)

Souza, Christiane S de; Luz, Joana A G; Mafalda, Paulo O

2014-09-01

Relationship between spatial distribution of chaetognaths and hydrographic conditions around seamounts and islands off Northeastern Brazil were analyzed from 133 oceanographic stations during the months of January - April of 1997 and April - July of 1998. Oblique zooplankton tows, using 50 cm diameter Bongo nets with 500µm mesh with a flowmeter to determine the filtered volume, were carried out to a maximum of 200m depth. The Superficial Equatorial Water, which had a salinity > 36 PSU and temperature > 20°C, occupied the top 80 to 200m depth. Below this water mass was the South Atlantic Central Water with salinity ranging from 34.5 to 36 PSU and temperature from 6 to 20°C. The community of chaetognaths showed six species: Pterosagitta draco, Flaccisagitta enflata, Flaccisagitta hexaptera, Pseudosagitta lyra, Serratosagitta serratodentata, and Sagitta helenae. Of these species, F. enflata was the most abundant (32.05% in 1997 and 42.18% in 1998) and the most frequent (87.88% in 1997 and 95% in 1998) during both periods. A mesopelagic specie was identified (P. lyra). This specie was more abundant in 1997 (3.42%), when the upwelling was more intense. P. lyra occurred in 22% of the samples during 1997. The abundance of F. enflata, an epiplanktonic species, increased, associated with greater water-column stability.

Relationship between spatial distribution of chaetognaths and hydrographic conditions around seamounts and islands of the tropical southwestern Atlantic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

CHRISTIANE S. DE SOUZA

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Relationship between spatial distribution of chaetognaths and hydrographic conditions around seamounts and islands off Northeastern Brazil were analyzed from 133 oceanographic stations during the months of January – April of 1997 and April – July of 1998. Oblique zooplankton tows, using 50 cm diameter Bongo nets with 500µm mesh with a flowmeter to determine the filtered volume, were carried out to a maximum of 200m depth. The Superficial Equatorial Water, which had a salinity > 36 PSU and temperature > 20°C, occupied the top 80 to 200m depth. Below this water mass was the South Atlantic Central Water with salinity ranging from 34.5 to 36 PSU and temperature from 6 to 20°C. The community of chaetognaths showed six species: Pterosagitta draco, Flaccisagitta enflata, Flaccisagitta hexaptera, Pseudosagitta lyra, Serratosagitta serratodentata, and Sagitta helenae. Of these species, F. enflata was the most abundant (32.05% in 1997 and 42.18% in 1998 and the most frequent (87.88% in 1997 and 95% in 1998 during both periods. A mesopelagic specie was identified (P. lyra. This specie was more abundant in 1997 (3.42%, when the upwelling was more intense. P. lyra occurred in 22% of the samples during 1997. The abundance of F. enflata, an epiplanktonic species, increased, associated with greater water-column stability.

CTF Validation and Verification Manual

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Salko, Robert K. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Blyth, Taylor S. [Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States); Dances, Christopher A. [Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States); Magedanz, Jeffrey W. [Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States); Jernigan, Caleb [Holtec International, Marlton, NJ (United States); Kelly, Joeseph [U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Rockville, MD (United States); Toptan, Aysenur [North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh, NC (United States); Gergar, Marcus [Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States); Gosdin, Chris [Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States); Avramova, Maria [Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States); Palmtag, Scott [Core Physics, Inc., Cary, NC (United States); Gehin, Jess C. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2016-05-25

Coolant-Boiling in Rod Arrays- Two Fluids (COBRA-TF) is a Thermal/Hydraulic (T/H) simulation code designed for Light Water Reactor (LWR) analysis. It uses a two-fluid, three-field (i.e. fluid film, fluid drops, and vapor) modeling approach. Both sub-channel and 3D Cartesian forms of nine conservation equations are available for LWR modeling. The code was originally developed by Pacific Northwest Laboratory in 1980 and has been used and modified by several institutions over the last several decades. COBRA-TF is also used at the Pennsylvania State University (PSU) by the Reactor Dynamics and Fuel Management Group (RDFMG), and has been improved, updated, and subsequently became the PSU RDFMG version of COBRA-TF (CTF). One part of the improvement process includes validating the methods in CTF. This document seeks to provide a certain level of certainty and confidence in the predictive capabilities of the code for the scenarios it was designed to model--rod bundle geometries with operating conditions that are representative of prototypical Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR)s and Boiling Water Reactor (BWR)s in both normal and accident conditions. This is done by modeling a variety of experiments that simulate these scenarios and then presenting a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the results that demonstrates the accuracy to which CTF is capable of capturing specific quantities of interest.

Pre-Service Teachers Methods of Teaching Science

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dr. Raquel C. Pambid

2015-02-01

Full Text Available The study described the teaching methods used by pre-service teachers in Science. It focused on the strategies, techniques, materials, innovative methods and pattern of teaching science used by the pre-service teachers as described in their lesson plans. The qualitative and quantitative design was used in the study. The books, teacher hand-outs from classroom lectures were the sources of methods, strategies and techniques. The chalkboard and self-made drawings and charts were the materials often used. Conventional methods like lecture, open class discussion and demonstration were commonly employed. The strategies included group discussion, use of motivating questions and stories to arouse the interest of students. The direct eye contact, body expressions, jokes and news/trivia were frequent techniques. Integration of values in the lesson became less as the year level increases. The pattern of teaching drawn followed the formal style: I Objectives, II Subject matter, III Learning Tasks, IV Synthesis of the lesson, V Assessment and VI Enrichment. The conventional method and pattern of teaching by the pre-service teachers of PSU suggest that students in the College of Teacher Education should be trained to be more innovative and open in trying out more advanced teaching methods. Furthermore, PSU science pre-service teachers should use methods which can develop higher order thinking skills among high school students.

An Enhanced OFDM Resource Allocation Algorithm in C-RAN Based 5G Public Safety Network

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lei Feng

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Public Safety Network (PSN is the network for critical communication when disaster occurs. As a key technology in 5G, Cloud-Radio Access Network (C-RAN can play an important role in PSN instead of LTE-based RAN. This paper firstly introduces C-RAN based PSN architecture and models the OFDM resource allocation problem in C-RAN based PSN as an integer quadratic programming, which allows the trade-off between expected bitrates and allocating fairness of PSN Service User (PSU. However, C-RAN based PSN needs to improve the efficiency of allocating algorithm because of a mass of PSU-RRH associations when disaster occurs. To deal with it, the resources allocating problem with integer variables is relaxed into one with continuous variables in the first step and an algorithm based on Generalized Bender’s Decomposition (GBD is proposed to solve it. Then we use Feasible Pump (FP method to get a feasible integer solution on the original OFDM resources allocation problem. The final experiments show the total throughput achieved by C-RAN based PSN is at most higher by 19.17% than the LTE-based one. And the average computational time of the proposed GBD and FP algorithm is at most lower than Barrier by 51.5% and GBD with no relaxation by 30.1%, respectively.

Integrable lambda models and Chern-Simons theories

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schmidtt, David M. [Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal de São Carlos,Caixa Postal 676, CEP 13565-905, São Carlos-SP (Brazil)

2017-05-03

In this note we reveal a connection between the phase space of lambda models on S{sup 1}×ℝ and the phase space of double Chern-Simons theories on D×ℝ and explain in the process the origin of the non-ultralocality of the Maillet bracket, which emerges as a boundary algebra. In particular, this means that the (classical) AdS{sub 5}×S{sup 5} lambda model can be understood as a double Chern-Simons theory defined on the Lie superalgebra psu(2,2|4) after a proper dependence of the spectral parameter is introduced. This offers a possibility for avoiding the use of the problematic non-ultralocal Poisson algebras that preclude the introduction of lattice regularizations and the application of the QISM to string sigma models. The utility of the equivalence at the quantum level is, however, still to be explored.

Simulation of tsunami effects on sea surface salinity using MODIS satellite data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramlan, N E F; Genderen, J van; Hashim, M; Marghany, M

2014-01-01

Remote sensing technology has been recognized as powerful tool for environmental disaster studies. Ocean surface salinity is considered as a major element in the marine environment. In this study, we simulate the 2004 tsunami's impact on a physical ocean parameter using the least square algorithm to retrieve sea surface salinity (SSS) from MODIS satellite data. The accuracy of this work has been examined using the root mean of sea surface salinity retrieved from MODIS satellite data. The study shows a comprehensive relationship between the in situ measurements and least square algorithm with high r 2 of 0.95, and RMS of bias value of ±0.9 psu. In conclusion, the least square algorithm can be used to retrieve SSS from MODIS satellite data during a tsunami event

Hard X-ray Vela supernova observation on rocket experiment WRX-R

Science.gov (United States)

Stehlikova, V.; Urban, M.; Nentvich, O.; Daniel, V.; Sieger, L.; Tutt, J.

2017-07-01

This paper presents a hard X-ray telescope for the Vela nebula observation during a sounding rocket flight. The Water Recovery X-ray Rocket (WRX-R) experiment is organised by the Pennsylvania State University (PSU), USA with a primary payload of a soft X-ray spectroscope. The Czech team developed a hard X-ray Lobster-eye telescope as a secondary payload. The Czech experiment’s astrophysical object of study is the Vela pulsar in the centre of the Vela nebula.

A new genus and species of Heteromysini (Crustacea- Mysidacea) from the backwater of Kochi (Kerala, India)

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Panampunnayil, S.U.; Buju, A.

minor inlets. The water is saline (5–32 psu) during the dry season and almost fresh water during the monsoon (May to October). The salinity gradient in the Kochi backwater supports diverse species of flora and fauna depending on their capacity....1080/00222930701515553 Downloaded By: [CSIR Order] At: 10:52 24 October 2007 Genus Kochimysis gen. nov. Diagnosis General form small and slender. Carapace broadly triangular in front. Eyes normal. Male lobe of antennule reduced to small setiferous lobe; antennal scale oval...

PlantTribes: a gene and gene family resource for comparative genomics in plants

OpenAIRE

Wall, P. Kerr; Leebens-Mack, Jim; Müller, Kai F.; Field, Dawn; Altman, Naomi S.; dePamphilis, Claude W.

2007-01-01

The PlantTribes database (http://fgp.huck.psu.edu/tribe.html) is a plant gene family database based on the inferred proteomes of five sequenced plant species: Arabidopsis thaliana, Carica papaya, Medicago truncatula, Oryza sativa and Populus trichocarpa. We used the graph-based clustering algorithm MCL [Van Dongen (Technical Report INS-R0010 2000) and Enright et al. (Nucleic Acids Res. 2002; 30: 1575–1584)] to classify all of these species’ protein-coding genes into putative gene families, ca...

Eddy diffusion coefficients in the coastal waters of north Andhra Pradesh and Orissa

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Sadhuram, Y.; Murty, T.V.R.; Rao, B.P.; Sarma, V.V.

diffusion coefficients in coastal waters The unknown variables v and \\v can be f ound by solving the matrix. In the present work, the method of generalized inverse is used to solve the matrix to avoid any indeterminacy. Results and discussion Temperature... was constant (~24.3?C) and salinity fluctuates around 27.5 psu. Off Gopalpur (IV) strong inversion of 1.87? C was observed during the observational period. Temperature profiles at areas V and VI indicate 125 Mathematical Formulations: The two...

Arabian Sea GEOSECS stations revisited: Tracer-depth profiles reveal temporal variations?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mulsow, S.; Povinec, P.P.; Somayajulu, B.L.K.

2002-01-01

In March-April 1998, the Physical Research Laboratory and the Regional Research Laboratory (Ahmedabad, India) together with the IAEA Marine Environment Laboratory, Monaco, participated in the research mission to visit GEOSECS (Geochemical Ocean Sections Study) stations in the Arabian Sea. The main objective was to reoccupy these stations which were sampled in the early seventies to observe possible time variations in trace behaviour in this region. It is generally accepted that both natural (climate variations) and anthropogenic (greenhouse effect) changes can cause modifications of the oceanic characteristics and properties of deep waters on yearly and decadal scales. For long time-scales (100 to 1000 years) one needs to look at the sediments where these changes are subtly recorded. Tracers such as 14 C and 3 H (deep waters) and 228 Ra surface waters are useful markers of water circulation patterns and changes. Also man-made radiotracers such as 90 Sr, 137 Cs, 99 Tc, 238 Pu, 239 , 240 Pu and 241 Am, can give information on air-sea exchange as well as penetration (vertical change) rates in the open ocean [2]. We visited GEOSECS stations 415 to 419. In each station, CTD profiles, 3 H, 14 C, 90 Sr, 137 Cs, Pu and Am profiles, nutrients, Be, TOC and oxygen were determined from surface to bottom. Also uranium and trace elements were sampled in function of the oxygen minimum zone. In this paper we report the findings on the physical properties as well as the variations in water circulation patterns and also vertical exchange rates in the Arabian Sea. PSU profiles collected in this mission compared with those PSU profiles measured in 1974 (GEOSECS) showed marked differences in those stations located in the southeast part of the Arabian Sea. In contrast, those located more towards the north (415-416) showed little temporal variation. We think these changes may be real given that the PSU values at depth are comparable and reflect the presence of deep Antarctic bottom

Effects of Precipitation on Ocean Mixed-Layer Temperature and Salinity as Simulated in a 2-D Coupled Ocean-Cloud Resolving Atmosphere Model

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xiaofan; Sui, C.-H.; Lau, K-M.; Adamec, D.

1999-01-01

A two-dimensional coupled ocean-cloud resolving atmosphere model is used to investigate possible roles of convective scale ocean disturbances induced by atmospheric precipitation on ocean mixed-layer heat and salt budgets. The model couples a cloud resolving model with an embedded mixed layer-ocean circulation model. Five experiment are performed under imposed large-scale atmospheric forcing in terms of vertical velocity derived from the TOGA COARE observations during a selected seven-day period. The dominant variability of mixed-layer temperature and salinity are simulated by the coupled model with imposed large-scale forcing. The mixed-layer temperatures in the coupled experiments with 1-D and 2-D ocean models show similar variations when salinity effects are not included. When salinity effects are included, however, differences in the domain-mean mixed-layer salinity and temperature between coupled experiments with 1-D and 2-D ocean models could be as large as 0.3 PSU and 0.4 C respectively. Without fresh water effects, the nocturnal heat loss over ocean surface causes deep mixed layers and weak cooling rates so that the nocturnal mixed-layer temperatures tend to be horizontally-uniform. The fresh water flux, however, causes shallow mixed layers over convective areas while the nocturnal heat loss causes deep mixed layer over convection-free areas so that the mixed-layer temperatures have large horizontal fluctuations. Furthermore, fresh water flux exhibits larger spatial fluctuations than surface heat flux because heavy rainfall occurs over convective areas embedded in broad non-convective or clear areas, whereas diurnal signals over whole model areas yield high spatial correlation of surface heat flux. As a result, mixed-layer salinities contribute more to the density differences than do mixed-layer temperatures.

Benthic infaunal community structuring in an acidified tropical estuarine system.

Science.gov (United States)

Hossain, M Belal; Marshall, David J

2014-01-01

Recent studies suggest that increasing ocean acidification (OA) should have strong direct and indirect influences on marine invertebrates. While most theory and application for OA is based on relatively physically-stable oceanic ecological systems, less is known about the effects of acidification on nearshore and estuarine systems. Here, we investigated the structuring of a benthic infaunal community in a tropical estuarine system, along a steep salinity and pH gradient, arising largely from acid-sulphate groundwater inflows (Sungai Brunei Estuary, Borneo, July 2011- June 2012). Preliminary data indicate that sediment pore-water salinity (range: 8.07 - 29.6 psu) declined towards the mainland in correspondence with the above-sediment estuarine water salinity (range: 3.58 - 31.2 psu), whereas the pore-water pH (range: 6.47- 7.72) was generally lower and less variable than the estuarine water pH (range: 5.78- 8.3), along the estuary. Of the thirty six species (taxa) recorded, the polychaetes Neanthes sp., Onuphis conchylega, Nereididae sp. and the amphipod Corophiidae sp., were numerically dominant. Calcified microcrustaceans (e.g., Cyclopoida sp. and Corophiidae sp.) were abundant at all stations and there was no clear distinction in distribution pattern along the estuarine between calcified and non-calcified groups. Species richness increased seawards, though abundance (density) showed no distinct directional trend. Diversity indices were generally positively correlated (Spearman's rank correlation) with salinity and pH (p 0.05). Three faunistic assemblages were distinguished: (1) nereid-cyclopoid-sabellid, (2) corophiid-capitellid and (3) onuphid- nereid-capitellid. These respectively associated with lower salinity/pH and a muddy bottom, low salinity/pH and a sandy bottom, and high salinity/pH and a sandy bottom. However, CCA suggested that species distribution and community structuring is more strongly influenced by sediment particle characteristics than by the

Understanding and Mitigating Tip Leakage and Endwall Losses in High Pressure Ratio Cores

Science.gov (United States)

Christophel, Jesse

2015-01-01

Reducing endwall and tip secondary flow losses will be a key enabler for the next generation of commercial and military air transport and will be an improvement on the state-of-the-art in turbine loss reduction strategies. The objective of this research is three-fold: 1) To improve understanding of endwall secondary flow and tip clearance losses 2) To develop novel technologies to mitigate these losses and test them in low-speed cascade and rig environments 3) To validate predictive tools To accomplish these objectives, Pratt & Whitney (P&W) has teamed with Pennsylvania State University (PSU) to experimentally test new features designed by P&W. P&W will create new rim-cavity features to reduce secondary flow loss and improve purge flow cooling effectiveness and new blade tip features to manage leakage flows and reduce tip leakage secondary flow loss. P&W is currently developing technologies in these two areas that expect to be assimilated in the N+2/N+3 generation of commercial engines.

The larvae of congeneric gastropods showed differential responses to the combined effects of ocean acidification, temperature and salinity.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Haoyu; Cheung, S G; Shin, Paul K S

2014-02-15

The tolerance and physiological responses of the larvae of two congeneric gastropods, the intertidal Nassarius festivus and subtidal Nassarius conoidalis, to the combined effects of ocean acidification (pCO2 at 380, 950, 1250 ppm), temperature (15, 30°C) and salinity (10, 30 psu) were compared. Results of three-way ANOVA on cumulative mortality after 72-h exposure showed significant interactive effects in which mortality increased with pCO2 and temperature, but reduced at higher salinity for both species, with higher mortality being obtained for N. conoidalis. Similarly, respiration rate of the larvae increased with temperature and pCO2 level for both species, with a larger percentage increase for N. conoidalis. Larval swimming speed increased with temperature and salinity for both species whereas higher pCO2 reduced swimming speed in N. conoidalis but not N. festivus. The present findings indicated that subtidal congeneric species are more sensitive than their intertidal counterparts to the combined effects of these stressors. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hydrologic modeling in a marsh-mangrove ecotone: Predicting wetland surface water and salinity response to restoration in the Ten Thousand Islands region of Florida, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Michot, B.D.; Meselhe, E.A.; Krauss, Ken W.; Shrestha, Surendra; From, Andrew S.; Patino, Eduardo

2017-01-01

At the fringe of Everglades National Park in southwest Florida, United States, the Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge (TTINWR) habitat has been heavily affected by the disruption of natural freshwater flow across the Tamiami Trail (U.S. Highway 41). As the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) proposes to restore the natural sheet flow from the Picayune Strand Restoration Project area north of the highway, the impact of planned measures on the hydrology in the refuge needs to be taken into account. The objective of this study was to develop a simple, computationally efficient mass balance model to simulate the spatial and temporal patterns of water level and salinity within the area of interest. This model could be used to assess the effects of the proposed management decisions on the surface water hydrological characteristics of the refuge. Surface water variations are critical to the maintenance of wetland processes. The model domain is divided into 10 compartments on the basis of their shared topography, vegetation, and hydrologic characteristics. A diversion of +10% of the discharge recorded during the modeling period was simulated in the primary canal draining the Picayune Strand forest north of the Tamiami Trail (Faka Union Canal) and this discharge was distributed as overland flow through the refuge area. Water depths were affected only modestly. However, in the northern part of the refuge, the hydroperiod, i.e., the duration of seasonal flooding, was increased by 21 days (from 115 to 136 days) for the simulation during the 2008 wet season, with an average water level rise of 0.06 m. The average salinity over a two-year period in the model area just south of Tamiami Trail was reduced by approximately 8 practical salinity units (psu) (from 18 to 10 psu), whereas the peak dry season average was reduced from 35 to 29 psu (by 17%). These salinity reductions were even larger with greater flow diversions (+20%). Naturally, the reduction

Recursos organizacionales y la calidad de la enseñanza en educación secundaria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liliana Pedraja Rejas

2015-01-01

Full Text Available El objetivo de este artículo es determinar si existe o no una relación significativa, entre los recursos y capacidades de los colegios de enseñanza media y el nivel de calidad alcanzado por los estudiantes en pruebas nacionales de evaluación del aprendizaje. Para tal efecto se trabaja una regresión con una muestra seleccionada aleatoriamente de 102 colegios de la zona central de Chile. Los resultados indican que la selección junto a la evaluación del desempeño de los profesores explican el 67.2% de la varianza en el puntaje de la Prueba de Selección Universitaria (PSU en la muestra de colegios analizada. El estilo de liderazgo transformacional, a su vez, explica a ambas variables bajo análisis.

Bioenergetics of photoheterotrophic bacteria in the oceans.

Science.gov (United States)

Kirchman, David L; Hanson, Thomas E

2013-04-01

Photoheterotrophic microbes, such as proteorhodopsin (PR)-based phototrophic (PRP) and aerobic anoxygenic phototrophic (AAP) bacteria, are well known to be abundant in the oceans, potentially playing unique roles in biogeochemical cycles. However, the contribution of phototrophy to the energy requirements of these bacteria has not been quantitatively examined to date. To better understand the implications of photoheterophy in the oceans, we calculated energy benefits and costs of phototrophy and compared net benefits with maintenance costs. Benefits depend on the number of photosynthetic units (PSUs), absorption cross-section area of each PSU as function of wavelength, the in situ light quality, and the energy yield per absorbed photon. For costs we considered the energy required for the synthesis of pigments, amino acids and proteins in each PSU. Our calculations indicate that AAP bacteria harvest more light energy than do PRP bacteria, but the costs of phototrophy are much higher for AAP bacteria. Still, the net energy gained by AAP bacteria is often sufficient to meet maintenance costs, while that is not the case for PRP bacteria except with high light intensities and large numbers of proteorhodopsin molecules per cell. The low costs and simplicity of PR-based phototrophy explain the high abundance of proteorhodopsin genes in the oceans. However, even for AAP bacteria, the net energy yield of phototrophy is apparently too low to influence the distribution of photoheterotrophic bacteria among various marine systems. © 2012 Society for Applied Microbiology and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Report on the bituminous coal liquefaction sub-committee in fiscal 1992; 1992 nendo rekiseitan ekika bukai hokokusho

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1993-03-01

This paper reports the activities of the bituminous coal liquefaction sub-committee in the Sunshine Project in fiscal 1992. With an intention of developing a technology on the process (NEDOL) suitable for liquefaction of wide range of coal types placing sub-bituminous coal at the center, researches were carried out by using a pilot plant, and engineering data purposed for practical application of the technology were acquired. The construction of the pilot plant was launched in fiscal 1991. It is necessary to execute the pilot plant plan steadily in the future, and at the same time, reliably acquire different data by means of supportive researches. Economic performance of the process is also important. The first sub-committee meeting presented the following agenda: the status of constructing the 150-t/d pilot plant, tests and investigations thereon, research works by using a 1-t/d PSU, development of the most suitable coal refining technology, development of a coal pretreatment technology, improvement of the distilled oil distribution, studies on coal liquefaction conditions, and studies on solvent hydrogenating catalysts. The second sub-committee meeting presented the following agenda: the status of constructing the pilot plant, tests and investigations on improving the performance of natural pylite catalyst and circulating solvent, technological investigations on structuring a liquefying reaction data analyzing system, studies using a 1-t/d PSU, development of the most suitable coal refining technology, studies on coal liquefaction conditions, and studies on solvent hydrogenating catalysts. (NEDO)

Methane fluxes along a salinity gradient on a restored salt marsh, Harpswell, ME

Science.gov (United States)

Gunn, Cailene; Johnson, Beverly, ,, Dr.; Dostie, Phil; Bohlen, Curtis; Craig, Matthew

2016-04-01

This study functions as a pilot project to understand the relationship between salinity and methane emissions on a recently restored salt marsh in Casco Bay, Maine. Salt marshes are dynamic and highly productive ecosystems that provide a multitude of ecosystem services including nutrient filtration, storm-water buffering and carbon sequestration. These ecosystems are highly susceptible to anthropogenic alteration. The emplacement of causeways and narrow culverts, restricts tidal flow and leads to loss of healthy salinity gradients. Consequently, numerous salt marshes have experienced increases in freshwater vegetation growth as a result of coastal population expansion. Recent restoration efforts on Long Marsh, Harpswell, ME replaced a severely undersized culvert with a larger one in February, 2014. The salinity gradient has since been restored along much of the marsh, and freshwater vegetation that encroached on the marsh platform has died back. Vegetation and salinity are key indicators and drivers of CH4 emissions on salt marshes. Using static gas chambers, we quantified CH4 fluxes along two transects at five diverse sites ranging from healthy marsh (salinity of 27 to 31 psu) with Spartina vegetation, to regions invaded by Typha and other freshwater vegetation (salinity of 0 to 4 psu). Sampling was executed in the months of July, August and October. CH4 concentrations were determined using a gas chromatograph with a flame-ionization detector. Preliminary findings suggest reintroduction of healthy tidal flows into the marsh inhibits CH4 production, where the lowest fluxes with least variability were observed at the most saline sites with Spartina vegetation. The largest range of CH4 fluxes exhibited emissions from 0.75 μmol CH4/m2/hr to 518.4 μmol CH4/m2/hr at the Typha dominated sites from July to October. Fluxes at the saltwater and brackish regions were far less variable with ranges from 0.94 μmol CH4/m2/hr to 8.2 μmol CH4/m2/hr and 2.6 to 9.5 μmol CH4/m2

Effects of salinity and sea salt type on egg activation, fertilization, buoyancy and early embryology of European eel, Anguilla anguilla

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Sune Riis; Butts, Ian; Munk, Peter

2016-01-01

sizes, while the remaining four salt types resulted in smaller eggs. All salt types except NaCl treatments led to high fertilization rates and had no effect on fertilization success as well as egg neutral buoyancies at 7 h post-fertilization. The study points to the importance of considering ionic...... and egg buoyancy. Egg diameter after activation, using natural seawater adjusted to different salinities, varied among female eels, but no consistent pattern emerged. Activation salinities between 30–40 practical salinity unit (psu) produced higher quality eggs and generally larger egg diameters. Chorion...

Fine-scale responses of phytoplankton to freshwater influx in a tropical monsoonal estuary following the onset of southwest monsoon

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Pednekar, S.M.; Matondkar, S.G.P.; Gomes, H.R.; Goes, J.I.; Parab, S.G.; Kerkar, V.

of seawater which have a significant impact on circulation, salinity (Shetye et al 2007; Vijith et al 2009) as well as water column turbidity caused by the dis- turbance of bottom sediments (Devassy and Goes 1988). On account of this free mixing of coastal.... By the first week of October (PostM Influence of SW monsoon in phytoplankton–freshwater influx 549 phase), rainfall had reduced to occasional and spo- radic showers and salinity values began rising to between3and7psu. 3.3 Nitrate Nitrate variation across...

Post-tsunami oceanographic conditions in southern Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

AnilKumar, N.; Sarma, Y.V.B.; Babu, K.N.; Sudhakar, M.; Pandey, P.C.

m depth. This high - salinity water mass was earlier ident i fied as Arabian Sea High Salinity Water mass ( ASHSW), which forms in the northern Arabian Sea du r- ing winter 12 . A pool of low - s a linity waters occupies the upper 50 m around... of t he Bay of Bengal du r ing the southwest monsoon season flows southward along the coast by the coastal currents during winter period 9 . The relatively high s a line waters (33.7 psu) are seen north of Nagapattinam, separating two low - salinity...

Difusión e impactos del programa Talento e Inclusión en estudiantes provenientes de establecimientos de alto índice de vulnerabilidad en Chile

OpenAIRE

Moreno, Karla; Muñoz, Javiera; García, Catalina; Vera, Antonio

2016-01-01

La Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (UC), en concordancia con su Plan de Desarrollo 2015-2020, favorece el acceso de estudiantes talentosos que no han tenido la posibilidad de acceder a una educación escolar de calidad y que, por tanto o cumplen los requisitos de la Prueba de Selección Universitaria (PSU) necesarios para ingresar a la educación superior. Dichos puntajes están altamente correlacionados con el nivel socioeconómico de los postulantes, generando una sobre representación d...

Record of carbonate preservation and the Mid-Brunhes climatic shift from a seamount top with low sedimentation rates in the Central Indian Basin

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Nath, B.N.; Sijinkumar, A.V.; Borole, D.V.; Gupta, S.M.; Mergulhao, L.P.; Mascarenhas-Pereira, M.B.L.; Ramaswamy, V.; Guptha, M.V.S.; Possnert, G.; Aldahan, A.; Khadge, N.H.; Sharma, R.

of chemical properties of the water column in the CIB show three equator-ward moving water masses (de Sousa et al. 2001). The fastest moving water mass with subsurface salinity is 3 maximum in the depth range 125-200 m, characterized by high salinity (34....74-34.77 psu) and oxygen minimum associated with weak maxima in nutrients. The second water mass with deep oxygen maximum (234-245 µm) is in the depth range of 250-750 m, which is associated with minima in nutrients and relatively high pH. The third water...

Evaluating dispersal potential of an invasive fish by the use of aerobic scope and osmoregulation capacity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Behrens, Jane W.; Deurs, Mikael van; Christensen, Emil Aputsiaq Flindt

2017-01-01

factors such as presence of predators, competitors, and parasites. Early prediction of dispersal potential and future 'area of impact' is challenging, but also a great asset in taking appropriate management actions. Aerobic scope (AS) in fish has been linked to various fitness-related parameters, and may...... waters is unknown to date. We show that AS in round goby is reduced by 30% and blood plasma osmolality increased (indicating reduced capacity for osmoregulation) at salinities approaching oceanic conditions, following slow ramping (5 PSU per week) and subsequent long-term acclimation to salinities...

SEACIONS During the 2012 Asian Monsoon: A Strategic Approach to Determining Convective Impacts on Tropospheric Ozone and TTL Gravity Waves

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Anne M. (Principal Investigator); Young, George S. (Principal Investigator); Morris, Gary; Johnson, Bryan; Oltmans, Samuel; Selkirk, Henry B.

2016-01-01

Purpose of making ozone and water vapor profiles measurements in SEAC4RS is to give consistent coverage of the vertical structure at fixed sites to (1) complement 2 campaign aircraft sampling; (2) ground-truth satellite measurements of H O and ozone; (3) provide profiles for model evaluation; (4) study processes responsible for day-to-day variability at each site. Revised objective for 2013, due to cancellation of the 2012 and 2013 plans to operate in Southeast Asia: rapidly re-configure the original "SEACIONS," Southeast Asian Consortium for Intensive Ozonesonde Network Study, to a SouthEast American plan (SEACIONS) for collecting daily ozonesonde data during DC-8 and ER-2 flights throughout the southeastern US. As in previous IONS (2004, 2006, 2008), students were trained at St Louis, Tallahassee, Houston, Penn State, Huntsville, Socorro. Images of the soundings and related flight-planning products were posted each day at NASA and Penn State (PSU) websites. With the aircraft based at Ellington Field (Houston), water CFH (cryogenic frost-point hygrometer) sondes in addition to ozonesondes, were to be taken launched at that site.

Oenococcus oeni in Chilean Red Wines: Technological and Genomic Characterization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jaime Romero

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The presence and load of species of LAB at the end of the malolactic fermentation (MLF were investigated in 16 wineries from the different Chilean valleys (Limarí, Casablanca, Maipo, Rapel, and Maule Valleys during 2012 and 2013, using PCR-RFLP and qPCR. Oenococcus oeni was observed in 80% of the samples collected. Dominance of O. oeni was reflected in the bacterial load (O. oeni/total bacteria measured by qPCR, corresponding to >85% in most of the samples. A total of 178 LAB isolates were identified after sequencing molecular markers, 95 of them corresponded to O. oeni. Further genetic analyses were performed using MLST (7 genes including 10 commercial strains; the results indicated that commercial strains were grouped together, while autochthonous strains distributed among different genetic clusters. To pre-select some autochthonous O. oeni, these isolates were also characterized based on technological tests such as ethanol tolerance (12 and 15%, SO2 resistance (0 and 80 mg l−1, and pH (3.1 and 3.6 and malic acid transformation (1.5 and 4 g l−1. For comparison purposes, commercial strain VP41 was also tested. Based on their technological performance, only 3 isolates were selected for further examination (genome analysis and they were able to reduce malic acid concentration, to grow at low pH 3.1, 15% ethanol and 80 mg l−1 SO2. The genome analyses of three selected isolates were examined and compared to PSU-1 and VP41 strains to study their potential contribution to the organoleptic properties of the final product. The presence and homology of genes potentially related to aromatic profile were compared among those strains. The results indicated high conservation of malolactic enzyme (>99% and the absence of some genes related to odor such as phenolic acid decarboxylase, in autochthonous strains. Genomic analysis also revealed that these strains shared 470 genes with VP41 and PSU-1 and that autochthonous strains harbor an interesting

Increased Accuracy in the Measurement of the Dielectric Constant of Seawater at 1.413 GHz

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Y.; Lang R.; Drego, C.; Utku, C.; LeVine, D.

2012-01-01

This paper describes the latest results for the measurements of the dielectric constant at 1.413 GHz by using a resonant cavity technique. The purpose of these measurements is to develop an accurate relationship for the dependence of the dielectric constant of sea water on temperature and salinity which is needed by the Aquarius inversion algorithm to retrieve salinity. Aquarius is the major instrument on the Aquarius/SAC-D observatory, a NASA/CONAE satellite mission launched in June of20ll with the primary mission of measuring global sea surface salinity to an accuracy of 0.2 psu. Aquarius measures salinity with a 1.413 GHz radiometer and uses a scatterometer to compensate for the effects of surface roughness. The core part of the seawater dielectric constant measurement system is a brass microwave cavity that is resonant at 1.413 GHz. The seawater is introduced into the cavity through a capillary glass tube having an inner diameter of 0.1 mm. The change of resonance frequency and the cavity Q value are used to determine the real and imaginary parts of the dielectric constant of seawater introduced into the thin tube. Measurements are automated with the help of software developed at the George Washington University. In this talk, new results from measurements made since September 2010 will be presented for salinities 30, 35 and 38 psu with a temperature range of O C to 350 C in intervals of 5 C. These measurements are more accurate than earlier measurements made in 2008 because of a new method for measuring the calibration constant using methanol. In addition, the variance of repeated seawater measurements has been reduced by letting the system stabilize overnight between temperature changes. The new results are compared to the Kline Swift and Meissner Wentz model functions. The importance of an accurate model function will be illustrated by using these model functions to invert the Aquarius brightness temperature to get the salinity values. The salinity values

Behavior of catalyst and mineral matter in coal liquefaction; Sekitan ekika hannochu no kobusshitsu to shokubai no kyodo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Iwasaki, K.; Wang, J.; Tomita, A. [Tohoku University, Sendai (Japan). Institute for Chemical Reaction Science

1996-10-28

Mineral matter in coals is important in various senses for coal liquefaction. It is possible that the catalytic activity is affected by the interaction between catalyst and mineral matter. Iron-based catalyst forms pyrrhotite in the process of liquefaction, but the interaction between it and mineral matter is not known in detail. In this study, the interaction between mineral matter and catalyst and the selective reaction between them were investigated. Tanito Harum coal was used for this study. This coal contains a slight amount of siderite and jarosite besides pyrite as iron compounds. Liquefaction samples were obtained from the 1 t/d NEDOL process PSU. The solid deposits in the reactor mainly contained pyrrhotite and quartz. A slight amount of kaolinite was observed, and pyrite was little remained. It was found that the catalyst (pyrrhotite) often coexisted with quartz, clay and calcite. 8 figs., 2 tabs.

Impact of climate change on freshwater resources in a heterogeneous coastal aquifer of Bremerhaven, Germany: A three-dimensional modeling study.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Jie; Graf, Thomas; Ptak, Thomas

2015-01-01

Climate change is expected to induce sea level rise in the German Bight, which is part of the North Sea, Germany. Climate change may also modify river discharge of the river Weser flowing into the German Bight, which will alter both pressure and salinity distributions in the river Weser estuary. To study the long-term interaction between sea level rise, discharge variations, a storm surge and coastal aquifer flow dynamics, a 3D seawater intrusion model was designed using the fully coupled surface-subsurface numerical model HydroGeoSphere. The model simulates the coastal aquifer as an integral system considering complexities such as variable-density flow, variably saturated flow, irregular boundary conditions, irregular land surface and anthropogenic structures (e.g., dyke, drainage canals, water gates). The simulated steady-state groundwater flow of the year 2009 is calibrated using PEST. In addition, four climate change scenarios are simulated based on the calibrated model: (i) sea level rise of 1m, (ii) the salinity of the seaside boundary increases by 4 PSU (Practical Salinity Units), (iii) the salinity of the seaside boundary decreases by 12 PSU, and (iv) a storm surge with partial dyke failure. Under scenarios (i) and (iv), the salinized area expands several kilometers further inland during several years. Natural remediation can take up to 20 years. However, sudden short-term salinity changes in the river Weser estuary do not influence the salinized area in the coastal aquifer. The obtained results are useful for coastal engineering practices and drinking water resource management. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Understanding the formation and evolution of rain-formed fresh lenses at the ocean surface

Science.gov (United States)

Drushka, Kyla; Asher, William E.; Ward, Brian; Walesby, Kieran

2016-04-01

Rain falling on the ocean produces a layer of buoyant fresher surface water, or "fresh lens." Fresh lenses can have significant impacts on satellite-in situ salinity comparisons and on exchanges between the surface and the bulk mixed layer. However, because these are small, transient features, relatively few observations of fresh lenses have been made. Here the Generalized Ocean Turbulence Model (GOTM) is used to explore the response of the upper few meters of the ocean to rain events. Comparisons with observations from several platforms demonstrate that GOTM can reproduce the main characteristics of rain-formed fresh lenses. Idealized sensitivity tests show that the near-surface vertical salinity gradient within fresh lenses has a linear dependence on rain rate and an inverse dependence on wind speed. Yearlong simulations forced with satellite rainfall and reanalysis atmospheric parameters demonstrate that the mean salinity difference between 0.01 and 5 m, equivalent to the measurement depths of satellite radiometers and Argo floats, is -0.04 psu when averaged over the 20°S-20°N tropical band. However, when averaged regionally, the mean vertical salinity difference exceeds -0.15 psu in the Indo-Pacific warm pool, in the Pacific and Atlantic intertropical convergence zone, and in the South Pacific convergence zone. In most of these regions, salinities measured by the Aquarius satellite instrument have a fresh bias relative to Argo measurements at 5 m depth. These results demonstrate that the fresh bias in Aquarius salinities in rainy, low-wind regions may be caused by the presence of rain-produced fresh lenses.

Report for the coal type committee meetings in fiscal 1993; 1993 nendo tanshu iinkai hokokusho

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1994-03-01

This paper reports a joint meeting of the coal liquefaction committee and the coal type committee in fiscal 1993. The report is focussed on the coal type selection (the final report) for the coal used in the 150-t/d coal liquefaction pilot plant (PP) among other agenda. Initially the Australian Wandoan coal was scheduled to be selected as the reference coal for the PP operation, but the mine has not gone into operation, hence the schedule was given up. Screening was carried out to select a coal which is commercially produced and exported, and contains ash at 10% by weight or less, sulfur at 1.5% by weight or less, and chlorine at 300 ppm or less. An autoclave and a 0.01-t/d flowing type device were used to evaluate liquefaction performance, whereas the Tanito Harum coal produced in Indonesia, very similar to the Wandoan coal, was selected as a promising candidate. A PSU was used to demonstrate overall operation performance. The coal is an appropriate reference coal as seen from the aspects of liquefied oil yield, nature, operability, and site surveys in Indonesia. Among the actual record of four kinds of PSU coals in the past, the present coal has the oil yield ranked high, has the least liquefaction residues, and is advantageous economically. The oil yield per ton of coal has cleared the PP target of four barrels. The coal has less ash, is easy in solid/liquid separation in the depressurized distillation, and has no problems in operability, excepting the matter of coal supply. (NEDO)

Spatial and Temporal Analysis of Sea Surface Salinity Using Satellite Imagery in Gulf of Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Rajabi, S.; Hasanlou, M.; Safari, A. R.

2017-09-01

The recent development of satellite sea surface salinity (SSS) observations has enabled us to analyse SSS variations with high spatiotemporal resolution. In this regards, The Level3-version4 data observed by Aquarius are used to examine the variability of SSS in Gulf of Mexico for the 2012-2014 time periods. The highest SSS value occurred in April 2013 with the value of 36.72 psu while the lowest value (35.91 psu) was observed in July 2014. Based on the monthly distribution maps which will be demonstrated in the literature, it was observed that east part of the region has lower salinity values than the west part for all months mainly because of the currents which originate from low saline waters of the Caribbean Sea and furthermore the eastward currents like loop current. Also the minimum amounts of salinity occur in coastal waters where the river runoffs make fresh the high saline waters. Our next goal here is to study the patterns of sea surface temperature (SST), chlorophyll-a (CHLa) and fresh water flux (FWF) and examine the contributions of them to SSS variations. So by computing correlation coefficients, the values obtained for SST, FWF and CHLa are 0.7, 0.22 and 0.01 respectively which indicated high correlation of SST on SSS variations. Also by considering the spatial distribution based on the annual means, it found that there is a relationship between the SSS, SST, CHLa and the latitude in the study region which can be interpreted by developing a mathematical model.

Dwarfism of blue mussels in the low saline Baltic Sea — growth to the lower salinity limit

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Riisgård, Hans Ulrik; Larsen, Poul Scheel; Turja, Raisa

2014-01-01

Mussels within the Baltic Mytilus edulis × M. trossulus hybrid zone have adapted to the low salinities in the Baltic Sea which, however, results in slow-growing dwarfed mussels. To get a better understanding of the nature of dwarfism, we studied the ability of M. trossulus to feed and grow at low...... to become negative below 4.5 psu. We suggest that reduced ability to produce shell material at extremely low salinity may explain dwarfism of mussels in the Baltic Sea. Reduced bio-calcification at low salinity, however, may impede shell growth, but not somatic growth, and this may at first result...

Studies of the environmental impact of evaporative cooling tower plumes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomson, D.W.

1978-01-01

This ongoing research program of the environmental impact of natural-draft evaporative cooling tower plumes consists principally of a comprehensive series of airborne measurements of a variety of the physical characteristics of the plumes and, to a lesser extent, of preliminary studies of remote sodar plume probing techniques and the development of simplified dynamical numerical models suitable for use in conducting field measurement programs. The PSU Doppler sodar was used at the Keystone Power Plant in southwestern Pennsylvania for an extended series of remote measurements of the characteristics of plume turbulent temperature and velocity fluctuations and results are discussed

Spatial and temporal variability of thermohaline properties in the Bay of Koper (northern Adriatic Sea)

Science.gov (United States)

Soczka Mandac, Rok; Žagar, Dušan; Faganeli, Jadran

2013-04-01

In this study influence of fresh water discharge on the spatial and temporal variability of thermohaline (TH) conditions is explored for the Bay of Koper (Bay). The Bay is subject to different driving agents: wind stress (bora, sirocco), tidal and seiches effect, buoyancy fluxes, general circulation of the Adriatic Sea and discharge of the Rizana and Badaševica rivers. These rivers have torrential characteristics that are hard to forecast in relation to meteorological events (precipitation). Therefore, during episodic events the spatial and temporal variability of TH properties in the Bay is difficult to determine [1]. Measurements of temperature, salinity and turbidity were conducted monthly on 35 sampling points in the period: June 2011 - December 2012. The data were processed and spatial interpolated with an objective analysis method. Furthermore, empirical orthogonal function analysis (EOF) [2] was applied to investigate spatial and temporal TH variations. Strong horizontal and vertical stratification was observed in the beginning of June 2011 due to high fresh water discharge of the Rizana (31 m3/s) and Badaševica (2 m3/s) rivers. The horizontal gradient (ΔT = 6°C) was noticed near the mouth of the Rizana river. Similar pattern was identified for salinity field on the boundary of the front where the gradient was ΔS = 20 PSU. Vertical temperature gradient was ΔT = 4°C while salinity gradient was ΔS = 18 PSU in the subsurface layer at depth of 3 m. Spatial analysis of the first principal component (86% of the total variance) shows uniform temperature distribution in the surface layer (1m) during the studied period. Furthermore, temporal variability of temperature shows seasonal variation with a minimum in February and maximum in August. This confirms that episodic events have a negligible effect on spatial and temporal variation of temperature in the subsurface layer. Further analysis will include application of EOF on the salinity, density and total

q-Poincaré supersymmetry in AdS5/CFT4

Science.gov (United States)

Borsato, Riccardo; Torrielli, Alessandro

2018-03-01

We consider the exact S-matrix governing the planar spectral problem for strings on AdS5 ×S5 and N = 4 super Yang-Mills, and we show that it is invariant under a novel "boost" symmetry, which acts as a differentiation with respect to the particle momentum. This generator leads us also to reinterpret the usual centrally extended psu (2 | 2) symmetry, and to conclude that the S-matrix is invariant under a q-Poincaré supersymmetry algebra, where the deformation parameter is related to the 't Hooft coupling. We determine the two-particle action (coproduct) that turns out to be non-local, and study the property of the new symmetry under crossing transformations. We look at both the strong-coupling (large tension in the string theory) and weak-coupling (spin-chain description of the gauge theory) limits; in the former regime we calculate the cobracket utilising the universal classical r-matrix of Beisert and Spill. In the eventuality that the boost has higher partners, we also construct a quantum affine version of 2D Poincaré symmetry, by contraction of the quantum affine algebra Uq (sl2 ˆ) in Drinfeld's second realisation.

q-Poincaré supersymmetry in AdS5/CFT4

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Riccardo Borsato

2018-03-01

Full Text Available We consider the exact S-matrix governing the planar spectral problem for strings on AdS5×S5 and N=4 super Yang–Mills, and we show that it is invariant under a novel “boost” symmetry, which acts as a differentiation with respect to the particle momentum. This generator leads us also to reinterpret the usual centrally extended psu(2|2 symmetry, and to conclude that the S-matrix is invariant under a q-Poincaré supersymmetry algebra, where the deformation parameter is related to the 't Hooft coupling. We determine the two-particle action (coproduct that turns out to be non-local, and study the property of the new symmetry under crossing transformations. We look at both the strong-coupling (large tension in the string theory and weak-coupling (spin-chain description of the gauge theory limits; in the former regime we calculate the cobracket utilising the universal classical r-matrix of Beisert and Spill. In the eventuality that the boost has higher partners, we also construct a quantum affine version of 2D Poincaré symmetry, by contraction of the quantum affine algebra Uq(sl2ˆ in Drinfeld's second realisation.

Efeito dos tratamentos físicos e químicos no resíduo de lixadeira do algodão Effects of physical and chemical treatments in cotton textile mill waste

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juliana dos Santos

2004-08-01

Full Text Available O experimento foi conduzido no Departamento de Zootecnia (UFLA e no Laboratório de Alimentos (UNIFENAS, com o objetivo de avaliar o valor nutritivo do resíduo de lixadeira do algodão pela composição bromatológica (PB, FDN, FDA e pela degradabilidade da MS e da FDN. Os tratamentos foram: T1 - in natura (IN; T2 - pressão e vapor (127ºC/1,5 kgf/cm²/35min; PV; T3 - 4% hidróxido de sódio (por 24 horas; NaOH; T4 - 3% uréia (por 28 dias; U; T5 - 4% NaOH + 3% uréia (NaOH/U; T6 - PV + 4% NaOH (PV/NaOH; T7 - PV + 3% uréia (PV/U. Pelos resultados referentes à composição química, conclui-se que os tratamentos associados foram mais eficientes em aumentar o valor nutritivo do resíduo, sendo o tratamento NaOH/U o que apresentou os melhores resultados para PB, FDN e FDA. Os maiores valores para a degradabilidade efetiva da MS foram verificados para o resíduo tratado com PV, U, NaOH/U, PV/NaOH, PV/U, que também apresentaram maior fração solúvel e menor fração insolúvel potencialmente degradável (b. Os tratamentos U, PV/NaOH e PV/U apresentaram as maiores de degradabilidade efetiva da FDN e maior fração solúvel. Os tratamentos associados aumentaram a degradabilidade e o valor nutritivo do resíduo de lixadeira do algodão.The experiment was carried out at the Department of Animal Science of the Universidade Federal de Lavras and at the Food Laboratory at the Universidade José do Rosário Vellano (UNIFENAS, with the objective to evaluate the nutritive value of cotton textile mill waste using chemical composition (DM, CP, NDF, ADF and ruminal degradability of the dry matter and NDF. The treatments were: T1 - in natura residue (IN; T2 - residue submitted to the pressure and steam treated (127ºC/1,5 kgf/cm²/35"; PS; T3 - 4% sodium hydroxide treated residue (four 24 hours; NaOH; T4 - 3% urea treated residue (for 28 days; U; T5 - 4% NaOH +3% urea treated residue (NaOH/U; T6 - pressure and steam + 4% NaOH treated residue (PS/NaOH; T7

ENTROPY FLOW CHARACTERISTICS ANALYSIS OF TYPHOON MATSA (0509)

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

XU Hui; LIU Chong-jian

2008-01-01

The evolution of Typhoon Matsa (0509) is examined in terms of entropy flow through an entropy balance equation derived from the Gibbs relation, according to the second law of thermodynamics. The entropy flows in the various significant stages of (genesis, development and decaying) during its evolution are diagnosed based on the outputs of the PSU/NCAR mesoscale model (known as MM5). The results show that: (1) the vertical spatial distribution of entropy flow for Matsa is characterized by a predominantly negative entropy flow in a large portion of the troposphere and a positive flow in the upper levels; (2) the fields of entropy flows at the middle troposphere (500 hPa) show that the growth of the typhoon is greatly dependent on the negative entropy flows from its surroundings; and (3) the simulated centres of heavy rainfall associated with the typhoon match well with the zones of large negative entropy flows, suggesting that they may be a significant indicator for severe weather events.

School disadaptation in children with speech underdevelopment and its prevention

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander N. Kornev

2012-01-01

Full Text Available 350 7 to 14-year-old students of a special school for children with severe speechand language disorders (SLD were tested through psychological, neurolinguisticand clinical methods. It was a longitudinal study. During 4-5 years of studyingat the special school, the majority of speech and language impairments reduceand communicative skills grow up. But the other students demonstrate regressof adaptation skills, intellectual effi ciency and increase in restlessness, aggressivebehavior, mood disorders, and neurotic disorders. We recognize it as the state ofexacerbation. Comparative statistic analysis reveals that this state occurs mostlybetween 9.5 and 11.5 years of life. 50% of the decompensation cases observedoccurs in this age range. The data obtained gave us an incentive to develop a preventionprogram. The target group included a population aged 9.5-10 with PSU(PPMI-program. The 2-year experience of incorporating the risk subgroup of SLICinto the PPMI-program gave a positive return. The amount of decompensationsreduced signifi cantly. Intensity of psychopatological disorders decreased.

The Aquarius Ocean Salinity Mission High Stability L-band Radiometer

Science.gov (United States)

Pellerano, Fernando A.; Piepmeier, Jeffrey; Triesky, Michael; Horgan, Kevin; Forgione, Joshua; Caldwell, James; Wilson, William J.; Yueh, Simon; Spencer, Michael; McWatters, Dalia;

Development of a High-Stability Microstrip-based L-band Radiometer for Ocean Salinity Measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Pellerano, Fernando A.; Horgan, Kevin A.; Wilson, William J.; Tanner, Alan B.

2004-01-01

The development of a microstrip-based L-band Dicke radiometer with the long-term stability required for future ocean salinity measurements to an accuracy of 0.1 psu is presented. This measurement requires the L-band radiometers to have calibration stabilities of less than or equal to 0.05 K over 2 days. This research has focused on determining the optimum radiometer requirements and configuration to achieve this objective. System configuration and component performance have been evaluated with radiometer test beds at both JPL and GSFC. The GSFC testbed uses a cryogenic chamber that allows long-term characterization at radiometric temperatures in the range of 70 - 120 K. The research has addressed several areas including component characterization as a function of temperature and DC bias, system linearity, optimum noise diode injection calibration, and precision temperature control of components. A breadboard radiometer, utilizing microstrip-based technologies, has been built to demonstrate this long-term stability.

Annual report 1991 on R and D work by the Institute for Materials and Solid State Research (IMF), Karlsruhe Nuclear Research Center

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-03-01

The annual report summarises the activities of the IMF in the following subject areas: 1) Contributions to the PKF (fusion technology project (refewing to structural materials, superconducting magnets, blanket development); 2) PSU, project for the management of pollutants in the environment (treatment and recycling of hazardous waste); 3) solid state and materials research (high-temperature materials, ceramic materials as protective coatings, polymer materials, high-performance ceramics, high-TC superconducting materials; biomechanics, laser technology); 4) microtechnology (development and testing of compact or layered materials in microtechnology); 5) PSF project, nuclear safety, research (safety and materials aspects of fast breeder reactors, transient behaviour of fuel elements in fact breeder reactors, LWR-specific safety research, containment design concepts for the next generation of PWR-type reactors); 6) NE project, nuclear waste management (analysis of solid wastes from the dissolution of spent LWR fuels, materials testing in nitric acid). The primary reports and other publications of the Institute issued in 1991 are listed in an annex. (orig./MM) [de

Fiscal 1989 report. Coal liquefaction committee; 1989 nendo sekitan ekika iinkai hokokusho

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1990-03-01

The committee in this fiscal year had its 1st meeting in June 1989 and 2nd meeting in March 1990, when fiscal 1989 research and development programs and fiscal 1989 research and development results, etc., were reported and discussed. The operating status of the 1 ton/day PSU (process supporting unit) for bituminous coal liquefaction was reported and discussed. The report included its 1st operation for the demonstration of a long-term stable run under standard conditions that continued for trouble-free 50 days, the 2nd operation for the investigation of the effect of liquefaction reaction temperature in which the liquefaction yield recorded the maximum at 450 degrees C with the collection of coal oils of 55 wt.% on the average, and the 3rd operation for the investigation of the effects of liquefaction reaction pressure and catalyst injection size whose details were being analyzed. Reported in relation with the brown coal liquefaction pilot plant was a comprehensive operation of a series of 1st hydrogenation, solvent deashing, and 2nd hydrogenation processes completed after a continuous operation of 460 hours establishing a total operating time of 1050 hours. (NEDO)

La marea roja causada por el dinoflagelado Alexandrium tamarense en la costa Pacífica colombiana (2001

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ingrid García-Hansen

2004-09-01

Full Text Available El 26 de marzo de 2001 se registró por primera vez en las aguas del Pacífico colombiano, en el área de la Ensenada de Tumaco, la aparición de una marea roja producida por la especie Alexandrium tamarense con valores que superaron las 7.5 x 10(6 céls l-1 , la marea se mantuvo hacia la región oceánica, derivando en sentido sur-norte por efecto de las corrientes, hasta ser vista por ultima vez cerca a la Isla Gorgona, casi tres semanas después. Un año mas tarde, en marzo de 2002, una segunda proliferación, conformada por la misma especie, se reportó cerca de Cabo Corrientes con una concentración de 1.6 x 10(6 céls l -1 . Ambos casos estuvieron relacionados con la presencia de bajas temperaturas en la superficie del mar y no estuvieron asociadas con fenómenos de intoxicación y mortalidadFrom April 26th to May 15th 2001, a large algae bloom was observed off Tumaco Bay on the Pacific coast of Colombia. This was the first harmful algae bloom (HAB reported in the region, and reached Gorgona Island, about 120 km north. Ayear later, starting March 2002, an offshore HAB developed from Cabo Corrientes North to Solano Bay. The typical abundance during the blooms reached 7.5 x 10(6 cells l-1 for the 2001 event and 1.6 x 10(6 cells l-1 for the 2002 event. During both events, low temperature and high salinity were recorded. Typical measurements in the area are 27-27.5°C and 30-31.5 psu. Values observed during the two events were 24-24.6°C and 33-34 psu; 3°C below normal and more than 2.5 psu above average values. These conditions are indicative of local upwelling processes at the time of the events. On both occasions, cells corresponding to the Alexandrium catenella/fundeyense/tamarense complex represented 99-100% of the biomass. It was difficult to differentiate the cells from A. catenella, but the presence of short chains of only 4 cells (single cells represented most of the biomass was suggestive of A. tamarense. Shape, dimensions, and

Community advocacy groups as a means to address the social environment of female sex workers: a case study in Andhra Pradesh, India.

Science.gov (United States)

Punyam, Swarup; Pullikalu, Renuka Somanatha; Mishra, Ram Manohar; Sandri, Prashanth; Mutupuru, Balakrishna Prasad; Kokku, Suresh Babu; Parimi, Prabhakar

2012-10-01

To examine the association between the presence of community advocacy groups (CAGs) and female sex workers' (FSWs) access to social entitlements and outcomes of police advocacy. Data were used from a cross-sectional survey conducted in 2010-2011 among 1986 FSWs and 104 NGO outreach workers from five districts of Andhra Pradesh. FSWs were recruited using a probability-based sampling from 104 primary sampling units (PSUs). A PSU is a geographical area covered by one outreach worker and is expected to have an active CAG as per community mobilisation efforts. The presence of active CAGs was defined as the presence of an active committee or advocacy group in the area (PSU). Outcome indicators included acquisition of different social entitlements and measures of police response as reported by FSWs. Multivariate linear and logistic regression analyses were used to examine the associations. Areas with active CAGs compared with their counterparts had a significantly higher mean number of FSWs linked to ration cards (12.8 vs 6.8; p<0.01), bank accounts (9.3 vs 5.9; p=0.05) and health insurance (13.1 vs 7.0; p=0.02). A significantly higher percentage of FSWs from areas with active CAGs as compared with others reported that the police treat them more fairly now than a year before (79.7% vs 70.3%; p<0.05) and the police explained the reasons for arrest when arrested the last time (95.7% vs 87%; p<0.05). FSWs from areas with active CAGs were more likely to access certain social entitlements and to receive a fair response from the police, highlighting the contributions of CAGs in community mobilisation.

Compton suppression system at Penn State Radiation Science and Engineering Center

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cetiner, N.Oe.; Uenlue, K.; Brenizer, J.S.

2008-01-01

A Compton suppression system is used to reduce the contribution of scattered gamma-rays that originate within the HPGe detector to the gamma ray spectrum. The HPGe detector is surrounded by an assembly of guard detectors, usually NaI(Tl). The HPGe and NaI(Tl) detectors are operated in anti-coincidence mode. The NaI(Tl) guard detector detects the photons that Compton scatter within, and subsequently escape from the HPGe detector. Since these photons are correlated with the partial energy deposition within the detector, much of the resulting Compton continuum can be subtracted from the spectrum reducing the unwanted background in gamma-ray spectra. A commercially available Compton suppression spectrometer (CSS) was purchased from Canberra Industries and tested at the Radiation Science and Engineering Center at Penn State University. The PSU-CSS includes a reverse bias HPGe detector, four annulus NaI(Tl) detectors, a NaI(Tl) plug detector, detector shields, data acquisition electronics, and a data processing computer. The HPGe detector is n-type with 54% relative efficiency. The guard detectors form an annulus with 9-inch diameter and 9-inch height, and have a plug detector that goes into/out of the annulus with the help of a special lift apparatus to raise/lower. The detector assembly is placed in a shielding cave. State-of-the-art electronics and software are used. The system was tested using standard sources, neutron activated NIST SRM sample and Dendrochronologically Dated Tree Ring samples. The PSU-CSS dramatically improved the peak-to-Compton ratio, up to 1000 : 1 for the 137 Cs source. (author)

Extension of BEPU methods to Sub-channel Thermal-Hydraulics and to Coupled Three-Dimensional Neutronics/Thermal-Hydraulics Codes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Avramova, M.; Ivanov, K.; Arenas, C.

2013-01-01

The principles that support the risk-informed regulation are to be considered in an integrated decision-making process. Thus, any evaluation of licensing issues supported by a safety analysis would take into account both deterministic and probabilistic aspects of the problem. The deterministic aspects will be addressed using Best Estimate code calculations and considering the associated uncertainties i.e. Plus Uncertainty (BEPU) calculations. In recent years there has been an increasing demand from nuclear research, industry, safety and regulation for best estimate predictions to be provided with their confidence bounds. This applies also to the sub-channel thermal-hydraulic codes, which are used to evaluate local safety parameters. The paper discusses the extension of BEPU methods to the sub-channel thermal-hydraulic codes on the example of the Pennsylvania State University (PSU) version of COBRA-TF (CTF). The use of coupled codes supplemented with uncertainty analysis allows to avoid unnecessary penalties due to incoherent approximations in the traditional decoupled calculations, and to obtain more accurate evaluation of margins regarding licensing limit. This becomes important for licensing power upgrades, improved fuel assembly and control rod designs, higher burn-up and others issues related to operating LWRs as well as to the new Generation 3+ designs being licensed now (ESBWR, AP-1000, EPR-1600 and etc.). The paper presents the application of Generalized Perturbation Theory (GPT) to generate uncertainties associated with the few-group assembly homogenized neutron cross-section data used as input in coupled reactor core calculations. This is followed by a discussion of uncertainty propagation methodologies, being implemented by PSU in cooperation of Technical University of Catalonia (UPC) for reactor core calculations and for comprehensive multi-physics simulations. (authors)

ANALISIS KEPUASAN SATUAN KERJA PERANGKAT DAERAH (SKPD DAN REKANAN TERHADAP KINERJA UNIT LAYANAN PENGADAAN (ULP PEMERINTAH KABUPATEN BADUNG

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Putu Budayasa

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract:Based on Presidential Decree Number 54 Year 2010 concerning Government Procurement of Goods / Services. Procurement process carried out by a unit called the Procurement Service Unit (PSU. In Government of Badung Regency, PSU was formed in 2011wich often get a negative presumption of those associated with the Unit is the Regional Work Unit and Partner Company when carry out the procurement process. Under these conditions it is necessary to evaluate the services given. The research aimed to determine the level of satisfaction Regional Work Unit and Partner Company of the performance of the Procurement Unit of Badung Regency and to investigate the influence of the five dimensions of service quality and satisfaction levels  wich is Tangible, Reliability, Responsiveness, Assurance and Empathy.Sampling using simple random sampling with a sample of 30 of Regional Work Unit and 71 of the Partner Company. Measuring the level of satisfaction is done by comparing the scores of hope with a score of respondents' perceptions of reality services received. While to know the factors that influence satisfaction of Partner company and regional work unit done by searching multiple linear regression model. The analysis was conducted to determine the effect or the relationship between variables, either partially or simultaneously.The results of descriptive analysis expressed Regional Work Unit satisfaction level is 86.28%, which factors most influence satisfaction is Assurance. Partner Company satisfaction level is 86.4% which factors most influence satisfaction is Tangible. Results inferential analysis states that the fifth dimension is influenced simultaneously and partially on both Regional Work Unit and Partner Company satisfaction .

Meridional transport of salt in the global ocean from an eddy-resolving model

Science.gov (United States)

Treguier, A. M.; Deshayes, J.; Le Sommer, J.; Lique, C.; Madec, G.; Penduff, T.; Molines, J.-M.; Barnier, B.; Bourdalle-Badie, R.; Talandier, C.

2014-04-01

The meridional transport of salt is computed in a global eddy-resolving numerical model (1/12° resolution) in order to improve our understanding of the ocean salinity budget. A methodology is proposed that allows a global analysis of the salinity balance in relation to surface water fluxes, without defining a "freshwater anomaly" based on an arbitrary reference salinity. The method consists of a decomposition of the meridional transport into (i) the transport by the time-longitude-depth mean velocity, (ii) time-mean velocity recirculations and (iii) transient eddy perturbations. Water is added (rainfall and rivers) or removed (evaporation) at the ocean surface at different latitudes, which creates convergences and divergences of mass transport with maximum and minimum values close to ±1 Sv. The resulting meridional velocity effects a net transport of salt at each latitude (±30 Sv PSU), which is balanced by the time-mean recirculations and by the net effect of eddy salinity-velocity correlations. This balance ensures that the total meridional transport of salt is close to zero, a necessary condition for maintaining a quasi-stationary salinity distribution. Our model confirms that the eddy salt transport cannot be neglected: it is comparable to the transport by the time-mean recirculation (up to 15 Sv PSU) at the poleward and equatorial boundaries of the subtropical gyres. Two different mechanisms are found: eddy contributions are localized in intense currents such as the Kuroshio at the poleward boundary of the subtropical gyres, while they are distributed across the basins at the equatorward boundaries. Closer to the Equator, salinity-velocity correlations are mainly due to the seasonal cycle and large-scale perturbations such as tropical instability waves.

Circulation and salt intrusion in the Piaçaguera Channel, Santos (SP

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Luiz Bruner de Miranda

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Analysis of thermohaline properties and currents sampled at an anchor station in the Piaçaguera Channel (Santos Estuary in the austral winter was made in terms of tidal (neap and spring tidal cycles and non-tidal conditions, with the objective to characterize the stratification, circulation and salt transport due to the fortnightly tidal modulation. Classical methods of observational data analysis of hourly and nearly synoptic observations and analytical simulations of nearly steady-state salinity and longitudinal velocity profiles were used. During the neap tidal cycle the flood (v0 velocities varied in the range of -0.20 m/s to 0.30 m/s associated with a small salinity variation from surface to bottom (26.4 psu to 30.7 psu. In the spring tidal cycle the velocities increased and varied in the range of -0.40 m/s to 0.45 m/s, but the salinity stratification remained almost unaltered. The steady-state salinity and velocity profiles simulated with an analytical model presented good agreement (Skill near 1.0, in comparison with the observational profiles. During the transitional fortnightly tidal modulation period there was no changes in the channel classification (type 2a - partially mixed and weakly stratified, because the potential energy rate was to low to enhance the halocline erosion. These results, associated with the high water column vertical stability (RiL >20 and the low estuarine Richardson number (RiE=1.6, lead to the conclusions: i the driving mechanism for the estuary circulation and mixing was mainly balanced by the fresh water discharge and the tidal forcing associated with the baroclinic component of the gradient pressure force; ii there was no changes in the thermohaline and circulation characteristics due to the forthnigtly tidal modulation; and iii the nearly steady-state of the vertical salinity and velocity profiles were well simulated with a theoretical classical analytical model.A análise de dados termohalinos e correntes

Ethanol and anaerobic conditions reversibly inhibit commercial cellulase activity in thermophilic simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (tSSF

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Podkaminer Kara K

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background A previously developed mathematical model of low solids thermophilic simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (tSSF with Avicel was unable to predict performance at high solids using a commercial cellulase preparation (Spezyme CP and the high ethanol yield Thermoanaerobacterium saccharolyticum strain ALK2. The observed hydrolysis proceeded more slowly than predicted at solids concentrations greater than 50 g/L Avicel. Factors responsible for this inaccuracy were investigated in this study. Results Ethanol dramatically reduced cellulase activity in tSSF. At an Avicel concentration of 20 g/L, the addition of ethanol decreased conversion at 96 hours, from 75% in the absence of added ethanol down to 32% with the addition of 34 g/L initial ethanol. This decrease is much greater than expected based on hydrolysis inhibition results in the absence of a fermenting organism. The enhanced effects of ethanol were attributed to the reduced, anaerobic conditions of tSSF, which were shown to inhibit cellulase activity relative to hydrolysis under aerobic conditions. Cellulose hydrolysis in anaerobic conditions was roughly 30% slower than in the presence of air. However, this anaerobic inhibition was reversed by exposing the cellulase enzymes to air. Conclusion This work demonstrates a previously unrecognized incompatibility of enzymes secreted by an aerobic fungus with the fermentation conditions of an anaerobic bacterium and suggests that enzymes better suited to industrially relevant fermentation conditions would be valuable. The effects observed may be due to inactivation or starvation of oxygen dependent GH61 activity, and manipulation or replacement of this activity may provide an opportunity to improve biomass to fuel process efficiency.

Effect of Doppler Radial Velocity Data Assimilation on the Simulation of a Typhoon Approaching Taiwan: A Case Study of Typhoon Aere (2004

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Hsin-Hung Lin

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Compared to conventional data, radar observations have an advantage of high spatial and temporal resolutions, and Doppler radars are capable of capturing detailed characteristics of flow fields, including typhoon circulation. In this study, the possible improvement of short-term typhoon predictions near Taiwan, particularly with regard to related rainfall forecasts over the mountainous island, using Doppler radial wind observations is explored. The case of Typhoon Aere (2004 was chosen for study, and a series of experiments were carried out using the Penn State University/National Center for Atmospheric Research (PSU/NCAR Mesoscale Model Version 5 (MM5 with its three-dimensional variational (3D-VAR data assimilation system.

Gráficas y tablas estadísticas en la prueba de selección universitaria chilena

OpenAIRE

Díaz-Levicoy, Danilo; Parraguez, Rafael; Sánchez, Juan C.

2015-01-01

En este artículo presentamos los resultados de un análisis de las preguntas en las que intervienen gráficos y tablas de la sección de estadística y probabilidad en los facsímiles de la Prueba de Selección Universitaria (PSU) en los procesos de admisión 2005 al 2015. La metodología seguida en esta investigación es de tipo cualitativa, descriptiva y mediante análisis de contenido. Dentro de los resultados se destacan un predominio de tablas estadísticas, gráficos de barras, nivel de lectura “le...

Species-specific coral calcification responses to the extreme environment of the southern Persian Gulf

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Howells, Emily J.; Dunshea, Glenn John; McParland, Dain

2018-01-01

Sustained accretion of calcium carbonate (mostly by scleractinian corals) is fundamental for maintaining the structure and function of coral reef ecosystems, but may be greatly constrained by extreme and rapidly changing environmental conditions. Corals in the southern Persian Gulf already...... experience extreme temperature ranges ( 34°C), chronic hypersalinity (> 43 psu) and frequent light limitation (coral species in the region (Platygyra daedalea and Cyphastrea microphthalma) along marked...... Persian Gulf was lowest at Ras Ghanada, where there was lowest light and highest maximum temperatures. These data reveal striking taxonomic differences in the specific environmental constraints on coral calcification, which will further reinforce changes in the structure of coral assemblages with ongoing...

Engineering of factors determining alpha-amylase and cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase specificity in the cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase from Thermoanaerobacterium thermosulfurigenes EM1

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wind, RD; Buitelaar, RM; Dijkhuizen, L

1998-01-01

The starch-degrading enzymes alpha-amylase and cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase (CGTase) are functionally and structurally closely related, with CGTases containing two additional domains (called D and E) compared to the three domains of alpha-amylases (A, B and C). Amino acid residue 196

PERKIRAAN PADAT PENEBARAN IKAN KERAPU MACAN (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus YANG OPTIMUM BERDASARKAN PADA KEBUTUHAN OKSIGEN TERLARUT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arif Dwi Santoso

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Studi tentang perkiraan padat penebaran optimum pada ikan kerapu macan (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus berdasarkan pada kebutuhan oksigen terlarut telah dilakukan pada areal Teluk Hurun, Lampung pada bulan Juli 2003. Rata-rata hasil pengukuran kualitas lingkungan keramba jaring apung 13,5 m3 yang berisi ikan kerapu macan meliputi oksigen terlarut 3,68—6,76 (5,35 ± 0,25 mg/L suhu air 28,64—29,72 (29,09 ± 0,09 oC. Salinitas 32,69—33,0 (32,94 ± 0,13 psu and turbiditas 0,27—13,62 (1,15 ± 0,41 NTU. Data tambahan meliputi laju pemasukan air sungai sekitar 0,02 m3/detik dan kecepatan arus 2,3—5,1 cm/detik. Dari analisis data laju respirasi ikan kerapu macan yang diukur dengan mengunakan fish chamber menghasilkan fungsi korelasi terhadap bobot badan ikan yaitu Y= 0,0038 + 0,6108 dengan R2= 0,7437 dan fungsi padat penebaran yang optimum yaitu Y= 1505,6 X -0.632; R2= 0,7419. Dari kedua fungsi tersebut didapatkan rekomendasi penentuan padat penebaran yang optimum berdasarkan kebutuhan oksigen terlarut dengan batasan sebagai berikut: stok ikan berukuran kurang dari 50 g disarankan ditebar dengan kepadatan 175 ekor/m3, ikan ukuran 100--200 g sekitar 63 ekor/m3 dan ikan ukuran lebih dari 1.200 g sekitar 17 ekor/m3. Study on the optimum stocking rate estimation on tiger grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus base on dissolved oxygen budged was held in aquaculture area Hurun Bay Lampung in July 2003. Environmental parameters of Hurun Bay estuary were monitored at the site of 13.5 m3 floating net cages for E. fuscoguttatus in July 2003. Average dissolved oxygen inside cages was 3.68—6.76 (5.35 ± 0.25 mg/L with water temperature 28.64—29.72 (29.09 ± 0.09 oC. Salinity 32.69—33.0 (32.94 ± 0.13 psu and turbidity 0.27—13.62 (1.15 ± 0.41 NTU. Inflow rate of cages was 0.02 m3/sec with current velocity 2.3—5.1 cm/s. Results showed that the functions of respiration rate for correlation between respiration of E. fucoguttatus and their weight was Y= 0

Nitrogen and the Baltic Sea: Managing Nitrogen in Relation to Phosphorus

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R. Elmgren

2001-01-01

Full Text Available The Baltic is a large, brackish sea (4 x 105 km2 extending from 54ÅN to ~66ÅN, with a fourfold larger drainage area (population 8 x 107. Surface salinity (2 to 8 PSU and hence biodiversity is low. In the last century, annual nutrient loads increased to 106 metric tons N and 5 x104 ton P. Eutrophication is evident in the N-limited south, where cyanobacteria fix 2 to 4 x 105 ton N each summer, Secchi depths have been halved, and O2-deficient bottom areas have spread. Production remains low in the P-limited north. In nutrient-enriched coastal areas, phytoplankton blooms, toxic at times, and filamentous macroalgae reduce amenity values. Loads need to be reduced of both N, to reduce production, and P, to limit N-fixing cyanobacterial blooms. When large N-load reductions have been achieved locally, algal biomass has declined. So far, P loads have been reduced more than N loads. If this continues, a P-limited Baltic proper may result, very different from previous N-limited conditions. Reaching the management goal of halved anthropogenic N and P loads at minimum cost will require better understanding of biogeochemical nutrient cycles, economic evaluation of proposed measures, and improved stakeholder participation.

FY 1990 Study Meeting of Catalyst (Iron system). Data; 1990 nendo shokubai kento kai (Tetsu kei) shiryo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1991-03-01

The FY 1990 Study Meeting of Iron-system Catalyst was held at NEDO on March 12, 1991, and the data were arranged. In the study meeting, papers titled as follows were made public: About the behavior of H{sub 2}S on iron-system catalyst by Muroran Institute of Technology; Results of the test on iron-system catalyst in the BCL project by Research Institute, Mitsubishi Kasei Corp.; Results of the test on iron-system catalyst by 2.4 t/d PDU by NKK; Results of the test on iron-system catalyst by 0.1 t/d BSU by Mitsui Engineering and Shipbuilding Co.; Results of the test on iron-system catalyst by 1 t/d PSU by Nippon Steel Corp.; Results of the research at Government Industrial Development Laboratory, Hokkaido, and the study; Results of the research at National Chemical Laboratory for Industry and the study; Results of the research at the University of Tokyo and the study; Details of the development of synthetic iron sulfide and the attainment up to now by Asahi Chemical Industry Co. Moreover, the plenary session was held on research items for the development of iron-system catalyst in future. (NEDO)

Soil Porewater Salinity Response to Sea-level Rise in Tidal Freshwater Forested Wetlands: A Modeling Study

Science.gov (United States)

Stagg, C. L.; Wang, H.; Krauss, K.; Conrads, P. A.; Swarzenski, C.; Duberstein, J. A.; DeAngelis, D.

2017-12-01

There is a growing concern about the adverse effects of salt water intrusion via tidal rivers and creeks into tidal freshwater forested wetlands (TFFWs) due to rising sea levels and reduction of freshwater flow. The distribution and composition of plant species, vegetation productivity, and biogeochemical functions including carbon sequestration capacity and flux rates in TFFWs have been found to be affected by increasing river and soil porewater salinities, with significant shifts occurring at a porewater salinity threshold of 3 PSU. However, the drivers of soil porewater salinity, which impact the health and ecological functions of TFFWs remains unclear, limiting our capability of predicting the future impacts of saltwater intrusion on ecosystem services provided by TFFWs. In this study, we developed a soil porewater salinity model for TFFWs based on an existing salt and water balance model with modifications to several key features such as the feedback mechanisms of soil salinity on evapotranspiration reduction and hydraulic conductivity. We selected sites along the floodplains of two rivers, the Waccamaw River (SC, USA) and the Savannah River (GA and SC, USA) that represent landscape salinity gradients of both surface water and soil porewater from tidal influence of the Atlantic Ocean. These sites represent healthy, moderately and highly salt-impacted forests, and oligohaline marshes. The soil porewater salinity model was calibrated and validated using field data collected at these sites throughout 2008-2016. The model results agreed well with field measurements. Analyses of the preliminary simulation results indicate that the magnitude, seasonal and annual variability, and duration of threshold salinities (e.g., 3 PSU) tend to vary significantly with vegetation status and type (i.e., healthy, degraded forests, and oligohaline marshes), especially during drought conditions. The soil porewater salinity model could be coupled with a wetland soil biogeochemistry

Population ecology of turbot and brill: What can we learn from two rare flatfish species?

Science.gov (United States)

van der Hammen, Tessa; Poos, Jan Jaap; van Overzee, Harriët M. J.; Heessen, Henk J. L.; Magnusson, Arni; Rijnsdorp, Adriaan D.

2013-11-01

Turbot and brill are widely distributed in the Northeast Atlantic but occur at low abundance. They are ecologically very similar and closely related. The low abundance and the similarities make them particularly interesting to study the population dynamics because it raises the questions how the populations can sustain themselves at low abundances and how turbot and brill avoid strong interspecific competition. Knowledge of both species is hampered by lack of analysed data. The main objective of this study is therefore to increase the knowledge of turbot and brill and in particular to compare the two species in order to address the above questions. Based on biological samples collected in the North Sea, we calculated seasonal von Bertalanffy growth parameters, maturity ogives, monthly gonado-somatic indices (GSI) and condition factors (Fulton's K) and indices of inter- and intraspecific mean crowding and compared the results for turbot and brill. The main differences between the two species were found in their spawning period, with brill having a more protracted spawning period. Brill also showed an earlier peak in their GSI values, suggesting an earlier start of their spawning period. The mean crowding showed that interspecific competition was lower than intraspecific competition. The exploitation pattern was also studied. Turbot and brill are exploited as a bycatch species in the mixed demersal fishery. We found that productivity is highest in areas where the maximum temperature is close to the optimal temperature for growth (16-18 °C) and landings decrease where salinity falls below ~ 5 psu (turbot) and ~ 15 psu (brill). Recent fishing mortality rates of North Sea turbot are around 0.5-0.7, but there is no indication that recruitment is impaired at low levels of spawning stock biomass. We conclude that although both species have similar ecological characteristics, differences may reduce inter-specific competition.

Stratigraphic and microfossil evidence for hydroclimate changes over the middle to late Holocene in the northern Bahamas from an inland saline lake

Science.gov (United States)

van Hengstum, P. J.; Maale, G. E.; Donnelly, J. P.; Onac, B. P.; Sullivan, R.; Winkler, T. S.; Albury, N. A.

2016-12-01

No Man's Land is one of the largest inland lakes on the Little Bahama Bank in the northern Bahamas, so its paleoenvironmental history may provide insight into how the regional hydroclimate developed over the Holocene. In its modern state, the site is shallow (aquatic invertebrates (e.g., ostracodes, foraminifera, aquatic mollusks) indicate that the site was a terrestrial ecosystem. However, the site transitioned into a subaqueous freshwater environment at 6400 Cal yrs BP, and the site became a palustrine-lacustrine setting thereafter until 4200 Cal yrs BP. During this time, widespread palustrine-lacustrine carbonate deposition and the appearance of freshwater to low mesohaline microfossils indicates that the lake's salinity was likely oligohaline (charophytes, ostracodes: Candona annae, Cypridopsis vidua, foraminifera: Helenina davescottensis, mollusks: Planorbis, Hydrobia). A salinity increase at 4200 Cal yrs BP is inferred from the appearance of the ostracode Cyprideis americana that typically prefers salinities exceeding 10 psu, and deposition of laminated microbial mats. Thereafter, an organic- rich, algal sapropel unit accumulated that was devoid of any microfossils or mollusks. This unit suggests that the lake hosted a stratified water column, where surface waters supported phytoplankton primary productivity and corrosive or anoxic bottom water conditions either hampered microfossil growth or precluded their preservation. The transition to the modern environment ( 20 psu) at 2600 cal yrs BP is characterized by diversification of brackish ostracodes (Aurila floridana, Dolerocypria inopinata, and Hemicyprideis setipunctata), foraminifera (Elphidium spp., Ammonia beccarii, Triloculina oblonga) and mollusks (Anomalocardia, Cerithidea). Over the middle to late Holocene, it appears that the stratigraphic development and salinity changes in No Man's Land has been driven by groundwater-level rise in response to Holocene sea-level rise, the regional delivery of fresh

Proton-Conducting Sulfonated Ionomers by Chemical Modification and Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Mads Møller

The cornerstone in this dissertation is made up by three individual assessments of the diversity in the macromolecular landscape that can be obtained by applying relatively few efficient chemical tools. The intention is to gain deeper knowledge on the chemical tuning of proton exchange membranes...... of hydrocarbon macromolecular architectures, PSU with postsulfonated polystyrene (PS) grafts are investigated. Here, IEC is controlled through the degree of substitution, the graft length and DS. The grafting is performed with atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The third assessment is dedicated...... of control by ATRP and click chemistry enables a wide selection of polymer structures with the handles: degree of substitution (DS), polymerization and sulfonation, and blending....

KfK, Institute for Reactor Components. Results of research and development activities in 1989

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-03-01

R and D activities at IRB (Institut fuer Reaktorbauelemente - Institute for Reactor Components) are dedicated to thermodynamics and fluid dynamics. Emphasis is on the design of nuclear reactor and fusion reactor components. Environmental engineering was added recently. Most activities are applications-oriented. Fundamental investigations focus on energy research and energy technology. The activities are carried out in the framework of different projects (PKF/nuclear fusion, PSF/nuclear safety, PSU/pollution control). Points of main effort are the development of basic liquid-metal-cooled blanket solutions, investigations on natural convection in reactor tanks, and the cooling properties of future containments for pressurized water reactors in the case of nuclear fusion accidents. (orig./GL) [de

Results of 1989/90 research and development activities at KfK Institute for Reactor Components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-03-01

R and D activities at IRB (Institut fuer Reaktorbauelemente - Institute for Reactor Components) are dedicated to thermodynamics and fluid dynamics. Emphasis is on the design of nuclear reactor and fusion reactor components. Environmental engineering was added recently. Most activities are applications-oriented. Fundamental investigations focus on energy research and energy technology. The activities are carried out in the framework of different projects (PKF/nuclear fusion, PSF/nuclear safety, PSU/pollution control). Points of main effort are the development of basic liquid-metal-cooled blanket solutions, investigations on natural convection in reactor ranks, and the cooling properties of future containments for pressurized water reactors in the case of nuclear fusion accidents. (orig./GL) [de

Expositions of the Botanic Garden of Petrozavodsk State University: "Рagan Meadow"

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eglacheva Arina

2015-12-01

Full Text Available "Pagan Meadow" - one of the business cards of Botanic Garden of PSU filled deep sense of creation and originality. Pyramidal junipers were rescued and brought to the mining sites shungit in 1999. The unique expedition was attended by students and graduate students of the Ecology-Biological Faculty. Stone maze and seids appeared in 2011 as a result of the competition landscape projects "Northern motives." Despite the initial dissociation of the two projects lined up a complete picture of the veneration of wood and stone in the history of Karelia. Consideration "Pagan Meadow" by studying upland meadows with a treelike junipers and diversity of the maze of boulders lets discuss the issues of ecology and geology.

Antibiotic Resistance in Animal-waste-impacted Farm Soil: From Molecular Mechanisms to Microbial Evolution and Ecology

Science.gov (United States)

You, Y.; Ward, M. J.; Hilpert, M.

2012-12-01

Antibiotic resistance is a growing public health problem worldwide and the routine use of antibiotics in industrial animal production has sparked debate on whether this practice might constitute an environmental and public health concern. At a broiler farm, electromagnetic induction (EMI) surveying assisted soil sampling from a chicken-waste-impacted site and a marginally affected site. Consistent with the EMI survey, disparity existed between the two sites with regard to soil pH, tetracycline resistance (TcR) levels among heterotrophic culturable soil bacteria, and the incidence/prevalence of a number of tet and erm genes in the soils. No significant difference was observed in these aspects between the marginally affected site and several sites in a regional state forest that has not been in agricultural use for decades. Shortly after our sampling, the farm closed down and all the waste was removed. This unique change in situation offered us an unusual opportunity to examine the reversibility of any impact of the chicken waste on the soil microbial community. Two years after the event, several antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) were still detected in the waste-impacted soil, and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) data showed that their relative abundance remained at substantial levels. A mobilizable tet(L)-carrying plasmid, pSU1, was identified in several chicken-waste-exposed soil bacteria of three different genera. Quantification of the plasmid's mobilization gene suggested that pSU1 had contributed to the prevalence and persistence of tet(L) in the waste-impacted soil. A second mobilizable tet(L)-carrying plasmid, pBSDMV9, isolated from the same soil, contained a region with 98.8% nucleotide identity to pSU1. The mosaic structure of the plasmids and the highly conserved nature of the tet(L) genes suggested that plasmid rearrangement favoring the acquisition of tet(L) may have occurred in the soil relatively recently. Additionally, in one chicken

Untwisting the pure spinor formalism to the RNS and twistor string in a flat and AdS{sub 5}×S{sup 5} background

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Berkovits, Nathan [ICTP South American Institute for Fundamental Research,Instituto de Física Teórica, UNESP - Universidade Estadual Paulista,Rua Dr. Bento T. Ferraz 271, 01140-070, São Paulo, SP (Brazil)

2016-06-21

The pure spinor formalism for the superstring can be formulated as a twisted N=2 worldsheet theory with fermionic generators j{sub BRST} and composite b ghost. After untwisting the formalism to an N=1 worldsheet theory with fermionic stress tensor j{sub BRST}+b, the worldsheet variables combine into N=1 worldsheet superfields X{sup m} and Θ{sup α} together with a superfield constraint relating DX{sup m} and DΘ{sup α}. The constraint implies that the worldsheet superpartner of θ{sup α} is a bosonic twistor variable, and different solutions of the constraint give rise to the pure spinor or extended RNS formalisms, as well as a new twistor-string formalism with manifest N=1 worldsheet supersymmetry. These N=1 worldsheet methods generalize in curved Ramond-Ramond backgrounds, and a manifestly N=1 worldsheet supersymmetric action is proposed for the superstring in an AdS{sub 5}×S{sup 5} background in terms of the twistor superfields. This AdS{sub 5}×S{sup 5} worldsheet action is a remarkably simple fermionic coset model with manifest PSU(2,2|4) symmetry and might be useful for computing AdS{sub 5}×S{sup 5} superstring scattering amplitudes.

Silversides (Odontesthes bonariensis) reside within freshwater and estuarine habitats, not marine environments

Science.gov (United States)

Avigliano, Esteban; Miller, Nathan; Volpedo, Alejandra Vanina

2018-05-01

Otolith core-to-edge Sr:Ca ratio was determined by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) to analyze the salinity-habitat migration history of the silverside, Odontesthes bonariensis, within the Uruguay River (freshwater) and Río de la Plata Estuary (estuarine water) (Plata Basin, South America). Regular core-to-edge oscillations in Sr:Ca suggest that the silverside makes annual migrations between freshwater (1 PSU) habitats, with no evidence of marine incursion or non-migratory individuals. Empirical equations that represent the relationship between conductivity/salinity and otolith Sr:Ca ratio were used to identify where in an otolith an individual transitioned between freshwater and brackish habitats. In most specimens, the first migration between habitats likely occurred within the first year of life. Average numbers of changes between stable Sr:Ca signatures (sites with different salinities) determined by Change-Point analysis were similar from Uruguay River (8.9 ± 3.7) and Río de la Plata Estuary (7.5 ± 2.5) for comparable age fish (p < 0.05), suggesting that habitat use is similar in both collection sites.

Fiscal 1989 report on the bituminous coal liquefaction section meeting; 1989 nendo rekiseitan ekika bukai hokokusho

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1990-03-01

At the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd group meetings held for the fiscal year, reports are given and discussions are made about the progress of research and development. Reported and discussed in relation to the progress of the pilot plant support research are studies with the 1t/d PSU (process supporting unit) (Nippon Steel Corporation, Mitsui Coal Liquefaction Co., Ltd., and Japan Coal Oil Co., Ltd.); improvement on distillate distribution (Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd.); development of an optimum decalcification technique (Sumitomo Coal Mining Co., Ltd., and Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd.); studies of solvent hydrogenation catalysts (Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd., and Chiyoda Corp.); and studies of coal liquefaction conditions (Mitsui Engineering and Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.). In relation to studies using a bituminous coal liquefaction pilot plant, the progress of the 150t/d PP (pilot plant) effort (Japan Coal Oil, Co., Ltd.) and the outlines of pilot surveys (Japan Coal Oil Co., Ltd.) are reported and discussed, the latter covering liquefaction solvent performance optimization, slurry preheating furnaces, coal slurry properties, and so forth. (NEDO)

Fiscal 1990 report on the bituminous coal liquefaction section meeting; 1990 nendo rekiseitan ekika bukai hokokusho

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1991-03-01

At the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd group meetings held for the fiscal year, reports are delivered and discussions are made concerning the progress of research and development activities. Reported and discussed in relation to the pilot plant support research, etc., are studies with the 1t/d PSU (process supporting unit) (Nippon Steel Corporation, Mitsui Coal Liquefaction Co., Ltd., and Japan Coal Oil Co., Ltd.); development of an optimum coal refining technique (Sumitomo Coal Mining Co., Ltd.); development of an optimum pretreatment technique and improvement on distillate distribution (Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd.); studies of coal liquefaction conditions (Mitsui Engineering and Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.); and studies of solvent hydrogenation catalysts (Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd., and Chiyoda Corp.). Reported and discussed in relation to researches using a bituminous coal liquefaction pilot plant are the progress of the 150t/d PP (pilot plant) effort (Japan Coal Oil Co., Ltd.) and the outlines of pilot surveys (Japan Coal Oil Co., Ltd.), the latter covering liquefaction solvent performance optimization, slurry pre-heating furnaces, coal slurry properties, and so forth. (NEDO)

Comparison of St. Lawrence blue whale vocalizations with field observations

Science.gov (United States)

Berchok, Catherine; Bradley, David; Gabrielson, Thomas; Sears, Richard

2003-04-01

During four field seasons from 1998-2001, vocalizations were recorded in the presence of St. Lawrence blue whales using a single omni-directional hydrophone. Both long duration infrasonic calls (~18 Hz, 5-20 s) as well as short duration higher frequency calls (85-25 Hz, ~2 s) were detected and compared with field observations. Two trends were noted. First, the long infrasonic call series were concentrated primarily in the deep (300 m) channel. These call series appear to compare well with blue whale vocalizations recorded by others in the deep open ocean. Second, the shorter audible calls were more evenly distributed over bathymetry and seem to be a form of short distance communication with at least one case occurring during an agonistic interaction. A comparison of these calls with biological parameters such as density of whales in the area, percentages of paired versus single whales, and numbers of males versus females will also be discussed. [Project supported by ARL/PSU, NSF, and the American Museum of Natural History.

Composition and abundance of zooplankton groups from a coral reef lagoon in Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, Mexico, during an annual cycle.

Science.gov (United States)

Alvarez-Cadena, José N; Ordóñez-López, Uriel; Almaral-Mendivil, Alma Rosa; Uicab-Sabido, Amira

2009-09-01

Zooplankton sampling was carried out monthly from January to December 1990 at station A near the coastline, and station B near the reef barrier, in a tropical coral reef lagoon in the Mexican Caribbean Sea. Samplings were made at midnight, near surface, with a conical net (mouth 0.40 m, mesh 330 microm) for 10 min. Salinity varied from 35.1 to 36.3 psu and temperature from 26.3 to 30.2 degrees C. The Bray-Curtis test applied to these results has defined two seasons: the dry season from November to May, and the wet season from June to October. A total of 37 zooplankton groups were found. Copepods were the most abundant contributing 49.0% of the total capture with Acartia espinata, Calanopia americana and Farranula gracilis as the most numerous. In the total zooplankton, however, cirripeds captured in only 15 samples of 24 were second in abundance (20.9%). Decapods, present all year-round and more abundant during the wet season, were third and contributed 19.2%. The rest of the groups were scarce and only amphipods (2.4%) and larvaceans (2.0%) were relatively abundant. The abundance of captured organisms correlated with the abiotic factors measured, thus, in the dry season, abundance was lower (mean 7.3 orgs/m3), while in the wet season the mean catch was 36.8 orgs/m3.

Tracking spore-forming bacteria in food: from natural biodiversity to selection by processes.

Science.gov (United States)

Postollec, Florence; Mathot, Anne-Gabrielle; Bernard, Muriel; Divanac'h, Marie-Laure; Pavan, Sonia; Sohier, Danièle

2012-08-01

Sporeforming bacteria are ubiquitous in the environment and exhibit a wide range of diversity leading to their natural prevalence in foodstuff. The state of the art of sporeformer prevalence in ingredients and food was investigated using a multiparametric PCR-based tool that enables simultaneous detection and identification of various genera and species mostly encountered in food, i.e., Alicyclobacillus, Anoxybacillus flavithermus, Bacillus, B. cereus group, B. licheniformis, B. pumilus, B. sporothermodurans, B. subtilis, Brevibacillus laterosporus, Clostridium, Geobacillus stearothermophilus, Moorella and Paenibacillus species. In addition, 16S rDNA sequencing was used to extend identification to other possibly present contaminants. A total of 90 food products, with or without visible trace of spoilage were analysed, i.e., 30 egg-based products, 30 milk and dairy products and 30 canned food and ingredients. Results indicated that most samples contained one or several of the targeted genera and species. For all three tested food categories, 30 to 40% of products were contaminated with both Bacillus and Clostridium. The percentage of contaminations associated with Clostridium or Bacillus represented 100% in raw materials, 72% in dehydrated ingredients and 80% in processed foods. In the last two product types, additional thermophilic contaminants were identified (A. flavithermus, Geobacillus spp., Thermoanaerobacterium spp. and Moorella spp.). These results suggest that selection, and therefore the observed (re)-emergence of unexpected sporeforming contaminants in food might be favoured by the use of given food ingredients and food processing technologies. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Aflatoxin B1-producing Aspergillus in sun-dried medicinal plant materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chinaputi, A.

2001-10-01

Full Text Available Fifty sun-dried medicinal plants were obtained from fraditional drug stores in Songkhla Province, Thailand, and examined for Aspergillus and aflatoxin B1. 288 isolates of Aspergillus were obtaines by standard blotter plate and 25 species were identified. The most common species were A. niger with 99 isolates, A. Flavus 84 isolates, A. terreus 33 isolates, A. oryzae 25 isolates, A.nidulans (Emericella nidulans 10 isolates, A fumigatus 9 isolates and A. chevalieri (Eurotium chevalieri 8 isolates. The other species[A. alliaceus, A.auricomus, A. carbonarius, A. carneus, A. clavatus, A. fisheri(Sartorya fumigata, A. janus, A. melleus,A. ochraceus, A. phoencis, A. sparsus, A. terricola, A. thomii, A. versicolor, A. wentii and Aspergillus sp.1-3] each had 1-2 siolates. Ofthe 50 different plants examined,9 had no trace of Aspergillus, namely Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Illicium verum, Andrographis paniculate, Carthamus tinctorius, Eugenia caryophyllus, Elettaria cardomomum, Coriandrum sativum, Curcuma longa and Cassia garrettiana. The highest number of species(9 of Aspergillus was found on Rauvolfia serpentina.The ability of Aspergillus to form aflatoxin was determined in coconut milk agar by observing the intensity of blue fluorescence in agar surrounding the colonies under ultraviolet light and the yellow pigment under the colonies. The results showed the production of aflatoxin was limited to the one species, A. flavus, from which 84 isolates produced aflatoxin in 57 isolates(67.8%.Aflatoxin B1. production was confirmed by culturing fluorescencing isolates of A. flavus in coconut nilk broth and detecting by ELISA technique. Aflatoxin B1. showed increasing production after 2 days, stabilizing at 3-4 days, and the decreasing after 5-6 days. Aflatoxin B1. could not be detected from nonfluorescencing isolates.The morphological characteristics of the aflatoxin B1. -producing and non-producing strains of A. flavus were similar under light microscope and

CTTITEM: SAS macro and SPSS syntax for classical item analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Lei, Pui-Wa; Wu, Qiong

2007-08-01

This article describes the functions of a SAS macro and an SPSS syntax that produce common statistics for conventional item analysis including Cronbach's alpha, item difficulty index (p-value or item mean), and item discrimination indices (D-index, point biserial and biserial correlations for dichotomous items and item-total correlation for polytomous items). These programs represent an improvement over the existing SAS and SPSS item analysis routines in terms of completeness and user-friendliness. To promote routine evaluations of item qualities in instrument development of any scale, the programs are available at no charge for interested users. The program codes along with a brief user's manual that contains instructions and examples are downloadable from suen.ed.psu.edu/-pwlei/plei.htm.

Ecosystem level methane fluxes from tidal freshwater and brackish marshes of the Mississippi River Delta: Implications for coastal wetland carbon projects

Science.gov (United States)

Holm, Guerry O.; Perez, Brian C.; McWhorter, David E.; Krauss, Ken W.; Johnson, Darren J.; Raynie, Richard C.; Killebrew, Charles J.

2016-01-01

Sulfate from seawater inhibits methane production in tidal wetlands, and by extension, salinity has been used as a general predictor of methane emissions. With the need to reduce methane flux uncertainties from tidal wetlands, eddy covariance (EC) techniques provide an integrated methane budget. The goals of this study were to: 1) establish methane emissions from natural, freshwater and brackish wetlands in Louisiana based on EC; and 2) determine if EC estimates conform to a methane-salinity relationship derived from temperate tidal wetlands with chamber sampling. Annual estimates of methane emissions from this study were 62.3 g CH4/m2/yr and 13.8 g CH4/m2/yr for the freshwater and brackish (8–10 psu) sites, respectively. If it is assumed that long-term, annual soil carbon sequestration rates of natural marshes are ~200 g C/m2/yr (7.3 tCO2e/ha/yr), healthy brackish marshes could be expected to act as a net radiative sink, equivalent to less than one-half the soil carbon accumulation rate after subtracting methane emissions (4.1 tCO2e/ha/yr). Carbon sequestration rates would need case-by-case assessment, but the EC methane emissions estimates in this study conformed well to an existing salinity-methane model that should serve as a basis for establishing emission factors for wetland carbon offset projects.

Fiscal 1993 report. Coal liquefaction committee; 1993 nendo sekitan ekika iinkai hokokusho

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1994-03-01

The committee in this fiscal year had the 1st meeting in July 1993, the 2nd in December 1993, and the 3rd in March 1994, when fiscal 1993 research and development programs and results were reported and discussed. Reported and discussed at the 2nd meeting were the compilation of brown coal liquefaction technology development project results, evaluation report on the same, hydrorefining of oil from brown coal and the research and development of application technologies for the same, and an environmental safety evaluation test on the same. In selecting a standard coal for the operation of the 150 ton/day pilot plant, PSU (process supporting unit)-aided studies were made on the analytical values presented by coals, yield of the liquid, yield of the liquefaction residue, yield of the generated gas, amount of the hydrogen consumed, coal oil properties, liquefaction residue properties, operationality, etc. On-site investigations were conducted also in Indonesia, and a conclusion was reached that Tanito Harum coal would be the most suitable for the pilot plant. Concerning the liquefaction catalyst for the pilot plant, a report was given on a comparison made between the activity of a synthetic iron sulfide and that of natural pyrite. (NEDO)

Capability of microalgae for local saline sewage treatment towards biodiesel production

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, K.-C.; Yau, Y.-H.; Ho, K.-C.

2017-08-01

Seawater flushing was introduced in Hong Kong since 1950’s. High salinity has an inhibitory effect on nitrification and biological phosphorus uptake of microorganisms. Therefore, saline sewage has impact on traditional biological wastewater treatment. Saline conditions of domestic wastewater then pose opportunity to use algal technology in wastewater treatment. During the treatment (phycoremediation), biodiesel can be produced. This study aims to give an in-depth investigation and development on application of local microalgal strains on biodiesel production. Dunaliella tertiolecta was selected the appropriate algal species with high potential for phycoremediation then biodiesel production. D.tertiolecta was further investigated by optimizing its growth in different process condition in preliminary effluent as based medium. The optimized process condition were acclimated culture with medium initial cell number (5.0 ×105 cells mL-1), under 5% CO2 aerations in preliminary effluent adjust to 15 psu (denoting practical salinity unit). Results showed that lipid content increased from 30.2% to 42%, and biomass productivity reached 463.3 mg L-1day-1 by Fatty acid Methyl Ester (FAME) profile was found for biodiesel production in optimized stage. The treatment period of preliminary effluent was shortened from 15d in original design (unacclimated culture, low initial cell number (5.0 ×105 cells mL-1), without CO2 aeration) to 4d.

Impact of logging on a mangrove swamp in South Mexico: cost / benefit analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristian Tovilla Hernández

2001-06-01

Full Text Available Environmental changes caused by logging in a mangrove swamp were studied in Barra de Tecoanapa, Guerrero, Mexico. Original forest included Rhizophora mangle, Laguncularia racemosa, Avicennia germinans and halophytic vegetation, and produced wood (164.03 m3/ha and organic matter (3.9 g/m2/day. A total of 3.5 tons of wood per year were harvested from this area. Later, an average of 2 555 kg of maize per planting cycle were obtained (market value of 88 USD. Succession when the area was abandoned included strictly facultative and glycophyte halophytes (16 families, Cyperaceae and Poaceae were the best represented. After logging, temperatures increased 13 °C in the soil and 11°C in the air, whereas salinity reached 52 psu in the dry season. These modified soil color and sand content increased from 42.6 to 63.4%. Logging was deleterious to species, habitat, biogeochemical and biological cycles, organic matter production, seeds, young plants, genetic exchange conservation of soil and its fertility, coastal protection, and aesthetic value; 3 000 m2 had eroded as the river advanced towards the deforested area (the cost/benefit analysis showed a ratio of 246: 1. There was long-term economic loss for the community and only 30% of the site has recovered after five years.

Structure and flow-induced variability of the subtidal salinity field in northern San Francisco Bay

Science.gov (United States)

Monismith, Stephen G.; Kimmerer, W.; Burau, J.R.; Stacey, M.T.

2002-01-01

The structure of the salinity field in northern San Francisco Bay and how it is affected by freshwater flow are discussed. Two datasets are examined: the first is 23 years of daily salinity data taken by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation along the axis of northern San Francisco Bay: the second is a set of salinity transects taken by the U.S. Geological Survey between 1988 and 1993. Central to this paper is a measure of salinity intrusion. X2: the distance from the Golden Gate Bridge to where the bottom salinity is 2 psu. Using X2 to scale distance, the authors find that for most flow conditions, the mean salinity distribution of the estuary is nearly self-similar with a salinity gradient in the center 70% of the region between the Golden Gate and X2 that is proportional to X2-1. Analysis of covariability of Q and X2 showed a characteristics timescale of adjustment of the salinity field of approximately 2 weeks. The steady-state response deduced from the X2 time series implies that X2 is proportional to riverflow to the 1/7 power. This relation, which differs from the standard 1/3 power dependence that is derived theoretically assuming constant exchange coefficients, shows that the upstream salt flux associated with gravitational circulation is more sensitive to the longitudinal salinity gradient than theory supposes. This is attributed to the strengthening of stratification caused by the stronger longitudinal salinity gradient that accompanies larger river flows.

Neutron flux monitoring with pre-startup channels in FBTR [Paper No.:E6

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagaraj, C.P.; Ramakrishnan, R.; Subha Rao, R.; Pillai, C.P.; Muralikrishan, G.; Raghavan, K.

1993-01-01

The pre-start up instrumentation system using boron lined proportional counters has been well designed and the counters have been rigorously tested. This system in conjunction with the regular start-up channels (with more than 3 decades overlap) covers the start up measurement range adequately and provides necessary indications, interlocks and trips on low count rate, high count rate and doubling time to ensure safety. The pre-startup channels have been operational. The reactor trip on LOG NO due to count rate on start-up channels less than 3 cps is automatically inhibited with the higher count rate obtained on the pre-startup channels. With this and log CRM readings from PSU well on scale has facilitated smooth and safe reactor start ups even with low shutdown count rates. (author). 5 figs

Osculum dynamics and filtration activity in small single-osculum explants of the demosponge Halichondria panicea

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kumala, Lars; Riisgård, Hans Ulrik; Canfield, Donald Eugene

2017-01-01

the clearance method. Osculum dynamics, as expressed by temporal variation of the OSA, including osculum contraction and expansion, correlated with variability in the explant filtration rate, and no water pumping was observed during periods of osculum closure. A linear relationship between filtration rate (FR......Contraction-inflation behavior, including the closure and opening of the exhalant opening (osculum), is common among sponges. This behavior may temporally affect filtration activity, making it difficult to study and understand sponge feeding biology. To examine the interplay between osculum...... dynamics and filtration activity, small (18 mm3) single-osculum explants of the demosponge Halichondria panicea were studied. Time-lapse video stereo-microscope recordings of the osculum cross-sectional area (OSA) were made simultaneously with measurements of the filtration rate (∼15°C, ∼20 PSU) using...

Investigation of Micro- and Macro-Scale Transport Processes for Improved Fuel Cell Performance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gu, Wenbin [General Motors LLC, Pontiac, MI (United States)

2014-08-29

This report documents the work performed by General Motors (GM) under the Cooperative agreement No. DE-EE0000470, “Investigation of Micro- and Macro-Scale Transport Processes for Improved Fuel Cell Performance,” in collaboration with the Penn State University (PSU), University of Tennessee Knoxville (UTK), Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), and University of Rochester (UR) via subcontracts. The overall objectives of the project are to investigate and synthesize fundamental understanding of transport phenomena at both the macro- and micro-scales for the development of a down-the-channel model that accounts for all transport domains in a broad operating space. GM as a prime contractor focused on cell level experiments and modeling, and the Universities as subcontractors worked toward fundamental understanding of each component and associated interface.

A Preliminary study of Sr/Ca thermometry in Chang Islands, Gulf of Thailand

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wararat Sirianansakul

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Variations in ratios of strontium-to-calcium (Sr/Ca for two Porites sp. coral specimens collected from Wai (PW and Loa Ya (PLY islands, part of Chang islands, Gulf of Thailand, were determined. Inductively coupled plasma optimal emission spectrometry (ICP-OES was used to analyze this ratio, which demonstrates annual cycles and the data is assumed to reflect the sea surface temperature (SST. Comparing the ratios with SST data, following Sr/Ca–SST relationships were determined PW: Sr/Ca (mmol/mol = 11.56–0.070×SST, PLY: Sr/Ca (mmol/mol = 11.89–0.081×SST. Our correlations are different from those previously reported; a discrepancy that may involve differences in analytical methods employed and abnormally low sea surface salinity (SSS (<30 psu in the Gulf of Thailand.

FY 1994 report on the Coal Liquefaction Committee; 1994 nendo sekitan ekika iinkai hokokusho

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1995-03-01

The paper reported the FY 1994 activities of the Coal Liquefaction Committee. The Coal Liquefaction Committee in this fiscal year was held on November 29, 1994 (1st) and March 22, 1995 (2nd), and report was made on the bituminous coal liquefaction study and state of the R and D of liquefaction base technology. Report was also made on the state of construction of bituminous coal liquefaction PP, outline of the results of the PSU operation, outline of the 11th Japan-U.S. JTM, etc. In the liquefaction base study, report/discussion were made about the improvement/rationalization of liquefaction process, study of innovative technology of coal liquefaction, study of coal liquefaction conditions, study for higher liquefaction element technology, project on the internationalization of coal liquefaction technology, etc. As to the relation of the entrained bed coal gasification power plant, report/discussion were made about survey/study on the processing of coal for coal gasification use (survey of coal kind selection, development of information processing system for coal conversion technology). Besides, as a topic, report was made on the economical evaluation/calculation of a commercial plant for brown coal liquefaction. (NEDO)

Bio-physical changes in the coastal ocean triggered by typhoon: A case of Typhoon Meari in summer 2011

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Xiao; Wang, Houjie; Bi, Naishuang; Song, Zhenjie; Zang, Zhengchen; Kineke, Gail C.

2016-12-01

Based on the combination of synchronous satellite and in-situ observations, we here, for the first time, provide the compelling evidence of bio-physical response of coastal environment in the Bohai Sea (China) to the passage of Typhoon Meari over the northern Yellow Sea on June 26, 2011. Strong sustained winds induced a tongue-like intrusion of cool water from the northern Yellow Sea into the Bohai Sea, resulting in significant surface cooling and an anomalous increase in sea surface height along the coast of the western Bohai Sea. This, in return, produced downwelling and transport of the warm and nutrient-rich coastal water from the western coast to the central Bohai Sea, as driven by the barotropic pressure gradient force. In-situ observational data confirmed the cooling of both surface and bottom layers with salinity increase; however, the measured temperature increase by 2-3 °C, concomitant salinity decrease by 0.3 PSU and two-fold increase in chlorophyll-a in the middle layers suggested an influence from coastal downwelling. Ekman transport and typhoon-enhanced mixing redistributed the nutrients and thus resulted in higher chlorophyll-a concentrations in the upper layers.

CodonLogo: a sequence logo-based viewer for codon patterns.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Virag; Murphy, David P; Provan, Gregory; Baranov, Pavel V

2012-07-15

Conserved patterns across a multiple sequence alignment can be visualized by generating sequence logos. Sequence logos show each column in the alignment as stacks of symbol(s) where the height of a stack is proportional to its informational content, whereas the height of each symbol within the stack is proportional to its frequency in the column. Sequence logos use symbols of either nucleotide or amino acid alphabets. However, certain regulatory signals in messenger RNA (mRNA) act as combinations of codons. Yet no tool is available for visualization of conserved codon patterns. We present the first application which allows visualization of conserved regions in a multiple sequence alignment in the context of codons. CodonLogo is based on WebLogo3 and uses the same heuristics but treats codons as inseparable units of a 64-letter alphabet. CodonLogo can discriminate patterns of codon conservation from patterns of nucleotide conservation that appear indistinguishable in standard sequence logos. The CodonLogo source code and its implementation (in a local version of the Galaxy Browser) are available at http://recode.ucc.ie/CodonLogo and through the Galaxy Tool Shed at http://toolshed.g2.bx.psu.edu/.

Studies on characteristics of fluid dynamics in the coal liquefaction reactor; Sekitan ekika hanno tonai no ryudo tokusei

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sakawaki, K.; Nogami, Y.; Inokuchi, K. [Mitsui SRC Development Co. Ltd., Tokyo (Japan); Mochizuki, M.; Imada, K. [Nippon Steel Corp., Tokyo (Japan); Tachikawa, N.; Moki, T.; Ishikawa, I. [Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute, Tokyo (Japan)

1996-10-28

To design the coal liquefaction reactor of large scale plant in future, it is important to understand characteristics of fluid dynamics within the coal liquefaction reactor. In this study, to measure the fluid dynamics of liquid phase within the coal liquefaction reactor operated under high temperature and high pressure coal liquefaction condition, neutron attenuating tracer (NAT) technique, one of the tracer test methods, was applied using 1 t/d coal treating PSU. The residence time of liquid phase within the reactor can be measured by utilizing property of neutron of being absorbed by materials. The tracer was injected at the inlets of first and third reactors, and the neutron was counted at each outlet. The concentration of tracer was derived from the discrete value, to determine the residence time distribution of liquid phase. The mean residence time of liquid phase in the single first reactor and in the total three reactors were prolonged under the severe operation conditions of liquefaction. The more severe the liquefaction operation condition was, the more active the mixing of liquid phase was in the first reactor. It was found that the progress of reaction was accelerated. 2 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab.

Accuracy assessment of the National Forest Inventory map of Mexico: sampling designs and the fuzzy characterization of landscapes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stéphane Couturier

2009-10-01

Full Text Available There is no record so far in the literature of a comprehensive method to assess the accuracy of regional scale Land Cover/ Land Use (LCLU maps in the sub-tropical belt. The elevated biodiversity and the presence of highly fragmented classes hamper the use of sampling designs commonly employed in previous assessments of mainly temperate zones. A sampling design for assessing the accuracy of the Mexican National Forest Inventory (NFI map at community level is presented. A pilot study was conducted on the Cuitzeo Lake watershed region covering 400 000 ha of the 2000 Landsat-derived map. Various sampling designs were tested in order to find a trade-off between operational costs, a good spatial distribution of the sample and the inclusion of all scarcely distributed classes (‘rare classes’. A two-stage sampling design where the selection of Primary Sampling Units (PSU was done under separate schemes for commonly and scarcely distributed classes, showed best characteristics. A total of 2 023 punctual secondary sampling units were verified against their NFI map label. Issues regarding the assessment strategy and trends of class confusions are devised.

FY 1992 report on the Coal Liquefaction Committee; 1992 nendo sekitan ekika iinkai hokokusho

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1993-03-01

The paper reported activities of the Coal Liquefaction Committee in FY 1992. In the 1st committee meeting, report/discussion were made of the summary of the FY 1992 R and D plan on the bituminous coal liquefaction, brown coal liquefaction and the common/basic technology. Further, the following were reported as topics: results of the operation by bituminous coal liquefaction PSU and small equipment, state of arrangement of the results of the brown coal liquefaction project, making of the basic policy for development of the common/basic technology, construction of package of coal liquefaction technology. In the 2nd committee meeting, the summary of the results of the FY 1992 R and D was reported/discussed. As to the development of bituminous coal liquefaction technology, study using pilot plant and support study were reported. Concerning the development of brown coal liquefaction technology, study using a 50t/d pilot plant and complementary study of operation. Relating to the development of the common/basic technology, trial manufacture/development of plant equipment/materials, survey of selection of coal kind, etc. The paper also reported a scheme on the evaluation of efficiency of the brown coal liquefaction process. (NEDO)

Spatial variability in the icthyoplankton structure of a subtropicalhypersaline lagoon

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Judson da Cruz Lopes da Rosa

Full Text Available Abstract The Lagoa de Araruama is a hypersaline ecosystem inhabited by distinct fish species, either permanently or during their reproductive season. Over recent years, some significant environmental changes have been observed in this ecosystem related to the sewage runoff, as salinity decrease (from 64 to 41 psu during the last 40 years and nutrients increase. As both changes are thought to affect the ichthyoplankton assemblage, the present study aimed to evaluate all the potential relationships between salinity disruption and fish larvae distribution. Ichtyoplankton samples were collected monthly from January 2010 to March 2011 at eight sites in Araruama Lagoon by means of a WP2 plankton net equipped with a flowmeter. During this period, low egg densities were coincident with high salinity regions, suggesting that adults are avoiding to release their eggs under less favorable environmental conditions to the larvae. The uneven distribution of eggs and larvae inside the lagoon, as revealed by both spatial and temporal analyses lead us to suggest that changes in salinity have influenced the reproductive rhythms of those fish species that depend upon the Lagoa de Araruama.

Monsoon-induced changes in the size-fractionated phytoplankton biomass and production rate in the estuarine and coastal waters of southwest coast of India.

Science.gov (United States)

Madhu, N V; Jyothibabu, R; Balachandran, K K

2010-07-01

Changes in the autotrophic pico- (0.2-2 microm), nano- (2-20 microm), and microplankton (>20 microm) biomass (chlorophyll a) and primary production were measured in the estuarine and coastal waters off Cochin, southwest coast of India during the onset and establishment of a monsoon. During this period, the estuary was dominated by nutrient-rich freshwater, whereas the coastal waters were characterized with higher salinity values (>30 psu) and less nutrients. The average surface chlorophyll a concentrations and primary production rates were higher in the estuary (average 13.7 mg m(-3) and 432 mgC m(-3) day(-1)) as compared to the coastal waters (5.3 mg m(-3) and 224 mgC m(-3) day(-1)). The nanoplankton community formed the major fraction of chlorophyll a and primary production, both in the estuary (average 85 +/- SD 8.3% and 81.2 +/- SD 3.2%) and the coastal waters (average 73.2 +/- SD 17.2% and 81.9 +/- 15.7%). Nanoplankton had the maximum photosynthetic efficiency in the coastal waters (average 4.8 +/- SD 3.9 mgC mgChl a m(-3) h(-1)), whereas in the estuary, the microplankton had higher photosynthetic efficiency (average 7.4 +/- 7 mgC mgChl a m(-3) h(-1)). The heavy cloud cover and increased water column turbidity not only limit the growth of large-sized phytoplankton in the Cochin estuary and coastal waters but also support the proliferation of nanoplankton community during the monsoon season, even though large variation in nanoplankton chlorophyll a and production exists between these two areas.

Mesophilic and thermophilic conditions select for unique but highly parallel microbial communities to perform carboxylate platform biomass conversion.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emily B Hollister

Full Text Available The carboxylate platform is a flexible, cost-effective means of converting lignocellulosic materials into chemicals and liquid fuels. Although the platform's chemistry and engineering are well studied, relatively little is known about the mixed microbial communities underlying its conversion processes. In this study, we examined the metagenomes of two actively fermenting platform communities incubated under contrasting temperature conditions (mesophilic 40°C; thermophilic 55 °C, but utilizing the same inoculum and lignocellulosic feedstock. Community composition segregated by temperature. The thermophilic community harbored genes affiliated with Clostridia, Bacilli, and a Thermoanaerobacterium sp, whereas the mesophilic community metagenome was composed of genes affiliated with other Clostridia and Bacilli, Bacteriodia, γ-Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria. Although both communities were able to metabolize cellulosic materials and shared many core functions, significant differences were detected with respect to the abundances of multiple Pfams, COGs, and enzyme families. The mesophilic metagenome was enriched in genes related to the degradation of arabinose and other hemicellulose-derived oligosaccharides, and the production of valerate and caproate. In contrast, the thermophilic community was enriched in genes related to the uptake of cellobiose and the transfer of genetic material. Functions assigned to taxonomic bins indicated that multiple community members at either temperature had the potential to degrade cellulose, cellobiose, or xylose and produce acetate, ethanol, and propionate. The results of this study suggest that both metabolic flexibility and functional redundancy contribute to the platform's ability to process lignocellulosic substrates and are likely to provide a degree of stability to the platform's fermentation processes.

Equivariant Verlinde Algebra from Superconformal Index and Argyres-Seiberg Duality

Science.gov (United States)

Gukov, Sergei; Pei, Du; Yan, Wenbin; Ye, Ke

2018-02-01

In this paper, we show the equivalence between two seemingly distinct 2d TQFTs: one comes from the "Coulomb branch index" of the class S theory {T[Σ,G]} on {L(k,1) × S^1}, the other is the {^L G} "equivariant Verlinde formula", or equivalently partition function of {^L G_C} complex Chern-Simons theory on {Σ× S^1}. We first derive this equivalence using the M-theory geometry and show that the gauge groups appearing on the two sides are naturally G and its Langlands dual {^L G}. When G is not simply-connected, we provide a recipe of computing the index of {T[Σ,G]} as summation over the indices of T[Σ,\\tilde{G}] with non-trivial background 't Hooft fluxes, where \\tilde{G} is the universal cover of G. Then we check explicitly this relation between the Coulomb index and the equivariant Verlinde formula for {G=SU(2)} or SO(3). In the end, as an application of this newly found relation, we consider the more general case where G is SU( N) or PSU( N) and show that equivariant Verlinde algebra can be derived using field theory via (generalized) Argyres-Seiberg duality. We also attach a Mathematica notebook that can be used to compute the SU(3) equivariant Verlinde coefficients.

Too much food may cause reduced growth of blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) – Test of hypothesis and new ‘high Chl a BEG-model’

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Poul S.; Lüskow, Florian; Riisgård, Hans Ulrik

2018-01-01

Growth of the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) is closely related to the biomass of phytoplankton (expressed as concentration of chlorophyll a, Chl a), but the effect of too much food in eutrophicated areas has so far been overlooked. The hypothesis addressed in the present study suggests that high Chl...... a concentrations (> about 8 μg Chl a l−1) result in reduced growth because mussels are not evolutionarily adapted to utilize such high phytoplankton concentrations and to physiologically regulate the amount of ingested food in such a way that the growth rate remains high and constant. We first make a comparison...... the effect of Chl a, but the present study shows that too much food may cause reduced growth of mussels in eutrophicated marine areas regardless of high or moderate salinity above about 10 psu....

Growth potential of blue mussels (M. edulis) exposed to different salinities evaluated by a Dynamic Energy Budget model

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Maar, Marie; Saurel, Camille; Landes, Anja

2015-01-01

) metabolic costs due to osmoregulation in different salinity environments. Themodified DEBmodel was validated with experimental data fromdifferent locations in the Western Baltic Sea (including the Limfjorden) with salinities varying from 8.5 to 29.9 psu. The identified areas suitable for mussel production......For bluemussels,Mytilus edulis, onemajor constrain in the Baltic Sea is the low salinities that reduce the efficiency of mussel production. However, the effects of living in low and variable salinity regimes are rarely considered in models describing mussel growth. The aim of the present study...... was to incorporate the effects of low salinity into an eco-physiological model of blue mussels and to identify areas suitable for mussel production. A Dynamic Energy Budget (DEB) model was modified with respect to i) the morphological parameters (DW/WW-ratio, shape factor), ii) change in ingestion rate and iii...

Marine spawning sites of perch Perca fluviatilis revealed by oviduct-inserted acoustic transmitters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skovrind, Mikkel; Christensen, Emil A.F.; Carl, Henrik

2013-01-01

In the 1970s, a flood-protection system dramatically changed a large part of the coastal environment of Køge Bugt, a bay in the western Baltic Sea, from open coast to a brackish lagoon habitat. An anadromous stock of European perch Perca fluviatilis seems to have benefitted from this change...... a strong proof of concept of oviduct-inserted acoustic transmitters in brackish and marine fish spawning studies. The transmitter expulsions were validated using an egg map, which was based on visual observations of perch egg-strands, and 11 of the 12 expulsed transmitters (92%) were located in areas...... with eggs. Many fish spawned in the brackish water with salinities up to 9.6 PSU. These salinities are higher than those previously observed for European perch spawning in the wild, and call for further investigations of salinity tolerance in perch eggs...

Space-Time Dynamics of Soil Moisture and Temperature: Scale issues

Science.gov (United States)

Mohanty, Binayak P.; Miller, Douglas A.; Th.vanGenuchten, M.

2003-01-01

The goal of this project is to gain further understanding of soil moisture/temperature dynamics at different spatio-temporal scales and physical controls/parameters.We created a comprehensive GIS database, which has been accessed extensively by NASA Land Surface Hydrology investigators (and others), is located at the following URL: http://www.essc.psu.edu/nasalsh. For soil moisture field experiments such as SGP97, SGP99, SMEX02, and SMEX03, cartographic products were designed for multiple applications, both pre- and post-mission. Premission applications included flight line planning and field operations logistics, as well as general insight into the extent and distribution of soil, vegetation, and topographic properties for the study areas. The cartographic products were created from original spatial information resources that were imported into Adobe Illustrator, where the maps were created and PDF versions were made for distribution and download.

Identification of the microbes mediating Fe reduction in a deep saline aquifer and their influence during managed aquifer recharge.

Science.gov (United States)

Ko, Myoung-Soo; Cho, Kyungjin; Jeong, Dawoon; Lee, Seunghak

2016-03-01

In this study, indigenous microbes enabling Fe reduction under saline groundwater conditions were identified, and their potential contribution to Fe release from aquifer sediments during managed aquifer recharge (MAR) was evaluated. Sediment and groundwater samples were collected from a MAR feasibility test site in Korea, where adjacent river water will be injected into the confined aquifer. The residual groundwater had a high salinity over 26.0 psu, as well as strong reducing conditions (dissolved oxygen, DOaquifer were found to be Citrobacter sp. However, column experiments to simulate field operation scenarios indicated that additional Fe release would be limited during MAR, as the dominant microbial community in the sediment would shift from Citrobacter sp. to Pseudomonas sp. and Limnohabitans sp. as river water injection alters the pore water chemistry. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Desarrollo embrionariolarval y tiempo de metamorfosis del pez tropical Xenomelaniris brasiliensis (Pisces: Atherinidae

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Veronica del Río

2005-09-01

Full Text Available Se describe el desarrollo embrionario y larval hasta la metamorfosis de Xenomelaniris brasiliensi. Un total de 29 ejemplares sexualmente maduros, 16 hembras (10.86 ± 1.01 cm y 7.63 ± 2.62 g y 13 machos (10.43 ± 0.57 cm y 6.54 ± 1.44 g, liberaron sus productos sexuales mediante masaje abdominal. Los huevos fértiles fueron esféricos de 1.18 ± 0.44 mm de diámetro, verdosos, translúcidos, bentónicos, ricos en vitelo, corion rugoso y estriado, con numerosos filamentos coriónicos, distribuidos aleatoriamente por toda la superficie externa y numerosas gotas lipídicas con un diámetro de 0.11 ± 0.07 mm. El desarrollo embrionario se realizó a 26.36 ± 2.03 ºC, 39.67 ± 0.58 PSU y pH 8.30 ± 0.10 eclosionando larvas de 4.56 ± 0.97 mm a las 143 hrs: 19 min, con vestigios del saco vitelino y una gota lipídica interna. Las larvas fueron alimentadas diariamente con Brachionus plicatilis e Isochrysis galbana, a partir de la segunda semana se incorporó nauplios de Artemia, manteniendo la adición diaria de I. galbana. A los 13 días después de la eclosión de larvas (6.10 ± 1.54 mm se inició la flexión, completándose a los 32 días (11.25 ± 1.87 mm con un complejo hipural completamente desarrollado. Se concluye que X. brasiliensis presentó desarrollo larval directo, iniciándose la metamorfosis de larva (13.08 ± 2.07 a juvenil a los 40 días de edad.Development of the tropical fish Xenomelaniris brasiliensis (Pisces: Atherinidae from embryo to larva and time to metamorphosis. Embryoniclarval development, and metamorphosis larval time, were studied in the tropical fish Xenomelaniris brasiliensis. Twenty nine sexually mature specimens were used, 16 females (10.86 ± 1.01 cm and 7.63 ± 2.62 g and 13 males (10.43 ± 0.57 cm and 6.54 ± 1.44 g which produced gametes through abdominal massage. Fertilized eggs were spherical (1.18 ± 0.44 mm diameter, greenish, transparent, benthonic and vitelusrich; rugose striated chorion with numerous

Parasites in the mangrove oyster Crassostrea rhizophorae cultivated in the estuary of the Graciosa River in Taperoá, Bahia.

Science.gov (United States)

Cova, Aliane Watanabe; Serafim Júnior, Moacyr; Boehs, Guisla; Souza, Jackson Moreira de

2015-01-01

In this work, parasites associated with the mangrove oyster Crassostrea rhizophorae were studied at a cultivation unit in the estuary of the Graciosa River in Taperoá, Bahia. On a monthly basis, between April 2011 and March 2012, 20 oysters were collected, measured and fixed in 10% formaldehyde. In order to identify the parasites, routine histological techniques were used. The specimens were embedded in paraffin and sections, 7 µm thick, were cut. These were then stained with Harris hematoxylin and eosin and were examined using an optical microscope. The parameters analyzed to investigate water quality showed that the temperature ranged from 23.9 °C to 29.3 °C, water salinity from 0.4 to 24.2 Practical Salinity Units PSU and recorded rainfall from 80 mm to 406.4 mm/month. During the parasitological analyses, infestation of the polychaete Neanthes succinea was observed in 41% of the oysters. Through histological techniques, the following parasites were identified: colonies of Rickettsia-like organisms (RLOs); the protozoa Nematopsis sp. and Ancistrocoma sp.; the turbellarian Urastoma sp.; the metacestode Tylocephalum sp. and an unidentified tapeworm. The data collected showed that there was low-intensity infection with and prevalence of parasites, except for Nematopsis sp., thus attesting that these cultivated oysters were in a healthy condition.

Japan`s Sunshine Project. 1991 annual summary of coal liquefaction and gasification; 1991 nendo sunshine keikaku seika hokokusho gaiyoshu. Sekitan no ekika gas ka

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1992-07-01

Out of the research and development on the 1991 Sunshine Project, the results of coal liquefaction/gasification are reported. The basic research of coal liquefaction/gasification is conducted. The research plan for a 150 ton/day scale pilot plant (PP) is worked out for the development of bituminous coal liquefaction technology by NEDOL process. Data of PSU (Process Support Units) operation, especially, are studied. Concerning the data obtained through dismantling of the 50 ton/day PP in Australia which uses Australian Victoria coal due to completion of its operation and also obtained from its support research, they are reflected in the design of a demonstration plant, and the results are arranged for study. Research and development on refining technology of coal-derived liquid such as Illinois coal liquid and on application technology of its products are made. For the development of coal-use hydrogen production technology, conducted is the research of a high temperature gasification PP by entrained flow bed process which is the core of the coal gasification technology. Elementary study with a 2 ton/day furnace is made for the development of the entrained flow bed coal gasification combined cycle power generation system. Also conducted are PP construction, adjusting operation and the overall research operation.

A Thin Film Nanocomposite Membrane with MCM-41 Silica Nanoparticles for Brackish Water Purification

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammed Kadhom

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Thin film nanocomposite (TFN membranes containing MCM-41 silica nanoparticles (NPs were synthesized by the interfacial polymerization (IP process. An m-phenylenediamine (MPD aqueous solution and an organic phase with trimesoyl chloride (TMC dissolved in isooctane were used in the IP reaction, occurring on a nanoporous polysulfone (PSU support layer. Isooctane was introduced as the organic solvent for TMC in this work due to its intermediate boiling point. MCM-41 silica NPs were loaded in MPD and TMC solutions in separate experiments, in a concentration range from 0 to 0.04 wt %, and the membrane performance was assessed and compared based on salt rejection and water flux. The prepared membranes were characterized via scanning electron microscopy (SEM, transmission electron microscopy (TEM, contact angle measurement, and attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR FT-IR analysis. The results show that adding MCM-41 silica NPs into an MPD solution yields slightly improved and more stable results than adding them to a TMC solution. With 0.02% MCM-41 silica NPs in the MPD solution, the water flux was increased from 44.0 to 64.1 L/m2·h, while the rejection virtually remained the same at 95% (2000 ppm NaCl saline solution, 25 °C, 2068 kPa (300 psi.

Geochemistry of Dissolved Trace Metals in the Waters of Bahia Magdalena, Baja California Sur, Pacific Coast, Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Suresh Babu, S.

2016-12-01

Forty two samples were acquired from the surface and bottom water profiles along 5 transects spread over Bahia Magdalena lagoon, Baja California Sur to assess the behavior of trace metals in a high influenced upwelling region on the Pacific coast. To elaborate the fate of metals, also the physico-chemical parameters (pH, temperature, salinity, conductivity, dissolved oxygen). Determination of the concentrations of trace metals (Fe, Mn, Cr, Cu, Co, Pb, Ni, Zn, Cd As, Hg) were measured using Atomic absorption spectrometry. The results demonstrated high values of As, Ni and Co which is attributed to the local geology and phosphate deposits. Low values of Fe and Mn are attested to the oxic conditions of the lagoon which are responsible for the oxidation of Fe and Mn. The region witnesses raised temperatures (28.92ºC) and salinities of 35.2 PSU for its arid climatic conditions and high rates of evaporation. In general, the region presented minor quantities of dissolved trace metals due to dispersion and high intense interaction with the open sea. The results were also compared with other studies to understand the enrichment pattern in this side of the pacific coast which experiences various geothermal activities and upwelling phenomenon.

PROPUESTA DE UN MODELO DE MONITOREO DE ÍNDICES E INDICADORES EDUCATIVOS DE MEDICIÓN Y EVALUACIÓN CURRICULAR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

RAÚL PIZARRO SÁNCHEZ

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Esta asesoría al Proyecto Mecesup 2 1002, corresponde a un modelo de monitoreo de indicadores e índices para evaluar la calidad de los Programas y Carreras, Facultad de Educación, UCSC, 2011 - 2012. Contempla 4 partes: entradas, contextos, procesos, resultados. A las métricas clásicas, se han añadido algunas nuevas: perfiles y competencias de ingreso e intermedias; inteligencias múltiples; becas BEA y resultados Ceres del sistema PSU; modelos de escuelas efectivas e indicadores de contexto; variables cualitativas; tributaciones y articulaciones entre competencias, cursos y áreas de formación; evaluación de la calidad académica (alumnos, jefes, autoevaluación, pares, productividad; otras traducciones del rendimiento académico de los alumnos; satisfacción de los usuarios; y, deltas entre currícula orientados por competencias versus aquellos basados en objetivos educacionales. Durante 2011 y 2012 se presentó el modelo, entrenó a los directores académicos de Programas y jefes de las Carreras de la Facultad de Educación, UCSC, y, probó la validez predictiva de variables de selección de las Carreras de Educación Básica y Matemática.

Relationship of otolith strontium-to-calcium ratios and salinity: Experimental validation for juvenile salmonids

Science.gov (United States)

Zimmerman, C.E.

2005-01-01

Analysis of otolith strontium (Sr) or strontium-to-calcium (Sr:Ca) ratios provides a powerful tool to reconstruct the chronology of migration among salinity environments for diadromous salmonids. Although use of this method has been validated by examination of known individuals and translocation experiments, it has never been validated under controlled experimental conditions. In this study, incorporation of otolith Sr was tested across a range of salinities and resulting levels of ambient Sr and Ca concentrations in juvenile chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch), sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka), rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus rnykiss), and Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus). Experimental water was mixed, using stream water and seawater as end members, to create experimental salinities of 0.1, 6.3, 12.7, 18.6, 25.5, and 33.0 psu. Otolith Sr and Sr:Ca ratios were significantly related to salinity for all species (r2 range: 0.80-0.91) but provide only enough predictive resolution to discriminate among fresh water, brackish water, and saltwater residency. These results validate the use of otolith Sr:Ca ratios to broadly discriminate salinity histories encountered by salmonids but highlight the need for further research concerning the influence of osmoregulation and physiological changes associated with smoking on otolith microchemistry.

Analysis of the tropospheric water distribution during FIRE 2

Science.gov (United States)

Westphal, Douglas L.

1993-01-01

The Penn State/NCAR mesoscale model, as adapted for use at ARC, was used as a testbed for the development and validation of cloud models for use in General Circulation Models (GCM's). This modeling approach also allows us to intercompare the predictions of the various cloud schemes within the same dynamical framework. The use of the PSU/NCAR mesoscale model also allows us to compare our results with FIRE-II (First International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project Regional Experiment) observations, instead of climate statistics. Though a promising approach, our work to date revealed several difficulties. First, the model by design is limited in spatial coverage and is only run for 12 to 48 hours at a time. Hence the quality of the simulation will depend heavily on the initial conditions. The poor quality of upper-tropospheric measurements of water vapor is well known and the situation is particularly bad for mid-latitude winter since the coupling with the surface is less direct than in summer so that relying on the model to spin-up a reasonable moisture field is not always successful. Though one of the most common atmospheric constituents, water vapor is relatively difficult to measure accurately, especially operationally over large areas. The standard NWS sondes have little sensitivity at the low temperatures where cirrus form and the data from the GOES 6.7 micron channel is difficult to quantify. For this reason, the goals of FIRE Cirrus II included characterizing the three-dimensional distribution of water vapor and clouds. In studying the data from FIRE Cirrus II, it was found that no single special observation technique provides accurate regional distributions of water vapor. The Raman lidar provides accurate measurements, but only at the Hub, for levels up to 10 km, and during nighttime hours. The CLASS sondes are more sensitive to moisture at low temperatures than are the NWS sondes, but the four stations only cover an area of two hundred kilometers on a side

Progress towards developing neutron tolerant magnetostrictive and piezoelectric transducers

Science.gov (United States)

Reinhardt, Brian; Tittmann, Bernhard; Rempe, Joy; Daw, Joshua; Kohse, Gordon; Carpenter, David; Ames, Michael; Ostrovsky, Yakov; Ramuhalli, Pradeep; Montgomery, Robert; Chien, Hualte; Wernsman, Bernard

2015-03-01

Current generation light water reactors (LWRs), sodium cooled fast reactors (SFRs), small modular reactors (SMRs), and next generation nuclear plants (NGNPs) produce harsh environments in and near the reactor core that can severely tax material performance and limit component operational life. To address this issue, several Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) research programs are evaluating the long duration irradiation performance of fuel and structural materials used in existing and new reactors. In order to maximize the amount of information obtained from Material Testing Reactor (MTR) irradiations, DOE is also funding development of enhanced instrumentation that will be able to obtain in-situ, real-time data on key material characteristics and properties, with unprecedented accuracy and resolution. Such data are required to validate new multi-scale, multi-physics modeling tools under development as part of a science-based, engineering driven approach to reactor development. It is not feasible to obtain high resolution/microscale data with the current state of instrumentation technology. However, ultrasound-based sensors offer the ability to obtain such data if it is demonstrated that these sensors and their associated transducers are resistant to high neutron flux, high gamma radiation, and high temperature. To address this need, the Advanced Test Reactor National Scientific User Facility (ATR-NSUF) is funding an irradiation, led by PSU, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Research Reactor to test the survivability of ultrasound transducers. As part of this effort, PSU and collaborators have designed, fabricated, and provided piezoelectric and magnetostrictive transducers that are optimized to perform in harsh, high flux, environments. Four piezoelectric transducers were fabricated with either aluminum nitride, zinc oxide, or bismuth titanate as the active element that were coupled to either Kovar or aluminum waveguides and two

Progress towards developing neutron tolerant magnetostrictive and piezoelectric transducers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reinhardt, Brian; Tittmann, Bernhard [The Pennsylvania State University (United States); Rempe, Joy; Daw, Joshua [Idaho National Laboratory (United States); Kohse, Gordon; Carpenter, David; Ames, Michael; Ostrovsky, Yakov [Massachusetts Institute of Technology (United States); Ramuhalli, Pradeep; Montgomery, Robert [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (United States); Chien, Hualte [Argonne National Laboratory (United States); Wernsman, Bernard [Bechtel Marine Propulsion Corp (United States)

2015-03-31

Current generation light water reactors (LWRs), sodium cooled fast reactors (SFRs), small modular reactors (SMRs), and next generation nuclear plants (NGNPs) produce harsh environments in and near the reactor core that can severely tax material performance and limit component operational life. To address this issue, several Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) research programs are evaluating the long duration irradiation performance of fuel and structural materials used in existing and new reactors. In order to maximize the amount of information obtained from Material Testing Reactor (MTR) irradiations, DOE is also funding development of enhanced instrumentation that will be able to obtain in-situ, real-time data on key material characteristics and properties, with unprecedented accuracy and resolution. Such data are required to validate new multi-scale, multi-physics modeling tools under development as part of a science-based, engineering driven approach to reactor development. It is not feasible to obtain high resolution/microscale data with the current state of instrumentation technology. However, ultrasound-based sensors offer the ability to obtain such data if it is demonstrated that these sensors and their associated transducers are resistant to high neutron flux, high gamma radiation, and high temperature. To address this need, the Advanced Test Reactor National Scientific User Facility (ATR-NSUF) is funding an irradiation, led by PSU, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Research Reactor to test the survivability of ultrasound transducers. As part of this effort, PSU and collaborators have designed, fabricated, and provided piezoelectric and magnetostrictive transducers that are optimized to perform in harsh, high flux, environments. Four piezoelectric transducers were fabricated with either aluminum nitride, zinc oxide, or bismuth titanate as the active element that were coupled to either Kovar or aluminum waveguides and two

Student Contributions to Citizen Science Programs As a Foundation for Independent and Classroom-Based Undergraduate Research in the Earth Sciences

Science.gov (United States)

Guertin, L. A.

2014-12-01

Environmental monitoring projects on the grounds of a campus can serve as data collection sites for undergraduate research. Penn State Brandywine has utilized students in independent study projects to establish two citizen science programs and to begin collecting data, with the data sets serving as a foundation for authentic inquiry-based exercises in introductory-level Earth science courses. The first citizen science program is The Smithsonian Institution's Global Tree Banding Project, which contributes to research about tree biomass by tracking how trees respond to climate. We are going beyond the requirements of the Smithsonian project. Instead of only taking two measurements each in the spring and fall, undergraduate researchers are taking measurements every two weeks throughout the year. We started taking measurements of ten trees on campus in 2012 will continue until each tree outgrows its tree band. The data is available for download in Google Spreadsheets for students to examine changes in tree diameter within one or between growing seasons, supplemented with temperature and precipitation data (see http://sites.psu.edu/treebanding/). A second citizen science program we have begun on campus is the NASA-funded Digital Earth Watch (DEW) Picture Post Project, allowing students to monitor the environment and share observations through digital photography. We established four Picture Post sites on campus, with students taking weekly photos to establish an environmental baseline of the campus landscape and to document future environmental changes pre- and post-construction. We started taking digital photos on campus in 2014 will continue well past the completion of construction to continue to look for changes. The image database is less than a year old, but the images provide enough information for some early analyses, such as the variations in "greenness" over the seasons. We have created a website that shares the purpose of our participation in the Picture Post

Helicopter Non-Unique Trim Strategies for Blade-Vortex Interaction (BVI) Noise Reduction

Science.gov (United States)

Malpica, Carlos; Greenwood, Eric; Sim, Ben W.

2016-01-01

An acoustics parametric analysis of the effect of fuselage drag and pitching moment on the Blade-Vortex Interaction (BVI) noise radiated by a medium lift helicopter (S-70UH-60) in a descending flight condition was conducted. The comprehensive analysis CAMRAD II was used for the calculation of vehicle trim, wake geometry and integrated air loads on the blade. The acoustics prediction code PSU-WOPWOP was used for calculating acoustic pressure signatures for a hemispherical grid centered at the hub. This paper revisits the concept of the X-force controller for BVI noise reduction, and investigates its effectiveness on an S-70 helicopter. The analysis showed that further BVI noise reductions were achievable by controlling the fuselage pitching moment. Reductions in excess of 6 dB of the peak BVI noise radiated towards the ground were demonstrated by compounding the effect of airframe drag and pitching moment simultaneously.

Survey on germination and species composition of dinoflagellates from ballast tanks and recent sediments in ports on the South Coast of Finland, North-Eastern Baltic Sea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pertola, Sari . E-mail sari.pertola@fimr.fi; Faust, Maria A.; Kuosa, Harri

2006-01-01

Cyst beds in ships and ports in Finland have previously been unstudied. Therefore, sediments from ships' ballast water tanks and four Finnish ports were sampled for dinoflagellate cysts and other phytoplankton. Untreated sediments were incubated at 10 o C and 20 o C in the local 6 psu salinity for 1, 4 and 7 days, and vegetative cells were examined with light and scanning electron microscope. Sediments were inhabited by various dinoflagellates, diatoms, chlorophytes, cyanophytes and small flagellates. Germinated dinoflagellates were found in 90% of ballast tanks and in all ports. Gymnodiniales spp. and Heterocapsa rotundata formed a major proportion of the proliferating dinoflagellate cells. One species, Peridinium quinquecorne, not previously reported from the Baltic Sea, was identified with SEM. The study emphasises that ships are potential transport vehicles for dinoflagellate cysts even in the low salinity Finnish waters, and small-sized dinoflagellates should be focused upon in ballast water studies

Parameter estimation using the genetic algorithm and its impact on quantitative precipitation forecast

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Y. H. Lee

2006-12-01

Full Text Available In this study, optimal parameter estimations are performed for both physical and computational parameters in a mesoscale meteorological model, and their impacts on the quantitative precipitation forecasting (QPF are assessed for a heavy rainfall case occurred at the Korean Peninsula in June 2005. Experiments are carried out using the PSU/NCAR MM5 model and the genetic algorithm (GA for two parameters: the reduction rate of the convective available potential energy in the Kain-Fritsch (KF scheme for cumulus parameterization, and the Asselin filter parameter for numerical stability. The fitness function is defined based on a QPF skill score. It turns out that each optimized parameter significantly improves the QPF skill. Such improvement is maximized when the two optimized parameters are used simultaneously. Our results indicate that optimizations of computational parameters as well as physical parameters and their adequate applications are essential in improving model performance.

Application of quality function deployment for designing and developing a curriculum for Industrial Engineering at Prince of Songkla University

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nirachara Boonyanuwat

2008-05-01

Full Text Available A Quality Function Deployment (QFD technique is used to design a curriculum for Industrial Engineering (IE at Prince of Songkla University (PSU. This paper shows a systematical step-by-step application of the QFD. This analysis focuses both on external evaluators of the university, companies that hire graduates and students’ parents, and internal evaluators of the university, the student themselves and faculty. Survey data from 232 stakeholders were used in the QFD analysis in order to identify the requirements most valued by them. Results indicate that the stakeholders are looking for the graduates’ abilities in the area of productivity improvement, knowledge application, production planning and control, quality management and control, and manufacturing management. Further, the QFD is used to translate the key requirements into an effective curriculum. It can be concluded that the QFD is a useful tool for designing a curriculum for higher educational institutions.

Developing ''SMART'' Equipment and Systems through Collaborative NERI Research and Development: A First Year of Progress

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harmon, Daryl L.; Golay, Michael W.; Chapman, Leon D.; Maynard, Kennet P.

2000-01-01

The US Department of Energy (DOE) created the Nuclear Energy Research Initiative (NERI) in 1999 to conduct research and development with the objectives of: (1) overcoming the principal technical obstacles to expanded nuclear energy use, (2) advancing the state of nuclear technology to maintain its competitive position in domestic and world markets, and (3) improving the performance, efficiency, reliability, and economics of nuclear energy. The NERI program is now beginning its second year with increased funding and an emphasis on international participation. Among the programs selected for funding was the ''Smart Equipment and Systems to Improve Reliability and Safety in Future Nuclear Power Plant Operations''. This program is a 36 month collaborative effort bringing together the technical capabilities of Westinghouse Nuclear Automation, Sandia National Laboratories, Duke Engineering and Services (DE and S), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Pennsylvania State University (PSU). The goal of the program is to design, develop, and evaluate an integrated set of tools and methodologies that can improve the reliability and safety of advanced nuclear power plants through the introduction of smart equipment and predictive maintenance technology. The results have implications for reduced construction costs. This paper discusses: (1) the goals and significance of the program, (2) the significant achievements of the program's first year and the current direction for its continuing efforts and (3) potential cooperation with the domestic nuclear and component manufacturing industries, and with international organizations

Recent X-ray hybrid CMOS detector developments and measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Hull, Samuel V.; Falcone, Abraham D.; Burrows, David N.; Wages, Mitchell; Chattopadhyay, Tanmoy; McQuaide, Maria; Bray, Evan; Kern, Matthew

2017-08-01

The Penn State X-ray detector lab, in collaboration with Teledyne Imaging Sensors (TIS), have progressed their efforts to improve soft X-ray Hybrid CMOS detector (HCD) technology on multiple fronts. Having newly acquired a Teledyne cryogenic SIDECARTM ASIC for use with HxRG devices, measurements were performed with an H2RG HCD and the cooled SIDECARTM. We report new energy resolution and read noise measurements, which show a significant improvement over room temperature SIDECARTM operation. Further, in order to meet the demands of future high-throughput and high spatial resolution X-ray observatories, detectors with fast readout and small pixel sizes are being developed. We report on characteristics of new X-ray HCDs with 12.5 micron pitch that include in-pixel CDS circuitry and crosstalk-eliminating CTIA amplifiers. In addition, PSU and TIS are developing a new large-scale array Speedster-EXD device. The original 64 × 64 pixel Speedster-EXD prototype used comparators in each pixel to enable event driven readout with order of magnitude higher effective readout rates, which will now be implemented in a 550 × 550 pixel device. Finally, the detector lab is involved in a sounding rocket mission that is slated to fly in 2018 with an off-plane reflection grating array and an H2RG X-ray HCD. We report on the planned detector configuration for this mission, which will increase the NASA technology readiness level of X-ray HCDs to TRL 9.

Integrated Automatic Workflow for Phylogenetic Tree Analysis Using Public Access and Local Web Services.

Science.gov (United States)

Damkliang, Kasikrit; Tandayya, Pichaya; Sangket, Unitsa; Pasomsub, Ekawat

2016-11-28

At the present, coding sequence (CDS) has been discovered and larger CDS is being revealed frequently. Approaches and related tools have also been developed and upgraded concurrently, especially for phylogenetic tree analysis. This paper proposes an integrated automatic Taverna workflow for the phylogenetic tree inferring analysis using public access web services at European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI) and Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (SIB), and our own deployed local web services. The workflow input is a set of CDS in the Fasta format. The workflow supports 1,000 to 20,000 numbers in bootstrapping replication. The workflow performs the tree inferring such as Parsimony (PARS), Distance Matrix - Neighbor Joining (DIST-NJ), and Maximum Likelihood (ML) algorithms of EMBOSS PHYLIPNEW package based on our proposed Multiple Sequence Alignment (MSA) similarity score. The local web services are implemented and deployed into two types using the Soaplab2 and Apache Axis2 deployment. There are SOAP and Java Web Service (JWS) providing WSDL endpoints to Taverna Workbench, a workflow manager. The workflow has been validated, the performance has been measured, and its results have been verified. Our workflow's execution time is less than ten minutes for inferring a tree with 10,000 replicates of the bootstrapping numbers. This paper proposes a new integrated automatic workflow which will be beneficial to the bioinformaticians with an intermediate level of knowledge and experiences. All local services have been deployed at our portal http://bioservices.sci.psu.ac.th.

Sampling uncharted waters: Examining rearing habitat of larval Longfin Smelt (Spirinchus thaleichthys) in the upper San Francisco Estuary

Science.gov (United States)

Grimaldo, Lenny; Feyrer, Frederick; Burns, Jillian; Maniscalco, Donna

2017-01-01

The southern-most reproducing Longfin Smelt population occurs in the San Francisco Estuary, California, USA. Long-term monitoring of estuarine habitat for this species has generally only considered deep channels, with little known of the role shallow waters play in supporting their early life stage. To address the need for focused research on shallow-water habitat, a targeted study of Longfin Smelt larvae in littoral habitat was conducted to identify potential rearing habitats during 2013 and 2014. Our study objectives were to (1) determine if larval densities vary between littoral habitats (tidal slough vs. open-water shoal), (2) determine how larval densities in littoral habitats vary with physicochemical and biological attributes, (3) determine if larval densities vary between littoral habitats and long-term monitoring channel collections, and (4) determine what factors predict larval rearing distributions from the long-term monitoring channel collections. Larval densities did not vary between littoral habitats but they did vary between years. Water temperature, salinity, and chlorophyll a were found important in predicting larval densities in littoral habitats. Larval densities do not vary between littoral and channel surveys; however, the analysis based on channel data suggests that Longfin Smelt are hatching and rearing in a much broader region and under higher salinities (∼2–12 psu) than previously recognized. Results of this study indicate that conservation efforts should consider how freshwater flow, habitat, climate, and food webs interact as mechanisms that influence Longfin Smelt recruitment in estuarine environments.

Malformation/dysplasia syndrome (neural tube defect, hypospadias neuroblastoma) associated with an extra dicentric marker chromosome 15 ({open_quotes}inversion duplication 15{close_quotes})

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reitnauer, P.J.; Rao, K.W.; Tepperberg, J.H. [Univ. of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC (United States)

1994-09-01

Extra dicentric 15 marker chromosomes are associated with variable degrees of mental retardation but not major structural birth defects. We have studied a unique patient, a male infant who was prenatally diagnosed with lumbar meningomyelocele and an extra pseudodicentric marker chromosome: 47,XY,+psu dic(15)t(15;15)(?q12,?q12)mat. Hairy ears and a coronal hypospadias were noted at birth. At three months of age, a stage I thoracic neuroblastoma was primarily resected. Tumor cells, skin fibroblasts and peripheral blood lymphocytes contained the dicentric 15. The mother is mosaic for the marker chromosome. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) studies using a classic 15 satellite probe (D15Z1 [Oncor]) confirmed the presence of 2 number 15 centromeres in the marker. The marker is felt to be the result of a translocation rather than an inverted duplication because the G-band morphology of the short arm/satellite complexes differ from one another, implying that the arms originate from 2 different number 15s. FISH analysis using cosmid probes for the Prader-Willi/Angelman critical region (D15S11 and GABRB3 [Oncor]) revealed 2 copies of this region, indicating that these loci are duplicated in the marker. Although some features of the patient`s phenotype such as developmental delay and hypotonia have been associated with dicentric chromosome 15 markers, this is the first malformation/dysplasia syndrome or neuroblastoma reported to our knowledge. The association of neuroblastoma with chromosome 15 aberrations in this case provides speculation as to the role of chromosome 15 loci in cell division control.

Conifers in decorative arboretum of Botanic Garden of Petrozavodsk State University

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eglacheva Arina

2014-11-01

Full Text Available The transformation that taking place during of spontaneous cultivars introduction have not taken into consideration for last 10 years. The plants introduction in the Botanic Garden PSU have a planned character in a northwest middle taiga. Decorative arboretum was laid in 2000 (Potapova, Prokhorov, 2010. By 2014, the conifers collection includes 159 specimens of 98 cultivars belonging to 28 species, 10 genera and 3 families (Cupressaceae, Pinaceae, Taxaceae. Taxa are presented as species with narrow native habitat (Microbiota decussata, Thujopsis dolabrata, Chamaecyparis pisifera, Picea omorika, and with a wide (Juniperus communis. Plants were planted gradually. Annual plant monitoring include measuring of height, width of the crown, trunk diameter, needles color, seed-bearing, damage. Based on the study was identified plants groups in growth rate, seed-bearing. The number of generative samples are increased from 17 to 53% during 2007-2014. Seed-bearing is not a constant parameter and depends on a complex of abiotic factors.

In situ release rates of Cu and Zn from commercial antifouling paints at different salinities.

Science.gov (United States)

Lagerström, Maria; Lindgren, J Fredrik; Holmqvist, Albin; Dahlström, Mia; Ytreberg, Erik

2018-02-01

Antifouling paints are environmentally risk assessed based on their biocidal release rates to the water phase. In situ release rates of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) were derived for five commercial paints in two recreational marinas with different salinities (5 and 14 PSU) using an X-Ray Fluorescence spectrometer (XRF). Salinity was found to significantly affect the Cu release, with twice the amount of Cu released at the higher salinity, while its influence on the Zn release was paint-specific. Site-specific release rates for water bodies with salinity gradients, e.g. the Baltic Sea, are therefore necessary for more realistic risk assessments of antifouling paints. Furthermore, the in situ release rates were up to 8 times higher than those generated using standardized laboratory or calculation methods. The environmental risk assessment repeated with the field release rates concludes that it is questionable whether the studied products should be allowed on the Swedish market. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Survey on germination and species composition of dinoflagellates from ballast tanks and recent sediments in ports on the South Coast of Finland, North-Eastern Baltic Sea

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pertola, Sari [Finnish Institute of Marine Research, Department of Biological Research, P.O. Box 2, FI-00561 Helsinki (Finland)]. E-mail sari.pertola@fimr.fi; Faust, Maria A. [Department of Botany, US National Herbarium, Smithsonian Institution, 4210 Silver Hill Road, Suitland, Maryland 20746 (United States); Kuosa, Harri [Tvaerminne Zoological Station, University of Helsinki, FI-10900 Hanko (Finland)

2006-08-15

Cyst beds in ships and ports in Finland have previously been unstudied. Therefore, sediments from ships' ballast water tanks and four Finnish ports were sampled for dinoflagellate cysts and other phytoplankton. Untreated sediments were incubated at 10 {sup o}C and 20 {sup o}C in the local 6 psu salinity for 1, 4 and 7 days, and vegetative cells were examined with light and scanning electron microscope. Sediments were inhabited by various dinoflagellates, diatoms, chlorophytes, cyanophytes and small flagellates. Germinated dinoflagellates were found in 90% of ballast tanks and in all ports. Gymnodiniales spp. and Heterocapsa rotundata formed a major proportion of the proliferating dinoflagellate cells. One species, Peridinium quinquecorne, not previously reported from the Baltic Sea, was identified with SEM. The study emphasises that ships are potential transport vehicles for dinoflagellate cysts even in the low salinity Finnish waters, and small-sized dinoflagellates should be focused upon in ballast water studies.

Biology and distribution of hemichordates (Enteropneusta) with emphasis on Harrimaniidae and description of Protoglossus bocki sp. nov. from Scandinavia

Science.gov (United States)

Cedhagen, Tomas; Hansson, Hans G.

2013-06-01

A new species of the genus Protoglossus is described from the west coast of the Scandinavian Peninsula. It lives buried in clay bottoms below the halocline where the salinity is at least 33-34 psu. Body small, estimated maximal length 1.5 cm. Collar broader than long, with a forward inclination. The thickest part is the collar region where it can be up to 1 mm in diameter. Proboscis colouration light pink to golden yellow; collar white with transversal yellow bands; branchial, hepatic and intestinal regions translucent pale yellow to golden yellow; brown intestine visible through the body wall. Proboscis groove extends through posterior half of proboscis. Nine to 17 pairs of gill openings, the size of the posteriormost successively smaller. It differs from the other European species, Protoglossus koehleri, in colouration, smaller size, fewer gill openings, body shape and proportions. It was sequenced (18S rRNA gene) and clustered within the family Harrimaniidae, with Saxipendium as its closest relative.

Short communication: Algal leaf spot associated with Cephaleuros virescens (Trentepohliales, Ulvophyceae on Nephelium lappaceum in Thailand

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

ANURAG SUNPAPAO

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract. Sunpapao A, Pitaloka MK, Arikit S. 2015. Algal leaf spot associated with Cephaleuros virescens (Trentepohliales, Ulvophyceae on Nephelium lappaceum in Thailand. Biodiversitas 17: 31-35. Algal leaf spot disease of Nephelium lappaceum (rambutan was observed in southern Thailand. The algae were isolated on Bold’s basal medium (BBM and identified based on appearance of the lesions, algal morphology and molecular properties. Characteristics of the filamentous thallus cells, sporangiophores, sporangia, gametes and zoospores were clarified. A portion of the 18S small subunit rRNA was amplified to validate the morphological identification by sequence similarity. To summarize the main results, the plant parasite causing algal leaf spot was identified as Cephaleuros virescens, and in sequencing-based phylogenetic analysis the Cephaleuros PSU-R5.1 isolate from rambutan grouped with the algae in genus Cephaleuros. This confirms C. virescens as a causal organism of algal leaf spot disease on rambutan in southern Thailand.

First report of the toxigenic Nitzschia navis-varingica (Bacillariophyceae) isolated from Tebrau Straits, Johor, Malaysia.

Science.gov (United States)

Suriyanti, S N P; Usup, Gires

2015-12-15

Screening of the occurrence of potentially toxic diatoms was carried out at two sites of cage cultures in Tebrau Straits, Johor. Phytoplankton samples from Sungai Pendas and Teluk Sengat were collected using a 20 μm mesh plankton net and salinity was recorded in-situ. Nitzschia and Pseudo-nitzschia cells were isolated and established into clonal cultures. All cultures were tested for domoic acid using HPLC-UV analysis and verified by LC-MS analysis. Three Nitzschia spp. and one Pseudo-nitzschia sp. were identified from these locations. Toxic and non-toxic strains of Nitzschia navis-varingica are found at the cage culture areas. Cellular toxin content in the toxic strain of N. navis-varingica is 1.8 pg cell(-1). This is a new record from Malaysia and this species was isolated from estuarine water with salinity 28 PSU. The discovery of toxic Nitzschia species in Tebrau Straits indicates the potential for domoic acid accumulation in seafood. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pollution by organochlorine pesticides in Navachiste-Macapule, Sinaloa, Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

Montes, Adriana M; González-Farias, Fernando A; Botello, Alfonso V

2012-03-01

The lagoon system of Navachiste-Macapule is located in northern Mexico, in the state of Sinaloa, with an area of 24,000 ha. The main economic activity in the area is agriculture, and the lagoon lies next to the irrigation district ID-063 which covers 116,615 ha. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the levels of pollution generated by organochlorine pesticides (OC) in the surface sediments of the lagoon and in the agricultural drains of the ID-063 that are supposedly transported into the system as a result of agricultural activities and runoff from adjacent land. For this, between 2006 and 2007, 45 surface sediment samples were collected (warm dry, rainy and cold dry) from 15 sampling sites, during the three climatic seasons. Of these, eight were located inside the lagoon in marine conditions (salinity >31 PSU) and seven in the agricultural drains of the ID-063 in freshwater conditions (salinity Mexico.

Simulation of the Chernobyl radioactive cloud over Europe using the EURAD model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hass, H.; Memmesheimer, M.; Jakobs, H.J.; Laube, M.; Ebel, A.; Geiss, H.

1990-01-01

The European Acid Deposition Model (EURAD) is used to investigate the long-range transport (LRT) and deposition of radioactive material in Europe during the first week after the Chernobyl accident. Emphasis is laid on using the model system in a forecast mode as possibly would be done shortly after such an event. Thus, meteorological fields are predicted with the PSU/NCAR mesoscale model MM4. The multilayer Eulerian model CTM (Chemistry Transport Model) is applied to compute transport and deposition of Cs-137 and I-131 using the predicted meteorological fields. However, the accident scenario was estimated using published data. The model results and performance are discussed by comparison with observations. It is demonstrated that the model can reproduce certain observed characteristics of the radioactive cloud, i.e. trends in surface air concentrations, arrival times and wet deposition patterns. This leads to the suggestion that the predictive capability of the EURAD-system has a relatively high level considering the fact that several simple approaches were used. (author)

Measurements within the Pacific-Indian oceans throughflow region

Science.gov (United States)

Fieux, M.; Andrié, C.; Delecluse, P.; Ilahude, A. G.; Kartavtseff, A.; Mantisi, F.; Molcard, R.; Swallow, J. C.

1994-07-01

Two hydrographic (θ, S, O 2) and trichlorofluoromethane (F-11) sections were carried out between the Australian continental shelf and Indonesia, in August 1989, on board the R.V. Marion Dufresne. The sections lie in the easternmost part of the Indian Ocean where the throughflow between the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean emerges. They allow us to describe the features of the water-property and circulation fields of the throughflow at its entrance in the Indian Ocean. Between the Australian continental shelf and Bali, the Subtropical and Central waters are separated from the waters of the Indonesian seas by a sharp hydrological front, located around 13°30 S, below the thermocline down to 700 m. Near the coast of Bali, upwelling occurs in the near-surface layer under the effect of the southeast monsoon; at depth, between 300 m to more than 800 m, a water mass of northern Indian Ocean origin was present. From the characteristics of the bottom water found in the Lombok basin, the maximum depth of the Java ridge which separates the Lombok basin from the Northwest Australian basin lies around 3650 m. Off Sumba, Savu, Roti and Timor channels a core of low salinity and high oxygen content near-surface water was found in the axis of each channel, which suggests strong currents from the interior Indonesian seas towards the Indian Ocean. The entrance of the deep water flowing in the opposite direction, from the Indian Ocean to the Timor basin, was marked below 1400 m to the sill depth, through an increase of salinity and oxygen content. The flow reversal, observed briefly by a Pegasus direct current profiler in the Timor strait, was located at 1200 m depth. During the southeast monsoon, the net (geostrophic + Ekman) transport calculated on the section Australia-Bali give an estimate of the throughflow between 0 and 500 m of 22 ± 4 × 10 6 m 3 s -1 towards the Indian Ocean, with a concentration of the transport in the upper layers (19 × 10 6 m 3 s -1 in 0-200 m) and

An evaluation of air quality modeling over the Pearl River Delta during November 2006

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Qizhong; Wang, Zifa; Chen, Huansheng; Zhou, Wen; Wenig, Mark

2012-05-01

In this paper, we evaluate the performance of several air quality models using the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region, including the Nested Air Quality Prediction Modeling System (NAQPMS), the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model, and the Comprehensive Air Quality Model with extensions (CAMx). All three model runs are based on the same meteorological fields generated by the Fifth-Generation Pennsylvania State University/National Center for Atmospheric Research (PSU/NCAR) Mesoscale Model (MM5) and the same emission inventories. The emission data are processed by the Sparse Matrix Operator Kernel Emissions (SMOKE) model, with the inventories generated from the Transport and Chemical Evolution over the Pacific/Intercontinental Chemical Transport Experiment Phase B (TRACE-P/INTEX-B) and local emission inventory data. The results show that: (1) the meteorological simulation of the MM5 model is reasonable compared with the observations at the regional background and urban stations. (2) The models have different advantages at different stations. The CAMx model has the best performance for SO2 simulation, with the lowest mean normalized bias (MNB) and mean normalized error (MNE) at most of the Guangzhou stations, while the CMAQ model has the lowest normalized mean square error (NMSE) value for SO2 simulation at most of the other PRD urban stations. The NAQPMS model has the best performance in the NO2 simulation at most of the Guangzhou stations. (3) The model performance at the Guangzhou stations is better than that at the other stations, and the emissions may be underestimated in the other PRD cities. (4) The PM10 simulation has the best model measures of FAC2 (fraction of predictions within a factor of two of the observations) (average 53-56%) and NMSE (0.904-1.015), while the SO2 simulation has the best concentration distribution compared with the observations, according to the quantile-quantile (Q-Q) plots.

Photoacclimation in a tropical population of Cladophora glomerata (L. Kützing 1843 (Chlorophyta from southeastern Brazil Fotoaclimatação em uma população tropical de Cladophora glomerata (L. Kützing 1843 (Chlorophyta do sudeste do Brasil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

AIN. Bautista

2008-02-01

Full Text Available Photoacclimation of photosynthesis was investigated in a tropical population of C. glomerata (São Paulo State, southeastern Brazil, 20º 48’ 24" S and 49º 22’ 24" W by chlorophyll fluorescence parameters and chlorophyll a content. Plants were acclimated to two levels of irradiance: low (65 ± 5 µmol.m-2.s-1 and high (300 ± 10 µmol.m-2.s-1 and exposed short-term (4 days and long-term (28 days under a light-dark cycle of 12:12 hours. Photosynthesis-irradiance (PI curves revealed distinct strategies of photoacclimation. In long-term exposure, plants acclimated by altering the photosynthetic units (PSU number and keeping fixed the PSU size, revealed by increased rates of maximum photosynthesis (Pmax, lower photosynthetic efficiency (alpha and higher values of the saturation parameter (Ik under high irradiance. The short-term acclimation strategy consisted of changing the PSU size, with a fixed number of PSUs, as revealed by similar Pmax but higher alpha and lower Ik under low irradiance. Chlorophyll a contents followed the general pattern reported in green algae of higher concentrations under lower irradiance. Dark/light induction curves revealed consistently higher values of potential quantum yield under low irradiance. Initial and final values showed a higher recovery capacity in the short (84.4-90.6% term exposure than in the long-term case (81.4-81.5%. ETR (electron transport rate and NPQ (non-photochemical quenching values were consistently higher under low irradiance. ETR showed a continuous and steady increase along the light exposure period in the short and long-term experiments, whereas NPQ values revealed a rapid increase after 15 seconds of light exposure, kept a slightly increasing trend and stabilized in most treatments. Lower photosynthetic performance (ETR and recovery capacity of potential quantum yield were observed, particularly in long-term exposure, suggesting that this population is constrained by the typical high light

Report on the achievements in the Sunshine Project in fiscal 1991 on research and development of coal energy. Studies on coal liquefying catalysts and a method for analyzing liquefied oil; 1991 nendo sekitan ekikayo shokubai oyobi ekikayu bunseikiho no kenkyu seika hokokusho

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1992-03-01

This paper describes the achievements in the Sunshine Project in fiscal 1991 on research of coal liquefying catalysts and a method for analyzing liquefied oil. Alkalis and alkali earth metals present during coal liquefied oil hydrogenation treatment deteriorate the activity remarkably as an effect of metal deposition from an Mo-based catalyst on the activity deterioration. Discussions were given on hydrogenating decomposition paths for bi-cyclic compounds by using reaction of model substances. Preliminary discussions were given jointly under the Japanese and Canadian technical cooperation on enhancing the quality of co-treated oil in the coal liquefaction, and on catalysts used therein. A 1-t/d PSU circulating solvent was studied to support the NEDO's bituminous coal liquefaction program. Analyses were carried out on acenaphthenes, biphenyls, phenanthrenes, and anthracenes in the oil liquefied from Wandoan coal. Discussions were given on CoMo/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} on the effects of catalyst concentrations and particle sizes in the coal liquefying reaction. In order to elucidate different non-covalently bonded high-order structures of coal polymer assemblies, chemical treatment was applied to coals under a relatively mild condition (room temperature to 150 degrees C). Chemical structures as a result of the non-covalent bond in the coals were investigated from change due to the treatment in the pyridine extraction characteristics. (NEDO)

A new perspective on origin of the East Sea Intermediate Water: Observations of Argo floats

Science.gov (United States)

Park, JongJin; Lim, Byunghwan

2018-01-01

The East Sea Intermediate Water (ESIW), defined as the salinity minimum in the East Sea (hereafter ES) (Sea of Japan), is examined with respect to its overall characteristics and its low salinity origin using historical Argo float data from 1999 to 2015. Our findings suggest that the ESIW is formed in the western Japan Basin (40-42°N, 130-133°E), especially west of the North Korean front in North Korean waters, where strong negative surface wind stress curl resides in wintertime. The core ESIW near the formation site has temperatures of 3-4 °C and less than 33.98 psu salinity, warmer and fresher than that in the southern part of the ES. In order to trace the origin of the warmer and fresher water at the sea surface in winter, we analyzed the data in three different ways: (1) spatial distribution of surface water properties using monthly climatology from the Argo float data, (2) seasonal variation of heat and salt contents at the formation site, and (3) backtracking of surface drifter trajectories. Based on these analyses, it is likely that the warmer and fresher surface water properties found in the ESIW formation site are attributed to the low-salinity surface water advected from the southern part of the ES in autumn.

Report on the achievements in the Sunshine Project in fiscal 1991 on research and development of coal energy. Studies on coal liquefying catalysts and a method for analyzing liquefied oil; 1991 nendo sekitan ekikayo shokubai oyobi ekikayu bunseikiho no kenkyu seika hokokusho

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1992-03-01

This paper describes the achievements in the Sunshine Project in fiscal 1991 on research of coal liquefying catalysts and a method for analyzing liquefied oil. Alkalis and alkali earth metals present during coal liquefied oil hydrogenation treatment deteriorate the activity remarkably as an effect of metal deposition from an Mo-based catalyst on the activity deterioration. Discussions were given on hydrogenating decomposition paths for bi-cyclic compounds by using reaction of model substances. Preliminary discussions were given jointly under the Japanese and Canadian technical cooperation on enhancing the quality of co-treated oil in the coal liquefaction, and on catalysts used therein. A 1-t/d PSU circulating solvent was studied to support the NEDO's bituminous coal liquefaction program. Analyses were carried out on acenaphthenes, biphenyls, phenanthrenes, and anthracenes in the oil liquefied from Wandoan coal. Discussions were given on CoMo/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} on the effects of catalyst concentrations and particle sizes in the coal liquefying reaction. In order to elucidate different non-covalently bonded high-order structures of coal polymer assemblies, chemical treatment was applied to coals under a relatively mild condition (room temperature to 150 degrees C). Chemical structures as a result of the non-covalent bond in the coals were investigated from change due to the treatment in the pyridine extraction characteristics. (NEDO)

Galaxy tools and workflows for sequence analysis with applications in molecular plant pathology.

Science.gov (United States)

Cock, Peter J A; Grüning, Björn A; Paszkiewicz, Konrad; Pritchard, Leighton

2013-01-01

The Galaxy Project offers the popular web browser-based platform Galaxy for running bioinformatics tools and constructing simple workflows. Here, we present a broad collection of additional Galaxy tools for large scale analysis of gene and protein sequences. The motivating research theme is the identification of specific genes of interest in a range of non-model organisms, and our central example is the identification and prediction of "effector" proteins produced by plant pathogens in order to manipulate their host plant. This functional annotation of a pathogen's predicted capacity for virulence is a key step in translating sequence data into potential applications in plant pathology. This collection includes novel tools, and widely-used third-party tools such as NCBI BLAST+ wrapped for use within Galaxy. Individual bioinformatics software tools are typically available separately as standalone packages, or in online browser-based form. The Galaxy framework enables the user to combine these and other tools to automate organism scale analyses as workflows, without demanding familiarity with command line tools and scripting. Workflows created using Galaxy can be saved and are reusable, so may be distributed within and between research groups, facilitating the construction of a set of standardised, reusable bioinformatic protocols. The Galaxy tools and workflows described in this manuscript are open source and freely available from the Galaxy Tool Shed (http://usegalaxy.org/toolshed or http://toolshed.g2.bx.psu.edu).

Preparation of Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-8 (ZIF-8) Membrane on Porous Polymeric Support via Contra-Diffusion Method

KAUST Repository

Tan, Xiaoyu

2016-05-18

In the last decade, many attempts were made to put metal organic frameworks (MOFs) in industrial applications, but most of these efforts weren’t successfully. As one of the few MOFs produced on industrial scale, ZIF-8 has interesting pore size, huge internal surface area and great thermal and chemical stability. Therefore, ZIF-8 might become the first MOF, which will be applied in industrial separation processes. In this thesis, a synthesis study is presented, which leads to a cheap and convenient way to
fabricate defect-free and thin ZIF-8 membranes on porous polymeric supports showing high selectivity and high gas permeance. The ZIF-8 layers were produced via a contra-diffusion method. Several polymeric membranes were employed as support in this study, such as PAN, PEI, PSU, PA and PTSC. We studied the influence of the polymeric support properties for the ZIF-8 membrane preparation and optimized the ZIF-8 preparation conditions. The ZIF-8 membranes were characterized via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). For gas permeation test, we chose a Wicke-Kallenbach apparatus to measure membrane’s gas permeance and selectivity. One of the best ZIF-8 membranes exhibited a hydrogen permeance of 3.45 × 10-8 mol m-2 s-1 Pa-1 and
an ideal selectivity of hydrogen over propane of about 500.

Applications of AMPS-1D for solar cell simulation

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Hong; Kalkan, Ali Kaan; Hou, Jingya; Fonash, Stephen J.

1999-03-01

The AMPS-1D PC computer program is now used by over 70 groups world-wide for detector and solar cell analysis. It has proved to be a very powerful tool in understanding device operation and physics for single crystal, poly-crystalline and amorphous structures. For example, AMPS-1D has been successful in explaining the "red kink" [1] and the "transient effect" in CdS/CIGS poly-crystalline solar cells. It has been used to show that thin film poly-Si structures, with reasonable light trapping, are capable of competitive solar cell conversion efficiencies. In the case of a-Si:H structures, it has been used, for example, to settle the discrepancies in bandgap measurement, to predict the effective QE>1 phenomenon later seen in these materials [2], to determine the relative roles of interface and bulk properties, and to point the direction toward 16% triple junction structures. In general AMPS-1D is used for cell and detector design, material parameter sensitivity studies, and parameter extraction. Recently we have shown that it can be used to determine optimum structure and light and voltage biasing conditions in the material parameter extraction function. Information on AMPS can be found at www.psu.edu/dept/AMPS/amps_web/AMPS.html and at other web sites set up by user groups.

Determining CDOM Absorption Spectra in Diverse Aquatic Environments Using a Multiple Pathlength, Liquid Core Waveguide System

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Richard L.; Belz, Mathias; DelCastillo, Carlos; Trzaska, Rick

2001-01-01

We evaluated the accuracy, sensitivity and precision of a multiple pathlength, liquid core waveguide (MPLCW) system for measuring colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) absorption in the UV-visible spectral range (370-700 nm). The MPLCW has four optical paths (2.0, 9.8, 49.3, and 204 cm) coupled to a single Teflon AF sample cell. Water samples were obtained from inland, coastal and ocean waters ranging in salinity from 0 to 36 PSU. Reference solutions for the MPLCW were made having a refractive index of the sample. CDOM absorption coefficients, aCDOM, and the slope of the log-linearized absorption spectra, S, were compared with values obtained using a dual-beam spectrophotometer. Absorption of phenol red secondary standards measured by the MPLCW at 558 nm were highly correlated with spectrophotometer values and showed a linear response across all four pathlengths. Values of aCDOM measured using the MPLCW were virtually identical to spectrophotometer values over a wide range of concentrations. The dynamic range of aCDOM for MPLCW measurements was 0.002 - 231.5 m-1. At low CDOM concentrations spectrophotometric aCDOM were slightly greater than MPLCW values and showed larger fluctuations at longer wavelengths due to limitations in instrument precision. In contrast, MPLCW spectra followed an exponential to 600 nm for all samples.

Parasites in the mangrove oyster Crassostrea rhizophorae cultivated in the estuary of the Graciosa River in Taperoá, Bahia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aliane Watanabe Cova

Full Text Available In this work, parasites associated with the mangrove oyster Crassostrea rhizophorae were studied at a cultivation unit in the estuary of the Graciosa River in Taperoá, Bahia. On a monthly basis, between April 2011 and March 2012, 20 oysters were collected, measured and fixed in 10% formaldehyde. In order to identify the parasites, routine histological techniques were used. The specimens were embedded in paraffin and sections, 7 µm thick, were cut. These were then stained with Harris hematoxylin and eosin and were examined using an optical microscope. The parameters analyzed to investigate water quality showed that the temperature ranged from 23.9 °C to 29.3 °C, water salinity from 0.4 to 24.2 Practical Salinity Units PSU and recorded rainfall from 80 mm to 406.4 mm/month. During the parasitological analyses, infestation of the polychaete Neanthes succinea was observed in 41% of the oysters. Through histological techniques, the following parasites were identified: colonies of Rickettsia-like organisms (RLOs; the protozoa Nematopsis sp. and Ancistrocoma sp.; the turbellarian Urastoma sp.; the metacestode Tylocephalum sp. and an unidentified tapeworm. The data collected showed that there was low-intensity infection with and prevalence of parasites, except for Nematopsis sp., thus attesting that these cultivated oysters were in a healthy condition.

Growth of Octopus vulgaris (Cuvier, 1797 in tanks in the Ebro Delta (NE Spain: effects of temperature, salinity and culture density

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marina Delgado

2010-11-01

Full Text Available To assess the possibility of O. vulgaris ongrowing using tanks or cages in the bays of the Ebro Delta, we performed several growth trials of common octopus held in tanks. Effects of environmental factors (temperature and salinity and zootechnical aspects (culture density were studied. The thermal ranges that defined positive growth periods in the bays of the Ebro Delta were 19.5ºC to 23ºC (spring-summer and 23.5ºC to 12.3ºC (autumn-winter, the latter being the most suitable period for ongrowing. Salinity did not affect survival (100% or growth within the range tested (34-29 psu, though feeding rates (AFR, SFR were directly related to salinity. On the other hand, after 60 days, final culture density increased three-fold (D1: 12.36 → 44.37 kg m–3; D2: 24.13 → 67.76 kg m–3, with optimal survival results ( > 90% for the two densities tested. Growth and feeding rates showed a slight inverse relationship with density. Finally, growth and feeding rates showed a clear dependence on temperature in the two experiments (density and salinity. Our results conclude that industrial production of O. vulgaris in tanks is promising: this system offers an alternative to cages and allows for a more exhaustive control of culture.

Transcriptome Profiling and Molecular Pathway Analysis of Genes in Association with Salinity Adaptation in Nile Tilapia Oreochromis niloticus.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhixin Xu

Full Text Available Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus is a freshwater fish but can tolerate a wide range of salinities. The mechanism of salinity adaptation at the molecular level was studied using RNA-Seq to explore the molecular pathways in fish exposed to 0, 8, or 16 (practical salinity unit, psu. Based on the change of gene expressions, the differential genes unions from freshwater to saline water were classified into three categories. In the constant change category (1, steroid biosynthesis, steroid hormone biosynthesis, fat digestion and absorption, complement and coagulation cascades were significantly affected by salinity indicating the pivotal roles of sterol-related pathways in response to salinity stress. In the change-then-stable category (2, ribosomes, oxidative phosphorylation, signaling pathways for peroxisome proliferator activated receptors, and fat digestion and absorption changed significantly with increasing salinity, showing sensitivity to salinity variation in the environment and a responding threshold to salinity change. In the stable-then-change category (3, protein export, protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum, tight junction, thyroid hormone synthesis, antigen processing and presentation, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis and glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis-keratan sulfate were the significantly changed pathways, suggesting that these pathways were less sensitive to salinity variation. This study reveals fundamental mechanism of the molecular response to salinity adaptation in O. niloticus, and provides a general guidance to understand saline acclimation in O. niloticus.

Thermophilic spore-forming bacteria isolated from spoiled canned food and their heat resistance. Results of a French ten-year survey.

Science.gov (United States)

André, S; Zuber, F; Remize, F

2013-07-15

Thermal processing of Low Acid Canned Foods (LACF), which are safe and shelf-stable at ambient temperature for several years, results in heat inactivation of all vegetative microorganisms and the partial or total inactivation of spores. Good Manufacturing Hygienic Practices include stability tests for managing the pathogen risk related to surviving mesophilic bacterial spores. LACF are also often submitted to additional incubation conditions, typically 55 °C for 7 days, to monitor spoilage by thermophiles. In this study we identified the bacterial species responsible for non-stability after prolonged at 55 °C of incubation of LACF from 455 samples collected from 122 French canneries over 10 years. Bacteria were identified by microsequencing or a recent developed tool for group-specific PCR detection (SporeTraQ™). A single species was identified for 93% of examined samples. Three genera were responsible for more than 80% of all non-stability cases: mostly Moorella (36%) and Geobacillus (35%), and less frequently Thermoanaerobacterium (10%). The other most frequent bacterial genera identified were Bacillus, Thermoanaerobacter, Caldanaerobius, Anoxybacillus, Paenibacillus and Clostridium. Species frequency was dependent on food category, i.e. vegetables, ready-made meals containing meat, seafood or other recipes, products containing fatty duck, and related to the intensity of the thermal treatment applied in these food categories. The spore heat resistance parameters (D or δ and z values) from 36 strains isolated in this study were determined. Taken together, our results single out the species most suitable for use as indicators for thermal process settings. This extensively-documented survey of the species that cause non-stability at 55 °C in LACF will help canneries to improve the management of microbial contamination. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Characterization of Convective Plumes Associated With Oceanic Deep Convection in the Northwestern Mediterranean From High-Resolution In Situ Data Collected by Gliders

Science.gov (United States)

Margirier, Félix; Bosse, Anthony; Testor, Pierre; L'Hévéder, Blandine; Mortier, Laurent; Smeed, David

2017-12-01

Numerous gliders have been deployed in the Gulf of Lions (northwestern Mediterranean Sea) and in particular during episodes of open-ocean deep convection in the winter 2012-2013. The data collected represents an unprecedented density of in situ observations providing a first in situ statistical and 3-D characterization of the important mixing agents of the deep convection phenomenon, the so-called plumes. A methodology based on a glider-static flight model was applied to infer the oceanic vertical velocity signal from the glider navigation data. We demonstrate that during the active phase of mixing, the gliders underwent significant oceanic vertical velocities up to 18 cm s-1. Focusing on the data collected by two gliders during the 2012-2013 winter, 120 small-scale convective downward plumes were detected with a mean radius of 350 m and separated by about 2 km. We estimate that the plumes cover 27% of the convection area. Gliders detected downward velocities with a magnitude larger than that of the upward ones (-6 versus +2 cm s-1 on average). Along-track recordings of temperature and salinity as well as biogeochemical properties (dissolved oxygen, fluorescence, and turbidity) allow a statistical characterization of the water masses' properties in the plumes' core with respect to the "background": the average downward signal is of colder (-1.8 × 10-3 °C), slightly saltier (+4.9 × 10-4 psu) and thus denser waters (+7.5 × 10-4 kg m-3). The plunging waters are also on average more fluorescent (+2.3 × 10-2 μg L-1). The plumes are associated with a vertical diffusion coefficient of 7.0 m2 s-1 and their vertical velocity variance scales with the ratio of the buoyancy loss over the Coriolis parameter to the power 0.86.

On the nature of the Madagascar dipoles: An analysis from Argo profiling floats and altimetry measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Aguiar-González, Borja; Ponsoni, Leandro; Ridderinkhof, Herman; de Ruijter, Will P. M.; Maas, Leo R. M.

2016-04-01

The South East Madagascar Current (SEMC) flows poleward along the eastern coast of Madagascar as a western boundary current which further south provides some of the source waters of the Agulhas Current, either directly or in the form of eddies. We investigate the region of dipole formation south of Madagascar combining vertical T/S profiles from Argo floats, altimetry measurements and an existing eddy detection algorithm. Results from our analysis show that the dipole consists of an anticyclonic intrathermocline eddy (ITE) formed on its southern flank and a cyclonic ITE formed on its northern flank. Both lobes of the dipole exhibit similar T/S properties throughout the water column, although vertically shifted within the thermocline depending on its nature: upward in a cyclonic ITE and downward in an anticyclonic ITE. A subsurface salinity maximum of about 35.5 psu characterizes the upper layers with Subtropical Surface Water (STSW). At intermediate levels, a well defined path of South Indian Central Water (SICW) extends throughout the water column up to reach a minimum in salinity of 34.5 psu, corresponding to Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW). Below, at deep layers, the North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) is found. The intrathermocline nature of the Madagascar dipoles has not been previously reported and represents an important feature to be considered when assessing the heat and salt fluxes driven by eddy movement and contributing to the Agulhas Current. Unlike surface eddies, intrathermocline eddies strongly influence the intermediate/deeper layers in the oceans and, hence, may have a larger contribution in the spreading rates and pathways of water masses. Because the intrathermocline nature of eddies is invisible to altimetry measurements, these results stress the importance of combining altimetry with historical records of Argo profiles which uncover eddy dynamics below the sea surface. Lastly, we further investigate from altimetry the area of dipole formation

Modeling the dispersal of Levantine Intermediate Water and its role in Mediterranean deep water formation

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Peili; Haines, Keith

1996-03-01

the first 10 years, often breaking up into eddies which enter the basin interior. Some observations of high-salinity waters near the African coast may support this interpretation. LIW retains a subsurface salinity maximum of 38.4-38.5 practical salinity units (psu) when reaching the northwestern Mediterranean, contrasting with surface waters fresher than 38.0 psu. West Mediterranean deep water is formed below 1500 m depth with climatological characteristics, when it is mixed and cooled during winter convection in Lions Gyre.

The Effects of Temperature and Salinity on Mg Incorporation in Planktonic Foraminifera Globigerinoides ruber (white): Results from a Global Sediment Trap Mg/Ca Database

Science.gov (United States)

Gray, W. R.; Weldeab, S.; Lea, D. W.

2015-12-01

Mg/Ca in Globigerinoides ruber is arguably the most important proxy for sea surface temperature (SST) in tropical and sub tropical regions, and as such guides our understanding of past climatic change in these regions. However, the sensitivity of Mg/Ca to salinity is debated; while analysis of foraminifera grown in cultures generally indicates a sensitivity of 3 - 6% per salinity unit, core-top studies have suggested a much higher sensitivity of between 15 - 27% per salinity unit, bringing the utility of Mg/Ca as a SST proxy into dispute. Sediment traps circumvent the issues of dissolution and post-depositional calcite precipitation that hamper core-top calibration studies, whilst allowing the analysis of foraminifera that have calcified under natural conditions within a well constrained period of time. We collated previously published sediment trap/plankton tow G. ruber (white) Mg/Ca data, and generated new Mg/Ca data from a sediment trap located in the highly-saline tropical North Atlantic, close to West Africa. Calcification temperature and salinity were calculated for the time interval represented by each trap/tow sample using World Ocean Atlas 2013 data. The resulting dataset comprises >240 Mg/Ca measurements (in the size fraction 150 - 350 µm), that span a temperature range of 18 - 28 °C and 33.6 - 36.7 PSU. Multiple regression of the dataset reveals a temperature sensitivity of 7 ± 0.4% per °C (p < 2.2*10-16) and a salinity sensitivity of 4 ± 1% per salinity unit (p = 2*10-5). Application of this calibration has significant implications for both the magnitude and timing of glacial-interglacial temperature changes when variations in salinity are accounted for.

Warm-Core Intensification of a Hurricane Through Horizontal Eddy Heat Transports Inside the Eye

Science.gov (United States)

Braun, Scott A.; Montgomery, Michael T.; Fulton, John; Nolan, David S.

2001-01-01

A simulation of Hurricane Bob (1991) using the PSU/NCAR MM5 mesoscale model with a finest mesh spacing of 1.3 km is used to diagnose the heat budget of the hurricane. Heat budget terms, including latent and radiative heating, boundary layer forcing, and advection terms were output directly from the model for a 6-h period with 2-min frequency. Previous studies of warm core formation have emphasized the warming associated with gentle subsidence within the eye. The simulation of Hurricane Bob also identifies subsidence warming as a major factor for eye warming, but also shows a significant contribution from horizontal advective terms. When averaged over the area of the eye, excluding the eyewall (at least in an azimuthal mean sense), subsidence is found to strongly warm the mid-troposphere (2-9 km) while horizontal advection warms the mid to upper troposphere (5-13 km) with about equal magnitude. Partitioning of the horizontal advective terms into azimuthal mean and eddy components shows that the mean radial circulation cannot, as expected, generally contribute to this warming, but that it is produced almost entirely by the horizontal eddy transport of heat into the eye. A further breakdown of the eddy components into azimuthal wave numbers 1, 2, and higher indicates that the warming is dominated by wave number 1 asymmetries, with smaller contributions coming from higher wave numbers. Warming by horizontal eddy transport is consistent with idealized modeling of vortex Rossby waves and work is in progress to identify and clarify the role of vortex Rossby waves in warm-core intensification in both the full-physics model and idealized models.

In-vessel Retention Strategy for High Power Reactors - K-INERI Final Report (includes SBLB Test Results for Task 3 on External Reactor Vessel Cooling (ERVC) Boiling Data and CHF Enhancement Correlations)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

F. B. Cheung; J. Yang; M. B. Dizon; J. Rempe

2005-01-01

In-vessel retention (IVR) of core melt is a key severe accident management strategy adopted by some operating nuclear power plants and proposed for some advanced light water reactors (ALWRs). If there were inadequate cooling during a reactor accident, a significant amount of core material could become molten and relocate to the lower head of the reactor vessel, as happened in the Three Mile Island Unit 2 (TMI-2) accident. If it is possible to ensure that the vessel head remains intact so that relocated core materials are retained within the vessel, the enhanced safety associated with these plants can reduce concerns about containment failure and associated risk. For example, the enhanced safety of the Westinghouse Advanced 600 MWe PWR (AP600), which relied upon External Reactor Vessel Cooling (ERVC) for IVR, resulted in the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (US NRC) approving the design without requiring certain conventional features common to existing LWRs. However, it is not clear that currently proposed external reactor vessel cooling (ERVC) without additional enhancements could provide sufficient heat removal for higher-power reactors (up to 1500 MWe). Hence, a collaborative, three-year, U.S. - Korean International Nuclear Energy Research Initiative (INERI) project was completed in which the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL), Seoul National University (SNU), Pennsylvania State University (PSU), and the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) investigated the performance of ERVC and an in-vessel core catcher (IVCC) to determine if IVR is feasible for reactors up to 1500 MWe.

NUPEC BWR Full-size Fine-mesh Bundle Test (BFBT) Benchmark. Volume II: uncertainty and sensitivity analyses of void distribution and critical power - Specification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aydogan, F.; Hochreiter, L.; Ivanov, K.; Martin, M.; Utsuno, H.; Sartori, E.

2010-01-01

experimental cases from the BFBT database for both steady-state void distribution and steady-state critical power uncertainty analyses. In order to study the basic thermal-hydraulics in a single channel, where the concern regarding the cross-flow effect modelling could be removed, an elemental task is proposed, consisting of two sub-tasks that are placed in each phase of the benchmark scope as follows: - Sub-task 1: Void fraction in elemental channel benchmark; - Sub-task 2: Critical power in elemental channel benchmark. The first task can also be utilised as an uncertainty analysis exercise for fine computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models for which the full bundle sensitivity or uncertainty analysis is more difficult. The task is added to the second volume of the specification as an optional exercise. Chapter 2 of this document provides the definition of UA/SA terms. Chapter 3 provides the selection and characterisation of the input uncertain parameters for the BFBT benchmark and the description of the elemental task. Chapter 4 describes the suggested approach for UA/SA of the BFBT benchmark. Chapter 5 provides the selection of data sets for the uncertainty analysis and the elemental task from the BFBT database. Chapter 6 specifies the requested output for void distribution and critical power uncertainty analyses (Exercises I-4 and II-3) as well as for the elemental task. Chapter 7 provides conclusions. Appendix 1 discusses the UA/SA methods. Appendix 2 presents the Phenomena Identification Ranking Tables (PIRT) developed at PSU for void distribution and critical power predictions in order to assist participants in selecting the most sensitive/uncertain code model parameters

Growth Characterization and Optimization of Cyanobacterial Isolates from the Arabian Gulf

KAUST Repository

Siller Rodriguez, Luis F.

2013-12-01

Photoautotrophic organisms have been highlighted as carbon capture and conversion platforms for sustainable production of agricultural and chemicals in KSA. Previously two cyanobacterial strains, Geitlerinema spp. CT7801 and CT7802, were isolated from an industrial brine outfall site in the Eastern Province of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Initial characterization of their growth characteristics showed growth at high temperature (38 ºC) and high salinity ( > 60 PSU), making them potentially good candidates for industrial applications. In this study, quantitative growth assays were performed using standardized methods developed for the analysis of Red Sea photosynthetic microorganisms supported by microscopic observations, optimal growth media preference assays, CO2 concentration effect, photoperiod effect, mixotrophic and heterotrophic growth tests. Data was recorded for absorbance (600 and 750 nm wave lenght), dry cell weight (DCW), colorimetric observations, and chlorophyll a content. Both CT7801 and CT7802 exhibited a clear preference for Walne\\'s Red Sea medium. An analysis on media composition highlights B and Fe as growth enhancers, as well as a base requirement of seawater. Tests on the effect of supplied concentration of CO2 showed that air enhanced with 1 % v/v CO2 allows approximately 2-fold increase in DCW for Geitlerinema spp. CT7802. Photoperiod tests showed that continuous light is disadvantageous for phototrophic growth of Geitlerinema spp. CT7801 and CT7802. Results for mixotrophic and heterotrophic growth of Geitlerinema spp. CT7801 and CT7802 revealed their ability to metabolize glycerol. Analysis on the complete genome of CT7802 identified three key enzymes, glycerol kinase, glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and triosephosphate isomerase, which may catalyze the glycerol metabolic pathway in the strain. Utilization of glycerol, a residue of the biodiesel industry, might provide a sustainable alternative for growth of Geitlerinema sp. CT7802.

Mid-Pliocene shifts in ocean overturning circulation and the onset of Quaternary-style climates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Sarnthein

2009-06-01

Full Text Available A major tipping point of Earth's history occurred during the mid-Pliocene: the onset of major Northern-Hemisphere Glaciation (NHG and of pronounced, Quaternary-style cycles of glacial-to-interglacial climates, that contrast with more uniform climates over most of the preceding Cenozoic and continue until today (Zachos et al., 2001. The severe deterioration of climate occurred in three steps between 3.2 Ma (warm MIS K3 and 2.7 Ma (glacial MIS G6/4 (Lisiecki and Raymo, 2005. Various models (sensu Driscoll and Haug, 1998 and paleoceanographic records (intercalibrated using orbital age control suggest clear linkages between the onset of NHG and the three steps in the final closure of the Central American Seaways (CAS, deduced from rising salinity differences between Caribbean and the East Pacific. Each closing event led to an enhanced North Atlantic meridional overturning circulation and this strengthened the poleward transport of salt and heat (warmings of +2–3°C (Bartoli et al., 2005. Also, the closing resulted in a slight rise in the poleward atmospheric moisture transport to northwestern Eurasia (Lunt et al., 2007, which probably led to an enhanced precipitation and fluvial run-off, lower sea surface salinity (SSS, and an increased sea-ice cover in the Arctic Ocean, hence promoting albedo and the build-up of continental ice sheets. Most important, new evidence shows that the closing of the CAS led to greater steric height of the North Pacific and thus doubled the low-saline Arctic Throughflow from the Bering Strait to the East Greenland Current (EGC. Accordingly, Labrador Sea IODP Site 1307 displays an abrupt but irreversible EGC cooling of 6°C and freshening by ~2 psu from 3.25/3.16–3.00 Ma, right after the first but still reversible attempt of closing the CAS.

Thermal evolutions of two kinds of melt pond with different salinity

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Joo-Hong; Wilkinson, Jeremy; Moon, Woosok; Hwang, Byongjun; Granskog, Mats

2016-04-01

Melt ponds are water pools on sea ice. Their formation reduces ice surface albedo and alter surface energy balance, by which the ice melting and freezing processes are regulated. Thus, better understanding of their radiative characteristics has been vital to improve the simulation of melting/freezing of sea ice in numerical models. A melt pond would preserve nearly fresh water if it formed on multi-year ice and no flooding of sea water occurred, whereas a melt pond would contain more salty water if it formed on thinner and porous first-year ice, if there were an inflow of sea water by streams or cracks. One would expect that the fluid dynamic/thermodynamic properties (e.g., turbulence, stability, etc.) of pond water are influenced by the salinity, so that the response of pond water to any heat input (e.g., shortwave radiation) would be different. Therefore, better understanding of the salinity-dependent thermal evolution also has significant potential to improve the numerical simulation of the sea ice melting/freezing response to radiative thermal forcing. To observe and understand the salinity-dependent thermal evolution, two ice mass balance buoys (IMBs) were deployed in two kinds (fresh and salty) of melt pond on a same ice floe on 13 August 2015 during Araon Arctic cruise. The thermistor chain, extending from the air through the pond and ice into the sea water, was deployed through a drilled borehole inside the pond. Besides, the IMBs were also accompanied with three broadband solar radiation sensors (two (up and down) in the air over melt pond and one upward-looking under sea ice) to measure the net shortwave radiation at the pond surface and the penetrating solar radiation through ice. Also, the web camera was installed to observe any updates in the conditions of equipment and surrounding environment (e.g., weather, surface state, etc.). On the date of deployment, the fresh pond had salinity of 2.3 psu, light blue color, lots of slush ice particles which

Phenology and Growth dynamics of Avicennia marina in the Central Red Sea

KAUST Repository

Almahasheer, Hanan

2016-11-28

The formation of nodes, stem elongation and the phenology of stunted Avicennia marina was examined in the Central Red Sea, where Avicennia marina is at the limit of its distribution range and submitted to extremely arid conditions with salinity above 38 psu and water temperature as high as 35° C. The annual node production was rather uniform among locations averaging 9.59 node y−1, which resulted in a plastocron interval, the interval in between production of two consecutive nodes along a stem, of 38 days. However, the internodal length varied significantly between locations, resulting in growth differences possibly reflecting the environmental conditions of locations. The reproductive cycle lasted for approximately 12 months, and was characterized by peak flowering and propagule development in November and January. These phenological observations provide a starting point for research and restoration programs on the ecology of mangroves in the Central Red Sea, while the plastochrone index reported here would allow calculations of the growth and production of the species from simple morphological measurements.

Einstein Critical-Slowing-Down is Siegel CyberWar Denial-of-Access Queuing/Pinning/ Jamming/Aikido Via Siegel DIGIT-Physics BEC ``Intersection''-BECOME-UNION Barabasi Network/GRAPH-Physics BEC: Strutt/Rayleigh-Siegel Percolation GLOBALITY-to-LOCALITY Phase-Transition Critical-Phenomenon

Science.gov (United States)

Buick, Otto; Falcon, Pat; Alexander, G.; Siegel, Edward Carl-Ludwig

2013-03-01

Einstein[Dover(03)] critical-slowing-down(CSD)[Pais, Subtle in The Lord; Life & Sci. of Albert Einstein(81)] is Siegel CyberWar denial-of-access(DOA) operations-research queuing theory/pinning/jamming/.../Read [Aikido, Aikibojitsu & Natural-Law(90)]/Aikido(!!!) phase-transition critical-phenomenon via Siegel DIGIT-Physics (Newcomb[Am.J.Math. 4,39(1881)]-{Planck[(1901)]-Einstein[(1905)])-Poincare[Calcul Probabilités(12)-p.313]-Weyl [Goett.Nachr.(14); Math.Ann.77,313 (16)]-{Bose[(24)-Einstein[(25)]-Fermi[(27)]-Dirac[(1927)]}-``Benford''[Proc.Am.Phil.Soc. 78,4,551 (38)]-Kac[Maths.Stat.-Reasoning(55)]-Raimi[Sci.Am. 221,109 (69)...]-Jech[preprint, PSU(95)]-Hill[Proc.AMS 123,3,887(95)]-Browne[NYT(8/98)]-Antonoff-Smith-Siegel[AMS Joint-Mtg.,S.-D.(02)] algebraic-inversion to yield ONLY BOSE-EINSTEIN QUANTUM-statistics (BEQS) with ZERO-digit Bose-Einstein CONDENSATION(BEC) ``INTERSECTION''-BECOME-UNION to Barabasi[PRL 876,5632(01); Rev.Mod.Phys.74,47(02)...] Network /Net/GRAPH(!!!)-physics BEC: Strutt/Rayleigh(1881)-Polya(21)-``Anderson''(58)-Siegel[J.Non-crystalline-Sol.40,453(80)

Phenology and Growth dynamics of Avicennia marina in the Central Red Sea

Science.gov (United States)

Almahasheer, Hanan; Duarte, Carlos M.; Irigoien, Xabier

2016-01-01

The formation of nodes, stem elongation and the phenology of stunted Avicennia marina was examined in the Central Red Sea, where Avicennia marina is at the limit of its distribution range and submitted to extremely arid conditions with salinity above 38 psu and water temperature as high as 35° C. The annual node production was rather uniform among locations averaging 9.59 node y−1, which resulted in a plastocron interval, the interval in between production of two consecutive nodes along a stem, of 38 days. However, the internodal length varied significantly between locations, resulting in growth differences possibly reflecting the environmental conditions of locations. The reproductive cycle lasted for approximately 12 months, and was characterized by peak flowering and propagule development in November and January. These phenological observations provide a starting point for research and restoration programs on the ecology of mangroves in the Central Red Sea, while the plastochrone index reported here would allow calculations of the growth and production of the species from simple morphological measurements. PMID:27892956

Environmental predictors of habitat suitability and biogeographical range of Franciscana dolphins (Pontoporia blainvillei

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jonatan J. Gomez

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to use species distribution models to estimate the effects of environmental variables on the habitat suitability of river dolphins Pontoporia blainvillei (franciscanas along their overall biogeographical distribution. Based on the literature, we selected six environmental variables to be included in the models; four climatic factors (surface sea temperature, salinity, turbidity and productivity and two biotic factors (prey availability and fishing effort. We determined that the biographic range is under the following limits: temperature less than 19°C, a salinity of 36 psu and a minimal probability of the occurrence of fish C. guatucupa of 0.297. In the discussion, we postulate hypotheses on the behavioural and physiological mechanisms that cause these associations between environmental predictors and Franciscanas distribution. There was a good fit between the distribution predicted by the species distribution model and the one proposed by the experts of the International Union for Conservation of Nature; however, our analysis failed to highlight the fundamental role of bycatch as the main threat to this dolphin species.

Japan`s sunshine project. 17.. 1992 annual summary of coal liquefaction and gasification

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1993-09-01

This report describes the achievement of coal liquefaction and gasification technology development in the Sunshine Project for FY 1992. It presents the research and development of coal liquefaction which includes studies on reaction mechanism of coal liquefaction and catalysts for coal liquefaction, the research and development of coal gasification technologies which includes studies on gasification characteristics of various coals and improvement of coal gasification efficiency, the development of bituminous coal liquefaction which includes engineering, construction and operation of a bituminous coal liquefaction pilot plant and research by a process supporting unit (PSU), the development of brown coal liquefaction which includes research on brown coal liquefaction with a pilot plant and development of techniques for upgrading coal oil from brown coal, the development of common base technologies which includes development of slurry letdown valves and study on upgrading technology of coal-derived distillates, the development of coal-based hydrogen production technology with a pilot plant, the development of technology for entrained flow coal gasification, the assessment of coal hydrogasification, and the international co-operation. 4 refs., 125 figs., 39 tabs.

Effects of temperature and salinity on survival rate of cultured corals and photosynthetic efficiency of zooxanthellae in coral tissues

Science.gov (United States)

Kuanui, Pataporn; Chavanich, Suchana; Viyakarn, Voranop; Omori, Makoto; Lin, Chiahsin

2015-06-01

This study investigated the effects of temperature and salinity on growth, survival, and photosynthetic efficiency of three coral species, namely, Pocillopora damicornis, Acropora millepora and Platygyra sinensis of different ages (6 and 18 months old). The experimental corals were cultivated via sexual propagation. Colonies were exposed to 5 different temperatures (18, 23, 28, 33, and 38°C) and 5 different salinities (22, 27, 32, 37, and 42 psu). Results showed that temperature significantly affected photosynthetic efficiency (Fv/Fm) (p < 0.05) compared to salinity. The maximum quantum yield of corals decreased ranging from 5% to 100% when these corals were exposed to different temperatures and salinities. Temperature also significantly affected coral growth and survival. However, corals exposed to changes in salinity showed higher survivorship than those exposed to changes in temperature. Results in this study also showed that corals of different ages and of different species did not display the same physiological responses to changes in environmental conditions. Thus, the ability of corals to tolerate salinity and temperature stresses depends on several factors.

Water cycle and salinity dynamics in the mangrove forests of Europa and Juan de Nova Islands, southwest Indian Ocean.

Science.gov (United States)

Lambs, Luc; Mangion, Perrine; Mougin, Eric; Fromard, François

2016-01-30

The functioning of mangrove forests found on small coralline islands is characterized by limited freshwater inputs. Here, we present data on the water cycling of such systems located on Europa and Juan de Nova Islands, Mozambique Channel. In order to better understand the water cycle and mangrove growth conditions, we have analysed the hydrological and salinity dynamics of the systems by gauge pressure and isotopic tracing (δ18O and δ2H values). Both islands have important seawater intrusion as measured by the water level change and the high salinities in the karstic ponds. Europa Island displays higher salinity stress, with its inner lagoon, but presents a pluri-specific mangrove species formation ranging from shrub to forest stands. No freshwater signal could be detected around the mangrove trees. On Juan de Nova Island, the presence of sand and detrital sediment allows the storage of some amount of rainfall to form a brackish groundwater. The mangrove surface area is very limited with only small mono-specific stands being present in karstic depression. On the drier Europa Island, the salinity of all the water points is equal to or higher than that of the seawater, and on Juan de Nova the groundwater salinity is lower (5 to 20 PSU). This preliminary study shows that the karstic pothole mangroves exist due to the sea connection through the fractured coral and the high tidal dynamics.

Co-inheritance of the rare β hemoglobin variants Hb Yaounde, Hb Görwihl and Hb City of Hope with other alterations in globin genes: impact in genetic counseling.

Science.gov (United States)

Vinciguerra, Margherita; Passarello, Cristina; Leto, Filippo; Cassarà, Filippo; Cannata, Monica; Maggio, Aurelio; Giambona, Antonino

2015-04-01

Nearly 1183 different molecular defects of the globin genes leading to hemoglobin variants have been identified (http://globin.bx.psu.edu) over the past decades. The purpose of this study was to report three cases, never described in the literature, of co-inheritance of three β hemoglobin variants with other alterations in globin genes and to evaluate the clinical significance to conduct an appropriate genetic counseling. We report the molecular study performed in three probands and their families, sampling during the screening program conducted at the Laboratory for Molecular Prenatal Diagnosis of Hemoglobinopathies at Villa Sofia-Cervello Hospital in Palermo, Italy. This work allowed us to describe the co-inheritance of three rare β hemoglobin variants with other alterations in globin genes: the β hemoglobin variant Hb Yaounde [β134(H12)Val>Ala], found for the first time in combination with ααα(anti3.7) arrangement, and the β hemoglobin variants Hb Görwihl [β5(A2)Pro>Ala] and Hb City of Hope [β69(E13)Gly>Ser], found both in association with β(0) -thalassemia. The present work emphasizes the importance of a careful evaluation of the hematological data, especially in cases of atypical hematological parameters, to carry out an adequate and complete molecular study and to formulate an appropriate genetic counseling for couples at risk. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Resident wellness: institutional trends over 10 years since 2003

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Choi D

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Dongseok Choi,1,2 Andrea Cedfeldt,3,4 Christine Flores,5 Kimberly Irish,3 Patrick Brunett,3,6 Donald Girard3,4 1OHSU-PSU School of Public Health, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA; 2School of Dentistry, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea; 3Division of Graduate Medical Education, 4Department of Medicine, 5Division of Continuing Professional Development, 6Department of Emergency Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA Background: The surveys in this study were carried out at the Graduate Medical Education Division at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU. OHSU implemented two significant wellness initiatives: a wellness program in 2004, and a policy allowing 4 half-days off each academic year to pursue personal or family health care needs in 2010. This study provides a secondary data analysis of five cross-sectional surveys of career satisfaction of resident and fellow trainees. Methods: All trainees were surveyed five times over a 10-year period using anonymous, cross-sectional web-based survey instruments. Surveys included questions about career satisfaction, perceived stress, sleep hours, burnout, and related factors.Results: This represents 10 years of accumulated responses from over 2,200 residents with results showing continual improvement in their career satisfaction. Response rates ranged from 56% to 72%. During the study period, there was a significant positive change in overall resident career satisfaction, with little change in factors traditionally considered to be predictive of overall career satisfaction such as sleep hours or perceived stress level. In addition, our data support that availability of time for personal tasks could positively impact the overall training experience.Conclusion: We postulate that the improvements in satisfaction relate to two major institutional innovations designed to promote resident wellness. Keywords: satisfaction, burnout, graduate medical education

Interhemispheric teleconnections: Late Pliocene change in Mediterranean outflow water linked to changes in Indonesian Through-Flow and Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, a review and update

Science.gov (United States)

Sarnthein, Michael; Grunert, Patrick; Khélifi, Nabil; Frank, Martin; Nürnberg, Dirk

2018-03-01

The ultimate, possibly geodynamic control and potential impact of changes in circulation activity and salt discharge of Mediterranean outflow waters (MOW) on Atlantic meridional overturning circulation have formed long-standing objectives in paleoceanography. Late Pliocene changes in the distal advection of MOW were reconstructed on orbital timescales for northeast Atlantic DSDP/ODP sites 548 and 982 off Brittany and on Rockall Plateau, supplemented by a proximal record from Site U1389 west off Gibraltar, and compared to Western Mediterranean surface and deep-water records of Alboran Sea Site 978. From 3.43 to 3.3 Ma, MOW temperatures and salinities form a prominent rise by 2-4 °C and 3 psu, induced by a preceding and coeval rise in sea surface and deep-water salinity and increased summer aridity in the Mediterranean Sea. We speculate that these changes triggered an increased MOW flow and were ultimately induced by a persistent 2.5 °C cooling of Indonesian Through-Flow waters. The temperature drop resulted from the northward drift of Australia that crossed a threshold value near 3.6-3.3 Ma and led to a large-scale cooling of the eastern subtropical Indian Ocean and in turn, to a reduction of African monsoon rains. Vice versa, we show that the distinct rise in Mediterranean salt export after 3.4 Ma induced a unique long-term rise in the formation of Upper North Atlantic Deep Water, that followed with a phase lag of 100 ky. In summary, we present evidence for an interhemispheric teleconnection of processes in the Indonesian Gateways, the Mediterranean and Labrador Seas, jointly affecting Pliocene climate.

Salinity fronts in the tropical Pacific Ocean.

Science.gov (United States)

Kao, Hsun-Ying; Lagerloef, Gary S E

2015-02-01

This study delineates the salinity fronts (SF) across the tropical Pacific, and describes their variability and regional dynamical significance using Aquarius satellite observations. From the monthly maps of the SF, we find that the SF in the tropical Pacific are (1) usually observed around the boundaries of the fresh pool under the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ), (2) stronger in boreal autumn than in other seasons, and (3) usually stronger in the eastern Pacific than in the western Pacific. The relationship between the SF and the precipitation and the surface velocity are also discussed. We further present detailed analysis of the SF in three key tropical Pacific regions. Extending zonally around the ITCZ, where the temperature is nearly homogeneous, we find the strong SF of 1.2 psu from 7° to 11°N to be the main contributor of the horizontal density difference of 0.8 kg/m 3 . In the eastern Pacific, we observe a southward extension of the SF in the boreal spring that could be driven by both precipitation and horizontal advection. In the western Pacific, the importance of these newly resolved SF associated with the western Pacific warm/fresh pool and El Niño southern oscillations are also discussed in the context of prior literature. The main conclusions of this study are that (a) Aquarius satellite salinity measurements reveal the heretofore unknown proliferation, structure, and variability of surface salinity fronts, and that (b) the fine-scale structures of the SF in the tropical Pacific yield important new information on the regional air-sea interaction and the upper ocean dynamics.

First results about current and hydrological data collected in the southern Tyrrhenian subbasin during the GEOSTAR-2 deep-sea mission

Science.gov (United States)

Fuda, J.-L.; Millot, C.; Cazoulat, A.; Jouve, A.; Robin, S.; Rougier, G.; Etiope, G.; Favali, P.

2003-04-01

GEOSTAR is a multi-instrumented (300-kHz ADCP, CTD, transmissometer + several geophysical sensors) abyssal observatory (Beranzoli et al., 2000) that was deployed from September 2000 to March 2001 at about 1900m, 20 nm south-west from Ustica Island. This location was just below the mean depth of the interface separating the dense resident waters of Western Mediterranean origin from the lighter Eastern Mediterranean waters that have cascaded from the Channel of Sicily (now named Eastern Overflow Water, EOW; see http://ciesm.org/events/RT5-WaterMassAcronyms.pdf), as reported by Sparnocchia et al (1999). In order to specify the intermediate and deep circulation in the study area, six moorings were deployed from fall 2000 to fall 2001. Two moorings (M1, M5), equipped with classical current meters, were set 3 nm westwards and 6 nm eastwards from the observatory to specify the current field nearby. One mooring (M6), with a 400-m thermistor string surmounting an upward looking 75-kHz ADCP, was set at about 600 m, 45 nm miles westwards from the westernmost edge of Sicily, to monitor EOW mainly. Here we present the first results from the oceanographic sensors set on the observatory and on the M1, M5 and M6 moorings. In addition, one mooring (M2), supporting autonomous CTD's and set 20 nm northeast of Ustica at about 3400m, allowed confirming huge hydrological trends that were evidenced by previous measurements at the same site (Fuda et al., 2002). Two moorings (M3, M4) were set on the continental slope north of Ustica Island to monitor the alongslope flow from both the western and northern parts of the Tyrrhenian subbasin (analysis on hand). The most remarkable characteristic regarding the observatory T and S records resides in the regular occurrence, roughly every 2-3 weeks, of sharp peaks deviating from the constant background (T about 13.05°C, S about 38.51 psu) with values up to about 13.45°C and about 38.63 psu. These events are clearly indicative of rapid (hours

Transport Studies Enabling Efficiency Optimization of Cost-Competitive Fuel Cell Stacks (aka AURORA: Areal Use and Reactant Optimization at Rated Amperage)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Conti, Amedeo [Nuvera Fuel Cells, Inc., Billerica, MA (United States); Dross, Robert [Nuvera Fuel Cells, Inc., Billerica, MA (United States)

2013-12-06

Hydrogen fuel cells are recognized as one of the most viable solutions for mobility in the 21st century; however, there are technical challenges that must be addressed before the technology can become available for mass production. One of the most demanding aspects is the costs of present-day fuel cells which are prohibitively high for the majority of envisioned markets. The fuel cell community recognizes two major drivers to an effective cost reduction: (1) decreasing the noble metals content, and (2) increasing the power density in order to reduce the number of cells needed to achieve a specified power level. To date, the majority of development work aimed at increasing the value metric (i.e. W/mg-Pt) has focused on the reduction of precious metal loadings, and this important work continues. Efforts to increase power density have been limited by two main factors: (1) performance limitations associated with mass transport barriers, and (2) the historical prioritization of efficiency over cost. This program is driven by commercialization imperatives, and challenges both of these factors. The premise of this Program, supported by proprietary cost modeling by Nuvera, is that DOE 2015 cost targets can be met by simultaneously exceeding DOE 2015 targets for Platinum loadings (using materials with less than 0.2 mg-Pt/cm²) and MEA power density (operating at higher than 1.0 Watt/cm²). The approach of this program is to combine Nuvera’s stack technology, which has demonstrated the ability to operate stably at high current densities (> 1.5 A/cm²), with low Platinum loading MEAs developed by Johnson Matthey in order to maximize Pt specific power density and reduce stack cost. A predictive performance model developed by PSU/UTK is central to the program allowing the team to study the physics and optimize materials/conditions specific to low Pt loading electrodes and ultra-high current density and operation.

Land-ocean gradient in haline stratification and its effects on plankton dynamics and trophic carbon fluxes in Chilean Patagonian fjords (47-50°S)

Science.gov (United States)

González, H. E.; Castro, L. R.; Daneri, G.; Iriarte, J. L.; Silva, N.; Tapia, F.; Teca, E.; Vargas, C. A.

2013-12-01

Patagonian fjord systems, and in particular the fjords and channels associated with the Baker/Pascua Rivers, are currently under conspicuous natural and anthropogenic perturbations. These systems display very high variability, where limnetic and oceanic features overlap generating strong vertical and horizontal physicochemical gradients. The CIMAR 14-Fiordos cruise was conducted in the Chilean fjords located between 47° and 50°S during the spring (October-November) of 2008. The main objectives were to study vertical and horizontal gradients in physical, chemical and biological characteristics of the water column, and to assess plankton dynamics and trophic carbon fluxes in the fjords and channels of central-south Patagonia. The water column was strongly stratified, with a pycnocline at ca. 20 m depth separating a surface layer of silicic acid-rich freshwater discharged by rivers, from the underlying nitrate- and orthophosphate-rich Subantarctic waters. The outflows from the Baker and Pascua Rivers, which range annually between 500 and 1500 m3 s-1, generate the strong land-ocean gradient in salinity (1-32 psu) and inorganic nutrient concentrations (2-8 and 2-24 μM in nitrate and silicic-acid, respectively) we observed along the Baker Fjord. The POC:chl-a ratio fluctuated from 1087 near the fjord’s head to 175 at its oceanic end in the Penas Gulf. This change was mainly due to an increase in diatom dominance and a concurrent decrease in allochthonous POC towards the ocean. Depth-integrated net primary production (NPP) and bacterial secondary production (BSP) fluctuated between 49 and 1215 and 36 and 150 mg C m-2 d-1, respectively, with higher rates in oceanic waters. At a time series station located close to the Baker River mouth, the average NPP was lower (average 360 mg C m-2 d-1) than at more oceanic stations (average 1063 mg C m-2 d-1), and numerically dominated (45%) by the picoplankton (food web is the main trophic pathway in these environments.

Evaluation of the tropospheric flows to a major Southern Hemisphere stratospheric warming event using NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis data with a PSU/NCAR nudging MM5V3 model

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, K.

2008-04-01

Previous studies of the exceptional 2002 Southern Hemisphere (SH) stratospheric warming event lead to some uncertainty, namely the question of whether excessive heat fluxes in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere are a symptom or cause of the 2002 SH warming event. In this work, we use a hemispheric version of the MM5 model with nudging capability and we devised a novel approach to separately test the significance of the stratosphere and troposphere for this year. We paired the flow conditions from 2002 in the stratosphere and troposphere, respectively, against the conditions in 1998 (a year with displaced polar vortex) and in 1948 (a year with strong polar vortex that coincided with the geographical South Pole). Our experiments show that the flow conditions from below determine the stratospheric flow features over the polar region. Regardless of the initial stratospheric conditions in 1998 or 1948, when we simulated these past stratospheres with the troposphere/lower stratosphere conditions constrained to 2002 levels, the simulated middle stratospheres resemble those observed in 2002 stratosphere over the polar region. On the other hand, when the 2002 stratosphere was integrated with the troposphere/lower stratosphere conductions constrained to 1948 and 1998, respectively, the simulated middle stratospheric conditions over the polar region shift toward those of 1948 and 1998. Thus, our experiments further support the wave-forcing theory as the cause of the 2002 SH warming event.

Active water exchange and life near the grounding line of an Antarctic outlet glacier

Science.gov (United States)

Sugiyama, Shin; Sawagaki, Takanobu; Fukuda, Takehiro; Aoki, Shigeru

2014-08-01

The grounding line (GL) of the Antarctic ice sheet forms the boundary between grounded and floating ice along the coast. Near this line, warm oceanic water contacts the ice shelf, producing the ice sheet's highest basal-melt rate. Despite the importance of this region, water properties and circulations near the GL are largely unexplored because in-situ observations are difficult. Here we present direct evidence of warm ocean-water transport to the innermost part of the subshelf cavity (several hundred meters seaward from the GL) of Langhovde Glacier, an outlet glacier in East Antarctica. Our measurements come from boreholes drilled through the glacier's ∼400-m-thick grounding zone. Beneath the grounding zone, we find a 10-24-m-deep water layer of uniform temperature and salinity (-1.45 °C; 34.25 PSU), values that roughly equal those measured in the ocean in front of the glacier. Moreover, living organisms are found in the thin subglacial water layer. These findings indicate active transport of water and nutrients from the adjacent ocean, meaning that the subshelf environment interacts directly and rapidly with the ocean.

Recent developments in KTF. Code optimization and improved numerics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jimenez, Javier; Avramova, Maria; Sanchez, Victor Hugo; Ivanov, Kostadin

2012-01-01

The rapid increase of computer power in the last decade facilitated the development of high fidelity simulations in nuclear engineering allowing a more realistic and accurate optimization as well as safety assessment of reactor cores and power plants compared to the legacy codes. Thermal hydraulic subchannel codes together with time dependent neutron transport codes are the options of choice for an accurate prediction of local safety parameters. Moreover, fast running codes with the best physical models are needed for high fidelity coupled thermal hydraulic / neutron kinetic solutions. Hence at KIT, different subchannel codes such as SUBCHANFLOW and KTF are being improved, validated and coupled with different neutron kinetics solutions. KTF is a subchannel code developed for best-estimate analysis of both Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) and BWR. It is based on the Pennsylvania State University (PSU) version of COBRA-TF (Coolant Boling in Rod Arrays Two Fluids) named CTF. In this paper, the investigations devoted to the enhancement of the code numeric and informatics structure are presented and discussed. By some examples the gain on code speed-up will be demonstrated and finally an outlook of further activities concentrated on the code improvements will be given. (orig.)

Recent developments in KTF. Code optimization and improved numerics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jimenez, Javier; Avramova, Maria; Sanchez, Victor Hugo; Ivanov, Kostadin [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) (Germany). Inst. for Neutron Physics and Reactor Technology (INR)

2012-11-01

The rapid increase of computer power in the last decade facilitated the development of high fidelity simulations in nuclear engineering allowing a more realistic and accurate optimization as well as safety assessment of reactor cores and power plants compared to the legacy codes. Thermal hydraulic subchannel codes together with time dependent neutron transport codes are the options of choice for an accurate prediction of local safety parameters. Moreover, fast running codes with the best physical models are needed for high fidelity coupled thermal hydraulic / neutron kinetic solutions. Hence at KIT, different subchannel codes such as SUBCHANFLOW and KTF are being improved, validated and coupled with different neutron kinetics solutions. KTF is a subchannel code developed for best-estimate analysis of both Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) and BWR. It is based on the Pennsylvania State University (PSU) version of COBRA-TF (Coolant Boling in Rod Arrays Two Fluids) named CTF. In this paper, the investigations devoted to the enhancement of the code numeric and informatics structure are presented and discussed. By some examples the gain on code speed-up will be demonstrated and finally an outlook of further activities concentrated on the code improvements will be given. (orig.)

Salinity and its variability in the Lagoon of Venice, 2000–2009

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alberto Zirino

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Yearly averages computed from monthly and bimonthly salinity data collected between 2000 and 2009 from 13 broadly spaced stations in the Venice Lagoon were analysed in view of 30 min data collected semi-continuously during 2009 at nine similarly located stations. Data from all stations and all years indicate that, based on yearly averages, the lagoon may be divided along its major (long axis into three areas: 1 a northern, freshwater impacted area (S = 32 PSU of low, tidally-caused, variability, and 3 an intermediate zone. Salinity changes are closely associated with rainfall events, and the incoming freshwater is consistently distributed throughout the lagoon by tidal action. Much variability is simply a result of the forward and backward motion of the tides and is not caused by a salinity change in the water itself. The consistency of the 2000–2009 data and the historical (to 1961 watershed record support the hypothesis that the Venice Lagoon has been and is currently at steady-state with respect to its salinity distribution. As such, it is conducive to the development of (at least three separate ecosystems.

The system evaluation for report writing skills of summary by HGA-SVM with Ontology: Medical case study in problem based learning

Science.gov (United States)

Yenaeng, Sasikanchana; Saelee, Somkid; Samai, Wirachai

2018-01-01

The system evaluation for report writing skills of summary by Hybrid Genetic Algorithm-Support Vector Machines (HGA-SVM) with Ontology of Medical Case Study in Problem Based Learning (PBL) is a system was developed as a guideline of scoring for the facilitators or medical teacher. The essay answers come from medical student of medical education courses in the nervous system motion and Behavior I and II subject, a third year medical student 20 groups of 9-10 people, the Faculty of Medicine in Prince of Songkla University (PSU). The audit committee have the opinion that the ratings of individual facilitators are inadequate, this system to solve such problems. In this paper proposes a development of the system evaluation for report writing skills of summary by HGA-SVM with Ontology of medical case study in PBL which the mean scores of machine learning score and humans (facilitators) score were not different at the significantly level .05 all 3 essay parts contain problem essay part, hypothesis essay part and learning objective essay part. The result show that, the average score all 3 essay parts that were not significantly different from the rate at the level of significance .05.

Relación del desempeño académico de estudiantes de primer año de universidad en Chile y los instrumentos de selección para su ingreso

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gastón Vergara-Díaz

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Si bien el rendimiento académico del estudiantado que ingresa a las universidades chilenas ha sido objeto de múltiples estudios, pocas investigaciones han analizado la relación que tienen los instrumentos de selección de ingreso y el rendimiento académico posterior. En una muestra de 440 estudiantes de Ingeniería Comercial de la Universidad Austral de Chile, pertenecientes a cinco promociones de primer año, se estudiaron los instrumentos de admisión a la carrera, y se determinó cuáles explican mejor el rendimiento académico. Para ello se utilizaron los resultados de las pruebas de selección universitaria (PSU y las notas de enseñanza media (NEM obtenidos por el estudiantado, en relación con el promedio semestral ponderado (PSP del primer año universitario. Se determinó que el promedio de NEM explica mejor el rendimiento académico estudiantil, al presentar la mejor correlación con el rendimiento académico del primer semestre y de manera más fuerte en el segundo.

Report on the achievements in the Sunshine Project in fiscal 1990 on research and development of coal energy. Studies on coal liquefying catalysts and a method for analyzing liquefied oil; 1990 nendo sekitan ekikayo shokubai oyobi ekikayu bunsekiho no kenkyu seika hokokusho

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1991-03-01

This paper describes the achievements in the Sunshine Project in fiscal 1990 on research of coal liquefying catalysts and a method for analyzing liquefied oil. Regenerating deteriorated hydrogenating catalysts for coal liquefied oil makes the restoration non-reversible because of residual sulfate. Discussions were given on the regenerating mechanisms. It was found that adding Ru enhances activity of an Ni-Mo catalyst for hydrogenating denitrification and hydrogenation. In studying coal liquefying reaction, a basic study was performed to analyze a catalytic mechanism in the hydrogenating decomposition. Sequential lightening reaction process is being analyzed at molecular levels on coal, preasphaltene, asphaltene and oil. Investigations were carried out on hydrogenating denitrification, deoxygenation, ring opening, decomposition mechanism and catalytic action. A study on precision structural analysis has begun on PSU circulating solvent as a NEDO bituminous coal liquefaction supporting technology. In fiscal 1990, a preliminary study was performed to identify the overall image of the composition of the Wandoan coal liquefied oil. Detailed analysis was executed on naphthalenes and their hydrides. This paper also describes composition analysis and reaction analysis by using the GC/MS ion chromatogram method. It also dwells on the study on catalyst utilizing systems. (NEDO)

Influences of salinity and shade on seedling photosynthesis and growth of two mangrove species, Rhizophora mangle and Bruguiera sexangula, introduced to Hawaii

Science.gov (United States)

Krauss, K.W.; Allen, J.A.

2003-01-01

Rhizophora mangle was first introduced to Hawaii in 1902 to promote shoreline stabilization. Intertidal competition with native and introduced salt marsh species was low, and beyond the early 1920s, mangrove forests expanded rapidly. An additional mangrove species, Bruguiera sexangula, was introduced in 1922 and currently co-occurs with R. mangle in only a few stands on the north shore and windward sides of Oahu. Where the two species overlap, R. mangle, having colonized intertidal zones first, forms nearly monospecific forest stands. To determine why R. mangle remains the dominant mangrove, we initiated a greenhouse study to compare seedling growth and photosynthetic light response of both species growing at two light levels and contrasting salinity regimes (2, 10, 32 PSU). The asymptotic nature of B. sexangula' s assimilation response is indicative of stomatal regulation, whereas only light level appears to regulate photosynthesis in R. mangle. Shifts in patterns of biomass allocation and physiological response indicate two contrasting strategies relative to sunlight and salinity. B. sexangula's strategy is characterized by slow growth with little variation under favorable conditions and morphological plasticity under stressful conditions, which allows for adjustments in carbon gain efficiency (morphological strategy). On the other hand, R. mangle's strategy involves faster growth under a wide range of environmental conditions with physiological enhancement of carbon assimilation (physiological strategy). Low salinity combined with reduced light, or simply low sunlight alone, appears to favor R. mangle and B. sexangula equally. High salinity places greater, but not overwhelming, stress on B. sexangula seedlings, but tends to favor R. mangle at higher light levels.

Phenomenology with supersymmetric flipped SU(6)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shafi, Qaisar E-mail: shafi@bartol.udel.edu; Tavartkiladze, Zurab E-mail: tavzur@axpfe1.fe.infn.it

1999-07-12

The supersymmetric flipped SU(6) x U(1) gauge symmetry can arise through compactification of the ten-dimensional E{sub 8} x E{sub 8} superstring theory. We show how realistic phenomenology can emerge from this theory by supplementing it with the symmetry R x U(1), where R denotes a discrete 'R'-symmetry. The well-known doublet-triplet splitting problem is resolved to 'all orders' via the pseudo-Goldstone mechanism, and the GUT scale arises from an interplay of the Planck and supersymmetry breaking scales. The symmetry R x U(1) is also important for understanding the fermion mass hierarchies as well as the magnitudes of the CKM matrix elements. Furthermore, the well-known MSSM parameter tan {beta} is estimated to be of order unity, while the proton lifetime ({tau}{sub p} {approx} 10{sup 2}{tau}{sub pSU(5)}) is consistent with observations. Depending on some parameters, p {yields} K{mu}{sup +} can be the dominant decay mode. Finally, the observed solar and atmospheric neutrino 'anomalies' requir us to introduce a 'sterile' neutrino state. Remarkably, the R x U(1) symmetry protects it from becoming heavy, so that maximal angle {nu}{sub {mu}} oscillations into a sterile state can explain the atmospheric anomaly, while the solar neutrino puzzle is resolved via the small angle {nu}{sub e} - {nu}{sub {tau}} MSW oscillations. The existence of some ({approx} 15-20% of critical energy density) neutrino hot dark matter is also predicted.

Hydroxyl functionalized polytriazole-co-polyoxadiazole as substrates for forward osmosis membranes

KAUST Repository

Phuoc, Duong

2015-02-25

Hydroxyl functionalized polytriazole-co-polyoxadiazole (PTA-POD) copolymers have been synthesized and cast as promising highly thermally stable, chemically resistant, and antiorganic/biological fouling porous substrates for the fabrication of thin-film composite (TFC) forward osmosis (FO) membranes. The roles of PTA/POD ratios in the membrane substrates, TFC layers, and FO membrane performance have been investigated. This study demonstrates that the substrate fabricated from the copolymer containing 40 mol % PTA is optimal for the TFC membranes. Compared to the POD-TFC membrane, the 40 mol % PTA-TFC membrane exhibits a remarkable decrease in structural parameter (S) of more than 3.3 times. In addition, the 40 mol % PTA-TFC membrane is characterized by high water fluxes of 24.9 LMH and 47.2 LMH using 1 M NaCl as the draw solution and DI water as the feed under FO and pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) modes, respectively. Compared to a polysulfone (PSU) supported TFC-FO membrane under similar fabrication conditions, the 40% mol PTA-TFC membrane shows better FO performance and enhanced antifouling properties on the support (lower protein binding propensity and improved bacterial inhibition). Moreover, the performance of the 40 mol % PTA supported TFC-FO membrane can be improved to 37.5 LMH (FO mode)/78.4 LMH (PRO mode) and potentially higher by optimizing the support morphology, the TFC formation, and the post-treatment process. Hence, the use of newly developed hydroxyl functionalized polytriazole-co-polyoxadiazole copolymers may open up a new class of material for FO processes.

Hydroxyl functionalized polytriazole-co-polyoxadiazole as substrates for forward osmosis membranes

KAUST Repository

Phuoc, Duong; Chisca, Stefan; Hong, Pei-Ying; Cheng, Hong; Nunes, Suzana Pereira; Chung, Taishung

2015-01-01

Hydroxyl functionalized polytriazole-co-polyoxadiazole (PTA-POD) copolymers have been synthesized and cast as promising highly thermally stable, chemically resistant, and antiorganic/biological fouling porous substrates for the fabrication of thin-film composite (TFC) forward osmosis (FO) membranes. The roles of PTA/POD ratios in the membrane substrates, TFC layers, and FO membrane performance have been investigated. This study demonstrates that the substrate fabricated from the copolymer containing 40 mol % PTA is optimal for the TFC membranes. Compared to the POD-TFC membrane, the 40 mol % PTA-TFC membrane exhibits a remarkable decrease in structural parameter (S) of more than 3.3 times. In addition, the 40 mol % PTA-TFC membrane is characterized by high water fluxes of 24.9 LMH and 47.2 LMH using 1 M NaCl as the draw solution and DI water as the feed under FO and pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) modes, respectively. Compared to a polysulfone (PSU) supported TFC-FO membrane under similar fabrication conditions, the 40% mol PTA-TFC membrane shows better FO performance and enhanced antifouling properties on the support (lower protein binding propensity and improved bacterial inhibition). Moreover, the performance of the 40 mol % PTA supported TFC-FO membrane can be improved to 37.5 LMH (FO mode)/78.4 LMH (PRO mode) and potentially higher by optimizing the support morphology, the TFC formation, and the post-treatment process. Hence, the use of newly developed hydroxyl functionalized polytriazole-co-polyoxadiazole copolymers may open up a new class of material for FO processes.

Aggregation of montmorillonite and organic matter in aqueous media containing artificial seawater

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kim Jinwook

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The dispersion-aggregation behaviors of suspended colloids in rivers and estuaries are affected by the compositions of suspended materials (i.e., clay minerals vs. organic macromolecules and salinity. Laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate the dispersion and aggregation mechanisms of suspended particles under simulated river and estuarine conditions. The average hydrodynamic diameters of suspended particles (representing degree of aggregation and zeta potential (representing the electrokinetic properties of suspended colloids and aggregates were determined for systems containing suspended montmorillonite, humic acid, and/or chitin at the circumneutral pH over a range of salinity (0 – 7.2 psu. Results The montmorillonite-only system increased the degree of aggregation with salinity increase, as would be expected for suspended colloids whose dispersion-aggregation behavior is largely controlled by the surface electrostatic properties and van der Waals forces. When montmorillonite is combined with humic acid or chitin, the aggregation of montmorillonite was effectively inhibited. The surface interaction energy model calculations reveal that the steric repulsion, rather than the increase in electronegativity, is the primary cause for the inhibition of aggregation by the addition of humic acid or chitin. Conclusion These results help explain the range of dispersion-aggregation behaviors observed in natural river and estuarine systems. It is postulated that the composition of suspended particles, specifically the availability of steric polymers such as those contained in humic acid, determine whether the river suspension is rapidly aggregated and settled or remains dispersed in suspension when it encounters increasingly saline environments of estuaries and oceans.

Updated Results of Ultrasonic Transducer Irradiation Test

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Daw, Joshua; Palmer, Joe [Idaho National Laboratory, P.O. Box 1625, MS 4112, Idaho Falls, ID, 38415-3840 (United States); Ramuhalli, Pradeep; Keller, Paul; Montgomery, Robert [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Blvd. Richland, WA, 99354 (United States); Chien, Hual-Te [Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 S. Cass Avenue Argonne, IL, 60439 (United States); Tittmann, Bernhard; Reinhardt, Brian [Pennsylvania State University, 212 Earth and Engr. Sciences Building, University Park, PA, 16802 (United States); Kohse, Gordon [Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Ave. Cambridge, MA 02139 (United States); Rempe, Joy [Rempe and Associates, LLC, 360 Stillwater, Idaho Falls, ID 83404 (United States); Villard, J.F. [Commissariat a l' energie atomique et aux energies alternatives, Centre d' etudes de Cadarache, 13108 Saint-Paul-lez-Durance (France)

2015-07-01

Ultrasonic technologies offer the potential for high accuracy and resolution in-pile measurement of a range of parameters, including geometry changes, temperature, crack initiation and growth, gas pressure and composition, and microstructural changes. Many Department of Energy-Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) programs are exploring the use of ultrasonic technologies to provide enhanced sensors for in-pile instrumentation during irradiation testing. For example, the ability of small diameter ultrasonic thermometers (UTs) to provide a temperature profile in candidate metallic and oxide fuel would provide much needed data for validating new fuel performance models. These efforts are limited by the lack of identified ultrasonic transducer materials capable of long term performance under irradiation test conditions. To address this need, the Pennsylvania State University (PSU) was awarded an Advanced Test Reactor National Scientific User Facility (ATR NSUF) project to evaluate the performance of promising magnetostrictive and piezoelectric transducers in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Research Reactor (MITR) up to a fast fluence of at least 10{sup 21} n/cm{sup 2}. A multi-National Laboratory collaboration funded by the Nuclear Energy Enabling Technologies Advanced Sensors and Instrumentation (NEET-ASI) program also provided initial support for this effort. This irradiation, which started in February 2014, is an instrumented lead test and real-time transducer performance data are collected along with temperature and neutron and gamma flux data. The irradiation is ongoing and will continue to approximately mid-2015. To date, very encouraging results have been attained as several transducers continue to operate under irradiation. (authors)

Hydroxyl functionalized polytriazole-co-polyoxadiazole as substrates for forward osmosis membranes.

Science.gov (United States)

Duong, Phuoc H H; Chisca, Stefan; Hong, Pei-Ying; Cheng, Hong; Nunes, Suzana P; Chung, Tai-Shung

2015-02-25

Hydroxyl functionalized polytriazole-co-polyoxadiazole (PTA-POD) copolymers have been synthesized and cast as promising highly thermally stable, chemically resistant, and antiorganic/biological fouling porous substrates for the fabrication of thin-film composite (TFC) forward osmosis (FO) membranes. The roles of PTA/POD ratios in the membrane substrates, TFC layers, and FO membrane performance have been investigated. This study demonstrates that the substrate fabricated from the copolymer containing 40 mol % PTA is optimal for the TFC membranes. Compared to the POD-TFC membrane, the 40 mol % PTA-TFC membrane exhibits a remarkable decrease in structural parameter (S) of more than 3.3 times. In addition, the 40 mol % PTA-TFC membrane is characterized by high water fluxes of 24.9 LMH and 47.2 LMH using 1 M NaCl as the draw solution and DI water as the feed under FO and pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) modes, respectively. Compared to a polysulfone (PSU) supported TFC-FO membrane under similar fabrication conditions, the 40% mol PTA-TFC membrane shows better FO performance and enhanced antifouling properties on the support (lower protein binding propensity and improved bacterial inhibition). Moreover, the performance of the 40 mol % PTA supported TFC-FO membrane can be improved to 37.5 LMH (FO mode)/78.4 LMH (PRO mode) and potentially higher by optimizing the support morphology, the TFC formation, and the post-treatment process. Hence, the use of newly developed hydroxyl functionalized polytriazole-co-polyoxadiazole copolymers may open up a new class of material for FO processes.

Determining CDOM Absorption Spectra in Diverse Coastal Environments Using a Multiple Pathlength, Liquid Core Waveguide System. Measuring the Absorption of CDOM in the Field Using a Multiple Pathlength Liquid Waveguide System

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Richard L.; Belz, Mathias; DelCastillo, Carlos; Trzaska, Rick

2000-01-01

We evaluated the accuracy, sensitivity and precision of a multiple pathlength, liquid core waveguide (MPLCW) system for measuring colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) absorption in the UV-visible spectral range (370-700 nm). The MPLCW has four optical paths (2.0, 9.8, 49.3, and 204 cm) coupled to a single Teflon AF sample cell. Water samples were obtained from inland, coastal and ocean waters ranging in salinity from 0 to 36 PSU. Reference solutions for the MPLCW were made having a refractive index of the sample. CDOM absorption coefficients, a(sub CDOM), and the slope of the log-linearized absorption spectra, S, were compared with values obtained using a dual-beam spectrophotometer. Absorption of phenol red secondary standards measured by the MPLCW at 558 nm were highly correlated with spectrophotometer values (r > 0.99) and showed a linear response across all four pathlengths. Values of a(sub CDOM) measured using the MPLCW were virtually identical to spectrophotometer values over a wide range of concentrations. The dynamic range of a(sub CDOM) for MPLCW measurements was 0.002 - 231.5/m. At low CDOM concentrations (a(sub 370) CDOM) were slightly greater than MPLCW values and showed larger fluctuations at longer wavelengths due to limitations in instrument precision. In contrast, MPLCW spectra followed an exponential to 600 nm for all samples. The maximum deviation in replicate MPLCW spectra was less than 0.001 absorbance units. The portability, sampling, and optical characteristics of a MPLCW system provide significant enhancements for routine CDOM absorption measurements in a broad range of natural waters.