Speech Disfluency-dependent Amygdala Activity in Adults Who Stutter: Neuroimaging of Interpersonal Communication in MRI Scanner Environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Toyomura, Akira; Fujii, Tetsunoshin; Yokosawa, Koichi; Kuriki, Shinya

2018-03-15

Affective states, such as anticipatory anxiety, critically influence speech communication behavior in adults who stutter. However, there is currently little evidence regarding the involvement of the limbic system in speech disfluency during interpersonal communication. We designed this neuroimaging study and experimental procedure to sample neural activity during interpersonal communication between human participants, and to investigate the relationship between the amygdala activity and speech disfluency. Participants were required to engage in live communication with a stranger of the opposite sex in the MRI scanner environment. In the gaze condition, the stranger gazed at the participant without speaking, while in the live conversation condition, the stranger asked questions that the participant was required to answer. The stranger continued to gaze silently at the participant while the participant answered. Adults who stutter reported significantly higher discomfort than fluent controls during the experiment. Activity in the right amygdala, a key anatomical region in the limbic system involved in emotion, was significantly correlated with stuttering occurrences in adults who stutter. Right amygdala activity from pooled data of all participants also showed a significant correlation with discomfort level during the experiment. Activity in the prefrontal cortex, which forms emotion regulation neural circuitry with the amygdala, was decreased in adults who stutter than in fluent controls. This is the first study to demonstrate that amygdala activity during interpersonal communication is involved in disfluent speech in adults who stutter. Copyright © 2018 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

TdT activity in acute myeloid leukemias defined by monoclonal antibodies.

Science.gov (United States)

San Miguel, J F; González, M; Cañizo, M C; Anta, J P; Portero, J A; López-Borrasca, A

1986-09-01

Blast cells from eight out of 71 patients diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) by morphological, cytochemical, and immunological criteria showed TdT activity. Their distribution according to the FAB classification was one M1, one M2, one M4, two M5a, one M5b, one M6, and one undifferentiated case. The TdT+ AML cases did not show major clinical and hematological differences when compared with the classical TdT- AML patients. Other phenotypical aberrations in the expression of membrane antigens, apart from the presence of nuclear TdT, were not observed in these TdT+ cases after study with a large panel of monoclonal antibodies. A higher incidence of TdT+ cases was found among the monocytic variants of AML (M4 and M5)--four cases--than in the granulocytic variants (M1, M2, and M3)--2 cases. These TdT+ cases should be distinguished from mixed leukemias by double labeling techniques, assessing in the TdT+ AML the coexpression of TdT and myeloid markers in individual cells as shown in four of our cases.

The coupled code system TORT-TD/ATTICA3D for 3-D transient analysis of pebble-bed HTGR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seubert, A.; Sureda, A.; Lapins, J.; Buck, M.; Laurien, E.; Bader, J.; EnBW Kernkraft GmbH, Philippsburg

2012-01-01

This paper describes the time-dependent 3-D discrete-ordinates based coupled code system TORT-TD/ATTICA3D and its application to HTGR of pebble bed type. TORT-TD/ATTICA3D is represented by a single executable and adapts the so-called internal coupling approach. Three-dimensional distributions of temperatures from ATTICA3D and power density from TORT-TD are efficiently exchanged by direct memory access of array elements via interface routines. Applications of TORT-TD/ATTICA3D to three transients based on the PBMR-400 benchmark (total and partial control rod withdrawal and cold helium ingress) and the full power steady state of the HTR-10 are presented. For the partial control rod withdrawal, 3-D effects of local neutron flux redistributions are clearly identified. The results are very promising and demonstrate that the coupled code system TORT-TD/ATTICA3D may represent a key component in a future comprehensive 3-D code system for HTGR of pebble bed type. (orig.)

The role of auditory temporal cues in the fluency of stuttering adults

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Juliana Furini

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Purpose: to compare the frequency of disfluencies and speech rate in spontaneous speech and reading in adults with and without stuttering in non-altered and delayed auditory feedback (NAF, DAF. Methods: participants were 30 adults: 15 with Stuttering (Research Group - RG, and 15 without stuttering (Control Group - CG. The procedures were: audiological assessment and speech fluency evaluation in two listening conditions, normal and delayed auditory feedback (100 milliseconds delayed by Fono Tools software. Results: the DAF caused a significant improvement in the fluency of spontaneous speech in RG when compared to speech under NAF. The effect of DAF was different in CG, because it increased the common disfluencies and the total of disfluencies in spontaneous speech and reading, besides showing an increase in the frequency of stuttering-like disfluencies in reading. The intergroup analysis showed significant differences in the two speech tasks for the two listening conditions in the frequency of stuttering-like disfluencies and in the total of disfluencies, and in the flows of syllable and word-per-minute in the NAF. Conclusion: the results demonstrated that delayed auditory feedback promoted fluency in spontaneous speech of adults who stutter, without interfering in the speech rate. In non-stuttering adults an increase occurred in the number of common disfluencies and total of disfluencies as well as reduction of speech rate in spontaneous speech and reading.

Critical Assessment of TD-DFT for Excited States of Open-Shell Systems: I. Doublet-Doublet Transitions.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Zhendong; Liu, Wenjian

2016-01-12

A benchmark set of 11 small radicals is set up to assess the performance of time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) for the excited states of open-shell systems. Both the unrestricted (U-TD-DFT) and spin-adapted (X-TD-DFT) formulations of TD-DFT are considered. For comparison, the well-established EOM-CCSD (equation-of-motion coupled-cluster with singles and doubles) is also used. In total, 111 low-lying singly excited doublet states are accessed by all the three approaches. Taking the MRCISD+Q (multireference configuration interaction with singles and doubles plus the Davidson correction) results as the benchmark, it is found that both U-TD-DFT and EOM-CCSD perform well for those states dominated by singlet-coupled single excitations (SCSE) from closed-shell to open-shell, open-shell to vacant-shell, or closed-shell to vacant-shell orbitals. However, for those states dominated by triplet-coupled single excitations (TCSE) from closed-shell to vacant-shell orbitals, both U-TD-DFT and EOM-CCSD fail miserably due to severe spin contaminations. In contrast, X-TD-DFT provides balanced descriptions of both SCSE and TCSE. As far as the functional dependence is concerned, it is found that, when the Hartree-Fock ground state does not suffer from the instability problem, both global hybrid (GH) and range-separated hybrid (RSH) functionals perform grossly better than pure density functionals, especially for Rydberg and charge-transfer excitations. However, if the Hartree-Fock ground state is instable or nearly instable, GH and RSH tend to underestimate severely the excitation energies. The SAOP (statistically averaging of model orbital potentials) performs more uniformly than any other density functionals, although it generally overestimates the excitation energies of valence excitations. Not surprisingly, both EOM-CCSD and adiabatic TD-DFT are incapable of describing excited states with substantial double excitation characters.

Exact PsTd invariant and PsTd symmetric breaking solutions, symmetry reductions and Bäcklund transformations for an AB-KdV system

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Man; Lou, Sen Yue

2018-05-01

In natural and social science, many events happened at different space-times may be closely correlated. Two events, A (Alice) and B (Bob) are defined as correlated if one event is determined by another, say, B = f ˆ A for suitable f ˆ operators. A nonlocal AB-KdV system with shifted-parity (Ps, parity with a shift), delayed time reversal (Td, time reversal with a delay) symmetry where B =Ps ˆ Td ˆ A is constructed directly from the normal KdV equation to describe two-area physical event. The exact solutions of the AB-KdV system, including PsTd invariant and PsTd symmetric breaking solutions are shown by different methods. The PsTd invariant solution show that the event happened at A will happen also at B. These solutions, such as single soliton solutions, infinitely many singular soliton solutions, soliton-cnoidal wave interaction solutions, and symmetry reduction solutions etc., show the AB-KdV system possesses rich structures. Also, a special Bäcklund transformation related to residual symmetry is presented via the localization of the residual symmetry to find interaction solutions between the solitons and other types of the AB-KdV system.

Supplementary Motor Area Activation in Disfluency Perception : An fMRI Study of Listener Neural Responses to Spontaneously Produced Unfilled and Filled Pauses

OpenAIRE

Eklund, Robert; Ingvar, Martin

2016-01-01

Spontaneously produced Unfilled Pauses (UPs) and Filled Pauses (FPs) were played to subjects in an fMRI experiment. For both stimuli increased activity was observed in the Primary Auditory Cortex (PAC). However, FPs, but not UPs, elicited modulation in the Supplementary Motor Area (SMA), Brodmann Area 6. Our results provide neurocognitive confirmation of the alleged difference between FPs and other kinds of speech disfluency and could also provide a partial explanation for the previously repo...

Total Peroxy Nitrates (ΣPNs in the atmosphere: the Thermal Dissociation-Laser Induced Fluorescence (TD-LIF technique and comparisons to speciated PAN measurements

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B. W. LaFranchi

2010-05-01

Full Text Available Peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN and its chemical analogues are increasingly being quantified in the ambient atmosphere by thermal dissociation (TD followed by detection of either the peroxyacyl radical or the NO2 product. Here we present details of the technique developed at University of California, Berkeley which detects the sum of all peroxynitrates (ΣPNs via laser-induced fluorescence (LIF of the NO2 product. We review the various deployments and compare the Berkeley ΣPNs measurements with the sums of PAN and its homologue species detected individually by other instruments. The observed TD-LIF ΣPNs usually agree to within 10% with the summed individual species, thus arguing against the presence of significant concentrations of unmeasured PAN-type compounds in the atmosphere, as suggested by some photochemical mechanisms. Examples of poorer agreement are attributed to a sampling inlet design that is shown to be inappropriate for high NOx conditions. Interferences to the TD-LIF measurements are described along with strategies to minimize their effects.

Uplink scheduling and adjacent-channel coupling loss analysis for TD-LTE deployment.

Science.gov (United States)

Yeo, Woon-Young; Moon, Sung Ho; Kim, Jae-Hoon

2014-01-01

TD-LTE, one of the two duplexing modes in LTE, operates in unpaired spectrum and has the advantages of TDD-based technologies. It is expected that TD-LTE will be more rapidly deployed in near future and most of WiMax operators will upgrade their networks to TD-LTE gradually. Before completely upgrading to TD-LTE, WiMax may coexist with TD-LTE in an adjacent frequency band. In addition, multiple TD-LTE operators may deploy their networks in adjacent bands. When more than one TDD network operates in adjacent frequency bands, severe interference may happen due to adjacent channel interference (ACI) and unsynchronized operations. In this paper, coexistence issues between TD-LTE and other systems are analyzed and coexistence requirements are provided. This paper has three research objectives. First, frame synchronization between TD-LTE and WiMax is discussed by investigating possible combinations of TD-LTE and WiMax configurations. Second, an uplink scheduling algorithm is proposed to utilize a leakage pattern of ACI in synchronized operations. Third, minimum requirements for coexistence in unsynchronized operations are analyzed by introducing a concept of adjacent-channel coupling loss. From the analysis and simulation results, we can see that coexistence of TD-LTE with other TDD systems is feasible if the two networks are synchronized. For the unsynchronized case, some special cell-site engineering techniques may be required to reduce the ACI.

TD Waterhouse discount brokerage: a competitive strategy

OpenAIRE

Dangerfield, Catherine

2007-01-01

This paper provides a strategic analysis of TD Waterhouse (TDW), the discount brokerage provider within TD Bank Financial Group (TDBFG). Discount brokerage in Canada is an increasingly lucrative industry and contributes significantly to the bottom lines of every major financial institution in the country. It is also a rapidly changing and intensely price-competitive industry in which an explicit, educated business strategy is of the utmost importance. TDW currently employs a somewhat ambiguou...

A G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) in red: live cell imaging of the kappa opioid receptor-tdTomato fusion protein (KOPR-tdT) in neuronal cells

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Peng; Chiu, Yi-Ting; Chen, Chongguang; Wang, Yujun; Liu-Chen, Lee-Yuan

2013-01-01

Introduction In contrast to green fluorescent protein and variants (GFPs), red fluorescent proteins (RFPs) have rarely been employed for generation of GPCR fusion proteins, likely because of formation of aggregates and cell toxicity of some RFPs. Among all the RFPs available, tdTomato (tdT), one of the non-aggregating RFP, has the highest brightness score (about 3 times that of eGFP) and unsurpassed photostability. Methods We fused tdT to the KOPR C-terminus. The KOPR-tdT cDNA construct was transfected into Neuro2A mouse neuroblastoma cell line (Neuro2A cells) and rat cortical primary neurons for characterization of pharmacological properties and imaging studies on KOPR trafficking. Results KOPR-tdT retained KOPR properties (cell surface expression, ligand binding, agonist-induced signaling and internalization) when expressed in Neuro2A cells and rat primary cortical neurons. Live cell imaging of KOPR-tdT enables visualization of time course of agonist-induced internalization of KOPR in real time for 60 min, without photobleaching and apparent cell toxicity. U50,488H-induced KOPR internalization occurred as early as 4 min and plateaued at about 30 min. A unique pattern of internalized KOPR in processes of primary neurons was induced by U50,488H. Discussion tdT is an alternative to, or even a better tool than, GFPs for fusing to GPCR for trafficking studies, because tdT has higher brightness and thus better resolution and less photobleaching problems due to reduced laser power used. It also has advantages associated with its longer-wavelength emission including spectral separation from autofluorescence and GFPs, reduced cell toxicity the laser may impose, and greater tissue penetration. These advantages of tdT over GPFs may be critical for live cell imaging studies of GPCRs in vitro and for studying GPCRs in vivo because of their low abundance. PMID:23856011

Correlations between TD annihilation and oxygen precipitation in Czochralski-grown silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reiche, M.

1989-01-01

Results of two-stage annealing experiments are presented including preannealing at T o C (TD formation) and a second annealing step at T=550 to 850 o C in order to study the annihilation of TD's and their influence on the oxygen precipitation. The investigations show that (1) TD's cannot act as nuclei for oxide precipitates and that (2) their annihilation, connected with the increased formation of Si I induced defects (RLD's), proves TD's to consist also of self-interstitials. (author) 11 refs., 4 figs

The Efficiency of Delone Coverings of the Canonical Tilings MATH {cal T}(*(A_4)) -> T^*(A4) and MATH {cal T}(*(D_6)) -> T^*(D6)

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Papadopolos, Zorka; Kasner, Gerald

This chapter is devoted to the coverings of the two quasiperiodic canonical tilings MATH {cal T}(*(A_4)) -> T^*(A4) and MATH {cal T}(*(D_6)) equiv {cal T}(*(2F)) -> T^*(D6) T^*(2F), obtained by projection from the root lattices A4 and D6, respectively. In the first major part of this chapter, in Sect. 5.2, we shall introduce a Delone covering MATH {cal C}(s_{{cal) T}(*(A_4)}) -> C^sT^*(A4) of the 2-dimensional decagonal tiling MATH {cal T}(*(A_4)) -> T^*(A4). In the second major part of this chapter, Sect. 5.3, we summarize the results related to the Delone covering of the icosahedral tiling MATH {cal T}(*(D_6)) -> T^*(D6), MATH {cal C}_{{cal T}(*(D_6)}) -> CT^*(D6) and determine the zero-, single-, and double- deckings and the resulting thickness of the covering. In the conclusions section, we give some suggestions as to how the definition of the Delone covering might be changed in order to reach some real (full) covering of the icosahedral tiling MATH {cal T}(*(D_6)) -> T^*(D6). In Section 5.2 the definition of the Delone covering is also changed in order to avoid an unnecessary large thickness of the covering.

Speech Disfluencies and Mispronunciations in English Oral Communication among Malaysian Undergraduates

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Sarah Yong Enxhi

2012-11-01

Full Text Available The common perception of Malaysians is that they are unable to speak fluently and communicate effectively in the English language as most Malaysians do not speak English as their first language. In a country that is full of diversity in terms of race and culture, it is only natural for Malaysians to be influenced by their first language when using English as their second language. This, however, creates a problem for undergraduates who are looking for job opportunities in both local and international companies because a potential employee’s ability to communicate smoothly in English is an important criteria used by employers. This study intends to shed light on the occurrence of speech disfluencies and mispronunciations among undergraduates of a Malaysian university as well as to provide an explanation for those mispronunciations by comparing the phonetic system of the English language with the Malay and Mandarin language. With the results of this study, it is hoped that actions and measures can be taken by the academic authorities and other relevant parties to gradually improve the oral proficiency skills of undergraduates and help them to be more marketable in the future.

Bone marrow cellularity in normal and polycythemic mice estimated by DNA incorporation of /sup 3/H-TdR

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Blackwell, L.H.; Ledney, G.D.

1982-07-01

Nucleated bone marrow cell numbers in normal and polycythemic mice were determined using /sup 3/H-thymidine (/sup 3/H-TdR). The cellularities were estimated by extrapolating the exponential disappearance of labeled cells after a single injection of /sup 3/H-TdR to the time of injection. Dermestid beetles (Anthrenus piceus) were used to prepare tissue-free skeletons labeled with /sup 3/H-TdR. The correlation between tritium activity in bone marrow DNA and tritium derived from the combusted skeleton was determined. The total skeletal cellularity determined by isotope dilution analysis in both normal and polycythemic mice was 2.6 x 10(8) cells/mouse or 17.6 x 10(9) cells/kg body weight. Although the red cell component of the marrow was reduced in the polycythemic mouse, the total numbers of nucleated cells in both types of animals were similar. The differential distribution of cells in the polycythemic animal showed a twofold increase in granulocytic cells, which may explain the identical nucleated cell count in normal and in polycythemic mice.

Describing excited state relaxation and localization in TiO2 nanoparticles using TD-DFT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berardo, Enrico; Hu, Han-Shi; Van Dam, Hubertus J. J.; Shevlin, Stephen A.; Woodley, Scott M.; Kowalski, Karol; Zwijnenburg, Martijn A.

2014-01-01

We have investigated the description of excited state relaxation in naked and hydrated TiO 2 nanoparticles using Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory (TD-DFT) with three common hybrid exchange-correlation (XC) potentials; B3LYP, CAM-B3LYP and BHLYP. Use of TD-CAM-B3LYP and TD-BHLYP yields qualitatively similar results for all structures, which are also consistent with predictions of coupled cluster theory for small particles. TD-B3LYP, in contrast, is found to make rather different predictions; including apparent conical intersections for certain particles that are not observed with TD-CAM-B3LYP nor with TD-BHLYP. In line with our previous observations for vertical excitations, the issue with TD-B3LYP appears to be the inherent tendency of TD-B3LYP, and other XC potentials with no or a low percentage of Hartree-Fock Like Exchange, to spuriously stabilize the energy of charge-transfer (CT) states. Even in the case of hydrated particles, for which vertical excitations are generally well described with all XC potentials, the use of TD-B3LYP appears to result in CT-problems for certain particles. We hypothesize that the spurious stabilization of CT-states by TD-B3LYP even may drive the excited state optimizations to different excited state geometries than those obtained using TD-CAM-B3LYP or TD-BHLYP. In conclusion, focusing on the TD-CAM-B3LYP and TD-BHLYP results, excited state relaxation in naked and hydrated TiO 2 nanoparticles is predicted to be associated with a large Stokes' shift

Introduction to the TD2005 build project network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He Fucai

1997-01-01

TD2005 build project network includes three layers. the first layer is backbone network. The second layer has m level and each level has horizontal subnetwork composed of n cluster bin ND2002-n. The third layer is equipment. When the second layer has only 1 level, the number of the equipment entered is 28 x n (n =3D 1,2,3,......63), which are allowed linking to horizontal subnetwork of TD2005 network. The number of the equipment of per cluster bin ND2002-n is 28. TD2005 network is used for P300 project. It has highest running reliability and long-term stability as well as powerful suitability and flexibility. It has many tie points, strong real-time ability and excellent interference suppression. Through testing, all kinds of characteristics are satisfactory. It is an ideal selection for industrial use

Comparison of TiC coating and TD coating in actual application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, S.K.; Yoo, J.K.

1995-01-01

Large blocks of SKD-11 were treated by CVD-TiC coating process, TD coating process, TD coating process after vacuum heat treating, and vacuum heat treating. Amount of deformation was measured and compared to find the process which gives the least deformation. Wear tests were carried out for specimens treated by each process. Application of CVD-TiC and TD coating to the automotive press mold was studied

Recent and future situation of Japan’s T&D system

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Kyoichi Uehara

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Japan suffered from the Great East Japan Earthquake followed by the nuclear disaster. As a result, we experienced rolling outages for a few months in the Tokyo and Tohoku area. Japan’s power transmission system consists of 50 Hz AC and 60 Hz AC in eastern and western Japan respectively. When the nuclear disaster occurred in Fukushima, enough electricity hasn’t been supplied in eastern area. Power interchange capacity between east and west was small because of small redundant T&D system design. Based on this rolling outage and some present electricity supplying issues in Japan, METI (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has set the electricity system reform committee to improve this situation and make a good T&D system for the future. This committee reported the discussed issue to the Japanese METI and METI proposed policy on Electricity System Reform to the Japanese Cabinet. As a result, the Japanese Electricity System Reform policy was adopted. This future T&D system deals with redundant T&D systems between east and west, how to handle large amounts of renewable electrical energy, and how to fully de-regulate the distribution market. HVDC (VSC system will be introduced between Hokkaido and Honshu as a subsea cable transmission system and HVDC transmission system between eastern area and western area. This paper describes recent and future Japan’s T&D systems. This will be helpful to understand how to solve the issues of Japan’s T&D system.

Coupled Tort-TD/CTF Capability for high-fidelity LWR core calculations - 321

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Christienne, M.; Avramova, M.; Perin, Y.; Seubert, A.

2010-01-01

This paper describes the developed coupling scheme between TORT-TD and CTF. TORT-TD is a time-dependent 3D discrete ordinates neutron transport code. TORT-TD is utilized for high-fidelity reactor core neutronics calculations while CTF is providing the thermal-hydraulics feedback information. CTF is an improved version of the advanced thermal-hydraulic sub-channel code COBRA-TF, which is widely used for best-estimate evaluations of LWR safety margins. CTF is a transient code based on a separated flow representation of the two-phase flow. The coupled code TORT-TD/CTF allows 3D pin-by-pin analyses of transients in few energy groups and anisotropic scattering by solving the time-dependent transport equation using the unconditionally stable implicit method. Steady-state and transient test cases, based on the OECD/NRC PWR MOX/UO 2 Core Transient Benchmark, have been calculated. The steady state cases are based on a quarter core model while the transient test case models a control rod ejection transient in a small PWR mini-core fuel assembly arrangement. The obtained results with TORT-TD/CTF are verified by a code-to-code comparison with the previously developed NEM/CTF and TORT-TD/ATHLET coupled code systems. The performed comparative analysis indicates the applicability and high-fidelity potential of the TORT-TD/CTF coupling. (authors)

Users' manual for fault tree analysis code: CUT-TD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watanabe, Norio; Kiyota, Mikio.

1992-06-01

The CUT-TD code has been developed to find minimal cut sets for a given fault tree and to calculate the occurrence probability of its top event. This code uses an improved top-down algorithm which can enhance the efficiency in deriving minimal cut sets. The features in processing techniques incorporated into CUT-TD are as follows: (1) Consecutive OR gates or consecutive AND gates can be coalesced into a single gate. As a result, this processing directly produces cut sets for the redefined single gate with each gate not being developed. (2) The independent subtrees are automatically identified and their respective cut sets are separately found to enhance the efficiency in processing. (3) The minimal cut sets can be obtained for the top event of a fault tree by combining their respective minimal cut sets for several gates of the fault tree. (4) The user can reduce the computing time for finding minimal cut sets and control the size and significance of cut sets by inputting a minimum probability cut off and/or a maximum order cut off. (5) The user can select events that need not to be further developed in the process of obtaining minimal cut sets. This option can reduce the number of minimal cut sets, save the computing time and assists the user in reviewing the result. (6) Computing time is monitored by the CUT-TD code so that it can prevent the running job from abnormally ending due to excessive CPU time and produce an intermediate result. The CUT-TD code has the ability to restart the calculation with use of the intermediate result. This report provides a users' manual for the CUT-TD code. (author)

Review of $V_{cb}$ and $V_{td}/V_{ts}$

OpenAIRE

Forty, Roger W

1997-01-01

The current experimental status of the CKM matrix element V_cb and the ratio V_td/V_ts is reviewed. Knowledge of these elements has a strong impact on the unitarity triangle, of interest for studies of CP violation in the B system. The measurements of V_cb from both inclusive semileptonic b decays and the exclusive channel B -> D* l nu are reaching high precision. For V_td/V_ts the strongest upper limit is derived from studies of B-Bbar mixing.

Generation of Active Bovine Terminal Deoxynucleotidyl Transferase (TdT in E.coli

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Wee Liang Kuan

2010-08-01

Full Text Available A synthetic gene encoding bovine terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT was generated, cloned into an expression vector and expressed in E.coli. The effects of altering culture and induction conditions on the nature of recombinant protein production were investigated. This led to the expression of active recombinant bovine TdT in E.coli. After purification and characterisation, the activity of the enzyme was assessed in a biological assay for apoptosis. The process described in this report enables the economical production of TdT for high throughput applications.

Generation of Active Bovine Terminal Deoxynucleotidyl Transferase (TdT in E.coli

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Wee Liang Kuan

2010-01-01

Full Text Available A synthetic gene encoding bovine terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT was generated, cloned into an expression vector and expressed in E.coli. The effects of altering culture and induction conditions on the nature of recombinant protein production were investigated. This led to the expression of active recombinant bovine TdT in E.coli. After purification and characterisation, the activity of the enzyme was assessed in a biological assay for apoptosis. The process described in this report enables the economical production of TdT for high throughput applications.

Determination of carcinogenic threshold limit values using the tumorigenic dose rate 50% (TD50)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bonvalot, Y.; Oudiz, A.; Hubert, P.; Abenhaim, L.

1989-01-01

The objective of the present study is to propose a simple procedure for the determination of Occupational Limit Values (OLVs) based on the TD 50 concept (Tumorigenic Dose Rate 50%). The TD 50 concept was introduced by Peto R. and al. to help classify chemical substances according to their carcinogenic potency. The TD 50 is that dose rate (in mg/KXg body weight/day) which, if administered chronically for the standard lifespan of the species will halve the probability of remaining tumorless throughout that period. Using TD 50 values available for 776 substances, the procedure presented here allows one to determine OLVs corresponding to a fixed excess risk. It is based on a mathematical high-to-low doses extrapolation of the TD 50 . OLVs obtained with this procedure are compared with currently available TLVs and other occupational guidelines. (author)

Responses of transgenic Arabidopsis plants and recombinant yeast cells expressing a novel durum wheat manganese superoxide dismutase TdMnSOD to various abiotic stresses.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaouthar, Feki; Ameny, Farhat-Khemakhem; Yosra, Kamoun; Walid, Saibi; Ali, Gargouri; Faiçal, Brini

2016-07-01

In plant cells, the manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) plays an elusive role in the response to oxidative stress. In this study, we describe the isolation and functional characterization of a novel Mn-SOD from durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. subsp. Durum), named TdMnSOD. Molecular phylogeny analysis showed that the durum TdMnSOD exhibited high amino acids sequence identity with other Mn-SOD plants. The three-dimensional structure showed that TdMnSOD forms a homotetramer and each subunit is composed of a predominantly α-helical N-terminal domain and a mixed α/β C-terminal domain. TdMnSOD gene expression analysis showed that this gene was induced by various abiotic stresses in durum wheat. The expression of TdMnSOD enhances tolerance of the transformed yeast cells to salt, osmotic, cold and H2O2-induced oxidative stresses. Moreover, the analysis of TdMnSOD transgenic Arabidopsis plants subjected to different environmental stresses revealed low H2O2 and high proline levels as compared to the wild-type plants. Compared with the non-transformed plants, an increase in the total SOD and two other antioxidant enzyme activities including catalase (CAT) and peroxidases (POD) was observed in the three transgenic lines subjected to abiotic stress. Taken together, these data provide evidence for the involvement of durum wheat TdMnSOD in tolerance to multiple abiotic stresses in crop plants. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Time-dependent anisotropic distributed source capability in transient 3-d transport code tort-TD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seubert, A.; Pautz, A.; Becker, M.; Dagan, R.

2009-01-01

The transient 3-D discrete ordinates transport code TORT-TD has been extended to account for time-dependent anisotropic distributed external sources. The extension aims at the simulation of the pulsed neutron source in the YALINA-Thermal subcritical assembly. Since feedback effects are not relevant in this zero-power configuration, this offers a unique opportunity to validate the time-dependent neutron kinetics of TORT-TD with experimental data. The extensions made in TORT-TD to incorporate a time-dependent anisotropic external source are described. The steady state of the YALINA-Thermal assembly and its response to an artificial square-wave source pulse sequence have been analysed with TORT-TD using pin-wise homogenised cross sections in 18 prompt energy groups with P 1 scattering order and 8 delayed neutron groups. The results demonstrate the applicability of TORT-TD to subcritical problems with a time-dependent external source. (authors)

The elimination of positive priming with increasing prime duration reflects a transition from perceptual fluency to disfluency rather than bias against primed words.

Science.gov (United States)

Potter, Kevin W; Donkin, Chris; Huber, David E

2018-03-01

With immediate repetition priming of forced choice perceptual identification, short prime durations produce positive priming (i.e., priming the target leads to higher accuracy, while priming the foil leads to lower accuracy). Many theories explain positive priming following short duration primes as reflecting increased perceptual fluency for the primed target (i.e., decreased identification latency). However, most studies only examine either accuracy or response times, rather than considering the joint constraints of response times and accuracy to properly address the role of decision biases and response caution. This is a critical oversight because several theories propose that the transition to negative priming following a long duration prime reflects a decision strategy to compensate for the effect of increased perceptual fluency. In contrast, the nROUSE model of Huber and O'Reilly (2003) explains this transition as reflecting perceptual habituation, and thus a change to perceptual disfluency. We confirmed this prediction by applying a sequential sampling model (the diffusion race model) to accuracy and response time distributions from a new single item same-different version of the priming task. In this way, we measured strategic biases and perceptual fluency in each condition for each subject. The nROUSE model was only applied to accuracy from the original forced-choice version of the priming task. This application of nROUSE produced separate predictions for each subject regarding the degree of fluency and disfluency in each condition, and these predictions were confirmed by the drift rate parameters (i.e., fluency) from the response time model in contrast to the threshold parameters (i.e., bias). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

TID and I-TD controller design for magnetic levitation system using genetic algorithm

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Debdoot Sain

2016-09-01

Full Text Available This article is about the design of controllers for magnetic levitation (Maglev system in both simulation and real time. Local linearization around the equilibrium point has been done for the nonlinear Maglev system to obtain a linearized model transfer function. In this study, the design of integral-tilted-derivative (I-TD controller has been proposed for the Maglev system and its performance is compared with conventional tilted-integral-derivative (TID controller. In this study, TID controller parameters have been optimized through genetic algorithm (GA and those set of values have been employed for the design of I-TD controller. A performance comparison between TID and I-TD controller is then investigated. The analysis shows the superiority of I-TD controller over TID controller in terms of maximum overshoot, gain margin and phase margin. The settling time remains almost same in both the cases. In future, a detailed study of robustness in presence of model uncertainties will be incorporated as a scope of further research.

Metallographic examination of TD-nickel base alloys. [thermal and chemical etching technique evaluation

Science.gov (United States)

Kane, R. D.; Petrovic, J. J.; Ebert, L. J.

1975-01-01

Techniques are evaluated for chemical, electrochemical, and thermal etching of thoria dispersed (TD) nickel alloys. An electrochemical etch is described which yielded good results only for large grain sizes of TD-nickel. Two types of thermal etches are assessed for TD-nickel: an oxidation etch and vacuum annealing of a polished specimen to produce an etch. It is shown that the first etch was somewhat dependent on sample orientation with respect to the processing direction, the second technique was not sensitive to specimen orientation or grain size, and neither method appear to alter the innate grain structure when the materials were fully annealed prior to etching. An electrochemical etch is described which was used to observe the microstructures in TD-NiCr, and a thermal-oxidation etch is shown to produce better detail of grain boundaries and to have excellent etching behavior over the entire range of grain sizes of the sample.

Nobelist TD LEE Scientist Cooperation Network and Scientist Innovation Ability Model

OpenAIRE

Fang, Jin-Qing; Liu, Qiang

2013-01-01

Nobelist TD Lee scientist cooperation network (TDLSCN) and their innovation ability are studied. It is found that the TDLSCN not only has the common topological properties both of scale-free and small-world for a general scientist cooperation networks, but also appears the creation multiple-peak phenomenon for number of published paper with year evolution, which become Nobelist TD Lee’s significant mark distinguished from other scientists. This new phenomenon has not been revealed in the scie...

Inertial Navigation System for India's Reusable Launch Vehicle-Technology Demonstrator (RLV-TD HEX) Mission

Science.gov (United States)

Umadevi, P.; Navas, A.; Karuturi, Kesavabrahmaji; Shukkoor, A. Abdul; Kumar, J. Krishna; Sreekumar, Sreejith; Basim, A. Mohammed

2017-12-01

This work presents the configuration of Inertial Navigation System (INS) used in India's Reusable Launch Vehicle-Technology Demonstrator (RLV-TD) Program. In view of the specific features and requirements of the RLV-TD, specific improvements and modifications were required in the INS. A new system was designed, realised and qualified meeting the mission requirements of RLV-TD, at the same time taking advantage of the flight heritage attained in INS through various Launch vehicle Missions of the country. The new system has additional redundancy in acceleration channel, in-built inclinometer based bias update scheme for acceleration channels and sign conventions as employed in an aircraft. Data acquisition in micro cycle periodicity (10 ms) was incorporated which was required to provide rate and attitude information at higher sampling rate for ascent phase control. Provision was incorporated for acquisition of rate and acceleration data with high resolution for aerodynamic characterisation and parameter estimation. GPS aided navigation scheme was incorporated to meet the stringent accuracy requirements of the mission. Navigation system configuration for RLV-TD, specific features incorporated to meet the mission requirements, various tests carried out and performance during RLV-TD flight are highlighted.

An investigation of the magnetic field of Transient Disturbances (TD) at the Earth's orbit, and a determination of solar sources of TD from their characteristics at R = 1 AU

Science.gov (United States)

Fainshtein, V. .G.; Kaigorodov, A. P.

1995-01-01

We have investigated and intercompared the typical features of the magnetic field of two types of solar wind transient disturbances with shock waves: the shock wave is accompanied by a magnetic cloud (MC), and the shock wave is followed by a region with bidirectional solar wind electron heat flux (BEHF), with no MC present. In this case, a separate study was made of the field features in two typical TD structures: in the region of impact-compressed solar wind between the shock wave and MC or BEHF, as well as in MC and BEHF. The study has provided new results on the influence of the ambient SW upon the TD magnetic field and the relationship between fields in various TD structures. A new test for the existence of interplanetary magnetic field draping around MC and BEHF is proposed and verified. It is concluded that the magnetic field configuration around MC is more adequately consistent with the concept of magnetic line draping than is the case around BEHF Two methods are proposed to infer the location of solar sources of TD from their characteristics at R = 1 AU.

Shedding light on the Early Pleistocene of TD6 (Gran Dolina, Atapuerca, Spain): The technological sequence and occupational inferences.

Science.gov (United States)

Mosquera, Marina; Ollé, Andreu; Rodríguez-Álvarez, Xose Pedro; Carbonell, Eudald

2018-01-01

This paper aims to update the information available on the lithic assemblage from the entire sequence of TD6 now that the most recent excavations have been completed, and to explore possible changes in both occupational patterns and technological strategies evidenced in the unit. This is the first study to analyse the entire TD6 sequence, including subunits TD6.3 and TD6.1, which have never been studied, along with the better-known TD6.2 Homo antecessor-bearing subunit. We also present an analysis of several lithic refits found in TD6, as well as certain technical features that may help characterise the hominin occupations. The archaeo-palaeontological record from TD6 consists of 9,452 faunal remains, 443 coprolites, 1,046 lithic pieces, 170 hominin remains and 91 Celtis seeds. The characteristics of this record seem to indicate two main stages of occupation. In the oldest subunit, TD6.3, the lithic assemblage points to the light and limited hominin occupation of the cave, which does, however, grow over the course of the level. In contrast, the lithic assemblages from TD6.2 and TD6.1 are rich and varied, which may reflect Gran Dolina cave's establishment as a landmark in the region. Despite the occupational differences between the lowermost subunit and the rest of the deposit, technologically the TD6 lithic assemblage is extremely homogeneous throughout. In addition, the composition and spatial distribution of the 12 groups of lithic refits found in unit TD6, as well as the in situ nature of the assemblage demonstrate the high degree of preservation at the site. This may help clarify the nature of the Early Pleistocene hominin occupations of TD6, and raise reasonable doubt about the latest interpretations that support the ex situ character of the assemblage as a whole.

Color Image Encryption Algorithm Based on TD-ERCS System and Wavelet Neural Network

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Kun Zhang

2015-01-01

Full Text Available In order to solve the security problem of transmission image across public networks, a new image encryption algorithm based on TD-ERCS system and wavelet neural network is proposed in this paper. According to the permutation process and the binary XOR operation from the chaotic series by producing TD-ERCS system and wavelet neural network, it can achieve image encryption. This encryption algorithm is a reversible algorithm, and it can achieve original image in the rule inverse process of encryption algorithm. Finally, through computer simulation, the experiment results show that the new chaotic encryption algorithm based on TD-ERCS system and wavelet neural network is valid and has higher security.

TD-LTE Wireless Private Network QoS Transmission Protection

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jianming; Cheng, Chao; Wu, Zanhong

With the commencement of construction of the smart grid, the demand power business for reliability and security continues to improve, the reliability transmission of power TD-LTE Wireless Private Network are more and more attention. For TD-LTE power private network, it can provide different QoS services according to the user's business type, to protect the reliable transmission of business. This article describes in detail the AF module of PCC in the EPC network, specifically introduces set up AF module station and QoS mechanisms in the EPS load, fully considers the business characteristics of the special power network, establishing a suitable architecture for mapping QoS parameters, ensuring the implementation of each QoS business. Through using radio bearer management, we can achieve the reliable transmission of each business on physical channel.

The pharmacology of TD-8954, a potent and selective 5-HT4 receptor agonist with gastrointestinal prokinetic properties

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David T Beattie

2011-05-01

Full Text Available This study evaluated the in vitro and in vivo pharmacological properties of TD-8954, a potent and selective 5-HT4 receptor agonist. TD-8954 had high affinity (pKi = 9.4 for human recombinant 5-HT4(c (h5-HT4(c receptors, and selectivity (> 2,000-fold over all other 5-HT receptors and non-5-HT receptors, ion channels, enzymes and transporters tested (n = 78. TD-8954 produced an elevation of cAMP in HEK-293 cells expressing the h5-HT4(c receptor (pEC50 = 9.3, and contracted the guinea pig colonic longitudinal muscle/myenteric plexus (LMMP preparation (pEC50 = 8.6. TD-8954 had moderate intrinsic activity (IA in the in vitro assays. In conscious guinea pigs, subcutaneous (s.c. administration of TD 8954 (0.03 - 3 mg/kg increased the colonic transit of carmine red dye, reducing the time taken for its excretion. Following intraduodenal (i.d. dosing to anesthetized rats, TD 8954 (0.03 - 10 mg/kg evoked a dose-dependent relaxation of the esophagus. Following oral administration to conscious dogs, TD 8954 (10 and 30 µg/kg produced an increase in contractility of the antrum, duodenum and jejunum. In a single ascending oral dose study in healthy human subjects, TD-8954 (0.1 - 20 mg increased bowel movement frequency and reduced the time to first stool. It is concluded that TD-8954 is a potent and selective 5-HT4 receptor agonist in vitro, with robust in vivo stimulatory activity in the gastrointestinal (GI tract of guinea pigs, rats, dogs and humans. TD-8954 may have clinical utility in patients with disorders of reduced GI motility.

Molecular dynamics of formation of TD lesioned DNA complexed with repair enzyme - onset of the enzymatic repair process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pinak, Miroslav [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan). Tokai Research Establishment

1999-12-01

To describe the first step of the enzymatic repair process (formation of complex enzyme-DNA), in which the thymine dimer (TD) part is removed from DNA, the 500 picosecond (ps) molecular dynamics (MD) simulation of TD lesioned DNA and part of repair enzyme cell (inclusive of catalytic center - Arg-22, Glu-23, Arg-26 and Thr-2) was performed. TD is UV originated lesion in DNA and T4 Endonuclease V is TD specific repair enzyme. Both molecules were located in the same simulation cell and their relative movement was examined. During the simulation the research was focused on the role of electrostatic energy in formation of complex enzyme-DNA. It is found, that during the first 100 ps of MD, the part of enzyme approaches the DNA surface at the TD lesion, interacts extensively by electrostatic and van der Walls interactions with TD part of DNA and forms complex that lasts stabile for 500 ps of MD. In the beginning of MD, the positive electrostatic interaction energy between part of enzyme and TD ({approx} +10 kcal/mol) drives enzyme towards the DNA molecule. Water-mediated hydrogen bonds between enzyme and DNA help to keep complex stabile. As a reference, the MD simulation of the identical system with native DNA molecule (two native thymines (TT) instead of TD) was performed. In this system the negative electrostatic interaction energy between part of enzyme and TT ({approx} -11 kcal/mol), in contrary to the positive one in the system with TD, doesn't drive enzyme towards DNA and complex is not formed. (author)

Molecular dynamics of formation of TD lesioned DNA complexed with repair enzyme - onset of the enzymatic repair process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pinak, Miroslav

1999-12-01

To describe the first step of the enzymatic repair process (formation of complex enzyme-DNA), in which the thymine dimer (TD) part is removed from DNA, the 500 picosecond (ps) molecular dynamics (MD) simulation of TD lesioned DNA and part of repair enzyme cell (inclusive of catalytic center - Arg-22, Glu-23, Arg-26 and Thr-2) was performed. TD is UV originated lesion in DNA and T4 Endonuclease V is TD specific repair enzyme. Both molecules were located in the same simulation cell and their relative movement was examined. During the simulation the research was focused on the role of electrostatic energy in formation of complex enzyme-DNA. It is found, that during the first 100 ps of MD, the part of enzyme approaches the DNA surface at the TD lesion, interacts extensively by electrostatic and van der Walls interactions with TD part of DNA and forms complex that lasts stabile for 500 ps of MD. In the beginning of MD, the positive electrostatic interaction energy between part of enzyme and TD (∼ +10 kcal/mol) drives enzyme towards the DNA molecule. Water-mediated hydrogen bonds between enzyme and DNA help to keep complex stabile. As a reference, the MD simulation of the identical system with native DNA molecule (two native thymines (TT) instead of TD) was performed. In this system the negative electrostatic interaction energy between part of enzyme and TT (∼ -11 kcal/mol), in contrary to the positive one in the system with TD, doesn't drive enzyme towards DNA and complex is not formed. (author)

Optical properties of alkali halide crystals from all-electron hybrid TD-DFT calculations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Webster, R., E-mail: ross.webster07@imperial.ac.uk; Harrison, N. M. [Thomas Young Centre, Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London SW7 2AZ (United Kingdom); Bernasconi, L. [Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, STFC, Harwell Oxford, Didcot OX11 0QX (United Kingdom)

2015-06-07

We present a study of the electronic and optical properties of a series of alkali halide crystals AX, with A = Li, Na, K, Rb and X = F, Cl, Br based on a recent implementation of hybrid-exchange time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) (TD-B3LYP) in the all-electron Gaussian basis set code CRYSTAL. We examine, in particular, the impact of basis set size and quality on the prediction of the optical gap and exciton binding energy. The formation of bound excitons by photoexcitation is observed in all the studied systems and this is shown to be correlated to specific features of the Hartree-Fock exchange component of the TD-DFT response kernel. All computed optical gaps and exciton binding energies are however markedly below estimated experimental and, where available, 2-particle Green’s function (GW-Bethe-Salpeter equation, GW-BSE) values. We attribute this reduced exciton binding to the incorrect asymptotics of the B3LYP exchange correlation ground state functional and of the TD-B3LYP response kernel, which lead to a large underestimation of the Coulomb interaction between the excited electron and hole wavefunctions. Considering LiF as an example, we correlate the asymptotic behaviour of the TD-B3LYP kernel to the fraction of Fock exchange admixed in the ground state functional c{sub HF} and show that there exists one value of c{sub HF} (∼0.32) that reproduces at least semi-quantitatively the optical gap of this material.

T.D Lee and Lisa Randall visit ATLAS

CERN Multimedia

Pauline Gagnon

Professor Tsung-Dao Lee, who received the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1957 for postulating that parity is not conserved in weak interactions, visited the ATLAS detector this month. He is seen here in the company of Peter Jenni, spokesperson for ATLAS. T.D. Lee is still very active at over 80, pursuing his theory work to this day. Professor Lisa Randall from Harvard University, the well-known theorist behind the Randall-Sundrum theory for extra dimensions, was also part of the group visiting the ATLAS detector. She is seen here with Fabiola Gianotti, deputy spokesperson for ATLAS. Lisa Randall's two initial papers have been quoted both more than 2500 times, making her the most cited theoretical physicist in the world in the last five years as of last autumn - a total of about 10,000 citations! One wonders here if Peter is pointing to a CP-violating graviton spotted in the ATLAS cavern... From left to right: Fabiola Gianotti, Gustaaf Brooijmans, convener of the ATLAS Exotics physics gro...

A Novel Reporter Rat Strain That Conditionally Expresses the Bright Red Fluorescent Protein tdTomato.

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Hiroyuki Igarashi

Full Text Available Despite the strength of the Cre/loxP recombination system in animal models, its application in rats trails that in mice because of the lack of relevant reporter strains. Here, we generated a floxed STOP tdTomato rat that conditionally expresses a red fluorescent protein variant (tdTomato in the presence of exogenous Cre recombinase. The tdTomato signal vividly visualizes neurons including their projection fibers and spines without any histological enhancement. In addition, a transgenic rat line (FLAME that ubiquitously expresses tdTomato was successfully established by injecting intracytoplasmic Cre mRNA into fertilized ova. Our rat reporter system will facilitate connectome studies as well as the visualization of the fine structures of genetically identified cells for long periods both in vivo and ex vivo. Furthermore, FLAME is an ideal model for organ transplantation research owing to improved traceability of cells/tissues.

The L1TD1 Protein Interactome Reveals the Importance of Post-transcriptional Regulation in Human Pluripotency

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Maheswara Reddy Emani

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The RNA-binding protein L1TD1 is one of the most specific and abundant proteins in pluripotent stem cells and is essential for the maintenance of pluripotency in human cells. Here, we identify the protein interaction network of L1TD1 in human embryonic stem cells (hESCs and provide insights into the interactome network constructed in human pluripotent cells. Our data reveal that L1TD1 has an important role in RNA splicing, translation, protein traffic, and degradation. L1TD1 interacts with multiple stem-cell-specific proteins, many of which are still uncharacterized in the context of development. Further, we show that L1TD1 is a part of the pluripotency interactome network of OCT4, SOX2, and NANOG, bridging nuclear and cytoplasmic regulation and highlighting the importance of RNA biology in pluripotency.

Td Vaccine (Tetanus and Diphtheria): What You Need to Know

Science.gov (United States)

VACCINE INFORMATION STATEMENT Td Vaccine (Tetanus and Diphtheria) What You Need to Know Many Vaccine Information Statements are available in Spanish and other languages. See www. immunize. org/ vis Hojas de ...

Time-dependent anisotropic external sources in transient 3-D transport code TORT-TD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seubert, A.; Pautz, A.; Becker, M.; Dagan, R.

2009-01-01

This paper describes the implementation of a time-dependent distributed external source in TORT-TD by explicitly considering the external source in the ''fixed-source'' term of the implicitly time-discretised 3-D discrete ordinates transport equation. Anisotropy of the external source is represented by a spherical harmonics series expansion similar to the angular fluxes. The YALINA-Thermal subcritical assembly serves as a test case. The configuration with 280 fuel rods has been analysed with TORT-TD using cross sections in 18 energy groups and P1 scattering order generated by the KAPROS code system. Good agreement is achieved concerning the multiplication factor. The response of the system to an artificial time-dependent source consisting of two square-wave pulses demonstrates the time-dependent external source capability of TORT-TD. The result is physically plausible as judged from validation calculations. (orig.)

The time-dependent 3D discrete ordinates code TORT-TD with thermal-hydraulic feedback by ATHLET models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seubert, A.; Velkov, K.; Langenbuch, S.

2008-01-01

This paper describes the time-dependent 3D discrete ordinates transport code TORT-TD. Thermal-hydraulic feedback is considered by coupling TORT-TD with the thermal-hydraulics system code ATHLET. The coupled code TORT-TD/ATHLET allows 3D pin-by-pin analyses of transients in few energy groups and anisotropic scattering by solving the time-dependent transport equation using the unconditionally stable implicit method. The nuclear cross sections are interpolated between pre-calculated table values of fuel temperature, moderator density and boron concentration. For verification of the implementation, selected test cases have been calculated by TORT-TD/ATHLET. They include a control rod ejection transient in a small PWR fuel assembly arrangement and a local boron concentration change in a single PWR fuel assembly. In the latter, special attention has been paid to study the influence of the thermal-hydraulic feedback modelling in ATHLET. The results obtained for a control rod ejection accident in a PWR quarter core demonstrate the applicability of TORT-TD/ATHLET. (authors)

Coupling constants (Tdn) and (Td*n) for local potentials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Belyaev, V.B.; Irgaziev, B.F.; Orlov, Yu.V.

1976-01-01

The coupling constants (Tdn) and (Td*n) are found solving the Faddeev equations with local potentials. It is shown that the polinomial extrapolation of the wave function to the nonphysical region of the variable Q 2 turns not to be sure for determination of the coupling constants

BK/TD models for analyzing in vitro impedance data on cytotoxicity.

Science.gov (United States)

Teng, S; Barcellini-Couget, S; Beaudouin, R; Brochot, C; Desousa, G; Rahmani, R; Pery, A R R

2015-06-01

The ban of animal testing has enhanced the development of new in vitro technologies for cosmetics safety assessment. Impedance metrics is one such technology which enables monitoring of cell viability in real time. However, analyzing real time data requires moving from static to dynamic toxicity assessment. In the present study, we built mechanistic biokinetic/toxicodynamic (BK/TD) models to analyze the time course of cell viability in cytotoxicity assay using impedance. These models account for the fate of the tested compounds during the assay. BK/TD models were applied to analyze HepaRG cell viability, after single (48 h) and repeated (4 weeks) exposures to three hepatotoxic compounds (coumarin, isoeugenol and benzophenone-2). The BK/TD models properly fit the data used for their calibration that was obtained for single or repeated exposure. Only for one out of the three compounds, the models calibrated with a single exposure were able to predict repeated exposure data. We therefore recommend the use of long-term exposure in vitro data in order to adequately account for chronic hepatotoxic effects. The models we propose here are capable of being coupled with human biokinetic models in order to relate dose exposure and human hepatotoxicity. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Nonadiabatic calculations for tdμ relevant for muon catalyzed fusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szalewicz, K.; Jeziorski, B.

1991-01-01

Due to the mass effect, muonic molecular ions are about 200 times smaller than their electronic counterparts. The proximity of the nuclei in the tdμ ion results in fusion taking place within a picosecond. The properties of this ion are central to understanding the phenomenon of muon catalysis. The authors developed a computational method of solving the nonadiabatic Schroedinger equation for the bound and resonance states of tdμ and its isotopic analogues. The method takes into account both the Coulomb interactions and the strong nuclear forces responsible for the fusion reaction. The wave functions obtained from this method were used to predict very accurately branching ratios and transition rates relevant for various stages of the muon catalytic cycle. Knowledge of these quantities will guide the experiments and help to answer the question of feasibility of net energy production via muon catalysis

TD-LTE maritime trunking communication system based on TVWS

Science.gov (United States)

Ren, Chunxiang; Chen, Xing; Li, Wanchao; Chen, Baodan

2014-10-01

This paper collects the measurement results of 470 MHZ-960MHZ spectrum in the coastal areas, and analyzes the characteristics of TV broadcast spectrum occupancy in the measurement region. Moreover, this article proposes construct the TD-LTE maritime trunking communication system using geolocation database, television database (TVDB) and cognitive radio (CR) technology.

MATHEMATICAL MODELING OF PLANE IL-76TD-90VD LANDING IN ANTARCTICA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Based on the information from the Internet the authors decided to reproduce the possible conditions of landing the plane IL-76TD-90VD in Antarctica in their computer experiment using the mathematical modeling system of aircraft flight dynamics (MMS AFD, which is developed and continuously improved in MSTUCA. MMS AFD has already shown its ability to complete such tasks for different aircraft types in various conditions, including IL-76TD, IL-96-300, IL-96T and also slippery runways.For the computational experiments the information from the web sources was used. The authors did not aim to pro- duce a final numerical results, which describe the possible operating conditions. It was expected only to get accurate qualita- tive results, which can adequately describe the behavior of the airplane IL-76TD-90VD when landing on the slippery runway.So, the authors were able to obtain a typical turn of plane at the end of run and show that the pilot style in these conditions has little effect on the qualitative behavior of the aircraft. The most important factor leading to such maneuvers, lies in the special connection of longitudinal and lateral friction of gear wheels with runway.The authors managed to identify the minimum allowed value of standard friction coefficient of the runway (0,42 which allows a safe landing under crosswind 15 m/s.The results that agree qualitatively with the known situations indicate the possibility for MMS AFD to properly reproduce various cases of aircraft IL-76TD-90VD landing to Antarctica ice airfield and identify any inaccurately knownparameters.

Electronic spectroscopy of HRe(CO) 5: a CASSCF/CASPT2 and TD-DFT study

Science.gov (United States)

Bossert, J.; Ben Amor, N.; Strich, A.; Daniel, C.

2001-07-01

The low-lying excited states of HRe(CO) 5 have been calculated at the CASSCF/CASPT2 and TD-DFT level of theory using relativistic effective core potentials (ECP) or ab initio model potentials (AIMP). The theoretical absorption spectrum is compared to the experimental one. Despite the similarity between the experimental absorption spectra of HMn(CO) 5 and HRe(CO) 5 in the UV/visible energy domain it is shown that the assignment differs significantly between the two molecules. The low-lying excited states of HRe(CO) 5 correspond to 5d→π *CO excitations whereas the spectrum of HMn(CO) 5 consists mainly of 3d→3d and 3d→ σ*Mn-H excitations. If the CASPT2 and TD-DFT results are quite comparable for the lowest excited states, the upper part assignment is more problematic with the TD-DFT method.

Final Phase Flight Performance and Touchdown Time Assessment of TDV in RLV-TD HEX-01 Mission

Science.gov (United States)

Yadav, Sandeep; Jayakumar, M.; Nizin, Aziya; Kesavabrahmaji, K.; Shyam Mohan, N.

2017-12-01

RLV-TD HEX-01 mission was configured as a precursor flight to actual two stages to orbit vehicle. In this mission RLV-TD was designed as a two stage vehicle for demonstrating the hypersonic flight of a winged body vehicle at Mach No. 5. One of the main objectives of this mission was to generate data for better understanding of new technologies required to design the future vehicle. In this mission, the RLV-TD vehicle was heavily instrumented to get data related to performance of different subsystems. As per the mission design, RLV-TD will land in sea after flight duration of 700 s and travelling a distance of nearly 500 km in Bay of Bengal from the launch site for a nominal trajectory. The visibility studies for telemetry data of vehicle for the nominal and off nominal trajectories were carried out. Based on that, three ground stations were proposed for the telemetry data reception (including one in sea). Even with this scheme it was seen that during the final phase of the flight there will not be any ground station visible to the flight due to low elevation. To have the mission critical data during final phase of the flight, telemetry through INSAT scheme was introduced. During the end of the mission RLV-TD will be landing in the sea on a hypothetical runway. To know the exact time of touchdown for the flight in sea, there was no direct measurement available. Simultaneously there were all chances of losing ground station visibility just before touchdown, making it difficult to assess flight performance during that phase. In this work, telemetry and instrumentation scheme of RLV-TD HEX-01 mission is discussed with an objective to determine the flight performance during the final phase. Further, using various flight sensor data the touchdown time of TDV is assessed for this mission.

Atmospheric Pressure-Thermal Desorption (AP-TD)/Electrospray Ionization-Mass Spectrometry for the Rapid Analysis of Bacillus Spores

Science.gov (United States)

A technique is described where an atmospheric pressure-thermal desorption (AP-TD) device and electrospray ionization (ESI)-mass spectrometry are coupled and used for the rapid analysis of Bacillus spores in complex matrices. The resulting AP-TD/ESI-MS technique combines the generation of volatile co...

Analysis of PBMR transients using a coupled neutron transport/thermal-hydraulics code DORT-TD/thermix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tyobeka, B.; Ivanov, K.; Pautz, A.

2007-01-01

In the advent of increased demand for safety and economics of nuclear power plants, nuclear engineers and designers are called upon to develop advanced computation tools. In these developments, space-time effects in the dynamics of nuclear reactors must be considered within the framework of a full 3-dimensional treatment of both neutron kinetics and thermal hydraulics. In a recent effort at the Pennsylvania State University, a time-dependent version of the discrete ordinates transport code DORT, DORT-TD was coupled to a 2-dimensional core thermal hydraulics code THERMIX-DIREKT. In the coupling process, a feedback model was developed to account for the feedback effects and was implemented into DORT-TD. During the calculation process for each spatial node of the DORT-TD core model, feedback parameters representative of this node are passed to the feedback module. Using these values, cross section tables are then interpolated for the appropriate macroscopic cross section values. The updated macroscopic cross sections are passed back to DORT-TD to perform transport core calculations, and the power distribution is transferred to THERMIX-DIREKT to obtain the relevant thermal-hydraulics data in turn, and this calculation loop continues. In this paper, DORT-TD/THERMIX is used to simulate transients of interest in the PBMR (Pebble Bed Modular Reactor) safety using established benchmark problems: load change from 100% to 40% power and fast control rod ejection (PBMR-268 benchmark problem). The results obtained are compared with those obtained using the diffusion-based module of the code. The results are only preliminary and so far show that diffusion theory is not such a bad approximation for PBMR for the prediction of integral parameters

TdPIR minisatellite fingerprinting as a useful new tool for Torulaspora delbrueckii molecular typing.

Science.gov (United States)

Canonico, Laura; Comitini, Francesca; Ciani, Maurizio

2015-05-04

Torulaspora delbrueckii yeast strains are being increasingly applied at the industrial level, such as in the winemaking process, and so their identification and characterisation require effective, fast, accurate, reproducible and reliable approaches. Therefore, the development of typing techniques that allow discrimination at the strain level will provide an essential tool for those working with T. delbrueckii strains. Here, 28 T. delbrueckii strains from various substrates were characterised using different PCR-fingerprinting molecular methods: random amplified polymorphic DNA with polymerase chain reaction (RAPD-PCR), minisatellites SED1, AGA1, DAN4 and the newly designed T. delbrueckii (Td)PIR, and microsatellites (GAC)5 and (GTG)5. The aim was to determine and compare the efficacies, reproducibilities and discriminating powers of these molecular methods. RAPD-PCR using the M13 primers and the newly designed TdPIR3 minisatellite primer pair provided discrimination of the greatest number of T. delbrueckii strains. TdPIR3 clustered the 28 strains into 16 different groups with an efficiency of 100%, while M13 clustered the strains into 17 different groups, although with a lower efficiency of 89%. Moreover, the TdPIR3 primers showed reproducible profiles when the stringency of the PCR protocol was varied, which highlighted the great robustness of this technique. In contrast, variation of the stringency of the M13 PCR protocol resulted in modification of the amplified profiles, which suggested low reproducibility of this technique. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Identification of rat Rosa26 locus enables generation of knock-in rat lines ubiquitously expressing tdTomato.

Science.gov (United States)

Kobayashi, Toshihiro; Kato-Itoh, Megumi; Yamaguchi, Tomoyuki; Tamura, Chihiro; Sanbo, Makoto; Hirabayashi, Masumi; Nakauchi, Hiromitsu

2012-11-01

Recent discovery of a method for derivation and culture of germline-competent rat pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) enables generation of transgenic rats or knock-out rats via genetic modification of such PSCs. This opens the way to use rats, as is routine in mice, for analyses of gene functions or physiological features. In mouse or human, one widely used technique to express a gene of interest stably and ubiquitously is to insert that gene into the Rosa26 locus via gene targeting of PSCs. Rosa26 knock-in mice conditionally expressing a reporter or a toxin gene have contributed to tracing or ablation of specific cell lineages. We successfully identified a rat orthologue of the mouse Rosa26 locus. Insertion of tdTomato, a variant of red fluorescent protein, into the Rosa26 locus of PSCs of various rat strains allows ubiquitous expression of tdTomato. Through germline transmission of one Rosa26-tdTomato knock-in embryonic stem cell line, we also obtained tdTomato knock-in rats. These expressed tdTomato ubiquitously throughout their bodies, which indicates that the rat Rosa26 locus conserves functions of its orthologues in mouse and human. The new tools described here (targeting vectors, knock-in PSCs, and rats) should be useful for a variety of research using rats.

AV-block and conduction slowing prevail over TdP arrhythmias in the methoxamine-sensitized pro-arrhythmic rabbit model.

Science.gov (United States)

Varkevisser, Rosanne; Vos, Marc A; Beekman, Jet D; Tieland, Ralph G; Van Der Heyden, Marcel A

2015-01-01

The methoxamine-sensitized rabbit model is widely used to screen drugs for proarrhythmic properties, especially repolarization-dependent TdP arrhythmias. With the change of anesthesia and/or sensitizing agent, conduction disturbances have been reported as well. Therefore, we compared currently available in-house anesthetics in order to preserve arrhythmia sensitivity and preclude conduction disturbances. Rabbits were randomly assigned to 3 groups: (1) 35 mg/kg ketamine + 5 mg/kg xylazine; (2) 0.5 mL/kg hypnorm + 3 mg/kg midazolam; (3) 35 mg/kg ketamine + 20 mg/kg propofol. Anesthesia was maintained by 1.5% isoflurane. Concomitant infusion of methoxamine (17 μg/kg/min for 40 minutes) and dofetilide (10 μg/kg/min for 30 minutes) was used to induce arrhythmias. Sole methoxamine infusion exclusively decreased HR in groups 1 and 3. Dofetilide lengthened repolarization, followed in time by PQ/QRS prolongation, second-degree AV block, and subsequently TdP arrhythmias. TdP was seen in 80%, 0%, and 33% of the rabbits in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Decreasing the dose of dofetilide to 5 μg/kg/min in ketamine/xylazine anesthetized rabbits resulted in a drop in TdP incidence (25%) while conduction disturbances persisted. Flunarizine (n = 6) suppressed all TdP arrhythmias while conduction disturbances remained present. TdP incidence in the methoxamine-sensitized rabbit could be dramatically influenced by anesthesia, drug dose, and flunarizine, while conduction slowing remained present. Thus, conduction slowing seems to be the integral outcome in this model. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Mission Management Computer and Sequencing Hardware for RLV-TD HEX-01 Mission

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Sukrat; Raj, Remya; Mathew, Asha Mary; Koshy, Anna Priya; Paramasivam, R.; Mookiah, T.

2017-12-01

Reusable Launch Vehicle-Technology Demonstrator Hypersonic Experiment (RLV-TD HEX-01) mission posed some unique challenges in the design and development of avionics hardware. This work presents the details of mission critical avionics hardware mainly Mission Management Computer (MMC) and sequencing hardware. The Navigation, Guidance and Control (NGC) chain for RLV-TD is dual redundant with cross-strapped Remote Terminals (RTs) interfaced through MIL-STD-1553B bus. MMC is Bus Controller on the 1553 bus, which does the function of GPS aided navigation, guidance, digital autopilot and sequencing for the RLV-TD launch vehicle in different periodicities (10, 20, 500 ms). Digital autopilot execution in MMC with a periodicity of 10 ms (in ascent phase) is introduced for the first time and successfully demonstrated in the flight. MMC is built around Intel i960 processor and has inbuilt fault tolerance features like ECC for memories. Fault Detection and Isolation schemes are implemented to isolate the failed MMC. The sequencing hardware comprises Stage Processing System (SPS) and Command Execution Module (CEM). SPS is `RT' on the 1553 bus which receives the sequencing and control related commands from MMCs and posts to downstream modules after proper error handling for final execution. SPS is designed as a high reliability system by incorporating various fault tolerance and fault detection features. CEM is a relay based module for sequence command execution.

Proposed Project Selection Method for Human Support Research and Technology Development (HSR&TD)

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Harry

2005-01-01

The purpose of HSR&TD is to deliver human support technologies to the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD) that will be selected for future missions. This requires identifying promising candidate technologies and advancing them in technology readiness until they are acceptable. HSR&TD must select an may of technology development projects, guide them, and either terminate or continue them, so as to maximize the resulting number of usable advanced human support technologies. This paper proposes an effective project scoring methodology to support managing the HSR&TD project portfolio. Researchers strongly disagree as to what are the best technology project selection methods, or even if there are any proven ones. Technology development is risky and outstanding achievements are rare and unpredictable. There is no simple formula for success. Organizations that are satisfied with their project selection approach typically use a mix of financial, strategic, and scoring methods in an open, established, explicit, formal process. This approach helps to build consensus and develop management insight. It encourages better project proposals by clarifying the desired project attributes. We propose a project scoring technique based on a method previously used in a federal laboratory and supported by recent research. Projects are ranked by their perceived relevance, risk, and return - a new 3 R's. Relevance is the degree to which the project objective supports the HSR&TD goal of developing usable advanced human support technologies. Risk is the estimated probability that the project will achieve its specific objective. Return is the reduction in mission life cycle cost obtained if the project is successful. If the project objective technology performs a new function with no current cost, its return is the estimated cash value of performing the new function. The proposed project selection scoring method includes definitions of the criteria, a project evaluation

Using SpaceClaim/TD Direct for Modeling Components with Complex Geometries for the Thermal Desktop-Based Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator Model

Science.gov (United States)

Fabanich, William

2014-01-01

SpaceClaim/TD Direct has been used extensively in the development of the Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator (ASRG) thermal model. This paper outlines the workflow for that aspect of the task and includes proposed best practices and lessons learned. The ASRG thermal model was developed to predict component temperatures and power output and to provide insight into the prime contractors thermal modeling efforts. The insulation blocks, heat collectors, and cold side adapter flanges (CSAFs) were modeled with this approach. The model was constructed using mostly TD finite difference (FD) surfaces solids. However, some complex geometry could not be reproduced with TD primitives while maintaining the desired degree of geometric fidelity. Using SpaceClaim permitted the import of original CAD files and enabled the defeaturing repair of those geometries. TD Direct (a SpaceClaim add-on from CRTech) adds features that allowed the mark-up of that geometry. These so-called mark-ups control how finite element (FE) meshes were generated and allowed the tagging of features (e.g. edges, solids, surfaces). These tags represent parameters that include: submodels, material properties, material orienters, optical properties, and radiation analysis groups. TD aliases were used for most tags to allow analysis to be performed with a variety of parameter values. Domain-tags were also attached to individual and groups of surfaces and solids to allow them to be used later within TD to populate objects like, for example, heaters and contactors. These tools allow the user to make changes to the geometry in SpaceClaim and then easily synchronize the mesh in TD without having to redefine these objects each time as one would if using TD Mesher.The use of SpaceClaim/TD Direct has helped simplify the process for importing existing geometries and in the creation of high fidelity FE meshes to represent complex parts. It has also saved time and effort in the subsequent analysis.

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

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

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

1996-10-28

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

Nobelist TD LEE Scientist Cooperation Network and Scientist Innovation Ability Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jin-Qing Fang

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Nobelist TD Lee scientist cooperation network (TDLSCN and their innovation ability are studied. It is found that the TDLSCN not only has the common topological properties both of scale-free and small-world for a general scientist cooperation networks, but also appears the creation multiple-peak phenomenon for number of published paper with year evolution, which become Nobelist TD Lee’s significant mark distinguished from other scientists. This new phenomenon has not been revealed in the scientist cooperation networks before. To demonstrate and explain this new finding, we propose a theoretical model for a nature scientist and his/her team innovation ability. The theoretical results are consistent with the empirical studies very well. This research demonstrates that the model has a certain universality and can be extended to estimate innovation ability for any nature scientist and his/her team. It is a better method for evaluating scientist innovation ability and his/her team for the academic profession and is of application potential.

Assessment of 3H-TdR incorporation for the viability of bone marrow hematopoietic stem cells after freezing and thawing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Hongquan; Shen Baijun; Fu Zengju

1993-01-01

The authors have studied 3 H-TdR incorporation rates of bone marrow MNC at different concentrations and incubation periods. The rates are compared with the viability of MNC preserved at different range of time and temperatures by means of 3 H-TdR incorporation combined with Trypan Blue and CFU-GM culture methods. The result suggested that 3 H-TdR incorporation was a sensitive and reliable assess to evaluate the viability of bone marrow MNC after cryopreservation and thawing

The ultraviolet galactic background from TD-1 satellite observations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morgan, D.H.; Nandy, K.; Thompson, G.I.

1976-01-01

The background data from the S2/68 ultraviolet telescope on the TD-I satellite have been analysed. Using statistical tests those data contaminated by noise due to charged particles in the atmosphere have been discarded, and the remainder have been arranged to form ultraviolet profiles of the Galaxy. These profiles have been constructed at 2740 and 2350 A. The zodiacal light components of the total radiation field have been separated from the galactic components to give the intensity of the zodiacal light at elongation 90 0 as function of ecliptic latitude. The spectrum of the zodiacal light in the near ultraviolet is found to be redder than that of the Sun. The intensity of the diffuse galactic light as a function of galactic latitude has been obtained by subtraction of the zodiacal light and contributions due to faint stars calculated using an axi-symmetric model of the Galaxy. On comparison with predictions of the diffuse galactic light from a radiative transfer model it is found that the ratio of the albedos at 2350 and 2740 A is relatively insensitive to the model used, and is 0.73 +- 0.1. The albedo at 2740 A is found to be 0.65 +- 0.1 when g is assumed to be 0.75. (author)

Development of a HTS transceiver sub-system for 3G mobile communication TD-SCDMA base station

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xueqiang; He, Xiaofeng; Wang, Yuehui; Duan, Tao; Wang, Guizhen; Zhang, Yan; Li, Chunguang; Zhang, Qiang; Li, Hong; He, Yusheng

2010-02-01

A prototype of a high temperature superconducting (HTS) transceiver sub-system for applications in a TD-SCDMA, one of the third generation (3G) communication standards, base station has been developed. Both the HTS sub-system and the conventional counterpart have been implemented into a TD-SCDMA commercial communication network and comparison test studies were carried out. The measured results showed that the HTS sub-system could remarkably improve the RF performance of both transmitting and receiving chains.

Development of a HTS transceiver sub-system for 3G mobile communication TD-SCDMA base station

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang Xueqiang; He Xiaofeng; Wang Yuehui; Li Chunguang; Zhang Qiang; Li Hong; He Yusheng [National Laboratory for Superconductivity, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China); Duan Tao; Wang Guizhen; Zhang Yan [Datang Mobile Communications Equipment Co., Ltd, Beijing 100190 (China)

2010-02-15

A prototype of a high temperature superconducting (HTS) transceiver sub-system for applications in a TD-SCDMA, one of the third generation (3G) communication standards, base station has been developed. Both the HTS sub-system and the conventional counterpart have been implemented into a TD-SCDMA commercial communication network and comparison test studies were carried out. The measured results showed that the HTS sub-system could remarkably improve the RF performance of both transmitting and receiving chains.

Development of a HTS transceiver sub-system for 3G mobile communication TD-SCDMA base station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Xueqiang; He Xiaofeng; Wang Yuehui; Li Chunguang; Zhang Qiang; Li Hong; He Yusheng; Duan Tao; Wang Guizhen; Zhang Yan

2010-01-01

A prototype of a high temperature superconducting (HTS) transceiver sub-system for applications in a TD-SCDMA, one of the third generation (3G) communication standards, base station has been developed. Both the HTS sub-system and the conventional counterpart have been implemented into a TD-SCDMA commercial communication network and comparison test studies were carried out. The measured results showed that the HTS sub-system could remarkably improve the RF performance of both transmitting and receiving chains.

Signal-on electrochemical assay for label-free detection of TdT and BamHI activity based on grown DNA nanowire-templated copper nanoclusters.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Yufang; Zhang, Qingqing; Xu, Lihua; Wang, Jiao; Rao, Jiajia; Guo, Zhiyong; Wang, Sui

2017-11-01

Electrochemical methods allow fast and inexpensive analysis of enzymatic activity. Here, a simple and yet efficient "signal-on" electrochemical assay for sensitive, label-free detection of DNA-related enzyme activity was established on the basis of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated extension strategy. TdT, which is a template-independent DNA polymerase, can catalyze the sequential addition of deoxythymidine triphosphate (dTTP) at the 3'-OH terminus of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA); then, the TdT-yield T-rich DNA nanowires can be employed as the synthetic template of copper nanoclusters (CuNCs). Grown DNA nanowires-templated CuNCs (noted as DNA-CuNCs) were attached onto graphene oxide (GO) surface and exhibited unique electrocatalytic activity to H 2 O 2 reduction. Under optimal conditions, the proposed biosensor was utilized for quantitatively monitoring TdT activity, with the observed LOD of 0.1 U/mL. It also displayed high selectivity to TdT with excellent stability, and offered a facile, convenient electrochemical method for TdT-relevant inhibitors screening. Moreover, the proposed sensor was successfully used for BamHI activity detection, in which a new 3'-OH terminal was exposed by the digestion of a phosphate group. Ultimately, it has good prospects in DNA-related enzyme-based biochemical studies, disease diagnosis, and drug discovery. Graphical Abstract Extraordinary TdT-generated DNA-CuNCs are synthesized and act as a novel electrochemical sensing platform for sensitive detection of TdT and BamHI activity in biological environments.

Using SpaceClaimTD Direct for Modeling Components with Complex Geometries for the Thermal Desktop-Based Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator Model

Science.gov (United States)

Fabanich, William A., Jr.

2014-01-01

SpaceClaim/TD Direct has been used extensively in the development of the Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator (ASRG) thermal model. This paper outlines the workflow for that aspect of the task and includes proposed best practices and lessons learned. The ASRG thermal model was developed to predict component temperatures and power output and to provide insight into the prime contractor's thermal modeling efforts. The insulation blocks, heat collectors, and cold side adapter flanges (CSAFs) were modeled with this approach. The model was constructed using mostly TD finite difference (FD) surfaces/solids. However, some complex geometry could not be reproduced with TD primitives while maintaining the desired degree of geometric fidelity. Using SpaceClaim permitted the import of original CAD files and enabled the defeaturing/repair of those geometries. TD Direct (a SpaceClaim add-on from CRTech) adds features that allowed the "mark-up" of that geometry. These so-called "mark-ups" control how finite element (FE) meshes are to be generated through the "tagging" of features (e.g. edges, solids, surfaces). These tags represent parameters that include: submodels, material properties, material orienters, optical properties, and radiation analysis groups. TD aliases were used for most tags to allow analysis to be performed with a variety of parameter values. "Domain-tags" were also attached to individual and groups of surfaces and solids to allow them to be used later within TD to populate objects like, for example, heaters and contactors. These tools allow the user to make changes to the geometry in SpaceClaim and then easily synchronize the mesh in TD without having to redefine the objects each time as one would if using TDMesher. The use of SpaceClaim/TD Direct helps simplify the process for importing existing geometries and in the creation of high fidelity FE meshes to represent complex parts. It also saves time and effort in the subsequent analysis.

Conflict and disfluency as aversive signals: context-specific processing adjustments are modulated by affective location associations.

Science.gov (United States)

Dreisbach, Gesine; Reindl, Anna-Lena; Fischer, Rico

2018-03-01

Context-specific processing adjustments are one signature feature of flexible human action control. However, up to now the precise mechanisms underlying these adjustments are not fully understood. Here it is argued that aversive signals produced by conflict- or disfluency-experience originally motivate such context-specific processing adjustments. We tested whether the efficiency of the aversive conflict signal for control adaptation depends on the affective nature of the context it is presented in. In two experiments, high vs. low proportions of aversive signals (Experiment 1: conflict trials; Experiment 2: disfluent trials) were presented either above or below the screen center. This location manipulation was motivated by existing evidence that verticality is generally associated with affective valence with up being positive and down being negative. From there it was hypothesized that the aversive signals would lose their trigger function for processing adjustments when presented at the lower (i.e., more negative) location. This should then result in a reduced context-specific proportion effect when the high proportion of aversive signals was presented at the lower location. Results fully confirmed the predictions. In both experiments, the location-specific proportion effects were only present when the high proportion of aversive signals occurred at the more positive location above but were reduced (Experiment 1) or even eliminated (Experiment 2) when the high proportion occurred at the more negative location below. This interaction of processing adjustments with affective background contexts can thus be taken as further hint for an affective origin of control adaptations.

Quantum Thetas on Noncommutative T^d with General Embeddings

OpenAIRE

Chang-Young, Ee; Kim, Hoil

2007-01-01

In this paper we construct quantum theta functions over noncommutative T^d with general embeddings. Manin has constructed quantum theta functions from the lattice embedding into vector space x finite group. We extend Manin's construction of quantum thetas to the case of general embedding of vector space x lattice x torus. It turns out that only for the vector space part of the embedding there exists the holomorphic theta vector, while for the lattice part there does not. Furthermore, the so-c...

Genome wide identification of wheat and Brachypodium type one protein phosphatases and functional characterization of durum wheat TdPP1a.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mariem Bradai

Full Text Available Reversible phosphorylation is an essential mechanism regulating signal transduction during development and environmental stress responses. An important number of dephosphorylation events in the cell are catalyzed by type one protein phosphatases (PP1, which catalytic activity is driven by the binding of regulatory proteins that control their substrate specificity or subcellular localization. Plants harbor several PP1 isoforms accounting for large functional redundancies. While animal PP1s were reported to play relevant roles in controlling multiple cellular processes, plant orthologs remain poorly studied. To decipher the role of plant PP1s, we compared PP1 genes from three monocot species, Brachypodium, common wheat and rice at the genomic and transcriptomic levels. To gain more insight into the wheat PP1 proteins, we identified and characterized TdPP1a, the first wheat type one protein phosphatase from a Tunisian durum wheat variety Oum Rabiaa3. TdPP1a is highly conserved in sequence and structure when compared to mammalian, yeast and other plant PP1s. We demonstrate that TdPP1a is an active, metallo-dependent phosphatase in vitro and is able to interact with AtI2, a typical regulator of PP1 functions. Also, TdPP1a is capable to complement the heat stress sensitivity of the yeast mutant indicating that TdPP1a is functional also in vivo. Moreover, transient expression of TdPP1a::GFP in tobacco leaves revealed that it is ubiquitously distributed within the cell, with a strong accumulation in the nucleus. Finally, transcriptional analyses showed similar expression levels in roots and leaves of durum wheat seedlings. Interestingly, the expression in leaves is significantly induced following salinity stress, suggesting a potential role of TdPP1a in wheat salt stress response.

Oxidation behavior of TD-NiCr in a dynamic high temperature environment

Science.gov (United States)

Tenney, D. R.; Young, C. T.; Herring, H. W.

1974-01-01

The oxidation behavior of TD-NiCr has been studied in static and high-speed flowing air environments at 1100 and 1200 C. It has been found that the stable oxide morphologies formed on the specimens exposed to the static and dynamic environments were markedly different. The faceted crystal morphology characteristic of static oxidation was found to be unstable under high-temperature, high-speed flow conditions and was quickly replaced by a porous NiO 'mushroom' type structure. Also, it was found that the rate of formation of CrO3 from Cr2O3 was greatly enhanced by high gas velocity conditions. The stability of Cr2-O3 was found to be greatly improved by the presence of an outer NiO layer, even though the NiO layer was very porous. An oxidation model is proposed to explain the observed microstructures and overall oxidation behavior of TD-NiCr alloys.

An explicit MOT scheme for solving the TD-EFVIE on nonlinear and dispersive scatterers

KAUST Repository

Sayed, Sadeed Bin; Ulku, H. Arda; Bagci, Hakan

2017-01-01

An explicit marching-on-in-time (MOT) scheme for solving the time domain electric field volume integral equation (TD-EFVIE) on nonlinear and dispersive scatterers is described. The unknown electric field intensity, electric flux density, and polarization densities representing Kerr nonlinearity along with Lorentz dispersion relation, all of which are induced inside the scatterer upon excitation, are expanded using half and full Schaubert-Wilton-Glisson functions in space. The TD-EFVIE and the constitutive relations between polarization, field, and flux terms are cast in the form of a first-order ordinary differential equation. The resulting matrix system is integrated in time using a predictor-corrector scheme to obtain the time dependent unknown expansion coefficients. The resulting MOT scheme is explicit and accounts for nonlinearity by simple function evaluations.

An explicit MOT scheme for solving the TD-EFVIE on nonlinear and dispersive scatterers

KAUST Repository

Sayed, Sadeed Bin

2017-10-25

An explicit marching-on-in-time (MOT) scheme for solving the time domain electric field volume integral equation (TD-EFVIE) on nonlinear and dispersive scatterers is described. The unknown electric field intensity, electric flux density, and polarization densities representing Kerr nonlinearity along with Lorentz dispersion relation, all of which are induced inside the scatterer upon excitation, are expanded using half and full Schaubert-Wilton-Glisson functions in space. The TD-EFVIE and the constitutive relations between polarization, field, and flux terms are cast in the form of a first-order ordinary differential equation. The resulting matrix system is integrated in time using a predictor-corrector scheme to obtain the time dependent unknown expansion coefficients. The resulting MOT scheme is explicit and accounts for nonlinearity by simple function evaluations.

Isolation and molecular characterization of a novel WIN1/SHN1 ethylene-responsive transcription factor TdSHN1 from durum wheat (Triticum turgidum. L. subsp. durum).

Science.gov (United States)

Djemal, Rania; Khoudi, Habib

2015-11-01

Over the last decade, APETALA2/Ethylene Responsive Factor (AP2/ERF) proteins have become the subject of intensive research activity due to their involvement in a variety of biological processes. This research led to the identification of AP2/ERF genes in many species; however, little is known about these genes in durum wheat, one of the most important cereal crops in the world. In this study, a new member of the AP2/ERF transcription factor family, designated TdSHN1, was isolated from durum wheat using thermal asymetric interlaced PCR (TAIL-PCR) method. Protein sequence analysis showed that TdSHN1 contained an AP2/ERF domain of 63 amino acids and a putative nuclear localization signal (NLS). Phylogenetic analysis showed that TdSHN1 belongs to a group Va protein in the ERF subfamily which contains the Arabidopsis ERF proteins (SHN1, SHN2, and SHN3). Expression of TdSHN1 was strongly induced by salt, drought, abscisic acid (ABA), and cold. In planta, TdSHN1 protein was able to activate the transcription of GUS reporter gene driven by the GCC box and DRE element sequences. In addition, TdSHN1 was targeted to the nucleus when transiently expressed in tobacco epidermal cells. In transgenic yeast, overexpression of TdSHN1 increased tolerance to multiple abiotic stresses. Taken together, the results showed that TdSHN1 encodes an abiotic stress-inducible, transcription factor which confers abiotic stress tolerance in yeast. TdSHN1 is therefore a promising candidate for improvement of biotic and abiotic stress tolerance in wheat as well as other crops.

Computational study of hydration at the TD damaged site of DNA in complex with repair enzyme T4 endonuclease V

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pinak, Miroslav

2000-02-01

An analysis of the distribution of water around DNA surface focusing on the role of the distribution of water molecules in the proper recognition of damaged site by repair enzyme T4 Endonuclease V was performed. The native DNA dodecamer, dodecamer with the thymine dimer (TD) and complex of DNA and part of repair enzyme T4 Endonuclease V were examined throughout the 500 ps of molecular dynamics simulation. During simulation the number of water molecules close to the DNA atoms and the residence time were calculated. There is an increase in number of water molecules lying in the close vicinity to TD if compared with those lying close to two native thymines (TT). Densely populated area with water molecules around TD is one of the factors detected by enzyme during scanning process. The residence time was found higher for molecule of the complex and the six water molecules were found occupying the stabile positions between the TD and catalytic center close to atoms P, C3' and N3. These molecules originate water mediated hydrogen bond network that contribute to the stability of complex required for the onset of repair process. (author)

Computational study of hydration at the TD damaged site of DNA in complex with repair enzyme T4 endonuclease V

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pinak, Miroslav [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan). Tokai Research Establishment

2000-02-01

An analysis of the distribution of water around DNA surface focusing on the role of the distribution of water molecules in the proper recognition of damaged site by repair enzyme T4 Endonuclease V was performed. The native DNA dodecamer, dodecamer with the thymine dimer (TD) and complex of DNA and part of repair enzyme T4 Endonuclease V were examined throughout the 500 ps of molecular dynamics simulation. During simulation the number of water molecules close to the DNA atoms and the residence time were calculated. There is an increase in number of water molecules lying in the close vicinity to TD if compared with those lying close to two native thymines (TT). Densely populated area with water molecules around TD is one of the factors detected by enzyme during scanning process. The residence time was found higher for molecule of the complex and the six water molecules were found occupying the stabile positions between the TD and catalytic center close to atoms P, C3' and N3. These molecules originate water mediated hydrogen bond network that contribute to the stability of complex required for the onset of repair process. (author)

FT-IR spectroscopic study on the hofmann-Td type complex: M(4-Phenylpyridine)2M'(CN)4 (M=Ni; M'=Cd)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parlak, C.

2005-01-01

New Hofmann-Td type complex in the form of M(4-Phenylpyridine) 2 M'(CN) 4 (M = Ni, M' = Cd) was prepared in powder form and its infrared spectra is reported in the region of 4000-200 cm-1. From the spectral findings, this compound is similar in structure to the Hofmann-Td type complexes

Interaction of biodegradative threonine dehydratase (TD) of Escherichia coli with 8-azido-AMP, a photoaffinity analog of AMP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patil, R.V.; Datta, P.

1987-01-01

Stimulation of TD activity by AMP (Ka = 40 μM) is known to accompany the conversion of monomeric form of the enzyme to its tetramer and a decrease in the Km for threonine. In comparison, 8-azido-AMP (N 3 AMP) simulated TD activity only partially, lowered the Km for threonine and stabilized a dimeric form of the protein. Competition experiments revealed that N 3 AMP exerted an apparent dominant effect in counteracting the AMP-mediated enzyme activation, indicating complex mutual interactions between these ligands. UV irradiation of TD with increasing concentrations of 3 H-N 3 AMP (up to 150 μM) resulted in gradual loss of enzyme activity and concomitant incorporation of N 3 AMP into protein; upon complete inactivation, 0.75 mol of N 3 AMP was bound per mol tetramer. The presence of AMP during photolysis reduced the extent of enzyme inactivation as well as the incorporation of N 3 AMP into protein. Photolabeling of TD with 20 μM 3 H-N 3 AMP revealed one labeled tryptic peptide; at higher N 3 AMP concentrations (>300 μM), two labeled peptides were found, one of which was identical to that found with low N 3 AMP concentration. The cumulative results suggest that N 3 AMP can act as an allosteric modifier and that the peptide labeled at low N 3 AMP may represent the AMP binding site on the protein molecule

Pin cell discontinuity factors in the transient 3-D discrete ordinates code TORT-TD - 237

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seubert, A.

2010-01-01

This paper describes the application of generalized equivalence theory to the time-dependent 3-D discrete ordinates neutron transport code TORT-TD. The introduction of pin cell discontinuity factors into the discrete ordinates transport equation is described by assuming a linear dependence of the homogenized neutron angular flux within a pin cell which may be discontinuous at the interfaces to adjacent cells. The homogenized flux discontinuity at cell interfaces is expressed by pin cell discontinuity factors which in turn are determined from fuel assembly lattice calculations using HELIOS. Application of TORT-TD to the all rods in state of the PWR MOX/UO 2 Core Transient Benchmark with pin cell homogenized nuclear cross sections demonstrate the potential of pin cell discontinuity factors to reduce pin cell homogenization errors. (authors)

The relationship between anisotropic magnetoresistance and topology of Fermi surface in Td-MoTe2 crystal

Science.gov (United States)

Lv, Yang-Yang; Li, Xiao; Pang, Bin; Cao, Lin; Lin, Dajun; Zhang, Bin-Bin; Yao, Shu-Hua; Chen, Y. B.; Zhou, Jian; Dong, Song-Tao; Zhang, Shan-Tao; Lu, Ming-Hui; Chen, Yan-Feng

2017-07-01

Layered transition-metal dichalcogenides have been recently attracted a lot of attention because of their unique physical properties, such as extremely large and anisotropic magnetoresistance (MR) in WTe2. In this work, we observed the abnormally anisotropic MR on Td-MoTe2 crystal that is strongly dependent on the temperature, as well as the orientations of both magnetic field B and electric field E with respect to crystallographic axes of Td-MoTe2. When E//a-axis and B//c-axis, MR is parabolically dependent on B and is as high as 520% under 9 T and 2 K conditions; the MR is quasi-linearly dependent on B when E//a-axis and B//b-axis (E//b-axis and B//c-axis), and the corresponding MR is only 130% (220%); MR is initially parabolically dependent on B, then linearly on B, and finally shows a saturate trend under E//B//a-axis (or E//B//b-axis) conditions, and the MR is about 16% (30%). These anisotropic MR behaviors can be qualitatively explained by the features of the Fermi surface of Td-MoTe2. This work may demonstrate the rich anisotropic physical behavior in layered transition-metal dichalcognides.

Design of Servo Scheme and Drive Electronics for the Integrated Electrohydraulic Actuation System of RLV-TD

Science.gov (United States)

Kurian, Priya C.; Gopinath, Anish; Shinoy, K. S.; Santhi, P.; Sundaramoorthy, K.; Sebastian, Baby; Jaya, B.; Namboodiripad, M. N.; Mookiah, T.

2017-12-01

Reusable Launch Vehicle-Technology Demonstrator (RLV-TD) is a system which has the ability to carry a payload from the earth's surface to the outer space more than once. The control actuation forms the major component of the control system and it actuates the control surfaces of the RLV-TD based on the control commands. Eight electro hydraulic actuators were used in RLV-TD for vectoring the control surfaces about their axes. A centralised Hydraulic Power Generating Unit (HPU) was used for powering the eight actuators located in two stages. The actuation system had to work for the longest ever duration of about 850 s for an Indian launch vehicle. High bandwidth requirement from autopilot was met by the servo design using the nonlinear mathematical model. Single Control Electronics which drive four electrohydraulic actuators was developed for each stage. High power electronics with soft start scheme was realized for driving the BLDC motor which is the prime mover for hydraulic pump. Many challenges arose due to single HPU for two stages, uncertainty of aero load, higher bandwidth requirements etc. and provisions were incorporated in the design to successfully overcome them. This paper describes the servo design and control electronics architecture of control actuation system.

New foot remains from the Gran Dolina-TD6 Early Pleistocene site (Sierra de Atapuerca, Burgos, Spain).

Science.gov (United States)

Pablos, Adrián; Lorenzo, Carlos; Martínez, Ignacio; Bermúdez de Castro, José María; Martinón-Torres, María; Carbonell, Eudald; Arsuaga, Juan Luis

2012-10-01

This paper presents and describes new foot fossils from the species Homo antecessor, found in level TD6 of the site of Gran Dolina (Sierra de Atapuerca, Burgos, Spain). These new fossils consist of an almost complete left talus (ATD6-95) and the proximal three-quarters of a right fourth metatarsal (ATD6-124). The talus ATD6-95 is tentatively assigned to Hominin 10 of the TD6 sample, an adult male specimen with which the second metatarsal ATD6-70+107 (already published) is also tentatively associated. Analysis of these fossils and other postcranial remains has made possible to estimate a stature similar to those of the specimens from the Middle Pleistocene site of Sima de los Huesos (Sierra de Atapuerca, Burgos, Spain). The morphology of the TD6 metatarsals does not differ significantly from that of modern humans, Neanderthals and the specimens from Sima de los Huesos. Talus ATD6-95, however, differs from the rest of the comparative samples in being long and high, having a long and wide trochlea, and displaying a proportionally short neck. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dynamical spin susceptibility in the TD-LDA and QSGW approximations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schilfgaarde, Mark Van [Arizona State Univ., Mesa, AZ (United States); Kotani, Takao [Arizona State Univ., Mesa, AZ (United States)

2012-10-15

Abstract. This project was aimed at building the transverse dynamical spin susceptibility with the TD-LDA and the recently-developed Quasparticle Self-Consisent Approximations, which determines an optimum quasiparticle picture in a self-consistent manner within the GW approximation. Our main results were published into two papers, (J. Phys. Cond. Matt. 20, 95214 (2008), and Phys. Rev. B83, 060404(R) (2011). In the first paper we present spin wave dispersions for MnO, NiO, and -MnAs based on quasiparticle self-consistent GW approximation (QSGW). For MnO and NiO, QSGW results are in rather good agreement with experiments, in contrast to the LDA and LDA+U descriptions. For -MnAs, we find a collinear ferromagnetic ground state in QSGW, while this phase is unstable in the LDA. In the second, we apply TD-LDA to the CaFeAs₂ the first attempt the first ab initio calculation of dynamical susceptibililty in a system with complex electronic structure Magnetic excitations in the striped phase of CaFe₂As₂ are studied as a function of local moment amplitude. We find a new kind of excitation: sharp resonances of Stoner-like (itinerant) excitations at energies comparable to the ´eel temperature, originating largely from a narrow band of Fe d states near the Fermi level, and coexisting with more conventional (localized) spin waves. Both kinds of excitations can show multiple branches, highlighting the inadequacy of a description based on a localized spin model.

Thermal desorption (TD) study of heterogeneous catalytic reactions--4. Nonuniformity of Pt/. gamma. -Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ catalysts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rozanov, V V [Inst. Chem. Phys. Acad. Sci. U.S.S.R.; Sklyarov, A V; Gland, J

1979-10-01

Programed TD of n-heptane adsorbed on 0.6-3% by wt Pt/..gamma..-Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ laboratory catalysts with different dispersities of the metallic phase showed the formation of toluene at 160/sup 0/-260/sup 0/C with spectral maxima at about 200/sup 0/ and 230/sup 0/C and a benzene desorption maxima at 300/sup 0/C. The desorption of both benzene and the high-temperature form of toluene decreased with decreased dispersity of the catalyst and was not observed with the catalyst characterized by an average Pt particle size of 1000 A. Toluene adsorbed on the same catalysts showed a TD peak of benzene at 300/sup 0/C. With commercial Pt/Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ reforming catalysts, up to five toluene desorption peaks were observed at 200/sup 0/-360/sup 0/C, suggesting the presence of active sites with different activities and concentrations on the catalyst surface. Experiments on TD of deuterated n-heptane suggested different reaction mechanisms associated with different types of active sites and the formation of low- and high-temperature forms of toluene. Only the latter had a maximum coinciding with a TD peak of D/sub 2/ (240/sup 0/C), probably formed by dehydrogenation of adsorbed diene or olefin intermediates.

TORT-TD/ATTICA3D: a coupled neutron transport and thermal hydraulics code system for 3-D transient analysis of gas cooled high temperature reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lapins, J.; Seubert, A.; Buck, M.; Bader, J.; Laurien, E.

2011-01-01

Comprehensive safety studies of high temperature gas cooled reactors (HTR) require full three dimensional coupled treatments of both neutron kinetics and thermal-hydraulics. In a common effort, GRS and IKE developed the coupled code system TORT-TD/ATTICA3D for pebble bed type HTR that connects the 3-D transient discrete-ordinates transport code TORT-TD with the 3-D porous medium thermal-hydraulics code ATTICA3D. In this paper, the physical models and calculation capabilities of TORT-TD and ATTICA3D are presented, focusing on model improvements in ATTICA3D and extensions made in TORT-TD related to HTR application. For first applications, the OECD/NEA/NSC PBMR-400 benchmark has been chosen. Results obtained with TORT-TD/ATTICA3D will be shown for transient exercises, e.g. control rod withdrawal and a control rod ejection. Results are compared to other benchmark participants' solutions with special focus on fuel temperature modelling features of ATTICA3D. The provided “grey-curtain” nuclear cross section libraries have been used. First results on 3-D effects during a control rod withdrawal transient will be presented. (author)

Rate of progression of total, upper, and lower visual field defects in patients with open-angle glaucoma and high myopia.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoshino, Takaiko; Fukuchi, Takeo; Togano, Tetsuya; Sakaue, Yuta; Seki, Masaaki; Tanaka, Takayuki; Ueda, Jun

2016-03-01

We evaluated the rate of progression of total, upper, and lower visual field defects in patients with treated primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) with high myopia (HM). Seventy eyes of 70 POAG patients with HM [≤-8 diopters (D)] were examined. The mean deviation (MD) slope and the upper and lower total deviation (upper TD, lower TD) slopes of the Humphrey Field Analyzer were calculated in patients with high-tension glaucoma (HTG) (>21 mmHg) versus normal-tension glaucoma (NTG) (≤21 mmHg). The mean age of all the patients (29 eyes with HTG and 41 eyes with NTG) was 48.5 ± 9.6 years. The MD slope, and upper and lower TD slopes of the HM group were compared to those of the non-HM group (NHM) (>-8 D) selected from 544 eyes in 325 age-matched POAG patients. In all, 70 eyes with HM and NHM were examined. The mean MD slope was -0.33 ± 0.33 dB/year in the HM, and -0.38 ± 0.49 dB/year in the NHM. There were no statistical differences between the HM and NHM (p = 0.9565). In the comparison of HTG versus NTG patients in both groups, the MD slope, and upper and lower TD slopes were similar. The rate of progression of total, upper, and lower visual field defects was similar among patients with HM and NHM. Although HM is a risk factor for the onset of glaucoma, HM may not be a risk factor for progression of visual field defects as assessed by the progression rate under treatment.

RILEM technical committee 195-DTD recommendation for test methods for AD and TD of early age concrete Round Robin documentation report : program, test results and statistical evaluation

CERN Document Server

Bjøntegaard, Øyvind; Krauss, Matias; Budelmann, Harald

2015-01-01

This report presents the Round-Robin (RR) program and test results including a statistical evaluation of the RILEM TC195-DTD committee named “Recommendation for test methods for autogenous deformation (AD) and thermal dilation (TD) of early age concrete”. The task of the committee was to investigate the linear test set-up for AD and TD measurements (Dilation Rigs) in the period from setting to the end of the hardening phase some weeks after. These are the stress-inducing deformations in a hardening concrete structure subjected to restraint conditions. The main task was to carry out an RR program on testing of AD of one concrete at 20 °C isothermal conditions in Dilation Rigs. The concrete part materials were distributed to 10 laboratories (Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Japan, The Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and USA), and in total 30 tests on AD were carried out. Some supporting tests were also performed, as well as a smaller RR on cement paste. The committee has worked out a test procedure recommenda...

Potential use of carbon-11 labeled thymidine (TdR) for studying the effect of therapy on prostatic adenocarcinoma in vivo

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Conti, P.S.; Kleinert, E.L.; Schma, B.; Herr, H.W.; Whitmore, W.F. Jr.

1984-01-01

Alterations in tumor growth, such as those which occur during therapeutic manipulation, may be followed by measuring variations in radiolabeled TdR uptake. In order to study such parameters in vivo using external imaging techniques, the authors have synthesized TdR labeled with cyclotron produced carbon-11, a short-lived (T1/2=20.4 min) positron-emitting radionuclide. The Copenhagen rat bearing the transplantable Dunning R3327G prostatic adenocarcinoma can be used as a model for poorly differentiated carcinoma of the prostate in humans. The tissue distribution of C-14 TdR was studied in untreated tumor rats and in tumor rats receiving a combination of difluoromethyl ornithine and methylglyoxal-bis-guanylhydrazone, effective inhibitors of polyamine biosynthesis. The tissue distribution at 45 min post-injection (5 rats/group) was determined by calculating the relative concentration (RC) of radioactivity in blood and tissue samples (RC=dpm found per gm tissue/dpm injected per gm animal mass). The mean RC in untreated tumor was 2.55 +- 0.46, compared to 0.85 +- 0.12 in treated tumor. Tumor/blood, tumor/muscle and tumor/prostate ratios were 3.07, 7.08, and 6.89 in untreated tumor, and 1.23, 3.04, and 2,93 in treated tumor. The differences in RC for the untreated and treated tumors suggest that external imaging with C-11 TdR may be useful for monitoring the effects of therapy on tumors in vivo

Macrophage content of murine tumors: Associations with TD50 and tumor radiocurability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wike, J.; Hunter, N.; Volpe, J.; Milas, L.

1987-01-01

The experiments were designed to investigate whether the tumor-associated macrophage (TAM) content of murine solid tumors correlates with tumor response to ionizing radiation and with the clonogenic ability of tumor cells to establish s.c. tumors. Of 13 tumors studied, 6 were sarcomas and 7 were carcinomas; all tumors were of spontaneous origin in C/sub 3/Hf/Kam mice, with the exception of one sarcoma that was induced by 3-methylcholanthrene. Tumors were growing in the hind thighs of syngeneic mice, and their TAM content was determined when they were 8 mm in diameter. Their macrophage content varied greatly, ranging from 9 to 83%. Radiocurability of 8 mm tumors, determined by TCD50, ranged from 42 Gy (fibrosarcoma FSA) to > 80 Gy (hepatocarcinoma HCA-I). There was an obvious trend toward positive correlation (r = 0.43) between TAM content and reduced local tumor radiocurability. However, there was a significant negative correlation between TAM content and TD50 values, implying that cells from tumors with higher macrophage content were more clonogenic. TAM from the NFSA sarcoma, a tumor with a low TD50 value and poorly responsive to radiation, stimulated the in vitro growth of NFSA tumor cells. These observations suggest that high TAM content could be conducive to tumor cell proliferation and could be a factor in poor tumor radioresponse

Disfluent presentations lead to the creation of more false memories.

Science.gov (United States)

Sanchez, Christopher A; Naylor, Jamie S

2018-01-01

The creation of false memories within the Deese-Roediger-McDermott (DRM) paradigm has been shown to be sensitive to many factors such as task instructions, participant mood, or even presentation modality. However, do other simple perceptual differences also impact performance on the DRM and the creation of false memories? This study explores the potential impact of changes in perceptual disfluency on DRM performance. To test for a potential influence of disfluency on false memory creation, participants viewed lists under either perceptually disfluent conditions or not. Results indicated that disfluency did significantly impact performance in the DRM paradigm; more disfluent presentations significantly increased the recall and recognition of unpresented information, although they did not impact recall or recognition of presented information. Thus, although disfluency did impact performance, disfluency did not produce a positive benefit related to overall task performance. This finding instead suggests that more disfluent presentations can increase the likelihood that false memories are created, and provide little positive performance benefit.

Extensive TD-DFT Benchmark: Singlet-Excited States of Organic Molecules.

Science.gov (United States)

Jacquemin, Denis; Wathelet, Valérie; Perpète, Eric A; Adamo, Carlo

2009-09-08

Extensive Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory (TD-DFT) calculations have been carried out in order to obtain a statistically meaningful analysis of the merits of a large number of functionals. To reach this goal, a very extended set of molecules (∼500 compounds, >700 excited states) covering a broad range of (bio)organic molecules and dyes have been investigated. Likewise, 29 functionals including LDA, GGA, meta-GGA, global hybrids, and long-range-corrected hybrids have been considered. Comparisons with both theoretical references and experimental measurements have been carried out. On average, the functionals providing the best match with reference data are, one the one hand, global hybrids containing between 22% and 25% of exact exchange (X3LYP, B98, PBE0, and mPW1PW91) and, on the other hand, a long-range-corrected hybrid with a less-rapidly increasing HF ratio, namely LC-ωPBE(20). Pure functionals tend to be less consistent, whereas functionals incorporating a larger fraction of exact exchange tend to underestimate significantly the transition energies. For most treated cases, the M05 and CAM-B3LYP schemes deliver fairly small deviations but do not outperform standard hybrids such as X3LYP or PBE0, at least within the vertical approximation. With the optimal functionals, one obtains mean absolute deviations smaller than 0.25 eV, though the errors significantly depend on the subset of molecules or states considered. As an illustration, PBE0 and LC-ωPBE(20) provide a mean absolute error of only 0.14 eV for the 228 states related to neutral organic dyes but are completely off target for cyanine-like derivatives. On the basis of comparisons with theoretical estimates, it also turned out that CC2 and TD-DFT errors are of the same order of magnitude, once the above-mentioned hybrids are selected.

Durum wheat diversity for heat stress tolerance during inflorescence emergence is correlated to TdHSP101C expression in early developmental stages.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miguel Bento

Full Text Available The predicted world population increase along with climate changes threatens sustainable agricultural supply in the coming decades. It is therefore vital to understand crops diversity associated to abiotic stress response. Heat stress is considered one of the major constrains on crops productivity thus it is essential to develop new approaches for a precocious and rigorous evaluation of varietal diversity regarding heat tolerance. Plant cell membrane thermostability (CMS is a widely used method for wheat thermotolerance assessment although its limitations require complementary solutions. In this work we used CMS assay and explored TdHSP101C genes as an additional tool for durum wheat screening. Genomic and transcriptomic analyses of TdHSP101C genes were performed in varieties with contrasting CMS results and further correlated with heat stress tolerance during fertilization and seed development. Although the durum wheat varieties studied presented a very high homology on TdHSP101C genes (>99% the transcriptomic assessment allowed the discrimination between varieties with good CMS results and its correlation with differential impacts of heat treatment during inflorescence emergence and seed development on grain yield. The evidences here reported indicate that TdHSP101C transcription levels induced by heat stress in fully expanded leaves may be a promising complementary screening tool to discriminate between durum wheat varieties identified as thermotolerant through CMS.

LUCKY-TD code for solving the time-dependent transport equation with the use of parallel computations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moryakov, A. V., E-mail: sailor@orc.ru [National Research Centre Kurchatov Institute (Russian Federation)

2016-12-15

An algorithm for solving the time-dependent transport equation in the P{sub m}S{sub n} group approximation with the use of parallel computations is presented. The algorithm is implemented in the LUCKY-TD code for supercomputers employing the MPI standard for the data exchange between parallel processes.

Analysis on Calibration and Uncertainty for TD-LTE Radio Test System

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Zhang Weipeng

2014-06-01

Full Text Available TD-LTE base station radio test system measures radio signal with a required accuracy, so calibration need to be done for transmission path between base station and measurement instruments before test. Considering Transmitter OFF Power measurement within OFF period, modulated signal generator and spectrum analyzer inside test system is used for calibration, to get accurate transmission parameters of the paths, and to reduce test cost without more instruments. The paper describes the uncertainty of test system, analyzes uncertainty contribution of interface mismatch, calculates uncertainty for Transmitter OFF Power measurement, uncertainty is 1.193 dB, within the requirement of 3GPP specification.

The Study of Indoor and Field Trials on 2×8 MIMO Architecture in TD-LTE Network

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiang Zhang

2013-01-01

the networks are based on frequency division duplexing (FDD. In this paper, measurement methods of four MIMO transmission modes (TMs in time division-LTE (TD-LTE are studied and analyzed. Link level simulation is carried out to evaluate the downlink throughput for different signal-to-noise ratios and parameter settings. Furthermore, indoor and field tests are also presented in the paper to investigate how real-world propagation affects the capacity and the error performance of MIMO transmission scheme. For the indoor test, radio channel emulators are applied to generate realistic wireless fading channel, while in the field trials, a live TD-LTE experiment cellular network is built, which contains several evolved nodeBs (eNBs and a precommercial user equipment (UE. It is shown from both simulation and tests results that MIMO deployment gives a substantial performance improvement compared with the third generation wireless networks.

Gasification advanced research and technology development (AR and TD) cross-cut meeting and review. [US DOE supported

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1981-01-01

The US Department of Energy gasification advanced research and technology development (AR and TD) cross-cut meeting and review was held June 24 to 26, 1981, at Germantown, Maryland. Forty-eight papers from the proceedings have been entered individually into EDB and ERA. (LTN)

AV-block and conduction slowing prevail over TdP arrhythmias in the methoxamine-sensitized pro-arrhythmic rabbit model

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Varkevisser, Rosanne; Vos, Marc A; Beekman, Jet; Tieland, Ralph G; Van Der Heyden, Marcel A

INTRODUCTION: The methoxamine-sensitized rabbit model is widely used to screen drugs for proarrhythmic properties, especially repolarization-dependent TdP arrhythmias. With the change of anesthesia and/or sensitizing agent, conduction disturbances have been reported as well. Therefore, we compared

Application of thermal-dissociation laser induced fluorescence (TD-LIF to measurement of HNO3, Σalkyl nitrates, Σperoxy nitrates, and NO2 fluxes using eddy covariance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. K. Farmer

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Nitrogen exchange between the atmosphere and biosphere directly influences atmospheric composition. While much is known about mechanisms of NO and N2O emissions, instrumentation for the study of mechanisms contributing to exchange of other major nitrogen species is quite limited. Here we describe the application of a new technique, thermal dissociation-laser induced fluorescence (TD-LIF, to eddy covariance measurements of the fluxes of NO2, total peroxy acyl and peroxy nitrates, total alkyl and multifunctional alkyl nitrates, and nitric acid. The technique offers the potential for investigating mechanisms of exchange of these species at the canopy scale over timescales from days to years. Examples of flux measurements at a ponderosa pine plantation in the mid-elevation Sierra Nevada Mountains in California are reported and used to evaluate instrument performance.

Evaluation of immunogenicity and safety of the new tetanus-reduced diphtheria (Td) vaccines (GC1107) in healthy Korean adolescents: a phase II, double-blind, randomized, multicenter clinical trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Rhim, Jung-Woo; Lee, Kyung-Yil; Kim, Sang-Yong; Kim, Jong-Hyun; Kim, Hyun-Hee; Kim, Hwang Min; Choi, Young-Youn; Ma, Sang-Hyuk; Kim, Dong-Ho; Ahn, Dong Ho; Kang, Jin-Han

2013-04-01

This phase II clinical trial was conducted to compare the immunogenicity and safety of a newly developed tetanus-reduced diphtheria (Td) vaccine (GC1107-T5.0 and GC1107-T7.5) and control vaccine. This study was also performed to select the proper dose of tetanus toxoid in the new Td vaccines. Healthy adolescents aged between 11 and 12 yr participated in this study. A total of 130 subjects (44 GC1107-T5.0, 42 GC1107-T7.5 and 44 control vaccine) completed a single dose of vaccination. Blood samples were collected from the subjects before and 4 weeks after the vaccination. In this study, all subjects (100%) in both GC1107-T5.0 and GC1107-T7.5 groups showed seroprotective antibody levels (≥ 0.1 U/mL) against diphtheria or tetanus toxoids. After the vaccination, the geometric mean titer (GMT) against diphtheria was significantly higher in Group GC1107-T5.0 (6.53) and GC1107-T7.5 (6.11) than in the control group (3.96). The GMT against tetanus was 18.6 in Group GC1107-T5.0, 19.94 in GC1107-T7.5 and 19.01 in the control group after the vaccination. In this study, the rates of local adverse reactions were 67.3% and 59.1% in GC1107-T5.0 and GC1107-7.5, respectively. No significant differences in the number of adverse reactions, prevalence and degree of severity of the solicited and unsolicited adverse reactions were observed among the three groups. Thus, both newly developed Td vaccines appear to be safe and show good immunogenicity. GC1107-T5.0, which contains relatively small amounts of tetanus toxoid, has been selected for a phase III clinical trial.

MCD spectroscopy and TD-DFT calculations of low symmetry subnaphthalocyanine analogs.

Science.gov (United States)

Mack, John; Otaki, Tatsuya; Durfee, William S; Kobayashi, Nagao; Stillman, Martin J

2014-07-01

Magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectroscopy and time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations are used to analyze the electronic structure and optical properties of low-symmetry subnaphthalocyanine analogs with AAB and ABB structures formed during mixed condensations of tetrafluorophthalonitrile and 2,3-naphthalenedicarbonitrile. The results demonstrate that trends observed in the properties of phthalocyanine analogs can be used to fine tune the optical properties so that the Q(0,0) bands lie in the red region, in a manner that does not significantly destabilize the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy relative to that of the parent subphthalocyanine ligand. Attempts to study the spectroscopy of anion radical species proved unsuccessful, since they proved to be unstable. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Why do total-body decay curves of iodine-labeled proteins begin with a delay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Regoeczi, E.

1987-01-01

The initial delay that occurs in total-body radiation curves reaching their single-exponential slopes was analyzed from 106 experiments involving several mammalian species (guinea pig, mouse, rabbit, and rat) and plasma proteins (alpha 1-acid glycoprotein, antithrombin III, fibrinogen, immunoglobulin G, and transferrin) in 14 different combinations. The time interval (Td) between injection and the intercept of the slope with the full-dose value was adopted as a measure of curve nonideality. The overall mean Td was 6.6 h, but individual values showed a significant correlation to protein half-lives, whereby proteins of unequal metabolic properties exhibited different mean Td values. Targeting protein to the liver abolished delay. Choice of the isotope ( 125 I or 131 I) and size of the labeled protein had no influence on the magnitude of delay. Whole-body radiation curves of animals that received [ 125 I]iodotyrosines, Na 131 I, or 131 I-polyvinylpyrrolidone exhibited no initial delays. These results do not support the earlier notion that delay is caused by a redistribution of the labeled protein in the body to radiometrically more favorable sites. However, they are compatible with the assumption that delayed passage of a protein dose through the extracellular matrix and/or retarded transfer of proteolytic products from extravascular catabolic sites to plasma may be responsible for the phenomenon

Particle identification using digital pulse shape discrimination in a nTD silicon detector with a 1 GHz sampling digitizer

Science.gov (United States)

Mahata, K.; Shrivastava, A.; Gore, J. A.; Pandit, S. K.; Parkar, V. V.; Ramachandran, K.; Kumar, A.; Gupta, S.; Patale, P.

2018-06-01

In beam test experiments have been carried out for particle identification using digital pulse shape analysis in a 500 μm thick Neutron Transmutation Doped (nTD) silicon detector with an indigenously developed FPGA based 12 bit resolution, 1 GHz sampling digitizer. The nTD Si detector was used in a low-field injection setup to detect light heavy-ions produced in reactions of ∼ 5 MeV/A 7Li and 12C beams on different targets. Pulse height, rise time and current maximum have been obtained from the digitized charge output of a high bandwidth charge and current sensitive pre-amplifier. Good isotopic separation have been achieved using only the digitized charge output in case of light heavy-ions. The setup can be used for charged particle spectroscopy in nuclear reactions involving light heavy-ions around the Coulomb barrier energies.

Use of TD ABC method for cost management in an accredited laboratory for physical and chemical testiry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Živković-Gabaldo Aleksandra N.

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Accreditation of a laboratory is verification of the competence of a laboratory regarding methods and procedures applied, personnel, the equipment used and working conditions. The main goal is establishment of customer trust in accuracy and precision of laboratory test results. Accredited laboratory has more specific costs than laboratory which is not accredited. To survive on the market, regardless the laboratory is independent or it is a part of a bigger system, the laboratory needs to establish resource management, especially effective cost management. Cost management describes approaches and short-term and long-term management activities, which make value for the customer, according to his known, reported or obligatory requirements and needs. In modern approach, there are different methods for cost calculation. One of them is ABC (Activity-Based Costing method which adds activity costs to products and services trough activities needed for their finalization. In this paper, there is presented improved ABC method for obračun costs, affirmed as activity based cost calculation based on time - TD ABC (Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing. The method uses time as a primary base for costs allocation on products, porudžbine, customers. This is the way for simpler and less expansive getting of information's about costs. This paper describes TD ABC method implemented in accredited Laboratory for physical and chemical testing, which is a part of company Galenika Fitofarmacija a.d. The scope of testing in this laboratory are pesticide materials, meaning technical substances and finished products, within quality control for different internal customers. By using TD ABC method it is possible to define real costs, generated during the laboratory testing, and also effectiveness of specific activities in this process.

Developments in theranostic agents - some highlights of COST TD1004

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mikolajczak, R.

2015-01-01

Full text of publication follows. The COST Action TD1004 Theragnostics Imaging and Therapy: an Action to Develop Novel Nano-sized Systems for Imaging-Guided Drug Delivery started in October 2011 within the Chemistry and Molecular Sciences and Technologies domain committee. The main objective of the Action is to increase the knowledge of imaging-guided drug delivery procedures and to apply this knowledge to the development of theranostic agents through an interdisciplinary approach that involves chemists, biologists, imaging and pharmaceutical technologists. This Action consists of five complementary Working Groups: (WG1) Imaging reporters for theranostic agents, (WG2) Nano-carriers for theranostic agents, (WG3) Preparation and selection of targeting vectors, (WG4) Theranostic agents responsive to endogenous and external stimuli, (WG5) Set-up of preclinical theranostic protocols. Investigations devoted to the design, synthesis, physico-chemical characterization and testing of imaging reporters tailored for theranostic applications are carried out. Interesting results have been obtained for the different imaging modalities addressing sensitivity (MRI), efficient tracers' labelling (PET, SPECT, radiotherapy), multiplex detection (Optical Imaging). Some results appear particularly worth to be noted: novel chelator system for Sc radionuclides and for MRI, macrocyclic ligands containing bis(phosphonate) side arm(s) yielding excellent systems for the coordination of Ga-68, applications of this and other PET isotopes (e.g. 64 Cu, 95 Nb) for 'theranostic' applications (with 90 Y, 177 Lu or 223,225 Ra, 225 Ac, 212 Pb, 213 Bi) using peptides, affibodies, antibodies as well as various nano-carriers. In the MRI field, where the sensitivity is the key-issue, it has been shown that innovative systems, based on Gd, may allow the in vivo visualization of cellular targeting and may serve as multimodal probes. The results from the research activities carried out in the

The Efficacy and Safety of Add-on Ginko TD (Ginkgo Biloba Treatment for PTSD: Results of a 12-Week Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laleh Koohi Habibi

2007-06-01

Full Text Available "nObjective: Exposure to traumatic stressors lead to activation of arousal responses mediated by serotonergic and noradrenergic systems and it may cause a change in numerous neurotransmitters and neuroendocrine systems. There is ample experimental and clinical evidence to suggest that Ginkgo biloba extract is neuroprotective and has antioxidant properties and can restore stress-induced elevation in brain levels of catecholamines, 5-HT and plasma corticosterone to normal level. "nMethod: In a 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, the efficacy and safety of adding-on a fixed-dose (200mg of Ginkgo TD to the previous treatment regime of adults with PTSD were examined. Subjects were forty male and female outpatients from a public-owned psychiatric clinic who met criteria for PTSD seven month after a 6.3 Richter earthquake in Bam city on December 26, 2003. The changes in five symptom domains including posttraumatic stress, anxiety and affective symptoms, general health and subjective stress after trauma were ssessed at weeks 0, 12 and 16 to examine effectiveness of the added-on Ginkgo TD and stability of its effects. "nResults: Ginkgo TD was associated with a significantly greater improvement than placebo in PTSD patients as measured by five symptom domain scales including: GHQ-28; Watson PTSD Scale; HAM-D; HAM-A and IES (p= 0.02, 0.01, 0.001, 0.01, 0.02 respectively Four weeks after the discontinuation of intervention, no significant difference was determined between the two groups in the five outcome measures (p= 0.005, 0.01, 0.004, 0.005, 0.01 respectively. No significant difference was observed between the two groups in terms of side effects. "nConclusions: We found Ginkgo TD to be superior to placebo as an adding-on in the treatment of PTSD. Although we did not examine the comparative efficacy of Ginkgo TD on the three main elements of PTSD, beneficial effects both on specific PTSD symptomatology and general conditions including

T-cell effector function and unresponsiveness in the murine lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infection. II. Delayed-type hypersensitivity unresponsiveness reflects a defective differentiation from TD precursor to effector cell

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thomsen, Allan Randrup; Marker, O

1986-01-01

is markedly depressed in high-dose mice, suggesting an association between DTH and virus clearance. When virus-primed memory cells are transferred, DTH reactivity as well as virus-clearing capacity is restored in high-dose mice, indicating that the virus is not present in a changed or concealed form. The role...... transfer a DTH response emerged, indicating that TD priming had taken place in high-dose animals. Pre-irradiation of high-dose primed cells markedly inhibited the antiviral activity as well as DTH, suggesting that upon transfer to naive recipients TD precursors from high-dose mice would proliferate...... precursor into effector cells which is reversible upon transfer to a less antigen loaded environment. Furthermore, it is suggested that TD function is crucial to the process of virus clearance....

Generating Lies Produces Lower Memory Predictions and Higher Memory Performance than Telling the Truth: Evidence for a Metacognitive Illusion

Science.gov (United States)

Besken, Miri

2018-01-01

Manipulations that induce disfluency during encoding generally produce lower memory predictions for the disfluent condition than for the fluent condition. Similar to other manipulations of disfluency, generating lies takes longer and requires more mental effort than does telling the truth; hence, a manipulation of lie generation might produce…

TD-DFT Insight into Photodissociation of Co-C Bond in Coenzyme B12

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Pawel Michal Kozlowski

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Coenzyme B12 (AdoCbl is one of the most biologically active forms of vitamin B12, and continues to be a topic of active research interest. The mechanism of Co-C bond cleavage in AdoCbl, and the corresponding enzymatic reactions are however, not well understood at the molecular level. In this work, time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT has been applied to investigate the photodissociation of coenzyme B12. To reduce computational cost, while retaining the major spectroscopic features of AdoCbl, a truncated model based on ribosylcobalamin (RibCbl was used to simulate Co-C photodissociation. Equilibrium geometries of RibCbl were obtained by optimization at the DFT/BP86/TZVP level of theory, and low-lying excited states were calculated by TD-DFT using the same functional and basis set. The calculated singlet states, and absorption spectra were simulated in both the gas phase, and water, using the polarizable continuum model (PCM. Both spectra were in reasonable agreement with experimental data, and potential energy curves based on vertical excitations were plotted to explore the nature of Co-C bond dissociation. It was found that a repulsive 3(σCo-C → σ*Co-C triplet state became dissociative at large Co-C bond distance, similar to a previous observation for methylcobalamin (MeCbl. Furthermore, potential energy surfaces (PESs obtained as a function of both Co-CRib and Co-NIm distances, identify the S1 state as a key intermediate generated during photoexcitation of RibCbl, attributed to a mixture of a MLCT (metal-to-ligand charge transfer and a σ bonding-ligand charge transfer (SBLCT states.

TD-NMR studies on CuSO{sub 4} salt hydrates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nestle, Nikolaus; Magin, Peter; Wengeler, Robert [BASF Aktiengesellschaft, Ludwigshafen (Germany); Kleinschmidt, Sebastian [Universitaet Magdeburg, FB Chemie (Germany)

2008-07-01

Despite the high concentration of paramagnetic copper ions, solid CuSO{sub 4} hydrates exhibit surprizingly narrow NMR signals. This is known since the late 1940s. Using TD-NMR methods established for polymer studies, the relaxation behaviour of CuSO{sub 4} preparations with different water content was studied at room temperature. For the water content of the pentahydrate and below, the NMR signal exhibits a pure solid-state-type magnetization decay behaviour. For slightly overstoichiometric moisture contents, a liquid-like signal is observed in addition to the solid signal. However, the relative amplitudes of the solid and the liquid signal do not mirror the stoichiometric composition of the pentahydrate and the excess water. Instead, the solid signal amplitude only accounts for four hydrate water molecules while the fifth water exhibits rapid exchange with the liquid phase and thus contributes to the liquid-type signal. This finding is in good agreement to results from investigations into the crystal structure of solid CuSO4 pentahydrate.

AR and TD Fossil Energy Materials Program. Quarterly progress report for the period ending December 31, 1981

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1982-04-01

The ORNL Fossil Energy Materials Program Office compiles and issues this combined quarterly progress report from camera-ready copies submitted by each of the participating subcontractor organizations. This report of activities on the program is organized in accordance with a work breakdown structure defined in the AR and TD Fossil Energy Materials Program Plan for FY 1982-1986 in which projects are organized according to fossil energy technologies. This report is divided into parts and chapters with each part describing projects related to a particular fossil energy technology. Chapters within a part provide details of the various projects associated with that technology. We hope this series of AR and TD Fossil Energy Materials Program quarterly progress reports will aid in the dissemination of information developed on the program. Plans for the program will be issued annually. A draft of the program plan for FY 1982 to 1986 has been prepared and is in the review process. The implementation of these plans will be reflected by these quarterly progress reports, and this dissemination of information will bw augmented by topical or final reports as appropriate.

Expressed parental concern regarding childhood stuttering and the Test of Childhood Stuttering.

Science.gov (United States)

Tumanova, Victoria; Choi, Dahye; Conture, Edward G; Walden, Tedra A

The purpose of the present study was to determine whether the Test of Childhood Stuttering observational rating scales (TOCS; Gillam et al., 2009) (1) differed between parents who did versus did not express concern (independent from the TOCS) about their child's speech fluency; (2) correlated with children's frequency of stuttering measured during a child-examiner conversation; and (3) correlated with the length and complexity of children's utterances, as indexed by mean length of utterance (MLU). Participants were 183 young children ages 3:0-5:11. Ninety-one had parents who reported concern about their child's stuttering (65 boys, 26 girls) and 92 had parents who reported no such concern (50 boys, 42 girls). Participants' conversational speech during a child-examiner conversation was analyzed for (a) frequency of occurrence of stuttered and non-stuttered disfluencies, and (b) MLU. Besides expressing concern or lack thereof about their child's speech fluency, parents completed the TOCS observational rating scales documenting how often they observe different disfluency types in speech of their children, as well as disfluency-related consequences. There were three main findings. First, parents who expressed concern (independently from the TOCS) about their child's stuttering reported significantly higher scores on the TOCS Speech Fluency and Disfluency-Related Consequences rating scales. Second, children whose parents rated them higher on the TOCS Speech Fluency rating scale produced more stuttered disfluencies during a child-examiner conversation. Third, children with higher scores on the TOCS Disfluency-Related Consequences rating scale had shorter MLU during child-examiner conversation, across age and level of language ability. Findings support the use of the TOCS observational rating scales as one documentable, objective means to determine parental perception of and concern about their child's stuttering. Findings also support the notion that parents are

Compressor Research Facility F100 High Pressure Compressor Inlet Total Pressure and Swirl Profile Simulation.

Science.gov (United States)

1984-10-01

1627 VANE ANGLE- U SCREE 4 S,,, L53 S 6 4 NSW, 153 Figure 139. Total Pressure Profile Figure 140. Total Pressure Profile (Phase III), PSV = 250 (Phase...STATION 2.5 , PT. 1-1574- 1585 VANE ANGLE- 15 PT. 0-IMB 8- 150 VANE ANGLE= 21SCREENS- 4 I 54 SDIENS-4 X L53 Figure 137. Total Pressure Profile Figure 138...A 53: if 1-4;2.A 54: for L-10 to 16;wrt 709,"ASVN5SOIVFIVSIVT3VS"for J-l to 5 *55: r!-’ 709,E[A,L,J);nex~t ,I-r~eXt f! *56: if 1-1;wrt 709," TD )"red

Effects of 3-week total meal replacement vs. typical food-based diet on human brain functional magnetic resonance imaging food-cue reactivity and functional connectivity in people with obesity.

Science.gov (United States)

Kahathuduwa, Chanaka Nadeeshan; Davis, Tyler; O'Boyle, Michael; Boyd, Lori Ann; Chin, Shao-Hua; Paniukov, Dmitrii; Binks, Martin

2018-01-01

Calorie restriction via total meal replacement (TMR) results in greater reduction of food cravings compared to reduced-calorie typical diet (TD). Direct evidence of the impact of these interventions on human brain fMRI food-cue reactivity (fMRI-FCR) and functional connectivity is absent. We examined the effects of a 3-week 1120 kcal/d TMR intervention as compared to an iso-caloric TD intervention using an fMRI-FCR paradigm. Thirty-two male and female subjects with obesity (19-60 years; 30-39.9 kg/m 2 ) participated in a randomized two-group repeated measures dietary intervention study consisting of 1120 kcal/d from either 1) TMR (shakes), 2) TD (portion control). Pre-intervention and following the 3-week diet fMRI-FCR, functional connectivity, food cravings (Food Craving Inventory) and weight were considered. Compared to TD, TMR showed increased fMRI-FCR of the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal (dlPFC), orbitofrontal, anterior cingulate, primary motor and left insular cortices and bilateral nucleus accumbens regions in the post-intervention state relative to the pre-intervention state. Compared to TD, TMR was also associated with negative modulation of fMRI-FCR of the nucleus accumbens, orbitofrontal cortex and amygdala by dlPFC. Reduced body weight (4.87 kg, P food cravings (0.41, P = 0.047) were seen in the TMR group. In the TD group reduced body weight (2.37 kg, P = 0.004) and body fat (1.64 kg, P = 0.002) were noted. Weight loss was significantly greater in TMR versus TD (2.50 kg, P = 0.007). Greater weight loss and reduced cravings, coupled with stronger activations and potential negative modulation of the food reward related regions by the dlPFC during exposure to visual food cues is consistent with increased executive control in TMR vs. TD. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference on Fossil Energy Materials. Fossil Energy AR and TD Materials Program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cole, N.C.; Judkins, R.R. [comps.

1993-07-01

Objective of the AR&TD Materials Program is to conduct research and development on materials for longer-term fossil energy applications as well as for generic needs of various fossil fuel technologies. The 37 papers are arranged into 3 sessions: ceramics, new alloys/intermetallics, and new alloys/advanced austenitics. Selected papers have been indexed separately for inclusion in the Energy Science and Technology Database.

Habilidades de resolução de conflito e ocorrência de disfluências comuns em crianças em desenvolvimento normal de linguagem Conflict resolution abilities and normal disfluencies in normally developing children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Debora Maria Befi-Lopes

2008-01-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVOS: (1 Investigar as habilidades de resolução de conflito (RC de crianças em idade escolar; (2 Verificar a relação entre a ocorrência de disfluências comuns (DC e o desenvolvimento das habilidades de RC. MÉTODOS: Participaram do estudo 20 crianças em desenvolvimento normal de linguagem, com idades entre sete e dez anos. As crianças foram submetidas a uma triagem, na qual foram realizadas as provas de Fonologia, Consciência Fonológica e Leitura e Escrita; aquelas que obtiveram desempenho esperado para sua faixa etária passaram por avaliação, sendo realizadas as provas de RC e de Fluência. Na prova de RC, as respostas foram categorizadas em 28 categorias, para então, serem pontuadas. Na prova de fluência, foi verificada a ocorrência de DC. RESULTADOS: Na prova de RC, as crianças obtiveram entre 5 e 14 pontos (M=10,7, porém não se observou correlação entre a pontuação total e a idade cronológica (p=0,361. Na prova de Fluência, a ocorrência de DC variou de 4 a 24 (M=10. Observou-se que não há correlação estatística significante entre a pontuação na prova de RC e a ocorrência de DC (p=0,899. CONCLUSÕES: Na prova de RC, as crianças utilizaram principalmente estratégias unilaterais para a resolução dos conflitos e as estratégias não se tornaram mais sofisticadas com o passar da idade. Ao comparar o desempenho das crianças na prova de RC à ocorrência de DC, não foi possível estabelecer relação direta entre as duas variáveis.PURPOSE: The aims of this study were: (1 to investigate conflict resolution (CR abilities in normally developing school-aged children; (2 to verify whether there is a relationship between the occurrence of normal disfluencies (ND and the development of conflict resolution abilities. METHODS: Twenty normally developing children, whose ages ranged between seven and ten, participated in this study. The participants underwent a language screening test, covering the following

First unitarity-independent determination of the CKM matrix elements $V_{td}$, $V_{ts}$, and ${V_{tb}$ and the implications for unitarity

OpenAIRE

Swain, John; Taylor, Lucas

1997-01-01

The magnitudes of the CKM matrix elements $V_{td}$, $V_{ts}$, and $V_{tb}$ are determined for the first time without any assumptions of unitarity. The implications for the unitarity of the CKM matrix as a whole are discussed.

Emotional reactivity and regulation in preschool-age children who stutter.

Science.gov (United States)

Ntourou, Katerina; Conture, Edward G; Walden, Tedra A

2013-09-01

This study experimentally investigated behavioral correlates of emotional reactivity and emotion regulation and their relation to speech (dis)fluency in preschool-age children who do (CWS) and do not (CWNS) stutter during emotion-eliciting conditions. Participants (18 CWS, 14 boys; 18 CWNS, 14 boys) completed two experimental tasks (1) a neutral ("apples and leaves in a transparent box," ALTB) and (2) a frustrating ("attractive toy in a transparent box," ATTB) task, both of which were followed by a narrative task. Dependent measures were emotional reactivity (positive affect, negative affect), emotion regulation (self-speech, distraction) exhibited during the ALTB and the ATTB tasks, percentage of stuttered disfluencies (SDs) and percentage of non-stuttered disfluencies (NSDs) produced during the narratives. Results indicated that preschool-age CWS exhibited significantly more negative emotion and more self-speech than preschool-age CWNS. For CWS only, emotion regulation behaviors (i.e., distraction, self-speech) during the experimental tasks were predictive of stuttered disfluencies during the subsequent narrative tasks. Furthermore, for CWS there was no relation between emotional processes and non-stuttered disfluencies, but CWNS's negative affect was significantly related to nonstuttered disfluencies. In general, present findings support the notion that emotional processes are associated with childhood stuttering. Specifically, findings are consistent with the notion that preschool-age CWS are more emotionally reactive than CWNS and that their self-speech regulatory attempts may be less than effective in modulating their emotions. The reader will be able to: (a) communicate the relevance of studying the role of emotion in developmental stuttering close to the onset of stuttering and (b) describe the main findings of the present study in relation to previous studies that have used different methodologies to investigate the role of emotion in developmental

RNA-Binding Protein L1TD1 Interacts with LIN28 via RNA and is Required for Human Embryonic Stem Cell Self-Renewal and Cancer Cell Proliferation

OpenAIRE

Närvä, Elisa; Rahkonen, Nelly; Emani, Maheswara Reddy; Lund, Riikka; Pursiheimo, Huha-Pekka; Nästi, Juuso; Autio, Reija; Rasool, Omid; Denessiouk, Konstantin; Lähdesmäki, Harri; Rao, Anjana; Lahesmaa, Ritta

2012-01-01

Human embryonic stem cells (hESC) have a unique capacity to self-renew and differentiate into all the cell types found in human body. Although the transcriptional regulators of pluripotency are well studied, the role of cytoplasmic regulators is still poorly characterized. Here, we report a new stem cell-specific RNA-binding protein L1TD1 (ECAT11, FLJ10884) required for hESC self-renewal and cancer cell proliferation. Depletion of L1TD1 results in immediate downregulation of OCT4 and NANOG. F...

Materials Innovation for Next-Generation T&D Grid Components. Workshop Summary Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Taylor, Emmanuel [Energetics Incorporated, Columbia, MD (United States); Kramer, Caroline [Energetics Incorporated, Columbia, MD (United States); Marchionini, Brian [Energetics Incorporated, Columbia, MD (United States); Sabouni, Ridah [Energetics Incorporated, Columbia, MD (United States); Cheung, Kerry [U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Washington, DC (United States). Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability (OE); Lee, Dominic F [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2015-10-01

The Materials Innovations for Next-Generation T&D Grid Components Workshop was co-sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and held on August 26 27, 2015, at the ORNL campus in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The workshop was planned and executed under the direction of workshop co-chair Dr. Kerry Cheung (DOE) and co-chair Dr. Dominic Lee (ORNL). The information contained herein is based on the results of the workshop, which was attended by nearly 50 experts from government, industry, and academia. The research needs and pathways described in this report reflect the expert opinions of workshop participants, but they are not intended to represent the views of the entire electric power community.

Modeling of solvent extraction equilibrium of Cu(II from sulphuric Acid solution with MOC-55TD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alguacil, F. J.

1999-06-01

Full Text Available The extraction of Cu(II from acidic sulphate aqueous solutions using the commercial MOC-55TD extractant is studied. A predictive model, which consists in a set of non-linear mass action and mass balance equations is proposed. The model was solved using a tailor-made equation-solving program. The extraction of copper can be described by the formation of CuR₂ species (log K_ext= 0.717 ± 0.03 in the organic phase. The copper equilibrium isotherm was also obtained at 20°C.

Se estudia la extracción de Cu(II de disoluciones acuosas acidas, en medio sulfato, mediante la oxima comercial MOC-55TD. Se propone un modelo para predecir la extracción del metal; este modelo consiste en una serie de ecuaciones no lineales de acción de masas y balance de masas. El modelo se resolvió empleando un programa de ordenador específicamente definido para este tipo de equilibrios. La extracción de cobre se describe por la formación de la especie CuR₂ (log K_ext= 0,717 ± 0,03 en la fase orgánica. Se ha obtenido la isoterma de extracción de cobre a 20 °C.

Synthesis of novel styryl derivatives from 4-chloro-2-(morpholin-4-yl)-1,3-thiazole-5-carbaldehyde, study of their photophysical properties and TD-DFT computations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sekar, Nagaiyan; Umape, Prashant G.; Padalkar, Vikas S.; Tayade, Rajratna P.; Ramasami, Ponnadurai

2014-01-01

Novel fluorescent styryl push–pull compounds having electron donating thiazole unit were synthesized by condensing 4-chloro-2-(morpholin-4-yl)-1,3-thiazole-5-carbaldehyde with active methylene compounds via classical Knoevenagel condensation. The synthesized styryl molecules were characterized by spectral analysis. Photophysical properties of these styryl derivatives were analyzed and the effect of change in solvent polarity and viscosity on their absorptive and emissive properties has been investigated. Density functional theory (DFT) and time dependent-density functional theory (TD-DFT) computations have been used to understand the structural, molecular, electronic and photophysical parameters of push–pull dyes. Bakhshiev and Kawski–Chamma–Viallet correlations were used to calculate the ratio of ground to excited state dipole moment of the synthesized novel styryl compounds. -- Highlights: •Novel styryl derivatives are synthesized from thiazole aldehyde. •Photophysical properties of styryl derivatives were evaluated and supported by TD-DFT computations. •Experimental photophysical results are in good agreement with the theoretical results obtained by TD-DFT computations. •Compounds show fluorescence in solid state as well as in solvents of different polarities

The Hilbert-Schmidt method in the three-particle problem and determination of the vertex parts tdn and td*n

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baryshnikov, A.G.; Blokhintsev, L.D.; Narodetsky, I.M.

1974-01-01

Vertex constants for virtual decays t → dn and t → d*n are calculated using the resonance expansion technique for the three-particle amplitude suggested recently. In the model with a spin-dependent separable NN-potential values Gsub(tdn)sup(2) = 1.92 fm, Gsub(td*n)sup(2) = -0.38 fm are obtained

Proceedings of the sixth annual conference on fossil energy materials. Fossil Energy AR and TD Mateials Program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cole, N.C.; Judkins, R.R. [comps.

1992-07-01

The Sixth Annual Conference on Fossil Energy Materials was held in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, on May 12--14, 1992. The meeting was sponsored by the US Department of Energy`s Office of Fossil Energy through the Advanced Research and Technology Development (AR&TD) Materials Program, and ASM International. The objective of the AR&TD Materials Program is to conduct research and development on materials for longer-term fossil energy applications as well as for generic needs of various fossil fuel technologies. The management of the Program has been decentralized to the DOE Field Office, Oak Ridge with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) as the technical support contractor. The research is performed by staff members at ORNL and by a substantial number of researchers at other national laboratories, universities, and in private industry. The work is divided into the following categories: (1) ceramics, (2) development and corrosion resistance of iron aluminide, advanced austenitic and chromium-niobium alloys, and (3) technology assessment and technology transfer. This conference is held each year to review the work on all of the projects of the Program. The agenda for the meeting is given in Appendix A, and a list of attendees is presented in Appendix B. ASM International cosponsored the conference, for which we are especially grateful.

Influence of Exchange-Correlation Functional in the Calculations of Vertical Excitation Energies of Halogenated Copper Phthalocyanines using Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory (TD-DFT)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Sang Uck

2013-01-01

The accurate prediction of vertical excitation energies is very important for the development of new materials in the dye and pigment industry. A time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) approach coupled with 22 different exchange-correlation functionals was used for the prediction of vertical excitation energies in the halogenated copper phthalocyanine molecules in order to find the most appropriate functional and to determine the accuracy of the prediction of the absorption wavelength and observed spectral shifts. Among the tested functional, B3LYP functional provides much more accurate vertical excitation energies and UV-vis spectra. Our results clearly provide a benchmark calibration of the TD-DFT method for phthalocyanine based dyes and pigments used in industry

Research on an estimation method of DOA for wireless location based on TD-SCDMA

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yi; Luo, Yuan; Cheng, Shi-xin

2004-03-01

To meet the urgent need of personal communication and hign-speed data services,the standardization and products development for International Mobile Telecommunication-2000 (IMT-2000) have become a hot point in wordwide. The wireless location for mobile terminals has been an important research project. Unlike GPS which is located by 24 artificial satellities, it is based on the base-station of wireless cell network, and the research and development of it are correlative with IMT-2000. While the standard for the third generation mobile telecommunication (3G)-TD-SCDMA, which is proposed by China and the intellective property right of which is possessed by Chinese, is adopted by ITU-T at the first time, the research for wireless location based on TD-SCDMA has theoretic meaning, applied value and marketable foreground. First,the basic principle and method for wireless location, i.e. Direction of Angle(DOA), Time of Arrival(TOA) or Time Difference of Arrival(TDOA), hybridized location(TOA/DOA,TDOA/DOA,TDOA/DOA),etc. is introduced in the paper. So the research of DOA is very important in wireless location. Next, Main estimation methods of DOA for wireless location, i.e. ESPRIT, MUSIC, WSF, Min-norm, etc. are researched in the paper. In the end, the performances of DOA estimation for wireless location based on mobile telecommunication network are analyzed by the research of theory and simulation experiment and the contrast algorithms between and Cramer-Rao Bound. Its research results aren't only propitious to the choice of algorithms for wireless location, but also to the realization of new service of wireless location .

Impedance spectroscopy of tripolar concentric ring electrodes with Ten20 and TD246 pastes.

Science.gov (United States)

Nasrollaholhosseini, Seyed Hadi; Herrera, Daniel Salazar; Besio, Walter G

2017-07-01

Electrodes are used to transform ionic currents to electrical currents in biological systems. Modeling the electrode-electrolyte interface could help to optimize the performance of the electrode interface to achieve higher signal to noise ratios. There are previous reports of accurate models for single-element biomedical electrodes. In this paper, we measured the impedance on both tripolar concentric ring electrodes and standard cup electrodes by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) using both Ten20 and TD246 electrode paste. Furthermore, we applied the model to prove that the model can predict the performance of the electrode-electrolyte interface for tripolar concentric ring electrodes (TCRE) that are used to record brain signals.

Measurement of the capability of DNA synthesis of human fetal liver cells by the assay of 3H-TdR incorporation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Tao; Ma Xiangrui; Wang Hongyun; Cao Xia

1987-01-01

The fetal liver is one of the major sites of hematopoiesis during gestation. Under erythropoietin (EPO) stimulation, in erythroid precusor cells of fetal liver, proliferation and differentiation occurred and function of metabolism was enhanced. The technique of 3 H-TdR incorporation was used to measure the function of fetal liver cellular DNA synthesis. As EPO concentration at the range of approximately 20 ∼ 100 mU/ml, the counts of 3 H-TdR incorporation into fetal liver cells increased. As the concentration of EPO increased, however, its incorporation counts are lower than that in bone marrow of either the fetal or the adult. It suggested that precusors of erythrocyte of fetal liver has differentiated to later phases with the progressive accumulation of mature cells, therefore, both proliferation and function of metabolism are more or less decreased respectively. Under EPO stimulation, however, precusor of erythroid of fetal liver can greatly increase potential effects on DNA synthesis

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

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

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

1996-10-28

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

Observations of interstellar ultraviolet extinction from the S2/68 experiment in the TD-1 satellite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nandy, K.; Thompson, G.I.; Carnochan, D.J.; Wilson, R.

1978-01-01

The galactic distribution of the agents which cause the extinction bump near 2200 A and the ultraviolet colour excess E(1550-2740) within 2 kpc of the Sun in the galactic plane have been studied from the observations obtained with the S2/68 experiment in the TD-1 satellite. The mean reddening-distance relation in the galactic plane has been obtained for different longitudes. The study of the extinction parameter with galactic latitude shows a strong concentration of the dust towards the galactic plane with a scale height of 110 pc. (author)

The Disfluent Speech of Bilingual Spanish–English Children: Considerations for Differential Diagnosis of Stuttering

Science.gov (United States)

Bedore, Lisa M.; Ramos, Daniel

2015-01-01

Purpose The primary purpose of this study was to describe the frequency and types of speech disfluencies that are produced by bilingual Spanish–English (SE) speaking children who do not stutter. The secondary purpose was to determine whether their disfluent speech is mediated by language dominance and/or language produced. Method Spanish and English narratives (a retell and a tell in each language) were elicited and analyzed relative to the frequency and types of speech disfluencies produced. These data were compared with the monolingual English-speaking guidelines for differential diagnosis of stuttering. Results The mean frequency of stuttering-like speech behaviors in the bilingual SE participants ranged from 3% to 22%, exceeding the monolingual English standard of 3 per 100 words. There was no significant frequency difference in stuttering-like or non-stuttering-like speech disfluency produced relative to the child's language dominance. There was a significant difference relative to the language the child was speaking; all children produced significantly more stuttering-like speech disfluencies in Spanish than in English. Conclusion Results demonstrate that the disfluent speech of bilingual SE children should be carefully considered relative to the complex nature of bilingualism. PMID:25215876

Fluency aspects of oral narrative task in del22q11.2 syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Santos, Amanda Oliveira; Rossi, Natalia Freitas; Tandel, Maria da Conceição Faria Freitas; Richieri-Costa, Antonio; Giacheti, Célia Maria

2016-01-01

To investigate the fluency aspects of the oral narrative task in individuals with del22q11.2 syndrome and compare them with those of individuals with typical language development. Fifteen individuals diagnosed with del22q11.2 syndrome, both genders, aged 7-17 years participated in this study. They were compared with 15 individuals with typical language development, with similar gender and chronological age profiles. The oral narrative was elicited using the book "Frog, Where Are You?", and the fluency aspects were analyzed according to speech rate and type and frequency of disfluency (typical and stuttering). The number and duration of pauses were also investigated. The data were statistically analyzed. The group with del22q11.2 syndrome showed a higher average when compared with the group without the syndrome for the percentage of typical disfluencies, mainly hesitation and revision. The group presenting the syndrome also showed a higher average for stuttering disfluencies, with pause as the most frequent disfluency. With respect to speech rate, the group with the syndrome presented a lower average for the number of words and syllables per minute. Individuals with del22q11.2 syndrome showed greater difficulties of narration than their peers. The fluency aspects of the oral narrative task in subjects with del22q11.2 syndrome were similar to those of individuals with typical language development regarding the presence of hesitation, revision, and pause, but they were different with respect to frequency of disfluency, which was higher in individuals with the syndrome.

Space charge sign inversion and electric field reconstruction in 24 GeV/c proton-irradiated MCZ Si p+-n(TD)-n+ detectors processed via thermal donor introduction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Z.; Verbitskaya, E.; Carini, G.; Chen, W.; Eremin, V.; Gul, R.; Haerkoenen, J.; Li, M.

2009-01-01

The aim of this study is the evaluation of radiation effects in detectors based on p-type magnetic czochralski (MCZ) Si that was converted to n-type by thermal donor (TD) introduction. As-processed p + -p-n + detectors were annealed at 430 deg. C resulting in p + -n(TD)-n + structures. The space charge sign and the electric field distribution E(x) in MCz Si p + -n(TD)-n + detectors irradiated by 24 GeV/c protons were analyzed using the data on the current pulse response and the Double Peak (DP) electric field distribution model for heavily irradiated detectors. The approach considers an irradiated detector as a structure with three regions in which the electric field depends on the coordinate, and the induced current pulse response arises from the drift process of free carriers in the detector with variable electric field. Reconstruction of the E(x) profile from the pulse response shapes is performed employing a new method for DP electric field reconstruction. This method includes: (a) a direct extraction of charge loss due to trapping and (b) the fitting of a simulated pulse response to the 'corrected' pulse by adjusting the electric field profiles in the three regions. Reconstruction of E(x) distribution showed that in the diodes irradiated by a proton fluence of (2-4)x10 14 p/cm 2 space charge sign inversion has occurred. This is the evidence that the influence of 24 GeV/c proton radiation on MCz Si p + -n(TD)-n + detectors is similar to that on p + -n-n + detectors based on FZ or diffusion oxygenated n-type Si.

An in vitro drug sensitivity test using a higher 3H-TdR incorporation and a modified human tumor stem cell assay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Enzhong

1991-01-01

An in vitro drug sensitivity test was developed to evaluate the lethal effects of drugs on human pulmonary carcinoma cells (HPCC). This method was a variant and combination of Human Tumor Stem (HTSCA) and a short-term test using 3 H-TdR incorporation. It consisted of a cell containing liquid top layer and a soft agar bottom layer in 24-well microplates. The medium was RPMI 1640 supplemented with 20% malignant pleural effusion, which could enhance 3 H-TdR incorporation into malignant cells. When 50%, 40%, 30% and 30% of cell survival rate defined as sensitivity-threshold for VCR, MMC, DDP and ADM respectively, in the vitro effectiveness were close to those of clinical single-drug treatment in HPCC by Wright et al. This method was also compared with HTSCA in ten human lung cancer cell lines and four pulmonary carcinoma tissues. The agreement rates were 83% and 100% respectively. Thus we presume this system is more useful for oncological clinics than the others

RLV-TD Flight Measured Aeroacoustic Levels and its Comparison with Predictions

Science.gov (United States)

Manokaran, K.; Prasath, M.; Venkata Subrahmanyam, B.; Ganesan, V. R.; Ravindran, Archana; Babu, C.

2017-12-01

The Reusable Launch Vehicle-Technology Demonstrator (RLV-TD) is a wing body configuration successfully flight tested. One of the important flight measurements is the acoustic levels. There were five external microphones, mounted on the fuselage-forebody, wing, vertical tail, inter-stage (ITS) and core base shroud to measure the acoustic levels from lift-off to splash down. In the ascent phase, core base shroud recorded the overall maximum at both lift-off and transonic conditions. In-flight noise levels measured on the wing is second highest, followed by fuselage and vertical tail. Predictions for flight trajectory compare well at all locations except for vertical tail (4.5 dB). In the descent phase, maximum measured OASPL occurs at transonic condition for the wing, followed by vertical tail and fuselage. Predictions for flight trajectory compare well at all locations except for wing (- 6.0 dB). Spectrum comparison is good in the ascent phase compared to descent phase. Roll Reaction control system (RCS) thruster firing signature is seen in the acoustic measurements on the wing and vertical tail during lift-off.

Total Defense + Repair: A Novel Concept in Solar Protection and Skin Rejuvenation.

Science.gov (United States)

McDaniel, David H; Hamzavi, Iltefat H; Zeichner, Joshua A; Fabi, Sabrina G; Bucay, Vivian W; Harper, Julie C; Comstock, Jody A; Makino, Elizabeth T; Mehta, Rahul C; Vega, Virginia L

2015-07-01

For more than a century, solar radiation has been known to contribute significantly to the extrinsic aging of skin. Until recently, this was almost exclusively attributed to the photodamage caused by ultraviolet (UV) light. However, a growing body of evidence now indicates that both infrared (IR) and visible light may also contribute to extrinsic skin aging. Infrared radiation, comprised of IR-A, IR-B, and IR-C, accounts for 54.3% of the total solar radiation reaching the skin. Studies have shown that IR radiation is also responsible for skin aging. Thus, IR-A radiation regulates hundreds of genes in skin, with roles in extracellular matrix (ECM) homeostasis regulation, apoptosis, cell growth, and stress responses. IR-B and IR-C radiation are primarily responsible for the increase in skin temperature associated with solar exposure, and are implicated in heat-related skin destruction of collagen and elastin, which is characterized by an increase in the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). The contribution of visible light to photoaging is less well understood; however, some preliminary indication associates visible light with the upregulation of MMPs' expression, DNA damage, and keratinocyte proliferation. Interestingly, the common denominator that links skin damage to the different solar wavelengths is the enhanced production of reactive molecule species (RMS) and therewith increased oxidative stress. SkinMedica® Total Defense + Repair (TD+R; SkinMedica Inc., an Allergan company, Irvine, CA) is a "superscreen," which combines broad spectrum UV protection with a unique blend of antioxidants (SOL-IR Advanced Antioxidant Complex™) that provide protection from IR radiation while promoting skin repair. Preclinical studies have indicated that TD+R SPF34 prevents the formation of UV-induced sunburn cells and cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers while preserving or improving the expression of ECM genes. In addition, it prevents IR-A-triggered fragmentation of

Review of Fusion Systems and Contributing Technologies for SIHS-TD (Examen des Systemes de Fusion et des Technologies d'Appui pour la DT SIHS)

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Angel, Harry H; Ste-Croix, Chris; Kittel, Elizabeth

2007-01-01

The major objectives of the report were to identify and review the field of image fusion and contributing technologies and to recommend systems, algorithms and metrics for the proposed SIHS TD Vision SST fusion test bed...

DFT and TD-DFT computation of charge transfer complex between o-phenylenediamine and 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Afroz, Ziya; Zulkarnain,; Ahmad, Afaq; Alam, Mohammad Jane; Faizan, Mohd; Ahmad, Shabbir

2016-01-01

DFT and TD-DFT studies of o-phenylenediamine (PDA), 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid (DNSA) and their charge transfer complex have been carried out at B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level of theory. Molecular geometry and various other molecular properties like natural atomic charges, ionization potential, electron affinity, band gap, natural bond orbital (NBO) and frontier molecular analysis have been presented at same level of theory. Frontier molecular orbital and natural bond orbital analysis show the charge delocalization from PDA to DNSA.

TD-S-HF single determinantal reaction theory and the description of many-body processes, including fission

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Griffin, J.J.; Lichtner, P.C.; Dworzecka, M.; Kan, K.K.

1979-01-01

The restrictions implied for the time dependent many-body reaction theory by the (TDHF) single determinantal assumption are explored by constructive analysis. A restructured TD-S-HF reaction theory is modelled, not after the initial-value form of the Schroedinger reaction theory, but after the (fully equivalent) S-matrix form, under the conditions that only self-consistent TDHF solutions occur in the theory, every wave function obeys the fundamental statistical interpretation of quantum mechanics, and the theory reduces to the exact Schroedinger theory for exact solutions which are single determinantal. All of these conditions can be accomodated provided that the theory is interpreted on a time-averaged basis, i.e., physical constants of the Schroedinger theory which are time-dependent in the TDHF theory, are interpreted in TD-S-HF in terms of their time averaged values. The resulting reaction theory, although formulated heuristically, prescribes a well defined and unambiguous calculational program which, although somewhat more demanding technically than the conventional initial-value TDHF method, is nevertheless more consonant with first principles, structurally and mechanistically. For its physical predictions do not depend upon the precise location of the distant measuring apparatus, and are in no way influenced by the spurious cross channel correlations which arise whenever the description of many reaction channels is imposed upon one single-determinantal solution. For nuclear structure physics, the TDHF-eigenfunctions provide the first plausible description of exact eigenstates in the time-dependent framework; moreover, they are unencumbered by any restriction to small amplitudes. 14 references

FTIR spectroscopic study on the Hofmann -Td- type clathrates: Ni(benzoic acid)2M(CN)4.aniline (M=Zn, Cd, Hg)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kesan, G.; Kartal, Z.

2010-01-01

The Hofmann-Td-type clathrates formulated as Ni(L) 2 M(CN) 4 .nG where L is a bidentate or a pair of unidentate ligand molecule, M is Zn, Cd or Hg, G is a guest molecule and n is the number of guest molecule. The host lattice of the Hofmann-Td-type clathrates is formed from endless chains of -Ni-L-L-Ni-L-L-Ni- and M(CN) 4 ions arranged between the consecutive crossing -Ni-L-L-Ni-L-L-Ni- chains with the O-ends bound to the Ni metal atoms. These polymeric layers are held in parallel by Van der Walls interaction between ligand molecules. This structure provides α-type cavity. In this study, Ni(Benzoic Acid ) 2M(CN) 4 .Aniline (M = Zn, Cd, Hg) is obtained for the first time by means of chemical methods in powder form and their infrared spectra are reported in range of (4000-400) cm - 1. The spectral data suggest that the new clathrates are similar in structure to the Hofmann-type clathrates.

Toward the Standardization of Biochar Analysis: The COST Action TD1107 Interlaboratory Comparison.

Science.gov (United States)

Bachmann, Hans Jörg; Bucheli, Thomas D; Dieguez-Alonso, Alba; Fabbri, Daniele; Knicker, Heike; Schmidt, Hans-Peter; Ulbricht, Axel; Becker, Roland; Buscaroli, Alessandro; Buerge, Diane; Cross, Andrew; Dickinson, Dane; Enders, Akio; Esteves, Valdemar I; Evangelou, Michael W H; Fellet, Guido; Friedrich, Kevin; Gasco Guerrero, Gabriel; Glaser, Bruno; Hanke, Ulrich M; Hanley, Kelly; Hilber, Isabel; Kalderis, Dimitrios; Leifeld, Jens; Masek, Ondrej; Mumme, Jan; Carmona, Marina Paneque; Calvelo Pereira, Roberto; Rees, Frederic; Rombolà, Alessandro G; de la Rosa, José Maria; Sakrabani, Ruben; Sohi, Saran; Soja, Gerhard; Valagussa, Massimo; Verheijen, Frank; Zehetner, Franz

2016-01-20

Biochar produced by pyrolysis of organic residues is increasingly used for soil amendment and many other applications. However, analytical methods for its physical and chemical characterization are yet far from being specifically adapted, optimized, and standardized. Therefore, COST Action TD1107 conducted an interlaboratory comparison in which 22 laboratories from 12 countries analyzed three different types of biochar for 38 physical-chemical parameters (macro- and microelements, heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, pH, electrical conductivity, and specific surface area) with their preferential methods. The data were evaluated in detail using professional interlaboratory testing software. Whereas intralaboratory repeatability was generally good or at least acceptable, interlaboratory reproducibility was mostly not (20% < mean reproducibility standard deviation < 460%). This paper contributes to better comparability of biochar data published already and provides recommendations to improve and harmonize specific methods for biochar analysis in the future.

3H-TdR autoradiography in vitro incubation for the evaluation of the therapeutic effect in chronic atrophic gastritis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ding Jie

1988-01-01

This paper discussed with the feasibility of using 3 H-TdR autoraoiography in vitro incubation to evaluate the therapeutic effect of atrophic gastritis. The results showed that gastric mucosa labelling indices measured by autoradiography can reflect the property, severity and clincal conditions of chronic gastritis quantitatively. The methodology is raliable and reproducible. It was suggested that labelling indices may serve as a cytokinetic parameter to evaluate the therapeutic effect of atrophic gastritis

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

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

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

1996-10-28

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

Prevalence and risk factors associated with tardive dyskinesia among Indian patients with schizophrenia.

Science.gov (United States)

Achalia, Rashmin M; Chaturvedi, Santosh K; Desai, Geetha; Rao, Girish N; Prakash, Om

2014-06-01

Tardive dyskinesia (TD) is one of the most distressing side effects of antipsychotic treatment. As prevalence studies of TD in Asian population are scarce, a cross-sectional study was performed to assess the frequency of TD in Indian patients with schizophrenia and risk factors of TD. Cross-sectional study of 160 Indian patients fulfilling the DSM-IV TR criteria for schizophrenia and who received antipsychotics for at least one year, were examined with two validated scales for TD. Logistic regression analyses were used to examine the relationship between TD and clinical risk factors. The frequency of probable TD in the total sample was 26.4%. The logistic regression yielded significant odds ratios between TD and age, intermittent treatment, and total cumulative antipsychotic dose. The difference of TD between SGA and FGA disappeared after adjusting for important co-variables in regression analysis. Indian patients with schizophrenia and long-term antipsychotic treatment have a high risk of TD, and TD is associated with older age, intermittent antipsychotic treatment, and a high total cumulative antipsychotic dose. Our study findings suggest that there is no significant difference between SGAs with regards to the risk of causing TD as compared to FGAs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Transgenic mouse model expressing tdTomato under involucrin promoter as a tool for analysis of epidermal differentiation and wound healing

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kašpárek, Petr; Křenek, Pavel; Buryová, Halka; Suchanová, Šárka; Beck, Inken; Sedláček, Radislav

2012-01-01

Roč. 21, č. 3 (2012), s. 683-689 ISSN 0962-8819 R&D Projects: GA ČR GC301/08/J053; GA ČR(CZ) GP301/09/P662 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50520514; CEZ:AV0Z50520701 Institutional support: RVO:68378050 ; RVO:86652036 Keywords : epidermis * involucrin * tdTomato * wound healing Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 2.609, year: 2012

DORT-TD/THERMIX solutions for the OECD/NEA/NSC PBMR400 MW coupled neutronics thermal hydraulics transient benchmark

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tyobeka, Bismark; Pautz, Andreas; Ivanov, Kostadin

2008-01-01

In new reactor designs that are still under review such as the PBMR, not much experimental data exists to benchmark newly developed computer codes against. Such a situation requires that nuclear engineers and designers of this novel reactor design must resort to the validation of a newly developed code through a code-to-code benchmarking exercise because there are validated codes that are currently in use to analyze this reactor design, albeit very few of them. There are numerous HTR core physics benchmarks that are currently being pursued by different organizations, for different purposes. One such benchmark exercise is the PBMR-400 MW OECD/NEA/NSC coupled neutronics/thermal hydraulics transient benchmark. In this paper, a newly developed coupled neutronics thermal hydraulics code system, DORT-TD/THERMIX with both transport and diffusion theory options, is used to simulate the transient scenarios in the above-mentioned benchmark problem. Steady-state calculations results are compared with selected participants' results as well as transient models in which the diffusion and transport theory solutions of the same code system are directly compared. Several sensitivity studies are also shown in order to determine how much the change in certain parameters influences the overall behaviour of a given transient. It is shown in this paper that DORT-TD/THERMIX is a versatile tool which can be deployed for design and safety analyses of high temperature reactors of pebble-bed type. (authors)

On the use of an appropriate TdT-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling assay to identify apoptotic cells.

OpenAIRE

Lebon, C.; Rodriguez, G.V.; Zaoui, I.E.; Jaadane, I.; Behar-Cohen, F.; Torriglia, A.

2015-01-01

Apoptosis is an essential cellular mechanism involved in many processes such as embryogenesis, metamorphosis, and tissue homeostasis. DNA fragmentation is one of the key markers of this form of cell death. DNA fragmentation is executed by endogenous endonucleases such as caspase-activated DNase (CAD) in caspase-dependent apoptosis. The TUNEL (TdT-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling) technique is the most widely used method to identify apoptotic cells in a tissue or culture and to assess dr...

Pin cell discontinuity factors in the transient 3-D discrete ordinates code TORT-TD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seubert, A.

2010-01-01

Even with the rapid increase of computing power, whole core transient and accident analyses based on the direct solution of the 3-D neutron transport equation with a large number of energy groups and a detailed heterogeneous description of the core still remain computationally challenging. Current industrial methods for reactor core calculations therefore involve a two step approach in which lattice (assembly) depletion transport methods are used to prepare energy collapsed and fuel assembly or pin cell homogenized cross sections for subsequent whole core transport calculations. Spatial homogenization, in principal, requires the knowledge of both the actual boundary condition (local core environment) of the fuel assembly and the exact heterogeneous flux distribution (reference solution) of the whole core problem within that fuel assembly. Since, in particular, the latter is not known a priori, an infinite medium (zero net current) condition is used in the lattice calculations. It is well known that this approximation may lead to undesirable errors in cores in which large flux gradients are present across the fuel assemblies. This is the case in cores that have high heterogeneity and/or strong local absorbers, e.g. PWRs with partial MOX loading and inserted control rod clusters. There are two major approaches to mitigate spatial homogenization errors, superhomogenization (SPH) factors, and discontinuity factors within the scope of equivalence theory (ET) and generalized equivalence theory (GET). Although discontinuity factors are usually applied at the level of fuel assembly node size (assembly discontinuity factors, ADF), the methodology can be extended to pin cell homogenized whole core calculations involving pin cell discontinuity factors (PDF). There are also further developments for both the diffusion and the simplified transport (SP3) equation. In this paper, PDFs are introduced into the time-dependent 3-D discrete ordinates code TORT-TD in order to reduce the

Charge transfer complex between 2,3-diaminopyridine with chloranilic acid. Synthesis, characterization and DFT, TD-DFT computational studies

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Ahmary, Khairia M.; Habeeb, Moustafa M.; Al-Obidan, Areej H.

2018-05-01

New charge transfer complex (CTC) between the electron donor 2,3-diaminopyridine (DAP) with the electron acceptor chloranilic (CLA) acid has been synthesized and characterized experimentally and theoretically using a variety of physicochemical techniques. The experimental work included the use of elemental analysis, UV-vis, IR and 1H NMR studies to characterize the complex. Electronic spectra have been carried out in different hydrogen bonded solvents, methanol (MeOH), acetonitrile (AN) and 1:1 mixture from AN-MeOH. The molecular composition of the complex was identified to be 1:1 from Jobs and molar ratio methods. The stability constant was determined using minimum-maximum absorbances method where it recorded high values confirming the high stability of the formed complex. The solid complex was prepared and characterized by elemental analysis that confirmed its formation in 1:1 stoichiometric ratio. Both IR and NMR studies asserted the existence of proton and charge transfers in the formed complex. For supporting the experimental results, DFT computations were carried out using B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) method to compute the optimized structures of the reactants and complex, their geometrical parameters, reactivity parameters, molecular electrostatic potential map and frontier molecular orbitals. The analysis of DFT results strongly confirmed the high stability of the formed complex based on existing charge transfer beside proton transfer hydrogen bonding concordant with experimental results. The origin of electronic spectra was analyzed using TD-DFT method where the observed λmax are strongly consisted with the computed ones. TD-DFT showed the contributed states for various electronic transitions.

Effect of methyl substituents on the electronic transitions in simple meso-aniline-BODIPY based dyes: RI-CC2 and TD-CAM-B3LYP computational investigation

Science.gov (United States)

Petrushenko, Igor K.; Petrushenko, Konstantin B.

2018-02-01

The S0 → Si, i = 1-5 electronic transitions of four 8-(4-aniline)-BODIPY and four 8-(N,N-dimethyl)-BODIPY dyes, differ by number and position of methyl substituents in the BODIPY frame, were investigated theoretically using ab initio the coupled cluster doubles (CC2) and TD-CAM-B3LYP methods. Methyl substituents in the BODIPY frame and the aniline fragment at the meso position disturb energy of local excitations S0 → S1, S0 → S3, and S0 → S4 weakly in comparison with the fully unsubstituted BODIPY molecule. These transitions in experimental spectra form the most long-wave absorption bands at ca. 500 nm as well as absorption bands in the region of 300-400 nm. At the same time, the presence of aniline fragments leads to the appearance of new S0 → S2 transitions of the charge transfer character in electronic spectra of BODIPYs. We also found a linear relationship between vertical energy of these charge transfer transitions and the electron donating power of an aniline fragment and electron accepting power of the BODIPY core depending on the number and position of methyl groups. The CC2 method provides the best overall description of the excitation energies in line with the experimental observations. On average, the quality of TD-CAM-B3LYP is almost equal to that of CC2, however the TD method with the CAM-B3LYP functional slightly underestimates the CT excitation energy.

Non-invasive analysis of swelling in polymer dispersions by means of time-domain(TD)-NMR

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nestle, Nikolaus, E-mail: nikolaus.nestle@basf.com [BASF SE, GKP/R - G 201, D-67056 Ludwigshafen (Germany); Haeberle, Karl [BASF SE, GKP/R - G 201, D-67056 Ludwigshafen (Germany)

2009-11-03

In this contribution, we discuss the potential of low-field time-domain(TD)-NMR to study the swelling of (aqueous) polymer dispersions by a volatile solvent. Due to the sensitivity of transverse relaxation times (T{sub 2}) to swelling-induced changes in the molecular dynamics of the polymer component, the effects of swelling can be measured without spectral resolution. The measurement is performed on polymer dispersions in native state with solids contents around 50% in a non-invasive way without separating the polymeric phase and the water phase from each other. Using acetone in two polyurethane (PU) dispersions with different hard phase contents, we explore the sensitivity of the method and present a data evaluation strategy based on multicomponent fitting and proton balancing. Furthermore, we report exchange continualization as a further effect that needs to be taken into account for correct interpretation of the data.

Non-invasive analysis of swelling in polymer dispersions by means of time-domain(TD)-NMR.

Science.gov (United States)

Nestle, Nikolaus; Häberle, Karl

2009-11-03

In this contribution, we discuss the potential of low-field time-domain(TD)-NMR to study the swelling of (aqueous) polymer dispersions by a volatile solvent. Due to the sensitivity of transverse relaxation times (T2) to swelling-induced changes in the molecular dynamics of the polymer component, the effects of swelling can be measured without spectral resolution. The measurement is performed on polymer dispersions in native state with solids contents around 50% in a non-invasive way without separating the polymeric phase and the water phase from each other. Using acetone in two polyurethane (PU) dispersions with different hard phase contents, we explore the sensitivity of the method and present a data evaluation strategy based on multicomponent fitting and proton balancing. Furthermore, we report exchange continualization as a further effect that needs to be taken into account for correct interpretation of the data.

Post-Mortem Analysis after High-Power Operation of the TD24_R05 Tested in Xbox_1

CERN Document Server

Degiovanni, Alberto; Mouriz Irazabal, Nerea; Aicheler, Markus

2016-01-01

The CLIC prototype structure TD24_R05 has been high power tested in Xbox_1 in 2013. This report summarizes all examinations conducted after the high power test including bead-pull measurements, structure cutting, metrology and SEM observations. A synthesis of the various results is then made. The structure developed a hot cell progressively during operation and detuning was observed after the test was complete. The post mortem examination clearly showed a developed standing wave pattern which was explained by the physical deformation of one of the coupler iris. An elevated breakdown count through SEM imaging in the suspected hot cell however could not be confirmed. Neither any particular feature offering an explanation for the observed longitudinal breakdown distribution could be detected.

Valence and charge-transfer optical properties for some SinCm (m, n ≤ 12) clusters: Comparing TD-DFT, complete-basis-limit EOMCC, and benchmarks from spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Lutz, Jesse J.; Duan, Xiaofeng F.; Ranasinghe, Duminda S.; Jin, Yifan; Margraf, Johannes T.; Perera, Ajith; Burggraf, Larry W.; Bartlett, Rodney J.

2018-05-01

Accurate optical characterization of the closo-Si12C12 molecule is important to guide experimental efforts toward the synthesis of nano-wires, cyclic nano-arrays, and related array structures, which are anticipated to be robust and efficient exciton materials for opto-electronic devices. Working toward calibrated methods for the description of closo-Si12C12 oligomers, various electronic structure approaches are evaluated for their ability to reproduce measured optical transitions of the SiC2, Si2Cn (n = 1-3), and Si3Cn (n = 1, 2) clusters reported earlier by Steglich and Maier [Astrophys. J. 801, 119 (2015)]. Complete-basis-limit equation-of-motion coupled-cluster (EOMCC) results are presented and a comparison is made between perturbative and renormalized non-iterative triples corrections. The effect of adding a renormalized correction for quadruples is also tested. Benchmark test sets derived from both measurement and high-level EOMCC calculations are then used to evaluate the performance of a variety of density functionals within the time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) framework. The best-performing functionals are subsequently applied to predict valence TD-DFT excitation energies for the lowest-energy isomers of SinC and Sin-1C7-n (n = 4-6). TD-DFT approaches are then applied to the SinCn (n = 4-12) clusters and unique spectroscopic signatures of closo-Si12C12 are discussed. Finally, various long-range corrected density functionals, including those from the CAM-QTP family, are applied to a charge-transfer excitation in a cyclic (Si4C4)4 oligomer. Approaches for gauging the extent of charge-transfer character are also tested and EOMCC results are used to benchmark functionals and make recommendations.

Performance Evaluation of Nose Cap to Silica Tile Joint of RLV-TD under the Simulated Flight Environment using Plasma Wind Tunnel Facility

Science.gov (United States)

Pillai, Aravindakshan; Krishnaraj, K.; Sreenivas, N.; Nair, Praveen

2017-12-01

Indian Space Research Organisation, India has successfully flight tested the reusable launch vehicle through launching of a demonstration flight known as RLV-TD HEX mission. This mission has given a platform for exposing the thermal protection system to the real hypersonic flight thermal conditions and thereby validated the design. In this vehicle, the nose cap region is thermally protected by carbon-carbon followed by silica tiles with a gap in between them for thermal expansion. The gap is filled with silica fibre. Base material on which the C-C is placed is made of molybdenum. Silica tile with strain isolation pad is bonded to aluminium structure. These interfaces with a variety of materials are characterised with different coefficients of thermal expansion joined together. In order to evaluate and qualify this joint, model tests were carried out in Plasma Wind Tunnel facility under the simultaneous simulation of heat flux and shear levels as expected in flight. The thermal and flow parameters around the model are determined and made available for the thermal analysis using in-house CFD code. Two tests were carried out. The measured temperatures at different locations were benign in both these tests and the SiC coating on C-C and the interface were also intact. These tests essentially qualified the joint interface between C-C and molybdenum bracket and C-C to silica tile interface of RLV-TD.

Tratamento farmacológico da gagueira: evidências e controvérsias Pharmacologic treatment of stuttering: evidences and controversies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Camila Vila-Nova

2006-01-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Este artigo tem por objetivo analisar a situação do tratamento farmacológico da gagueira, mostrando a eficácia de diferentes abordagens baseadas em drogas psiquiátricas, além de evidenciar a utilização de outros fármacos no tratamento dessa enfermidade. MÉTODOS: Revisão de literatura em base de dados Medline, utilizando os termos stuttering treatment, disfluency, disfluency treatments, botulinum toxin and stuttering treatment, botulinum toxin and disfluency treatment. RESULTADOS: Foram encontrados estudos envolvendo as seguintes drogas: citalopram + clomipramina, paroxetina, olanzapina, citalopram + alprazolam, pimozida, risperidona, tiaprida, clomipramina e desipramina, levetiracetam, divalproato de sódio, clonidina e betanecol, além de ensaios clínicos com a utilização de toxina botulínica tipo A e anestésicos. Os estudos envolvendo citalopram + clomipramina, paroxetina, olanzapina, citalopram + alprazolam, risperidona, clomipramina e desipramina, levetiracetam, divalproato de sódio, lidocaína e toxina botulínica tipo A demonstraram resultados positivos. A maioria das pesquisas relativas ao tratamento farmacológico da gagueira se restringe a estudos de caso e ensaios clínicos com pequenas amostras. CONCLUSÃO: Não existem evidências suficientes que justifiquem a utilização de um tratamento específico para a gagueira. Os estudos apresentados indicam a necessidade da realização de mais ensaios clínicos duplo-cegos e controlados com placebo envolvendo amostras maiores.OBJECTIVE: This article analyzes the pharmacologic treatment of stuttering, assessing the effectiveness of different treatments using psychiatric drugs and further evidences of other drugs in the treatment of this disorder. METHODS: Search in Medline database, using the terms stuttering treatment, disfluency, disfluency treatments, botulinum toxin and stuttering treatment, botulinum toxin and disfluency treatment. RESULTS: Studies involving

DFT/TD-DFT characterization of conjugational electronic structures and spectral properties of materials based on thieno[3,2-b][1]benzothiophene for organic photovoltaic and solar cell applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohamed Bourass

2017-07-01

Full Text Available In this work, a theoretical study on five organic π-conjugated molecules based on thieno[3,2-b][1]benzothiophene using together quantum methods, density functional theory (DFT and its derivative time dependent-density functional theory (TD-DFT is reported. Different electron side groups were introduced as a bridge to investigate their effects on the electronic structure; The HOMO, LUMO, chemical hardness (η, chemical potential (μ, electronegativity (χ, electrophilicity power (ω, reorganization energy total (λtotal, open circuit voltage (Voc, the gap energy and NBO analysis of these compounds have been reported and discussed in this paper. Thus, our aim is to explore their electronic and spectroscopic properties on the basis of the DFT quantum chemical calculations, and at the same time, we are interested to make an idea on the parameters influencing the photovoltaic efficiency toward a better understanding of the structure–property relationships. The calculated results of these compounds reveal that C4, C5, with thiophene and thienopyrazine as a bridge group respectively, can be used as a potential donor of electron in organic Bulk Heterojunction solar cells (BHJ, due to its best electronic and optical properties and good photovoltaic parameters. The study of electronic, optical and structural properties of these compounds could help to design more efficient functional photovoltaic organic materials.

Report on the results of the R and D of a 200 t/d entrained bed coal gasification pilot plant. Summary - Part 2. Volume 3: Results of the study operation and the evaluation; 1986- 200t/nichi funryusho sekitan gaska hatsuden pilot plant no kenkyu seika hokokusho (Matome). Sono 2. Dai 3 hen kenkyu unten seika to sono hyoka

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-01-01

A project was finished which had been carried out for 11 years since 1986 for technology of the entrained bed coal gasification power generation technology using a 200 t/d coal gasification combined cycle power generation pilot plant, and it was comprehensively summed up. In Volume 3: Results of the study operation and the evaluation, the following were summarized on gasifier: gasification performance of 200 t/d furnace, operation ability of the bituminous coal supply system, stability of char recovery, deposition of slag and char in furnace, discharge characteristics of molten slag, operation characteristics, etc. The following on gas refining facilities: dry desulfurizer, dust remover, new gas refining equipment (fixed bed dust removal/desulfurization system, packed bed desulfuriztion/dust removal system), etc. The following on gas turbine facilities: 12.5 MW gas turbine, large gas turbine, large gas turbine combustor, etc. Additionally, the paper summarized the control system and total function, operation characteristics of the whole pilot plant, relations of environmental preservation, study of the effective slag utilization, collection/study of unfavorable conditions/troubles and matters for the reflection, etc. (NEDO)

Identification, Calculation Of The Three Dimensional Orbit, And Flux Of Asteroid 2007 TD14

Science.gov (United States)

Pereira, Vincent; Martin, E.; Millan, J.

2012-01-01

In recent years the rate of discovery of asteroids has improved dramatically and has far outstripped efforts to physically characterize them. In this work, we took part in the International Astronomical Search Campaign and confirmed the discovery of asteroid 2007 TD14. We then calculated the two and three dimensional orbit of the asteroid around the sun, given its six elements of orbit. Once the heliocentric and geocentric distances are known, and the visual magnitude of the asteroid obtained through photometry, its diameter can be calculated assuming a suitable value for the albedo. The diameter was 0.718 km and the albedo was 0.039. Using the Standard Thermal Model we calculated the temperature distribution on the surface of the asteroid and the flux of the asteroid in the thermal infrared (1.095 mJy at 22 microns on March 19, 2010). To the best of our knowledge there have been no previous reports of the diameter and flux of the asteroid. Our ultimate goal is to compare our flux values with newly released data from NASA Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer Mission and thus obtain better estimates of the asteroid diameter and albedo.

How TK-TD and population models for aquatic macrophytes could support the risk assessment for plant protection products.

Science.gov (United States)

Hommen, Udo; Schmitt, Walter; Heine, Simon; Brock, Theo Cm; Duquesne, Sabine; Manson, Phil; Meregalli, Giovanna; Ochoa-Acuña, Hugo; van Vliet, Peter; Arts, Gertie

2016-01-01

This case study of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) workshop MODELINK demonstrates the potential use of mechanistic effects models for macrophytes to extrapolate from effects of a plant protection product observed in laboratory tests to effects resulting from dynamic exposure on macrophyte populations in edge-of-field water bodies. A standard European Union (EU) risk assessment for an example herbicide based on macrophyte laboratory tests indicated risks for several exposure scenarios. Three of these scenarios are further analyzed using effect models for 2 aquatic macrophytes, the free-floating standard test species Lemna sp., and the sediment-rooted submerged additional standard test species Myriophyllum spicatum. Both models include a toxicokinetic (TK) part, describing uptake and elimination of the toxicant, a toxicodynamic (TD) part, describing the internal concentration-response function for growth inhibition, and a description of biomass growth as a function of environmental factors to allow simulating seasonal dynamics. The TK-TD models are calibrated and tested using laboratory tests, whereas the growth models were assumed to be fit for purpose based on comparisons of predictions with typical growth patterns observed in the field. For the risk assessment, biomass dynamics are predicted for the control situation and for several exposure levels. Based on specific protection goals for macrophytes, preliminary example decision criteria are suggested for evaluating the model outputs. The models refined the risk indicated by lower tier testing for 2 exposure scenarios, while confirming the risk associated for the third. Uncertainties related to the experimental and the modeling approaches and their application in the risk assessment are discussed. Based on this case study and the assumption that the models prove suitable for risk assessment once fully evaluated, we recommend that 1) ecological scenarios be developed that are also

Experimental study on the gasification characteristics of coal and orimulsion in 0.5 T/D gasifier

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Ho Young; Kim, Jong Young; An, Dal Hong; Park, Tae Jun [Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO), Taejon (Korea, Republic of). Research Center

1995-12-31

For the construction of commercial plant for IGCC imported from aboard in near future, it is aimed to get gasification data, practice the gasification design capability, and develop a fundamental key technology through the experiments for different kinds of coals (Datong, Roto, Alaska) by 0.5 T/D gasifier. We performed the experiments for physical properties and reactivities on selected coals by means of Drop Tube Reactor, numerical analysis for the reactor. Throughout the characteristic studies of orimulsion gasification, feasibility studies for orimulsion gasification as a fuel for power plant be performed. With the six experiment runs for the coal gasifier, several problems were found to remedy. After remedies, the gasifier could run at good operating conditions maintaining with 200% design feed rate over 1200-1550 degree. The third and fourth gasification runs with Roto were satisfactorily completed, during which gross heating values from produced gas were 7200-8200 Kcal/Nm{sup 3}. (author). 118 refs., 145 figs.

Experimental study on the gasification characteristics of coal and orimulsion in 0.5 T/D gasifier

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Ho Young; Kim, Jong Young; An, Dal Hong; Park, Tae Jun [Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO), Taejon (Korea, Republic of). Research Center

1996-12-31

For the construction of commercial plant for IGCC imported from aboard in near future, it is aimed to get gasification data, practice the gasification design capability, and develop a fundamental key technology through the experiments for different kinds of coals (Datong, Roto, Alaska) by 0.5 T/D gasifier. We performed the experiments for physical properties and reactivities on selected coals by means of Drop Tube Reactor, numerical analysis for the reactor. Throughout the characteristic studies of orimulsion gasification, feasibility studies for orimulsion gasification as a fuel for power plant be performed. With the six experiment runs for the coal gasifier, several problems were found to remedy. After remedies, the gasifier could run at good operating conditions maintaining with 200% design feed rate over 1200-1550 degree. The third and fourth gasification runs with Roto were satisfactorily completed, during which gross heating values from produced gas were 7200-8200 Kcal/Nm{sup 3}. (author). 118 refs., 145 figs.

Incident-angle dependency found in track formation sensitivity of a plastic nuclear track detector (TD-1)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yasuda, Hiroshi

1999-01-01

The present study was done since data are hardly available on the incident-angle dependency of track formation sensitivity (S) of the plastic nuclear track detector. Chips of a TD-1 plate, an antioxidant-doped CR-39 (diethyleglycol-bis-allylcarbonate, HARZLAS, Fukuvi Chem. Ind.), were used as a high-LET radiation detector and were exposed to heavy ion beams of C, Ne, and Si under different incident angles in Heavy Ion Medical Accelerator in Chiba of National Institute of Radiological Sciences. After exposed and etched, the chips were observed with an optical microscope and a program for image analysis to calculate S. The S values calculated were found smaller for the beams having lower incident angles. Thus the estimated LET values from the S-LET relationship for vertical incident beams showed large reduction for low-angle particles. Those potential errors should be quantified and corrected in determination of LET spectra in space. (K.H.)

A multi-mode multi-band RF receiver front-end for a TD-SCDMA/LTE/LTE-advanced in 0.18-μm CMOS process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo Rui; Zhang Haiying

2012-01-01

A fully integrated multi-mode multi-band directed-conversion radio frequency (RF) receiver front-end for a TD-SCDMA/LTE/LTE-advanced is presented. The front-end employs direct-conversion design, and consists of two differential tunable low noise amplifiers (LNA), a quadrature mixer, and two intermediate frequency (IF) amplifiers. The two independent tunable LNAs are used to cover all the four frequency bands, achieving sufficient low noise and high gain performance with low power consumption. Switched capacitor arrays perform a resonant frequency point calibration for the LNAs. The two LNAs are combined at the driver stage of the mixer, which employs a folded double balanced Gilbert structure, and utilizes PMOS transistors as local oscillator (LO) switches to reduce flicker noise. The front-end has three gain modes to obtain a higher dynamic range. Frequency band selection and mode of configuration is realized by an on-chip serial peripheral interface (SPI) module. The front-end is fabricated in a TSMC 0.18-μm RF CMOS process and occupies an area of 1.3 mm 2 . The measured double-sideband (DSB) noise figure is below 3.5 dB and the conversion gain is over 43 dB at all of the frequency bands. The total current consumption is 31 mA from a 1.8-V supply. (semiconductor integrated circuits)

Nutrient digestibility and ruminal characteristics of buffaloes and bovine fed additived sugar cane silages

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C.U. Cecato

2010-02-01

Full Text Available It was evaluated nutrients total digestibility (TD and dry matter (DM intake, pH and NH3 ruminal concentration in buffaloes and bovine, fed sugar cane silages treated with Lactobacillus buchneri (SSL, plus 10% - cassava by-product meal (SSLC, plus 10% - soybean hulls (SSLS or plus 1% - urea (SSLU. The experimental design was a double 4x4 Latin squares with a 4 x 2 factorial arrangement. There was no interaction between species x treatment for evaluated parameters except for TD of CP, NDF and ADF. The soybean hulls addition increased (P<0.05 TD of DM, OM and total carbohydrate (TC while the urea addition reduced (P<0.05 DM intake and TD of DM, OM, TC and no fiber carbohydrate (NFC. Buffaloes showed the highest (P<0.05 TD of CP with SSL and the highest TD of NDF and ADF with SSLS. Bovines showed the highest (P<0.05 TD of CP with the SSL and SSLS; the last increased TD of NDF and ADF. The rumen pH in buffalo was higher than in cattle (6.62 vs. 6.48, respectively. The NH3 ruminal concentration did not differ between species and SSLU treatment presented the highest values (12.9 mg / 100 mL.

Modeling of neutron emission spectroscopy in JET discharges with fast tritons from (T)D ion cyclotron heating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tardocchi, M.; Gorini, G.; Andersson Sunden, E.; Conroy, S.; Ericsson, G.; Gatu Johnson, M.; Giacomelli, L.; Hellesen, C.; Hjalmarsson, A.; Kaellne, J.; Ronchi, E.; Sjoestrand, H.; Weiszflog, M.; Johnson, T.; Lamalle, P. U.

2006-01-01

The measurement of fast ion populations is one of the diagnostic capabilities provided by neutron emission spectroscopy (NES). NES measurements were carried out during JET trace tritium campaign with the magnetic proton recoil neutron spectrometer. A favorable plasma scenario is (T)D where the resulting 14 MeV neutron yield is dominated by suprathermal emission from energetic tritons accelerated by radio frequency at their fundamental cyclotron frequency. Information on the triton distribution function has been derived from NES data with a simple model based on two components referred to as bulk (B) and high energy (HE). The HE component is based on strongly anisotropic tritium distribution that can be used for routine best-fit analysis to provide tail temperature values (T HE ). This article addresses to what extent the T HE values are model dependent by comparing the model above with a two-temperature (bi-) Maxwellian model featuring parallel and perpendicular temperatures. The bi-Maxwellian model is strongly anisotropic and frequently used for radio frequency theory

Quantitative assessment of hemodynamic and structural characteristics of in vivo brain tissue using total diffuse reflectance spectrum measured in a non-contact fashion.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Yinchen; Garcia, Sarahy; Frometa, Yisel; Ramella-Roman, Jessica C; Soltani, Mohammad; Almadi, Mohamed; Riera, Jorge J; Lin, Wei-Chiang

2017-01-01

Here we present a new methodology that investigates the intrinsic structural and hemodynamic characteristics of in vivo brain tissue, in a non-contact fashion, and can be easily incorporated in an intra-operative environment. Within this methodology, relative total diffuse reflectance spectra (R TD (λ)) were acquired from targets using a hybrid spectroscopy imaging system. A spectral interpretation algorithm was subsequently applied to R TD (λ) to retrieve optical properties related to the compositional and structural characteristics of each target. Estimation errors of the proposed methodology were computationally evaluated using a Monte Carlo simulation model for photon migration under various conditions. It was discovered that this new methodology could handle moderate noise and achieve very high accuracy, but only if the refractive index of the target is known. The accuracy of the technique was also validated using a series of tissue phantom studies, and consistent and accurate estimates of μ s '(λ)/μ a (λ) were obtained from all the phantoms tested. Finally, a small-scale animal study was conducted to demonstrate the clinical utility of the reported method, wherein a forepaw stimulation model was utilized to induce transient hemodynamic responses in somatosensory cortices. With this approach, significant stimulation-related changes (p < 0.001) in cortical hemodynamic and structural characteristics were successfully measured.

Development of brown coal liquefaction. Design, construction and operation of a 50 t/d pilot plant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1985-08-01

As for the development of 50t/d pilot plant for the development of liquefaction plant of Victorian brown coal in Australia, outline of the results of the researches in 1984 is reported from the following 4 viewpoints; 1: design of process apparatuses, 2: manufacture of apparatuses, 3: field work of the construction, 4: preparation for operation of the plant. On the first item, the outline of ordering designed equipment from Japanese and Australian companies is described. On the second item the acceptance of purchasing goods from Japan and Australia and promotion of the inspection and quality assurance system. On the third item, contents of the continuous construction of the first stage are described. On the fourth item, the establishment and review of rules and regulations, training and education for operators, enviromental assessment, contents of safety and maintenance work and commissioning work by the promoting department for preparation of operation are described. Moreover support works of wide range for the promotion and adoption by necessary personnel, labour unions, the state of labour and activities for local discricts are described.

Five-Year-Olds’ and Adults’ Use of Paralinguistic Cues to Overcome Referential Uncertainty

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Justine M. Thacker

2018-02-01

Full Text Available An eye-tracking methodology was used to explore adults’ and children’s use of two utterance-based cues to overcome referential uncertainty in real time. Participants were first introduced to two characters with distinct color preferences. These characters then produced fluent (“Look! Look at the blicket.” or disfluent (“Look! Look at thee, uh, blicket.” instructions referring to novel objects in a display containing both talker-preferred and talker-dispreferred colored items. Adults (Expt 1, n = 24 directed a greater proportion of looks to talker-preferred objects during the initial portion of the utterance (“Look! Look at…”, reflecting the use of indexical cues for talker identity. However, they immediately reduced consideration of an object bearing the talker’s preferred color when the talker was disfluent, suggesting they infer disfluency would be more likely as a talker describes dispreferred objects. Like adults, 5-year-olds (Expt 2, n = 27 directed more attention to talker-preferred objects during the initial portion of the utterance. Children’s initial predictions, however, were not modulated when disfluency was encountered. Together, these results demonstrate that adults, but not 5-year-olds, can act on information from two talker-produced cues within an utterance, talker preference, and speech disfluencies, to establish reference.

Virtual reconstruction of the Early Pleistocene mandible ATD6-96 from Gran Dolina-TD6-2 (Sierra De Atapuerca, Spain).

Science.gov (United States)

Bermúdez de Castro, José María; Martín-Francés, Laura; Modesto-Mata, Mario; Martínez de Pinillos, Marina; Martinón-Torres, María; García-Campos, Cecilia; Carretero, José Miguel

2016-04-01

In this report, we present a further study of the late Early Pleistocene ATD6-96 human mandible, recovered from the TD6-2 level of the Gran Dolina cave site (Sierra de Atapuerca, northern Spain) and attributed to Homo antecessor. ATD6-96 consists of a left half of a gracile mandible of an adult individual with the premolars and molars in place that is broken at the level of the lateral incisor-canine septum. The present analysis is based on a virtual reconstruction of the whole mandible by means of computed tomography (CT). We have reconstructed the symphysis using information from a modern human sample, as well as from a wide sample composed of several Homo specimens. This research has allowed us to record new variables with taxonomic and phylogenetic interest. We have estimated the length/width index of the alveolar arcade, as well as the percentage of the arcade length with regard to the total length. The latter confirms that ATD6-96 shares with all African and Asian Homo species a primitive structural pattern, as it was established in previous studies. In constrast, the length/width index of the alveolar arcade in the H. antecessor specimen is close to the mean values of Neandertals and the Atapuerca-Sima de los Huesos hominins. H. antecessor is derived regarding the shape of the mandibular alveolar arcade within the genus Homo and points to an early divergence from contemporaneous African populations. Our results also ratify the affinities of H. antecessor with Neanderthals, although the precise relationship with this lineage needs further research. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Substituted group and side chain effects for the porphyrin and zinc(II)–porphyrin derivatives: A DFT and TD-DFT study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tai, Chin-Kuen; Chuang, Wen-Hua; Wang, Bo-Cheng

2013-01-01

The DFT/B3LYP/LANL2DZ and TD-DFT calculations have been performed to generate the optimized structures, electronic and photo-physical properties for the porphyrin and zinc(II)–porphyrin (metalloporphyrin) derivatives. The substituted group and side chain effects for these derivatives are discussed in this study. According to the calculation results, the side chain moiety extends the π-delocalization length from the porphyrin core to the side chain moiety. The substituted group with a stronger electron-donating ability increases the energy level of highest occupied molecular orbital (E HOMO ). The side chain moiety with a lower resonance energy decreases E HOMO , the energy level of the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (E LUMO ), and the energy gap (E g ) between HOMO and LUMO in the porphyrin and zinc(II)–porphyrin derivatives. The natural bonding orbital (NBO) analysis determines the possible electron transfer mechanism from the electron-donating to -withdrawing groups (the side chain moiety) in these porphyrin derivatives. The projected density of state (PDOS) analysis shows that the electron-donating group affects the electron density distribution in both HOMO and LUMO, and the side chain moiety influence the electron density distribution in LUMO. The calculated photo-physical properties (absorption wavelengths and the related oscillator strength, f) in dichloromethane environment for porphyrin and zinc(II)–porphyrin derivatives have been simulated by using the TD-DFT method within the Polarizable Continuum Model (PCM). The present of both of the substituted group and the side chain moiety in these derivatives results in a red shift and broadening of the range of the absorption peaks of the Q/Soret band as compared to porphin. -- Highlights: • Side chain moiety extends the π-delocalization for the porphyrins. • Substituted group increases the energy of highest occupied molecular orbital. • Side chain moiety influences the Q/Soret band of

DFTBaby: A software package for non-adiabatic molecular dynamics simulations based on long-range corrected tight-binding TD-DFT(B)

Science.gov (United States)

Humeniuk, Alexander; Mitrić, Roland

2017-12-01

A software package, called DFTBaby, is published, which provides the electronic structure needed for running non-adiabatic molecular dynamics simulations at the level of tight-binding DFT. A long-range correction is incorporated to avoid spurious charge transfer states. Excited state energies, their analytic gradients and scalar non-adiabatic couplings are computed using tight-binding TD-DFT. These quantities are fed into a molecular dynamics code, which integrates Newton's equations of motion for the nuclei together with the electronic Schrödinger equation. Non-adiabatic effects are included by surface hopping. As an example, the program is applied to the optimization of excited states and non-adiabatic dynamics of polyfluorene. The python and Fortran source code is available at http://www.dftbaby.chemie.uni-wuerzburg.de.

In vitro activities of the new semisynthetic glycopeptide telavancin (TD-6424), vancomycin, daptomycin, linezolid, and four comparator agents against anaerobic gram-positive species and Corynebacterium spp.

Science.gov (United States)

Goldstein, Ellie J C; Citron, Diane M; Merriam, C Vreni; Warren, Yumi A; Tyrrell, Kerin L; Fernandez, Helen T

2004-06-01

Telavancin is a new semisynthetic glycopeptide anti-infective with multiple mechanisms of action, including inhibition of bacterial membrane phospholipid synthesis and inhibition of bacterial cell wall synthesis. We determined the in vitro activities of telavancin, vancomycin, daptomycin, linezolid, quinupristin-dalfopristin, imipenem, piperacillin-tazobactam, and ampicillin against 268 clinical isolates of anaerobic gram-positive organisms and 31 Corynebacterium strains using agar dilution methods according to National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards procedures. Plates with daptomycin were supplemented with Ca(2+) to 50 mg/liter. The MICs at which 90% of isolates tested were inhibited (MIC(90)s) for telavancin and vancomycin were as follows: Actinomyces spp. (n = 45), 0.25 and 1 microg/ml, respectively; Clostridium difficile (n = 14), 0.25 and 1 microg/ml, respectively; Clostridium ramosum (n = 16), 1 and 4 microg/ml, respectively; Clostridium innocuum (n = 15), 4 and 16 microg/ml, respectively; Clostridium clostridioforme (n = 15), 8 and 1 microg/ml, respectively; Eubacterium group (n = 33), 0.25 and 2 microg/ml, respectively; Lactobacillus spp. (n = 26), 0.5 and 4 microg/ml, respectively; Propionibacterium spp. (n = 34), 0.125 and 0.5 microg/ml, respectively; Peptostreptococcus spp. (n = 52), 0.125 and 0.5 microg/ml, respectively; and Corynebacterium spp. (n = 31), 0.03 and 0.5 microg/ml, respectively. The activity of TD-6424 was similar to that of quinupristin-dalfopristin for most strains except C. clostridioforme and Lactobacillus casei, where quinupristin-dalfopristin was three- to fivefold more active. Daptomycin had decreased activity (MIC > 4 microg/ml) against 14 strains of Actinomyces spp. and all C. ramosum, Eubacterium lentum, and Lactobacillus plantarum strains. Linezolid showed decreased activity (MIC > 4 microg/ml) against C. ramosum, two strains of C. difficile, and 15 strains of Lactobacillus spp. Imipenem and piperacillin

Combined spectroscopic, DFT, TD-DFT and MD study of newly synthesized thiourea derivative

Science.gov (United States)

Menon, Vidya V.; Sheena Mary, Y.; Shyma Mary, Y.; Panicker, C. Yohannan; Bielenica, Anna; Armaković, Stevan; Armaković, Sanja J.; Van Alsenoy, Christian

2018-03-01

A novel thiourea derivative, 1-(3-bromophenyl)-3-[3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]thiourea (ANF-22) is synthesized and characterized by FTIR, FT-Raman and NMR spectroscopy experimentally and theoretically. A detailed conformational analysis of the title molecule has been conducted in order to locate the lowest energy geometry, which was further subjected to the detailed investigation of spectroscopic, reactive, degradation and docking studies by density functional theory (DFT) calculations and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Time dependent DFT (TD-DFT) calculations have been used also in order to simulate UV spectra and investigate charge transfer within molecule. Natural bond orbital analysis has been performed analyzing the charge delocalization and using HOMO and LUMO energies the electronic properties are analyzed. Molecular electrostatic potential map is used for the quantitative measurement of active sites in the molecule. In order to determine the locations possibly prone to electrophilic attacks we have calculated average local ionization energies and mapped them to the electron density surface. Further insight into the local reactivity properties have been obtained by calculation of Fukui functions, also mapped to the electron density surface. Possible degradation properties by the autoxidation mechanism have been assessed by calculations of bond dissociation energies for hydrogen abstraction. Atoms of title molecule with significant interactions with water molecules have been determined by calculations of radial distribution functions. The title compound can be a lead compound for developing new analgesic drug.

Speech-Language Dissociations, Distractibility, and Childhood Stuttering

Science.gov (United States)

Conture, Edward G.; Walden, Tedra A.; Lambert, Warren E.

2015-01-01

Purpose This study investigated the relation among speech-language dissociations, attentional distractibility, and childhood stuttering. Method Participants were 82 preschool-age children who stutter (CWS) and 120 who do not stutter (CWNS). Correlation-based statistics (Bates, Appelbaum, Salcedo, Saygin, & Pizzamiglio, 2003) identified dissociations across 5 norm-based speech-language subtests. The Behavioral Style Questionnaire Distractibility subscale measured attentional distractibility. Analyses addressed (a) between-groups differences in the number of children exhibiting speech-language dissociations; (b) between-groups distractibility differences; (c) the relation between distractibility and speech-language dissociations; and (d) whether interactions between distractibility and dissociations predicted the frequency of total, stuttered, and nonstuttered disfluencies. Results More preschool-age CWS exhibited speech-language dissociations compared with CWNS, and more boys exhibited dissociations compared with girls. In addition, male CWS were less distractible than female CWS and female CWNS. For CWS, but not CWNS, less distractibility (i.e., greater attention) was associated with more speech-language dissociations. Last, interactions between distractibility and dissociations did not predict speech disfluencies in CWS or CWNS. Conclusions The present findings suggest that for preschool-age CWS, attentional processes are associated with speech-language dissociations. Future investigations are warranted to better understand the directionality of effect of this association (e.g., inefficient attentional processes → speech-language dissociations vs. inefficient attentional processes ← speech-language dissociations). PMID:26126203

Speech disorders - children

Science.gov (United States)

... disorder; Voice disorders; Vocal disorders; Disfluency; Communication disorder - speech disorder; Speech disorder - stuttering ... evaluation tools that can help identify and diagnose speech disorders: Denver Articulation Screening Examination Goldman-Fristoe Test of ...

Application of MCD spectroscopy and TD-DFT to endohedral metallofullerenes for characterization of their electronic transitions.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamada, Michio; Slanina, Zdenek; Mizorogi, Naomi; Muranaka, Atsuya; Maeda, Yutaka; Nagase, Shigeru; Akasaka, Takeshi; Kobayashi, Nagao

2013-03-14

We describe, for the first time, the application of magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectroscopy and time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations using B3LYP and M06-2X functionals to characterize the electronic transitions of endohedral metallofullerenes (EMFs). Results revealed that the electronic transitions of La@C(2v)-C(82), La(2)@I(h)-C(80), and Sc(3)N@I(h)-C(80) can be assigned using these techniques. Particularly, a difference in the electronic transitions between La(2)@I(h)-C(80) and Sc(3)N@I(h)-C(80), which is invisible in absorption spectra, was observed clearly in MCD spectra. The observed MCD bands agree well with the oscillator strengths calculated using the B3LYP functional. In addition, the MCD bands of La(2)@I(h)-C(80) were altered upon [5,6]-addition, demonstrating that the MCD spectroscopy is sensitive to chemical functionalization of EMFs, and that it is therefore powerful to distinguish [5,6]-adducts from pristine La(2)@I(h)-C(80), although no marked difference exists in their absorption spectra.

Synthesis, spectroscopic and TD-DFT quantum mechanical study of azo-azomethine dyes. A laser induced trans-cis-trans photoisomerization cycle.

Science.gov (United States)

Georgiev, Anton; Kostadinov, Anton; Ivanov, Deyan; Dimov, Deyan; Stoyanov, Simeon; Nedelchev, Lian; Nazarova, Dimana; Yancheva, Denitsa

2018-03-05

This paper describes the synthesis, spectroscopic characterization and quantum mechanical calculations of three azo-azomethine dyes. The dyes were synthesized via condensation reaction between 4-(dimethylamino)benzaldehyde and three different 4-aminobenzene azo dyes. Quantum chemical calculations on the optimized molecular geometry and electron densities of the trans (E) and cis (Z) isomers and their vibrational frequencies have been computed by using DFT/B3LYP density-functional theory with 6-311++G(d,p) basis set in vacuo. The thermodynamic parameters such as total electronic energy E (RB3LYP), enthalpy H 298 (sum of electronic and thermal enthalpies), free Gibbs energy G 298 (sum of electronic and thermal free Gibbs energies) and dipole moment μ were computed for trans (E) and cis (Z) isomers in order to estimate the ΔE trans→cis , Δμ trans→cis, ΔH trans→cis , ΔG trans→cis and ΔS trans→cis values. After molecular geometry optimization the electronic spectra have been obtained by TD-DFT calculations at same basis set and correlated with the spectra of vapour deposited nanosized films of the dyes. The NBO analysis was performed in order to understand the intramolecular charge transfer and energy of resonance stabilization. Solvatochromism was investigated by UV-VIS spectroscopy in five different organic solvents with increasing polarity. The dynamic photoisomerization experiments have been performed in DMF by pump lasers λ=355nm (mostly E→Z) and λ=491nm (mostly Z→E) in spectral region 300nm - 800nm at equal concentrations and times of illumination in order to investigate the photodynamical trans-cis-trans properties of the CHN and NN chromophore groups of the dyes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Orientação familiar e seus efeitos na gagueira infantil Familiar counseling and its effects on childhood stuttering

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Cristiane Moço Canhetti de Oliveira

2010-01-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Verificar a contribuição da orientação familiar de curto prazo na fluência da fala de crianças com gagueira. MÉTODOS: Participaram 20 díades de crianças com gagueira e familiares. Os procedimentos foram realizados em três etapas: avaliação da fluência, orientações familiares e reavaliação da fluência. A avaliação inicial da fluência foi realizada para caracterizar a tipologia e a frequência das disfluências antes das orientações. A orientação familiar foi realizada em duas sessões, enfatizando os comportamentos verbais e não verbais da família que podem promover a fluência na criança. A reavaliação da fluência ocorreu depois de trinta dias, utilizando-se os mesmos procedimentos da avaliação inicial. Foi aplicado o Teste dos Postos Sinalizados de Wilcoxon, para medir o grau de significância da diferença entre as informações obtidas nas duas fases. RESULTADOS: No que se refere à tipologia, a análise comparativa das duas avaliações mostrou que, dentre os seis tipos de disfluências comuns, quatro diminuíram, e, dentre os seis tipos de disfluências gagas, cinco apresentaram redução. No que se refere à frequência das rupturas, 70% das crianças tiveram uma diminuição na porcentagem de descontinuidade de fala, e 80% no total de rupturas gagas. CONCLUSÃO: A orientação fonoaudiológica realizada com familiares de crianças com gagueira favoreceu a promoção da fluência na fala da criança, mostrando-se relevante na área da fluência infantil.PURPOSE: To determine the contribution of short-term familiar counseling in the speech fluency of children who stutter. METHODS: Participants were 20 dyads of child who stutters and a family member. Procedures were carried out in three stages: assessment of fluency, familiar counseling, and reassessment of fluency. The initial assessment of fluency was performed in order to characterize the type and frequency of disfluencies produced before

Simultaneous Assessment of Acidogenesis-Mitigation and Specific Bacterial Growth-Inhibition by Dentifrices.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarah Forbes

Full Text Available Dentifrices can augment oral hygiene by inactivating bacteria and at sub-lethal concentrations may affect bacterial metabolism, potentially inhibiting acidogenesis, the main cause of caries. Reported herein is the development of a rapid method to simultaneously measure group-specific bactericidal and acidogenesis-mitigation effects of dentifrices on oral bacteria. Saliva was incubated aerobically and anaerobically in Tryptone Soya Broth, Wilkins-Chalgren Broth with mucin, or artificial saliva and was exposed to dentifrices containing triclosan/copolymer (TD; sodium fluoride (FD; stannous fluoride and zinc lactate (SFD1; or stannous fluoride, zinc lactate and stannous chloride (SFD2. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC were determined turbidometrically whilst group-specific minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBC were assessed using growth media and conditions selective for total aerobes, total anaerobes, streptococci and Gram-negative anaerobes. Minimum acid neutralization concentration (MNC was defined as the lowest concentration of dentifrice at which acidification was inhibited. Differences between MIC and MNC were calculated and normalized with respect to MIC to derive the combined inhibitory and neutralizing capacity (CINC, a cumulative measure of acidogenesis-mitigation and growth inhibition. The overall rank order for growth inhibition potency (MIC under aerobic and anaerobic conditions was: TD> SFD2> SFD1> FD. Acidogenesis-mitigation (MNC was ordered; TD> FD> SFD2> SFD1. CINC was ordered TD> FD> SFD2> SFD1 aerobically and TD> FD> SFD1> SFD2 anaerobically. With respect to group-specific bactericidal activity, TD generally exhibited the greatest potency, particularly against total aerobes, total anaerobes and streptococci. This approach enables the rapid simultaneous evaluation of acidity mitigation, growth inhibition and specific antimicrobial activity by dentifrices.

Drainage water management combined with cover crop enhances reduction of soil phosphorus loss.

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Zhang, T Q; Tan, C S; Zheng, Z M; Welacky, T; Wang, Y T

2017-05-15

Integrating multiple practices for mitigation of phosphorus (P) loss from soils may enhance the reduction efficiency, but this has not been studied as much as individual ones. A four-year study was conducted to determine the effects of cover crop (CC) (CC vs. no CC, NCC) and drainage water management (DWM) (controlled drainage with sub-irrigation, CDS, vs. regular free tile drainage, RFD) and their interaction on P loss through both surface runoff (SR) and tile drainage (TD) water in a clay loam soil of the Lake Erie region. Cover crop reduced SR flow volume by 32% relative to NCC, regardless of DWM treatment. In contrast, CC increased TD flow volume by 57 and 9.4% with CDS and RFD, respectively, compared to the corresponding DWM treatment with NCC. The total (SR+TD) field water discharge volumes were comparable amongst all the treatments. Cover crop reduced flow-weighted mean (FWM) concentrations of particulate P (PP) by 26% and total P (TP) by 12% in SR, while it didn't affect the FWM dissolved reactive P (DRP) concentration, regardless of DWM treatments. Compared with RFD, CDS reduced FWM DRP concentration in TD water by 19%, while CC reduced FWM PP and TP concentrations in TD by 21 and 17%, respectively. Total (SR+TD) soil TP loss was the least with CDS-CC followed by RFD-CC, CDS-NCC, and RFD-NCC. Compared with RFD-NCC, currently popular practice in the region, total TP loss was reduced by 23% with CDS-CC. The CDS-CC system can be an effective practice to ultimately mitigate soil P loading to water resource. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Electronic and photophysical properties of 2-(2′-hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazole and its derivatives enhancing in the excited-state intramolecular proton transfer processes: A TD-DFT study on substitution effect

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Daengngern, Rathawat; Kungwan, Nawee, E-mail: naweekung@gmail.com

2015-11-15

The effect of electron donating and withdrawing substituents on the enol absorption and keto emission spectra of 2-(2′-hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazole (HBO) and its derivatives has been systematically investigated by means of density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT) methods. The enol absorption spectra of HBO were simulated by using five different DFTs with various exchange-correlation functions to validate a suitable functional prior to being further used as a method of choice to study the effect of substituents on the spectral characteristics of HBO derivatives. The popular B3LYP (Becke, three-parameter, Lee–Yang–Parr) exchange-correlation functional is found to provide the best desirable result in predicting the absorption spectrum close to experimental data. In the ground state, enol forms of HBO and its derivatives are more stable than those of keto forms, while in the first lowest excited state, keto forms are found to be more stable than their enol forms. Overall, simulated absorption and emission spectra of HBO and its derivatives from TD-B3LYP calculations are in good agreement with the experimental data. For enol, absorption maxima of HBO derivatives having electron-withdrawing groups are red-shift corresponding to their lower HOMO–LUMO energy gaps compared to that of HBO. For keto emission, HBO having electron donating groups (m-MeHBO and MHBO) and withdrawing group (CNHBO) at 4′-position on the phenol fragment as well as electron donating groups (HBOMe and HBOM) at 6-position on the benzoxazole fragment make the position of keto emission peak shift to shorter wavelength (blue-shift). However, HBO derivatives with electron withdrawing groups (HBOF, HBOCl, HBOA and HBOE) at 6-position give redshifted emission compared to the parent compound (HBO). The type of substituent on both 4′- and 6-positions certainly has a pronounced effect on the absorption and emission spectra of HBO derivatives. - Highlights: • Simulated spectra

Electronic and photophysical properties of 2-(2′-hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazole and its derivatives enhancing in the excited-state intramolecular proton transfer processes: A TD-DFT study on substitution effect

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daengngern, Rathawat; Kungwan, Nawee

2015-01-01

The effect of electron donating and withdrawing substituents on the enol absorption and keto emission spectra of 2-(2′-hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazole (HBO) and its derivatives has been systematically investigated by means of density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT) methods. The enol absorption spectra of HBO were simulated by using five different DFTs with various exchange-correlation functions to validate a suitable functional prior to being further used as a method of choice to study the effect of substituents on the spectral characteristics of HBO derivatives. The popular B3LYP (Becke, three-parameter, Lee–Yang–Parr) exchange-correlation functional is found to provide the best desirable result in predicting the absorption spectrum close to experimental data. In the ground state, enol forms of HBO and its derivatives are more stable than those of keto forms, while in the first lowest excited state, keto forms are found to be more stable than their enol forms. Overall, simulated absorption and emission spectra of HBO and its derivatives from TD-B3LYP calculations are in good agreement with the experimental data. For enol, absorption maxima of HBO derivatives having electron-withdrawing groups are red-shift corresponding to their lower HOMO–LUMO energy gaps compared to that of HBO. For keto emission, HBO having electron donating groups (m-MeHBO and MHBO) and withdrawing group (CNHBO) at 4′-position on the phenol fragment as well as electron donating groups (HBOMe and HBOM) at 6-position on the benzoxazole fragment make the position of keto emission peak shift to shorter wavelength (blue-shift). However, HBO derivatives with electron withdrawing groups (HBOF, HBOCl, HBOA and HBOE) at 6-position give redshifted emission compared to the parent compound (HBO). The type of substituent on both 4′- and 6-positions certainly has a pronounced effect on the absorption and emission spectra of HBO derivatives. - Highlights: • Simulated spectra

Molecular structure and spectroscopic properties of 4-nitrocatechol at different pH: UV-visible, Raman, DFT and TD-DFT calculations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cornard, Jean-Paul; Rasmiwetti; Merlin, Jean-Claude

2005-01-01

We investigated theoretically, by density functional theoretical calculations and by vibrational and electronic spectroscopies, the structure and the molecular spectroscopic properties of the 4-nitrocatechol molecule with varying pH. The lower energy stable structures of the neutral, monoanion and dianion forms were compared, and influence of water solvation was examined. The Raman and UV-visible spectra of 4-nitrocatechol and of its singly deprotonated form were recorded by varying the pH from 2 to 9. A calculation of the vibrational frequencies has allowed a complete assignment of the Raman spectra of the two forms of 4-nitrocatechol, and has permitted to investigate the evolution of vibrational normal modes upon deprotonation. Based on the molecular orbital analysis and the time dependent DFT (TD-DFT) calculations, we discussed the electronic structure and the assignment of the absorption bands in the electronic spectra of 4-nitrocatechol and mono-deprotonated 4-nitrocatechol

Analysis of real-time mixture cytotoxicity data following repeated exposure using BK/TD models.

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Teng, S; Tebby, C; Barcellini-Couget, S; De Sousa, G; Brochot, C; Rahmani, R; Pery, A R R

2016-08-15

Cosmetic products generally consist of multiple ingredients. Thus, cosmetic risk assessment has to deal with mixture toxicity on a long-term scale which means it has to be assessed in the context of repeated exposure. Given that animal testing has been banned for cosmetics risk assessment, in vitro assays allowing long-term repeated exposure and adapted for in vitro - in vivo extrapolation need to be developed. However, most in vitro tests only assess short-term effects and consider static endpoints which hinder extrapolation to realistic human exposure scenarios where concentration in target organs is varies over time. Thanks to impedance metrics, real-time cell viability monitoring for repeated exposure has become possible. We recently constructed biokinetic/toxicodynamic models (BK/TD) to analyze such data (Teng et al., 2015) for three hepatotoxic cosmetic ingredients: coumarin, isoeugenol and benzophenone-2. In the present study, we aim to apply these models to analyze the dynamics of mixture impedance data using the concepts of concentration addition and independent action. Metabolic interactions between the mixture components were investigated, characterized and implemented in the models, as they impacted the actual cellular exposure. Indeed, cellular metabolism following mixture exposure induced a quick disappearance of the compounds from the exposure system. We showed that isoeugenol substantially decreased the metabolism of benzophenone-2, reducing the disappearance of this compound and enhancing its in vitro toxicity. Apart from this metabolic interaction, no mixtures showed any interaction, and all binary mixtures were successfully modeled by at least one model based on exposure to the individual compounds. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Prevalence of risk factors for stuttering among boys: analytical cross-sectional study

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Cristiane Moço Canhetti Oliveira

Full Text Available CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE:There have been few studies on the risk factors for subgroups of stuttering. The aim of this study was to characterize the risk factors for developmental familial stuttering among boys who stutter and who do not stutter, such as disfluency types, associated quality and communication factors, emotional and physical stress, familial attitudes and personal reactions.DESIGN AND SETTING:Analytical cross-sectional study with a control group, performed at the Fluency Studies Laboratory of the Department of Speech and Hearing Disorders of a public university.METHODS: The parents of 40 age-matched stuttering and non-stuttering boys took part in this study. The participants were divided into two groups: stuttering children (SC and non-stuttering children (NSC, with ages between 6 years 0 months and 11 years 11 months. Initially, all of the participants underwent a fluency assessment and then data were gathered using the Protocol for the Risk of Developmental Stuttering.RESULTS:There were no differences in the physical stress distribution factors and personal reactions between the groups. Inappropriate familial attitudes were presented by 95% of the SC and 30% of the NSC. Four risk factors analyzed were not shown by the NSC, namely stuttering-like disfluency, quality factors, physical stress and emotional stresses.CONCLUSIONS:The findings suggest that the presence of stuttering-like disfluency, associated quality and communication factors, emotional stress and inappropriate family attitudes are important risk factors for familial developmental stuttering among boys.

Neurophysiological determinants of tic severity in children with chronic motor tic disorder.

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Siniatchkin, Michael; Kuppe, Andrea

2011-06-01

Tics wax and wane in severity. Although the understanding of the natural course of symptoms in tic disorder (TD) is important for planning and assessing therapeutic interventions, neurophysiological mechanisms and predictors of tic exacerbation and remission have not been sufficiently investigated. In each of seven children suffering from TD, contingent negative variation (CNV) was recorded on 10 occasions over a period of 2 months. CNV parameters of children with TD were compared with CNV data of healthy, age-matched children. During the entire time of observation, tic severity was assessed by parents and the investigator using a scale developed from the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale. Moreover, tic severity was also evaluated using video assessments. Patients with TD were characterized by significantly lower amplitude of the total CNV and more pronounced habituation of the early CNV component as compared to healthy children. Correlation analysis between tic severity and CNV parameters demonstrated that the more severe the tics were, the lower the amplitude of the total CNV. Since CNV amplitude represents processes of resource mobilization and control over neuronal excitability, tic severity may result from less ability to control neurophysiological functions in patients with TD.

Atypical central auditory speech-sound discrimination in children who stutter as indexed by the mismatch negativity

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jansson-Verkasalo, E.; Eggers, K.; Järvenpää, A.; Suominen, K.; Van Den Bergh, B.R.H.; de Nil, L.; Kujala, T.

2014-01-01

Purpose Recent theoretical conceptualizations suggest that disfluencies in stuttering may arise from several factors, one of them being atypical auditory processing. The main purpose of the present study was to investigate whether speech sound encoding and central auditory discrimination, are

Evaluation of threading dislocation densities in In- and N-face InN

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gallinat, C. S.; Koblmueller, G.; Wu, Feng; Speck, J. S.

2010-01-01

The threading dislocation (TD) structure and density has been studied in In- and N-face InN films grown on GaN by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. The TD densities were determined by nondestructive x-ray diffraction rocking curve measurements in on-axis symmetric and off-axis skew symmetric geometries and calibrated by transmission electron microscopy measurements. TD densities were dominated by edge-type TDs with screw-component TDs accounting for less than 10% of the total TD density. A significant decrease in edge-type TD density was observed for In-face InN films grown at increasingly higher substrate temperatures. In-face InN films grown with excess In exhibited lower TD densities compared to films grown under N-rich conditions. The edge-type TD density of N-face InN films was independent of substrate temperature due to the higher allowable growth temperatures for N-face InN compared to In-face InN. TD densities in In-face InN also showed a strong dependence on film thickness. Films grown at a thickness of less than 1 μm had higher TD densities compared with films grown thicker than 1 μm. The lowest measured TD density for an In-face InN film was ∼1.5x10 10 /cm 2 for 1 μm thick films.

Magnetic resonance-thoracic ductography. Imaging aid for thoracic surgery and thoracic duct depiction based on embryological considerations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okuda, Itsuko; Udagawa, Harushi; Takahashi, Junji; Yamase, Hiromi; Kohno, Tadasu; Nakajima, Yasuo

2009-01-01

We describe the optimal protocol of magnetic resonance-thoracic ductography (MRTD) and provide examples of thoracic ducts (TD) and various anomalies. The anatomical pathway of the TD was analyzed based on embryological considerations. A total of 78 subjects, consisting of noncancer adults and patients with esophageal cancer and lung cancer, were enrolled. The MRTD protocol included a long echo time and was based on emphasizing signals from the liquid fraction and suppressing other signals, based on the principle that lymph flow through the TD appears hyperintense on T2-weighted images. The TD configuration was classified into nine types based on location [right and/or left side(s) of the descending aorta] and outflow [right and/or left venous angle(s)]. MRTD was conducted in 78 patients, and the three-dimensional reconstruction was considered to provide excellent view of the TD in 69 patients, segmentalization of TD in 4, and a poor view of the TD in 5. MRTD achieved a visualization rate of 94%. Most of the patients had a right-side TD that flowed into the left venous angle. Major configuration variations were noted in 14% of cases. Minor anomalies, such as divergence and meandering, were frequently seen. MRTD allows noninvasive evaluation of TD and can be used to identify TD configuration. Thus, this technique is considered to contribute positively to safer performance of thoracic surgery. (author)

The vestibulo- and preposito-cerebellar cholinergic neurons of a ChAT-tdTomato transgenic rat exhibit heterogeneous firing properties and the expression of various neurotransmitter receptors.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yue; Kaneko, Ryosuke; Yanagawa, Yuchio; Saito, Yasuhiko

2014-04-01

Cerebellar function is regulated by cholinergic mossy fiber inputs that are primarily derived from the medial vestibular nucleus (MVN) and prepositus hypoglossi nucleus (PHN). In contrast to the growing evidence surrounding cholinergic transmission and its functional significance in the cerebellum, the intrinsic and synaptic properties of cholinergic projection neurons (ChPNs) have not been clarified. In this study, we generated choline acetyltransferase (ChAT)-tdTomato transgenic rats, which specifically express the fluorescent protein tdTomato in cholinergic neurons, and used them to investigate the response properties of ChPNs identified via retrograde labeling using whole-cell recordings in brainstem slices. In response to current pulses, ChPNs exhibited two afterhyperpolarisation (AHP) profiles and three firing patterns; the predominant AHP and firing properties differed between the MVN and PHN. Morphologically, the ChPNs were separated into two types based on their soma size and dendritic extensions. Analyses of the firing responses to time-varying sinusoidal current stimuli revealed that ChPNs exhibited different firing modes depending on the input frequencies. The maximum frequencies in which each firing mode was observed were different between the neurons that exhibited distinct firing patterns. Analyses of the current responses to the application of neurotransmitter receptor agonists revealed that the ChPNs expressed (i) AMPA- and NMDA-type glutamate receptors, (ii) GABAA and glycine receptors, and (iii) muscarinic and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. The current responses mediated by these receptors of MVN ChPNs were not different from those of PHN ChPNs. These findings suggest that ChPNs receive various synaptic inputs and encode those inputs appropriately across different frequencies. © 2014 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The effect of low-dose total body irradiation on tumor control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakamoto, Kiyohiko; Miyamoto, Miyako; Watabe, Nobuyuki.

1987-01-01

Total body irradiation (TBI) is considered to bring about an immunosuppressive effect on an organism, on the basis of data obtained from sublethal doses of TBI. However, there are no data on how low-dose TBI affects an organism. Over the last five years, we have been studying the effects of low-dose TBI on normal or tumor-bearing mice and the immunological background of these effects. In experimental studies, an increase in the TD50 value (the number of cells required for a tumor incidence of 50 %) in mice exposed to 10 rad was recognized and showed a remarkable increase at 6 hours to 15 hours after irradiation. TBI of 10 rad also showed an enhancement effect on tumor cell killing when given 12 hours before local tumor irradiation. In order to clarify the mechanism of this kind of effect, some immunological studies were performed using several immunological procedures, and the results suggested that 10 rad of TBI caused increasing tumor immunity in irradiated mice. Clinical trials in some patients with advanced tumors are now being undertaken on the basis of these experimental data, and the effect of TBI on tumor control appears promising, although it is too early to draw conclusions. (author)

COST action TD1407: network on technology-critical elements (NOTICE)--from environmental processes to human health threats.

Science.gov (United States)

Cobelo-García, A; Filella, M; Croot, P; Frazzoli, C; Du Laing, G; Ospina-Alvarez, N; Rauch, S; Salaun, P; Schäfer, J; Zimmermann, S

2015-10-01

The current socio-economic, environmental and public health challenges that countries are facing clearly need common-defined strategies to inform and support our transition to a sustainable economy. Here, the technology-critical elements (which includes Ga, Ge, In, Te, Nb, Ta, Tl, the Platinum Group Elements and most of the rare-earth elements) are of great relevance in the development of emerging key technologies-including renewable energy, energy efficiency, electronics or the aerospace industry. In this context, the increasing use of technology-critical elements (TCEs) and associated environmental impacts (from mining to end-of-life waste products) is not restricted to a national level but covers most likely a global scale. Accordingly, the European COST Action TD1407: Network on Technology-Critical Elements (NOTICE)-from environmental processes to human health threats, has an overall objective for creating a network of scientists and practitioners interested in TCEs, from the evaluation of their environmental processes to understanding potential human health threats, with the aim of defining the current state of knowledge and gaps, proposing priority research lines/activities and acting as a platform for new collaborations and joint research projects. The Action is focused on three major scientific areas: (i) analytical chemistry, (ii) environmental biogeochemistry and (iii) human exposure and (eco)-toxicology.

A novel downlink scheduling strategy for traffic communication system based on TD-LTE technology.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Ting; Zhao, Xiangmo; Gao, Tao; Zhang, Licheng

2016-01-01

There are many existing classical scheduling algorithms which can obtain better system throughput and user equality, however, they are not designed for traffic transportation environment, which cannot consider whether the transmission performance of various information flows could meet comprehensive requirements of traffic safety and delay tolerance. This paper proposes a novel downlink scheduling strategy for traffic communication system based on TD-LTE technology, which can perform two classification mappings for various information flows in the eNodeB: firstly, associate every information flow packet with traffic safety importance weight according to its relevance to the traffic safety; secondly, associate every traffic information flow with service type importance weight according to its quality of service (QoS) requirements. Once the connection is established, at every scheduling moment, scheduler would decide the scheduling order of all buffers' head of line packets periodically according to the instant value of scheduling importance weight function, which calculated by the proposed algorithm. From different scenario simulations, it can be verified that the proposed algorithm can provide superior differentiated transmission service and reliable QoS guarantee to information flows with different traffic safety levels and service types, which is more suitable for traffic transportation environment compared with the existing popularity PF algorithm. With the limited wireless resource, information flow closed related to traffic safety will always obtain priority scheduling right timely, which can help the passengers' journey more safe. Moreover, the proposed algorithm cannot only obtain good flow throughput and user fairness which are almost equal to those of the PF algorithm without significant differences, but also provide better realtime transmission guarantee to realtime information flow.

Predictors of trait dissociation and peritraumatic dissociation induced via cold pressor.

Science.gov (United States)

Gómez-Pérez, Lydia; López-Martínez, Alicia Eva; Asmundson, Gordon John Glenn

2013-11-30

Understanding which factors predict individual dissociative response during stressful situations is important to clarify the nature of dissociation and the mechanisms associated to its use as a coping strategy. The present study examined (1) whether experiential avoidance (EA), anxiety sensitivity (AS), depressive symptoms, and state anxiety concurrently predicted trait dissociation (TD)-absorption, amnesia, depersonalization, and total TD scores-and laboratory induced dissociation (LID); and (2) whether TD and catastrophizing predicted LID. We also examined whether catastrophizing mediated the relationships between both AS and depressive symptoms and LID. A total of 101 female undergraduate students participated in a cold pressor task, which significantly induced dissociation. Results of hierarchical regression analyses showed that AS at Time 1 (9 months before the experimental session), as well as depressive symptoms and catastrophizing at the time of the experiment (Time 2), predicted LID at Time 2. Depressive symptoms at Time 2 predicted total TD, absorption, and amnesia scores. AS at Time 1 and depressive symptoms at Time 2 predicted depersonalization. AS, depressive symptoms, and catastrophizing seem to facilitate the use of dissociative strategies by healthy individuals, even in response to non-traumatic but discomforting stress. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Do Adolescents with Specific Language Impairment Understand Driving Terminology?

Science.gov (United States)

Pandolfe, Jessica M.; Wittke, Kacie; Spaulding, Tammie J.

2016-01-01

Purpose: This study examined if adolescents with specific language impairment (SLI) understand driving vocabulary as well as their typically developing (TD) peers. Method: A total of 16 adolescents with SLI and 16 TD comparison adolescents completed a receptive vocabulary task focused on driving terminology derived from statewide driver's manuals.…

Constraining |V(td)|/|V(ts)| Using Radiative Penguin B -> V(K*/rho/omega)gamma Decays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tan, Ping

2006-01-01

Exclusive radiative penguin B decays, B → (K* 0 /K* + )γ and B → (ρ/ω)γ, are flavor-changing neutral-current (FCNC) processes. Studies of these decays are of special interest in testing Standard Model (SM) predictions and searching for other beyond-the-SM FCNC interactions. Using 89 x 10 6 B(bar B) pairs from BABAR, we measure the branching fraction (Β), CP-asymmetry (Α), and isospin asymmetry (Δ 0- ) of B → (K* 0 /K* + )γ as follows: Β(B 0 → K* 0 γ) = 3.92 ± 0.20(stat.) ± 0.24(syst.); Β(B + → K* + γ) = 3.87 ± 0.28(stat.) ± 0.26(syst.); Α(B → K*γ) = 0.013 ± 0.36(stat.) ± 0.10(syst.); Δ 0- (B → K*γ) = 0.050 ± 0.045(stat.) ± 0.028(syst.) ± 0.024(R +/0 ). The 90% confidence intervals for the CP-asymmetry and the isospin-asymmetry in the B → K*γ decay are given as: -0.074 0- (B → K*γ) 6 B(bar B) pairs from BABAR. No evidence for these decays is found. We set the upper limits at 90% confidence level for these decays: Β(B 0 → ρ 0 γ) -6 , Β(B + → ρ + γ) -6 , Β(B 0 → ωγ) -6 , (bar Β)(B → (ρ/ω)γ) -6 . These results are in good agreement with the SM predictions. The branching fractions of these decays are then used to constrain the ratio |V td |/|V ts |

Preconditioning Strategies for Solving Elliptic Difference Equations on a Multiprocessor.

Science.gov (United States)

1982-01-01

CALLING MA31C. C TD - TIME REQUIRED BY MA31C TO PERFORM THE C FACTORIZATION. 160 C TDT - TOTAL TIME REQUIRED BY SUBROUTINE FACTOR. C TDT-T IM3-T IMI...TPD-TIM2-TIM1 TD -TIM3-TIM2 165 C WRITE(LP,70) TDT,TPD, TD 70 FORMAT(7H TDT - ,F6.3,7H TPD " F6.3,6H TD ,F6.3) C WRITE(LP, 85) NTYPE,NVERN 170 85 FORMAT...INTEGER INI(IAI) ,INJ(IAJ) ,IK(NN,4) INTEGER NU(3000) C COMMON/EA 4BD /PRVT(4),IPRVT(6) 15 COMMON/MA31I/DD,LP,MP COMMON/MA31J/LROW,LCOL,NCP,ND, IPD

Relative Stability of the La and Lb Excited States in Adenine and Guanine: Direct Evidence from TD-DFT Calculations of MCD Spectra.

Science.gov (United States)

Santoro, Fabrizio; Improta, Roberto; Fahleson, Tobias; Kauczor, Joanna; Norman, Patrick; Coriani, Sonia

2014-06-05

The relative position of La and Lb ππ* electronic states in purine nucleobases is a much debated topic, since it can strongly affect our understanding of their photoexcited dynamics. To assess this point, we calculated the absorption and magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectra of adenine, guanine, and their nucleosides in gas-phase and aqueous solution, exploiting recent developments in MCD computational technology within time-dependent density functional theory. MCD spectroscopy allows us to resolve the intense S0→ La transition from the weak S0→ Lb transition. The spectra obtained in water solution, by using B3LYP and CAM-B3LYP functionals and describing solvent effect by cluster models and by the polarizable continuum model (PCM), are in very good agreement with the experimental counterparts, thus providing direct and unambiguous evidence that the energy ordering predicted by TD-DFT, La < Lb, is the correct one.

Effect of Icariin on Tibial Dyschondroplasia Incidence and Tibial Characteristics by Regulating P2RX7 in Chickens

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hui Zhang

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Tibial dyschondroplasia (TD is a disease of rapid growing chickens that occurs in many avian species; it is characterized by nonvascular and nonmineralized growth plates, along with tibia bone deformation and lameness. Icariin is widely used to treat bone diseases in humans, but no report is available regarding the effectiveness of icariin against avian TD. Therefore, this study was designed to determine its effect against TD. For this purpose, a total of 180 broiler chicks were distributed into three groups including control, TD, and icariin group. Control group was given a standard normal diet, while TD and icariin groups received normal standard diet containing 50 mg/kg thiram to induce TD from days 3 to 7 after hatch. After the induction of TD, the chicks of icariin group were fed with standard normal diet by adding 10 mg/kg icariin in water. Then morphological and production parameters analysis of tibial bone indicators, physiological index changes, and gene expression were examined. The results showed that icariin administration not only decreased the mortality but also mitigated the lameness and promoted the angiogenesis, which diminished the TD lesion and significantly increased the expression of P2RX7 (P<0.05 in TD affected thiram induced chicks. In conclusion, present findings suggest that icariin has a significant role in promoting the recovery of chicken growth plates affected by TD via regulating the P2RX7. Our findings reveal a new target for clinical treatment and prevention of TD in broiler chickens.

[Clinical features and risk factors of co-morbid tic disorder in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Ke-Ying; Xiao, Zhi-Hui; Chen, Yan-Zhao; Zhang, Zhao-Xia; Liu, Zhi-Ping; Yang, Chun-He; Gao, Mei-Hao

2014-09-01

To study the clinical features and risk factors of co-morbid tic disorder (TD) in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). A total of 312 children with ADHD were involved in this study. Subtypes of co-morbid TD, incidences of TD in different subtypes of ADHD (ADHD-I, ADHD-HI and ADHD-C) were observed. Thirteen potential factors influencing the comorbidity rate of TD in ADHD were evaluated by univariate analysis and multiple logistic regression analysis. Forty-two of 312 children with ADHD suffered from co-morbid TD (13.5%). Comorbidity rate of TD in children with ADHD-C (24.1%) was significantly higher than in those with ADHD-HI (10.9%) and ADHD-I (8.8%) (P<0.05). There were 21 cases (50.0%) of transient TD, 12 cases (28.6%) of chronic TD, and 9 cases (21.4%) of Tourette syndrome. The univariate analysis revealed 6 factors associated with comorbidity: addiction to mobile phone or computer games, poor eating habits, infection, improper family education, poor relationship between parents and poor relationship with schoolmates. Multiple logistic analysis revealed two independent risk factors for comorbidity: improper family education (OR=7.000, P<0.05) and infection (OR=2.564, P<0.05). The incidence of co-morbid TD in children with ADHD is influenced by many factors, and early interventions should be performed based on the main risk factors.

Impact of Water Management on Rice Varieties, Yield, and Water Productivity under the System of Rice Intensification in Southern Taiwan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Victoriano Joseph Pascual

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The system of rice intensification (SRI uses less water and enhances rice yield through synergy among several agronomic management practices. This claim was investigated to determine the effects of crop growth, yield and irrigation water use, using two thirds of the recommended SRI practices and two rice varieties, namely Tainan11 (TN11 and Tidung30 (TD30. Irrigation regimes were (a intermittent irrigation with three-day intervals (TD303 and TN113; (b intermittent irrigation with seven-day intervals (TD307 and TN117 and (c continuous flooding (TD30F and TN11F. Results showed that intermittent irrigation of three- and seven-day intervals produced water savings of 55% and 74% compared with continuous flooding. Total water productivity was greater with intermittent irrigation at seven-day intervals producing 0.35 kg·grain/m3 (TN117 and 0.46 kg·grain/m3 (TD307. Average daily headed panicle reduced by 166% and 196% for TN113 and TN117 compared with TN11F, with similar reduction recorded for TD303 (150% and TD307 (156% compared with TD30F. Grain yield of TD30 was comparable among irrigation regimes; however, it reduced by 30.29% in TN117 compared to TN11F. Plant height and leaf area were greater in plants exposed to intermittent irrigation of three-day intervals.

Analysis of real-time mixture cytotoxicity data following repeated exposure using BK/TD models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teng, S.; Tebby, C.; Barcellini-Couget, S.; De Sousa, G.; Brochot, C.; Rahmani, R.; Pery, A.R.R.

2016-01-01

Cosmetic products generally consist of multiple ingredients. Thus, cosmetic risk assessment has to deal with mixture toxicity on a long-term scale which means it has to be assessed in the context of repeated exposure. Given that animal testing has been banned for cosmetics risk assessment, in vitro assays allowing long-term repeated exposure and adapted for in vitro – in vivo extrapolation need to be developed. However, most in vitro tests only assess short-term effects and consider static endpoints which hinder extrapolation to realistic human exposure scenarios where concentration in target organs is varies over time. Thanks to impedance metrics, real-time cell viability monitoring for repeated exposure has become possible. We recently constructed biokinetic/toxicodynamic models (BK/TD) to analyze such data (Teng et al., 2015) for three hepatotoxic cosmetic ingredients: coumarin, isoeugenol and benzophenone-2. In the present study, we aim to apply these models to analyze the dynamics of mixture impedance data using the concepts of concentration addition and independent action. Metabolic interactions between the mixture components were investigated, characterized and implemented in the models, as they impacted the actual cellular exposure. Indeed, cellular metabolism following mixture exposure induced a quick disappearance of the compounds from the exposure system. We showed that isoeugenol substantially decreased the metabolism of benzophenone-2, reducing the disappearance of this compound and enhancing its in vitro toxicity. Apart from this metabolic interaction, no mixtures showed any interaction, and all binary mixtures were successfully modeled by at least one model based on exposure to the individual compounds. - Highlights: • We could predict cell response over repeated exposure to mixtures of cosmetics. • Compounds acted independently on the cells. • Metabolic interactions impacted exposure concentrations to the compounds.

Analysis of real-time mixture cytotoxicity data following repeated exposure using BK/TD models

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Teng, S.; Tebby, C. [Models for Toxicology and Ecotoxicology Unit, INERIS, Parc Technologique Alata, BP 2, 60550 Verneuil-en-Halatte (France); Barcellini-Couget, S. [ODESIA Neosciences, Sophia Antipolis, 400 route des chappes, 06903 Sophia Antipolis (France); De Sousa, G. [INRA, ToxAlim, 400 route des Chappes, BP, 167 06903 Sophia Antipolis, Cedex (France); Brochot, C. [Models for Toxicology and Ecotoxicology Unit, INERIS, Parc Technologique Alata, BP 2, 60550 Verneuil-en-Halatte (France); Rahmani, R. [INRA, ToxAlim, 400 route des Chappes, BP, 167 06903 Sophia Antipolis, Cedex (France); Pery, A.R.R., E-mail: alexandre.pery@agroparistech.fr [AgroParisTech, UMR 1402 INRA-AgroParisTech Ecosys, 78850 Thiverval Grignon (France); INRA, UMR 1402 INRA-AgroParisTech Ecosys, 78850 Thiverval Grignon (France)

2016-08-15

Cosmetic products generally consist of multiple ingredients. Thus, cosmetic risk assessment has to deal with mixture toxicity on a long-term scale which means it has to be assessed in the context of repeated exposure. Given that animal testing has been banned for cosmetics risk assessment, in vitro assays allowing long-term repeated exposure and adapted for in vitro – in vivo extrapolation need to be developed. However, most in vitro tests only assess short-term effects and consider static endpoints which hinder extrapolation to realistic human exposure scenarios where concentration in target organs is varies over time. Thanks to impedance metrics, real-time cell viability monitoring for repeated exposure has become possible. We recently constructed biokinetic/toxicodynamic models (BK/TD) to analyze such data (Teng et al., 2015) for three hepatotoxic cosmetic ingredients: coumarin, isoeugenol and benzophenone-2. In the present study, we aim to apply these models to analyze the dynamics of mixture impedance data using the concepts of concentration addition and independent action. Metabolic interactions between the mixture components were investigated, characterized and implemented in the models, as they impacted the actual cellular exposure. Indeed, cellular metabolism following mixture exposure induced a quick disappearance of the compounds from the exposure system. We showed that isoeugenol substantially decreased the metabolism of benzophenone-2, reducing the disappearance of this compound and enhancing its in vitro toxicity. Apart from this metabolic interaction, no mixtures showed any interaction, and all binary mixtures were successfully modeled by at least one model based on exposure to the individual compounds. - Highlights: • We could predict cell response over repeated exposure to mixtures of cosmetics. • Compounds acted independently on the cells. • Metabolic interactions impacted exposure concentrations to the compounds.

DFT/TD-semiempirical study on the structural and electronic properties and absorption spectra of supramolecular fullerene-porphyrine-metalloporphyrine triads based dye-sensitized solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Rezvani, M.; Darvish Ganji, M.; Jameh-Bozorghi, S.; Niazi, A.

2018-04-01

In the present work density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent semiempirical ZNIDO/S (TD-ZNIDO/S) methods have been used to investigate the ground state geometries, electronic structures and excited state properties of triad systems. The influences of the type of metal in the porphyrin ring, change in bridge position and porphyrine-ZnP duplicate on the energies of frontier molecular orbital and UV-Vis spectra has been studied. Geometry optimization, the energy levels and electron density of the Highest Occupied Molecular Orbital (HOMO) and the Lowest Unoccupied Molecular Orbital (LUMO), chemical hardness (η), electrophilicity index (ω), electron accepting power (ω+) were calculated using ZINDO/S method to predict which molecule is the most efficient with a great capability to be used as a triad molecule in solar industry. Moreover the light harvesting efficiency (LHE) was calculated by means of the oscillator strengths which are obtained by TD-ZINDO/S calculation. Theoretical studies of the electronic spectra by ZINDO/S method were helpful in interpreting the observed electronic transitions. This aspect was systematically explored in a series of C60-Porphyrine-Metalloporphyrine (C60-P-Mp) triad system with M being Fe, Co, Ni, Ti, and Zn. Generally, transition metal coordination compounds are used as effective sensitizers, due to their intense charge-transfer absorption over the whole visible range and highly efficient metal-to-ligand charge transfer. We aim to optimize the performance of the title solar cells by altering the frontier orbital energy gaps. The results reveal that cell efficiency can be enhanced by metal functionalization of the free base porphyrin. Ti-porphyrin was found to be the most efficient dye sensitizer for dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) based on C60-P-Mptriad system due to C60-Por-TiP complex has lower chemical hardness, gap energy and chemical potential as well as higher electron accepting power among other complexes. In

In vitro proliferation of normal and leukemic human leukocytes controlled by an inhibitory endopeptide. [/sup 3/H-TdR incorporation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Balazs, A; Mann, J; Takacsi-Nagy, L; Zimonyi, I; Molnar, A; Klupp, T [Inst. of Experimental Medicine, Budapest (Hungary); Istvan Municipal Hospital, Budapest (Hungary); Heim Pal Children' s Hospital Budapest, (Hungary))

1983-01-01

GI-3, an endogenous inhibitory fraction isolated from leukocytes, selectively inhibits the proliferation of granuloid precursor cells in a non-toxic manner. Its active principle is an acidic chlor-tolidine positive decapeptide. The in vitro effect on normal and acute leukemic human bone marrow and blood cells was examined. A dose dependent inhibition by GI-3 of /sup 3/H-TdR incorporation into myeloid cells of normal bone marrow was found, the sensitivity of human cells being higher than that of rat cells. The proliferation of the target leukemic bone marrow and blood cells was also decreased by the endogenous inhibitor in a dose-dependent manner in untreated subjects as well as in patients in remission or relapse. The rate of inhibition of leukemic cell proliferation in the short-term suspension system examined almost coincided with the action of well-known cytostatics applied for comparison. Beyond its direct cytostatic effect, GI-3 could be used in the differential diagnosis of blastic leukemias, complementing the routine cytochemical methods.

The short term effects of resveratrol on ischemia-reperfusion injury in rat testis.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuluğ, Esin; Türedi, Sibel; Karagüzel, Ersagun; Kutlu, Omer; Menteşe, Ahmet; Alver, Ahmet

2014-03-01

The purpose of this study was to identify changes taking place in the rat testis at the 24th hour of reperfusion following testicular torsion and to evaluate the effects of resveratrol (RSV), a powerful antioxidant, in preventing these changes using novel biochemical parameters and histopathology. Eighteen adult male rats were divided into three groups: Sham-operated (S), torsion/detorsion (T/D), and T/D+RSV groups. In the T/D group, testicular ischemia was achieved by rotating the left testis 720° clockwise for 4h. In the T/D+RSV group, 20mg/kg RSV was administered intraperitoneally 30 min before detorsion. All rats were sacrificed 24h after detorsion. Serum and tissue malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations, ischemia modified albumin (IMA), total oxidative status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS), oxidative stress index (OSI), and histopathological damage score were analyzed. Serum MDA, IMA, TOS, and OSI levels rose significantly in the T/D group. Serum MDA and IMA values were lower in the T/D+RES groups, but not significantly. OSI and TOS values were lower in the T/D+RES group, and the difference was significant. TAS values decreased significantly in the T/D group and rose in the T/D+RSV group, but not significantly. Ipsilateral tissue MDA values were significantly elevated in the T/D group and decreased in the T/D+RSV group, but not significantly. Apoptosis and histopathological damage increased significantly in the T/D group and decreased significantly in the T/D+RSV group. In the contralateral testis, apoptosis increased significantly in the T/D group. It decreased significantly in the T/D+RSV group. Our findings show that RSV had a protective effect against oxidative damage induced with a testicular T/D model, especially at the antiapoptotic and histopathological level. OSI may be a good guide to the clinical status of testicular T/D. © 2014.

Explosive and pollutant TNP detection by structurally flexible SOFs: DFT-D3, TD-DFT study and in vitro recognition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ghosh, Pritam [Surface Engineering & Tribology Group, CSIR-Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute, Mahatma Gandhi Avenue, Burdwan, Durgapur 713209, West Bengal (India); Chemistry Department, Jadavpur University, Kolkata 32, West Bengal (India); Roy, Partha [Chemistry Department, Jadavpur University, Kolkata 32, West Bengal (India); Ghosh, Ananta [Chemistry Department, Burdwan Raj College, The University of Burdwan, West Bengal (India); Jana, Saibal [Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721 302 (India); Murmu, Naresh Chandra [Surface Engineering & Tribology Group, CSIR-Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute, Mahatma Gandhi Avenue, Burdwan, Durgapur 713209, West Bengal (India); Mukhopadhyay, Subhra Kanti [Department of Microbiology, The University of Burdwan, Burdwan 713104 (India); Banerjee, Priyabrata, E-mail: pr_banerjee@cmeri.res.in [Surface Engineering & Tribology Group, CSIR-Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute, Mahatma Gandhi Avenue, Burdwan, Durgapur 713209, West Bengal (India); Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research at CSIR-Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CMERI), Mahatma Gandhi Avenue, Durgapur 713209, West Bengal (India)

2017-05-15

Explosive and Pollutant Nitro Aromatics (epNACs) like 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (TNP) has been detected from various surface water specimens by luminescent Schiff base Organic Frameworks (SOFs) by fluorometric method. Fluorescence intensity of the receptor SOFs have been quenched in presence of TNP due to RET and ICT, which has been confirmed through solid and solution level spectroscopic studies like FT-IR, {sup 1}H-NMR, fluorescence titration. Modern DFT (DFT-D3) calculations of the possible host guest conformers have been performed for exploration of plausible route of interaction between receptor and epNACs. The outcome of theoretical calculations is in line with experimental findings where TNP and receptor conformation mimic parallel displaced type π- π interaction. TD-DFT has been executed with both receptor and receptor ···TNP adduct, the fluorescence quenching is in line with experimental outcome. Limit of TNP detection has been found as low as 5 μM with 2.97×10{sup 4} M{sup -1} as binding constant. In real time stepping, TNP as mutagenic agent for aquatic life has been detected inside prokaryotic cells like candidia albicans in ppm level.

Analysis of low-marbled Hanwoo cow meat aged with different dry-aging methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hyun Jung Lee

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Objective Different dry-aging methods [traditional dry-aging (TD, simplified dry-aging (SD, and SD in an aging bag (SDB] were compared to investigate the possible use of SD and/or SDB in practical situations. Methods Sirloins from 48 Hanwoo cows were frozen (Control, 2 days postmortem or dry-aged for 28 days using the different aging methods and analyzed for chemical composition, total aerobic bacterial count, shear force, inosine 5′-monophosphate (IMP and free amino acid content, and sensory properties. Results The difference in chemical composition, total aerobic bacterial count, shear force, IMP, and total free amino acid content were negligible among the 3 dry-aged groups. The SD and SDB showed statistically similar tenderness, flavor, and overall acceptability relative to TD. However, SDB had a relatively higher saleable yield. Conclusion Both SD and SDB can successfully substitute for TD. However, SDB would be the best option for simplified dry-aging of low-marbled beef with a relatively high saleable yield.

A rational synthesis of a novel imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline templated Schiff base: Characterization, photoluminescence and DFT/TD-DFT study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Karslıoğlu

2017-07-01

Full Text Available A new imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline (imp derivative imidazo-N5,N6-bis((4-(1H-imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline-2-ylphenylmethylene-1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-diamine (impap was synthesized in five steps starting from bare phenanthroline (phen precursors. The novel compound was fully characterized by 1H-NMR, IR, elemental analysis and electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy (ESI-MS techniques. Solid state emission spectrum of impap showed two distinct strong emission maxima with large Stokes shifts. The ground state gas phase geometry of impap was predicted by DFT calculations. Excited state properties of the molecule were examined through TD-DFT calculations conducted at the optimized geometry. Responsible transitions for the strong fluorescence of impap were assigned to single component charge transfer transitions with large oscillator strengths based on the ground state calculated molecular orbital contributions.

Demand and Supply of High Quality Sailors.

Science.gov (United States)

1981-12-01

AO, AM, AV, AF Aviation Ground Support AB, AS Air Traffic Control AC Ordnance Systems GM, NM, TM Sensor Operations EW, OT Weapons Systems Support TD ...53 20.8 4 39 25.6 5 8 50.0 Total 338 18.9 LEGALMAN (LN) LOS N IHQ 1 8 50.0 2 45 51.1 3 55 50.9 4 75 53.3 5 25 44.0 Total 208 51.0 969 MASTER-AT-ARMS...Total 934 27.5 110 TRADEMAN ( TD ) LOS N % HQ 1 417 64.7 2 432 78.0 3 293 77.8 4 182 85.2 5 48 89.6 Total 1,372 75.3 TORPEDOMAN’S MATE (TM) LOS %HO 1 1,605

Oligothiophene-based colorimetric and ratiometric fluorescence dual-channel cyanide chemosensor: Sensing ability, TD-DFT calculations and its application as an efficient solid state sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Lan, Linxin; Li, Tianduo; Wei, Tao; Pang, He; Sun, Tao; Wang, Enhua; Liu, Haixia; Niu, Qingfen

2018-03-01

An oligothiophene-based colorimetric and ratiometric fluorescence dual-channel cyanide chemosensor 3 T-2CN was reported. Sensor 3 T-2CN showed both naked-eye recognition and ratiometric fluorescence response for CN- with an excellent selectivity and high sensitivity. The sensing mechanism based on the nucleophilic attack of CN- on the vinyl Cdbnd C bond has been successfully confirmed by the optical measurements, 1H NMR titration, FT-IR spectra as well as the DFT/TD-DFT calculations. Moreover, the detection limit was calculated to be 0.19 μM, which is much lower than the maximum permission concentration in drinking water (1.9 μM). Importantly, test strips (filter paper and TLC plates) containing 3 T-2CN were fabricated, which could act as a practical and efficient solid state optical sensor for CN- in field measurements.

Measuring Syntactic Complexity in Spontaneous Spoken Swedish

Science.gov (United States)

Roll, Mikael; Frid, Johan; Horne, Merle

2007-01-01

Hesitation disfluencies after phonetically prominent stranded function words are thought to reflect the cognitive coding of complex structures. Speech fragments following the Swedish function word "att" "that" were analyzed syntactically, and divided into two groups: one with "att" in disfluent contexts, and the other with "att" in fluent…

Time Course of Lexicalization during Sentence Production in Parkinson's Disease: Eye-Tracking While Speaking

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jiyeon

2017-01-01

Purpose: Growing evidence suggests that sentence formulation is affected in Parkinson's disease (PD); however, how speakers with PD coordinate sentence planning and speaking remains unclear. Within 2 competing models of sentence production, this study examined whether speakers with PD show advanced buffering of words to minimize disfluencies and…

Report on the achievements in research and development of a coal liquefaction technology in the Sunshine Project in fiscal 1981. Development of a solvent extraction and liquefaction plant (development of a 1-t/d experimental plant and research on the solvent extraction and liquefaction process); 1981 nendo sekitan ekika gijutsu no kenkyu kaihatsu, yozai chushutsu ekika plant no kaihatsu seika hokokusho. 1t/d jikken plant no kaihatsu (yozai chushutsu ekika process no kenkyu)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1982-03-01

Among the items of the solvent extraction and liquefaction plant technologies in the Sunshine Project in fiscal 1981, this paper describes the achievements in developing a 1-t/d experimental plant and the solvent extraction and liquefaction process. Basic facilities were completed by giving expansion constructions on the extraction reaction column, gas-liquid separation column, and hydrogenation reaction column. The operation was performed with the primary object placed on verifying the effect of measures on problems that have been extracted, and checking the solvent balance. The conversion rate at an extraction reaction temperature of 450 degrees C was 83%, agreeing with the result of the fundamental study. The solvent has turned light as a result of 153-hour continuous operation, but circulating use was possible. Progress of the reaction has become easily controllable in the hydrogenation system. Fundamental discussions were given on engineering aspects, which require further accumulation of data. In the research of the solvent extraction and liquefaction process, fiscal 1981 has performed discussions on liquefaction catalysts, and on the effect of the hydrogen donating solvents. The discussions were for the fundamental research to establish adequate conditions for the 1-t/d experimental plant by operating a small continuous operation facility to its full extent, and by using a batch type reaction device. Screening was also carried out on catalysts. (NEDO)

Opportunities for Efficiency Improvements in the U.S. Electricity Transmission and Distribution System

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jackson, Roderick K. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Onar, Omer C. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Kirkham, Harold [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Fisher, Emily [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Burkes, Klaehn [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Starke, Michael R. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Mohammed, Olama [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Weeks, George [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL)

2015-04-01

Since 2000, more than 172 quads of electricity have been transmitted on the US transmission and distribution (T&D) grid. Given this significant amount of energy flow, establishing and maintaining an efficient T&D grid is paramount. As shown in the figure below, the total percentage of overall losses in the US electric grid is approximately 6% (5.12% in 2012) (30% lower than the world average since 2000). While these efficiency losses appear to be relatively small from a percentage perspective, the total estimated electricity loss during this time is 10.8 quads.

A randomized, open-label, crossover study comparing the effects of oral versus transdermal estrogen therapy on serum androgens, thyroid hormones, and adrenal hormones in naturally menopausal women.

Science.gov (United States)

Shifren, Jan L; Desindes, Sophie; McIlwain, Marilyn; Doros, Gheorghe; Mazer, Norman A

2007-01-01

To compare the changes induced by oral versus transdermal estrogen therapy on the total and free serum concentrations of testosterone (T), thyroxine (T4), and cortisol (C) and the concentrations of their serum binding globulins sex hormone-binding globulin, thyroxine-binding globulin, and cortisol-binding globulin in naturally menopausal women. Randomized, open-label, crossover. Interventions included a 6-week withdrawal from previous hormone therapy (baseline), followed in randomized order by 12 weeks of oral conjugated equine estrogens (CEE) (0.625 mg/d) and 12 weeks of transdermal estradiol (TD E2) (0.05 mg/d), with oral micronized progesterone (100 mg/d) given continuously during both transdermal estrogen therapy regimens. Twenty-seven women were enrolled in the study, and 25 completed both treatment periods. The mean(SD) percentage changes from baseline of sex hormone-binding globulin, total T, and free T with oral CEE were +132.1% (74.5%), +16.4% (43.8%), and -32.7% (25.9%), respectively, versus +12.0% (25.1%), +1.2% (43.7%), and +1.0% (45.0%) with TD E2. The mean (SD) percentage changes of thyroxine-binding globulin, total T4, and free T4 with oral CEE were +39.9% (20.1%), +28.4% (29.2%), and -10.4% (22.3%), respectively, versus +0.4% (11.1%), -0.7% (16.5%), and +0.2% (26.6%) with TD E2. The mean (SD) percentage changes of cortisol-binding globulin, total C, and free C with oral CEE were +18.0% (19.5%), +29.2% (46.3%), and +50.4% (126.5%), respectively, versus -2.2% (11.3%), -6.7% (30.8%), and +1.8% (77.1%) with TD E2. Concentrations of all hormones and binding globulins were significantly different (P < or = 0.003) during administration of oral versus transdermal estrogen therapy, except for free T4 and free C. Compared with oral CEE, TD E2 exerts minimal effects on the total and free concentrations of T, T4, and C and their binding proteins.

Predictors of tanning dependence in white non-Hispanic females and males.

Science.gov (United States)

Cartmel, B; Bale, A E; Mayne, S T; Gelernter, J E; DeWan, A T; Spain, P; Leffell, D J; Pagoto, S; Ferrucci, L M

2017-07-01

Growing evidence suggests that some individuals may exhibit symptoms of dependence on ultraviolet (UV) light, a known carcinogen, in the context of tanning; however, few studies have investigated predictors of tanning dependence (TD). To identify predictors of TD. Non-Hispanics of European ancestry who had previously participated in a case-control study of early-onset basal cell carcinoma completed an online survey to ascertain TD and other behaviours (alcohol dependence, nicotine dependence, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), exercise 'addiction' and depression). Information on host factors, such as skin and eye colour and history of sunbathing and indoor tanning, was obtained from a study in which the participants were previously enrolled. Lifetime TD was assessed using the modified Cut down, Annoyed, Guilty, Eye-opener (mCAGE) and the modified Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (mDSM-IV-TR) questionnaires. Participants were classified as 'TD' if positive on both questionnaires and not TD if negative on both questionnaires. In total, 499 individuals completed the online survey (81.9% participation rate), and 24.4% were classified as 'TD'. In the multivariate model, women were more likely to be TD [odds ratio (OR) 6.93; 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) (3.36-14.27)] than men. Alcohol dependence (OR 6.55: 95% CI 3.19-13.42), SAD (OR 2.77; 95% CI 1.26-6.09) and exercise 'addiction' (OR 5.47; 95% CI 1.15-26.06) were all significant predictors for TD. Increased knowledge of those at risk for TD will allow appropriate interventions to be designed. © 2017 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.

Paleodemografía del hipodigma de fósiles de homininos del nivel TD6 de Gran Dolina (Sierra de Atapuerca, Burgos: estudio preliminar

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Varela, S.

2006-12-01

Full Text Available The Aurora Stratum of the TD6 level of the Pleistocene site of Gran Dolina (Trinchera del Ferrocarril, Sierra de Atapuerca, Burgos, Spain have yielded more than one hundred human fossil remains, of the species Homo antecessor and belonging to a minimum (MNI of nine individuals. In this paper we made the MNI determination and the age at death of the individuals, using data observed in the mandibular, maxillary, and dental remains. The previous taphonomic analysis concluded that the origin of the hominin accumulation was due to a punctual or recurrent episode of «gastronomic» cannibalism. Our analysis revealed that most individuals (N = 7 are immature between three and thirteen, whereas two are young adults between fifteen and eighteen. Considering this peculiar mortality distribution, alternative hypotheses on the possible scenarios in which hominins were apprehended, as well as the implications for the human behaviour in the Pleistocene are discussed.En el Estrato Aurora del nivel TD6 del yacimiento pleistoceno de Gran Dolina (Trinchera del Ferrocarril, Sierra de Atapuerca, Burgos se han obtenido más de cien restos fósiles de homininos de la especie Homo antecessor, que pertenecen a un mínimo (NMI de nueve individuos. En este trabajo realizamos la determinación del NMI y de la edad de muerte de los individuos, empleando datos observados en los restos de mandíbula, maxilar y dientes. El análisis tafonómico previo concluyó que el origen de la acumulación de los restos de homininos fue un acto puntual o recurrente de canibalismo de tipo «gastronómico ». Nuestro análisis revela que la mayor parte de los individuos (n = 7 son inmaduros, de entre tres y trece años, mientras que dos son adultos jóvenes, de entre quince y dieciocho años. En función de esta peculiar distribución de mortalidad se discuten hipótesis alternativas sobre los escenarios en los que los homininos fueron aprehendidos y las implicaciones que ello

Fluocinolone acetonide ophthalmic--Bausch & Lomb: fluocinolone acetonide Envision TD implant.

Science.gov (United States)

2005-01-01

Bausch & Lomb and Control Delivery Systems have developed an intravitreal implant that can deliver the corticosteroid fluocinolone acetonide [fluocinolone acetonide implant, Retisert] to posterior eye tissue for up to 3 years. The implant uses Bausch & Lomb's Envision TD technology. This fluocinolone acetonide implant has been designed for the treatment of non-infectious uveitis affecting the posterior segment of the eye and other eye disorders, which benefit from local anti-inflammatory therapy. In July 2003, Bausch & Lomb assumed all responsibility for day-to-day clinical development and regulatory activities relating to fluocinolone acetonide implant development from Control Delivery Systems. In May 2002, Control Delivery systems and Bausch & Lomb formally amended their budget for their license and development agreement. Bausch & Lomb will increase its funding to support the development of agents for the treatment of diabetic macular oedema, posterior uveitis and wet age-related macular degeneration to USD $206 million through to 2008. In January 2004, Bausch & Lomb decided to focus development of the fluocinolone acetonide implant in only one indication, non-infectious uveitis affecting the posterior segment of the eye. It had been in development for other indications, including macular oedema and age-related macular degeneration. However, these will be targeted with later-generation implant technologies, different drugs, or combinations of both. The implant delivering fluocinolone acetonide 0.59 mg or 2.1mg has completed enrollment in two pivotal 3-year phase IIb/III trials in the US, Canada, Australia and Asia for the treatment of posterior uveitis. Enrollment in these multicenter randomised, double-masked studies was closed in May 2003. Bausch & Lomb was expected to file an NDA with the US FDA for the use of the agent in the treatment of uveitis in mid-2003. However, in February 2003, the company reported that, after a review of various filing strategies

Influence of the Halogen Ligand on the Near UV/Visible Spectrum of [Ru(X) (Me)(CO)2(alpha-diimine)] (X=Cl, I; alpha-diimine=Me-DAB, iPr-DAB; DAB=1,4-diaza-1,3-butadiene): An ab initio and TD-DFT Analysis

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Záliš, Stanislav; Amor, N. B.; Daniel, C.

2004-01-01

Roč. 43, - (2004), s. 7978-7985 ISSN 0020-1669 R&D Projects: GA MŠk 1P04OCD14.20 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z4040901 Keywords : halogen ligand * TD-DFT analysis * UV-vis electronic spectroscopy Subject RIV: CF - Physical ; Theoretical Chemistry Impact factor: 3.454, year: 2004

FD-TD modeling of 2-D dielectric waveguides for propagation and scattering of femtosecond optical solitons

Science.gov (United States)

Joseph, Rose; Goorjian, Peter; Taflove, Allen

1993-01-01

Experimentalists have produced all-optical switches capable of 100-fs responses. To adequately model such switches, nonlinear effects in optical materials (both instantaneous and dispersive) must be included. In principle, the behavior of electromagnetic fields in nonlinear dielectrics can be determined by solving Maxwell's equations subject to the assumption that the electric polarization has a nonlinear relation to the electric field. However, until our previous work, the resulting nonlinear Maxwell's equations have not been solved directly. Rather, approximations have been made that result in a class of generalized nonlinear Schrodinger equations (GNLSE) that solve only for the envelope of the optical pulses. In this paper, we present first-time calculations from the vector nonlinear Maxwell's equations of femtosecond soliton propagation and scattering, including carrier waves, in two-dimensional systems of dielectric waveguides exhibiting the Kerr and Raman quantum effects. We use the finite-difference time-domain (FD-TD) method in an extension of our 1-D work. There, in a fundamental innovation, we treated the linear and nonlinear convolutions for the electric polarization as new dependent variables. By differentiating these convolutions in the time domain, we derived an equivalent system of coupled, nonlinear second-order ODE's. These equations together with Maxwell's equations form the system that is solved to determine the electromagnetic fields in inhomogeneous nonlinear dispersive media. Backstorage in time is limited to only that needed by the time-integration algorithm for the ODE's, rather than that needed to store the time-history of the kernel functions of the convolutions (1000-10,000 time steps). Thus, a 2-D nonlinear optics model from Maxwell's equations is now feasible.

Op-Ug TD Optimizer Tool Based on Matlab Code to Find Transition Depth From Open Pit to Block Caving / Narzędzie Optymalizacyjne Oparte O Kod Matlab Wykorzystane Do Określania Głębokości Przejściowej Od Wydobycia Odkrywkowego Do Wybierania Komorami

Science.gov (United States)

Bakhtavar, E.

2015-09-01

In this study, transition from open pit to block caving has been considered as a challenging problem. For this purpose, the linear integer programing code of Matlab was initially developed on the basis of the binary integer model proposed by Bakhtavar et al (2012). Then a program based on graphical user interface (GUI) was set up and named "Op-Ug TD Optimizer". It is a beneficial tool for simple application of the model in all situations where open pit is considered together with block caving method for mining an ore deposit. Finally, Op-Ug TD Optimizer has been explained step by step through solving the transition from open pit to block caving problem of a case ore deposit. W pracy tej rozważano skomplikowane zagadnienie przejścia od wybierania odkrywkowego do komorowego. W tym celu opracowano kod programowania liniowego w środowisku MATLAB w oparciu o model liczb binarnych zaproponowany przez Bakhtavara (2012). Następnie opracowano program z wykorzystujący graficzny interfejs użytkownika o nazwie Optymalizator Op-Ug TD. Jest to niezwykle cenne narzędzie umożliwiające stosowanie modelu dla wszystkich warunków w sytuacjach gdy rozważamy prowadzenie wydobycia metodą odkrywkową oraz wydobycie komorowe przy eksploatacji złóż rud żelaza. W końcowej części pracy podano szczegółową instrukcję stosowanie programu Optymalizator na przedstawionym przykładzie przejścia od wydobycia rud żelaza metodami odkrywkowymi poprzez wydobycie komorami.

Comparison of two motor subtype classifications in de novo Parkinson's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Seong-Min; Kim, Byeong C; Cho, Bang-Hoon; Kang, Kyung Wook; Choi, Kang-Ho; Kim, Joon-Tae; Lee, Seung-Han; Park, Man-Seok; Kim, Myeong-Kyu; Cho, Ki-Hyun

2018-04-18

Clinical subtypes of Parkinson's disease (PD) have been empirically defined based on the prominent motor symptoms. The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of non-motor symptoms across PD motor subtypes in patients with PD. A total of 192 patients with de novo PD were included. The patients were classified into the tremor-dominant/mixed/akinetic-rigid (TD/mixed/AR) and tremor-dominant/mixed/postural instability and gait disturbance (TD/mixed/PIGD) subtypes, according to previous reports. In the TD/mixed/AR classification, scores for scales related to motor symptoms and activities of daily living (ADL) were significantly different among the groups, and patients with the AR subtype demonstrated more severe scores than patients with the TD subtype. In the TD/mixed/PIGD classification, age, age at symptom onset, scores on motor-related scales, ADL, and non-motor symptoms were significantly different among the groups. Scores including the modified Hoehn and Yahr stages, the motor and ADL subscores of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory, and the Non-Motor Symptom Assessment Scale were significantly different after adjustments for age and age at symptom onset, and patients with the PIGD subtype obtained more severe scores than patients with the TD subtype. The TD/mixed/PIGD classification seems to be more suitable for identifying non-motor abnormalities than the TD/mixed/AR classification. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Novel push-pull fluorescent dyes - 7-(diethylamino)furo- and thieno[3,2-c]coumarins derivatives: structure, electronic spectra and TD-DFT study

Science.gov (United States)

Akchurin, Igor O.; Yakhutina, Anna I.; Bochkov, Andrei Y.; Solovjova, Natalya P.; Medvedev, Michael G.; Traven, Valerii F.

2018-05-01

Novel push-pull fluorescent dyes - 7-(diethylamino)furo- and 7-(diethylamino)thieno[3,2-c]coumarins derivatives have been synthesized using formyl derivatives of furo- and thieno[3,2-c]coumarins as starting materials. Electron absorption and fluorescent spectra of the dyes have been recorded in different solvents. Structure and solvent effects on the dyes spectral characteristics were analyzed. The fusion of five-membered heterocycle to coumarin provides a definite increase of Stokes shifts in all solvents and results in higher quantum yields of fluorescence. The absorption and emission bands of thieno[3,2-c] coumarin derivatives are definitely shifted to the red region (3-30 nm) compared to similar derivatives of furo[3,2-c]coumarin. TD-DFT calculations of some of the studied compounds have shown that hybrid DFT functionals and adequate representation of molecular environment are essential for obtaining accurate UV-Vis absorption spectra for the dyes with extended π-system. The longest-wave electron transitions in the studied compounds were computationally shown to be of push-pull nature.

Qualità totale e mobilità totale Total Quality and Total Mobility

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giuseppe Trieste

2010-05-01

Full Text Available FIABA ONLUS (Italian Fund for Elimination of Architectural Barriers was founded in 2000 with the aim of promoting a culture of equal opportunities and, above all, it has as its main goal to involve public and private institutions to create a really accessible and usable environment for everyone. Total accessibility, Total usability and Total mobility are key indicators to define quality of life within cities. A supportive environment that is free of architectural, cultural and psychological barriers allows everyone to live with ease and universality. In fact, people who access to goods and services in the urban context can use to their advantage time and space, so they can do their activities and can maintain relationships that are deemed significant for their social life. The main aim of urban accessibility is to raise the comfort of space for citizens, eliminating all barriers that discriminate people, and prevent from an equality of opportunity. “FIABA FUND - City of ... for the removal of architectural barriers” is an idea of FIABA that has already affected many regions of Italy as Lazio, Lombardy, Campania, Abruzzi and Calabria. It is a National project which provides for opening a bank account in the cities of referring, in which for the first time, all together, individuals and private and public institutions can make a donation to fund initiatives for the removal of architectural barriers within its own territory for a real and effective total accessibility. Last February the fund was launched in Rome with the aim of achieving a Capital without barriers and a Town European model of accessibility and usability. Urban mobility is a prerequisite to access to goods and services, and to organize activities related to daily life. FIABA promotes the concept of sustainable mobility for all, supported by the European Commission’s White Paper. We need a cultural change in management and organization of public means, which might focus on

Effects of Imagined Interactions and Rehearsal on Speaking Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Charles W.; Honeycutt, James M.; Bodie, Graham D.

2015-01-01

Imagined interactions (IIs) constitute a type of social cognition that can reduce fear of communication. Through the mental preparation enabled by IIs, an individual can reduce disfluencies and mitigate the anxiety that arises from a speech. Study 1 indicated that rehearsal influences the reduction of silent pauses but not vocalized pauses. In…

The Disfluent Speech of Bilingual Spanish-English Children: Considerations for Differential Diagnosis of Stuttering

Science.gov (United States)

Byrd, Courtney T.; Bedore, Lisa M.; Ramos, Daniel

2015-01-01

Purpose: The primary purpose of this study was to describe the frequency and types of speech disfluencies that are produced by bilingual Spanish-English (SE) speaking children who do not stutter. The secondary purpose was to determine whether their disfluent speech is mediated by language dominance and/or language produced. Method: Spanish and…

Comparison of the onset of uterine contractions determined from tocodynamometry and maternal perception.

Science.gov (United States)

Ying Wang; Pei Gao; Qian Qiu; Yang An; Dongmei Hao; Fangwei Yang; Xiya Zhou; Lin Yang; Yimin Yang; Xuwen Li; Song Zhang; Dingchang Zheng

2017-07-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the time difference (TD) between the onset of uterine contraction (UC) determined from tocodynamometry (TOCO) and identified by maternal perception. The online available Icelandic database was used to calculate TD, which was defined as the difference between when it was felt by a pregnant woman and the starting point on the UC signal recorded by a TOCO. A total of 295 TDs from 78 recordings (from a total of 33 participants; among them, 13 participants included at least 3 recordings from different gestational weeks) were analyzed with the overall mean±SD of TD calculated. For each individual participant with at least 3 recordings, regression analysis was then performed to investigate the relationship between the mean TD from each recording with gestational week, with their overall slope calculated. The results showed that 85.4% of TDs was within [-40, 40] s, with an overall mean TD of 3.04 s (p>0.05), indicating that there was no significant difference between the UC onset determined from TOCO and maternal perception. It was also noticed that 61.5% recordings (48 out of 78 recordings) had all positive or negative TD for all the UCs analyzed within a recording. Furthermore, the regression analysis showed that the regression line slope was negative for 10 out of the 13 participants with at least 3 recordings from different gestational weeks, resulting in that the overall slope (-2.85±5.58) was significantly negative (pTOCO and maternal perception, providing scientific evidence for future studies to understand the underlying mechanism of the time sequence of UC activity determined from different techniques.

Use of a platform in an automated open-field to enhance assessment of anxiety-like behaviors in mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Pogorelov, Vladimir M; Lanthorn, Thomas H; Savelieva, Katerina V

2007-05-15

The present report describes a setup for simultaneously measuring anxiety-like behaviors and locomotor activity in mice. Animals are placed in a brightly lit, standard automated open-field (OF) in which a rectangular ceramic platform 8 cm high covers one quadrant of the floor. Mice preferred to stay under the platform, avoiding the area with bright illumination. Activities under and outside the platform were measured for 5 min. Chlordiazepoxide and buspirone dose-dependently increased time spent outside the platform (L-Time) and the light distance to total OF distance ratio (L:T-TD) in both genders without changing total OF distance. By contrast, amphetamine decreased L-Time and L:T-TD in males, thus displaying an anxiogenic effect. Imipramine was without selective effect on L-Time or L:T-TD, but decreased total OF distance at the highest dose indicative of a sedative effect. Drug effects were also evaluated in the OF without platform using conventional anxiety measures. Introduction of the platform into the OF apparatus strongly enhanced the sensitivity to anxiolytics. Comparison of strains differing in activity or anxiety levels showed that L-Time and L:T-TD can be used as measures of anxiety-like behavior independent of locomotor activity. Changes in motor activity are reflected in the total distance traveled under and outside the platform. Therefore, the platform test is fully automated, sensitive to both anxiolytic and anxiogenic effects of drugs and genetic phenotypes with little evidence of gender-specific responses, and can be easily utilized by most laboratories measuring behavior.

Tissue breathing and topology of rats thymocytes surface under acute total γ-irradiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Nikitina, I A; Gritsuk, A I

2017-12-01

Assessment of the effect of single total γ irradiation to the parameters of mitochondrial oxidation and the topology of the thymocyte surface. The study was performed in sexually mature white outbreeding male rats divided into three groups: two experimental and one control. The states of energy metabolism were determined by the rate of oxygen consumption by the thymus tissues on endogenous substrates at the presence of 2,4 dinitrophenol, uncoupler of a tissue breathing (TB) and oxidative phosphorylation (OP) after a single total γ irradiation at a dose of 1.0 Gy at 3, 10, 40 and 60 days. The topology of thymus cells was assessed using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). On the 3rd and 10th days after total gamma irradiation at a dose of 1.0 Gy, a significant decrease in respira tory activity was determined in thymus tissues on endogenous substrates. Simultaneously, on the 3rd day, pro nounced changes in the morphological parameters of thymocytes (height, volume, area of contact with the sub strate) and the topology of their surface were also observed. On the 10th day after irradiation, most of the morpho logical parameters of thymocytes, except for their volume, were characterized by restoration to normal. In the long term (on the 30th and 60th days after exposure), a gradual but not complete recovery of the respiratory activity of thymocytes was observed, accompanied by an increase in the degree of dissociation of TD and OP. The obtained data reflect and refine mechanisms of post radiation repair of lymphopoiesis, showing the presence of conjugated changes in the parameters of aerobic energy metabolism of thymocytes, morphology and topology of their surface. The synchronism of changes in the parameters under study is a reflection of the state of the cytoskeleton, the functional activity of which largely depends on the level and efficiency of mitochondrial oxidation. І. A. Nikitina, A. I. Gritsuk.

Thiamine Deficiency Induces Anorexia by Inhibiting Hypothalamic AMPK

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Mei; Alimov, Alexander; Wang, Haiping; Frank, Jacqueline A.; Katz, Wendy; Xu, Mei; Ke, Zun-Ji; Luo, Jia

2014-01-01

Obesity and eating disorders are prevailing health concerns worldwide. It is important to understand the regulation of food intake and energy metabolism. Thiamine (vitamin B1) is an essential nutrient. Thiamine deficiency (TD) can cause a number of disorders in humans, such as Beriberi and Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. We demonstrated here that TD caused anorexia in C57BL/6 mice. After feeding a TD diet for 16 days, the mice displayed a significant decrease in food intake and an increase in resting energy expenditure (REE), which resulted in a severe weight loss. At the 22nd day, the food intake was reduced by 69% and 74% for male and female mice, respectively in TD group. The REE increased by 9 folds in TD group. The loss of body weight (17–24%) was similar between male and female animals and mainly resulted from the reduction of fat mass (49% decrease). Re-supplementation of thiamine (benfotiamine) restored animal's appetite, leading to a total recovery of body weight. The hypothalamic AMPK is a critical regulator of food intake. TD inhibited the phosphorylation of AMPK in the arcuate nucleus (ARN) and paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus without affecting its expression. TD-induced inhibition of AMPK phosphorylation was reversed once thiamine was re-supplemented. In contrast, TD increased AMPK phosphorylation in the skeletal muscle and upregulated the uncoupling protein (UCP)-1 in brown adipose tissues which was consistent with increased basal energy expenditure. Re-administration of thiamine stabilized AMPK phosphorylation in the skeletal muscle as well as energy expenditure. Taken together, TD may induce anorexia by inhibiting hypothalamic AMPK activity. With a simultaneous increase in energy expenditure, TD caused an overall body weight loss. The results suggest that the status of thiamine levels in the body may affect food intake and body weight. PMID:24607345

Tritiated thymidine incorporation and the growth of heterotrophic bacteria in warm core rings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ducklow, H.W.; Hill, S.M.

1985-01-01

The time-course of the incorporation rate of [methyl- 3 H]thymidine ([ 3 H]TdR) was established during 6-12 h incubations of natural bacterial populations sampled from the surface layers of warm core Gulf Stream rings. Parallel estimates of changes in cell numbers were made in order to examine the relationships between TdR incorporation and population growth for oceanic bacterial populations. Their results indicate that a conversion factor of 4 x 10 18 cells produced per mole of [ 3 H]TdR incorporated yielded estimates of bacterial production which were within a factor of 2 or 3 of production estimates derived from changes in cell numbers in seawater cultures. The authors observed a significant, direct relationship between the initial rates of TdR incorporation per cell and specific growth rates and conclude that initial short term (15-45 min) assays of TdR incorporation are a valuable tool for studying bacterial production in oceanic waters. In most incubations, the rate of TdR incorporation increased more rapidly than did cell numbers. Very large conversion factor values were derived from these data. The discrepancy between growth determined from TdR incorporation rates and total bacterial numbers in seawater cultures has not been observed in previous studies of coastal, estuarine, or lacustrine bacteria, but was a consistent feature of our studies on oceanic populations

Prevalence of extrapyramidal syndromes in psychiatric inpatients and the relationship of clozapine treatment to tardive dyskinesia.

Science.gov (United States)

Modestin, J; Stephan, P L; Erni, T; Umari, T

2000-05-05

In 200 inpatients on regular neuroleptics, point prevalence of extrapyramidal syndromes, including Parkinson syndrome, akathisia and tardive dyskinesia (TD), was studied and found to be 20, 11 and 22%, respectively. A total of 46 patients have currently, and for a longer time, (average about 3years, median over 1year) been treated with clozapine, and 127 with typical neuroleptics (NLs). Comparing both groups, higher TD scores were found in the clozapine sample. Investigating the influence of a set of seven clinical variables on the TD score with the help of multiple regression analysis, the influence of the treatment modality disappeared, whereas the age proved to be the only significant variable. Studying the role of past clozapine therapy in patients currently on typical NLs and comparing 10 matched pairs of chronic patients with and without TD in whom a complete life-time cumulative dose of NLs was identified, a relationship between TD and length of current typical NL therapy and life-time typical NL dosage could be demonstrated. On the whole, long-term relatively extensive use of clozapine has not markedly reduced the prevalence of extrapyramidal syndromes in our psychiatric inpatient population. In particular, we failed to demonstrate a beneficial effect of clozapine on prevalence of TD. There are certainly patients who suffer from TD in spite of a long-term intensive clozapine treatment.

DFT and TD-DFT calculations of metallotetraphenylporphyrin and metallotetraphenylporphyrin fullerene complexes as potential dye sensitizers for solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

El Mahdy, A. M.; Halim, Shimaa Abdel; Taha, H. O.

2018-05-01

Density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT calculations have been employed to model metallotetraphenylporphyrin dyes and metallotetraphenylporphyrin -fullerene complexes in order to investigate the geometries, electronic structures, the density of states, non-linear optical properties (NLO), IR-vis spectra, molecular electrostatic potential contours, and electrophilicity. To calculate the excited states of the tetraphenyl porphyrin analogs, time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) are used. Their UV-vis spectra were also obtained and a comparison with available experimental and theoretical results is included. The results reveal that the metal and the tertiary butyl groups of the dyes are electron donors, and the tetraphenylporphyrin rings are electron acceptors. The HOMOs of the dyes fall within the (TiO2)60 and Ti38O76 band gaps and support the issue of typical interfacial electron transfer reaction. The resulting potential drop of Mn-TPP-C60 increased by ca. 3.50% under the effect of the tertiary butyl groups. The increase in the potential drop indicates that the tertiary butyl complexes could be a better choice for the strong operation of the molecular rectifiers. The introduction of metal atom and tertiary butyl groups to the tetraphenyl porphyrin moiety leads to a stronger response to the external electric field and induces higher photo-to-current conversion efficiency. This also shifts the absorption in the dyes and makes them potential candidates for harvesting light in the entire visible and near IR region for photovoltaic applications.

Child behavioural problems and body size among 2-6 year old children predisposed to overweight. results from the "healthy start" study.

Science.gov (United States)

Olsen, Nanna J; Pedersen, Jeanett; Händel, Mina N; Stougaard, Maria; Mortensen, Erik L; Heitmann, Berit L

2013-01-01

Psychological adversities among young children may be associated with childhood overweight and obesity. We examined if an increased level of child behavioural problems was associated with body size among a selected group of 2-6 year old children, who were all predisposed to develop overweight. Cross-sectional analyses were conducted using baseline data from the "Healthy Start" intervention study. A total of 3058 children were invited to participate, and data from 583 children who were all predisposed for obesity was analyzed. The Danish version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was used to assess child stress by the SDQ Total Difficulties (SDQ-TD) score and the Prosocial Behavior (PSB) score. Height and weight were measured, and BMI z-scores were calculated. A direct, but non-significant linear trend was found between SDQ-TD score and BMI z-score (β = 0.021, p = 0.11). Having an SDQ-TD score above the 90(th) percentile was associated with BMI z-score (β = 0.36, p = 0.05). PSB score was not associated with BMI z-score. Analyses were adjusted for parental socioeconomic status, parental BMI, family structure, dietary factors, physical activity, and family stress level. The results suggested a threshold effect between SDQ-TD score and BMI z-score, where BMI z-score was associated with childhood behavioural problems only for those with the highest scores of SDQ-TD. No significant association between PSB score and BMI z-score was found.

The coupled code system DORT-TD/THERMIX and its application to the OECD/NEA/NSC PBMR400 MW coupled neutronics thermal hydraulics transient benchmark

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pautz, A.; Tyobeka, B.; Ivanov, K.

2009-01-01

In new reactor designs that are still under review such as the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR), not much experimental data exists to benchmark newly developed computer codes against. Such a situation requires that nuclear engineers and designers of this novel reactor design must resort to the validation of a newly developed code through a code-to-code benchmarking exercise because there are validated codes that are currently in use to analyze this reactor design, albeit very few of them. There are numerous HTR core physics benchmarks that are currently being pursued by different organizations, for different purposes. One such benchmark exercise is the PBMR-400MW OECD/NEA coupled neutronics/thermal hydraulics transient benchmark. In this paper, a newly developed coupled neutronics thermal hydraulics code system, DORT-TD/THERMIX with both transport and diffusion theory options, is used to simulate both the steady-state as well as several transient scenarios in this benchmark problem. (orig.)

Dynamic Monte Carlo transient analysis for the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development Nuclear Energy Agency (OECD/NEA) C5G7-TD benchmark

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shaukat, Nadeem; Ryu, Min; Shim, Hyung Jin [Seoul National University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2017-08-15

With ever-advancing computer technology, the Monte Carlo (MC) neutron transport calculation is expanding its application area to nuclear reactor transient analysis. Dynamic MC (DMC) neutron tracking for transient analysis requires efficient algorithms for delayed neutron generation, neutron population control, and initial condition modeling. In this paper, a new MC steady-state simulation method based on time-dependent MC neutron tracking is proposed for steady-state initial condition modeling; during this process, prompt neutron sources and delayed neutron precursors for the DMC transient simulation can easily be sampled. The DMC method, including the proposed time-dependent DMC steady-state simulation method, has been implemented in McCARD and applied for two-dimensional core kinetics problems in the time-dependent neutron transport benchmark C5G7-TD. The McCARD DMC calculation results show good agreement with results of a deterministic transport analysis code, nTRACER.

Lexical tone and stuttering loci in Mandarin: evidence from preschool children who stutter.

Science.gov (United States)

Chou, Fang-Chi; Zebrowski, Patricia; Yang, Shu-Lan

2015-02-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between stuttering loci and lexical tone in Mandarin-speaking preschoolers. Conversational samples from 20 Taiwanese children who stutter (CWS; M = 4:9; range = 3:2-6:4) were analysed for frequency and type of speech disfluency and lexical tone associated with stuttering-like disfluencies (SLDs). Results indicated that SLDs were significantly more likely to be produced on Mandarin syllables carrying Tone 3 and Tone 4 syllables compared to syllables carrying either Tone 1 or Tone 2. Post-hoc analyses revealed: (1) no significant differences in the stuttering frequencies between Tone 1 and Tone 2, or between Tone 3 and Tone 4, and (2) a higher incidence of stuttering on syllables carrying Tone 3 and Tone 4 embedded in conflicting (as opposed to compatible) tonal contexts. Results suggest that the higher incidence of stuttering on Mandarin syllables carrying either Tone 3 or 4 may be attributed to the increased level of speech motor demand underlying rapid F0 change both within and across syllables.

Economic aspects of comprehensive mechanization of mining operations. [Poland

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zemla, F

1978-02-01

The development of mining equipment for longwall mining and effects of mechanization of mining operations on labor productivity and output of underground coal mines in Poland from 1950 to 1976 are discussed. Mining equipment used from 1950 to 1960 (cutters, steel or timber supports, chain conveyors, drilling and blasting), from 1960 to 1970 (cutter loaders, chain conveyors and steel supports), from 1970 to 1976 (shearer loaders, chain conveyors and powered or shield supports) is analyzed. Coal output of faces mined by mechanized equipment increased from 9.7% in 1950 to 63.1% in 1969 and to 87.6% of total coal output in 1976. The total coal output of underground coal mines increased from 99.1 Mt in 1959 to 125.0 Mt in 1969 and 179.3 Mt in 1976. Labor productivity per miner increased from 1.561 t/d in 1959 to 2.529 t/d in 1969 and to 3.433 t/d in 1976.

Time-dependent density-functional tight-binding method with the third-order expansion of electron density.

Science.gov (United States)

Nishimoto, Yoshio

2015-09-07

We develop a formalism for the calculation of excitation energies and excited state gradients for the self-consistent-charge density-functional tight-binding method with the third-order contributions of a Taylor series of the density functional theory energy with respect to the fluctuation of electron density (time-dependent density-functional tight-binding (TD-DFTB3)). The formulation of the excitation energy is based on the existing time-dependent density functional theory and the older TD-DFTB2 formulae. The analytical gradient is computed by solving Z-vector equations, and it requires one to calculate the third-order derivative of the total energy with respect to density matrix elements due to the inclusion of the third-order contributions. The comparison of adiabatic excitation energies for selected small and medium-size molecules using the TD-DFTB2 and TD-DFTB3 methods shows that the inclusion of the third-order contributions does not affect excitation energies significantly. A different set of parameters, which are optimized for DFTB3, slightly improves the prediction of adiabatic excitation energies statistically. The application of TD-DFTB for the prediction of absorption and fluorescence energies of cresyl violet demonstrates that TD-DFTB3 reproduced the experimental fluorescence energy quite well.

Constraining |V(td)|/|V(ts)| Using Radiative Penguin B -> V(K*/rho/omega)gamma Decays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tan, Ping; /Wisconsin U., Madison

2006-03-08

Exclusive radiative penguin B decays, B {yields} (K*{sup 0}/K*{sup +}) and B {yields} ({rho}/{omega}){gamma}, are flavor-changing neutral-current (FCNC) processes. Studies of these decays are of special interest in testing Standard Model (SM) predictions and searching for other beyond-the-SM FCNC interactions. Using 89 x 10{sup 6} B{bar B} pairs from BABAR, we measure the branching fraction ({Beta}), CP-asymmetry ({Alpha}), and isospin asymmetry ({Delta}{sub 0-}) of B {yields} (K*{sup 0}/K*{sup +}){gamma} as follows: {Beta}(B{sup 0} {yields} K*{sup 0}{gamma}) = 3.92 {+-} 0.20(stat.) {+-} 0.24(syst.); {Beta}(B{sup +} {yields} K*{sup +}{gamma}) = 3.87 {+-} 0.28(stat.) {+-} 0.26(syst.); {Alpha}(B {yields} K*{gamma}) = -0.013 {+-} 0.36(stat.) {+-} 0.10(syst.); {Delta}{sub 0-}(B {yields} K*{gamma}) = 0.050 {+-} 0.045(stat.) {+-} 0.028(syst.) {+-} 0.024(R{sup +/0}). The 90% confidence intervals for the CP-asymmetry and the isospin-asymmetry in the B {yields} K*{gamma} decay are given as: -0.074 < {Alpha}(B {yields} K*{gamma}) < 0.049, -0.046 < {Delta}{sub 0-} (B {yields} K*{gamma}) < 0.146. We also search for B {yields} ({rho}/{omega}){gamma} decays using 211 x 10{sup 6} B{bar B} pairs from BABAR. No evidence for these decays is found. We set the upper limits at 90% confidence level for these decays: {Beta}(B{sup 0} {yields} {rho}{sup 0}{gamma}) < 0.4 x 10{sup -6}; {Beta}(B{sup +}{yields} {rho}{sup =}{gamma}) < 1.8 x 10{sup -6}; {Beta}(B{sup 0} {yields} {omega}{gamma}) < 1.0 x 10{sup -6}; {bar {Beta}}(B {yields} ({rho}/{omega}){gamma}) < 1.2 x 10{sup -6}. These results are in good agreement with the SM predictions. The branching fractions of these decays are then used to constrain the ratio |V{sub td}|/|V{sub ts}|.

Child behavioural problems and body size among 2-6 year old children predisposed to overweight. results from the "healthy start" study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olsen, Nanna J; Pedersen, Jeanett; Händel, Mina N

2013-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Psychological adversities among young children may be associated with childhood overweight and obesity. We examined if an increased level of child behavioural problems was associated with body size among a selected group of 2-6 year old children, who were all predisposed to develop...... and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was used to assess child stress by the SDQ Total Difficulties (SDQ-TD) score and the Prosocial Behavior (PSB) score. Height and weight were measured, and BMI z-scores were calculated. RESULTS: A direct, but non-significant linear trend was found between SDQ-TD score and BMI z......, and family stress level. CONCLUSION: The results suggested a threshold effect between SDQ-TD score and BMI z-score, where BMI z-score was associated with childhood behavioural problems only for those with the highest scores of SDQ-TD. No significant association between PSB score and BMI z-score was found....

Thermal desorption remediation in relation to landfill disposal at isolated sites in northern Alberta

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walker, G.; Henze, M.; Fernuik, N.; MacKinnon, B.; Nelson, D.

2005-01-01

Thermal desorption (TD) involves the application of heat to organic-contaminated soil to release and thermally destruct contaminants using high temperatures. An overview of the technique used in the remediation of diesel-contaminated sites was presented. The paper was divided into 2 parts, the first of which provided an overview of TD at 2 electric company sites with a total of 29,000 tonnes of diesel-contaminated soil. Site contamination occurred mainly through the loading, storage and dispensing of diesel fuel. Petroleum lubricants, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), glycols and metals were among the other contaminants. Remediation work was comprised of dig and dump (DD) or thermal desorption (TD) treatment of contaminated soils as well as the removal of underground facilities including concrete foundations, screw anchors, storage tanks, pipelines and grounding grids. The TD process, and productivity with both clay and sand soil types was reviewed, and an analysis of direct, indirect and total costs was presented. Issues concerning planning, production rates, practical field experience and quality control procedures were discussed, in addition to limitations such the treatment's inability to remediate metals, sensitivity to soil water content, and water demands for soil processing. The second section described the role of TD in a staged remediation for 46,000 tonnes of diesel-contaminated soil at Fox Lake, a remote northern community accessible by winter road and ice bridges. The challenges of ice bridge construction and maintenance, excavation backfilling and soil transport at low temperature were reviewed. An outline of consultation processes with First Nations was presented, as well as details of site operations and soil hauling, truck restrictions and coordination over the ice bridge, alternate backfill sources, and TD soil treatment of the contaminated soil. 2 tabs

Noninvasive pulse contour analysis for determination of cardiac output in patients with chronic heart failure.

Science.gov (United States)

Roth, Sebastian; Fox, Henrik; Fuchs, Uwe; Schulz, Uwe; Costard-Jäckle, Angelika; Gummert, Jan F; Horstkotte, Dieter; Oldenburg, Olaf; Bitter, Thomas

2018-05-01

Determination of cardiac output (CO) is essential in diagnosis and management of heart failure (HF). The gold standard to obtain CO is invasive assessment via thermodilution (TD). Noninvasive pulse contour analysis (NPCA) is supposed as a new method of CO determination. However, a validation of this method in HF is pending and performed in the present study. Patients with chronic-stable HF and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF ≤ 45%; HF-REF) underwent right heart catheterization including TD. NPCA using the CNAP Monitor (V5.2.14, CNSystems Medizintechnik AG) was performed simultaneously. Three standardized TD measurements were compared with simultaneous auto-calibrated NPCA CO measurements. In total, 84 consecutive HF-REF patients were enrolled prospectively in this study. In 4 patients (5%), TD was not successful and for 22 patients (26%, 18 with left ventricular assist device), no NPCA signal could be obtained. For the remaining 58 patients, Bland-Altman analysis revealed a mean bias of + 1.92 L/min (limits of agreement ± 2.28 L/min, percentage error 47.4%) for CO. With decreasing cardiac index, as determined by the gold standard of TD, there was an increasing gap between CO values obtained by TD and NPCA (r = - 0.75, p TD-CI classified 52 (90%) patients to have a reduced CI (REF patients, auto-calibrated NPCA systematically overestimates CO with decrease in cardiac function. Therefore, to date, NPCA cannot be recommended in this cohort.

Comparison Study of the Stuttered Words Type in Stuttering Children and Adults

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maryam Mokhlessin

2006-06-01

Full Text Available Background and Aim: Since knowing the mechanisms which evoke non-fluency is the first step in the treatment of stuttering, and there are very few researches in Persian which consider the role of the linguistic factors behind stuttering, this study is an attempt to provide answers to some of numerous questions about stuttering by comparing the stuttered words` type in stuttered children and adults. Materials and Methods: In this study stuttered people were divided into 5 age groups as follows: 3-6, 7-9, 10-12, 13-16, and older than 17 years old. Each group had ten participants. Forty-two of the 50 participants were male, and the youngest person was 3 years old and the eldest one was 32 years old. The study method involved recording at least 5 minuets of spontaneous speech of every one who was diagnosed of suffering from stuttering by two speech and language pathologists. The percent of non-fluency on every word's type was determined where a content word was followed or preceded by a function word (Function-Function-Content words and Function-Content words contexts. Then these findings were analyzed by Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests. Results: The results of this study show while function words are dominantly more stuttered than content words in children less than 13 years old in Function-Function-Content words context, we consider more disfluency on content words and second function word by getting old. We consider more stuttering on function words in children less that 13 years old in Function-Content words context too and increased non-fluency on content word by growing up. Results also show meaningful differences between the fifth group and others in the amount of stuttering on second function word in the Function-Function-Content words contexts and also between the first group and the others in amount of non-fluency both on function and content words in Function-Content words context. Conclusion: People who stutter from Farsi speakers

Development of technology for brown coal liquefaction. Design, construction and operation of pilot plant; development of 50t/d pilot plant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1986-08-01

As for the development of 50t/d pilot plant for the development of liquefaction plant of Victorian brown coal in Austraria, outline of the contents about the second stage construction following the first stage construction up to this time is reported from the following 4 viewpoints; 1: design of process apparatuses, 2: manufacture of apparatuses, 3: fieldwork of the construction and 4: operation of the first stage facilities. On the first item the outline of detail design made by Japanese and Australian companies is described. On the second item the acceptance of purchasing goods from Japan and Australia and the condition of inspection and quality assurance to specific principal parts are described. On the third item the supplementary construction of the first stage, contents of constructions of the second stage are described. On the fourth item, preparation for operation, target, the whole circumstances and the results of maintenance, especially review of operation technique, training of operators, and occurrence and repair of troubles are described. As other relevant works, envirommental assessment, waste disposal, enviromental monitoring for exhaust gases, drainage and working enviroments, safety measure, educational training and moreover activities for local district people and the state of labor market as the support for execution of the project are described.

Child behavioural problems and body size among 2-6 year old children predisposed to overweight. results from the "healthy start" study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nanna J Olsen

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: Psychological adversities among young children may be associated with childhood overweight and obesity. We examined if an increased level of child behavioural problems was associated with body size among a selected group of 2-6 year old children, who were all predisposed to develop overweight. METHODS: Cross-sectional analyses were conducted using baseline data from the "Healthy Start" intervention study. A total of 3058 children were invited to participate, and data from 583 children who were all predisposed for obesity was analyzed. The Danish version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ was used to assess child stress by the SDQ Total Difficulties (SDQ-TD score and the Prosocial Behavior (PSB score. Height and weight were measured, and BMI z-scores were calculated. RESULTS: A direct, but non-significant linear trend was found between SDQ-TD score and BMI z-score (β = 0.021, p = 0.11. Having an SDQ-TD score above the 90(th percentile was associated with BMI z-score (β = 0.36, p = 0.05. PSB score was not associated with BMI z-score. Analyses were adjusted for parental socioeconomic status, parental BMI, family structure, dietary factors, physical activity, and family stress level. CONCLUSION: The results suggested a threshold effect between SDQ-TD score and BMI z-score, where BMI z-score was associated with childhood behavioural problems only for those with the highest scores of SDQ-TD. No significant association between PSB score and BMI z-score was found.

Multifunctional organic nitrates: A decade of TD-LIF Observations

Science.gov (United States)

Cohen, R. C.

2012-12-01

With our first observations of total RONO2 in 1999 a relatively routine and quantitative basis for assessing the prominent role RONO2s chemistry plays in our atmosphere emerged. In the decade since our ambient measurements have inspired us to think carefully about how RONO2 chemistry suppresses ozone formation in urban atmospheres (and more recently in regions dominated by oil and gas drilling), how RONO2 formation ss the dominant sink of NOx in rural continental locations affects the NOx lifetime, how RONO2 fits into our models of the NOy budget and the extent to which RONO2 aerosol are important. In this talk I will review the development of these ideas.

Análise dos fatores de risco para gagueira em crianças disfluentes sem recorrência familial Analysis of the risk factors for stuttering in disfluent children without familial recurrence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristiane Moço Canhetti de Oliveira

2012-12-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: analisar os fatores gênero, idade, tipo de surgimento da gagueira, tempo de duração e tipologia das disfluências, fatores estressantes físicos e emocionais, e fatores comunicativos e qualitativos associados em crianças disfluentes sem recorrência familial do distúrbio. MÉTODO: participaram 43 crianças com alto risco para a gagueira de ambos os gêneros. A coleta de dados foi realizada por meio do Protocolo de Risco para a Gagueira do Desenvolvimento - PRGD. RESULTADOS: a razão masculino/feminino foi de 3,3:1. A única diferença estatisticamente significante dos fatores de risco analisados nos gêneros masculino e feminino foi a maior ocorrência de fatores comunicativos associados no gênero masculino (p=0,003. Houve uma semelhança dos achados entre os meninos e as meninas: quanto ao tempo de duração das disfluências a maioria apresentou mais de 12 meses de duração, a tipologia gaga foi a mais freqüente, a presença de fatores estressantes emocionais ocorreu na maior parte das crianças, e finalmente os fatores qualitativos associados, como taxa de elocução aumentada, tensão visível e incoordenação pneumo-fono-articulatória estiveram presentes em grande parte da amostra. CONCLUSÃO: os resultados desta investigação permitiram concluir que nos casos de crianças com alto risco para a gagueira isolada ocorreu a interação de inúmeros fatores, sugerindo que o distúrbio é multifatorial. Também foi possível concluir que a interação de alguns fatores como gênero masculino, tipologia gaga manifestada por mais de 12 meses, com início persistente, na presença de fatores qualitativos e comunicativos associados pode representar risco maior para o desenvolvimento da gagueira persistente.PURPOSE: to analyze the following factors: gender, age, type of the onset of disfluencies, duration and typology of disfluencies; physical and emotional stresses and communicative and qualitative factors associated in children

Cerebral time domain-NIRS: Reproducibility analysis, optical properties, hemoglobin species and tissue oxygen saturation in a cohort of adult subjects

OpenAIRE

Giacalone, Giacomo; Zanoletti, Marta; Contini, Davide; Rebecca, Re; Spinelli, Lorenzo; Roveri, Luisa; Torricelli, Alessandro

2017-01-01

The reproducibility of cerebral time-domain near-infrared spectroscopy (TD-NIRS) has not been investigated so far. Besides, reference intervals of cerebral optical properties, of absolute concentrations of deoxygenated-hemoglobin (HbR), oxygenated-hemoglobin (HbO), total hemoglobin (HbT) and tissue oxygen saturation (StO2) and their variability have not been reported. We have addressed these issues on a sample of 88 adult healthy subjects. TD-NIRS measurements at 690, 785, 830 nm were fitted ...

Prevalence of thiamine deficiency in heart failure patients on long-term diuretic therapy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shrenik Doshi

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Loop diuretics are an integral part of heart failure management. It has been shown that loop diuretics cause thiamine deficiency (TD by increasing its urinary loss. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of TD in heart failure patients on long-term oral loop diuretics. Methods: Heart failure patients (cases on oral loop diuretics (furosemide ≥40 mg/day or torsemide ≥20 mg/day, irrespective of the cause of heart failure, were compared to non-heart failure patients (controls not on loop diuretics in a 1:1 ratio. Whole blood free thiamine level was determined by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method. Results: A total of 100 subjects were enrolled in a 1:1 ratio (50 cases and 50 controls. 67% of the total study population had TD, (defined as whole blood free thiamine level <0.7 ng/ml. There was no difference in mean thiamine level between cases and controls. On comparing patients with TD in both groups, patients on diuretics had significantly lower thiamine level compared to the patients, not on diuretics (P < 0.0001. Conclusions: There was no difference in the thiamine level when patients on loop diuretics were compared to controls. However, very low thiamine levels (<0.1 ng/ml was significantly more common in patients on loop diuretics.

Class I self-splicing introns are found in the T-even bacteriophage family

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chu, F.K.; Maley, F.; Maley, G.F.

1987-01-01

The thymidylate synthase gene (td) and ribonucleotide reductase B2 subunit gene (nrdB) EMBO both of bacteriophage T4 in origin, are procaryotic intron-containing protein-encoding genes. To screen for other procaryotic introns, southern hybridization analysis of several procaryotic genomes was carried out, using T4 phage td DNA restriction fragments and synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides defining strategic td exon and intron regions. Furthermore, the labeling pattern of total RNA with [α- 32 P]GTP, a typical reaction of self-splicing RNAs (class I), was examined. Experimental data implicate multiple self-splicing introns only in the T-even phages: five (1, 0.9, 0.83, 0.75 and 0.6 kb) in T4 and three (1, 0.9 and 0.75 kb) each in T2 and T6 phages. Northern hybridization analysis of total RNA extracted from T-even phage-infected cells confirms that the 1 kb RNA from each phage is in fact the excised intron segment from the precursor RNA transcribed from an intron-containing td gene in each case. This RNA cyclizes to form a contiguous circular molecule. The 0.6 kb RNA is most likely the T4 phage nrdB intron which seems to be absent from the corresponding gene in T2 and T6. The remaining RNA species are candidates for other self-splicing introns in these phages

Investigation of the antioxidant effects of pheniramine maleate and nebivolol on testicular damage in rats with experimentally induced testis torsion.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuvanc, Ercan; Tuglu, Devrim; Ozan, Tunc; Kisa, Ucler; Balci, Mahi; Batislam, Ertan; Yilmaz, Erdal

2018-02-01

To investigate the biochemical, histopathologic, and spermatogenetic changes in the detorsionated testicle after experimental torsion and to study the antioxidant effects of pheniramine maleate and nebivolol. Twenty-four Sprague-Dawley male rats were divided into 4 groups: Group 1: Sham; Group 2: Torsion/Detorsion (T/D); Group 3: T/D + Pheniramine maleate (PM); Group 4: T/D + Nebivolol (NB) group. Paroxanase (PON), total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS), and oxidative stres index (OSI) were measured, and spermatogenetic and histopathologic evaluation was performed in tissue and blood samples. The evaluation of tissue TAS indicated no statistically significant difference in Group 3 compared to Group 2. A statistically significant increase was detected in Group 4 compared to Group 2. Serum PON levels revealed a statistically significant increase in Groups 3 and 4 compared to Groups 1 and 2. The Johnsen testicular biopsy score decreased in Groups 3 and 4, but the decrease was not statistically significant. Pheniramine maleate and nebivolol have antioxidant effects against ischemia-reperfusion damage. They also support tissue recovery, which is more significantly observed by nebivolol.

Decreased Cerebellar-Orbitofrontal Connectivity Correlates with Stuttering Severity: Whole-Brain Functional and Structural Connectivity Associations with Persistent Developmental Stuttering.

Science.gov (United States)

Sitek, Kevin R; Cai, Shanqing; Beal, Deryk S; Perkell, Joseph S; Guenther, Frank H; Ghosh, Satrajit S

2016-01-01

Persistent developmental stuttering is characterized by speech production disfluency and affects 1% of adults. The degree of impairment varies widely across individuals and the neural mechanisms underlying the disorder and this variability remain poorly understood. Here we elucidate compensatory mechanisms related to this variability in impairment using whole-brain functional and white matter connectivity analyses in persistent developmental stuttering. We found that people who stutter had stronger functional connectivity between cerebellum and thalamus than people with fluent speech, while stutterers with the least severe symptoms had greater functional connectivity between left cerebellum and left orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). Additionally, people who stutter had decreased functional and white matter connectivity among the perisylvian auditory, motor, and speech planning regions compared to typical speakers, but greater functional connectivity between the right basal ganglia and bilateral temporal auditory regions. Structurally, disfluency ratings were negatively correlated with white matter connections to left perisylvian regions and to the brain stem. Overall, we found increased connectivity among subcortical and reward network structures in people who stutter compared to controls. These connections were negatively correlated with stuttering severity, suggesting the involvement of cerebellum and OFC may underlie successful compensatory mechanisms by more fluent stutterers.

Decreased Cerebellar-Orbitofrontal Connectivity Correlates with Stuttering Severity: Whole-Brain Functional and Structural Connectivity Associations with Persistent Developmental Stuttering

Science.gov (United States)

Sitek, Kevin R.; Cai, Shanqing; Beal, Deryk S.; Perkell, Joseph S.; Guenther, Frank H.; Ghosh, Satrajit S.

2016-01-01

Persistent developmental stuttering is characterized by speech production disfluency and affects 1% of adults. The degree of impairment varies widely across individuals and the neural mechanisms underlying the disorder and this variability remain poorly understood. Here we elucidate compensatory mechanisms related to this variability in impairment using whole-brain functional and white matter connectivity analyses in persistent developmental stuttering. We found that people who stutter had stronger functional connectivity between cerebellum and thalamus than people with fluent speech, while stutterers with the least severe symptoms had greater functional connectivity between left cerebellum and left orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). Additionally, people who stutter had decreased functional and white matter connectivity among the perisylvian auditory, motor, and speech planning regions compared to typical speakers, but greater functional connectivity between the right basal ganglia and bilateral temporal auditory regions. Structurally, disfluency ratings were negatively correlated with white matter connections to left perisylvian regions and to the brain stem. Overall, we found increased connectivity among subcortical and reward network structures in people who stutter compared to controls. These connections were negatively correlated with stuttering severity, suggesting the involvement of cerebellum and OFC may underlie successful compensatory mechanisms by more fluent stutterers. PMID:27199712

Decreased cerebellar-orbitofrontal connectivity correlates with stuttering severity: Whole-brain functional and structural connectivity associations with persistent developmental stuttering

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kevin Richard Sitek

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Persistent developmental stuttering is characterized by speech production disfluency and affects 1% of adults. The degree of impairment varies widely across individuals and the neural mechanisms underlying the disorder and this variability remain poorly understood. Here, we elucidate compensatory mechanisms related to this variability in impairment using whole-brain functional and white matter connectivity analyses in persistent developmental stuttering. We found that people who stutter had stronger functional connectivity between cerebellum and thalamus than people with fluent speech, while stutterers with the least severe symptoms had greater functional connectivity between left cerebellum and left orbitofrontal cortex. Additionally, people who stutter had decreased functional and white matter connectivity among the perisylvian auditory, motor, and speech planning regions compared to typical speakers, but greater functional connectivity between the right basal ganglia and bilateral temporal auditory regions. Structurally, disfluency ratings were negatively correlated with white matter connections to left perisylvian regions and to the brain stem. Overall, we found increased connectivity among subcortical and reward network structures in people who stutter compared to controls. These connections were negatively correlated with stuttering severity, suggesting the involvement of cerebellum and orbitofrontal cortex may underlie successful compensatory mechanisms by more fluent stutterers.

Association of thyroid diseases with primary extra-thyroidal malignancies in women: results of a cross-sectional study of 6,386 patients.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Natalie Prinzi

Full Text Available We here analyzed the prevalence of extra-thyroidal malignancies (EM in 6,386 female patients affected by different thyroid disease (TD. At first, an age-matched analysis of EM in all patients was performed. We then evaluated EM prevalence in four TD diagnostic categories: non-nodular TD (n = 2,159; solitary nodule (n = 905; multinodular TD (n = 2,871; differentiated thyroid cancers (n = 451. Finally, patients were grouped based on the absence (n = 3,820 or presence of anti-thyroglobulin (TgAb and/or anti-thyroperoxidase (TPOAb (n = 2,369, or anti-Thyroid Stmulating Hormone (TSH receptor autoantibodies (n = 197. A total of 673 EM were recorded. EM prevalence in TD patients was higher compared to the general population (Odds Ratio, OR 3.21 and the most frequent EM was breast cancer (OR 3.94, followed by colorectal (OR 2.18, melanoma (OR 6.71, hematological (OR 8.57, uterus (OR 2.52, kidney (OR 3.40 and ovary (OR 2.62 neoplasms. Age-matched analysis demonstrated that the risk of EM was maximal at age 0-44 yr (OR 11.28, remaining lower, but significantly higher that in the general population, in the 45-59 and 60-74 year age range. Breast and hematological malignancies showed an increased OR in all TD, while other cancers associated with specific TD. An increased OR for melanoma, breast and hematological malignancies was observed in both TPOAb and/or TgAb autoantibody negative and positive patients, while colorectal, uterus, kidney and ovary cancers showed an increased OR only in thyroid autoantibody negative patients. In conclusions, women affected by both benign and malignant TD, especially at a younger age and in absence of thyroid autoimmunity, have an increased risk of developing primary EM, thus requiring a careful follow-up and surveillance.

Interrupted thymidylate synthase gene of bacteriophages T2 and T6 and other potential self-splicing introns in the T-even bacteriophages

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chu, F.K.; Maley, F.; Martinez, J.; Maley, G.F.

1987-01-01

Southern hybridization analyses of procaryotic DNA from Escherchia coli, λ bacteriophage, and T1 to T7 phages were carried out. The hybridization probes used consisted of DNA restriction fragments derived from the T4 phage intron-containing thymidylate synthase gene (td) and short synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides defining specific exon and intron regions of the gene. It was shown that intact as well as restricted DNA from the T-even phages hybridized not only to both T4 phage td intron- and exon-specific probes but also to probes defining the td 5' (exon I-intron) and 3' (intron-exon II) presplice junctions. These data strongly suggest that, analogous to the T4 phage, only the T2 and T6 phages among the procaryotes tested contain interrupted td genes. The td intervening sequence in each phage is roughly 1 kilobase pair (kb) in size and interrupts the td gene at a site analogous to that in the T4 phage. This was confirmed by data from Northern (RNA) hybridization analysis of td-specific in vitro transcripts of these phage DNAs. [α- 32 P]GTP in vitro labeling of total RNA from T4 phage-infected cells produced five species of labeled RNAs that were 1, 0.9, 0.83, 0.75, and 0.6 kb in size. Only the 1-, 0.9-, and 0.75-kb species were labeled in RNA from T2- or T6-infected cells. The commonly present 1-kb RNA is the excised td intron, which exists in both linear and circular forms in the respective T-even-phage-infected cells, while the 0.6-kb RNA unique to T4 may be the excised intron derived from the ribonucleotide reductase small subunit gene (nrdB) of the phage. The remaining labeled RNA species are likely candidates for other self-splicing introns

Effect of epidermal growth factor (EGF) on [3H]TdR incorporation into DNA in ad lib fed and fasted CD2F1 mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scheving, L.A.; Tsai, T.H.; Scheving, L.E.; Hoke, W.S.

1987-01-01

The effect of EGF on the incorporation of [ 3 H]TdR into DNA (DNA synthesis) was determined in the esophagus, liver, pancreas, and kidney in mice standardized to 12 hours (hr) of light alternating with 12 hr of darkness. A question asked was whether intraperitoneally administered EGF could alter the circadian patterns of DNA synthesis in these organs. The most marked effects of EGF were: an increase in DNA synthesis but only after a specific duration of time after treatment, ranging from 8 to 23 hr, which differed for each tissue, a similarity in the response of the esophagus in both ad lib fed and fasted mice, but not in the response of the liver, where the stimulatory effect of EGF observed in fed mice was dramatically reduced in fasted ones, and an advance in the phasing of the circadian rhythm in DNA synthesis of the esophagus by about 12 hr. In addition, no sex differences in fasted animals were found under the conditions of this study

Decreased Cerebellar-Orbitofrontal Connectivity Correlates with Stuttering Severity: Whole-Brain Functional and Structural Connectivity Associations with Persistent Developmental Stuttering

OpenAIRE

Sitek, Kevin R.; Cai, Shanqing; Beal, Deryk S.; Perkell, Joseph S.; Guenther, Frank H.; Ghosh, Satrajit S.

2016-01-01

Persistent developmental stuttering is characterized by speech production disfluency and affects 1% of adults. The degree of impairment varies widely across individuals and the neural mechanisms underlying the disorder and this variability remain poorly understood. Here we elucidate compensatory mechanisms related to this variability in impairment using whole-brain functional and white matter connectivity analyses in persistent developmental stuttering. We found that people who stutter had st...

Decreased cerebellar-orbitofrontal connectivity correlates with stuttering severity: Whole-brain functional and structural connectivity associations with persistent developmental stuttering

OpenAIRE

Kevin Richard Sitek; Kevin Richard Sitek; Shanqing eCai; Shanqing eCai; Deryk Scott Beal; Deryk Scott Beal; Deryk Scott Beal; Deryk Scott Beal; Deryk Scott Beal; Joseph S Perkell; Joseph S Perkell; Frank eGuenther; Satrajit S Ghosh; Satrajit S Ghosh

2016-01-01

Persistent developmental stuttering is characterized by speech production disfluency and affects 1% of adults. The degree of impairment varies widely across individuals and the neural mechanisms underlying the disorder and this variability remain poorly understood. Here, we elucidate compensatory mechanisms related to this variability in impairment using whole-brain functional and white matter connectivity analyses in persistent developmental stuttering. We found that people who stutter had ...

Degassing of CO2, SO2, and H2S associated with the 2009 eruption of Redoubt Volcano, Alaska

Science.gov (United States)

Werner, Cynthia; Kelly, Peter J.; Doukas, Michael; Lopez, Taryn; Pfeffer, Melissa; McGimsey, Robert; Neal, Christina

2013-06-01

The 2009 eruption of Redoubt Volcano, Alaska was particularly well monitored for volcanic gas emissions. We report 35 airborne measurements of CO2, SO2, and H2S emission rates that span from October 2008 to August 2010. The magmatic system degassed primarily as a closed system although minor amounts of open system degassing were observed in the 6 months prior to eruption on March 15, 2009 and over 1 year following cessation of dome extrusion. Only 14% of the total CO2 was emitted prior to eruption even though high emissions rates (between 3630 and 9020 t/d) were observed in the final 6 weeks preceding the eruption. A minor amount of the total SO2 was observed prior to eruption (4%), which was consistent with the low emission rates at that time (up to 180 t/d). The amount of the gas emitted during the explosive and dome growth period (March 15-July 1, 2009) was 59 and 66% of the total CO2 and SO2, respectively. Maximum emission rates were 33,110 t/d CO2, 16,650 t/d SO2, and 1230 t/d H2S. Post-eruptive passive degassing was responsible for 27 and 30% of the total CO2 and SO2, respectively. SO2 made up on average 92% of the total sulfur degassing throughout the eruption. Magmas were vapor saturated with a C- and S-rich volatile phase, and regardless of composition, the magmas appear to be buffered by a volatile composition with a molar CO2/SO2 ratio of ~ 2.4. Primary volatile contents calculated from degassing and erupted magma volumes range from 0.9 to 2.1 wt.% CO2 and 0.27-0.56 wt.% S; whole-rock normalized values are slightly lower (0.8-1.7 wt.% CO2 and 0.22-0.47 wt.% S) and are similar to what was calculated for the 1989-90 eruption of Redoubt. Such contents argue that primary arc magmas are rich in CO2 and S. Similar trends between volumes of estimated degassed magma and observed erupted magma during the eruptive period point to primary volatile contents of 1.25 wt.% CO2 and 0.35 wt.% S. Assuming these values, up to 30% additional unerupted magma degassed in the

Microdosing clinical study: pharmacokinetic, pharmacogenomic (SLCO2B1), and interaction (grapefruit juice) profiles of celiprolol following the oral microdose and therapeutic dose.

Science.gov (United States)

Ieiri, Ichiro; Doi, Yohei; Maeda, Kazuya; Sasaki, Tomohiro; Kimura, Miyuki; Hirota, Takeshi; Chiyoda, Takeshi; Miyagawa, Mayuko; Irie, Shin; Iwasaki, Kazuhide; Sugiyama, Yuichi

2012-07-01

The authors evaluated the contribution of the SLCO2B1 polymorphism to the pharmacokinetics of celiprolol at a microdose (MD) and therapeutic dose (TD) and compared pharmacokinetic proportionality between the 2 dose forms in 30 SLCO2B1 genotype-matched healthy volunteers. Three drugs (celiprolol, fexofenadine, and atenolol) were orally administered as a cassette dosing following the MD (totally 97.5 µg) and then a TD (100 mg) of celiprolol, with and without grapefruit juice. The mean AUC(0-24) of celiprolol was lower in SLCO2B1*3/*3 individuals (775 ng·h/mL) than in *1/*3 (1097 ng·h/mL) and *1/*1 (1547 ng·h/mL) individuals following the TD, and this was confirmed in population pharmacokinetic analysis with statistical significances; however, SLCO2B1 genotype-dependent differences disappeared following the MD. Dose-normalized AUC of celiprolol at the MD was much lower than that at the TD, explained by the saturation of the efflux transporter. Thus, the effect of SLCO2B1 polymorphism on the AUC of celiprolol clearly observed only at the TD may be due to the saturation of the efflux transport systems.

Dynamical description of the fission process using the TD-BCS theory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Scamps, Guillaume, E-mail: scamps@nucl.phys.tohoku.ac.jp [Department of Physics, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8578 (Japan); Simenel, Cédric [Department of Nuclear Physics, Research School of Physics and Engineering Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601 (Australia); Lacroix, Denis [Institut de Physique Nucléaire, IN2P3-CNRS, Université Paris-Sud, F-91406 Orsay Cedex (France)

2015-10-15

The description of fission remains a challenge for nuclear microscopic theories. The time-dependent Hartree-Fock approach with BCS pairing is applied to study the last stage of the fission process. A good agreement is found for the one-body observables: the total kinetic energy and the average mass asymmetry. The non-physical dependence of two-body observables with the initial shape is discussed.

Mechanism-Based Design for High-Temperature, High-Performance Composites. Book 2

Science.gov (United States)

1997-09-01

0790’ specimen. 52 CO Q. CO CO s 00 D) c TD C CD H c ’E o 350 300 - 250 i^^^^^^w^^^^cs^^^^N^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 200 - 150 100 i i...equation x = 3P/ 4BD , where P, B and D are the load, thickness and depth of the specimen, respec- tively, (b) Micrograph showing delamination cracks...strains in the following manner. The total strain of the composite is given by the weighted sum of the average fiber strain in the debonded portion, td

Economic Evaluation of Teledentistry in Cleft Lip and Palate Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Teoh, Jonathan; Hsueh, Arthur; Mariño, Rodrigo; Manton, David; Hallett, Kerrod

2018-06-01

To assess the use of Teledentistry (TD) in delivering specialist dental services at the Royal Children's Hospital (RCH) for rural and regional patients and to conduct an economic evaluation by building a decision model to estimate the costs and effectiveness of Teledental consultations compared with standard consultations at the RCH. A model-based analysis was conducted to determine the potential costs of implementing TD at the RCH. The outcome measure was timely consultations (whether the patient presented within an appropriate time according to the recommended schedule). Dental records at the RCH of those who presented for orthodontic or pediatric dental consultations were assessed. A cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA), comparing TD with the traditional method of consultation, was conducted. One-way sensitivity analysis was performed to test the robustness of the results. Results and Materials: A total of 367 TD appropriate consultations were identified, of which 241 were timely (65.7%). The mean cost of a RCH consultation was A$431.29, with the mean TD consult costing A$294.35. This represents a cost saving of A$136.95 per appointment. The CEA found TD to be a dominant option, with cost savings of A$3,160.81 for every additional timely consult. The model indicated that 36.7 days of clinic time may be freed up at the RCH to treat other patients and expand capacity. These results were robust when performing one-way sensitivity analysis. When taking a societal perspective, the implementation of TD is likely to be a cost-effective alternative compared with the standard practice of face-to-face consultation at the RCH.

FY 2000 report on the basic survey to promote the joint implementation. Feasibility study for new installation of the Ashuganj NGL rectification plant in Bangladesh; 2000 nendo kyodo jisshi nado suishin kiso chosa hokokusho. Bangladesh koku ni okeru Ashuganj NGL seiryu plant shinsetsu no tame no FS chosa

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2001-03-01

For the purpose of effectively using natural gas and controlling the decrease in forests having ability to absorb/store greenhouse effect gas, a project was worked out for construction of the NGL rectification plant to produce LPG, MS and HSD at Ashuganj in Bangladesh, and the feasibility study was conducted. A total of 467t/d of NGL as raw material is transported from the Sylhet section to the plant site by pipeline with 175km distance and 6 inch diameter. In this project, this NGL is rectified to produce LPG of 123t/d, MS of 262t/d and HSD of 82t/d. As a result of the study, the substitution energy effect in this project is approximately 45,000 toe/y. The greenhouse effect gas emission is reduced by 861,000 t-CO2/y by converting the residential/commercial use fuel from firewood as biomass fuel to LPG. The ROI before tax is 19.24% in 20 years, which predicts a high earning rate. (NEDO)

Disfluency Patterns and Phonological Skills Near Stuttering Onset

Science.gov (United States)

Gregg, Brent Andrew; Yairi, Ehud

2012-01-01

There is a substantial amount of literature reporting the incidence of phonological difficulties to be higher for children who stutter when compared to normally fluent children, suggesting a link between stuttering and phonology. In view of this, the purpose of the investigation was to determine whether, among children who stutter, there are…

Autistic Symptoms in Children and Adolescents with Gender Dysphoria.

Science.gov (United States)

van der Miesen, Anna I R; de Vries, Annelou L C; Steensma, Thomas D; Hartman, Catharina A

2018-05-01

Studies have shown an increase of symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in gender dysphoria (GD). Various hypotheses try to explain this possible co-occurrence (e.g., a role of resistance to change, stereotyped behaviors or prenatal testosterone exposure). This study examined ASD symptoms with the Children's Social Behavior Questionnaire (CSBQ) in 490 children with GD compared to 2507 typically developing (TD) and 196 children with ASD. CSBQ total scores of the GD sample were in between scores from the TD and ASD sample. The GD sample showed elevated levels of autistic symptomatology on all subdomains, not only on stereotyped and resistance to change. Further, no gender differences and interaction effects were found on the total CSBQ, making a sole role for prenatal testosterone unlikely.

Drama techniques as part of cluttering therapy according to the verbotonal method

OpenAIRE

Hercigonja Salamoni, Darija; Rendulić, Ana

2017-01-01

Cluttering is a syndrome characterised by a wide range of symptoms. It always contains one or more key elements such as abnormally fast speech rate, greater than expected number of disfluencies, reduced intelligibility due to over-coarticulation and indistinct articulation, inappropriate brakes in speech pattern, monotone speech, disturbance in language planning, etc. Drama activities and storytelling share a number of features that allow spontaneous use during therapy process and detachment ...

The role of auditory temporal cues in the fluency of stuttering adults

OpenAIRE

Furini, Juliana; Picoloto, Luana Altran; Marconato, Eduarda; Bohnen, Anelise Junqueira; Cardoso, Ana Claudia Vieira; Oliveira, Cristiane Moço Canhetti de

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Purpose: to compare the frequency of disfluencies and speech rate in spontaneous speech and reading in adults with and without stuttering in non-altered and delayed auditory feedback (NAF, DAF). Methods: participants were 30 adults: 15 with Stuttering (Research Group - RG), and 15 without stuttering (Control Group - CG). The procedures were: audiological assessment and speech fluency evaluation in two listening conditions, normal and delayed auditory feedback (100 milliseconds dela...

Essentials of Epidemiology and Phenomenology of Stuttering – Consequences for Clinical SLP Practice

OpenAIRE

Boey, Ronny

2012-01-01

The Antwerp epidemiological and phenomenological study on stuttering focuses on the onset and development of stuttering. Descriptive data related to the onset of stuttering were obtained for a group of 1549 participants. The reported and observed variables were obtained in order to test several hypotheses concerning the age-related, gender-related and interrelated phenomena. The following aspects of stuttering and the related phenomena were studied: (a) stuttering-like disfluencies (typ...

FY 1980 Report on results of Sunshine Project. Research and development of coal liquefaction techniques (Development of direct hydrogenation type liquefaction plant and 2.4 T/D test plant); 1980 nendo sekitan ekika gijutsu no kenkyu kaihatsu, chokusetsu suiten ekika plant no kaihatsu seika hokokusho. 2.4T/nichi jikken plant no kaihatsu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1981-03-01

This program is aimed at construction and operation of a 2.4 T/D test plant for eventual commercialization of the direct hydrogenation type liquefaction process. The FY 1980 program includes designs of the test plant, procurement and manufacture of some equipment, and works for construction of the bases, buildings and scaffolds. The construction site for the 2.4 T/D plant was changed in July 1980 from Mitsui Engineering and Shipbuilding's Chiba works to NKK's Keihin Steelworks, which was accompanied by some changes in the basic and detailed designs. The detailed designs were reviewed for construction of the test plant, to reflect the results of the individual elementary researches. The works for the FY 1980 program also include preparations for obtaining approvals of plant construction, based on the revised designs, from the related government offices, and equipment procurement. This paper presents the major drawings for the plant construction, including those for PID designs, overall plant layouts, piping systems, buildings, scaffolds, and pipe racks. The loading data are also included. (NEDO)

Total protein

Science.gov (United States)

... page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003483.htm Total protein To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript. The total protein test measures the total amount of two classes ...

The Role of Family Control on Financial Performance of Family Business in Gebze

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Huriye Sabancı Özer

2012-01-01

Full Text Available This paper analysis the role of family control on financial performance of family business by using the key financial data of family businesses of 16 firm registred to Gebze Chamber of Commerce. In this paper, financial performance of a family business is measured by using Return on Assets, Return on Sales and Total Debt/Total Assets ratios. The family member CEO is more successful as far as ROA ratios concerned, but is less successful as far as TD/TA ratios concerned, in comparison to non family member CEO. In other words, the non family member CEO is more successful as far as TD/TA ratios concerned, but is less successful as far as ROA ratios concerned, in comparison to family member CEO. Additionally, as far as ROS ratios concerned, there is no significant difference between family member CEO and non family member CEO. Overall, the results are consistent with the hypotheses that there is difference between ROA of family member CEO and non family member CEO, and there is difference between TD/TA of family member CEO and non family member CEO.

Association between monoamine oxidase A gene promoter 30 bp repeat polymorphism and tardive dyskinesia in Chinese schizophrenics

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Changhe Fan; Lihua Li; Yan Fu; Hehuang Deng; Xiangjiao Liao; Youcai Zhou

2006-01-01

BACKGROUND: The pathophysiology of tardive dyskinesia (TD) is not yet fully understood. With the hypothesis of altered dopaminergic neurotransmission, altered activities of dopamine degrading enzymes such as monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) and their coding genes are supposed to be related to the pathophysiology of TD.OBJECTIVE: To investigate possible association between 30 bp variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) polymorphism in the promoter of MAOA gene and susceptibility, severity of neuroleptic induced TD in Chinese Han people in Guandong Province.DESIGN: Non-randomization-synchronization controlled study. SETTING: Guangdong Mental Health Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital; Guangzhou Psychiatric Hospital; Affiliated Psychiatric Hospital of Guangzhou Municipal Bureau of Civil Administration. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 179 subjects were enrolled in the study. All subjects were sporadic and genetically unrelated Chinese schizophrenic patients who were hospitalizing in Guangzhou Psychiatric Hospital or Affiliated Psychiatric Hospital of Guangzhou Municipal Bureau of Civil Administration during January to April 2005. The diagnosis of schizophrenia was made according to the criteria of Diagnostic and Statistic Manual of Mental Disorder-the third edition-revised (DSM-Ⅲ-R). Among all patients, 88 were diagnosed as with TD and 91 without TD according to the research diagnostic criteria described by Schooler-Kane. Informed consent was obtained from all subjects or their relatives.METHODS: ① TD severity was assessed with the AIMS which was a 5-degree rating scale from 0 to 4 (corresponding to none, minimal, mild, moderate and severe, respectively). The study was approved by the Ethics Committees of the two hospitals and informed consent was obtained from all subjects or their relatives. ② The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) techniques were used to detect MAOA gene 30 bp VNTR polymorphism in schizophrenic patients

Immunogenicity and safety of the new reduced-dose tetanus-diphtheria vaccine in healthy Korean adolescents: A comparative active control, double-blind, randomized, multicenter phase III study.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Seung Beom; Rhim, Jung-Woo; Shin, Hye Jo; Kim, Sang Yong; Kim, Jong-Hyun; Kim, Hyun-Hee; Lee, Kyung-Yil; Kim, Hwang Min; Choi, Young Youn; Ma, Sang Hyuk; Kim, Chun Soo; Kim, Dong Ho; Ahn, Dong Ho; Kang, Jin Han

2017-04-01

A new reduced-dose tetanus-diphtheria (Td) vaccine was developed in Korea, and phase I and II clinical trials were successfully undertaken. We conducted this double-blind, randomized, multicenter phase III clinical trial to assess the immunogenicity and safety of the new Td vaccine. Healthy adolescents 11-12 years of age were enrolled and randomized to receive the new Td vaccine (study group) or a commercially available Td vaccine (control group). Blood samples were collected prior to and 4 weeks after the vaccination. Between the study and control groups, seroprotection rate, booster response, and geometric mean titer of antibodies against diphtheria and tetanus toxoids were compared after the vaccination. All solicited and unsolicited adverse events and serious adverse events during the 6-week study period were monitored. A total of 164 adolescents received vaccination, and 156 of them were evaluated to assess immunogenicity. The seroprotection rate and geometric mean titer for antibodies against diphtheria were significantly higher in the study group, whereas those against tetanus were significantly higher in the control group. However, all seroprotection rates against diphtheria and tetanus in the study and control groups were high: 100% against diphtheria and tetanus in the study group, and 98.7% against diphtheria and 100% against tetanus in the control group. No significant differences in the frequency of solicited and unsolicited adverse events were observed between the two vaccine groups. The new Td vaccine is highly immunogenic and safe, and this new Td vaccine can be effectively used for preventing diphtheria and tetanus. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Non-circadian rhythm in proliferation of haematopoietic stem cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Necas, E.; Znojil, V.

1988-01-01

The proportion of haematopoietic stem cells (CFU-s) engaged in DNA synthesis was determined by means of the [ 3 H]-thymidine ([ 3 H]TdR) suicide technique during recovery of bone marrow from the damage caused by a sublethal total body irradiation. In contrast with previous reports the [ 3 H]TdR suicide rate was not permanently increased. It was observed that CFU-s passed through S phase in synchronous waves, following a dose of irradiation of 1.5 Gy. After a dose of 2.6 Gy, there was only one initial wave of increased CFU-s sensitivity to the action of [ 3 H]TdR. Following the depression occurring 26 hr after the irradiation with 2.6 Gy, the proportion of CFU-s killed by the [ 3 H]TdR was permanently increased until 5-6 days after irradiation. Thereafter large differences in the [ 3 H]TdR suicide data were observed among individual mice. Evidence was obtained that individual mice, which had been irradiated by a dose of 2.6 Gy 8-9 days before, had identical values of the CFU-s [ 3 H]TdR suicide rate in the bone marrow from different bones of the lower extremities. The recurrence of the synchronous waves in CFU-s passage through the cell cycle was recorded when the CFU-s population regenerated to only about 10% of its normal value. It is concluded that the synchronous waves in which CFU-s proliferation occurred reflected the action of the control mechanism on CFU-s proliferation. (author)

Non-circadian rhythm in proliferation of haematopoietic stem cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Necas, E; Znojil, V [Charles Univ., Prague (Czechoslovakia). Faculty of Medicine

1988-03-01

The proportion of haematopoietic stem cells (CFU-s) engaged in DNA synthesis was determined by means of the (/sup 3/H)-thymidine ((/sup 3/H)TdR) suicide technique during recovery of bone marrow from the damage caused by a sublethal total body irradiation. In contrast with previous reports the (/sup 3/H)TdR suicide rate was not permanently increased. It was observed that CFU-s passed through S phase in synchronous waves, following a dose of irradiation of 1.5 Gy. After a dose of 2.6 Gy, there was only one initial wave of increased CFU-s sensitivity to the action of (/sup 3/H)TdR. Following the depression occurring 26 hr after the irradiation with 2.6 Gy, the proportion of CFU-s killed by the (/sup 3/H)TdR was permanently increased until 5-6 days after irradiation. Thereafter large differences in the (/sup 3/H)TdR suicide data were observed among individual mice. Evidence was obtained that individual mice, which had been irradiated by a dose of 2.6 Gy 8-9 days before, had identical values of the CFU-s (/sup 3/H)TdR suicide rate in the bone marrow from different bones of the lower extremities. The recurrence of the synchronous waves in CFU-s passage through the cell cycle was recorded when the CFU-s population regenerated to only about 10% of its normal value. It is concluded that the synchronous waves in which CFU-s proliferation occurred reflected the action of the control mechanism on CFU-s proliferation. (author).

Radiosensitive target in the early mouse embryo exposed to very low doses of ionizing radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wiley, Lynn M.; Raabe, Otto G.; Khan, Rakhshi; Straume, Tore

1994-01-01

We exposed mouse preimplantation embryos in vitro to either tritiated water (HTO) or tritiated thymidine (TdR) to determine whether the radiosensitive target was nuclear or extranuclear for embryonic cell proliferation disadvantage in the mouse embryo chimera assay. 8-cell embryos were incubated in either HTO or TdR for 2 h and paired with non-irradiated control embryos to form chimeras. Chimeras were cultured for an average of 20.2 h to allow for 2-3 cell cycles and then partially dissociated to obtain the number of progeny cells contributed by the two partner embryos for each chimera. These values were expressed as a 'proliferation ratio' (number of cells from the irradiated embryo: total number of cells in the chimera). A ratio significantly less than 0.50 indicates that the experimental embryo expressed an embryonic cell proliferation disadvantage, which is the endpoint of this assay. The activity concentrations of HTO and TdR were adjusted so that both would deliver comparable mean absorbed nuclear doses during the combined initial 2-h irradiation incubation and subsequent 20.2 h chimera incubation periods. Although nuclear doses were comparable under these conditions, the extranuclear dose delivered by the uniformly distributed HTO was about 100 times greater than the extranuclear dose delivered by TdR for each given nuclear dose. Consequently, obtaining mean TdR proliferation ratios≤mean HTO proliferation ratios would be evidence for a nuclear target while obtaining mean HTO proliferation ratios< mean TdR proliferation ratios would be evidence for an extranuclear target. TdR consistently produced lower mean proliferation ratios over a range of doses from 0.14 Gy to 0.43 Gy. Therefore, we conclude that the radiosensitive target for this endpoint is nuclear

In vitro degradability test on rice bran containing Tithonia diversifolia (HEMSL. A. Gray and kelor (Moringa oleifera, LAMK leaves

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Firsoni

2010-10-01

Full Text Available A research was done to investigate the advantages of Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl. A. Gray and Moringa oleifera Lamk leaves as protein source in ruminant concentrate on in-vitro rumen metabolism. Randomized Block Design with 4 treatments and 5 replications was applied in this experiment. The treatments were: A = Tithonia diversifolia (TD 75% + Rice Bran (DD 25%: B = TD (56.25% + Moringa oleifera (MO 18.75% + DD 25%; C = TD 37.50% + MO 37.50% + DD 25%; D = TD 18.75% + MO 56.25% + DD 25%. Samples were weighted 375 ± 5 mg, placed into syringe glass 100 ml, 30 ml rumen liquor with bicarbonat buffer media was added and incubated in 390C for 48 hours. Parameters measured were gas production after 0, 2, 4, 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours incubation, degradability of organic matter (DBK and dry matter (DBO, NH3, total VFA concentration, and microbe biomass production (mg after 48 hours incubation. Results showed that Moringa oleifera replaced some Tithonia diversifolia in concentrate could improve gas production, total VFA concentration, DBK and DBO significantly (P < 0.05. The highest gas production was obtained from treatment D (52.98 ml/375 mg DM and the lowest was from treatment A (41,02 ml/375 mg DM. The highest VFA total was produced by treatment D (88.20 mM and the lowest was from treatment A (78.86 mM. The highest DBK dan DBO were obtained from treatment D (73.74 and 73.32% and the lowest was from treatment A (68.77 and 67.54%. Treatment D produced the highest NH3 and microbial biomass (38.09 mg/100 ml and 89.50 mg, the lowest was obtained from treatment A (35.84 mg/100 ml and 84.66 mg.

Production of trichodiene by Trichoderma harzianum alters the perception of this biocontrol strain by plants and antagonized fungi.

Science.gov (United States)

Malmierca, Mónica G; McCormick, Susan P; Cardoza, Rosa E; Alexander, Nancy J; Monte, Enrique; Gutiérrez, Santiago

2015-08-01

Trichothecenes are phytotoxic sesquiterpenic mycotoxins that can act as virulence factors in plant diseases. Harzianum A (HA) is a non-phytotoxic trichothecene produced by Trichoderma arundinaceum. The first step in HA biosynthesis is the conversion of farnesyl diphosphate to trichodiene (TD), a volatile organic compound (VOC), catalysed by a sesquiterpene synthase encoded by the tri5 gene. Expression of tri5 in the biocontrol strain Trichoderma harzianum CECT 2413 resulted in production of TD in parallel with a reduction of ergosterol biosynthesis and an unexpected increase in the level of squalene. Transformants expressing tri5 displayed low chitinase activity and induced expression of Botrytis cinerea BOT genes, although their total antagonistic potential against phytopathogenic fungi was not reduced. VOCs released by the tri5-transformant induced expression of tomato defence genes related to salicylic acid (SA), and TD itself strongly induced the expression of SA-responsive genes and reduced the development of lateral roots. Together, these results suggest that TD acts as a signalling VOC in the interactions of Trichoderma with plants and other microorganisms by modulating the perception of this fungus to a given environment. Moreover, the TD ability to induce systemic defences indicates that complex trichothecene structures may not be necessary for inducing such responses. © 2014 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Detection of viability by percent thallium uptake with conventional thallium scintigraphy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Imai, Kamon; Araki, Yasushi; Horiuchi, Kou-ichi; Yumikura, Sei; Saito, Satoshi; Ozawa, Yukio; Kan-matsuse, Katsuo; Hagiwara, Kazuo.

1994-01-01

Thallium myocardial scintigraphy (TMS) is used for diagnosis of viability in infarcted myocardium before coronary revascularization. Underestimation of viability by TMS has been reported by many investigators. To evaluate viability precisely, thallium re-injection method or 24 hour delayed imaging is performed. However, these techniques are not convenient and are difficult to perform in clinical practice. Percent T1-uptake method was developed for predicting myocardial viability. To evaluate usefulness of this method, TMS was performed before and after PTCA in 23 patients with myocardial infarction. Left ventricle was divided into 3 layers, then each layer was divided into 4 segments (12 segments in total). Forth three segments showed recovery of perfusion on TMS after PTCA. Viability in infarcted myocardium is predicted by 1) redistribution (RD), 2) %T1-uptake≥45% on the image immediately after exercise (TE), and 3) %T1-uptake≥45% on delayed image (TD). Sensitivity was RD: 60%, TE: 90% and TD: 95% (p<0.001 vs. RD). Specificity was RD: 74%, TE: 68%, and TD: 60% (NS). Predictive accuracy (PA) was RD: 69%, TE: 77%, TD: 73% (NS). Compared with RD, %T1-uptake, either TE or TD, increased sensitivity with slightly improved PA, but decreased specificity slightly. Therefore %T1-uptake would be a sensitive and useful predictor to find patients who are most likely to benefit from re-vascularization. (author)

Report on technological achievements in fiscal 1999. Survey on geological structures in overseas countries, 'Japan-Vietnam joint coal exploration project on Red River delta'; 1999 nendo kaigai chishitsu kozo nado chosa hokokusho. Nippon Vietnam sekitan kyodo tansa Red River delta project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2000-06-01

With an objective to identify stratigraphy, geological structures, coal bed existing status, and coal quality of major coal beds in the north and central district of the area to be surveyed in the Red River delta, test well drilling, physical and seismic exploration, and coal composition analyses were performed. The area to be surveys is a typical delta where irrigation canals are running in all directions. Three test wells were drilled with drilling lengths of 640 m for TD3, 700 m for TD4 and 900 m for TD5. Coring was performed to depths greater than the Tertiary deposit. The seismic exploration was executed along three exploration lines. Total distance was 25 km. In addition, the VSP investigation was carried out on TD3 and TD5. The stratigraphy is composed from below of the Phu Cu bed (Neogene period: marine deposit) , the Tien Hung bed (Neogene period: continental deposit), and the Tai Doung bed (quaternary deposit), in which the bed that holds coal beds is the Tien Hung bed. The beds are very stable as the geological structure, but the constituting rocks are soft and fragile. Anticipated coal beds exist in depths greater than 1000 m. The coal quality is of low ash, low sulfur, medium in calorific power, and contains little gas. (NEDO)

Time-dependent potential-functional embedding theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, Chen; Libisch, Florian; Peng, Qing; Carter, Emily A.

2014-01-01

We introduce a time-dependent potential-functional embedding theory (TD-PFET), in which atoms are grouped into subsystems. In TD-PFET, subsystems can be propagated by different suitable time-dependent quantum mechanical methods and their interactions can be treated in a seamless, first-principles manner. TD-PFET is formulated based on the time-dependent quantum mechanics variational principle. The action of the total quantum system is written as a functional of the time-dependent embedding potential, i.e., a potential-functional formulation. By exploiting the Runge-Gross theorem, we prove the uniqueness of the time-dependent embedding potential under the constraint that all subsystems share a common embedding potential. We derive the integral equation that such an embedding potential needs to satisfy. As proof-of-principle, we demonstrate TD-PFET for a Na 4 cluster, in which each Na atom is treated as one subsystem and propagated by time-dependent Kohn-Sham density functional theory (TDDFT) using the adiabatic local density approximation (ALDA). Our results agree well with a direct TDDFT calculation on the whole Na 4 cluster using ALDA. We envision that TD-PFET will ultimately be useful for studying ultrafast quantum dynamics in condensed matter, where key regions are solved by highly accurate time-dependent quantum mechanics methods, and unimportant regions are solved by faster, less accurate methods

In search of new methods. Qigong in stuttering therapy

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Paweł Półrola

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Introduction : Even though stuttering is probably as old a phenomenon as the human speech itself, the stuttering therapy is still a challenge for the therapist and requires constant searching for new methods. Qigong may prove to be one of them. Aim of the research: The research paper presents the results of an experimental investigation evaluating the usefulness of qigong practice in stuttering therapy. Material and methods: Two groups of stuttering adults underwent 6-month therapy. In group I – the experimental one (n = 11 – the therapy consisted of speech fluency training, psychotherapy and qigong practice. In group II – the control one (n = 12 – it included speech fluency training and psychotherapy. In both groups 2-hour sessions of speech fluency training and psychotherapy were conducted twice a week. Two-hour qigong sessions took place once a week. Results: After 6 months the therapy results were compared with regard to the basic stuttering parameters, such as the degree of speech disfluency, the level of logophobia and speech disfluency symptoms. Improvement was observed in both groups, the beneficial effects, however, being more prominent in the qigong-practising group. Conclusions : Qigong exercises used in the therapy of stuttering people along with speech fluency training and psychotherapy give beneficial effects.

Total algorithms

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tel, G.

We define the notion of total algorithms for networks of processes. A total algorithm enforces that a "decision" is taken by a subset of the processes, and that participation of all processes is required to reach this decision. Total algorithms are an important building block in the design of

Application of MCD spectroscopy and TD-DFT to a highly non-planar porphyrinoid ring system. New insights on red-shifted porphyrinoid spectral bands.

Science.gov (United States)

Mack, John; Asano, Yoshiaki; Kobayashi, Nagao; Stillman, Martin J

2005-12-21

The first magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectra are reported for tetraphenyltetraacenaphthoporphyrin (TPTANP). The impact on the electronic structure of steric interactions between the fused acenaphthalene rings and the meso-tetraphenyl substituents is explored based on an analysis of the optical spectra of the Zn(II) complex (ZnTPTANP) and the free base dication species ([H4TPTANP]2+). In the case of ZnTPTANP, significant folding of the porphyrinoid ligand induces a highly unusual MCD-sign reversal providing the first direct spectroscopic evidence of ligand nonplanarity. Density functional theory (DFT) geometry optimizations for a wide range of Zn(II) porphyrinoids based on the B3LYP functional and TD-DFT calculations of the associated UV-visible absorption spectra are reported, allowing a complete assessment of the MCD data. TPTANP complexes are found to fall into a class of cyclic polyenes, termed as soft MCD chromophores by Michl (J. Pure Appl. Chem. 1980, 52, 1549.), since the signs of the Faraday A1 terms observed in the MCD spectrum are highly sensitive to slight structural changes. The origin of an unusually large red shift of the main B (or Soret) band of MTPTANP (the most red shifted ever reported for fused-ring-expanded metal porphines) and of similar red shifts observed in the spectra of other peripherally crowded porphyrinoid complexes is also explored and explained on this basis.

Embryology of Triatoma infestans (KLUG, (Hemiptera, Reduviidae, a Chagas' disease vector Embriología del Triatoma infestans, vector de la enfermedad de Chagas

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Laura E. Fichera

1992-06-01

Full Text Available This study reports the embryogenesis of T. infestans (Hemiptera, Reduviidae. Morphological parameters of growth sequences from oviposition until hatching (12-14 d 28ºC were established. Five periods, as percent of time of development (TD, were characterized from oviposition until hatching. The most important morphological features were: 1 formation of blastoderm within 7% of TD; 2 germ band and gastrulation within 30% of TD; 3 nerve cord, limb budding, thoracic and abdominal segmentation and formation of body cavity within 50% of TD; 4 nervous system and blastokinesis end, and development of embryonic cuticle within 65% of TD; 5 differentiation of the mouth parts, fat body, and Malphigian tubules during final stage and completion of embryo at day 12 to day 14 around hatching. These signals were chosen as appropriate morphological parameters which should enable the evaluation of embryologic modifications due to the action/s of different insecticidesEn este estudio se caracterizó el desarrollo embrionario del T. infestans (Hemiptera Reduviidae. Se establecieron parámetros morfológicos secuenciales de crecimiento desde la oviposición hasta la eclosión, (12-14 d 28ºC. Cinco períodos de crecimiento fueron determinados y expresados como fracciones porcentuales del tiempo total del desarrollo (TD hasta la eclosión. Los eventos morfológicos mas importantes fueron: 1 La formación del blastodermo hasta el 7% del TD; 2 La aparición de la banda germinativa y su gastrulación transcurridos un 30% del TD; 3 El comienzo de la formación del cordón nervioso, de las extremidades, la segmentación torácica y abdominal y la formación del mixocele cuando la embriogénesis alcanzó el 50% del TD; 4 La terminación de la blastoquinesis, el desarrollo completo del sistema nervioso y la aparición de la cutícula embrionaria hasta el 65% del TD; 5 En la etapa final de la embriogenesis se observó la diferenciación del aparato mandibular, el cuerpo graso

Impact of biomass burning emission on total peroxy nitrates: fire plume identification during the BORTAS campaign

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E. Aruffo

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Total peroxy nitrate ( ∑ PN concentrations have been measured using a thermal dissociation laser-induced fluorescence (TD-LIF instrument during the BORTAS campaign, which focused on the impact of boreal biomass burning (BB emissions on air quality in the Northern Hemisphere. The strong correlation observed between the  ∑ PN concentrations and those of carbon monoxide (CO, a well-known pyrogenic tracer, suggests the possible use of the  ∑ PN concentrations as marker of the BB plumes. Two methods for the identification of BB plumes have been applied: (1  ∑ PN concentrations higher than 6 times the standard deviation above the background and (2  ∑ PN concentrations higher than the 99th percentile of the  ∑ PNs measured during a background flight (B625; then we compared the percentage of BB plume selected using these methods with the percentage evaluated, applying the approaches usually used in literature. Moreover, adding the pressure threshold ( ∼  750 hPa as ancillary parameter to  ∑ PNs, hydrogen cyanide (HCN and CO, the BB plume identification is improved. A recurrent artificial neural network (ANN model was adapted to simulate the concentrations of  ∑ PNs and HCN, including nitrogen oxide (NO, acetonitrile (CH3CN, CO, ozone (O3 and atmospheric pressure as input parameters, to verify the specific role of these input data to better identify BB plumes.

Neural correlates of the processing of unfilled and filled pauses

OpenAIRE

Eklund, Robert; Fransson, Peter; Ingvar, Martin

2015-01-01

Spontaneously produced Unfilled Pauses (UPs) andFilled Pauses (FPs) were played to subjects in an fMRI experiment. While both stimuli resulted in increased activity in the Primary Auditory Cortex, FPs, unlike UPs, also elicited modulation in the Supplementary Motor Area, Brodmann Area 6. This observation provides neurocognitive confirmation of the oft-reported difference between FPs and other kinds of speech disfluency and also could provide a partial explanation for the previously reported b...

Development of Pointing Gestures in Children With Typical and Delayed Language Acquisition.

Science.gov (United States)

Lüke, Carina; Ritterfeld, Ute; Grimminger, Angela; Liszkowski, Ulf; Rohlfing, Katharina J

2017-11-09

This longitudinal study compared the development of hand and index-finger pointing in children with typical language development (TD) and children with language delay (LD). First, we examined whether the number and the form of pointing gestures during the second year of life are potential indicators of later LD. Second, we analyzed the influence of caregivers' gestural and verbal input on children's communicative development. Thirty children with TD and 10 children with LD were observed together with their primary caregivers in a seminatural setting in 5 sessions between the ages of 12 and 21 months. Language skills were assessed at 24 months. Compared with children with TD, children with LD used fewer index-finger points at 12 and 14 months but more pointing gestures in total at 21 months. There were no significant differences in verbal or gestural input between caregivers of children with or without LD. Using more index-finger points at the beginning of the second year of life is associated with TD, whereas using more pointing gestures at the end of the second year of life is associated with delayed acquisition. Neither the verbal nor gestural input of caregivers accounted for differences in children's skills.

Core vocabulary in the narratives of bilingual children with and without language impairment.

Science.gov (United States)

Shivabasappa, Prarthana; Peña, Elizabeth D; Bedore, Lisa M

2017-09-22

Children with primary language impairment (PLI) demonstrate deficits in morphosyntax and vocabulary. We studied how these deficits may manifest in the core vocabulary use of bilingual children with PLI. Thirty bilingual children with and without PLI who were matched pairwise (experimental group) narrated two Spanish and two English stories in kindergarten and first grade. Core vocabulary was derived from the 30 most frequently used words in the stories of 65 and 37 typically developing (TD) first graders (normative group) for Spanish and English, respectively. The number of words each child in the experimental group produced out of the 30 identified core vocabulary words and frequency of each of the core words produced each year were analysed. Children with PLI produced fewer core vocabulary words compared to their TD peers after controlling for total words produced. This difference was more pronounced in first grade. They produced core vocabulary words less frequently in kindergarten than their TD peers. Both groups produced core vocabulary words more frequently in English than Spanish. Bilingual children with PLI demonstrate a less productive core vocabulary use compared to their TD peers in both their languages illustrating the nature of their grammatical and lexical-semantic deficits.

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

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1999-06-01

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

Time dependent-density functional theory (TD-DFT) and experimental studies of UV-Visible spectra and cyclic voltammetry for Cu(II) complex with Et2DTC

Science.gov (United States)

Valle, Eliana Maira A.; Maltarollo, Vinicius Gonçalves; Almeida, Michell O.; Honorio, Kathia Maria; dos Santos, Mauro Coelho; Cerchiaro, Giselle

2018-04-01

In this work, we studied the complexation mode between copper(II) ion and the specific ligand investigated as carriers of metals though biological membranes, diethyldithiocarbamate (Et2DTC). It is important to understand how this occurs because it is an important intracellular chelator with potential therapeutic applications. Theoretical and experimental UV visible studies were performed to investigate the complexation mode between copper and the ligand. Electrochemical studies were also performed to complement the spectroscopic analyses. According to the theoretical calculations, using TD-DFT (Time dependent density functional theory), with B3LYP functional and DGDVZP basis set, implemented in Gaussian 03 package, it was observed that the formation of the complex [Cu(Et2DTC)2] is favorable with higher electron density over the sulfur atoms of the ligand. UV/Vis spectra have a charge transfer band at 450 nm, with the DMSO-d6 band shift from 800 to 650 nm. The electrochemical experiments showed the formation of a new redox process, referring to the complex, where the reduction peak potential of copper is displaced to less positive region. Therefore, the results obtained from this study give important insights on possible mechanisms involved in several biological processes related to the studied system.

Recording injuries among World Cup skiers and snowboarders: a methodological study.

Science.gov (United States)

Flørenes, T W; Nordsletten, L; Heir, S; Bahr, R

2011-04-01

No long-term injury surveillance programs exist for competitive skiing or snowboarding. The objective of this study was, therefore, to compare different methods to record injuries among World Cup athletes in alpine, freestyle, and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, ski jumping and Nordic combined. Information regarding injuries sustained during the 2006-2007 winter season was recorded through three separate and independent systems: prospective injury reports by technical delegates (TD) from the International Ski Federation, prospective medical team registration by selected teams, and retrospective athlete interviews at the end of the season. A total of 100 unique injuries to 602 World Cup athletes were identified from any of the three recording methods. Of these, 91% were registered through the athlete interviews, 47% by the medical team registration and 27% by the TD reports. Only 20 injuries (20%) were captured by all three methods. A total of 64 time-loss injuries were registered. The interviews captured 60 (94%), the medical team registration 39 (61%), and the TD reports 23 (36%) time-loss injuries, while 18 (28%) were registered by all three systems. Retrospective interviews with athletes/coaches regarding injuries during the last 6 months gave the most complete picture of injuries to World Cup skiers and snowboarders. © 2009 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Alternative tense and agreement morpheme measures for assessing grammatical deficits during the preschool period.

Science.gov (United States)

Gladfelter, Allison; Leonard, Laurence B

2013-04-01

P. A. Hadley and H. Short (2005) developed a set of measures designed to assess the emerging diversity and productivity of tense and agreement (T/A) morpheme use by 2-year-olds. The authors extended 2 of these measures to the preschool years to evaluate their utility in distinguishing children with specific language impairment (SLI) from their typically developing (TD) peers. Spontaneous speech samples from 55 children (25 with SLI, 30 TD) at 2 different age levels (4;0-4;6 [years;months] and 5;0-5;6) were analyzed, using a traditional T/A morphology composite that assessed accuracy, and the Hadley and Short measures of Tense Marker Total (assessing diversity of T/A morpheme use) and Productivity Score (assessing productivity of major T/A categories). All 3 measures showed acceptable levels of sensitivity and specificity. In addition, similar differences in levels of productivity across T/A categories were seen in the TD and SLI groups. The Tense Marker Total and Productivity Score measures seem to have considerable utility for preschool-age children, in that they provide information about specific T/A morphemes and major T/A categories that are not distinguished using the traditional composite measure. The findings are discussed within the framework of the gradual morphosyntactic learning account.

Calf blood flow at rest evaluated by thermal measurement with tissue temperature and heat flow and 133Xe clearance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tamura, Toshiyo; Togawa, Tatsuo; Fukuoka, Masakazu; Kawakami, Kenji.

1982-01-01

The regional blood flow in the calf was determined simultaneously by thermal measurement and by 133 Xe clearance technique. Calf blood flow (Ft) by thermal measurement was accounted for by the equation of the form Ft=(CdT*d+Ho-Mb)/rho sub(b)c su b(D) (Ta-Td), where Cd is thermal capacitance of the calf compartment, T*d is the change of calf tissue temperature, Ta is arterila blood temperature, Td is calf tissue temperature, Ho is the heat dissipation from the compartment to the environment, Mb is estimated metabolism of the calf tissue and rho sub(b)c sub(b) is the product of density and specific heat of blood. The healthy men were chosen for the experiments. Total calf blood flow was 2.53+-1.31ml/(min-100ml calf), and muscle blood flow was 2.63+-1.69ml/(min- 100ml muscle) and skin blood flow 7.19+-3.83ml/(min-100ml skin) measured by 133 Xe clearance. On the basis of the results, an estimate has been made of the proportions of the calf volume which can be ascribed to skin and muscle respectively. Estimated muscle and skin blood flow were correlated with total calf blood flow(r=0.98). (author)

Medical ozone therapy reduces oxidative stress and testicular damage in an experimental model of testicular torsion in rats

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Mustafa Tusat

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective: Testicular torsion (TT refers to rotation of the testis and twisting of the spermatic cord. TT results in ischemia-reperfusion (I/R injury involving increased oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis, and can even lead to infertility. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of ozone therapy on testicular damage due to I/R injury in an experimental torsion model. Materials and Methods: 24 male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 3 groups; shamoperated, torsion/detorsion (T/D, and T/D+ozone. Ozone (1mg/kg was injected intraperitoneally 120 minutes before detorsion and for the following 24h. Blood and tissue samples were collected at the end of 24h. Johnsen score, ischemia modified albumin (IMA, total antioxidant status (TAS, total oxidant status (TOS, and oxidative stress index (OSI levels were determined. Results: Levels of IMA, TOS, OSI, and histopathological scores increased in the serum/tissue of the rats in the experimental T/D group. Serum IMA, TOS, and OSI levels and tissue histopathological scores were lower in the rats treated with ozone compared with the T/D group. Conclusion: Our study results suggest that ozone therapy may exhibit beneficial effects on both biochemical and histopathological findings. Clinical trials are now necessary to confirm this.

Getting your home ready - knee or hip surgery

Science.gov (United States)

Hip or knee surgery - getting your home ready; Osteoarthritis - knee ... Cabrera JA, Cabrera AL. Total hip replacement. In: Frontera WR, Silver JK, Rizzo TD, eds. Essentials of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation . 3rd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; ...

Diuron degradation by bacteria from soil of sugarcane crops

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Tassia C. Egea

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The isolation of microorganisms from soil impacted by xenobiotic chemicals and exposing them in the laboratory to the contaminant can provide important information about their response to the contaminants. The purpose of this study was to isolate bacteria from soil with historical application of herbicides and to evaluate their potential to degrade diuron. The isolation media contained either glucose or diuron as carbon source. A total of 400 bacteria were isolated, with 68% being Gram-positive and 32% Gram-negative. Most isolates showed potential to degrade between 10 and 30% diuron after five days of cultivation; however Stenotrophomonas acidophila TD4.7 and Bacillus cereus TD4.31 were able to degrade 87% and 68%, respectively. The degradation of diuron resulted in the formation of the metabolites DCPMU, DCPU, DCA, 3,4-CAC, 4-CA, 4-CAC and aniline. Based on these results it was proposed that Pseudomonas aeruginosa TD2.3, Stenotrophomonas acidaminiphila TD4.7, B. cereus TD4.31 and Alcaligenes faecalis TG 4.48, act on 3,4-DCA and 4-CA by alkylation and dealkylation while Micrococcus luteus and Achromobacter sp follow dehalogenation directly to aniline. Growth on aniline as sole carbon source demonstrates the capacity of strains to open the aromatic ring. In conclusion, the results show that the role of microorganisms in the degradation of xenobiotics in the environment depends on their own metabolism and also on their synergistic interactions.

Effects of different sleep deprivation protocols on sleep perception in healthy volunteers.

Science.gov (United States)

Goulart, Leonardo I; Pinto, Luciano R; Perlis, Michael L; Martins, Raquel; Caboclo, Luis Otavio; Tufik, Sergio; Andersen, Monica L

2014-10-01

To investigate whether different protocols of sleep deprivation modify sleep perception. The effects of total sleep deprivation (TD) and selective rapid eye movement (REM) sleep deprivation (RD) on sleep perception were analyzed in normal volunteers. Thirty-one healthy males with normal sleep were randomized to one of three conditions: (i) normal uninterrupted sleep; (ii) four nights of RD; or (iii) two nights of TD. Morning perception of total sleep time was evaluated for each condition. Sleep perception was estimated using total sleep time (in hours) as perceived by the volunteer divided by the total sleep time (in hours) measured by polysomnography (PSG). The final value of this calculation was defined as the perception index (PI). There were no significant differences among the three groups of volunteers in the total sleep time measured by PSG or in the perception of total sleep time at baseline condition. Volunteers submitted to RD exhibited lower sleep PI scores as compared with controls during the sleep deprivation period (P sleep deprivation reduced the ability of healthy young volunteers to perceive their total sleep time when compared with time measured by PSG. The data reinforce the influence of sleep deprivation on sleep perception. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Total-body irradiation and bone-marrow transplantation - first observations on clinical tolerance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gocheva, L.; Sergieva, K.; Koleva, I.; Mlachkova, D.; Michailov, G.; Avramova, B.

2004-01-01

About 50 000 bone-marrow transplantations (BMT) are performed annually at the present stage in numerous clinical centers all over the world. The Bulgarian experience in total-body irradiation (TBI) with following BMT is rather scarce. The routine TBI procedures in the oncological practice in the country date back just to 2001. The aim of the present publication is to describe the Bulgarian experience and the first impressions from the clinical tolerance of the total-body irradiation (TBI) with subsequent allogeneic peripheral stem cell transplantation (PSCT). Patient characteristics are presented in detail, including their distribution with respect to sex, age, primary diagnose, recurrence number till BMT, patient status during BMT performance (clinical hematological remission or relapse), as well as the basic parameters of the conditioning regime including TBI with subsequent allogeneic PSCT. The position of the patient and the applied radiotherapeutic equipment are described as well as the TBI schemes, respectively 5 fractions of 2 Gy per day for two patients and 3-day irradiation with 6 fractions (two fractions with a 6-hour interval between them) for the rest of the patients. The total dose (TD) of 10 Gy is realized for all patients. The clinical tolerance of 7 patients subjected to TBI and allogeneic PSCT is discussed. All patients were tolerable to the TBI treatment and had no serious problems. The radiotherapy was interrupted only in the case of the first two patients due to slight gastro-intestinal reactions. The first days of radiation were accompanied with a light degree of headache, nausea and vomiting, which were successfully overcome by granisetron. Diarrhea syndrome and mucositis to the II-III degree were developed subsequently without parotitis development. On the days 0 and +1 of the clinical protocol transplantation was realized of non- T-cell-depleted grafts (in 5 patients) and T-cell-depleted grafts (in 2 patients), which had no serious

Tetanus, Diphtheria (Td) Vaccine

Science.gov (United States)

Decavac® (as a combination product containing Diphtheria, Tetanus Toxoids) ... Tenivac® (as a combination product containing Diphtheria, Tetanus Toxoids) ... Why get vaccinated?Tetanus and diphtheria are very serious diseases. They ... United States today, but people who do become infected often have severe ...

Assessing early communication skills at 12 months: a retrospective study of Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Swain, Nathaniel Robert; Eadie, Patricia Ann; Prior, Margot Ruth; Reilly, Sheena

2015-07-01

Early identification of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is currently limited by the absence of reliable biological markers for the disorder, as well as the reliability of screening and assessment tools for children aged between 6 and 18 months. Ongoing research has demonstrated the importance of early social communication skills in differentiating children later diagnosed with ASD from their typically developing (TD) peers, but researchers have not yet investigated whether these differences can be detected using community-ascertained systematic observation data as early as 12 months. To investigate whether differences in early social communication skills can be detected at 12 months of age, comparing children later diagnosed with ASD, and TD peers; and to determine whether differences remain when groupings are based on age of subsequent ASD diagnosis. From a prospective community-ascertained sample, we collected data on children in early life, then conducted retrospective analyses for those children who were later diagnosed with ASD by the age of 7 years, compared with matched TD peers. We analysed standardized observational data of early communication skills, collected using the Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scales-Developmental Profile (CSBS-DP) Behavior Sample, when participants were 12 months of age. Children in the ASD group exhibited significantly lower social communication skills than the TD group, including on the Total score and Social and Symbolic Composite scores of the CSBS-DP Behavior Sample. Differences on the Total score and Social Composite were also detected for both early and late ASD diagnosis groups when compared with the TD group. These findings give further support for the importance of social communication in assessing children at risk of ASD as early as 12 months of age. Future research could evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of direct observation of these early communication skills as diagnostic indicators for ASD at 12 months

Radiotherapy of Painful Vertebral Hemangiomas: The Single Center Retrospective Analysis of 137 Cases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miszczyk, Leszek; Tukiendorf, Andrzej

2012-01-01

Purpose: An evaluation of dose–response relationship and an attempt to define predictive factors. Methods and Materials: A total of 137 cases of painful vertebral hemangioma irradiations (101 patients). Fraction dose (fd) varied from 2 to 15 Gy (123 fractionated and 14 radiosurgical treatments), and total dose (TD) from 8 to 30 Gy (111 cases irradiated with fd of 2 GY to TD of 24 Gy). We evaluated pain relief, changes in analgesic requirements, and reossification. Results: Means of pain relief 1, 6, 12, and 18 months after radiotherapy (defined as a decrease of primary pain level expressed in percent) were 60.5%, 65.4%, 68.3%, and 78.4%, respectively. Proportion of patients with no need for analgesics and patients using tramadol were 39%, 40%, 44%, 57%, and 20%, 17%, 22%, and 11% in these times. The proportion of patients experiencing complete/partial pain relief changed from 36/48% 1 month, to 64/22% 1.5 years after radiotherapy. No impact of radiotherapy on reossification was found. The positive impact of fd and TD increase for analgesics uptake reduction and pain relief was found. An increase of the fd by 1 Gy results in 27% chance of analgesics uptake reduction and 3.8% reduction of pain, whereas 14% analgesics uptake reduction and 2.2% of pain reduction in case of the TD. The predictive factors improving results were found: female gender, older age, better performance states (the chance of the lower analgesic treatment decreases over 2.5 times in comparison to the higher Zubrod degree), bigger Hb concentration, shorter symptoms duration and lower analgesics uptake before radiotherapy. Conclusions: The obtained data support the efficacy of radiotherapy in improving pain secondary to vertebral hemangioma, with the degree of pain amelioration being related to increasing fd and TD. The positive predictive factors were defined: female gender, older age, better performance status, increased Hb concentration, shorter symptoms duration, and lower analgesics uptake

Effect of heat build-up on carbon emissions in chimato compost piles ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A study was conducted to determine impacts of heat build-up of chimato compost piles TD0, TD20, TD40, TD50, TD60, TD80 and TD100, made by blending maize stalks with 0, 20, 40, 50, 60, 80 and 100% Tithonia diversifolia, respectively, on carbon losses and emissions during composting. Compost piles temperatures ...

Creativity as Predictor of Mathematical Abilities in Fourth Graders in Addition to Number Sense and Working Memory

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Evelyn H. Kroesbergen

2017-12-01

Full Text Available In this study, it was investigated how domain-specific (number sense and domain-general (working memory, creativity factors explain the variance in mathematical abilities in primary school children. A total of 166 children aged 8 to 10 years old participated. Several tests to measure math ability, mathematical creativity, number sense, verbal and visual spatial working memory and creativity were administered. Data were analyzed with a series of correlation and regression analyses. Number sense, working memory and creativity were all found to be important predictors of academic and creative mathematical ability. Furthermore, groups with math learning disabilities (MLD and mathematical giftedness (MG were compared to a typically developing (TD group. The results show that the MLD group scored lower on number line estimation and visual spatial working memory than the TD group, while the MG group differed from the TD group on visual spatial working memory and creativity. It is concluded that creativity plays a significant role in mathematics, above working memory and number sense.

Metacognitive reading strategies in learning disability: Relations between usage level, academic self-efficacy and self-concept

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Alev Girli

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between the usage levels of metacognitive reading strategies by students diagnosed with specific learning disability (SLD, academic self-efficacy and the concept of self, in comparison to their typically developing (TD peers. The data to be used in the study were collected using the Metacognitive Awareness of Reading Strategies Inventory, the Academic Self-efficacy Scale, the Piers-Harris Children’s Self-concept Scale and the Demographics Information Form. The study was conducted among a total of 119 students in the fifth,sixth, seventh and eighth grades in İzmir Province, including 59 students diagnosed with SLD and 60 TD students. Considering the results of the study, in comparison to TD students, students diagnosed with SLD were significantly inadequate in terms of the usage levels of metacognitive reading strategies, levels of academic self-efficacy, and the intelligence/school subdimensions of the concept of self.

Effects of Fundamental Movement Skills Training on Children With Developmental Coordination Disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Jie; Sit, Cindy H; Burnett, Angus; Capio, Catherine M; Ha, Amy S; Huang, Wendy Y

2016-04-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of fundamental movement skills (FMS) training on FMS proficiency, self-perceived physical competence (SPC), physical activity (PA), and sleep disturbance in children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) compared with children with typical development (TD). A total of 84 children were allocated into either experimental group (DCD[exp], TD[exp]) who received 6 weeks of FMS training or control groups (DCD[con], TD[con]). FMS were assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development-2, whereas PA was monitored using accelerometers. SPC and sleep disturbance were evaluated using questionnaires. Results showed that the DCD[exp] group had significantly higher scores in FMS and SPC compared with the DCD[con] group at posttest. The DCD[exp] group scored lower in sleep disturbance at follow-up when compared with posttest. It is suggested that short-term FMS training is effective in improving FMS and SPC and reducing sleep disturbances for children with DCD.

Critical Assessment of Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory for Excited States of Open-Shell Systems: II. Doublet-Quartet Transitions.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Zhendong; Liu, Wenjian

2016-06-14

Compared with closed-shell systems, open-shell systems place three additional challenges to time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) for electronically excited states: (a) the spin-contamination problem is a serious issue; (b) the exchange-correlation (XC) kernel may be numerically instable; and (c) the single-determinant description of open-shell ground states readily becomes energetically instable. Confined to flip-up single excitations, the spin-contamination problem can largely be avoided by using the spin-flip TD-DFT (SF-TD-DFT) formalism, provided that a noncollinear XC kernel is employed. As for the numerical instabilities associated with such a kernel, only an ad hoc scheme has been proposed so far, viz., the ALDA0 kernel, which amounts to setting the divergent components (arising from density gradients and kinetic energy density) simply to zero. The ground-state instability problem can effectively be avoided by introducing the Tamm-Dancoff approximation (TDA) to TD-DFT. Therefore, on a general basis, the SF-TDA/ALDA0 Ansatz is so far the only promising means within the TD-DFT framework for flip-up single excitations of open-shell systems. To assess systematically the performance of SF-TDA/ALDA0, in total 61 low-lying quartet excited states of the benchmark set of 11 small radicals [J. Chem. Theory Comput. 2016, 12, 238] are investigated with various XC functionals. Taking the MRCISD+Q (multireference configuration interaction with singles and doubles plus the Davidson correction) results as benchmark, it is found that the mean absolute errors of SF-TDA/ALDA0 with the SAOP (statistical averaging of model orbital potentials), global hybrid, and range-separated hybrid functionals are in the range of 0.2-0.4 eV. This is in line not only with the typical accuracy of TD-DFT for singlet and triplet excited states of closed-shell systems but also with the gross accuracy of spin-adapted TD-DFT for spin-conserving excited states of open-shell systems.

Emissions of Fe(II) and its kinetic of oxidation at Tagoro submarine volcano, El Hierro (Canary Islands)

Science.gov (United States)

González-Dávila, M.; Santana-González, C.; Santana-Casiano, J. M.

2017-12-01

The eruptive process that took place in October 2011 in the submarine volcano Tagoro off the Island of El Hierro (Canary Island) and the subsequent degasification stage, five months later, have increased the concentration of TdFe(II) (Total dissolved iron(II)) in the waters nearest to the volcanic edifice. In order to detect any variation in concentrations of TdFe(II) due to hydrothermal emissions, three cruises were carried out two years after the eruptive process in October 2013, March 2014, May 2015, March 2016 and November 2016. The results from these cruises confirmed important positive anomalies in TdFe(II), which coincided with negatives anomalies in pHF,is (pH in free scale, at in situ conditions) located in the proximity of the main cone. Maximum values in TdFe(II) both at the surface, associated to chlorophyll a maximum, and at the sea bottom, were also observed, showing the important influence of organic complexation and particle re-suspension processes. Temporal variability studies were carried out over periods ranging from hours to days in the stations located over the main and two secondary cones in the volcanic edifice with positive anomalies in TdFe(II) concentrations and negative anomalies in pHF,is values. Observations showed an important variability in both pHF,is and TdFe(II) concentrations, which indicated the volcanic area was affected by a degasification process that remained in the volcano after the eruptive phase had ceased. Fe(II) oxidation kinetic studies were also undertaken in order to analyze the effects of the seawater properties in the proximities of the volcano on the oxidation rate constants and t1/2 (half-life time) of ferrous iron. The increased TdFe(II) concentrations and the low associated pHF,is values acted as an important fertilization event in the seawater around the Tagoro volcano at the Island of El Hierro providing optimal conditions for the regeneration of the area.

Long-term results of radiotherapy in patients with chronic palmo-plantar eczema or psoriasis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sumila, M.; Notter, M.; Bodis, S.; Gruber, G.; Itin, P.

2008-01-01

Background and Purpose: Radiotherapy (RT) is well accepted for therapy-refractory palmo-plantar eczema or psoriasis, despite of lacking evidence regarding beneficial long term effects. Furthermore, the optimal irradiation dose is unknown. We evaluated the outcome of RT with two different RT single/total dose (SD/TD) treatment policies. Patients and Methods: 28 consecutive patients with therapy-refractory eczema (n = 22) or psoriasis (n 6) of palms and/or soles were irradiated twice a week either with a D max SD of 1 Gy (6/98-5/03; median TD: 12 Gy) or 0.5 Gy (6/03-7/04; median TD: 5 Gy). Median age was 52 years (27-71), median follow-up 20 months (4-76). Totally 88 regions were treated, 49 with 1 Gy, 39 with 0.5 Gy SD. Eight different symptoms were scored from 0 (absent) -3 (severe), giving a possible sum score of 0-24. Patients' rating of RT result was also documented (worse/stable/better/complete remission). Results: The sum score was 15 (6-23) before RT, 2 (0-16) at the end of RT, and 1 (0-21) at last follow-up, respectively. The improvement was highly significant in both treatment regimens. Better or complete remission by the patients were reported in 44 and 39 (= 83 out of 88) localisations, that was often stable during the follow-up. 5 (6%) regions in 3 (11%) patients didn't benefit from RT. Conclusion: RT reveals excellent results in palmo-plantar eczema or psoriasis. We recommend a SD of 0.5 Gy twice a week up to a TD of 4-5 Gy. (orig.)

Long-term results of radiotherapy in patients with chronic palmo-plantar eczema or psoriasis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sumila, M.; Notter, M.; Bodis, S.; Gruber, G. [State Hospital, Aarau (Switzerland). Inst. of Radiation Oncology; Itin, P. [State Hospital, Aarau (Switzerland). Dept. of Dermatology

2008-04-15

Background and Purpose: Radiotherapy (RT) is well accepted for therapy-refractory palmo-plantar eczema or psoriasis, despite of lacking evidence regarding beneficial long term effects. Furthermore, the optimal irradiation dose is unknown. We evaluated the outcome of RT with two different RT single/total dose (SD/TD) treatment policies. Patients and Methods: 28 consecutive patients with therapy-refractory eczema (n = 22) or psoriasis (n = 6) of palms and/or soles were irradiated twice a week either with a D{sub max} SD of 1 Gy (6/98-5/03; median TD: 12 Gy) or 0.5 Gy (6/03-7/04; median TD: 5 Gy). Median age was 52 years (27-71), median follow-up 20 months (4-76). Totally 88 regions were treated, 49 with 1 Gy, 39 with 0.5 Gy SD. Eight different symptoms were scored from 0 (absent) -3 (severe), giving a possible sum score of 0-24. Patients' rating of RT result was also documented (worse/stable/better/complete remission). Results: The sum score was 15 (6-23) before RT, 2 (0-16) at the end of RT, and 1 (0-21) at last follow-up, respectively. The improvement was highly significant in both treatment regimens. Better or complete remission by the patients were reported in 44 and 39 (= 83 out of 88) localisations, that was often stable during the follow-up. 5 (6%) regions in 3 (11%) patients didn't benefit from RT. Conclusion: RT reveals excellent results in palmo-plantar eczema or psoriasis. We recommend a SD of 0.5 Gy twice a week up to a TD of 4-5 Gy. (orig.)

78 FR 66423 - Proposed Collection: Comment Request for Regulation Project

Science.gov (United States)

2013-11-05

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Internal Revenue Service [TD 9057, TD 9154, TD 9187] Proposed Collection: Comment Request for Regulation Project AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury. ACTION... Rules. OMB Number: 1545-1774. Regulation Project Number: TD 9057, TD 9154, and TD 9187. Abstract: The...

Methods of analysis speech rate: a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Costa, Luanna Maria Oliveira; Martins-Reis, Vanessa de Oliveira; Celeste, Letícia Côrrea

2016-01-01

To describe the performance of fluent adults in different measures of speech rate. The study included 24 fluent adults, of both genders, speakers of Brazilian Portuguese, who were born and still living in the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte, state of Minas Gerais, aged between 18 and 59 years. Participants were grouped by age: G1 (18-29 years), G2 (30-39 years), G3 (40-49 years), and G4 (50-59 years). The speech samples were obtained following the methodology of the Speech Fluency Assessment Protocol. In addition to the measures of speech rate proposed by the protocol (speech rate in words and syllables per minute), the rate of speech into phonemes per second and the articulation rate with and without the disfluencies were calculated. We used the nonparametric Friedman test and the Wilcoxon test for multiple comparisons. Groups were compared using the nonparametric Kruskal Wallis. The significance level was of 5%. There were significant differences between measures of speech rate involving syllables. The multiple comparisons showed that all the three measures were different. There was no effect of age for the studied measures. These findings corroborate previous studies. The inclusion of temporal acoustic measures such as speech rate in phonemes per second and articulation rates with and without disfluencies can be a complementary approach in the evaluation of speech rate.

Filled pause refinement based on the pronunciation probability for lecture speech.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yan-Hua Long

Full Text Available Nowadays, although automatic speech recognition has become quite proficient in recognizing or transcribing well-prepared fluent speech, the transcription of speech that contains many disfluencies remains problematic, such as spontaneous conversational and lecture speech. Filled pauses (FPs are the most frequently occurring disfluencies in this type of speech. Most recent studies have shown that FPs are widely believed to increase the error rates for state-of-the-art speech transcription, primarily because most FPs are not well annotated or provided in training data transcriptions and because of the similarities in acoustic characteristics between FPs and some common non-content words. To enhance the speech transcription system, we propose a new automatic refinement approach to detect FPs in British English lecture speech transcription. This approach combines the pronunciation probabilities for each word in the dictionary and acoustic language model scores for FP refinement through a modified speech recognition forced-alignment framework. We evaluate the proposed approach on the Reith Lectures speech transcription task, in which only imperfect training transcriptions are available. Successful results are achieved for both the development and evaluation datasets. Acoustic models trained on different styles of speech genres have been investigated with respect to FP refinement. To further validate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, speech transcription performance has also been examined using systems built on training data transcriptions with and without FP refinement.

Effect of delayed auditory feedback on stuttering with and without central auditory processing disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Picoloto, Luana Altran; Cardoso, Ana Cláudia Vieira; Cerqueira, Amanda Venuti; Oliveira, Cristiane Moço Canhetti de

2017-12-07

To verify the effect of delayed auditory feedback on speech fluency of individuals who stutter with and without central auditory processing disorders. The participants were twenty individuals with stuttering from 7 to 17 years old and were divided into two groups: Stuttering Group with Auditory Processing Disorders (SGAPD): 10 individuals with central auditory processing disorders, and Stuttering Group (SG): 10 individuals without central auditory processing disorders. Procedures were: fluency assessment with non-altered auditory feedback (NAF) and delayed auditory feedback (DAF), assessment of the stuttering severity and central auditory processing (CAP). Phono Tools software was used to cause a delay of 100 milliseconds in the auditory feedback. The "Wilcoxon Signal Post" test was used in the intragroup analysis and "Mann-Whitney" test in the intergroup analysis. The DAF caused a statistically significant reduction in SG: in the frequency score of stuttering-like disfluencies in the analysis of the Stuttering Severity Instrument, in the amount of blocks and repetitions of monosyllabic words, and in the frequency of stuttering-like disfluencies of duration. Delayed auditory feedback did not cause statistically significant effects on SGAPD fluency, individuals with stuttering with auditory processing disorders. The effect of delayed auditory feedback in speech fluency of individuals who stutter was different in individuals of both groups, because there was an improvement in fluency only in individuals without auditory processing disorder.

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

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-03-01

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

Tryptophan depletion affects the autonomic stress response in generalized social anxiety disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

van Veen, J Frederieke; van Vliet, Irene M; de Rijk, Roel H; van Pelt, Johannes; Mertens, Bart; Fekkes, Durk; Zitman, Frans G

2009-11-01

In generalized social anxiety disorder (gSAD), serotonergic dysfunctions are found, as well as abnormalities of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) in basal conditions and of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis in response to psychological challenges. These findings raise the question whether these phenomena are interrelated. Therefore we designed a study in which two groups with nine pair wise age and gender matched gSAD patients (total of 10 men and 8 women), who were successfully treated with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), underwent a tryptophan depletion challenge (TD) or a placebo condition. A TD procedure temporarily decreases serotonergic neurotransmission. In order to activate the stress system the TD/placebo challenge was combined with a public speaking task. We assessed ANS responses, as measured with the promising new marker salivary alpha-amylase (sAA), and HPA-axis responses, as measured with salivary cortisol. The most important result was that the TD group showed a significant larger sAA response to the public speaking task as compared to the placebo group, reflecting hyperresponsivity of the ANS in this group, whereas no differences were seen in cortisol responses. This suggests that in gSAD there is a vulnerability of the ANS more than the HPA-axis.

Investigating the usefulness of a cluster-based trend analysis to detect visual field progression in patients with open-angle glaucoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Aoki, Shuichiro; Murata, Hiroshi; Fujino, Yuri; Matsuura, Masato; Miki, Atsuya; Tanito, Masaki; Mizoue, Shiro; Mori, Kazuhiko; Suzuki, Katsuyoshi; Yamashita, Takehiro; Kashiwagi, Kenji; Hirasawa, Kazunori; Shoji, Nobuyuki; Asaoka, Ryo

2017-12-01

To investigate the usefulness of the Octopus (Haag-Streit) EyeSuite's cluster trend analysis in glaucoma. Ten visual fields (VFs) with the Humphrey Field Analyzer (Carl Zeiss Meditec), spanning 7.7 years on average were obtained from 728 eyes of 475 primary open angle glaucoma patients. Mean total deviation (mTD) trend analysis and EyeSuite's cluster trend analysis were performed on various series of VFs (from 1st to 10th: VF1-10 to 6th to 10th: VF6-10). The results of the cluster-based trend analysis, based on different lengths of VF series, were compared against mTD trend analysis. Cluster-based trend analysis and mTD trend analysis results were significantly associated in all clusters and with all lengths of VF series. Between 21.2% and 45.9% (depending on VF series length and location) of clusters were deemed to progress when the mTD trend analysis suggested no progression. On the other hand, 4.8% of eyes were observed to progress using the mTD trend analysis when cluster trend analysis suggested no progression in any two (or more) clusters. Whole field trend analysis can miss local VF progression. Cluster trend analysis appears as robust as mTD trend analysis and useful to assess both sectorial and whole field progression. Cluster-based trend analyses, in particular the definition of two or more progressing cluster, may help clinicians to detect glaucomatous progression in a timelier manner than using a whole field trend analysis, without significantly compromising specificity. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Reconocimiento facial de emociones básicas y su Relación con la teoría de la mente en la variante conductual de la demencia frontotemporal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María Eugenia Tabernero

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Las emociones básicas están biológicamente determinadas y ligadas a conductas fundamenta- les para la supervivencia. Las emociones secun- darias son aquellas que para su reconocimiento, requieren la elaboración cognitiva de un contexto social, por lo tanto, de la Teoría de la Mente (TdM. La TdM fue definida como la habilidad de conceptualizar estados mentales de otros indi- viduos para explicar y predecir gran parte de su comportamiento. No es un concepto unitario, exis ten disociaciones entre los componentes cog- nitivo y el emocional de la TdM. Han sido esta- blecidas las alteraciones en el reconocimiento facial de emociones básicas (RFEB y en las ta- reas de TdM en la variante conductual de la de- mencia frontotemporal (DFTvc. El objetivo del trabajo que se informa fue estudiar el reconoci- miento de emociones básicas o primarias y su re- lación con la TdM en pacientes con DFTvc. El 81% de los pacientes mostró alteraciones en por lo menos uno de los tests de RFEB y el 35% en el reconocimiento de la prosodia emocional. El subtest Denominación y el Puntaje Total Emo- ciones mostraron correlaciones con el Test Lec- tura de la Mente en los Ojos, mientras que todas las tareas de RFEB correlacionaron con la tarea de falsa creencia. Se encontraron dobles disocia- ciones entre TdM emocional y cognitiva, con mayor afectación del componente emocional. Como conclusión se corrobora la presencia de alteraciones en el RFEB con prosodia emocional conservada en la DFTvc. La ausencia de correlaciones entre emociones básicas y secundarias pa- recería indicar que se trata de procesos independientes entre sí.

United States Air Force Statistical Digest, Fiscal Year 1962, Seventeenth Edition

Science.gov (United States)

1962-09-30

1,377 77 162 505 1,062 9 128 2. l53 1.090 hQ2Q12 298 531 249 2,459 ~50 1.587 302 75831 65 113201 ~ ,,2~3 ~ 12 392 580 279 2,6o~; 48 ~ 300 75885 75132222 92...2 6 MIUTARY AIR TRANSPORT SERVICE - TOTAL. .’ 942,269 13 1 g td 13 ! I 1 25 ~1st Quarter 223,571 3" I - - - - 2 I Ŗnd Quarter 232,692 2 1...Air Ccmnand 9 1 - - B 259 39,270 USAF Academy td 1 - - - 1 4 120 ill Air Forces in Europe. 45 1 - - 44 649 50,970 USAFSecurity Service, 5 - - - 5 214

Charge Transfer Enhancement in the D-π-A Type Porphyrin Dyes: A Density Functional Theory (DFT and Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory (TD-DFT Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guo-Jun Kang

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The electronic geometries and optical properties of two D-π-A type zinc porphyrin dyes (NCH3-YD2 and TPhe-YD were systematically investigated by density functional theory (DFT and time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT to reveal the origin of significantly altered charge transfer enhancement by changing the electron donor of the famous porphyrin-based sensitizer YD2-o-C8. The molecular geometries and photophysical properties of dyes before and after binding to the TiO2 cluster were fully investigated. From the analyses of natural bond orbital (NBO, extended charge decomposition analysis (ECDA, and electron density variations (Δρ between the excited state and ground state, it was found that the introduction of N(CH32 and 1,1,2-triphenylethene groups enhanced the intramolecular charge-transfer (ICT character compared to YD2-o-C8. The absorption wavelength and transition possess character were significantly influenced by N(CH32 and 1,1,2-triphenylethene groups. NCH3-YD2 with N(CH32 groups in the donor part is an effective way to improve the interactions between the dyes and TiO2 surface, light having efficiency (LHE, and free energy change (ΔGinject, which is expected to be an efficient dye for use in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs.

Familiality of co-existing ADHD and tic disorders: evidence from a large sibling study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Veit Roessner

2016-07-01

Full Text Available AbstractBackground: The association of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD and tic disorder (TD is frequent and clinically important. Very few and inconclusive attempts have been made to clarify if and how the combination of ADHD+TD runs in families. Aim: To determine the first time in a large-scale ADHD sample whether ADHD+TD increases the risk of ADHD+TD in siblings and, also the first time, if this is independent of their psychopathological vulnerability in general. Methods: The study is based on the International Multicenter ADHD Genetics (IMAGE study. The present sub-sample of 2815 individuals included ADHD-index patients with co-existing TD (ADHD+TD, n=262 and without TD (ADHD-TD, n=947 as well as their 1606 full siblings (n=358 of the ADHD+TD index patients and n=1248 of the ADHD-TD index patients. We assessed psychopathological symptoms in index patients and siblings by using the strength and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ and the parent and teacher Conners’ long version Rating Scales (CRS. For disorder classification the Parental Account of Childhood Symptoms (PACS-Interview was applied in n = 271 children. Odds ratio with the GENMOD procedure (PROCGENMOD was used to test if the risk for ADHD, TD and ADHD+TD in siblings was associated with the related index patients’ diagnoses. In order to get an estimate for specificity we compared the four groups for general psychopathological symptoms.Results: Co-existing ADHD+TD in index patients increased the risk of both comorbid ADHD+TD and TD in the siblings of these index patients. These effects did not extend to general psychopathology. Interpretation: Co-existence of ADHD+TD may segregate in families. The same holds true for TD (without ADHD. Hence, the segregation of TD (included in both groups seems to be the determining factor, independent of further behavioral problems. This close relationship between ADHD and TD supports the clinical approach to carefully assess ADHD in

Totally James

Science.gov (United States)

Owens, Tom

2006-01-01

This article presents an interview with James Howe, author of "The Misfits" and "Totally Joe". In this interview, Howe discusses tolerance, diversity and the parallels between his own life and his literature. Howe's four books in addition to "The Misfits" and "Totally Joe" and his list of recommended books with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender,…

Spectroscopic and TD-DFT studies on the dual mode fluorescent chemosensors based on pyrene thiosemicarbazones, and its application as molecular-scale logic devices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Basheer, Sabeel M. [Department of Chemistry, National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli 620 015 (India); Willis, Anthony C. [Research School of Chemistry, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601 (Australia); Sreekanth, Anandaram, E-mail: sreekanth@nitt.edu [Department of Chemistry, National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli 620 015 (India)

2017-03-15

Two newly synthesised pyrene based molecules are hereby reported as molecular switches. The absorption and emission response for receptors with and without F{sup −}, CN{sup −} and Cu{sup 2+} ions can mimic multiple logic gate such as AND, NOR, XNOR, OR, XOR, INHIBITION and TRANSFER gates. The fluorescence reversibility was checked with the alternative addition of fluoride and calcium ions, which can be explained by the “Read-Erase-Read-Write” logic loop. The calculated binding constant value show PyBTSC is better chemosensor than PyCTSC, and the binding affinity is in the order of Cu{sup 2+}Г‹Ж’F{sup -}Г‹Ж’CN{sup −.} The detailed mechanism was investigated using DFT and TD-DFT calculations. The fluorescence quenching behaviour of receptor-F complex can be explained by PET mechanism along with ESPT process. The proton attached to the nitrogen which is adjacent to pyrene moiety is first make the hydrogen bond with fluoride ion at the excited state, which has confirmed by natural bond orbital (NBO) and potential energy surface (PES) analysis. - Graphical abstract: The newly synthesised thiocarbazone derivates used as an effective and selective colourimetric and “turn on” fluorescence sensor for copper ion and ‘turn off’ for fluoride and cyanide anion. The presence and absence of ions were considered as input signals and the corresponding absorption and emission responses were consired as output. The proton transfer from the nitrogen adjacent to pyrene moiety, and which takes place at the excited state (ESPT).

Estimating Impacts of Agricultural Subsurface Drainage on Evapotranspiration Using the Landsat Imagery-Based METRIC Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kul Khand

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Agricultural subsurface drainage changes the field hydrology and potentially the amount of water available to the crop by altering the flow path and the rate and timing of water removal. Evapotranspiration (ET is normally among the largest components of the field water budget, and the changes in ET from the introduction of subsurface drainage are likely to have a greater influence on the overall water yield (surface runoff plus subsurface drainage from subsurface drained (TD fields compared to fields without subsurface drainage (UD. To test this hypothesis, we examined the impact of subsurface drainage on ET at two sites located in the Upper Midwest (North Dakota-Site 1 and South Dakota-Site 2 using the Landsat imagery-based METRIC (Mapping Evapotranspiration at high Resolution with Internalized Calibration model. Site 1 was planted with corn (Zea mays L. and soybean (Glycine max L. during the 2009 and 2010 growing seasons, respectively. Site 2 was planted with corn for the 2013 growing season. During the corn growing seasons (2009 and 2013, differences between the total ET from TD and UD fields were less than 5 mm. For the soybean year (2010, ET from the UD field was 10% (53 mm greater than that from the TD field. During the peak ET period from June to September for all study years, ET differences from TD and UD fields were within 15 mm (<3%. Overall, differences between daily ET from TD and UD fields were not statistically significant (p > 0.05 and showed no consistent relationship.

Spin-adapted open-shell time-dependent density functional theory. II. Theory and pilot application.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Zhendong; Liu, Wenjian; Zhang, Yong; Suo, Bingbing

2011-04-07

The excited states of open-shell systems calculated by unrestricted Kohn-Sham-based time-dependent density functional theory (U-TD-DFT) are often heavily spin-contaminated and hence meaningless. This is solved ultimately by the recently proposed spin-adapted time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) (S-TD-DFT) [J. Chem. Phys. 133, 064106 (2010)]. Unlike the standard restricted open-shell Kohn-Sham-based TD-DFT (R-TD-DFT) which can only access the singlet-coupled single excitations, the S-TD-DFT can capture both the singlet- and triplet-coupled single excitations with the same computational effort as the U-TD-DFT. The performances of the three approaches (U-TD-DFT, R-TD-DFT, and S-TD-DFT) are compared for both the spin-conserving and spin-flip excitations of prototypical open-shell systems, the nitrogen (N(2)(+)) and naphthalene (C(10)H(8)(+)) cations. The results show that the S-TD-DFT gives rise to balanced descriptions of excited states of open-shell systems.

Psychometric Properties of a Self-Report Instrument for the Assessment of Tic Severity in Adults With Tic Disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Abramovitch, Amitai; Reese, Hannah; Woods, Douglas W; Peterson, Alan; Deckersbach, Thilo; Piacentini, John; Scahill, Lawrence; Wilhelm, Sabine

2015-11-01

The gold-standard measure of tic severity in tic disorders (TD), the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS), is a semistructured clinician-administered interview that can be time consuming and requires highly trained interviewers. Moreover, the YGTSS does not provide information regarding frequency and intensity of specific tics because all motor and all vocal tics are rated as a group. The aim of the present study is to describe and test the Adult Tic Questionnaire (ATQ), a measure for the assessment of tic severity in adults, and to report its preliminary psychometric properties. The ATQ is a brief self-report questionnaire that provides information regarding frequency, intensity, and severity of 27 specific tics. In addition, the ATQ produces total frequency, intensity, and severity scores for vocal and motor tics, as well as a global total tic severity score. Results showed that the ATQ demonstrated very good internal consistency and temporal stability. The total, vocal, and motor tic severity scales of the ATQ showed strong correlation with corresponding subscales of the YGTSS, indicating strong convergent validity. Weak correlations with measures of severity of obsessive-compulsive disorder and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, indicated strong discriminant validity. The ATQ, a promising measure for the assessment of tic severity in adults with TD, may be a valuable supplement to the current recommended assessment battery for TD. Furthermore, the ATQ enables clinicians and researchers to track changes in the frequency and intensity of specific tics, which is important given their complex and dynamic nature. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Developmental Trajectory of Motor Deficits in Preschool Children with ADHD.

Science.gov (United States)

Sweeney, Kristie L; Ryan, Matthew; Schneider, Heather; Ferenc, Lisa; Denckla, Martha Bridge; Mark Mahone, E

2018-05-14

Motor deficits persisting into childhood (>7 years) are associated with increased executive and cognitive dysfunction, likely due to parallel neural circuitry. This study assessed the longitudinal trajectory of motor deficits in preschool children with ADHD, compared to typically developing (TD) children, in order to identify individuals at risk for anomalous neurological development. Participants included 47 children (21 ADHD, 26 TD) ages 4-7 years who participated in three visits (V1, V2, V3), each one year apart (V1=48-71 months, V2=60-83 months, V3=72-95 months). Motor variables assessed included speed (finger tapping and sequencing), total overflow, and axial movements from the Revised Physical and Neurological Examination for Subtle Signs (PANESS). Effects for group, visit, and group-by-visit interaction were examined. There were significant effects for group (favoring TD) for finger tapping speed and total axial movements, visit (performance improving with age for all 4 variables), and a significant group-by-visit interaction for finger tapping speed. Motor speed (repetitive finger tapping) and quality of axial movements are sensitive markers of anomalous motor development associated with ADHD in children as young as 4 years. Conversely, motor overflow and finger sequencing speed may be less sensitive in preschool, due to ongoing wide variations in attainment of these milestones.

Comparison of Serum Concentrations of Total Cholesterol and Total ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the most dangerous tropical diseases that complicates HIV infection in Nigeria to date. Over two million Nigerians are known to be infected with TB and many more are at risk of the infection. Serum concentrations of total cholesterol and total lipid of 117 female TB patients attending chest clinic at ...

Total curvature and total torsion of knotted random polygons in confinement

Science.gov (United States)

Diao, Yuanan; Ernst, Claus; Rawdon, Eric J.; Ziegler, Uta

2018-04-01

Knots in nature are typically confined spatially. The confinement affects the possible configurations, which in turn affects the spectrum of possible knot types as well as the geometry of the configurations within each knot type. The goal of this paper is to determine how confinement, length, and knotting affect the total curvature and total torsion of random polygons. Previously published papers have investigated these effects in the unconstrained case. In particular, we analyze how the total curvature and total torsion are affected by (1) varying the length of polygons within a fixed confinement radius and (2) varying the confinement radius of polygons with a fixed length. We also compare the total curvature and total torsion of groups of knots with similar complexity (measured as crossing number). While some of our results fall in line with what has been observed in the studies of the unconfined random polygons, a few surprising results emerge from our study, showing some properties that are unique due to the effect of knotting in confinement.

Determining Whether a Definitive Causal Relationship Exists Between Aripiprazole and Tardive Dyskinesia and/or Dystonia in Patients With Major Depressive Disorder, Part 3: Clinical Trial Data.

Science.gov (United States)

Preskorn, Sheldon H; Macaluso, Matthew

2016-03-01

three, 14-week studies involving 1088 subjects, 409 of whom were elderly like the 76-year-old individual presented in the case in the first column of this series. Finally, 3 short-term studies evaluated the use of aripiprazole in patients with psychosis associated with Alzheimer disease, a population who would be considered a relatively higher risk group for developing TD when exposed to antipsychotics and that also closely matches the patient in the case presented at the beginning of this series in terms of age. No incidence of TD was reported in this sample and mean scores on the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale decreased in individuals exposed to aripiprazole compared with those on placebo. On the basis of results of this review and data from registration trials of aripiprazole for all indications, the potential (or raw) incidence of what was termed TD occurred at rates ranging from 0.004 (4/987) based on long-term safety data from the program investigating aripiprazole augmentation treatment in MDD, to 0.0016 (19/11,897) based on the total safety database from aripiprazole registration trials for all indications, to 0 in trials in elderly individuals with Alzheimer disease. The confidence intervals for all of these potential incidence rates overlap with zero. The next column in this 5-part series reviews 37 case reports that reported TD in association with aripiprazole treatment and 27 case reports that suggested an improvement in preexisting TD with aripiprazole treatment. The fifth and final column in this series will discuss the types of prohibitively expensive and logistically difficult studies that would be needed to determine whether a definitive causal relationship between aripiprazole and TD exists.

Boosted selective internal radiation therapy with {sup 90}Y-loaded glass microspheres (B-SIRT) for hepatocellular carcinoma patients: a new personalized promising concept

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garin, E.; Lenoir, L. [Comprehensive Cancer Center, Institute Eugene Marquis, Department of Nuclear Medicine, CS 44229, Rennes (France); University of Rennes 1, Rennes (France); INSERM, U-991, Liver Metabolisms and Cancer, Rennes (France); Edeline, J. [University of Rennes 1, Rennes (France); Comprehensive Cancer Center, Institute Eugene Marquis, Department of Medical Oncology, CS 44229, Rennes (France); Laffont, S. [Comprehensive Cancer Center, Institute Eugene Marquis, Department of Nuclear Medicine, CS 44229, Rennes (France); Mesbah, H.; Poree, P. [Comprehensive Cancer Center, Institute Eugene Marquis, Department of Medical Informatics, CS 44229, Rennes (France); Sulpice, L. [INSERM, U-991, Liver Metabolisms and Cancer, Rennes (France); Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Pontchaillou, Department of Digestive Surgery, Rennes (France); Boudjema, K. [University of Rennes 1, Rennes (France); INSERM, U-991, Liver Metabolisms and Cancer, Rennes (France); Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Pontchaillou, Department of Digestive Surgery, Rennes (France); Mesbah, M. [University of Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris (France); Guillygomarc' h, A. [Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Pontchaillou, Department of Hepatology, Rennes (France); Quehen, E. [Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Pontchaillou, Department of Radiology, Rennes (France); Pracht, M. [Comprehensive Cancer Center, Institute Eugene Marquis, Department of Medical Oncology, CS 44229, Rennes (France); Raoul, J.L. [Comprehensive Cancer Center, Institute Paoli Calmette, Department of Medical Oncology, Marseille (France); Clement, B. [INSERM, U-991, Liver Metabolisms and Cancer, Rennes (France); Rolland, Y. [Comprehensive Cancer Center, Institute Eugene Marquis, Department of Medical Imaging, CS 44229, Rennes (France); Boucher, E. [INSERM, U-991, Liver Metabolisms and Cancer, Rennes (France); Comprehensive Cancer Center, Institute Eugene Marquis, Department of Medical Oncology, CS 44229, Rennes (France)

2013-07-15

To evaluate the impact of dosimetry based on MAA SPECT/CT for the prediction of response, toxicity and survival, and for treatment planning in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with {sup 90}Y-loaded glass microspheres (TheraSphere registered). TheraSphere registered was administered to 71 patients with inoperable HCC. MAA SPECT/CT quantitative analysis was used for the calculation of the tumour dose (TD), healthy injected liver dose (HILD), and total injected liver dose. Response was evaluated at 3 months using EASL criteria. Time to progression (TTP) and overall survival (OS) were evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Factors potentially associated with liver toxicity were combined to construct a liver toxicity score (LTS). The response rate was 78.8 %. Median TD were 342 Gy for responding lesions and 191 Gy for nonresponding lesions (p < 0.001). With a threshold TD of 205 Gy, MAA SPECT/CT predicted response with a sensitivity of 100 % and overall accuracy of 90 %. Based on TD and HILD, 17 patients underwent treatment intensification resulting in a good response rate (76.4 %), without increased grade III liver toxicity. The median TTP and OS were 5.5 months (2-9.5 months) and 11.5 months (2-31 months), respectively, in patients with TD <205 Gy and 13 months (10-16 months) and 23.2 months (17.5-28.5 months), respectively, in those with TD >205 Gy (p = 0.0015 and not significant). Among patients with portal vein thrombosis (PVT) (n = 33), the median TTP and OS were 4.5 months (2-7 months) and 5 months (2-8 months), respectively, in patients with TD <205 Gy and 10 months (6-15.2 months) and 21.5 months (12-28.5 months), respectively, in those with TD >205 Gy (p = 0.039 and 0.005). The median OS was 24.5 months (18-28.5 months) in PVT patients with TD >205 Gy and good PVT targeting on MAA SPECT/CT. The LTS was able to detect severe liver toxicity (n = 6) with a sensitivity of 83 % and overall accuracy of 97 %. Dosimetry based on MAA SPECT/CT was

Laparoscopic total pancreatectomy

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xin; Li, Yongbin; Cai, Yunqiang; Liu, Xubao; Peng, Bing

2017-01-01

Abstract Rationale: Laparoscopic total pancreatectomy is a complicated surgical procedure and rarely been reported. This study was conducted to investigate the safety and feasibility of laparoscopic total pancreatectomy. Patients and Methods: Three patients underwent laparoscopic total pancreatectomy between May 2014 and August 2015. We reviewed their general demographic data, perioperative details, and short-term outcomes. General morbidity was assessed using Clavien–Dindo classification and delayed gastric emptying (DGE) was evaluated by International Study Group of Pancreatic Surgery (ISGPS) definition. Diagnosis and Outcomes: The indications for laparoscopic total pancreatectomy were intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) (n = 2) and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (PNET) (n = 1). All patients underwent laparoscopic pylorus and spleen-preserving total pancreatectomy, the mean operative time was 490 minutes (range 450–540 minutes), the mean estimated blood loss was 266 mL (range 100–400 minutes); 2 patients suffered from postoperative complication. All the patients recovered uneventfully with conservative treatment and discharged with a mean hospital stay 18 days (range 8–24 days). The short-term (from 108 to 600 days) follow up demonstrated 3 patients had normal and consistent glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level with acceptable quality of life. Lessons: Laparoscopic total pancreatectomy is feasible and safe in selected patients and pylorus and spleen preserving technique should be considered. Further prospective randomized studies are needed to obtain a comprehensive understanding the role of laparoscopic technique in total pancreatectomy. PMID:28099344

Total body irradiation: current indications; L`irradiation corporelle totale: les indications actuelles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Giraud, P.; Danhier, S.; Dubray, B.; Cosset, J.M. [Institut Curie, 75 - Paris (France)

1998-05-01

The choice of dose and fractionation for total body irradiation is made difficult by the large number of considerations to be taken into account. The outcome of bone marrow transplantation after total body irradiation can be understood in terms of tumor cell killing, engraftment, and normal tissue damage, each of these endpoints being influenced by irradiation-, disease-, transplant-, and patient- related factors. Interpretation of clinical data is further hampered by the overwhelming influence of logistic constraints, the small numbers of randomized studies, and the concomitant variations in total dose and fraction size or dose rate. So far, three cautious conclusions can be drawn in order to tentatively adapt the total body irradiation schedule to clinically-relevant situations. Firstly, the organs at risk for normal tissue damage (lung, liver, lens, kidney) are protected by delivering small doses per fraction at low dose rate. This suggests that, when toxicity is at stake (e.g. in children), fractionated irradiation should be preferred, provided that inter-fraction intervals are long enough. Secondly, fractionated irradiation should be avoided in case of T-cell depleted transplant, given the high risk of graft rejection in this setting. An alternative would be to increase total (or fractional) dose of fractionated total body irradiation, but this approach is likely to induce more normal tissue toxicity. Thirdly, clinical data have shown higher relapse rates in chronic myeloid leukemia after fractionated or low dose rate total body irradiation, suggesting that fractionated irradiation should not be recommended, unless total (or fractional) dose is increased. Total body irradiation-containing regimens, primarily cyclophosphamide / total body irradiation, are either equivalent to or better than the chemotherapy-only regimens, primarily busulfan / cyclophosphamide. Busulfan / cyclophosphamide certainly represents a reasonable alternative, especially in patients who

CO2, SO2, and H2S Degassing Related to the 2009 Redoubt Eruption, Alaska

Science.gov (United States)

Werner, C. A.; Kelly, P. J.; Evans, W.; Doukas, M. P.; McGimsey, R. G.; Neal, C. A.

2012-12-01

throughout the eruptive phases showed that the magmatic system degassed primarily as a closed system with approximately 59 and 66 % of the total CO2 and SO2, respectively, emitted during the explosive and dome growth periods. Maximum emission rates measured with airborne techniques were 33,110 t/d CO2, 16,650 t/d SO2, and 1230 t/d H2S. Pre-eruptive open system degassing accounted for only 14% of the total CO2 and 4% of total SO2, whereas post-eruptive passive degassing was responsible for 27 and 30 % of the total CO2 and SO2 with measurements extending over one year following the cessation of dome extrusion. SO2 made up on average 92% of the total sulfur degassing throughout the eruption. Primary volatile contents calculated from degassing and erupted magma volumes range from 0.9-2.1 wt. % CO2 and 0.27 - 0.56 wt. % S. Similar trends between volumes of estimated degassed magma and observed erupted magma during the eruptive period point to primary volatile contents of 1.25 wt. % CO2 and 0.35 wt. % S. Assuming these values, up to 30% additional unerupted magma degassed in the year following final dome emplacement.

Neurological Adverse Effects of Antipsychotics in Children and Adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia-Amador, Margarita; Merchán-Naranjo, Jessica; Tapia, Cecilia; Moreno, Carmen; Castro-Fornieles, Josefina; Baeza, Inmaculada; de la Serna, Elena; Alda, José A; Muñoz, Daniel; Andrés Nestares, Patricia; Cantarero, Carmen Martínez; Arango, Celso

2015-12-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate demographic, clinical, and treatment factors that may impact on neurological adverse effects in naive and quasi-naive children and adolescents treated with antipsychotics. This was a 1-year, multicenter, observational study of a naive and quasi-naive pediatric population receiving antipsychotic treatment. Two subanalyses were run using the subsample of subjects taking the 3 most used antipsychotics and the subsample of antipsychotic-naive subjects. Total dyskinesia score (DyskinesiaS) and total Parkinson score (ParkinsonS) were calculated from the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center Involuntary Movement Scale, total UKU-Cognition score was calculated from the UKU Side Effect Rating Scale. Risk factors for tardive dyskinesias (TDs) defined after Schooler-Kaine criteria were studied using a logistic regression. Two hundred sixty-five subjects (mean age, 14.4 [SD, 2.9] years) with different Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition Axis I disorders were recruited. DyskinesiaS (P < 0.001) and ParkinsonS (P < 0.001) increased at 1-year follow-up. Risperidone was associated with higher increases in DyskinesiaS compared with quetiapine (P < 0.001). Higher increases in ParkinsonS were found with risperidone (P < 0.001) and olanzapine (P = 0.02) compared with quetiapine. Total UKU-Cognition Score decreased at follow-up. Findings were also significant when analyzing antipsychotic-naive subjects. Fifteen subjects (5.8%) fulfilled Schooler-Kane criteria for TD at follow-up. Younger age, history of psychotic symptoms, and higher cumulative exposure time were associated with TD at follow-up. Antipsychotics increased neurological adverse effects in a naive and quasi-naive pediatric population and should be carefully monitored. Risperidone presented higher scores in symptoms of dyskinesia and parkinsonism. Quetiapine was the antipsychotic with less neurological adverse effects. Younger subjects, psychosis, and

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

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-03-01

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

[Local brain activity in different motor subtypes of Parkinson's disease with fMRI].

Science.gov (United States)

Hou, Ya'nan; Zhang, Jiarong; Chen, Biao; Wu, Tao

2015-02-17

To explore the changes of local brain activity in motor subtypes of Parkinson's disease (PD) with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). A total of 60 idiopathic PD and 30 age- and gender-matched normal controls were examined with resting-state fMRI from January 2013 to March 2014. All subjects gave their written informed consent for the study. The amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) was calculated to measure local brain activity. The PD patients were divided into two groups of tremor dominant (TD) and postural instability/gait difficulty (PIGD) (n = 30 each). All subjects gave their written in formed consent for the study.One-way ANOVA and post-hoc t-test were performed to detect the differences of local brain activity between PD and normal subjects. And the correlations were examined between ALFF, scores and levodopa dose. Compared with normal subjects, the TD group showed increased activity in bilateral cerebellums (-37, -47, -38), thalamus (-18, -17,0), pons (-3, -23, -37) and left precentral gyrus (-41, -30, 46) versus decreased activity in bilateral frontal lobes (-13, 69, 6), temporal lobes (-42, 18, -21), left insula (-32, 22, 2) and left anterior cingulated (-7, 32, -5). The PIGD group showed increased activity in right postcentral gyrus (63, -18, 39) and decreased activity in bilateral putamens (-24, 12, 3), pre-supplementary motor area (10, 10, 58), frontal lobes (15, -15, 57), temporal lobes (-39, 18, -3) and left insula (-29, 20, 11). Compared with PIGD, the TD group showed increased activity in temporal lobes, but decreased activity in frontal lobes. Additionally, ALFF in bilateral cerebellums and frontal lobes was positively correlated with TD scores while ALFF in left precentral gyrus, bilateral putamens and temporal lobes negatively correlated with TD scores. ALFF in bilateral frontal lobes and left temporal lobe was positively correlated with PIGD scores.However, in right postcentral gyrus and bilateral putamens, ALFF was

Sobredentadura total superior implantosoportada Superior total overdenture on implants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luis Orlando Rodríguez García

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Se presenta un caso de un paciente desdentado total superior, rehabilitado en la consulta de implantología de la Clínica "Pedro Ortiz" del municipio Habana del Este en Ciudad de La Habana, Cuba, en el año 2009, mediante prótesis sobre implantes osteointegrados, técnica que se ha incorporado a la práctica estomatológica en Cuba como alternativa al tratamiento convencional en los pacientes desdentados totales. Se siguió un protocolo que comprendió una fase quirúrgica, procedimiento con o sin realización de colgajo y carga precoz o inmediata. Se presenta un paciente masculino de 56 años de edad, que acudió a la consulta multidisciplinaria, preocupado, porque se le habían elaborado tres prótesis en los últimos dos años y ninguna reunía los requisitos de retención que él necesitaba para sentirse seguro y cómodo con las mismas. El resultado final fue la satisfacción total del paciente, con el mejoramiento de la calidad estética y funcional.This is the case of a total maxilla edentulous patient seen in consultation of the "Pedro Ortíz" Clinic Implant of Habana del Este municipality in 2009 and con rehabilitation by prosthesis over osteointegration implants added to stomatology practice in Cuba as an alternative to conventional treatment in patients totally edentulous. We follow a protocol including a surgery or surgical phase, technique without or with flap creation and early or immediate load. This is a male patient aged 56 came to our multidisciplinary consultation worried because he had three prostheses in last two years and any fulfilled the requirements of retention to feel safe and comfortable with prostheses. The final result was the total satisfaction of rehabilitated patient improving its aesthetic and functional quality.

Senescent phenotypes of skin fibroblasts from patients with Tangier disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsuura, Fumihiko; Hirano, Ken-ichi; Ikegami, Chiaki; Sandoval, Jose C.; Oku, Hiroyuki; Yuasa-Kawase, Miyako; Tsubakio-Yamamoto, Kazumi; Koseki, Masahiro; Masuda, Daisaku; Tsujii, Ken-ichi; Ishigami, Masato; Nishida, Makoto; Shimomura, Iichiro; Hori, Masatsugu; Yamashita, Shizuya

2007-01-01

Tangier disease (TD) is characterized by a deficiency of high density lipoprotein (HDL) in plasma and patients with TD have an increased risk for coronary artery disease (CAD). Recently, we reported that fibroblasts from TD exhibited large and flattened morphology, which is often observed in senescent cells. On the other hand, data have accumulated to show the relationship between cellular senescence and development of atherosclerotic CAD. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether TD fibroblasts exhibited cellular senescence. The proliferation of TD fibroblasts was gradually decreased at population doubling level (PDL) ∼10 compared with control cells. TD cells practically ceased proliferation at PDL ∼30. DNA synthesis was markedly decreased in TD fibroblasts. TD cells exhibited a higher positive rate for senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal), which is one of the biomarkers of cellular senescence in vitro. These data showed that TD cells reached cellular senescence at an earlier PDL compared with controls. Although, there was no difference in the telomere length of fibroblasts between TD and controls at the earlier passage (PDL 6), the telomere length of TD cells was shorter than that of controls at the late passage (PDL 25). Taken together, the current study demonstrates that the late-passaged TD fibroblasts showed senescent phenotype in vitro, which might be related to the increased cardiovascular manifestations in TD patients

Parents' strategies to elicit autobiographical memories in autism spectrum disorders, developmental language disorders and typically developing children.

Science.gov (United States)

Goldman, Sylvie; DeNigris, Danielle

2015-05-01

Conversations about the past support the development of autobiographical memory. Parents' strategies to elicit child's participation and recall during past event conversations were compared across three school-age diagnostic groups: autism spectrum disorder (ASD, n = 11), developmental language disorders (n = 11) and typically developing (TD, n = 11). We focused on the prevalence of directives versus enrichment of events. Groups did not differ in number of events, length, and total turns. However, parents of children with ASD produced more direct questions, corrections, and unrelated turns than parents of TD children. Results highlight how parents adjusted their conversational style to their child's communication difficulties to maximize interactions and how these strategies may affect the development of personal conversations.

Parents’ Strategies to Elicit Autobiographical Memories in Autism Spectrum Disorders, Developmental Language Disorders and Typically Developing Children

Science.gov (United States)

Goldman, Sylvie; DeNigris, Danielle

2014-01-01

Conversations about the past support the development of autobiographical memory. Parents’ strategies to elicit child's participation and recall during past event conversations were compared across three school-age diagnostic groups: autism spectrum disorder (ASD, n = 11), developmental language disorders (n = 11) and typically developing (TD, n = 11). We focused on the prevalence of directives versus enrichment of events. Groups did not differ in number of events, length, and total turns. However, parents of children with ASD produced more direct questions, corrections, and unrelated turns than parents of TD children. Results highlight how parents adjusted their conversational style to their child's communication difficulties to maximize interactions and how these strategies may affect the development of personal conversations. PMID:25312278

Ecological validity of the Yo-Yo SFIE2 test

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Krustrup, Peter; Randers, Morten Bredsgaard; Horton, J

2012-01-01

The present study investigated the movement pattern of Portuguese top-level futsal referees (n=16) during competitive games and the ecological validity of the new Yo-Yo Sideways-Forwards Intermittent Endurance level 2 test (Yo-Yo SFIE2). Total distance covered (TD), high-intensity running (HIR...

Origin of the Absorption Band of Bromophenol Blue in Acidic and Basic pH: Insight from a Combined Molecular Dynamics and TD-DFT/MM Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Chattopadhyaya, M; Murugan, N Arul; Rinkevicius, Zilvinas

2016-09-15

We study the linear and nonlinear optical properties of a well-known acid-base indicator, bromophenol blue (BPB), in aqueous solution by employing static and integrated approaches. In the static approach, optical properties have been calculated using time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) on the fully relaxed geometries of the neutral and different unprotonated forms of BPB. Moreover, both closed and open forms of BPB were considered. In the integrated approach, the optical properties have been computed over many snapshots extracted from molecular dynamics simulation using a hybrid time-dependent density functional theory/molecular mechanics approach. The static approach suggests closed neutral ⇒ anionic interconversion as the dominant mechanism for the red shift in the absorption spectra of BPB due to a change from acidic to basic pH. It is found by employing an integrated approach that the two interconversions, namely open neutral ⇒ anionic and open neutral ⇒ dianionic, can contribute to the pH-dependent shift in the absorption spectra of BPB. Even though both static and integrated approaches reproduce the pH-dependent red shift in the absorption spectra of BPB, the latter one is suitable to determine both the spectra and spectral broadening. Finally, the computed static first hyperpolarizability for various protonated and deprotonated forms of BPB reveals that this molecule can be used as a nonlinear optical probe for pH sensing in addition to its highly exploited use as an optical probe.

A method comparison of total and HMW adiponectin: HMW/total adiponectin ratio varies versus total adiponectin, independent of clinical condition.

Science.gov (United States)

van Andel, Merel; Drent, Madeleine L; van Herwaarden, Antonius E; Ackermans, Mariëtte T; Heijboer, Annemieke C

2017-02-01

Total and high-molecular-weight (HMW) adiponectin have been associated with endocrine and cardiovascular pathology. As no gold standard is available, the discussion about biological relevance of isoforms is complicated. In our study we perform a method comparison between two commercially available assays measuring HMW and total adiponectin, in various patient groups, thus contributing further to this discussion. We determined levels of HMW and total adiponectin using assays by Lumipulse® and Millipore® respectively, in 126 patients with different clinical characteristics (n=29 healthy volunteers, n=22 dialysis patients, n=25 elderly with body mass index (BMI) LUMIPULSE ∗0.5-0.9=total adiponectin MILLIPORE , albeit with significant deviation from linearity (p<0.001). Pearson's correlation was R=0.987 (p=0.000). No significant differences between patient groups were observed (p=0.190). The HMW/total adiponectin ratio varies with total adiponectin concentration independent of clinical conditions studied. Our results imply that total and HMW adiponectin have similar utility when assessing adiponectin levels in blood, as the ratio is independent of clinical condition. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Intact cell MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry on single bovine oocyte and follicular cells combined with top-down proteomics: A novel approach to characterise markers of oocyte maturation.

Science.gov (United States)

Labas, Valérie; Teixeira-Gomes, Ana-Paula; Bouguereau, Laura; Gargaros, Audrey; Spina, Lucie; Marestaing, Aurélie; Uzbekova, Svetlana

2018-03-20

Intact cell MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry (ICM-MS) was adapted to bovine follicular cells from individual ovarian follicles to obtain the protein/peptide signatures (top-down workflow using high resolution MS/MS (TD HR-MS) was performed on the protein extracts from oocytes, CC and GC. The TD HR-MS proteomic approach allowed for: (1) identification of 386 peptide/proteoforms encoded by 194 genes; and (2) characterisation of proteolysis products likely resulting from the action of kallikreins and caspases. In total, 136 peaks observed by ICM-MS were annotated by TD HR-MS (ProteomeXchange PXD004892). Among these, 16 markers of maturation were identified, including IGF2 binding protein 3 and hemoglobin B in the oocyte, thymosins beta-4 and beta-10, histone H2B and ubiquitin in CC. The combination of ICM-MS and TD HR-MS proved to be a suitable strategy to identify non-invasive markers of oocyte quality using limited biological samples. Intact cell MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry on single oocytes and their surrounding cumulus cells, coupled to an optimised top-down HR-MS proteomic approach on ovarian follicular cells, was used to identify specific markers of oocyte meiotic maturation represented by whole low molecular weight proteins or products of degradation by specific proteases. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Barriers to Physical Activity in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders: Relationship to Physical Activity and Screen Time.

Science.gov (United States)

Must, Aviva; Phillips, Sarah; Curtin, Carol; Bandini, Linda G

2015-04-01

Individual, social, and community barriers to physical activity (PA) experienced by children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) make PA participation more difficult and may contribute to increased screen time. We compared the prevalence of parent-reported barriers to PA among 58 typically developing (TD) children and 53 children with an ASD, 3 to 11 years, and assessed the association between barriers and PA participation and screen time among children with ASD. Parents of children with ASD reported significantly more barriers than parents of TD children. Based on parent-report, 60% of children with ASD required too much supervision compared with no TD children (P barriers to PA was inversely correlated with the hours spent in PA per year (r = -0.27, P = .05) and positively related to total screen time (r = .32, P < .03). These findings underscore the need for community-based PA programs designed to meet the special requirements of this population and policies that compel schools and other government-supported organizations for inclusion and/or targeted programming.

Optical Absorption Spectra and Electronic Properties of Symmetric and Asymmetric Squaraine Dyes for Use in DSSC Solar Cells: DFT and TD-DFT Studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Reda M. El-Shishtawy

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The electronic absorption spectra, ground-state geometries and electronic structures of symmetric and asymmetric squaraine dyes (SQD1–SQD4 were investigated using density functional theory (DFT and time-dependent (TD-DFT density functional theory at the B3LYP/6-311++G** level. The calculated ground-state geometries reveal pronounced conjugation in these dyes. Long-range corrected time dependent density functionals Perdew, Burke and Ernzerhof (PBE, PBE1PBE (PBE0, and the exchange functional of Tao, Perdew, Staroverov, and Scuseria (TPSSh with 6-311++G** basis set were employed to examine optical absorption properties. In an extensive comparison between the optical data and DFT benchmark calculations, the BEP functional with 6-311++G** basis set was found to be the most appropriate in describing the electronic absorption spectra. The calculated energy values of lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals (LUMO were 3.41, 3.19, 3.38 and 3.23 eV for SQD1, SQD2, SQD3, and SQD4, respectively. These values lie above the LUMO energy (−4.26 eV of the conduction band of TiO2 nanoparticles indicating possible electron injection from the excited dyes to the conduction band of the TiO2 in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs. Also, aromaticity computation for these dyes are in good agreement with the data obtained optically and geometrically with SQD4 as the highest aromatic structure. Based on the optimized molecular geometries, relative positions of the frontier orbitals, and the absorption maxima, we propose that these dyes are suitable components of photovoltaic DSSC devices.

Fiscal 1994 achievement report 1/2. Coal liquefaction technology development - Bituminous coal liquefaction technology development - Study for supporting pilot plant - Study using 1t/d PSU (Study of operation using PSU); 1994 nendo seika hokokusho 1/2. Sekitan ekika gijutsu kaihatsu - Rekiseitan ekika gijutsu no kaihatsu - Pilot plant no shien kenkyu - 1t/d process support unit (PSU) ni yoru kenkyu (PSU ni yoru unten kenkyu)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1995-03-01

The operation of a 1t/d PSU (process support unit) was studied in the NEDOL coal liquefaction process. Modification was made, which involved the installation of a high-temperature/high-pressure sampling device for observing reaction and fluidity in the liquefaction reactor, a differential pressure measuring device, and a neutron attenuation-aided measuring device. Relative to coal injection, a 49.5-day and 49.3-day slurry injections were carried out using Tanito Harum coal, when impacts on the product yield and the operability of the unit were examined. A verification test was conducted for an improved hydrogenation catalyst, and liquefaction reactor characteristics were investigated. During a 19-day operation for the study of maintenance, newly installed equipment and devices were verified for function, and operating methods were probed into. In the survey of environments, characteristics were examined of the wastewater discharged from the Tanito Harum coal liquefaction process, and wastewater treatment methods were studied. The air, odor, and tar mist were examined with the PSU in operation, and the measured values were found to be below the management limits showing that its operation did not pose any problems relating to working environments. (NEDO)

Total parenteral nutrition

Science.gov (United States)

... medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000177.htm Total parenteral nutrition To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript. Total parenteral nutrition (TPN) is a method of feeding that bypasses ...

Uses of Mobile Device Digital Photography of Dermatologic Conditions in Primary Care.

Science.gov (United States)

Pecina, Jennifer L; Wyatt, Kirk D; Comfere, Nneka I; Bernard, Matthew E; North, Frederick

2017-11-08

PhotoExam is a mobile app that incorporates digital photographs into the electronic health record (EHR) using iPhone operating system (iOS, Apple Inc)-based mobile devices. The aim of this study was to describe usage patterns of PhotoExam in primary care and to assess clinician-level factors that influence the use of the PhotoExam app for teledermatology (TD) purposes. Retrospective record review of primary care patients who had one or more photos taken with the PhotoExam app between February 16, 2015 to February 29, 2016 were reviewed for 30-day outcomes for rates of dermatology consult request, mode of dermatology consultation (curbside phone consult, eConsult, and in-person consult), specialty and training level of clinician using the app, performance of skin biopsy, and final pathological diagnosis (benign vs malignant). During the study period, there were 1139 photo sessions on 1059 unique patients. Of the 1139 sessions, 395 (34.68%) sessions documented dermatologist input in the EHR via dermatology curbside consultation, eConsult, and in-person dermatology consult. Clinicians utilized curbside phone consults preferentially over eConsults for TD. By clinician type, nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) were more likely to utilize the PhotoExam for TD as compared with physicians. By specialty type, pediatric clinicians were more likely to utilize the PhotoExam for TD as compared with family medicine and internal medicine clinicians. A total of 108 (9.5%) photo sessions had a biopsy performed of the photographed site. Of these, 46 biopsies (42.6%) were performed by a primary care clinician, and 27 (25.0%) biopsies were interpreted as a malignancy. Of the 27 biopsies that revealed malignant findings, 6 (22%) had a TD consultation before biopsy, and 10 (37%) of these biopsies were obtained by primary care clinicians. Clinicians primarily used the PhotoExam for non-TD purposes. Nurse practitioners and PAs utilized the app for TD purposes more

Biodiversity patterns, environmental drivers and indicator species on a High-temperature Hydrothermal edifice, mid-Atlantic ridge

KAUST Repository

Sarrazin, Jozée

2015-04-25

Knowledge on quantitative faunal distribution patterns of hydrothermal communities in slow-spreading vent fields is particularly scarce, despite the importance of these ridges in the global mid-ocean system. This study assessed the composition, abundance and diversity of 12 benthic faunal assemblages from various locations on the Eiffel Tower edifice (Lucky Strike vent field, Mid-Atlantic Ridge) and investigated the role of key environmental conditions (temperature, total dissolved iron (TdFe), sulfide (TdS), copper (TdCu) and pH) on the distribution of macro- and meiofaunal species at small spatial scales (< 1 m). There were differences in macro- and meiofaunal community structure between the different sampling locations, separating the hydrothermal community of the Eiffel Tower edifice into three types of microhabitats: (1) cold microhabitats characterized by low temperatures (<6 °C), high TdCu (up to 2.4±1.37 µmol l−1), high pH (up to 7.34±0.13) but low TdS concentrations (<6.98±5.01 µmol l−1); (2) warm microhabitats characterized by warmer temperatures (>6 °C), low pH (<6.5) and high TdS/TdFe concentrations (>12.8 µmol l−1/>1.1 µmol l−1 respectively); and (3) a third microhabitat characterized by intermediate abiotic conditions. Environmental conditions showed more variation in the warm microhabitats than in the cold microhabitats. In terms of fauna, the warm microhabitats had lower macro- and meiofaunal densities, and lower richness and Shannon diversity than the cold microhabitats. Six macrofaunal species (Branchipolynoe seepensis, Amathys lutzi, Bathymodiolus azoricus, Lepetodrilus fucensis, Protolira valvatoides and Chorocaris chacei) and three meiofaunal taxa (Paracanthonchus, Cephalochaetosoma and Microlaimus) were identified as being significant indicator species/taxa of particular microhabitats. Our results also highlight very specific niche separation for copepod juveniles among the different hydrothermal microhabitats. Some sampling

Correlation between egfr expression and accelerated proliferation during radiotherapy of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pedicini Piernicola

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Purpose To investigate the correlation between the expression of Epidermal Growth Factor receptor (EGFr and the reduction of the effective doubling time (TD during radiotherapy treatment and also to determine the dose per fraction to be taken into account when the overall treatment time (OTT is reduced in accelerated radiotherapy of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC. Methods A survey of the published papers comparing 3-years of local regional control rate (LCR for a total of 2162 patients treated with conventional and accelerated radiotherapy and with a pretreatment assessment of EGFr expression, was made. Different values of TD were obtained by a model incorporating the overall time corrected biologically effective dose (BED and a 3-year clinical LCR for high and low EGFr groups of patients (HEGFr and LEGFr, respectively. By obtaining the TD from the above analysis and the sub-sites’ potential doubling time (Tpot from flow cytometry and immunohistochemical methods, we were able to estimate the average TD for each sub-site included in the analysis. Moreover, the dose that would be required to offset the modified proliferation occurring in one day (Dprolif, was estimated. Results The averages of TD were 77 (27-9095% days in LEGFr and 8.8 (7.3-11.095% days in HEGFr, if an onset of accelerated proliferation TK at day 21 was assumed. The correspondent HEGFr sub-sites’ TD were 5.9 (6.6, 5.9 (6.6, 4.6 (6.1, 14.3 (12.9 days, with respect to literature immunohistochemical (flow cytometry data of Tpot for Oral-Cavity, Oro-pharynx, Hypo-pharynx, and Larynx respectively. The Dprolif for the HEGFr groups were 0.33 (0.29, 0.33 (0.29, 0.42 (0.31, 0.14 (0.15 Gy/day if α = 0.3 Gy-1 and α/β = 10 Gy were assumed. Conclusions A higher expression of the EGFr leads to enhanced proliferation. This study allowed to quantify the extent of the effect which EGFr expression has in terms of reduced TD and Dprolif for each head and neck

The Integration of a Small Thermal Desorption (TD) System for Air Monitoring into a Mobile Analytical Laboratory in France Used by the NRBC Emergency First Responder Police Organization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roberts, G. M.

2007-01-01

A mobile analytical laboratory has been developed in France by Thales Security Systems in conjunction with the French department of defense (DGA) to rapidly identify the composition of toxic substances released accidentally or by terrorist activity at a location of high civilian population density. Accurate and fast identification of toxic material is critical for first responder teams that attend an incident site. Based on this analysis defined decontamination protocols for contaminated people can be implemented, and specific medical treatment can be administered to those worst affected. Analysing samples with high technology instrumentation close to the point of release is therefore highly advantageous and is only possible with mobile analytical platforms. Transporting samples back to a central laboratory for analysis is not realistic due to time limitations. This paper looks at one particular aspect of analysis performed in this mobile multi-technique laboratory namely air monitoring for CW or TIC compounds. Air sampling and pre concentration is achieved using a small, innovative Thermal Desorption system (Unitytm) in combination with a gas chromatograph-mass spectroscopy system for the detection and identification of specific analytes. Implementation of the Unity TD system in the confines of this small mobile environment will be reviewed in this paper. (author)

Changes in total and differential white cell counts, total lymphocyte ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: Published reports on the possible changes in the various immune cell populations, especially the total lymphocyte and CD4 cell counts, during the menstrual cycle in Nigerian female subjects are relatively scarce. Aim: To determine possible changes in the total and differential white blood cell [WBC] counts, ...

Regeneração pós-traumática do nervo facial em coelhos Posttraumatic facial nerve regeneration in rabbits

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heloisa Juliana Zabeu Rossi Costa

2006-12-01

Full Text Available A paralisia facial periférica traumática constitui-se em afecção freqüente. OBJETIVO: estudo da regeneração pós-traumática do nervo facial em coelhos, por avaliação funcional histológica dos nervos traumatizados comparados aos normais contralaterais. METODOLOGIA: Vinte coelhos foram submetidos à compressão do tronco do nervo facial esquerdo e sacrificados após duas (grupo AL, quatro (BL e seis (CL semanas da lesão. A comparação entre os grupos foi feita pelas densidades total e parcial de axônios mielinizados. ESTUDO ESTATÍSTICO: método de Tukey (p Posttraumatic facial paralysis is a frequent disease. This work studies posttraumatic regeneration of the facial nerve in rabbits. Functional and histological analysis compared injured and normal nerves on opposite sides. The left facial nerve trunk of twenty rabbits were subjectedto compression lesion, and sacrificed after two (subgroup AL, four (BL and six (CL weeks. Comparison between groups was made by analysing total and partial densities of myelinated axons. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Tukey Method (p<0.05. RESULTS:There was partial functional recovery after two weeks, and complete recovery after five weeks. Qualitative analysis demonstrated a degenerative pattern in the AL group, with an increased tissue inflammatory process. Evident regeneration signs were observed in the BL group, and almost complete regeneration was seen in the CL group. Normal nerves (N had an average TD of 15705.59 and average PD of 21800.75. The BL group had an average TD of 10818.55 and an average PD of 15340.56. The CL group had an average TD of 13920.36 and an average PD of 16589.15. The BL group had an average TD of N equal to 68.88%, and the CL group had an average TD of N equal to 88,63% (statistically significant. N showed a significant higher PD than injured nerves. However, this was not statistically different between BL and CL subgroups. Nerve DT was a more reliable method than PD in this study.

EFFECT OF CANNABINOIDS ON TESTICULAR ISCHEMIA-REPERFUSION INJURY IN RAT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. Sepehri

2006-11-01

Full Text Available Anandamide is an endogenous ligand for cannabinoid receptors and has endothelial protective effect against ischemic preconditioning. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of cannabinoids on reperfusion injury due to testicular torsion-detorsion (T/D. A total of 36 adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 6 groups. Testicular ischemia was achieved by twisting the right testes 720◦ counters clockwise for 1 hour and reperfusion was allowed for 4 hours after detorsion. In baseline (normal group, bilateral orchiectomies performed after anesthesia. Sham operated group was served as a control group. Torsion/detorsion group underwent 1 hour testicular torsion and 4 hours of detorsion. Anandamide (cannabinoid agonist group received pretreatment with intraperitoneally anandamide 30 min before torsion. AM251 (CB1 antagonist group, received intraperitoneally injection of AM251 45 min before torsion. Anandamid/AM251 (An/AM group received administrations of AM251 45 min before torsion and anandamide 30 min before torsion. The ipsilateral malondialdehyde (MDA level in T/D group were significantly higher versus control and base line groups. Ipsilateral MDA values in anandamid group were significantly lower than T/D and An/AM groups. There were also significant decreases in catalase activity in T/D group compared with control and base line groups. These values were significantly higher in cannabinoid group versus T/D and An/AM groups. Anandamide increased ipsilateral intratesticular antioxidative markers and decreased free radicals formation during reperfusion phase after unilateral testicular torsion, which was reflected in lesser testicular MDA level. Furthermore, the effects of anandamide were mediated via cannabinoid receptors, since AM251 could abolish these effects.

Trends in transmission, distribution, and administration costs for U.S. investor-owned electric utilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fares, Robert L.; King, Carey W.

2017-01-01

This paper analyzes the cost of transmission, distribution, and administration for U.S. investor-owned electric utilities. We analyze data reported to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) from 1994 to 2014 using linear regression to understand how the number of customers in a utility's territory, annual peak demand, and annual energy sales affect annual TD&A spending. Then, we use Edison Electric Institute data for 1960 to 1992 to show trends in TD&A spending between 1960 and 2014. We find that the number of customers in a utility's territory is the single best predictor for annual TD&A costs. Between 1994 and 2014, the average cost per customer was $119/Customer-Year for transmission, $291/Customer-Year for distribution, and $333/Customer-Year for utility administration. Total TD&A costs per customer have been approximately $700–$800/Customer-Year since 1960, but the cost per kWh of energy sold was significantly higher in the 1960s because the average customer used less than half as much energy annually versus 2014. Thus, TD&A costs per kWh are likely to increase if kWh energy sales decline in the future unless cost recovery is transitioned to a mechanism not based solely on kWh sales. - Highlights: • U.S. investor-owned electric utility delivery costs from 1960? 2014 are investigated. • Transmission, distribution, and utility administrative costs are analyzed separately. • The number of utility customers is the best predictor for annual delivery costs. • Delivery costs per kWh are likely to increase if kWh sales decrease in the future.

The impact of language co-activation on L1 and L2 speech fluency.

Science.gov (United States)

Bergmann, Christopher; Sprenger, Simone A; Schmid, Monika S

2015-10-01

Fluent speech depends on the availability of well-established linguistic knowledge and routines for speech planning and articulation. A lack of speech fluency in late second-language (L2) learners may point to a deficiency of these representations, due to incomplete acquisition. Experiments on bilingual language processing have shown, however, that there are strong reasons to believe that multilingual speakers experience co-activation of the languages they speak. We have studied to what degree language co-activation affects fluency in the speech of bilinguals, comparing a monolingual German control group with two bilingual groups: 1) first-language (L1) attriters, who have fully acquired German before emigrating to an L2 English environment, and 2) immersed L2 learners of German (L1: English). We have analysed the temporal fluency and the incidence of disfluency markers (pauses, repetitions and self-corrections) in spontaneous film retellings. Our findings show that learners to speak more slowly than controls and attriters. Also, on each count, the speech of at least one of the bilingual groups contains more disfluency markers than the retellings of the control group. Generally speaking, both bilingual groups-learners and attriters-are equally (dis)fluent and significantly more disfluent than the monolingual speakers. Given that the L1 attriters are unaffected by incomplete acquisition, we interpret these findings as evidence for language competition during speech production. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The history of research on the filled pause as evidence of the written language bias in linguistics (Linell, 1982).

Science.gov (United States)

O'Connell, Daniel C; Kowal, Sabine

2004-11-01

Erard's (2004) publication in the New York Times of a journalistic history of the filled pause serves as the occasion for this critical review of the past half-century of research on the filled pause. Historically, the various phonetic realizations or instantiations of the filled pause have been presented with an odd recurrent admixture of the interjection ah. In addition, the filled pause has been consistently associated with both hesitation and disfluency. The present authors hold that such a mandatory association of the filled pause with disfluency is the product of The written language bias in linguistics [Linell, 1982] and disregards much cogent evidence to the contrary. The implicit prescriptivism of well formedness--a demand derived from literacy--must be rejected; literate well formedness is not a necessary or even typical property of spontaneous spoken discourse; its structures and functions--including those of the filled pause--are very different from those of written language The recent work of Clark and Fox Tree (2002) holds promise for moving the status of the filled pause not only toward that of a conventional word, but also toward its status as an interjection. This latter development is also being fostered by lexicographers. Nonetheless, in view of ongoing research regarding the disparate privileges of occurrence and functions of filled pauses in comparison with interjections, the present authors are reluctant to categorize the filled pause as an interjection.

Clinical characteristics and the causes of misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis in children with tic disorders (TD) first-consultation in department of ophthalrnology%首诊于眼科小儿抽动障碍的临床特征分析

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

向圣锦; 王勤美; 吴伟深; 韦企平

2010-01-01

目的 总结首诊于眼科的抽动障碍(TD)的临床特征及其被误诊或漏诊的原因.方法 分析2009年2～11月以"眨眼"为主诉首诊于眼科618例患者中诊断为TD患者的临床资料.结果 (1)最终诊断为TD者187例,占"眨眼"为主诉患儿的30.3%,男女均列为4.2:1,其中短暂性抽动(TTD)102例(54.5%),慢性抽动(CTD)62例(33.2%),多发性抽动(TS)23例(12.3%).(2)主诉为单纯眨眼123例(65.8%),伴眼部其他不适64例(34.2%);78例(41.7%)眼部无阳性体征,67例(35.8%)有结膜充血、滤泡或乳头,42例(22.5%)伴有眼部其他体征;全部以运动抽动首发,37例伴发声抽动;抽动部位主要位于头面部(73.7%),抽动形式主要为简单抽动(91.7%);合并有精神损害47例(25.1%),其中35例为ADHD.(3)误诊情况:243例有外院就诊史的"眨眼"患者最终被诊断为TD81例,其中58例漏诊或误诊(23.9%).结论 (1)抽动障碍是异常眨眼的主要原因之一.(2)首诊于眼科的TD多为TTD,抽动部位多位于头面部,以运动抽动为主,抽动形式主要为简单抽动;合并精神行为损害较少.(3)首诊于眼科的TD可合并眼部器质性病变同时存在;(4)误诊的原因主要是眼科医生认识混乱以及病情较轻,易被忽视所致;而与眼部器质性病变同时存在则是漏诊的主要原因.%Objective To determine the clinical characteristics and the causes of misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis with tic disorders first-consultation in department of ophthalmology. Methods All 618 consecutive patients in children less than 16 years of age who had excessive blinking as their sole or major chief complaint underwent detailed history and ophthalmologic examination. Results (1) TD was diagnosed 187 of 61 g cases, the percentage was 30.3%, boys outnumbered girls at a ratio of 4.2:1, 102 patients had transient tic disorders (TTD), 62 had chronic tic disorders (CTD), and 23 had Tourette's syndrome (TS). (2) 123 patients (65.8%) had only eye tics as their chief

Effects of 2'-chlorothymidine on Chinese hamster cells irradiated with x-rays and ultraviolet light

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Murai, T; Kuwabara, M; Sato, F; Kubo, K; Itoh, T; Yoshii, G

1985-06-01

Effects of 2'-chlorothymidine (2'-Cl-TdR) and its mother compound, thymidine (TdR), on cell killing induced by X- and UV-irradiation have been investigated. Chinse hamster V-79 (TK/sup +/) cells as well as thymidine kinase deficient (TK/sup -/) variant cells, which were isolated from parental V-79 cells following stepwise treatment with BUdR, were incubated in a medium containing 2'-Cl-TdR and TdR after X- and UV-irradiation. In the TK/sup +/ cells, both 2'-Cl-TdR and TdR enhanced the killing efficiency of X-rays and ultraviolet light. On the other hand, in the TK/sup -/ cells, only 2'-Cl-TdR enhanced the killing efficiency of X- and UV-irradiation, and no effect of TdR was observed. These results suggest that phosphorylation of TdR by the enzyme is essential for its ability to modify radiation response, while the enhancement of cell killing by 2'-Cl-TdR must be explained by a mechanism at least partly independent of phosphorylation. (author).

Total lymphoid irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sutherland, D.E.; Ferguson, R.M.; Simmons, R.L.; Kim, T.H.; Slavin, S.; Najarian, J.S.

1983-01-01

Total lymphoid irradiation by itself can produce sufficient immunosuppression to prolong the survival of a variety of organ allografts in experimental animals. The degree of prolongation is dose-dependent and is limited by the toxicity that occurs with higher doses. Total lymphoid irradiation is more effective before transplantation than after, but when used after transplantation can be combined with pharmacologic immunosuppression to achieve a positive effect. In some animal models, total lymphoid irradiation induces an environment in which fully allogeneic bone marrow will engraft and induce permanent chimerism in the recipients who are then tolerant to organ allografts from the donor strain. If total lymphoid irradiation is ever to have clinical applicability on a large scale, it would seem that it would have to be under circumstances in which tolerance can be induced. However, in some animal models graft-versus-host disease occurs following bone marrow transplantation, and methods to obviate its occurrence probably will be needed if this approach is to be applied clinically. In recent years, patient and graft survival rates in renal allograft recipients treated with conventional immunosuppression have improved considerably, and thus the impetus to utilize total lymphoid irradiation for its immunosuppressive effect alone is less compelling. The future of total lymphoid irradiation probably lies in devising protocols in which maintenance immunosuppression can be eliminated, or nearly eliminated, altogether. Such protocols are effective in rodents. Whether they can be applied to clinical transplantation remains to be seen

Image-guided total marrow and total lymphatic irradiation using helical tomotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schultheiss, Timothy E.; Wong, Jeffrey; Liu, An; Olivera, Gustavo; Somlo, George

2007-01-01

Purpose: To develop a treatment technique to spare normal tissue and allow dose escalation in total body irradiation (TBI). We have developed intensity-modulated radiotherapy techniques for the total marrow irradiation (TMI), total lymphatic irradiation, or total bone marrow plus lymphatic irradiation using helical tomotherapy. Methods and Materials: For TBI, we typically use 12 Gy in 10 fractions delivered at an extended source-to-surface distance (SSD). Using helical tomotherapy, it is possible to deliver equally effective doses to the bone marrow and lymphatics while sparing normal organs to a significant degree. In the TMI patients, whole body skeletal bone, including the ribs and sternum, comprise the treatment target. In the total lymphatic irradiation, the target is expanded to include the spleen and major lymph node areas. Sanctuary sites for disease (brain and testes) are included when clinically indicated. Spared organs include the lungs, esophagus, parotid glands, eyes, oral cavity, liver, kidneys, stomach, small and large intestine, bladder, and ovaries. Results: With TBI, all normal organs received the TBI dose; with TMI, total lymphatic irradiation, and total bone marrow plus lymphatic irradiation, the visceral organs are spared. For the first 6 patients treated with TMI, the median dose to organs at risk averaged 51% lower than would be achieved with TBI. By putting greater weight on the avoidance of specific organs, greater sparing was possible. Conclusion: Sparing of normal tissues and dose escalation is possible using helical tomotherapy. Late effects such as radiation pneumonitis, veno-occlusive disease, cataracts, neurocognitive effects, and the development of second tumors should be diminished in severity and frequency according to the dose reduction realized for the organs at risk

Total 2004 results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-02-01

This document presents the 2004 results of Total Group: consolidated account, special items, number of shares, market environment, adjustment for amortization of Sanofi-Aventis merger-related intangibles, 4. quarter 2004 results (operating and net incomes, cash flow), upstream (results, production, reserves, recent highlights), downstream (results, refinery throughput, recent highlights), chemicals (results, recent highlights), Total's full year 2004 results (operating and net income, cash flow), 2005 sensitivities, Total SA parent company accounts and proposed dividend, adoption of IFRS accounting, summary and outlook, main operating information by segment for the 4. quarter and full year 2004: upstream (combined liquids and gas production by region, liquids production by region, gas production by region), downstream (refined product sales by region, chemicals), Total financial statements: consolidated statement of income, consolidated balance sheet (assets, liabilities and shareholder's equity), consolidated statements of cash flows, business segments information. (J.S.)

An Empirical Algorithm for Wave Retrieval from Co-Polarization X-Band SAR Imagery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Weizeng Shao

2017-07-01

Full Text Available In this study, we proposed an empirical algorithm for significant wave height (SWH retrieval from TerraSAR-X/TanDEM (TS-X/TD-X X-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR co-polarization (vertical-vertical (VV and horizontal-horizontal (HH images. As the existing empirical algorithm at X-band, i.e., XWAVE, is applied for wave retrieval from HH-polarization TS-X/TD-X image, polarization ratio (PR has to be used for inverting wind speed, which is treated as an input in XWAVE. Wind speed encounters saturation in tropical cyclone. In our work, wind speed is replaced by normalized radar cross section (NRCS to avoiding using SAR-derived wind speed, which does not work in high winds, and the empirical algorithm can be conveniently implemented without converting NRCS in HH-polarization to NRCS in VV-polarization by using X-band PR. A total of 120 TS-X/TD-X images, 60 in VV-polarization and 60 in HH-polarization, with homogenous wave patterns, and the coincide significant wave height data from European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF reanalysis field at a 0.125° grid were collected as a dataset for tuning the algorithm. The range of SWH is from 0 to 7 m. We then applied the algorithm to 24 VV and 21 HH additional SAR images to extract SWH at locations of 30 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA National Data Buoy Center (NDBC buoys. It is found that the algorithm performs well with a SWH stander deviation (STD of about 0.5 m for both VV and HH polarization TS-X/TD-X images. For large wave validation (SWH 6–7 m, we applied the empirical algorithm to a tropical cyclone Sandy TD-X image acquired in 2012, and obtained good result with a SWH STD of 0.3 m. We concluded that the proposed empirical algorithm works for wave retrieval from TS-X/TD-X image in co-polarization without external sea surface wind information.

Sleep Behaviors and Sleep Quality in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Science.gov (United States)

Souders, Margaret C.; Mason, Thorton B. A.; Valladares, Otto; Bucan, Maja; Levy, Susan E.; Mandell, David S.; Weaver, Terri E.; Pinto-Martin, Jennifer

2009-01-01

Study Objectives: (1) Compare sleep behaviors of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) with sleep behaviors of typically developing (TD) children using the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ); (2) compare sleep quality—defined as mean activity, sleep latency, number of awakenings, sleep efficiency and total sleep time—of the cohort of children with ASD and TD, as measured by 10 nights of actigraphy; and (3) estimate the prevalence of sleep disturbances in the ASD and TD cohorts. Design: Descriptive cross-sectional study. Setting: The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Participants: Randomly selected children from the Regional Autism Center. The ASD cohort of 59 children, aged 4 to 10 years, (26 with autism, 21 with pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified [PDD-NOS], and 12 with Asperger disorder) were compared with 40 TD control subjects. Measurements and Results: The CSHQ, sleep diaries, and 10 nights of actigraphy using the Sadeh algorithm of children with ASD and TD control subjects were compared. CSHQ showed 66.1% of parents of children with ASD (62.5% autism, 76.2% PDD-NOS, 58.3% Asperger disorder) and 45% of parents of the control subjects reported that their children had sleep problems. Actigraphic data showed that 66.7% of children with ASD (75% autism, 52.4% PDD-NOS, 75% Asperger disorder) and 45.9% of the control subjects had disturbed sleep. Conclusions: The prevalence estimate of 45% for mild sleep disturbances in the TD cohort highlights pediatric sleep debt as a public health problem of concern. The prevalence estimate of 66% for moderate sleep disturbances in the ASD cohort underscores the significant sleep problems that the families of these children face. The predominant sleep disorders in the ASD cohort were behavioral insomnia sleep-onset type and insomnia due to PDD. Citation: Souders MC; Mason TBA; Valladares O; Bucan M; Levy SE; Mandell DS; Weaver TE; Pinto-Martin D. Sleep behaviors and sleep quality in

Total 2004 results

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2005-02-01

This document presents the 2004 results of Total Group: consolidated account, special items, number of shares, market environment, adjustment for amortization of Sanofi-Aventis merger-related intangibles, 4. quarter 2004 results (operating and net incomes, cash flow), upstream (results, production, reserves, recent highlights), downstream (results, refinery throughput, recent highlights), chemicals (results, recent highlights), Total's full year 2004 results (operating and net income, cash flow), 2005 sensitivities, Total SA parent company accounts and proposed dividend, adoption of IFRS accounting, summary and outlook, main operating information by segment for the 4. quarter and full year 2004: upstream (combined liquids and gas production by region, liquids production by region, gas production by region), downstream (refined product sales by region, chemicals), Total financial statements: consolidated statement of income, consolidated balance sheet (assets, liabilities and shareholder's equity), consolidated statements of cash flows, business segments information. (J.S.)

Fluency Effects on Brand Name Recognition and Preference

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Erz, Antonia; Christensen, Bo

2014-01-01

Existing research has not provided a clear understanding of processing fluency effects on memory. In a laboratory experiment with novel non-words, we found a recognition advantage of fluent non-words over moderately fluent and disfluent non-words. This advantage diminished when non-words were...... presented as novel brand names in different product contexts. We further tested a preference reversal in favor of disfluency and found that disfluent brand names (non-words) were equally disliked across different products contexts. A preference reversal could be observed when fluent names were preferred...

Corpus callosum demyelination associated with acquired stuttering.

Science.gov (United States)

Decker, Barbara McElwee; Guitar, Barry; Solomon, Andrew

2018-04-21

Compared with developmental stuttering, adult onset acquired stuttering is rare. However, several case reports describe acquired stuttering and an association with callosal pathology. Interestingly, these cases share a neuroanatomical localisation also demonstrated in developmental stuttering. We present a case of adult onset acquired stuttering associated with inflammatory demyelination within the corpus callosum. This patient's disfluency improved after the initiation of immunomodulatory therapy. © BMJ Publishing Group Ltd (unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Total photon absorption

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carlos, P.

1985-06-01

The present discussion is limited to a presentation of the most recent total photonuclear absorption experiments performed with real photons at intermediate energy, and more precisely in the region of nucleon resonances. The main sources of real photons are briefly reviewed and the experimental procedures used for total photonuclear absorption cross section measurements. The main results obtained below 140 MeV photon energy as well as above 2 GeV are recalled. The experimental study of total photonuclear absorption in the nuclear resonance region (140 MeV< E<2 GeV) is still at its beginning and some results are presented

[Total artificial heart].

Science.gov (United States)

Antretter, H; Dumfarth, J; Höfer, D

2015-09-01

To date the CardioWest™ total artificial heart is the only clinically available implantable biventricular mechanical replacement for irreversible cardiac failure. This article presents the indications, contraindications, implantation procedere and postoperative treatment. In addition to a overview of the applications of the total artificial heart this article gives a brief presentation of the two patients treated in our department with the CardioWest™. The clinical course, postoperative rehabilitation, device-related complications and control mechanisms are presented. The total artificial heart is a reliable implant for treating critically ill patients with irreversible cardiogenic shock. A bridge to transplantation is feasible with excellent results.

Total body water and total body potassium in anorexia nervosa

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dempsey, D.T.; Crosby, L.O.; Lusk, E.; Oberlander, J.L.; Pertschuk, M.J.; Mullen, J.L.

1984-08-01

In the ill hospitalized patient with clinically relevant malnutrition, there is a measurable decrease in the ratio of the total body potassium to total body water (TBK/TBW) and a detectable increase in the ratio of total exchangeable sodium to total exchangeable potassium (Nae/Ke). To evaluate body composition analyses in anorexia nervosa patients with chronic uncomplicated semistarvation, TBK and TBW were measured by whole body K40 counting and deuterium oxide dilution in 10 females with stable anorexia nervosa and 10 age-matched female controls. The ratio of TBK/TBW was significantly (p less than 0.05) higher in anorexia nervosa patients than controls. The close inverse correlation found in published studies between TBK/TBW and Nae/Ke together with our results suggest that in anorexia nervosa, Nae/Ke may be low or normal. A decreased TBK/TBW is not a good indicator of malnutrition in the anorexia nervosa patient. The use of a decreased TBK/TBW ratio or an elevated Nae/Ke ratio as a definition of malnutrition may result in inappropriate nutritional management in the patient with severe nonstressed chronic semistarvation.

Total body water and total body potassium in anorexia nervosa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dempsey, D.T.; Crosby, L.O.; Lusk, E.; Oberlander, J.L.; Pertschuk, M.J.; Mullen, J.L.

1984-01-01

In the ill hospitalized patient with clinically relevant malnutrition, there is a measurable decrease in the ratio of the total body potassium to total body water (TBK/TBW) and a detectable increase in the ratio of total exchangeable sodium to total exchangeable potassium (Nae/Ke). To evaluate body composition analyses in anorexia nervosa patients with chronic uncomplicated semistarvation, TBK and TBW were measured by whole body K40 counting and deuterium oxide dilution in 10 females with stable anorexia nervosa and 10 age-matched female controls. The ratio of TBK/TBW was significantly (p less than 0.05) higher in anorexia nervosa patients than controls. The close inverse correlation found in published studies between TBK/TBW and Nae/Ke together with our results suggest that in anorexia nervosa, Nae/Ke may be low or normal. A decreased TBK/TBW is not a good indicator of malnutrition in the anorexia nervosa patient. The use of a decreased TBK/TBW ratio or an elevated Nae/Ke ratio as a definition of malnutrition may result in inappropriate nutritional management in the patient with severe nonstressed chronic semistarvation

Defective B cell response to T-dependent immunization in lupus-prone mice

Science.gov (United States)

Niu, Haitao; Sobel, Eric S.; Morel, Laurence

2009-01-01

Lupus anti-nuclear Abs show the characteristics of Ag-driven T cell-dependent (TD) humoral responses. If autoAgs elicit the same response as exogenous Ags, lupus should enhance humoral responses to immunization. Blunted responses to various immunizations have, however, been reported in a significant portion of lupus patients. In this study, we show that lupus-prone B6.Sle1.Sle2.Sle3 (B6.TC) mice produce significantly less Ab in response to TD immunization than congenic controls, while producing significantly more total Ig. This blunted Ab response to TD Ag could be reconstituted with B6.TC B and CD4+ T cells. Multiple defects were found in the B6.TC response to NP-KLH as compared to total Ig, including a smaller percentage of B cells participating to the NP-response, a reduced entry into germinal centers, and highly defective production of NP-specific long-lived plasma cells in the bone marrow. B6.TC plasma cells expressed reduced levels of FcγRIIb, which suggests that reduced apoptosis in resident plasma cells prevents the establishment of newly-formed NP-specific plasma cells in bone marrow niches. Overall, these results show that lupus-prone mice responded differently to auto- and exogenous antigens and suggest that low FcγRIIb, hypergammaglobulinemia and high autoantibody production would be predictive of a poor response to immunization in lupus patients. PMID:18924209

Pioneering the Transdisciplinary Team Science Approach: Lessons Learned from National Cancer Institute Grantees.

Science.gov (United States)

Vogel, Amanda L; Stipelman, Brooke A; Hall, Kara L; Nebeling, Linda; Stokols, Daniel; Spruijt-Metz, Donna

2014-01-01

The National Cancer Institute has been a leader in supporting transdisciplinary (TD) team science. From 2005-2010, the NCI supported Transdisciplinary Research on Energetic and Cancer I (TREC I), a center initiative fostering the TD integration of social, behavioral, and biological sciences to examine the relationships among obesity, nutrition, physical activity and cancer. In the final year of TREC I, we conducted qualitative in-depth-interviews with 31 participating investigators and trainees to learn more about their experiences with TD team science, including challenges, facilitating factors, strategies for success, and impacts. Five main challenges emerged: (1) limited published guidance for how to engage in TD team science, when TREC I was implemented; (2) conceptual and scientific challenges inherent to efforts to achieve TD integration; (3) discipline-based differences in values, terminology, methods, and work styles; (4) project management challenges involved in TD team science; and (5) traditional incentive and reward systems that do not recognize or reward TD team science. Four main facilitating factors and strategies for success emerged: (1) beneficial attitudes and beliefs about TD research and team science; (2) effective team processes; (3) brokering and bridge-building activities by individuals holding particular roles in a research center; and (4) funding initiative characteristics that support TD team science. Broad impacts of participating in TD team science in the context of TREC I included: (1) new positive attitudes about TD research and team science; (2) new boundary-crossing collaborations; (3) scientific advances related to research approaches, findings, and dissemination; (4) institutional culture change and resource creation in support of TD team science; and (5) career advancement. Funding agencies, academic institutions, and scholarly journals can help to foster TD team science through funding opportunities, institutional policies on

Identification and Phylogenetic Analysis of a CC-NBS-LRR Encoding Gene Assigned on Chromosome 7B of Wheat

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiangqi Zhang

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Hexaploid wheat displays limited genetic variation. As a direct A and B genome donor of hexaploid wheat, tetraploid wheat represents an important gene pool for cultivated bread wheat. Many disease resistant genes express conserved domains of the nucleotide-binding site and leucine-rich repeats (NBS-LRR. In this study, we isolated a CC-NBS-LRR gene locating on chromosome 7B from durum wheat variety Italy 363, and designated it TdRGA-7Ba. Its open reading frame was 4014 bp, encoding a 1337 amino acid protein with a complete NBS domain and 18 LRR repeats, sharing 44.7% identity with the PM3B protein. TdRGA-7Ba expression was continuously seen at low levels and was highest in leaves. TdRGA-7Ba has another allele TdRGA-7Bb with a 4 bp deletion at position +1892 in other cultivars of tetraploid wheat. In Ae. speltoides, as a B genome progenitor, both TdRGA-7Ba and TdRGA-7Bb were detected. In all six species of hexaploid wheats (AABBDD, only TdRGA-7Bb existed. Phylogenic analysis showed that all TdRGA-7Bb type genes were grouped in one sub-branch. We speculate that TdRGA-7Bb was derived from a TdRGA-7Ba mutation, and it happened in Ae. speltoides. Both types of TdRGA-7B participated in tetraploid wheat formation. However, only the TdRGA-7Bb was retained in hexaploid wheat.

Pathophysiological analyses of periventricular nodular heterotopia using gyrencephalic mammals.

Science.gov (United States)

Matsumoto, Naoyuki; Hoshiba, Yoshio; Morita, Kazuya; Uda, Natsu; Hirota, Miwako; Minamikawa, Maki; Ebisu, Haruka; Shinmyo, Yohei; Kawasaki, Hiroshi

2017-03-15

Although periventricular nodular heterotopia (PNH) is often found in the cerebral cortex of people with thanatophoric dysplasia (TD), the pathophysiology of PNH in TD is largely unknown. This is mainly because of difficulties in obtaining brain samples of TD patients and a lack of appropriate animal models for analyzing the pathophysiology of PNH in TD. Here we investigate the pathophysiological mechanisms of PNH in the cerebral cortex of TD by utilizing a ferret TD model which we recently developed. To make TD ferrets, we electroporated fibroblast growth factor 8 (FGF8) into the cerebral cortex of ferrets. Our immunohistochemical analyses showed that PNH nodules in the cerebral cortex of TD ferrets were mostly composed of cortical neurons, including upper layer neurons and GABAergic neurons. We also found disorganizations of radial glial fibers and of the ventricular lining in the TD ferret cortex, indicating that PNH may result from defects in radial migration of cortical neurons along radial glial fibers during development. Our findings provide novel mechanistic insights into the pathogenesis of PNH in TD. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Habilidades de praxia verbal e não-verbal em indivíduos gagos Verbal and non-verbal praxic abilities in stutterers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Natália Casagrande Brabo

2009-12-01

"Protocolo de Avaliação da Apraxia Verbal e Não-verbal" (Martins and Ortiz, 2004. RESULTS: regarding the abilities of verbal praxis, there was a statistically significant difference of number of typical and atypical disfluencies showed by the two studied groups. Phrase repetition was the only type of typical disfluency which showed a statistically significant difference between the groups. Blocking, syllable repetition and prolonging were the atypical disfluencies which showed a statistically significant difference between the groups. Regarding the non-verbal praxic abilities, a statistically significant difference was not found between the groups in the performance of lip, tongue and jaw movements, isolated and in sequence. CONCLUSION: the adult stutterers showed a significantly higher number of typical and atypical disfluencies than non-stutterers (verbal praxis. Stutterers do not differ from non-stutterers in their non-verbal praxic abilities. This finding contradicts those who believe that early stuttering affects non-verbal praxis.

Total well dominated trees

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Finbow, Arthur; Frendrup, Allan; Vestergaard, Preben D.

cardinality then G is a total well dominated graph. In this paper we study composition and decomposition of total well dominated trees. By a reversible process we prove that any total well dominated tree can both be reduced to and constructed from a family of three small trees....

Estonian total ozone climatology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. Eerme

Full Text Available The climatological characteristics of total ozone over Estonia based on the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS data are discussed. The mean annual cycle during 1979–2000 for the site at 58.3° N and 26.5° E is compiled. The available ground-level data interpolated before TOMS, have been used for trend detection. During the last two decades, the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO corrected systematic decrease of total ozone from February–April was 3 ± 2.6% per decade. Before 1980, a spring decrease was not detectable. No decreasing trend was found in either the late autumn ozone minimum or in the summer total ozone. The QBO related signal in the spring total ozone has an amplitude of ± 20 DU and phase lag of 20 months. Between 1987–1992, the lagged covariance between the Singapore wind and the studied total ozone was weak. The spring (April–May and summer (June–August total ozone have the best correlation (coefficient 0.7 in the yearly cycle. The correlation between the May and August total ozone is higher than the one between the other summer months. Seasonal power spectra of the total ozone variance show preferred periods with an over 95% significance level. Since 1986, during the winter/spring, the contribution period of 32 days prevails instead of the earlier dominating 26 days. The spectral densities of the periods from 4 days to 2 weeks exhibit high interannual variability.

Key words. Atmospheric composition and structure (middle atmosphere – composition and chemistry; volcanic effects – Meteorology and atmospheric dynamics (climatology

Investigation of Continuously Variable Slope Delta Modulator/Demodulator Compatability.

Science.gov (United States)

1980-12-01

20 d,"mO Test Signal) 4 stp Ize Pratio -J-l Li] c4 u FnoR~e mx -,cli - td 32k/ I’.’: (2 .Bm’ et i~ l z s tep g ize Ratio MJismatc(_h Bd FREQUENCY (HZJ...Ste~p Size it-tio flisriatch ’ F] - ,a tc he d 0 - 2 dB [: L’\\- 4 dB 4Bd B 0’ 0 0 b l - FREQUENCY (HZ) Figure 49a. CVSD Encoder/Decoder Back-to-Back...APPENDIX rl Total t’,ar-onic i tor’i w’. -r -,,,t ,ntl Po’..’r PROGRAM DTHD(I PUT,OUTPUT,TAPES-INPUT.TAPE6-OUTPUT,PLOT) CT_---- -- - TD US. INPUT POER

Pacific Pediatric Advanced Care Initiative

Science.gov (United States)

2009-10-01

responsibilities:  Observe cannula site(s) for signs of infection .  Apply antibiotic ointment and change dressing as ordered.  Maintain... SpO2 oxygen saturation STAT now or immediately T/D bili total/direct bilirubin Temp temperature THAM thromethamine TPN total parenteral nutrition...This is set up, but specialists should know it exists  Bubble sensor size: 1/4 or 3/8 (The other sized shims are in the drawer of the console

Epidemiology and Self-Treatment of Travelers’ Diarrhea in a Large, Prospective Cohort of Department of Defense Beneficiaries

Science.gov (United States)

Lalani, Tahaniyat; Maguire, Jason D.; Grant, Edward M.; Fraser, Jamie; Ganesan, Anuradha; Johnson, Mark D.; Deiss, Robert G.; Riddle, Mark S.; Burgess, Timothy; Tribble, David R.

2014-01-01

Background Infectious diarrhea is a common problem among travelers. Expert guidelines recommend the prompt use of antibiotics for self-treatment of moderate or severe traveler’s diarrhea (TD). There is limited data on whether travelers follow these self-treatment guidelines. We evaluated the risk factors associated with TD, use of TD self-treatment, and risk of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) during travel. Methods Department of Defense beneficiaries traveling outside the US for ≤ 6.5 months were enrolled in a prospective cohort study. Participants received pre- and post-travel surveys, and could opt into a travel illness diary and follow-up surveys for symptoms of IBS. Standard definitions were used to assess for TD and IBS. Sub-optimal self-treatment was defined as use of antibiotics (with or without antidiarrheal agents) for mild TD, or use of antidiarrheals alone or no self-treatment in cases of moderate or severe TD. Results Twenty-four percent of participants (270/1120) met criteria for TD. The highest incidence was recorded in Africa (8.6 cases/100 person-weeks, 95% CI: 6.7–10.5). Two hundred and twelve TD cases provided information regarding severity and self-treatment: 89 (42%) had mild TD and 123 (58%) had moderate or severe TD. Moderate or severe TD was independently associated with suboptimal self-treatment (OR 10.4 [95% CI: 4.92–22.0]). Time to last unformed stool did not differ between optimal and suboptimal self-treatment. IBS occurred in 4.5% (7/154) of TD cases and 3.1% (16/516) of patients without TD (p=0.39). Among TD cases, a lower incidence of IBS was noted in participants who took antibiotics (4.8% (5/105) vs. 2.2% (1/46)), but the difference did not reach statistical significance (p=0.60). Conclusions Our results suggest the underutilization of antibiotics in travelers with moderate or severe TD. Further studies are needed to systematically evaluate pre-travel instruction and traveler adherence to self-treatment guidelines, and the

Focal Thalamic Degeneration from Ethanol and Thiamine Deficiency is Associated with Neuroimmune Gene Induction, Microglial Activation, and Lack of Monocarboxylic Acid Transporters

Science.gov (United States)

Qin, Liya; Crews, Fulton T

2014-01-01

Background Wernicke's encephalopathy-Korsakoff syndrome (WE-KS) is common in alcoholics, caused by thiamine deficiency (TD; vitamin B1) and associated with lesions to the thalamus (THAL). Although TD alone can cause WE, the high incidence in alcoholism suggests that TD and ethanol (EtOH) interact. Methods Mice in control, TD, or EtOH groups alone or combined were studied after 5 or 10 days of treatment. THAL and entorhinal cortex (ENT) histochemistry and mRNA were assessed. Results Combined EtOH-TD treatment for 5 days (EtOH-TD5) showed activated microglia, proinflammatory gene induction and THAL neurodegeneration that was greater than that found with TD alone (TD5), whereas 10 days resulted in marked THAL degeneration and microglial-neuroimmune activation in both groups. In contrast, 10 days of TD did not cause ENT degeneration. Interestingly, in ENT, TD10 activated microglia and astrocytes more than EtOH-TD10. In THAL, multiple astrocytic markers were lost consistent with glial cell loss. TD blocks glucose metabolism more than acetate. Acetate derived from hepatic EtOH metabolism is transported by monocarboxylic acid transporters (MCT) into both neurons and astrocytes that use acetyl-CoA synthetase (AcCoAS) to generate cellular energy from acetate. MCT and AcCoAS expression in THAL is lower than ENT prompting the hypothesis that focal THAL degeneration is related to insufficient MCT and AcCoAS in THAL. To test this hypothesis, we administered glycerin triacetate (GTA) to increase blood acetate and found it protected the THAL from TD-induced degeneration. Conclusions Our findings suggest that EtOH potentiates TD-induced THAL degeneration through neuroimmune gene induction. The findings support the hypothesis that TD deficiency inhibits global glucose metabolism and that a reduced ability to process acetate for cellular energy results in THAL focal degeneration in alcoholics contributing to the high incidence of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome in alcoholism. PMID

Continuous performance test in pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder and tic disorders: the role of sustained attention.

Science.gov (United States)

Lucke, Ilse M; Lin, Charlotte; Conteh, Fatmata; Federline, Amanda; Sung, Huyngmo; Specht, Matthew; Grados, Marco A

2015-10-01

Pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and tic disorders (TD) are often associated with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In order to clarify the role of attention and inhibitory control in pediatric OCD and TD, a continuous performance test (CPT) was administered to a cohort of children and adolescents with OCD alone, TD alone, and OCD+TD. A clinical cohort of 48 children and adolescents with OCD alone (n=20), TD alone (n=15), or OCD+TD (n=13) was interviewed clinically and administered the Conners Continuous Performance Test II (CPT-II). The Conners CPT-II is a 14-minute normed computerized test consisting of 6 blocks. It taps into attention, inhibitory control, and sustained attention cognitive domains. Key parameters include errors of omission (distractability), commission (inhibitory control), and variable responding over time (sustained attention). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition (DSM-IV) criteria were applied in a best-estimate process to diagnose OCD, TD, ADHD, and anxiety disorders. Children with OCD+TD had more errors of omission (p=0.03), and more hit RT block change (p=0.003) and hit SE block change (p=0.02) than subjects with OCD alone and TD alone. These deficits in sustained attention were associated with younger age and hoarding tendencies. A clinical diagnosis of ADHD in the OCD+TD group also determined worse sustained attention. A deficit in sustained attention, a core marker of ADHD, is also a marker of OCD+TD, compared to OCD alone and TD alone. Biological correlates of sustained attention may serve to uncover the pathophysiology of OCD and TD through genetic and imaging studies.

Totally optimal decision rules

KAUST Repository

Amin, Talha

2017-11-22

Optimality of decision rules (patterns) can be measured in many ways. One of these is referred to as length. Length signifies the number of terms in a decision rule and is optimally minimized. Another, coverage represents the width of a rule’s applicability and generality. As such, it is desirable to maximize coverage. A totally optimal decision rule is a decision rule that has the minimum possible length and the maximum possible coverage. This paper presents a method for determining the presence of totally optimal decision rules for “complete” decision tables (representations of total functions in which different variables can have domains of differing values). Depending on the cardinalities of the domains, we can either guarantee for each tuple of values of the function that totally optimal rules exist for each row of the table (as in the case of total Boolean functions where the cardinalities are equal to 2) or, for each row, we can find a tuple of values of the function for which totally optimal rules do not exist for this row.

Totally optimal decision rules

KAUST Repository

Amin, Talha M.; Moshkov, Mikhail

2017-01-01

Optimality of decision rules (patterns) can be measured in many ways. One of these is referred to as length. Length signifies the number of terms in a decision rule and is optimally minimized. Another, coverage represents the width of a rule’s applicability and generality. As such, it is desirable to maximize coverage. A totally optimal decision rule is a decision rule that has the minimum possible length and the maximum possible coverage. This paper presents a method for determining the presence of totally optimal decision rules for “complete” decision tables (representations of total functions in which different variables can have domains of differing values). Depending on the cardinalities of the domains, we can either guarantee for each tuple of values of the function that totally optimal rules exist for each row of the table (as in the case of total Boolean functions where the cardinalities are equal to 2) or, for each row, we can find a tuple of values of the function for which totally optimal rules do not exist for this row.

Total Quality Leadership

Science.gov (United States)

1991-01-01

More than 750 NASA, government, contractor, and academic representatives attended the Seventh Annual NASA/Contractors Conference on Quality and Productivity. The panel presentations and Keynote speeches revolving around the theme of total quality leadership provided a solid base of understanding of the importance, benefits, and principles of total quality management (TQM). The presentations from the conference are summarized.

The current municipal solid waste management situation in Tibet.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Jianguo; Lou, Zhiying; Ng, Silo; Luobu, Ciren; Ji, Duo

2009-03-01

The Tibetan Plateau has an average altitude of more than 4,000 m. The total area of Tibetan Plateau is 2,400,000 km2, which occupies 25% of the area of China. Due to the high altitude, the environment has low atmospheric pressure, low oxygen content, and low temperature, and is also fragile. Investigations concerning MSW generation and characteristics, MSW management, collection and transportation, and treatment and disposal of MSW covered four representative cities, including the urban areas of Lhasa city, Shigatse, Nedong of Lhoka and Bayi of Nyingtri. The results show that MSW generation in the urban areas of Lhasa city and Tibet were 450 t/d and 3,597 t/d, respectively, in 2006. However, accelerated economic development and flourishing tourism caused by the opening of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway (QTR) have greatly increased solid waste generation to a new high. It is predicted that MSW generation in Tibet will reach 4,026 t/d in 2010 and 4,942 t/d in 2020. MSW management and disposal lag behind MSW generation due to a number of factors such as equipment shortage, insufficient maintenance, exhaustion of waste treatment capacity and low recycling efficiency. Still, MSW in most areas is dumped in the open with no controls. Because no appropriate collection and treatment systems for leachate and landfill gas exist, untreated leachate is discharged directly into the environment, causing serious secondary pollution. Some suggestions on improving the MSW management system are presented in this paper.

The current municipal solid waste management situation in Tibet

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang Jianguo; Lou Zhiying; Ng Silo; Luobu Ciren; Ji Duo

2009-01-01

The Tibetan Plateau has an average altitude of more than 4,000 m. The total area of Tibetan Plateau is 2,400,000 km 2 , which occupies 25% of the area of China. Due to the high altitude, the environment has low atmospheric pressure, low oxygen content, and low temperature, and is also fragile. Investigations concerning MSW generation and characteristics, MSW management, collection and transportation, and treatment and disposal of MSW covered four representative cities, including the urban areas of Lhasa city, Shigatse, Nedong of Lhoka and Bayi of Nyingtri. The results show that MSW generation in the urban areas of Lhasa city and Tibet were 450 t/d and 3,597 t/d, respectively, in 2006. However, accelerated economic development and flourishing tourism caused by the opening of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway (QTR) have greatly increased solid waste generation to a new high. It is predicted that MSW generation in Tibet will reach 4,026 t/d in 2010 and 4,942 t/d in 2020. MSW management and disposal lag behind MSW generation due to a number of factors such as equipment shortage, insufficient maintenance, exhaustion of waste treatment capacity and low recycling efficiency. Still, MSW in most areas is dumped in the open with no controls. Because no appropriate collection and treatment systems for leachate and landfill gas exist, untreated leachate is discharged directly into the environment, causing serious secondary pollution. Some suggestions on improving the MSW management system are presented in this paper

Processing of Written Irony in Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Eye-Movement Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Au-Yeung, Sheena K; Kaakinen, Johanna K; Liversedge, Simon P; Benson, Valerie

2015-12-01

Previous research has suggested that individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) have difficulties understanding others communicative intent and with using contextual information to correctly interpret irony. We recorded the eye movements of typically developing (TD) adults ASD adults when they read statements that could either be interpreted as ironic or non-ironic depending on the context of the passage. Participants with ASD performed as well as TD controls in their comprehension accuracy for speaker's statements in both ironic and non-ironic conditions. Eye movement data showed that for both participant groups, total reading times were longer for the critical region containing the speaker's statement and a subsequent sentence restating the context in the ironic condition compared to the non-ironic condition. The results suggest that more effortful processing is required in both ASD and TD participants for ironic compared with literal non-ironic statements, and that individuals with ASD were able to use contextual information to infer a non-literal interpretation of ironic text. Individuals with ASD, however, spent more time overall than TD controls rereading the passages, to a similar degree across both ironic and non-ironic conditions, suggesting that they either take longer to construct a coherent discourse representation of the text, or that they take longer to make the decision that their representation of the text is reasonable based on their knowledge of the world. © 2015 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Ultrasonographic assessment of the diaphragm in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients: relationships with pulmonary function and the influence of body composition - a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Smargiassi, Andrea; Inchingolo, Riccardo; Tagliaboschi, Linda; Di Marco Berardino, Alessandro; Valente, Salvatore; Corbo, Giuseppe Maria

2014-01-01

Skeletal muscle weakness with loss of fat-free mass (FFM) is one of the main systemic effects of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The diaphragm is also involved, leading to disadvantageous conditions and poor contractile capacities. We measured the thickness of the diaphragm (TD) by ultrasonography to evaluate the relationships between echographic measurements, parameters of respiratory function and body composition data. Thirty-two patients (23 males) underwent (1) pulmonary function tests, (2) echographic assessment of TD in the zone of apposition at various lung volumes, i.e. TD at residual volume (TDRV), TD at functional residual capacity (TDFRC) and TD at total lung capacity (TDTLC), and (3) bioelectrical body impedance analysis. The BMI and the BODE (BMI-Obstruction-Dyspnea-Exercise) index values were reported. TDRV, TDFRC and TDTLC measured 3.3, 3.6 and 6 mm, respectively, with good intraobserver reproducibility (0.97, 0.97 and 0.96, respectively). All the TDs were found to be related to FFM, with the relationship being greater for TDFRC (r(2) = 0.39 and p = 0.0002). With regard to lung volumes, inspiratory capacity (IC) was found to be closely related to TDTLC (r(2) = 0.42 and p = 0.0001). The difference between TDTLC and TDRV, as a thickening value (TDTLCRV), was closely related to FVC (r(2) = 0.34 and p = 0.0004) and to air-trapping indices (RV/TLC, FRC/TLC and IC/TLC): the degree of lung hyperinflation was greater and the TDTLCRV was less. Finally, we found a progressive reduction of both thicknesses and thickenings as the severity of IC/TLC increased, with a significant p value for the trend in both analyses (p = 0.02). Ultrasonographic assessment of the diaphragm could be a useful tool for studying disease progression in COPD patients, in terms of lung hyperinflation and the loss of FFM. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Changes of visual-field global indices after cataract surgery in primary open-angle glaucoma patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Seol, Bo Ram; Jeoung, Jin Wook; Park, Ki Ho

2016-11-01

To determine changes of visual-field (VF) global indices after cataract surgery and the factors associated with the effect of cataracts on those indices in primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) patients. A retrospective chart review of 60 POAG patients who had undergone phacoemulsification and intraocular lens insertion was conducted. All of the patients were evaluated with standard automated perimetry (SAP; 30-2 Swedish interactive threshold algorithm; Carl Zeiss Meditec Inc.) before and after surgery. VF global indices before surgery were compared with those after surgery. The best-corrected visual acuity, intraocular pressure (IOP), number of glaucoma medications before surgery, mean total deviation (TD) values, mean pattern deviation (PD) value, and mean TD-PD value were also compared with the corresponding postoperative values. Additionally, postoperative peak IOP and mean IOP were evaluated. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the factors associated with the effect of cataract on global indices. Mean deviation (MD) after cataract surgery was significantly improved compared with the preoperative MD. Pattern standard deviation (PSD) and visual-field index (VFI) after surgery were similar to those before surgery. Also, mean TD and mean TD-PD were significantly improved after surgery. The posterior subcapsular cataract (PSC) type showed greater MD changes than did the non-PSC type in both the univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. In the univariate logistic regression analysis, the preoperative TD-PD value and type of cataract were associated with MD change. However, in the multivariate logistic regression analysis, type of cataract was the only associated factor. None of the other factors was associated with MD change. MD was significantly affected by cataracts, whereas PSD and VFI were not. Most notably, the PSC type showed better MD improvement compared with the non-PSC type after cataract surgery

Partitioning the impact of environment and spatial structure on alpha and beta components of taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity in European ants.

Science.gov (United States)

Arnan, Xavier; Cerdá, Xim; Retana, Javier

2015-01-01

We analyze the relative contribution of environmental and spatial variables to the alpha and beta components of taxonomic (TD), phylogenetic (PD), and functional (FD) diversity in ant communities found along different climate and anthropogenic disturbance gradients across western and central Europe, in order to assess the mechanisms structuring ant biodiversity. To this aim we calculated alpha and beta TD, PD, and FD for 349 ant communities, which included a total of 155 ant species; we examined 10 functional traits and phylogenetic relatedness. Variation partitioning was used to examine how much variation in ant diversity was explained by environmental and spatial variables. Autocorrelation in diversity measures and each trait's phylogenetic signal were also analyzed. We found strong autocorrelation in diversity measures. Both environmental and spatial variables significantly contributed to variation in TD, PD, and FD at both alpha and beta scales; spatial structure had the larger influence. The different facets of diversity showed similar patterns along environmental gradients. Environment explained a much larger percentage of variation in FD than in TD or PD. All traits demonstrated strong phylogenetic signals. Our results indicate that environmental filtering and dispersal limitations structure all types of diversity in ant communities. Strong dispersal limitations appear to have led to clustering of TD, PD, and FD in western and central Europe, probably because different historical and evolutionary processes generated different pools of species. Remarkably, these three facets of diversity showed parallel patterns along environmental gradients. Trait-mediated species sorting and niche conservatism appear to structure ant diversity, as evidenced by the fact that more variation was explained for FD and that all traits had strong phylogenetic signals. Since environmental variables explained much more variation in FD than in PD, functional diversity should be a

Body Weight and Scrotal-Testicular Biometry in Three Indigenous Breeds of Bucks in Arid and Semiarid Agroecologies, Ethiopia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amare Eshetu Gemeda

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The body weight and testicular and epididymal parameters of Afar, Long-eared Somali (LES, and Woyto-Guji (WG breeds of goat were investigated. A total of 405 randomly selected bucks of Afar (n=135, Long-eared Somali (n=135, and Woyto-Guji (n=135 were included in this study. The overall mean scrotal circumference (SC, testicular volume (TV, testicular length (TL, testicular weight (TW, body weight (BW, epididymal weight (EW, body condition score, and testicular diameter (TD measurements in all bucks were 20.8±1.94 cm, 68.1±6.18, 4.96±0.79 cm, 70.0±5.66 g, 22.1±2.98 Kg, 9.09±1.88 g, 2.55±0.68, and 4.28±0.45 cm, respectively. Significant (p<0.05 breed differences in SC, TD, TL, TW, BW, EW, and TV were recorded. Long-eared Somali (LES breed was heaviest and Afar breed was the lightest and Woyto-Guji (WG had the average BW. In all breeds, the parameters were positively correlated. In Afar breed, the TW had a significant correlation with BW (r=0.90 and SC (r=0.65. In LES BW was highly correlated with TD (r=0.96 and TL (r=0.96. In WG, TW was significantly correlated with TD (r=0.94, EW (r=0.90, TL (r=0.89, and BW (r=0.82. In multiple regression analysis the linear combinations of BCS, SC, and BW significantly predicted TW, TL, TV, TD, and EW in all breeds. In conclusion, Long-eared Somali breed displayed greater BW and scrotal and testicular traits.

Normal tissue complication probability modeling for cochlea constraints to avoid causing tinnitus after head-and-neck intensity-modulated radiation therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Tsair-Fwu; Yeh, Shyh-An; Chao, Pei-Ju; Chang, Liyun; Chiu, Chien-Liang; Ting, Hui-Min; Wang, Hung-Yu; Huang, Yu-Jie

2015-01-01

Radiation-induced tinnitus is a side effect of radiotherapy in the inner ear for cancers of the head and neck. Effective dose constraints for protecting the cochlea are under-reported. The aim of this study is to determine the cochlea dose limitation to avoid causing tinnitus after head-and-neck cancer (HNC) intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). In total 211 patients with HNC were included; the side effects of radiotherapy were investigated for 422 inner ears in the cohort. Forty-nine of the four hundred and twenty-two samples (11.6 %) developed grade 2+ tinnitus symptoms after IMRT, as diagnosed by a clinician. The Late Effects of Normal Tissues–Subjective, Objective, Management, Analytic (LENT-SOMA) criteria were used for tinnitus evaluation. The logistic and Lyman-Kutcher-Burman (LKB) normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) models were used for the analyses. The NTCP-fitted parameters were TD 50 = 46.31 Gy (95 % CI, 41.46–52.50), γ 50 = 1.27 (95 % CI, 1.02–1.55), and TD 50 = 46.52 Gy (95 % CI, 41.91–53.43), m = 0.35 (95 % CI, 0.30–0.42) for the logistic and LKB models, respectively. The suggested guideline TD 20 for the tolerance dose to produce a 20 % complication rate within a specific period of time was TD 20 = 33.62 Gy (95 % CI, 30.15–38.27) (logistic) and TD 20 = 32.82 Gy (95 % CI, 29.58–37.69) (LKB). To maintain the incidence of grade 2+ tinnitus toxicity <20 % in IMRT, we suggest that the mean dose to the cochlea should be <32 Gy. However, models should not be extrapolated to other patient populations without further verification and should first be confirmed before clinical implementation

Solid wastes management in Lebanon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daniel, Simon E.

1999-01-01

The paper describes the problem of wastes in Lebanon and their management according to international (European and French) descriptions. It presents the situation in Lebanon including the policies taken by the ministry of environment towards the treatment of different types of wastes especially solid wastes. It is estimated that the production of wastes in Lebanon is 5854 tones per day and it is distributed as follows: Domestic wastes 3200 t/d; industrial wastes 1300 t/d; commercial wastes 1000 t/d; slaughter-houses 150 t/d; waste oils 100 t/d; hospital wastes 64 t/d; vehicle wheels 40 t/d. The annual production within regions is also presented in tables. Collection, transportation, recycling, composting and incineration of wastes are included

Nimble Negotiators: How Theory of Mind (ToM) Interconnects with Persuasion Skills in Children with and without ToM Delay

Science.gov (United States)

Peterson, Candida C.; Slaughter, Virginia; Wellman, Henry M.

2018-01-01

Persuasion is an essential social skill. Yet its development and underpinnings are poorly understood. In 2 studies, a total of 167 children aged 3 to 12 years took theory of mind (ToM) tests and participated in unscripted, seminaturalistic persuasive conversations. Children were typically developing (TD) or had deafness or autism spectrum disorder…

Developmental rates of immatures of three Chrysomya species (Diptera: Calliphoridae) under the effect of methylphenidate hydrochloride, phenobarbital, and methylphenidate hydrochloride associated with phenobarbital.

Science.gov (United States)

Rezende, Fábio; Alonso, Marcela A; Souza, Carina M; Thyssen, Patrícia J; Linhares, Arício X

2014-05-01

Entomotoxicology is focused on obtaining data on necrophagous entomofauna, for criminal investigations purposes. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of different concentrations of methylphenidate hydrochloride, phenobarbital, and their association on the developmental rate, larval and pupal survivorship, and the interval of emergence of adults of Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann), Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius), and Chrysomya putoria (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Calliphoridae). Considering the therapeutic dose (TD) of methylphenidate hydrochloride (0.29 mg/Kg), the concentrations tested were 10× TD, 50× TD, and 100× TD. For phenobarbital, the concentrations used were 1× TD (=150 mg/Kg), 3.3× TD, and 6.7× TD. For the association of the drugs, the combinations used were 10× TD-methylphenidate hydrochloride plus 1× TD-phenobarbital, 50× TD-methylphenidate hydrochloride plus 3.3× TD-phenobarbital, and 100× TD-methylphenidate hydrochloride plus 6.7× TD-phenobarbital. The control group, without addition of drug, was maintained under the same conditions of temperature (25 ± 1 °C), humidity (70 ± 10%), and photoperiod (12 h). Specimens of each group were weighed every 12 h until pupariation. The developmental rate of the three Chrysomya species immatures was monitored. For C. albiceps the developmental time was delayed in 24 h for methylphenidate hydrochloride group and in 12 h for the phenobarbital and the drugs association groups. The effect was observed only at specific ages for C. megacephala, without altering the developmental time. For C. putoria, the developmental time was delayed in 12 h for methylphenidate hydrochloride group and in 24 h for the phenobarbital and the drugs association groups. The emergence interval was similar among all experimental groups, but larval and pupal viabilities were affected in different ways.

Total body irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Novack, D.H.; Kiley, J.P.

1987-01-01

The multitude of papers and conferences in recent years on the use of very large megavoltage radiation fields indicates an increased interest in total body, hemibody, and total nodal radiotherapy for various clinical situations. These include high dose total body irradiation (TBI) to destroy the bone marrow and leukemic cells and provide immunosuppression prior to a bone marrow transplant, high dose total lymphoid irradiation (TLI) prior to bone marrow transplantation in severe aplastic anemia, low dose TBI in the treatment of lymphocytic leukemias or lymphomas, and hemibody irradiation (HBI) in the treatment of advanced multiple myeloma. Although accurate provision of a specific dose and the desired degree of dose homogeneity are two of the physicist's major considerations for all radiotherapy techniques, these tasks are even more demanding for large field radiotherapy. Because most large field radiotherapy is done at an extended distance for complex patient geometries, basic dosimetry data measured at the standard distance (isocenter) must be verified or supplemented. This paper discusses some of the special dosimetric problems of large field radiotherapy, with specific examples given of the dosimetry of the TBI program for bone marrow transplant at the authors' hospital

Quantum fluid dynamics based current-density functional study of a helium atom in a strong time-dependent magnetic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vikas

2011-01-01

Evolution of the helium atom in a strong time-dependent (TD) magnetic field (B) of strength up to 10 11 G is investigated through a quantum fluid dynamics (QFD) based current-density functional theory (CDFT). The TD-QFD-CDFT computations are performed through numerical solution of a single generalized nonlinear Schroedinger equation employing vector exchange-correlation potentials and scalar exchange-correlation density functionals that depend both on the electronic charge-density and the current-density. The results are compared with that obtained from a B-TD-QFD-DFT approach (based on conventional TD-DFT) under similar numerical constraints but employing only scalar exchange-correlation potential dependent on electronic charge-density only. The B-TD-QFD-DFT approach, at a particular TD magnetic field-strength, yields electronic charge- and current-densities as well as exchange-correlation potential resembling with that obtained from the time-independent studies involving static (time-independent) magnetic fields. However, TD-QFD-CDFT electronic charge- and current-densities along with the exchange-correlation potential and energy differ significantly from that obtained using B-TD-QFD-DFT approach, particularly at field-strengths >10 9 G, representing dynamical effects of a TD field. The work concludes that when a helium atom is subjected to a strong TD magnetic field of order >10 9 G, the conventional TD-DFT based approach differs 'dynamically' from the CDFT based approach under similar computational constraints. (author)

Adaptive evolution of threonine deaminase in plant defense against insect herbivores

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gonzales-Vigil, Eliana; Bianchetti, Christopher M.; Phillips, Jr., George N.; Howe, Gregg A. (MSU); (UW)

2011-11-07

Gene duplication is a major source of plant chemical diversity that mediates plant-herbivore interactions. There is little direct evidence, however, that novel chemical traits arising from gene duplication reduce herbivory. Higher plants use threonine deaminase (TD) to catalyze the dehydration of threonine (Thr) to {alpha}-ketobutyrate and ammonia as the committed step in the biosynthesis of isoleucine (Ile). Cultivated tomato and related Solanum species contain a duplicated TD paralog (TD2) that is coexpressed with a suite of genes involved in herbivore resistance. Analysis of TD2-deficient tomato lines showed that TD2 has a defensive function related to Thr catabolism in the gut of lepidopteran herbivores. During herbivory, the regulatory domain of TD2 is removed by proteolysis to generate a truncated protein (pTD2) that efficiently degrades Thr without being inhibited by Ile. We show that this proteolytic activation step occurs in the gut of lepidopteran but not coleopteran herbivores, and is catalyzed by a chymotrypsin-like protease of insect origin. Analysis of purified recombinant enzymes showed that TD2 is remarkably more resistant to proteolysis and high temperature than the ancestral TD1 isoform. The crystal structure of pTD2 provided evidence that electrostatic interactions constitute a stabilizing feature associated with adaptation of TD2 to the extreme environment of the lepidopteran gut. These findings demonstrate a role for gene duplication in the evolution of a plant defense that targets and co-opts herbivore digestive physiology.

Does TomoDirect 3DCRT represent a suitable option for post-operative whole breast irradiation? A hypothesis-generating pilot study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borca, Valeria Casanova; La Porta, Maria Rosa; Cante, Domenico; Sciacero, Piera; Girelli, Giuseppe; Ricardi, Umberto; Tofani, Santi; Franco, Pierfrancesco; Catuzzo, Paola; Migliaccio, Fernanda; Zenone, Flora; Aimonetto, Stefania; Peruzzo, Andrea; Pasquino, Massimo; Russo, Giuliana

2012-01-01

This study investigates the use of TomoDirect TM 3DCRT for whole breast adjuvant radiotherapy (AWBRT) that represents a very attractive treatment opportunity, mainly for radiotherapy departments without conventional Linacs and only equipped with helical tomotherapy units. Plans were created for 17 breast cancer patients using TomoDirect in 3DCRT and IMRT modality and field-in-field 3DCRT planning (FIF) and compared in terms of PTV coverage, overdosage, homogeneity, conformality and dose to OARs. The possibility to define patient-class solutions for TD-3DCRT employment was investigated, correlating OARs dose constraints to patient specific anatomic parameters. TD-3DCRT showed PTV coverage and homogeneity significantly higher than TD-IMRT and FIF. PTV conformality was significantly better for FIF, while no differences were found between TD-3DCRT and TD-IMRT. TD-3DCRT showed mean values of the OARs dosimetric endpoints significantly higher than TD-IMRT; with respect to FIF, TD-3DCRT showed values significantly higher for lung V 20Gy , mean heart dose and V 25Gy , while contralateral lung maximum dose and contralateral breast mean dose resulted significantly lower. The Central Lung Distance (CLD) and the maximal Heart Distance (HD) resulted as useful clinical tools to predict the opportunity to employ TD-3DCRT: positive correlations were found between CLD and both V 20Gy and mean lung dose and between HD and both V 25Gy and the mean heart dose. TD-3DCRT showed a significantly shorter mean beam-on time than TD-IMRT. The present study showed that TD-3DCRT and TD-IMRT are two feasible and dosimetrically acceptable treatment approach for AWBRT, with an optimal PTV coverage and adequate OARs sparing. Some concerns might be raised in terms of dose to organs at risks if TD-3DCRT is applied to a general population. A correct patients clusterization according to simple quantitative anatomic measures, would help to correctly allocate patients to the appropriate treatment

Use of total body electrical conductivity (TOBEC) to determine total body water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cochran, W.; Wong, W.; Sheng, H.P.; Klein, P.; Klish, W.

1986-01-01

Total body electrical conductivity (TOBEC) has been introduced as a safe and rapid method to estimate body composition in infants and adults. Recently, a second generation instrument that operates in a scanning mode has been developed. A study was undertaken to calibrate this new instrument and to assess the feasibility of its use in estimating total body water. Six healthy adults, 3 males and 3 females, ranging in age from 25 to 57 years, and in weight from 43.3 to 104.7 kg were analyzed. Simultaneously, determinations of total body water were made by standard dilutional techniques using H 2 18 O. A baseline plasma sample was obtained and 60 mg 18 O/kg was given orally as H 2 18 O. Five hr later, a postdose plasma sample was obtained. The 18 O/ 16 O ratio in the plasma samples was determined as CO 2 by gas-isotope-ratio mass spectrometry and used to calculate the H 2 18 O volume of distribution. The total body water values ranged from 26.35 to 58.02 and represented 51 to 58% of body weight. There was good linear correlation between the total body water measurement and its phase average (TOBEC number) with a linear correlation coefficient of 0.998. The standard error of the estimate was 0.98. In addition to estimating fat and fat-free mass, the TOBEC method also estimates total body water with excellent correlation to physical dilutions methods

Total volume versus bouts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chinapaw, Mai; Klakk, Heidi; Møller, Niels Christian

2018-01-01

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Examine the prospective relationship of total volume versus bouts of sedentary behaviour (SB) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) with cardiometabolic risk in children. In addition, the moderating effects of weight status and MVPA were explored. SUBJECTS....../METHODS: Longitudinal study including 454 primary school children (mean age 10.3 years). Total volume and bouts (i.e. ≥10 min consecutive minutes) of MVPA and SB were assessed by accelerometry in Nov 2009/Jan 2010 (T1) and Aug/Oct 2010 (T2). Triglycerides, total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratio (TC:HDLC ratio......, with or without mutual adjustments between MVPA and SB. The moderating effects of weight status and MVPA (for SB only) were examined by adding interaction terms. RESULTS: Children engaged daily in about 60 min of total MVPA and 0-15 min/week in MVPA bouts. Mean total sedentary time was around 7 h/day with over 3...

FY 1991 report on the results of the development of the entrained bed coal gasification power plant. Part 1. Element study/investigational study of technology/study of the integrated coal gasification combined cycle power system; 1991 nendo seika hokokusho. Funryusho sekitan gaska hatsuden plant kaihatsu - Sono 1. Youso kenkyu hen, gijutsu chosa hen, sekitan gaska fukugo hatsuden system kento hen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1993-01-01

For the purpose of establishing the technology of integrated coal gasification combined cycle power generation, the following were conducted: element study of a 200t/d entrained bed coal gasification pilot plant, survey of technology of the coal gasification power generation, study of the practical scale IGCC, etc. The FY 1991 results were summarized. In the gasification test using 2t/d furnace equipment, evaluation test on the test coal for pilot plant was made. In the study of gas turbine combustor for demonstration machine use, measuring duct was fabricated for measurement of combustion gas temperature/pressure, etc. In the simulational study of the total system of combined cycle power generation, review/modification of part of the simulation model and detailing of the model were conducted by comparison with the data on pilot plant operation. In the technology study, joint technology conferences were held for discussions between Japan and Australia, Japan and the U.S., and Japan and Canada. As to the practical scale IGCC, the initially planned output capacity and thermal efficiency were studied based on the knowledge/information obtained through the R and D on the 200t/d pilot plant. (NEDO)

Mirror-drawing skill in children with specific language impairment: Improving generalization by incorporating variability into the practice session.

Science.gov (United States)

Desmottes, Lise; Maillart, Christelle; Meulemans, Thierry

2017-05-01

This study aimed to investigate the procedural deficit hypothesis (PDH) in children with specific language impairment (SLI) by using a mirror-drawing task, a sensorimotor adaptation paradigm that does not involve sequence learning and has never before been used in SLI. A total of 30 school-aged children with SLI matched to 30 typically developing (TD) control children had to trace several figures seen only in mirror-reversed view in two practice sessions separated by a one-week interval. Two practice conditions were compared: a constant condition in which children had to trace the same figure throughout the learning trials, and a variable one in which they had to trace different figures in each trial. The results revealed a similar learning pattern between SLI and TD children in both practice conditions, suggesting that initial learning for a non-sequential procedural task is preserved in SLI. However, the children with SLI generalized the mirror-drawing skill in the same way as the TD children only if there was variability in the way the material was trained (variable practice). No significant schedule effects were observed in the control group.

Periodontal bacteria in the genital tract: are they related to adverse pregnancy outcome?

Science.gov (United States)

Cassini, M A; Pilloni, A; Condò, S G; Vitali, L A; Pasquantonio, G; Cerroni, L

2013-01-01

One of the most important factors implicated in preterm birth (PTB) is acute genitourinary tract infection. The bacteria causing chronic periodontal inflammation include Gram-negative rods and anaerobes similar to those found in women with bacterial vaginosis. The aim of this prospective study is to investigate the relationship between oral and vaginal microflora and preterm low birth weight. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to detect both the presence and level of six periodontitis-related species: Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (Aa), Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg), Tannerella forsythia (Tf), Treponema denticola (Td), Fusobacterium nucleatum ssp(Fn), and Prevotella intermedia (Pi) for both oral samples of subgingival plaque and cervical samples, obtained from 80 patients, during gynaecological examinations. The more representative oral pathogen (less than 60 percent) species in oral samples of preterm and term group were Tf, Td, and Fn. 24.4 percent of pregnant women presented periodontal pathogens in vaginal swab; the most representative species with a percentage over 0.1 percent of total bacteria in genital tract of preterm group were Tf, Td, and Piwith a positive correlation (less than 0.5). The presence of the bacterium T. denticolain the vagina, regardless of the amount, adversely affects preterm delivery.

A comparison of methods to quantify the in-season training load of professional soccer players.

Science.gov (United States)

Scott, Brendan R; Lockie, Robert G; Knight, Timothy J; Clark, Andrew C; Janse de Jonge, Xanne A K

2013-03-01

To compare various measures of training load (TL) derived from physiological (heart rate [HR]), perceptual (rating of perceived exertion [RPE]), and physical (global positioning system [GPS] and accelerometer) data during in-season field-based training for professional soccer. Fifteen professional male soccer players (age 24.9 ± 5.4 y, body mass 77.6 ± 7.5 kg, height 181.1 ± 6.9 cm) were assessed in-season across 97 individual training sessions. Measures of external TL (total distance [TD], the volume of low-speed activity [LSA; 14.4 km/h], very high-speed running [VHSR; >19.8 km/h], and player load), HR and session-RPE (sRPE) scores were recorded. Internal TL scores (HR-based and sRPE-based) were calculated, and their relationships with measures of external TL were quantified using Pearson product-moment correlations. Physical measures of TD, LSA volume, and player load provided large, significant (r = .71-.84; P physical-performance measures of TD, LSA volume, and player load appear to be more acceptable indicators of external TL, due to the greater magnitude of their correlations with measures of internal TL.

Performance evaluation of a thermal desorption/gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric method for the characterization of waste tank headspace samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma, C.Y.; Skeen, J.T.; Dindal, A.B.; Bayne, C.K.; Jenkins, R.A.

1997-01-01

A thermal desorption/gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (TD/GC/MS) method was validated for the determination of volatile organic compounds collected on carbonaceous triple sorbent traps and applied to characterize samples of headspace gases collected from underground nuclear waste storage tanks at the U.S. Department of Energy's Hanford site, in Richland, WA. Method validation used vapor-phase standards generated from 25 target analytes, including alkanes, alkyl alcohols, alkyl ketones, alkylated aromatics, and alkyl nitriles. The target analytes represent a group of compounds identified in one of the most problematic tanks. TD/GC/MS was carried out with modified injectors. Performance was characterized based on desorption efficiency, reproducibility, stability, and linearity of the calibration, method detection limits, preanalytical holding time, and quality control limits for surrogate standard recoveries. Desorption efficiencies were all greater than 82%, and the majority of the analytes (23 out of 25) had reproducibility values less than 24% near the method detection levels. The method was applied to the analysis of a total of 305 samples collected from the headspaces of 48 underground waste storge tanks. Quality control procedures were implemented to monitor sampling and TD/GC/MS method. 33 refs., 2 figs., 4 tabs

Concentration and flux of total and dissolved phosphorus, total nitrogen, chloride, and total suspended solids for monitored tributaries of Lake Champlain, 1990-2012

Science.gov (United States)

Medalie, Laura

2014-01-01

Annual and daily concentrations and fluxes of total and dissolved phosphorus, total nitrogen, chloride, and total suspended solids were estimated for 18 monitored tributaries to Lake Champlain by using the Weighted Regressions on Time, Discharge, and Seasons regression model. Estimates were made for 21 or 23 years, depending on data availability, for the purpose of providing timely and accessible summary reports as stipulated in the 2010 update to the Lake Champlain “Opportunities for Action” management plan. Estimates of concentration and flux were provided for each tributary based on (1) observed daily discharges and (2) a flow-normalizing procedure, which removed the random fluctuations of climate-related variability. The flux bias statistic, an indicator of the ability of the Weighted Regressions on Time, Discharge, and Season regression models to provide accurate representations of flux, showed acceptable bias (less than ±10 percent) for 68 out of 72 models for total and dissolved phosphorus, total nitrogen, and chloride. Six out of 18 models for total suspended solids had moderate bias (between 10 and 30 percent), an expected result given the frequently nonlinear relation between total suspended solids and discharge. One model for total suspended solids with a very high bias was influenced by a single extreme value; however, removal of that value, although reducing the bias substantially, had little effect on annual fluxes.

Spin-adapted open-shell time-dependent density functional theory. III. An even better and simpler formulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Zhendong; Liu, Wenjian

2011-11-21

The recently proposed spin-adapted time-dependent density functional theory (S-TD-DFT) [Z. Li and W. Liu, J. Chem. Phys. 133, 064106 (2010)] resolves the spin-contamination problem in describing singly excited states of high spin open-shell systems. It is an extension of the standard restricted open-shell Kohn-Sham-based TD-DFT which can only access those excited states due to singlet-coupled single excitations. It is also far superior over the unrestricted Kohn-Sham-based TD-DFT (U-TD-DFT) which suffers from severe spin contamination for those excited states due to triplet-coupled single excitations. Nonetheless, the accuracy of S-TD-DFT for high spin open-shell systems is still inferior to TD-DFT for well-behaved closed-shell systems. The reason can be traced back to the violation of the spin degeneracy conditions (SDC) by approximate exchange-correlation (XC) functionals. Noticing that spin-adapted random phase approximation (S-RPA) can indeed maintain the SDC by virtue of the Wigner-Eckart theorem, a hybrid ansatz combining the good of S-TD-DFT and S-RPA can immediately be envisaged. The resulting formalism, dubbed as X-TD-DFT, is free of spin contamination and can also be viewed as a S-RPA correction to the XC kernel of U-TD-DFT. Compared with S-TD-DFT, X-TD-DFT leads to much improved results for the low-lying excited states of, e.g., N(2)(+), yet with much reduced computational cost. Therefore, X-TD-DFT can be recommended for routine calculations of excited states of high spin open-shell systems.

Variability of activity profile during medium-sided games in professional soccer.

Science.gov (United States)

Rago, Vincenzo; Silva, João R; Mohr, Magni; Barreira, Daniel; Krustrup, Peter; Rebelo, António N

2018-04-24

In Southern European countries it is very frequent to perform medium-sized games (MSG) as last training drill. We analyzed the individual variability and changes in activity patterns during MSG throughout the preseason. Activity profile during MSGs (10v10+goalkeepers, duration: 10-min, field length: 50 m, width: 90 m, area per player: 204.5 m2) was quantified using a GPS in 14 professional male players (6 defenders, 5 midfielders 5 and attackers). Inter-individual variability was higher for high-intensity (HIR), very-high speed (VHS), maximum acceleration (Accmax) and maximum deceleration (Decmax) distance (CV=25.2 to 43.3%), compared to total distance (TD), total acceleration (Acctot) and total deceleration (Dectot) distance (CV= 8.3 to 18.3 %). Defenders showed higher variability in TD, HIR, VHS, Acctot and Dectot (ES= 1.30 to 11.28) compared to the other field positions, whereas attackers showed higher variability in HIR, VHS Accmax and Decmax (ES=-4.92 to 2.07) than other the field positions. Variability in TD regularly increased (ES= -2.13 to -0.91) towards the end of the preseason, while HIR and VHS variability tended to increase over the 3rd and the 4th preseason week (ES=-0.94 to -3.05). However, the behavior of variability across the preseason period was more unpredictable for Acctot and Dectot, both decreasing in the 3rd week (ES= 0.70 to 1.20), while Decmax increased in the 4th week (ES=-0.91±0.59). During MSGs, individual variability of activity differs among field positions, and tends to increase with either speed or acceleration intensity, underlining the need of an individualized approach for training load monitoring.

Psychopathology in a Swedish Population of School Children with Tic Disorders

Science.gov (United States)

Khalifa, Najah; Von Knorring, Anne-Liis

2006-01-01

Objective: To examine patterns of psychiatric comorbid disorders and associated problems in a school population of children with tic disorders. Method: From a total population of 4,479 children, 25 with Tourette's disorder (TD), 34 with chronic motor tics (CMT), 24 with chronic vocal tics (CVT), and 214 with transient tics (TT) during the past…

Alerting, Orienting, and Executive Attention in Children with ADHD

Science.gov (United States)

Mullane, Jennifer C.; Corkum, Penny V.; Klein, Raymond M.; McLaughlin, Elizabeth N.; Lawrence, Michael A.

2011-01-01

Objective: This study evaluated the alerting, orienting, and executive attention abilities of children with ADHD and their typically developing (TD) peers using a modified version of the adult attention network test (ANT-I). Method: A total of 25 children with ADHD, Combined Type (ADHD-C, mean age = 9.20 years), 20 children with ADHD,…

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

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

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

1996-10-28

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

Relationship between Diffuse CO2 Degassing and Volcanic Activity. Case Study of the Poás, Irazú, and Turrialba Volcanoes, Costa Rica

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Matthieu Epiard

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Active volcanoes exhibit diffuse gas emanations through the ground, the most abundant species of which is CO2. However, the relationship between diffuse degassing and volcanic activity is not often clear and some volcanoes may have low diffuse degassing levels despite having strong volcanic activity. The main goals of this study are to quantify diffuse CO2 degassing and determine whether patterns exist in relation to volcanic activity through the study of Turrialba, Poás, and Irazú, three active volcanoes in Costa Rica which are at different stages of activity. Structural controls of spatial distribution of diffuse degassing were also investigated. Measurement campaigns were conducted using the accumulation chamber method coupled with 10 cm depth ground temperature sampling with the aim of estimating the total diffuse CO2 degassing budget. The total amount of CO2 emitted diffusely by each volcano is ~113 ± 46 t/d over ~0.705 km2 for Turrialba, 0.9 ± 0.5 t/d for Poás over ~0.734 km2, 3.8 ± 0.9 t/d over ~0.049 km2 for Irazú's main crater, and 15 ± 12 t/d over 0.0059 km2 for Irazú's north flank. Turrialba and Poás volcano diffuse degassing budget represent about 10% of the whole gas output. Both volcanoes were in a transitional stage and the opening of new conduits may cause a loss in diffuse degassing and an increase of active degassing. Numerous diffuse degassing structures were also identified. At Turrialba, one of which was closely associated with the collapse of a crater wall in 2014 during the initiation of a new period of heightened eruptive activity. Similar structures were also observed on the outer slopes of the west crater, suggesting strong alteration and perhaps destabilization of the upper outer cone. Irazú's north flank is highly permeable and has experienced intense hydrothermal alteration.

Left-sided breast cancer irradiation using rotational and fixed-field radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qi, X. Sharon; Liu, Tian X.; Liu, Arthur K.; Newman, Francis; Rabinovitch, Rachel; Kavanagh, Brian; Hu, Y. Angie

2014-01-01

The 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) technique is the standard for breast cancer radiotherapy. During treatment planning, not only the coverage of the planning target volume (PTV) but also the minimization of the dose to critical structures, such as the lung, heart, and contralateral breast tissue, need to be considered. Because of the complexity and variations of patient anatomy, more advanced radiotherapy techniques are sometimes desired to better meet the planning goals. In this study, we evaluated external-beam radiation treatment techniques for left breast cancer using various delivery platforms: fixed-field including TomoDirect (TD), static intensity-modulated radiotherapy (sIMRT), and rotational radiotherapy including Elekta volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) and tomotherapy helical (TH). A total of 10 patients with left-sided breast cancer who did or did not have positive lymph nodes and were previously treated with 3DCRT/sIMRT to the entire breast were selected, their treatment was planned with Monaco VMAT, TD, and TH. Dosimetric parameters including PTV coverage, organ-at-risk (OAR) sparing, dose-volume histograms, and target minimum/maximum/mean doses were evaluated. It is found that for plans providing comparable PTV coverage, the Elekta VMAT plans were generally more inhomogeneous than the TH and TD plans. For the cases with regional node involvement, the average mean doses administered to the heart were 9.2 (± 5.2) and 8.8 (± 3.0) Gy in the VMAT and TH plans compared with 11.9 (± 6.4) and 11.8 (± 9.2) Gy for the 3DCRT and TD plans, respectively, with slightly higher doses given to the contralateral lung or breast or both. On average, the total monitor units for VMAT plans are 11.6% of those TH plans. Our studies have shown that VMAT and TH plans offer certain dosimetric advantages over fixed-field IMRT plans for advanced breast cancer requiring regional nodal treatment. However, for early-stage breast cancer fixed

Emission of SO2, CO2, and H2S from Augustine Volcano, 2002-2008: Chapter 26 in The 2006 eruption of Augustine Volcano, Alaska

Science.gov (United States)

McGee, Kenneth A.; Doukas, Michael P.; McGimsey, Robert G.; Neal, Christina A.; Wessels, Rick L.; Power, John A.; Coombs, Michelle L.; Freymueller, Jeffrey T.

2010-01-01

Airborne surveillance of gas emissions from Augustine Volcano and other Cook Inlet volcanoes began in 1990 to identify baseline emission levels during noneruptive conditions. Gas measurements at Augustine for SO2, CO2, and H2S showed essentially no evidence of anomalous degassing through spring 2005. Neither did a measurement on May 10, 2005, right after the onset of low level seismicity and inflation. The following measurement, on December 20, 2005, showed Augustine to be degassing about 600 metric tons per day (t/d) of SO2, and by January 4, 2006, only 7 days before the first explosive event, SO2 emissions had climbed to ten times that amount. Maximum emission rates measured during the subsequent eruption were: 8,930 t/d SO2 (February 24, 2006), 1,800 t/d CO2 (March 9, 2006), and 4.3 t/d H2S (January 19, 2006). In total, 45 measurements for SO2 were made from December 2005 through the end of 2008, with 19 each for CO2 and H2S during the same period. Molar CO2/SO2 ratios averaged about 1.6. In general, SO2 emissions appeared to increase during inflation of the volcanic edifice, whereas CO2 emissions were at their highest during the period of deflation associated with the vigorous effusive phase of the eruption in March. High SO2 was probably associated with degassing of shallow magma, whereas high CO2 likely reflected deep (>4 km) magma recharge of the sub-volcanic plumbing system, For the 2005–6 period, the volcano released a total of about 1.5×106 tons of CO2 to the atmosphere, a level similar to the annual output of a medium-sized natural-gas-fired powerplant. Augustine also emitted about 8×105 tons of SO2, similar to that produced by the 1976 and 1986 eruptions of the volcano.

Impact of tire debris on in vitro and in vivo systems

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Vismara Claudio

2005-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background It is estimated that over 80% of respirable particulate matter (PM10 in cities comes from road transport and that tire and brake wear are responsible for the 3–7% emission of it. Data on the indicators of environmental impact of tire debris (TD, originated from the tire abrasion on roads, are extremely scarce, even though TD contains chemicals (zinc and organic compounds which can be released in the environment. Methods TD particle morphology was analysed with SEM, TEM and FIB instruments. TD eluates and TD organic extracts were tested at dilution series on human cell lines and Xenopus laevis embryos. 50 and 100 g/L TD were used for the eluates obtained after 24 h at pH 3 and the quantity of zinc present was measured with a ICP-AES. Eluates diluted to 1%, 10%, 50% in culture media and undiluted were used on X. laevis embryos in the FETAX test. HepG2 cells were exposed for 24 h to 0.05 – 50 μg/ml of zinc salt while A549 cells were exposed for 24, 48 and 72 h to 10, 50, 60, or 75 μg/ml of TD extract. X. laevis embryos were exposed to 50, 80, 100, or 120 μg/ml TD extract. Results The solution of undiluted 50 g/L TD produced 80.2% mortality (p X. laevis embryos and this toxic effect was three times greater than that produced by 100 g/L TD. Zn accumulation in HepG2 cells was evident after 4 h exposure. A549 cells exposed to TD organic extract for 72 h presented a modified morphology, a decrease in cell proliferation and an increase in DNA damage as shown by comet assay. The dose 80 μg/ml of TD extract produced 14.6% mortality in X. laevis embryos and 15.9% mortality at 120 μg/ml. Treatment with 80, 100, or 120 μg/ml TD organic extract increased from 14.8% to 37.8% malformed larvae percentages compared to 5.6% in the control. Conclusion Since the amount of Zn leached from TD is related to pH, aggregation of particles and elution process, the quantity of TD present in the environment has to be taken into account. Moreover

Functional evaluations of genes disrupted in patients with Tourette’s Disorder

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Nawei eSun

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Tourette Disorder (TD is a highly heritable neurodevelopmental disorder with complex genetic architecture and unclear neuropathology. Disruptions of particular genes have been identified in subsets of TD patients. However, none of the findings has been replicated, probably due to the complex and heterogeneous genetic architecture of TD that involves both common and rare variants. To understand the etiology of TD, functional analyses are required to characterize the molecular and cellular consequences caused by mutations in candidate genes. Such molecular and cellular alterations may converge into common biological pathways underlying the heterogeneous genetic etiology of TD patients. Herein, we review specific genes implicated in TD etiology, discuss the functions of these genes in the mammalian central nervous system and the corresponding behavioral anomalies exhibited in animal models and, importantly, review functional analyses that can be performed to evaluate the role(s that the genetic disruptions might play in TD. Specifically, the functional assays include novel cell culture systems, genome editing techniques, bioinformatics approaches, transcriptomic analyses and genetically modified animal models applied or developed to study genes associated with TD or with other neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders. By describing methods used to study diseases with genetic architecture similar to TD, we hope to develop a systematic framework for investigating the etiology of TD and related disorders.

Vitamin E for antipsychotic-induced tardive dyskinesia.

Science.gov (United States)

Soares-Weiser, Karla; Maayan, Nicola; Bergman, Hanna

2018-01-17

Antipsychotic (neuroleptic) medication is used extensively to treat people with chronic mental illnesses. Its use, however, is associated with adverse effects, including movement disorders such as tardive dyskinesia (TD) - a problem often seen as repetitive involuntary movements around the mouth and face. Vitamin E has been proposed as a treatment to prevent or decrease TD. The primary objective was to determine the clinical effects of vitamin E in people with schizophrenia or other chronic mental illness who had developed antipsychotic-induced TD.The secondary objectives were:1. to examine whether the effect of vitamin E was maintained as duration of follow-up increased;2. to test the hypothesis that the use of vitamin E is most effective for those with early onset TD (less than five years) SEARCH METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Schizophrenia Group Trials Register (July 2015 and April 2017), inspected references of all identified studies for further trials and contacted authors of trials for additional information. We included reports if they were controlled trials dealing with people with antipsychotic-induced TD and schizophrenia who remained on their antipsychotic medication and had been randomly allocated to either vitamin E or to a placebo, no intervention, or any other intervention. We independently extracted data from these trials and we estimated risk ratios (RR) or mean differences (MD), with 95% confidence intervals (CI). We assumed that people who left early had no improvement. We assessed risk of bias and created a 'Summary of findings' table using GRADE. The review now includes 13 poorly reported randomised trials (total 478 people), all participants were adults with chronic psychiatric disorders, mostly schizophrenia, and antipsychotic-induced TD. There was no clear difference between vitamin E and placebo for the outcome of TD: not improved to a clinically important extent (6 RCTs, N = 264, RR 0.95, 95% CI 0.89 to 1.01, low-quality evidence

Genoptraening efter total knaealloplastik

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holm, Bente; Kehlet, Henrik

2009-01-01

The short- and long-term benefits of post-discharge physiotherapy regimens after total knee arthroplasty are debatable. A national survey including hospitals in Denmark that perform total knee arthroplasty showed a large variability in indication and regimen for post-knee arthroplasty rehabilitat......The short- and long-term benefits of post-discharge physiotherapy regimens after total knee arthroplasty are debatable. A national survey including hospitals in Denmark that perform total knee arthroplasty showed a large variability in indication and regimen for post-knee arthroplasty...... rehabilitation. Since hospital stay duration has decreased considerably, the need for post-discharge physiotherapy may also have changed. Thus, the indication for and types of rehabilitation programmes need to be studied within the context of fast-track knee arthroplasty....

Genoptraening efter total knaealloplastik

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holm, Bente; Kehlet, Henrik

2009-01-01

The short- and long-term benefits of post-discharge physiotherapy regimens after total knee arthroplasty are debatable. A national survey including hospitals in Denmark that perform total knee arthroplasty showed a large variability in indication and regimen for post-knee arthroplasty rehabilitat......The short- and long-term benefits of post-discharge physiotherapy regimens after total knee arthroplasty are debatable. A national survey including hospitals in Denmark that perform total knee arthroplasty showed a large variability in indication and regimen for post-knee arthroplasty...... rehabilitation. Since hospital stay duration has decreased considerably, the need for post-discharge physiotherapy may also have changed. Thus, the indication for and types of rehabilitation programmes need to be studied within the context of fast-track knee arthroplasty. Udgivelsesdato: 2009-Feb-23...

Technique of total thyroidectomy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rao, R.S.

1999-01-01

It is essential to define the various surgical procedures that are carried out for carcinoma of the thyroid gland. They are thyroid gland, subtotal lobectomy, total thyroidectomy and near total thyroidectomy

Perceived Social Support and Caregiver Strain in Caregivers of Children with Tourette's Disorder

Science.gov (United States)

Schoeder, Chrystal Edge; Remer, Rory

2007-01-01

The research on Tourette's disorder (TD), a neuropsychological disorder consisting of motor and phonic tics, has largely focused on individuals with TD and not on the caregivers of children with TD. We investigated the effects of several variables on caregiver strain of caregivers of children with TD, including perceived social support, caregiver…

Potentiation of E-4031-induced torsade de pointes by HMR1556 or ATX-II is not predicted by action potential short-term variability or triangulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Michael, G; Dempster, J; Kane, K A; Coker, S J

2007-12-01

Torsade de pointes (TdP) can be induced by a reduction in cardiac repolarizing capacity. The aim of this study was to assess whether IKs blockade or enhancement of INa could potentiate TdP induced by IKr blockade and to investigate whether short-term variability (STV) or triangulation of action potentials preceded TdP. Experiments were performed in open-chest, pentobarbital-anaesthetized, alpha 1-adrenoceptor-stimulated, male New Zealand White rabbits, which received three consecutive i.v. infusions of either the IKr blocker E-4031 (1, 3 and 10 nmol kg(-1) min(-1)), the IKs blocker HMR1556 (25, 75 and 250 nmol kg(-1) min(-1)) or E-4031 and HMR1556 combined. In a second study rabbits received either the same doses of E-4031, the INa enhancer, ATX-II (0.4, 1.2 and 4.0 nmol kg(-1)) or both of these drugs. ECGs and epicardial monophasic action potentials were recorded. HMR1556 alone did not cause TdP but increased E-4031-induced TdP from 25 to 80%. ATX-II alone caused TdP in 38% of rabbits, as did E-4031; 75% of rabbits receiving both drugs had TdP. QT intervals were prolonged by all drugs but the extent of QT prolongation was not related to the occurrence of TdP. No changes in STV were detected and triangulation was only increased after TdP occurred. Giving modulators of ion channels in combination substantially increased TdP but, in this model, neither STV nor triangulation of action potentials could predict TdP.

Ischaemic preconditioning attenuates haemodynamic response and lipid peroxidation in lower-extremity surgery with unilateral pneumatic tourniquet application: a clinical pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Van, Mukaddes; Olguner, Cimen; Koca, Uğur; Sişman, Ali Riza; Muratli, Kivanç; Karci, Ayşe; Mavioğlu, Omür; Kilercik, Hakan

2008-04-01

The harmful effects of ischaemia-reperfusion on skeletal muscle during extremity surgery can be diminished by using medications or ischaemic preconditioning Twenty patients undergoing lower-limb surgery with use of a tourniquet for at least 1 hour were included in the study and randomised into two groups: a control group with only tourniquet application (T group; n=10); and an ischaemic preconditioning plus tourniquet group (IP-T group; n=10). Blood samples were obtained from the femoral vein of the relevant extremity before tourniquet application (baseline), immediately after tourniquet deflation (TD), at 10 minutes after the tourniquet deflation (TD(10min)) in the T group and additionally after ischaemic preconditioning in the IP-T group. Venous blood pH, partial oxygen pressure (P(vO2)), partial carbon dioxide pressure (P(vCO2)), lactate, potassium, sodium and glucose levels were analysed using a blood gas analyser. Plasma thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) level, an index of lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress, was measured. Heart rate, noninvasive mean arterial pressure (MAP) and spontaneous breathing rate (SBR) were recorded at baseline, at TD, and TD(1min), TD(5min) and TD(10min). MAP decreased and SBR increased significantly at TD, TD(1min) and TD(5min) compared with baseline, and venous blood TBARS level significantly increased at TD and TD(10min) compared with baseline in the T group (all Plactate levels, which was significant compared with baseline (P<0.05) Ischaemic preconditioning attenuates haemodynamic response and lipid peroxidation during lower-extremity surgery with unilateral tourniquet application.

Total parenteral nutrition - infants

Science.gov (United States)

... medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007239.htm Total parenteral nutrition - infants To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript. Total parenteral nutrition (TPN) is a method of feeding that bypasses ...

Total iron binding capacity

Science.gov (United States)

... page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003489.htm Total iron binding capacity To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript. Total iron binding capacity (TIBC) is a blood test to ...

[mRNA expression of dopamine receptor D2 and dopamine transporter in peripheral blood lymphocytes before and after treatment in children with tic disorder].

Science.gov (United States)

Ji, Xiao-Yi; Wu, Min

2016-04-01

To investigate the mRNA expression of dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2) and dopamine transporter (DAT) in peripheral blood lymphocytes before and after treatment in children with tic disorder (TD). RT-PCR was used to measure the mRNA expression of DRD2 and DAT in peripheral blood lymphocytes before and after treatment in 60 children with TD. The correlations between mRNA expression of DRD2 and DAT and the severity of TD were analyzed. Sixty healthy children served as the control group. Before treatment, the children with TD had a significant increase in the mRNA expression of DRD2 and DAT compared with the control group (PTic Severity Scale (YGTSS) score (P<0.05). In the children with moderate TD, the mRNA expression of DAT was positively correlated with YGTSS score (P<0.05). In children with TD, the mRNA expression of DRD2 in peripheral blood lymphocytes can be used as one of the indicators for diagnosing TD, assessing the severity of TD, and evaluating clinical outcomes.

Overall survival in lower IPSS risk MDS by receipt of iron chelation therapy, adjusting for patient-related factors and measuring from time of first red blood cell transfusion dependence: an MDS-CAN analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Leitch, Heather A; Parmar, Ambica; Wells, Richard A; Chodirker, Lisa; Zhu, Nancy; Nevill, Thomas J; Yee, Karen W L; Leber, Brian; Keating, Mary-Margaret; Sabloff, Mitchell; St Hilaire, Eve; Kumar, Rajat; Delage, Robert; Geddes, Michelle; Storring, John M; Kew, Andrea; Shamy, April; Elemary, Mohamed; Lenis, Martha; Mamedov, Alexandre; Ivo, Jessica; Francis, Janika; Zhang, Liying; Buckstein, Rena

2017-10-01

Analyses suggest iron overload in red blood cell (RBC) transfusion-dependent (TD) patients with myleodysplastic syndrome (MDS) portends inferior overall survival (OS) that is attenuated by iron chelation therapy (ICT) but may be biassed by unbalanced patient-related factors. The Canadian MDS Registry prospectively measures frailty, comorbidity and disability. We analysed OS by receipt of ICT, adjusting for these patient-related factors. TD International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) low and intermediate-1 risk MDS, at RBC TD, were included. Predictive factors for OS were determined. A matched pair analysis considering age, revised IPSS, TD severity, time from MDS diagnosis to TD, and receipt of disease-modifying agents was conducted. Of 239 patients, 83 received ICT; frailty, comorbidity and disability did not differ from non-ICT patients. Median OS from TD was superior in ICT patients (5·2 vs. 2·1 years; P MDS, adjusting for age, frailty, comorbidity, disability, revised IPSS, TD severity, time to TD and receiving disease-modifying agents. This provides additional evidence that ICT may confer clinical benefit. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Influence of Cervitec gel on periodontal health of patients wearing fixed orthodontic appliances

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Burcu Özdemir

2014-09-01

Conclusion: The present data suggested that brushing with Cervitec gel once a day has the potential to reduce bacterial accumulation around teeth and fixed appliances in patients undergoing orthodontic treatment. However, within the limits of this study, Cervitec seems to have no significant effect on total bacteria, P.g., and T.d. levels of subgingival dental plaque.

Associated Effects of Automated Essay Evaluation Software on Growth in Writing Quality for Students with and without Disabilities

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Joshua

2017-01-01

The present study examined growth in writing quality associated with feedback provided by an automated essay evaluation system called PEG Writing. Equal numbers of students with disabilities (SWD) and typically-developing students (TD) matched on prior writing achievement were sampled (n = 1196 total). Data from a subsample of students (n = 655)…

Prognostic significance of classified extramural tumor deposits and extracapsular lymph node invasion in T3–4 colorectal cancer: a retrospective single-center study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamano, Tomoki; Semba, Shuho; Noda, Masafumi; Yoshimura, Mie; Kobayashi, Masayoshi; Hamanaka, Michiko; Beppu, Naohito; Yano, Aya; Tsukamoto, Kiyoshi; Matsubara, Nagahide; Tomita, Naohiro

2015-01-01

Extramural tumor deposits (TDs) and extracapsular lymph node involvement (ECLNI) are considered to be poor prognostic factors in patients with T3–4, N0–2, M0 colorectal cancer (CRC). Although TDs are known to have multiple origins and pleomorphic features, the prognostic significances of the different type of TDs have not yet been established. We performed a retrospective review of 385 consecutive patients with T3–4, N0–2, M0 CRC who received curative resection at our institution between 2006 and 2012. We classified the TDs into two groups: invasive-type TD (iTD), which is characterized by the presence of lymphatic invasion, vascular invasion, perineural invasion, or undefined cancer cell clusters and nodular-type TD (nTD), which is characterized by a smooth or irregular-shaped tumor nodule other than an iTD. ECLNI was defined as invasion of cancer cells into capsular collagen tissues or adipose tissues beyond the capsular collagen. Multivariate analyses were used to assess the prognostic significance of iTD, ND, and ECLNI for relapse-free survival (RFS), disease-specific survival (DSS), and sites of recurrence. In patients without lymph node (LN) metastasis, the incidences of iTD and nTD were both in the range of 2–3 %. Conversely, in patients with LN metastasis, the incidences of iTD, nTD, and ECLNI were 31, 22, and 34 %, respectively. iTD, nTD, and ECLNI were all significant independent adverse factors for RFS in rectal cancer, and were all associated with pT, pN, and LN ratio. iTD was a significant independent adverse prognostic factor for DSS in rectal cancer, metastasis to the liver in colorectal cancer, and distant LN metastasis in colon cancer. ECLNI was a significant independent prognostic factor for RFS in colon cancer. Classifying TDs and assessing ECLNI may help establish significant prognostic factors for patients with T3–4, N0–2, M0 CRC

Management of the returning traveler with diarrhea.

Science.gov (United States)

de Saussure, Philippe P H

2009-11-01

Traveler's diarrhea (TD) strikes 20-60% of travelers visiting developing countries. It occurs shortly after the return and can be distinguished into two categories: acute and persistent TD. Acute TD, mostly caused by bacterial and viral pathogens, is usually mild and self-limited, and deserves empirical symptomatic and/or antibiotic therapy in selected cases. Fluoroquinolones are progressively superseded in this indication by azithromycin, a well tolerated macrolide active against most bacteria responsible for TD, including the quinolone-resistant species of Campylobacter jejuni that are now pervasive, especially in Southeast Asia and India. Persistent TD in the returning traveler is much rarer than its acute counterpart and may be associated with three types of causes. Persistent infections, among which Giardia and possibly Entamoeba predominate, account for a significant proportion of cases. Postinfectious processes represent a second cause and comprise temporary lactose malabsorption and postinfectious irritable bowel syndrome, now considered a major cause of persistent TD. Finally, apparently unrelated chronic diseases causing diarrhea are occasionally unmasked by TD and represent a third type of persistent TD, among which the well established case of incident inflammatory bowel disease poses intriguing pathogenesis questions. This review discusses recent advances in the field and provides practical recommendations for the management of TD in adult, immunocompetent returning travelers.

Attentional performance in children and adolescents with tic disorder and co-occurring attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: new insights from a 2 × 2 factorial design study.

Science.gov (United States)

Greimel, Ellen; Wanderer, Sina; Rothenberger, Aribert; Herpertz-Dahlmann, Beate; Konrad, Kerstin; Roessner, Veit

2011-08-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of both tic disorder (TD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) on attentional functions. N=96 children and adolescents participated in the study, including n=21 subjects with TD, n=23 subjects with ADHD, n=25 subjects with TD+ADHD, and n=27 controls. Attentional performance was tested based on four computerized attention tasks (sustained attention, divided attention, go/nogo and set shifting). The effect of TD as well as ADHD on attentional performance was tested using a 2 × 2 factorial approach. A diagnosis of TD had no negative impact on attentional functions but was associated with improved performance in the set shifting task. By contrast, regardless of a diagnosis of TD, subjects with ADHD were found to perform worse in the sustained attention, divided attention and go/nogo task. No interaction effect between the factors TD and ADHD was revealed for any of the attention measures. Our results add to findings from other areas of research, showing that in subjects with TD and ADHD, ADHD psychopathology is often the main source of impairment, whereas a diagnosis of TD has little or no impact on neuropsychological performance in most cases and even seems to be associated with adaptive mechanisms.

Totality eclipses of the Sun

CERN Document Server

Littmann, Mark; Willcox, Ken

2008-01-01

A total eclipse of the Sun is the most awesome sight in the heavens. Totality: Eclipses of the Sun takes you to eclipses of the past, present, and future, and lets you see - and feel - why people travel to the ends of the Earth to observe them. - ;A total eclipse of the Sun is the most awesome sight in the heavens. Totality: Eclipses of the Sun takes you to eclipses of the past, present, and future, and lets you see - and feel - why people travel to the ends of the Earth to observe them. Totality: Eclipses of the Sun is the best guide and reference book on solar eclipses ever written. It explains: how to observe them; how to photograph and videotape them; why they occur; their history and mythology; and future eclipses - when and where to see them. Totality also tells the remarkable story of how eclipses shocked scientists, revealed the workings of the Sun, and made Einstein famous. And the book shares the experiences and advice of many veteran eclipse observers. Totality: Eclipses of the Sun is profusely ill...

Knowledge, attitudes, and practice of travelers' diarrhea management among frontline providers.

Science.gov (United States)

Hayat, Aatif M; Tribble, David R; Sanders, John W; Faix, Dennis J; Shiau, Danny; Armstrong, Adam W; Riddle, Mark S

2011-01-01

Many studies have found acute gastrointestinal infections to be among the most likely reason for clinic visits among forward deployed soldiers and are considered a significant contributor to morbidity in this population. This occurs despite the controlled food and water distribution systems under which military populations operate. Furthermore, recent studies have indicated that providers often fail to appropriately identify and treat the typical causes of these infections. To adequately address this issue, an assessment of gaps in knowledge, practice, and management of acute diarrhea in deployed troops was conducted. A multiple-choice survey was developed by clinical researchers with expertise in travelers' diarrhea (TD) and provided to a convenience sample of clinical providers with a broad range of training and operational experience. The survey evaluated provider's knowledge of TD along with their ability to identify etiologies of various syndromic categories of acute gastrointestinal infections. Providers were also queried on selection of treatment approaches to a variety of clinical-based scenarios. A total of 117 respondents completed the survey. Most were aware of the standard definition of TD (77%); however, their knowledge about the epidemiology was lower, with less than 24% correctly answering questions on etiology of diarrhea, and 31% believing that a viral pathogen was the primary cause of watery diarrhea during deployment. Evaluation of scenario-based responses showed that 64% of providers chose not to use antibiotics to treat moderate TD. Furthermore, 19% of providers felt that severe inflammatory diarrhea was best treated with hydration only while 25% felt hydration was the therapy of choice for dysentery. Across all provider types, three practitioner characteristics appeared to be related to better scores on responses to the nine management scenarios: having a Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathy degree, greater knowledge of TD epidemiology

Optimization of an In silico Cardiac Cell Model for Proarrhythmia Risk Assessment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sara Dutta

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Drug-induced Torsade-de-Pointes (TdP has been responsible for the withdrawal of many drugs from the market and is therefore of major concern to global regulatory agencies and the pharmaceutical industry. The Comprehensive in vitro Proarrhythmia Assay (CiPA was proposed to improve prediction of TdP risk, using in silico models and in vitro multi-channel pharmacology data as integral parts of this initiative. Previously, we reported that combining dynamic interactions between drugs and the rapid delayed rectifier potassium current (IKr with multi-channel pharmacology is important for TdP risk classification, and we modified the original O'Hara Rudy ventricular cell mathematical model to include a Markov model of IKr to represent dynamic drug-IKr interactions (IKr-dynamic ORd model. We also developed a novel metric that could separate drugs with different TdP liabilities at high concentrations based on total electronic charge carried by the major inward ionic currents during the action potential. In this study, we further optimized the IKr-dynamic ORd model by refining model parameters using published human cardiomyocyte experimental data under control and drug block conditions. Using this optimized model and manual patch clamp data, we developed an updated version of the metric that quantifies the net electronic charge carried by major inward and outward ionic currents during the steady state action potential, which could classify the level of drug-induced TdP risk across a wide range of concentrations and pacing rates. We also established a framework to quantitatively evaluate a system's robustness against the induction of early afterdepolarizations (EADs, and demonstrated that the new metric is correlated with the cell's robustness to the pro-EAD perturbation of IKr conductance reduction. In summary, in this work we present an optimized model that is more consistent with experimental data, an improved metric that can classify drugs at

Genoptraening efter total knaealloplastik

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holm, Bente; Kehlet, Henrik

2009-01-01

The short- and long-term benefits of post-discharge physiotherapy regimens after total knee arthroplasty are debatable. A national survey including hospitals in Denmark that perform total knee arthroplasty showed a large variability in indication and regimen for post-knee arthroplasty...

Total 2004 annual report; TOTAL 2004 rapport annuel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2004-07-01

This annual report of the Group Total brings information and economic data on the following topics, for the year 2004: the corporate governance, the corporate social responsibility, the shareholder notebook, the management report, the activities, the upstream (exploration and production) and downstream (refining and marketing) operating, chemicals and other matters. (A.L.B.)

Determinants of torsades de pointes in older patients with drug-associated long QT syndrome: a case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Goutelle, Sylvain; Sidolle, Elodie; Ducher, Michel; Caron, Jacques; Timour, Quadiri; Nony, Patrice; Gouraud, Aurore

2014-08-01

Many elderly patients are routinely exposed to drugs that may prolong the cardiac QT interval and cause Torsades de pointes (TdP). However, predictors of TdP in patients with drug-associated long QT syndrome (LQTS) are not fully understood, especially in the geriatric population. The objective of this study was to identify risk factors of TdP in elderly patients with drug-associated LQTS. In this retrospective, case-control study, documented reports of drug-associated LQTS plus TdP (n = 125) and LQTS without TdP (n = 81) in patients ≥65 years of age were retrieved from the French Pharmacovigilance Database over a 10-year period. Available clinical, biological, and drug therapy data were compared in the two groups and logistic regression was performed to identify significant predictors of TdP. The uncorrected QT interval was significantly longer in patients with TdP than in patients without TdP (577 ± 79 vs. 519 ± 68 ms; p = 0.0001). The number of drugs with a known risk of TdP administered to each patient was not a predictor of arrhythmia, nor was female gender. Logistic regression analysis identified the uncorrected QT interval as the only significant predictor of TdP. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was characterized by an area under the curve of 0.77 (95 % confidence interval 0.64-0.88) and a QT cutoff of 550 ms. The uncorrected QT interval was significantly associated with the probability of TdP in elderly patients with acquired, drug-associated LQTS.

Physicochemical properties of direct compression tablets with spray dried and ball milled solid dispersions of tadalafil in PVP-VA.

Science.gov (United States)

Wlodarski, K; Tajber, L; Sawicki, W

2016-12-01

The aim of this research was to develop immediate release tablets comprising solid dispersion (IRSDTs) of tadalafil (Td) in a vinylpyrrolidone and vinyl acetate block copolymer (PVP-VA), characterized by improved dissolution profiles. The solid dispersion of Td in PVP-VA (Td/PVP-VA) in a weight ratio of 1:1 (w/w) was prepared using two different processes i.e. spray drying and ball milling. While the former process has been well established in the formulation of IRSDTs the latter has not been exploited in these systems yet. Regardless of the preparation method, both Td/PVP-VA solid dispersions were amorphous as confirmed by PXRD, DSC and FTIR. However, different morphology of particles (SEM) resulted in differences in water apparent solubility and disk intrinsic dissolution rate (DIDR). Both solid dispersions and crystalline Td were successfully made into directly compressible tablets at three doses of Td, i.e. 2.5mg, 10mgand20mg, yielding nine different formulations (D 1 -D 9 ). Each of the lots met the requirements set by Ph.Eur. and was evaluated with respect to appearance, diameter, thickness, mass, hardness, friability, disintegration time and content of Td. IRSDTs performed as supersaturable formulations and had significantly improved water dissolution profiles in comparison with equivalent tablets containing crystalline Td and the marketed formulations. Tablets with both spray dried and ball milled Td/PVP-VA revealed the greatest improvement in dissolution depending on the investigated doses, i.e. 2.5mgand20mg, respectively. Also, dissolution of Td from Td/PVP-VA delivered in different forms occurred in the following order: powders>tablets>capsules. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nellis AFB, Las Vegas, Nevada, Revised Uniform Summary of Surface Weather Observations (RUSSWO). Part A-F

Science.gov (United States)

1975-03-07

Td Tnp WET BULB TEMPERATURE DEPRESSION (F) j TOTAL TOTAL ((F) 1 0 1 1.2 3.-4 5 * 6 7.-8 9 10 111- 12 13. 14 IS. 16 17.18119-20121-22 23-24 252 7 2...18 ___Li -ifnt I 0 -6__ -7t I I Element (X) Z 1l’ Z l No. Oh.. Moon No. of Oours will, romporotuoe O ReI.NHum. 226 3 )52 711 l53 . l 325 "OF s.32P

Incidence, risk factors and treatment of diarrhoea among Dutch travellers: reasons not to routinely prescribe antibiotics.

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Belderok, Sanne-Meike; van den Hoek, Anneke; Kint, Joan A; Schim van der Loeff, Maarten F; Sonder, Gerard Jb

2011-10-29

Travellers' diarrhoea (TD) is the most common infectious disease among travellers. In the Netherlands, stand-by or prophylactic antibiotics are not routinely prescribed to travellers. This study prospectively assessed the incidence rate, risk factors, and treatment of TD among immunocompetent travellers. Persons who attended the travel clinic of the Public Health Service Amsterdam in 2006-2007 before short-term travel to tropical and subtropical countries were invited to answer a questionnaire regarding sociodemographics and travel purpose; they were also asked to keep a daily structured travel diary, recording their itinerary, symptoms, and self-medication or consultation with a doctor. Diarrhoea episodes containing blood or mucous were considered severe. Of 1202 travellers, the median age was 38 years, and the median travel duration 3 weeks. Of all episodes, 96% were mild. The median duration of TD was 2 days and significantly shorter in subsequent episodes compared to first episodes (p sex, a Western country of birth, and tourism as the purpose of travel. The lowest risk was in travellers to South America. An independent risk factor for subsequent episodes was female sex. In total, 5% of travellers used antibiotics; of those, 92% had mild diarrhoea, and 53% received antibiotics over the counter. TD is common among travellers, but the overall course is mild, not requiring treatment. The incidence rates for first and second episodes are comparable. Female sex is a risk factor for the first episode, as well as subsequent ones. Prescription antibiotics are not needed in short-term healthy travellers.

Virtual-reality-based attention assessment of ADHD: ClinicaVR: Classroom-CPT versus a traditional continuous performance test.

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Neguț, Alexandra; Jurma, Anda Maria; David, Daniel

2017-08-01

Virtual-reality-based assessment may be a good alternative to classical or computerized neuropsychological assessment due to increased ecological validity. ClinicaVR: Classroom-CPT (VC) is a neuropsychological test embedded in virtual reality that is designed to assess attention deficits in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or other conditions associated with impaired attention. The present study aimed to (1) investigate the diagnostic validity of VC in comparison to a traditional continuous performance test (CPT), (2) explore the task difficulty of VC, (3) address the effect of distractors on the performance of ADHD participants and typically-developing (TD) controls, and (4) compare the two measures on cognitive absorption. A total of 33 children diagnosed with ADHD and 42 TD children, aged between 7 and 13 years, participated in the study and were tested with a traditional CPT or with VC, along with several cognitive measures and an adapted version of the Cognitive Absorption Scale. A mixed multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) revealed that the children with ADHD performed worse on correct responses had more commissions and omissions errors than the TD children, as well as slower target reaction times . The results showed significant differences between performance in the virtual environment and the traditional computerized one, with longer reaction times in virtual reality. The data analysis highlighted the negative influence of auditory distractors on attention performance in the case of the children with ADHD, but not for the TD children. Finally, the two measures did not differ on the cognitive absorption perceived by the children.

Thyroid Function in Women after Multimodal Treatment for Breast Cancer Stage II/III: Comparison With Controls From a Population Sample

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reinertsen, Kristin Valborg; Cvancarova, Milada; Wist, Erik; Bjoro, Trine; Dahl, Alv A.; Danielsen, Turi; Fossa, Sophie D.

2009-01-01

Purpose: A possible association between thyroid diseases (TD) and breast cancer (BC) has been debated. We examined prevalence and development of TD in women after multimodal treatment for Stage II/III BC compared with women from a general population. Secondarily, we explored the impact of two different radiotherapy (RT) techniques (standardized field arrangements vs. computed tomography [CT]-based dose planning) on TD in BC patients examined 35-120 months after primary BC treatment. Methods and Materials: A total of 403 BC patients completed a questionnaire about TD and had blood samples taken for analyses of thyroid function. All had undergone postoperative RT with or without (2%) adjuvant systemic treatment. The results in the BC patients were compared with a cancer-free, age-matched control group from a general population (CGr). Results: There was higher prevalence of self-reported hypothyroidism in the BC patients as compared with the CGr (18% vs. 6%, p < 0.001). The raised prevalence was predominantly due to a substantial increase in the development of hypothyroidism after BC diagnosis, whereas the prevalence of hypothyroidism before BC diagnosis was similar to that observed in the CGr. Patients treated with CT-based RT showed a trend for increased post-BC development of hypothyroidism as compared with those treated with standardized field arrangements (p = 0.08). Conclusions: Hypothyroidism is significantly increased in women after multimodal treatment for Stage II/III BC. Radiation to the thyroid gland may be a contributing factor. BC patients should be routinely screened for hypothyroidism.

Protective effect of ebselen on experimental testicular torsion and detorsion injury.

Science.gov (United States)

Rifaioglu, M M; Motor, S; Davarci, I; Tuzcu, K; Sefil, F; Davarci, M; Nacar, A

2014-12-01

Ebselen is used as a drug in clinical trials against stroke, reperfusion injury with anti-atherosclerotic and renoprotective effects. The aim of this study is to investigate the protective effect of ebselen, on torsion/detorsion (T/D)-induced biochemical and histopathological changes in experimental testicular ischaemia/reperfusion injury. A total of 28 male Wistar Albino rats were divided into four groups: group 1(sham-operated group, n = 7), group 2(ebselen group, n = 7), group 3(torsion/detorsion + saline, n = 7) and group 4(T/D + 10 mg kg(-1) ebselen group, n = 7). The tissue homogenate samples were used for immediate nitric oxide (NO), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione measurement. Testes in all groups were evaluated for the biochemical assay and histopathological examinations. To evaluate spermatogenesis, Johnsen scoring system was used. Testicular tissue MDA and NO levels in group 3 were significantly higher than in group 1 and 4. In histological evaluation of the testicular tissues, ebselen administration improved tubular histology significantly compared with T/D group. Significant increase in histological score was observed in the testis of group 3 compared with group 1 and 2. Histological score in group 4 significantly decreased compared with group 3. Johnson score was significantly lower in T/D group compared with all other three groups, ebselen administration increased the score significantly compared with T/D group. Ebselen reduced oxidative biochemical and histopathological damage in our testicular T/D rat model. © 2013 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Enhancement of Permeation in Transdermal Drug Delivery System by 6μm Wavelength Area Using an MIR-FEL

Science.gov (United States)

Uchizono, T.; Ishii, K.; Iwao, Y.; Itou, Y.; Maruo, H.; Hori, M.; Awazu, K.

2005-03-01

Ablation of the stratum corneum (SC) by pulsed-laser irradiation is one method of enhancing transdermal drug delivery (TD). For non-invasive laser TD treatment, we have tried to enhance TD without ablation of the SC using an MIR-FEL (6-μm wavelength) (FEL : free electron laser). Lidocaine was used as the drug in this study. The enhancement of TD was measured by HPLC. It was found that the lidocaine TD of the sample irradiated by MIR-FEL was enhanced 10 fold faster than the non-irradiated sample with a flux at 0.5 μg/cm2/h, measured by HPLC. We have demonstrated the effectiveness of TD enhancement by an MIR-FEL (6-μm wavelength) irradiation.

Kindling: A Model for the Development of Tardive Dyskinesia?

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B. Glenthøj

1988-01-01

Full Text Available Tardive dyskinesia (TD from long-term neuroleptic treatment may be irreversible; therefore prevention has become a major concern. A controversial issue with regard to the clinical use of neuroleptic drugs is the possible influence on the development of TD of drug holidays. The major characteristics of kindling, theories of TD and the role of multiplicity in the development of TD are described. Some clinical studies point to interruption of neuroleptic therapy being a risk factor for development of irreversible TD. Induction of dyskinesia in non-human primates has been demonstrated after repeated administration of haloperidol. Rodent studies have not been conclusive. Several experimental results link TD with kindling: both conditions involve repeated stimulations, both seem to involve increased receptor responsiveness and in both conditions does depression in GABA transmission in SNR (substantia nigra; pars reticulata play an important role. It is concluded that the kindling hypothesis is relevant to the investigation of TD.

Peptide-chaperone-directed transdermal protein delivery requires energy.

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Ruan, Renquan; Jin, Peipei; Zhang, Li; Wang, Changli; Chen, Chuanjun; Ding, Weiping; Wen, Longping

2014-11-03

The biologically inspired transdermal enhanced peptide TD1 has been discovered to specifically facilitate transdermal delivery of biological macromolecules. However, the biological behavior of TD1 has not been fully defined. In this study, we find that energy is required for the TD1-mediated transdermal protein delivery through rat and human skins. Our results show that the permeation activity of TD1-hEGF, a fusion protein composed of human epidermal growth factor (hEGF) and the TD1 sequence connected with a glycine-serine linker (GGGGS), can be inhibited by the energy inhibitor, rotenone or oligomycin. In addition, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the essential energetic molecule in organic systems, can effectively facilitate the TD1 directed permeation of the protein-based drug into the skin in a dose-dependent fashion. Our results here demonstrate a novel energy-dependent permeation process during the TD1-mediated transdermal protein delivery that could be valuable for the future development of promising new transdermal drugs.

Tic disorders and obsessive compulsive disorder: where is the link?

Science.gov (United States)

Roessner, V; Becker, A; Banaschewski, T; Rothenberger, A

2005-01-01

Over the last years evidence on the overlap between tic-disorders (TD) and obsessive compulsive behavior/disorder (OCB/OCD) has increased. The main focus of research have been the phenomenological and epidemiological similarities and differences in samples of different age, primary diagnosis (TD vs. OCD) including the co-occurrence of both. Unfortunately, only a minority of studies included all three groups (TD, TD + OCD, OCD). Nevertheless, new insight concerning possible subtypes for both TD and OCD has been gained. While some authors concentrated on OCD with/without tics we will summarize the field of TD and OCB/OCD from the viewpoint of tics, since OCB plays an important role in patients with TD. Thereby we will not only sharpen the clinicans' awareness of known differences in phenomenology, epidemiology, genetics and neurobiology, aimed to improve their diagnoses and treatment but also highlight the gaps of knowledge and discuss possibilities for further research in this field.

Sibling relationship quality and psychosocial outcomes among adult siblings of individuals with autism spectrum disorder and individuals with intellectual disability without autism.

Science.gov (United States)

Tomeny, Theodore S; Ellis, Brandi M; Rankin, James A; Barry, Tammy D

2017-03-01

Research on adult typically-developing (TD) siblings of individuals with developmental disabilities remains limited, and outcomes for TD siblings appear to vary widely. For the current study, 82 adult TD siblings of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or intellectual disability (ID) completed questionnaires about themselves and their affected sibling. Results of this study suggest that the attitudes possessed by adult TD siblings are important to consider when understanding adult TD sibling outcomes. Specifically, data indicate that higher levels of positive sibling relationship attitudes are related to TD siblings providing more aid/support to their sibling with a disability, along with having higher levels of general life satisfaction, and negatively related to levels of stress and depressive symptoms among TD siblings. Consistent with previous child research, siblings of individuals with ASD reported fewer positive sibling relationship attitudes compared to siblings of individuals with ID. Finally, group membership related to aid provided, depressive symptoms, and stress of TD siblings indirectly through sibling relationship attitudes. Overall, results indicate that sibling relationship attitudes may be particularly important to consider when conceptualizing sibling relationships when one sibling has an intellectual or developmental disability. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of histamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine on the growth rate of xenografted human bronchogenic carcinomas.

Science.gov (United States)

Sheehan, P F; Baker, T; Tutton, P J; Barkla, D H

1996-01-01

1. The influence of histamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) antagonists and agonists on the volume doubling times (Td) of human bronchogenic carcinomas propagated as s.c. xenografts in immunosuppressed mice was examined. 2. The H2-receptor antagonists, cimetidine and ranitidine, increased Td. 3. Treatment with the H2-receptor agonist, 4-methyl histamine, had no effect on Td. 4. Co-administration of 4-methyl histamine and cimetidine abolished the effects of cimetidine. 5. The 5-HT2-receptor antagonists, cinanserin and ketanserin, both increased Td. 6. Treatment with the 5-HT1/2-receptor agonist quipazine (0.1 mg/kg, reflecting 5-HT2 agonist activity) decreased Td, while a higher dose (10.0 mg/kg) had no effect. 7. The 5-HT1/2-receptor antagonist, methiothepin, decreased Td. 8. The 5-HT uptake inhibitor, fluoxetine, increased Td in one tumour line but not in another, while the 5-HT releaser/depletor, fenfluramine, increased Td. 9. Histamine may stimulate tumour growth through the histamine H2-receptor, while the dominant effect of 5-HT is 5-HT1-receptor inhibition. 10. Tumour growth in some bronchogenic carcinomas may involve 5-HT uptake mechanisms.

Code development for eigenvalue total sensitivity analysis and total uncertainty analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wan, Chenghui; Cao, Liangzhi; Wu, Hongchun; Zu, Tiejun; Shen, Wei

2015-01-01

Highlights: • We develop a new code for total sensitivity and uncertainty analysis. • The implicit effects of cross sections can be considered. • The results of our code agree well with TSUNAMI-1D. • Detailed analysis for origins of implicit effects is performed. - Abstract: The uncertainties of multigroup cross sections notably impact eigenvalue of neutron-transport equation. We report on a total sensitivity analysis and total uncertainty analysis code named UNICORN that has been developed by applying the direct numerical perturbation method and statistical sampling method. In order to consider the contributions of various basic cross sections and the implicit effects which are indirect results of multigroup cross sections through resonance self-shielding calculation, an improved multigroup cross-section perturbation model is developed. The DRAGON 4.0 code, with application of WIMSD-4 format library, is used by UNICORN to carry out the resonance self-shielding and neutron-transport calculations. In addition, the bootstrap technique has been applied to the statistical sampling method in UNICORN to obtain much steadier and more reliable uncertainty results. The UNICORN code has been verified against TSUNAMI-1D by analyzing the case of TMI-1 pin-cell. The numerical results show that the total uncertainty of eigenvalue caused by cross sections can reach up to be about 0.72%. Therefore the contributions of the basic cross sections and their implicit effects are not negligible

Depiction of the thoracic duct by magnetic resonance imaging. Comparison between magnetic resonance imaging and the anatomical literature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okuda, Itsuko; Udagawa, Harushi; Hirata, Kazuaki; Nakajima, Yasuo

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to compare thoracic duct (TD) configuration depicted by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with TD configuration described in the anatomical literature. MRI Scans were acquired with a three-dimensional T2-weighted turbo spin echo (TSE) MRI with a two-dimensional prospective acquisition correction (PACE) technique in 63 patients. We found with MRI that TD displacement occurred more on the left side than that reported in the anatomical literature, and this tendency was more marked in elderly patients. In patients with marked leftward TD displacement, the TD configuration on MRI was compared to the descending aortic configuration on chest radiography. The degree of correspondence between the MRI findings and the anatomical literature was assessed by a χ 2 goodness-of-fit test, and P<0.05 indicated a significant difference. The degree of similarity was determined between TD configuration and aortic configuration by Kendall's coefficient of concordance (W). On MRI scans the TD was often located to the left of the mid-vertebral line compared to the location reported in the anatomical literature (P<0.001). Nine patients had marked leftward TD displacement, a configuration similar to that of the descending aorta (W=1); however, no association with age was established. The TD configuration depicted by MRI differed from that described in the anatomical literature. (author)

Beltless translocation domain of botulinum neurotoxin A embodies a minimum ion-conductive channel.

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Fischer, Audrey; Sambashivan, Shilpa; Brunger, Axel T; Montal, Mauricio

2012-01-13

Botulinum neurotoxin, the causative agent of the paralytic disease botulism, is an endopeptidase composed of a catalytic domain (or light chain (LC)) and a heavy chain (HC) encompassing the translocation domain (TD) and receptor-binding domain. Upon receptor-mediated endocytosis, the LC and TD are proposed to undergo conformational changes in the acidic endocytic environment resulting in the formation of an LC protein-conducting TD channel. The mechanism of channel formation and the conformational changes in the toxin upon acidification are important but less well understood aspects of botulinum neurotoxin intoxication. Here, we have identified a minimum channel-forming truncation of the TD, the "beltless" TD, that forms transmembrane channels with ion conduction properties similar to those of the full-length TD. At variance with the holotoxin and the HC, channel formation for both the TD and the beltless TD occurs independent of a transmembrane pH gradient. Furthermore, acidification in solution induces moderate secondary structure changes. The subtle nature of the conformational changes evoked by acidification on the TD suggests that, in the context of the holotoxin, larger structural rearrangements and LC unfolding occur preceding or concurrent to channel formation. This notion is consistent with the hypothesis that although each domain of the holotoxin functions individually, each domain serves as a chaperone for the others.

Feasibility study of helical tomotherapy for total body or total marrow irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hui, Susanta K.; Kapatoes, Jeff; Fowler, Jack; Henderson, Douglas; Olivera, Gustavo; Manon, Rafael R.; Gerbi, Bruce; Mackie, T. R.; Welsh, James S.

2005-01-01

Total body radiation (TBI) has been used for many years as a preconditioning agent before bone marrow transplantation. Many side effects still plague its use. We investigated the planning and delivery of total body irradiation (TBI) and selective total marrow irradiation (TMI) and a reduced radiation dose to sensitive structures using image-guided helical tomotherapy. To assess the feasibility of using helical tomotherapy (A) we studied variations in pitch, field width, and modulation factor on total body and total marrow helical tomotherapy treatments. We varied these parameters to provide a uniform dose along with a treatment times similar to conventional TBI (15-30 min). (B) We also investigated limited (head, chest, and pelvis) megavoltage CT (MVCT) scanning for the dimensional pretreatment setup verification rather than total body MVCT scanning to shorten the overall treatment time per treatment fraction. (C) We placed thermoluminescent detectors (TLDs) inside a Rando phantom to measure the dose at seven anatomical sites, including the lungs. A simulated TBI treatment showed homogeneous dose coverage (±10%) to the whole body. Doses to the sensitive organs were reduced by 35%-70% of the target dose. TLD measurements on Rando showed an accurate dose delivery (±7%) to the target and critical organs. In the TMI study, the dose was delivered conformally to the bone marrow only. The TBI and TMI treatment delivery time was reduced (by 50%) by increasing the field width from 2.5 to 5.0 cm in the inferior-superior direction. A limited MVCT reduced the target localization time 60% compared to whole body MVCT. MVCT image-guided helical tomotherapy offers a novel method to deliver a precise, homogeneous radiation dose to the whole body target while reducing the dose significantly to all critical organs. A judicious selection of pitch, modulation factor, and field size is required to produce a homogeneous dose distribution along with an acceptable treatment time. In

Total and inorganic arsenic in foods of the first Hong Kong total diet study.

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, Stephen Wai-cheung; Lam, Chi-ho; Chan, Benny Tsz-pun

2014-04-01

Arsenic (As) is a metalloid that occurs in different inorganic and organic forms, which are found in the environment from both natural occurrence and anthropogenic activity. The inorganic forms of As (iAs) are more toxic as compared with the organic As, but so far most of the occurrence data in food collected in the framework of official food control are still reported as total As without differentiating the various As species. In this paper, total As and iAs contents of 600 total diet study (TDS) samples, subdivided into 15 different food groups, were quantified by high-resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HR-ICP/MS) and hydride generation (HG) ICP/MS respectively. The method detection limits for both total As and iAs were 3 μg As kg(-1). As the samples were prepared for TDS, food items were purchased directly from the market or prepared as for normal consumption, i.e. table ready, in the manner most representative of and consistent with cultural habits in Hong Kong as far as practicable. The highest total As and iAs content were found in 'fish, seafood and their products' and 'vegetables and their products' respectively. Besides, this paper also presents the ratios of iAs and total As content in different ready-to-eat food items. The highest ratio of iAs to total As was found in 'vegetables and their products'. It is likely that iAs in vegetables maintained its status even after cooking.

Effects of feeding frequency and voluntary salt intake on fluid and electrolyte regulation in athletic horses.

Science.gov (United States)

Jansson, A; Dahlborn, K

1999-05-01

The effect of feeding frequency and voluntary sodium intake (VSI) on fluid shifts and plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) were studied at rest and after exercise in six athletic horses. The horses were fed twice a day (2TD) and six times a day (6TD) for 25 days for each protocol, according to a changeover design. VSI was measured by weighing each horse's salt block daily. Feeding 2TD or 6TD caused no major alterations in fluid shifts, but in the 2TD treatment there was a postprandial increase in plasma protein concentration and osmolality that lasted horses.

The Role of Intestinal Bacteria in Acute Diarrheal Diseases

Science.gov (United States)

1981-01-01

another enteric pathogen, Vibrio cholerae , is present in high number in the cral cavity during acute and convalescent periods. Also, the buccal cells...h42 LT/ST + - - 2 K32&c4 AD) Kenya ... . .- r K32ScT All Kenya - LT - - - NT TD46ZcT ADY Mexfco 06:HT6 LT/ST - - - Z13 TD260cl AD Mexico 06:H16 LT...2 TD514c! AD Mexico .. . . NT TD472cI A Mexico LT/ST - - NT TD514cZ AD Mexico - NT "TABLE 1 CONTINUED 2 1 Enterotoxins MR-HA Pili 3 Human Strains

Determination and production of antimicrobial compounds by Aspergillus clavatonanicus strain MJ31, an endophytic fungus from Mirabilis jalapa L. using UPLC-ESI-MS/MS and TD-GC-MS analysis.

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Vineet Kumar Mishra

Full Text Available Endophytic fungi associated with medicinal plants are reported as potent producers of diverse classes of secondary metabolites. In the present study, an endophytic fungi, Aspergillus clavatonanicus strain MJ31, exhibiting significant antimicrobial activity was isolated from roots of Mirabilis jalapa L., was identified by sequencing three nuclear genes i.e. internal transcribed spacers ribosomal RNA (ITS rRNA, 28S ribosomal RNA (28S rRNA and translation elongation factor 1- alpha (EF 1α. Ethyl acetate extract of strain MJ31displayed significant antimicrobial potential against Bacillus subtilis, followed by Micrococccus luteus and Staphylococcus aureus with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC of 0.078, 0.156 and 0.312 mg/ml respectively. In addition, the strain was evaluated for its ability to synthesize bioactive compounds by the amplification of polyketide synthase (PKS and non ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS genes. Further, seven antibiotics (miconazole, ketoconazole, fluconazole, ampicillin, streptomycin, chloramphenicol, and rifampicin were detected and quantified using UPLC-ESI-MS/MS. Additionally, thermal desorption-gas chromatography mass spectrometry (TD-GC-MS analysis of strain MJ31 showed the presence of 28 volatile compounds. This is the first report on A. clavatonanicus as an endophyte obtained from M. jalapa. We conclude that A. clavatonanicus strain MJ31 has prolific antimicrobial potential against both plant and human pathogens and can be exploited for the discovery of new antimicrobial compounds and could be an alternate source for the production of secondary metabolites.

Total phenolics and total flavonoids in selected Indian medicinal plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Sulaiman, C T; Balachandran, Indira

2012-05-01

Plant phenolics and flavonoids have a powerful biological activity, which outlines the necessity of their determination. The phenolics and flavonoids content of 20 medicinal plants were determined in the present investigation. The phenolic content was determined by using Folin-Ciocalteu assay. The total flavonoids were measured spectrophotometrically by using the aluminium chloride colorimetric assay. The results showed that the family Mimosaceae is the richest source of phenolics, (Acacia nilotica: 80.63 mg gallic acid equivalents, Acacia catechu 78.12 mg gallic acid equivalents, Albizia lebbeck 66.23 mg gallic acid equivalents). The highest total flavonoid content was revealed in Senna tora which belongs to the family Caesalpiniaceae. The present study also shows the ratio of flavonoids to the phenolics in each sample for their specificity.

Immunogenicity of MenACWY-CRM in Korean Military Recruits: Influence of Tetanus-Diphtheria Toxoid Vaccination on the Vaccine Response to MenACWY-CRM.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Han Wool; Park, In Ho; You, Sooseong; Yu, Hee Tae; Oh, In Soo; Sung, Pil Soo; Shin, Eui Cheol; Kim, Kyung Hyo

2016-11-01

The quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MenACWY-CRM) has been introduced for military recruits in Korea since 2012. This study was performed to evaluate the immunogenicity of MenACWY-CRM in Korean military recruits. In addition, the influence of tetanus-diphtheria toxoids (Td) vaccination on the vaccine response to MenACWY-CRM was analyzed. A total of 75 military recruits were enrolled. Among them, 18 received a dose of MenACWY-CRM only (group 1), and 57 received Td three days before MenACWY-CRM immunization (group 2). The immunogenicity of MenACWY-CRM was compared between the two groups. The serum bactericidal activity with baby rabbit complement was measured before and three weeks after immunization against serogroups A, C, W-135, and Y. The geometric mean titers (GMTs) against four serogroups were significantly increased in both groups after immunization. Compared to group 2, group 1 exhibited significantly higher vaccine responses in several aspects: post-immune GMTs against serogroup A and C, seroresponse rates against serogroup A, and a fold increases of titers against serogroup A, C, and Y. MenACWY-CRM was immunogenic against all vaccine-serogroups in Korean military recruits. Vaccine response to MenACWY-CRM was influenced by Td administered three days earlier.

Delay in diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis: a survey in the Lazio region, Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patrizio Pezzotti

2014-11-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To estimate patient and health care delays in the diagnosis of PTB and to evaluate associated factors.METHODS: PTB incident cases ≥18 years diagnosed between September 2010 and September 2011 in the Lazio region; information on symptoms and date of onset, health professionals contacts, diagnostic exams performed, and drugs prescribed before diagnosis were collected through a standardized questionnaire. The total delay (TD was divided into patient delay (PD: from symptoms onset to first contact with healthcare services and health system delay (HSD: from first contact to diagnosis.RESULTS: 278 cases were evaluated. Median PD,HSD, and TD, were 31, 15, and 77.5 days, respectively. The median PD, HSD, and TD were significantly lower in foreign born patients (26, 10.5, 63.5, vs. 45, 36, 100 days, respectively. Other factors independently associated with longer delay were: absence of fever and presence of weight loss for PD; prior unspecific treatment, absence of cough, consult with a general practitioner, visit to an outpatient clinic, and a PD <30 days for HSD.CONCLUSIONS: In Italy, the delay in TB diagnosis is similar to that estimated in other European countries. Results indicate that actions aimed to reduce diagnostic delay should be primarily addressed to Italian patients.

Distribution of tritiated compounds (tritiated thymidine and tritiated water) in the mother-fetus system and its consequences for the radiotoxic effect of tritium

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Schreml, W; Fliedner, T M [Ulm Univ. (Germany, F.R.). Abt. Klinische Physiologie

1978-01-01

The incorporation and distribution of tritiated thymidine (/sup 3/H-TdR) and tritiated water (HTO) have been measured in newborn rats exposed to various levels of tritium by continuous infusion into pregnant rats from day 9 until term. In the animals exposed to HTO, the tritium activity was homogeneously distributed while /sup 3/H-TdR led to accumulation of DNA-bound and homogeneously distributed tritium. The incorporated activity and the specific activity of DNA from ovaries which showed a reduction of total oocyte number by approximately 50% were used to estimate the dose absorbed by the ovarian cell nuclei in both systems. From the absorbed dose a factor of 3.7 was calculated for the 'internal relative biological effectiveness' of DNA-bound tritium as compared to homogeneously distributed /sup 3/H under the restrictive assumption that the static description of the system at birth reflects the situation during the time of dynamic development of the ovaries when the toxic effect occurs. The influence of these dynamic factors of changing nuclear size and tritium incorporation during the sensitive period is weighed against the possibility that the continuous /sup 3/H-TdR infusion during pregnancy might represent a model in which DNA-bound tritium shows a higher effectiveness than homogeneously distributed tritium.

Carl Schmitt's attitude towards total war and total enemy on the eve of the outbreak of WWII

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Molnar Aleksandar

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Carl Schmitt is usually perceived as the theorist of total state, total war and total hostility. In the article, the author however tries to show that from 1937 to 1944, Schmitt was arguing that total war and total hostility were dangerous for Germany (as well as for the rest of Europe and warned against perpetuation of all efforts to totalize enemy that started in 1914. In his theoretical endeavors in this period there was place for the total state only - and especially for the total state strong enough to resist temptation of declaring total war on total enemy. The total state he recommended Hitler and his Nazi comrades was German Reich, as a part of Europe ordered and divided in the huge spaces (Grossraumordnung. Positioned in the centre of Europe, between the rest of the powers (France, Italy, USSR as well as the Scandinavian states, Germany should be careful enough to wage war only against its Eastern enemies (Poland and maybe USSR and only in order to achieve 'just' borders. Occupying in this way its huge space Germany should devote itself to the task of exploitation of various peoples such as Poles, Chechs and Slovaks, which were perceived as incapable of having their states and doomed to serve the master race - the Germans.

Emphasizing Conformal Avoidance Versus Target Definition for IMRT Planning in Head-and-Neck Cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harari, Paul M.; Song Shiyu; Tome, Wolfgang A.

2010-01-01

Purpose: To describe a method for streamlining the process of elective nodal volume definition for head-and-neck (H and N) intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) planning. Methods and Materials: A total of 20 patients who had undergone curative-intent RT for H and N cancer underwent comprehensive treatment planning using three distinct, plan design techniques: conventional three-field design, target-defined IMRT (TD-IMRT), and conformal avoidance IMRT (CA-IMRT). For each patient, the conventional three-field design was created first, thereby providing the 'outermost boundaries' for subsequent IMRT design. In brief, TD-IMRT involved physician contouring of the gross tumor volume, high- and low-risk clinical target volume, and normal tissue avoidance structures on consecutive 1.25-mm computed tomography images. CA-IMRT involved physician contouring of the gross tumor volume and normal tissue avoidance structures only. The overall physician time for each approach was monitored, and the resultant plans were rigorously compared. Results: The average physician working time for the design of the respective H and N treatment contours was 0.3 hour for the conventional three-field design plan, 2.7 hours for TD-IMRT, and 0.9 hour for CA-IMRT. Dosimetric analysis confirmed that the largest volume of tissue treated to an intermediate (50 Gy) and high (70 Gy) dose occurred with the conventional three-field design followed by CA-IMRT and then TD-IMRT. However, for the two IMRT approaches, comparable results were found in terms of salivary gland and spinal cord protection. Conclusion: CA-IMRT for H and N treatment offers an alternative to TD-IMRT. The overall time for physician contouring was substantially reduced (approximately threefold), yielding a more standardized elective nodal volume. Because of the complexity of H and N IMRT target design, CA-IMRT might ultimately prove a safer and more reliable method to export to general radiation oncology practitioners, particularly

Antimicrobials Increase Travelers' Risk of Colonization by Extended-Spectrum Betalactamase-Producing Enterobacteriaceae

Science.gov (United States)

Kantele, Anu; Lääveri, Tinja; Mero, Sointu; Vilkman, Katri; Pakkanen, Sari H.; Ollgren, Jukka; Antikainen, Jenni; Kirveskari, Juha

2015-01-01

Background. More than 300 million travelers visit regions with poor hygiene annually. A significant percentage of them become colonized by resistant intestinal bacteria such as extended-spectrum beta-lactamase–producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-PE) and may transmit the strains to others and to medical care settings when they return home. Despite the threats to global healthcare caused by an upsurge in antimicrobial resistance, no effort has been centered on prevention of colonization while traveling. Methods. Stool samples were collected from 430 Finns before and after traveling outside Scandinavia. All specimens were analyzed for ESBL- and carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE). Questionnaires were used to survey volunteers about use of antimicrobials as well as other potential risk factors. The results were subjected to multivariable analysis. Results. Twenty-one percent (90/430) of the travelers became colonized by ESBL-PE and none by CPE. Geographic region, occurrence of travelers' diarrhea (TD), age, and use of antimicrobial (AB) for TD were identified as independent risk factors predisposing to contracting ESBL-PE. Eleven percent of those in subgroup TD−AB−, 21% in TD+AB−, and 37% in TD+AB+ acquired ESBL-PE. The risk proved to be highest in South Asia (46%); 23% became colonized in subgroup TD−AB−, 47% in TD+AB−, and 80% in TD+AB+. In Southeast Asia, the rates were 14%, 37%, and 69%, respectively. Conclusions. TD and antimicrobials for TD proved to be independent risk factors, with up to 80% of TD+AB+ travelers contracting ESBL-PE. In modern pre-travel counseling for those visiting high-risk regions, travelers should be advised against taking antibiotics for mild or moderate TD. PMID:25613287

Bright ambient light conditions reduce the effect of tryptophan depletion in healthy females.

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Defrancesco, Michaela; Niederstätter, Harald; Parson, Walther; Kemmler, Georg; Hinterhuber, Hartmann; Marksteiner, Josef; Deisenhammer, Eberhard A

2013-11-30

Tryptophan depletion (TD) is an established method to influence the serotonergic system and mood. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of TD under different ambient light conditions, measured through serotonin-associated plasma levels and a visual analog scale (VAS), on healthy females. Thirty-eight healthy female s-allele carriers of the serotonin transporter promoter gene (5-HTTLPR) were administered a TD under dim light conditions (75 lx). A sub-group of 8 participants repeated the procedure randomized in two additional light conditions (585 lx and 1530 lx respectively). Prior to, and 5h following administration of TD, various variables (serotonin-associated plasma levels, VAS) were measured. Due to not normal distributed data, non-parametric statistical tests were used. Overall analysis showed a significant mood lowering effect of TD. Moreover, TD decreased all measured serotonin-associated plasma levels significantly. Significant differences in varying light conditions were found for the VAS and plasma tryptophan, with the greatest effect of TD in the 75 lx condition. Results of our study showed an influence of even slight differences in ambient light intensity on the effect of TD concerning mood as well as on the serotonergic system. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.