OSL Based Anthropomorphic Phantom and Real-Time Organ Dosimetry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

David E. Hintenlang, Ph.D

2009-02-10

The overall objective of this project was the development of a dosimetry system that provides the direct measurement of organ does in real-time with a sensitivity that makes it an effective tool for applications in a wide variety of health physics applications. The system included the development of a real-time readout system for fiber optic coupled (FOC) dosimeters that is integrated with a state-of-art anthropomorphic phantom to provide instantaneous measures of organ doses throughout the phantom. The small size of the FOC detectors and optical fibers allow the sensitive volume of the detector to be located at organ centroids (or multiple locations distributed through the organ) within a tissue equivalent, anthropomorphic phantom without perturbing the tissue equivalent features of the phantom. The developed phantom/dosimetry system can be used in any environment where personnel may be exposed to gamma or x-ray radiations to provide the most accurate determinations of organ and effective doses possible to date.

OSL Based Anthropomorphic Phantom and Real-Time Organ Dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hintenlang, David E.

2009-01-01

The overall objective of this project was the development of a dosimetry system that provides the direct measurement of organ doses in real-time with a sensitivity that makes it an effective tool for applications in a wide variety of health physics applications. The system included the development of a real-time readout system for fiber optic coupled (FOC) dosimeters that is integrated with a state-of-art anthropomorphic phantom to provide instantaneous measures of organ doses throughout the phantom. The small size of the FOC detectors and optical fibers allow the sensitive volume of the detector to be located at organ centroids (or multiple locations distributed through the organ) within a tissue equivalent, anthropomorphic phantom without perturbing the tissue equivalent features of the phantom. The developed phantom/dosimetry system can be used in any environment where personnel may be exposed to gamma or x-ray radiations to provide the most accurate determinations of organ and effective doses possible to date

Study on reduction reactions of neptunium(V) on magnetite surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kitamura, Akira; Kamei, Gento; Nakata, Kotaro; Tanaka, Satoru; Tomura, Tsutomu

2004-01-01

Redox reactions between neptunium(V) (Np(V)) and magnetite (Fe(II) 1 Fe(III) 2 O 4 ) surface were investigated in N 2 gas atmosphere. A batch method was applied to the experiment. A magnetite sample and a 0.1 M NaCl solution were mixed in a polypropylene tube, and pH, redox potential and concentration of dissolved neptunium were measured as a function of shaking time, temperature and liquid/solid ratio. The concentration of dissolved neptunium was reduced rapidly within a day, due to the reducing reaction of Np(V) to Np(IV) and the precipitation of Np(IV). The rate constant of the redox reaction and the activation energy for the rate constant were preliminarily obtained. On the other hand, redox reactions between Np(V) and aqueous Fe(II) were hardly observed. Considering the number of transferred electrons, it was suggested that the redox reaction was promoted by not only Fe(II) on the magnetite surface, but also Fe(II) inside the magnetite. (author)

Real time in situ detection of organic nitrates in atmospheric aerosols.

Science.gov (United States)

Rollins, Andrew W; Smith, Jared D; Wilson, Kevin R; Cohen, Ronald C

2010-07-15

A novel instrument is described that quantifies total particle-phase organic nitrates in real time with a detection limit of 0.11 microg m(-3) min(-1), 45 ppt min(-1) (-ONO(2)). Aerosol nitrates are separated from gas-phase nitrates with a short residence time activated carbon denuder. Detection of organic molecules containing -ONO(2) subunits is accomplished using thermal dissociation coupled to laser induced fluorescence detection of NO(2). This instrument is capable of high time resolution (seconds) measurements of particle-phase organic nitrates, without interference from inorganic nitrate. Here we use it to quantify organic nitrates in secondary organic aerosol generated from high-NO(x) photooxidation of limonene, alpha-pinene, Delta-3-carene, and tridecane. In these experiments the organic nitrate moiety is observed to be 6-15% of the total SOA mass.

Time-dependent simulation of organic light-emitting diodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sharifi, M J

2009-01-01

Several methods to simulate the behavior of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) have been proposed in the past. In this paper, we develop a previous method, based on the master equation, in order to allow the simulation of time-dependent behavior and transient states. The calculation algorithm of the program that we have written is described. The time-dependent behaviors of two simple monolayer devices and of a more complicated three-layer device were simulated by means of this program, and the results are discussed. The results show that the turn-off speed of an OLED might be very slow, especially in the case of a multilayer device. This behavior is related to the low mobility of the organic material in weak electric fields. An interesting feature of the time behavior is pointed out, whereby the recombination rate may become considerably larger after the falling edge of an applied voltage pulse. Moreover, the validity of the transient electro-luminescent method for measuring carrier mobility in organic material has been examined by means of simulation. The results show that there is some inconsistency especially in high electric fields

Predicting The Exit Time Of Employees In An Organization Using Statistical Model

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Ahmed Al Kuwaiti

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Employees are considered as an asset to any organization and each organization provide a better and flexible working environment to retain its best and resourceful workforce. As such continuous efforts are being taken to avoid or extend the exitwithdrawal of employees from the organization. Human resource managers are facing a challenge to predict the exit time of employees and there is no precise model existing at present in the literature. This study has been conducted to predict the probability of exit of an employee in an organization using appropriate statistical model. Accordingly authors designed a model using Additive Weibull distribution to predict the expected exit time of employee in an organization. In addition a Shock model approach is also executed to check how well the Additive Weibull distribution suits in an organization. The analytical results showed that when the inter-arrival time increases the expected time for the employees to exit also increases. This study concluded that Additive Weibull distribution can be considered as an alternative in the place of Shock model approach to predict the exit time of employee in an organization.

Hierarchical organization of the circadian timing system

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Steensel, Mariska van

2006-01-01

In order to cope with and to predict 24-hour rhythms in the environment, most, if not all, organisms have a circadian timing system. The most important mammalian circadian pacemaker is located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus at the base of the hypothalamus in the brain. Over the years, it has become

Time-resolved ultraviolet laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy for organic material analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baudelet, Matthieu; Boueri, Myriam [Laboratoire de Spectrometrie Ionique et Moleculaire, Universite Claude Bernard Lyon 1, UMR CNRS 5579, 43, Bd. du 11 Novembre 1918, F-69622 Villeurbanne Cedex (France); Yu Jin [Laboratoire de Spectrometrie Ionique et Moleculaire, Universite Claude Bernard Lyon 1, UMR CNRS 5579, 43, Bd. du 11 Novembre 1918, F-69622 Villeurbanne Cedex (France)], E-mail: jin.yu@lasim.univ-lyon1.fr; Mao, Samuel S; Piscitelli, Vincent; Xianglei, Mao; Russo, Richard E [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720 (United States)

2007-12-15

Ultraviolet pulses (266 nm) delivered by a quadrupled Nd:YAG laser were used to analyze organic samples with laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). We present characteristics of the spectra obtained from organic samples with special attentions on the emissions of organic elements, O and N, and molecular bonds CN. The choice of these atomic or molecular species is justified on one hand, by the importance of these species to specify organic or biological materials; and on the other hand by the possible interferences with ambient air when laser ablation takes place in the atmosphere. Time-resolved LIBS was used to determine the time-evolution of line intensity emitted from these species. We demonstrate different kinetic behaviors corresponding to different origins of emitters: native atomic or molecular species directly vaporized from the sample or those generated through dissociation or recombination due to interaction between laser-induced plasma and air molecules. Our results show the ability of time-resolved UV-LIBS for detection and identification of native atomic or molecular species from an organic sample.

Determination of microamounts of neptunium by differential pulse polarography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cauchetier, Ph.

1979-01-01

Neptunium is produced in significant amounts in the ''light-water'' reactors and must be controlled at different steps of fuel reprocessing. For this purpose a method of differential pulse polarography has been developed. A tight cell containing 10 ml solution is set up in a Faraday cage. Adjustment to the tetravalent state, Np(IV), is carried out electrochemically on a mercury layer and the Np(IV) concentration is determined by differential pulse polarography, using a dropping mercury electrode. In 0.5M sulfuric acid medium, the redox potential of the reversible couple Np(IV)/Np(III) is -0.3 V/SCE. Concentrations as low as 5x10 -7 M neptunium can be measured and detection at the 2x10 -7 M level is still possible (0.5 μg in the polarographic cell). Precision is about 2% in the 10 -5 M and 10% in the 10 -6 M range. The method has been applied to aqueous and organic (TBP-dodecane) solutions. Neptunium can be determined without separation in the presence of plutonium or uranium at M/Np ratios of 10 3 and 5x10 4 , respectively. In the presence of fission products a separation is needed. (author)

Reduction and precipitation of neptunium(V) by sulfate-reducing bacteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Banaszak, J. E.; Rittmann, B. E.; Reed, D. T.

1999-01-01

Migration of neptunium, as NpO 2 + , has been identified as a potentially important pathway for actinide release at nuclear waste repositories and existing sites of subsurface contamination. Reduction of Np(V) to Np(IV) will likely reduce its volubility, resulting in lowered subsurface migration. The ability of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) to utilize Np(V) as an electron acceptor was investigated, because these bacteria are active in many anaerobic aquifers and are known to facilitate the reduction of metals and radionuclides. Pure and mixed cultures of SRB were able to precipitate neptunium during utilization of pyruvate, lactate, and hydrogen as electron donors in the presence and absence of sulfate. The neptunium in the precipitate was identified as Np(IV) using X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES) analysis. In mixed-culture studies, the addition of hydrogen to consortia grown by pyruvate fermentation stimulated neptunium reduction and precipitation. Experiments with pure cultures of Desulfovibrio vulgaris, growing by lactate fermentation in the absence of sulfate or by sulfate reduction, confirm that the organism is active in neptunium reduction and precipitation. Based on our results, the activity of SRB in the subsurface may have a significant, and potentially beneficial, impact on actinide mobility by reducing neptunium volubility

The Time Is Right to Focus on Model Organism Metabolomes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arthur S. Edison

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Model organisms are an essential component of biological and biomedical research that can be used to study specific biological processes. These organisms are in part selected for facile experimental study. However, just as importantly, intensive study of a small number of model organisms yields important synergies as discoveries in one area of science for a given organism shed light on biological processes in other areas, even for other organisms. Furthermore, the extensive knowledge bases compiled for each model organism enable systems-level understandings of these species, which enhance the overall biological and biomedical knowledge for all organisms, including humans. Building upon extensive genomics research, we argue that the time is now right to focus intensively on model organism metabolomes. We propose a grand challenge for metabolomics studies of model organisms: to identify and map all metabolites onto metabolic pathways, to develop quantitative metabolic models for model organisms, and to relate organism metabolic pathways within the context of evolutionary metabolomics, i.e., phylometabolomics. These efforts should focus on a series of established model organisms in microbial, animal and plant research.

Executive Functions, Time Organization and Quality of Life among Adults with Learning Disabilities.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kineret Sharfi

Full Text Available This study compared the executive functions, organization in time and perceived quality of life (QoL of 55 adults with learning disabilities (LD with those of 55 matched controls (mean age 30 years. Furthermore, relationships and predictive relationships between these variables among the group with LD were examined.All participants completed the Behavioral Rating Inventory of Executive Functions (BRIEF-A, the Time Organization and Participation (TOPS, A-C and the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL questionnaires. Chi-square tests, independent t-tests and MANOVA were used to examine group differences in each of the subscales scores and ratings of each instrument. Pearson correlations and regression predictive models were used to examine the relationships between the variables in the group with LD.Adults with LD had significantly poorer executive functions (BRIEF-A, deficient organization in time abilities (TOPS A-B, accompanied with negative emotional response (TOPS- C, and lower perceived QoL (physical, psychological, social and environmental in comparison to adults without LD. Regression analysis revealed that Initiation (BRIEF-A significantly predicted approximately 15% of the participants' organization in time abilities (TOPS A, B scores beyond group membership. Furthermore, initiation, emotional control (BRIEF-A subscales and emotional responses following unsuccessful organization of time (TOPS-C together accounted for 39% of the variance of psychological QoL beyond the contribution of group membership.Deficits in initiation and emotional executive functions as well as organization in time abilities and emotional responses to impairments in organizing time affect the QoL of adults with LD and thus should be considered in further research as well as in clinical applications.

Executive Functions, Time Organization and Quality of Life among Adults with Learning Disabilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharfi, Kineret; Rosenblum, Sara

2016-01-01

This study compared the executive functions, organization in time and perceived quality of life (QoL) of 55 adults with learning disabilities (LD) with those of 55 matched controls (mean age 30 years). Furthermore, relationships and predictive relationships between these variables among the group with LD were examined. All participants completed the Behavioral Rating Inventory of Executive Functions (BRIEF-A), the Time Organization and Participation (TOPS, A-C) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL) questionnaires. Chi-square tests, independent t-tests and MANOVA were used to examine group differences in each of the subscales scores and ratings of each instrument. Pearson correlations and regression predictive models were used to examine the relationships between the variables in the group with LD. Adults with LD had significantly poorer executive functions (BRIEF-A), deficient organization in time abilities (TOPS A-B), accompanied with negative emotional response (TOPS- C), and lower perceived QoL (physical, psychological, social and environmental) in comparison to adults without LD. Regression analysis revealed that Initiation (BRIEF-A) significantly predicted approximately 15% of the participants' organization in time abilities (TOPS A, B scores) beyond group membership. Furthermore, initiation, emotional control (BRIEF-A subscales) and emotional responses following unsuccessful organization of time (TOPS-C) together accounted for 39% of the variance of psychological QoL beyond the contribution of group membership. Deficits in initiation and emotional executive functions as well as organization in time abilities and emotional responses to impairments in organizing time affect the QoL of adults with LD and thus should be considered in further research as well as in clinical applications.

Organizing Space and Time through Relational Human–animal Boundary Work

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sage, Daniel; Justesen, Lise; Dainty, Andrew

2016-01-01

In this article, we examine the role that animals play within human organizational boundary work. In so doing, we challenge the latent anthropocentricism in many, if not most, theories of organization that locate animal agencies outside the boundary work that is said to constitute organizing....... In developing this argument, we draw together diverse strands of work mobilizing Actor–Network Theory that engage the entanglement of human/nonhuman agencies. In bringing this work together, we suggest humans may organize, even manage, by conducting relational boundary work with animal agencies, spacings...... and timings. Our argument is empirically illustrated and theoretically developed across two cases of the spacings and timings of construction project organizations—an infrastructure project in the United Kingdom and a housing development in Scandinavia. Construction projects are well-known for their tightly...

The binding of Np to rat bone

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramounet, B.; Taylor, D.M.

1997-01-01

Neptunium has been shown to massively deposit in bone, after intravenous or intramuscular injections. Initially, it was uniformly distributed on periosteal and endosteal bone surfaces. The nature of the binding molecules, for this actinide, in the skeleton, has not yet been identified. The aim of this work was to characterize the ligands of neptunium by selective extractions of bone components. The preliminary results displayed the binding of 237 Np(IV) in the organic phase of bone, after intravenous or intramuscular contamination. Further studies are in progress, to quantify the fraction of Np bound to the organic and mineral compartment of bone, and to determine the affinity constant and the turn-over of the binding proteins. (authors)

Online Self-Organizing Network Control with Time Averaged Weighted Throughput Objective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhicong Zhang

2018-01-01

Full Text Available We study an online multisource multisink queueing network control problem characterized with self-organizing network structure and self-organizing job routing. We decompose the self-organizing queueing network control problem into a series of interrelated Markov Decision Processes and construct a control decision model for them based on the coupled reinforcement learning (RL architecture. To maximize the mean time averaged weighted throughput of the jobs through the network, we propose a reinforcement learning algorithm with time averaged reward to deal with the control decision model and obtain a control policy integrating the jobs routing selection strategy and the jobs sequencing strategy. Computational experiments verify the learning ability and the effectiveness of the proposed reinforcement learning algorithm applied in the investigated self-organizing network control problem.

Organizational improvisation, jazz and the representations of time in organization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elzo Alves Aranha

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, it is possible to verify an  increase  of academic articles about the phenomenon of time on  Organizations  Studies   field  which  has  close relation  to change  management  in  organization. Recently, investigations about time are associated to organizational improvisation and some of these researches offer  organizational  formats  and models.  This  article  aims  to  verify  how  cyclical and  linear  perspectives of time are present in organizational improvisation. Therefore, this article was structured in the following segments: the  first is  an  introduction,  the  second  deals  with  some conceptual aspects of cyclical and linear perspectives  of  time;  the  third  describes  organizational improvisational  conceptual  frames;  the  fourth presents  a  description  of  the  relations  between cyclical  and linear perspectives of time and organizational improvisational conceptual frames; and the  fith presents the  final considerations.

Solubility product of tetravalent neptunium hydrous oxide and its ionic strength dependence

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fujiwara, K.; Mori, T. [Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute (JNC), 4-33, Muramatsu, Tokai-mura, Naka-gun, Ibaraki-ken, 319-1194 (Japan); Kohara, Y. [Inspection and Development Company, 4-33, Muramatsu, Tokaimura, Naka-gun, Ibaraki-ken, 319-1112 (Japan)

2005-07-01

Full text of publication follows: Solubility products (K{sub sp}) are key parameters in the context of reliable assessment of actinides migration in the repository conditions of high level radioactive waste. Neptunium (Np(IV)) is one of the most important actinide elements in the assessment, because of its inventory and the long half-life. A few previous data for Np(IV) solubility are varied widely due to experimental difficulties related to the extremely low solubility. We carried out batch-type experiments under nitrogen atmosphere using a glovebox. Np(V) was reduced to Np(III) by bubbling 0.5 ppm H{sub 2} / N{sub 2} gas through the solution for 30 days in the presence of platinum black as catalyst. After reducing treatment, the Np(III) converted to Np(IV) by auto-oxidation within approximately three days. The solubilities of the Np(IV) were measured in the pHc ranging from 2 to 4, at room temperature (23 {+-} 2 deg. C), in ionic strength(I) = 0.1, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 M NaClO{sub 4}. The equilibrium condition was confirmed by over-saturation and under-saturation method. After the equilibrium, the pH{sub c} and the E{sub h} value of the suspension were measured. The suspension was then filtered using a filter with a NMWL of 3000 (less than 2 nm{phi}). The Np radio activity in the filtrate was determined by alpha spectrometry and absorption spectra of Np(IV). The solubility decreased with increasing pHc and the hydrolysis species are predominantly formed. From the obtained results, the solubility products (K{sub sp}) of Np hydroxide, for the reaction, NpO{sub 2} . xH{sub 2}O {r_reversible} Np{sup 4+} + 4OH{sup -} + (x-2)H{sub 2}O, at I = 0.1, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 were determined by using formation constants ({beta}{sub n}(I)), which were determined for the reaction, Np{sup 4+} + nOH{sup -} {r_reversible} Np(OH){sub n}{sup (4-n)+}. By using the specific interaction theory (SIT), the solubility product of tetravalent Np hydrous oxide is calculated to be log K{sub sp}{sup 0

Organ Type and Waiting Time

Science.gov (United States)

... to know FAQ Living donation What is living donation? Organs Types Being a living donor First steps Being ... There are many financial resources for transplants. Living donation increases the existing organ supply. It’s important to get to know your ...

Comparison of sensor characteristics of three real-time monitors for organic vapors.

Science.gov (United States)

Hori, Hajime; Ishimatsu, Sumiyo; Fueta, Yukiko; Hinoue, Mitsuo; Ishidao, Toru

2015-01-01

Sensor characteristics and performance of three real-time monitors for volatile organic compounds (VOC monitor) equipped with a photo ionization detector (PID), a sensor using the interference enhanced reflection (IER) method and a semiconductor gas sensor were investigated for 52 organic solvent vapors designated as class 1 and class 2 of organic solvents by the Ordinance of Organic Solvent Poisoning Prevention in Japan. Test vapors were prepared by injecting each liquid solvent into a 50 l Tedlar® bag and perfectly vaporizing it. The vapor concentration was from one-tenth to twice the administrative control level for all solvents. The vapor concentration was measured with the monitors and a gas chromatograph equipped with a flame ionization detector simultaneously, and the values were compared. The monitor with the PID sensor could measure many organic vapors, but it could not detect some vapors with high ionization potential. The IER sensor could also detect many vapors, but a linear response was not obtained for some vapors. A semiconductor sensor could detect methanol that could not be detected by PID and IER sensors. Working environment measurement of organic vapors by real-time monitors may be possible, but sensor characteristics and their limitations should be known.

Effects of implementing time-variable postgraduate training programmes on the organization of teaching hospital departments.

Science.gov (United States)

van Rossum, Tiuri R; Scheele, Fedde; Sluiter, Henk E; Paternotte, Emma; Heyligers, Ide C

2018-01-31

As competency-based education has gained currency in postgraduate medical education, it is acknowledged that trainees, having individual learning curves, acquire the desired competencies at different paces. To accommodate their different learning needs, time-variable curricula have been introduced making training no longer time-bound. This paradigm has many consequences and will, predictably, impact the organization of teaching hospitals. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of time-variable postgraduate education on the organization of teaching hospital departments. We undertook exploratory case studies into the effects of time-variable training on teaching departments' organization. We held semi-structured interviews with clinical teachers and managers from various hospital departments. The analysis yielded six effects: (1) time-variable training requires flexible and individual planning, (2) learners must be active and engaged, (3) accelerated learning sometimes comes at the expense of clinical expertise, (4) fast-track training for gifted learners jeopardizes the continuity of care, (5) time-variable training demands more of supervisors, and hence, they need protected time for supervision, and (6) hospital boards should support time-variable training. Implementing time-variable education affects various levels within healthcare organizations, including stakeholders not directly involved in medical education. These effects must be considered when implementing time-variable curricula.

Np(V)/Np(IV) in concentrated carbonate/bicarbonate solutions; Np(V)/Np(IV) en solutions carbonate/bicarbonate concentrees

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Delmau, L.H.; Vitorge, P.; Capdevila, H.

1996-01-01

A 1.5 M Na{sub 2}CO{sub 3} solution of Np(V) is electrolysed to Np(IV) at -2.0 V/SHE. -1g(H{sup +}) is decreased from 10.4 to 7.2 by bubbling CO{sub 2} in these solutions, where Np(IV) spectra can be interpreted with the only lost of one CO{sub 3}{sup 2-} anion from the Np(IV) limiting complex. From these spectral changes, the following parameters are fitted: 20.5 {+-} 2.1, 8.44 {+-} 0.9 and 28.9 {+-} 2.9 l/mol./cm for the Np(CO{sub 3}){sub 5}{sup 6-} molar absorptivity at 823, 990 and 1013 nm respectively, and 54.5 {+-} 5.5, 40.6 {+-} 4.1 and 8.53 {+-} 0.9 for the Np(CO{sub 3}){sub 4}{sup 4-} ones, and log((Np(CO{sub 3}){sub 5}{sup 6-}) / ((Np(CO{sub 3}){sub 4}{sup 4-})(CO{sub 3}{sup 2-}))) = 1.47 {+-} 0.08, 1.63 {+-} 0.05, 1.80 {+-} 0.04, 1.79 {+-} 0.10 and 2.21 {+-} 0.03 at the half point reaction in initially 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5 and 0.6 M Na{sub 2}CO{sub 3} solutions. These values are extrapolated to 0 ionic strength by using the Specific Interaction Theory (SIT). The redox potential of 0.3, 0.6, 1 and 1.5 M Na{sub 2}CO{sub 3} solutions of Np(V) and Np(IV) mixtures, is stable usually after three hours at T from 5 to 60 deg C, and then for up to three weeks at 21.5 deg C. At 25 deg C, its values are 0.247, 0.234, 0.244 and 0.228 V/SEH in 0.3, 0.6, 1 and 1.5 M Na{sub 2}CO{sub 3} solutions. When the tonic strength is equal to 0: E = 0.52 {+-} 0.1 V/SEH and {Delta}S/F = -1.1 {+-} 0.7 mV. deg C{sup -1}. Assuming this potential is controlled by the NpO{sub 2}(CO{sub 3}){sub 3}{sup 5-} + 2 CO{sub 2} + e{sup -} {r_reversible} Np(CO{sub 3}){sub 5}{sup 6-} equilibrium, the formation constant of the limiting complex is deduced by using published values of the other needed equilibria: log {Beta}{sub 5}{sup d}eg = 38 {+-} 4. Qualitative results on the preparation and on the spectra of Np(IV) are used to explain the apparent contradictions between some published results. (authors). 39 refs., figs., tabs.

Redox stability of neptunium(V) in the presence of humic substances of varying functionality

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schmeide, K.; Geipel, G.; Bernhard, G. [Forschungszentrum Rossendorf e.V., Institute of Radiochemistry, P.O. Box 510 119, D-01314 Dresden (Germany)

2005-07-01

Full text of publication follows: Naturally occurring aquatic humic substances (humic and fulvic acids) are known to effect the speciation and thus, the migration behavior of actinide contaminants in environmental systems due to their complexing and redox properties and their ability to form colloids. Therefore, to understand and predict the mobility of actinides in natural aquifer systems, amongst others, information on their redox stability in the presence of humic substances is necessary. In the present work, the time dependence of the reduction of Np(V) to Np(IV) by humic substances of varying functionality has been studied under anaerobic conditions between pH 3.5 and pH 9. Synthetic humic acids with pronounced redox functionality (type Cat-Gly and Hyd-Glu) [1] were studied in comparison to natural humic substances (Aldrich humic acid, Kranichsee fulvic acid). For Np speciation in solution liquid-liquid extraction, laser-induced photoacoustic spectroscopy (LIPAS), NIR absorption spectroscopy, and ultrafiltration were applied. In comparison to the natural humic substances, the synthetic humic acids lead to a much stronger reduction of Np(V) to Np(IV) [2]. The Np(IV) formed in the course of the experiments is stabilized as Np(IV) humate. The tetravalent oxidation state of Np remained constant for several months. The redox capacities of the synthetic humic acids, which are significantly higher than those of the natural humic substances, can be attributed to their higher phenolic/acidic OH group contents compared to natural humic substances. The dominating role of phenolic/acidic OH groups for the reduction of Np(V) by humic substances could be verified applying a synthetic humic acid with blocked phenolic/acidic OH groups (type Hyd-Glu-PB). Furthermore, the influence of NO{sub 3}{sup -} on the Np(V) reduction by humic substances was studied. The results have shown that by application of the synthetic humic acids with distinct redox functionalities actinides can

Time trends in organ donation after neurologic determination of death: a cohort study

Science.gov (United States)

Kramer, Andreas H.; Baht, Ryan; Doig, Christopher J.

2017-01-01

Background: The cause of brain injury may influence the number of organs that can be procured and transplanted with donation following neurologic determination of death. We investigated whether the distribution of causes responsible for neurologic death has changed over time and, if so, whether this has had an impact on organ quality, transplantation rates and recipient outcomes. Methods: We performed a cohort study involving consecutive brain-dead organ donors in southern Alberta between 2003 and 2014. For each donor, we determined last available measures of organ injury and number of organs transplanted, and compared these variables for various causes of neurologic death. We compared trends to national Canadian data for 2000-2013 (2000-2011 for Quebec). Results: There were 226 brain-dead organ donors over the study period, of whom 100 (44.2%) had anoxic brain injury, 63 (27.9%) had stroke, and 51 (22.6%) had traumatic brain injury. The relative proportion of donors with traumatic brain injury decreased over time (> 30% in 2003-2005 v. 6%-23% in 2012-2014) (p = 0.004), whereas that with anoxic brain injury increased (14%-37% v. 46%-80%, respectively) (p organs transplanted per donor was 3.6 with anoxic brain injury versus 4.5 with traumatic brain injury or stroke (p = 0.002). Interpretation: Anoxic brain injury has become a leading cause of organ donation after neurologic determination of death in Canada. Organs from donors with anoxic brain injury have a greater degree of injury, and fewer are transplanted. These findings have implications for availability of organs for transplantation in patients with end-stage organ failure. PMID:28401114

The Organization of Behavior Over Time: Insights from Mid-Session Reversal.

Science.gov (United States)

Rayburn-Reeves, Rebecca M; Cook, Robert G

2016-01-01

What are the mechanisms by which behavior is organized sequentially over time? The recently developed mid-session reversal (MSR) task offers new insights into this fundamental question. The typical MSR task is arranged to have a single reversed discrimination occurring in a consistent location within each session and across sessions. In this task, we examine the relevance of time, reinforcement, and other factors as the switching cue in the sequential modulation of control in MSR. New analyses also highlight some of the potential mechanisms underlying this serially organized behavior. MSR provides new evidence and we offer some ideas about how cues interact to compete for the control of behavior within and across sessions. We suggest that MSR is an excellent preparation for studying the competition among psychological states and their resolution toward action.

Automatic abdominal multi-organ segmentation using deep convolutional neural network and time-implicit level sets.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Peijun; Wu, Fa; Peng, Jialin; Bao, Yuanyuan; Chen, Feng; Kong, Dexing

2017-03-01

Multi-organ segmentation from CT images is an essential step for computer-aided diagnosis and surgery planning. However, manual delineation of the organs by radiologists is tedious, time-consuming and poorly reproducible. Therefore, we propose a fully automatic method for the segmentation of multiple organs from three-dimensional abdominal CT images. The proposed method employs deep fully convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for organ detection and segmentation, which is further refined by a time-implicit multi-phase evolution method. Firstly, a 3D CNN is trained to automatically localize and delineate the organs of interest with a probability prediction map. The learned probability map provides both subject-specific spatial priors and initialization for subsequent fine segmentation. Then, for the refinement of the multi-organ segmentation, image intensity models, probability priors as well as a disjoint region constraint are incorporated into an unified energy functional. Finally, a novel time-implicit multi-phase level-set algorithm is utilized to efficiently optimize the proposed energy functional model. Our method has been evaluated on 140 abdominal CT scans for the segmentation of four organs (liver, spleen and both kidneys). With respect to the ground truth, average Dice overlap ratios for the liver, spleen and both kidneys are 96.0, 94.2 and 95.4%, respectively, and average symmetric surface distance is less than 1.3 mm for all the segmented organs. The computation time for a CT volume is 125 s in average. The achieved accuracy compares well to state-of-the-art methods with much higher efficiency. A fully automatic method for multi-organ segmentation from abdominal CT images was developed and evaluated. The results demonstrated its potential in clinical usage with high effectiveness, robustness and efficiency.

Neptunium and manganese biocycling in nuclear legacy sediment systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thorpe, Clare L.; Morris, Katherine; Lloyd, Jonathan R.; Denecke, Melissa A.; Law, Kathleen A.; Dardenne, Kathy; Boothman, Christopher; Bots, Pieter; Law, Gareth T.W.

2015-01-01

Understanding the behaviour of the highly radiotoxic, long half-life radionuclide neptunium in the environment is important for the management of radioactively contaminated land and the safe disposal of radioactive wastes. Recent studies have identified that microbial reduction can reduce the mobility of neptunium via reduction of soluble Np(V) to poorly soluble Np(IV), with coupling to both Mn- and Fe(III)- reduction implicated in neptunyl reduction. To further explore these processes Mn(IV) as δMnO 2 was added to sediment microcosms to create a sediment microcosm experiment “poised” under Mn-reducing conditions. Enhanced removal of Np(V) from solution occurred during Mn-reduction, and parallel X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) studies confirmed Np(V) reduction to Np(IV) commensurate with microbially-mediated Mn-reduction. Molecular ecology analysis of the XAS systems, which contained up to 0.2 mM Np showed no significant impact of elevated Np concentrations on the microbial population. These results demonstrate the importance of Mn cycling on Np biogeochemistry, and clearly highlight new pathways to reductive immobilisation for this highly radiotoxic actinide. - Highlights: • Neptunium is a high radiotoxicity, alpha emitting actinide. • Biostimulation of Mn(IV)-enriched sediments leads to reductive removal of soluble Np(V) from groundwater onto sediments as Np(IV). • Np(V) reduction occurs under defined Mn-reducing conditions. • Under Mn-reducing conditions, enzymatic processes may be important for Np(V) reduction.

Hydrolysis constants of tetravalent neptunium by using solvent extraction method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujiwara, K.; Kohara, Y.

2008-01-01

The hydrolysis constants of tetravalent neptunium (Np(IV)) were determined by solvent extraction method using thenoyltrifluoroacetone(TTA). In order to avoid colloid formation, a stock solution of carrier-free 239 Np(V) was from 243 Am milked. The valence of Np in the solution was then reduced to Np(IV) by using zinc amalgam. The hydrolysis constants (β m ) of the reactions, Np 4+ + mOH - = Np(OH) m (4-m)+ was evaluated by using distribution ratios at ionic strengths (I) = 0.1, 0.5 and 1.0. All experiments were performed in oxygen-free 0.5% H 2 -N 2 atmosphere (below 1.0 ppm of O 2 ) in a glove-box at room temperature (23 ± 2 C) to avoid oxidation of Np(IV). The β m values were extrapolated to the standard state (I = 0) by using the specific ion interaction theory (SIT), and the formation constants at I = 0 were determined to be log β 1 = 13.91 ± 0.23, log β 2 = 27.13 ± 0.15, log β 3 = 37.70 ± 0.30 and log β 4 = 46.16 ± 0.30. The ion interaction coefficients were also evaluated to be ε(NpOH 3+ , ClO 4 - ) = 0.49 ± 0.15, ε(Np(OH) 2 2+ , ClO 4 - ) = 0.35 ± 0.11, and ε(Np(OH) 3 + , ClO 4 - ) = 0.29 ± 0.15. (orig.)

Optimal filtering of dynamics in short-time features for music organization

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arenas-García, Jerónimo; Larsen, Jan; Hansen, Lars Kai

2006-01-01

There is an increasing interest in customizable methods for organizing music collections. Relevant music characterization can be obtained from short-time features, but it is not obvious how to combine them to get useful information. In this work, a novel method, denoted as the Positive Constrained...... Orthonormalized Partial Least Squares (POPLS), is proposed. Working on the periodograms of MFCCs time series, this supervised method finds optimal filters which pick up the most discriminative temporal information for any music organization task. Two examples are presented in the paper, the first being a simple...... proof-of-concept, where an altosax with and without vibrato is modelled. A more complex \\$11\\$ music genre classification setup is also investigated to illustrate the robustness and validity of the proposed method on larger datasets. Both experiments showed the good properties of our method, as well...

Mean residence time of kaolinite and smectite-bound organic matter in mozambiquan soils

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wattel-Koekkoek, E.J.W.; Buurman, P.

2004-01-01

To gain understanding about the process of global warming, it is essential to study the global C cycle. In the global C cycle, soil organic matter (SOM) is a major source and sink of atmospheric C. Turnover times of C in these soil organic compounds vary from hours to thousands of years. Clay

Characterization of the surface organization of nanostructured hybrid organic-inorganic materials by time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry

Science.gov (United States)

Cerveau; Corriu; Dabosi; Fischmeister-Lepeytre; Combarieu

1999-01-01

Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) has been used to analyse the surface composition of organic-inorganic hybrid solids obtained by a sol-gel process. Gels of type O(1.5)Si-R-SiO(1. 5), obtained from bis-silylated precursors (R'O)(3)-R-Si(OR')(3) (R' = Me, Et and R = (-CH(2))(n)-, n = 1, 2, 6, 10, 12;--CH=CH-; (-CH(2))(3)NH(CH(2))(3)-; 1, 1'-ferrocenyl; (CH(2))(n)-Ph-(CH(2))(n)- with Ph = 1,4-phenylene and n = 0, 1, 2; Ph = 1,3,5-phenyl and n = 0) were analysed. The results were highly dependent on the nature of the organic group. When the organic group was small or 'rigid', the main peaks detected corresponded to SiOH and SiOR' residual groups. Fragment ions from the organic group were poorly detected in this case. When the organic group was larger and more 'flexible', characteristic mass fragment ions were detected at higher relative intensities, indicative of a different organization of the organic units in the solid. TOF-SIMS clearly showed the differences between the xerogels derived from mono- and bis-silylated organic precursors : the organic group is present at the surface of mono-silylated xerogels, whereas for bis-silylated ones, the organization is dependent on the length and the flexibility of the organic units. These TOF-SIMS results are in agreement with other features already reported. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Organic acid formation in steam–water cycles: Influence of temperature, retention time, heating rate and O2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moed, D.H.; Verliefde, A.R.D.; Heijman, S.G.J.; Rietveld, L.C.

2014-01-01

Organic carbon breaks down in boilers by hydrothermolysis, leading to the formation of organic acid anions, which are suspected to cause corrosion of steam–water cycle components. Prediction of the identity and quantity of these anions, based on feedwater organic carbon concentrations, has not been attempted, making it hard to establish a well-founded organic carbon guideline. By using a batch-reactor and flow reactor, the influence of temperature (276–352 °C), retention time (1–25 min), concentration (150–2400 ppb) and an oxygen scavenger (carbohydrazide) on organic acid anion formation from organic carbon was investigated. By comparing this to data gathered at a case-study site, the validity of setups was tested as well. The flow reactor provided results more representative for steam–water cycles than the batch reactor. It was found that lower heating rates give more organic acid anions as degradation products of organic carbon, both in quantity and species variety. The thermal stability of the organic acid anions is key. As boiler temperature increases, acetate becomes the dominant degradation product, due to its thermal stability. Shorter retention times lead to more variety and quantity of organic acid anions, due to a lack of time for the thermally less stable ones to degrade. Reducing conditions (or the absence of oxygen) increase the thermal stability of organic acid anions. As the feedwater organic carbon concentration decreases, there are relatively more organic acid anions formed. - Highlights: •Formation of organic acids from hydrothermolysis of organic carbon has been investigated. •The lower the temperature, the higher the variety of organic acid anions. •At the higher tested temperatures (331–352 °C) acetate is the dominant degradation product. •At longer retention times acetate is the dominant degradation product. •There is no linear relation between the organic carbon concentration and formed organic acids

In cleanroom, sub-ppb real-time monitoring of volatile organic compounds using proton-transfer reaction/time of flight/mass spectrometry

Science.gov (United States)

Hayeck, Nathalie; Maillot, Philippe; Vitrani, Thomas; Pic, Nicolas; Wortham, Henri; Gligorovski, Sasho; Temime-Roussel, Brice; Mizzi, Aurélie; Poulet, Irène

2014-04-01

Refractory compounds such as Trimethylsilanol (TMS) and other organic compounds such as propylene glycol methyl ether acetate (PGMEA) used in the photolithography area of microelectronic cleanrooms have irreversible dramatic impact on optical lenses used on photolithography tools. There is a need for real-time, continuous measurements of organic contaminants in representative cleanroom environment especially in lithography zone. Such information is essential to properly evaluate the impact of organic contamination on optical lenses. In this study, a Proton-Transfer Reaction-Time-of-Flight Mass spectrometer (PTR-TOF-MS) was applied for real-time and continuous monitoring of fugitive organic contamination induced by the fabrication process. Three types of measurements were carried out using the PTR-TOF-MS in order to detect the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) next to the tools in the photolithography area and at the upstream and downstream of chemical filters used to purge the air in the cleanroom environment. A validation and verification of the results obtained with PTR-TOF-MS was performed by comparing these results with those obtained with an off-line technique that is Automated Thermal Desorber - Gas Chromatography - Mass Spectrometry (ATD-GC-MS) used as a reference analytical method. The emerged results from the PTR-TOF-MS analysis exhibited the temporal variation of the VOCs levels in the cleanroom environment during the fabrication process. While comparing the results emerging from the two techniques, a good agreement was found between the results obtained with PTR-TOF-MS and those obtained with ATD-GC-MS for the PGMEA, toluene and xylene. Regarding TMS, a significant difference was observed ascribed to the technical performance of both instruments.

Nonlinearities and transit times in soil organic matter models: new developments in the SoilR package

Science.gov (United States)

Sierra, Carlos; Müller, Markus

2016-04-01

SoilR is an R package for implementing diverse models representing soil organic matter dynamics. In previous releases of this package, we presented the implementation of linear first-order models with any number of pools as well as radiocarbon dynamics. We present here new improvements of the package regarding the possibility to implement models with nonlinear interactions among state variables and the possibility to calculate ages and transit times for nonlinear models with time dependencies. We show here examples on how to implement model structures with Michaelis-Menten terms for explicit microbial growth and resource use efficiency, and Langmuir isotherms for representing adsorption of organic matter to mineral surfaces. These nonlinear terms can be implemented for any number of organic matter pools, microbial functional groups, or mineralogy, depending on user's requirements. Through a simple example, we also show how transit times of organic matter in soils are controlled by the time-dependencies of the input terms.

Self-organized criticality, long-time correlations, and the standard transport paradigm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krommes, J.A.

2000-01-01

Some aspects of low-frequency, long-wavelength fluctuations are considered. A stochastic model is used to show that power-law time correlations need not arise from self-organized criticality. A formula for the frequency spectrum of uncorrelated, overlapping avalanches is shown to be a special case of the spectral balance equation of renormalized statistical turbulence theory. It is argued that there need be no contradiction between the presence of long-time correlations and the existence of local transport coefficients

The Organization of Behavior Over Time: Insights from Mid-Session Reversal

OpenAIRE

Rayburn-Reeves, Rebecca M.; Cook, Robert G.

2016-01-01

What are the mechanisms by which behavior is organized sequentially over time? The recently developed mid-session reversal (MSR) task offers new insights into this fundamental question. The typical MSR task is arranged to have a single reversed discrimination occurring in a consistent location within each session and across sessions. In this task, we examine the relevance of time, reinforcement, and other factors as the switching cue in the sequential modulation of control in MSR. New analyse...

TIMED: a computer program for calculating cumulated activity of a radionuclide in the organs of the human body at a given time, t, after deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watson, S.B.; Snyder, W.S.; Ford, M.R.

1976-12-01

TIMED is a computer program designed to calculate cumulated radioactivity in the various source organs at various times after radionuclide deposition. TIMED embodies a system of differential equations which describes activity transfer in the lungs, gastrointestinal tract, and other organs of the body. This system accounts for delay of transfer of activity between compartments of the body and radioactive daughters

Organizations in Time

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

This book brings together leading organization scholars and business historians to examine the opportunities and challenges of incorporating historical research into the study of firms and markets. It examines the reasons for the growing interest in historically grounded research in management...... departments and business schools, and considers both the intellectual and practical questions the endeavor faces. The volume is divided into three parts. The first part, History and Theory, considers the relationship between historical reasoning and key theoretical schools of organizational thought, including...... institutional theory, evolutionary theory, and critical theory. The second part, Actors and Markets, considers how historical perspective can provide researchers with insights into organizational change, entrepreneurial processes, industry emergence, and the co-evolution of states and markets. In the final...

Geomicrobiological redox cycling of the transuranic element neptunium.

Science.gov (United States)

Law, Gareth T W; Geissler, Andrea; Lloyd, Jonathan R; Livens, Francis R; Boothman, Christopher; Begg, James D C; Denecke, Melissa A; Rothe, Jörg; Dardenne, Kathy; Burke, Ian T; Charnock, John M; Morris, Katherine

2010-12-01

Microbial processes can affect the environmental behavior of redox sensitive radionuclides, and understanding these reactions is essential for the safe management of radioactive wastes. Neptunium, an alpha-emitting transuranic element, is of particular importance because of its long half-life, high radiotoxicity, and relatively high solubility as Np(V)O(2)(+) under oxic conditions. Here, we describe experiments to explore the biogeochemistry of Np where Np(V) was added to oxic sediment microcosms with indigenous microorganisms and anaerobically incubated. Enhanced Np removal to sediments occurred during microbially mediated metal reduction, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy showed this was due to reduction to poorly soluble Np(IV) on solids. In subsequent reoxidation experiments, sediment-associated Np(IV) was somewhat resistant to oxidative remobilization. These results demonstrate the influence of microbial processes on Np solubility and highlight the critical importance of radionuclide biogeochemistry in nuclear legacy management.

Mediator subunit18 controls flowering time and floral organ identity in Arabidopsis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhengui Zheng

Full Text Available Mediator is a conserved multi-protein complex that plays an important role in regulating transcription by mediating interactions between transcriptional activator proteins and RNA polymerase II. Much evidence exists that Mediator plays a constitutive role in the transcription of all genes transcribed by RNA polymerase II. However, evidence is mounting that specific Mediator subunits may control the developmental regulation of specific subsets of RNA polymerase II-dependent genes. Although the Mediator complex has been extensively studied in yeast and mammals, only a few reports on Mediator function in flowering time control of plants, little is known about Mediator function in floral organ identity. Here we show that in Arabidopsis thaliana, MEDIATOR SUBUNIT 18 (MED18 affects flowering time and floral organ formation through FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC and AGAMOUS (AG. A MED18 loss-of-function mutant showed a remarkable syndrome of later flowering and altered floral organ number. We show that FLC and AG mRNA levels and AG expression patterns are altered in the mutant. Our results support parallels between the regulation of FLC and AG and demonstrate a developmental role for Mediator in plants.

Hydrolysis constants of tetravalent neptunium by using solvent extraction method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fujiwara, K. [Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), Naka-gun, Ibaraki-ken (Japan); Kohara, Y. [Inspection and Development Co., Naka-gun, Ibaraki-ken (Japan)

2008-07-01

The hydrolysis constants of tetravalent neptunium (Np(IV)) were determined by solvent extraction method using thenoyltrifluoroacetone(TTA). In order to avoid colloid formation, a stock solution of carrier-free {sup 239}Np(V) was from {sup 243}Am milked. The valence of Np in the solution was then reduced to Np(IV) by using zinc amalgam. The hydrolysis constants ({beta}{sub m}) of the reactions, Np{sup 4+} + mOH{sup -} = Np(OH){sub m}{sup (4-m)+} was evaluated by using distribution ratios at ionic strengths (I) = 0.1, 0.5 and 1.0. All experiments were performed in oxygen-free 0.5% H{sub 2}-N{sub 2} atmosphere (below 1.0 ppm of O{sub 2}) in a glove-box at room temperature (23 {+-} 2 C) to avoid oxidation of Np(IV). The {beta}{sub m} values were extrapolated to the standard state (I = 0) by using the specific ion interaction theory (SIT), and the formation constants at I = 0 were determined to be log {beta}{sub 1} = 13.91 {+-} 0.23, log {beta}{sub 2} = 27.13 {+-} 0.15, log {beta}{sub 3} = 37.70 {+-} 0.30 and log {beta}{sub 4} = 46.16 {+-} 0.30. The ion interaction coefficients were also evaluated to be {epsilon}(NpOH{sup 3+}, ClO{sub 4}{sup -}) = 0.49 {+-} 0.15, {epsilon}(Np(OH){sub 2}{sup 2+}, ClO{sub 4}{sup -}) = 0.35 {+-} 0.11, and {epsilon}(Np(OH){sub 3}{sup +}, ClO{sub 4}{sup -}) = 0.29 {+-} 0.15. (orig.)

Can Management Practices Make a Difference? Nonprofit Organization Financial Performance during Times of Economic Stress

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

QIAN HU

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The economic crisis presented unprecedented challenges to nonprofit organizations to sustain their services. In this study, we examined both financial and management factors that influence the financial performance of nonprofit organizations during times of economic stress. In particular, we investigated whether strategic planning and plan implementation, revenue diversification, and board involvement help nonprofit organizations deal with financial uncertainty and strengthen financial performance. Despite the negative impacts that the economic downturn had on nonprofit organizations, we found that the implementation of strategic plans can help nonprofit organizations reduce financial vulnerability. Our findings call attention to key management factors that influence the financial performance of nonprofit organizations.

Timing organization of a real-time multicore processor

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schoeberl, Martin; Sparsø, Jens

2017-01-01

Real-time systems need a time-predictable computing platform. Computation, communication, and access to shared resources needs to be time-predictable. We use time division multiplexing to statically schedule all computation and communication resources, such as access to main memory or message...... passing over a network-on-chip. We use time-driven communication over an asynchronous network-on-chip to enable time division multiplexing even in a globally asynchronous, locally synchronous multicore architecture. Using time division multiplexing at all levels of the architecture yields in a time...

A consistent phenomenological model for natural organic matter linked migration of Cm(III), Pu(III/IV), Np(IV), Tc(IV) and Pa(V) in the Boom Clay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martens, E.; Maes, N.; Bruggeman, C.; Van Gompel, M.

2010-01-01

Document available in extended abstract form only. As Natural Organic Matter (NOM) may modify/enhance the mobility of radionuclides (RNs) through complexation or colloidal interactions, it is essential to evaluate the impact of these processes before performing safety assessments aiming at demonstrating the suitability of deep-seated clayey formations for geological disposal of radioactive waste. Column migration experiments with Cm, Pu, Np, Tc and Pa in Boom Clay, initiated about 10 years ago, showed strikingly similar features despite their different chemical speciation. On a relative short time, these RNs began percolating through the clay core until a constant concentration at the outlet side was reached. As most of the aqueous forms of these RNs are supposed to sorb strongly onto the Boom Clay solid phase, it was assumed that their relative fast transport was due to colloids (either intrinsic colloids or NOM-colloids). The constant concentration percolating from the core was thought to result from a solubility limiting phase precipitated at the source position. However, the concentrations in the percolate were systematically lower than the thermodynamic calculated solubilities, and all the more, complexation to NOM would likely result in an increased RN concentration. Although these curves could be modelled by a simple diffusion-advection relationship with linear sorption, they could not be backed up by a mechanistic understanding. As the concentration in the percolate remained constant for many years, the RN-species eluting from the core are assumed to be well in equilibrium with the Boom Clay geochemical conditions. Therefore, they were used as input source (constant concentration boundary condition) for a migration experiment through a fresh clay core (i.e. the outlet of a first cell was coupled to the inlet of a second cell). The measured concentrations at the outlet of the second clay core also reached a constant value, but this value is about one order

Femtosecond time-resolved two-photon photoemission study of organic semiconductor copper phthalocyanine film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanaka, A.; Tohoku University; University of Rochester, NY; Yan, L.; Watkins, N.J.; Gao, Y.

2004-01-01

Full text: Organic semiconductors are recently attracting much interest from the viewpoints of both device and fundamental physics. These organic semiconductors are considered to be important constituents of the future devices, such as organic light-emitting diode, organic field effect transistor, and organic solid-state injection laser. In order to elucidate their detailed physical properties and to develop the future devices, it is indispensable to understand their excited-state dynamics as well as their electronic structures. The femtosecond time-resolved two-photon photoemission (TR-2PPE) spectroscopy is attracting much interest because of its capability to observe the energy-resolved excited electron dynamics. In this work, we have carried out a TR-2PPE study of the organic semiconductor copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) film. Furthermore, we have investigated the detailed electronic structure of CuPc film using the photoemission (PES) and inverse photoemission (IPES) spectroscopies. From the simultaneous PES and IPES measurements for CuPc film with a thickness of 100 nm, the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO), highest occupied molecular orbital, and ionization potential of CuPc film have been directly determined. The observed two-photon photoemission (2PPE) spectrum of the present CuPc film, measured with photon energy of about hv=3.3 eV, exhibits a broad feature. From the energy diagram of CuPc film determined by the PES and IPES measurements, the intermediate state observed in the present 2PPE spectrum of CuPc film corresponds to the energy region between about 0.4 and 1.7 eV above the LUMO energy. From the time-resolved pump-probe measurements, it is found that the relaxation lifetimes of excited states in the present CuPc films are very short (all below 50 fs) and monotonously become faster with increasing excitation energy. We attribute this extremely fast relaxation process of photoexcitation to a rapid internal conversion process. From these results

Time to Redefine Organic Agriculture: Can't GM Crops Be Certified as Organics?

Science.gov (United States)

Husaini, Amjad M; Sohail, Muhammad

2018-01-01

The challenges of sustainable food production without damaging the environment for a growing human population have increased considerably. The current agricultural practices involving chemical fertilizers and even organic farming are not sustainable in the long run and can have deleterious effects on the environment. Thus, new, innovative solutions need to be identified and propagated for tackling this. Among such innovations, that can complement conventional as well as organic farming methods, are genetic modification (GM) and aquaculture. Yet, GM technologies often face resistance from civil groups owing to an 'unknown' fear, akin to Frankenstein's monster. How real is this fear? Our discussion rests on basic questions like, why can't 'organics' include GM crops that do not require chemical inputs for cultivation, and can GM crops like Golden rice qualify to be 'organic' if cultivated through organic practices? Do we need to rethink organic agriculture in the context of the present and future challenges of 21st century?

Possibilities of organized leisure time for student of high school in microregion Bystřicko

OpenAIRE

BERAN, Karel

2014-01-01

The thesis deals with leisure activities of high school students in the micro region Bystřicko. Bachelor thesis suggests the possibility of using organized leisure time in the micro region Bystřicko. Interested relations leisure organizations and their clients. Emphasis was placed on information flows between subject and object. The theoretical part presents Mikroregion Bystřicko selected leisure organizations and institutions working in this micro-region and concepts that are related to the ...

Time-resolved molecular characterization of organic aerosols by PILS + UPLC/ESI-Q-TOFMS

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, X.; Dalleska, N. F.; Huang, D. D.; Bates, K. H.; Sorooshian, A.; Flagan, R. C.; Seinfeld, J. H.

2016-04-01

Real-time and quantitative measurement of particulate matter chemical composition represents one of the most challenging problems in the field of atmospheric chemistry. In the present study, we integrate the Particle-into-Liquid Sampler (PILS) with Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography/Electrospray ionization Quadrupole Time-of-Flight High-Resolution/Mass Spectrometry (UPLC/ESI-Q-TOFMS) for the time-resolved molecular speciation of chamber-derived secondary organic aerosol (SOA). The unique aspect of the combination of these two well-proven techniques is to provide quantifiable molecular-level information of particle-phase organic compounds on timescales of minutes. We demonstrate that the application of the PILS + UPLC/ESI-Q-TOFMS method is not limited to water-soluble inorganic ions and organic carbon, but is extended to slightly water-soluble species through collection efficiency calibration together with sensitivity and linearity tests. By correlating the water solubility of individual species with their O:C ratio, a parameter that is available for aerosol ensembles as well, we define an average aerosol O:C ratio threshold of 0.3, above which the PILS overall particulate mass collection efficiency approaches ∼0.7. The PILS + UPLC/ESI-Q-TOFMS method can be potentially applied to probe the formation and evolution mechanism of a variety of biogenic and anthropogenic SOA systems in laboratory chamber experiments. We illustrate the application of this method to the reactive uptake of isoprene epoxydiols (IEPOX) on hydrated and acidic ammonium sulfate aerosols.

Is Participation in Organized Leisure-Time Activities Associated with School Performance in Adolescence?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Badura, Petr; Sigmund, Erik; Madarasova Geckova, Andrea; Sigmundova, Dagmar; Sirucek, Jan; van Dijk, Jitse P; Reijneveld, Sijmen A

2016-01-01

Background Organized leisure-time activities (OLTA) have been identified as a context suitable for improvement of school performance. This study aimed to assess the associations between participation in OLTA and school engagement, school-related stress, academic achievement and whether these

Mapping Charge Carrier Density in Organic Thin-Film Transistors by Time-Resolved Photoluminescence Lifetime Studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Leißner, Till; Jensen, Per Baunegaard With; Liu, Yiming

2017-01-01

The device performance of organic transistors is strongly influenced by the charge carrier distribution. A range of factors effect this distribution, including injection barriers at the metal-semiconductor interface, the morphology of the organic film, and charge traps at the dielectric/organic...... interface or at grain boundaries. In our comprehensive experimental and analytical work we demonstrate a method to characterize the charge carrier density in organic thin-film transistors using time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy. We developed a numerical model that describes the electrical...... and optical responses consistently. We determined the densities of free and trapped holes at the interface between the organic layer and the SiO2 gate dielectric by comparison to electrical measurements. Furthermore by applying fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy we determine the local charge carrier...

Time to Redefine Organic Agriculture: Can’t GM Crops Be Certified as Organics?

Science.gov (United States)

Husaini, Amjad M.; Sohail, Muhammad

2018-01-01

The challenges of sustainable food production without damaging the environment for a growing human population have increased considerably. The current agricultural practices involving chemical fertilizers and even organic farming are not sustainable in the long run and can have deleterious effects on the environment. Thus, new, innovative solutions need to be identified and propagated for tackling this. Among such innovations, that can complement conventional as well as organic farming methods, are genetic modification (GM) and aquaculture. Yet, GM technologies often face resistance from civil groups owing to an ‘unknown’ fear, akin to Frankenstein’s monster. How real is this fear? Our discussion rests on basic questions like, why can’t ‘organics’ include GM crops that do not require chemical inputs for cultivation, and can GM crops like Golden rice qualify to be ‘organic’ if cultivated through organic practices? Do we need to rethink organic agriculture in the context of the present and future challenges of 21st century? PMID:29692789

Time to Redefine Organic Agriculture: Can’t GM Crops Be Certified as Organics?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amjad M. Husaini

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The challenges of sustainable food production without damaging the environment for a growing human population have increased considerably. The current agricultural practices involving chemical fertilizers and even organic farming are not sustainable in the long run and can have deleterious effects on the environment. Thus, new, innovative solutions need to be identified and propagated for tackling this. Among such innovations, that can complement conventional as well as organic farming methods, are genetic modification (GM and aquaculture. Yet, GM technologies often face resistance from civil groups owing to an ‘unknown’ fear, akin to Frankenstein’s monster. How real is this fear? Our discussion rests on basic questions like, why can’t ‘organics’ include GM crops that do not require chemical inputs for cultivation, and can GM crops like Golden rice qualify to be ‘organic’ if cultivated through organic practices? Do we need to rethink organic agriculture in the context of the present and future challenges of 21st century?

A remote valency control technique for actinides by external ultrasound irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toraishi, Takashi; Kimura, Takaumi; Arisaka, Makoto

2006-01-01

We here report the reduction of Np(V) to Np(IV) induced by external ultrasound irradiation to demonstrate the ability of ultrasound for the valency control of actinide elements. High power ultrasound irradiation to water produces cavitation bubbles. The violent collapse of the bubbles generates 'hot spot' with an instantaneous temperature of thousands degrees and a pressure of thousands atmosphere, and produces H radical and OH radical as a result. Therefore, with scavenging H radical or OH radical, ultrasound irradiation provides either oxidizability or reducibility. 2 ml Np(V) solution in 1 M HCl was irradiated by 600 kHz external ultrasound. 10 vol% of 2-propanol and a Pt black catalyst were added to the test solution. The test solution was kept at 293 K, and bubbled by Ar gas saturated by 2-propanol during irradiation. The reduction was confirmed from the growth of characteristic light absorption of Np(IV) at 725 nm and 960 nm, together with the disappearance of the absorption of Np(V) at 980 nm. Finally, the reduction of Np(V) was completed after 180 min irradiation. (author)

Fate of neptunium in an anaerobic, methanogenic microcosm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Banaszak, J.E.; Webb, S.M.; Rittmann, B.E.; Gaillard, J.F.; Reed, D.T.

1999-01-01

Neptunium is found predominantly as Np(IV) in reducing environments, but as Np(V) in aerobic environments. Currently, it is not known how the interplay between biotic and abiotic processes affects Np redox speciation in the environment. To evaluate the effect of anaerobic microbial activity on the fate of Np in natural systems, Np(V) was added to a microcosm inoculated with anaerobic sediments from a metal-contaminated freshwater lake. The consortium included metal-reducing, sulfate-reducing, and methanogenic microorganisms, and acetate was supplied as the only exogenous substrate. Addition of more than 10 -5 M Np did not inhibit methane production. Total Np solubility in the active microcosm, as well as in sterilized control samples, decreased by nearly two orders of magnitude. A combination of analytical techniques, including VIS-NIR absorption spectroscopy and XANES, identified Np(IV) as the oxidation state associated with the sediments. The similar results from the active microcosm and the abiotic controls suggest that microbially produced Mn(II/III) and Fe(II) may serve as electron donors for Np reduction

Clocking in: The Organization of Work Time and Health in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Kleiner, Sibyl; Pavalko, Eliza K.

2010-01-01

This article assesses the health implications of emerging patterns in the organization of work time. Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979, we examine general mental and physical health (SF-12 scores), psychological distress (CESD score), clinical levels of obesity, and the presence of medical conditions, at age 40.…

Heavy Metal Leaching as Affected by Long-Time Organic Waste Fertilizer Application.

Science.gov (United States)

Lekfeldt, Jonas Duus Stevens; Holm, Peter E; Kjærgaard, Charlotte; Magid, Jakob

2017-07-01

The recycling of urban waste products as fertilizers in agriculture may introduce contaminants such as heavy metals into soil that may leach and contaminate groundwater. In the present study, we investigated the leaching of heavy metals from intact soil cores collected in the long-term agricultural field trial CRUCIAL. At the time of sampling, the equivalent of >100 yr of urban waste fertilizers following Danish legislation had been applied. The leaching of Cu was significantly increased in the treatments receiving organic waste products compared with the unfertilized control but remained below the permissible level following Danish drinking water guidelines. The leaching of Cu was controlled primarily by the topsoil Cu content and by the leaching of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) but at the same time significantly correlated with leaching of colloids in soils that had not received fertilizer or had received an organic fertilizer with a low concentration of Cu. The leaching of Zn, Cd, and Co was not significantly increased in urban waste-fertilized treatments. The leaching of Mo was elevated in accelerated waste treatments (both agricultural and urban), and the leaching of Mo was linked to the leaching of DOC. Since leaching of Cr and Pb was strongly linked to the level of colloid leaching, leaching of these metals was reduced in the urban waste treatments. Overall, the results presented should not raise concern regarding the agricultural use of urban waste products in agriculture as long as the relevant guidelines are followed. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Strategic Timing and Proactiveness of Organizations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

M.G.M. Ben-Menahem (Shiko)

2013-01-01

textabstractAn enduring notion in strategy and organization theory literature is that firms succeed and survive as long as a strategic fit exists between strategy, structure, processes, competencies, and resources on the one hand and opportunities and threats arising in the external environment on

Characterization of oxalate-based 237NpO2 powder

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rankin, D.T.; Burney, G.A.; Smith, P.K.; Sisson, R.D.

1976-01-01

238 Pu, a radioisotope heat source, is produced by irradiating reactor targets containing 237 NpO 2 . The neptunium oxide is obtained by precipitating and calcining 237 Np(IV) oxalate. The effects of oxalate precipitation parameters on particle morphology and size distribution of 237 NpO 2 powder were established to provide process controls for fabricating reactor targets

The human body retention time of environmental organically bound tritium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hunt, John; Bailey, Trevor [Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Pakefield Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR33 0HT (United Kingdom); Reese, Allan [Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, The Nothe, Barrack Road, Weymouth, Dorset DT4 8UB (United Kingdom)], E-mail: john.hunt@cefas.co.uk

2009-03-15

Tritium in the UK environment causes low radiation doses to the public, but uncertainty exists in the dose coefficient for the organically bound component of tritium (OBT). This can affect the assessment of effective doses to representative persons. Contributing to that uncertainty is poor knowledge of the body retention time of OBT and how this varies for different OBT compounds in food. This study was undertaken to measure the retention time of tritium by volunteers after eating sole from Cardiff Bay, which may contain OBT from discharges from the GE Healthcare Ltd plant. Five volunteers provided samples of excreta over periods up to 150 days after intake. The results, which are presented in raw form to allow independent analysis, suggest retention of total tritium with body half-times ranging from 4 to 11 days, with no evidence (subject to experimental noise) of a significant contribution due to retention with a longer half-time. This range covers the half-time of 10 days used by the ICRP for tritiated water. The short timescale could be due to rapid hydrolysis in body tissues of the particular form of OBT used in this study. Implications for the dose coefficient for OBT are that the use of the ICRP value of 4.2 x 10{sup -11} Sv Bq{sup -1} may be cautious in this specific situation. These observations on dose coefficients are separate from any implications of recent discussion on whether the tritium radiation weighting factor should be increased from 1 to 2.

Organized leisure-time sport participation and academic achievement in preadolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Sævarsson, Elvar Smari; Svansdottir, Erla; Sveinsson, Thorarinn; Asgeirsdottir, Tinna Laufey; Arngrimsson, Sigurbjorn Arni; Johannsson, Erlingur

2017-12-01

The aims of this study were to study the correlation between lifestyle-related factors, such as organized leisure-time sport participation (OLSP), cardiorespiratory fitness, and adiposity, and academic achievement among preadolescents. A cross-sectional study involving 248 nine-year-old school children was carried out. OLSP was self-reported with parental assistance, categorized as ≤ 1× a week, 2-3× a week, and ≥ 4× times a week or more. Academic achievement was estimated with results from standardized test scores in Icelandic and math. Cardiorespiratory fitness was estimated using a maximal cycle ergometer test. The sum of four skinfolds was used to estimate adiposity. Tests of between-subjects effect indicated that OLSP significantly correlated with achievement in math only (F(2,235) = 3.81, p = 0.024). Further analysis showed that the two less active groups had significantly lower scores in math compared to the most active group with OLSP ≥ 4× times a week or more (2-3× times a week, unstandardized coefficient (b) = -4.08, 95% confidence interval (CI) [-7.09, -1.07]; ≤ 1× a week, b = -3.84, 95% CI [-7.59, -0.08]), independent of sex, age, maturity level (age to/from peak height velocity), family structure, and parental education. Neither cardiorespiratory fitness nor adiposity significantly correlated with academic achievements. The study's result indicates that frequent (four times per week or more often) sport participation is not harmful but may be beneficial to learning. However, further intervention-based study of this topic is needed to determine if this relationship is causal.

Dissolved organic nitrogen dynamics in the North Sea: A time series analysis (1995-2005)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Van Engeland, T.; Soetaert, K.E.R.; Knuijt, A.; Laane, R.W.P.M.; Middelburg, J.J.

2010-01-01

Dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) dynamics in the North Sea was explored by means of long-term time series of nitrogen parameters from the Dutch national monitoring program. Generally, the data quality was good with little missing data points. Different imputation methods were used to verify the

Speciation of neptunium after diffusion in Opalinus Clay

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reich, Tobias; Amayri, Samer; Drebert, Jakob; Froehlich, Daniel R.; Grolimund, Daniel; Rosemann, Jonathan [Mainz Univ. (Germany). Inst. of Nuclear Chemistry; Kaplan, Ugras [Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen (Switzerland). Swiss Light Source

2015-07-01

Argillaceous rock formations are under consideration as a potential host rock for the construction of high-level nuclear waste repositories. Under environmental conditions the most stable oxidation states of {sup 237}Np (t{sub 1/2}=2.1 x 10{sup 6} a) are Np(IV) and Np(V). We have investigated the sorption and diffusion of the more mobile Np(V) in Opalinus Clay (OPA, Mont Terri, Switzerland) (Wu et al. 2009, Froehlich et al. 2011 and 2012 a). OPA, which is present in Switzerland and southern Germany, possesses a micro-scale heterogeneity and is composed of several types of clay minerals, but also of calcite, quartz and iron(II)-bearing minerals. In our previous diffusion (Wu et al. 2009) and anaerobic sorption experiments (Froehlich et al. 2011), we observed higher distribution coefficients, K{sub d}, than expected from batch experiments performed in air, indicating that a partial reduction of Np(V) to Np(IV) had occurred. To test this hypothesis, different sorption and diffusion samples with Np(V) were prepared at pH 7.6 for spatially resolved molecular-level investigations at the microXAS beamline at the Swiss Light Source (PSI, Villigen, Switzerland) (Froehlich et al. 2012 b). Elemental distributions of Ca, Fe and Np have been determined by μ-XRF mapping. Regions of high Np concentration were subsequently investigated by Np L{sub III}-edge μ-XANES. In most samples Np spots with considerable amounts of tetravalent Np could be found, even when the experiments were performed under ambient-air conditions. In some cases, almost pure Np(IV) L{sub III}-edge XANES spectra were recorded. In case of the anaerobic sorption sample, a clear correlation between Np and Fe was observed by μ-XRF, indicating that iron(II)-bearing minerals could be responsible for the reduction of Np(V). μ-XRD measurements of this sample showed that pyrite is at least one of the redox-active phases determining the speciation of Np in OPA. In this case, Np was accumulated on pyrite, indicating

Speciation of neptunium during migration in clay rock; Speziation von Neptunium bei der Migration in Tongestein

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Froehlich, Daniel

2011-12-15

The present work was performed within a fellowship of the interdisciplinary research training group 826 ''trace analysis of elemental species: method development and application'' funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and the federal state Rheinland-Pfalz. Aim of this work was to gain new knowledge of the interaction between neptunium and natural clay rock with respect to the disposal of high-level nuclear waste in deep geological formations. The isotope {sup 237}Np with its long half-life of more than two million years will be one of main contributors to the radiotoxicity of the radioactive waste material after storage times of more than 1000 years. In aqueous solution under environmental relevant conditions Np can exist in the oxidation states +IV and +V. Due to its high solubility and higher mobility Np(V) is the much more hazardous species compared to Np(IV). Opalinus Clay (OPA) from Mont Terri, Switzerland, was used as a natural reference material in the migration studies. The focus of this work was on speciation of Np on the mineral surface by synchrotron based X-ray absorption spectroscopy (EXAFS/XANES). The interaction between Np(V) and OPA was studied in batch sorption and diffusion experiments in dependence of various experimental parameters (e.g. pH, temperature, background electrolyte, effect of humic acid, concurrence with U(VI), aerobic/anaerobic conditions). The investigation of Np speciation was performed on two types of samples. Powder samples from batch experiments were prepared under aerobic and anaerobic conditions and measured by EXAFS spectroscopy. Diffusion samples and OPA thin sections contacted with Np(V) were analyzed by locally resolved μ-XANES measurements on enrichments of Np. A combination with μ-XRF (X-ray fluorescence) mapping and μ-XRD (X-ray diffraction) measurements provided further information about the spatial distribution of Np and other elements contained in OPA as well as crystalline mineral

Time to Redefine Organic Agriculture: Can’t GM Crops Be Certified as Organics?

OpenAIRE

Amjad M. Husaini; Muhammad Sohail

2018-01-01

The challenges of sustainable food production without damaging the environment for a growing human population have increased considerably. The current agricultural practices involving chemical fertilizers and even organic farming are not sustainable in the long run and can have deleterious effects on the environment. Thus, new, innovative solutions need to be identified and propagated for tackling this. Among such innovations, that can complement conventional as well as organic farming method...

Is Participation in Organized Leisure-Time Activities Associated with School Performance in Adolescence?

OpenAIRE

Badura, Petr; Sigmund, Erik; Madarasova Geckova, Andrea; Sigmundova, Dagmar; Sirucek, Jan; van Dijk, Jitse P.; Reijneveld, Sijmen A.

2016-01-01

Background Organized leisure-time activities (OLTA) have been identified as a context suitable for improvement of school performance. This study aimed to assess the associations between participation in OLTA and school engagement, school-related stress, academic achievement and whether these associations differ by specific pattern of OLTA participation, gender and age. Furthermore, it assessed whether OLTA participants are more likely to acquire support for schoolwork from outside the family....

Real-time and online screening method for materials emitting volatile organic compounds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Changhyuk [University of Minnesota, Department of Mechanical Engineering (United States); Sul, Yong Tae [Hoseo University (Korea, Republic of); Pui, David Y. H., E-mail: dyhpui@umn.edu [University of Minnesota, Department of Mechanical Engineering (United States)

2016-09-15

In the semiconductor industry, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the cleanroom air work as airborne molecular contamination, which reduce the production yield of semiconductor chips by forming nanoparticles and haze on silicon wafers and photomasks under ultraviolet irradiation during photolithography processes. Even though VOCs in outdoor air are removed by gas filters, VOCs can be emitted from many kinds of materials used in cleanrooms, such as organic solvents and construction materials (e.g., adhesives, flame retardants and sealants), threatening the production of semiconductors. Therefore, finding new replacements that emit lower VOCs is now essential in the semiconductor industry. In this study, we developed a real-time and online method to screen materials for developing the replacements by converting VOCs into nanoparticles under soft X-ray irradiation. This screening method was applied to measure VOCs emitted from different kinds of organic solvents and adhesives. Our results showed good repeatability and high sensitivity for VOCs, which come from aromatic compounds, some alcohols and all tested adhesives (Super glue and cleanroom-use adhesives). In addition, the overall trend of measured VOCs from cleanroom-use adhesives was well matched with those measured by a commercial thermal desorption–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, which is a widely used off-line method for analyzing VOCs. Based on the results, this screening method can help accelerate the developing process for reducing VOCs in cleanrooms.

Transuranium perrhenates: Np(IV), Pu(IV) and (III), Am (III)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silvestre, Jean-Paul; Freundlich, William; Pages, Monique

1977-01-01

Synthesis in aqueous solution and by solid state reactions, crystallographical characterization and study of the stability of some transuranium perrhenates: Asup(n+)(ReO 4 - )sub(n) (A=Np(IV), Pu(IV), Pu(III), Am(III) [fr

The photochemistry of neptunium in aqueous perchloric acid solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Friedman, H.A.; Toth, L.M.; Osborne, M.M.

1979-01-01

The photochemistry of neptunium ions in aqueous perchloric acid has been investigated using 254 and 300 nm UV radiation. In the absence of other reagents, Np(IV) and (V) oxidized to Np(VI), in a stepwise fashion, with individual quantum efficiencies for each step that vary from 0.02 to 0.004. Decreasing acid concentration favors the Np(IV) → Np(V) reaction whereas it hinders the Np(V) → Np(VI) photo-oxidation. When ethanol, acetaldehyde and other mild reducing agents are added to neptunium-perchloric acid solutions which are then photolyzed, the Np species are reduced to Np(III) in a stepwise fashion with individual quantum efficiencies that vary from 0.07 to 0.006. The overall photoredox reactions of neptunium are subject to competing secondary product reactions that become significant as the photolysis products accumulate. Absorption spectrophotometry was used to monitor the changes in Np oxidation states and reference spectra of the various Np oxidation states are given for 1.0 N HClO 4 . The Np species have absorption bands in the 300 to 1320 nm region that obey Beer's law only when they were properly resolved. (author)

Organic scintillators response function modeling for Monte Carlo simulation of Time-of-Flight measurements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carasco, C., E-mail: cedric.carasco@cea.fr [CEA, DEN, Cadarache, Nuclear Measurement Laboratory, F-13108 Saint-Paul-lez-Durance (France)

2012-07-15

In neutron Time-of-Flight (TOF) measurements performed with fast organic scintillation detectors, both pulse arrival time and amplitude are relevant. Monte Carlo simulation can be used to calculate the time-energy dependant neutron flux at the detector position. To convert the flux into a pulse height spectrum, one must calculate the detector response function for mono-energetic neutrons. MCNP can be used to design TOF systems, but standard MCNP versions cannot reliably calculate the energy deposited by fast neutrons in the detector since multiple scattering effects must be taken into account in an analog way, the individual recoil particles energy deposit being summed with the appropriate scintillation efficiency. In this paper, the energy response function of 2 Double-Prime Multiplication-Sign 2 Double-Prime and 5 Double-Prime Multiplication-Sign 5 Double-Prime liquid scintillation BC-501 A (Bicron) detectors to fast neutrons ranging from 20 keV to 5.0 MeV is computed with GEANT4 to be coupled with MCNPX through the 'MCNP Output Data Analysis' software developed under ROOT (). - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer GEANT4 has been used to model organic scintillators response to neutrons up to 5 MeV. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The response of 2 Double-Prime Multiplication-Sign 2 Double-Prime and 5 Double-Prime Multiplication-Sign 5 Double-Prime BC501A detectors has been parameterized with simple functions. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Parameterization will allow the modeling of neutron Time of Flight measurements with MCNP using tools based on CERN's ROOT.

Dissolved organic nitrogen dynamics in the North Sea: A time series analysis (1995-2005)

Science.gov (United States)

Van Engeland, T.; Soetaert, K.; Knuijt, A.; Laane, R. W. P. M.; Middelburg, J. J.

2010-09-01

Dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) dynamics in the North Sea was explored by means of long-term time series of nitrogen parameters from the Dutch national monitoring program. Generally, the data quality was good with little missing data points. Different imputation methods were used to verify the robustness of the patterns against these missing data. No long-term trends in DON concentrations were found over the sampling period (1995-2005). Inter-annual variability in the different time series showed both common and station-specific behavior. The stations could be divided into two regions, based on absolute concentrations and the dominant times scales of variability. Average DON concentrations were 11 μmol l -1 in the coastal region and 5 μmol l -1 in the open sea. Organic fractions of total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) averaged 38 and 71% in the coastal zone and open sea, respectively, but increased over time due to decreasing dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) concentrations. In both regions intra-annual variability dominated over inter-annual variability, but DON variation in the open sea was markedly shifted towards shorter time scales relative to coastal stations. In the coastal zone a consistent seasonal DON cycle existed with high values in spring-summer and low values in autumn-winter. In the open sea seasonality was weak. A marked shift in the seasonality was found at the Dogger Bank, with DON accumulation towards summer and low values in winter prior to 1999, and accumulation in spring and decline throughout summer after 1999. This study clearly shows that DON is a dynamic actor in the North Sea and should be monitored systematically to enable us to understand fully the functioning of this ecosystem.

Effect of solids retention time on the bioavailability of organic carbon in anaerobically digested swine waste.

Science.gov (United States)

Kinyua, Maureen N; Cunningham, Jeffrey; Ergas, Sarina J

2014-06-01

Anaerobic digestion (AD) can be used to stabilize and produce energy from livestock waste; however, digester effluents may require further treatment to remove nitrogen. This paper quantifies the effects of varying solids retention time (SRT) methane yield, volatile solids (VS) reduction and organic carbon bioavailability for denitrification during swine waste AD. Four bench-scale anaerobic digesters, with SRTs of 14, 21, 28 and 42 days, operated with swine waste feed. Effluent organic carbon bioavailability was measured using anoxic microcosms and respirometry. Excellent performance was observed for all four digesters, with >60% VS removal and CH4 yields between 0.1 and 0.3(m(3)CH4)/(kg VS added). Organic carbon in the centrate as an internal organic carbon source for denitrification supported maximum specific denitrification rates between 47 and 56(mg NO3(-)-N)/(g VSS h). The digester with the 21-day SRT had the highest CH4 yield and maximum specific denitrification rates. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

THE EFFECTS OF GRADIENT VELOCITY AND DETENTION TIME TO COAGULATION – FLOCCULATION OF DYES AND ORGANIC COMPOUND IN DEEP WELL WATER

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhamad Lindu

2010-06-01

Full Text Available The treatment of deep well water of Trisakti University by coagulation and flocculation using baffle channel system has been conducted. The detention time of hydrolic were varied. The coagulant dose was varied as 50, 100, 150, 200, 300, 350, 400, 450 and 500 ppm. Water of well sampel was added by coagulant with rotation velocity 200 rpm for 1 minute. The optimal coagulant dose was determined by measuring turbidity, colour, total suspended solids and organic compound. The result showed that the organic compound and colour of deep well water of Trisakti University could be reduced by coagulation and flocculation process by hydrolyc system. The optimal dose of the coagulant was 250 ppm. The removal efficiency of colour and organic compound using optimal dose for continuous flow reactor reached after water flow passed the reactor for 3 - 5 times detention time in the reactor. The optimal gradient velocity (G was 30 - 35 sec-1 and collision energy (GT was 65.000 - 79.000 to get optimal flocculation. With this condition, the removal efficiency of turbidity, colour and organic was more than 90%.   Keywords: coagulation, flocculation, colour, organic compound, deep well

Time-saving and fail-safe dissection method for vestibulocochlear organs in gross anatomy classes.

Science.gov (United States)

Suzuki, Ryoji; Konno, Naoaki; Ishizawa, Akimitsu; Kanatsu, Yoshinori; Funakoshi, Kodai; Akashi, Hideo; Zhou, Ming; Abe, Hiroshi

2017-09-01

Because the vestibulocochlear organs are tiny and complex, and are covered by the petrous part of the temporal bone, they are very difficult for medical students to dissect and visualize during gross anatomy classes. Here, we report a time-saving and fail-safe procedure we have devised, using a hand-held hobby router. Nine en bloc temporal bone samples from donated human cadavers were used as trial materials for devising an appropriate procedure for dissecting the vestibulocochlear organs. A hand-held hobby router was used to cut through the temporal bone. After trials, the most time-saving and fail-safe method was selected. The performance of the selected method was assessed by a survey of 242 sides of 121 cadavers during gross anatomy classes for vestibulocochlear dissection. The assessment was based on the observation ratio. The best procedure appeared to be removal of the external acoustic meatus roof and tympanic cavity roof together with removal of the internal acoustic meatus roof. The whole procedure was completed within two dissection classes, each lasting 4.5 hr. The ratio of surveillance for the chorda tympani and three semicircular canals by students was significantly improved during 2013 through 2016. In our dissection class, "removal of the external acoustic meatus roof and tympanic cavity roof together with removal of the internal acoustic meatus roof" was the best procedure for students in the limited time available. Clin. Anat. 30:703-710, 2017. © 2017Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Utilization of real time PCR for the assessment of egg burden in the organs of Schistosoma japonicum experimentally infected mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Dang-Trinh, Minh-Anh; Angeles, Jose Ma M; Moendeg, Kharleezelle J; Macalanda, Adrian Miki C; Higuchi, Luna; Oto, Chiho; Kirinoki, Masashi; Chigusa, Yuichi; Kawazu, Shin-Ichiro

2018-06-01

Schistosoma japonicum, causing zoonotic intestinal schistosomiasis, is found in China, the Philippines and parts of Indonesia. Severe disease manifestations are basically due to the deposition of eggs in some vital organs such as the liver, spleen and brain. Traditionally, histopathological microscopic examination of the egg burden was used to evaluate the intensity of infection in the affected organs. However, this technique is laborious, time-consuming and requires trained personnel. In this study, real time PCR targeting the mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase I gene was used to compare with microscopic examination of tissue sections in evaluating the egg burdens in different affected organs. Livers, spleens and brains of the S. japonicum infected mice after 8 and 18 weeks post-infection (p.i) were harvested and examined. Results showed that there were statistically significant correlations between the egg burden evaluated by tissue section examination, and the Ct values of the real time PCR of livers with heavy egg burden at 8 (r = -0.81) and 18 (r = -0.80) weeks p.i. Furthermore, a correlation (r = -0.56) between the egg burden assessed by the microscopic examination and Ct value of the real time PCR of spleens with moderate egg burden after 18 weeks p.i and not 8 weeks p.i was also observed. Brains with low egg burden showed no schistosome eggs in the microscopic examination, however one sample tested positive by real time PCR. These results suggested that real time PCR is useful in evaluating schistosome egg burden in the organs of the experimentally infected mice model that will give further insights into the pathology of schistosomiasis. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nitrogen isotopes from terrestrial organic matter as a new paleoclimatic proxy for pre-quaternary time

Science.gov (United States)

Tramoy, romain; Schnyder, johann; thuy Nguyen Tu, thanh; Yans, johan; Storme, jean yves; Sebilo, mathieu; Derenne, sylvie; Jacob, jérémy; Baudin, françois

2014-05-01

Taskomirsay, Kazakhstan. This succession is rich in dispersed OM and wood fragments allowing accurate N isotopes measurements. Preliminary results on δ13Corg and palynology suggest that the Pliensbachian/Toarcian transition is recorded at the top of the sedimentary succession. This transition has been studied for a long time since it is characterized by one of the most important global environmental and climatic change of the Phanerozoic time ( Jenkyns, 1988; Hermoso et al., 2012). We are therefore testing the paleoclimatic "proxy" potential of δ15Norg for this time interval by comparing the δ15Norg signal with other indicators more classically used for paleoclimate studies. We have also investigated the influence of differences in organic sources and of early diagenesis on the δ15Norg variations.

Source apportionment of size and time resolved trace elements and organic aerosols from an urban courtyard site in Switzerland

Science.gov (United States)

Richard, A.; Gianini, M. F. D.; Mohr, C.; Furger, M.; Bukowiecki, N.; Minguillón, M. C.; Lienemann, P.; Flechsig, U.; Appel, K.; Decarlo, P. F.; Heringa, M. F.; Chirico, R.; Baltensperger, U.; Prévôt, A. S. H.

2011-09-01

Time and size resolved data of trace elements were obtained from measurements with a rotating drum impactor (RDI) and subsequent X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. Trace elements can act as indicators for the identification of sources of particulate matter Switzerland. Eight different sources were identified for the three examined size ranges (PM1-0.1, PM2.5-1 and PM10-2.5): secondary sulfate, wood combustion, fire works, road traffic, mineral dust, de-icing salt, industrial and local anthropogenic activities. The major component was secondary sulfate for the smallest size range; the road traffic factor was found in all three size ranges. This trace element analysis is complemented with data from an Aerodyne high-resolution time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS), assessing the PM1 fraction of organic aerosols. A separate PMF analysis revealed three factors related to three of the sources found with the RDI: oxygenated organic aerosol (OOA, related to inorganic secondary sulfate), hydrocarbon-like organic aerosol (HOA, related to road traffic) and biomass burning organic aerosol (BBOA), explaining 60 %, 22 % and 17 % of total measured organics, respectively. Since different compounds are used for the source classification, a higher percentage of the ambient PM10 mass concentration can be apportioned to sources by the combination of both methods.

Nonvolatile organic write-once-read-many-times memory devices based on hexadecafluoro-copper-phthalocyanine

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Lidan; Su, Zisheng; Wang, Cheng

2012-05-01

Nonvolatile organic write-once-read-many-times memory device was demonstrated based on hexadecafluoro-copper-phthalocyanine (F16CuPc) single layer sandwiched between indium tin oxide (ITO) anode and Al cathode. The as fabricated device remains in ON state and it can be tuned to OFF state by applying a reverse bias. The ON/OFF current ratio of the device can reach up to 2.3 × 103. Simultaneously, the device shows long-term storage stability and long retention time in air. The ON/OFF transition is attributed to the formation and destruction of the interfacial dipole layer in the ITO/F16CuPc interface, and such a mechanism is different from previously reported ones.

The Formation of Professional Readiness of a Social Teacher to Organization of Children's Leisure Time Activities

Science.gov (United States)

Sadovaya, Victoriya V.; Khakhlova, Olga N.; Reznikov, Aleksandr A.

2015-01-01

Thematic justification of the study is conditioned by the fact that in contemporary system of higher professional pedagogical education we can see serious drawbacks in training the future teachers for the methods of organizing leisure time activities and interacting with children. Therefore, this article studies the problem of future social…

Comparable Educational Benefits in Half the Time: An Alternating Organic Chemistry Laboratory Sequence Targeting Prehealth Students

Science.gov (United States)

Young, Sherri C.; Colabroy, Keri L.; Baar, Marsha R.

2016-01-01

The laboratory is a mainstay in STEM education, promoting the development of critical thinking skills, dexterity, and scientific curiosity. The goals in the laboratory for nonchemistry, prehealth majors, though, could be distinguished from those for chemistry majors. In service courses such as organic chemistry, much laboratory time is often spent…

An improved optical flow tracking technique for real-time MR-guided beam therapies in moving organs

Science.gov (United States)

Zachiu, C.; Papadakis, N.; Ries, M.; Moonen, C.; de Senneville, B. Denis

2015-12-01

Magnetic resonance (MR) guided high intensity focused ultrasound and external beam radiotherapy interventions, which we shall refer to as beam therapies/interventions, are promising techniques for the non-invasive ablation of tumours in abdominal organs. However, therapeutic energy delivery in these areas becomes challenging due to the continuous displacement of the organs with respiration. Previous studies have addressed this problem by coupling high-framerate MR-imaging with a tracking technique based on the algorithm proposed by Horn and Schunck (H and S), which was chosen due to its fast convergence rate and highly parallelisable numerical scheme. Such characteristics were shown to be indispensable for the real-time guidance of beam therapies. In its original form, however, the algorithm is sensitive to local grey-level intensity variations not attributed to motion such as those that occur, for example, in the proximity of pulsating arteries. In this study, an improved motion estimation strategy which reduces the impact of such effects is proposed. Displacements are estimated through the minimisation of a variation of the H and S functional for which the quadratic data fidelity term was replaced with a term based on the linear L1norm, resulting in what we have called an L2-L1 functional. The proposed method was tested in the livers and kidneys of two healthy volunteers under free-breathing conditions, on a data set comprising 3000 images equally divided between the volunteers. The results show that, compared to the existing approaches, our method demonstrates a greater robustness to local grey-level intensity variations introduced by arterial pulsations. Additionally, the computational time required by our implementation make it compatible with the work-flow of real-time MR-guided beam interventions. To the best of our knowledge this study was the first to analyse the behaviour of an L1-based optical flow functional in an applicative context: real-time MR

Time-of-night variations in the story-like organization of dream experience developed during rapid eye movement sleep.

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Cipolli, Carlo; Guazzelli, Mario; Bellucci, Claudia; Mazzetti, Michela; Palagini, Laura; Rosenlicht, Nicholas; Feinberg, Irwin

2015-04-01

This study aimed to investigate the cycles (2nd/4th) and duration-related (5/10 min) variations in the story-like organization of dream experience elaborated during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Dream reports were analysed using story grammar rules. Reports were provided by those subjects (14 of 22) capable of reporting a dream after each of the four awakenings provoked in 2 consecutive nights during REM sleep of the 2nd and 4th cycles, after periods of either 5 or 10 min, counterbalanced across the nights. Two researchers who were blind as to the sleep condition scored the dream reports independently. The values of the indicators of report length (measured as value of total word count) and of story-like organization of dream reports were matched taking time-of-night (2nd and 4th cycles) and REM duration (5 versus 10 min) as factors. Two-way analyses of variance showed that report length increased significantly in 4th-cycle REM sleep and nearly significantly for longer REM duration, whereas the number of dream-stories per report did not vary. The indices of sequential (number of statements describing the event structure developed in the story) and hierarchical (number of episodes per story) organization increased significantly only in dream-stories reported after 10 min of 4th-cycle REM sleep. These findings indicate that the characteristics of structural organization of dream-stories vary along with time of night, and suggest that the elaboration of a long and complex dream-story requires a fairly long time and the availability of a great amount of cognitive resources to maintain its continuity and coherence. © 2014 European Sleep Research Society.

Organic SIMS: the influence of time on the ion yield enhancement by silver and gold deposition

Science.gov (United States)

Adriaensen, L.; Vangaever, F.; Gijbels, R.

2004-06-01

A series of organic dyes and pharmaceuticals was used to study the secondary ion yield enhancement by metal deposition. The molecules were dissolved in methanol and spincasted on silicon substrates. Subsequently, silver or gold was evaporated on the samples to produce a very thin coating. The coated samples, when measured with TOF-SIMS, showed a considerable increase in characteristic secondary ion intensity. Gold-evaporated samples appear to exhibit the highest signal enhancement. These observations apply to organic samples in general, an advantage that allows to use the technique of metal deposition on real-world samples. However, the observed signal increase does not occur at any given moment. The time between metal deposition on the sample surface and the measuring of the sample with TOF-SIMS appears to have an important influence on the enhancement of the secondary ion intensities. In consideration of these observations several experiments were carried out, in which the spincasted samples were measured at different times after sample preparation, i.e., after gold or silver was deposited on the sample surface. The results show that, depending on the sample and the metal deposited, the secondary ion signals reach their maximum at different times. Further study will be necessary to detect the mechanism responsible for the observed enhancement effect.

Electrochemical and spectroscopic studies of neptunium in the aluminum chloride-1-n-butylpyridinium chloride melt at 400C

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schoebrechts, J.P.; Gilbert, B.

1985-01-01

The chemistry of neptunium in acidic and basic AlCl 3 -1-n-butylpyridinium chloride melts at 40 0 C has been investigated by means of electrochemical and spectral techniques. In acidic as well as in basic melts, the reduction of Np(IV) to Np(III) at glassy-carbon electrodes is quasi-reversible. Indirect measurements of the formal potential and spectroscopic results on the Np(IV)-Np(III) system as a function of the acidity indicate that Np(III) and Np(IV) exist as NpCl 6 3- and NpCl 6 2- and solvated Np 3+ and NpCl/sub x//sup (4-x)+/ (with 3 greater than or equal to x greater than or equal to 1), respectively, in basic and acidic melts. The apparent rate constant K 0 ' has been measured on the basic and acidic sites. It depends on the melt acidity only in the latter melts. The Nugent linearization method has been applied to the standard potentials of Np(IV)-Np(III) and U(IV)-U(III) in 2:1 melts. A comparison with the results obtained from other room-temperature solvents shows, as already found with lanthanides, that the acidic melt is a very weak solvating medium

Real-time ESI-MS of enzymatic conversion: impact of organic solvents and multiplexing.

Science.gov (United States)

Scheerle, Romy K; Grassmann, Johanna; Letzel, Thomas

2012-01-01

Different enzymatic assays were characterized systematically by real-time electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) in the presence of organic solvents as well as in multiplex approaches and in a combination of both. Typically, biological enzymatic reactions are studied in aqueous solutions, since most enzymes show their full activity solely in aqueous solutions. However, in recent years, the use of organic solvents in combination with enzymatic reactions has gained increasing interest due to biotechnological advantages in chemical synthesis, development of online coupled setups screening for enzyme regulatory compounds, advantages regarding mass spectrometric detection and others. In the current study, the influence of several common organic solvents (methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, acetone, acetonitrile) on enzymatic activity (hen egg white lysozyme, chitinase, α-chymotrypsin, elastase from human neutrophils and porcine pancreas, acetylcholinesterase) was tested. Moreover, multiplexing is a promising approach enabling fast and cost-efficient screening methods, e.g. for determination of inhibitors in complex mixtures or in the field of biomedical research. Although in multiplexed setups the enzymatic activity may be affected by the presence of other substrates and/or enzymes, the expected advantages possibly will predominate. To investigate those effects, we measured multiple enzymatic assays simultaneously. For all conducted measurements, the conversion rate of the substrate(s) was calculated, which reflects the enzymatic activity. The results provide an overview about the susceptibility of the selected enzymes towards diverse factors and a reference point for many applications in analytical chemistry and biotechnology.

High-Density Real-Time PCR-Based in Vivo Toxicogenomic Screen to Predict Organ-Specific Toxicity

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Laszlo G. Puskas

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Toxicogenomics, based on the temporal effects of drugs on gene expression, is able to predict toxic effects earlier than traditional technologies by analyzing changes in genomic biomarkers that could precede subsequent protein translation and initiation of histological organ damage. In the present study our objective was to extend in vivo toxicogenomic screening from analyzing one or a few tissues to multiple organs, including heart, kidney, brain, liver and spleen. Nanocapillary quantitative real-time PCR (QRT-PCR was used in the study, due to its higher throughput, sensitivity and reproducibility, and larger dynamic range compared to DNA microarray technologies. Based on previous data, 56 gene markers were selected coding for proteins with different functions, such as proteins for acute phase response, inflammation, oxidative stress, metabolic processes, heat-shock response, cell cycle/apoptosis regulation and enzymes which are involved in detoxification. Some of the marker genes are specific to certain organs, and some of them are general indicators of toxicity in multiple organs. Utility of the nanocapillary QRT-PCR platform was demonstrated by screening different references, as well as discovery of drug-like compounds for their gene expression profiles in different organs of treated mice in an acute experiment. For each compound, 896 QRT-PCR were done: four organs were used from each of the treated four animals to monitor the relative expression of 56 genes. Based on expression data of the discovery gene set of toxicology biomarkers the cardio- and nephrotoxicity of doxorubicin and sulfasalazin, the hepato- and nephrotoxicity of rotenone, dihydrocoumarin and aniline, and the liver toxicity of 2,4-diaminotoluene could be confirmed. The acute heart and kidney toxicity of the active metabolite SN-38 from its less toxic prodrug, irinotecan could be differentiated, and two novel gene markers for hormone replacement therapy were identified

Mathematical modeling of the effects of aerobic and anaerobic chelate biodegradation on actinide speciation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Banaszak, J.E.; VanBriesen, J.; Rittmann, B.E.; Reed, D.T.

1998-01-01

Biodegradation of natural and anthropogenic chelating agents directly and indirectly affects the speciation, and, hence, the mobility of actinides in subsurface environments. We combined mathematical modeling with laboratory experimentation to investigate the effects of aerobic and anaerobic chelate biodegradation on actinide [Np(IV/V), Pu(IV)] speciation. Under aerobic conditions, nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) biodegradation rates were strongly influenced by the actinide concentration. Actinide-chelate complexation reduced the relative abundance of available growth substrate in solution and actinide species present or released during chelate degradation were toxic to the organisms. Aerobic bio-utilization of the chelates as electron-donor substrates directly affected actinide speciation by releasing the radionuclides from complexed form into solution, where their fate was controlled by inorganic ligands in the system. Actinide speciation was also indirectly affected by pH changes caused by organic biodegradation. The two concurrent processes of organic biodegradation and actinide aqueous chemistry were accurately linked and described using CCBATCH, a computer model developed at Northwestern University to investigate the dynamics of coupled biological and chemical reactions in mixed waste subsurface environments. CCBATCH was then used to simulate the fate of Np during anaerobic citrate biodegradation. The modeling studies suggested that, under some conditions, chelate degradation can increase Np(IV) solubility due to carbonate complexation in closed aqueous systems

Mathematical modelling of the effects of aerobic and anaerobic chelate biodegradation on actinide speciation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Banaszak, J.E.; VanBriesen, J.M.; Rittmann, B.E.; Reed, D.T.

1998-01-01

Biodegradation of natural and anthropogenic chelating agents directly and indirectly affects the speciation, and hence, the mobility of actinides in subsurface environments. We combined mathematical modelling with laboratory experimentation to investigate the effects of aerobic and anaerobic chelate biodegradation on actinide [Np(IV/V), Pu(IV)] speciation. Under aerobic conditions, nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) biodegradation rates were strongly influenced by the actinide concentration. Actinide-chelate complexation reduced the relative abundance of available growth substrate in solution and actinide species present or released during chelate degradation were toxic to the organisms. Aerobic bioutilization of the chelates as electron-donor substrates directly affected actinide speciation by releasing the radionuclides from complexed form into solution, where their fate was controlled by inorganic ligands in the system. Actinide speciation was also indirectly affected by pH changes caused by organic biodegradation. The two concurrent processes of organic biodegradation and actinide aqueous chemistry were accurately linked and described using CCBATCH, a computer model developed at Northwestern University to investigate the dynamics of coupled biological and chemical reactions in mixed waste subsurface environments. CCBATCH was then used to simulate the fate of Np during anaerobic citrate biodegradation. The modelling studies suggested that, under some conditions, chelate degradation can increase Np(IV) solubility due to carbonate complexation in closed aqueous systems. (orig.)

Effects of gas–wall partitioning in Teflon tubing and instrumentation on time-resolved measurements of gas-phase organic compounds

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. Pagonis

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Recent studies have demonstrated that organic compounds can partition from the gas phase to the walls in Teflon environmental chambers and that the process can be modeled as absorptive partitioning. Here these studies were extended to investigate gas–wall partitioning of organic compounds in Teflon tubing and inside a proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometer (PTR-MS used to monitor compound concentrations. Rapid partitioning of C8–C14 2-ketones and C11–C16 1-alkenes was observed for compounds with saturation concentrations (c∗ in the range of 3 × 104 to 1 × 107 µg m−3, causing delays in instrument response to step-function changes in the concentration of compounds being measured. These delays vary proportionally with tubing length and diameter and inversely with flow rate and c∗. The gas–wall partitioning process that occurs in tubing is similar to what occurs in a gas chromatography column, and the measured delay times (analogous to retention times were accurately described using a linear chromatography model where the walls were treated as an equivalent absorbing mass that is consistent with values determined for Teflon environmental chambers. The effect of PTR-MS surfaces on delay times was also quantified and incorporated into the model. The model predicts delays of an hour or more for semivolatile compounds measured under commonly employed conditions. These results and the model can enable better quantitative design of sampling systems, in particular when fast response is needed, such as for rapid transients, aircraft, or eddy covariance measurements. They may also allow estimation of c∗ values for unidentified organic compounds detected by mass spectrometry and could be employed to introduce differences in time series of compounds for use with factor analysis methods. Best practices are suggested for sampling organic compounds through Teflon tubing.

Effects of gas-wall partitioning in Teflon tubing and instrumentation on time-resolved measurements of gas-phase organic compounds

Science.gov (United States)

Pagonis, Demetrios; Krechmer, Jordan E.; de Gouw, Joost; Jimenez, Jose L.; Ziemann, Paul J.

2017-12-01

Recent studies have demonstrated that organic compounds can partition from the gas phase to the walls in Teflon environmental chambers and that the process can be modeled as absorptive partitioning. Here these studies were extended to investigate gas-wall partitioning of organic compounds in Teflon tubing and inside a proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometer (PTR-MS) used to monitor compound concentrations. Rapid partitioning of C8-C14 2-ketones and C11-C16 1-alkenes was observed for compounds with saturation concentrations (c∗) in the range of 3 × 104 to 1 × 107 µg m-3, causing delays in instrument response to step-function changes in the concentration of compounds being measured. These delays vary proportionally with tubing length and diameter and inversely with flow rate and c∗. The gas-wall partitioning process that occurs in tubing is similar to what occurs in a gas chromatography column, and the measured delay times (analogous to retention times) were accurately described using a linear chromatography model where the walls were treated as an equivalent absorbing mass that is consistent with values determined for Teflon environmental chambers. The effect of PTR-MS surfaces on delay times was also quantified and incorporated into the model. The model predicts delays of an hour or more for semivolatile compounds measured under commonly employed conditions. These results and the model can enable better quantitative design of sampling systems, in particular when fast response is needed, such as for rapid transients, aircraft, or eddy covariance measurements. They may also allow estimation of c∗ values for unidentified organic compounds detected by mass spectrometry and could be employed to introduce differences in time series of compounds for use with factor analysis methods. Best practices are suggested for sampling organic compounds through Teflon tubing.

Real time measurements of submicrometer aerosols in Seoul, Korea: Sources, characteristics, and processing of organic aerosols during winter time.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, H.; Zhang, Q.

2016-12-01

Highly time-resolved chemical characterization of non-refractory submicrometer particulate matter (NR-PM1) was conducted in Seoul, the capital of Korea, using an Aerodyne high-resolution time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS). The measurements were performed during winter when persistent air quality problems associated with elevated PM concentrations were observed. The average NR-PM1 concentration was 27.5 µg m-3 and the average mass was dominated by organics (44%), followed by nitrate (24%) and sulfate (10%). Five distinct sources of organic aerosol (OA) were identified from positive matrix factorization (PMF) analysis of the AMS data: vehicle emissions represented by a hydrocarbon-like OA factor (HOA), cooking represented by a cooking OA factor (COA), wood combustion represented by a biomass burning OA factor (BBOA), and secondary aerosol formation in the atmosphere that is represented by a semi-volatile oxygenated OA factor (SVOOA) and a low volatile oxygenated OA factor (LVOOA). These factors, on average, contributed 16, 20, 23, 15 and 26% to the total OA mass, respectively, with primary organic aerosol (POA = HOA + COA + BBOA) accounting for 59% of the OA mass. On average, both primary emissions and secondary aerosol formation are important factors affecting air quality in Seoul during winter, contributing approximately equal. However, differences in the fraction of PM source and properties were observed between high and low loading PM period. For example, during stagnant period with low wind speed (WS) (0.99 ± 0.7 m/s) and high RH (71%), high PM loadings (43.6 ± 12.4 µg m-3) with enhanced fractions of nitrate (27%) and SVOOA (8%) were observed, indicating a strong influence from locally generated secondary aerosol. On the other hand, when low PM loadings (12.6 ± 7.1 µg m-3), which were commonly associated with high WS (1.8 ± 1.1 m/s) and low RH (50 %), were observed, the fraction of regional sources, such as sulfate (12%) and LVOOA (21

Solvent-extraction purification of neptunium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kyser, E.A.; Hudlow, S.L.

2008-01-01

The Savannah River Site (SRS) has recovered 237 Np from reactor fuel that is currently being processed into NpO 2 for future production of 238 Pu. Several purification flowsheets have been utilized. An oxidizing solvent-extraction (SX) flowsheet was used to remove Fe, sulfate ion, and Th while simultaneously 237 Np, 238 Pu, u, and nonradioactive Ce(IV) was extracted into the tributyl phosphate (TBP) based organic solvent. A reducing SX flowsheet (second pass) removed the Ce and Pu and recovered both Np and U. The oxidizing flowsheet was necessary for solutions that contained excessive amounts of sulfate ion. Anion exchange was used to perform final purification of Np from Pu, U, and various non-actinide impurities. The Np(IV) in the purified solution was then oxalate-precipitated and calcined to an oxide for shipment to other facilities for storage and future target fabrication. Performance details of the SX purification and process difficulties are discussed. (authors)

Dissolved Organic Carbon 14C in Southern Nevada Groundwater and Implications for Groundwater Travel Times

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hershey, Ronald L. [Nevada University, Reno, NV (United States). Desert Research Institute; Fereday, Wyall [Nevada University, Reno, NV (United States). Desert Research Institute; Thomas, James M [Nevada University, Reno, NV (United States). Desert Research Institute

2016-08-01

Dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) carbon-14 (¹⁴C) ages must be corrected for complex chemical and physical reactions and processes that change the amount of ¹⁴C in groundwater as it flows from recharge to downgradient areas. Because of these reactions, DIC ¹⁴C can produce unrealistically old ages and long groundwater travel times that may, or may not, agree with travel times estimated by other methods. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) ¹⁴C ages are often younger than DIC ¹⁴C ages because there are few chemical reactions or physical processes that change the amount of DOC ¹⁴C in groundwater. However, there are several issues that create uncertainty in DOC ¹⁴C groundwater ages including limited knowledge of the initial (A₀) DOC ¹⁴C in groundwater recharge and potential changes in DOC composition as water moves through an aquifer. This study examines these issues by quantifying A₀ DOC ¹⁴C in recharge areas of southern Nevada groundwater flow systems and by evaluating changes in DOC composition as water flows from recharge areas to downgradient areas. The effect of these processes on DOC ¹⁴C groundwater ages is evaluated and DOC and DIC ¹⁴C ages are then compared along several southern Nevada groundwater flow paths. Twenty-seven groundwater samples were collected from springs and wells in southern Nevada in upgradient, midgradient, and downgradient locations. DOC ¹⁴C for upgradient samples ranged from 96 to 120 percent modern carbon (pmc) with an average of 106 pmc, verifying modern DOC ¹⁴C ages in recharge areas, which decreases uncertainty in DOC ¹⁴C A₀ values, groundwater ages, and travel times. The HPLC spectra of groundwater along a flow path in the Spring Mountains show the same general pattern indicating that the DOC compound composition does not change along this flow path

Time-of-flight Measurement Of Hole-tunneling Properties And Emission Color Control In Organic Light-emitting Diodes

Science.gov (United States)

Kurata, K.; Kashiwabara, K.; Nakajima, K.; Mizoguchi, Y.; Ohtani, N.

2011-12-01

Hole transport properties of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) with a thin hole-blocking layer (HBL) were evaluated by time-of-flight measurement. Electroluminescence (EL) spectra of OLEDs with various HBL thicknesses were also evaluated. The results clearly show that the time-resolved photocurrent response and the emission color strongly depend on HBL thickness. This can be attributed to hole-tunneling through the thin HBL. We successfully fabricated a white OLED by controlling the thickness of HBL.

Adjustment of valence state of Pu and Np in nitric solution containing N,N-dimethylhydroxylamine and monomethylhydrazine by electrolysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, H.; Ye, G.A.; Cong, H.F. [China Institute of Atomic Energy, Beijing (China)] [and others

2012-07-01

A study of the electrochemical behaviors of N,N-dimethylhydroxylamine (DMHAN) and monomethyl hydrazine (MMH) in nitric acid solution on Pt electrodes were carried out by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) methods. The diffusion coefficients of DMHAN and MMH were obtained by CV. The values are found to be 0.53 x 10{sup -6}6 cm{sup 2}/s D{sub (DMHAN)} and 0.88 x 10{sup -5} cm{sup 2}/s D{sub (MMH)}. The equilibrium potentials (+0.47 V vs. SCE for DMHAN and +0.31 V vs. SCE for MMH) were also measured using Tafel curves. Various valence states of Pu and Np in HNO{sub 3} solution containing DMHAN and MMH in the electrolytic process were investigated by an electrolytic cell using a platinum as the anode and a titanium plate as the cathode. In this procedure, MMH was first electro-oxidized on the Pt anode and Np(V) was reduced to Np(IV) on the Ti cathode. After MMH was entirely consumed, the accumulation of HNO{sub 2} (due to the electrochemical reduction of nitric acid on the Ti cathode) caused a significantly fast catalytic reaction of DMHAN with HNO{sub 3} to form HNO{sub 2}. HNO{sub 2} can oxidize Pu(III) to Pu(IV) quickly. As a result, both oxidation states of Pu and Np were found to be tetravalent in the post-electrolysis solution. A convenient method to keep the post-electrolysis solution at 70 C was used to adjust the oxidation state of Np in it's pentavalent state while retaining the tetravalent state of Pu. This study developed an electrolytic process for the preparation of 2AF feed (the feed of Pu purification cycle) in APOR (Advanced Purex Process Based on Organic Reductants) process by electrochemically oxidizing Pu(III) and selectively adjusting the valence state of neptunium to either Np(IV) or Np(V). (orig.)

Real-time deformations of organ based on structural mechanics for surgical simulators

Science.gov (United States)

Nakaguchi, Toshiya; Tagaya, Masashi; Tamura, Nobuhiko; Tsumura, Norimichi; Miyake, Yoichi

2006-03-01

This research proposes the deformation model of organs for the development of the medical training system using Virtual Reality (VR) technology. First, the proposed model calculates the strains of coordinate axis. Secondly, the deformation is obtained by mapping the coordinate of the object to the strained coordinate. We assume the beams in the coordinate space to calculate the strain of the coordinate axis. The forces acting on the object are converted to the forces applied to the beams. The bend and the twist of the beams are calculated based on the theory of structural mechanics. The bend is derived by the finite element method. We propose two deformation methods which differ in the position of the beams in the coordinate space. One method locates the beams along the three orthogonal axes (x, y, z). Another method locates the beam in the area where the deformation is large. In addition, the strain of the coordinate axis is attenuated in proportion to the distance from the point of action to consider the attenuation of the stress which is a viscoelastic feature of the organs. The proposed model needs less computational cost compared to the conventional deformation method since our model does not need to divide the object into the elasticity element. The proposed model was implemented in the laparoscopic surgery training system, and a real-time deformation can be realized.

Submicron particulate organic matter in the urban atmosphere: a new method for real-time measurement, molecular-level characterization and source apportionment

Science.gov (United States)

Müller, Markus; Eichler, Philipp; D'Anna, Barbara; Tan, Wen; Wisthaler, Armin

2017-04-01

We used a novel chemical analytical method for measuring submicron particulate organic matter in the atmosphere of three European cities (Innsbruck, Lyon, Valencia). Proton-Transfer-Reaction Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (PTR-ToF-MS) was used in combination with the "chemical analysis of aerosol online" (CHARON) inlet for detecting particulate organic compounds on-line (i.e. without filter pre-collection), in real-time (1-min time resolution), at ng m-3 concentrations, with molecular-level resolution (i.e. obtaining molecular weight and elemental composition information). The CHARON-PTR-ToF-MS system monitored molecular tracers associated with different particle sources including levoglucosan from biomass combustion, PAHs from vehicular traffic, nicotine from cigarette smoking, and monoterpene oxidation products secondarily formed from biogenic emissions. The tracer information was used for interpreting positive matrix factorization (PMF) data which allowed us to apportion the sources of submicron particulate organic matter in the different urban environments. This work was funded through the PIMMS ITN, which was supported by the European Commission's 7th Framework Programme under grant agreement number 287382.

Concept of Compound Retention Time for Organic Micro Pollutants in Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactor with Nanofiltration

KAUST Repository

Pan, Jiangjiang

2011-12-01

Organic micropollutants (OMPs) have received more and more attention in recent years due to their potential harmful effects on public health and aquatic ecosystems, and eliminating OMPs in wastewater treatment systems is an important solution to control OMPs wastage. An innovative hybrid process, anaerobic membrane bioreactor with nanofiltration (AnMBR-NF), in which enhanced OMPs removal is possible based on the concept of compound retention time (CRT) through coupling anaerobic biodegradation and NF rejection, is proposed and examined in terms of preliminary feasibility in this study. First, NF membrane screening through sludge water dead-end filtration tests demonstrated that KOCH NF200 (molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) 200 Da, acid/base stable) performed best in organic matter rejection. Then, selected OMPs (ketobrofen and naproxen) in MQ water and a biologically treated wastewater matrix were filtered through NF200 under constant-pressure dead-end mode, with and without stirring, and several methods (contact angle, scanning electronic microscopy, Zeta potential, Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy) were used to characterize membranes. Results show selected OMPs in MQ could be rejected (about 40%) by a clean NF200 membrane. The main rejection mechanism was initial absorption by the membrane followed by size exclusion (electric charge interaction plays a less important role). The wastewater matrix could enhance the rejection significantly (up to 90%) because effluent organic matter (EfOM) enhanced size exclusion and electric charge interaction through blocking membrane pores and forming a gel layer as well as binding some OMPs through partitioning followed by retention by NF. Third, an anaerobic bioreactor was set up to evaluate the anaerobic biodegradability of selected OMPs. Results showed selected OMPs could be absorbed by sludge and reached equilibrium within one day, and then were consumed by anaerobic microorganism with a half life 9.4 days for

Source apportionment of size and time resolved trace elements and organic aerosols from an urban courtyard site in Switzerland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Richard

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Time and size resolved data of trace elements were obtained from measurements with a rotating drum impactor (RDI and subsequent X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. Trace elements can act as indicators for the identification of sources of particulate matter <10 μm (PM₁₀ in ambient air. Receptor modeling was performed with positive matrix factorization (PMF for trace element data from an urban background site in Zürich, Switzerland. Eight different sources were identified for the three examined size ranges (PM_1−0.1, PM_2.5−1 and PM_10−2.5: secondary sulfate, wood combustion, fire works, road traffic, mineral dust, de-icing salt, industrial and local anthropogenic activities. The major component was secondary sulfate for the smallest size range; the road traffic factor was found in all three size ranges. This trace element analysis is complemented with data from an Aerodyne high-resolution time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS, assessing the PM₁ fraction of organic aerosols. A separate PMF analysis revealed three factors related to three of the sources found with the RDI: oxygenated organic aerosol (OOA, related to inorganic secondary sulfate, hydrocarbon-like organic aerosol (HOA, related to road traffic and biomass burning organic aerosol (BBOA, explaining 60 %, 22 % and 17 % of total measured organics, respectively. Since different compounds are used for the source classification, a higher percentage of the ambient PM₁₀ mass concentration can be apportioned to sources by the combination of both methods.

A Linear trans-Bis(imido) Neptunium(V) Actinyl Analog: Np(V)(NDipp)2((t)Bu2bipy)2Cl (Dipp = 2,6-(i)Pr2C6H3).

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Jessie L; Batista, Enrique R; Boncella, James M; Gaunt, Andrew J; Reilly, Sean D; Scott, Brian L; Tomson, Neil C

2015-08-05

The discovery that imido analogs of actinyl dioxo cations can be extended beyond uranium into the transuranic elements is presented. Synthesis of the Np(V) complex, Np(NDipp)2((t)Bu2bipy)2Cl (1), is achieved through treatment of a Np(IV) precursor with a bipyridine coligand and lithium-amide reagent. Complex 1 has been structurally characterized, analyzed by (1)H NMR and UV-vis-NIR spectroscopies, and the electronic structure evaluated by DFT calculations.

Changes in gravitational force affect gene expression in developing organ systems at different developmental times

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Moorman Stephen J

2005-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Little is known about the affect of microgravity on gene expression, particularly in vivo during embryonic development. Using transgenic zebrafish that express the gfp gene under the influence of a β-actin promoter, we examined the affect of simulated-microgravity on GFP expression in the heart, notochord, eye, somites, and rohon beard neurons. We exposed transgenic zebrafish to simulated-microgravity for different durations at a variety of developmental times in an attempt to determine periods of susceptibility for the different developing organ systems. Results The developing heart had a period of maximum susceptibility between 32 and 56 hours after fertilization when there was an approximately 30% increase in gene expression. The notochord, eye, somites, and rohon beard neurons all showed periods of susceptibility occurring between 24 and 72 hours after fertilization. In addition, the notochord showed a second period of susceptibility between 8 and 32 hours after fertilization. Interestingly, all organs appeared to be recovering by 80 hours after fertilization despite continued exposure to simulated-microgravity. Conclusion These results support the idea that exposure to microgravity can cause changes in gene expression in a variety of developing organ systems in live embryos and that there are periods of maximum susceptibility to the effects.

Highly Sensitive Flexible Pressure Sensors Based on Printed Organic Transistors with Centro-Apically Self-Organized Organic Semiconductor Microstructures.

Science.gov (United States)

Yeo, So Young; Park, Sangsik; Yi, Yeon Jin; Kim, Do Hwan; Lim, Jung Ah

2017-12-13

A highly sensitive pressure sensor based on printed organic transistors with three-dimensionally self-organized organic semiconductor microstructures (3D OSCs) was demonstrated. A unique organic transistor with semiconductor channels positioned at the highest summit of printed cylindrical microstructures was achieved simply by printing an organic semiconductor and polymer blend on the plastic substrate without the use of additional etching or replication processes. A combination of the printed organic semiconductor microstructure and an elastomeric top-gate dielectric resulted in a highly sensitive organic field-effect transistor (FET) pressure sensor with a high pressure sensitivity of 1.07 kPa -1 and a rapid response time of <20 ms with a high reliability over 1000 cycles. The flexibility and high performance of the 3D OSC FET pressure sensor were exploited in the successful application of our sensors to real-time monitoring of the radial artery pulse, which is useful for healthcare monitoring, and to touch sensing in the e-skin of a realistic prosthetic hand.

Real-time, controlled OH-initiated oxidation of biogenic secondary organic aerosol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. G. Slowik

2012-10-01

Full Text Available The chemical complexity of atmospheric organic aerosol (OA requires novel methods for characterization of its components and description of its atmospheric processing-induced transformations. We present the first field deployment of the Toronto Photooxidation Tube (TPOT, a field-deployable flow reactor for the controlled exposure of ambient aerosol to OH radicals. The system alternates between sampling of (1 (unreacted ambient aerosol, (2 aerosol exposed to UV light and subjected to a ~4 to 10 °C temperature increase, and (3 aerosol that is oxidized by OH (in addition to the aforementioned UV exposure/temperature increase. This allows both characterization of the aging process and classification of aerosol in terms of its volatility and reaction-based properties. Summertime measurements by an aerosol mass spectrometer coupled to the TPOT were performed in the remote forest of western Canada, resulting in aerosol dominated by biogenic secondary organic aerosol. Volatilization/UV exposure resulted in an approximately 10 to 25% decrease in organic mass and resulted in a slight increase in oxygenation. OH oxidation resulted in a further organic mass decrease (additional ~25% and yielded an aerosol with O:C values comparable to those characteristic of low volatility, highly oxygenated OA. Most OH-induced changes occurred within ~3 day-equivalents of atmospheric processing, with further reactions generally proceeding at a greatly reduced rate. Positive matrix factorization (PMF analysis of the TPOT data yielded five factors. One factor is related to primary biomass burning organic aerosol, while the others describe oxygenated organic aerosol (OOA components in terms of reactivity and volatility: (1 volatile and reactive; (2 non-volatile and reactive; (3 non-volatile and reactive early-generation product; (4 non-volatile and non-reactive product. This PMF classification of aerosol components directly in terms of reactivity and volatility is enabled by

An Asynchronous Time-Division-Multiplexed Network-on-Chip for Real-Time Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kasapaki, Evangelia

is an important part of the T-CREST paltform and used in a number of configurations. The flexible timing organization of Argo combines asynchronous routers with mesochronous NIs, which are connected to individually clocked cores, supporting a GALS system organization. The mesochronous NIs operate at the same......Multi-processor architectures using networks-on-chip (NOCs) for communication are becoming the standard approach in the development of embedded systems and general purpose platforms. Typically, multi-processor platforms follow a globally asynchronous locally synchronous (GALS) timing organization....... This thesis focuses on the design of Argo, a NOC targeted at hard real-time multi-processor platforms with a GALS timing organization. To support real-time communication, NOCs establish end-to-end connections and provide latency and throughput guarantees for these connections. Argo uses time division...

Money Allocation to Out-of-Home Leisure Activities and the Organization of These Activities in Time and Space

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dane, Gamze; Arentze, Theo A.; Timmermans, Harry J P; Ettema, Dick

2015-01-01

Monetary budgets influence activity participation and related travel as they demarcate limits on how people organize their activities in time and space. In this paper, we are interested in money allocation to out-of-home leisure activities and how this is affected by duration, sociodemographics, and

Fast neutron tomography with real-time pulse-shape discrimination in organic scintillation detectors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Joyce, Malcolm J., E-mail: m.joyce@lancaster.ac.uk [Department of Engineering, Lancaster University, Lancaster, Lancashire LA1 4YW (United Kingdom); Agar, Stewart [Department of Engineering, Lancaster University, Lancaster, Lancashire LA1 4YW (United Kingdom); Aspinall, Michael D. [Hybrid Instruments Ltd., Gordon Manley Building, Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YW (United Kingdom); Beaumont, Jonathan S.; Colley, Edmund; Colling, Miriam; Dykes, Joseph; Kardasopoulos, Phoevos; Mitton, Katie [Department of Engineering, Lancaster University, Lancaster, Lancashire LA1 4YW (United Kingdom)

2016-10-21

A fast neutron tomography system based on the use of real-time pulse-shape discrimination in 7 organic liquid scintillation detectors is described. The system has been tested with a californium-252 source of dose rate 163 μSv/h at 1 m and neutron emission rate of 1.5×10{sup 7} per second into 4π and a maximum acquisition time of 2 h, to characterize two 100×100×100 mm{sup 3} concrete samples. The first of these was a solid sample and the second has a vertical, cylindrical void. The experimental data, supported by simulations with both Monte Carlo methods and MATLAB®, indicate that the presence of the internal cylindrical void, corners and inhomogeneities in the samples can be discerned. The potential for fast neutron assay of this type with the capability to probe hydrogenous features in large low-Z samples is discussed. Neutron tomography of bulk porous samples is achieved that combines effective penetration not possible with thermal neutrons in the absence of beam hardening.

Real-Time Discrimination and Versatile Profiling of Spontaneous Reactive Oxygen Species in Living Organisms with a Single Fluorescent Probe.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Ruilong; Zhao, Jun; Han, Guangmei; Liu, Zhengjie; Liu, Cui; Zhang, Cheng; Liu, Bianhua; Jiang, Changlong; Liu, Renyong; Zhao, Tingting; Han, Ming-Yong; Zhang, Zhongping

2016-03-23

Fluorescent probes are powerful tools for the investigations of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in living organisms by visualization and imaging. However, the multiparallel assays of several ROS with multiple probes are often limited by the available number of spectrally nonoverlapping chromophores together with large invasive effects and discrepant biological locations. Meanwhile, the spontaneous ROS profilings in various living organs/tissues are also limited by the penetration capability of probes across different biological barriers and the stability in reactive in vivo environments. Here, we report a single fluorescent probe to achieve the effective discrimination and profiling of hydroxyl radicals (•OH) and hypochlorous acid (HClO) in living organisms. The probe is constructed by chemically grafting an additional five-membered heterocyclic ring and a lateral triethylene glycol chain to a fluorescein mother, which does not only turn off the fluorescence of fluorescein, but also create the dual reactive sites to ROS and the penetration capability in passing through various biological barriers. The reactions of probe with •OH and HClO simultaneously result in cyan and green emissions, respectively, providing the real-time discrimination and quantitative analysis of the two ROS in cellular mitochondria. Surprisingly, the accumulation of probes in the intestine and liver of a normal-state zebrafish and the transfer pathway from intestine-to-blood-to-organ/tissue-to-kidney-to-excretion clearly present the profiling of spontaneous •OH and HClO in these metabolic organs. In particular, the stress generation of •OH at the fresh wound of zebrafish is successfully visualized for the first time, in spite of its extremely short lifetime.

ITC FOR TIME MANAGEMENT

OpenAIRE

MARES VALERICA; MARES MARIUS DANIEL

2014-01-01

The efficient management of time is essential in any profession and in any activity domain. Anybody can increase his capacity to organize his time and get important benefits from it. The way in which one organizes his time will always have a direct impact on the objects of his work (resources and activities), so that it is worth allocating time for developing some instruments and techniques that could help planning and organizing time efficiently and attaining the objectives while meeting the...

Elemental speciation of neptunium in ultra trace amount ranges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stoebener, Nils

2013-01-01

In the presented work, the detection of the isotope Np-237 with resonance ionization mass spectrometry (RIMS) was developed and optimized. In RIMS, sample atoms are excited and ionized with laser radiation in several, resonant steps and are subsequently detected by a mass spectrometer. Energy levels suitable for the excitation and ionization of Np-237 were identified using resonance ionization spectroscopy (RIS). With RIS, more than 300 previously unknown electronic states and autoionizing resonances of Np-237 were identified. Using in-source-RIMS, a limit of detection of 9E+5 atoms was demonstrated for the isotope. The mobility of Np in the environment strongly depends on its elemental speciation. Therefore, safety assessments of proposed nuclear waste repositories require analytical methods for the detection of Np species. CE (capillary electrophoresis) was hyphenated to ICP-MS (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry) to examine the distribution of the Np redox species Np(IV) and Np(V), which was possible at Np concentrations as low as 1E-9 mol/L. The method was used to study the interaction of the element with Opalinus Clay at varying conditions. CE-ICP-MS revealed, that under the presence of Fe(II), Np(V) is reduced to Np(IV), which is sorbed onto the clay. This leads to a higher overall Np sorption.

Complexation of the An(IV) by NTA; Complexation des An(IV) par le NTA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bonin, L. [Paris-11 Univ., 91 - Orsay (France)]|[CEA Valrho, Lab. de Chimie des Actinides (LCA), 30 - Marcoule (France)

2006-07-01

In the framework of the Nuclear and Environmental Toxicology program, developed in France, it has been decided to take again the studies concerning the actinides decorporation. A similar study of the neptunium complexation by the citrate ions has been carried out on the complexation of Np(IV) with the nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA). The NTA can be considered as a model molecule of the de-corporating molecules (amino-carboxy- ligand). The results of the spectrophotometric measurements being encouraging, the behaviour of several actinides at the same oxidation state (+IV) (Th(IV), U(IV), Np(IV), and Pu(IV)) has been determined. The experimental results are presented. In order to determine the structure of the complexes of stoichiometry 1:2 An(IV)-(NTA){sub 2} in solution, quantic chemistry calculations and EXAFS measurements have been carried out in parallel. These studies confirm the presence of An(IV)-nitrogen bonds whose length decreases from thorium to plutonium and indicate the presence of a water molecule bound to the thorium and the uranium (coordination number 8 for Np/Pu, 9 for Th/U). The evolution of the complexation constants determined in this study in terms of 1/r (r ionic radius of the cation taking into account its coordination number 8 or 9) confirms the change of the coordination number between Th/U and Np/Pu. (O.M.)

Changes in River Organic Matter Through Time.

Science.gov (United States)

Hudson, N.; Baker, A.; Ward, D.

2006-12-01

Samples of river water from central England were collected during the summer base-flow period. They were analysed for BOD and filtered at 1.2μm and 0.1μm increments to obtain i) the colloidal and dissolved, and ii) dissolved filter sterilized fractions. Each filtered fraction was plated up for microbiological cell counts and the agar plates and water samples were stored under a range of environmental conditions (4° C dark, 11° C light/ dark, 11° C dark, and 20° C dark) for 26 days. Absorbance, fluorescence, pH, conductivity and total organic carbon (TOC) were measured and colony forming units (CFU) counted on days 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 12, 19 and 26. The fluorescence intensity was recorded for 5 commonly studied regions: protein like fluorescence, indicative of microbial activity, represented by the fluorescent amino acids tyrosine and tryptophan (which has two clear fluorescence regions) and humic and fulvic acids derived from the break down of terrestrial and aquatic plant material. Humic and fulvic-like fluorescence increased in all samples under all storage conditions suggesting that peaks A and C probably include a microbial element, either a product of the living community or as dead cell material in all fraction sizes including bacterial activity associated with algal growth. It may also occur as a result of changing water chemistry causing a change in molecular conformation, and resulting fluorescence, as an increase in pH was also observed in these samples. This work illustrates the dynamic character of river organic matter within a timescale and under conditions that are representative of the natural system.

Development of Solid Ceramic Dosimeters for the Time-Integrative Passive Sampling of Volatile Organic Compounds in Waters.

Science.gov (United States)

Bonifacio, Riza Gabriela; Nam, Go-Un; Eom, In-Yong; Hong, Yong-Seok

2017-11-07

Time-integrative passive sampling of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in water can now be accomplished using a solid ceramic dosimeter. A nonporous ceramic, which excludes the permeation of water, allowing only gas-phase diffusion of VOCs into the resin inside the dosimeter, effectively captured the VOCs. The mass accumulation of 11 VOCs linearly increased with time over a wide range of aqueous-phase concentrations (16.9 to 1100 μg L -1 ), and the linearity was dependent upon the Henry's constant (H). The average diffusivity of the VOCs in the solid ceramic was 1.46 × 10 -10 m 2 s -1 at 25 °C, which was 4 orders of magnitude lower than that in air (8.09 × 10 -6 m 2 s -1 ). This value was 60% greater than that in the water-permeable porous ceramic (0.92 × 10 -10 m 2 s -1 ), suggesting that its mass accumulation could be more effective than that of porous ceramic dosimeters. The mass accumulation of the VOCs in the solid ceramic dosimeter increased in the presence of salt (≥0.1 M) and with increasing temperature (4 to 40 °C) but varied only slightly with dissolved organic matter concentration. The solid ceramic dosimeter was suitable for the field testing and measurement of time-weighted average concentrations of VOC-contaminated waters.

Modeling time-dependent toxicity to aquatic organisms from pulsed exposure of PAHs in urban road runoff

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Wei; Ye Youbin; Tong Yindong; Ou Langbo; Hu Dan; Wang Xuejun

2011-01-01

Understanding of the magnitude of urban runoff toxicity to aquatic organisms is important for effective management of runoff quality. In this paper, the aquatic toxicity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in urban road runoff was evaluated through a damage assessment model. Mortality probability of the organisms representative in aquatic environment was calculated using the monitored PAHs concentration in road runoff. The result showed that the toxicity of runoff in spring was higher than those in summer. Analysis of the time-dependent toxicity of series of runoff water samples illustrated that the toxicity of runoff water in the final phase of a runoff event may be as high as those in the initial phase. Therefore, the storm runoff treatment systems or strategies designed for capture and treatment of the initial portion of runoff may be inappropriate for control of runoff toxicity. - Research highlights: → Toxicity resulting from realistic exposure patterns of urban runoff is evaluated. → Toxicity of runoff water in the final phase is as high as the initial phase. → Treatment of the initial runoff portion is inappropriate to abate runoff toxicity. - Toxicity to aquatic organisms after sequential pulsed exposure to PAHs in urban road runoff is evaluated.

ITC FOR TIME MANAGEMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

MARES VALERICA

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The efficient management of time is essential in any profession and in any activity domain. Anybody can increase his capacity to organize his time and get important benefits from it. The way in which one organizes his time will always have a direct impact on the objects of his work (resources and activities, so that it is worth allocating time for developing some instruments and techniques that could help planning and organizing time efficiently and attaining the objectives while meeting the deadlines.

Real-time x-ray scattering study of the initial growth of organic crystals on polymer brushes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

An, Sung Yup; Ahn, Kwangseok; Kim, Doris Yangsoo; Lee, Dong Ryeol, E-mail: drlee@ssu.ac.kr [Department of Physics, Soongsil University, Seoul 156-743 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Hyun-Hwi [Pohang Accelerator Laboratory, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang 790-784 (Korea, Republic of); Cho, Jeong Ho, E-mail: jhcho94@skku.edu [Department of Chemical Engineering, SKKU Advanced Institute of Nanotechnology (SAINT) and Center for Human Interface Nano Technology (HINT), Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 440-476 (Korea, Republic of)

2014-04-21

We studied the early-stage growth structures of pentacene organic crystals grown on polymer brushes using real-time x-ray scattering techniques. In situ x-ray reflectivity and atomic force microscopy analyses revealed that at temperatures close to the glass transition temperature of polymer brush, the pentacene overlayer on a polymer brush film showed incomplete condensation and 3D island structures from the first monolayer. A growth model based on these observations was used to quantitatively analyze the real-time anti-Bragg x-ray scattering intensities measured during pentacene growth to obtain the time-dependent layer coverage of the individual pentacene monolayers. The extracted total coverage confirmed significant desorption and incomplete condensation in the pentacene films deposited on the polymer brushes. These effects are ascribed to the change in the surface viscoelasticity of the polymer brushes around the glass transition temperature.

Stage-structured matrix models for organisms with non-geometric development times

Science.gov (United States)

Andrew Birt; Richard M. Feldman; David M. Cairns; Robert N. Coulson; Maria Tchakerian; Weimin Xi; James M. Guldin

2009-01-01

Matrix models have been used to model population growth of organisms for many decades. They are popular because of both their conceptual simplicity and their computational efficiency. For some types of organisms they are relatively accurate in predicting population growth; however, for others the matrix approach does not adequately model...

Real-Time Observation of Order-Disorder Transformation of Organic Cations Induced Phase Transition and Anomalous Photoluminescence in Hybrid Perovskites.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Bin; Ming, Wenmei; Du, Mao-Hua; Keum, Jong K; Puretzky, Alexander A; Rouleau, Christopher M; Huang, Jinsong; Geohegan, David B; Wang, Xiaoping; Xiao, Kai

2018-05-01

A fundamental understanding of the interplay between the microscopic structure and macroscopic optoelectronic properties of organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite materials is essential to design new materials and improve device performance. However, how exactly the organic cations affect the structural phase transition and optoelectronic properties of the materials is not well understood. Here, real-time, in situ temperature-dependent neutron/X-ray diffraction and photoluminescence (PL) measurements reveal a transformation of the organic cation CH 3 NH 3 + from order to disorder with increasing temperature in CH 3 NH 3 PbBr 3 perovskites. The molecular-level order-to-disorder transformation of CH 3 NH 3 + not only leads to an anomalous increase in PL intensity, but also results in a multidomain to single-domain structural transition. This discovery establishes the important role that organic cation ordering has in dictating structural order and anomalous optoelectronic phenomenon in hybrid perovskites. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Precision measurement of electric organ discharge timing from freely moving weakly electric fish.

Science.gov (United States)

Jun, James J; Longtin, André; Maler, Leonard

2012-04-01

Physiological measurements from an unrestrained, untethered, and freely moving animal permit analyses of neural states correlated to naturalistic behaviors of interest. Precise and reliable remote measurements remain technically challenging due to animal movement, which perturbs the relative geometries between the animal and sensors. Pulse-type electric fish generate a train of discrete and stereotyped electric organ discharges (EOD) to sense their surroundings actively, and rapid modulation of the discharge rate occurs while free swimming in Gymnotus sp. The modulation of EOD rates is a useful indicator of the fish's central state such as resting, alertness, and learning associated with exploration. However, the EOD pulse waveforms remotely observed at a pair of dipole electrodes continuously vary as the fish swims relative to the electrodes, which biases the judgment of the actual pulse timing. To measure the EOD pulse timing more accurately, reliably, and noninvasively from a free-swimming fish, we propose a novel method based on the principles of waveform reshaping and spatial averaging. Our method is implemented using envelope extraction and multichannel summation, which is more precise and reliable compared with other widely used threshold- or peak-based methods according to the tests performed under various source-detector geometries. Using the same method, we constructed a real-time electronic pulse detector performing an additional online pulse discrimination routine to enhance further the detection reliability. Our stand-alone pulse detector performed with high temporal precision (<10 μs) and reliability (error <1 per 10(6) pulses) and permits longer recording duration by storing only event time stamps (4 bytes/pulse).

When time matters.

Science.gov (United States)

Theadore, Jason C

2011-01-01

The most important organizational resource is energy. The most important resource in time management is energy. Managing energy, not time, can help create encouraging time management skills and appropriate work life balance. Once a leader understands that time should be spent on things that are important instead of everything that is urgent, you can begin to develop a balance that will support your values, your family, and your organization. When leaders find meaningful ways to add a sense of purpose to their work they can personally improve themselves and their organizations. If your personal values do not align with the values of your organization you will never work with a true sense of purpose. Make the time to manage your energy. You will be surprised how much free time you find.

Peripheral Reproductive Organ Health and Melatonin: Ready for Prime Time

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Russel J. Reiter

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Melatonin has a wide variety of beneficial actions at the level of the gonads and their adnexa. Some actions are mediated via its classic membrane melatonin receptors while others seem to be receptor-independent. This review summarizes many of the published reports which confirm that melatonin, which is produced in the ovary, aids in advancing follicular maturation and preserving the integrity of the ovum prior to and at the time of ovulation. Likewise, when ova are collected for in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer, treating them with melatonin improves implantation and pregnancy rates. Melatonin synthesis as well as its receptors have also been identified in the placenta. In this organ, melatonin seems to be of particular importance for the maintenance of the optimal turnover of cells in the villous trophoblast via its ability to regulate apoptosis. For male gametes, melatonin has also proven useful in protecting them from oxidative damage and preserving their viability. Incubation of ejaculated animal sperm improves their motility and prolongs their viability. For human sperm as well, melatonin is also a valuable agent for protecting them from free radical damage. In general, the direct actions of melatonin on the gonads and adnexa of mammals indicate it is an important agent for maintaining optimal reproductive physiology.

Peripheral Reproductive Organ Health and Melatonin: Ready for Prime Time

Science.gov (United States)

Reiter, Russel J.; Rosales-Corral, Sergio A.; Manchester, Lucien C.; Tan, Dun-Xian

2013-01-01

Melatonin has a wide variety of beneficial actions at the level of the gonads and their adnexa. Some actions are mediated via its classic membrane melatonin receptors while others seem to be receptor-independent. This review summarizes many of the published reports which confirm that melatonin, which is produced in the ovary, aids in advancing follicular maturation and preserving the integrity of the ovum prior to and at the time of ovulation. Likewise, when ova are collected for in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer, treating them with melatonin improves implantation and pregnancy rates. Melatonin synthesis as well as its receptors have also been identified in the placenta. In this organ, melatonin seems to be of particular importance for the maintenance of the optimal turnover of cells in the villous trophoblast via its ability to regulate apoptosis. For male gametes, melatonin has also proven useful in protecting them from oxidative damage and preserving their viability. Incubation of ejaculated animal sperm improves their motility and prolongs their viability. For human sperm as well, melatonin is also a valuable agent for protecting them from free radical damage. In general, the direct actions of melatonin on the gonads and adnexa of mammals indicate it is an important agent for maintaining optimal reproductive physiology. PMID:23549263

The organization of organ procurement.

Science.gov (United States)

Prottas, J M

1989-01-01

The American organ procurement system has improved and matured in the last five years. At the same time, the basic challenges facing it have remained substantially the same because the moral and legal framework of the system has not changed. Success at organ procurement continues to depend on the voluntary cooperation of medical professionals and the families of potential organ donors. The generosity of the American public is so great that the primary challenge facing organ procurement agencies is obtaining cooperation from hospitals and medical professionals. This calls for a "marketing" orientation aimed at those hospitals and professionals who are most likely to treat potential donors. The last five years have seen a more general acceptance of this appreciation of the central task of organ procurement. As a result, the overall effectiveness of the system has improved, as measured by the number of organs procured on a per capita basis and by the number of multiorgan donors obtained. Much of this improvement can be attributed to the diffusion of organizational techniques and approaches, and this diffusion has been encouraged by the involvement of national organizations and public bodies in the organ procurement community. The system remains uneven in its effectiveness and further improvement is possible. It is also possible that the next general round of improvement will result from the application of businesslike information management and marketing techniques.

A comparison of BCF-12 organic scintillators and Al2O3:C crystals for real-time medical dosimetry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Beierholm, Anders Ravnsborg; Andersen, Claus Erik; Lindvold, Lars

2008-01-01

Radioluminescence (RL) from aluminium oxide (Al2O3:C) crystals and organic scintillators such as the blue-emitting BCF-12 can be used for precise real-time dose rate measurements during radiation therapy of cancer patients. Attaching the dosimeters to thin light-guiding fiber cables enables in vivo...... use. The light signal is detected by a photomultiplier tube (PNIT). Unfortunately Cerenkov light and fluorescence are also generated in the fiber cable itself during irradiation, and this so-called stem effect can be significant compared with the dosimeter signal. In the case of Al2O3:C, this problem...... can be circumvented for pulsed beams due to the long life-time of the main luminescence center. In contrast, chromatic removal seems to be the most effective method for organic scintillators, but is found to yield some experimental complexities. In this paper, we report on dose rate measurements using...

Nanosecond Time-Resolved Microscopic Gate-Modulation Imaging of Polycrystalline Organic Thin-Film Transistors

Science.gov (United States)

Matsuoka, Satoshi; Tsutsumi, Jun'ya; Matsui, Hiroyuki; Kamata, Toshihide; Hasegawa, Tatsuo

2018-02-01

We develop a time-resolved microscopic gate-modulation (μ GM ) imaging technique to investigate the temporal evolution of the channel current and accumulated charges in polycrystalline pentacene thin-film transistors (TFTs). A time resolution of as high as 50 ns is achieved by using a fast image-intensifier system that could amplify a series of instantaneous optical microscopic images acquired at various time intervals after the stepped gate bias is switched on. The differential images obtained by subtracting the gate-off image allows us to acquire a series of temporal μ GM images that clearly show the gradual propagation of both channel charges and leaked gate fields within the polycrystalline channel layers. The frontal positions for the propagations of both channel charges and leaked gate fields coincide at all the time intervals, demonstrating that the layered gate dielectric capacitors are successively transversely charged up along the direction of current propagation. The initial μ GM images also indicate that the electric field effect is originally concentrated around a limited area with a width of a few micrometers bordering the channel-electrode interface, and that the field intensity reaches a maximum after 200 ns and then decays. The time required for charge propagation over the whole channel region with a length of 100 μ m is estimated at about 900 ns, which is consistent with the measured field-effect mobility and the temporal-response model for organic TFTs. The effect of grain boundaries can be also visualized by comparison of the μ GM images for the transient and the steady states, which confirms that the potential barriers at the grain boundaries cause the transient shift in the accumulated charges or the transient accumulation of additional charges around the grain boundaries.

Scaling of volume to surface ratio and doubling time in growing unicellular organisms: Do cells appear quantum-mechanical systems?

Science.gov (United States)

Atanasov, Atanas Todorov

2014-10-01

The scaling of physical and biological characteristics of the living organisms is a basic method for searching of new biophysical laws. In series of previous studies the author showed that in Poikilotherms, Mammals and Aves, the volume to surface ratio V×S-1 (m) of organisms is proportional to their generation time Tgt(s) via growth rate v (m s-1): V×S-1 = vgr×Tr. The power and the correlation coefficients are near to 1.0. Aim of this study is: i) to prove with experimental data the validity of the above equation for Unicellular organisms and ii) to show that perhaps, the cells are quantum-mechanical systems. The data for body mass M (kg), density ρ (kg/m3), minimum and maximum doubling time Tdt (s) for 50 unicellular organisms are assembled from scientific sources, and the computer program `Statistics' is used for calculations. In result i) the analytical relationship from type: V×S-1 = 4.46ṡ10-11×Tdt was found, where vgr = 4.46×10-11 m/s and ii) it is shown that the products between cell mass M, cell length expressed by V/S ratio and growth rate vgr satisfied the Heisenberg uncertainty principle i.e. the inequalities V/S×M×vgr>h/2π and Tdt×M×vgr2>h/2π are valid, where h= 6.626×10-34 Jṡs is the Planck constant. This rise the question: do cells appear quantum-mechanical systems?

Using matrix organization to manage health care delivery organizations.

Science.gov (United States)

Allcorn, S

1990-01-01

Matrix organization can provide health care organization managers enhanced information processing, faster response times, and more flexibility to cope with greater organization complexity and rapidly changing operating environments. A review of the literature informed by work experience reveals that the use of matrix organization creates hard-to-manage ambiguity and balances of power in addition to providing positive benefits for health care organization managers. Solutions to matrix operating problems generally rely on the use of superior information and decision support systems and extensive staff training to develop attitudes and behavior consistent with the more collegial matrix organization culture. Further improvement in understanding the suitability of matrix organization for managing health care delivery organizations will involve appreciating the impact of partial implementation of matrix organization, temporary versus permanent uses of matrix organization, and the impact of the ambiguity created by dual lines of authority upon the exercise of power and authority.

Electron mobilities of n-type organic semiconductors from time-dependent wavepacket diffusion method: pentacenequinone derivatives.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, WeiWei; Zhong, XinXin; Zhao, Yi

2012-11-26

The electron mobilities of two n-type pentacenequinone derivative organic semiconductors, 5,7,12,14-tetraaza-6,13-pentacenequinone (TAPQ5) and 1,4,8,11-tetraaza-6,13-pentacenequinone (TAPQ7), are investigated with use of the methods of electronic structure and quantum dynamics. The electronic structure calculations reveal that the two key parameters for the control of electron transfer, reorganization energy and electronic coupling, are similar for these two isomerization systems, and the charge carriers essentially display one-dimensional transport properties. The mobilities are then calculated by using the time-dependent wavepacket diffusion approach in which the dynamic fluctuations of the electronic couplings are incorporated via their correlation functions obtained from molecular dynamics simulations. The predicted mobility of TAPQ7 crystal is about six times larger than that of TAPQ5 crystal. Most interestingly, Fermi's golden rule predicts the mobilities very close to those from the time-dependent wavepacket diffusion method, even though the electronic couplings are explicitly large enough to make the perturbation theory invalid. The possible reason is analyzed from the dynamic fluctuations.

Long-time tails do not necessarily imply self-organized criticality or the breakdown of the standard transport paradigm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krommes, J.A.; Ottaviani, M.

2000-01-01

Numerical measurements and analytical studies are performed on a stochastic model with features relevant to plasma confinement. Although the model lacks crucial features of self-organized criticality (SOC) and its transport can be computed by standard techniques, it nevertheless exhibits intermittency and algebraic time correlations. This suggests that SOC need not be the explanation for observed long-time tails in experimental fluctuation data. Arguments based on the renormalized spectral balance equation, and simulation of a standard nonlinear paradigm, predict a range of Hurst exponents in reasonable agreement with the observations without invoking submarginal dynamics

The tea ceremony room in traditional Japan: a stylized organization of space and time?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eric Decreux

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The paper has the purpose to present the organization of the tea room in the Japanese traditional tea ceremony and its interactions with Japanese imaginary. It suggests mainly that this space is organized in such a way that it eventually appears to become a stylized living place, taking into account two requirements. The first one is clearly to provide a place where both host and guests can have an harmonious exchange around a bowl of tea. The second is to provide a place in harmony with an idealized cosmos expressing both the presence of an ecumene and of time, as it is perceived in the Japanese traditional spirit. The paper thus investigates the presence of diverse Japanese crafts: tatami, calligraphy and poetry, pottery, flowers, metalwork, Japanese pastry, sometimes clothes etc., but also the relationship with outer gardens, outside weather, and the rules of behavior between people. All of these elements are not only considered in relation to one another, but also in relation to the season, to the guests or to other elements of the situation. We emphasize the valorization of different places at some moments, the role of frontiers of some tatami borders or of the fan of each participant. The mutual respect between people playing different roles is also highlighted, as well as the respect towards the chosen objects. Finally, the coordination of the movements and places during the meeting creates a specific and often really appreciated atmosphere. These rules contribute to building a living socialized and idealized place in accordance with two of the well-known watchwords of the tea ceremony: wa kei sei jaku – harmony, respect, purity, tranquility and ichiko ichie one time, one meeting.

Synthesis and characterization of Pa(IV), Np(IV), and Pu(IV) borohydrides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Banks, R.H.; Edelstein, N.M.

1979-12-01

The actinide borohydrides of Pa, Np, and Pu have been prepared and some of their physical and optical properties measured. X-ray powder diffraction photographs of Pa(BH 4 ) 4 have shown that it is isostructural to Th(BH 4 ) 4 and U(BH 4 ) 4 . Np(BH 4 ) 4 and Pu(BH 4 ) 4 are much more volatile than the borohydrides of Th, Pa, and U and are liquids at room temperature. Results from low-temperature single-crystal x-ray diffraction investigation of Np(BH 4 ) 4 show that its structure is very similar to Zr(BH 4 ) 4 . With the data from low-temperature infrared and Raman spectra, a normal coordinate analysis on Np(BH 4 ) 4 and Np(BD 4 ) 4 has been completed. EPR experiments on Np(BH 4 ) 4 /Zr(BH 4 ) 4 and Np(BD 4 ) 4 /Zr(BD 4 ) 4 have characterized the ground electronic state. 5 figures

Organ dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaul, Dean C.; Egbert, Stephen D.; Otis, Mark D.; Kuhn, Thomas; Kerr, George D.; Eckerman, Keith F.; Cristy, Mark; Ryman, Jeffrey C.; Tang, Jabo S.; Maruyama, Takashi

1987-01-01

This chapter describes the technical approach, complicating factors, and sensitivities and uncertainties of calculations of doses to the organs of the A-bomb survivors. It is the object of the effort so described to provide data that enables the dosimetry system to determine the fluence, kerma, absorbed dose, and similar quantities in 14 organs and the fetus, specified as being of radiobiological interest. This object was accomplished through the use of adjoint Monte Carlo computations, which use a number of random particle histories to determine the relationship of incident neutrons and gamma rays to those transported to a target organ. The system uses these histories to correlate externally-incident energy- and angle-differential fluences with the fluence spectrum (energy differential only) within the target organ. In order for the system to work in the most efficient manner possible, two levels of data were provided. The first level, represented by approximately 6,000 random adjoint-particle histories, enables the computation of the fluence spectrum with sufficient precision to provide statistically reliable (± 6 %) mean doses within any given organ. With this limited history inventory, the system can be run rapidly for all survivors. Mean organ dose and dose uncertainty are obtainable in this mode. The second mode of operation enables the system to produce a good approximation to fluence spectrum within any organ or to produce the dose in each of an array of organ subvolumes. To be statistically reliable, this level of detail requires far more random histories, approximately 40,000 per organ. Thus, operation of the dosimetry system in this mode (i.e., with this data set) is intended to be on an as-needed, organ-specific basis, since the system run time is eight times that in the mean dose mode. (author)

Scaling of volume to surface ratio and doubling time in growing unicellular organisms: Do cells appear quantum-mechanical systems?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Atanasov, Atanas Todorov

2014-01-01

The scaling of physical and biological characteristics of the living organisms is a basic method for searching of new biophysical laws. In series of previous studies the author showed that in Poikilotherms, Mammals and Aves, the volume to surface ratio V×S −1 (m) of organisms is proportional to their generation time T gt (s) via growth rate v (m s −1 ): V×S −1  = v gr ×T r . The power and the correlation coefficients are near to 1.0. Aim of this study is: i) to prove with experimental data the validity of the above equation for Unicellular organisms and ii) to show that perhaps, the cells are quantum-mechanical systems. The data for body mass M (kg), density ρ (kg/m 3 ), minimum and maximum doubling time T dt (s) for 50 unicellular organisms are assembled from scientific sources, and the computer program ‘Statistics’ is used for calculations. In result i) the analytical relationship from type: V×S −1  = 4.46⋅10 −11 ×T dt was found, where v gr  = 4.46×10 −11 m/s and ii) it is shown that the products between cell mass M, cell length expressed by V/S ratio and growth rate v gr satisfied the Heisenberg uncertainty principle i.e. the inequalities V/S×M×v gr >h/2π and T dt ×M×v gr 2 >h/2π are valid, where h= 6.626×10 −34 J⋅s is the Planck constant. This rise the question: do cells appear quantum-mechanical systems?

Actinide elements in aquatic and terrestrial environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bondietti, E.A.; Bogle, M.A.; Brantley, J.N.

1979-01-01

Progress is reported on the following research projects: water-sediment interactions of U, Pu, Am, and Cm; relative availability of actinide elements from abiotic to aquatic biota; comparative uptake of transuranic elements by biota bordering Pond 3513; metabolic reduction of 239 Np from Np(V) to Np(IV) in cotton rats; evaluation of hazards associated with transuranium releases to the biosphere; predicting Pu in bone; adsorption--solubility--complexation phenomena in actinide partitioning between sorbents and solution; comparative soil extraction data; and comparative plant uptake data

Determination of neptunium by redox titration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Godbole, A.G.; Patil, S.K.

1979-01-01

A simple and quick method for the potentiometric determination of neptunium on the 2 to 5 mg scale has been developed. It consists of oxidation to Np(VI) by AgO or fuming with HClO 4 , destruction of excess of AgO by sulphamic acid, reduction of Np(VI) to Np(IV) with a slight excess of standard Fe(II) in 2M H 2 SO 4 and potentiometric titration of the excess of Fe(II) with standard Ce(IV). The precision is +- 0.5%. (author)

Two-step Laser Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry to Elucidate Organic Diversity in Planetary Surface Materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Getty, Stephanie A.; Brinckerhoff, William B.; Cornish, Timothy; Li, Xiang; Floyd, Melissa; Arevalo, Ricardo Jr.; Cook, Jamie Elsila; Callahan, Michael P.

2013-01-01

Laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LD-TOF-MS) holds promise to be a low-mass, compact in situ analytical capability for future landed missions to planetary surfaces. The ability to analyze a solid sample for both mineralogical and preserved organic content with laser ionization could be compelling as part of a scientific mission pay-load that must be prepared for unanticipated discoveries. Targeted missions for this instrument capability include Mars, Europa, Enceladus, and small icy bodies, such as asteroids and comets.

Time and temperature reduction of the sealing process of porous aluminium oxide films with organic additives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bautista, A.; Lopez, V.; Otero, E.; Lizarbe, R.; Gonzalez, J.A.

1998-01-01

Different sealing processes of anode coating in aluminium oxide have been industrially used for more than 30 years. In two of the preceding decades a great effort was realized to reduce costs in the traditional hydrothermal sealing in deionized boiling water (SHT), a very expensive process due to its endurance and high temperature on which it develops. New sealing procedures are proposed, on which by means of the use of organic additives, the time or the temperature of the SHT is essentially reduced. (Author) 10 refs

Organic spintronics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naber, W J M; Faez, S; Wiel, W G van der

2007-01-01

We review the emerging field of organic spintronics, where organic materials are applied as a medium to transport and control spin-polarized signals. The contacts for injecting and detecting spins are formed by ferromagnetic metals, oxides, or inorganic semiconductors. First, the basic concepts of spintronics and organic electronics are addressed, and phenomena which are in particular relevant for organic spintronics are highlighted. Experiments using different organic materials, including carbon nanotubes, organic thin films, self-assembled monolayers and single molecules are then reviewed. Observed magnetoresistance points toward successful spin injection and detection, but spurious magnetoresistance effects can easily be confused with spin accumulation. A few studies report long spin relaxation times and lengths, which forms a promising basis for further research. We conclude with discussing outstanding questions and problems. (topical review)

Volatile organic compound emissions during hot-pressing of southern pine particleboard : panel size effects and trade-off between press time and temperature

Science.gov (United States)

Wenlong Wang; Douglas J. Gardner; Melissa G.D. Baumann

2002-01-01

In previous research, it was shown that decreasing either press temperature or press time generally resulted in decreased volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions during the hot-pressing of southern pine particleboard. However, because it is impossible to reduce both pressing time and temperature while maintaining panel physical and mechanical properties, this study...

The scientific conferences organized during war time (1992-1995) in sarajevo.

Science.gov (United States)

Masic, Izet

2011-01-01

Author of this paper spent 1479 days in the siege of Sarajevo, during the period of war time in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H). This siege, lasting from 1992 to 1995 (e.g. Dayton Piece agreement was signed in November, 1995) represents the longest siege in the history of the world. Besides usual daily work, as the associate professor of Health education, Medical deontology and Medical informatics for the students of the Faculty of medicine, Faculty of dental medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy and Nursing college of University of Sarajevo, the author organized by himself and contributors, 10 scientific conferences in a sieged Sarajevo. All presented papers at those conferences are published in Proceedings abstract books, as the proof of continuing scientific work, in Sarajevo and other cities in B&H. Additionally, the author continued to publish, in that time, unique PubMed/MedLine indexed journal, - Medical Archives, (i.e. established in 1947) and, in 1993 formed a new journal named - "Acta Informatica Medica" (AIM) , as the Journal of the Bosnian Society of Medical informatics. Bosnian Society of Medical Informatics, thus became the first scientific association from Bosnia and Herzegovina, included in 1994, in the European Federation of Medical Informatics (EFMI) and the International Medical Informatics Assiciation (IMIA) , which was "miracle" from the besieged Sarajevo and war time result of aggression on Bosnia and Herzegovina. It should be noted that the importance of maintaining these academic gatherings, in the circumstances of war, was multifaceted. First of all, thanks to these meetings, the continuity of scientific meetings and activities in the besieged city of Sarajevo was not broken, as well as the continuity of scientific publication, which was crucial for the maintenance of the teaching staff at the university and, finally, in the expansion of the "scientific truth" about what happened in Sarajevo and B&H in these difficult times. All of this was critical

Elements of Organizational Culture Superintendents Perceive as Important to Create and Maintain a Successful Organization in Times of Crisis

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Marylou K.

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify and describe the elements of culture public school superintendents perceive to be most important in creating and sustaining successful organizations in times of crisis. In addition, it was the purpose of this study to identify and describe the leadership strategies superintendents use to create…

Organization of rat neuronal DNA as a function of dose, time after irradiation and age

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jaberaboansari, A.

1989-01-01

The organization of DNA and chromatin structure were examined in male Fisher 344 rat cerebellar neurons at various times from < 5 min to 2 years after exposure to ionizing radiation. Immediately after irradiation, the organization of neuronal DNA was altered. First, the DNA superhelical structure was changed due to removal of the topological constraints on the supercoiled DNA loops. Secondly, the accessibility of bulk neuronal DNA to digestion by micrococcal nuclease was increased. This increase in the m. nuclease sensitivity of bulk DNA did not depend on the oxygen concentration during irradiation. Thirdly, the accessibility of the nuclear matrix-associated DNA to digestion by DNase I was decreased. This decrease was most likely caused by masking the DNA with additional nuclear matrix-associated proteins. This increase in protein content was independent of oxygen, but inhibited if irradiations were performed at 4 degree C. The kinetics were consistent with the saturation kinetics observed for DNA repair in cerebellar neurons. Thus, these proteins may be associated with repair of radiation-induced DNA damage. The neuronal DNA/chromatin structure was restored to its unirradiated state by 24 hr after irradiation with biphasic kinetics having half-times similar to those reported for repair of radiation-induced DNA damage. However, the evidence suggested that residual DNA damage occurred in aging rats that had received a relatively high radiation dose at 4 months of age. In those rats, there was: (a) a decrease in the total nuclear protein content with age, (b) an increase in the digestibility of bulk DNA by m. nuclease with age, and (c) a reduction in the amount of nuclear matrix-associated proteins that persisted with age

Designing Organizations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Book Description The design of organizations has been an ongoing concern of management theory and practice over the past several decades. Over this time, there has been little change in the fundamental theory, principles and concepts of Organization Design (OD). Recently organizational life has...... changed dramatically with the advent of: new communication systems, adaptive mechanisms, information technology, knowledge management systems, innovation processes and more. This book systemically examines these developments and their impact on OD with contributions from leading scholars in the area...... is a benchmark publication in the field of organization design. By focusing on recent developments in organization design, this book will help to create more thoughtful research and stronger empirical analyses in this important area of management and organization....

Mean residence time of soil organic matter associated with kaolinite and smectite

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wattel-Koekkoek, E.J.W.; Buurman, P.; Plicht, van der J.; Wattel, J.T.; Breemen, van N.

2003-01-01

To gain insight into the effect of clay mineralogy on the turnover of organic matter, we analysed the C-14 activity of soil organic matter associated with clay in soils dominated by kaolinite and smectite in natural savanna systems in seven countries. Assuming that carbon inputs and outputs are in

Mean residence time of soil organic matter associated with kaolinite and smectite

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wattel-Koekkoek, E.J.W.; Buurman, P.; Plicht, J. van der; Wattel, E.; Breemen, N. van

To gain insight into the effect of clay mineralogy on the turnover of organic matter, we analysed the C-14 activity of soil organic matter associated with clay in soils dominated by kaolinite and smectite in natural savanna systems in seven countries. Assuming that carbon inputs and outputs are in

Influence of beta radiation from tritium and gamma radiation from 60Co on the biological half-times of organically bound tritium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Radwan, I.

1981-01-01

The influence of beta radiation from tritium on the biological half-times of organically bound tritium in particular tissues of the rat is compred with the influence of fractionated gamma radiation from 60 Co. (M.F.W.)

Scaling of volume to surface ratio and doubling time in growing unicellular organisms: Do cells appear quantum-mechanical systems?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Atanasov, Atanas Todorov, E-mail: atanastod@abv.bg [Department of Physics and Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, Trakia University, 11 Armeiska Str., 6000 Stara Zagora (Bulgaria)

2014-10-06

The scaling of physical and biological characteristics of the living organisms is a basic method for searching of new biophysical laws. In series of previous studies the author showed that in Poikilotherms, Mammals and Aves, the volume to surface ratio V×S{sup −1} (m) of organisms is proportional to their generation time T{sub gt}(s) via growth rate v (m s{sup −1}): V×S{sup −1} = v{sub gr}×T{sup r}. The power and the correlation coefficients are near to 1.0. Aim of this study is: i) to prove with experimental data the validity of the above equation for Unicellular organisms and ii) to show that perhaps, the cells are quantum-mechanical systems. The data for body mass M (kg), density ρ (kg/m{sup 3}), minimum and maximum doubling time T{sub dt} (s) for 50 unicellular organisms are assembled from scientific sources, and the computer program ‘Statistics’ is used for calculations. In result i) the analytical relationship from type: V×S{sup −1} = 4.46⋅10{sup −11}×T{sub dt} was found, where v{sub gr} = 4.46×10{sup −11} m/s and ii) it is shown that the products between cell mass M, cell length expressed by V/S ratio and growth rate v{sub gr} satisfied the Heisenberg uncertainty principle i.e. the inequalities V/S×M×v{sub gr}>h/2π and T{sub dt}×M×v{sub gr}{sup 2}>h/2π are valid, where h= 6.626×10{sup −34} J⋅s is the Planck constant. This rise the question: do cells appear quantum-mechanical systems?.

M4FT-16LL080303052-State of Knowledge for Colloid Facilitated Radionuclide Transport and Update on Actinide Diffusion in Bentonite Backfill

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zavarin, Mavrik [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States). Glenn T. Seaborg Inst.. Physical and Life Sciences; Joseph, C. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States). Glenn T. Seaborg Inst.. Physical and Life Sciences

2016-08-16

This progress report (Level 4 Milestone Number M4FT-16LL080303052) summarizes research conducted at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) within the Crystalline Disposal R&D Activity Number FT-16LL080303051 and Crystalline International Collaborations Activity Number FT-16LL080303061. The focus of this research is the interaction of radionuclides with Engineered Barrier System (EBS) and host rock materials at various physico-chemical conditions relevant to subsurface repository environments. They include both chemical and physical processes such as solubility, sorption, and diffusion. The colloid-facilitated transport effort focused on preparation of a draft manuscript summarizing the state of knowledge and parameterization of colloid-facilitated transport mechanisms in support of reactive transport and performance assessment models for generic crystalline repositories. This draft manuscript is being submitted as a level 3 milestone with LANL as the primary author. LLNL’s contribution to that effort is summarized only briefly in the present report. A manuscript summarizing long-term U(VI) diffusion experiments through bentonite backfill material was recently accepted for publication; the contents of that manuscript are summarized in the present report. The Np(IV) diffusion experiments were started mid-year and are ongoing. The completion of these experiments is planned for early FY17. Our progress in quantifying Np(IV) diffusion in bentonite backfill is summarized in the present report. Our involvement with the NEA TDB project was summarized in a recent Argillite Disposal activity report. It is not included in this report.

Self-organization comprehensive real-time state evaluation model for oil pump unit on the basis of operating condition classification and recognition

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Wei; Yu, Xuchao; Zhang, Laibin; Lu, Wenqing

2018-05-01

In oil transmission station, the operating condition (OC) of an oil pump unit sometimes switches accordingly, which will lead to changes in operating parameters. If not taking the switching of OCs into consideration while performing a state evaluation on the pump unit, the accuracy of evaluation would be largely influenced. Hence, in this paper, a self-organization Comprehensive Real-Time State Evaluation Model (self-organization CRTSEM) is proposed based on OC classification and recognition. However, the underlying model CRTSEM is built through incorporating the advantages of Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) and Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation Model (FCEM) first. That is to say, independent state models are established for every state characteristic parameter according to their distribution types (i.e. the Gaussian distribution and logistic regression distribution). Meanwhile, Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is utilized to calculate the weights of state characteristic parameters. Then, the OC classification is determined by the types of oil delivery tasks, and CRTSEMs of different standard OCs are built to constitute the CRTSEM matrix. On the other side, the OC recognition is realized by a self-organization model that is established on the basis of Back Propagation (BP) model. After the self-organization CRTSEM is derived through integration, real-time monitoring data can be inputted for OC recognition. At the end, the current state of the pump unit can be evaluated by using the right CRTSEM. The case study manifests that the proposed self-organization CRTSEM can provide reasonable and accurate state evaluation results for the pump unit. Besides, the assumption that the switching of OCs will influence the results of state evaluation is also verified.

Speciation needs in relation with environmental and biological purposes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moulin, V.; Ansoborlo, E.; Bion, L.; Doizi, D.; Moulin, C.; Cote, G.; Madic, C.; Van Der Lee, J.

2004-01-01

Radionuclides can occur in the environment either through chronic releases of nuclear facilities, or due to incidents or accidents. In order to study their behaviour in the environment (migration, retention, transfer, and in human organisms (metabolism, retention, excretion), it is of prime importance to know their solution chemistry, and more particularly thermodynamic constants, which will allow to determine their speciation. In fact, speciation governs the migration, the bioavailability and the toxicity of elements. Moreover, this knowledge is also of great interest for decorporation or decontamination purposes. In this framework, a CEA working group on speciation has been created in order to share data both on thermodynamic constants and on speciation analytical methods, interesting chemists, environmentalists and biologists. It has been focused, in a first time, on actinides, namely Th, U, Pu, Am, Np, taking into account their most important oxidation states occurring in environmental or biological environments: Th(IV), U(IV, VI), Pu(III, IV, VI), Am(III), Np(IV, V). A particular attention was devoted to the choice of ligands (inorganic and organic) for being the most representative of environmental and biological media. The thermodynamic database used is BASSIST for Base Applied to Speciation in Solution and at Interfaces and Solubility (developed by CEA), in interaction with the code JCHESS. Different examples will be then presented on the selection of data (thermodynamic constants, ligands of interest) through benchmark exercises (case of U(VI), Am(III), Pu(IV)) which will show the lacks or weakness of knowledge. Speciation diagrams will support these discussions. Moreover, analytical methods to determine thermodynamic constants or direct speciation will also be presented and discussed. (author)

Decision solution, data manipulation and trust: The (un-)willingness to donate organs in Germany in critical times.

Science.gov (United States)

Schwettmann, Lars

2015-07-01

In 2011 and 2012 a change of rules and a data-manipulation scandal focused German public attention on organ donation. This increased citizens' background knowledge as well as their willingness to respond to surveys. The present study is an effort to seize this research opportunity and to create evidence on which policy recommendations can be conceivably based. It uses data from two major representative surveys from 2011 to 2012 to address four central questions: Which characteristics, experiences and attitudes correlate with the written or unwritten willingness of individuals to donate (WTD) their own organs post-mortem? How has the WTD changed over time? To what extent does the WTD depend on normative trust? Which factors correlate with trust? The data is analyzed through summary statistics and regression models. Several hypotheses regarding factors connected with the WTD are confirmed in the survey results. Altruistic motives, relevant knowledge and trust are decisive. The special role of trust is corroborated by the data. As current German politics prevents the introduction of post-mortem donation incentives, potential policy making proposals are restricted to institutional changes to regain trust including the implementation of an organ donor registry and the advancement of counselling talks with general practitioners. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stability of Organic Nanowires

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Balzer, F.; Schiek, M.; Wallmann, I.

2011-01-01

The morphological stability of organic nanowires over time and under thermal load is of major importance for their use in any device. In this study the growth and stability of organic nanowires from a naphthyl end-capped thiophene grown by organic molecular beam deposition is investigated via ato...

Time-resolved analysis of particle emissions from residential biomass combustion - Emissions of refractory black carbon, PAHs and organic tracers

Science.gov (United States)

Nielsen, Ingeborg E.; Eriksson, Axel C.; Lindgren, Robert; Martinsson, Johan; Nyström, Robin; Nordin, Erik Z.; Sadiktsis, Ioannis; Boman, Christoffer; Nøjgaard, Jacob K.; Pagels, Joakim

2017-09-01

Time-resolved particle emissions from a conventional wood stove were investigated with aerosol mass spectrometry to provide links between combustion conditions, emission factors, mixing state of refractory black carbon and implications for organic tracer methods. The addition of a new batch of fuel results in low temperature pyrolysis as the fuel heats up, resulting in strong, short-lived, variable emission peaks of organic aerosol-containing markers of anhydrous sugars, such as levoglucosan (fragment at m/z 60). Flaming combustion results in emissions dominated by refractory black carbon co-emitted with minor fractions of organic aerosol and markers of anhydrous sugars. Full cycle emissions are an external mixture of larger organic aerosol-dominated and smaller thinly coated refractory black carbon particles. A very high burn rate results in increased full cycle mass emission factors of 66, 2.7, 2.8 and 1.3 for particulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, refractory black carbon, total organic aerosol and m/z 60, respectively, compared to nominal burn rate. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are primarily associated with refractory black carbon-containing particles. We hypothesize that at very high burn rates, the central parts of the combustion zone become air starved, leading to a locally reduced combustion temperature that reduces the conversion rates from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to refractory black carbon. This facilitates a strong increase of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons emissions. At nominal burn rates, full cycle emissions based on m/z 60 correlate well with organic aerosol, refractory black carbon and particulate matter. However, at higher burn rates, m/z 60 does not correlate with increased emissions of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, refractory black carbon and organic aerosol in the flaming phase. The new knowledge can be used to advance source apportionment studies, reduce emissions of genotoxic compounds and model the climate impacts of

Quantitative studies of the distribution pattern for Salmonella Enteritidis in the internal organs of chicken after oral challenge by a real-time PCR.

Science.gov (United States)

He, G Z; Tian, W Y; Qian, N; Cheng, A C; Deng, S X

2010-12-01

This research was undertaken to identify and understand the regular distribution pattern for Salmonella Enteritidis (S. enteritidis) in the internal organs of chicken after oral challenge over a 3 wk period. We used a real-time, fluorescence-based quantitative polymerase chain reaction (FQ-PCR) to detect genomic DNA of S. enteritidis in the blood and the internal organs, including heart, liver, spleen, kidney, pancreas, and gallbladder, from chicken after oral challenge at different time points. The results showed that the spleen was positive at 12 h post inoculation (PI), and the blood was at 14 h PI. The organism was detected in the liver and heart at 16 h PI, pancrea was positive at 20 h PI, and the final organ to show a positive results were the kidney and gallbladder at 22 h PI. The copy number of S. enteritidis DNA in each tissue reached a peak at 24 h-36 h PI, with the liver and spleen containing high concentrations of S. enteritidis, whereas the blood, heart, kidney, pancreas, and gallbladder had low concentrations. S. enteritidis populations began to decrease and were not detectable at 3 d PI, but were still present up to 12 d PI in the gallbladder, 2 wk for the liver, and 3 wk for the spleen without causing apparent symptoms. The results showed that the liver and spleen may be the primary sites for S. enteritidis setting itself up as a commensa over a long time after oral challenge. Interestingly, it may be the first time reported that the gallbladder is a site of carriage for S. enteritidis over a 12 d period. This study will help to understand the mechanisms of action of S. enteritidis infection in vivo.

Quantitative organ visualization using SPECT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kircos, L.T.; Carey, J.E. Jr.; Keyes, J.W. Jr.

1987-01-01

Quantitative organ visualization (QOV) was performed using single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). Organ size was calculated from serial, contiguous ECT images taken through the organ of interest with image boundaries determined using a maximum directional gradient edge finding technique. Organ activity was calculated using ECT counts bounded by the directional gradient, imaging system efficiency, and imaging time. The technique used to perform QOV was evaluated using phantom studies, in vivo canine liver, spleen, bladder, and kidney studies, and in vivo human bladder studies. It was demonstrated that absolute organ activity and organ size could be determined with this system and total imaging time restricted to less than 45 min to an accuracy of about +/- 10% providing the minimum dimensions of the organ are greater than the FWHM of the imaging system and the total radioactivity within the organ of interest exceeds 15 nCi/cc for dog-sized torsos. In addition, effective half-lives of approximately 1.5 hr or greater could be determined

Studies of Minerals, Organic and Biogenic Materials through Time-Resolved Raman Spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia, Christopher S.; Abedin, M. Nurul; Ismail, Syed; Sharma, Shiv K.; Misra, Anupam K.; Nyugen, Trac; Elsayed-Ali, hani

2009-01-01

A compact remote Raman spectroscopy system was developed at NASA Langley Research center and was previously demonstrated for its ability to identify chemical composition of various rocks and minerals. In this study, the Raman sensor was utilized to perform time-resolved Raman studies of various samples such as minerals and rocks, Azalea leaves and a few fossil samples. The Raman sensor utilizes a pulsed 532 nm Nd:YAG laser as excitation source, a 4-inch telescope to collect the Raman-scattered signal from a sample several meters away, a spectrograph equipped with a holographic grating, and a gated intensified CCD (ICCD) camera system. Time resolved Raman measurements were carried out by varying the gate delay with fixed short gate width of the ICCD camera, allowing measurement of both Raman signals and fluorescence signals. Rocks and mineral samples were characterized including marble, which contain CaCO3. Analysis of the results reveals the short (approx.10-13 s) lifetime of the Raman process, and shows that Raman spectra of some mineral samples contain fluorescence emission due to organic impurities. Also analyzed were a green (pristine) and a yellow (decayed) sample of Gardenia leaves. It was observed that the fluorescence signals from the green and yellow leaf samples showed stronger signals compared to the Raman lines. Moreover, it was also observed that the fluorescence of the green leaf was more intense and had a shorter lifetime than that of the yellow leaf. For the fossil samples, Raman shifted lines could not be observed due the presence of very strong short-lived fluorescence.

In Situ and Real-Time SFG Measurements Revealing Organization and Transport of Cholesterol Analogue 6-Ketocholestanol in a Cell Membrane.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Sulan; Li, Hongchun; Tian, Kangzhen; Ye, Shuji; Luo, Yi

2014-02-06

Cholesterol organization and transport within a cell membrane are essential for human health and many cellular functions yet remain elusive so far. Using cholesterol analogue 6-ketocholestanol (6-KC) as a model, we have successfully exploited sum frequency generation vibrational spectroscopy (SFG-VS) to track the organization and transport of cholesterol in a membrane by combining achiral-sensitive ssp (ppp) and chiral-sensitive psp polarization measurements. It is found that 6-KC molecules are aligned at the outer leaflet of the DMPC lipid bilayer with a tilt angle of about 10°. 6-KC organizes itself by forming an α-β structure at low 6-KC concentration and most likely a β-β structure at high 6-KC concentration. Among all proposed models, our results favor the so-called umbrella model with formation of a 6-KC cluster. Moreover, we have found that the long anticipated flip-flop motion of 6-KC in the membrane takes time to occur, at least much longer than previously thought. All of these interesting findings indicate that it is critical to explore in situ, real-time, and label-free methodologies to obtain a precise molecular description of cholesterol's behavior in membranes. This study represents the first application of SFG to reveal the cholesterol-lipid interaction mechanism at the molecular level.

Time-resolved terahertz spectroscopy of electrically conductive metal-organic frameworks doped with redox active species

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Alberding, Brian G.; Heilweil, Edwin J.

2015-09-01

Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) are three-dimensional coordination polymers that are well known for large pore surface area and their ability to adsorb molecules from both the gaseous and solution phases. In general, MOFs are electrically insulating, but promising opportunities for tuning the electronic structure exist because MOFs possess synthetic versatility; the metal and organic ligand subunits can be exchanged or dopant molecules can be introduced into the pore space. Two such MOFs with demonstrated electrical conductivity are Cu3(1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylate)2, a.k.a HKUST-1, and Cu[Ni(pyrazine-2,3-dithiolate)2]. Herein, these two MOFs have been infiltrated with the redox active species 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) and iodine under solution phase conditions and shown to produce redox products within the MOF pore space. Vibrational bands assignable to TCNQ anion and triiodide anion have been observed in the Mid-IR and Terahertz ranges using FTIR Spectroscopy. The MOF samples have been further investigated by Time-Resolved Terehertz Spectroscopy (TRTS). Using this technique, the charge mobility, separation, and recombination dynamics have been followed on the picosecond time scale following photoexcitation with visible radiation. The preliminary results show that the MOF samples have small inherent photoconductivity with charge separation lifetimes on the order of a few picoseconds. In the case of HKUST-1, the MOF can also be supported by a TiO2 film and initial results show that charge injection into the TiO2 layer occurs with a comparable efficiency to the dye sensitizer N3, [cis-Bis(isothiocyanato)-bis(2,2'-bipyridyl-4,4'-dicarboxylato ruthenium(II)], and therefore this MOF has potential as a new light absorbing and charge conducting material in photovoltaic devices.

Analysis of volatile organic compounds in compost samples: A potential tool to determine appropriate composting time.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Fengxiang; Pan, Zaifa; Hong, Chunlai; Wang, Weiping; Chen, Xiaoyang; Xue, Zhiyong; Yao, Yanlai

2016-12-01

Changes in volatile organic compound contents in compost samples during pig manure composting were studied using a headspace, solid-phase micro-extraction method (HS-SPME) followed by gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection (GC/MS). Parameters affecting the SPME procedure were optimized as follows: the coating was carbon molecular sieve/polydimethylsiloxane (CAR/PDMS) fiber, the temperature was 60°C and the time was 30min. Under these conditions, 87 compounds were identified from 17 composting samples. Most of the volatile components could only be detected before day 22. However, benzenes, alkanes and alkenes increased and eventually stabilized after day 22. Phenol and acid substances, which are important factors for compost quality, were almost undetectable on day 39 in natural compost (NC) samples and on day 13 in maggot-treated compost (MC) samples. Our results indicate that the approach can be effectively used to determine the composting times by analysis of volatile substances in compost samples. An appropriate composting time not only ensures the quality of compost and reduces the loss of composting material but also reduces the generation of hazardous substances. The appropriate composting times for MC and NC were approximately 22days and 40days, respectively, during the summer in Zhejiang. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Association between time perspective and organic food consumption in a large sample of adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Bénard, Marc; Baudry, Julia; Méjean, Caroline; Lairon, Denis; Giudici, Kelly Virecoulon; Etilé, Fabrice; Reach, Gérard; Hercberg, Serge; Kesse-Guyot, Emmanuelle; Péneau, Sandrine

2018-01-05

Organic food intake has risen in many countries during the past decades. Even though motivations associated with such choice have been studied, psychological traits preceding these motivations have rarely been explored. Consideration of future consequences (CFC) represents the extent to which individuals consider future versus immediate consequences of their current behaviors. Consequently, a future oriented personality may be an important characteristic of organic food consumers. The objective was to analyze the association between CFC and organic food consumption in a large sample of the adult general population. In 2014, a sample of 27,634 participants from the NutriNet-Santé cohort study completed the CFC questionnaire and an Organic-Food Frequency questionnaire. For each food group (17 groups), non-organic food consumers were compared to organic food consumers across quartiles of the CFC using multiple logistic regressions. Moreover, adjusted means of proportions of organic food intakes out of total food intakes were compared between quartiles of the CFC. Analyses were adjusted for socio-demographic, lifestyle and dietary characteristics. Participants with higher CFC were more likely to consume organic food (OR quartile 4 (Q4) vs. Q1 = 1.88, 95% CI: 1.62, 2.20). Overall, future oriented participants were more likely to consume 14 food groups. The strongest associations were observed for starchy refined foods (OR = 1.78, 95% CI: 1.63, 1.94), and fruits and vegetables (OR = 1.74, 95% CI: 1.58, 1.92). The contribution of organic food intake out of total food intake was 33% higher in the Q4 compared to Q1. More precisely, the contribution of organic food consumed was higher in the Q4 for 16 food groups. The highest relative differences between Q4 and Q1 were observed for starchy refined foods (22%) and non-alcoholic beverages (21%). Seafood was the only food group without a significant difference. This study provides information on the personality of

The effect of organic solvent, temperature and mixing time on the production of oil from Moringa oleifera seeds

Science.gov (United States)

Ghazali, Q.; Yasin, N. H. M.

2016-06-01

The effect of three different organic solvent, temperature and mixing time on the production of oil from M.oleifera seeds were studied to evaluate the effectiveness in obtaining the high oil yield based on the percentage of oil production. The modified version of Soxhlet extraction method was carried out to extract the oil from M.oleifera seeds by using hexane, heptane and ethanol as the organic solvent. Among the three solvents, it is found that heptane yield higher oil from M.oleifera seeds with maximum oil yield of 36.37% was obtained followed by hexane and ethanol with 33.89% and 18.46%, respectively. By using heptane as a solvent, the temperature (60oC, 70oC, 80oC) and mixing time (6 h, 7 h, and 8 h) were investigated to ensure the high oil yield over the experimental ranges employed and high oil yield was obtained at 600C for 6 h with percentage oil yield of 36.37%. The fatty acid compositions of M.oleifera seeds oil were analyzed using Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The main components of fatty acid contained in the oil extracted from M.oleifera seeds was oleic acid, followed by palmitic acid and arachidic acid, and small amount of behenic acid and margaric acid.

Evaluation of quantitative imaging methods for organ activity and residence time estimation using a population of phantoms having realistic variations in anatomy and uptake

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He Bin; Du Yong; Segars, W. Paul; Wahl, Richard L.; Sgouros, George; Jacene, Heather; Frey, Eric C.

2009-01-01

Estimating organ residence times is an essential part of patient-specific dosimetry for radioimmunotherapy (RIT). Quantitative imaging methods for RIT are often evaluated using a single physical or simulated phantom but are intended to be applied clinically where there is variability in patient anatomy, biodistribution, and biokinetics. To provide a more relevant evaluation, the authors have thus developed a population of phantoms with realistic variations in these factors and applied it to the evaluation of quantitative imaging methods both to find the best method and to demonstrate the effects of these variations. Using whole body scans and SPECT/CT images, organ shapes and time-activity curves of 111In ibritumomab tiuxetan were measured in dosimetrically important organs in seven patients undergoing a high dose therapy regimen. Based on these measurements, we created a 3D NURBS-based cardiac-torso (NCAT)-based phantom population. SPECT and planar data at realistic count levels were then simulated using previously validated Monte Carlo simulation tools. The projections from the population were used to evaluate the accuracy and variation in accuracy of residence time estimation methods that used a time series of SPECT and planar scans. Quantitative SPECT (QSPECT) reconstruction methods were used that compensated for attenuation, scatter, and the collimator-detector response. Planar images were processed with a conventional (CPlanar) method that used geometric mean attenuation and triple-energy window scatter compensation and a quantitative planar (QPlanar) processing method that used model-based compensation for image degrading effects. Residence times were estimated from activity estimates made at each of five time points. The authors also evaluated hybrid methods that used CPlanar or QPlanar time-activity curves rescaled to the activity estimated from a single QSPECT image. The methods were evaluated in terms of mean relative error and standard deviation of the

Investigation on biokinetics of 134Cs and 241Am radionuclides in three different organisms and a new evaluation by using discrete time model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guengoer, N.

1999-05-01

In this study, 134 Cs and 241 Am biokinetic experiments have been observed originally for Black Sea condition with using the gastropod Patella coerulea and the macro algae Enteremorpha linza and the common mussel Mytilus galloprovlncialis as bio indicator organisms. The experiments that have at least three originality, have been carried out very carefully and biokinetic parameters have been calculated by using classical model. The results are compared with the proportionally similar experiments in the literature globally. In this thesis, a new model application has proposed for the biokinetic evaluation for loss experiments of organisms. That is discrete time model. Loss experiments can be evaluated proportionally in a quick and easy way by using this model. Then, it can be observed that the calculated decreasing factor (r) by discrete time model, shows the loss process quality. Moreover, the loss experiments can be stopped when the decreasing factor goes to 1. So, the loss experiment can be evaluated rapidly and quickly with the adequate reliability by using discrete time model. Furthermore, the loss process in the organisms becomes slower and biologic half-lives becomes longer, when the decreasing factor (r) goes to 1. On the other hand, the biological depuration rate (k) goes to nearly zero. So, the proposed discrete time model that is applied in this thesis originally for biokinetic, can be evident that it has an adequate reliability for the biokinetic evaluation

Parent Management of Organization, Time Management, and Planning Deficits among Adolescents with ADHD.

Science.gov (United States)

Sibley, Margaret H; Campez, Mileini; Perez, Analay; Morrow, Anne S; Merrill, Brittany M; Altszuler, Amy R; Coxe, Stefany; Yequez, Carlos E

2016-06-01

Organization, Time Management, and Planning (OTP) problems are a key mechanism of academic failure for adolescents with ADHD. Parents may be well positioned to promote remediation of these deficits; yet, almost nothing is known about OTP management behaviors among parents of middle and high school students with ADHD. In a sample of 299 well-diagnosed adolescents with ADHD, a measure of parental OTP management was psychometrically validated. Latent Class Analysis was conducted to detect distinct patterns of parental OTP management and yielded four unique classes: Parental Control (18.7 %), Parent-Teen Collaboration (20.4 %), Homework Assistance (20.4 %), and Uninvolved (40.5 %). Logistic Regression analyses indicated that maladaptive parental OTP strategies were related to higher levels of parent and adolescent psychopathology. Parental OTP management did not relate to current adolescent OTP skills or GPA, indicating that parents did not select OTP management strategies in immediate response to adolescent functioning. Implications for parent-directed intervention are discussed.

Real-time detection of organic contamination events in water distribution systems by principal components analysis of ultraviolet spectral data.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jian; Hou, Dibo; Wang, Ke; Huang, Pingjie; Zhang, Guangxin; Loáiciga, Hugo

2017-05-01

The detection of organic contaminants in water distribution systems is essential to protect public health from potential harmful compounds resulting from accidental spills or intentional releases. Existing methods for detecting organic contaminants are based on quantitative analyses such as chemical testing and gas/liquid chromatography, which are time- and reagent-consuming and involve costly maintenance. This study proposes a novel procedure based on discrete wavelet transform and principal component analysis for detecting organic contamination events from ultraviolet spectral data. Firstly, the spectrum of each observation is transformed using discrete wavelet with a coiflet mother wavelet to capture the abrupt change along the wavelength. Principal component analysis is then employed to approximate the spectra based on capture and fusion features. The significant value of Hotelling's T 2 statistics is calculated and used to detect outliers. An alarm of contamination event is triggered by sequential Bayesian analysis when the outliers appear continuously in several observations. The effectiveness of the proposed procedure is tested on-line using a pilot-scale setup and experimental data.

REAL-TIME EMISSION CHARACTERIZATION OF ORGANIC AIR TOXIC POLLUTANTS DURING STEADY STATE AND TRANSIENT OPERATION OF A MEDIUM DUTY DIESEL ENGINE

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An on-line monitoring method, jet resonance-enhanced multi-photon ionization (REMPI) with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOFMS) was used to measure emissions of organic air toxics from a medium-duty (60 kW)diesel generator during transient and steady state operations. Emission...

Time management: a realistic approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Jackson, Valerie P

2009-06-01

Realistic time management and organization plans can improve productivity and the quality of life. However, these skills can be difficult to develop and maintain. The key elements of time management are goals, organization, delegation, and relaxation. The author addresses each of these components and provides suggestions for successful time management.

Development of a measurement approach to assess time children participate in organized sport, active travel, outdoor active play, and curriculum-based physical activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Borghese, Michael M; Janssen, Ian

2018-03-22

Children participate in four main types of physical activity: organized sport, active travel, outdoor active play, and curriculum-based physical activity. The objective of this study was to develop a valid approach that can be used to concurrently measure time spent in each of these types of physical activity. Two samples (sample 1: n = 50; sample 2: n = 83) of children aged 10-13 wore an accelerometer and a GPS watch continuously over 7 days. They also completed a log where they recorded the start and end times of organized sport sessions. Sample 1 also completed an outdoor time log where they recorded the times they went outdoors and a description of the outdoor activity. Sample 2 also completed a curriculum log where they recorded times they participated in physical activity (e.g., physical education) during class time. We describe the development of a measurement approach that can be used to concurrently assess the time children spend participating in specific types of physical activity. The approach uses a combination of data from accelerometers, GPS, and activity logs and relies on merging and then processing these data using several manual (e.g., data checks and cleaning) and automated (e.g., algorithms) procedures. In the new measurement approach time spent in organized sport is estimated using the activity log. Time spent in active travel is estimated using an existing algorithm that uses GPS data. Time spent in outdoor active play is estimated using an algorithm (with a sensitivity and specificity of 85%) that was developed using data collected in sample 1 and which uses all of the data sources. Time spent in curriculum-based physical activity is estimated using an algorithm (with a sensitivity of 78% and specificity of 92%) that was developed using data collected in sample 2 and which uses accelerometer data collected during class time. There was evidence of excellent intra- and inter-rater reliability of the estimates for all of these types of

Highly comparative time-series analysis: the empirical structure of time series and their methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Fulcher, Ben D; Little, Max A; Jones, Nick S

2013-06-06

The process of collecting and organizing sets of observations represents a common theme throughout the history of science. However, despite the ubiquity of scientists measuring, recording and analysing the dynamics of different processes, an extensive organization of scientific time-series data and analysis methods has never been performed. Addressing this, annotated collections of over 35 000 real-world and model-generated time series, and over 9000 time-series analysis algorithms are analysed in this work. We introduce reduced representations of both time series, in terms of their properties measured by diverse scientific methods, and of time-series analysis methods, in terms of their behaviour on empirical time series, and use them to organize these interdisciplinary resources. This new approach to comparing across diverse scientific data and methods allows us to organize time-series datasets automatically according to their properties, retrieve alternatives to particular analysis methods developed in other scientific disciplines and automate the selection of useful methods for time-series classification and regression tasks. The broad scientific utility of these tools is demonstrated on datasets of electroencephalograms, self-affine time series, heartbeat intervals, speech signals and others, in each case contributing novel analysis techniques to the existing literature. Highly comparative techniques that compare across an interdisciplinary literature can thus be used to guide more focused research in time-series analysis for applications across the scientific disciplines.

Persistence of pharmaceuticals and other organic compounds in chlorinated drinking water as a function of time

Science.gov (United States)

Gibs, J.; Stackelberg, P.E.; Furlong, E.T.; Meyer, M.; Zaugg, S.D.; Lippincott, R.L.

2007-01-01

Ninety eight pharmaceuticals and other organic compounds (POOCs) that were amended to samples of chlorinated drinking-water were extracted and analyzed 1, 3, 6, 8, and 10 days after amendment to determine whether the total chlorine residual reacted with the amended POOCs in drinking water in a time frame similar to the residence time of drinking water in a water distribution system. Results indicated that if all 98 were present in the finished drinking water from a drinking-water treatment plant using free chlorine at 1.2??mg/L as the distribution system disinfectant residual, 52 POOCs would be present in the drinking water after 10??days at approximately the same concentration as in the newly finished drinking water. Concentrations of 16 POOCs would be reduced by 32% to 92%, and 22 POOCs would react completely with residual chlorine within 24??h. Thus, the presence of free chlorine residual is an effective means for transforming some POOCs during distribution. ?? 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

What’s the time? About the pertinence to speak of historical time

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonio GÓMEZ RAMOS

2012-02-01

Full Text Available This paper wants to suggest a defininition of the philosophy of history as a determination of historical time, or at the question about what is the present time. I draw on Norbert Elias’ sociological conception of time, which aims at desontologizing time and considering it as an instrument which humans use for organizing their actions. I suggest that historical time, and philosophy of history, is also a conceptual instrument for organizing and understanding the complexity of human interactions in Modernity. This means that there is a double sensitivity for time in modern society: as consciousness of qualitative time and as technically measured time. Finally, I argue that Heidegger’s and Benjamin’s are the most adequate theories in the Xxth century for approaching a definition of historical time

Is Participation in Organized Leisure-Time Activities Associated with School Performance in Adolescence?

Science.gov (United States)

Badura, Petr; Sigmund, Erik; Geckova, Andrea Madarasova; Sigmundova, Dagmar; Sirucek, Jan; van Dijk, Jitse P; Reijneveld, Sijmen A

2016-01-01

Organized leisure-time activities (OLTA) have been identified as a context suitable for improvement of school performance. This study aimed to assess the associations between participation in OLTA and school engagement, school-related stress, academic achievement and whether these associations differ by specific pattern of OLTA participation, gender and age. Furthermore, it assessed whether OLTA participants are more likely to acquire support for schoolwork from outside the family. The sample concerned 10,483 adolescents (49.2% boys) aged 11, 13 and 15 from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children data collection in 2014 in the Czech Republic. Logistic regressions adjusted for gender and age were used to analyse the associations between participation in OLTA and four education-related outcomes. Participation in OLTA was associated with higher school engagement, lower levels of school-related stress and better academic achievement regardless of gender and age. The strongest associations were observed for adolescents involved in various types of OLTA concurrently, with odds ratios ranging from 1.34 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.17-1.54) for lower school-related stress to 1.97 (95% CI 1.73-2.25) for above-average academic achievement. OLTA participants were also more likely to have a non-familial person to help them with schoolwork, though this association was weaker in 15-year-olds. Youth involvement in OLTA is linked to general better school performance and attachment to school. Adolescents participating in more activities at the same time have the best school performance.

A new approach to calculate charge carrier transport mobility in organic molecular crystals from imaginary time path integral simulations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song, Linze; Shi, Qiang

2015-01-01

We present a new non-perturbative method to calculate the charge carrier mobility using the imaginary time path integral approach, which is based on the Kubo formula for the conductivity, and a saddle point approximation to perform the analytic continuation. The new method is first tested using a benchmark calculation from the numerical exact hierarchical equations of motion method. Imaginary time path integral Monte Carlo simulations are then performed to explore the temperature dependence of charge carrier delocalization and mobility in organic molecular crystals (OMCs) within the Holstein and Holstein-Peierls models. The effects of nonlocal electron-phonon interaction on mobility in different charge transport regimes are also investigated

Detection of perturbation phases and developmental stages in organisms from DNA microarray time series data.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marianne Rooman

Full Text Available Available DNA microarray time series that record gene expression along the developmental stages of multicellular eukaryotes, or in unicellular organisms subject to external perturbations such as stress and diauxie, are analyzed. By pairwise comparison of the gene expression profiles on the basis of a translation-invariant and scale-invariant distance measure corresponding to least-rectangle regression, it is shown that peaks in the average distance values are noticeable and are localized around specific time points. These points systematically coincide with the transition points between developmental phases or just follow the external perturbations. This approach can thus be used to identify automatically, from microarray time series alone, the presence of external perturbations or the succession of developmental stages in arbitrary cell systems. Moreover, our results show that there is a striking similarity between the gene expression responses to these a priori very different phenomena. In contrast, the cell cycle does not involve a perturbation-like phase, but rather continuous gene expression remodeling. Similar analyses were conducted using three other standard distance measures, showing that the one we introduced was superior. Based on these findings, we set up an adapted clustering method that uses this distance measure and classifies the genes on the basis of their expression profiles within each developmental stage or between perturbation phases.

Novel Insight for Organic Matter Sourcing: Interest of Time Resolved Fluorescence to Qualify and Quantify PAH Content of Solid Matrix at High Resolution

Science.gov (United States)

Quiers, M.; Perrette, Y.; Jacq, K.; Pousset, E.; Plassart, G.

2017-12-01

OM fluorescence is today a well-developed tool used to characterize and quantify organic matter (OM), but also to evaluate and discriminate OM fate and changes related to climate and environmental modifications. While fluorescence measurements on water and soils extracts provide information about organic fluxes today, solid phase fluorescence using natural archives allows to obtain high resolution records of OM evolution during time. These evolutions can be discussed in regards of climate and environmental perturbations detected in archives using different proxies, and thus provide keys for understanding factors driving carbon fluxes mechanisms. Among fluorescent organic species, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH) have been used as probe molecules for organic contamination tracking. Moreover, monitoring studies have shown that PAH could also be used as markers to discriminates atmospheric and erosion factors leading to PAH and organic matter fluxes to the aquifer. PAH records in soils and natural archives appear as a promising proxy to follow both past atmospheric contamination and soil erosion. But, PAH fluorescence is difficult to discriminate from bulk OM fluorescence using steady-state fluorescence (SSF) technics as their fluorescence domains recover. Time resolved emission spectroscopy (TRES) increases the information provided by SSF technic, adding a time dimension to measurements and allowing to discriminate PAH fluorescence. We report here a first application of this technic on natural archives. The challenge is to obtain TRES signature along the sample, including for low PAH concentrations. This study aims to evaluate the reliability of high resolution TRES measurement as PAH carbon fluxes sources. Method is based on LIF instrument for solid phase fluorescence measurement. An instrument coupling an excitation system constituting by 2 pulsed lasers (266 and 355 nm) and a detection system was developed. This measurement provides high resolution record of

The effects of temperature, organic matter and time-dependency on rheological properties of dry anaerobic digested swine manure.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Gang-Jin; Liu, Yi; Wang, Zhi-Yong; Lei, Yun-Hui; Chen, Zi-Ai; Deng, Liang-Wei

2015-04-01

An efficient way to avoid the pollution of swine wastewater is the application of dry anaerobic digestion, which needs rheological parameter for stirring and pipe designing. The rheological properties of this kind of sludge have been studied for many decades, yet their effects only solid concentration has been investigated widely. In this paper, the influences of temperature, organic and time-dependency on the efficiency of anaerobic digested swine manure were studied. The viscosity decreased with temperature arranged from 10 to 60 °C which caused increase in protein from 7.18 to 8.49 g/kg. 60 °C can make the digested swine manure with TS from 16.6% to 21.5% reach to the same rheology state. The added peptone decreased the viscosity because of its function of water-reducing admixture and air entraining mixture. Time-dependent experiment showed the decrease of shear stress over time. The first and the second yield stress of dry anaerobic digested swine manure were evaluated through time-dependent model. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Real-Time, Fast Neutron Coincidence Assay of Plutonium With a 4-Channel Multiplexed Analyzer and Organic Scintillators

Science.gov (United States)

Joyce, Malcolm J.; Gamage, Kelum A. A.; Aspinall, M. D.; Cave, F. D.; Lavietes, A.

2014-06-01

The design, principle of operation and the results of measurements made with a four-channel organic scintillator system are described. The system comprises four detectors and a multiplexed analyzer for the real-time parallel processing of fast neutron events. The function of the real-time, digital multiple-channel pulse-shape discrimination analyzer is described together with the results of laboratory-based measurements with 252Cf, 241Am-Li and plutonium. The analyzer is based on a single-board solution with integrated high-voltage supplies and graphical user interface. It has been developed to meet the requirements of nuclear materials assay of relevance to safeguards and security. Data are presented for the real-time coincidence assay of plutonium in terms of doubles count rate versus mass. This includes an assessment of the limiting mass uncertainty for coincidence assay based on a 100 s measurement period and samples in the range 0-50 g. Measurements of count rate versus order of multiplicity for 252Cf and 241Am-Li and combinations of both are also presented.

Breakdown in the organ donation process and its effect on organ availability.

Science.gov (United States)

Razdan, Manik; Degenholtz, Howard B; Kahn, Jeremy M; Driessen, Julia

2015-01-01

Background. This study examines the effect of breakdown in the organ donation process on the availability of transplantable organs. A process breakdown is defined as a deviation from the organ donation protocol that may jeopardize organ recovery. Methods. A retrospective analysis of donation-eligible decedents was conducted using data from an independent organ procurement organization. Adjusted effect of process breakdown on organs transplanted from an eligible decedent was examined using multivariable zero-inflated Poisson regression. Results. An eligible decedent is four times more likely to become an organ donor when there is no process breakdown (adjusted OR: 4.01; 95% CI: 1.6838, 9.6414; P organs yielded. Overall, for every process breakdown occurring in the care of an eligible decedent, one less organ is available for transplant. Decedent's age is a strong predictor of likelihood of donation and the number of organs transplanted from a donor. Conclusion. Eliminating breakdowns in the donation process can potentially increase the number of organs available for transplant but some organs will still be lost.

Baltimore PM2.5 Supersite: highly time-resolved organic compounds--sampling duration and phase distribution--implications for health effects studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Rogge, Wolfgang F; Ondov, John M; Bernardo-Bricker, Anna; Sevimoglu, Orhan

2011-12-01

As part of the Baltimore PM2.5 Supersite study, intensive three-hourly continuous PM2.5 sampling was conducted for nearly 4 weeks in summer of 2002 and as well in winter of 2002/2003. Close to 120 individual organic compounds have been quantified separately in filter and polyurethane foam (PUF) plug pairs for 17 days for each sampling period. Here, the focus is on (1) describing briefly the new sampling system, (2) discussing filter/PUF plugs breakthrough experiments for semi-volatile compounds, (3) providing insight into phase distribution of semi-volatile organic species, and (4) discussing the impact of air pollution sampling time on human exposure with information on maximum 3- and 24-h averaged ambient concentrations of potentially adverse health effects causing organic pollutants. The newly developed sampling system consisted of five electronically controlled parallel sampling channels that are operated in a sequential mode. Semi-volatile breakthrough experiments were conducted in three separate experiments over 3, 4, and 5 h each using one filter and three PUF plugs. Valuable insight was obtained about the transfer of semi-volatile organic compounds through the sequence of PUF plugs and a cut-off could be defined for complete sampling of semi-volatile compounds on only one filter/PUF plug pair, i.e., the setup finally used during the seasonal PM2.5 sampling campaign. Accordingly, n-nonadecane (C19) with a vapor pressure (vp) of 3.25 × 10(-4) Torr is collected with > 95% on the filter/PUF pair. Applied to phenanthrene, the most abundant the PAH sampled, phenanthrene (vp, 6.2 × 10(-5) Torr) was collected completely in wintertime and correlates very well with three-hourly PM2.5 ambient concentrations. Valuable data on the fractional partitioning for semi-volatile organics as a function of season is provided here and can be used to differentiate the human uptake of an organic pollutant of interest via gas- and particle-phase exposure. Health effects studies

High-time resolved measurements of biogenic and anthropogenic secondary organic aerosol precursors and products in urban air

Science.gov (United States)

Flores, Rosa M.; Doskey, Paul V.

2016-04-01

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are present in the atmosphere entirely in the gas phase are directly emitted by biogenic (~1089 Tg yr-1) and anthropogenic sources (~185 Tg yr-1). However, the sources and molecular speciation of intermediate VOCs (IVOCs), which are for the most part also present almost entirely in the gas phase, are not well characterized. The VOCs and IVOCs participate in reactions that form ozone and semivolatile OC (SVOC) that partition into the aerosol phase. Formation and evolution of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) are part of a complex dynamic process that depends on the molecular speciation and concentration of VOCs, IVOCs, primary organic aerosol (POA), and the level of oxidants (NO3, OH, O3). The current lack of understanding of OA properties and their impact on radiative forcing, ecosystems, and human health is partly due to limitations of models to predict SOA production on local, regional, and global scales. More accurate forecasting of SOA production requires high-temporal resolution measurement and molecular characterization of SOA precursors and products. For the subject study, the IVOCs and aerosol-phase organic matter were collected using the high-volume sampling technique and were analyzed by multidimensional gas chromatography with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GCxGC-ToFMS). The IVOCs included terpenes, terpenoids, n-alkanes, branched alkanes, isoprenoids, alkylbenzenes, cycloalkylbenzenes, PAH, alkyl PAH, and an unresolved complex mixture (UCM). Diurnal variations of OA species containing multiple oxygenated functionalities and selected SOA tracers of isorprene, α-pinene, toluene, cyclohexene, and n-dodecane oxidation were also quantified. The data for SOA precursor and oxidation products presented here will be useful for evaluating the ability of molecular-specific SOA models to forecast SOA production in and downwind of urban areas.

Screen media usage, sleep time and academic performance in adolescents: clustering a self-organizing maps analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Peiró-Velert, Carmen; Valencia-Peris, Alexandra; González, Luis M; García-Massó, Xavier; Serra-Añó, Pilar; Devís-Devís, José

2014-01-01

Screen media usage, sleep time and socio-demographic features are related to adolescents' academic performance, but interrelations are little explored. This paper describes these interrelations and behavioral profiles clustered in low and high academic performance. A nationally representative sample of 3,095 Spanish adolescents, aged 12 to 18, was surveyed on 15 variables linked to the purpose of the study. A Self-Organizing Maps analysis established non-linear interrelationships among these variables and identified behavior patterns in subsequent cluster analyses. Topological interrelationships established from the 15 emerging maps indicated that boys used more passive videogames and computers for playing than girls, who tended to use mobile phones to communicate with others. Adolescents with the highest academic performance were the youngest. They slept more and spent less time using sedentary screen media when compared to those with the lowest performance, and they also showed topological relationships with higher socioeconomic status adolescents. Cluster 1 grouped boys who spent more than 5.5 hours daily using sedentary screen media. Their academic performance was low and they slept an average of 8 hours daily. Cluster 2 gathered girls with an excellent academic performance, who slept nearly 9 hours per day, and devoted less time daily to sedentary screen media. Academic performance was directly related to sleep time and socioeconomic status, but inversely related to overall sedentary screen media usage. Profiles from the two clusters were strongly differentiated by gender, age, sedentary screen media usage, sleep time and academic achievement. Girls with the highest academic results had a medium socioeconomic status in Cluster 2. Findings may contribute to establishing recommendations about the timing and duration of screen media usage in adolescents and appropriate sleep time needed to successfully meet the demands of school academics and to improve

Screen media usage, sleep time and academic performance in adolescents: clustering a self-organizing maps analysis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carmen Peiró-Velert

Full Text Available Screen media usage, sleep time and socio-demographic features are related to adolescents' academic performance, but interrelations are little explored. This paper describes these interrelations and behavioral profiles clustered in low and high academic performance. A nationally representative sample of 3,095 Spanish adolescents, aged 12 to 18, was surveyed on 15 variables linked to the purpose of the study. A Self-Organizing Maps analysis established non-linear interrelationships among these variables and identified behavior patterns in subsequent cluster analyses. Topological interrelationships established from the 15 emerging maps indicated that boys used more passive videogames and computers for playing than girls, who tended to use mobile phones to communicate with others. Adolescents with the highest academic performance were the youngest. They slept more and spent less time using sedentary screen media when compared to those with the lowest performance, and they also showed topological relationships with higher socioeconomic status adolescents. Cluster 1 grouped boys who spent more than 5.5 hours daily using sedentary screen media. Their academic performance was low and they slept an average of 8 hours daily. Cluster 2 gathered girls with an excellent academic performance, who slept nearly 9 hours per day, and devoted less time daily to sedentary screen media. Academic performance was directly related to sleep time and socioeconomic status, but inversely related to overall sedentary screen media usage. Profiles from the two clusters were strongly differentiated by gender, age, sedentary screen media usage, sleep time and academic achievement. Girls with the highest academic results had a medium socioeconomic status in Cluster 2. Findings may contribute to establishing recommendations about the timing and duration of screen media usage in adolescents and appropriate sleep time needed to successfully meet the demands of school academics and

2D Time-lapse Resistivity Monitoring of an Organic Produced Gas Plume in a Landfill using ERT.

Science.gov (United States)

Amaral, N. D.; Mendonça, C. A.; Doherty, R.

2014-12-01

This project has the objective to study a landfill located on the margins of Tietê River, in São Paulo, Brazil, using the electroresistivity tomography method (ERT). Due to huge organic matter concentrations in the São Paulo Basin quaternary sediments, there is subsurface depth related biogas accumulation (CH4 and CO2), induced by anaerobic degradation of the organic matter. 2D resistivity sections were obtained from a test area since March 2012, a total of 7 databases, being the last one dated from October 2013. The studied line has the length of 56m, the electrode interval is of 2m. In addition, there are two boreholes along the line (one with 3 electrodes and the other one with 2) in order to improve data quality and precision. The boreholes also have a multi-level sampling system that indicates the fluid (gas or water) presence in relation to depth. With our results it was possible to map the gas plume position and its area of extension in the sections as it is a positive resistivity anomaly, with the gas level having approximately 5m depth. With the time-lapse analysis (Matlab script) between the obtained 2D resistivity sections from the site, it was possible to map how the biogas volume and position change in the landfill in relation to time. Our preliminary results show a preferential gas pathway through the subsurface studied area. A consistent relation between the gas depth and obtained microbiological data from archea and bacteria population was also observed.

The Ethics of Organ Tourism: Role Morality and Organ Transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Adams, Marcus P

2017-11-15

Organ tourism occurs when individuals in countries with existing organ transplant procedures, such as the United States, are unable to procure an organ by using those transplant procedures in enough time to save their life. In this paper, I am concerned with the following question: When organ tourists return to the United States and need another transplant, do US transplant physicians have an obligation to place them on a transplant list? I argue that transplant physicians have a duty not to relist organ tourists. Specifically, I contend that we should locate physicians' duties in these cases within the new role of "transplant physician." This role results from transplant physicians' participation in a system that depends on organ donors' voluntary act of donation. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press, on behalf of the Journal of Medicine and Philosophy Inc. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The Temporal Organization Grid: A New Classification System of Temporary Organizations

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Vallari Chandna

2017-03-01

Full Text Available With the increased recognition of the key role played by time in processes and outcomes, there has been a renewed focus on temporary organizations. Temporary organizational forms tend to receive attention due to certain characteristics that are unique to them, as compared to permanent organizations, with regard to issues like trust, communication, organizational structure, innovation and creativity among others. They have also been known to generate significant benefits for the organizations participating in them. But to study them in detail, a comprehensive classification system of temporary organizations is needed, which has so far been missing in the extant literature. This paper sets forth a classification grid for temporary organizations which is its primary purpose and also examines the different strategically important variables that further define the typological framework and that act as determinants of success of these temporary organizations.

Changes in the carbohydrate and organic acid contents of tomatoes as a function of radiation dose and storage time

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kovacs, E [Kozponti Elelmiszeripari Kutato Intezet, Budapest (Hungary)

1974-01-01

Sugars and organic acids of tomatoes, variety Original Fruehrot, in different stages of development were examined by gas chromatography after silylation. Changes in the carbohydrate and organic acid content of half-ripe and ripe tomatoes were determined after treatment with different radiation doses (5, 15, 30, 60, 250 and 500 krad). Fructose, glucose, saccharose and malic acid could be detected in the tomato samples. The saccharose and malic acid contents of half-ripe tomatoes decreased as a result of irradiation with doses above 250 krad. In ripe tomatoes, the malic acid content fell most markedly under the influence of irradiation. The sugar content tended to decrease as a function of storage time, except for samples treated with 15 krad which usually delayed decomposition of the components tested. The effect of irradiation was more extensive in half-ripe tomatoes than in ripe ones.

Permafrost conditions in peatlands regulate magnitude, timing, and chemical composition of catchment dissolved organic carbon export.

Science.gov (United States)

Olefeldt, David; Roulet, Nigel T

2014-10-01

Permafrost thaw in peatlands has the potential to alter catchment export of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and thus influence downstream aquatic C cycling. Subarctic peatlands are often mosaics of different peatland types, where permafrost conditions regulate the hydrological setting of each type. We show that hydrological setting is key to observed differences in magnitude, timing, and chemical composition of DOC export between permafrost and nonpermafrost peatland types, and that these differences influence the export of DOC of larger catchments even when peatlands are minor catchment components. In many aspects, DOC export from a studied peatland permafrost plateau was similar to that of a forested upland catchment. Similarities included low annual export (2-3 g C m(-2) ) dominated by the snow melt period (~70%), and how substantial DOC export following storms required wet antecedent conditions. Conversely, nonpermafrost fens had higher DOC export (7 g C m(-2) ), resulting from sustained hydrological connectivity during summer. Chemical composition of catchment DOC export arose from the mixing of highly aromatic DOC from organic soils from permafrost plateau soil water and upland forest surface horizons with nonaromatic DOC from mineral soil groundwater, but was further modulated by fens. Increasing aromaticity from fen inflow to outlet was substantial and depended on both water residence time and water temperature. The role of fens as catchment biogeochemical hotspots was further emphasized by their capacity for sulfate retention. As a result of fen characteristics, a 4% fen cover in a mixed catchment was responsible for 34% higher DOC export, 50% higher DOC concentrations and ~10% higher DOC aromaticity at the catchment outlet during summer compared to a nonpeatland upland catchment. Expansion of fens due to thaw thus has potential to influence landscape C cycling by increasing fen capacity to act as biogeochemical hotspots, amplifying aquatic C cycling, and

Doppler speedometer for micro-organisms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Penkov, F.; Tuleushev, A.; Lisitsyn, V.; Kim, S.; Tuleushev, Yu.

1996-01-01

Objective of Investigations: Development and creation of the Doppler speedometer for micro-organisms which allows to evaluate, in a real temporal scale, variations in the state of water suspension of micro-organisms under the effect of chemical, physical and other external actions. Statement of the Problem The main problem is absence of reliable, accessible for users and simple, in view of application, Doppler speedometers for micro-organisms. Nevertheless, correlation Doppler spectrometry in the regime of heterodyning the supporting and cell-scattered laser radiation is welt known. The main idea is that the correlation function of photo-current pulses bears an information on the averages over the assembly of cell velocities. For solving the biological problems, construction of auto-correlation function in the real-time regime with the delay time values comprising, function in the real-time regime with the delay time values comprising, nearly, 100 me (10 khz) or higher is needed. Computers of high class manage this problem using but the program software. Due to this, one can simplify applications of the proposed techniques provided he creates the Doppler speedometer for micro-organism on a base of the P entium . Expected Result Manufactured operable mock-up of the Doppler speedometer for micro-organisms in a form of the auxiliary computer block which allows to receive an information, in the real time scale, on the results of external effects of various nature on the cell assembly in transparent medium with a small volume of the studied cell suspension

Is Participation in Organized Leisure-Time Activities Associated with School Performance in Adolescence?

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Petr Badura

Full Text Available Organized leisure-time activities (OLTA have been identified as a context suitable for improvement of school performance. This study aimed to assess the associations between participation in OLTA and school engagement, school-related stress, academic achievement and whether these associations differ by specific pattern of OLTA participation, gender and age. Furthermore, it assessed whether OLTA participants are more likely to acquire support for schoolwork from outside the family.The sample concerned 10,483 adolescents (49.2% boys aged 11, 13 and 15 from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children data collection in 2014 in the Czech Republic. Logistic regressions adjusted for gender and age were used to analyse the associations between participation in OLTA and four education-related outcomes.Participation in OLTA was associated with higher school engagement, lower levels of school-related stress and better academic achievement regardless of gender and age. The strongest associations were observed for adolescents involved in various types of OLTA concurrently, with odds ratios ranging from 1.34 (95% confidence interval (CI 1.17-1.54 for lower school-related stress to 1.97 (95% CI 1.73-2.25 for above-average academic achievement. OLTA participants were also more likely to have a non-familial person to help them with schoolwork, though this association was weaker in 15-year-olds.Youth involvement in OLTA is linked to general better school performance and attachment to school. Adolescents participating in more activities at the same time have the best school performance.

Colour and Organization Studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Beyes, Timon

2017-01-01

Colour is inescapable. It fills and forms the world, shaping what can be felt and known, desired and expressed. It thus becomes social technology and organizational tool. At the same time, however, colour betrays, undermines and subverts the attempts to manage it. Based on an understanding...... of colour as aesthetic force and medium of transformation, the essay presents a montage of scenes that set up encounters with what colour does: how it affects organization, and how it is affected by organization; how it organizes what is given to perception, knowledge and organization itself, and how...

A NoSQL–SQL Hybrid Organization and Management Approach for Real-Time Geospatial Data: A Case Study of Public Security Video Surveillance

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Chen Wu

2017-01-01

Full Text Available With the widespread deployment of ground, air and space sensor sources (internet of things or IoT, social networks, sensor networks, the integrated applications of real-time geospatial data from ubiquitous sensors, especially in public security and smart city domains, are becoming challenging issues. The traditional geographic information system (GIS mostly manages time-discretized geospatial data by means of the Structured Query Language (SQL database management system (DBMS and emphasizes query and retrieval of massive historical geospatial data on disk. This limits its capability for on-the-fly access of real-time geospatial data for online analysis in real time. This paper proposes a hybrid database organization and management approach with SQL relational databases (RDB and not only SQL (NoSQL databases (including the main memory database, MMDB, and distributed files system, DFS. This hybrid approach makes full use of the advantages of NoSQL and SQL DBMS for the real-time access of input data and structured on-the-fly analysis results which can meet the requirements of increased spatio-temporal big data linking analysis. The MMDB facilitates real-time access of the latest input data such as the sensor web and IoT, and supports the real-time query for online geospatial analysis. The RDB stores change information such as multi-modal features and abnormal events extracted from real-time input data. The DFS on disk manages the massive geospatial data, and the extensible storage architecture and distributed scheduling of a NoSQL database satisfy the performance requirements of incremental storage and multi-user concurrent access. A case study of geographic video (GeoVideo surveillance of public security is presented to prove the feasibility of this hybrid organization and management approach.

Exploring the Temporality of Food Organizations in Liquid Modernity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hernes, Tor; Schmidt, Jonathan; Schultz, Majken

study illustrates how their time enactment takes place along three dimensions. First, through what we call “malleable time”, including the contraction and dilation of time horizons. Second, through what we call “projective time”, signifying the outward enactment of time onto others. Third, through what....... Because food organizations are challenged to enact their time between natural time and human time while abiding by the constraints of industry, liquid modernity challenges their ability to enact multiple and sometimes contrasting temporalities. Drawing on data from a brewery and a dairy corporation, our...... we call “simultaneous time”, signifying the simultaneous enactment of different time horizons. We argue that time enactment poses its own set of dilemmas for managing food organizations, which are discussed, not just for food organizations, but in relation to other organizations confronted...

Compact Two-step Laser Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer for in Situ Analyses of Aromatic Organics on Planetary Missions

Science.gov (United States)

Getty, Stephanie; Brickerhoff, William; Cornish, Timothy; Ecelberger, Scott; Floyd, Melissa

2012-01-01

RATIONALE A miniature time-of-flight mass spectrometer has been adapted to demonstrate two-step laser desorption-ionization (LOI) in a compact instrument package for enhanced organics detection. Two-step LDI decouples the desorption and ionization processes, relative to traditional laser ionization-desorption, in order to produce low-fragmentation conditions for complex organic analytes. Tuning UV ionization laser energy allowed control ofthe degree of fragmentation, which may enable better identification of constituent species. METHODS A reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometer prototype measuring 20 cm in length was adapted to a two-laser configuration, with IR (1064 nm) desorption followed by UV (266 nm) postionization. A relatively low ion extraction voltage of 5 kV was applied at the sample inlet. Instrument capabilities and performance were demonstrated with analysis of a model polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, representing a class of compounds important to the fields of Earth and planetary science. RESULTS L2MS analysis of a model PAH standard, pyrene, has been demonstrated, including parent mass identification and the onset o(tunable fragmentation as a function of ionizing laser energy. Mass resolution m/llm = 380 at full width at half-maximum was achieved which is notable for gas-phase ionization of desorbed neutrals in a highly-compact mass analyzer. CONCLUSIONS Achieving two-step laser mass spectrometry (L2MS) in a highly-miniature instrument enables a powerful approach to the detection and characterization of aromatic organics in remote terrestrial and planetary applications. Tunable detection of parent and fragment ions with high mass resolution, diagnostic of molecular structure, is possible on such a compact L2MS instrument. Selectivity of L2MS against low-mass inorganic salt interferences is a key advantage when working with unprocessed, natural samples, and a mechanism for the observed selectivity is presented.

Temperature-dependent release of volatile organic compounds of eucalypts by direct analysis in real time (DART) mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Maleknia, Simin D; Vail, Teresa M; Cody, Robert B; Sparkman, David O; Bell, Tina L; Adams, Mark A

2009-08-01

A method is described for the rapid identification of biogenic, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by plants, including the analysis of the temperature dependence of those emissions. Direct analysis in real time (DART) enabled ionization of VOCs from stem and leaf of several eucalyptus species including E. cinerea, E. citriodora, E. nicholii and E. sideroxylon. Plant tissues were placed directly in the gap between the DART ionization source skimmer and the capillary inlet of the time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometer. Temperature-dependent emission of VOCs was achieved by adjusting the temperature of the helium gas into the DART ionization source at 50, 100, 200 and 300 degrees C, which enabled direct evaporation of compounds, up to the onset of pyrolysis of plant fibres (i.e. cellulose and lignin). Accurate mass measurements facilitated by TOF mass spectrometry provided elemental compositions for the VOCs. A wide range of compounds was detected from simple organic compounds (i.e. methanol and acetone) to a series of monoterpenes (i.e. pinene, camphene, cymene, eucalyptol) common to many plant species, as well as several less abundant sesquiterpenes and flavonoids (i.e. naringenin, spathulenol, eucalyptin) with antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. The leaf and stem tissues for all four eucalypt species showed similar compounds. The relative abundances of methanol and ethanol were greater in stem wood than in leaf tissue suggesting that DART could be used to investigate the tissue-specific transport and emissions of VOCs. Copyright (c) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Tissue and organ regeneration in adults extension of the paradigm to several organs

CERN Document Server

Yannas, Ioannis V

2015-01-01

This textbook describes the basic principles of induced organ regeneration in skin and peripheral nerves and extends the original successful paradigm to other organs. A set of trans-organ rules is established and its use in regeneration of several organs is illustrated from the works of several independent investigators who worked with a variety of organs, such as the lung, the bladder, and the Achilles tendon, using collagen-based scaffolds somewhat similar to the original one. These critical medical treatments fill the clinical need that is not met by organ transplantation. New to this second edition: New information extending the paradigm of tissue regeneration from organ regeneration in skin and peripheral nerves to other organs Guidelines, known as trans-organ rules, are described for the first time for extending this unique medical treatment to organs of several medical specialties The work serves as a comprehensive text and reference for students and practitioners of tissue engineering  

Changes in the carbohydrate and organic acid contents of tomatoes as a function of radiation dose and storage time

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kovacs, E.

1974-01-01

Sugars and organic acids of tomatoes, variety Original Fruehrot, in different stages of development were examined by gas chromatography after silylation. Changes in the carbohydrate and organic acid content of half-ripe and ripe tomatoes were determined after treatment with different radiation doses (5, 15, 30, 60, 250 and 500 krad). Fructose, glucose, saccharose and malic acid could be detected in the tomato samples. The saccharose and malic acid contents of half-ripe tomatoes decreased as a result of irradiation with doses above 250 krad. In ripe tomatoes, the malic acid content fell most markedly under the influence of irradiation. The sugar content tended to decrease as a function of storage time, except for samples treated with 15 krad which usually delayed decomposition of the components tested. The effect of irradiation was more extensive in half-ripe tomatoes than in ripe ones. (F.J.)

Determination of organic compounds in nano-particles by laser breakdown and resonant ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deguchi, Yoshihiro; Tanaka, Nobuyuki

2005-01-01

Laser breakdown and resonance ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOFMS) with a differential mobility analyzer (DMA) was developed and applied to detect compositions and organic substances in nano-particles. The laser breakdown TOFMS method is capable of reaching pptv sensitivity, which is generally much better than the normal LIBS techniques. The system was demonstrated to successfully detect signals in the mass range of 1 to 300 amu for 60 and 140 nm particles in diesel engine exhaust. The detected signals showed that the nano-particles contained both aromatic and chain hydrocarbons

Use of Concomitant Stress Incontinence Surgery at Time of Pelvic Organ Prolapse Surgery Since Release of the 2011 Notification on Serious Complications Associated with Transvaginal Mesh.

Science.gov (United States)

Drain, Alice; Khan, Aqsa; Ohmann, Erin L; Brucker, Benjamin M; Smilen, Scott; Rosenblum, Nirit; Nitti, Victor W

2017-04-01

There is controversy regarding the performance of concomitant anti-incontinence procedures at the time of pelvic organ prolapse repair. Data support improvement in stress urinary incontinence with a concomitant sling but increased adverse events. We assessed trends in preoperative stress urinary incontinence evaluation, concomitant anti-incontinence procedure at pelvic organ prolapse surgery and postoperative anti-incontinence procedures at our institution before and after the 2011 FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) Public Health Notification pertaining to vaginal mesh. We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients who underwent pelvic organ prolapse surgery from 2009 to 2015. Preoperative workup included assessment of subjective stress urinary incontinence and/or evaluation for leakage with reduction of pelvic organ prolapse on physical examination, urodynamics or a pessary trial. The percentages of concomitant and postoperative anti-incontinence procedures were compared before and after the 2011 FDA notification. A total of 775 women underwent pelvic organ prolapse repair. The percentage of anti-incontinence procedures at pelvic organ prolapse repair decreased from 54.8% to 38.0% after the FDA notification (p = 0.002) while the incidence of preoperative objective stress urinary incontinence on examination, urodynamics and pessary trials remained constant. The incidence of postoperative anti-incontinence procedures within 1 year of the index surgery remained low. We found a decrease in the incidence of concomitant anti-incontinence procedures at the time of pelvic organ prolapse repair following the 2011 FDA notification despite no significant decline in subjective stress urinary incontinence or demonstrable stress urinary incontinence on preoperative evaluation. Further analysis is warranted to assess the impact of the FDA notification on treatment patterns in women with pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence. Copyright © 2017 American

Real-time monitoring of respiratory absorption factors of volatile organic compounds in ambient air by proton transfer reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huang, Zhonghui [State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640 (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Zhang, Yanli [State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640 (China); Center for Excellence in Urban Atmospheric Environment, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021 (China); Yan, Qiong [Department of Respiratory Diseases, Guangzhou No. 12 People' s Hospital, Guangzhou 510620 (China); Zhang, Zhou [State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640 (China); Wang, Xinming, E-mail: wangxm@gig.ac.cn [State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640 (China); Center for Excellence in Urban Atmospheric Environment, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021 (China)

2016-12-15

Respiratory absorption factors (AFs) are essential parameters in the evaluation of human health risks from toxic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in ambient air. A method for the real time monitoring of VOCs in inhaled and exhaled air by proton transfer reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometry (PTR-TOF-MS) has been developed to permit the calculation of respiratory AFs of VOCs. Isoprene was found to be a better breath tracer than O{sub 2}, CO{sub 2}, humidity, or acetone for distinguishing between the expiratory and inspiratory phases, and a homemade online breath sampling device with a buffer tube was used to optimize signal peak shapes. Preliminary tests with seven subjects exposed to aromatic hydrocarbons in an indoor environment revealed mean respiratory AFs of 55.0%, 55.9%, and 66.9% for benzene, toluene, and C8-aromatics (ethylbenzene and xylenes), respectively. These AFs were lower than the values of 90% or 100% used in previous studies when assessing the health risks of inhalation exposure to hazardous VOCs. The mean respiratory AFs of benzene, toluene and C8-aromatics were 66.5%, 70.2% and 82.3% for the three female subjects; they were noticeably much higher than that of 46.4%, 45.2% and 55.3%, respectively, for the four male subjects.

Chloric organic compound

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moalem, F.

2000-01-01

Since many years ago, hazardous and toxic refuses which are results of human activities has been carelessly without any Biological and Engineering facts and knowledge discharged into our land and water. The effects of discharging those materials in environment are different. Some of refuse materials shows short and other has long-time adverse effects in our environment, Among hazardous organic chemical materials, chlorine, consider, to be the main element. Organic materials with chlorine is called chlorine hydrocarbon as a hazardous compound. This paper discuss the hazardous materials especially chloric organic compound and their misuse effects in environment and human being

Monitoring Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in real-time on oil and natural gas production sites

Science.gov (United States)

Lupardus, R.; Franklin, S. B.

2017-12-01

Oil and Natural Gas (O&NG) development, production, infrastructure, and associated processing activities can be a substantial source of air pollution, yet relevant data and real-time quantification methods are lacking. In the current study, O&NG fugitive emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) were quantified in real-time and used to determine the spatial and temporal windows of exposure for proximate flora and fauna. Eleven O&NG sites on the Pawnee National Grassland in Northeastern Colorado were randomly selected and grouped according to production along with 13 control sites from three geographical locations. At each site, samples were collected 25 m from the wellhead in NE, SE, and W directions. In each direction, two samples were collected with a Gasmet DX4040 gas analyzer every hour from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm (6 hours total), July to October, 2016 (N=864). VOC concentrations generally increased during the 6 hr. day with the exception of N2O and were predominately the result of O&NG production and not vehicle exhaust. Thirteen of 24 VOCs had significantly different levels between production groups, frequently above reference standards and at biologically relevant levels for flora and fauna. The most biologically relevant VOCs, found at concentrations exceeding time weighted average permissible exposure limits (TWA PELs), were benzene and acrolein. Generalized Estimating Equations (GEEs) measured the relative quality of statistical models predicting benzene concentrations on sites. The data not only confirms that O&NG emissions are impacting the region, but also that this influence is present at all sites, including controls. Increased real-time VOC monitoring on O&NG sites is required to identify and contain fugitive emissions and to protect human and environmental health.

Time management strategies in nursing practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Waterworth, Susan

2003-09-01

With the increasing emphasis on efficiency and effectiveness in health care, how a nurse manages her time is an important consideration. Whilst time management is recognized as an important component of work performance and professional nursing practice, the reality of this process in nursing practice has been subject to scant empirical investigation. To explore how nurses organize and manage their time. A qualitative study was carried out, incorporating narratives (22 nurses), focus groups (24 nurses) and semi-structured interviews (22 nurses). In my role as practitioner researcher I undertook observation and had informal conversations, which provided further data. Study sites were five health care organizations in the United Kingdom during 1995-1999. Time management is complex, with nurses using a range of time management strategies and a repertoire of actions. Two of these strategies, namely routinization and prioritizing, are discussed, including their implications for understanding time management by nurses in clinical practice. Ignoring the influence of 'others', the team and the organization perpetuates a rather individualistic and self-critical perspective of time management. This may lead to a failure to address problems in the organizing of work, and the co-ordinating of care involving other health care workers.

Self-Organizing Wearable Device Platform for Assisting and Reminding Humans in Real Time

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu Jin Park

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Most older persons would prefer “aging in my place,” that is, to remain in good health and live independently in their own home as long as possible. For assisting the independent living of older people, the ability to gather and analyze a user’s daily activity data would constitute a significant technical advance, enhancing their quality of life. However, the general approach based on centralized server has several problems such as the usage complexity, the high price of deployment and expansion, and the difficulty in identifying an individual person. To address these problems, we propose a wearable device platform for the life assistance of older persons that automatically records and analyzes their daily activity without intentional human intervention or a centralized server (i.e., cloud server. The proposed platform contains self-organizing protocols, Delay-Tolerant Messaging system, knowledge-based analysis and alerting for daily activities, and a hardware platform that provides low power consumption. We implemented a prototype smart watch, called Personal Activity Assisting and Reminding (PAAR, as a testbed for the proposed platform, and evaluated the power consumption and the service time of example scenarios.

Uncertainties in Organ Burdens Estimated from PAS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

La Bone, T.R.

2004-01-01

To calculate committed effective dose equivalent, one needs to know the quantity of the radionuclide in all significantly irradiated organs (the organ burden) as a function of time following the intake. There are two major sources of uncertainty in an organ burden estimated from personal air sampling (PAS) data: (1) The uncertainty in going from the exposure measured with the PAS to the quantity of aerosol inhaled by the individual, and (2) The uncertainty in going from the intake to the organ burdens at any given time, taking into consideration the biological variability of the biokinetic models from person to person (interperson variability) and in one person over time (intra-person variability). We have been using biokinetic modeling methods developed by researchers at the University of Florida to explore the impact of inter-person variability on the uncertainty of organ burdens estimated from PAS data. These initial studies suggest that the uncertainties are so large that PAS might be considered to be a qualitative (rather than quantitative) technique. These results indicate that more studies should be performed to properly classify the reliability and usefulness of using PAS monitoring data to estimate organ burdens, organ dose, and ultimately CEDE

Sorption of Np by UO2 under repository conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Kazakovskaya, T. V.; Zakharova, E. V.; Haire, M. J.

2010-03-01

This work is a part of the joint Russian - American Program on Beneficial Use of Depleted Uranium. The production of nuclear fuels results in the accumulation of large quantities of depleted uranium (DU) in the form of uranium hexafluoride (UF6), which is converted to uranium oxides. Depleted uranium dioxide (DUO2) can be used as a component of radiation shielding and as an absorbent for migrating radionuclides that may emerge from casks containing spent nuclear fuel (SNF) that are stored for hundreds of thousands of years in high-level wastes (HLW) and SNF repositories (e.g. Yucca Mountain Project). In this case DU oxides serve as an additional engineered chemical barrier. It is known that the primary radioisotope contributor to the calculated long-term radiation dose to the public at the Yucca Mountain SNF repository site boundary is neptunium-237 (237Np). This paper describes the sorption of 237Np in various media (deionized water and J-13 solution) by DUO2. Samples of DUO2 used in this work originated from the treatment of UF6 in a reducing media to form UO2(DUO2-1 at 600°C, DUO2-2 at 700°C, and DUO2-3 at 800°C). All species of DUO2 sorb Np(V) and Np(IV) from aqueous media. Equilibrium was achieved in 24 hours for Np(V) and in 2 hours for Np(IV). Np(V) sorption is accompanied with partial reduction of Np(V) to Np(IV) and vice versa. The sorption of Np(V) onto DUO2 surfaces is irreversible. The investigations on DUO2 transformations were performed under dynamic and static conditions. Under static conditions the solubility of the DUO2 samples in J-13 solution is considerably higher than in DW. When the pre-treatment temperature is decreased, the solubility of DUO2 samples raises regardless of the media. The experiments on interaction between DUO2 and aqueous media (DW and J-13 solution) under dynamic conditions demonstrated that during 30-40 days the penetration/filtration rate of DW and J-13 solution through a thin DUO2 layer decreased dramatically, and then

Organically bound tritium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diabate, S.; Strack, S.

1993-01-01

Tritium released into the environment may be incorporated into organic matter. Organically bound tritium in that case will show retention times in organisms that are considerably longer than those of tritiated water which has significant consequences on dose estimates. This article reviews the most important processes of organically bound tritium production and transport through food networks. Metabolic reactions in plant and animal organisms with tritiated water as a reaction partner are of great importance in this respect. The most important production process, in quantitative terms, is photosynthesis in green plants. The translocation of organically bound tritium from the leaves to edible parts of crop plants should be considered in models of organically bound tritium behavior. Organically bound tritium enters the human body on several pathways, either from the primary producers (vegetable food) or at a higher tropic level (animal food). Animal experiments have shown that the dose due to ingestion of organically bound tritium can be up to twice as high as a comparable intake of tritiated water in gaseous or liquid form. In the environment, organically bound tritium in plants and animals is often found to have higher specific tritium concentrations than tissue water. This is not due to some tritium enrichment effects but to the fact that no equilibrium conditions are reached under natural conditions. 66 refs

Organic chemistry on Titan: Surface interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, W. Reid; Sagan, Carl

1992-01-01

The interaction of Titan's organic sediments with the surface (solubility in nonpolar fluids) is discussed. How Titan's sediments can be exposed to an aqueous medium for short, but perhaps significant, periods of time is also discussed. Interactions with hydrocarbons and with volcanic magmas are considered. The alteration of Titan's organic sediments over geologic time by the impacts of meteorites and comets is discussed.

Breakdown in the Organ Donation Process and Its Effect on Organ Availability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manik Razdan

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background. This study examines the effect of breakdown in the organ donation process on the availability of transplantable organs. A process breakdown is defined as a deviation from the organ donation protocol that may jeopardize organ recovery. Methods. A retrospective analysis of donation-eligible decedents was conducted using data from an independent organ procurement organization. Adjusted effect of process breakdown on organs transplanted from an eligible decedent was examined using multivariable zero-inflated Poisson regression. Results. An eligible decedent is four times more likely to become an organ donor when there is no process breakdown (adjusted OR: 4.01; 95% CI: 1.6838, 9.6414; P<0.01 even after controlling for the decedent’s age, gender, race, and whether or not a decedent had joined the state donor registry. However once the eligible decedent becomes a donor, whether or not there was a process breakdown does not affect the number of transplantable organs yielded. Overall, for every process breakdown occurring in the care of an eligible decedent, one less organ is available for transplant. Decedent’s age is a strong predictor of likelihood of donation and the number of organs transplanted from a donor. Conclusion. Eliminating breakdowns in the donation process can potentially increase the number of organs available for transplant but some organs will still be lost.

Artificial organs and transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Splendiani, G; Cipriani, S; Vega, A; Casciani, C U

2003-05-01

Nowadays artificial devices are not able to totally and undefinitely replace the loss of function of all vital organs and artificial organs can be used only to bridge the time to transplantation, which must be considered the first choice in the therapeutical approach for many chronic diseases. Since general population aging process is leading to an increase of organ demand, the gap between performed and requested transplantation is hard to fill. Xenotransplantation is nowadays only an experimental alternative solution and we have to do our best using available artificial organs to increase and improve the survival of patients waiting for transplantation. In this meeting we particularly dealt about organ function replacing therapy, especially regarding the kidney, heart, liver, pancreas and ear.

Real-time analysis of ambient organic aerosols using aerosol flowing atmospheric-pressure afterglow mass spectrometry (AeroFAPA-MS)

Science.gov (United States)

Brüggemann, Martin; Karu, Einar; Stelzer, Torsten; Hoffmann, Thorsten

2015-04-01

Organic aerosol accounts for a major fraction of atmospheric aerosols and has implications on the earth's climate and human health. However, due to the chemical complexity its measurement remains a major challenge for analytical instrumentation.1 Here, we present the development, characterization and application of a new soft ionization technique that allows mass spectrometric real-time detection of organic compounds in ambient aerosols. The aerosol flowing atmospheric-pressure afterglow (AeroFAPA) ion source utilizes a helium glow discharge plasma to produce excited helium species and primary reagent ions. Ionization of the analytes occurs in the afterglow region after thermal desorption and results mainly in intact molecular ions, facilitating the interpretation of the acquired mass spectra. In the past, similar approaches were used to detect pesticides, explosives or illicit drugs on a variety of surfaces.2,3 In contrast, the AeroFAPA source operates 'online' and allows the detection of organic compounds in aerosols without a prior precipitation or sampling step. To our knowledge, this is the first application of an atmospheric-pressure glow discharge ionization technique to ambient aerosol samples. We illustrate that changes in aerosol composition and concentration are detected on the time scale of seconds and in the ng-m-3 range. Additionally, the successful application of AeroFAPA-MS during a field study in a mixed forest region in Central Europe is presented. Several oxidation products of monoterpenes were clearly identified using the possibility to perform tandem MS experiments. The acquired data are in agreement with previous studies and demonstrate that AeroFAPA-MS is a suitable tool for organic aerosol analysis. Furthermore, these results reveal the potential of this technique to enable new insights into aerosol formation, growth and transformation in the atmosphere. References: 1) IPCC, 2013: Summary for Policymakers. In: Climate Change 2013: The

Universal Exciton Size in Organic Polymers is Determined by Nonlocal Orbital Exchange in Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory.

Science.gov (United States)

Mewes, Stefanie A; Plasser, Felix; Dreuw, Andreas

2017-03-16

The exciton size of the lowest singlet excited state in a diverse set of organic π-conjugated polymers is studied and found to be a universal, system-independent quantity of approximately 7 Å in the single-chain picture. With time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT), its value as well as the overall description of the exciton is almost exclusively governed by the amount of nonlocal orbital exchange. This is traced back to the lack of the Coulomb attraction between the electron and hole quasiparticles in pure TDDFT, which is reintroduced only with the admixture of nonlocal orbital exchange.

Early diagenesis of recently deposited organic matter: A 9-yr time-series study of a flood deposit

Science.gov (United States)

Tesi, T.; Langone, L.; Goñi, M. A.; Wheatcroft, R. A.; Miserocchi, S.; Bertotti, L.

2012-04-01

In Fall 2000, the Po River (Italy) experienced a 100-yr return period flood that resulted in a 1-25 cm-thick deposit in the adjacent prodelta (10-25 m water depth). In the following years, numerous post-depositional perturbations occurred including bioturbation, reworking by waves with heights exceeding 5 m, as well as periods of extremely high and low sediment supply. Cores collected in the central prodelta after the Fall 2000 flood and over the following 9 yr, allowed characterization of the event-strata in their initial state and documentation of their subsequent evolution. Sedimentological characteristics were investigated using X-radiographs and sediment texture analyses, whereas the composition of sedimentary organic matter (OM) was studied via bulk and biomarker analyses, including organic carbon (OC), total nitrogen (TN), carbon stable isotope composition (δ13C), lignin phenols, cutin-products, p-hydroxy benzenes, benzoic acids, dicarboxylic acids, and fatty acids. The 9-yr time-series analysis indicated that roughly the lower half of the original event bed was preserved in the sediment record. Conversely, the upper half of the deposit experienced significant alterations including bioturbation, addition of new material, as well as coarsening. Comparison of the recently deposited material with 9-yr old preserved strata represented a unique natural laboratory to investigate the diagenesis of sedimentary OM in a non-steady system. Bulk data indicated that OC and TN were degraded at similar rates (loss ∼17%) whereas biomarkers exhibited a broad spectrum of reactivities (loss from ∼6% to ∼60%) indicating selective preservation during early diagenesis. Given the relevance of episodic sedimentation in several margins, this study has demonstrated the utility of event-response and time-series sampling of the seabed for understanding the early diagenesis in non-steady conditions.

The Times, They are a-Changing: HOPE for HIV-to-HIV Organ Transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Haidar, Ghady; Singh, Nina

2017-09-01

HIV-infected persons who achieve undetectable viral loads on antiretroviral therapy currently have near-normal lifespans. Liver disease is a major cause of non-AIDS-related deaths, and as a result of longer survival, the prevalence of end-stage renal disease in HIV is increasing. HIV-infected persons undergoing organ transplantation generally achieve comparable patient and graft survival rates compared to their HIV-uninfected counterparts, despite a nearly threefold increased risk of acute rejection. However, the ongoing shortage of suitable organs can limit transplantation as an option, and patients with HIV have higher waitlist mortality than others. One way to solve this problem would be to expand the donor pool to include HIV-infected individuals. The results of a South Africa study involving 27 HIV-to-HIV kidney transplants showed promise, with 3- and 5-year patient and graft survival rates similar to those of their HIV-uninfected counterparts. Similarly, individual cases of HIV-to-HIV liver transplantation from the United Kingdom and Switzerland have also shown good results. In the United States, HIV-to-HIV kidney and liver transplants are currently permitted only under a research protocol. Nevertheless, areas of ambiguity exist, including streamlining organ allocation practices, optimizing HIV-infected donor and recipient selection, managing donor-derived transmission of a resistant HIV strain, determining optimal immunosuppressive and antiretroviral regimens, and elucidating the incidence of rejection in HIV-to-HIV solid organ transplant recipients.

Application of groundwater residence time tracers and broad screening for micro-organic contaminants in the Indo-Gangetic aquifer system

Science.gov (United States)

Lapworth, Dan; Das, Prerona; Mukherjee, Abhijit; Petersen, Jade; Gooddy, Daren; Krishan, Gopal

2017-04-01

Groundwater abstracted from aquifers underlying urban centres across India provide a vital source of domestic water. Abstraction from municipal and private supplies is considerable and growing rapidly with ever increasing demand for water from expanding urban populations. This trend is set to continue. The vulnerability of deeper aquifers (typically >100 m below ground) used for domestic water to contamination migration from often heavily contaminated shallow aquifer systems has not been studies in detail in India. This paper focusses on the occurrence of micro-organic contaminants within sedimentary aquifers beneath urban centres which are intensively pumped for drinking water and domestic use. New preliminary results from a detailed case study undertaken across Varanasi, a city with an estimated population of ca. 1.5 million in Uttar Pradesh. Micro -organic groundwater quality status and evolution with depth is investigated through selection of paired shallow and deep sites across the city. These results are considered within the context of paired groundwater residence time tracers within the top 150m within the sedimentary aquifer system. Groundwater emerging contaminant results are compared with surface water quality from the Ganges which is also used for drinking water supply. Broad screening for >800 micro-organic compounds was undertaken. Age dating tools were employed to constrain and inform a conceptual model of groundwater recharge and contaminant evolution within the sedimentary aquifer system.

New device for time-averaged measurement of volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Santiago Sánchez, Noemí; Tejada Alarcón, Sergio; Tortajada Santonja, Rafael; Llorca-Pórcel, Julio, E-mail: julio.llorca@aqualogy.net

2014-07-01

Contamination by volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the environment is an increasing concern since these compounds are harmful to ecosystems and even to human health. Actually, many of them are considered toxic and/or carcinogenic. The main sources of pollution come from very diffuse focal points such as industrial discharges, urban water and accidental spills as these compounds may be present in many products and processes (i.e., paints, fuels, petroleum products, raw materials, solvents, etc.) making their control difficult. The presence of these compounds in groundwater, influenced by discharges, leachate or effluents of WWTPs is especially problematic. In recent years, law has been increasingly restrictive with the emissions of these compounds. From an environmental point of view, the European Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) sets out some VOCs as priority substances. This binding directive sets guidelines to control compounds such as benzene, chloroform, and carbon tetrachloride to be at a very low level of concentration and with a very high frequency of analysis. The presence of VOCs in the various effluents is often highly variable and discontinuous since it depends on the variability of the sources of contamination. Therefore, in order to have complete information of the presence of these contaminants and to effectively take preventive measures, it is important to continuously control, requiring the development of new devices which obtain average concentrations over time. As of today, due to technical limitations, there are no devices on the market that allow continuous sampling of these compounds in an efficient way and to facilitate sufficient detection limits to meet the legal requirements which are capable of detecting very sporadic and of short duration discharges. LABAQUA has developed a device which consists of a small peristaltic pump controlled by an electronic board that governs its operation by pre-programming. A constant flow passes

Recent Advances in Organic Solar Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas Kietzke

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Solar cells based on organic semiconductors have attracted much attention. The thickness of the active layer of organic solar cells is typically only 100 nm thin, which is about 1000 times thinner than for crystalline silicon solar cells and still 10 times thinner than for current inorganic thin film cells. The low material consumption per area and the easy processing of organic semiconductors offer a huge potential for low cost large area solar cells. However, to compete with inorganic solar cells the efficiency of organic solar cells has to be improved by a factor of 2-3. Several organic semiconducting materials have been investigated so far, but the optimum material still has to be designed. Similar as for organic light emitting devices (OLED small molecules are competing with polymers to become the material of choice. After a general introduction into the device structures and operational principles of organic solar cells the three different basic types (all polymer based, all small molecules based and small molecules mixed with polymers are described in detail in this review. For each kind the current state of research is described and the best of class reported efficiencies are listed.

Identity vicissitudes in work organizations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giovanni Di Stefano

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Today’s pressing scientific and technological changes, while having an impact on the organizational life of our post-industrial world, are producing drastic transformations within organizations, creating in workers new feelings of anxiety and uncertainty. The features of the present state of crises - instability, uncertainty, weakening of family bonds – define a peculiar social and psychological uneasiness, proper of our time, as a consequence of the technological business culture prevailing today, which is destabilizing the institutional role of organizations, namely fixing the various forms of personal identity. This contribution offers, also by presenting a training experience in a business setting, a critical psycho-socio-analysis of the roles that individuals and organizations must presently face to foster development and, at the same time, provides directions to avoid the perverse drift of today’s culture and promote the identity process through the reactivation of the learning/changing capacity aimed at the definition of new shared meanings.Keywords: Identity; Organization; Psycho-socio-analysis

Identity vicissitudes in work organizations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giovanni Di Stefano

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Today’s pressing scientific and technological changes, while having an impact on the organizational life of our post-industrial world, are producing drastic transformations within organizations, creating in workers new feelings of anxiety and uncertainty. The features of the present state of crises - instability, uncertainty, weakening of family bonds – define a peculiar social and psychological uneasiness, proper of our time, as a consequence of the technological business culture prevailing today, which is destabilizing the institutional role of organizations, namely fixing the various forms of personal identity. This contribution offers, also by presenting a training experience in a business setting, a critical psycho-socio-analysis of the roles that individuals and organizations must presently face to foster development and, at the same time, provides directions to avoid the perverse drift of today’s culture and promote the identity process through the reactivation of the learning/changing capacity aimed at the definition of new shared meanings.Keywords: identity, organization, psycho-socio-analysis

Valence effects of sorption: laboratory control of valence state

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meyer, R.E.; Arnold, W.D.; Case, F.I.

1984-01-01

Estimation of the rates of migration of nuclides from nuclear waste repositories required knowledge of the interaction of these nuclides with the components of the geological formations in the path of the migration. These interactions will be dependent upon the valence state and speciation of the nuclide. If the valence state is not known, then there can be little confidence in use of the data for safety analysis. An electrochemical method of valence state control was developed which makes use of a porous electrode in a flow system containing a column of the adsorbent. By use of this method and solvent extraction analyses of the valence states, a number of reactions of interest to HLW repositories were investigated. These include the reduction of Np(V) and Tc(VII) by crushed basalt and other minerals. For the reduction of Np(V) by basalt, the experiments indicate that sorption on basalt increases with pH and that most of the Np is reduced to Np(IV). The adsorbed Np(IV) is very difficult to remove from the basalt. For the experiments with Tc(VII), the results are considerably more complicated. The results of these experiments are used to assess some of the techniques and methods currently used in safety analyses of proposed HLW repositories. Perhaps the most important consideration is that predictive modeling of valence change reactions, such as the reduction of Np(V) and Tc(VII), must be used with considerable caution, and the occurrence of such reactions should be verified as best as possible with experiments using valence state control and analyses. 13 references, 3 figures, 1 table

DIST: a computer code system for calculation of distribution ratios of solutes in the purex system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tachimori, Shoichi [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan). Tokai Research Establishment

1996-05-01

Purex is a solvent extraction process for reprocessing the spent nuclear fuel using tri n-butylphosphate (TBP). A computer code system DIST has been developed to calculate distribution ratios for the major solutes in the Purex process. The DIST system is composed of database storing experimental distribution data of U(IV), U(VI), Pu(III), Pu(IV), Pu(VI), Np(IV), Np(VI), HNO{sub 3} and HNO{sub 2}: DISTEX and of Zr(IV), Tc(VII): DISTEXFP and calculation programs to calculate distribution ratios of U(IV), U(VI), Pu(III), Pu(IV), Pu(VI), Np(IV), Np(VI), HNO{sub 3} and HNO{sub 2}(DIST1), and Zr(IV), Tc(VII)(DITS2). The DIST1 and DIST2 determine, by the best-fit procedures, the most appropriate values of many parameters put on empirical equations by using the DISTEX data which fulfill the assigned conditions and are applied to calculate distribution ratios of the respective solutes. Approximately 5,000 data were stored in the DISTEX and DISTEXFP. In the present report, the following items are described, 1) specific features of DIST1 and DIST2 codes and the examples of calculation 2) explanation of databases, DISTEX, DISTEXFP and a program DISTIN, which manages the data in the DISTEX and DISTEXFP by functions as input, search, correction and delete. and at the annex, 3) programs of DIST1, DIST2, and figure-drawing programs DIST1G and DIST2G 4) user manual for DISTIN. 5) source programs of DIST1 and DIST2. 6) the experimental data stored in the DISTEX and DISTEXFP. (author). 122 refs.

Kinetics of Np(4) oxidation reaction by persulphate in nitric acid solution in the presence of ferric ions as catalyst

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koltunov, V S; Marchenko, V I

1976-01-01

The kinetics of the reaction Np(IV) + Fe(III) = Np(V) + Fe(II)was investigated by a spectrophotometric method according to observation of the consumption of Np(IV) at 720 nm in a solution of HNO/sub 3/ + NaNO/sub 3/ in the concentration range; (F(III))equal (5.12-102.4).10/sup -3/ M, (H+) equal 0.14-1 M, (NO/sub 3//sup -/) = 0.5-2 M at an ionic strength of the solution ..mu.. = 0.2-2 and temperatures of 25-46/sup 0/C. To exclude the reverse reaction, (3-6).10/sup -2/ M (NH/sub 4/)/sub 2/S/sub 2/O/sub 8/, which rapidly oxidizes Fe(II), was added to the solution. The possible oxidation of Np(V) to Np(VI) was prevented by the addition of small quantities of N/sub 2/H/sub 4/. It was shown that the reaction rate is described by the equation -d(Np(IV))/dt=k(Np(IV))(Fe(III))/(H/sup +/)/sup 3/. where k = 0.490 +- 0.026 M/sup 2/.min/sup -1/ at 25/sup 0/ and ..mu.. = 1. The No/sub 3//sup -/ ions inhibit the reaction in the interval (NO/sub 3//sup -/) = 0-1 M and do not influence it at (NO/sub 3//sup -/) > 1 M. On the basis of an investigation of the dependence of k on the temperature, the energy (E = 32.5 kcal/mole), free energy (..delta..F* = 20.3 kcal/mole), and entropy (..delta..S* = 39 entropy units) of activation of the reaction were calculated. The reaction mechanism is discussed.

Phosphorescence lifetimes of organic light-emitting diodes from two-component time-dependent density functional theory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kühn, Michael [Institut für Physikalische Chemie, Karlsruher Institut für Technologie, Kaiserstraße 12, 76131 Karlsruhe (Germany); Weigend, Florian, E-mail: florian.weigend@kit.edu [Institut für Physikalische Chemie, Karlsruher Institut für Technologie, Kaiserstraße 12, 76131 Karlsruhe (Germany); Institut für Nanotechnologie, Karlsruher Institut für Technologie, Postfach 3640, 76021 Karlsruhe (Germany)

2014-12-14

“Spin-forbidden” transitions are calculated for an eight-membered set of iridium-containing candidate molecules for organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) using two-component time-dependent density functional theory. Phosphorescence lifetimes (obtained from averaging over relevant excitations) are compared to experimental data. Assessment of parameters like non-distorted and distorted geometric structures, density functionals, relativistic Hamiltonians, and basis sets was done by a thorough study for Ir(ppy){sub 3} focussing not only on averaged phosphorescence lifetimes, but also on the agreement of the triplet substate structure with experimental data. The most favorable methods were applied to an eight-membered test set of OLED candidate molecules; Boltzmann-averaged phosphorescence lifetimes were investigated concerning the convergence with the number of excited states and the changes when including solvent effects. Finally, a simple model for sorting out molecules with long averaged phosphorescence lifetimes is developed by visual inspection of computationally easily achievable one-component frontier orbitals.

A sense of time: how molecular clocks organize metabolism.

Science.gov (United States)

Kohsaka, Akira; Bass, Joseph

2007-01-01

The discovery of an internal temporal clockwork that coordinates behavior and metabolism according to the rising and setting of the sun was first revealed in flies and plants. However, in the past decade, a molecular transcription-translation feedback loop with similar properties has also been identified in mammals. In mammals, this transcriptional oscillator programs 24-hour cycles in sleep, activity and feeding within the master pacemaker neurons of the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus. More recent studies have shown that the core transcription mechanism is also present in other locations within the brain, in addition to many peripheral tissues. Processes ranging from glucose transport to gluconeogenesis, lipolysis, adipogenesis and mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation are controlled through overlapping transcription networks that are tied to the clock and are thus time sensitive. Because disruption of tissue timing occurs when food intake, activity and sleep are altered, understanding how these many tissue clocks are synchronized to tick at the same time each day, and determining how each tissue 'senses time' set by these molecular clocks might open new insight into human disease, including disorders of sleep, circadian disruption, diabetes and obesity.

Flexibility of Enzymes Suspended in Organic Solvents Probed by Time-Resolved Fluorescence Anisotropy. Evidence That Enzyme Activity and Enantioselectivity Are Directly Related to Enzyme Flexibility

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Broos, Jaap; Visser, Antonie J.W.G.; Engbersen, Johan F.J.; Verboom, Willem; Hoek, Arie van; Reinhoudt, David N.

1995-01-01

A time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy study on the molecular flexibility of active-site labeled anthraniloyl-α-chymotrypsin, dansylsubtilisin Carlsberg, and native subtilisin Carlsberg, suspended in organic solvents, is described. The internal rotational mobility of the fluorophore in the

High emergency organ allocation rule in lung transplantation: a simulation study.

Science.gov (United States)

Riou, Julien; Boëlle, Pierre-Yves; Christie, Jason D; Thabut, Gabriel

2017-10-01

The scarcity of suitable organ donors leads to protracted waiting times and mortality in patients awaiting lung transplantation. This study aims to assess the short- and long-term effects of a high emergency organ allocation policy on the outcome of lung transplantation. We developed a simulation model of lung transplantation waiting queues under two allocation strategies, based either on waiting time only or on additional criteria to prioritise the sickest patients. The model was informed by data from the United Network for Organ Sharing. We compared the impact of these strategies on waiting time, waiting list mortality and overall survival in various situations of organ scarcity. The impact of a high emergency allocation strategy depends largely on the organ supply. When organ supply is sufficient (>95 organs per 100 patients), it may prevent a small number of early deaths (1 year survival: 93.7% against 92.4% for waiting time only) without significant impact on waiting times or long-term survival. When the organ/recipient ratio is lower, the benefits in early mortality are larger but are counterbalanced by a dramatic increase of the size of the waiting list. Consequently, we observed a progressive increase of mortality on the waiting list (although still lower than with waiting time only), a deterioration of patients' condition at transplant and a decrease of post-transplant survival times. High emergency organ allocation is an effective strategy to reduce mortality on the waiting list, but causes a disruption of the list equilibrium that may have detrimental long-term effects in situations of significant organ scarcity.

Organization of multidimensnonal measurements on the UNO-4096-90 analyzer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zajtsev, M.Yu.; Regushevskij, V.I.

1984-01-01

Organization of multidimensional analysis on the UNO-4096-90 analyzer and VECTOR system units is described. Analyzer for displacement of spectrometric units possesses a special frame of input units in which each unit is assinged to its own place. Development of the UNO-4096-90 analyzer and VECTOR system converters enabled to organize the multidimensional analysis under one of the following regimes: amplitude-amplitude, time-amplitude, time-time, amplitude-time with the use of time expander, multitransducer amplitude or time. Mentioned regimes were tested in operation, and gained experience enables to note that organized multidimensional regimes of analysis satisfy the experiment requirements

Rare earth (3) pivalates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuz'mina, N.P.; Martynenko, L.I.; Zoan An' Tu; Ch'eu Tkhi Nguet; Troyanov, S.I.; Rykov, A.N.; Korenev, Yu.M.

1994-01-01

Depending on synthesis conditions rare earth pivalates can be obtained in the form of either adducts NPiv·HPiv or hydrates MPiv 3 ·mH 2 O. Adducts are the most stable form of pivalates. Heating of adducts result in formation of corresponding MPiv 3 . MPiv 3 ·nHPiv compounds are characterized by IR-spectroscopy and thermal analysis data. Behaviour of MPiv 3 was studied in the regime of vacuum sublemation. Using mass spectroscopy of NdPiv 3 it was shown that gaseous phase above MPiv 3 had complex composition and contained ligomer fragments. X-ray structure analysis of [NdPiv 3 ·3HPiv] was conducted

The influence of desulfovibrio desulfuricans on neptunium chemistry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soderholm, L.; Williams, C.; Antonio, M. R.; Tischler, M. L.; Markos, M.

1999-01-01

The role of biotic Np(V) reduction is studied in light of its potential role in the environmental immobilization of this hazardous radionuclide. The speciation of Np in Desulfovibrio desulfuricans cultures is compared with Np speciation in the spent medium and in the uninoculated medium. Precipitates formed in all three samples. Optical spectroscopy and X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) were used to determine that Np(V) is almost quantitatively reduced in all three samples and that the precipitate is an amorphous Np(IV) species. These results demonstrate that the reduction of Np is independent of Desulfovibrio desulfuricans. The underlying chemistry associated with these results is discussed

A Novel Real-Time Coal Miner Localization and Tracking System Based on Self-Organized Sensor Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wang Yang

2010-01-01

Full Text Available With the development of information technology, we envision that the key of improving coal mine safety is how to get real-time positions of miners. In this paper, we propose a prototype system for real-time coal miner localization and tracking based on self-organized sensor networks. The system is composed of hardware and software platform. We develop a set of localization hardware devices with the Safety Certificate of Approval for Mining Products include miner node, wired fixed access station, and base with optical port. On the software side, we develop a layered software architecture of node application, server management, and information dissemination and broadcasting. We also develop three key localization technologies: an underground localization algorithm using received signal strength indication- (RSSI- verifying algorithm to reduce the influence of the severe environment in a coal mine; a robust fault-tolerant localization mechanism to improve the inherent defect of instability of RSSI localization; an accurate localization algorithm based on Monte Carlo localization (MCL to adapt to the underground tunnel structure. In addition, we conduct an experimental evaluation based on a real prototype implementation using MICA2 motes. The results show that our system is more accurate and more adaptive in general than traditional localization algorithms.

Organic food and farming

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kledal, Paul Rye

The paper is based on research conducted for DARCOF II (Danish Research Centre for Organic Farming, www.darcof.dk). The aim of the research project is to analyze the future development of the Danish organic food sector through focusing on two agro-commodities: vegetables and pork. Emphasis...... is placed on identification of economic forces within the supply chains. The main conclusions of the paper – being the results from the organic vegetable chain – are that the rules and regulations, and the development of alternative transaction processes in organic food and farming have so far been founded...... conventional farmers – declining prices, concentration of production and shift in bargaining power to the retailers. Logically, this situation will lead eventually to increasing conflicts between organic values and their subordination to free market forces, i.e. conventionalization. In the same time retailers...

Organic electrochemical transistors

Science.gov (United States)

Rivnay, Jonathan; Inal, Sahika; Salleo, Alberto; Owens, Róisín M.; Berggren, Magnus; Malliaras, George G.

2018-02-01

Organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) make effective use of ion injection from an electrolyte to modulate the bulk conductivity of an organic semiconductor channel. The coupling between ionic and electronic charges within the entire volume of the channel endows OECTs with high transconductance compared with that of field-effect transistors, but also limits their response time. The synthetic tunability, facile deposition and biocompatibility of organic materials make OECTs particularly suitable for applications in biological interfacing, printed logic circuitry and neuromorphic devices. In this Review, we discuss the physics and the mechanism of operation of OECTs, focusing on their identifying characteristics. We highlight organic materials that are currently being used in OECTs and survey the history of OECT technology. In addition, form factors, fabrication technologies and applications such as bioelectronics, circuits and memory devices are examined. Finally, we take a critical look at the future of OECT research and development.

Organic electrochemical transistors

KAUST Repository

Rivnay, Jonathan

2018-01-16

Organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) make effective use of ion injection from an electrolyte to modulate the bulk conductivity of an organic semiconductor channel. The coupling between ionic and electronic charges within the entire volume of the channel endows OECTs with high transconductance compared with that of field-effect transistors, but also limits their response time. The synthetic tunability, facile deposition and biocompatibility of organic materials make OECTs particularly suitable for applications in biological interfacing, printed logic circuitry and neuromorphic devices. In this Review, we discuss the physics and the mechanism of operation of OECTs, focusing on their identifying characteristics. We highlight organic materials that are currently being used in OECTs and survey the history of OECT technology. In addition, form factors, fabrication technologies and applications such as bioelectronics, circuits and memory devices are examined. Finally, we take a critical look at the future of OECT research and development.

Changing the paradigm of organ utilization from PHS increased-risk donors: an opportunity whose time has come?

Science.gov (United States)

Sibulesky, Lena; Javed, Imran; Reyes, Jorge D; Limaye, Ajit P

2015-09-01

Approximately 8-11% of all organ donors are classified by Public Health Service (PHS) as increased-risk. The proportion of PHS increased-risk donors is on the rise. At the University of Washington Medical Center, in 2014, the proportion of transplants from PHS increased-risk donors was 28% of liver transplants and 23% of kidney transplants. Nationally, transplant providers have been reluctant to use organs from PHS increased-risk donors because of concern for transmission of HIV, HCV, or HBV. There is also patient apprehension when these organs are being offered, and thus the discard rate of these otherwise good quality organs is high. Because of the organ shortage, preventing underutilization of such organs is essential. We provide data and considerations that should be used to guide the use of organs from PHS increased-risk donors. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Near-Infrared to Visible Organic Upconversion Devices Based on Organic Light-Emitting Field Effect Transistors.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Dongwei; Hu, Yongsheng; Zhang, Nan; Lv, Ying; Lin, Jie; Guo, Xiaoyang; Fan, Yi; Luo, Jinsong; Liu, Xingyuan

2017-10-18

The near-infrared (NIR) to visible upconversion devices have attracted great attention because of their potential applications in the fields of night vision, medical imaging, and military security. Herein, a novel all-organic upconversion device architecture has been first proposed and developed by incorporating a NIR absorption layer between the carrier transport layer and the emission layer in heterostructured organic light-emitting field effect transistors (OLEFETs). The as-prepared devices show a typical photon-to-photon upconversion efficiency as high as 7% (maximum of 28.7% under low incident NIR power intensity) and millisecond-scale response time, which are the highest upconversion efficiency and one of the fastest response time among organic upconversion devices as referred to the previous reports up to now. The high upconversion performance mainly originates from the gain mechanism of field-effect transistor structures and the unique advantage of OLEFETs to balance between the photodetection and light emission. Meanwhile, the strategy of OLEFETs also offers the advantage of high integration so that no extra OLED is needed in the organic upconversion devices. The results would pave way for low-cost, flexible and portable organic upconversion devices with high efficiency and simplified processing.

An ortholog of LEAFY in Jatropha curcas regulates flowering time and floral organ development.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Mingyong; Tao, Yan-Bin; Fu, Qiantang; Song, Yaling; Niu, Longjian; Xu, Zeng-Fu

2016-11-21

Jatropha curcas seeds are an excellent biofuel feedstock, but seed yields of Jatropha are limited by its poor flowering and fruiting ability. Thus, identifying genes controlling flowering is critical for genetic improvement of seed yield. We isolated the JcLFY, a Jatropha ortholog of Arabidopsis thaliana LEAFY (LFY), and identified JcLFY function by overexpressing it in Arabidopsis and Jatropha. JcLFY is expressed in Jatropha inflorescence buds, flower buds, and carpels, with highest expression in the early developmental stage of flower buds. JcLFY overexpression induced early flowering, solitary flowers, and terminal flowers in Arabidopsis, and also rescued the delayed flowering phenotype of lfy-15, a LFY loss-of-function Arabidopsis mutant. Microarray and qPCR analysis revealed several flower identity and flower organ development genes were upregulated in JcLFY-overexpressing Arabidopsis. JcLFY overexpression in Jatropha also induced early flowering. Significant changes in inflorescence structure, floral organs, and fruit shape occurred in JcLFY co-suppressed plants in which expression of several flower identity and floral organ development genes were changed. This suggests JcLFY is involved in regulating flower identity, floral organ patterns, and fruit shape, although JcLFY function in Jatropha floral meristem determination is not as strong as that of Arabidopsis.

Consistent left-right asymmetry cannot be established by late organizers in Xenopus unless the late organizer is a conjoined twin.

Science.gov (United States)

Vandenberg, Laura N; Levin, Michael

2010-04-01

How embryos consistently orient asymmetries of the left-right (LR) axis is an intriguing question, as no macroscopic environmental cues reliably distinguish left from right. Especially unclear are the events coordinating LR patterning with the establishment of the dorsoventral (DV) axes and midline determination in early embryos. In frog embryos, consistent physiological and molecular asymmetries manifest by the second cell cleavage; however, models based on extracellular fluid flow at the node predict correct de novo asymmetry orientation during neurulation. We addressed these issues in Xenopus embryos by manipulating the timing and location of dorsal organizer induction: the primary dorsal organizer was ablated by UV irradiation, and a new organizer was induced at various locations, either early, by mechanical rotation, or late, by injection of lithium chloride (at 32 cells) or of the transcription factor XSiamois (which functions after mid-blastula transition). These embryos were then analyzed for the position of three asymmetric organs. Whereas organizers rescued before cleavage properly oriented the LR axis 90% of the time, organizers induced in any position at any time after the 32-cell stage exhibited randomized laterality. Late organizers were unable to correctly orient the LR axis even when placed back in their endogenous location. Strikingly, conjoined twins produced by late induction of ectopic organizers did have normal asymmetry. These data reveal that although correct LR orientation must occur no later than early cleavage stages in singleton embryos, a novel instructive influence from an early organizer can impose normal asymmetry upon late organizers in the same cell field.

Independent organ donor facilities: The future of organ donation?

Science.gov (United States)

Bruzzone, Paolo

2014-01-01

Since 2001 independent Organ Donor Facilities(OFOs) have been proposed within Organ Procurement Organizations (OPOs) with the aim of reducing organ procurement costs 1, cold ischemia time of donor organs and the flight-related risk 2 for donor surgeons, perfusionists and coordinators. An independent OFO has been established in 2001 in St. Louis 3, half away between the 2 Transplant Centers (TCs) (Washington University School of Medicine and St. Louis University) and now includes a two-bed intensive care facility, a complete laboratory, a cardiac catheterization facility, a Computed Tomography (CT) scanner and an operating room. All brain-dead (BD) patients within OPO (Mid-America Transplant Services), after family's informed consent, are transferred, if necessary by an OPO owned and operated airplane, to this facility, where undergo multiorgan harvesting. By doing so the organ acquisition charges (OACs) apparently decreased, as well as delay in recovery, which can affect organ viability and move families to withdraw consent; also risks and tiring of transplant surgeons were reduced. This independent OFO successfully procured in 2001 not only livers, but also pancreas, kidneys, hearts and lungs 4-6. Cold ischemia time was reduced and there was no Primary Non Function (PNF) of harvested organs, but only kidney delayed graft function (DGF). In the past, heart donors were moved to the recipient's hospital. With the development of multiorgan harvesting, usually donor surgeons are sent by the TCs in order to evaluate liver, pancreas, heart and lungs, while the only local surgeons is the "nephrectomist", that in local hospital is not a transplant surgeon. To move a donor, although hemodinamically stable, is always a risk. Finally, the decrease of OAC must balance the extra expenses to create and operate independent OFOs. In all the papers published by the members of this OFO, the control group of the retrospective analysis consisted of less selected BD donors, requiring

Working time autonomy and time adequacy: What if performance is all that counts?

OpenAIRE

Lott, Yvonne

2014-01-01

To be able to combine work with activities and duties outside the workplace successfully, employees need time adequacy. Time adequacy is the fit between working time and all other time demands and can be achieved through working time flexibility and autonomy. However, past research has shown that working time flexibility and autonomy do not necessarily foster employees' time sovereignty. Studies suggest that the benefits of working time arrangements depend on work organization. Analyzing perf...

Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry in the identification of organic compounds in atmospheric aerosols from coniferous forest

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kallio, M.; Jussila, M.; Rissanen, T.; Anttila, P.; Hartonen, K.; Reissell, A.; Vreuls, R.J.J.; Adahchour, M.; Hyotylainen, T.

2006-01-01

Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC × GC-TOF-MS) was applied in the identification of organic compounds in atmospheric aerosols from coniferous forest. The samples were collected at Hyytiälä, Finland, as part of the QUEST campaign, in

The human body retention time of environmental organically bound Tritium : preliminary analysis of results from a volunteer study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hunt, John; Bailey, Trevor; Reese, Allan

2008-01-01

Tritium in the UK environment causes low radiation doses to the public, but uncertainty exists in the dose coefficient for the organically-bound component of tritium (OBT). This can affect the assessment of effective doses to representative persons. Contributing to that uncertainty is poor knowledge of the body retention time of OBT and how this varies for different OBT compounds in food. This study was undertaken to measure the retention time of tritium by volunteers after eating sole from Cardiff Bay, which may contain OBT from discharges from the GE Healthcare Ltd. plant. Five volunteers provided samples of excreta over periods up to 150 days after intake. Preliminary analysis of the results suggests retention of total tritium with body half-times ranging from 4 to 11 days, with no evidence of a significant contribution due to retention with a longer half-time. This range covers the half-time of 10 days used by the ICRP for tritiated water. The short timescale could be due to rapid hydrolysis in body tissues of the particular form of OBT used in this study. Implications for the dose coefficient for OBT are that the use of the ICRP value of 4.2 10- 11 Sv Bq -1 may be cautious in this specific situation, and the value of 1.6 10 -11 Sv Bq-1 used by the ICRP for tritiated water might even be more appropriate. These observations on dose coefficients are separate from any implications of recent discussion on whether the tritium radiation weighting factor should be increased from 1 to 2. (author)

New device for time-averaged measurement of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Science.gov (United States)

Santiago Sánchez, Noemí; Tejada Alarcón, Sergio; Tortajada Santonja, Rafael; Llorca-Pórcel, Julio

2014-07-01

Contamination by volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the environment is an increasing concern since these compounds are harmful to ecosystems and even to human health. Actually, many of them are considered toxic and/or carcinogenic. The main sources of pollution come from very diffuse focal points such as industrial discharges, urban water and accidental spills as these compounds may be present in many products and processes (i.e., paints, fuels, petroleum products, raw materials, solvents, etc.) making their control difficult. The presence of these compounds in groundwater, influenced by discharges, leachate or effluents of WWTPs is especially problematic. In recent years, law has been increasingly restrictive with the emissions of these compounds. From an environmental point of view, the European Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) sets out some VOCs as priority substances. This binding directive sets guidelines to control compounds such as benzene, chloroform, and carbon tetrachloride to be at a very low level of concentration and with a very high frequency of analysis. The presence of VOCs in the various effluents is often highly variable and discontinuous since it depends on the variability of the sources of contamination. Therefore, in order to have complete information of the presence of these contaminants and to effectively take preventive measures, it is important to continuously control, requiring the development of new devices which obtain average concentrations over time. As of today, due to technical limitations, there are no devices on the market that allow continuous sampling of these compounds in an efficient way and to facilitate sufficient detection limits to meet the legal requirements which are capable of detecting very sporadic and of short duration discharges. LABAQUA has developed a device which consists of a small peristaltic pump controlled by an electronic board that governs its operation by pre-programming. A constant flow passes

Framework for Analysis and Insightful Action in Organizations.

Science.gov (United States)

Goddu, Roland

The intent of this document is to provide a frame of reference to help a person in any organization assess where the organization is; what might be happening next to the organization; and in what ways he/she can influence the organization in an effective, useful, timely, and functional manner. The structure of most organizations is the result of a…

Timing of RNA synthesis for sperimiogenesis in organ cultures of Drosophila melanogaster teste

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gould-Somero, M; Holland, L

1974-01-01

A method for the organ culture of Drosophila testes is described which supports the differentiation of primary spermatocytes through the meiotic divisions to elongating spermatids. Autoradiographic and inhibitor studies reveal no evidence for RNA synthesis by developing spermatids of Drosophila melanogaster; most, if not all, of the RNA required for the differentiation and elongation of sperm is synthesized earlier in the primary spermatocytes. Primary spermatocytes will differentiate into elongating spermatids in organ culture, despite severe (96 to 98%) inhibition of /sup 3/H-uridine incorporation into RNA effected by 50 ..mu..g/ml 3'-deoxyadenosine. Protein synthesis in spermatids continues to be active in the presence of 3'-deoxyadenosine, but that in growing spermatocytes is severely inhibited.

Memorized discrete systems and time-delay

CERN Document Server

Luo, Albert C J

2017-01-01

This book examines discrete dynamical systems with memory—nonlinear systems that exist extensively in biological organisms and financial and economic organizations, and time-delay systems that can be discretized into the memorized, discrete dynamical systems. It book further discusses stability and bifurcations of time-delay dynamical systems that can be investigated through memorized dynamical systems as well as bifurcations of memorized nonlinear dynamical systems, discretization methods of time-delay systems, and periodic motions to chaos in nonlinear time-delay systems. The book helps readers find analytical solutions of MDS, change traditional perturbation analysis in time-delay systems, detect motion complexity and singularity in MDS; and determine stability, bifurcation, and chaos in any time-delay system.

Opposition multiple objective symbiotic organisms search (OMOSOS for time, cost, quality and work continuity tradeoff in repetitive projects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Duc-Hoc Tran

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Construction managers often face with projects containing multiple units wherein activities repeat from unit to unit. Therefore effective resource management is crucial in terms of project duration, cost and quality. Accordingly, researchers have developed several models to aid planners in developing practical and near-optimal schedules for repetitive projects. Despite their undeniable benefits, such models lack the ability of pure simultaneous optimization because existing methodologies optimize the schedule with respect to a single factor, to achieve minimum duration, total cost, resource work breaks or various combinations, respectively. This study introduces a novel approach called “opposition multiple objective symbiotic organisms search” (OMOSOS for scheduling repetitive projects. The proposed algorithm used an opposition-based learning technique for population initialization and for generation jumping. Further, this study integrated a scheduling module (M1 to determine all project objectives including time, cost, quality and interruption. The proposed algorithm was implemented on two application examples in order to demonstrate its capabilities in optimizing the scheduling of repetitive construction projects. The results indicate that the OMOSOS approach is a powerful optimization technique and can assist project managers in selecting appropriate plan for project. Keywords: Symbiotic organisms search, Multi-objective analysis, Resource tradeoff, Schedules, Repetitive

Aging of Organic Nanowires

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Balzer, Frank; Schiek, Manuela; Osadnik, Andreas

2012-01-01

Organic semiconductors formed by epitaxial growth from small molecules such as the para-phenylenes or squaraines promise a vast application potential as the active ingredient in electric and optoelectronic devices. Their self-organization into organic nanowires or "nanofibers" adds a peculiar...... attribute, making them especially interesting for light generation in OLEDs and for light-harvesting devices such as solar cells. Functionalization of the molecules allows the customization of optical and electrical properties. However, aging of the wires might lead to a considerable decrease in device...... performance over time. In this study the morphological stability of organic nanoclusters and nanowires from the methoxy functionalized quaterphenylene, 4,4'''dimethoxy-1,1':4',1''4'',1'''-quaterphenylene (MOP4), is investigated in detail. Aging experiments conducted by atomic force microscopy under ambient...

Successful time management

CERN Document Server

Forsyth, Patrick

2016-01-01

Packed with tips and techniques, Successful Time Management serves as a guide to reviewing and assessing new work practices to improve time management. It includes great time-saving ideas, practical solutions, checklists, and advice on controlling paperwork, delegating and working with others, prioritizing to focus on key issues, and getting and staying organized. This new third edition contains new practical tips on using email in a time effective manner and dealing with other internet-based tools and apps to help productivity.

Low-Value Service Use in Provider Organizations.

Science.gov (United States)

Schwartz, Aaron L; Zaslavsky, Alan M; Landon, Bruce E; Chernew, Michael E; McWilliams, J Michael

2018-02-01

To assess whether provider organizations exhibit distinct profiles of low-value service provision. 2007-2011 Medicare fee-for-service claims and enrollment data. Use of 31 services that provide minimal clinical benefit was measured for 4,039,733 beneficiaries served by 3,137 provider organizations. Variation across organizations, persistence within organizations over time, and correlations in use of different types of low-value services within organizations were estimated via multilevel modeling, with adjustment for beneficiary sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Organizations provided 45.6 low-value services per 100 beneficiaries on average, with considerable variation across organizations (90th/10th percentile ratio, 1.78; 95 percent CI, 1.72-1.84), including substantial between-organization variation within hospital referral regions (90th/10th percentile ratio, 1.66; 95 percent CI, 1.60-1.71). Low-value service use within organizations was highly correlated over time (r, 0.98; 95 percent CI, 0.97-0.99) and positively correlated between 13 of 15 pairs of service categories (average r, 0.26; 95 percent CI, 0.24-0.28), with the greatest correlation between low-value imaging and low-value cardiovascular testing and procedures (r, 0.54). Use of low-value services in provider organizations exhibited substantial variation, high persistence, and modest consistency across service types. These findings are consistent with organizations shaping the practice patterns of affiliated physicians. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

Timing training in three children with diplegic cerebral palsy: Short- and long-term effects on upper-limb movement organization and functioning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna-Maria eJohansson

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Despite the great need of interventions to maintain and improve motor functions in children with diplegic cerebral palsy (DCP, scientific evaluations of existing training methods are rare. This study aimed to explore individual effects of synchronized metronome training (SMT on motor timing, spatio-temporal movement organization, and subjective experiences of changes in upper-limb functions in three children with DCP. All children participated in an individualized 4-week/12 session SMT training regime. Measurements before training (Pre, after training (Post1 and at 6 months post completed training (Post2 were made by the applied SMT training equipment, optoelectronic registrations of goal-directed upper-limb movements, and a questionnaire assessing subjective experiences of changes in upper-limb functions and usability. In general, the training regime was shown to have little effect on motor timing. However, some positive changes in spatio-temporal movement organization were found. Two children also reported substantial long-lasting positive changes in subjective experiences of hand/arm functionality in terms of increased movement control and reduced muscle tone. For these children, parallel kinematic findings also indicated smoother and faster movement trajectories that remained at Post2. Although highly individualized, the shown improvements in upper-limb kinematics and subjective experiences of improved functionality of the hands/arms for two of the cases warrant further explorations of SMT outcomes in children with DCP.

Collective identity formation in hybrid organizations.

OpenAIRE

Boulongne , Romain; Boxenbaum , Eva

2015-01-01

International audience; The present article examines the process of collective identity formation in the context of hybrid organizing. Empirically, we investigate hybrid organizing in a collaborative structure at the interface of two heterogeneous organizations in the domain of new renewable energies. We draw on the literature on knowledge sharing across organizational boundaries, particularly the notions of transfer, translation and transformation, to examine in real time how knowledge shari...

A case study on identification of airborne organic compounds and time courses of their concentrations in the cabin of a new car for private use.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoshida, Toshiaki; Matsunaga, Ichiro

2006-01-01

The cabin of an automobile can be considered to be a part of the living environment because many people spend long periods of time during business, shopping, recreation or travel activities. However, little is known about the interior air contamination due to organic compounds diffusing from the interior materials used in the interior of automobiles. In the present study, the compounds in the interior air of a new car were identified, and the time courses of their concentrations were examined for over 3 years after the delivery (July, 1999). A total of 162 organic compounds, involving many aliphatic hydrocarbons and aromatic hydrocarbons, were identified. High concentrations of n-nonane (458 microg/m(3) on the day following delivery), n-decane (1301 microg/m(3)), n-undecane (1616 microg/m(3)), n-dodecane (716 microg/m(3)), n-tridecane (320 microg/m(3)), 1-hexadecene (768 microg/m(3)), ethylbenzene (361 microg/m(3)), xylene (4003 microg/m(3)) and 2,2'-azobis(isobutyronitrile) (429 microg/m(3)) were detected, and the sum of the concentrations determined for all compounds excluding formaldehyde (TVOC) was approximately 14 mg/m(3) on the day after the delivery. The concentrations of most compounds decreased with time, but increased with a rise of the interior temperature. The TVOC concentration in the next summer (July, 2000) was approximately one-tenth of the initial concentration. During the 3-year study period, the TVOC concentrations in summer exceeded the indoor guideline value (300 mug/m(3)) proposed by [Seifert B. Volatile organic compounds. In: Maroni M, Seifert B, Lindvall T, editors. Indoor air quality. A comprehensive reference book. Air quality monographs, vol. 3. Netherlands: Elsevier Science; 1995. p. 819-21]. The interior temperature and days lapsed after delivery were the main factors affecting the interior concentrations of most compounds according to multiple linear regression analysis. The results of this study offer useful fundamental data for

Thoracic organ transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Pierson, Richard N; Barr, Mark L; McCullough, Keith P; Egan, Thomas; Garrity, Edward; Jessup, Mariell; Murray, Susan

2004-01-01

This article presents an overview of factors associated with thoracic transplantation outcomes over the past decade and provides valuable information regarding the heart, lung, and heart-lung waiting lists and thoracic organ transplant recipients. Waiting list and post-transplant information is used to assess the importance of patient demographics, risk factors, and primary cardiopulmonary disease on outcomes. The time that the typical listed patient has been waiting for a heart, lung, or heart-lung transplant has markedly increased over the past decade, while the number of transplants performed has declined slightly and survival after transplant has plateaued. Waiting list mortality, however, appears to be declining for each organ and for most diseases and high-severity subgroups, perhaps in response to recent changes in organ allocation algorithms. Based on perceived inequity in organ access and in response to a mandate from Health Resources and Services Administration, the lung transplant community is developing a lung allocation system designed to minimize deaths on the waiting list while maximizing the benefit of transplant by incorporating post-transplant survival and quality of life into the algorithm. Areas where improved data collection could inform evolving organ allocation and candidate selection policies are emphasized.

The influence of annealing temperature and time on the efficiency of pentacene: PTCDI organic solar cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehmet Biber

Full Text Available In this study, fabrication of a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon/Perylene Tetracarboxylic Di-Imide (PTCDI, donor/acceptor solar cells are presented using physical vapour deposition technique in a 1000 class glove box. An ITO/PEDOT:PSS/Pentacene/PTCDI/Al (ITO = Indium Tin Oxide and PEDOT:PSS = poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene polystyrene sulfonate solar cell has been obtained and the power conversion efficiency, PCE (η of about 0.33% has been obtained under simulated solar illumination of 300 W/m2. Furthermore, the effects of annealing temperatures (at 100 and 150 °C and of annealing (at 100 °C times for 5 and 10 min. on the power conversion efficiency, η of the solar cells have also been investigated. In general, it has been seen that the thermal annealing deteriorated the characteristics parameters of Pentacene/PTCDI solar cell such that both fill factor, FF and η decreased after annealing and with increase of annealing time. Atomic force microscopy (AFM images showed that the phase segregation and grain size increased and the surface roughness of Pentacene film decreased and these effects reduced the η value. The η values of the solar cell have been determined as 0.33%, 0.12% and 0.06% for pre-annealing, annealing at 100 and 150 °C, respectively. Keywords: Organic solar cells, PTCDI, Pentacene, Annealing

Seropositive abdominal and thoracic donor organs are largely underutilized.

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, R M; Pietroski, R E; Hagan, M; Eisenbrey, A B; Fontana, R J

2010-12-01

The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiology and utilization of anti-hepatitis B core protein(+) and anti-hepatitis C virus(+) organ donor referrals in a large organ procurement organization. Between 1995 and 2006, 3,134 deceased organ donor referrals were tested for anti-HBc and anti-HCV using commercial assays. The prevalence of anti-HCV(+) organ donor referrals significantly increased from 3.4% in 1994-1996 to 8.1% in 2003-2005 (P organ donor referrals remained unchanged at 3%-4% (P = .20). The 112 anti-HBc(+) (3.5%) and 173 anti-HCV(+) (5.5%) organ donor referrals were significantly older and more likely to be noncaucasian than seronegative organ donor referrals (P donor organs were significantly lower compared with seronegative organ donors (P donors over time (21% vs 46%; P = .026), whereas utilization of anti-HCV(+) liver donors remained unchanged over time (5% vs 18%; P = .303). In summary, the proportion of anti-HCV(+) organ donor referrals has significantly increased and the proportion of anti-HBc(+) organ donor referrals has remained stable. Both thoracic and abdominal organs from seropositive donors are largely underutilized. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Attitudes to genetically modified food over time: How trust in organizations and the media cycle predict support.

Science.gov (United States)

Marques, Mathew D; Critchley, Christine R; Walshe, Jarrod

2015-07-01

This research examined public opinion toward genetically modified plants and animals for food, and how trust in organizations and media coverage explained attitudes toward these organisms. Nationally representative samples (N=8821) over 10 years showed Australians were less positive toward genetically modified animals compared to genetically modified plants for food, especially in years where media coverage was high. Structural equation modeling found that positive attitudes toward different genetically modified organisms for food were significantly associated with higher trust in scientists and regulators (e.g. governments), and with lower trust in watchdogs (e.g. environmental movement). Public trust in scientists and watchdogs was a stronger predictor of attitudes toward the use of genetically modified plants for food than animals, but only when media coverage was low. Results are discussed regarding the moral acceptability of genetically modified organisms for food, the media's role in shaping public opinion, and the role public trust in organizations has on attitudes toward genetically modified organisms. © The Author(s) 2014.

Secondary organic aerosol formation by limonene ozonolysis: Parameterizing multi-generational chemistry in ozone- and residence time-limited indoor environments

Science.gov (United States)

Waring, Michael S.

2016-11-01

Terpene ozonolysis reactions can be a strong source of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) indoors. SOA formation can be parameterized and predicted using the aerosol mass fraction (AMF), also known as the SOA yield, which quantifies the mass ratio of generated SOA to oxidized terpene. Limonene is a monoterpene that is at sufficient concentrations such that it reacts meaningfully with ozone indoors. It has two unsaturated bonds, and the magnitude of the limonene ozonolysis AMF varies by a factor of ∼4 depending on whether one or both of its unsaturated bonds are ozonated, which depends on whether ozone is in excess compared to limonene as well as the available time for reactions indoors. Hence, this study developed a framework to predict the limonene AMF as a function of the ozone [O3] and limonene [lim] concentrations and the air exchange rate (AER, h-1), which is the inverse of the residence time. Empirical AMF data were used to calculate a mixing coefficient, β, that would yield a 'resultant AMF' as the combination of the AMFs due to ozonolysis of one or both of limonene's unsaturated bonds, within the volatility basis set (VBS) organic aerosol framework. Then, β was regressed against predictors of log10([O3]/[lim]) and AER (R2 = 0.74). The β increased as the log10([O3]/[lim]) increased and as AER decreased, having the physical meaning of driving the resultant AMF to the upper AMF condition when both unsaturated bonds of limonene are ozonated. Modeling demonstrates that using the correct resultant AMF to simulate SOA formation owing to limonene ozonolysis is crucial for accurate indoor prediction.

A study on enhancement of Np extraction by TBP through the electrochemical adjustment of Np valance by using a glassy carbon fiber column electrode system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, K. W.; Song, K. C.; Lee, I. H.; Choi, I. K.; Yoo, J. H.

1999-01-01

The Np valance state in nitric acid and the effect of nitrous acid on the Np valance composition were studied through ways of absorbance by spectrophotometer, extraction by TBP, and electrochemistry. Enhancement of Np extraction to 30 vol.% TBP was carried out through adjustment of Np valance state by using a glassy carbon fiber column electrode system. The Np solution used in this work consisted of only Np(V) and Np(VI) without Np(IV). The composition of Np(V) in the range of 0.5M ∼ 5.5 M nitric acid was 32% ∼ 19%. The electrolytic oxidation of Np(V) coexisting with Np(VI) in the solution enhanced Np extraction by 30 vol.% TBP about five times more than the one without the electrolytic oxidation. The facts were confirmed that the nitrous acid of less than about 10 -5 M acted as a catalyst to accelerate the chemical oxidation reaction of Np(V) to Np(VI) and the nitrous acid of more than 10 -3 M reduced Np(VI) to Np(V) reversely

Organic electronics emerging concepts and technologies

CERN Document Server

Santato, Clara

2013-01-01

An overview of the tremendous potential of organic electronics, concentrating on those emerging topics and technologies that will form the focus of research over the next five to ten years. The young and energetic team of editors with an excellent research track record has brought together internationally renowned authors to review up-and-coming topics, some for the first time, such as organic spintronics, iontronics, light emitting transistors, organic sensors and advanced structural analysis. As a result, this book serves the needs of experienced researchers in organic electronics, graduate

Am-241 buildup in nematode organisms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martyushov, V.Z.; Tarasov, O.V.

1990-01-01

The process of Am-241 intake into earthworm organisms from chernozem leached in their presence in soil contaminated with this radionuclide is studied. The data on Am-241 buildup values during long-time radionuclide intake into earthworm organisms from soil are given. It s shown that Am-241 buildup in earthworm organisms do not exceed its concentration in soil for the whole observation period (as Am-241 presents in soil in state unavailable for animals). Intensive extraction of the radionuclide from the organisms is observed when earthworm contacts with soil are stopped

Seasonal Changes in Estuarine Dissolved Organic Matter Due to Variations in Discharge, Flushing Times and Wind-driven Mixing Events

Science.gov (United States)

Dixon, Jennifer Louise

Estuaries are highly productive habitats that transport and transform organic matter (OM), experience large changes in ionic composition and act as a transition zone between terrestrial and marine environments (Paerl et al. 1998; Markager et al. 2011; Osburn et al. 2012). OM source and matrix effects (such as salinity and pH) influence the chemical structure of DOM in estuaries and therefore affect its bioavailability, photo-reactivity, and its overall fate in these systems (Jaffe et al. 2004; Boyd et al. 2010; Pace et al. 2012; Osburn et al. 2012; Cawley et al. 2013). Within estuaries, dissolved organic matter (DOM) is a heterogeneous mixture of aromatic and aliphatic compounds, and its composition in aquatic systems varies spatially and temporally with source (Bauer and Bianchi 2011). However, the main source of DOM in estuaries, rivers and other aquatic systems, originates from vascular plant detritus, soil humus, older fossil (i.e., petrogenic) organic carbon, black carbon, marine OM and in situ production (Hedges 2002; Houghton 2007; Bauer and Bianchi 2011). Chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM), the light absorbing fraction of DOM, can be characterized using optical methods such as absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy (e.g. Coble, 1996; Stedmon and Markager, 2003). By analyzing the spatial and temporal variability of DOM and CDOM within estuaries, information pertaining to OM source and fate across the freshwater-marine continuum can be obtained. These methods offer an inexpensive, non-destructive means for obtaining sensitive measurements of a diverse group of organic compounds. By using this technology to analyze the spatial and temporal variability of CDOM within estuaries, information pertaining to OM source and fate across the freshwater-marine continuum can be obtained (Fellman et al. 2011; Osburn et al. 2012; Murphy et al. 2014). Chemical biomarkers are also routinely used to identify DOM sources in coastal waters. Examples are carbon stable

Time Management for Educators.

Science.gov (United States)

Burden, Paul R.

Time management principles can help teachers become more aware of ways in which time can be used to the greatest advantage. An exploration of personal time perspectives is a step toward establishing effective patterns of behavior. Productivity may be high in the morning and low in the late afternoon, for example, and organizing some activities to…

Analysis of interaction of some systems of the organism in the prolonged time after radiation exposure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akoev, I.G.

1978-01-01

Prolonged observations have been carried out of the composition of the form elements of white and red blood and hemoglobin content in dogs irradiated with the 400 R dose as well as of the nine factors of the punctate of bone marrow characterizing the division and ripening of red and white sprouts. On the base of comparison of dynamics of these fourteen indices the following conclusions on the sequence of inclusion and exclusion of hemopoiesis reserves have been made. The primacy of hemopoiesis to the red side exists always when there is an insufficient quantity of erythrocytes and hemoglobin in them important for organism. The first reserve to be mobilized and mostly used is the expansion of hemopoiesis spring-board, the second-accelerated passage of cells of the dividingand dividing-ripening pools. Later and for a very short time the number of mitoses increases in erythroblasts which directly reflects the reduction of their generative cycle

Organic Tanks Safety Program: Advanced organic analysis FY 1996 progress report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-09-01

Major focus during the first part of FY96 was to evaluate using organic functional group concentrations to screen for energetics. Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectroscopy would be useful screening tools for determining C-H and COO- organic content in tank wastes analyzed in a hot cell. These techniques would be used for identifying tanks of potential safety concern that may require further analysis. Samples from Tanks 241-C-106 and -C-204 were analyzed; the major organic in C-106 was B2EHPA and in C-204 was TBP. Analyses of simulated wastes were also performed for the Waste Aging Studies Task; organics formed as a result of degradation were identified, and the original starting components were monitored quantitatively. Sample analysis is not routine and required considerable methods adaptation and optimization. Several techniques have been evaluated for directly analyzing chelator and chelator fragments in tank wastes: matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection using Cu complexation. Although not directly funded by the Tanks Safety Program, the success of these techniques have implications for both the Flammable Gas and Organic Tanks Safety Programs

Time management for today's workplace demands.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomack, Bill

2012-05-01

As the work force decreases, the workload remains the same or, in many cases, increases. An effective employee must arrange work time to accomplish what needs to be done in the time available. The best way to manage time is to set a goal, develop a plan, and measure the outcome. To manage time requires determining where time is currently spent, taking time at the end of the day to prepare for the next morning, managing appointments, carefully planning projects, and managing phone, electronic, and paper mail. Organization is another step in effectively managing time. An organizational system decreases wasted time. Keeping the desk clear and creating a system to organize mail improves efficiency. Time management also focuses on balance, an overall purpose, and supporting principles. Personal or professional effectiveness does not depend solely on the effort expended, but whether the effort is in the right direction. The challenge of time management is to manage not only time, but also oneself. Copyright 2012, SLACK Incorporated.

Self organized criticality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Creutz, M.

1993-03-01

Self organized criticality refers to the tendency of highly dissipative systems to drive themselves to a critical state. This has been proposed to explain why observed physics often displays a wide disparity of length and time scales. The phenomenon can be studied in simple cellular automaton models

The Effective Ambidextrous Organization

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Torben Juul; Nielsen, Bo Bernhard

the essence of organizational ambidexterity as the means to sustain performance over time when environmental conditions change. This paper incorporates strategic management and organization theoretical rationales in a model that combines elements of integration and experimentation in the strategy making....... Results of structural equation analyses indicate that superior performance in the ambidextrous organizations is associated with efficiencies derived from adherence to centralized strategic planning and effectiveness generated by decentralized innovative behavior through participation and autonomous...... process and thereby extends the evolving literature on the ambidextrous organization. The performance relationships of the ambidextrous integrative strategy making model are investigated on the basis of a cross-sectional sample of 185 business entities operating in different manufacturing industries...

Innovation in Organizations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vladimir-Codrin Ionescu

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Innovation is an integrating part of the re-vitalization plan of EU economy and it is one of the seven initiatives comprised in the 2020 Europe Strategy. The European Union supports through active policies the creative-innovative processes, as illustrated by the Cohesion Policy Program for 2007-2013 and by the ”Horizon 2020” Program for Research and Innovation. The present paper presents, from an organizational perspective, relevant aspects related to the question of innovation and innovation management, while pointing out the most important internal and external factors that favour the introduction of innovation into the sphere of processes that are run by organizations, as well as into the sphere of products and services provided by organizations. At the same time, the paper briefly presents the essential attributes of organizations which obtain competitive sustainable advantages through innovation.

Artificial organs 2011: a year in review.

Science.gov (United States)

Malchesky, Paul S

2012-03-01

In this Editor's Review, articles published in 2011 are organized by category and briefly summarized. As the official journal of The International Federation for Artificial Organs, The International Faculty for Artificial Organs, and the International Society for Rotary Blood Pumps, Artificial Organs continues in the original mission of its founders "to foster communications in the field of artificial organs on an international level."Artificial Organs continues to publish developments and clinical applications of artificial organ technologies in this broad and expanding field of organ replacement, recovery, and regeneration from all over the world. We take this time also to express our gratitude to our authors for offering their work to this journal. We offer our very special thanks to our reviewers who give so generously of time and expertise to review, critique, and especially provide meaningful suggestions to the author's work whether eventually accepted or rejected. Without these excellent and dedicated reviewers, the quality expected from such a journal would not be possible. We also express our special thanks to our Publisher, Wiley-Blackwell, for their expert attention and support in the production and marketing of Artificial Organs. In this Editor's Review, that historically has been widely well-received by our readership, we aim to provide a brief reflection of the currently available worldwide knowledge that is intended to advance and better human life while providing insight for continued application of technologies and methods of organ replacement, recovery, and regeneration. We look forward to recording further advances in the coming years. © 2012, Copyright the Author. Artificial Organs © 2012, International Center for Artificial Organs and Transplantation and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Artificial Organs 2012: a year in review.

Science.gov (United States)

Malchesky, Paul S

2013-03-01

In this editor's review, articles published in 2012 are organized by category and briefly summarized. We aim to provide a brief reflection of the currently available worldwide knowledge that is intended to advance and better human life while providing insight for continued application of technologies and methods of organ replacement, recovery, and regeneration. As the official journal of the International Federation for Artificial Organs, the International Faculty for Artificial Organs, and the International Society for Rotary Blood Pumps, Artificial Organs continues in the original mission of its founders "to foster communications in the field of artificial organs on an international level." Artificial Organs continues to publish developments and clinical applications of artificial organ technologies in this broad and expanding field of organ replacement, recovery, and regeneration from all over the world. We take this time also to express our gratitude to our authors for offering their work to this journal. We offer our very special thanks to our reviewers who give so generously of time and expertise to review, critique, and especially provide such meaningful suggestions to the author's work whether eventually accepted or rejected, and especially to those whose native tongue is not English. Without these excellent and dedicated reviewers, the quality expected from such a journal could not be possible. We also express our special thanks to our publisher, Wiley Periodicals, for their expert attention and support in the production and marketing of Artificial Organs. We look forward to recording further advances in the coming years. © 2013, Copyright the Author. Artificial Organs © 2013, International Center for Artificial Organs and Transplantation and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Centrality of Organization Design

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raymond E. Miles

2012-05-01

Full Text Available I am excited about this new journal focused on the subject of organization design. In my view, organization design is a central issue in the field of management. Designing an organization requires an understanding of strategy, as we pointed out some time ago (Miles & Snow, 1978. For example, if you want to be a prospector (a first-mover strategy, you have to design your firm to move quickly in new directions, which is likely to require that it be arranged so that various kinds of teams can interact across organizational units and levels. Designing an organization to follow a first-mover strategy also requires both an understanding of leadership and a commitment to the free flow of information throughout the organization. Leaders must understand how cross-functional teams pursue ideas and opportunities, and they must facilitate collaborative knowledge sharing to drive innovations that help the firm operate entrepreneurially. Because an organization is a complex, dynamic system, perhaps no other single topic is so deeply implanted at the core of management, organization theory, and organizational behavior as organization design. Moreover, organization design once was, and could be again, the topic of an ongoing dialogue between managers and academics focused on business organizations.

Transportation of Organs by Air: Safety, Quality, and Sustainability Criteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Mantecchini, L; Paganelli, F; Morabito, V; Ricci, A; Peritore, D; Trapani, S; Montemurro, A; Rizzo, A; Del Sordo, E; Gaeta, A; Rizzato, L; Nanni Costa, A

2016-03-01

The outcomes of organ transplantation activities are greatly affected by the ability to haul organs and medical teams quickly and safely. Organ allocation and usage criteria have greatly improved over time, whereas the same result has not been achieved so far from the transport point of view. Safety and the highest level of service and efficiency must be reached to grant transplant recipients the healthiest outcome. The Italian National Transplant Centre (CNT), in partnership with the regions and the University of Bologna, has promoted a thorough analysis of all stages of organ transportation logistics chains to produce homogeneous and shared guidelines throughout the national territory, capable of ensuring safety, reliability, and sustainability at the highest levels. The mapping of all 44 transplant centers and the pertaining airport network has been implemented. An analysis of technical requirements among organ shipping agents at both national and international level has been promoted. A national campaign of real-time monitoring of organ transport activities at all stages of the supply chain has been implemented. Parameters investigated have been hospital and region of both origin and destination, number and type of organs involved, transport type (with or without medical team), stations of arrival and departure, and shipping agents, as well as actual times of activities involved. National guidelines have been issued to select organ storage units and shipping agents on the basis of evaluation of efficiency, reliability, and equipment with reference to organ type and ischemia time. Guidelines provide EU-level standards on technical equipment of aircrafts, professional requirements of shipping agencies and cabin crew, and requirements on service provision, including pricing criteria. The introduction in the Italian legislation of guidelines issuing minimum requirements on topics such as the medical team, packaging, labeling, safety and integrity, identification

Side-by-side comparison of techniques for analyzing organic acids, total organic carbon, and anions. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Byers, W.A.; Richards, J.; Silva, H.; Miller, M.R.; Palino, G.F.; Wall, P.S.

1986-09-01

The objective of this project was to compare the organic acids sampling and analysis methods of Westinghouse and NWT Corporation. Sampling was performed at three sites, chosen to represent units with high, intermediate and low levels of organic contamination. To check the precision of each method, concurrent sampling was employed. To check the accuracy of each method, additions of standard organic solutions were made at one of the sites. Inorganic anions were also analyzed at each site by each contractor. Theoretical values of cation conductivity were calculated from organic and inorganic analytical data and compared to values measured onsite at the time of sampling. Total organic carbon (TOC) analyses were performed to evaluate different instruments and sampling techniques, as well as provide additional information on the relationship between TOC and organic acids concentrations. It was concluded that either of the organic acid sampling/analysis techniques used by the contractors can produce reliable results. TOC samples lose organics content with storage time and should be analyzed no later than one week after they are taken; if at all possible, they should be stored in a refrigerated condition. State-of-the art techniques for TOC sampling and analysis can produce results varying by 20 to 50 ppB for levels in the range of 50 to 120 ppB; any proposed limits for TOC should be reviewed in that light. Results of anion analyses are quite sensitive to sampling and analytical techniques. Reasonable agreement between calculated and measured values of cation conductivity suggests that both contractors had accurately determined all major anionic species

Adsorption of organic matter contained in industrial phosphoric acid onto bentonite: Batch contact time and kinetic study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mellah, Abdelhamid

1992-12-01

The soluble organic matter present in industrial phosphoric acid can strongly affect the uranium recovery during its solvent extraction by forming stable foams and emulsions. The removal of these organics is an important step both for the production of decontaminated fertilizers and the successful recovery of uranium. The equilibrium isotherms of organic matter adsorption onto bentonite show that the data correlated well with freundlich's model and that the adsorption is physical in nature. the maximum monomolecular capacity (Qo) according to the Langmuir model is 153 mg/g for an initial organic matter concentration of 251.5 mg/1, at 30 oC. The operating parameters (agitation speed, solid/liquid ratio, temperature, particle size and initial organic matter concentration) influenced the rate of adsorption. The adsorption isotherm of uranium onto bentonite exhibits and anomalous shape similar to the Z-type isotherm reported by Giles et al

Hippocampal “Time Cells”: Time versus Path Integration

Science.gov (United States)

Kraus, Benjamin J.; Robinson, Robert J.; White, John A.; Eichenbaum, Howard; Hasselmo, Michael E.

2014-01-01

SUMMARY Recent studies have reported the existence of hippocampal “time cells,” neurons that fire at particular moments during periods when behavior and location are relatively constant. However, an alternative explanation of apparent time coding is that hippocampal neurons “path integrate” to encode the distance an animal has traveled. Here, we examined hippocampal neuronal firing patterns as rats ran in place on a treadmill, thus “clamping” behavior and location, while we varied the treadmill speed to distinguish time elapsed from distance traveled. Hippocampal neurons were strongly influenced by time and distance, and less so by minor variations in location. Furthermore, the activity of different neurons reflected integration over time and distance to varying extents, with most neurons strongly influenced by both factors and some significantly influenced by only time or distance. Thus, hippocampal neuronal networks captured both the organization of time and distance in a situation where these dimensions dominated an ongoing experience. PMID:23707613

Early declaration of death by neurologic criteria results in greater organ donor potential.

Science.gov (United States)

Resnick, Shelby; Seamon, Mark J; Holena, Daniel; Pascual, Jose; Reilly, Patrick M; Martin, Niels D

2017-10-01

Aggressive management of patients prior to and after determination of death by neurologic criteria (DNC) is necessary to optimize organ recovery, transplantation, and increase the number of organs transplanted per donor (OTPD). The effects of time management are understudied but potentially pivotal component. The objective of this study was to analyze specific time points (time to DNC, time to procurement) and the time intervals between them to better characterize the optimal timeline of organ donation. Using data over a 5-year time period (2011-2015) from the largest US OPO, all patients with catastrophic brain injury and donated transplantable organs were retrospectively reviewed. Active smokers were excluded. Maximum donor potential was seven organs (heart, lungs [2], kidneys [2], liver, and pancreas). Time from admission to declaration of DNC and donation was calculated. Mean time points stratified by specific organ procurement rates and overall OTPD were compared using unpaired t-test. Of 1719 Declaration of Death by Neurologic Criteria organ donors, 381 were secondary to head trauma. Smokers and organs recovered but not transplanted were excluded leaving 297 patients. Males comprised 78.8%, the mean age was 36.0 (±16.8) years, and 87.6% were treated at a trauma center. Higher donor potential (>4 OTPD) was associated with shorter average times from admission to brain death; 66.6 versus 82.2 hours, P = 0.04. Lung donors were also associated with shorter average times from admission to brain death; 61.6 versus 83.6 hours, P = 0.004. The time interval from DNC to donation varied minimally among groups and did not affect donation rates. A shorter time interval between admission and declaration of DNC was associated with increased OTPD, especially lungs. Further research to identify what role timing plays in the management of the potential organ donor and how that relates to donor management goals is needed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights

Virtual Organizations: Trends and Models

Science.gov (United States)

Nami, Mohammad Reza; Malekpour, Abbaas

The Use of ICT in business has changed views about traditional business. With VO, organizations with out physical, geographical, or structural constraint can collaborate with together in order to fulfill customer requests in a networked environment. This idea improves resource utilization, reduces development process and costs, and saves time. Virtual Organization (VO) is always a form of partnership and managing partners and handling partnerships are crucial. Virtual organizations are defined as a temporary collection of enterprises that cooperate and share resources, knowledge, and competencies to better respond to business opportunities. This paper presents an overview of virtual organizations and main issues in collaboration such as security and management. It also presents a number of different model approaches according to their purpose and applications.

Development of a computer-controlled tensiometer for real-time measurements of tension in tubular organs.

Science.gov (United States)

Gregersen, H; Barlow, J; Thompson, D

1999-04-01

A computer-controlled tensiometer for studying wall tension in tubular organs has been developed. The system consisted of a probe with an inflatable balloon, an impedance planimeter, pressure transducer and amplifier, a pump with RS232 interface and a PC with dedicated software. Circumferential wall tension was computed in real time from pressure and cross-sectional area measurements (tension measurement mode). Wall tension can be maintained on a preset level or be changed as a step or ramp function by a feedback control of the infusion/withdrawal pump (tension control mode). A software regulator adjusted the volume rate (low volume rate when the computed tension was close to the preset value) to minimize overshoot and oscillation. Validation tests were performed and the technique was applied in the human oesophagus. Volume- and tension-controlled balloon distensions elicited secondary peristalsis of increasing intensity that was decreased significantly by the antimuscarinic agent Hyoscine butyl bromide. In tension control mode Hyoscine butyl bromide caused oesophageal relaxation, i.e. CSA to increase and pressure to decay. Furthermore, pronounced pressure relaxation and tension relaxation were observed during volume-controlled distension after administration of Hyoscine butyl bromide.

Artificial Organs 2015: A Year in Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Malchesky, Paul S

2016-03-01

In this Editor's Review, articles published in 2015 are organized by category and briefly summarized. We aim to provide a brief reflection of the currently available worldwide knowledge that is intended to advance and better human life while providing insight for continued application of technologies and methods of organ Replacement, Recovery, and Regeneration. As the official journal of The International Federation for Artificial Organs, The International Faculty for Artificial Organs, the International Society for Rotary Blood Pumps, the International Society for Pediatric Mechanical Cardiopulmonary Support, and the Vienna International Workshop on Functional Electrical Stimulation, Artificial Organs continues in the original mission of its founders "to foster communications in the field of artificial organs on an international level." Artificial Organs continues to publish developments and clinical applications of artificial organ technologies in this broad and expanding field of organ Replacement, Recovery, and Regeneration from all over the world. We take this time also to express our gratitude to our authors for providing their work to this journal. We offer our very special thanks to our reviewers who give so generously of their time and expertise to review, critique, and especially provide meaningful suggestions to the author's work whether eventually accepted or rejected. Without these excellent and dedicated reviewers, the quality expected from such a journal could not be possible. We also express our special thanks to our Publisher, John Wiley & Sons for their expert attention and support in the production and marketing of Artificial Organs. We look forward to reporting further advances in the coming years. Copyright © 2016 International Center for Artificial Organs and Transplantation and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Artificial Organs 2013: a year in review.

Science.gov (United States)

Malchesky, Paul S

2014-03-01

In this Editor's Review, articles published in 2013 are organized by category and briefly summarized. We aim to provide a brief reflection of the currently available worldwide knowledge that is intended to advance and better human life while providing insight for continued application of technologies and methods of organ Replacement, Recovery, and Regeneration. As the official journal of The International Federation for Artificial Organs, The International Faculty for Artificial Organs, the International Society for Rotary Blood Pumps, the International Society for Pediatric Mechanical Cardiopulmonary Support, and the Vienna International Workshop on Functional Electrical Stimulation, Artificial Organs continues in the original mission of its founders "to foster communications in the field of artificial organs on an international level". Artificial Organs continues to publish developments and clinical applications of artificial organ technologies in this broad and expanding field of organ Replacement, Recovery, and Regeneration from all over the world. We take this time also to express our gratitude to our authors for offering their work to this journal. We offer our very special thanks to our reviewers who give so generously of time and expertise to review, critique, and especially provide so meaningful suggestions to the author's work whether eventually accepted or rejected and especially to those whose native tongue is not English. Without these excellent and dedicated reviewers the quality expected from such a journal could not be possible. We also express our special thanks to our Publisher, Wiley Periodicals, for their expert attention and support in the production and marketing of Artificial Organs. We look forward to recording further advances in the coming years. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and International Center for Artificial Organs and Transplantation.

Artificial organs 2014: a year in review.

Science.gov (United States)

Malchesky, Paul S

2015-03-01

In this Editor's Review, articles published in 2014 are organized by category and briefly summarized. We aim to provide a brief reflection of the currently available worldwide knowledge that is intended to advance and better human life while providing insight for continued application of technologies and methods of organ Replacement, Recovery, and Regeneration. As the official journal of the International Federation for Artificial Organs, the International Faculty for Artificial Organs, the International Society for Rotary Blood Pumps, the International Society for Pediatric Mechanical Cardiopulmonary Support, and the Vienna International Workshop on Functional Electrical Stimulation, Artificial Organs continues in the original mission of its founders "to foster communications in the field of artificial organs on an international level." Artificial Organs continues to publish developments and clinical applications of artificial organ technologies in this broad and expanding field of organ Replacement, Recovery, and Regeneration from all over the world. We take this time also to express our gratitude to our authors for offering their work to this journal. We offer our very special thanks to our reviewers who give so generously of time and expertise to review, critique, and especially provide meaningful suggestions to the author's work whether eventually accepted or rejected. Without these excellent and dedicated reviewers, the quality expected from such a journal could not be possible. We also express our special thanks to our Publisher, John Wiley & Sons, for their expert attention and support in the production and marketing of Artificial Organs. We look forward to reporting further advances in the coming years. Copyright © 2015 International Center for Artificial Organs and Transplantation and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Capture of organic iodides from nuclear waste by metal-organic framework-based molecular traps.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Baiyan; Dong, Xinglong; Wang, Hao; Ma, Dingxuan; Tan, Kui; Jensen, Stephanie; Deibert, Benjamin J; Butler, Joseph; Cure, Jeremy; Shi, Zhan; Thonhauser, Timo; Chabal, Yves J; Han, Yu; Li, Jing

2017-09-07

Effective capture of radioactive organic iodides from nuclear waste remains a significant challenge due to the drawbacks of current adsorbents such as low uptake capacity, high cost, and non-recyclability. We report here a general approach to overcome this challenge by creating radioactive organic iodide molecular traps through functionalization of metal-organic framework materials with tertiary amine-binding sites. The molecular trap exhibits a high CH 3 I saturation uptake capacity of 71 wt% at 150 °C, which is more than 340% higher than the industrial adsorbent Ag 0 @MOR under identical conditions. These functionalized metal-organic frameworks also serve as good adsorbents at low temperatures. Furthermore, the resulting adsorbent can be recycled multiple times without loss of capacity, making recyclability a reality. In combination with its chemical and thermal stability, high capture efficiency and low cost, the adsorbent demonstrates promise for industrial radioactive organic iodides capture from nuclear waste. The capture mechanism was investigated by experimental and theoretical methods.Capturing radioactive organic iodides from nuclear waste is important for safe nuclear energy usage, but remains a significant challenge. Here, Li and co-workers fabricate a stable metal-organic framework functionalized with tertiary amine groups that exhibits high capacities for radioactive organic iodides uptake.

Capture of organic iodides from nuclear waste by metal-organic framework-based molecular traps

KAUST Repository

Li, Baiyan

2017-09-01

Effective capture of radioactive organic iodides from nuclear waste remains a significant challenge due to the drawbacks of current adsorbents such as low uptake capacity, high cost, and non-recyclability. We report here a general approach to overcome this challenge by creating radioactive organic iodide molecular traps through functionalization of metal-organic framework materials with tertiary amine-binding sites. The molecular trap exhibits a high CH3I saturation uptake capacity of 71 wt% at 150 °C, which is more than 340% higher than the industrial adsorbent Ag0@MOR under identical conditions. These functionalized metal-organic frameworks also serve as good adsorbents at low temperatures. Furthermore, the resulting adsorbent can be recycled multiple times without loss of capacity, making recyclability a reality. In combination with its chemical and thermal stability, high capture efficiency and low cost, the adsorbent demonstrates promise for industrial radioactive organic iodides capture from nuclear waste. The capture mechanism was investigated by experimental and theoretical methods.Capturing radioactive organic iodides from nuclear waste is important for safe nuclear energy usage, but remains a significant challenge. Here, Li and co-workers fabricate a stable metal-organic framework functionalized with tertiary amine groups that exhibits high capacities for radioactive organic iodides uptake.

NEW PATTERNS IN SCHEDULING WORKING TIME

OpenAIRE

Claudiu George BOCEAN; Catalina Soriana SITNIKOV

2010-01-01

Flexible work arrangements should focus on providing employees with more options for when and how they do their work. Organizations can provide a suite of flexible options to enable employees to choose the arrangements that best balance their work with family and lifestyle preferences. In this paper we intended to investigate the flexibilization process of working time determined by the new trends of work organization. For this purpose, the various aspects of working time in a company were an...

Artificial organs 2010: a year in review.

Science.gov (United States)

Malchesky, Paul S

2011-03-01

In this Editor's Review, articles published in 2010 are organized by category and briefly summarized. As the official journal of The International Federation for Artificial Organs, The International Faculty for Artificial Organs, and the International Society for Rotary Blood Pumps, Artificial Organs continues in the original mission of its founders "to foster communications in the field of artificial organs on an international level."Artificial Organs continues to publish developments and clinical applications of artificial organ technologies in this broad and expanding field of organ Replacement, Recovery, and Regeneration from all over the world. We take this time also to express our gratitude to our authors for offering their work to this journal. We offer our very special thanks to our reviewers who give so generously of time and expertise to review, critique, and especially provide such meaningful suggestions to the author's work whether eventually accepted or rejected and especially to those whose native tongue is not English. Without these excellent and dedicated reviewers the quality expected from such a journal could not be possible. We also express our special thanks to our Publisher, Wiley-Blackwell, for their expert attention and support in the production and marketing of Artificial Organs. In this Editor's Review, that historically has been widely received by our readership, we aim to provide a brief reflection of the currently available worldwide knowledge that is intended to advance and better human life while providing insight for continued application of technologies and methods of organ Replacement, Recovery, and Regeneration. We look forward to recording further advances in the coming years. © 2011, Copyright the Author. Artificial Organs © 2011, International Center for Artificial Organs and Transplantation and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Metabolism of organically bound tritium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Travis, C.C.

1984-01-01

The classic methodology for estimating dose to man from environmental tritium ignores the fact that organically bound tritium in foodstuffs may be directly assimilated in the bound compartment of tissues without previous oxidation. We propose a four-compartment model consisting of a free body water compartment, two organic compartments, and a small, rapidly metabolizing compartment. The utility of this model lies in the ability to input organically bound tritium in foodstuffs directly into the organic compartments of the model. We found that organically bound tritium in foodstuffs can increase cumulative total body dose by a factor of 1.7 to 4.5 times the free body water dose alone, depending on the bound-to-loose ratio of tritium in the diet. Model predictions are compared with empirical measurements of tritium in human urine and tissue samples, and appear to be in close agreement. 10 references, 4 figures, 3 tables

Organization within Organization Studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lopdrup-Hjorth, Thomas

This paper explores how prevalent contemporary problematizations of organizations coincide with a widespread assessment that Organization Studies (OS) has run out of steam. This impasse, the paper argues, is largely due to the emergence of an organization-phobia that has come to seize several...... strands of theorizing. By attending to the wide-ranging and far-reaching history of this organization-phobia, the paper argues that OS has become increasingly incapable of speaking about its core object. I show how organizations went from being conceptualized as entities of major importance to becoming...... credibility and legitimacy to begin with, the organization-phobia resulting from this history has been implicated in dismantling organizations, and in making OS progressively irrelevant to a wider public....

Thermal treatment of organic radioactive waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chrubasik, A.; Stich, W.

1993-01-01

The organic radioactive waste which is generated in nuclear and isotope facilities (power plants, research centers and other) must be treated in order to achieve a waste form suitable for long term storage and disposal. Therefore the resulting waste treatment products should be stable under influence of temperature, time, radioactivity, chemical and biological activity. Another reason for the treatment of organic waste is the volume reduction with respect to the storage costs. For different kinds of waste, different treatment technologies have been developed and some are now used in industrial scale. The paper gives process descriptions for the treatment of solid organic radioactive waste of low beta/gamma activity and alpha-contaminated solid organic radioactive waste, and the pyrolysis of organic radioactive waste

Self-Organized Transport System

Science.gov (United States)

2009-09-28

This report presents the findings of the simulation model for a self-organized transport system where traffic lights communicate with neighboring traffic lights and make decisions locally to adapt to traffic conditions in real time. The model is insp...

Real-Time Visualization of Active Species in a Single-Site Metal–Organic Framework Photocatalyst

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Sizhuo [Department of Chemistry, Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201, United States; Pattengale, Brian [Department of Chemistry, Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201, United States; Lee, Sungsik [X-ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60349, United States; Huang, Jier [Department of Chemistry, Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201, United States

2018-02-06

In this work, we report a new single-site photocatalyst (Co-Ru-UIO- 67(bpy)) based on a metal-organic framework platform with incorporated molecular photosensitizer and catalyst. We show that this catalyst not only demonstrates exceptional activity for light-driven H2 production but also can be recycled without loss of activity. Using the combination of optical transient absorption spectroscopy and in situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy, we not only captured the key CoI intermediate species formed after ultrafast charge transfer from the incorporated photosensitizer but also identified the rate-limiting step in the catalytic cycle, providing insight into the catalysis mechanism of these single-site metal-organic framework photocatalysts.

Models of care and organization of services.

Science.gov (United States)

Markova, Alina; Xiong, Michael; Lester, Jenna; Burnside, Nancy J

2012-01-01

This article examines the overall organization of services and delivery of health care in the United States. Health maintenance organization, fee-for-service, preferred provider organizations, and the Veterans Health Administration are discussed, with a focus on structure, outcomes, and areas for improvement. An overview of wait times, malpractice, telemedicine, and the growing population of physician extenders in dermatology is also provided. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Time crystals: a review

Science.gov (United States)

Sacha, Krzysztof; Zakrzewski, Jakub

2018-01-01

Time crystals are time-periodic self-organized structures postulated by Frank Wilczek in 2012. While the original concept was strongly criticized, it stimulated at the same time an intensive research leading to propositions and experimental verifications of discrete (or Floquet) time crystals—the structures that appear in the time domain due to spontaneous breaking of discrete time translation symmetry. The struggle to observe discrete time crystals is reviewed here together with propositions that generalize this concept introducing condensed matter like physics in the time domain. We shall also revisit the original Wilczek’s idea and review strategies aimed at spontaneous breaking of continuous time translation symmetry.

Improved automation of dissolved organic carbon sampling for organic-rich surface waters.

Science.gov (United States)

Grayson, Richard P; Holden, Joseph

2016-02-01

In-situ UV-Vis spectrophotometers offer the potential for improved estimates of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) fluxes for organic-rich systems such as peatlands because they are able to sample and log DOC proxies automatically through time at low cost. In turn, this could enable improved total carbon budget estimates for peatlands. The ability of such instruments to accurately measure DOC depends on a number of factors, not least of which is how absorbance measurements relate to DOC and the environmental conditions. Here we test the ability of a S::can Spectro::lyser™ for measuring DOC in peatland streams with routinely high DOC concentrations. Through analysis of the spectral response data collected by the instrument we have been able to accurately measure DOC up to 66 mg L(-1), which is more than double the original upper calibration limit for this particular instrument. A linear regression modelling approach resulted in an accuracy >95%. The greatest accuracy was achieved when absorbance values for several different wavelengths were used at the same time in the model. However, an accuracy >90% was achieved using absorbance values for a single wavelength to predict DOC concentration. Our calculations indicated that, for organic-rich systems, in-situ measurement with a scanning spectrophotometer can improve fluvial DOC flux estimates by 6 to 8% compared with traditional sampling methods. Thus, our techniques pave the way for improved long-term carbon budget calculations from organic-rich systems such as peatlands. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Loss mechanisms in organic solar cells based on perylene diimide acceptors studied by time-resolved photoluminescence

KAUST Repository

Gerhard, Marina

2016-04-27

In organic photovoltaics (OPV), perylene diimide (PDI) acceptor materials are promising candidates to replace the commonly used, but more expensive fullerene derivatives. The use of alternative acceptor materials however implies new design guidelines for OPV devices. It is therefore important to understand the underlying photophysical processes, which either lead to charge generation or geminate recombination. In this contribution, we investigate radiative losses in a series of OPV materials based on two polymers, P3HT and PTB7, respectively, which were blended with different PDI derivatives. Our time-resolved photoluminescence measurements (TRPL) allow us to identify different loss mechanisms by the decay characteristics of several excitonic species. In particular, we find evidence for unfavorable morphologies in terms of large-scale pure domains, inhibited exciton transport and incomplete charge transfer. Furthermore, in one of the P3HT-blends, an interfacial emissive charge transfer (CT) state with strong trapping character is identified. © (2016) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

The effect of organic loading rate and retention time on hydrogen production from a methanogenic CSTR.

Science.gov (United States)

Pakarinen, O; Kaparaju, P; Rintala, J

2011-10-01

The possibility of shifting a methanogenic process for hydrogen production by changing the process parameters viz., organic loading rate (OLR) and hydraulic retention time (HRT) was evaluated. At first, two parallel semi-continuously fed continuously stirred tank reactors (CSTR) were operated as methanogenic reactors (M1 and M2) for 78 days. Results showed that a methane yield of 198-218 L/kg volatile solids fed (VS(fed)) was obtained when fed with grass silage at an OLR of 2 kgVS/m³/d and HRT of 30 days. After 78 days of operation, hydrogen production was induced in M2 by increasing the OLR from 2 to 10 kgVS/m³/d and shortening the HRT from 30 to 6 days. The highest H₂ yield of 42 L/kgVS(fed) was obtained with a maximum H₂ content of 24%. The present results thus demonstrate that methanogenic process can be shifted towards hydrogen production by increasing the OLR and decreasing HRT. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Loss mechanisms in organic solar cells based on perylene diimide acceptors studied by time-resolved photoluminescence

KAUST Repository

Gerhard, Marina; Gehrig, Dominik; Howard, Ian A.; Arndt, Andreas P.; Bilal, Mü henad; Rahimi-Iman, Arash; Lemmer, Uli; Laquai, Fré dé ric; Koch, Martin

2016-01-01

In organic photovoltaics (OPV), perylene diimide (PDI) acceptor materials are promising candidates to replace the commonly used, but more expensive fullerene derivatives. The use of alternative acceptor materials however implies new design guidelines for OPV devices. It is therefore important to understand the underlying photophysical processes, which either lead to charge generation or geminate recombination. In this contribution, we investigate radiative losses in a series of OPV materials based on two polymers, P3HT and PTB7, respectively, which were blended with different PDI derivatives. Our time-resolved photoluminescence measurements (TRPL) allow us to identify different loss mechanisms by the decay characteristics of several excitonic species. In particular, we find evidence for unfavorable morphologies in terms of large-scale pure domains, inhibited exciton transport and incomplete charge transfer. Furthermore, in one of the P3HT-blends, an interfacial emissive charge transfer (CT) state with strong trapping character is identified. © (2016) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

Real-Time Measurements of Gas/Particle Partitioning of Semivolatile Organic Compounds into Different Probe Particles in a Teflon Chamber

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, X.; Day, D. A.; Ziemann, P. J.; Krechmer, J. E.; Jimenez, J. L.

2017-12-01

The partitioning of semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) into and out of particles plays an essential role in secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation and evolution. Most atmospheric models treat the gas/particle partitioning as an equilibrium between bulk gas and particle phases, despite potential kinetic limitations and differences in thermodynamics as a function of SOA and pre-existing OA composition. This study directly measures the partitioning of oxidized compounds in a Teflon chamber in the presence of single component seeds of different phases and polarities, including oleic acid, squalane, dioctyl sebacate, pentaethylene glycol, dry/wet ammonium sulfate, and dry/wet sucrose. The oxidized compounds are generated by a fast OH oxidation of a series of alkanols under high nitric oxide conditions. The observed SOA mass enhancements are highest with oleic acid, and lowest with wet ammonium sulfate and sucrose. A chemical ionization mass spectrometer (CIMS) was used to measure the decay of gas-phase organic nitrates, which reflects uptake by particles and chamber walls. We observed clear changes in equilibrium timescales with varying seed concentrations and in equilibrium gas-phase concentrations across different seeds. In general, the gas evolution can be reproduced by a kinetic box model that considers partitioning and evaporation with particles and chamber walls, except for the wet sucrose system. The accommodation coefficient and saturation mass concentration of each species in the presence of each seed are derived using the model. The changes in particle size distributions and composition monitored by a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) and a high-resolution time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS) are investigated to probe the SOA formation mechanism. Based on these results, the applicability of partitioning theory to these systems and the relevant quantitative parameters, including the dependencies on seed particle composition, will

16 CFR 4.3 - Time.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Time. 4.3 Section 4.3 Commercial Practices FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION ORGANIZATION, PROCEDURES AND RULES OF PRACTICE MISCELLANEOUS RULES § 4.3 Time. (a) Computation. Computation of any period of time prescribed or allowed by the rules in this chapter, by order of...

A kinetic study of the formation of organic solids from formaldehyde: Implications for the origin of extraterrestrial organic solids in primitive Solar System objects

Science.gov (United States)

Kebukawa, Yoko; Cody, George D.

2015-03-01

Aqueous organic solid formation from formaldehyde via the formose reaction and subsequent reactions is a possible candidate for the origin of complex primitive chondritic insoluble organic matter (IOM) and refractory carbon in comets. The rate of formation of organic solids from formaldehyde was studied as a function of temperature and time, with and without ammonia, in order to derive kinetic expressions for polymer yield. The evolution in molecular structure as a function of time and temperature was studied using infrared spectroscopy. Using these kinetic expressions, the yield of organic solids is estimated for extended time and temperature ranges. For example, the half-life for organic solid formation is ∼5 days at 373 K, ∼200 days at 323 K, and ∼70 years at 273 K with ammonia, and ∼25 days at 373 K, ∼13 years at 323 K, and ∼2 × 104 years at 273 K without ammonia. These results indicate that organic solids could form during the aqueous alteration in meteorite parent bodies. If liquid water existed early in the interiors of Kuiper belt objects (KBOs), formaldehyde could convert into organic solids at temperatures close to 273 K, and possibly even below 273 K in the ammonia-water system.

Soil organic matter dynamics and the global carbon cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Post, W.M.; Emanuel, W.R.; King, A.W.

1992-01-01

The large size and potentially long residence time of the soil organic matter pool make it an important component of the global carbon cycle. Net terrestrial primary production of about 60 Pg C·yr -1 is, over a several-year period of time, balanced by an equivalent flux of litter production and subsequent decomposition of detritus and soil organic matter. We will review many of the major factors that influence soil organic matter dynamics that need to be explicitly considered in development of global estimates of carbon turnover in the world's soils. We will also discuss current decomposition models that are general enough to be used to develop a representation of global soil organic matter dynamics

Organic Bioelectronic Tools for Biomedical Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Susanne Löffler

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Organic bioelectronics forms the basis of conductive polymer tools with great potential for application in biomedical science and medicine. It is a rapidly growing field of both academic and industrial interest since conductive polymers bridge the gap between electronics and biology by being electronically and ionically conductive. This feature can be employed in numerous ways by choosing the right polyelectrolyte system and tuning its properties towards the intended application. This review highlights how active organic bioelectronic surfaces can be used to control cell attachment and release as well as to trigger cell signaling by means of electrical, chemical or mechanical actuation. Furthermore, we report on the unique properties of conductive polymers that make them outstanding materials for labeled or label-free biosensors. Techniques for electronically controlled ion transport in organic bioelectronic devices are introduced, and examples are provided to illustrate their use in self-regulated medical devices. Organic bioelectronics have great potential to become a primary platform in future bioelectronics. We therefore introduce current applications that will aid in the development of advanced in vitro systems for biomedical science and of automated systems for applications in neuroscience, cell biology and infection biology. Considering this broad spectrum of applications, organic bioelectronics could lead to timely detection of disease, and facilitate the use of remote and personalized medicine. As such, organic bioelectronics might contribute to efficient healthcare and reduced hospitalization times for patients.

Organic pollutant removal from edible oil process wastewater using electrocoagulation

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, S.; Can, O. T.; Hammed, M.; Nawarathna, D.; Simsek, H.

2018-03-01

Wastewaters generated from vegetable oil industries contain a high concentration of organic pollutants that are detrimental to the aquatic ecosystem. Electrochemical processes are gaining importance in the treatment of inorganic and resistant organic pollutants in wastewaters. In this study, electrocoagulation (EC) was applied to remove organic pollutants and oil and grease from canola oil wastewater using aluminum (Al) and iron (Fe) electrodes. The application of EC in the wastewater achieved more than 80% removal of organic carbon and nearly 100% removal of suspended solids (SS). The effectiveness of EC is influenced mainly by current density, pH, electrolyte (NaCl), electrode contact time and electrode type. It was observed that Al electrode combination yielded better removal at a lesser time compared to that of Fe electrodes. However, varying current densities had its significance in terms of coagulation time only. Increase in current density achieved decrease in coagulation time. Both Al and Fe could remove between 52-59% of oil and grease from canola oil wastewater

Real-time analysis of organic compounds in ship engine aerosol emissions using resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionisation and proton transfer mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Radischat, Christian; Sippula, Olli; Stengel, Benjamin; Klingbeil, Sophie; Sklorz, Martin; Rabe, Rom; Streibel, Thorsten; Harndorf, Horst; Zimmermann, Ralf

2015-08-01

Organic combustion aerosols from a marine medium-speed diesel engine, capable to run on distillate (diesel fuel) and residual fuels (heavy fuel oil), were investigated under various operating conditions and engine parameters. The online chemical characterisation of the organic components was conducted using a resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometer (REMPI TOF MS) and a proton transfer reaction-quadrupole mass spectrometer (PTR-QMS). Oxygenated species, alkenes and aromatic hydrocarbons were characterised. Especially the aromatic hydrocarbons and their alkylated derivatives were very prominent in the exhaust of both fuels. Emission factors of known health-hazardous compounds (e.g. mono- and poly-aromatic hydrocarbons) were calculated and found in higher amounts for heavy fuel oil (HFO) at typical engine loadings. Lower engine loads lead in general to increasing emissions for both fuels for almost every compound, e.g. naphthalene emissions varied for diesel fuel exhaust between 0.7 mg/kWh (75 % engine load, late start of injection (SOI)) and 11.8 mg/kWh (10 % engine load, late SOI) and for HFO exhaust between 3.3 and 60.5 mg/kWh, respectively. Both used mass spectrometric techniques showed that they are particularly suitable methods for online monitoring of combustion compounds and very helpful for the characterisation of health-relevant substances. Graphical abstract Three-dimensional REMPI data of organic species in diesel fuel and heavy fuel oil exhaust.

Chlamydiaceae and Chlamydia-like organisms in the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus)--organ distribution and histopathological findings.

Science.gov (United States)

Burach, Fabienne; Pospischil, Andreas; Hanger, Jon; Loader, Jo; Pillonel, Trestan; Greub, Gilbert; Borel, Nicole

2014-08-06

Chlamydial infections in koalas can cause life-threatening diseases leading to blindness and sterility. However, little is known about the systemic spread of chlamydiae in the inner organs of the koala, and data concerning related pathological organ lesions are limited. The aim of this study was to perform a thorough investigation of organs from 23 koalas and to correlate their histopathological lesions to molecular chlamydial detection. To reach this goal, 246 formalin-fixed and paraffin embedded organ samples from 23 koalas were investigated by histopathology, Chlamydiaceae real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry, ArrayTube Microarray for Chlamydiaceae species identification as well as Chlamydiales real-time PCR and sequencing. By PCR, two koalas were positive for Chlamydia pecorum whereas immunohistochemical labelling for Chlamydiaceae was detected in 10 tissues out of nine koalas. The majority of these (n=6) had positive labelling in the urogenital tract related to histopathological lesions such as cystitis, endometritis, pyelonephritis and prostatitis. Somehow unexpected was the positive labelling in the gastrointestinal tract including the cloaca as well as in lung and spleen indicating systemic spread of infection. Uncultured Chlamydiales were detected in several organs of seven koalas by PCR, and four of these suffered from plasmacytic enteritis of unknown aetiology. Whether the finding of Chlamydia-like organisms in the gastrointestinal tract is linked to plasmacytic enteritis is unclear and remains speculative. However, as recently shown in a mouse model, the gastrointestinal tract might play a role being the site for persistent chlamydial infections and being a source for reinfection of the genital tract. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A workflow to process 3D+time microscopy images of developing organisms and reconstruct their cell lineage

Science.gov (United States)

Faure, Emmanuel; Savy, Thierry; Rizzi, Barbara; Melani, Camilo; Stašová, Olga; Fabrèges, Dimitri; Špir, Róbert; Hammons, Mark; Čúnderlík, Róbert; Recher, Gaëlle; Lombardot, Benoît; Duloquin, Louise; Colin, Ingrid; Kollár, Jozef; Desnoulez, Sophie; Affaticati, Pierre; Maury, Benoît; Boyreau, Adeline; Nief, Jean-Yves; Calvat, Pascal; Vernier, Philippe; Frain, Monique; Lutfalla, Georges; Kergosien, Yannick; Suret, Pierre; Remešíková, Mariana; Doursat, René; Sarti, Alessandro; Mikula, Karol; Peyriéras, Nadine; Bourgine, Paul

2016-01-01

The quantitative and systematic analysis of embryonic cell dynamics from in vivo 3D+time image data sets is a major challenge at the forefront of developmental biology. Despite recent breakthroughs in the microscopy imaging of living systems, producing an accurate cell lineage tree for any developing organism remains a difficult task. We present here the BioEmergences workflow integrating all reconstruction steps from image acquisition and processing to the interactive visualization of reconstructed data. Original mathematical methods and algorithms underlie image filtering, nucleus centre detection, nucleus and membrane segmentation, and cell tracking. They are demonstrated on zebrafish, ascidian and sea urchin embryos with stained nuclei and membranes. Subsequent validation and annotations are carried out using Mov-IT, a custom-made graphical interface. Compared with eight other software tools, our workflow achieved the best lineage score. Delivered in standalone or web service mode, BioEmergences and Mov-IT offer a unique set of tools for in silico experimental embryology. PMID:26912388

Collective Identity Formation in Hybrid Organizations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boulongne, Romain; Boxenbaum, Eva

The present article examines the process of collective identity formation in the context of hybrid organizing. Empirically, we investigate hybrid organizing in a collaborative structure at the interface of two heterogeneous organizations in the domain of new renewable energies. We draw...... on the literature on knowledge sharing across organizational boundaries, particularly the notions of transfer, translation and transformation, to examine in real time how knowledge sharing in a hybrid setting contributes (or not) to the emergence of a new collective identity at the interface of two heterogeneous...... organizations. Our findings point to two factors that limit knowledge sharing and hence to new collective identity formation in a hybrid space: 1) ambiguous or multiple organizational roles and 2) strong identities of the collaborating organizations. These findings contribute to illuminating the initial...

Survey of U.S. Organ Procurement Organizations Regarding Pediatric Organ Donor Management.

Science.gov (United States)

Ream, Robert S; Armbrecht, Eric S

2016-10-01

To describe the current practice of pediatric organ donor management in the United States for donors declared dead based upon neurologic criteria. The study directs particular attention to how pediatric donors are defined, the use of donor management guidelines, the use of donor management goals, and the involvement of pediatric critical care or transplantation expertise. Cross-sectional observational study using a web-based survey and follow-up telephone interview with respondents from U.S. organ procurement organizations. The study also incorporated organ procurement organization-specific data on organ yield for the 4-year period (2010-2013) preceding the study. The 58 U.S. organ procurement organizations. Respondents chosen by each organ procurement organization. None. All 58 U.S. organ procurement organizations participated in the study. Fifty-two respondents (90%) indicated that their organ procurement organization distinguished pediatric from adult donors resulting in 28 unique pediatric definitions. Thirty-nine organ procurement organizations utilized some form of written pediatric management guidelines, and 27 (47%) maintained pediatric donor management goals; compliance was infrequently monitored for both guidelines (28%) and goals (33%). A pediatric intensivist was always or usually involved in pediatric donor management at 47 organ procurement organizations (81%); transplant/organ recovery surgeons were always or usually involved at 12 organ procurement organizations (21%). There was an increase in the number of organs transplanted per donor among donors 11-17 years old for organ procurement organizations that used donor management goals for the duration of the period studied (p procurement organizations that always or usually consulted a transplant/organ recovery surgeon (p = 0.02) although this did not reach our threshold for statistical significance.. There is little consensus among organ procurement organizations regarding the definition of

Nighttime residential wood burning evidenced from an indirect method for estimating real-time concentration of particulate organic matter (POM)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sciare, J.; Sarda-Esteve, R.; Favez, O.; Cachier, H.; Aymoz, G.; Laj, P.

2008-01-01

Real-time analyzers of selected chemical components (sulfate, nitrate, Black Carbon) and integrative aerosol parameters (particulate matter and light scattering coefficient) were implemented for a 2-week campaign (November-December 2005) in a suburban area of Clermont-Ferrand (France) in order to document fast changes in the chemical composition of submicron aerosols. Measurements of particulate organic matter (POM) were not available in the field but were indirectly estimated from time-resolved (3-min) reconstruction of the light scattering coefficient. This methodology offered the opportunity to investigate almost real-time and artifact-free POM concentrations even at low concentrations (typically below 0.1 mu g m(-3)). The overall uncertainties associated with this POM calculation were of the order of 20%, which are comparable to those commonly referred in literature for POM calculation or measurements. A chemical mass balance (CMB) of PM1 was performed using the derived POM concentrations and showed a very good correlation (slope = 0.93; r(2) = 0.91, N = 663) with real-time PM1 measurements obtained from R and P TEOM-FDMS, demonstrating the consistency of our approach. Important diurnal variations were observed in POM concentrations, with a dominant contribution of POM from fossil fuel origin during daytime and a dominant contribution of POM from residential wood burning at night. POM was calculated to contribute as much as 70% of PM1 during our study, pointing out the major role of carbonaceous aerosols at this period of the year at our residential area. (authors)

Managerial Ethics: The Ethics in the Enterprise Organizations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roberto Bondarik

2006-12-01

Full Text Available The present article has for objective to present the ethics meanings, its application and importance in the enterprise organizations. Century XX was marked by deep transformations in the most diverse fields of the activity human being, also perceived in its finish a concern with the enterprise ethical behavior. Was transferred to charge it of the companies a bigger concern with the quality of its products and the way that these organizations treated its diverse public, the intern and the external one. The ethical behavior in an organization does not have to be to result only of a requirement of the market, but of spontaneous behavior. The importance that the organizations possess in the present time made with that many scholars called our time of Managerial Age, therefore its paradigm is the company, who influences the society.

Hierarchical organization versus self-organization

OpenAIRE

Busseniers, Evo

2014-01-01

In this paper we try to define the difference between hierarchical organization and self-organization. Organization is defined as a structure with a function. So we can define the difference between hierarchical organization and self-organization both on the structure as on the function. In the next two chapters these two definitions are given. For the structure we will use some existing definitions in graph theory, for the function we will use existing theory on (self-)organization. In the t...

Practical reporting times for environmental samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bayne, C.K.; Schmoyer, D.D.; Jenkins, R.A.

1993-02-01

Preanalytical holding times for environmental samples are specified because chemical and physical characteristics may change between sampling and chemical analysis. For example, the Federal Register prescribes a preanalytical holding time of 14 days for volatile organic compounds in soil stored at 4 degrees C. The American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) uses a more technical definition that the preanalytical holding time is the day when the analyte concentration for an environmental sample falls below the lower 99% confidence interval on the analyte concentration at day zero. This study reviews various holding time definitions and suggest a new preanalytical holding time approach using acceptable error rates for measuring an environmental analyte. This practical reporting time (PRT) approach has been applied to nineteen volatile organic compounds and four explosives in three environmental soil samples. A PRT nomograph of error rates has been developed to estimate the consequences of missing a preanalytical holding time. This nomograph can be applied to a large class of analytes with concentrations that decay linearly or exponentially with time regardless of sample matrices and storage conditions

Practical reporting times for environmental samples

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bayne, C.K.; Schmoyer, D.D.; Jenkins, R.A.

1993-02-01

Preanalytical holding times for environmental samples are specified because chemical and physical characteristics may change between sampling and chemical analysis. For example, the Federal Register prescribes a preanalytical holding time of 14 days for volatile organic compounds in soil stored at 4{degrees}C. The American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) uses a more technical definition that the preanalytical holding time is the day when the analyte concentration for an environmental sample falls below the lower 99% confidence interval on the analyte concentration at day zero. This study reviews various holding time definitions and suggest a new preanalytical holding time approach using acceptable error rates for measuring an environmental analyte. This practical reporting time (PRT) approach has been applied to nineteen volatile organic compounds and four explosives in three environmental soil samples. A PRT nomograph of error rates has been developed to estimate the consequences of missing a preanalytical holding time. This nomograph can be applied to a large class of analytes with concentrations that decay linearly or exponentially with time regardless of sample matrices and storage conditions.

Fermilab | About | Organization | Fermilab Organization

Science.gov (United States)

Industry Students and teachers Media Organization Fermilab Organization Organization Fermilab Org Chart Accelerator Division Accelerator Physics Center CMS Center Core Computing Division ESH&Q FESS Finance Section LBNF Project Line Organization LBNF Project Director LCLS-II

Advance organizers in advisory reports: Selective reading, recall, and perception

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lagerwerf, L.; Cornelis, L.; de Geus, J.; Jansen, P

2008-01-01

According to research in educational psychology, advance organizers lead to better learning and recall of information. In this research, the authors explored advance organizers from a business perspective, where larger documents are read under time pressure. Graphic and verbal advance organizers

Ten Tips for Better Time Management.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Loozen, Luann F.

1982-01-01

Presents time management tips, especially for board of education members, including recommendations to realize that managing time is a skill, develop a more accurate sense of how one's time is spent, examine and reestablish goals, learn to say no, organize files and information, and master the telephone. (Author/JM)

An overview on genome organization of marine organisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Costantini, Maria

2015-12-01

In this review we will concentrate on some general genome features of marine organisms and their evolution, ranging from vertebrate to invertebrates until unicellular organisms. Before genome sequencing, the ultracentrifugation in CsCl led to high resolution of mammalian DNA (without seeing at the sequence). The analytical profile of human DNA showed that the vertebrate genome is a mosaic of isochores, typically megabase-size DNA segments that belong in a small number of families characterized by different GC levels. The recent availability of a number of fully sequenced genomes allowed mapping very precisely the isochores, based on DNA sequences. Since isochores are tightly linked to biological properties such as gene density, replication timing and recombination, the new level of detail provided by the isochore map helped the understanding of genome structure, function and evolution. This led the current level of knowledge and to further insights. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Using Print Media Indicators in Researching Organization Concepts

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Benders, J.; Nijholt, J.; Heusinkveld, H.S.

2007-01-01

Quantitative empirical research into 'management fashions' or 'organization concepts' is dominated by studies using print media indicators (PMI). Such research builds on the simple premise that the number of publications on an organization concept in the course of time reflects managerial interest

Association of time under immunosuppression and different immunosuppressive medication on periodontal parameters and selected bacteria of patients after solid organ transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Schmalz, G; Berisha, L; Wendorff, H; Widmer, F; Marcinkowski, A; Teschler, H; Sommerwerck, U; Haak, R; Kollmar, O; Ziebolz, D

2018-05-01

Aim of this study was to investigate the association of the time under immunosuppression and different immunosuppressive medication on periodontal parameters and selected periodontal pathogenic bacteria of immunosuppressed patients after solid organ transplantation (SOT). 169 Patients after SOT (lung, liver or kidney) were included and divided into subgroups according their time under (0-1, 1-3, 3-6, 6-10 and >10 years) and form of immunosuppression (Tacrolimus, Cyclosporine, Mycophenolate, Glucocorticoids, Sirolimus and monotherapy vs. combination). Periodontal probing depth (PPD) and clinical attachment loss (CAL) were assessed. Periodontal disease severity was classified as healthy/mild, moderate or severe periodontitis. Subgingival biofilm samples were investigated for eleven selected potentially periodontal pathogenic bacteria using polymerasechainreaction. The mean PPD and CAL as well as prevalence of Treponema denticola and Capnocytophaga species was shown to be different but heterogeneous depending on time under immunosuppression (pperiodontal condition compared to patients without Cyclosporine (pperiodontal and microbiological parameters of patients after SOT. Patients under Cyclosporine medication should receive increased attention. Differences in subgingival biofilm, but not in clinical parameters were found for Glucocorticoids, Mycophenolate and combination therapy, making the clinical relevance of this finding unclear.

Towards Sustainable Health Care Organizations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mauro ROMANELLI

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Health care organizations have to develop a sustainable path for creating public value by seeking legitimacy for building and maintaining public trust with patients as social and economic institutions creating value and sustaining both health and wealth for people and communities within society. Health care organizations having at disposal decreasing resources and meeting increasing demands of citizens are following an unsustainable path. Designing sustainable health care systems and organizations is emerging as a strategic goal for developing the wealth of people and communities over time. Building sustainable organizations relies on valuing human resources, designing efficient and effective processes, using technology for better managing the relationships within and outside organizations. Sustainable health care organizations tend to rediscover the importance of human resource management and policies for effectively improving communication with patients and building trust-based relationships. While processes of accreditation contribute to legitimizing effectiveness and quality of health care services and efficient processes, introducing and using new information and communication technologies (ICTs and informatics helps communication leading to restore trust-based relationships between health care institutions and patients for value creation within society.

Simulation of charge transport in organic semiconductors: A time-dependent multiscale method based on nonequilibrium Green's functions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Leitherer, Susanne; Jager, C. M.; Krause, A.

2017-01-01

In weakly interacting organic semiconductors, static disorder and dynamic disorder often have an important impact on transport properties. Describing charge transport in these systems requires an approach that correctly takes structural and electronic fluctuations into account. Here, we present...... are used in organic field-effect transistors....

Current Situations and Countermeasures of Organic Tobacco Development

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

2011-01-01

Current situations of organic tobacco development at both home and abroad,indicating that organic tobacco is one of the innovation directions for sustainable,healthy,environmental protection and low carbon development of modern tobacco industry.On the basis of foreign cultivation technical system for organic agriculture,the cultivation technical system for organic tobacco is summed up as follows:first,keep the diversity and continuity of space and time;second,ensure closeness of nutrient cycle;third,improve self-regulatory system and protection ability of crops.Then,the development trend of organic tobacco is analyzed and corresponding measures are put forward:establish production base and assessment system for organic tobacco;establish technical system for production of organic tobacco;establish and perfect evaluation system for management,production and supervision of organic tobacco;strengthen popularization of production and concept of organic tobacco;improve management of organic tobacco purchase,industry commerce handover,and redrying.

Road transport working time directive: self-employed and night time provision

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Goudswaard, A.; Kuipsers, B.; Schoenmaker, N.; Houtman, I.L.D.; Jettinghoff, K.; Ruijs, P.A.J.; Savenije, W.M.; Osinga, D.S.C.; Koomen, M.

2006-01-01

On 23 March 2005, Directive 2002/15/EC concerning the organization of working time of persons performing mobile road transport activities came into force for mobile workers. Self-employed are temporally excluded from the scope of this Directive. Firstly, this report describes the implementation of

Development of a Real-Time Thermal Performance Diagnostic Monitoring system Using Self-Organizing Neural Network for Kori-2 Nuclear Power Unit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, Hyun Gook; Seong, Poong Hyun

1996-01-01

In this work, a PC-based thermal performance monitoring system is developed for the nuclear power plants. the system performs real-time thermal performance monitoring and diagnosis during plant operation. Specifically, a prototype for the Kori-2 nuclear power unit is developed and examined is very difficult because the system structure is highly complex and the components are very much inter-related. In this study, some major diagnostic performance parameters are selected in order to represent the thermal cycle effectively and to reduce the computing time. The Fuzzy ARTMAP, a self-organizing neural network, is used to recognize the characteristic pattern change of the performance parameters in abnormal situation. By examination, the algorithm is shown to be ale to detect abnormality and to identify the fault component or the change of system operation condition successfully. For the convenience of operators, a graphical user interface is also constructed in this work. 5 figs., 3 tabs., 11 refs. (Author)

Development of a qualitative real-time PCR method to detect 19 targets for identification of genetically modified organisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Cheng; Wang, Pengfei; Xu, Xiaoli; Wang, Xiaofu; Wei, Wei; Chen, Xiaoyun; Xu, Junfeng

2016-01-01

As the amount of commercially available genetically modified organisms (GMOs) grows recent years, the diversity of target sequences for molecular detection techniques are eagerly needed. Considered as the gold standard for GMO analysis, the real-time PCR technology was optimized to produce a high-throughput GMO screening method. With this method we can detect 19 transgenic targets. The specificity of the assays was demonstrated to be 100 % by the specific amplification of DNA derived from reference material from 20 genetically modified crops and 4 non modified crops. Furthermore, most assays showed a very sensitive detection, reaching the limit of ten copies. The 19 assays are the most frequently used genetic elements present in GM crops and theoretically enable the screening of the known GMO described in Chinese markets. Easy to use, fast and cost efficient, this method approach fits the purpose of GMO testing laboratories.

Exploration of US men's professional sport organization concussion policies.

Science.gov (United States)

Cochrane, Graham Dean; Owen, Matthew; Ackerson, Joseph D; Hale, Matthew H; Gould, Sara

2017-05-01

Concussion policies are increasingly being developed and adopted among professional sports organizations. We sought to compare the policies of the National Hockey League (NHL), the National Basketball Association (NBA), the National Football League (NFL), and Major League Baseball (MLB). Our objective was to summarize each policy and evaluate the extent to which each policy is organization-specific and/or consistent with medical guidelines. We visited websites for the NHL, NBA, NFL, and MLB. We searched media articles reporting concussion policy. We utilized only publically available data. We collected information on each league's approach to the definition of concussion, education provided about concussion, baseline testing requirements, minimum return to play time and return to play protocol. We found that concussion policies vary across these organizations. Most organizations utilize the Concussion in Sport Group (CISG) definition (2013) to define concussion. The NFL and NBA mandate preseason education. All organizations require some type of baseline testing. All organizations require sideline evaluation after suspected concussion. The NFL and MLB require Sport Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT) testing for sideline evaluation of suspected concussion. MLB is the only organization to require minimum time before return to play. There is a return to play protocol in place for each organization. The NFL and MLB require independent neurologic consultation as part of their return to play protocol. There is variability in concussion policy among the professional sports organizations. The most pronounced variation from the CISG consensus statement is the variability in the minimum time to return to play. Further, the rules of the individual sports have a role in how concussion policy can be designed and implemented. Professional sports set an example for thousands of recreational sports enthusiasts so their publically available policies on concussion have a large impact.

Phosphate incorporation in organic compounds in roots of maize

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Michalik, I; Ivanko, S [Vysoka Skola Polnohospodarska, Nitra (Czechoslovakia)

1976-01-01

/sup 32/P incorporation and metabolism was investigated for short exposure times of 1 sec, 10 sec and 1, 10, 30 and 120 min. By stepwise extraction with a methanol-chloroform-formic acid-water mixture, various fractions of P compounds were obtained. Low-molecular acid-soluble P compounds were separated by one-dimensional paper chromatography. Of the total amount of /sup 32/P absorbed by the roots of maize in the form of phosphate ions during the short incubation time of 1 sec, more than 33% was incorporated into organic compounds. With increasing incubation time, the proportion of /sup 32/P in low-molecular organic compounds increased with the decreasing proportion of inorganic phosphorus. In the 1 sec, exposure incorporation was found in 3 low-molecular organic compounds only, namely ATP, ADP and diphosphoglyceric acid. The /sup 32/P incorporation into ATP and ADP, in contrast with incorporation into diphosphoglyceric acid, increased markedly with increased exposure time.

Phosphate incorporation in organic compounds in roots of maize

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Michalik, I.; Ivanko, S.

1976-01-01

32 P incorporation and metabolism was investigated for short exposure times of 1 sec, 10 sec and 1, 10, 30 and 120 min. By stepwise extraction with a methanol-chloroform-formic acid-water mixture, various fractions of P compounds were obtained. Low-molecular acid-soluble P compounds were separated by one-dimensional paper chromatography. Of the total amount of 32 P absorbed by the roots of maize in the form of phosphate ions during the short incubation time of 1 sec, more than 33% was incorporated into organic compounds. With increasing incubation time, the proportion of 32 P in low-molecular organic compounds increased with the decreasing proportion of inorganic phosphorus. In the 1 sec, exposure incorporation was found in 3 low-molecular organic compounds only, namely ATP, ADP and diphosphoglyceric acid. The 32 P incorporation into ATP and ADP, in contrast with incorporation into diphosphoglyceric acid, increased markedly with increased exposure time. (author)

Use of electron ionization and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization in gas chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spetrometry for screening and identification of organic pollutants in waters

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Portoles, T.; Mol, J.G.J.; Sancho, J.V.; Hernandez, F.

2014-01-01

A new approach has been developed for multiclass screening of organic contaminants in water based on the use of gas chromatography coupled to hybrid quadrupole high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (GC–(APCI)QTOF MS). The soft ionization

Organizing homeless people

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Anker, Jørgen

2008-01-01

People who are homeless belong to some of the most vulnerable, dispersed and disorganized groups in welfare societies. Yet in 2001, a national interest organization of homeless people was formed for the first time in Denmark. This article identifies the processes that facilitated the formation...... of the organization. It focuses on the importance of ideological and institutional conditions and changes, and it stresses the importance of alliances between progressive actors in the field and in the political-administrative system, in addition to the presence of dedicated activists among people who are or have...... been homeless. The analysis may thus serve as a case of inspiration for activists and professionals who want to improve homeless people's opportunities for participation in other national settings....

Artificial Organs 2017: A Year in Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Malchesky, Paul S

2018-03-01

In this Editor's Review, articles published in 2017 are organized by category and summarized. We provide a brief reflection of the research and progress in artificial organs intended to advance and better human life while providing insight for continued application of these technologies and methods. Artificial Organs continues in the original mission of its founders "to foster communications in the field of artificial organs on an international level." Artificial Organs continues to publish developments and clinical applications of artificial organ technologies in this broad and expanding field of organ Replacement, Recovery, and Regeneration from all over the world. Peer-reviewed Special Issues this year included contributions from the 12th International Conference on Pediatric Mechanical Circulatory Support Systems and Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Perfusion edited by Dr. Akif Undar, Artificial Oxygen Carriers edited by Drs. Akira Kawaguchi and Jan Simoni, the 24th Congress of the International Society for Mechanical Circulatory Support edited by Dr. Toru Masuzawa, Challenges in the Field of Biomedical Devices: A Multidisciplinary Perspective edited by Dr. Vincenzo Piemonte and colleagues and Functional Electrical Stimulation edited by Dr. Winfried Mayr and colleagues. We take this time also to express our gratitude to our authors for offering their work to this journal. We offer our very special thanks to our reviewers who give so generously of time and expertise to review, critique, and especially provide meaningful suggestions to the author's work whether eventually accepted or rejected. Without these excellent and dedicated reviewers the quality expected from such a journal could not be possible. We also express our special thanks to our Publisher, John Wiley & Sons for their expert attention and support in the production and marketing of Artificial Organs. We look forward to reporting further advances in the coming years. © 2018 International Center for

Rate of Decomposition of Organic Matter in Soil as Influenced by Repeated Air Drying-Rewetting and Repeated Additions of Organic Material

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Lasse Holst

1974-01-01

Repeated air drying and rewetting of three soils followed by incubation at 20°C resulted in an increase in the rate of decomposition of a fraction of 14C labeled organic matter in the soils. The labeled organic matter originated from labeled glucose, cellulose and straw, respectively, metabolized...... of the treatment was least in the soil which had been incubated with the labeled material for the longest time. Additions of unlabeled, decomposable organic material also increased the rate of decomposition of the labeled organic matter. The evolution of labeled CO2 during the 1st month of incubation after...... addition was in some cases 4–10 times larger than the evolution from the controls. During the continued incubation the evolution decreased almost to the level of the controls, indicating that the effect was related to the increased biological activity in the soils during decomposition of the added material...

Organic food consumption by athletes in Lithuania.

Science.gov (United States)

Baranauskas, Marius; Stukas, Rimantas; Tubelis, Linas; Žagminas, Kęstutis; Šurkienė, Genė; Dobrovolskij, Valerij; Jakubauskienė, Marija; Giedraitis, Vincentas Rolandas

2015-01-01

With environmental pollution increasing, interest in organic farming and organic foodstuffs has been growing all over the world. Data on organic food consumption by Lithuanian athletes is not yet available. This lack of data determined the aim of this study: to identify the particulars of organic foodstuff consumption among athletes. In September-November 2012, we polled 158 of the best-performing athletes of the Olympic sports team through direct interviews. An approved questionnaire was used to identify the specifics of organic foodstuff consumption among athletes. The survey results showed that 97% of athletes consume organic foodstuffs, and 80% of athletes highlighted the positive impact of organic food on health. Nevertheless, a slim majority of athletes (51.7%) consume organic foodstuffs seldomly, 2-3 times per week. The range of organic foodstuffs consumed depends on the gender of athletes, and the consumption of some products depends on monthly incomes. Survey results confirm the need for the production and expansion of the variety of organic foodstuffs. In the course of the development of the organic food market, it should be beneficial for manufacturers to target high-performance athletes and physically active people.

Cooperative Learning and the Organization of Secondary Schools.

Science.gov (United States)

Shachar, Hanna; Sharan, Shlomo

1995-01-01

Describes the interrelationship between school organization and classroom instructional style. Characterizes the bureaucratic and the open systems models of school organization in terms of three major dimensions of school life: administrator, teacher, and student behaviors; work design and tasks; and space-time allocations. The bureaucratic…

Application of six sigma DMAIC methodology to reduce service resolution time in a service organization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Virender Narula

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The popularity of Six Sigma, as a means for improving quality, has grown exponentially in recent years. It is a proven methodology to achieve breakthrough improvement in process performance that generates significant savings to bottom line of an organization. This paper illustrates how Six Sigma methodology may be used to improve service processes. The purpose of this paper is to develop Six Sigma DMAIC methodologies that would help service organizations look into their processes. In addition, it demonstrates the vital linkages between process improvement and process variation. The study identifies critical process parameters and suggests a team structure for Six Sigma project in service operations.

Paranoia as an Antecedent and Consequence of Getting Ahead in Organizations: Time-Lagged Effects Between Paranoid Cognitions, Self-Monitoring, and Changes in Span of Control

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Niels Van Quaquebeke

2016-09-01

Full Text Available A six-month, time-lagged online survey among 441 employees in diverse industries was conducted to investigate the role paranoia plays as an antecedent and as a consequence of advancement in organizations. The background of the study is the argument that it requires active social sense-making and behavioral adaptability to advance in organizations. The present paper thus explores the extent to which employees’ paranoid cognitions—representative of a heightened albeit suspicious sense-making and behavioral adaptability—link with their advancement in organizations (operationalized as changes in afforded span of control, both as an antecedent and an outcome. Following the strategy to illuminate the process by interaction analysis, both conditions (antecedent and outcome are examined in interaction with employees’ self-monitoring, which is considered representative of a heightened but healthy sense-making and behavioral adaptability. Results support the expected interference interaction between paranoid cognitions and self-monitoring in that each can to some degree compensate for the other in explaining employees’ organizational advancement. Reversely, changes in span of control also affected paranoid cognitions. In particular, low self-monitors, i.e. those low in adaptive sense-making, reacted with heightened paranoid cognitions when demoted. In effect, the present study is thus the first to empirically support that paranoid cognitions can be a consequence but also a prerequisite for getting ahead in organizations. Practical advice should, however, be suspended until it is better understood whether and under what circumstances paranoia may relate not only to personally getting ahead but also to an increased effectiveness for the benefit of the organization.

Making sense in asset markets: Strategies for Implicit Organizations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Johannes M. Lehner

2015-12-01

Full Text Available While asset markets are traditionally left to economic inquiry, the paper shows that there is both a legal possibility and an incentive for organizing within such markets and for exercising market share-based strategic maneuvering. It proposes, based on sensemaking theory, Implicit Organizations in asset markets to exploit equivocality for momentum trading strategies. An Implicit Organization fulfills the criteria of an organization, while maintaining the image of a perfect market. Its members coordinate via market signals and fixed investment time windows to ensure positive returns to strategic maneuvering in asset markets. In support of hypotheses derived from sensemaking theory, results of empirical studies from two different investment contexts (Xetra and NYSE provide evidence that equivocal analysts’ recommendations predict investment returns after a fixed time period.

Doping-assisted low-pressure photoionization mass spectrometry for the real-time detection of lung cancer-related volatile organic compounds.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Zhen; Xu, Ce; Shu, Jinian; Yang, Bo; Zou, Yao

2017-04-01

Real-time detection of lung cancer-related volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is a promising, non-intrusive technique for lung cancer (LC) prescreening. In this study, a novel method was designed to enhance the detection selectivity and sensitivity of LC-related polar VOCs by dichloromethane (CH 2 Cl 2 ) doping-assisted low-pressure photoionization mass spectrometry (LPPI-MS). Compared with conventional LPPI-MS, CH 2 Cl 2 doping-assisted LPPI-MS boosted the peak intensities of n-propanol, n-pentanal, acetone, and butyl acetate in nitrogen specifically by 53, 18, 16, and 43 times, respectively. The signal intensities of their daughter ions were inhibited or reduced. At relative humidity (RH) of 20%, the sensitivities of n-propanol, n-pentanal, acetone, and butyl acetate detection ranged from 116 to 452 counts/ppbv with a detection time of 10s and R 2 >0.99 for the linear calibration curves. The method was also applicable under higher RH levels of 50% and 90%. Breath samples obtained from 10 volunteers and spiked samples were investigated. Eight-fold enhancements in the signal intensities of polar VOCs were observed in the normal and spiked samples. These preliminary results demonstrate the efficacy of the dichloromethane doping-assisted LPPI technique for the detection of LC-related polar VOCs. Further studies are indispensible to illustrating the detailed mechanism and applying the technique to breath diagnosis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Changing the philosophy of organization management in the times of e-economy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bieńkowska Jolanta

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The paper highlights the fundamental changes in the way of thinking in science and the management practice caused by the transition from the era of industrial civilization to the information civilization. These include the change in the subject of management, i.e. the transition from the management of the organization to the management of joint projects; from the requirement of flexibility from own resources to the ability to use external resources and the departure from the methodological rationality of a decision to the material rationality.

Priming the Mental Time Line

Science.gov (United States)

Di Bono, Maria Grazia; Casarotti, Marco; Priftis, Konstantinos; Gava, Lucia; Umilta, Carlo; Zorzi, Marco

2012-01-01

Growing experimental evidence suggests that temporal events are represented on a mental time line, spatially oriented from left to right. Support for the spatial representation of time comes mostly from studies that have used spatially organized responses. Moreover, many of these studies did not avoid possible confounds attributable to target…

Multiple dynamical time-scales in networks with hierarchically

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Modular networks; hierarchical organization; synchronization. ... we show that such a topological structure gives rise to characteristic time-scale separation ... This suggests a possible functional role of such mesoscopic organization principle in ...

Molybdenum isotope fractionation during adsorption to organic matter

Science.gov (United States)

King, Elizabeth K.; Perakis, Steven; Pett-Ridge, Julie C.

2018-01-01

Organic matter is of emerging interest as a control on molybdenum (Mo) biogeochemistry, and information on isotope fractionation during adsorption to organic matter can improve interpretations of Mo isotope variations in natural settings. Molybdenum isotope fractionation was investigated during adsorption onto insolubilized humic acid (IHA), a surrogate for organic matter, as a function of time (2–170 h) and pH (2–7). For the time series experiment performed at pH 4.2, the average Mo isotope fractionation between the solution and the IHA (Δ98Mosolution-IHA) was 1.39‰ (± 0.16‰, 2σ, based on 98Mo/95Mo relative to the NIST 3134 standard) at steady state. For the pH series experiment, Mo adsorption decreased as pH increased from 2.0 to 6.9, and the Δ98Mosolution-IHA increased from 0.82‰ to 1.79‰. We also evaluated natural Mo isotope patterns in precipitation, foliage, organic horizon, surface mineral soil, and bedrock from 12 forested sites in the Oregon Coast Range. The average Mo isotope offset observed between precipitation and organic (O) horizon soil was 2.1‰, with light Mo isotopes adsorbing preferentially to organic matter. Fractionation during adsorption to organic matter is similar in magnitude and direction to prior observations of Mo fractionation during adsorption to Fe- and Mn- (oxyhydr)oxides. Our finding that organic matter influences Mo isotope composition has important implications for the role of organic matter as a driver of trace metal retention and isotopic fractionation.

OPERATIONS NECESSARY FOR THE DIAGNOSIS ANALYSIS OF THE ORGANIZATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

CAIUS LĂZĂRESCU

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The diagnosis analysis is as important as is necessary for any profit or non-profit organization, it shows the situation of the organization, helps to prevent the risks, threats and future forecast. The diagnosis analysis must present: the general situation, financial situation, human and managerial potential, technical and technological potential of the organization. Once known these aspects important for the organization, the decision or decisions can be made being aware of it and in real time. The diagnosis analysis is a procedure which is achieved in a relatively short period of time and offers solutions with global character, formulates an action program which will include detailed analysis. The high degree of complexity of the analysis needs a multidisciplinary training which can establish the method, to collect and process the data and to offer the solutions, for which this can be made by specialized companies or by specialized staff from organization self-analysis.

Actinide uptake by transferrin and ferritin metalloproteins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Den Auwer, C.; Llorens, I.; Moisy, Ph.; Vidaud, C.; Goudard, F.; Barbot, C.; Solari, P.L.; Funke, H.

2005-01-01

In order to better understand the mechanisms of actinide uptake by specific biomolecules, it is essential to explore the intramolecular interactions between the cation and the protein binding site. Although this has long been done for widely investigated transition metals, very few studies have been devoted to complexation mechanisms of actinides by active chelation sites of metalloproteins. In this field, X-ray absorption spectroscopy has been extensively used as a structural and electronic metal cation probe. The two examples that are presented here are related to two metalloproteins in charge of iron transport and storage in eukaryote cells: transferrin and ferritin. U(VI)O 2 2+ , Np(IV) and Pu(IV) have been selected because of their possible role as contaminant from the geosphere. (orig.)

Emission and chemistry of organic compounds from biomass burning: measurements from an iodide time-of-flight chemical ionization mass spectrometer (I- ToF-CIMS) during the FIREX FireLab 2016 intensive

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, B.; Krechmer, J. E.; Warneke, C.; Coggon, M.; Koss, A.; Lim, C. Y.; Selimovic, V.; Gilman, J.; Lerner, B. M.; Stark, H.; Kang, H.; Jimenez, J. L.; Yokelson, R. J.; Liggio, J.; Roberts, J. M.; Kroll, J. H.; De Gouw, J. A.

2017-12-01

Biomass burning can emit large amounts of many different organic compounds to the atmosphere. The emission strengths of these emitted organic compounds and their subsequent atmospheric chemistry are not well known. In this study, we deployed a time-of-flight chemical ionization mass spectrometer using iodide as reagent ions (Iodide ToF-CIMS) to measure direct emissions of organic compounds during the FIREX laboratory 2016 intensive in the USDA Fire Sciences Lab in Missoula, MT. An interpretation of the I­- TOF-CIMS mass spectra from biomass burning emissions will be presented. The dependence of the emissions of selected organic compounds with fuel types, combustion efficiency and fuel chemical compositions will be discussed. The I- TOF-CIMS also measured aged biomass burning smoke from a small smog chamber and an oxidative flow reactor (OFR). The I- TOF-CIMS consistently observed much higher signals of highly oxygenated organic compounds in the aged biomass burning smoke than in fresh emissions, indicative of strong secondary formation of these organic compounds in biomass burning plumes.

Boredom and Organization Studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Johnsen, Rasmus

2016-01-01

able to tell and endure time in an organized manner, boredom is a perceived loss of meaning inferred by the lived experience of a discrepancy between the involvement with transient means in everyday life and their value in a larger vision of existence. But boredom also signifies a concurrent protest...

Soils, time, and primate paleoenvironments

Science.gov (United States)

Bown, T.M.; Kraus, M.J.

1993-01-01

Soils are the skin of the earth. From both poles to the equator, wherever rocks or sediment are exposed at the surface, soils are forming through the physical and chemical action of climate and living organisms. The physical attributes (color, texture, thickness) and chemical makeup of soils vary considerably, depending on the composition of the parent material and other variables: temperature, rainfall and soil moisture, vegetation, soil fauna, and the length of time that soil-forming processes have been at work. United States soil scientists1 have classified modern soils into ten major groups and numerous subgroups, each reflecting the composition and architecture of the soils and, to some extent, the processes that led to their formation. The physical and chemical processes of soil formation have been active throughout geologic time; the organic processes have been active at least since the Ordovician.2 Consequently, nearly all sedimentary rocks that were deposited in nonmarine settings and exposed to the elements contain a record of ancient, buried soils or paleosols. A sequence of these rocks, such as most ancient fluvial (stream) deposits, provides a record of soil paleoenvironments through time. Paleosols are also repositories of the fossils of organisms (body fossils) and the traces of those organisms burrowing, food-seeking, and dwelling activities (ichnofossils). Indeed, most fossil primates are found in paleosols. Careful study of ancient soils gives new, valuable insights into the correct temporal reconstruction of the primate fossil record and the nature of primate paleoenvironments. ?? 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

A Note on Time and Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Leichter, Hope Jensen

1980-01-01

The temporal organization of the Rudolf Steiner School in New York City is examined in terms of daily or microtime, calendric time, and developmental time. The question of continuities over time, that is, the interweaving of past, present, and future, and the relation of these continuities to the transformations of education are also considered.…

NONLINEAR DYNAMICS OF ORGANIZATION DEVELOPMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Денис Антонович БУШУЕВ

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The nonlinear behavior of organizations in development projects is considered. The nonlinear behavior is initiated in the growth of organizations and requires a restructuring of governance in identifying dysfunctions. Such a restructuring is needed in the area of soft components, determining the organizational levels of competence in the management of projects, programs, portfolios and heads of the Project Management Office. An important component of the strategic development of the organization is the proposed concept for formation and management of development programs in the context according to their life cycle. It should take into account the non-linear behavior of the soft components of the system and violation of functional processes of the organization. The specific management syndromes of projects and programs are considered. Such as syndromes time management project linked to the singular points of the project. These syndromes are "shift to the right", "point of no return", "braking at the end of the project" and others.

Advance Organizers in Advisory Reports: Selective Reading, Recall, and Perception

Science.gov (United States)

Lagerwerf, Luuk; Cornelis, Louise; de Geus, Johannes; Jansen, Phidias

2008-01-01

According to research in educational psychology, advance organizers lead to better learning and recall of information. In this research, the authors explored advance organizers from a business perspective, where larger documents are read under time pressure. Graphic and verbal advance organizers were manipulated into six versions of an advisory…

Organ Transplantation: Legal, Ethical and Islamic Perspective in Nigeria

OpenAIRE

Bakari, Abubakar A; Abbo Jimeta, Umar S; Abubakar, Mohammed A; Alhassan, Sani U; Nwankwo, Emeka A

2012-01-01

Organ transplantation dates back to the ancient times and since then it has become one of the important developments in modern medicine; saving the lives, as well as improving the quality of life of many patients. As the demand for organ transplantation far exceeds the organ availability, the transplant program is often saddled with complex legal and ethical issues. This review article highlights the legal and ethical issues that might arise regarding organ transplantation and appraises the e...

Working Time: Tendencies and Emerging Issues.

Science.gov (United States)

Bosch, Gerhard

1999-01-01

Examines issues of working time starting with International Labor Organization standards and reports on changes and the forces driving them. Outlines conditions in which working-time reductions are likely to affect employment positively and concludes with topics for further analysis. (Author/JOW)

Patient-specific non-linear finite element modelling for predicting soft organ deformation in real-time: application to non-rigid neuroimage registration.

Science.gov (United States)

Wittek, Adam; Joldes, Grand; Couton, Mathieu; Warfield, Simon K; Miller, Karol

2010-12-01

Long computation times of non-linear (i.e. accounting for geometric and material non-linearity) biomechanical models have been regarded as one of the key factors preventing application of such models in predicting organ deformation for image-guided surgery. This contribution presents real-time patient-specific computation of the deformation field within the brain for six cases of brain shift induced by craniotomy (i.e. surgical opening of the skull) using specialised non-linear finite element procedures implemented on a graphics processing unit (GPU). In contrast to commercial finite element codes that rely on an updated Lagrangian formulation and implicit integration in time domain for steady state solutions, our procedures utilise the total Lagrangian formulation with explicit time stepping and dynamic relaxation. We used patient-specific finite element meshes consisting of hexahedral and non-locking tetrahedral elements, together with realistic material properties for the brain tissue and appropriate contact conditions at the boundaries. The loading was defined by prescribing deformations on the brain surface under the craniotomy. Application of the computed deformation fields to register (i.e. align) the preoperative and intraoperative images indicated that the models very accurately predict the intraoperative deformations within the brain. For each case, computing the brain deformation field took less than 4 s using an NVIDIA Tesla C870 GPU, which is two orders of magnitude reduction in computation time in comparison to our previous study in which the brain deformation was predicted using a commercial finite element solver executed on a personal computer. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Organic production in a dynamic CGE model

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jacobsen, Lars Bo

2004-01-01

for conventional production into land for organic production, a period of two years must pass before the land being transformed can be used for organic production. During that time, the land is counted as land of the organic industry, but it can only produce the conventional product. To handle this rule, we make......Concerns about the impact of modern agriculture on the environment have in recent years led to an interest in supporting the development of organic farming. In addition to environmental benefits, the aim is to encourage the provision of other “multifunctional” properties of organic farming...... such as rural amenities and rural development that are spillover benefit additional to the supply of food. In this paper we further develop an existing dynamic general equilibrium model of the Danish economy to specifically incorporate organic farming. In the model and input-output data each primary...

Decomposition of litter and soil organic matter - Can we distinguish a mechanism for soil organic matter buildup ?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berg, B.; Johansson, M.B.; McClaugherty, C.; Virzo de Santo, A.; Ekbohm, G.

1995-01-01

This synthesis paper presents a model for estimating the buildup of soil organic matter in various types of coniferous forests. The knowledge used was obtained from a well-studied forest with good litterfall data, decomposition information and validation measurements of the soil organic matter layer. By constructing a simple model for litterfall, and the information on maximum decomposition levels for litter, we could estimate the annual increase in soil organic matter and extend this to encompass stand age. The validation measurement and the estimated amount of soil organic matter differed by about 8 or 26% over a 120-yr period, depending on the litterfall model. The estimated increased storage of soil organic matter as a consequence of climate change was found to be drastic. We thus found that the soil organic matter layer would grow about four times as fast as a result of the needle component only. This estimate was based on a comparison between latitudes with a difference of 17 degrees. 35 refs, 7 figs, 3 tabs

Development of a qualitative, multiplex real-time PCR kit for screening of genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

Science.gov (United States)

Dörries, Hans-Henno; Remus, Ivonne; Grönewald, Astrid; Grönewald, Cordt; Berghof-Jäger, Kornelia

2010-03-01

The number of commercially available genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and therefore the diversity of possible target sequences for molecular detection techniques are constantly increasing. As a result, GMO laboratories and the food production industry currently are forced to apply many different methods to reliably test raw material and complex processed food products. Screening methods have become more and more relevant to minimize the analytical effort and to make a preselection for further analysis (e.g., specific identification or quantification of the GMO). A multiplex real-time PCR kit was developed to detect the 35S promoter of the cauliflower mosaic virus, the terminator of the nopaline synthase gene of Agrobacterium tumefaciens, the 35S promoter from the figwort mosaic virus, and the bar gene of the soil bacterium Streptomyces hygroscopicus as the most widely used sequences in GMOs. The kit contains a second assay for the detection of plant-derived DNA to control the quality of the often processed and refined sample material. Additionally, the plant-specific assay comprises a homologous internal amplification control for inhibition control. The determined limits of detection for the five assays were 10 target copies/reaction. No amplification products were observed with DNAs of 26 bacterial species, 25 yeasts, 13 molds, and 41 not genetically modified plants. The specificity of the assays was further demonstrated to be 100% by the specific amplification of DNA derived from reference material from 22 genetically modified crops. The applicability of the kit in routine laboratory use was verified by testing of 50 spiked and unspiked food products. The herein described kit represents a simple and sensitive GMO screening method for the reliable detection of multiple GMO-specific target sequences in a multiplex real-time PCR reaction.

Radiobiological effects of fractionated intake of 3H-nucleosides by mammalian organism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chetchueva, M.Eh.

1987-01-01

Results of experimental study of fractionated intake of 3 H-TgP and 3 H-TsdP by mice organism are presented. As biological tests changes of testic mass and frequency of dominant lethal mutations (DLM) were chosen. Authetic difference in changes of testis mass indices was observed after a single, three-time and ten-time administration of 3 H-DgP to animal organism. During 10-time 3 H-TsdP incorporation 2.2 times as many cells died than in single intake of equal tritium activity. Similar result is obtained in experiment carried out according DLM technique. Necessity of accounting results of fractionated intake of tritium by mice organism in extrapolation to people is pointed out

INTERPRETATION OF CULTURAL PROFILES OF MODERN ORGANIZATIONS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivan Shopov

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The needs of the real management practice of theoretical and applied knowledge, that allows it methodological properly and methodically right to implement appropriate changes in corporate culture and management-specific behavior of the organization, require a study on the highlights in the new company culture and interpretation of cultural profiles. Current paper outlines some of the basic formulations that describe more fully the concept of "culture" and makes clear in the light of the views of leading authors in this field the term "corporate culture". Corporate culture is viewed as a set of values, assumptions, beliefs and norms that are formed over time from the interaction of all members which subsequently perceive them as personal and at the same time as a very powerful factor that determines the individual and group behavior of people in a business organization. The developed organizational culture is a strategic competitive advantage for organizations. The main conclusions of the analysis show that in the research field that arises in the interpretation of cultural profiles, there are opportunities provided for finding technical and methodological solutions that complement and enrich the empirical search on the usability of the strategy aimed at organizational culture. The joint values enrich the culture of labor and management, thus targeting staff, customers and suppliers with established and appropriate time regulations and management style. The goal set assists and guides people in carrying out their duties within the organization.

Five Strategies of Successful Part-Time Work.

Science.gov (United States)

Corwin, Vivien; Lawrence, Thomas B.; Frost, Peter J.

2001-01-01

Identifies commonalities in the approaches of successful part-time professionals. Discusses five strategies for success: (1) communicating work-life priorities and schedules to the organization; (2) making the business case for part-time arrangements; (3) establishing time management routines; (4) cultivating advocates in senior management; and…

The history of Korea electric times for four decades

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2004-11-01

This book reports the history of Korea electric times for four decades, which is comprised of six parts, it deals with establishment of electric times and organizational systems and an editorial policy, status and pains for rebirth, open up new future, foundation of growth for the electric times, stability of organization extension of organization, establishing independent corporation, carrying out a radical reform, changing reading newspaper into seeing newspaper, ensuring internal stability, for the daily newspaper, development of contents on power industry technology, strategy for specialization, plan for campaign for patriotism, major business for four decades, today's electric times newspaper and future, and electric times years through the paper.

Change in donor profile influenced the percentage of organs transplanted from multiple organ donors.

Science.gov (United States)

Meers, C; Van Raemdonck, D; Van Gelder, F; Van Hees, D; Desschans, B; De Roey, J; Vanhaecke, J; Pirenne, J

2009-03-01

We hypothesized that the change in donor profile over the years influenced the percentage of transplantations. We reviewed medical records for all multiple-organ donors (MODs) within our network. The percentage of transplanted organs was compared between 1991-1992 (A) and 2006-2007 (B). In period A, 156 potential MODs were identified compared with 278 in period B. Fifteen potential donors (10%) in period A and 114 (41%) in period B were rejected because they were medically not suitable (40% vs 75%) or there was no family consent (60% vs 25%). Of the remaining effective MODs (141 in period A and 164 in period B), mean (standard deviation = SD) age was 34 (5) years vs 49 (17) years (P organs transplanted in periods A vs B was kidneys, 97% vs 79%; livers, 64% vs 85%; hearts, 60% vs 26%; lungs, 7% vs 35%; and pancreas, 6% vs 13% (P organs (17%), mainly because of medical contraindications. The MOD profile changed to older age, fewer traumatic brain deaths, and longer ventilation time. We transplanted more livers, lungs, and pancreases but fewer kidneys and hearts.

Microwaves in organic chemistry and organic chemical

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mijin Dušan Ž.

2005-01-01

Full Text Available The usual way of applying heat to a chemical reaction is the use of a Bunsen burner, an oil or some other type of bath, or an electric heater. In inorganic chemistry, microwave technology has been used since the late 1970s while it has been implemented in organic chemistry since the mid-1980s. Microwave heating has been used in the food industry for almost fifty years. The shorter reaction times and expanded reaction range that is offered by microwave technology are suited to the increased demands in industry. For example, there is a requirement in the pharmaceutical industry for a higher number of a novel chemical entities to be produced, which requires chemists to employ a number of resources to reduce time for the production of compounds. Also, microwaves are used in the food industry, as well as in the pyrolysis of waste materials, sample preparation, the solvent extraction of natural products and the hydrolysis of proteins and peptides.

Crisis management and Organic Foods Industry: How to keep consumer confidence in times of negative media coverage

OpenAIRE

Arp, Kirsten; Wegner, Karin

2014-01-01

Consumer confidence is a very important basis for further development of the Organic Food Sector worldwide. But consumer confidence can be destroyed through (Organic) food crisis or scandals. That is why it is very important to be prepared as an individual company and as the sector as a whole. Crisis management like a crisis plan and issue management can minimize the reputational and financial damage.

The passive-aggressive organization.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaplan, Robert S; Norton, David P

2005-10-01

Passive-aggressive organizations are friendly places to work: People are congenial, conflict is rare, and consensus is easy to reach. But, at the end of the day, even the best proposals fail to gain traction, and a company can go nowhere so imperturbably that it's easy to pretend everything is fine. Such companies are not necessarily saddled with mulishly passive-aggressive employees. Rather, they are filled with mostly well-intentioned people who are the victirms of flawed processes and policies. Commonly, a growing company's halfhearted or poorly thought-out attempts to decentralize give rise to multiple layers of managers, whose authority for making decisions becomes increasingly unclear. Some managers, as a result, hang back, while others won't own up to the calls they've made, inviting colleagues to second-guess or overturn the decisions. In such organizations, information does not circulate freely, and that makes it difficult for workers to understand the impact of their actions on company performance and for managers to correctly appraise employees' value to the organization. A failure to accurately match incentives to performance stifles initiative, and people do just enough to get by. Breaking free from this pattern is hard; a long history of seeing corporate initiatives ignored and then fade away tends to make people cynical. Often it's best to bring in an outsider to signal that this time things will be different. He or she will need to address every obstacle all at once: clarify decision rights; see to it that decisions stick; and reward people for sharing information and adding value, not for successfully negotiating corporate politics. If those steps are not taken, it's only a matter of time before the diseased elements of a passive-aggressive organization overwhelm the remaining healthy ones and drive the company into financial distress.

Real Time Revisited

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, Phillip G.

1985-12-01

The call for abolishing photo reconnaissance in favor of real time is once more being heard. Ten years ago the same cries were being heard with the introduction of the Charge Coupled Device (CCD). The real time system problems that existed then and stopped real time proliferation have not been solved. The lack of an organized program by either DoD or industry has hampered any efforts to solve the problems, and as such, very little has happened in real time in the last ten years. Real time is not a replacement for photo, just as photo is not a replacement for infra-red or radar. Operational real time sensors can be designed only after their role has been defined and improvements made to the weak links in the system. Plodding ahead on a real time reconnaissance suite without benefit of evaluation of utility will allow this same paper to be used ten years from now.

Development and validation of duplex, triplex, and pentaplex real-time PCR screening assays for the detection of genetically modified organisms in food and feed.

Science.gov (United States)

Huber, Ingrid; Block, Annette; Sebah, Daniela; Debode, Frédéric; Morisset, Dany; Grohmann, Lutz; Berben, Gilbert; Stebih, Dejan; Milavec, Mojca; Zel, Jana; Busch, Ulrich

2013-10-30

Worldwide, qualitative methods based on PCR are most commonly used as screening tools for genetically modified material in food and feed. However, the increasing number and diversity of genetically modified organisms (GMO) require effective methods for simultaneously detecting several genetic elements marking the presence of transgenic events. Herein we describe the development and validation of a pentaplex, as well as complementary triplex and duplex real-time PCR assays, for the detection of the most common screening elements found in commercialized GMOs: P-35S, T-nos, ctp2-cp4-epsps, bar, and pat. The use of these screening assays allows the coverage of many GMO events globally approved for commercialization. Each multiplex real-time PCR assay shows high specificity and sensitivity with an absolute limit of detection below 20 copies for the targeted sequences. We demonstrate by intra- and interlaboratory tests that the assays are robust as well as cost- and time-effective for GMO screening if applied in routine GMO analysis.

Fixation of transuranics with different degrees of oxidation on clays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Billon, A.

1982-01-01

Distribution coefficient (Ksub(d)) measurements available in the literature relate to plutonium, without reference to any particular valence state. It would be of interest to be able to ascertain the behaviour of this element (and the transuranics in general) from the nature of the chemical species taking part in the interaction with a natural or artificial medium (radioactive waste containment barriers). The author cites the results of measurements made for Np(IV), Np(V), Pu(IV), Pu(VI) and Am(III). Two types of clay have been tried out - bentonite and attapulgite. When the transuranic has been oxidized to a suitable degree, preferably by an electrochemical technique, it is brought into contact with a clay suspension. After stirring, decantation and filtration, the transuranic is analysed in the aqueous phase, by photospectrometry when the concentration makes it possible to do so (for NpO 2 + and PuO 2 2+ , which have high molar absorption coefficients epsilon), or else by counting techniques (liquid scintillation and gamma spectrometry). The results are given in the form of graphs (log Ksub(d) = f(pH)) or tables. Emphasis is given to the accuracy and reproducibility of the measurements. The effect of several mineral or organic anions (EDTA) on the retention of Np(V) is considered. An analysis is made of the behaviour of plutonium in accordance with its degree of oxidation. (author)

Our Galactic Neighbor Hosts Complex Organic Molecules

Science.gov (United States)

Hensley, Kerry

2018-03-01

For the first time, data from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) reveal the presence of methyl formate and dimethyl ether in a star-forming region outside our galaxy. This discovery has important implications for the formation and survival of complex organic compounds importantfor the formation of life in low-metallicity galaxies bothyoung and old.No Simple Picture of Complex Molecule FormationALMA, pictured here with the Magellanic Clouds above, has observed organic molecules in our Milky Way Galaxy and beyond. [ESO/C. Malin]Complex organic molecules (those with at least six atoms, one or more of which must be carbon) are the precursors to the building blocks of life. Knowing how and where complex organic molecules can form is a key part of understanding how life came to be on Earth and how it might arise elsewhere in the universe. From exoplanet atmospheres to interstellar space, complex organic molecules are ubiquitous in the Milky Way.In our galaxy, complex organic molecules are often found in the intense environments of hot cores clumps of dense molecular gas surrounding the sites of star formation. However, its not yet fully understood how the complex organic molecules found in hot cores come to be. One possibility is that the compounds condense onto cold dust grains long before the young stars begin heating their natal shrouds. Alternatively, they might assemble themselves from the hot, dense gas surrounding the blazing protostars.Composite infrared and optical image of the N 113 star-forming region in the LMC. The ALMA coverage is indicated by the gray line. Click to enlarge. [Sewio et al. 2018]Detecting Complexity, a Galaxy AwayUsing ALMA, a team of researchers led by Marta Sewio (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center) recently detected two complex organic molecules methyl formate and dimethyl ether for the first time in our neighboring galaxy, the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). Previous searches for organic molecules in the LMC detected

Artificial Organs 2016: A Year in Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Hadsell, Angela T; Malchesky, Paul S

2017-03-01

In this Editor's Review, articles published in 2016 are organized by category and briefly summarized. We aim to provide a brief reflection of the currently available worldwide knowledge that is intended to advance and better human life while providing insight for continued application of technologies and methods of organ Replacement, Recovery, and Regeneration. As the official journal of The International Federation for Artificial Organs, The International Faculty for Artificial Organs, the International Society for Mechanical Circulatory Support, the International Society for Pediatric Mechanical Cardiopulmonary Support, and the Vienna International Workshop on Functional Electrical Stimulation, Artificial Organs continues in the original mission of its founders "to foster communications in the field of artificial organs on an international level." Artificial Organs continues to publish developments and clinical applications of artificial organ technologies in this broad and expanding field of organ Replacement, Recovery, and Regeneration from all over the world. We were pleased to publish our second Virtual Issue in April 2016 on "Tissue Engineering in Bone" by Professor Tsuyoshi Takato. Our first was published in 2011 titled "Intra-Aortic Balloon Pumping" by Dr. Ashraf Khir. Other peer-reviewed Special Issues this year included contributions from the 11th International Conference on Pediatric Mechanical Circulatory Support Systems and Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Perfusion edited by Dr. Akif Ündar and selections from the 23rd Congress of the International Society for Rotary Blood Pumps edited by Dr. Bojan Biocina. We take this time also to express our gratitude to our authors for offering their work to this journal. We offer our very special thanks to our reviewers who give so generously of time and expertise to review, critique, and especially provide meaningful suggestions to the author's work whether eventually accepted or rejected. Without these excellent and

High Gain Hybrid Graphene-Organic Semiconductor Phototransistors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Huisman, Everardus H.; Shulga, Artem G.; Zomer, Paul J.; Tombros, Nikolaos; Bartesaghi, Davide; Bisri, Satria Zulkarnaen; Loi, Maria A.; Koster, L. Jan Anton; van Wees, Bart J.

2015-01-01

Hybrid phototransistors of graphene and the organic semiconductor poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT) are presented. Two types of phototransistors are demonstrated with a charge carrier transit time that differs by more than 6 orders of magnitude. High transit time devices are fabricated using a

Ordered organic-organic multilayer growth

Science.gov (United States)

Forrest, Stephen R; Lunt, Richard R

2015-01-13

An ordered multilayer crystalline organic thin film structure is formed by depositing at least two layers of thin film crystalline organic materials successively wherein the at least two thin film layers are selected to have their surface energies within .+-.50% of each other, and preferably within .+-.15% of each other, whereby every thin film layer within the multilayer crystalline organic thin film structure exhibit a quasi-epitaxial relationship with the adjacent crystalline organic thin film.

Reduction of the hydraulic retention time at constant high organic loading rate to reach the microbial limits of anaerobic digestion in various reactor systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Ziganshin, Ayrat M; Schmidt, Thomas; Lv, Zuopeng; Liebetrau, Jan; Richnow, Hans Hermann; Kleinsteuber, Sabine; Nikolausz, Marcell

2016-10-01

The effects of hydraulic retention time (HRT) reduction at constant high organic loading rate on the activity of hydrogen-producing bacteria and methanogens were investigated in reactors digesting thin stillage. Stable isotope fingerprinting was additionally applied to assess methanogenic pathways. Based on hydA gene transcripts, Clostridiales was the most active hydrogen-producing order in continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR), fixed-bed reactor (FBR) and anaerobic sequencing batch reactor (ASBR), but shorter HRT stimulated the activity of Spirochaetales. Further decreasing HRT diminished Spirochaetales activity in systems with biomass retention. Based on mcrA gene transcripts, Methanoculleus and Methanosarcina were the predominantly active in CSTR and ASBR, whereas Methanosaeta and Methanospirillum activity was more significant in stably performing FBR. Isotope values indicated the predominance of aceticlastic pathway in FBR. Interestingly, an increased activity of Methanosaeta was observed during shortening HRT in CSTR and ASBR despite high organic acids concentrations, what was supported by stable isotope data. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thermal degradation of N-rich organic laboratory analogues: new insight on the cosmomaterials organic precursor composition

Science.gov (United States)

Bonnet, J.-Y.; Quirico, E.; Buch, A.; Szopa, C.; Fray, N.; Cottin, H.; Thissen, R.

2011-10-01

The observed organic matter in the different objects, carbonaceous chondrites and IDPs, accessible to laboratory analyses is the result of a complex history. This history is divided into several phases the first of which take place into the presolar nebula and is followed by post accretional processes on the parent bodies [1, 2]. In the carbonaceous chondrites organic matter (both soluble and insoluble), nitrogen is a very minor constituent about 2wt%, but in micrometer scale localized zone of some IDPs the nitrogen content can reach values as high as 20wt% [1, 3]. Additionally, the Insoluble Organic Matter (IOM) polyaromatic structure suggests a formation through thermal processes of the organic precursor(s). In this IOM N-bearing cycles have been identified but not chemical functions like amino groups. The precursor(s) of all the organic matter observed in IOM and IDPs could then be nitrogen rich. To test this scenario, N-rich laboratory analogues, (polymeric solids) were thermally degraded at four different temperatures to simulate short time thermal processes in the solar nebula.

The distribution of estrogen receptor in various organs of rabbit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Son, H.Y.; In, J.W.; Min, B.S.

1978-01-01

For clinical application of radioreceptor assay, we studied preliminarily the distribution of estrogen receptor in various organs of rabbit by a dextran-charcoal method using 6,7- 3 H-es-tradiol. The results were expressed as binding index, which is the ratio of specific estradiol receptor binding radioactivity to total radioactivity. The materials consist of 5 female rabbits and 3 male rabbits. For female rabbits the binding index was highest in the uterine tissue. This binding index of the uterine tissue was 9.4 times that of the liver, 21.9 times that of the kidney, 24.6 times that of the brain, 28.1 times that of the lung and 65.7 times that of the muscle. For male rabbits the binding index was highest in the liver and decreased in the order of the kidney, the testis, the lung, the brain and the muscle. It is suggested that the estrogen receptor is not confined to any specific target organ but is widely distributed in the various organs, to a different degree. (author)

The Distribution of Estrogen Receptor in Various Organs of Rabbit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Son, Ho Young; In, Jae Whan; Min, Byong Sok

1978-01-01

For clinical application of radioreceptor assay, we studied preliminarily the distribution of estrogen receptor in various organs of rabbit by a dextran-charcoal method using 6, 7- 3 H-estradiol. The results were expressed as binding index, which is the ratio of specific estradiol receptor binding radioactivity to total radioactivity. The materials consist of 5 female rabbits and 3 male rabbits. The results were as follows: 1) Female rabbits. The binding index was highest in the uterine tissue. This binding index of the uterine tissue was 9.4 times that of the liver, 21.9 times that of the kidney, 24.6 times that of the brain, 28.1 times that of the lung and 65.7 times that of the muscle. 2) Male rabbits. The binding index was highest in the liver and decreased in the order of the kidney, the testis, the lung, the brain and the muscle. It is suggested that the estrogen receptor is not confined to any specific target organ but is widely distributed in the various organs, to a different degree.

Group Organized Project Work in Distance Education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Helbo, Jan; Knudsen, Morten; Jensen, Lars Peter

2001-01-01

Project organized problem based learning is a successful concept for on-campus education at Aalborg University. Recently this "Aalborg concept" has been used in networked distance education as well. This paper describes the experiences from two years of Internet-mediated project work in a new...... Master of Information Technology education. The main conclusions are, that the project work is a strong learning motivator, enhancing peer collaboration, for off-campus students as well. However, the concept cannot be directly transferred to off-campus learning. The main reasons are that the students...... must communicate electronically, and that they are under a fierce time strain, studying part time and typically with a full time job and a family. In this paper, the main problems experienced with group organized project work in distance education are described, and some possible solutions are listed...

Organic electrode materials for rechargeable lithium batteries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liang, Yanliang; Tao, Zhanliang; Chen, Jun [Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Chemistry College, Nankai University, Tianjin (China)

2012-07-15

Organic compounds offer new possibilities for high energy/power density, cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and functional rechargeable lithium batteries. For a long time, they have not constituted an important class of electrode materials, partly because of the large success and rapid development of inorganic intercalation compounds. In recent years, however, exciting progress has been made, bringing organic electrodes to the attention of the energy storage community. Herein thirty years' research efforts in the field of organic compounds for rechargeable lithium batteries are summarized. The working principles, development history, and design strategies of these materials, including organosulfur compounds, organic free radical compounds, organic carbonyl compounds, conducting polymers, non-conjugated redox polymers, and layered organic compounds are presented. The cell performances of these materials are compared, providing a comprehensive overview of the area, and straightforwardly revealing the advantages/disadvantages of each class of materials. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Breast Reconstruction After Solid Organ Transplant.

Science.gov (United States)

Koonce, Stephanie L; Giles, Brian; McLaughlin, Sarah A; Perdikis, Galen; Waldorf, James; Lemaine, Valerie; TerKonda, Sarvam

2015-09-01

Solid organ transplant patients frequently develop posttransplant malignancies including breast cancer. They may desire breast reconstruction after mastectomy, which could potentially be complicated by their transplant status, immunosuppressive regimen, and previous operations. We review our experience with patients who have undergone solid organ transplant and subsequent breast reconstruction after mastectomy After institutional review board approval, we queried our prospective breast reconstruction and solid organ transplant databases for corresponding patients. Inclusion criteria comprised breast reconstruction after solid organ transplant. A chart review was conducted of identified patients. Seventeen patients were identified: 1 pulmonary transplant, 4 cardiac transplants, 2 liver transplants, 1 pancreas transplant, 2 combined kidney/pancreas transplants, and 7 kidney transplants. Indications for mastectomy included posttransplant malignancy and prophylaxis. Median time from transplant to completion of reconstruction was 186 months (range, 11-336 months). Median age at transplant was 34.5 years (range, 21-65 years) with the median age of the patients at reconstructive surgery 51.5 years (range, 34-71 years). Median body mass index was 25.3 (range, 21.3-46.5). No significant complications were noted after reconstructive surgery. All patients were on full immunosuppression at time of reconstruction. Breast reconstruction is a viable option for transplant patients after mastectomy and should not be refused based on their transplant status. Close coordination with the transplant team and careful preoperative planning is essential for optimal outcomes.

Hybrid-organic photodetectors for radiography. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmidt, Oliver; Bonrad, Klaus; Adam, Jens; Kraus, Tobias; Gimmler, Christoph

2016-02-01

HOP-X aimed to combine the advantages of nanotechnology and organic electronics for application in medical X-ray imaging in order to enable more cost-effective imaging at lower dose. Solution-processing of organic semiconductors enables easy hybridization with X-ray absorbers and processing on large areas. In this project, nano-sized scintillators and quantum dots have been synthesized and characterized as X-ray absorbers. Organic semiconductor materials have been identified which allow charge carrier extraction from layers with a thickness of up to 200 μm. Hybrid-organic photodiodes have been processed and the ideal mixture of organic semiconductor and inorganic X-ray absorber was determined. This mixture provide a high X-ray absorption and an efficient charge carrier extraction at the same time. Photodiodes have been integrated on TFT-matrix backplanes in order to demonstrate the concept in X-ray imagers.

Farmers’ reasons for deregistering from organic farming

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Koesling, Matthias; Løes, Anne-Kristin; Flaten, Ola

2012-01-01

Every year since 2002, 150 to 200 farmers in Norway have deregistered from certified organic production. The aim of this study was to get behind these figures and improve our understanding of the reasoning leading to decisions to opt out. Four cases of deregistered organic farmers with grain, sheep......, dairy or vegetable production were selected for in-depth studies. The cases were analysed from the perspective of individual competencies and the competencies available in the networks of the selected organic farmers. Besides the conspicuous reasons to opt out of certified organic farming......, such as regulations getting stricter over time and low income, personal reasons such as disappointment and need for acceptance were also important. This shows that hard mechanisms, such as economic support and premium prices, are not sufficient to motivate farmers for sustained organic management. Support...

Variation in Pediatric Organ Donor Management Practices Among US Organ Procurement Organizations.

Science.gov (United States)

Ream, Robert S; Armbrecht, Eric S

2018-03-01

Reports of actual pediatric organ donor management practice among US organ procurement organizations are sparse, and the use of standardized management guidelines is unknown. A recent consensus statement from the Society of Critical Care Medicine, the American College of Chest Physicians, and the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations offers guidelines for the management of the pediatric organ donor. To describe the use of guidelines and routine practices in the management of the pediatric organ donor with respect to hemodynamics, lung and ventilator management, fluid and electrolytes, hormonal replacement therapy, the use of blood products, thermoregulation, and prophylactic antibiotics. Cross-sectional observational study using a survey and follow-up telephone interview with respondents from all 58 US organ procurement organizations. All 58 US Organ Procurement Organizations participated. A majority employed written guidelines for the management of pediatric donor hemodynamics, thermoregulation, fluids, and electrolytes. Management of blood products, the lung, and mechanical ventilation were less commonly committed to written guidelines, but common practices were described. All used various forms of hormonal replacement therapy and the majority administered empiric antibiotic therapy. Wide variation was observed in the management of the lung, mechanical ventilation, and glycemic control. Most OPOs used forms of standardized donor management for the pediatric organ donor although variation in the content of that management exists. Barriers to an evidence-based approach to the pediatric donor need to be determined and addressed.

On the nature and function of organizers.

Science.gov (United States)

Martinez Arias, Alfonso; Steventon, Ben

2018-03-09

Organizers, which comprise groups of cells with the ability to instruct adjacent cells into specific states, represent a key principle in developmental biology. The concept was first introduced by Spemann and Mangold, who showed that there is a cellular population in the newt embryo that elicits the development of a secondary axis from adjacent cells. Similar experiments in chicken and rabbit embryos subsequently revealed groups of cells with similar instructive potential. In birds and mammals, organizer activity is often associated with a structure known as the node, which has thus been considered a functional homologue of Spemann's organizer. Here, we take an in-depth look at the structure and function of organizers across species and note that, whereas the amphibian organizer is a contingent collection of elements, each performing a specific function, the elements of organizers in other species are dispersed in time and space. This observation urges us to reconsider the universality and meaning of the organizer concept. © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Analysis of chemical degradation mechanism of phosphorescent organic light emitting devices by laser-desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rabelo de Moraes, Ines; Scholz, Sebastian; Luessem, Bjoern; Leo, Karl [Institut fuer Angewandte Photophysik, Technische Universitaet Dresden (Germany)

2010-07-01

Phosphorescent organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) have attracted much interest for their potential application in full color flat-panel displays and as an alternative lighting source. However, low efficiency, and the short operation lifetime, in particular in the case of blue emitting devices, are the major limitations for the current OLEDs commercialization. In order to overcome these limitations, a deep knowledge about the aging and the degradation mechanism is required. Our work focuses on the chemical degradation mechanism of different iridium based emitter materials like FIrpic (light blue) and Ir(ppy)3 (green), commonly used in OLEDs. For this purpose, the devices were aged by electrical driving until the luminance reached 6% of the initial luminance. The laser-desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry was used to determine specific degradation pathways.

Improving productivity through more effective time management.

Science.gov (United States)

Arnold, Edwin; Pulich, Marcia

2004-01-01

Effective time management has become increasingly important for managers as they seek to accomplish objectives in today's organizations, which have been restructured for efficiency while employing fewer people. Managers can improve their ability to manage time effectively by examining their attitudes toward time, analyzing time-wasting behaviors, and developing better time management skills. Managers can improve their performance and promotion potential with more effective time utilization. Strategies for improving time management skills are presented.

Real-time profiling of organic trace gases in the planetary boundary layer by PTR-MS using a tethered balloon

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Schnitzhofer

2009-12-01

Full Text Available A method for real-time profiling of volatile organic compounds (VOCs was developed combining the advantages of a tethered balloon as a research platform and of proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS as an analytical technique for fast and highly sensitive VOC measurements. A 200 m Teflon tube was used to draw sampling air from a tethered aerodynamic balloon to the PTR-MS instrument. Positive and negative artefacts (i.e. formation and loss of VOCs in the tube were characterised in the laboratory and in the field by a set of 11 atmospherically relevant VOCs including both pure and oxygenated hydrocarbons. The only two compounds that increased or decreased when sampled through the tube were acetone (+7% and xylene (-6%. The method was successfully deployed during a winter field campaign to determine the small scale spatial and temporal patterns of air pollutants under winter inversion conditions.

Hazards of organic working fluids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silberstein, S.

1977-08-01

We present several brief reviews on working fluids proposed for use in organic Rankine and bi-phase bottoming cycles. There are several general problems with many organic working fluids: flammability, toxicity, and a tendency to leak through seals. Besides, two of the proposed working fluids are to be used at temperatures above the manufacturer's maximum recommended temperature, and one is to be used in a way different from its customary usage. It may, in some cases, be more profitable to first seek alternative working fluids before committing large amounts of time and money to research projects on unsafe working fluids

Decreased functional diversity and biological pest control in conventional compared to organic crop fields.

Science.gov (United States)

Krauss, Jochen; Gallenberger, Iris; Steffan-Dewenter, Ingolf

2011-01-01

Organic farming is one of the most successful agri-environmental schemes, as humans benefit from high quality food, farmers from higher prices for their products and it often successfully protects biodiversity. However there is little knowledge if organic farming also increases ecosystem services like pest control. We assessed 30 triticale fields (15 organic vs. 15 conventional) and recorded vascular plants, pollinators, aphids and their predators. Further, five conventional fields which were treated with insecticides were compared with 10 non-treated conventional fields. Organic fields had five times higher plant species richness and about twenty times higher pollinator species richness compared to conventional fields. Abundance of pollinators was even more than one-hundred times higher on organic fields. In contrast, the abundance of cereal aphids was five times lower in organic fields, while predator abundances were three times higher and predator-prey ratios twenty times higher in organic fields, indicating a significantly higher potential for biological pest control in organic fields. Insecticide treatment in conventional fields had only a short-term effect on aphid densities while later in the season aphid abundances were even higher and predator abundances lower in treated compared to untreated conventional fields. Our data indicate that insecticide treatment kept aphid predators at low abundances throughout the season, thereby significantly reducing top-down control of aphid populations. Plant and pollinator species richness as well as predator abundances and predator-prey ratios were higher at field edges compared to field centres, highlighting the importance of field edges for ecosystem services. In conclusion organic farming increases biodiversity, including important functional groups like plants, pollinators and predators which enhance natural pest control. Preventative insecticide application in conventional fields has only short-term effects on aphid

CU Prime Diversity Workshops: Creating Spaces for Growth Amongst Organizers

Science.gov (United States)

Hyater-Adams, Simone

2016-03-01

CU Prime is a graduate student run organization that was created as a way to promote community and inclusion amongst students in CU Physics Department. With a mission to improve the experiences of students, especially those underrepresented in the department and field, the core organizers developed three programs: a seminar series, a class, and a mentorship program. However, because this is strictly volunteer time for most organizers, there is little time for development and growth as a group. In response, we developed a series of diversity workshops for the group, in order to provide space and time for organizers to reflect on and grapple with difficult issues around diversity and inclusion that are important to think about when running these programs. With a structure based on readings, informal videos, and reflection, there have been 5 workshops around topics ranging from gender in physics to how to be an ally. We overview the structure and framing of these workshops, along with the challenges and successes throughout the process of developing them, along with plans for future development.

Organic chemistry - Fast reactions 'on water'

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Klijn, JE; Engberts, JBFN

2005-01-01

Efficient reactions in aqueous organic chemistry do not require soluble reactants, as had been thought. A newly developed ‘on-water’ protocol is characterized by short reaction times, and the products are easy to isolate.

Regional differences in recipient waitlist time and pre- and post-transplant mortality after the 2006 United Network for Organ Sharing policy changes in the donor heart allocation algorithm.

Science.gov (United States)

Schulze, P Christian; Kitada, Shuichi; Clerkin, Kevin; Jin, Zhezhen; Mancini, Donna M

2014-04-01

This study examined the impact of the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) policy changes for regional differences in waitlist time and mortality before and after heart transplantation. The 2006 UNOS thoracic organ allocation policy change was implemented to allow for greater regional sharing of organs for heart transplantation. We analyzed 36,789 patients who were listed for heart transplantation from January 1999 through April 2012. These patients were separated into 2 eras centered on the July 12, 2006 UNOS policy change. Pre- and post-transplantation characteristics were compared by UNOS regions. Waitlist mortality decreased nationally (up to 180 days: 13.3% vs. 7.9% after the UNOS policy change, p < 0.001) and within each region. Similarly, 2-year post-transplant mortality decreased nationally (2-year mortality: 17.3% vs. 14.6%; p < 0.001) as well as regionally. Waitlist time for UNOS status 1A and 1B candidates increased nationally 17.8 days on average (p < 0.001) with variability between the regions. The greatest increases were in Region 9 (59.2-day increase, p < 0.001) and Region 4 (41.2-day increase, p < 0.001). Although the use of mechanical circulatory support increased nearly 2.3-fold nationally in Era 2, significant differences were present on a regional basis. In Regions 6, 7, and 10, nearly 40% of those transplanted required left ventricular assist device bridging, whereas only 19.6%, 22.3%, and 15.5% required a left ventricular assist device in regions 3, 4, and 5, respectively. The 2006 UNOS policy change has resulted in significant regional heterogeneity with respect to waitlist time and reliance on mechanical circulatory support as a bridge to transplantation, although overall both waitlist mortality and post-transplant survival are improved. Copyright © 2014 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Does organ selling violate human dignity?

Science.gov (United States)

Alpinar-Şencan, Zümrüt; Baumann, Holger; Biller-Andorno, Nikola

2017-11-01

Shortages in the number of donated organs after death and the growing number of end-stage organ failure patients on waiting lists call for looking at alternatives to increase the number of organs that could be used for transplantation purposes. One option that has led to a legal and ethical debate is to have regulated markets in human organs. Opponents of a market in human organs offer different arguments that are mostly founded on contingent factors that can be adjusted. However, some authors have asked the question whether we still have a reason to believe that there is something wrong with offering human organs for sale for transplantation purposes, even if the circumstances under which the practice takes place are improved. One prominent argument regarding this appeals to the notion of human dignity. It is argued that organ selling violates human dignity. This paper presents a systematic discussion of dignity-based arguments in the organ selling debate, and then develops a social account of dignity. It is argued that allowing the practice of organ selling inherently runs the risk of promoting the notion that some persons have less worth than others and that persons have a price, which is incompatible with dignity. The approach is defended against possible objections and it is shown that it can capture the notion that autonomy is linked to human dignity in important ways, while dignity at the same time can constrain the autonomous choices of persons with regards to certain practices.

Decision support for organ offers in liver transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Volk, Michael L; Goodrich, Nathan; Lai, Jennifer C; Sonnenday, Christopher; Shedden, Kerby

2015-06-01

Organ offers in liver transplantation are high-risk medical decisions with a low certainty of whether a better liver offer will come along before death. We hypothesized that decision support could improve the decision to accept or decline. With data from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients, survival models were constructed for 42,857 waiting-list patients and 28,653 posttransplant patients from 2002 to 2008. Daily covariate-adjusted survival probabilities from these 2 models were combined into a 5-year area under the curve to create an individualized prediction of whether an organ offer should be accepted for a given patient. Among 650,832 organ offers from 2008 to 2013, patient survival was compared by whether the clinical decision was concordant or discordant with model predictions. The acceptance benefit (AB)--the predicted gain or loss of life by accepting a given organ versus waiting for the next organ--ranged from 3 to -22 years (harm) and varied geographically; for example, the average benefit of accepting a donation after cardiac death organ ranged from 0.47 to -0.71 years by donation service area. Among organ offers, even when AB was >1 year, the offer was only accepted 10% of the time. Patient survival from the time of the organ offer was better if the model recommendations and the clinical decision were concordant: for offers with AB > 0, the 3-year survival was 80% if the offer was accepted and 66% if it was declined (P decision support may improve patient survival in liver transplantation. © 2015 American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

Genetically Modified Organisms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claro Llaguno

2001-06-01

Full Text Available Recent reports have brought to public attention concerns about Bt corn and genetically modified organisms (GMO in general. The timing, it seems, is most appropriate considering two related developments early this year: the final approval of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety in Montreal on January 29, 2001, and the OECD Edinburgh Conference on GM food safety last February 28- March 1, 2001. The protocol makes clear that GMOs include all living modified organisms (LMO defined as "any living organism that possesses a novel combination of genetic material obtained through the use of modern biotechnology". This includes seeds, live fish, and other organisms intentionally obtained for release to the environment. It would seem that the common understanding about GMOs as referring to farm-to-table products is perforce expanded to embrace genetically modified farm animals and aquatic resources. Being a trade agreement, the Montreal accord primarily deals with the safety issues related to the transboundary movement of LMOs around the globe. The OECD conference on the other hand, called for an international body "to address all sides of the GM debate" in response to the public outcry, particularly in Western Europe, regarding the risks the new products pose to human health and the environment. Some points of contention, which remain unresolved, include issues such as whether countries should be allowed to develop their own GM food based on their needs, and whether a global moratorium on GMOs and mandatory labeling should be enforced worldwide.

Ethical issues in organ transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Abouna, George M

2003-01-01

Clinical organ transplantation has been recognized as one of the most gripping medical advances of the century as it provides a way of giving the gift of life to patients with terminal failure of vital organs, which requires the participation of other fellow human beings and of society by donating organs from deceased or living individuals. The increasing incidence of vital organ failure and the inadequate supply of organs, especially from cadavers, has created a wide gap between organ supply and organ demand, which has resulted in very long waiting times to receive an organ as well as an increasing number of deaths while waiting. These events have raised many ethical, moral and societal issues regarding supply, the methods of organ allocation, the use of living donors as volunteers including minors. It has also led to the practice of organ sale by entrepreneurs for financial gains in some parts the world through exploitation of the poor, for the benefit of the wealthy. The current advances in immunology and tissue engineering and the use of animal organs, xenotransplantation, while offering very promising solutions to many of these problems, also raise additional ethical and medical issues which must be considered by the medical profession as well as society. This review deals with the ethical and moral issues generated by the current advances in organ transplantation, the problem of organ supply versus organ demand and the appropriate allocation of available organs. It deals with the risks and benefits of organ donation from living donors, the appropriate and acceptable methods to increase organ donation from the deceased through the adoption of the principle of 'presumed consent', the right methods of providing acceptable appreciation and compensation for the family of the deceased as well as volunteer and altruistic donors, and the duties and responsibilities of the medical profession and society to help fellow humans. The review also deals with the appropriate

Virtual Worlds for Virtual Organizing

Science.gov (United States)

Rhoten, Diana; Lutters, Wayne

The members and resources of a virtual organization are dispersed across time and space, yet they function as a coherent entity through the use of technologies, networks, and alliances. As virtual organizations proliferate and become increasingly important in society, many may exploit the technical architecture s of virtual worlds, which are the confluence of computer-mediated communication, telepresence, and virtual reality originally created for gaming. A brief socio-technical history describes their early origins and the waves of progress followed by stasis that brought us to the current period of renewed enthusiasm. Examination of contemporary examples demonstrates how three genres of virtual worlds have enabled new arenas for virtual organizing: developer-defined closed worlds, user-modifiable quasi-open worlds, and user-generated open worlds. Among expected future trends are an increase in collaboration born virtually rather than imported from existing organizations, a tension between high-fidelity recreations of the physical world and hyper-stylized imaginations of fantasy worlds, and the growth of specialized worlds optimized for particular sectors, companies, or cultures.

Organic food market in the Czech Republic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iva Živělová

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The contribution provides partial results of the research focused on organic food, a product from organic farming. The total area of ecologically farmed areas in the Czech Republic permanently increases, however the offer of organic food is insufficient, in particular in view of their structure. Deficiency in organic food is being solved by imports. Distributors play an important role in the organic food market. In the Czech Republic the largest share from them is occupied by retail chains. Their share continues to grow to the detriment of other sales channels. One of the main factors affecting consumers’ interest in organic food is its price. The comparison of organic food prices and prices of conventional food in the selected retail chains, Globus Czech Republic, limited partnership, SPAR Czech business company Pte., Tesco Stores CZ JSC, AHOLD Czech Republic JSC, BILLA Pte., and in organic food and healthy nutrition stores showed significantly higher prices. The smallest difference in prices can be monitored in the milk and milk products. On the contrary, the largest difference is in fruits, vegetables, eggs and jams. However, the consumers’ awareness of organic food quality is at the same time increasing and the consumers are willing to pay for them a higher price.

Time management a prokrastinace

OpenAIRE

Šarmandžijeva, Cagan

2017-01-01

The theoretical part of this thesis is focused on time management, its history and importance of the goals and tools, which allow us to organize our time. It will also focus on the issue of procrastination, its origin and occurrence in the history, definition of analysis paralysis and people's attitude towards motivation and self-confrontation. It will also introduce us to several tools used in fight against procrastination. The methodological and practical parts will elaborate on a qualitati...

Evaluation of trace organic contaminants in ultra-pure water production processes by measuring total organic halogen formation potential

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Urano, Kohei; Iwase, Yoko

1984-01-01

A new procedure for the determination of organic substances in water with high accuracy and high sensitivity was proposed, in which a hypochlorite is added to water, and the resultant total amount of organic halogen compounds (TOX formation potential) was measured, and it was applied to the evaluation of trace organic contaminants in ultra-pure water production process. In this investigation, the TOX formation potential of the raw water which was to be used for the ultra-pure water production process, intermediately treated water and ultra-pure water was measured to clarify the behavior of organic substances in the ultra-pure water production process and to demonstrate the usefulness of this procedure to evaluate trace organic contaminants in water. The measurement of TOX formation potential requires no specific technical skill, and only a short time, and gives accurate results, therefore, it is expected that the water quality control in the ultra-pure water production process can be performed more exactly by applying this procedure. (Yoshitake, I.)

Hospitals as learning organizations: fostering innovation through interactive learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Dias, Casimiro; Escoval, Ana

2015-01-01

The article aims to provide an analytical understanding of hospitals as "learning organizations." It further analyzes the development of learning organizations as a way to enhance innovation and performance in the hospital sector. The article pulls together primary data on organizational flexibility, innovation, and performance from 95 administrators from hospital boards in Portugal, collected through a survey, interviews with hospital's boards, and a nominal group technique with a panel of experts on health systems. Results show that a combination of several organizational traits of the learning organization enhances its capacity for innovation development. The logistic model presented reveals that hospitals classified as "advanced learning organizations" have 5 times more chance of developing innovation than "basic learning organizations." Empirical findings further pointed out incentives, standards, and measurement requirements as key elements for integration of service delivery systems and expansion of the current capacity for structured and real-time learning in the hospital sector. The major implication arising from this study is that policy needs to combine instruments that promote innovation opportunities and incentives, with instruments stimulating the further development of the core components of learning organizations. Such a combination of policy instruments has the potential to ensure a wide external cooperation through a learning infrastructure.

Relevance of the ICRP biokinetic model for dietary organically bound tritium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trivedi, A.

1999-10-01

Ingested dietary tritium can participate in metabolic processes, and become synthesized into organically bound tritium in the tissues and organs. The distribution and retention of the organically bound tritium throughout the body are much different than tritium in the body water. The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) Publication 56 (1989) has a biokinetic model to calculate dose from the ingestion of organically bound dietary tritium. The model predicts that the dose from the ingestion of organically bound dietary tritium is about 2.3 times higher than from the ingestion of the same activity of tritiated water. Under steady-state conditions, the calculated dose rate (using the first principle approach) from the ingestion of dietary organically bound tritium can be twice that from the ingestion of tritiated water. For an adult, the upper-bound dose estimate for the ingestion of dietary organically bound tritium is estimated to be close to 2.3 times higher than that of tritiated water. Therefore, given the uncertainty in the dose calculation with respect to the actual relevant dose, the ICRP biokinetic model for organically bound tritium is sufficient for dosimetry for adults. (author)

Organ procurement organizations Internet enrollment for organ donation: Abandoning informed consent

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Verheijde Joseph L

2006-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Requirements for organ donation after cardiac or imminent death have been introduced to address the transplantable organs shortage in the United States. Organ procurement organizations (OPOs increasingly use the Internet for organ donation consent. Methods An analysis of OPO Web sites available to the public for enrollment and consent for organ donation. The Web sites and consent forms were examined for the minimal information recommended by the United States Department of Health and Human Services for informed consent. Content scores were calculated as percentages of data elements in four information categories: donor knowledge, donor consent reinforcement, donation promotion, and informed consent. Results There were 60 Web sites for organ donation enrollment serving the 52 states. The median percent (10 percentile-90 percentile content scores of the Web sites for donor knowledge, donor consent reinforcement, and donation promotion were 33% (20–47, 79% (57–86, and 75% (50–100, respectively. The informed consent score was 0% (0–33. The content scores for donor knowledge and informed consent were significantly lower than donor consent reinforcement and donation promotion for all Web sites (P Conclusion The Web sites and consent forms for public enrollment in organ donation do not fulfill the necessary requirements for informed consent. The Web sites predominantly provide positive reinforcement and promotional information rather than the transparent disclosure of organ donation process. Independent regulatory oversight is essential to ensure that Internet enrollment for organ donation complies with legal and ethical standards for informed consent.

Organic school meals in three Danish municipalities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

He, Chen; Mikkelsen, Bent Egberg

In order to prevent children and young people from becoming obese, healthier eating patterns are urgent. Organic school meals may be an effective strategy to provide healthy food to children. The purpose of this study was to take a closer look into the current status of organic school meal systems...... in Denmark, by conducting a case study of three municipalities in the Zealand region that have the most developed models for school meals service in this country. These municipalities have for some years introduced organic food for sale in their primary schools, with three quite different approaches....... Copenhagen has established a large central kitchen, producing partly organic food that is heated and sold in tuck shops at the schools. Roskilde cooperates with an organic catering company, delivering food to be sold in school canteens. Gladsaxe has part-time employed staff preparing and selling food at each...

U.S. Pacific Command > Organization > Organization Chart

Science.gov (United States)

Responsibility USPACOM Previous Commanders Organization Organization Chart Media News Flickr Photos Video Directory Media Inquiries Home : Organization : Organization Chart About DoD DoD Careers Join the Military

Classroom Organization: A Key to Successful Management.

Science.gov (United States)

Guernsey, Marsha A.

1989-01-01

Suggestions are presented to increase the special education teacher's organizational efficiency, focusing on instructional planning and use of time and space as they relate to classroom organization. (JDD)

Attitudes toward organ donation in China

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

WANG Wei; TIAN Hui; YIN Hang; LIU Hang; ZHANG Xiao-dong

2012-01-01

Background Organ transplantation represents an important advance in modern medical science,and it has benefited many patients with organ failure; however,the severe deficiency of organ sources has been a bottleneck that has limited the benefits -this technology can bring.The aim of this study was to show the results of a survey on Chinese people's awareness and attitudes toward organ donation.Methods We designed a questionnaire regarding organ donation consisting of 20 short questions,which were distributed to 10 groups.Most of the questions were multiple-choice; the core question related to people's attitudes to organ donation and the development of organ donation.The survey was held in the outpatient hall of Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital,a commercial district,and four professional colleges.Participants were randomly selected,and answered questions about gender,age,educational background,profession,and study major.Results In all,2930 valid responses were received.Male:female ratio was nearly 1:1.2 (mean age 38 years).Over 90.0％ of participants knew about organ transplantation and which organs could be transplanted; more than 95.0％ knew about organ donation,but the time they had been aware of it varied.Nearly 90.0％ of the participants approved of deceased organ donation; 73.0％ indicated they would like to donate their organs post mortem.Participants who knew more about organ failure and organ transplantation were more likely to support organ donation.College students were very positive about organ donation,though as they gain professional knowledge their attitudes may change.Altogether,65.3％ of participants approved of living organ donation,which was obviously lower than the figure for deceased organ donation (P ＜0.05).In all,85.7％ of participants approved of compensation to the deceased donor's family.To promote organ donation in China,62.9％ of participants indicated that the public's knowledge about organ donation should be increased via the media

A model for global diversity in response to temperature change over geological time scales, with reference to planktic organisms.

Science.gov (United States)

De Blasio, Fabio Vittorio; Liow, Lee Hsiang; Schweder, Tore; De Blasio, Birgitte Freiesleben

2015-01-21

There are strong propositions in the literature that abiotic factors override biotic drivers of diversity on time scales of the fossil record. In order to study the interaction of biotic and abiotic forces on long term changes, we devise a spatio-temporal discrete-time Markov process model of macroevolution featuring population formation, speciation, migration and extinction, where populations are free to migrate. In our model, the extinction probability of these populations is controlled by latitudinally and temporally varying environment (temperature) and competition. Although our model is general enough to be applicable to disparate taxa, we explicitly address planktic organisms, which are assumed to disperse freely without barriers over the Earth's oceans. While rapid and drastic environmental changes tend to eliminate many species, generalists preferentially survive and hence leave generalist descendants. In other words, environmental fluctuations result in generalist descendants which are resilient to future environmental changes. Periods of stable or slow environmental changes lead to more specialist species and higher population numbers. Simulating Cenozoic diversity dynamics with both competition and the environmental component of our model produces diversity curves that reflect current empirical knowledge, which cannot be obtained with just one component. Our model predicts that the average temperature optimum at which planktic species thrive best has declined over the Neogene, following the trend of global average temperatures. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lipid organics in background aerosols, cloudwater, and snow and implication for organic scavenging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Groellert, C.

1998-01-01

During three years free tropospheric snow, aerosol, and cloudwater samples were collected at Mount Sonnblick, Austria, at an elevation of 3106 m a.s.l. The samples were analyzed for their lipid organic trace components using extraction with n-hexane as sample pretreatment and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-flame ionization detection for identification and quantification of the substances. The main components identified in all the samples were the phthalic acid esters which are of anthropogenic origin. Of further interest were aliphatic alcohols (not detected in aerosols) and phenols. They are of biogenic origin. The concentrations were found to be higher in spring than in the fall season. To compare the concentrations of aerosol, cloudwater and snow samples scavenging ratios (aerosol to snow), scavenging efficiencies (aerosol to cloud) and cloud to snow ratios were calculated for the first time for organic compounds. Scavenging ratios were 10 to 100 times lower, scavenging efficiencies 2 to 10 times lower than sulfate. This can result from the poor watersolubility of the compounds or from gas phase sorptions on the filter surface (overestimation of aerosol concentrations). The cloud to snow ratios were generally higher than for sulfate. However, a few components exhibited very low cloud to snow ratios which might be due to additional sources in snow for these substances (alcohols). (author)

Nitrate radicals and biogenic volatile organic compounds: oxidation, mechanisms, and organic aerosol

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ng, Nga Lee; Brown, Steven S.; Archibald, Alexander T.; Atlas, Elliot; Cohen, Ronald C.; Crowley, John N.; Day, Douglas A.; Donahue, Neil M.; Fry, Juliane L.; Fuchs, Hendrik; Griffin, Robert J.; Guzman, Marcelo I.; Herrmann, Hartmut; Hodzic, Alma; Iinuma, Yoshiteru; Jimenez, José L.; Kiendler-Scharr, Astrid; Lee, Ben H.; Luecken, Deborah J.; Mao, Jingqiu; McLaren, Robert; Mutzel, Anke; Osthoff, Hans D.; Ouyang, Bin; Picquet-Varrault, Benedicte; Platt, Ulrich; Pye, Havala O. T.; Rudich, Yinon; Schwantes, Rebecca H.; Shiraiwa, Manabu; Stutz, Jochen; Thornton, Joel A.; Tilgner, Andreas; Williams, Brent J.; Zaveri, Rahul A.

2017-01-01

Oxidation of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOC) by the nitrate radical (NO₃) represents one of the important interactions between anthropogenic emissions related to combustion and natural emissions from the biosphere. This interaction has been recognized for more than 3 decades, during which time a large body of research has emerged from laboratory, field, and modeling studies. NO₃-BVOC reactions influence air quality, climate and visibility through regional and global budgets for reactive nitrogen (particularly organic nitrates), ozone, and organic aerosol. Despite its long history of research and the significance of this topic in atmospheric chemistry, a number of important uncertainties remain. These include an incomplete understanding of the rates, mechanisms, and organic aerosol yields for NO₃-BVOC reactions, lack of constraints on the role of heterogeneous oxidative processes associated with the NO₃ radical, the difficulty of characterizing the spatial distributions of BVOC and NO₃ within the poorly mixed nocturnal atmosphere, and the challenge of constructing appropriate boundary layer schemes and non-photochemical mechanisms for use in state-of-the-art chemical transport and chemistry–climate models.

This review is the result of a workshop of the same title held at the Georgia Institute of Technology in June 2015. The first half of the review summarizes the current literature on NO₃-BVOC chemistry, with a particular focus on recent advances in instrumentation and models, and in organic nitrate and secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation chemistry. Building on this current understanding, the second half of the review outlines impacts of NO₃-BVOC chemistry on air quality and climate, and suggests critical research needs to better constrain this interaction to improve the predictive capabilities of atmospheric models.

International organizations and crisis management

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Olsson, E.-K.; Verbeek, J.A.; Reinalda, B.

2013-01-01

In times of crisis, international organizations (IOs) are often called upon for help. Such crises may have both domestic and transnational features. In 2012 the domestic revolt in Syria, which had started the previous year, escalated and the United Nations (UN) was asked to help work towards a

Self-organizing dynamic stability of far-from-equilibrium biological systems

Science.gov (United States)

Ivanitskii, G. R.

2017-10-01

One indication of the stability of a living system is the variation of the system’s characteristic time scales. Underlying the stability mechanism are the structural hierarchy and self-organization of systems, factors that give rise to a positive (accelerating) feedback and a negative (braking) feedback. Information processing in the brain cortex plays a special role in highly organized living organisms.

Time management: an imperative factor to effective service delivery ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

In Nigeria, the need for time management in organizations especially the public ... of time management that can lead to employee effectiveness and efficiency in the ... time audit in their work place, be prepared to adjust to the best use of time.

FUNCTIONAL MANAGER SUBSYSTEM OF THE ORGANIZATION END MANAGEMENT BY BJECTIVES OF THE ORGANIZATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Munteanu Stolojanu Victoria-Ileana

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Continuous process of asset management and communication between higher and subordinate employee evaluation method that allows determining, measuring, monitoring and performance objectives and eliminating deviaţionismului functional organizations, management by objectives continue to encourage researchers. The innovative character of the paper is that it shows how the functional manager solved using management by objective and organizational subsystem of the organization, problems arising from the dynamic nature of the functions (research and development, production, trade, finance and accounting staff, activities and powers of organizations and individual tasks to the workers to realize programs of action. Scientific challenge we have been made by an actual problem functions, activities and functions of organizations: the statutory concentration behavior of the functional compartments of their targets. The consequences are serious: neglect of the general interests of the organization, functioning deviaţionism appearance, failure to achieve the management contracts. The involvement of functional managers in implementing their strategies involves functional common goals. The efficiency with which social work is spent is given by the organizing resources of the organizations At the same time researchers recognize it as an element that prevents the proper organization, lack of methodological elements in practice, absolutely mandatory to any use management methods and techniques, a situation that nourishes and enhances the dilettantism in performing the management processes. Management by objectives solves these deficiencies. Management by objectives has components (detailed items necessary to achieve the organizations objectives: categorical system of objectives, action programs (true functional strategies, calendars, timelines, directories of methods, guidelines, tool kit, which makes profesional the manager job,not letting him with his bare

Stratification of living organisms in ballast tanks: how do organism concentrations vary as ballast water is discharged?

Science.gov (United States)

First, Matthew R; Robbins-Wamsley, Stephanie H; Riley, Scott C; Moser, Cameron S; Smith, George E; Tamburri, Mario N; Drake, Lisa A

2013-05-07

Vertical migrations of living organisms and settling of particle-attached organisms lead to uneven distributions of biota at different depths in the water column. In ballast tanks, heterogeneity could lead to different population estimates depending on the portion of the discharge sampled. For example, concentrations of organisms exceeding a discharge standard may not be detected if sampling occurs during periods of the discharge when concentrations are low. To determine the degree of stratification, water from ballast tanks was sampled at two experimental facilities as the tanks were drained after water was held for 1 or 5 days. Living organisms ≥50 μm were counted in discrete segments of the drain (e.g., the first 20 min of the drain operation, the second 20 min interval, etc.), thus representing different strata in the tank. In 1 and 5 day trials at both facilities, concentrations of organisms varied among drain segments, and the patterns of stratification varied among replicate trials. From numerical simulations, the optimal sampling strategy for stratified tanks is to collect multiple time-integrated samples spaced relatively evenly throughout the discharge event.

Outcome of referrals for deceased organ donation to the government organ procurement organization.

Science.gov (United States)

Suguitan, G A; Cabanayan-Casasola, C B; Danguilan, R A; Jaro, J M A

2014-05-01

The Human Organ Preservation Effort is a government organ procurement organization that pioneered the Deceased Organ Donation Program in the Philippines. Deceased organ donation comprises only 20% of kidney transplantation in the Philippines in the last 3 years. Various measures were implemented to improve deceased organ donor referrals and organ retrieval. To compare outcome of deceased organ donor referrals from 2002 to 2008 and 2009 to 2012 in the Philippines. This retrospective study reviewed the deceased organ donor referrals from 2002 to 2008 and 2009 to 2012. There were 437 referrals for potential deceased organ donors from 2009 to 2012, compared to 434 referrals from 2002 to 2008. Referrals were mainly trauma victims (76%) followed by those with cerebrovascular accidents (12%). In the recent cohort, 81% were approached and 60% consented for donation, but only 23% were retrieved and transplanted. Among those not retrieved, the majority (19%) were medically unsuitable and 6% retracted their consent. Although there was an increasing trend of organ donation referrals in the last 4 years, only 25% were procured. The reasons for nonprocurement should be addressed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The impact of meeting donor management goals on the number of organs transplanted per donor: results from the United Network for Organ Sharing Region 5 prospective donor management goals study.

Science.gov (United States)

Malinoski, Darren J; Patel, Madhukar S; Daly, Michael C; Oley-Graybill, Chrystal; Salim, Ali

2012-10-01

Many organ procurement organizations have implemented critical care end points as donor management goals in efforts to increase organs transplanted per donor after neurologic determination of death. Although retrospective studies have demonstrated an association between meeting donor management goals and organ yield, prospective studies are lacking. In June 2008, nine donor management goals were prospectively implemented as a checklist and every donor after neurologic determination of death was managed to meet them. The donor management goals represented normal cardiovascular, pulmonary, renal, and endocrine end points. Data were collected for 7 months. Donor management goals "met" was defined a priori as achieving any seven of the nine donor management goals, and this was recorded at the time of consent, 12-18 hrs later, and prior to organ recovery. The primary outcome measure was ≥4 organs transplanted per donor, and binary logistic regression was used to identify independent predictors of this outcome with a porgan procurement organizations in the five Southwestern United States (United Network for Organ Sharing Region 5). All standard criteria donors after neurologic determination of deaths. Prospective implementation of a donor management goal checklist. There were 380 standard criteria donors with 3.6±1.7 organs transplanted per donor. Fifteen percent had donor management goals met at the time of consent, 33% at 12-18 hrs, and 38% prior to organ recovery. Forty-eight percent had ≥4 organs transplanted per donor. Donors with ≥4 organs transplanted per donor had significantly more individual donor management goals met at all three time points. Independent predictors of ≥4 organs transplanted per donor were age (odds ratio=0.95 per year), final creatinine (odds ratio=0.75 per 1-unit increase), donor management goals "met" at consent (odds ratio=2.03), donor management goals "met" prior to organ recovery (odds ratio=2.34), and a change in the number of

Fractionation and characterization of soil organic carbon during transition to organic farming

Science.gov (United States)

Abdelrahman, H.; Olk, D.; Cocozza, C.; Miano, T.

2012-04-01

The transition from conventional to organic farming is the most difficult period faced by organic growers as it could be characterized by unstable conditions, such as nutrient availability, production reductions, mineralization extents. As soil organic matter (SOM), specifically soil organic carbon (SOC), is known to play important roles in maintenance and improvement of many soil properties, it is important to define its changes during the transition period. Total SOC might not be the suitable tool to track the changes in organically based soil fertility within a 3- to 5-yr transition period. Labile fractions that are important for nutrient cycling and supply are likely to be controlled by management to a much greater extent than is total SOM. Two field experiments, in south of Italy, were established in 2009 to study the changes in SOC during transition to organic farming. Experiments included a cereal/leguminous rotation with triplicates treatments of permitted amendments (compost and fertilizers). Soils were sampled at the beginning of the project, and after each crop harvest in 2010 and 2011. A sequential fractionation procedure was used to separate different SOC-fractions: light fraction (LF), two size classes of particulate organic matter (POM), mobile humic acid (MHA) and Ca++ bound humic acid (CaHA). Isolated fractions were quantified and analyzed for their content of C, N, carbohydrates and amino compounds fingerprints. The obtained results showed that compost application contributed to significantly higher quantities of LF, POM and MHA than did fertilizers application. Carbohydrates content decreased in LF while increased noticeably in POM and slightly in MHA fractions, which indicates that decomposing materials are converted, within the time span of humification, from young fractions into more mature fractions. Amino compounds were found to provide up to 40% of total soil N with a major contribution of the humified fractions, MHA and CaHA. The utilized

The little book of time

CERN Document Server

Mainzer, Klaus

2002-01-01

chapter 1 Time in the Classical and Medieval Worldviews From the Beginnings to the Pre-Socratic School Zeno's Time Arrow and Aristotle's Continuum 6 Time and Creation According to Saint Augustine 15 Time and Medieval Astronomy 18 20 Calendars and Clocks chapter 2 Time in the Worldview of Classical Physics 25 Absolute Time According to Newton 26 Relational Time According to Leibniz 30 Time in Classical Mechanics 31 Time in Kant's Epistemology 35 chapter 3 Relativistic Spacetime 43 Time in Special Relativity Theory 44 Time in General Relativity Theory 50 Time in Relativistic Cosmology 54 chapter 4 Time and the Quantum World 61 Time in Quantum Mechanics 62 Time in Quantum Field Theories 70 Time, Black Holes, and the Anthropic Principle 78 Time and Thermodynamics chapter 5 83 Time in Equilibrium Thermodynamics 84 Time in Nonequilibrium Thermodynamics 2 9 Time, Irreversibility, and Self-Organization 100 chapter 6 Time and Life 107 Time in Darwin's Theory of Evolution 108 Time in Molecular Evolution 111 Time Hierar...

Energy level alignment at interfaces in organic photovoltaic devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Opitz, Andreas; Frisch, Johannes; Schlesinger, Raphael; Wilke, Andreas; Koch, Norbert

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Energy level alignment is crucial for organic solar cell efficiency. ► Photoelectron spectroscopy can reliably determine energy levels of organic material interfaces. ► Care must be taken to avoid even subtle sample damage. -- Abstract: The alignment of energy levels at interfaces in organic photovoltaic devices is crucial for their energy conversion efficiency. Photoelectron spectroscopy (PES) is a well-established and widely used technique for determining the electronic structure of materials; at the same time PES measurements of conjugated organic materials often pose significant challenges, such as obtaining sufficiently defined sample structures and radiation-induced damage of the organic layers. Here we report how these challenges can be tackled to unravel the energy levels at interfaces in organic photovoltaic devices, i.e., electrode/organic and organic/organic interfaces. The electronic structure across entire photovoltaic multilayer devices can thus be reconciled. Finally, general considerations for correlating the electronic structure and the photovoltaic performance of devices will be discussed

TIME management by medicinal larvae

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Pritchard, D. I.; Čeřovský, Václav; Nigam, Y.; Pickles, S. F.; Cazander, G.; Nibbering, P. H.; Bültemann, A.; Jung, W.

2016-01-01

Roč. 13, č. 4 (2016), s. 475-484 ISSN 1742-4801 Institutional support: RVO:61388963 Keywords : chronic wound * infection * larval debridement therapy * TIME * tissue regeneration Subject RIV: CC - Organic Chemistry Impact factor: 2.848, year: 2016

Social Constructionism in the Context of Organization Development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Celiane Camargo-Borges

2013-05-01

Full Text Available The world faces rapid changes that call for new epistemologies and methodologies that can generate innovative forms of “being” and “doing” within organizations. This article investigates conceptual and practical resources from the social constructionist perspective that can be useful in realizing the transformation of organizations. Initially, a global context of the world in change is described, explaining the consequences for organizations; then social constructionism is introduced as a postmodern epistemology and offered as a potential approach to the organizational development field in supporting research and intervention. Some perspectives for action and knowledge production are offered in the context of an organization. Finally, some resources with examples will be articulated; these new frameworks for action can be effective for organizations coping in times of change.

Improving in organization of in-site planning for NPP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gitel'man, L.D.; Khanin, V.V.; Trunov, V.M.; Khanin, R.V.

1986-01-01

The organization of NPP section activity planning is considered. With regard to the structure of in-site plans by time and content, their distribution in organization control structure, order of plan development, stimulation, accounting and estimation of plan fulfillment, plan indices for each shop and plan-assignment form are developed

Operational optimization of organic fertilizer application in greenhouse crops

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Evert, van F.K.; Visser, de P.H.B.; Heinen, M.

2006-01-01

Organic fertilizers are the only fertilizers used in organic greenhouse horticulture. The nitrogen (N) in these fertilizers must be mineralized before it can be taken up by the crop. This makes it a challenge to minimize N losses while ensuring that adequate N is available to the crop at all times.

Obesity and pelvic organ prolapse