Consortium for military LCD display procurement

Science.gov (United States)

Echols, Gregg

2002-08-01

International Display Consortium (IDC) is the joining together of display companies to combined their buying power and obtained favorable terms with a major LCD manufacturer. Consolidating the buying power and grouping the demand enables the rugged display industry of avionics, ground vehicles, and ship based display manufacturers to have unencumbered access to high performance AMLCDs while greatly reducing risk and lowering cost. With an unrestricted supply of AMLCD displays, the consortium members have total control of their risk, cost, deliveries and added value partners. Every display manufacturer desires a very close relationship with a display vender. With IDC each consortium member achieves a close relationship. Consortium members enjoy cost effective access to high performance, industry standard sized LCD panels, and modified commercial displays with 100 degree C clearing points and portrait configurations. Consortium members also enjoy proposal support, technical support and long-term support.

Biodegradation mechanisms and kinetics of azo dye 4BS by a microbial consortium.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Fang; Hu, Wenrong; Li, Yuezhong

2004-10-01

A microbial consortium consisting of a white-rot fungus 8-4* and a Pseudomonas 1-10 was isolated from wastewater treatment facilities of a local dyeing house by enrichment, using azo dye Direct Fast Scarlet 4BS as the sole source of carbon and energy, which had a high capacity for rapid decolorization of 4BS. To elucidate the decolorization mechanisms, decolorization of 4BS was compared between individual strains and the microbial consortium under different treatment processes. The microbial consortium showed a significant improvement on dye decolorization rates under either static or shaking culture, which might be attributed to the synergetic reaction of single strains. From the curve of COD values and the UV-visible spectra of 4BS solutions before and after decolorization cultivation with the microbial consortium, it was found that 4BS could be mineralized completely, and the results had been used for presuming the degrading pathway of 4BS. This study also examined the kinetics of 4BS decolorization by immobilized microbial consortium. The results demonstrated that the optimal decolorization activity was observed in pH range between four and 9, temperature range between 20 and 40 degrees C and the maximal specific decolorization rate occurred at 1,000 mg l(-1) of 4BS. The proliferation and distribution of microbial consortium were also microscopically observed, which further confirmed the decolorization mechanisms of 4BS.

The International Human Epigenome Consortium

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stunnenberg, Hendrik G; Hirst, Martin

2016-01-01

The International Human Epigenome Consortium (IHEC) coordinates the generation of a catalog of high-resolution reference epigenomes of major primary human cell types. The studies now presented (see the Cell Press IHEC web portal at http://www.cell.com/consortium/IHEC) highlight the coordinated ac...

Effect of European Clinical Trials Directive on academic drug trials in Denmark: retrospective study of applications to the Danish Medicines Agency 1993-2006

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Berendt, Louise; Hakansson, Cecilia; Bach, Karin Ursula Friis

2008-01-01

To determine the impact of the European Union's Clinical Trials Directive on the number of academic drug trials carried out in Denmark.......To determine the impact of the European Union's Clinical Trials Directive on the number of academic drug trials carried out in Denmark....

Massachusetts Institute of Technology Consortium Agreement

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Asada, Haruhiko

1999-01-01

... of Phase 2 of the Home Automation and Healthcare Consortium. This report describes all major research accomplishments within the last six months since we launched the second phase of the consortium...

Impact of copula directional specification on multi-trial evaluation of surrogate endpoints

Science.gov (United States)

Renfro, Lindsay A.; Shang, Hongwei; Sargent, Daniel J.

2014-01-01

Evaluation of surrogate endpoints using patient-level data from multiple trials is the gold standard, where multi-trial copula models are used to quantify both patient-level and trial-level surrogacy. While limited consideration has been given in the literature to copula choice (e.g., Clayton), no prior consideration has been given to direction of implementation (via survival versus distribution functions). We demonstrate that evenwith the “correct” copula family, directional misspecification leads to biased estimates of patient-level and trial-level surrogacy. We illustrate with a simulation study and a re-analysis of disease-free survival as a surrogate for overall survival in early stage colon cancer. PMID:24905465

Complying with the European Clinical Trials directive while surviving the administrative pressure

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frandsen, Thomas Leth; Heyman, Mats; Abrahamsson, Jonas

2014-01-01

The European Clinical Trials Directive of 2004 has increased the amount of paper work and reduced the number of initiated clinical trials. Particularly multinational trials have been delayed. To meet this challenge we developed a novel, simplified, fast and easy strategy for on-line toxicity......-known serious, but rarer events with focus on changes in therapy introduced in the treatment protocol. This toxicity registration strategy was approved by the relevant regulatory authorities in all seven countries involved, as compliant within the EU directive of 2004. The centre compliance to registration...

Mechanisms and direction of allocation bias in randomised clinical trials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Paludan-Müller, Asger; Teindl Laursen, David Ruben; Hróbjartsson, A.

2016-01-01

clinical trials. Methods: Two systematic reviews and a theoretical analysis. We conducted one systematic review of empirical studies of motives/methods for deciphering patient allocation sequences; and another review of methods publications commenting on allocation bias. We theoretically analysed...... the mechanisms of allocation bias and hypothesised which main factors predicts its direction. Results: Three empirical studies addressed motives/methods for deciphering allocation sequences. Main motives included ensuring best care for patients and ensuring best outcome for the trial. Main methods included...... various manipulations with randomisation envelopes. Out of 57 methods publications 11 (19 %) mentioned explicitly that allocation bias can go in either direction. We hypothesised that the direction of allocation bias is mainly decided by the interaction between the patient allocators’ motives...

Stable carbon isotope fractionation of chlorinated ethenes by a microbial consortium containing multiple dechlorinating genes.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Na; Ding, Longzhen; Li, Haijun; Zhang, Pengpeng; Zheng, Jixing; Weng, Chih-Huang

2018-08-01

The study aimed to determine the possible contribution of specific growth conditions and community structures to variable carbon enrichment factors (Ɛ- carbon ) values for the degradation of chlorinated ethenes (CEs) by a bacterial consortium with multiple dechlorinating genes. Ɛ- carbon values for trichloroethylene, cis-1,2-dichloroethylene, and vinyl chloride were -7.24% ± 0.59%, -14.6% ± 1.71%, and -21.1% ± 1.14%, respectively, during their degradation by a microbial consortium containing multiple dechlorinating genes including tceA and vcrA. The Ɛ- carbon values of all CEs were not greatly affected by changes in growth conditions and community structures, which directly or indirectly affected reductive dechlorination of CEs by this consortium. Stability analysis provided evidence that the presence of multiple dechlorinating genes within a microbial consortium had little effect on carbon isotope fractionation, as long as the genes have definite, non-overlapping functions. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Establishing a Consortium for the Study of Rare Diseases: The Urea Cycle Disorders Consortium

Science.gov (United States)

Seminara, Jennifer; Tuchman, Mendel; Krivitzky, Lauren; Krischer, Jeffrey; Lee, Hye-Seung; LeMons, Cynthia; Baumgartner, Matthias; Cederbaum, Stephen; Diaz, George A.; Feigenbaum, Annette; Gallagher, Renata C.; Harding, Cary O.; Kerr, Douglas S.; Lanpher, Brendan; Lee, Brendan; Lichter-Konecki, Uta; McCandless, Shawn E.; Merritt, J. Lawrence; Oster-Granite, Mary Lou; Seashore, Margretta R.; Stricker, Tamar; Summar, Marshall; Waisbren, Susan; Yudkoff, Marc; Batshaw, Mark L.

2010-01-01

The Urea Cycle Disorders Consortium (UCDC) was created as part of a larger network established by the National Institutes of Health to study rare diseases. This paper reviews the UCDC’s accomplishments over the first six years, including how the Consortium was developed and organized, clinical research studies initiated, and the importance of creating partnerships with patient advocacy groups, philanthropic foundations and biotech and pharmaceutical companies. PMID:20188616

The OncoArray Consortium

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Amos, Christopher I; Dennis, Joe; Wang, Zhaoming

2017-01-01

by Illumina to facilitate efficient genotyping. The consortium developed standard approaches for selecting SNPs for study, for quality control of markers, and for ancestry analysis. The array was genotyped at selected sites and with prespecified replicate samples to permit evaluation of genotyping accuracy...... among centers and by ethnic background. RESULTS: The OncoArray consortium genotyped 447,705 samples. A total of 494,763 SNPs passed quality control steps with a sample success rate of 97% of the samples. Participating sites performed ancestry analysis using a common set of markers and a scoring...

Increasing Sales by Developing Production Consortiums.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Christopher A.; Russo, Robert

Intended to help rehabilitation facility administrators increase organizational income from manufacturing and/or contracted service sources, this document provides a decision-making model for the development of a production consortium. The document consists of five chapters and two appendices. Chapter 1 defines the consortium concept, explains…

Hickory Consortium 2001 Final Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2003-02-01

As with all Building America Program consortia, systems thinking is the key to understanding the processes that Hickory Consortium hopes to improve. The Hickory Consortium applies this thinking to more than the whole-building concept. Their systems thinking embraces the meta process of how housing construction takes place in America. By understanding the larger picture, they are able to identify areas where improvements can be made and how to implement them.

Tri-District Arts Consortium Summer Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Kirby, Charlotte O.

1990-01-01

The Tri-District Arts Consortium in South Carolina was formed to serve artistically gifted students in grades six-nine. The consortium developed a summer program offering music, dance, theatre, and visual arts instruction through a curriculum of intense training, performing, and hands-on experiences with faculty members and guest artists. (JDD)

The National Astronomy Consortium (NAC)

Science.gov (United States)

Von Schill, Lyndele; Ivory, Joyce

2017-01-01

The National Astronomy Consortium (NAC) program is designed to increase the number of underrepresented minority students into STEM and STEM careers by providing unique summer research experiences followed by long-term mentoring and cohort support. Hallmarks of the NAC program include: research or internship opportunities at one of the NAC partner sites, a framework to continue research over the academic year, peer and faculty mentoring, monthly virtual hangouts, and much more. NAC students also participate in two professional travel opportunities each year: the annual NAC conference at Howard University and poster presentation at the annual AAS winter meeting following their summer internship.The National Astronomy Consortium (NAC) is a program led by the National Radio Astronomy Consortium (NRAO) and Associated Universities, Inc. (AUI), in partnership with the National Society of Black Physicist (NSBP), along with a number of minority and majority universities.

Geographic differences in time to culture conversion in liquid media: Tuberculosis Trials Consortium study 28. Culture conversion is delayed in Africa.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

William R Mac Kenzie

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Tuberculosis Trials Consortium Study 28, was a double blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, phase 2 clinical trial examining smear positive pulmonary Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Over the course of intensive phase therapy, patients from African sites had substantially delayed and lower rates of culture conversion to negative in liquid media compared to non-African patients. We explored potential explanations of this finding.In TBTC Study 28, protocol-correct patients (n = 328 provided spot sputum specimens for M. tuberculosis culture in liquid media, at baseline and weeks 2, 4, 6 and 8 of study therapy. We compared sputum culture conversion for African and non-African patients stratified by four baseline measures of disease severity: AFB smear quantification, extent of disease on chest radiograph, cavity size and the number of days to detection of M. tuberculosis in liquid media using the Kaplan-Meier product-limit method. We evaluated specimen processing and culture procedures used at 29 study laboratories serving 27 sites.African TB patients had more extensive disease at enrollment than non-African patients. However, African patients with the least disease by the 4 measures of disease severity had conversion rates on liquid media that were substantially lower than conversion rates in non-African patients with the greatest extent of disease. HIV infection, smoking and diabetes did not explain delayed conversion in Africa. Some inter-site variation in laboratory processing and culture procedures within accepted practice for clinical diagnostic laboratories was found.Compared with patients from non-African sites, African patients being treated for TB had delayed sputum culture conversion and lower sputum conversion rates in liquid media that were not explained by baseline severity of disease, HIV status, age, smoking, diabetes or race. Further investigation is warranted into whether modest variation in laboratory processes substantially

Kansas Consortium Plug-in Hybrid Medium Duty

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None, None

2012-03-31

On September 30, 2008, the US Department of Energy (DoE), issued a cooperative agreement award, DE-FC26-08NT01914, to the Metropolitan Energy Center (MEC), for a project known as “Kansas Consortium Plug-in Hybrid Medium Duty Certification” project. The cooperative agreement was awarded pursuant to H15915 in reference to H. R. 2764 Congressionally Directed Projects. The original agreement provided funding for The Consortium to implement the established project objectives as follows: (1) to understand the current state of the development of a test protocol for PHEV configurations; (2) to work with industry stakeholders to recommend a medium duty vehicle test protocol; (3) to utilize the Phase 1 Eaton PHEV F550 Chassis or other appropriate PHEV configurations to conduct emissions testing; (4) and to make an industry PHEV certification test protocol recommendation for medium duty trucks. Subsequent amendments to the initial agreement were made, the most significant being a revised Scope of Project Objectives (SOPO) that did not address actual field data since it was not available as originally expected. This project was mated by DOE with a parallel project award given to the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) in California. The SCAQMD project involved designing, building and testing of five medium duty plug-in hybrid electric trucks. SCAQMD had contracted with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) to manage the project. EPRI provided the required match to the federal grant funds to both the SCAQMD project and the Kansas Consortium project. The rational for linking the two projects was that the data derived from the SCAQMD project could be used to validate the protocols developed by the Kansas Consortium team. At the same time, the consortium team would be a useful resource to SCAQMD in designating their test procedures for emissions and operating parameters and determining vehicle mileage. The years between award of the cooperative

Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium (ROC) PRIMED cardiac arrest trial methods part 1: rationale and methodology for the impedance threshold device (ITD) protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Aufderheide, Tom P; Kudenchuk, Peter J; Hedges, Jerris R; Nichol, Graham; Kerber, Richard E; Dorian, Paul; Davis, Daniel P; Idris, Ahamed H; Callaway, Clifton W; Emerson, Scott; Stiell, Ian G; Terndrup, Thomas E

2008-08-01

The primary aim of this study is to compare survival to hospital discharge with a modified Rankin score (MRS)CPR) plus an active impedance threshold device (ITD) versus standard CPR plus a sham ITD in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Secondary aims are to compare functional status and depression at discharge and at 3 and 6 months post-discharge in survivors. Prospective, double-blind, randomized, controlled, clinical trial. Patients with non-traumatic out-of-hospital cardiac arrest treated by emergency medical services (EMS) providers. EMS systems participating in the Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium. Based on a one-sided significance level of 0.025, power=0.90, a survival with MRSCPR and sham ITD, and two interim analyses, a maximum of 14,742 evaluable patients are needed to detect a 6.69% survival with MRSCPR and active ITD (1.36% absolute survival difference). If the ITD demonstrates the hypothesized improvement in survival, it is estimated that 2700 deaths from cardiac arrest per year would be averted in North America alone.

IPD-Work consortium

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kivimäki, Mika; Singh-Manoux, Archana; Virtanen, Marianna

2015-01-01

of countries. The aim of the consortium is to estimate reliably the associations of work-related psychosocial factors with chronic diseases, disability, and mortality. Our findings are highly cited by the occupational health, epidemiology, and clinical medicine research community. However, some of the IPD-Work......'s findings have also generated disagreement as they challenge the importance of job strain as a major target for coronary heart disease (CHD) prevention, this is reflected in the critical discussion paper by Choi et al (1). In this invited reply to Choi et al, we aim to (i) describe how IPD-Work seeks......Established in 2008 and comprising over 60 researchers, the IPD-Work (individual-participant data meta-analysis in working populations) consortium is a collaborative research project that uses pre-defined meta-analyses of individual-participant data from multiple cohort studies representing a range...

The pediatric diabetes consortium: improving care of children with type 1 diabetes through collaborative research.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-09-01

Although there are some interactions between the major pediatric diabetes programs in the United States, there has been no formal, independent structure for collaboration, the sharing of information, and the development of joint research projects that utilize common outcome measures. To fill this unmet clinical and research need, a consortium of seven pediatric diabetes centers in the United States has formed the Pediatric Diabetes Consortium (PDC) through an unrestricted grant from Novo Nordisk, Inc. (Princeton, NJ). This article describes the organizational structure of the PDC and the design of a study of important clinical outcomes in children and adolescents with new-onset, type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). The outcomes study will describe the changes in A1c levels, the frequency of adverse events (diabetic ketoacidosis/severe hypoglycemia), and the frequency and timing of the "honeymoon" phase in newly diagnosed patients with T1DM over the first 12-24 months of the disease and examine the relationship between these clinical outcomes and demographic, socioeconomic, and treatment factors. This project will also allow the Consortium to develop a cohort of youth with T1DM whose clinical course has been well characterized and who wish to participate in future clinical trials and/or contribute to a repository of biological samples.

NASA space radiation transport code development consortium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Townsend, L. W.

2005-01-01

Recently, NASA established a consortium involving the Univ. of Tennessee (lead institution), the Univ. of Houston, Roanoke College and various government and national laboratories, to accelerate the development of a standard set of radiation transport computer codes for NASA human exploration applications. This effort involves further improvements of the Monte Carlo codes HETC and FLUKA and the deterministic code HZETRN, including developing nuclear reaction databases necessary to extend the Monte Carlo codes to carry out heavy ion transport, and extending HZETRN to three dimensions. The improved codes will be validated by comparing predictions with measured laboratory transport data, provided by an experimental measurements consortium, and measurements in the upper atmosphere on the balloon-borne Deep Space Test Bed (DSTB). In this paper, we present an overview of the consortium members and the current status and future plans of consortium efforts to meet the research goals and objectives of this extensive undertaking. (authors)

The bioleaching potential of a bacterial consortium.

Science.gov (United States)

Latorre, Mauricio; Cortés, María Paz; Travisany, Dante; Di Genova, Alex; Budinich, Marko; Reyes-Jara, Angélica; Hödar, Christian; González, Mauricio; Parada, Pilar; Bobadilla-Fazzini, Roberto A; Cambiazo, Verónica; Maass, Alejandro

2016-10-01

This work presents the molecular foundation of a consortium of five efficient bacteria strains isolated from copper mines currently used in state of the art industrial-scale biotechnology. The strains Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans Licanantay, Acidiphilium multivorum Yenapatur, Leptospirillum ferriphilum Pañiwe, Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans Wenelen and Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans Cutipay were selected for genome sequencing based on metal tolerance, oxidation activity and bioleaching of copper efficiency. An integrated model of metabolic pathways representing the bioleaching capability of this consortium was generated. Results revealed that greater efficiency in copper recovery may be explained by the higher functional potential of L. ferriphilum Pañiwe and At. thiooxidans Licanantay to oxidize iron and reduced inorganic sulfur compounds. The consortium had a greater capacity to resist copper, arsenic and chloride ion compared to previously described biomining strains. Specialization and particular components in these bacteria provided the consortium a greater ability to bioleach copper sulfide ores. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Directed Energy Anechoic Chamber

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — The Directed Energy Anechoic Chamber comprises a power anechoic chamber and one transverse electromagnetic cell for characterizing radiofrequency (RF) responses of...

The Science of Sustaining Health Behavior Change: The Health Maintenance Consortium

Science.gov (United States)

Ory, Marcia G.; Smith, Matthew Lee; Mier, Nelda; Wernicke, Meghan M.

2013-01-01

Objective The Health Maintenance Consortium (HMC) is a multisite Grantee Consortium funded by the National Institutes of Health from 2004–2009. The goal of HMC is to enhance understanding of the long-term maintenance of behavior change, as well as effective strategies for achieving sustainable health promotion and disease prevention. Methods This introductory research synthesis prepared by the Resource Center gives context to this theme issue by providing an overview of the HMC and the articles in this journal. Results It explores the contributions to our conceptualization of behavior change processes and intervention strategies, the trajectory of effectiveness of behavioral and social interventions, and factors influencing the long-term maintenance of behavioral and social interventions. Conclusions Future directions for furthering the science of maintaining behavior change and reducing the gaps between research and practice are recommended. PMID:20604691

Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet--an international collaborative clinical trials network.

Science.gov (United States)

Skyler, Jay S; Greenbaum, Carla J; Lachin, John M; Leschek, Ellen; Rafkin-Mervis, Lisa; Savage, Peter; Spain, Lisa

2008-12-01

Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet is an international consortium of clinical research centers aimed at the prevention or delay of type 1 diabetes (T1D). The fundamental goal of TrialNet is to counter the T1D disease process by immune modulation and/or enhancement of beta cell proliferation and regeneration. To achieve this goal, TrialNet researchers are working to better understand the natural history of the disease, to identify persons at risk, and to clinically evaluate novel therapies that balance potential risks and benefits. The particular focus is on studies of preventive measures. In addition, TrialNet evaluates therapies in individuals with newly diagnosed T1D with preserved beta cell function to help determine the risk/benefit profile and gain an initial assessment of potential efficacy in preservation of beta cell function, so that promising agents can be studied in prevention trials. In addition, TrialNet evaluates methodologies that enhance the conduct of its clinical trials, which includes tests of outcome assessment methodology, the evaluation of surrogate markers, and mechanistic studies laying the foundation for future clinical trials.

An Approach to Coordinate Efforts to Reduce the Public Health Burden of Stroke: The Delta States Stroke Consortium

OpenAIRE

Virginia J. Howard; Joe Acker; Camilo R. Gomez; Ada H. Griffies; Wanda Magers; Max Michael III; Sean R. Orr; Martha Phillips; James M. Raczynski; John E. Searcy; Richard M. Zweifler; George Howard

2004-01-01

Stroke is the third leading cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the United States, with a particularly high burden on the residents of the southeastern states, a region dubbed the Stroke Belt. These five states Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee have formed the Delta States Stroke Consortium to direct efforts to reduce this burden. The consortium is proposing an approach to identify domains where interventions may be instituted and an array of activitie...

The ocean sampling day consortium

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kopf, Anna; Bicak, Mesude; Kottmann, Renzo

2015-01-01

Ocean Sampling Day was initiated by the EU-funded Micro B3 (Marine Microbial Biodiversity, Bioinformatics, Biotechnology) project to obtain a snapshot of the marine microbial biodiversity and function of the world’s oceans. It is a simultaneous global mega-sequencing campaign aiming to generate...... the largest standardized microbial data set in a single day. This will be achievable only through the coordinated efforts of an Ocean Sampling Day Consortium, supportive partnerships and networks between sites. This commentary outlines the establishment, function and aims of the Consortium and describes our...

Community Hospital Telehealth Consortium

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Williams, Elton

2004-01-01

The Community Hospital Telehealth Consortium is a unique, forward-thinking, community-based healthcare service project organized around 5 not-for-profit community hospitals located throughout Louisiana and Mississippi...

Community Hospital Telehealth Consortium

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Williams, Elton

2003-01-01

The Community Hospital Telehealth Consortium is a unique, forward-thinking, community-based healthcare service project organized around 5 not-for-profit community hospitals located throughout Louisiana and Mississippi...

Community Hospital Telehealth Consortium

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Williams, Jr, Elton L

2007-01-01

The Community Hospital Telehealth Consortium is a unique, forward-thinking, community-based healthcare service project organized around 5 not-for-profit community hospitals located throughout Louisiana and Mississippi...

Appalachian clean coal technology consortium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kutz, K.; Yoon, Roe-Hoan

1995-01-01

The Appalachian Clean Coal Technology Consortium (ACCTC) has been established to help U.S. coal producers, particularly those in the Appalachian region, increase the production of lower-sulfur coal. The cooperative research conducted as part of the consortium activities will help utilities meet the emissions standards established by the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments, enhance the competitiveness of U.S. coals in the world market, create jobs in economically-depressed coal producing regions, and reduce U.S. dependence on foreign energy supplies. The research activities will be conducted in cooperation with coal companies, equipment manufacturers, and A ampersand E firms working in the Appalachian coal fields. This approach is consistent with President Clinton's initiative in establishing Regional Technology Alliances to meet regional needs through technology development in cooperation with industry. The consortium activities are complementary to the High-Efficiency Preparation program of the Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center, but are broader in scope as they are inclusive of technology developments for both near-term and long-term applications, technology transfer, and training a highly-skilled work force

Appalachian clean coal technology consortium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kutz, K.; Yoon, Roe-Hoan [Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State Univ., Blacksburg, VA (United States)

1995-11-01

The Appalachian Clean Coal Technology Consortium (ACCTC) has been established to help U.S. coal producers, particularly those in the Appalachian region, increase the production of lower-sulfur coal. The cooperative research conducted as part of the consortium activities will help utilities meet the emissions standards established by the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments, enhance the competitiveness of U.S. coals in the world market, create jobs in economically-depressed coal producing regions, and reduce U.S. dependence on foreign energy supplies. The research activities will be conducted in cooperation with coal companies, equipment manufacturers, and A&E firms working in the Appalachian coal fields. This approach is consistent with President Clinton`s initiative in establishing Regional Technology Alliances to meet regional needs through technology development in cooperation with industry. The consortium activities are complementary to the High-Efficiency Preparation program of the Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center, but are broader in scope as they are inclusive of technology developments for both near-term and long-term applications, technology transfer, and training a highly-skilled work force.

Clinical Trial Design Principles and Endpoint Definitions for Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair and Replacement: Part 1: Clinical Trial Design Principles: A Consensus Document From the Mitral Valve Academic Research Consortium.

Science.gov (United States)

Stone, Gregg W; Vahanian, Alec S; Adams, David H; Abraham, William T; Borer, Jeffrey S; Bax, Jeroen J; Schofer, Joachim; Cutlip, Donald E; Krucoff, Mitchell W; Blackstone, Eugene H; Généreux, Philippe; Mack, Michael J; Siegel, Robert J; Grayburn, Paul A; Enriquez-Sarano, Maurice; Lancellotti, Patrizio; Filippatos, Gerasimos; Kappetein, Arie Pieter

2015-07-21

Mitral regurgitation (MR) is one of the most prevalent valve disorders and has numerous etiologies, including primary (organic) MR, due to underlying degenerative/structural mitral valve (MV) pathology, and secondary (functional) MR, which is principally caused by global or regional left ventricular remodeling and/or severe left atrial dilation. Diagnosis and optimal management of MR requires integration of valve disease and heart failure specialists, MV cardiac surgeons, interventional cardiologists with expertise in structural heart disease, and imaging experts. The introduction of transcatheter MV therapies has highlighted the need for a consensus approach to pragmatic clinical trial design and uniform endpoint definitions to evaluate outcomes in patients with MR. The Mitral Valve Academic Research Consortium is a collaboration between leading academic research organizations and physician-scientists specializing in MV disease from the United States and Europe. Three in-person meetings were held in Virginia and New York during which 44 heart failure, valve, and imaging experts, MV surgeons and interventional cardiologists, clinical trial specialists and statisticians, and representatives from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration considered all aspects of MV pathophysiology, prognosis, and therapies, culminating in a 2-part document describing consensus recommendations for clinical trial design (Part 1) and endpoint definitions (Part 2) to guide evaluation of transcatheter and surgical therapies for MR. The adoption of these recommendations will afford robustness and consistency in the comparative effectiveness evaluation of new devices and approaches to treat MR. These principles may be useful for regulatory assessment of new transcatheter MV devices, as well as for monitoring local and regional outcomes to guide quality improvement initiatives. Copyright © 2015 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Staff Education Consortium: One Model for Collaboration.

Science.gov (United States)

Stetler, Cheryl Beth; And Others

1983-01-01

Discusses the development, organization, activities, problems, and future of a staff education consortium of five medical center hospitals in Boston. The purposes of the consortium are mutual sharing, reduction in duplication, and cost containment of educational programing. (JOW)

Multi-Directional Experimental Facility

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — The ATLSS Multi-directional Experimental Laboratory was constructed in 1987 under funding from the National Science Foundation to be a major facility for large-scale...

Brain Vascular Malformation Consortium: Overview, Progress and Future Directions.

Science.gov (United States)

Akers, Amy L; Ball, Karen L; Clancy, Marianne; Comi, Anne M; Faughnan, Marie E; Gopal-Srivastava, Rashmi; Jacobs, Thomas P; Kim, Helen; Krischer, Jeffrey; Marchuk, Douglas A; McCulloch, Charles E; Morrison, Leslie; Moses, Marsha; Moy, Claudia S; Pawlikowska, Ludmilla; Young, William L

2013-04-01

Brain vascular malformations are resource-intensive to manage effectively, are associated with serious neurological morbidity, lack specific medical therapies, and have no validated biomarkers for disease severity and progression. Investigators have tended to work in "research silos" with suboptimal cross-communication. We present here a paradigm for interdisciplinary collaboration to facilitate rare disease research. The Brain Vascular Malformation Consortium (BVMC) is a multidisciplinary, inter-institutional group of investigators, one of 17 consortia in the Office of Rare Disease Research Rare Disease Clinical Research Network (RDCRN). The diseases under study are: familial Cerebral Cavernous Malformations type 1, common Hispanic mutation (CCM1-CHM); Sturge-Weber Syndrome (SWS); and brain arteriovenous malformation in hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT). Each project is developing biomarkers for disease progression and severity, and has established scalable, relational databases for observational and longitudinal studies that are stored centrally by the RDCRN Data Management and Coordinating Center. Patient Support Organizations (PSOs) are a key RDCRN component in the recruitment and support of participants. The BVMC PSOs include Angioma Alliance, Sturge Weber Foundation , and HHT Foundation International . Our networks of clinical centers of excellence in SWS and HHT, as well as our PSOs, have enhanced BVMC patient recruitment. The BVMC provides unique and valuable resources to the clinical neurovascular community, and recently reported findings are reviewed. Future planned studies will apply successful approaches and insights across the three projects to leverage the combined resources of the BVMC and RDCRN in advancing new biomarkers and treatment strategies for patients with vascular malformations.

Corn in consortium with forages

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cássia Maria de Paula Garcia

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The basic premises for sustainable agricultural development with focus on rural producers are reducing the costs of production and aggregation of values through the use crop-livestock system (CLS throughout the year. The CLS is based on the consortium of grain crops, especially corn with tropical forages, mainly of the genus Panicum and Urochloa. The study aimed to evaluate the grain yield of irrigated corn crop intercropped with forage of the genus Panicum and Urochloa. The experiment was conducted at the Fazenda de Ensino, Pesquisa e Extensão – FEPE  of the Faculdade de Engenharia - UNESP, Ilha Solteira in an Oxisol in savannah conditions and in the autumn winter of 2009. The experimental area was irrigated by a center pivot and had a history of no-tillage system for 8 years. The corn hybrid used was simple DKB 390 YG at distances of 0.90 m. The seeds of grasses were sown in 0.34 m spacing in the amount of 5 kg ha-1, they were mixed with fertilizer minutes before sowing  and placed in a compartment fertilizer seeder and fertilizers were mechanically deposited in the soil at a depth of 0.03 m. The experimental design used was a randomized block with four replications and five treatments: Panicum maximum cv. Tanzania sown during the nitrogen fertilization (CTD of the corn; Panicum maximum cv. Mombaça sown during the nitrogen fertilization (CMD of the corn; Urochloa brizantha cv. Xaraés sown during the occasion of nitrogen fertilization (CBD of the corn; Urochloa ruziziensis cv. Comumsown during the nitrogen fertilization (CRD of the corn and single corn (control. The production components of corn: plant population per hectare (PlPo, number of ears per hectare (NE ha-1, number of rows per ear (NRE, number of kernels per row on the cob (NKR, number of grain in the ear (NGE and mass of 100 grains (M100G were not influenced by consortium with forage. Comparing grain yield (GY single corn and maize intercropped with forage of the genus Panicum

Improved Endpoints for Cancer Immunotherapy Trials

Science.gov (United States)

Eggermont, Alexander M. M.; Janetzki, Sylvia; Hodi, F. Stephen; Ibrahim, Ramy; Anderson, Aparna; Humphrey, Rachel; Blumenstein, Brent; Wolchok, Jedd

2010-01-01

Unlike chemotherapy, which acts directly on the tumor, cancer immunotherapies exert their effects on the immune system and demonstrate new kinetics that involve building a cellular immune response, followed by changes in tumor burden or patient survival. Thus, adequate design and evaluation of some immunotherapy clinical trials require a new development paradigm that includes reconsideration of established endpoints. Between 2004 and 2009, several initiatives facilitated by the Cancer Immunotherapy Consortium of the Cancer Research Institute and partner organizations systematically evaluated an immunotherapy-focused clinical development paradigm and created the principles for redefining trial endpoints. On this basis, a body of clinical and laboratory data was generated that supports three novel endpoint recommendations. First, cellular immune response assays generate highly variable results. Assay harmonization in multicenter trials may minimize variability and help to establish cellular immune response as a reproducible biomarker, thus allowing investigation of its relationship with clinical outcomes. Second, immunotherapy may induce novel patterns of antitumor response not captured by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors or World Health Organization criteria. New immune-related response criteria were defined to more comprehensively capture all response patterns. Third, delayed separation of Kaplan–Meier curves in randomized immunotherapy trials can affect results. Altered statistical models describing hazard ratios as a function of time and recognizing differences before and after separation of curves may allow improved planning of phase III trials. These recommendations may improve our tools for cancer immunotherapy trials and may offer a more realistic and useful model for clinical investigation. PMID:20826737

A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing the Letter Project Advance Directive to Traditional Advance Directive.

Science.gov (United States)

Periyakoil, Vyjeyanthi S; Neri, Eric; Kraemer, Helena

2017-09-01

Simpler alternatives to traditional advance directives that are easy to understand and available in multiple formats and can be initiated by patients and families will help facilitate advance care planning. The goal of this study was to compare the acceptability of the letter advance directive (LAD) to the traditional advance directive (TAD) of the state of California. A web-based, randomized controlled trial was conducted, in which the participants were randomized to one of two types of advance directives (ADs): the LAD (intervention) or the TAD (control). Primary outcomes were participant ratings of the ease, value, and their level of comfort in the AD document they completed. A total of 400 participants completed the study, with 216 randomized to the LAD and 184 to the TAD by a computerized algorithm. Overall, participants preferred the LAD to the TAD (success rate difference [SRD] = 0.46, 95th percentile confidence interval [CI]: 0.36-0.56, p advance directive to be a better alternative to the traditional advance directive form.

Kansas Wind Energy Consortium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gruenbacher, Don [Kansas State Univ., Manhattan, KS (United States)

2015-12-31

This project addresses both fundamental and applied research problems that will help with problems defined by the DOE “20% Wind by 2030 Report”. In particular, this work focuses on increasing the capacity of small or community wind generation capabilities that would be operated in a distributed generation approach. A consortium (KWEC – Kansas Wind Energy Consortium) of researchers from Kansas State University and Wichita State University aims to dramatically increase the penetration of wind energy via distributed wind power generation. We believe distributed generation through wind power will play a critical role in the ability to reach and extend the renewable energy production targets set by the Department of Energy. KWEC aims to find technical and economic solutions to enable widespread implementation of distributed renewable energy resources that would apply to wind.

Effect of candesartan on prevention (DIRECT-Prevent 1) and progression (DIRECT-Protect 1) of retinopathy in type 1 diabetes: randomised, placebo-controlled trials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chaturvedi, N.; Porta, M.; Klein, R.

2008-01-01

of retinopathy in type 1 diabetes. METHODS: Two randomised, double-blind, parallel-design, placebo-controlled trials were done in 309 centres worldwide. Participants with normotensive, normoalbuminuric type 1 diabetes without retinopathy were recruited to the DIRECT-Prevent 1 trial and those with existing...... retinopathy were recruited to DIRECT-Protect 1, and were assigned to candesartan 16 mg once a day or matching placebo. After 1 month, the dose was doubled to 32 mg. Investigators and participants were unaware of the treatment allocation status. The primary endpoints were incidence and progression......BACKGROUND: Results of previous studies suggest that renin-angiotensin system blockers might reduce the burden of diabetic retinopathy. We therefore designed the DIabetic REtinopathy Candesartan Trials (DIRECT) Programme to assess whether candesartan could reduce the incidence and progression...

Migrating from Informal to Formal Consortium — COSTLI Issues

Science.gov (United States)

Birdie, C.; Patil, Y. M.

2010-10-01

There are many models of library consortia which have come into existence due to various reasons and compulsions. FORSA (Forum for Resource Sharing in Astronomy) is an informal consortium born from the links between academic institutions specializing in astronomy in India. FORSA is a cooperative venture initiated by library professionals. Though this consortium was formed mainly for inter-lending activities and bibliographic access, it has matured over the years to adopt the consortium approach on cooperative acquisitions, due to increased requirements.

OneFlorida Clinical Research Consortium: Linking a Clinical and Translational Science Institute With a Community-Based Distributive Medical Education Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Shenkman, Elizabeth; Hurt, Myra; Hogan, William; Carrasquillo, Olveen; Smith, Steven; Brickman, Andrew; Nelson, David

2018-03-01

Developing a national pragmatic clinical trial infrastructure is central to understanding the effectiveness of interventions applied under usual conditions and where people receive health care. To address this challenge, three Florida universities-the University of Florida Clinical and Translational Science Institute, Florida State University (with its community-based distributive medical education model), and the University of Miami-created (2010-2013) a statewide consortium, the OneFlorida Clinical Research Consortium, to support the conduct of pragmatic clinical trials and provide mentored research experiences for medical and graduate students in real-world practice settings. OneFlorida has four programs, which report to a steering committee with membership from each partner, community members, and the state Medicaid agency and Department of Health to ensure shared governance. The Clinical Research Program provides support to conduct research in the network and uses champions to engage community clinicians. The Citizen Scientist Program has community members who provide input on health topics of importance to them, study design, recruitment and retention strategies, and the interpretation of findings. The Data Trust Program contains electronic health record and health care claims data for 10.6 million Floridians. The Minority Education Program, in collaboration with three historically black colleges and universities, offers minority junior faculty mentoring in pragmatic clinical trials and implementation science. OneFlorida has implemented 27 studies with diverse patient populations and in diverse community practice settings. To identify evidence-based best practices from the clinical trials conducted in the network, foster their implementation, and expand research training opportunities.

Northern New Jersey Nursing Education Consortium: a partnership for graduate nursing education.

Science.gov (United States)

Quinless, F W; Levin, R F

1998-01-01

The purpose of this article is to describe the evolution and implementation of the Northern New Jersey Nursing Education consortium--a consortium of seven member institutions established in 1992. Details regarding the specific functions of the consortium relative to cross-registration of students in graduate courses, financial disbursement of revenue, faculty development activities, student services, library privileges, and institutional research review board mechanisms are described. The authors also review the administrative organizational structure through which the work conducted by the consortium occurs. Both the advantages and disadvantages of such a graduate consortium are explored, and specific examples of recent potential and real conflicts are fully discussed. The authors detail governance and structure of the consortium as a potential model for replication in other environments.

Consolidated Bio-Processing of Cellulosic Biomass for Efficient Biofuel Production Using Yeast Consortium

Science.gov (United States)

Goyal, Garima

Fossil fuels have been the major source for liquid transportation fuels for ages. However, decline in oil reserves and environmental concerns have raised a lot of interest in alternative and renewable energy sources. One promising alternative is the conversion of plant biomass into ethanol. The primary biomass feed stocks currently being used for the ethanol industry have been food based biomass (corn and sugar cane). However, interest has recently shifted to replace these traditional feed-stocks with more abundant, non-food based cellulosic biomass such as agriculture wastes (corn stover) or crops (switch grass). The use of cellulosic biomass as feed stock for the production of ethanol via bio-chemical routes presents many technical challenges not faced with the use of corn or sugar-cane as feed-stock. Recently, a new process called consolidated Bio-processing (CBP) has been proposed. This process combines simultaneous saccharification of lignocellulose with fermentation of the resulting sugars into a single process step mediated by a single microorganism or microbial consortium. Although there is no natural microorganism that possesses all properties of lignocellulose utilization and ethanol production desired for CBP, some bacteria and fungi exhibit some of the essential traits. The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is the most attractive host organism for the usage of this strategy due to its high ethanol productivity at close to theoretical yields (0.51g ethanol/g glucose consumed), high osmo- and ethanol- tolerance, natural robustness in industrial processes, and ease of genetic manipulation. Introduction of the cellulosome, found naturally in microorganisms, has shown new directions to deal with recalcitrant biomass. In this case enzymes work in synergy in order to hydrolyze biomass more effectively than in case of free enzymes. A microbial consortium has been successfully developed, which ensures the functional assembly of minicellulosome on the yeast surface

Experience With Direct-to-Patient Recruitment for Enrollment Into a Clinical Trial in a Rare Disease: A Web-Based Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Krischer, Jeffrey; Cronholm, Peter F; Burroughs, Cristina; McAlear, Carol A; Borchin, Renee; Easley, Ebony; Davis, Trocon; Kullman, Joyce; Carette, Simon; Khalidi, Nader; Koening, Curry; Langford, Carol A; Monach, Paul; Moreland, Larry; Pagnoux, Christian; Specks, Ulrich; Sreih, Antoine G; Ytterberg, Steven; Merkel, Peter A

2017-02-28

The target sample size for clinical trials often necessitates a multicenter (center of excellence, CoE) approach with associated added complexity, cost, and regulatory requirements. Alternative recruitment strategies need to be tested against this standard model. The aim of our study was to test whether a Web-based direct recruitment approach (patient-centric, PC) using social marketing strategies provides a viable option to the CoE recruitment method. PC recruitment and Web-based informed consent was compared with CoE recruitment for a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of continuing versus stopping low-dose prednisone for maintenance of remission of patients with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA). The PC approach was not as successful as the CoE approach. Enrollment of those confirmed eligible by their physician was 10 of 13 (77%) and 49 of 51 (96%) in the PC and CoE arms, respectively (P=.05). The two approaches were not significantly different in terms of eligibility with 34% of potential participants in the CoE found to be ineligible as compared with 22% in the PC arm (P=.11) nor in provider acceptance, 22% versus 26% (P=.78). There was no difference in the understanding of the trial as reflected in the knowledge surveys of individuals in the PC and CoE arms. PC recruitment was substantially less successful than that achieved by the CoE approach. However, the PC approach was good at confirming eligibility and was as acceptable to providers and as understandable to patients as the CoE approach. The PC approach should be evaluated in other clinical settings to get a better sense of its potential. ©Jeffrey Krischer, Peter F Cronholm, Cristina Burroughs, Carol A McAlear, Renee Borchin, Ebony Easley, Trocon Davis, Joyce Kullman, Simon Carette, Nader Khalidi, Curry Koening, Carol A Langford, Paul Monach, Larry Moreland, Christian Pagnoux, Ulrich Specks, Antoine G Sreih, Steven Ytterberg, Peter A Merkel, Vasculitis Clinical Research Consortium. Originally

Atlantic Coast Environmental Indicators Consortium

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — n 2000, the US EPA granted authority to establish up to five Estuarine Indicator Research Programs. These Programs were designed to identify, evaluate, recommend and...

The nation's first consortium to address waste management issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mikel, C.J.

1991-01-01

On July 26, 1989, the secretary of the Department of Energy (DOE), Admiral James Watkins, announced approval of the Waste-Management Education and Research Consortium (WERC). The consortium is composed of New Mexico State University (NMSU), the University of New Mexico, the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and Sandia National Laboratories. This pilot program is expected to form a model for other regional and national programs. The WERC mission is to expand the national capability to address issues associated with the management of hazardous, radioactive, and solid waste. Research, technology transfer, and education/training are the three areas that have been identified to accomplish the objectives set by the consortium. The members of the consortium will reach out to the DOE facilities, other government agencies and facilities, and private institutions across the country. Their goal is to provide resources for solutions to waste management problems

Renewable Generators' Consortium: ensuring a market for green electricity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-03-01

This project summary focuses on the objectives and key achievements of the Renewable Generators Consortium (RGC) which was established to help renewable energy projects under the Non-Fossil Fuel Obligation (NFFO) to continue to generate in the open liberated post-1998 electricity market. The background to the NFFO is traced, and the development of the Consortium, and the attitudes of generators and suppliers to the Consortium are discussed along with the advantages of collective negotiations through the RGC, the Heads of Terms negotiations, and the success of RGC which has demonstrated the demand for green electricity

Computational Astrophysics Consortium 3 - Supernovae, Gamma-Ray Bursts and Nucleosynthesis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Woosley, Stan [Univ. of California, Santa Cruz, CA (United States)

2014-08-29

Final project report for UCSC's participation in the Computational Astrophysics Consortium - Supernovae, Gamma-Ray Bursts and Nucleosynthesis. As an appendix, the report of the entire Consortium is also appended.

Cultivation of algae consortium in a dairy farm wastewater for biodiesel production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Hena

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Dairy farm wastewaters are potential resources for production of microalgae biofuels. A study was conducted to evaluate the capability of production of biodiesel from consortium of native microalgae culture in dairy farm treated wastewater. Native algal strains were isolated from dairy farm wastewaters collection tank (untreated wastewater as well as from holding tank (treated wastewater. The consortium members were selected on the basis of fluorescence response after treating with Nile red reagent. Preliminary studies of two commercial and consortium of ten native strains of algae showed good growth in wastewaters. A consortium of native strains was found capable to remove more than 98% nutrients from treated wastewater. The biomass production and lipid content of consortium cultivated in treated wastewater were 153.54 t ha−1 year−1 and 16.89%, respectively. 72.70% of algal lipid obtained from consortium could be converted into biodiesel.

The Genomic Standards Consortium

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Field, Dawn; Amaral-Zettler, Linda; Cochrane, Guy

2011-01-01

Standards Consortium (GSC), an open-membership organization that drives community-based standardization activities, Here we provide a short history of the GSC, provide an overview of its range of current activities, and make a call for the scientific community to join forces to improve the quality...

Inland valley research in sub-Saharan Africa; priorities for a regional consortium

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jamin, J.Y.; Andriesse, W.; Thiombiano, L.; Windmeijer, P.N.

1996-01-01

These proceedings are an account of an international workshop in support of research strategy development for the Inland Valley Consortium in sub-Saharan Africa. This consortium aims at concerted research planning for rice-based cropping systems in the lower parts of inland valleys. The Consortium

Real-Time Multi-Directional Equipment Site

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — As part of the George E. Brown, Jr. Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES) Program, Lehigh University has established the Real-Time Multi-Directional...

The Consortium for the Valuation of Applications Benefits Linked with Earth Science (VALUABLES)

Science.gov (United States)

Kuwayama, Y.; Mabee, B.; Wulf Tregar, S.

2017-12-01

National and international organizations are placing greater emphasis on the societal and economic benefits that can be derived from applications of Earth observations, yet improvements are needed to connect to the decision processes that produce actions with direct societal benefits. There is a need to substantiate the benefits of Earth science applications in socially and economically meaningful terms in order to demonstrate return on investment and to prioritize investments across data products, modeling capabilities, and information systems. However, methods and techniques for quantifying the value proposition of Earth observations are currently not fully established. Furthermore, it has been challenging to communicate the value of these investments to audiences beyond the Earth science community. The Consortium for the Valuation of Applications Benefits Linked with Earth Science (VALUABLES), a cooperative agreement between Resources for the Future (RFF) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), has the goal of advancing methods for the valuation and communication of the applied benefits linked with Earth observations. The VALUABLES Consortium will focus on three pillars: (a) a research pillar that will apply existing and innovative methods to quantify the socioeconomic benefits of information from Earth observations; (b) a capacity building pillar to catalyze interdisciplinary linkages between Earth scientists and social scientists; and (c) a communications pillar that will convey the value of Earth observations to stakeholders in government, universities, the NGO community, and the interested public. In this presentation, we will describe ongoing and future activities of the VALUABLES Consortium, provide a brief overview of frameworks to quantify the socioeconomic value of Earth observations, and describe how Earth scientists and social scientist can get involved in the Consortium's activities.

PhysioDirect: Supporting physiotherapists to deliver telephone assessment and advice services within the context of a randomised trial

Science.gov (United States)

Bishop, Annette; Gamlin, Jill; Hall, Jeanette; Hopper, Cherida; Foster, Nadine E.

2013-01-01

Physiotherapy-led telephone assessment and advice services for patients with musculoskeletal problems have been developed in many services in the UK, but high quality trial data on clinical and cost effectiveness has been lacking. In order to address this ‘The PhysioDirect trial’ (ISRCTN55666618), was a pragmatic randomised trial of a PhysioDirect telephone assessment and advice service. This paper describes the PhysioDirect system used in the trial and how physiotherapists were trained and supported to use the system and deliver the PhysioDirect service. The PhysioDirect system used in the trial was developed in Huntingdon and now serves a population of 350,000 people. When initiating or providing physiotherapy-led telephone assessment and advice services training and support for physiotherapists delivering care in this way is essential. An enhanced skill set is required for telephone assessment and advice particularly in listening and communication skills. In addition to an initial training programme, even experienced physiotherapists benefit from a period of skill consolidation to become proficient and confident in assessing patients and delivering care using the telephone. A computer-based system assists the delivery of a physiotherapy-led musculoskeletal assessment and advice service. Clinical Trials Registration Number (ISRCTN55666618). PMID:23219629

Urban Consortium Energy Task Force - Year 21 Final Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2003-04-01

The Urban Consortium Energy Task Force (UCETF), comprised of representatives of large cities and counties in the United States, is a subgroup of the Urban Consortium, an organization of the nation's largest cities and counties joined together to identify, develop and deploy innovative approaches and technological solutions to pressing urban issues.

'PhysioDirect' telephone assessment and advice services for physiotherapy: protocol for a pragmatic randomised controlled trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hopper Cherida

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Providing timely access to physiotherapy has long been a problem for the National Health Service in the United Kingdom. In an attempt to improve access some physiotherapy services have introduced a new treatment pathway known as PhysioDirect. Physiotherapists offer initial assessment and advice by telephone, supported by computerised algorithms, and patients are sent written self-management and exercise advice by post. They are invited for face-to-face treatment only when necessary. Although several such services have been developed, there is no robust evidence regarding clinical and cost-effectiveness, nor the acceptability of PhysioDirect. Methods/Design This protocol describes a multi-centre pragmatic individually randomised trial, with nested qualitative research. The aim is to determine the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and acceptability of PhysioDirect compared with usual models of physiotherapy based on patients going onto a waiting list and receiving face-to-face care. PhysioDirect services will be established in four areas in England. Adult patients in these areas with musculoskeletal problems who refer themselves or are referred by a primary care practitioner for physiotherapy will be invited to participate in the trial. About 1875 consenting patients will be randomised in a 2:1 ratio to PhysioDirect or usual care. Data about outcome measures will be collected at baseline and 6 weeks and 6 months after randomisation. The primary outcome is clinical improvement at 6 months; secondary outcomes include cost, waiting times, time lost from work and usual activities, patient satisfaction and preference. The impact of PhysioDirect on patients in different age-groups and with different conditions will also be examined. Incremental cost-effectiveness will be assessed in terms of quality adjusted life years in relation to cost. Qualitative methods will be used to explore factors associated with the success or failure of

Virginia ADS consortium - thorium utilization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Myneni, Ganapati

2015-01-01

A Virginia ADS consortium, consisting of Virginia Universities (UVa, VCU, VT), Industry (Casting Analysis Corporation, GEM*STAR, MuPlus Inc.), Jefferson Lab and not-for-profit ISOHIM, has been organizing International Accelerator-Driven Sub-Critical Systems (ADS) and Thorium Utilization (ThU) workshops. The third workshop of this series was hosted by VCU in Richmond, Virginia, USA Oct 2014 with CBMM and IAEA sponsorship and was endorsed by International Thorium Energy Committee (IThEC), Geneva and Virginia Nuclear Energy Consortium Authority. In this presentation a brief summary of the successful 3 rd International ADS and ThU workshop proceedings and review the worldwide ADS plans and/or programs is given. Additionally, a report on new start-ups on Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) systems is presented. Further, a discussion on potential simplistic fertile 232 Th to fissile 233 U conversion is made

Consortium for Verification Technology Fellowship Report.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sadler, Lorraine E. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2017-06-01

As one recipient of the Consortium for Verification Technology (CVT) Fellowship, I spent eight days as a visiting scientist at the University of Michigan, Department of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences (NERS). During this time, I participated in multiple department and research group meetings and presentations, met with individual faculty and students, toured multiple laboratories, and taught one-half of a one-unit class on Risk Analysis in Nuclear Arms control (six 1.5 hour lectures). The following report describes some of the interactions that I had during my time as well as a brief discussion of the impact of this fellowship on members of the consortium and on me/my laboratory’s technical knowledge and network.

Brain Tumor Epidemiology Consortium (BTEC)

Science.gov (United States)

The Brain Tumor Epidemiology Consortium is an open scientific forum organized to foster the development of multi-center, international and inter-disciplinary collaborations that will lead to a better understanding of the etiology, outcomes, and prevention of brain tumors.

NASA Systems Engineering Research Consortium: Defining the Path to Elegance in Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Watson, Michael D.; Farrington, Phillip A.

2016-01-01

The NASA Systems Engineering Research Consortium was formed at the end of 2010 to study the approaches to producing elegant systems on a consistent basis. This has been a transformative study looking at the engineering and organizational basis of systems engineering. The consortium has engaged in a variety of research topics to determine the path to elegant systems. In the second year of the consortium, a systems engineering framework emerged which structured the approach to systems engineering and guided our research. This led in the third year to set of systems engineering postulates that the consortium is continuing to refine. The consortium has conducted several research projects that have contributed significantly to the understanding of systems engineering. The consortium has surveyed the application of the NASA 17 systems engineering processes, explored the physics and statistics of systems integration, and considered organizational aspects of systems engineering discipline integration. The systems integration methods have included system exergy analysis, Akaike Information Criteria (AIC), State Variable Analysis, Multidisciplinary Coupling Analysis (MCA), Multidisciplinary Design Optimization (MDO), System Cost Modelling, System Robustness, and Value Modelling. Organizational studies have included the variability of processes in change evaluations, margin management within the organization, information theory of board structures, social categorization of unintended consequences, and initial looks at applying cognitive science to systems engineering. Consortium members have also studied the bidirectional influence of policy and law with systems engineering.

Center for Direct Reading and Sensor Technologies

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — Direct-reading methods and sensors are being used more frequently in many different settings ranging from personal monitoring of individual health to applications in...

Direct Ethanol Production from Breadfruit Starch (Artocarpus communis Forst. by Engineered Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation (ESSF using Microbes Consortium

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iftachul Farida

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Breadfruit (Artocarpus communis Forst. is one of sources for ethanol production, which has high starch content (89%. Ethanol production from breadfruit starch was conducted by Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation (SSF technology using microbes consortium. The aim of the research was to examine a method to produce ethanol by SSF technology using microbes consortium at high yield and efficiency. The main research consisted of two treatments, namely normal SSF and enginereed SSF. The results showed that normal SSF using aeration and agitation during cultivation could produce ethanol at 11.15 ± 0.18 g/L, with the yield of product (Yp/s 0.34 g ethanol/g substrate; and yield of biomass (Yx/s 0.29 g cell/g substrate, respectively. A better result was obtained using engineered SSF in which aeration was stopped after biomass condition has reached the end of the exponential phase. The ethanol produced was 12.75 ± 0.04 g/L, with the yields of product (Yp/s 0.41 g ethanol/g substrate, and the yield of cell (Yx/s 0.09 g cell/g substrate.

The LBNL/JSU/AGMUS Science Consortium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-04-01

This report discusses the 11 year of accomplishments of the science consortium of minority graduates from Jackson State University and Ana G. Mendez University at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Development and utilization of complementary communication channels for treatment decision making and survivorship issues among cancer patients: The CIS Research Consortium Experience

OpenAIRE

Linda Fleisher; Kuang Yi Wen; Suzanne M. Miller; Michael Diefenbach; Annette L. Stanton; Mary Ropka; Marion Morra; Peter C. Raich

2015-01-01

Objective: Cancer patients and survivors are assuming active roles in decision-making and digital patient support tools are widely used to facilitate patient engagement. As part of Cancer Information Service Research Consortium's randomized controlled trials focused on the efficacy of eHealth interventions to promote informed treatment decision-making for newly diagnosed prostate and breast cancer patients, and post-treatment breast cancer, we conducted a rigorous process evaluation to examin...

Midwest Nuclear Science and Engineering Consortium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Volkert, Wynn; Kumar, Arvind; Becker, Bryan; Schwinke, Victor; Gonzalez, Angel; McGregor, Douglas

2010-01-01

The objective of the Midwest Nuclear Science and Engineering Consortium (MNSEC) is to enhance the scope, quality and integration of educational and research capabilities of nuclear sciences and engineering (NS/E) programs at partner schools in support of the U.S. nuclear industry (including DOE laboratories). With INIE support, MNSEC had a productive seven years and made impressive progress in achieving these goals. Since the past three years have been no-cost-extension periods, limited -- but notable -- progress has been made in FY10. Existing programs continue to be strengthened and broadened at Consortium partner institutions. The enthusiasm generated by the academic, state, federal, and industrial communities for the MNSEC activities is reflected in the significant leveraging that has occurred for our programs.

Midwest Nuclear Science and Engineering Consortium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dr. Wynn Volkert; Dr. Arvind Kumar; Dr. Bryan Becker; Dr. Victor Schwinke; Dr. Angel Gonzalez; Dr. DOuglas McGregor

2010-12-08

The objective of the Midwest Nuclear Science and Engineering Consortium (MNSEC) is to enhance the scope, quality and integration of educational and research capabilities of nuclear sciences and engineering (NS/E) programs at partner schools in support of the U.S. nuclear industry (including DOE laboratories). With INIE support, MNSEC had a productive seven years and made impressive progress in achieving these goals. Since the past three years have been no-cost-extension periods, limited -- but notable -- progress has been made in FY10. Existing programs continue to be strengthened and broadened at Consortium partner institutions. The enthusiasm generated by the academic, state, federal, and industrial communities for the MNSEC activities is reflected in the significant leveraging that has occurred for our programs.

Analysing data from patient-reported outcome and quality of life endpoints for cancer clinical trials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bottomley, Andrew; Pe, Madeline; Sloan, Jeff

2016-01-01

Measures of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and other patient-reported outcomes generate important data in cancer randomised trials to assist in assessing the risks and benefits of cancer therapies and fostering patient-centred cancer care. However, the various ways these measures are anal......Measures of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and other patient-reported outcomes generate important data in cancer randomised trials to assist in assessing the risks and benefits of cancer therapies and fostering patient-centred cancer care. However, the various ways these measures...... are analysed and interpreted make it difficult to compare results across trials, and hinders the application of research findings to inform publications, product labelling, clinical guidelines, and health policy. To address these problems, the Setting International Standards in Analyzing Patient......-Reported Outcomes and Quality of Life Endpoints Data (SISAQOL) initiative has been established. This consortium, directed by the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC), was convened to provide recommendations on how to standardise the analysis of HRQOL and other patient-reported outcomes...

Deep-biosphere consortium of fungi and prokaryotes in Eocene subseafloor basalts.

Science.gov (United States)

Bengtson, S; Ivarsson, M; Astolfo, A; Belivanova, V; Broman, C; Marone, F; Stampanoni, M

2014-11-01

The deep biosphere of the subseafloor crust is believed to contain a significant part of Earth's biomass, but because of the difficulties of directly observing the living organisms, its composition and ecology are poorly known. We report here a consortium of fossilized prokaryotic and eukaryotic micro-organisms, occupying cavities in deep-drilled vesicular basalt from the Emperor Seamounts, Pacific Ocean, 67.5 m below seafloor (mbsf). Fungal hyphae provide the framework on which prokaryote-like organisms are suspended like cobwebs and iron-oxidizing bacteria form microstromatolites (Frutexites). The spatial inter-relationships show that the organisms were living at the same time in an integrated fashion, suggesting symbiotic interdependence. The community is contemporaneous with secondary mineralizations of calcite partly filling the cavities. The fungal hyphae frequently extend into the calcite, indicating that they were able to bore into the substrate through mineral dissolution. A symbiotic relationship with chemoautotrophs, as inferred for the observed consortium, may be a pre-requisite for the eukaryotic colonization of crustal rocks. Fossils thus open a window to the extant as well as the ancient deep biosphere. © 2014 The Authors. Geobiology Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Therapeutics discovery: From bench to first in-human trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Hujaily, Ensaf M; Khatlani, Tanvir; Alehaideb, Zeyad; Ali, Rizwan; Almuzaini, Bader; Alrfaei, Bahauddeen M; Iqbal, Jahangir; Islam, Imadul; Malik, Shuja; Marwani, Bader A; Massadeh, Salam; Nehdi, Atef; Alsomaie, Barrak; Debasi, Bader; Bushnak, Ibraheem; Noibi, Saeed; Hussain, Syed; Wajid, Wahid Abdul; Armand, Jean-Pierre; Gul, Sheraz; Oyarzabal, Julen; Rais, Rana; Bountra, Chas; Alaskar, Ahmed; Knawy, Bander Al; Boudjelal, Mohamed

2018-03-01

The 'Therapeutics discovery: From bench to first in-human trials' conference, held at the King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs (MNGHA), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) from October 10-12, 2017, provided a unique opportunity for experts worldwide to discuss advances in drug discovery and development, focusing on phase I clinical trials. It was the first event of its kind to be hosted at the new research center, which was constructed to boost drug discovery and development in the KSA in collaboration with institutions, such as the Academic Drug Discovery Consortium in the United States of America (USA), Structural Genomics Consortium of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom (UK), and Institute of Materia Medica of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences in China. The program was divided into two parts. A pre-symposium day took place on October 10, during which courses were conducted on clinical trials, preclinical drug discovery, molecular biology and nanofiber research. The attendees had the opportunity for one-to-one meetings with international experts to exchange information and foster collaborations. In the second part of the conference, which took place on October 11 and 12, the clinical trials pipeline, design and recruitment of volunteers, and economic impact of clinical trials were discussed. The Saudi Food and Drug Administration presented the regulations governing clinical trials in the KSA. The process of preclinical drug discovery from small molecules, cellular and immunologic therapies, and approaches to identifying new targets were also presented. The recommendation of the conference was that researchers in the KSA must invest more fund, talents and infrastructure to lead the region in phase I clinical trials and preclinical drug discovery. Diseases affecting the local population, such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome and resistant bacterial infections, represent the optimal

Recovery of valuable metals from polymetallic mine tailings by natural microbial consortium.

Science.gov (United States)

Vardanyan, Narine; Sevoyan, Garegin; Navasardyan, Taron; Vardanyan, Arevik

2018-05-28

Possibilities for the recovery of non-ferrous and precious metals from Kapan polymetallic mine tailings (Armenia) were studied. The aim of this paper was to study the possibilities of bioleaching of samples of concentrated tailings by the natural microbial consortium of drainage water. The extent of extraction of metals from the samples of concentrated tailings by natural microbial consortium reached 41-55% and 53-73% for copper and zinc, respectively. Metal leaching efficiencies of pure culture Leptospirillum ferrooxidans Teg were higher, namely 47-93% and 73-81% for copper and zinc, respectively. The content of gold in solid phase of tailings increased about 7-16% and 2-9% after bio-oxidation process by L. ferrooxidans Teg and natural microbial consortium, respectively. It was shown that bioleaching of the samples of tailings could be performed using the natural consortium of drainage water. However, to increase the intensity of the recovery of valuable metals, natural consortium of drainage water combined with iron-oxidizing L. ferrooxidans Teg has been proposed.

Mineralization of linear alkylbenzene sulfonate by a four-member aerobic bacterial consortium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jimenez, L.; Breen, A.; Thomas, N.; Sayler, G.S.; Federle, T.W.

1991-01-01

A bacterial consortium capable of linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) mineralization under aerobic conditions was isolated from a chemostat inoculated with activated sludge. The consortium, designated KJB, consisted of four members, all of which were gram-negative, rod-shaped bacteria that grew in pairs and short chains. Three isolates had biochemical properties characteristic of Pseudomonas spp.; the fourth showed characteristics of the Aeromonas spp. Cell suspensions were grown together in minimal medium with [ 14 C]LAS as the only carbon source. After 13 days of incubation, more than 25% of the [ 14 C]LAS was mineralized to 14 CO 2 by the consortium. Pure bacterial cultures and combinations lacking any one member of the KJB bacterial consortium did not mineralize LAS. Three isolates carried out primary biodegradation of the surfactant, and one did not. This study shows that the four bacteria complemented each other and synergistically mineralized LAS, indicating catabolic cooperation among the four consortium members

Aims, organization and activities of the consortium for underground storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stucky, G.

1977-01-01

The consortium of Swiss authorities interested in underground storage (the petroleum oil and gas industries, for fuel storage; the nuclear industry for radioactive waste disposal), was initiated in 1972. The author outlines the motives behind the formation of the consortium and outlines its structure and objectives. The envisaged projects are outlined. (F.Q.)

Prebiotics Mediate Microbial Interactions in a Consortium of the Infant Gut Microbiome.

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Medina, Daniel A; Pinto, Francisco; Ovalle, Aline; Thomson, Pamela; Garrido, Daniel

2017-10-04

Composition of the gut microbiome is influenced by diet. Milk or formula oligosaccharides act as prebiotics, bioactives that promote the growth of beneficial gut microbes. The influence of prebiotics on microbial interactions is not well understood. Here we investigated the transformation of prebiotics by a consortium of four representative species of the infant gut microbiome, and how their interactions changed with dietary substrates. First, we optimized a culture medium resembling certain infant gut parameters. A consortium containing Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis , Bacteroides vulgatus , Escherichia coli and Lactobacillus acidophilus was grown on fructooligosaccharides (FOS) or 2'-fucosyllactose (2FL) in mono- or co-culture. While Bi. infantis and Ba. vulgatus dominated growth on 2FL, their combined growth was reduced. Besides, interaction coefficients indicated strong competition, especially on FOS. While FOS was rapidly consumed by the consortium, B. infantis was the only microbe displaying significant consumption of 2FL. Acid production by the consortium resembled the metabolism of microorganisms dominating growth in each substrate. Finally, the consortium was tested in a bioreactor, observing similar predominance but more pronounced acid production and substrate consumption. This study indicates that the chemical nature of prebiotics modulate microbial interactions in a consortium of infant gut species.

Prebiotics Mediate Microbial Interactions in a Consortium of the Infant Gut Microbiome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel A. Medina

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Composition of the gut microbiome is influenced by diet. Milk or formula oligosaccharides act as prebiotics, bioactives that promote the growth of beneficial gut microbes. The influence of prebiotics on microbial interactions is not well understood. Here we investigated the transformation of prebiotics by a consortium of four representative species of the infant gut microbiome, and how their interactions changed with dietary substrates. First, we optimized a culture medium resembling certain infant gut parameters. A consortium containing Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis, Bacteroides vulgatus, Escherichia coli and Lactobacillus acidophilus was grown on fructooligosaccharides (FOS or 2′-fucosyllactose (2FL in mono- or co-culture. While Bi. infantis and Ba. vulgatus dominated growth on 2FL, their combined growth was reduced. Besides, interaction coefficients indicated strong competition, especially on FOS. While FOS was rapidly consumed by the consortium, B. infantis was the only microbe displaying significant consumption of 2FL. Acid production by the consortium resembled the metabolism of microorganisms dominating growth in each substrate. Finally, the consortium was tested in a bioreactor, observing similar predominance but more pronounced acid production and substrate consumption. This study indicates that the chemical nature of prebiotics modulate microbial interactions in a consortium of infant gut species.

Application of Endophytic Pseudomonas fluorescens and a Bacterial Consortium to Brassica napus Can Increase Plant Height and Biomass under Greenhouse and Field Conditions

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Richard D. Lally

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Plant associated bacteria with plant growth promotion (PGP properties have been proposed for use as environmentally friendly biofertilizers for sustainable agriculture; however, analysis of their efficacy in the field is often limited. In this study, greenhouse and field trials were carried out using individual endophytic Pseudomonas fluorescens strains, the well characterized rhizospheric P. fluorescens F113 and an endophytic microbial consortium of 10 different strains. These bacteria had been previously characterized with respect to their PGP properties in vitro and had been shown to harbor a range of traits associated with PGP including siderophore production, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC deaminase activity, and inorganic phosphate solubilization. In greenhouse experiments individual strains tagged with gfp and Kmr were applied to Brassica napus as a seed coat and were shown to effectively colonize the rhizosphere and root of B. napus and in addition they demonstrated a significant increase in plant biomass compared with the non-inoculated control. In the field experiment, the bacteria (individual and consortium were spray inoculated to winter oilseed rape B. napus var. Compass which was grown under standard North Western European agronomic conditions. Analysis of the data provides evidence that the application of the live bacterial biofertilizers can enhance aspects of crop development in B. napus at field scale. The field data demonstrated statistically significant increases in crop height, stem/leaf, and pod biomass, particularly, in the case of the consortium inoculated treatment. However, although seed and oil yield were increased in the field in response to inoculation, these data were not statistically significant under the experimental conditions tested. Future field trials will investigate the effectiveness of the inoculants under different agronomic conditions.

Legacy Clinical Data from the Mission Connect Mild TBI Translational Research Consortium

Science.gov (United States)

2017-10-01

AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-16-2-0026 TITLE: Legacy Clinical Data from the Mission Connect Mild TBI Translational Research Consortium PRINCIPAL...2017 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Legacy Clinical Data from the Mission Connect Mild TBI Translational Research 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER Consortium 5b. GRANT...mTBI) Translational Research Consortium was to improve the diagnosis and treatment of mTBI. We enrolled a total of 88 mTBI patients and 73 orthopedic

EFFECTS OF STIMULATOR SUBSTANCES ON AEROBIC METHYL TERT-BUTYL ETHER BIODEGRADATION BY MICROBIAL CONSORTIUM

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M. Farrokhi ، S. Ahmadizad

2009-04-01

Full Text Available In this study dissolved humic substances and yeast extract were tested in different concentrations for enhancing methyl tert-butyl ether mineralization by isolated microorganisms from a variety of sources. All experiments were conducted at a constant temperature of 25ºC. Vials of 50 mL and 125 mL volume sealed with Teflon-lined Mini-Nert caps was used for microcosm experiments. In all experiments 1% sodium azide were used as control. Samples of bacterial cultures that metabolize methyl tert-butyl ether have been analysed by direct GC analysis using flame ionization detector. Cultures able to metabolize have been found in activated sludge and soils. These microorganisms weregram-positive bacterium. An aerobic microbial consortium was enriched in laboratory for four months. Methyl tert-butyl ether has been shown to biodegrade under aerobic and co-metabolic conditions. A microbial consortium isolated from activated sludges was identified as Cocobacillus. The concentration of the initial attached biomass was about 0.11 g/L of dry weight. The maximum mineralization rate and beneficial effects of stimulator substances on aerobic biodegradation of methyl tert-butyl ether occurred with the culture by combined concentrations of 500 mg/L of yeast extract and 20 mg/L of peat humic growth support of microbial consortium within 216 h and in presence of high oxygen levels and well mixing conditions. It was shown that adding, peat humic and yeast extract together, had better stimulatory effect on methyl tert-butyl ether biodegradation. Results clearly showed a stimulatory effect on methyl tert-butyl ether consumption higher than 20%. Consortium was capable of degrading concentrations of ≤1000 mg/L, whereas concentrations of >1000 mg/L, were not degraded.

International Lymphoma Epidemiology Consortium (InterLymph)

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A consortium designed to enhance collaboration among epidemiologists studying lymphoma, to provide a forum for the exchange of research ideas, and to create a framework for collaborating on analyses that pool data from multiple studies

Zinc bioaccumulation by microbial consortium isolated from nickel smelter sludge disposal site

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Kvasnová Simona

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Heavy metal pollution is one of the most important environmental issues of today. Bioremediation by microorganisms is one of technologies extensively used for pollution treatment. In this study, we investigated the heavy metal resistance and zinc bioaccumulation by microbial consortium isolated from nickel sludge disposal site near Sereď (Slovakia. The composition of consortium was analyzed based on MALDI-TOF MS of cultivable bacteria and we have shown that the consortium was dominated by bacteria of genus Arthrobacter. While consortium showed very good growth in the zinc presence, it was able to remove only 15 % of zinc from liquid media. Selected members of consortia have shown lower growth rates in the zinc presence but selected isolates have shown much higher bioaccumulation abilities compared to whole consortium (up to 90 % of zinc removal for NH1 strain. Bioremediation is frequently accelerated through injection of native microbiota into a contaminated area. Based on data obtained in this study, we can conclude that careful selection of native microbiota could lead to the identification of bacteria with increased bioaccumulation abilities.

The Solar Energy Consortium of New York Photovoltaic Research and Development Center

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Klein, Petra M.

2012-10-15

Project Objective: To lead New York State to increase its usage of solar electric systems. The expected outcome is that appropriate technologies will be made available which in turn will help to eliminate barriers to solar energy usage in New York State. Background: The Solar Energy Consortium has been created to lead New York State research on solar systems specifically directed at doubling the efficiency, halving the cost and reducing the cost of installation as well as developing unique form factors for the New York City urban environment.

Bacterial community composition characterization of a lead-contaminated Microcoleus sp. consortium.

Science.gov (United States)

Giloteaux, Ludovic; Solé, Antoni; Esteve, Isabel; Duran, Robert

2011-08-01

A Microcoleus sp. consortium, obtained from the Ebro delta microbial mat, was maintained under different conditions including uncontaminated, lead-contaminated, and acidic conditions. Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism and 16S rRNA gene library analyses were performed in order to determine the effect of lead and culture conditions on the Microcoleus sp. consortium. The bacterial composition inside the consortium revealed low diversity and the presence of specific terminal-restriction fragments under lead conditions. 16S rRNA gene library analyses showed that members of the consortium were affiliated to the Alpha, Beta, and Gammaproteobacteria and Cyanobacteria. Sequences closely related to Achromobacter spp., Alcaligenes faecalis, and Thiobacillus species were exclusively found under lead conditions while sequences related to Geitlerinema sp., a cyanobacterium belonging to the Oscillatoriales, were not found in presence of lead. This result showed a strong lead selection of the bacterial members present in the Microcoleus sp. consortium. Several of the 16S rRNA sequences were affiliated to nitrogen-fixing microorganisms including members of the Rhizobiaceae and the Sphingomonadaceae. Additionally, confocal laser scanning microscopy and scanning and transmission electron microscopy showed that under lead-contaminated condition Microcoleus sp. cells were grouped and the number of electrodense intracytoplasmic inclusions was increased.

Direct Connect Supersonic Combustion Facility (Research Cell 22)

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — Description: RC22 is a continuous-flow, direct-connect supersonic-combustion research facility that is capable of simulating flight conditions from Mach 3.0 to Mach...

The COPD Biomarker Qualification Consortium (CBQC)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Casaburi, Richard; Celli, Bartolome; Crapo, James

2013-01-01

Abstract Knowledge about the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has advanced dramatically over the last 30 years. Unfortunately, this has had little impact in terms of new treatments. Over the same time frame, only one new class of medication for COPD......, and no interested party has been in a position to undertake such a process. In order to facilitate the development of novel tools to assess new treatments, the Food and Drug Administration, in collaboration with the COPD Foundation, the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute and scientists from the pharmaceutical...... industry and academia conducted a workshop to survey the available information that could contribute to new tools. Based on this, a collaborative project, the COPD Biomarkers Qualification Consortium, was initiated. The Consortium in now actively preparing integrated data sets from existing resources...

Removal of Triphenylmethane Dyes by Bacterial Consortium

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Jihane Cheriaa

2012-01-01

Full Text Available A new consortium of four bacterial isolates (Agrobacterium radiobacter; Bacillus spp.; Sphingomonas paucimobilis, and Aeromonas hydrophila-(CM-4 was used to degrade and to decolorize triphenylmethane dyes. All bacteria were isolated from activated sludge extracted from a wastewater treatment station of a dyeing industry plant. Individual bacterial isolates exhibited a remarkable color-removal capability against crystal violet (50 mg/L and malachite green (50 mg/L dyes within 24 h. Interestingly, the microbial consortium CM-4 shows a high decolorizing percentage for crystal violet and malachite green, respectively, 91% and 99% within 2 h. The rate of chemical oxygen demand (COD removal increases after 24 h, reaching 61.5% and 84.2% for crystal violet and malachite green, respectively. UV-Visible absorption spectra, FTIR analysis and the inspection of bacterial cells growth indicated that color removal by the CM-4 was due to biodegradation. Evaluation of mutagenicity by using Salmonella typhimurium test strains, TA98 and TA100 studies revealed that the degradation of crystal violet and malachite green by CM-4 did not lead to mutagenic products. Altogether, these results demonstrated the usefulness of the bacterial consortium in the treatment of the textile dyes.

The Consortium for Advancing Renewable Energy Technology (CARET)

Science.gov (United States)

Gordon, E. M.; Henderson, D. O.; Buffinger, D. R.; Fuller, C. W.; Uribe, R. M.

1998-01-01

The Consortium for Advancing Renewable Energy (CARET) is a research and education program which uses the theme of renewable energy to build a minority scientist pipeline. CARET is also a consortium of four universities and NASA Lewis Research Center working together to promote science education and research to minority students using the theme of renewable energy. The consortium membership includes the HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), Fisk, Wilberforce and Central State Universities as well as Kent State University and NASA Lewis Research Center. The various stages of this pipeline provide participating students experiences with a different emphasis. Some emphasize building enthusiasm for the classroom study of science and technology while others emphasize the nature of research in these disciplines. Still others focus on relating a practical application to science and technology. And, of great importance to the success of the program are the interfaces between the various stages. Successfully managing these transitions is a requirement for producing trained scientists, engineers and technologists. Presentations describing the CARET program have been given at this year's HBCU Research Conference at the Ohio Aerospace Institute and as a seminar in the Solar Circle Seminar series of the Photovoltaic and Space Environments Branch at NASA Lewis Research Center. In this report, we will describe the many positive achievements toward the fulfillment of the goals and outcomes of our program. We will begin with a description of the interactions among the consortium members and end with a description of the activities of each of the member institutions .

The creation of the SAVE consortium – Saving Asia's Vultures from ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This article describes the background to this problem, caused mainly by the veterinary drug diclofenac, and the establishment and structure of the SAVE consortium created to help coordinate the necessary conservation response. The lessons learnt in Asia and the working model of such a consortium are presented, which ...

Consortium for Health and Military Performance (CHAMP)

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — The Center's work addresses a wide scope of trauma exposure from the consequences of combat, operations other than war, terrorism, natural and humanmade disasters,...

A Novel Methylotrophic Bacterial Consortium for Treatment of Industrial Effluents.

Science.gov (United States)

Hingurao, Krushi; Nerurkar, Anuradha

2018-01-01

Considering the importance of methylotrophs in industrial wastewater treatment, focus of the present study was on utilization of a methylotrophic bacterial consortium as a microbial seed for biotreatment of a variety of industrial effluents. For this purpose, a mixed bacterial methylotrophic AC (Ankleshwar CETP) consortium comprising of Bordetella petrii AC1, Bacillus licheniformis AC4, Salmonella subterranea AC5, and Pseudomonas stutzeri AC8 was used. The AC consortium showed efficient biotreatment of four industrial effluents procured from fertilizer, chemical and pesticide industries, and common effluent treatment plant by lowering their chemical oxygen demand (COD) of 950-2000 mg/l to below detection limit in 60-96 h in 6-l batch reactor and 9-15 days in 6-l continuous reactor. The operating variables of wastewater treatment, viz. COD, BOD, pH, MLSS, MLVSS, SVI, and F/M ratio of these effluents, were also maintained in the permissible range in both batch and continuous reactors. Therefore, formation of the AC consortium has led to the development of an efficient microbial seed capable of treating a variety of industrial effluents containing pollutants generated from their respective industries.

Microbial hydrogen production from sewage sludge bioaugmented with a constructed microbial consortium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kotay, Shireen Meher; Das, Debabrata [Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur 721302 (India)

2010-10-15

A constructed microbial consortium was formulated from three facultative H{sub 2}-producing anaerobic bacteria, Enterobacter cloacae IIT-BT 08, Citrobacter freundii IIT-BT L139 and Bacillus coagulans IIT-BT S1. This consortium was tested as the seed culture for H{sub 2} production. In the initial studies with defined medium (MYG), E. cloacae produced more H{sub 2} than the other two strains and it also was found to be the dominant member when consortium was used. On the other hand, B. coagulans as a pure culture gave better H{sub 2} yield (37.16 ml H{sub 2}/g COD{sub consumed}) than the other two strains using sewage sludge as substrate. The pretreatment of sludge included sterilization (15% v/v), dilution and supplementation with 0.5% w/v glucose, which was found to be essential to screen out the H{sub 2} consuming bacteria and ameliorate the H{sub 2} production. Considering (1:1:1) defined consortium as inoculum, COD reduction was higher and yield of H{sub 2} was recorded to be 41.23 ml H{sub 2}/g COD{sub reduced}. Microbial profiling of the spent sludge showed that B. coagulans was the dominant member in the constructed consortium contributing towards H{sub 2} production. Increase in H{sub 2} yield indicated that in consortium, the substrate utilization was significantly higher. The H{sub 2} yield from pretreated sludge (35.54 ml H{sub 2}/g sludge) was comparatively higher than that reported in literature (8.1-16.9 ml H{sub 2}/g sludge). Employing formulated microbial consortium for biohydrogen production is a successful attempt to augment the H{sub 2} yield from sewage sludge. (author)

Phosphorus mobilizing consortium Mammoth P™ enhances plant growth

Science.gov (United States)

Bell, Colin; Mancini, Lauren M.; Lee, Melanie N.; Conant, Richard T.; Wallenstein, Matthew D.

2016-01-01

Phosphorus (P) is a critical nutrient used to maximize plant growth and yield. Current agriculture management practices commonly experience low plant P use efficiency due to natural chemical sorption and transformations when P fertilizer is applied to soils. A perplexing challenge facing agriculture production is finding sustainable solutions to deliver P more efficiently to plants. Using prescribed applications of specific soil microbial assemblages to mobilize soil bound—P to improve crop nutrient uptake and productivity has rarely been employed. We investigated whether inoculation of soils with a bacterial consortium developed to mobilize soil P, named Mammoth PTM, could increase plant productivity. In turf, herbs, and fruits, the combination of conventional inorganic fertilizer combined with Mammoth PTM increased productivity up to twofold compared to the fertilizer treatments without the Mammoth PTM inoculant. Jalapeño plants were found to bloom more rapidly when treated with either Mammoth P. In wheat trials, we found that Mammoth PTM by itself was able to deliver yields equivalent to those achieved with conventional inorganic fertilizer applications and improved productivity more than another biostimulant product. Results from this study indicate the substantial potential of Mammoth PTM to enhance plant growth and crop productivity. PMID:27326379

Overview of the Inland California Translational Consortium

Science.gov (United States)

Malkas, Linda H.

2017-05-01

The mission of the Inland California Translational Consortium (ICTC), an independent research consortium comprising a unique hub of regional institutions (City of Hope [COH], California Institute of Technology [Caltech], Jet Propulsion Laboratory [JPL], University of California Riverside [UCR], and Claremont Colleges Keck Graduate Institute [KGI], is to institute a new paradigm within the academic culture to accelerate translation of innovative biomedical discoveries into clinical applications that positively affect human health and life. The ICTC actively supports clinical translational research as well as the implementation and advancement of novel education and training models for the translation of basic discoveries into workable products and practices that preserve and improve human health while training and educating at all levels of the workforce using innovative forward-thinking approaches.

ENT COBRA (Consortium for Brachytherapy Data Analysis: interdisciplinary standardized data collection system for head and neck patients treated with interventional radiotherapy (brachytherapy

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Luca Tagliaferri

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Purpose : Aim of the COBRA (Consortium for Brachytherapy Data Analysis project is to create a multicenter group (consortium and a web-based system for standardized data collection. Material and methods: GEC-ESTRO (Groupe Européen de Curiethérapie – European Society for Radiotherapy & Oncology Head and Neck (H&N Working Group participated in the project and in the implementation of the consortium agreement, the ontology (data-set and the necessary COBRA software services as well as the peer reviewing of the general anatomic site-specific COBRA protocol. The ontology was defined by a multicenter task-group. Results : Eleven centers from 6 countries signed an agreement and the consortium approved the ontology. We identified 3 tiers for the data set: Registry (epidemiology analysis, Procedures (prediction models and DSS, and Research (radiomics. The COBRA-Storage System (C-SS is not time-consuming as, thanks to the use of “brokers”, data can be extracted directly from the single center’s storage systems through a connection with “structured query language database” (SQL-DB, Microsoft Access®, FileMaker Pro®, or Microsoft Excel®. The system is also structured to perform automatic archiving directly from the treatment planning system or afterloading machine. The architecture is based on the concept of “on-purpose data projection”. The C-SS architecture is privacy protecting because it will never make visible data that could identify an individual patient. This C-SS can also benefit from the so called “distributed learning” approaches, in which data never leave the collecting institution, while learning algorithms and proposed predictive models are commonly shared. Conclusions : Setting up a consortium is a feasible and practicable tool in the creation of an international and multi-system data sharing system. COBRA C-SS seems to be well accepted by all involved parties, primarily because it does not influence the center’s own

A Long Island Consortium Takes Shape. Occasional Paper No. 76-1.

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, William R.

This occasional paper, the first in a "new" series, describes the background, activities, and experiences of the Long Island Consortium, a cooperative effort of two-year and four-year colleges committed to organizing a model program of faculty development. The consortium was organized under an initial grant from the Lilly Endowment. In May and…

77 FR 43237 - Genome in a Bottle Consortium-Work Plan Review Workshop

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-24

... in human whole genome variant calls. A principal motivation for this consortium is to enable... standards and quantitative performance metrics are needed to achieve the confidence in measurement results... principal motivation for this consortium is to enable science-based regulatory oversight of clinical...

A NEW APPROACH FOR IMPROVEMENT OF THE METHODOLOGY TO IDENTIFY A TYPE OF INTERACTION OF LACTIC ACID BACTERIA IN CONSORTIUMS OF DIFFERENT STAGES OF CULTIVATION

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V. V. Kondratenko

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Existing approaches for evaluation of types of interactions between individual monocultures in consortiums allow obtaining only qualitative results (synergistic, antagonistic, additive interaction as a whole, without regarding to changes in the cultivation process. Therefore, the development of a new approach for the quantitative determination of this indicator as a continuous function defined during the all period of cultivation is in need. In the course of the research a two-component consortium of lactic acid microorganisms cultivated on different mediums according to directed fermentation process in vegetable products was chosen to analyze types of interaction. As a result, the an original approach that was based on comparison of grow speed of biomass of microorganisms with calculated additive curve determined by results of dynamic analysis of titre of microorganism participating in consortium in monoculture during their cultivation has been elaborated. This approach is a convenient tool to identify complex regularity in changes of types of microorganism interaction in consortium represented by continuous function defined during all cultivation period.

Impact assessment of the European Clinical Trials Directive: a longitudinal, prospective, observational study analyzing patterns and trends in clinical drug trial applications submitted since 2001 to regulatory agencies in six EU countries

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Hartmann Markus

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Shifts in clinical trial application rates over time indicate if the attractiveness of a country or region for the conduct of clinical trials is growing or decreasing. The purpose of this observational study was to track changes in drug trial application patterns across several EU countries in order to analyze the medium-term impact of the EU Clinical Trials Directive 2001/20/EC on the conduct of drug trials. Methods Rates of Clinical Trial Applications (CTA for studies with medicinal products in those six countries in the EU, which authorize on average more than 500 trials per year, were analyzed. Publicly available figures on the number of annually submitted CTA, the distribution of trials per phase and the type of sponsorship were tracked; missing data were provided by national drug agencies. Results Since 2001, the number of CTA in Italy and Spain increased significantly (5.0 and 2.5% average annual growth. For Italy, the gain was driven by a strong increase of applications from academic trial sponsors; Spain's growth was due to a rise in trials run by commercial sponsors. The Netherlands, Germany, France and the UK saw a decline (1.9, 2.3, 3.0 and 5.3% average annual diminution; significant (P Conclusions The EU Clinical Trials Directive 2001/20/EC did not achieve the harmonization of clinical trial requirements across Europe. Rather, it resulted in the leveling of clinical trial activities caused by a continuing decrease in CTA rates in the Netherlands, Germany, France and the UK. Southern European countries, Italy and Spain, benefited to some extent from policy changes introduced by the Directive. In Italy's case, national funding measures helped to considerably promote the conduct of non-commercial trials. On the other hand, the EU Directive-driven transition from liberal policy environments, based on non-explicit trial approval through notifications, towards red-taped processes of trial authorization, contributed to

The fungal consortium of Andromeda polifolia in bog habitats

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N.V. Filippova

2015-09-01

Full Text Available (1 Andromeda polifolia (bog rosemary is a common plant species in northern circumboreal peatlands. While not a major peat-forming species in most peatlands, it is characterised by a substantial woody below-ground biomass component that contributes directly to the accumulation of organic matter below the moss surface, as well as sclerophyllous leaf litter that contributes to the accumulation of organic matter above the moss surface. Rather little is known about the fungal communities associated with this plant species. Hence, we investigated the fungal consortium of A. polifolia in three distinct vegetation communities of ombrotrophic bogs near Khanty-Mansiysk, West Siberia, Russia, in 2012 and 2013. These vegetation communities were forested bog (Tr = treed, Sphagnum-dominated lawn (Ln, and Eriophorum-Sphagnum-dominated hummock (Er. (2 In total, 37 fungal taxa, belonging to five classes and 16 families, were identified and described morphologically. Seven fungal species were previously known from Andromeda as host. Others are reported for the first time, thus considerably expanding the fungal consortium of this dwarf shrub. Most taxa were saprobic on fallen leaves of A. polifolia found amongst Sphagnum in the bog. Two taxa were parasitic on living plant tissues and one taxon was saprobic on dead twigs. Three taxa, recorded only on A. polifolia leaves and on no other plant species or materials, may be host-specific to this dwarf shrub. (3 A quantitative analysis of the frequency of occurrence of all taxa showed that one taxon (Coccomyces duplicarioides was very abundant, 64 % of the taxa occurred frequently, and 32 % of the taxa occurred infrequently. The mean Shannon diversity index of the community was 2.4. (4 There were no statistical differences in the fungal community composition of A. polifolia in the three vegetation communities investigated in this study. Redundancy analysis suggested that some fungal taxa were positively, and others

Northeast Artificial Intelligence Consortium Annual Report - 1988 Parallel Vision. Volume 9

Science.gov (United States)

1989-10-01

supports the Northeast Aritificial Intelligence Consortium (NAIC). Volume 9 Parallel Vision Report submitted by Christopher M. Brown Randal C. Nelson...NORTHEAST ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE CONSORTIUM ANNUAL REPORT - 1988 Parallel Vision Syracuse University Christopher M. Brown and Randal C. Nelson...Technical Director Directorate of Intelligence & Reconnaissance FOR THE COMMANDER: IGOR G. PLONISCH Directorate of Plans & Programs If your address has

Consortium de recherche pour le développement de l'agriculture en ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Research Consortium for the Development of Agriculture in Haiti. Even before it was hit by a devastating earthquake in January 2010, Haiti's children suffered some of the worst rates of undernutrition in Latin America and the Caribbean. View moreResearch Consortium for the Development of Agriculture in Haiti ...

Update on the US Government's Biometric Consortium

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Campbell, Joseph

1997-01-01

.... The goals of the consortium remain largely the same under this new leadership. The current emphasis is on the formal approval of our charter and on the establishment of a national biometric test and evaluation laboratory.

Ecotoxicological effects of enrofloxacin and its removal by monoculture of microalgal species and their consortium.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiong, Jiu-Qiang; Kurade, Mayur B; Jeon, Byong-Hun

2017-07-01

Enrofloxacin (ENR), a fluoroquinolone antibiotic, has gained big scientific concern due to its ecotoxicity on aquatic microbiota. The ecotoxicity and removal of ENR by five individual microalgae species and their consortium were studied to correlate the behavior and interaction of ENR in natural systems. The individual microalgal species (Scenedesmus obliquus, Chlamydomonas mexicana, Chlorella vulgaris, Ourococcus multisporus, Micractinium resseri) and their consortium could withstand high doses of ENR (≤1 mg L -1 ). Growth inhibition (68-81%) of the individual microalgae species and their consortium was observed in ENR (100 mg L -1 ) compared to control after 11 days of cultivation. The calculated 96 h EC 50 of ENR for individual microalgae species and microalgae consortium was 9.6-15.0 mg ENR L -1 . All the microalgae could recover from the toxicity of high concentrations of ENR during cultivation. The biochemical characteristics (total chlorophyll, carotenoid, and malondialdehyde) were significantly influenced by ENR (1-100 mg L -1 ) stress. The individual microalgae species and microalgae consortium removed 18-26% ENR at day 11. Although the microalgae consortium showed a higher sensitivity (with lower EC 50 ) toward ENR than the individual microalgae species, the removal efficiency of ENR by the constructed microalgae consortium was comparable to that of the most effective microalgal species. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sub-scale Direct Connect Supersonic Combustion Facility (Research Cell 18)

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — Description: RC18 is a continuous-flow, direct-connect, supersonic-combustion research facility that is capable of simulating flight conditions from Mach 3.0 to Mach...

Effect of candesartan on prevention (DIRECT-Prevent 1) and progression (DIRECT-Protect 1) of retinopathy in type 1 diabetes: randomised, placebo-controlled trials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chaturvedi, Nish; Porta, Massimo; Klein, Ronald

2008-01-01

BACKGROUND: Results of previous studies suggest that renin-angiotensin system blockers might reduce the burden of diabetic retinopathy. We therefore designed the DIabetic REtinopathy Candesartan Trials (DIRECT) Programme to assess whether candesartan could reduce the incidence and progression of ...

Different materials for direct pulp capping: systematic review and meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Schwendicke, Falk; Brouwer, Fredrik; Schwendicke, Anja; Paris, Sebastian

2016-07-01

We systematically assessed randomized controlled trials comparing direct pulp capping materials. Trials comparing materials for direct capping and evaluating clinically and/or radiographically determined success after minimum 3 months were included. Two reviewers independently screened electronic databases (Medline, Central, Embase) and performed hand searches. Risk of bias was assessed and meta-analyses were performed, separated for dentition. Trial sequential analysis was used to assess risk of random errors. Strength of evidence was graded using the GRADE approach. From a total of 453 identified studies, 11 (all with high risk of bias) investigating 1094 teeth (922 patients) were included. Six studies were on primary teeth (all with carious exposures) and five on permanent teeth (carious and artificial exposures). Mean follow-up was 14 months (range 3-24). Most studies used calcium hydroxide as control, comparing it to mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) (three studies), bonding without prior etching/conditioning (two), or bonding with prior etching/conditioning, enamel matrix proteins, resin-modified glass ionomer cement, calcium sulfate, zinc oxide eugenol, corticosteroids, antibiotics, or formocresol (each in only one study). One study compared MTA and calcium-enriched cement. In permanent teeth, risk of failure was significantly decreased if MTA instead of calcium hydroxide was used (risk ratio (RR) [95 % confidence intervals (CI)] 0.59 [0.39/0.90]); no difference was found for primary teeth. Other comparisons did not find significant differences or were supported by only one study. No firm evidence was reached according to trial sequential analysis. There is insufficient data to recommend or refute the use of a specific material. More long-term practice-based studies with real-life exposures are required. To reduce risk of failure, dentists might consider using MTA instead of calcium hydroxide (CH) for direct capping. Current evidence is insufficient for

International, multi-center standardization of acute graft-versus-host disease clinical data collection: a report from the MAGIC consortium

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, Andrew C.; Young, Rachel; Devine, Steven; Hogan, William J.; Ayuk, Francis; Bunworasate, Udomsak; Chanswangphuwana, Chantiya; Efebera, Yvonne A.; Holler, Ernst; Litzow, Mark; Ordemann, Rainer; Qayed, Muna; Renteria, Anne S.; Reshef, Ran; Wölfl, Matthias; Chen, Yi-Bin; Goldstein, Steven; Jagasia, Madan; Locatelli, Franco; Mielke, Stephan; Porter, David; Schechter, Tal; Shekhovtsova, Zhanna; Ferrara, James L.M.; Levine, John E.

2015-01-01

Acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) remains a leading cause of morbidity and non-relapse mortality following allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. The clinical staging of GVHD varies greatly between transplant centers and is frequently not agreed upon by independent reviewers. The lack of standardized approaches to handle common sources of discrepancy in GVHD grading likely contributes to why promising GVHD treatments reported from single centers have failed to show benefit in randomized multi-center clinical trials. We developed guidelines through international expert consensus opinion to standardize the diagnosis and clinical staging of GVHD for use in a large international GVHD research consortium. During the first year of use, the guidance was following discussion of complex clinical phenotypes by experienced transplant physicians and data managers. These guidelines increase the uniformity of GVHD symptom capture which may improve the reproducibility of GVHD clinical trials after further prospective validation. PMID:26386318

Primary Immune Deficiency Treatment Consortium (PIDTC) report

NARCIS (Netherlands)

L.M. Griffith (Linda); M. Cowan (Morton); L.D. Notarangelo (Luigi Daniele); R. Kohn (Robert); J. Puck (Jennifer); S.-Y. Pai (Sung-Yun); B. Ballard (Barbara); S.C. Bauer (Sarah); J. Bleesing (Jack); M. Boyle (Marcia); R.W. Brower (Ronald); R.H. Buckley (Rebecca); M. van der Burg (Mirjam); L.M. Burroughs (Lauri); F. Candotti (Fabio); A. Cant (Andrew); T. Chatila (Talal); C. Cunningham-Rundles (Charlotte); M.C. Dinauer (Mary); J. Dvorak (Jennie); A. Filipovich (Alexandra); L.A. Fleisher (Lee); H.B. Gaspar (Bobby); T. Gungor (Tayfun); E. Haddad (Elie); E. Hovermale (Emily); F. Huang (Faith); A. Hurley (Alan); M. Hurley (Mary); S.K. Iyengar (Sudha); E.M. Kang (Elizabeth); B.R. Logan (Brent); J.R. Long-Boyle (Janel); H. Malech (Harry); S.A. McGhee (Sean); S. Modell (Sieglinde); S. Modell (Sieglinde); H.D. Ochs (Hans); R.J. O'Reilly (Richard); R. Parkman (Robertson); D. Rawlings (D.); J.M. Routes (John); P. Shearer (P.); T.N. Small (Trudy); H. Smith (H.); K.E. Sullivan (Kathleen); P. Szabolcs (Paul); A.J. Thrasher (Adrian); D. Torgerson; P. Veys (Paul); K. Weinberg (Kenneth); J.C. Zuniga-Pflucker (Juan Carlos)

2014-01-01

textabstractThe Primary Immune Deficiency Treatment Consortium (PIDTC) is a network of 33 centers in North America that study the treatment of rare and severe primary immunodeficiency diseases. Current protocols address the natural history of patients treated for severe combined immunodeficiency

Measuring Consortium Impact on User Perceptions: OhioLINK and LibQUAL+[TM

Science.gov (United States)

Gatten, Jeffrey N.

2004-01-01

What is the impact of an academic library consortium on the perceptions of library services experienced by users of the member institutions' libraries? What is the impact of an academic library consortium on the perceptions of library services experienced by users of the member institutions libraries? In 2002 and 2003, OhioLINK (Ohio's consortium…

Hawaii Space Grant Consortium

Science.gov (United States)

Flynn, Luke P.

2005-01-01

The Hawai'i Space Grant Consortium is composed of ten institutions of higher learning including the University of Hawai'i at Manoa, the University of Hawai'i at Hilo, the University of Guam, and seven Community Colleges spread over the 4 main Hawaiian islands. Geographic separation is not the only obstacle that we face as a Consortium. Hawai'i has been mired in an economic downturn due to a lack of tourism for almost all of the period (2001 - 2004) covered by this report, although hotel occupancy rates and real estate sales have sky-rocketed in the last year. Our challenges have been many including providing quality educational opportunities in the face of shrinking State and Federal budgets, encouraging science and technology course instruction at the K-12 level in a public school system that is becoming less focused on high technology and more focused on developing basic reading and math skills, and assembling community college programs with instructors who are expected to teach more classes for the same salary. Motivated people can overcome these problems. Fortunately, the Hawai'i Space Grant Consortium (HSGC) consists of a group of highly motivated and talented individuals who have not only overcome these obstacles, but have excelled with the Program. We fill a critical need within the State of Hawai'i to provide our children with opportunities to pursue their dreams of becoming the next generation of NASA astronauts, engineers, and explorers. Our strength lies not only in our diligent and creative HSGC advisory board, but also with Hawai'i's teachers, students, parents, and industry executives who are willing to invest their time, effort, and resources into Hawai'i's future. Our operational philosophy is to FACE the Future, meaning that we will facilitate, administer, catalyze, and educate in order to achieve our objective of creating a highly technically capable workforce both here in Hawai'i and for NASA. In addition to administering to programs and

Analysing data from patient-reported outcome and quality of life endpoints for cancer clinical trials: a start in setting international standards.

Science.gov (United States)

Bottomley, Andrew; Pe, Madeline; Sloan, Jeff; Basch, Ethan; Bonnetain, Franck; Calvert, Melanie; Campbell, Alicyn; Cleeland, Charles; Cocks, Kim; Collette, Laurence; Dueck, Amylou C; Devlin, Nancy; Flechtner, Hans-Henning; Gotay, Carolyn; Greimel, Eva; Griebsch, Ingolf; Groenvold, Mogens; Hamel, Jean-Francois; King, Madeleine; Kluetz, Paul G; Koller, Michael; Malone, Daniel C; Martinelli, Francesca; Mitchell, Sandra A; Moinpour, Carol M; Musoro, Jammbe; O'Connor, Daniel; Oliver, Kathy; Piault-Louis, Elisabeth; Piccart, Martine; Pimentel, Francisco L; Quinten, Chantal; Reijneveld, Jaap C; Schürmann, Christoph; Smith, Ashley Wilder; Soltys, Katherine M; Taphoorn, Martin J B; Velikova, Galina; Coens, Corneel

2016-11-01

Measures of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and other patient-reported outcomes generate important data in cancer randomised trials to assist in assessing the risks and benefits of cancer therapies and fostering patient-centred cancer care. However, the various ways these measures are analysed and interpreted make it difficult to compare results across trials, and hinders the application of research findings to inform publications, product labelling, clinical guidelines, and health policy. To address these problems, the Setting International Standards in Analyzing Patient-Reported Outcomes and Quality of Life Endpoints Data (SISAQOL) initiative has been established. This consortium, directed by the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC), was convened to provide recommendations on how to standardise the analysis of HRQOL and other patient-reported outcomes data in cancer randomised trials. This Personal View discusses the reasons why this project was initiated, the rationale for the planned work, and the expected benefits to cancer research, patient and provider decision making, care delivery, and policy making. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Vision related quality of life in patients with type 2 diabetes in the EUROCONDOR trial

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Trento, Marina; Durando, Olga; Lavecchia, Sonia

2017-01-01

To evaluate vision related quality of life in the patients enrolled in The European Consortium for the Early Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy, a clinical trial on prevention of diabetic retinopathy. Four-hundred-forty-nine patients, 153 women, with type 2 Diabetes and no or mild diabetic retinop...... acuity. The National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire could detect subtle changes in patients' perception of visual function, despite absent/minimal diabetic retinopathy.......To evaluate vision related quality of life in the patients enrolled in The European Consortium for the Early Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy, a clinical trial on prevention of diabetic retinopathy. Four-hundred-forty-nine patients, 153 women, with type 2 Diabetes and no or mild diabetic....... Diabetic retinopathy was absent in 193 (43.0 %) and mild in 256 (57.0 %). Patients without diabetic retinopathy were older, had shorter diabetes duration and used less insulin and glucose-lowering agents but did not differ by gender, best corrected visual acuity or any subscale, except vision specific...

Self-organization, layered structure, and aggregation enhance persistence of a synthetic biofilm consortium.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katie Brenner

Full Text Available Microbial consortia constitute a majority of the earth's biomass, but little is known about how these cooperating communities persist despite competition among community members. Theory suggests that non-random spatial structures contribute to the persistence of mixed communities; when particular structures form, they may provide associated community members with a growth advantage over unassociated members. If true, this has implications for the rise and persistence of multi-cellular organisms. However, this theory is difficult to study because we rarely observe initial instances of non-random physical structure in natural populations. Using two engineered strains of Escherichia coli that constitute a synthetic symbiotic microbial consortium, we fortuitously observed such spatial self-organization. This consortium forms a biofilm and, after several days, adopts a defined layered structure that is associated with two unexpected, measurable growth advantages. First, the consortium cannot successfully colonize a new, downstream environment until it self-organizes in the initial environment; in other words, the structure enhances the ability of the consortium to survive environmental disruptions. Second, when the layered structure forms in downstream environments the consortium accumulates significantly more biomass than it did in the initial environment; in other words, the structure enhances the global productivity of the consortium. We also observed that the layered structure only assembles in downstream environments that are colonized by aggregates from a previous, structured community. These results demonstrate roles for self-organization and aggregation in persistence of multi-cellular communities, and also illustrate a role for the techniques of synthetic biology in elucidating fundamental biological principles.

Activities of the Alabama Consortium on forestry education and research, 1993-1999

Science.gov (United States)

John Schelhas

2002-01-01

The Alabama Consortium on Forestry Education and Research was established in 1992 to promote communication and collaboration among diverse institutions involved in forestry in the State of Alabama. It was organized to advance forestry education and research in ways that could not be accomplished by individual members alone. This report tells the story of the consortium...

Bioremoval of Am-241 and Cs-137 from liquid radioactive wasters by bacterial consortiums

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferreira, Rafael Vicente de Padua; Lima, Josenilson B. de; Gomes, Mirella C.; Borba, Tania R.; Bellini, Maria Helena; Marumo, Julio Takehiro; Sakata, Solange Kazumi

2011-01-01

This paper evaluates the capacity of two bacterial consortiums of impacted areas in removing the Am-241 and Cs-137 from liquid radioactive wastes.The experiments indicated that the two study consortiums were able to remove 100% of the Cs-137 and Am-241 presents in the waste from 4 days of contact. These results suggest that the bio removal with the selected consortiums, can be a viable technique for the treatment of radioactive wastes containing Am-241 and Cs-137

Efficiency of consortium for in-situ bioremediation and CO2 evolution method of refines petroleum oil in microcosms study

OpenAIRE

Dutta, Shreyasri; Singh, Padma

2017-01-01

An in-situ bioremediation study was conducted in a laboratory by using mixed microbial consortium. An indigenous microbial consortium was developed by assemble of two Pseudomonas spp. and two Aspergillus spp. which were isolated from various oil contaminated sites of India. The laboratory feasibility study was conducted in a 225 m2 block. Six treatment options-Oil alone, Oil+Best remediater, Oil+Bacterial consortium, Oil+Fungal consortium, Oil+Mixed microbial consortium, Oil+Indigenous microf...

Nuclear Fabrication Consortium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Levesque, Stephen [EWI, Columbus, OH (United States)

2013-04-05

This report summarizes the activities undertaken by EWI while under contract from the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) for the management and operation of the Nuclear Fabrication Consortium (NFC). The NFC was established by EWI to independently develop, evaluate, and deploy fabrication approaches and data that support the re-establishment of the U.S. nuclear industry: ensuring that the supply chain will be competitive on a global stage, enabling more cost-effective and reliable nuclear power in a carbon constrained environment. The NFC provided a forum for member original equipment manufactures (OEM), fabricators, manufacturers, and materials suppliers to effectively engage with each other and rebuild the capacity of this supply chain by : Identifying and removing impediments to the implementation of new construction and fabrication techniques and approaches for nuclear equipment, including system components and nuclear plants. Providing and facilitating detailed scientific-based studies on new approaches and technologies that will have positive impacts on the cost of building of nuclear plants. Analyzing and disseminating information about future nuclear fabrication technologies and how they could impact the North American and the International Nuclear Marketplace. Facilitating dialog and initiate alignment among fabricators, owners, trade associations, and government agencies. Supporting industry in helping to create a larger qualified nuclear supplier network. Acting as an unbiased technology resource to evaluate, develop, and demonstrate new manufacturing technologies. Creating welder and inspector training programs to help enable the necessary workforce for the upcoming construction work. Serving as a focal point for technology, policy, and politically interested parties to share ideas and concepts associated with fabrication across the nuclear industry. The report the objectives and summaries of the Nuclear Fabrication Consortium

Latest Developments of the Isprs Student Consortium

Science.gov (United States)

Detchev, I.; Kanjir, U.; Reyes, S. R.; Miyazaki, H.; Aktas, A. F.

2016-06-01

The International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS) Student Consortium (SC) is a network for young professionals studying or working within the fields of photogrammetry, remote sensing, Geographical Information Systems (GIS), and other related geo-spatial sciences. The main goal of the network is to provide means for information exchange for its young members and thus help promote and integrate youth into the ISPRS. Over the past four years the Student Consortium has successfully continued to fulfil its mission in both formal and informal ways. The formal means of communication of the SC are its website, newsletter, e-mail announcements and summer schools, while its informal ones are multiple social media outlets and various social activities during student related events. The newsletter is published every three to four months and provides both technical and experiential content relevant for the young people in the ISPRS. The SC has been in charge or at least has helped with organizing one or more summer schools every year. The organization's e-mail list has over 1,100 subscribers, its website hosts over 1,300 members from 100 countries across the entire globe, and its public Facebook group currently has over 4,500 joined visitors, who connect among one another and share information relevant for their professional careers. These numbers show that the Student Consortium has grown into a significant online-united community. The paper will present the organization's on-going and past activities for the last four years, its current priorities and a strategic plan and aspirations for the future four-year period.

The Pharmaceutical Industry Beamline of Pharmaceutical Consortium for Protein Structure Analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nishijima, Kazumi; Katsuya, Yoshio

2002-01-01

The Pharmaceutical Industry Beamline was constructed by the Pharmaceutical Consortium for Protein Structure Analysis which was established in April 2001. The consortium is composed of 22 pharmaceutical companies affiliating with the Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association. The beamline is the first exclusive on that is owned by pharmaceutical enterprises at SPring-8. The specification and equipments of the Pharmaceutical Industry Beamline is almost same as that of RIKEN Structural Genomics Beamline I and II. (author)

John Glenn Biomedical Engineering Consortium

Science.gov (United States)

Nall, Marsha

2004-01-01

The John Glenn Biomedical Engineering Consortium is an inter-institutional research and technology development, beginning with ten projects in FY02 that are aimed at applying GRC expertise in fluid physics and sensor development with local biomedical expertise to mitigate the risks of space flight on the health, safety, and performance of astronauts. It is anticipated that several new technologies will be developed that are applicable to both medical needs in space and on earth.

The Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Minority Institutions Environmental Technology Consortium annual report, 1991--1992

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1992-12-31

The member institutions of the Consortium continue to play a significant role in increasing the number of African Americans who enter the environmental professions through the implementation of the Consortium`s RETT Plan for Research, Education, and Technology Transfer. The four major program areas identified in the RETT Plan are as follows: (1) minority outreach and precollege education; (2) undergraduate education and postsecondary training; (3) graduate and postgraduate education and research; and (4) technology transfer.

34 CFR 636.5 - What are the matching contribution and planning consortium requirements?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 34 Education 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What are the matching contribution and planning... PROGRAM General § 636.5 What are the matching contribution and planning consortium requirements? (a) The... agreed to by the members of a planning consortium. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1136b, 1136e) ...

Rationale and design of the multiethnic Pharmacogenomics in Childhood Asthma consortium

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Farzan, Niloufar; Vijverberg, Susanne J; Andiappan, Anand K

2017-01-01

AIM: International collaboration is needed to enable large-scale pharmacogenomics studies in childhood asthma. Here, we describe the design of the Pharmacogenomics in Childhood Asthma (PiCA) consortium. MATERIALS & METHODS: Investigators of each study participating in PiCA provided data...... corticosteroid users. Among patients from 13 studies with available data on asthma exacerbations, a third reported exacerbations despite inhaled corticosteroid use. In the future pharmacogenomics studies within the consortium, the pharmacogenomics analyses will be performed separately in each center...

Bioremediation of diuron contaminated soils by a novel degrading microbial consortium.

Science.gov (United States)

Villaverde, J; Rubio-Bellido, M; Merchán, F; Morillo, E

2017-03-01

Diuron is a biologically active pollutant present in soil, water and sediments. It is persistent in soil, water and groundwater and slightly toxic to mammals and birds as well as moderately toxic to aquatic invertebrates. Its principal product of biodegradation, 3,4-dichloroaniline, exhibits a higher toxicity than diuron and is also persistent in the environment. On this basis, the objective of the study was to determine the potential capacity of a proposed novel diuron-degrading microbial consortium (DMC) for achieving not only diuron degradation, but its mineralisation both in solution as well as in soils with different properties. The consortium was tested in a soil solution where diuron was the only carbon source, and more than 98.8% of the diuron initially added was mineralised after only a few days. The consortium was composed of three diuron-degrading strains, Arthrobacter sulfonivorans, Variovorax soli and Advenella sp. JRO, the latter had been isolated in our laboratory from a highly contaminated industrial site. This work shows for the first time the potential capacity of a member of the genus Advenella to remediate pesticide-contaminated soils. However, neither of the three strains separately achieved mineralisation (ring- 14 C) of diuron in a mineral medium (MSM) with a trace nutrient solution (NS); combined in pairs, they mineralised 40% of diuron in solution, but the most relevant result was obtained in the presence of the three-member consortium, where complete diuron mineralisation was achieved after only a few days. In the presence of the investigated soils in suspension, the capacity of the consortium to mineralise diuron was evaluated, achieving mineralisation of a wide range of herbicides from 22.9 to 69.0%. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enhanced bio-decolorization of azo dyes by co-immobilized quinone-reducing consortium and anthraquinone

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Su, YY; Zhang, Yifeng; Wang, J

2009-01-01

In the present study, the accelerating effect of co-immobilized anthraquinone and quinone-reducing consortium was investigated in the bio-decolorization process. The anthraquinone and quinone-reducing consortium were co-immobilized by entrapment in calcium alginate. The co-immobilized beads...

Re-Engineering Alzheimer Clinical Trials: Global Alzheimer's Platform Network.

Science.gov (United States)

Cummings, J; Aisen, P; Barton, R; Bork, J; Doody, R; Dwyer, J; Egan, J C; Feldman, H; Lappin, D; Truyen, L; Salloway, S; Sperling, R; Vradenburg, G

2016-06-01

Alzheimer's disease (AD) drug development is costly, time-consuming, and inefficient. Trial site functions, trial design, and patient recruitment for trials all require improvement. The Global Alzheimer Platform (GAP) was initiated in response to these challenges. Four GAP work streams evolved in the US to address different trial challenges: 1) registry-to-cohort web-based recruitment; 2) clinical trial site activation and site network construction (GAP-NET); 3) adaptive proof-of-concept clinical trial design; and 4) finance and fund raising. GAP-NET proposes to establish a standardized network of continuously funded trial sites that are highly qualified to perform trials (with established clinical, biomarker, imaging capability; certified raters; sophisticated management system. GAP-NET will conduct trials for academic and biopharma industry partners using standardized instrument versions and administration. Collaboration with the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) European Prevention of Alzheimer's Disease (EPAD) program, the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging (CCNA) and other similar international initiatives will allow conduct of global trials. GAP-NET aims to increase trial efficiency and quality, decrease trial redundancy, accelerate cohort development and trial recruitment, and decrease trial costs. The value proposition for sites includes stable funding and uniform training and trial execution; the value to trial sponsors is decreased trial costs, reduced time to execute trials, and enhanced data quality. The value for patients and society is the more rapid availability of new treatments for AD.

The Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Minority Institutions Environmental Technology Consortium annual report draft, 1995--1996

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-07-01

The HBCU/MI ET Consortium was established in January 1990, through a memorandum of Understanding (MOU) among its member institutions. This group of research-oriented Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Institutions (HBCUs/MIs) agreed to work together to initiate or revise educational programs, develop research partnerships with public and private sector organizations, and promote technology development and transfer to address the nation`s critical environmental problems. While the Consortium`s Research, Education and Technology Transfer (RETT) Plan is the cornerstone of its overall program efforts, the initial programmatic activities of the Consortium focused on environmental education at all levels with the objective of addressing the underrepresentation of minorities in the environmental professions. This 1996 Annual Report provides an update on the activities of the Consortium with a focus on environmental curriculum development for the Technical Qualifications Program (TQP) and Education for Sustainability.

The Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Minority Institutions Environmental Technology Consortium annual report 1994--1995

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-07-01

The HBCU/MI ET Consortium was established in January 1990, through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) among its member institutions. This group of research oriented Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Institutions (HBCU/MIs) agreed to work together to initiate or revise education programs, develop research partnerships with public and private sector organizations, and promote technology development to address the nation`s critical environmental contamination problems. The Consortium`s Research, Education and Technology Transfer (RETT) Plan became the working agenda. The Consortium is a resource for collaboration among the member institutions and with federal an state agencies, national and federal laboratories, industries, (including small businesses), majority universities, and two and four-year technical colleges. As a group of 17 institutions geographically located in the southern US, the Consortium is well positioned to reach a diverse group of women and minority populations of African Americans, Hispanics and American Indians. This Report provides a status update on activities and achievements in environmental curriculum development, outreach at the K--12 level, undergraduate and graduate education, research and development, and technology transfer.

Evaluating robustness of a diesel-degrading bacterial consortium isolated from contaminated soil

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sydow, Mateusz; Owsianiak, Mikolaj; Szczepaniak, Zuzanna

2016-01-01

It is not known whether diesel-degrading bacterial communities are structurally and functionally robust when exposed to different hydrocarbon types. Here, we exposed a diesel-degrading consortium to model either alkanes, cycloalkanes or aromatic hydrocarbons as carbon sources to study its...... structural resistance. The structural resistance was low, with changes in relative abundances of up to four orders of magnitude, depending on hydrocarbon type and bacterial taxon. This low resistance is explained by the presence of hydrocarbon-degrading specialists in the consortium and differences in growth...... kinetics on individual hydrocarbons. However, despite this low resistance, structural and functional resilience were high, as verified by re-exposing the hydrocarbon-perturbed consortium to diesel fuel. The high resilience is either due to the short exposure time, insufficient for permanent changes...

Fermentative hydrogen production by microbial consortium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maintinguer, Sandra I.; Fernandes, Bruna S.; Duarte, Iolanda C.S.; Saavedra, Nora Katia; Adorno, M. Angela T.; Varesche, M. Bernadete [Department of Hydraulics and Sanitation, School of Engineering of Sao Carlos, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Trabalhador Sao-carlense, 400, 13566-590 Sao Carlos-SP (Brazil)

2008-08-15

Heat pre-treatment of the inoculum associated to the pH control was applied to select hydrogen-producing bacteria and endospores-forming bacteria. The source of inoculum to the heat pre-treatment was from a UASB reactor used in the slaughterhouse waste treatment. The molecular biology analyses indicated that the microbial consortium presented microorganisms affiliated with Enterobacter cloacae (97% and 98%), Clostridium sp. (98%) and Clostridium acetobutyricum (96%), recognized as H{sub 2} and volatile acids' producers. The following assays were carried out in batch reactors in order to verify the efficiencies of sucrose conversion to H{sub 2} by the microbial consortium: (1) 630.0 mg sucrose/L, (2) 1184.0 mg sucrose/L, (3) 1816.0 mg sucrose/L and (4) 4128.0 mg sucrose/L. The subsequent yields were obtained as follows: 15% (1.2 mol H{sub 2}/mol sucrose), 20% (1.6 mol H{sub 2}/mol sucrose), 15% (1.2 mol H{sub 2}/mol sucrose) and 4% (0.3 mol H{sub 2}/mol sucrose), respectively. The intermediary products were acetic acid, butyric acid, methanol and ethanol in all of the anaerobic reactors. (author)

Institutional support for the Utah Consortium for Energy Research and Education. Annual report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1979-06-01

The Utah Consortium for Energy Research and Education is made up of three colleges and universities in Utah. The scope of the Consortium plan is the marshalling of the academic research resources, as well as the appropriate non-academic resources within Utah to pursue, as appropriate, energy-related research activities. The heart of this effort has been the institutional contract between DOE and the University of Utah, acting as fiscal agent for the Consortium. Sixteen programs are currently being funded, but only ten of the projects are described in this report. Three projects are on fission/fusion; three on environment and safety; four on fossil energy; three on basic energy sciences; one each on conservation, geothermal, and solar.

Directions for new developments on statistical design and analysis of small population group trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Hilgers, Ralf-Dieter; Roes, Kit; Stallard, Nigel

2016-06-14

Most statistical design and analysis methods for clinical trials have been developed and evaluated where at least several hundreds of patients could be recruited. These methods may not be suitable to evaluate therapies if the sample size is unavoidably small, which is usually termed by small populations. The specific sample size cut off, where the standard methods fail, needs to be investigated. In this paper, the authors present their view on new developments for design and analysis of clinical trials in small population groups, where conventional statistical methods may be inappropriate, e.g., because of lack of power or poor adherence to asymptotic approximations due to sample size restrictions. Following the EMA/CHMP guideline on clinical trials in small populations, we consider directions for new developments in the area of statistical methodology for design and analysis of small population clinical trials. We relate the findings to the research activities of three projects, Asterix, IDeAl, and InSPiRe, which have received funding since 2013 within the FP7-HEALTH-2013-INNOVATION-1 framework of the EU. As not all aspects of the wide research area of small population clinical trials can be addressed, we focus on areas where we feel advances are needed and feasible. The general framework of the EMA/CHMP guideline on small population clinical trials stimulates a number of research areas. These serve as the basis for the three projects, Asterix, IDeAl, and InSPiRe, which use various approaches to develop new statistical methodology for design and analysis of small population clinical trials. Small population clinical trials refer to trials with a limited number of patients. Small populations may result form rare diseases or specific subtypes of more common diseases. New statistical methodology needs to be tailored to these specific situations. The main results from the three projects will constitute a useful toolbox for improved design and analysis of small

A phase I/pharmacokinetic study of sunitinib in combination with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in HIV-positive patients with cancer: AIDS Malignancy Consortium Trial AMC 061

Science.gov (United States)

Rudek, Michelle A; Moore, Page C.; Mitsuyasu, Ronald T.; Dezube, Bruce J.; Aboulafia, David; Gerecitano, John; Sullivan, Ryan; Cianfrocca, Mary E.; Henry, David H.; Ratner, Lee; Haigentz, Missak; Dowlati, Afshin; Little, Richard F.; Ivy, S. Percy; Deeken, John F.

2014-01-01

Background Treatment of non-AIDS defining cancers (NADCs) may be complicated by drug interactions between highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and chemotherapy. This trial is the first by the AIDS Malignancy Consortium assessing targeted therapies and HAART in HIV+ cancer patients (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00890747). Methods Patients were stratified into two arms based on whether they were taking ritonavir, a potent CYP3A4 inhibitor, in a modified phase I study of sunitinib. Patients in arm 1 (non-ritonavir HAART) received standard sunitinib dosing (50mg/day). Arm 2 (ritonavir-based HAART) used a phase I, 3+3 dose escalation design (from 25 to 50mg/day). Cycles were with four weeks on treatment followed by a two week break (6 weeks total). Pharmacokinetics of sunitinib and its active metabolite (N-desethyl sunitinib) were assessed. Results Nineteen patients were enrolled and evaluable. Patients on Arm 1 tolerated treatment with one observed dose limiting toxicity (DLT). In Arm 2, a DLT was experienced at 37.5mg, and an additional 3 of 5 patients experienced grade 3 neutropenia, an uncommon toxicity of sunitinib. No patient had a response, but 10 had stable disease, including 8 with prolonged disease stability. Efavirenz, a potent inducer of CYP3A4, resulted in increased exposure of N-desethyl sunitinib, whereas ritonavir caused decreased exposure of the metabolite. Hand-foot syndrome was associated with higher steady-state trough concentrations of sunitinib. Conclusions Patients on non-ritonavir based HAART regimens tolerated standard dosing of sunitinib. Patients on ritonavir-based therapy treated with 37.5mg/day experienced higher toxicities. Dose reduction of sunitinib to 37.5mg may be warranted in patients on ritonavir. PMID:24474568

Transcranial direct current stimulation for depression in Alzheimer's disease: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Narita, Zui; Yokoi, Yuma

2017-06-19

Patients with Alzheimer's disease frequently elicit neuropsychiatric symptoms as well as cognitive deficits. Above all, depression is one of the most common neuropsychiatric symptoms in Alzheimer's disease but antidepressant drugs have not shown significant beneficial effects on it. Moreover, electroconvulsive therapy has not ensured its safety for potential severe adverse events although it does show beneficial clinical effect. Transcranial direct current stimulation can be the safe alternative of neuromodulation, which applies weak direct electrical current to the brain. Although transcranial direct current stimulation has plausible evidence for its effect on depression in young adult patients, no study has explored it in older subjects with depression in Alzheimer's disease. Therefore, we present a study protocol designed to evaluate the safety and clinical effect of transcranial direct current stimulation on depression in Alzheimer's disease in subjects aged over 65 years. This is a two-arm, parallel-design, randomized controlled trial, in which patients and assessors will be blinded. Subjects will be randomized to either an active or a sham transcranial direct current stimulation group. Participants in both groups will be evaluated at baseline, immediately, and 2 weeks after the intervention. This study investigates the safety and effect of transcranial direct current stimulation that may bring a significant impact on both depression and cognition in patients with Alzheimer's disease, and may be useful to enhance their quality of life. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02351388 . Registered on 27 January 2015. Last updated on 30 May 2016.

Planning the Safety of Atrial Fibrillation Ablation Registry Initiative (SAFARI) as a Collaborative Pan-Stakeholder Critical Path Registry Model: a Cardiac Safety Research Consortium "Incubator" Think Tank.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Khatib, Sana M; Calkins, Hugh; Eloff, Benjamin C; Packer, Douglas L; Ellenbogen, Kenneth A; Hammill, Stephen C; Natale, Andrea; Page, Richard L; Prystowsky, Eric; Jackman, Warren M; Stevenson, William G; Waldo, Albert L; Wilber, David; Kowey, Peter; Yaross, Marcia S; Mark, Daniel B; Reiffel, James; Finkle, John K; Marinac-Dabic, Danica; Pinnow, Ellen; Sager, Phillip; Sedrakyan, Art; Canos, Daniel; Gross, Thomas; Berliner, Elise; Krucoff, Mitchell W

2010-01-01

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a major public health problem in the United States that is associated with increased mortality and morbidity. Of the therapeutic modalities available to treat AF, the use of percutaneous catheter ablation of AF is expanding rapidly. Randomized clinical trials examining the efficacy and safety of AF ablation are currently underway; however, such trials can only partially determine the safety and durability of the effect of the procedure in routine clinical practice, in more complex patients, and over a broader range of techniques and operator experience. These limitations of randomized trials of AF ablation, particularly with regard to safety issues, could be addressed using a synergistically structured national registry, which is the intention of the SAFARI. To facilitate discussions about objectives, challenges, and steps for such a registry, the Cardiac Safety Research Consortium and the Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, NC, in collaboration with the US Food and Drug Administration, the American College of Cardiology, and the Heart Rhythm Society, organized a Think Tank meeting of experts in the field. Other participants included the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, the AdvaMed AF working group, and additional industry representatives. The meeting took place on April 27 to 28, 2009, at the US Food and Drug Administration headquarters in Silver Spring, MD. This article summarizes the issues and directions presented and discussed at the meeting. Copyright 2010 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology Consortium Agreement

Science.gov (United States)

1999-03-01

This is the third progress report of the M.I.T. Home Automation and Healthcare Consortium-Phase Two. It covers majority of the new findings, concepts...research projects of home automation and healthcare, ranging from human modeling, patient monitoring, and diagnosis to new sensors and actuators, physical...aids, human-machine interface and home automation infrastructure. This report contains several patentable concepts, algorithms, and designs.

Aspergillus oryzae–Saccharomyces cerevisiae Consortium Allows Bio-Hybrid Fuel Cell to Run on Complex Carbohydrates

Science.gov (United States)

Jahnke, Justin P.; Hoyt, Thomas; LeFors, Hannah M.; Sumner, James J.; Mackie, David M.

2016-01-01

Consortia of Aspergillus oryzae and Saccharomyces cerevisiae are examined for their abilities to turn complex carbohydrates into ethanol. To understand the interactions between microorganisms in consortia, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy is used to follow the concentrations of various metabolites such as sugars (e.g., glucose, maltose), longer chain carbohydrates, and ethanol to optimize consortia conditions for the production of ethanol. It is shown that with proper design A. oryzae can digest food waste simulants into soluble sugars that S. cerevisiae can ferment into ethanol. Depending on the substrate and conditions used, concentrations of 13% ethanol were achieved in 10 days. It is further shown that a direct alcohol fuel cell (FC) can be coupled with these A. oryzae-enabled S. cerevisiae fermentations using a reverse osmosis membrane. This “bio-hybrid FC” continually extracted ethanol from an ongoing consortium, enhancing ethanol production and allowing the bio-hybrid FC to run for at least one week. Obtained bio-hybrid FC currents were comparable to those from pure ethanol—water mixtures, using the same FC. The A. oryzae–S. cerevisiae consortium, coupled to a bio-hybrid FC, converted food waste simulants into electricity without any pre- or post-processing. PMID:27681904

Synthetic Klebsiella pneumoniae-Shewanella oneidensis Consortium Enables Glycerol-Fed High-Performance Microbial Fuel Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Feng; Yin, Changji; Sun, Liming; Li, Yuanxiu; Guo, Xuewu; Song, Hao

2018-05-01

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) is an eco-friendly bio-electrochemical sys-tem that uses microorganism as biocatalyst to convert biomass into electricity. Glycerol, as a waste in the biodiesel refinery processes, is an appealing substrate for MFC. Nevertheless, glycerol cannot be utilized as carbon source by well-known exoelectrogens such as Shewanella oneidensis. Herein, to generate electricity by rapidly harnessing glycerol, the authors rationally constructed a Klebsiella pneumoniae-Shewanella oneidensis microbial consortium to efficiently harvest electricity from glyc-erol, in which K. pneumoniae converted glycerol into lactate, fed to S. oneidensis as carbon source and electron donor. To improve electricity output, the authors systematically engineered the consortium in terms of carbon flux distribution and efficiency of extracellular electron transfer (EET). To direct more carbon flux to lactate biosynthesis in K. pneumoniae, the authors eliminated the ethanol pathway by knocking out the alcohol dehydrogenase gene (adhE), and enhanced lactate biosynthesis by heterologously expressing a lactate dehydrogen-ase gene (ldhD) from Lactobacillus bulgaricus and a lactate transporter gene (lldP) from Escherichia coli. To facilitate EET between S. oneidensis and anode surfaces, a biosynthetic flavins pathway from Bacillus subtilis is introduced into S. oneidensis. The author further optimized the glycerol concentration, thus S. oneidensis could be continuously fed with lactate synthesized from K. pneumoniae at a constant rate. Our glycerol-fed MFC generated a maximum power density of 19.9 mW/m 2 , significantly higher than that of the wild-type consor-tium. This work suggested that engineering microbial consortia is an effi-cient strategy to expand the spectrum of usable carbon sources and promote electricity power production in MFCs. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A National Study on the Effects of Concussion in Collegiate Athletes and US Military Service Academy Members: The NCAA-DoD Concussion Assessment, Research and Education (CARE) Consortium Structure and Methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Broglio, Steven P; McCrea, Michael; McAllister, Thomas; Harezlak, Jaroslaw; Katz, Barry; Hack, Dallas; Hainline, Brian

2017-07-01

The natural history of mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) or concussion remains poorly defined and no objective biomarker of physiological recovery exists for clinical use. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the US Department of Defense (DoD) established the Concussion Assessment, Research and Education (CARE) Consortium to study the natural history of clinical and neurobiological recovery after concussion in the service of improved injury prevention, safety and medical care for student-athletes and military personnel. The objectives of this paper were to (i) describe the background and driving rationale for the CARE Consortium; (ii) outline the infrastructure of the Consortium policies, procedures, and governance; (iii) describe the longitudinal 6-month clinical and neurobiological study methodology; and (iv) characterize special considerations in the design and implementation of a multicenter trial. Beginning Fall 2014, CARE Consortium institutions have recruited and enrolled 23,533 student-athletes and military service academy students (approximately 90% of eligible student-athletes and cadets; 64.6% male, 35.4% female). A total of 1174 concussions have been diagnosed in participating subjects, with both concussion and baseline cases deposited in the Federal Interagency Traumatic Brain Injury Research (FITBIR) database. Challenges have included coordinating regulatory issues across civilian and military institutions, operationalizing study procedures, neuroimaging protocol harmonization across sites and platforms, construction and maintenance of a relational database, and data quality and integrity monitoring. The NCAA-DoD CARE Consortium represents a comprehensive investigation of concussion in student-athletes and military service academy students. The richly characterized study sample and multidimensional approach provide an opportunity to advance the field of concussion science, not only among student athletes but in all populations at

25 CFR 1000.21 - When does a Tribe/Consortium have a “material audit exception”?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

...-Governance Eligibility § 1000.21 When does a Tribe/Consortium have a “material audit exception”? A Tribe/Consortium has a material audit exception if any of the audits that it submitted under § 1000.17(c...

Notes on Human Trials of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation between 1960 and 1998

Science.gov (United States)

Esmaeilpour, Zeinab; Schestatsky, Pedro; Bikson, Marom; Brunoni, André R.; Pellegrinelli, Ada; Piovesan, Fernanda X.; Santos, Mariana M. S. A.; Menezes, Renata B.; Fregni, Felipe

2017-01-01

Background: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is investigated to modulate neuronal function including cognitive neuroscience and neuropsychiatric therapies. While cases of human stimulation with rudimentary batteries date back more than 200 years, clinical trials with current controlled stimulation were published intermittently since the 1960s. The modern era of tDCS only started after 1998. Objectives: To review methods and outcomes of tDCS studies from old literature (between 1960 and 1998) with intention of providing new insight for ongoing tDCS trials and development of tDCS protocols especially for the purpose of treatment. Methods: Articles were identified through a search in PubMed and through the reference list from its selected articles. We included only non-invasive human studies that provided controlled direct current and were written in English, French, Spanish or Portuguese before the year of 1998, the date in which modern stimulation paradigms were implemented. Results: Fifteen articles met our criteria. The majority were small-randomized controlled clinical trials that enrolled a mean of approximately 26 subjects (Phase II studies). Most of the studies (around 83%) assessed the role of tDCS in the treatment of psychiatric conditions, in which the main outcomes were measured by means of behavioral scales and clinical observation, but the diagnostic precision and the quality of outcome monitoring, including adverse events, were deficient by modern standards. Compared to modern tDCS dose, the stimulation intensities used (0.1–1 mA) were lower, however as the electrodes were typically smaller (e.g., 1.26 cm2), the average electrode current density (0.2 mA/cm2) was approximately 4× higher. The number of sessions ranged from one to 120 (median 14). Notably, the stimulation session durations of several minutes to 11 h (median 4.5 h) could markedly exceed modern tDCS protocols. Twelve studies out of 15 showed positive results. Only mild side

Biodegradation of phenanthrene in bioaugmented microcosm by consortium ASP developed from coastal sediment of Alang-Sosiya ship breaking yard.

Science.gov (United States)

Patel, Vilas; Patel, Janki; Madamwar, Datta

2013-09-15

A phenanthrene-degrading bacterial consortium (ASP) was developed using sediment from the Alang-Sosiya shipbreaking yard at Gujarat, India. 16S rRNA gene-based molecular analyses revealed that the bacterial consortium consisted of six bacterial strains: Bacillus sp. ASP1, Pseudomonas sp. ASP2, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia strain ASP3, Staphylococcus sp. ASP4, Geobacillus sp. ASP5 and Alcaligenes sp. ASP6. The consortium was able to degrade 300 ppm of phenanthrene and 1000 ppm of naphthalene within 120 h and 48 h, respectively. Tween 80 showed a positive effect on phenanthrene degradation. The consortium was able to consume maximum phenanthrene at the rate of 46 mg/h/l and degrade phenanthrene in the presence of other petroleum hydrocarbons. A microcosm study was conducted to test the consortium's bioremediation potential. Phenanthrene degradation increased from 61% to 94% in sediment bioaugmented with the consortium. Simultaneously, bacterial counts and dehydrogenase activities also increased in the bioaugmented sediment. These results suggest that microbial consortium bioaugmentation may be a promising technology for bioremediation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Washoe Tribe Nevada Inter-Tribal Energy Consortium Energy Organization Enhancement Project Final Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Johnson, Jennifer [Washoe Tribe of NV and Ca

2014-11-06

The Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California was awarded funding from the Department of Energy to complete the Nevada Inter-Tribal Energy Consortium Energy Organization Enhancement Project. The main goal of the project was to enhance the capacity of the Nevada Inter-Tribal Energy Consortium (NITEC) to effectively assist tribes within Nevada to technically manage tribal energy resources and implement tribal energy projects.

Augmentation of a Microbial Consortium for Enhanced Polylactide (PLA) Degradation.

Science.gov (United States)

Nair, Nimisha R; Sekhar, Vini C; Nampoothiri, K Madhavan

2016-03-01

Bioplastics are eco-friendly and derived from renewable biomass sources. Innovation in recycling methods will tackle some of the critical issues facing the acceptance of bioplastics. Polylactic acid (PLA) is the commonly used and well-studied bioplastic that is presumed to be biodegradable. Considering their demand and use in near future, exploration for microbes capable of bioplastic degradation has high potential. Four PLA degrading strains were isolated and identified as Penicillium chrysogenum, Cladosporium sphaerospermum, Serratia marcescens and Rhodotorula mucilaginosa. A consortium of above strains degraded 44 % (w/w) PLA in 30 days time in laboratory conditions. Subsequently, the microbial consortium employed effectively for PLA composting.

A randomized controlled trial of directive and nondirective smoking cessation coaching through an employee quitline

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Walton Sumner

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Telephone quitlines can help employees quit smoking. Quitlines typically use directive coaching, but nondirective, flexible coaching is an alternative. Call-2-Quit used a worksite-sponsored quitline to compare directive and nondirective coaching modes, and evaluated employee race and income as potential moderators. Methods An unblinded randomized controlled trial compared directive and nondirective telephone coaching by trained laypersons. Participants were smoking employees and spouses recruited through workplace smoking cessation campaigns in a hospital system and affiliated medical school. Coaches were four non-medical women trained to use both coaching modes. Participants were randomized by family to coaching mode. Participants received up to 7 calls from coaches who used computer assisted telephone interview software to track topics and time. Outcomes were reported smoking abstinence for 7 days at last contact, 6 or 12 months after coaching began. Both worksites implemented new tobacco control policies during the study. Results Most participants responded to an insurance incentive introduced at the hospital. Call-2-Quit coached 518 participants: 22 % were African-American; 45 % had incomes below $30,000. Income, race, and intervention did not affect coaching completion rates. Cessation rates were comparable with directive and nondirective coaching (26 % versus 30 % quit, NS. A full factorial logistic regression model identified above median income (odds ratio = 1.8, p = 0.02, especially among African Americans (p = 0.04, and recent quit attempts (OR = 1.6, p = 0.03 as predictors of cessation. Nondirective coaching was associated with high cessation rates among subgroups of smokers reporting income above the median, recent quit attempts, or use of alternative therapies. Waiting up to 4 weeks to start coaching did not affect cessation. Of 41 highly addicted or depressed smokers who had never quit

Effects of the Consortium of Pseudomonas, Bacillus and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The effect of the consortium of Pseudomonas, Bacillus and Micrococcus spp on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in crude oil was carried out using standard microbiological methods. Spectrophotometer, gas chromatography and viable count which determined the optical density, the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and ...

Inner-City Energy and Environmental Education Consortium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1993-06-11

The numbers of individuals with adequate education and training to participate effectively in the highly technical aspects of environmental site cleanup are insufficient to meet the increasing demands of industry and government. Young people are particularly sensitive to these issues and want to become better equipped to solve the problems which will confront them during their lives. Educational institutions, on the other hand, have been slow in offering courses and curricula which will allow students to fulfill these interests. This has been in part due to the lack of federal funding to support new academic programs. This Consortium has been organized to initiate focused educational effort to reach inner-city youth with interesting and useful energy and environmental programs which can lead to well-paying and satisfying careers. Successful Consortium programs can be replicated in other parts of the nation. This report describes a pilot program in Washington, DC, Philadelphia, and Baltimore with the goal to attract and retain inner-city youth to pursue careers in energy-related scientific and technical areas, environmental restoration, and waste management.

Overview of the carbon products consortium (CPC)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Irwin, C.L. [West Virginia Univ., Morgantown, WV (United States)

1996-08-01

The Carbon Products Consortium (CPC) is an industry, university, government cooperative research team which has evolved over the past seven years to produce and evaluate coal-derived feedstocks for carbon products. The members of the Carbon Products Consortium are UCAR Carbon Company, Koppers Industries, CONOCO, Aluminum Company of America, AMOCO Polymers, and West Virginia University. The Carbon and Insulation Materials Technology Group at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Fiber Materials Inc., and BASF Corporation are affiliates of the CPC. The initial work on coal-derived nuclear graphites was supported by a grant to WVU, UCAR Carbon, and ORNL from the U.S. DOE New Production Reactor program. More recently, the CPC program has been supported through the Fossil Energy Materials program and through PETC`s Liquefaction program. The coal processing technologies involve hydrogenation, extraction by solvents such as N-methyl pyrolidone and toluene, material blending, and calcination. The breadth of carbon science expertise and manufacturing capability available in the CPC enables it to address virtually all research and development issues of importance to the carbon products industry.

A beginners guide for video production. [Prepared by the Energy Task Force of the Urban Consortium for Technology Initiatives

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1991-11-01

The Seattle-King County Hazardous Waste Management Plan provides the framework for an intensive effort to keep Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) and Small Quantity Generator (SQG) wastes from entering the municipal solid and liquid waste streams. Many innovative programs for managing small sources of hazardous waste have been developed in response to the Plan. With the assistance of Urban Consortium grants, the City of Seattle has researched and developed a series of reports describing the planning, operation and evaluation of the plan's HHW collection programs. Three of the Plan's programs of particular interest to other jurisdictions are the fixed site and mobile HHW Collection Facilities, and the Business Waste Consultations provided to SQG's. In 1991, Seattle received an Urban Consortium grant to produce two videos showing how the HHW Collection Facilities and Business Consultations programs work. This report provides an overviews of the video development and production process and a discussion of the lessons learned by the staff directing the production.

Bacterial consortium for copper extraction from sulphide ore consisting mainly of chalcopyrite

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. Romo

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The mining industry is looking forward for bacterial consortia for economic extraction of copper from low-grade ores. The main objective was to determine an optimal bacterial consortium from several bacterial strains to obtain copper from the leach of chalcopyrite. The major native bacterial species involved in the bioleaching of sulphide ore (Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans, Leptospirillum ferrooxidans and Leptospirillum ferriphilum were isolated and the assays were performed with individual bacteria and in combination with At. thiooxidans. In conclusion, it was found that the consortium integrated by At. ferrooxidans and At. thiooxidans removed 70% of copper in 35 days from the selected ore, showing significant differences with the other consortia, which removed only 35% of copper in 35 days. To validate the assays was done an escalation in columns, where the bacterial consortium achieved a higher percentage of copper extraction regarding to control.

Call for participation in the neurogenetics consortium within the Human Variome Project.

Science.gov (United States)

Haworth, Andrea; Bertram, Lars; Carrera, Paola; Elson, Joanna L; Braastad, Corey D; Cox, Diane W; Cruts, Marc; den Dunnen, Johann T; Farrer, Matthew J; Fink, John K; Hamed, Sherifa A; Houlden, Henry; Johnson, Dennis R; Nuytemans, Karen; Palau, Francesc; Rayan, Dipa L Raja; Robinson, Peter N; Salas, Antonio; Schüle, Birgitt; Sweeney, Mary G; Woods, Michael O; Amigo, Jorge; Cotton, Richard G H; Sobrido, Maria-Jesus

2011-08-01

The rate of DNA variation discovery has accelerated the need to collate, store and interpret the data in a standardised coherent way and is becoming a critical step in maximising the impact of discovery on the understanding and treatment of human disease. This particularly applies to the field of neurology as neurological function is impaired in many human disorders. Furthermore, the field of neurogenetics has been proven to show remarkably complex genotype-to-phenotype relationships. To facilitate the collection of DNA sequence variation pertaining to neurogenetic disorders, we have initiated the "Neurogenetics Consortium" under the umbrella of the Human Variome Project. The Consortium's founding group consisted of basic researchers, clinicians, informaticians and database creators. This report outlines the strategic aims established at the preliminary meetings of the Neurogenetics Consortium and calls for the involvement of the wider neurogenetic community in enabling the development of this important resource.

Results From the John Glenn Biomedical Engineering Consortium. A Success Story for NASA and Northeast Ohio

Science.gov (United States)

Nall, Marsha M.; Barna, Gerald J.

2009-01-01

The John Glenn Biomedical Engineering Consortium was established by NASA in 2002 to formulate and implement an integrated, interdisciplinary research program to address risks faced by astronauts during long-duration space missions. The consortium is comprised of a preeminent team of Northeast Ohio institutions that include Case Western Reserve University, the Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, The National Center for Space Exploration Research, and the NASA Glenn Research Center. The John Glenn Biomedical Engineering Consortium research is focused on fluid physics and sensor technology that addresses the critical risks to crew health, safety, and performance. Effectively utilizing the unique skills, capabilities and facilities of the consortium members is also of prime importance. Research efforts were initiated with a general call for proposals to the consortium members. The top proposals were selected for funding through a rigorous, peer review process. The review included participation from NASA's Johnson Space Center, which has programmatic responsibility for NASA's Human Research Program. The projects range in scope from delivery of prototype hardware to applied research that enables future development of advanced technology devices. All of the projects selected for funding have been completed and the results are summarized. Because of the success of the consortium, the member institutions have extended the original agreement to continue this highly effective research collaboration through 2011.

Consortium formation for a coal-fired power plant in the People`s Republic of China

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kostal, K.T.

1994-12-31

The advent of developed power projects within the People`s Republic of China brings the benefits of new financing methods and the energies and resources of new participants. By necessity, it also results in fundamental changes in the many contractual relationships needed to support financial closing. The key element is the contract to design, procure, and construct the power plant. This paper compares and contrasts the requirements of these turnkey contracts with more traditional fixed price equipment supply contracts within the People`s Republic of China. The emphasis of the paper is upon issues and concerns related to the successful formation of a consortium, including the effective integration of Chinese construction companies and design institutes into the process. The issues are explored from the viewpoint of the consortium`s international engineer, who often participates as consortium leader and equipment procurer, in addition to detailed designer.

The IRIS consortium: international cooperation in advanced reactor development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carelli, M.; Petrovic, B.; Miller, K.; Lombardi, C.; Ricotti, M.E.

2005-01-01

Besides its many outstanding technical innovations in the design and safety, the most innovative feature of the International Reactor Innovative and Secure (IRIS), is perhaps the international cooperation which carries on its development. IRIS is designed by an international consortium which currently numbers 21 organizations from ten countries across four continents. It includes reactor, fuel and fuel cycle vendors, component manufacturers, laboratories, academia, architect engineers and power producers. The defining organizational characteristics of IRIS is that while Westinghouse has overall lead and responsibility, this lead is of the type of 'primus inter pares' (first among equals) rather than the traditional owner versus suppliers/contractors relationship. All members of the IRIS consortium contribute and expect to have a return, should IRIS be successfully deployed, commensurate to their investment. The nature of such return will be tailored to the type of each organization, because it will of course be of a different nature for say a component manufacturer, university, or architect engineer. One fundamental tenet of the consortium is that all members, regardless of their amount of contribution, have equal access to all information developed within the project. Technical work is thus being coordinated by integrated subgroups and the whole team meets twice a year to perform an overall review of the work, discuss policy and strategy and plan future activities. Personnel from consortium members have performed internships, mostly at Westinghouse locations in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Windsor, Connecticut, but also at other members, as it has been the case for several graduate students. In fact, more than one hundred students at the various universities have been working on IRIS, most of them conducting graduate theses at the master or doctoral level. The IRIS experience has proved very helpful to the students in successfully landing their employment choice

A National Strategy to Develop Pragmatic Clinical Trials Infrastructure

Science.gov (United States)

Guise, Jeanne‐Marie; Dolor, Rowena J.; Meissner, Paul; Tunis, Sean; Krishnan, Jerry A.; Pace, Wilson D.; Saltz, Joel; Hersh, William R.; Michener, Lloyd; Carey, Timothy S.

2014-01-01

Abstract An important challenge in comparative effectiveness research is the lack of infrastructure to support pragmatic clinical trials, which compare interventions in usual practice settings and subjects. These trials present challenges that differ from those of classical efficacy trials, which are conducted under ideal circumstances, in patients selected for their suitability, and with highly controlled protocols. In 2012, we launched a 1‐year learning network to identify high‐priority pragmatic clinical trials and to deploy research infrastructure through the NIH Clinical and Translational Science Awards Consortium that could be used to launch and sustain them. The network and infrastructure were initiated as a learning ground and shared resource for investigators and communities interested in developing pragmatic clinical trials. We followed a three‐stage process of developing the network, prioritizing proposed trials, and implementing learning exercises that culminated in a 1‐day network meeting at the end of the year. The year‐long project resulted in five recommendations related to developing the network, enhancing community engagement, addressing regulatory challenges, advancing information technology, and developing research methods. The recommendations can be implemented within 24 months and are designed to lead toward a sustained national infrastructure for pragmatic trials. PMID:24472114

Recommendations From the International Consortium on Professional Nursing Practice in Long-Term Care Homes.

Science.gov (United States)

McGilton, Katherine S; Bowers, Barbara J; Heath, Hazel; Shannon, Kay; Dellefield, Mary Ellen; Prentice, Dawn; Siegel, Elena O; Meyer, Julienne; Chu, Charlene H; Ploeg, Jenny; Boscart, Veronique M; Corazzini, Kirsten N; Anderson, Ruth A; Mueller, Christine A

2016-02-01

In response to the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics' global agenda for clinical research and quality of care in long-term care homes (LTCHs), the International Consortium on Professional Nursing Practice in Long Term Care Homes (the Consortium) was formed to develop nursing leadership capacity and address the concerns regarding the current state of professional nursing practice in LTCHs. At its invitational, 2-day inaugural meeting, the Consortium brought together international nurse experts to explore the potential of registered nurses (RNs) who work as supervisors or charge nurses within the LTCHs and the value of their contribution in nursing homes, consider what RN competencies might be needed, discuss effective educational (curriculum and practice) experiences, health care policy, and human resources planning requirements, and to identify what sustainable nurse leadership strategies and models might enhance the effectiveness of RNs in improving resident, family, and staff outcomes. The Consortium made recommendations about the following priority issues for action: (1) define the competencies of RNs required to care for older adults in LTCHs; (2) create an LTCH environment in which the RN role is differentiated from other team members and RNs can practice to their full scope; and (3) prepare RN leaders to operate effectively in person-centered care LTCH environments. In addition to clear recommendations for practice, the Consortium identified several areas in which further research is needed. The Consortium advocated for a research agenda that emphasizes an international coordination of research efforts to explore similar issues, the pursuit of examining the impact of nursing and organizational models, and the showcasing of excellence in nursing practice in care homes, so that others might learn from what works. Several studies already under way are also described. Copyright © 2016 AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care

Regional Development and the European Consortium of Innovative Universities.

Science.gov (United States)

Hansen, Saskia Loer; Kokkeler, Ben; van der Sijde, P. C.

2002-01-01

The European Consortium of Innovative Universities is a network that shares information not just among universities but with affiliated incubators, research parks, and other regional entities. The learning network contributes to regional development.(JOW)

Developing a mesophilic co-culture for direct conversion of cellulose to butanol in consolidated bioprocess.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zhenyu; Cao, Guangli; Zheng, Ju; Fu, Defeng; Song, Jinzhu; Zhang, Junzheng; Zhao, Lei; Yang, Qian

2015-01-01

Consolidated bioprocessing (CBP) of butanol production from cellulosic biomass is a promising strategy for cost saving compared to other processes featuring dedicated cellulase production. CBP requires microbial strains capable of hydrolyzing biomass with enzymes produced on its own with high rate and high conversion and simultaneously produce a desired product at high yield. However, current reported butanol-producing candidates are unable to utilize cellulose as a sole carbon source and energy source. Consequently, developing a co-culture system using different microorganisms by taking advantage of their specific metabolic capacities to produce butanol directly from cellulose in consolidated bioprocess is of great interest. This study was mainly undertaken to find complementary organisms to the butanol producer that allow simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of cellulose to butanol in their co-culture under mesophilic condition. Accordingly, a highly efficient and stable consortium N3 on cellulose degradation was first developed by multiple subcultures. Subsequently, the functional microorganisms with 16S rRNA sequences identical to the denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) profile were isolated from consortium N3. The isolate Clostridium celevecrescens N3-2 exhibited higher cellulose-degrading capability was thus chosen as the partner strain for butanol production with Clostridium acetobutylicum ATCC824. Meanwhile, the established stable consortium N3 was also investigated to produce butanol by co-culturing with C. acetobutylicum ATCC824. Butanol was produced from cellulose when C. acetobutylicum ATCC824 was co-cultured with either consortium N3 or C. celevecrescens N3-2. Co-culturing C. acetobutylicum ATCC824 with the stable consortium N3 resulted in a relatively higher butanol concentration, 3.73 g/L, and higher production yield, 0.145 g/g of glucose equivalent. The newly isolated microbial consortium N3 and strain C. celevecrescens N3

25 CFR 1000.18 - May a Consortium member Tribe withdraw from the Consortium and become a member of the applicant...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

...-governance activities for a member Tribe, that planning activity and report may be used to satisfy the planning requirements for the member Tribe if it applies for self-governance status on its own. (b) Submit... for Participation in Tribal Self-Governance Eligibility § 1000.18 May a Consortium member Tribe...

How Generalizable Are the Results From Trials of Direct Antiviral Agents to People Coinfected With HIV/HCV in the Real World?

OpenAIRE

Saeed, Sahar; Strumpf, Erin C.; Walmsley, Sharon L.; Rollet-Kurhajec, Kathleen; Pick, Neora; Martel-Laferri?re, Valerie; Hull, Mark; Gill, M. John; Cox, Joseph; Cooper, Curtis; Klein, Marina B.

2016-01-01

Background. ?Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) against hepatitis C virus (HCV) have been described as revolutionary. However, it remains uncertain how effective these drugs will be for individuals coinfected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)?HCV. Bridging this gap between efficacy and effectiveness requires a focus on the generalizability of clinical trials. Methods. ?Generalizability of DAA trials was assessed by applying the eligibility criteria from 5 efficacy trials: NCT01479868, PHOT...

Zijm Consortium: Engineering a Sustainable Supply Chain System

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Knofius, Nils; Rahimi Ghahroodi, Sajjad; van Capelleveen, Guido Cornelis; Yazdanpanah, Vahid

2018-01-01

In this paper we address one of the current major research areas of the Zijm consortium; engineering sustainable supply chain systems by transforming traditionally linear practices to circular systems. We illustrate this field of research with a case consisting of a network of three firms Willem

Effective bioremediation of a petroleum-polluted saline soil by a surfactant-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa consortium

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Ebadi

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Bacteria able to produce biosurfactants can use petroleum-based hydrocarbons as a carbon source. Herein, four biosurfactant-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains, isolated from oil-contaminated saline soil, were combined to form a bacterial consortium. The inoculation of the consortium to contaminated soil alleviated the adverse effects of salinity on biodegradation and increased the rate of degradation of petroleum hydrocarbon approximately 30% compared to the rate achieved in non-treated soil. In saline condition, treatment of polluted soil with the consortium led to a significant boost in the activity of dehydrogenase (approximately 2-fold. A lettuce seedling bioassay showed that, following the treatment, the soil's level of phytotoxicity was reduced up to 30% compared to non-treated soil. Treatment with an appropriate bacterial consortium can represent an effective means of reducing the adverse effects of salinity on the microbial degradation of petroleum and thus provides enhancement in the efficiency of microbial remediation of oil-contaminated saline soils.

Novel fungal consortium pretreatment of waste oat straw to enhance economic and efficient biohydrogen production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lirong Zhou

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Bio-pretreatment using a fungal consortium to enhance the efficiency of lignocellulosic biohydrogen production was explored.  A fungal consortium comprised of T. viride and P. chrysosporium as microbial inoculum was compared with untreated and single-species-inoculated samples. Fungal bio-pretreatment was carried out at atmospheric conditions with limited external energy input.  The effectiveness of the pretreatment is evaluated according to its lignin removal and digestibility. Enhancement of biohydrogen production is observed through scanning electron microscopy (SEM analysis. Fungal consortium pretreatment effectively degraded oat straw lignin (by >47% in 7 days leading to decomposition of cell-wall structure as revealed in SEM images, increasing biohydrogen yield. The hydrogen produced from the fungal consortium pretreated straw increased by 165% 6 days later, and was more than produced from either a single fungi species of T. viride or P. chrysosponium pretreated straw (94% and 106%, respectively. No inhibitory effect on hydrogen production was observed.

DNA-based and culture-based characterization of a hydrocarbon-degrading consortium enriched from Arctic soil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thomassin-Lacroix, E. J. M.; Reimer, K. J. [Royal Military College, Dept. of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Kingston, On (Canada); Yu, Z.; Mohn, W. W. [British Columbia Univ., Dept. of Microbiology and Immunology, Vancouver, BC (Canada); Eriksson, M. [Royal Inst. of Technology, Dept. of Biotechnology, Stockholm (Sweden)

2001-12-01

Oil spills are fairly common in polar tundra regions, including remote locations, and are a threat to the relatively fragile ecosystem. Remediation must be done economically and with minimum additional damage. Bioremediation is considered to be the appropriate technology, although its application in polar tundra regions is not well documented. Most studies of hydrocarbon remediation in polar regions have concerned marine oil spills, while a few studies have demonstrated on-site polar tundra soil remediation. A few of these demonstrated the presence of psychrotolerant hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria in polar tundra soils. Because fuels are complex mixtures of hydrocarbons, microbial consortia rather than pure cultures may be the most effective agents in degrading fuels. Despite their potential advantages for bioaugmentation applications, consortia are difficult to characterize and monitor. Molecular methods based on DNA analysis partially address these difficulties. One such approach is to randomly clone rRNA gene (rDNA) fragments and to sequence as a set of clones. The relative abundance of individual sequences in the clone library is related to the relative abundance of the corresponding organism in the community. In this study a psychrotolerant, fuel-degrading consortium was enriched with Arctic tundra soil. The enrichment substrate for the consortium was Jet A-1 fuel, which is very similar to Arctic diesel fuel, a common contaminant in the region. The objectives of the study were to (1) characterize thr consortium by DNA- and culture-based methods, (2) develop quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays for populations of predominant consortium members, and (3) determine the dynamics of those populations during incubation of the consortium. Result showed that is possible to quantitatively monitor members of a microbial consortium, with potential application for bioremediation of Arctic tundra soil. The relative abundance of consortium members was found to vary

A phase 2 consortium (P2C) trial of 3-aminopyridine-2-carboxaldehyde thiosemicarbazone (3-AP) for advanced adenocarcinoma of the pancreas

Science.gov (United States)

Attia, Steven; Kolesar, Jill; Mahoney, Michelle R.; Pitot, Henry C.; Laheru, Daniel; Heun, James; Huang, Wei; Eickhoff, Jens; Erlichman, Charles

2015-01-01

Summary 3-Aminopyridine-2-carboxaldehyde thiosemicarbazone (3-AP, Triapine®) is a novel small molecule inhibitor of ribonucleotide reductase (RR) with clinical signs of activity in pancreatic cancer. Therefore, the Phase 2 Consortium (P2C) initiated a trial (two single stage studies with planned interim analysis) of 3-AP at 96 mg/m2 intravenously days 1–4 and 15–18 of a 28-day cycle in both chemotherapy-naive and gemcitabine-refractory (GR) patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. The primary endpoint was survival at six months (chemotherapy-naive) and four months (GR). Secondary endpoints were toxicity, response, overall survival, time to progression and mechanistic studies. Fifteen patients were enrolled including one chemotherapy-naïve and 14 GR. The chemotherapy-naïve patient progressed during cycle 1 with grade 3 and 4 toxicities. Of 14 GR patients, seven received two cycles, six received one cycle and one received eight cycles. Progression precluded further treatment in 11 GR patients. Additionally, one died of an ileus in cycle 1 considered related to treatment and two stopped treatment due to toxicity. Five GR patients had grade 4 toxicities possibly related to 3-AP and six GR patients had grade 3 fatigue. Toxicities and lack of meaningful clinical benefit prompted early study closure. Four-month survival in GR patients was 21% (95% CI: 8–58%). Correlative studies confirmed that 3-AP increased the percentage of S-phase buccal mucosal cells, the presence of multidrug resistance gene polymorphisms appeared to predict leukopenia, and baseline pancreatic tumor RR M2 expression was low relative to other tumors treated with 3-AP. In conclusion, this regimen appears inactive against predominantly GR pancreatic cancer. RR M2 protein may not have a critical role in the malignant potential of pancreatic cancer. PMID:18278438

Exploring the potential of fungal-bacterial consortium for low-cost biodegradation and detoxification of textile effluent

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lade Harshad

2016-12-01

Full Text Available In the present study, the enrichment and isolation of textile effluent decolorizing bacteria were carried out in wheat bran (WB medium. The isolated bacterium Providencia rettgeri strain HSL1 was then tested for decolorization of textile effluent in consortium with a dyestuff degrading fungus Aspergillus ochraceus NCIM 1146. Decolorization study suggests that A. ochraceus NCIM 1146 and P. rettgeri strain HSL1 alone re moves only 6 and 32% of textile effluent American Dye Manufacturing Institute respectively in 30 h at 30 ±0.2°C of microaerophilic incubation, while the fungal-bacterial consortium does 92% ADMI removal within the same time period. The fungal-bacterial consortium exhibited enhanced decolorization rate due to the induction in activities of catalytic enzymes laccase (196%, lignin peroxidase (77%, azoreductase (80% and NADH-DCIP reductase (84%. The HPLC analysis confirmed the biodegradation of textile effluent into various metabolites. Detoxification studies of textile effluent before and after treatment with fungal-bacterial consortium revealed reduced toxicity of degradation metabolites. The efficient degradation and detoxification by fungal-bacterial consortium pre-grown in agricultural based medium thus suggest a promising approach in designing low-cost treatment technologies for textile effluent.

Naphthalene degradation by bacterial consortium (DV-AL) developed from Alang-Sosiya ship breaking yard, Gujarat, India.

Science.gov (United States)

Patel, Vilas; Jain, Siddharth; Madamwar, Datta

2012-03-01

Naphthalene degrading bacterial consortium (DV-AL) was developed by enrichment culture technique from sediment collected from the Alang-Sosiya ship breaking yard, Gujarat, India. The 16S rRNA gene based molecular analyzes revealed that the bacterial consortium (DV-AL) consisted of four strains namely, Achromobacter sp. BAB239, Pseudomonas sp. DV-AL2, Enterobacter sp. BAB240 and Pseudomonas sp. BAB241. Consortium DV-AL was able to degrade 1000 ppm of naphthalene in Bushnell Haas medium (BHM) containing peptone (0.1%) as co-substrate with an initial pH of 8.0 at 37°C under shaking conditions (150 rpm) within 24h. Maximum growth rate and naphthalene degradation rate were found to be 0.0389 h(-1) and 80 mg h(-1), respectively. Consortium DV-AL was able to utilize other aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons such as benzene, phenol, carbazole, petroleum oil, diesel fuel, and phenanthrene and 2-methyl naphthalene as sole carbon source. Consortium DV-AL was also efficient to degrade naphthalene in the presence of other pollutants such as petroleum hydrocarbons and heavy metals. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Epidemiology of Endometrial Cancer Consortium (E2C2)

Science.gov (United States)

The Epidemiology of Endometrial Cancer Consortium studies the etiology of this common cancer and build on resources from existing studies by combining data across studies in order to advance the understanding of the etiology of this disease.

Vaginal prolapse repair with or without a midurethral sling in women with genital prolapse and occult stress urinary incontinence : a randomized trial

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Ploeg, J Marinus; Rengerink, Katrien Oude; van der Steen, Annemarie; van Leeuwen, Jules H Schagen; van der Vaart, C Huub; Roovers, Jan-Paul W R

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: We compared pelvic organ prolapse (POP) repair with and without midurethral sling (MUS) in women with occult stress urinary incontinence (SUI). METHODS: This was a randomized trial conducted by a consortium of 13 teaching hospitals assessing a parallel cohort of

The Activities of the European Consortium on Nuclear Data Development and Analysis for Fusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fischer, U.; Avrigeanu, M.; Avrigeanu, V.; Cabellos, O.; Kodeli, I.; Koning, A.; Konobeyev, A.Yu.; Leeb, H.; Rochman, D.; Pereslavtsev, P.; Sauvan, P.; Sublet, J.-C.; Trkov, A.; Dupont, E.; Leichtle, D.; Izquierdo, J.

2014-01-01

This paper presents an overview of the activities of the European Consortium on Nuclear Data Development and Analysis for Fusion. The Consortium combines available European expertise to provide services for the generation, maintenance, and validation of nuclear data evaluations and data files relevant for ITER, IFMIF and DEMO, as well as codes and software tools required for related nuclear calculations

The Activities of the European Consortium on Nuclear Data Development and Analysis for Fusion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fischer, U., E-mail: ulrich.fischer@kit.edu [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute for Neutron Physic and Reactor Technology, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Avrigeanu, M.; Avrigeanu, V. [Horia Hulubei National Institute of Physics and Nuclear Engineering (IFIN-HH), RO-077125 Magurele (Romania); Cabellos, O. [Departamento de Ingenieria Nuclear, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, 28006 Madrid (Spain); Kodeli, I. [Jozef Stefan Institute (JSI), Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Koning, A. [Nuclear Research and Consultancy Group (NRG), Westerduinweg 3, 1755 LE Petten (Netherlands); Konobeyev, A.Yu. [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute for Neutron Physic and Reactor Technology, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Leeb, H. [Technische Universitaet Wien, Atominstitut, Wiedner Hauptstrasse 8–10, 1040 Wien (Austria); Rochman, D. [Nuclear Research and Consultancy Group (NRG), Westerduinweg 3, 1755 LE Petten (Netherlands); Pereslavtsev, P. [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute for Neutron Physic and Reactor Technology, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Sauvan, P. [Universidad Nacional de Educacion a Distancia, C. Juan del Rosal, 12, 28040 Madrid (Spain); Sublet, J.-C. [Euratom/CCFE Fusion Association, Culham Science Centre, OX14 3DB (United Kingdom); Trkov, A. [Jozef Stefan Institute (JSI), Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Dupont, E. [OECD Nuclear Energy Agency, Paris (France); Leichtle, D.; Izquierdo, J. [Fusion for Energy, Barcelona (Spain)

2014-06-15

This paper presents an overview of the activities of the European Consortium on Nuclear Data Development and Analysis for Fusion. The Consortium combines available European expertise to provide services for the generation, maintenance, and validation of nuclear data evaluations and data files relevant for ITER, IFMIF and DEMO, as well as codes and software tools required for related nuclear calculations.

The Worker Rights Consortium Makes Strides toward Legitimacy.

Science.gov (United States)

Van der Werf, Martin

2000-01-01

Discusses the rapid growth of the Workers Rights Consortium, a student-originated group with 44 member institutions which opposes sweatshop labor conditions especially in the apparel industry. Notes disagreements about the number of administrators on the board of directors and about the role of industry representives. Compares this group with the…

Academic Library Consortium in Jordan: An Evaluation Study

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Mustafa H.; Suleiman, Raid Jameel

2013-01-01

Purpose: Due to the current financial and managerial difficulties that are encountered by libraries in public universities in Jordan and the geographical diffusion of these academic institutions, the idea of establishing a consortium was proposed by the Council of Higher Education to combine these libraries. This article reviews the reality of…

Microbial Consortium with High Cellulolytic Activity (MCHCA for enhanced biogas production.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Krzysztof ePoszytek

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The use of lignocellulosic biomass as a substrate in agricultural biogas plants is very popular and yields good results. However, the efficiency of anaerobic digestion, and thus biogas production, is not always satisfactory due to the slow or incomplete degradation (hydrolysis of plant matter. To enhance the solubilization of the lignocellulosic biomass various physical, chemical and biological pretreatment methods are used.The aim of this study was to select and characterize cellulose-degrading bacteria, and to construct a microbial consortium, dedicated for degradation of maize silage and enhancing biogas production from this substrate.Over one hundred strains of cellulose-degrading bacteria were isolated from: sewage sludge, hydrolyzer from an agricultural biogas plant, cattle slurry and manure. After physiological characterization of the isolates, sixteen strains (representatives of Bacillus, Providencia and Ochrobactrum genera were chosen for the construction of a Microbial Consortium with High Cellulolytic Activity, called MCHCA. The selected strains had a high endoglucanase activity (exceeding 0.21 IU/mL CMCase activity and a wide range of tolerance to various physical and chemical conditions. Lab-scale simulation of biogas production using the selected strains for degradation of maize silage was carried out in a two-bioreactor system, similar to those used in agricultural biogas plants.The obtained results showed that the constructed MCHCA consortium is capable of efficient hydrolysis of maize silage, and increases biogas production by even 38%, depending on the inoculum used for methane fermentation. The results in this work indicate that the mesophilic Microbial Consortium with High Cellulolytic Activity has a great potential for application on industrial scale in agricultural biogas plants.

Direct mailing was a successful recruitment strategy for a lung-cancer screening trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Hinshaw, Lisa B; Jackson, Sharon A; Chen, Michael Y

2007-08-01

To analyze advertising, recruitment methods, and study participant demographics for the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) site at Wake Forest University School of Medicine to define efficient ways to recruit participants for general clinical trials. Recruitment method data, demographics, geographic location, and date of enrollment were collected from all 1,112 NLST participants. Marketing data and financial records were analyzed to determine the effectiveness of each recruitment method. The total amount spent on advertising was $144,668, with the cost of enrollment per participant averaging $130. For black participants, the recruitment cost per person was $406, whereas for white and other race participants, the cost was $122 (PTV ads cost $382 per participant. Direct mailing to a targeted group was the most efficient way to recruit participants. Printed advertising methods, that is, newspaper ads and brochures, were quite effective, whereas television ads were expensive. Appropriate minority recruitment needs sufficient attention and resources to ensure census groups are adequately represented.

32 CFR 37.515 - Must I do anything additional to determine the qualification of a consortium?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... SECRETARY OF DEFENSE DoD GRANT AND AGREEMENT REGULATIONS TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENT AGREEMENTS Pre-Award Business... relationship is essential to increase the research project's chances of success. (b) The collaboration... things, the consortium's: (1) Management structure. (2) Method of making payments to consortium members...

International, Multicenter Standardization of Acute Graft-versus-Host Disease Clinical Data Collection: A Report from the Mount Sinai Acute GVHD International Consortium.

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, Andrew C; Young, Rachel; Devine, Steven; Hogan, William J; Ayuk, Francis; Bunworasate, Udomsak; Chanswangphuwana, Chantiya; Efebera, Yvonne A; Holler, Ernst; Litzow, Mark; Ordemann, Rainer; Qayed, Muna; Renteria, Anne S; Reshef, Ran; Wölfl, Matthias; Chen, Yi-Bin; Goldstein, Steven; Jagasia, Madan; Locatelli, Franco; Mielke, Stephan; Porter, David; Schechter, Tal; Shekhovtsova, Zhanna; Ferrara, James L M; Levine, John E

2016-01-01

Acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) remains a leading cause of morbidity and nonrelapse mortality after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. The clinical staging of GVHD varies greatly between transplant centers and is frequently not agreed on by independent reviewers. The lack of standardized approaches to handle common sources of discrepancy in GVHD grading likely contributes to why promising GVHD treatments reported from single centers have failed to show benefit in randomized multicenter clinical trials. We developed guidelines through international expert consensus opinion to standardize the diagnosis and clinical staging of GVHD for use in a large international GVHD research consortium. During the first year of use, the guidance followed discussion of complex clinical phenotypes by experienced transplant physicians and data managers. These guidelines increase the uniformity of GVHD symptom capture, which may improve the reproducibility of GVHD clinical trials after further prospective validation. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Indirect vs Direct Voice Therapy for Children With Vocal Nodules: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Hartnick, Christopher; Ballif, Catherine; De Guzman, Vanessa; Sataloff, Robert; Campisi, Paolo; Kerschner, Joseph; Shembel, Adrianna; Reda, Domenic; Shi, Helen; Sheryka Zacny, Elinore; Bunting, Glenn

2018-02-01

Benign vocal fold nodules affect 12% to 22% of the pediatric population, and 95% of otolaryngologists recommend voice therapy as treatment. However, no randomized clinical trials that we are aware of have shown its benefits. To determine the impact of voice therapy in children with vocal fold nodules according to pretherapy and posttherapy scores on the Pediatric Voice-Related Quality of Life (PVRQOL) survey; secondary objectives included changes in phonatory parameters. For this multicenter randomized clinical trial, 114 children ages 6 to 10 years with vocal fold nodules, PVRQOL scores less than 87.5, and dysphonia for longer than 12 weeks were recruited from outpatient voice and speech clinics. This age range was identified because these patients have not experienced pubertal changes of the larynx, tolerate stroboscopy, and cooperate with voice therapy. Participants were blinded to treatment arm. Participants received either indirect or direct therapy for 8 to 12 weeks. Indirect therapy focused on education and discussion of voice principles, while direct treatment used the stimulus, response, antecedent paradigm. The primary outcome measure was PVRQOL score change before and after treatment. Secondary phonatory measures were also compared. Overall, 114 children were recruited for study (mean [SD] age, 8 [1.4] years; 83 males [73%]); with 57 randomized to receive either indirect or direct therapy. Both direct and indirect therapy approaches showed significant differences in PVRQOL scores pretherapy to posttherapy. The mean increase in PVRQOL score for direct therapy was 19.2, and 14.7 for indirect therapy (difference, 4.5; 95.3% CI, -10.8 to 19.8). Of 44 participants in the direct therapy group, 27 (61%) achieved a clinically meaningful PVRQOL improvement, compared with 26 of 49 (53%) for indirect therapy (difference, 8%; 95% CI, -12 to 28). Post hoc stratification showed robust effects in the direct therapy group for older children (Cohen d = 0.50) and the

The Optic Disc Drusen Studies Consortium Recommendations for Diagnosis of Optic Disc Drusen Using Optical Coherence Tomography

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Malmqvist, Lasse; Bursztyn, Lulu; Costello, Fiona

2018-01-01

imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT) has improved the visualization of more deeply buried ODD. There is, however, no consensus regarding the diagnosis of ODD using OCT. The purpose of this study was to develop a consensus recommendation for diagnosing ODD using OCT. METHODS: The members...... of the Optic Disc Drusen Studies (ODDS) Consortium are either fellowship trained neuro-ophthalmologists with an interest in ODD, or researchers with an interest in ODD. Four standardization steps were performed by the consortium members with a focus on both image acquisition and diagnosis of ODD. RESULTS......: Based on prior knowledge and experiences from the standardization steps, the ODDS Consortium reached a consensus regarding OCT acquisition and diagnosis of ODD. The recommendations from the ODDS Consortium include scanning protocol, data selection, data analysis, and nomenclature. CONCLUSIONS: The ODDS...

Dutch randomized trial comparing standard catheter-directed thrombolysis versus Ultrasound-accElerated Thrombolysis for thromboembolic infrainguinal disease (DUET: design and rationale

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fioole Bram

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The use of thrombolytic therapy in the treatment of thrombosed infrainguinal native arteries and bypass grafts has increased over the years. Main limitation of this treatment modality, however, is the occurrence of bleeding complications. Low intensity ultrasound (US has been shown to accelerate enzymatic thrombolysis, thereby reducing therapy time. So far, no randomized trials have investigated the application of US-accelerated thrombolysis in the treatment of thrombosed infra-inguinal native arteries or bypass grafts. The DUET study (Dutch randomized trial comparing standard catheter-directed thrombolysis versus Ultrasound-accElerated Thrombolysis for thrombo-embolic infrainguinal disease is designed to assess whether US-accelerated thrombolysis will reduce therapy time significantly compared with standard catheter-directed thrombolysis. Methods/design Sixty adult patients with recently (between 1 and 7 weeks thrombosed infrainguinal native arteries or bypass grafts with acute limb ischemia class I or IIa, according to the Rutherford classification for acute ischemia, will be randomly allocated to either standard thrombolysis (group A or US-accelerated thrombolysis (group B. Patients will be recruited from 5 teaching hospitals in the Netherlands during a 2-year period. The primary endpoint is the duration of catheter-directed thrombolysis needed for uninterrupted flow in the thrombosed infrainguinal native artery or bypass graft, with outflow through at least 1 crural artery. Discussion The DUET study is a randomized controlled trial that will provide evidence of whether US-accelerated thrombolysis will significantly reduce therapy time in patients with recently thrombosed infrainguinal native arteries or bypass grafts, without an increase in complications. Trial registration Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN72676102

Bioremediation of crude oil waste contaminated soil using petrophilic consortium and Azotobacter sp.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Fauzi

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This study was aimed to determine the effect Petrophilic and Azotobacter sp. consortium on the rate of degradation of hydrocarbons, Azotobacter growth, and Petrophilic fungi growth in an Inceptisol contaminated with crude oil waste originating from Balongan refinery, one of Pertamina (Indonesia’s largest state-owned oil and gas company units in Indramayu – West Java. This study was conducted from March to April 2014 in the glasshouse of research station of the Faculty of Agriculture, Padjadjaran University at Ciparanje, Jatinangor District, Sumedang Regency of West Java. This study used a factorial completely randomized design with two treatments. The first treatment factor was Petrophilic microbes (A consisting of four levels (without treatment, 2% Petrophilic fungi, 2% Petrophilic bacteria, and the 2% Petrophilic consortium, and Azotobacter sp. The second treatment factor was Azotobacter sp. (B consisting of four levels (without treatment, 0.5%, Azotobacter sp., 1% Azotobacter sp., and 1.5% Azotobacter sp. The results demonstrated interaction between Petrophilic microbes and Azotobacter sp. towards hydrocarbon degradation rate, but no interaction was found towards the growth rate of Azotobacter sp. and Petrophilic fungi. Treatments of a1b3 (2% consortium of Petrophilic fungi with 1.5% Azotobacter sp. and a3b3 (2% Petrophilic consortium and 1.5% Azotobacter sp. had hydrocarbon degradation rate at 0.22 ppm/day for each treatment, showing the highest hydrocarbon degradation rate.

Medical Physics Residency Consortium: collaborative endeavors to meet the ABR 2014 certification requirements

Science.gov (United States)

Parker, Brent C.; Duhon, John; Yang, Claus C.; Wu, H. Terry; Hogstrom, Kenneth R.

2014-01-01

In 2009, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center (MBPCC) established a Radiation Oncology Physics Residency Program to provide opportunities for medical physics residency training to MS and PhD graduates of the CAMPEP‐accredited Louisiana State University (LSU)‐MBPCC Medical Physics Graduate Program. The LSU‐MBPCC Program graduates approximately six students yearly, which equates to a need for up to twelve residency positions in a two‐year program. To address this need for residency positions, MBPCC has expanded its Program by developing a Consortium consisting of partnerships with medical physics groups located at other nearby clinical institutions. The consortium model offers the residents exposure to a broader range of procedures, technology, and faculty than available at the individual institutions. The Consortium institutions have shown a great deal of support from their medical physics groups and administrations in developing these partnerships. Details of these partnerships are specified within affiliation agreements between MBPCC and each participating institution. All partner sites began resident training in 2011. The Consortium is a network of for‐profit, nonprofit, academic, community, and private entities. We feel that these types of collaborative endeavors will be required nationally to reach the number of residency positions needed to meet the 2014 ABR certification requirements and to maintain graduate medical physics training programs. PACS numbers: 01.40.Fk, 01.40.gb PMID:24710434

Laboratory scale bioremediation of diesel hydrocarbon in soil by indigenous bacterial consortium.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Anjana; Rehman, Meenal Budholia

2009-09-01

In vitro experiment was performed by taking petrol pump soils and diesel in flasks with the micronutrients and macronutrients supplements. Cemented bioreactors having sterilized soil and diesel was used for in vivo analysis of diesel hydrocarbon degradation. There were two sets of experiments, first having three bioreactors (1) inoculated by KI. pneumoniae subsp. aerogenes with soil and diesel; (2) with addition of NH4NO3; and (3) served as control. In second set, one bioreactor was inoculated by bacterial consortium containing Moraxella saccharolytica, Alteromonas putrefaciens, KI. pneumoniae subsp. aerogenes and Pseudomonas fragi along with soil and diesel. The remaining two bioreactors (having NH4NO3 and control) were similar to the first set. The experiments were incubated for 30 days. Ability of bacterial inoculum to degrade diesel was analyzed through GC-MS. Smaller chain compounds were obtained after experimental period of 30 days. Rate of diesel degradation was better with the present bacterial consortium than individual bacteria. Present bacterial consortium can be a better choice for faster and complete remediation of contaminated hydrocarbon soils.

Ability of sea-water bacterial consortium to produce electricity and denitrify water

Science.gov (United States)

Maruvada, Nagasamrat V. V.; Tommasi, Tonia; Kaza, Kesava Rao; Ruggeri, Bernardo

Sea is a store house for varied types of microbes with an ability to reduce and oxidize substances like iron, sulphur, carbon dioxide, etc. Most of these processes happen in the sea water environment, but can be applied for purification of wastewater. In the present paper, we discuss the use of a consortium of seawater bacteria in a fuel cell to produce electricity by oxidizing organic matter and reducing nitrates. We also discuss how the growth of the bacterial consortium can lead to an increased electricity production and decreased diffusional resistance in the cell. The analysis was done using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and linear sweep voltammetry (LSV). Here, we use bicarbonate buffered solution, which is the natural buffering agent found in sea. We show that the seawater bacterial consortium can be used in both the anode and cathode parts of the cell. The results confirm the adaptability of the seawater bacteria to different environments and can be used for various applications. Heritage, Erasmus Mundus Programme, European Commission.

The DIAN-TU Next Generation Alzheimer’s prevention trial: adaptive design and disease progression model

Science.gov (United States)

Bateman, Randall J.; Benzinger, Tammie L.; Berry, Scott; Clifford, David B.; Duggan, Cynthia; Fagan, Anne M.; Fanning, Kathleen; Farlow, Martin R.; Hassenstab, Jason; McDade, Eric M.; Mills, Susan; Paumier, Katrina; Quintana, Melanie; Salloway, Stephen P.; Santacruz, Anna; Schneider, Lon S.; Wang, Guoqiao; Xiong, Chengjie

2016-01-01

INTRODUCTION The Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network Trials Unit (DIAN-TU) trial is an adaptive platform trial testing multiple drugs to slow or prevent the progression of Alzheimer’s disease in autosomal dominant Alzheimer’s disease (ADAD) families. With completion of enrollment of the first two drug arms, the DIAN-TU now plans to add new drugs to the platform, designated as the Next Generation Prevention Trial (NexGen). METHODS In collaboration with ADAD families, philanthropic organizations, academic leaders, the DIAN-TU Pharma Consortium, the NIH, and regulatory colleagues, the DIAN-TU developed innovative clinical study designs for the DIAN-TU NexGen trial. RESULTS Our expanded trials toolbox consists of a Disease Progression Model for ADAD, primary endpoint DIAN-TU cognitive performance composite, biomarker development, self-administered cognitive assessments, adaptive dose adjustments, and blinded data collection through the last participant completion. CONCLUSION These steps represent elements to improve efficacy of the adaptive platform trial and a continued effort to optimize prevention and treatment trials in ADAD. PMID:27583651

Biodegradation of low and high molecular weight hydrocarbons in petroleum refinery wastewater by a thermophilic bacterial consortium.

Science.gov (United States)

Pugazhendi, Arulazhagan; Abbad Wazin, Hadeel; Qari, Huda; Basahi, Jalal Mohammad Al-Badry; Godon, Jean Jacques; Dhavamani, Jeyakumar

2017-10-01

Clean-up of contaminated wastewater remains to be a major challenge in petroleum refinery. Here, we describe the capacity of a bacterial consortium enriched from crude oil drilling site in Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia, to utilize polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as sole carbon source at 60°C. The consortium reduced low molecular weight (LMW; naphthalene, phenanthrene, fluorene and anthracene) and high molecular weight (HMW; pyrene, benzo(e)pyrene and benzo(k)fluoranthene) PAH loads of up to 1.5 g/L with removal efficiencies of 90% and 80% within 10 days. PAH biodegradation was verified by the presence of PAH metabolites and evolution of carbon dioxide (90 ± 3%). Biodegradation led to a reduction of the surface tension to 34 ± 1 mN/m thus suggesting biosurfactant production by the consortium. Phylogenetic analysis of the consortium revealed the presence of the thermophilic PAH degrader Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain CEES1 (KU664514) and Bacillus thermosaudia (KU664515) strain CEES2. The consortium was further found to treat petroleum wastewater in continuous stirred tank reactor with 96 ± 2% chemical oxygen demand removal and complete PAH degradation in 24 days.

Degradation of Lignocellulosic Components in Un-pretreated Vinegar Residue Using an Artificially Constructed Fungal Consortium

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yaoming Cui

2015-04-01

Full Text Available The objective of this work was to degrade lignocellulosic components in un-pretreated vinegar residue (VR using a fungal consortium. Consortium-29, consisting of P. chrysosporium, T. koningii, A. niger, and A. ficuum NTG-23, was constructed using orthogonal design combined with two-way interaction analysis. After seven days of cultivation, the reducing sugar yield reached 35.57 mg per gram of dry substrate (gds-1, which was 108.01% higher than the control (17.10 mg gds-1. Additionally, the xylanase and CMCase activity reached 439.07 U gds-1 and 8.15 U gds-1, which were 432.08% and 243.88% higher than that of pure cultures of A. niger (82.52 U gds-1 and P. chrysosporium (2.37 U gds-1, respectively. The cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin contents decreased by 17.11%, 68.61%, and 14.44%, respectively, compared with that of the raw VR. The optimal fermentation conditions of consortium-29 were as follows: incubation temperature 25 °C, initial pH 6, initial moisture content 70%, inoculum size 1 x 10^6 spores/mL, incubation time 5 days, urea/VR 1%, and MnSO4 . H2O/VR 0.03%. This study suggests that consortium-29 is an efficient fungal consortium for un-pretreated VR degradation and has a potential application in lignocellulosic waste utilization with a low cost of operation.

The ARC (Astrophysical Research Consortium) telescope project.

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, K. S.

A consortium of universities intends to construct a 3.5 meter optical-infrared telescope at a site in south-central New Mexico. The use of innovative mirror technology, a fast primary, and an alt-azimuth mounting results in a compact and lightweight instrument. This telescope will be uniquely well-suited for addressing certain observational programs by virtue of its capability for fully remote operation and rapid instrument changes.

p-Cresol mineralization by a nitrifying consortium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva-Luna, C. D.; Gomez, J.; Houbron, E.; Cuervo Lopez, F. M.; Texier, A. C.

2009-01-01

Nitrification and denitrification processes are considered economically feasible technologies for nitrogen removal from wastewater. Knowledge of the toxic or inhibitory effects of cresols on the nitrifying respiratory process is still insufficient. The aim of this study was to evaluate the kinetic behavior and oxidizing ability of a nitrifying consortium exposed to p-cresol in batch cultures. Biotransformation of p-cresol was investigated by identifying the different intermediates formed. (Author)

Vaginal prolapse repair with or without a midurethral sling in women with genital prolapse and occult stress urinary incontinence: a randomized trial

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Ploeg, J. Marinus; Oude Rengerink, Katrien; van der Steen, Annemarie; van Leeuwen, Jules H. Schagen; van der Vaart, C. Huub; Roovers, Jan-Paul W. R.

2016-01-01

We compared pelvic organ prolapse (POP) repair with and without midurethral sling (MUS) in women with occult stress urinary incontinence (SUI). This was a randomized trial conducted by a consortium of 13 teaching hospitals assessing a parallel cohort of continent women with symptomatic stage II or

Research and development project of regional consortiums in fiscal 1998. Research and development of regional consortium energy (development of measuring technology to aid energy conservation in electronic device manufacturing processes (design and trial production of IMI) (Report on the result in the first year)); 1998 nendo chiiki consortium energy kenkyu kaihatsu. Denshi kikirui seizo process no sho energy shien keisoku seigyo gijutsu no kaihatsu (IMI no sekkei to shisaku) (dai 1 nendo)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1999-03-01

This paper summarizes the development of intelligent micro instruments (IMI) inaugurated in fiscal 1998 as the wide-area consortium project for the Tama area. Research and development will be carried out on the following items: IMI substrate elements utilizing micro machining technology, applicable to micro sensors and micro probes, semiconductor process sensors, electronic device measuring probes, signal processing and communication circuits for wireless sensing. This paper describes the achievements during fiscal 1998. Technologies were transferred from the Mechanical Engineering Laboratory of the Agency of Industrial Science and Technology on silicon micro machining and PZT piezoelectric thin film formation. An IMI research laboratory was installed at the Tokyo Metropolitan University. In developing the IMI substrate elements, different beams applicable to sensors and probes were fabricated on a trial basis, and their mechanical properties were measured. For the semiconductor process sensors, discussions were given on micronization on a chlorine ion analyzer. In developing the electronic device measuring probes, the target was placed on measurement of in-situ characteristics of IC chips on a wafer. A prototype transmitting and receiving circuit board was fabricated for developing the wireless sensing. (NEDO)

Northeast Artificial Intelligence Consortium Annual Report. 1988 Interference Techniques for Knowledge Base Maintenance Using Logic Programming Methodologies. Volume 11

Science.gov (United States)

1989-10-01

Northeast Aritificial Intelligence Consortium (NAIC). i Table of Contents Execu tive Sum m ary...o g~nIl ’vLr COPY o~ T- RADC-TR-89-259, Vol XI (of twelve) N Interim Report SOctober 1989 NORTHEAST ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE CONSORTIUM ANNUAL REPORT...ORGANIZATION 6b. OFFICE SYMBOL 7a. NAME OF MONITORING ORGANIZATION Northeast Artificial (If applicable) Intelligence Consortium (NAIC) . Rome Air Development

Effectiveness of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation in patients with chronic low back pain: Design, method and protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luedtke Kerstin

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Electrical stimulation of central nervous system areas with surgically implanted stimulators has been shown to result in pain relief. To avoid the risks and side effects of surgery, transcranial direct current stimulation is an option to electrically stimulate the motor cortex through the skull. Previous research has shown that transcranial direct current stimulation relieves pain in patients with fibromyalgia, chronic neuropathic pain and chronic pelvic pain. Evidence indicates that the method is pain free, safe and inexpensive. Methods/Design A randomised controlled trial has been designed to evaluate the effect of transcranial direct current stimulation over the motor cortex for pain reduction in patients with chronic low back pain. It will also investigate whether transcranial direct current stimulation as a prior treatment enhances the symptom reduction achieved by a cognitive-behavioural group intervention. Participants will be randomised to receive a series of 5 days of transcranial direct current stimulation (2 mA, 20 mins or 20 mins of sham stimulation; followed by a cognitive-behavioural group programme. The primary outcome parameters will measure pain (Visual Analog Scale and disability (Oswestry Disability Index. Secondary outcome parameters will include the Fear Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire, the Funktionsfragebogen Hannover (perceived function, Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale, bothersomeness and Health Related Quality of Life (SF 36, as well as Patient-Perceived Satisfactory Improvement. Assessments will take place immediately prior to the first application of transcranial direct current stimulation or sham, after 5 consecutive days of stimulation, immediately after the cognitive-behavioural group programme and at 4 weeks, 12 weeks and 24 weeks follow-up. Discussion This trial will help to determine, whether transcranial direct current stimulation is an effective treatment for patients with chronic low back

The Arizona Universities Library Consortium patron-driven e-book model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeanne Richardson

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Building on Arizona State University's patron-driven acquisitions (PDA initiative in 2009, the Arizona Universities Library Consortium, in partnership with the Ingram Content Group, created a cooperative patron-driven model to acquire electronic books (e-books. The model provides the opportunity for faculty and students at the universities governed by the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR to access a core of e-books made accessible through resource discovery services and online catalogs. These books are available for significantly less than a single ABOR university would expend for the same materials. The patron-driven model described is one of many evolving models in digital scholarship, and, although the Arizona Universities Library Consortium reports a successful experience, patron-driven models pose questions to stakeholders in the academic publishing industry.

Northeast Artificial Intelligence Consortium Annual Report. Volume 2. 1988 Discussing, Using, and Recognizing Plans (NLP)

Science.gov (United States)

1989-10-01

Encontro Portugues de Inteligencia Artificial (EPIA), Oporto, Portugal, September 1985. [15] N. J. Nilsson. Principles Of Artificial Intelligence. Tioga...FI1 F COPY () RADC-TR-89-259, Vol II (of twelve) Interim Report October 1969 AD-A218 154 NORTHEAST ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE CONSORTIUM ANNUAL...7a. NAME OF MONITORING ORGANIZATION Northeast Artificial Of p0ilcabe) Intelligence Consortium (NAIC) Rome_____ Air___ Development____Center

Gas Storage Technology Consortium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Joel Morrison; Elizabeth Wood; Barbara Robuck

2010-09-30

The EMS Energy Institute at The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) has managed the Gas Storage Technology Consortium (GSTC) since its inception in 2003. The GSTC infrastructure provided a means to accomplish industry-driven research and development designed to enhance the operational flexibility and deliverability of the nation's gas storage system, and provide a cost-effective, safe, and reliable supply of natural gas to meet domestic demand. The GSTC received base funding from the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) Oil & Natural Gas Supply Program. The GSTC base funds were highly leveraged with industry funding for individual projects. Since its inception, the GSTC has engaged 67 members. The GSTC membership base was diverse, coming from 19 states, the District of Columbia, and Canada. The membership was comprised of natural gas storage field operators, service companies, industry consultants, industry trade organizations, and academia. The GSTC organized and hosted a total of 18 meetings since 2003. Of these, 8 meetings were held to review, discuss, and select proposals submitted for funding consideration. The GSTC reviewed a total of 75 proposals and committed co-funding to support 31 industry-driven projects. The GSTC committed co-funding to 41.3% of the proposals that it received and reviewed. The 31 projects had a total project value of $6,203,071 of which the GSTC committed $3,205,978 in co-funding. The committed GSTC project funding represented an average program cost share of 51.7%. Project applicants provided an average program cost share of 48.3%. In addition to the GSTC co-funding, the consortium provided the domestic natural gas storage industry with a technology transfer and outreach infrastructure. The technology transfer and outreach were conducted by having project mentoring teams and a GSTC website, and by working closely with the Pipeline Research Council International (PRCI) to

BIODEGRADATION OF MTBE BY A MICROORGANISM CONSORTIUM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Alimohammadi, A. R. Mesdaghinia, M. Mahmoodi, S. Nasseri, A. H. Mahvi and J. Nouri

2005-10-01

Full Text Available Methyl Tert-Butyl Ether (MTBE is one of the ether oxygenates which its use has been increased within the last twenty years. This compound is produced from isobutylene and methanol reaction that is used as octane index enhancer and also increases dissolved oxygen in gasoline and decreases carbon monoxide emission in four phased motors because of better combustion of gasoline. High solubility in water (52 g/L, high vapor pressure (0.54 kg/cm3, low absorption to organic carbon of soil and presence of MTBE in the list of potentially-carcinogens of U.S EPA has made its use of great concern. The culture media used in this study was Mineral Salt Medium (MSM. The study lasted for 236 days and in three different concentrations of MTBE of 200, 5 and 0.8 mg/L. A control sample was also used to compare the results. This research studied the isolation methods of microbial consortium in the MTBE polluted soils in Tehran and Abadan petroleum refinery besides MTBE degradation. The results showed the capability of bacteria in consuming MTBE as carbon source. Final microbial isolation was performed with several microbial passages as well as keeping consortium in a certain amount of MTBE as the carbon source.

In-Vessel Co-Composting of Food Waste Employing Enriched Bacterial Consortium.

Science.gov (United States)

Awasthi, Mukesh Kumar; Wang, Quan; Wang, Meijing; Chen, Hongyu; Ren, Xiuna; Zhao, Junchao; Zhang, Zengqiang

2018-03-01

The aim of the present study is to develop a good initial composting mix using a bacterial consortium and 2% lime for effective co-composting of food waste in a 60-litre in-vessel composter. In the experiment that lasted for 42 days, the food waste was first mixed with sawdust and 2% lime (by dry mass), then one of the reactors was inoculated with an enriched bacterial consortium, while the other served as control. The results show that inoculation of the enriched natural bacterial consortium effectively overcame the oil-laden co-composting mass in the composter and increased the rate of mineralization. In addition, CO 2 evolution rate of (0.81±0.2) g/(kg·day), seed germination index of (105±3) %, extractable ammonium mass fraction of 305.78 mg/kg, C/N ratio of 16.18, pH=7.6 and electrical conductivity of 3.12 mS/cm clearly indicate that the compost was well matured and met the composting standard requirements. In contrast, control treatment exhibited a delayed thermophilic phase and did not mature after 42 days, as evidenced by the maturity parameters. Therefore, a good composting mix and potential bacterial inoculum to degrade the oil are essential for food waste co-composting systems.

In-Vessel Co-Composting of Food Waste Employing Enriched Bacterial Consortium

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mukesh Kumar Awasthi

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of the present study is to develop a good initial composting mix using a bacterial consortium and 2 % lime for effective co-composting of food waste in a 60-litre in-vessel composter. In the experiment that lasted for 42 days, the food waste was first mixed with sawdust and 2 % lime (by dry mass, then one of the reactors was inoculated with an enriched bacterial consortium, while the other served as control. The results show that inoculation of the enriched natural bacterial consortium effectively overcame the oil-laden co-composting mass in the composter and increased the rate of mineralization. In addition, CO2 evolution rate of (0.81±0.2 g/(kg·day, seed germination index of (105±3 %, extractable ammonium mass fraction of 305.78 mg/kg, C/N ratio of 16.18, pH=7.6 and electrical conductivity of 3.12 mS/cm clearly indicate that the compost was well matured and met the composting standard requirements. In contrast, control treatment exhibited a delayed thermophilic phase and did not mature after 42 days, as evidenced by the maturity parameters. Therefore, a good composting mix and potential bacterial inoculum to degrade the oil are essential for food waste co-composting systems.

A European multi-language initiative to make the general population aware of independent clinical research: the European Communication on Research Awareness Need project

OpenAIRE

Mosconi, Paola; Antes, Gerd; Barbareschi, Giorgio; Burls, Amanda; Demotes-Mainard, Jacques; Chalmers, Iain; Colombo, Cinzia; Garattini, Silvio; Gluud, Christian; Gyte, Gill; Mcllwain, Catherine; Penfold, Matt; Post, Nils; Satolli, Roberto; Valetto, Maria Rosa

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: The ECRAN (European Communication on Research Awareness Needs) project was initiated in 2012, with support from the European Commission, to improve public knowledge about the importance of independent, multinational, clinical trials in Europe. \\ud \\ud METHODS: Participants in the ECRAN consortium included clinicians and methodologists directly involved in clinical trials; researchers working in partnership with the public and patients; representatives of patients; and experts in s...

Efficacy of transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) in women with provoked vestibulodynia: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Morin, Annie; Léonard, Guillaume; Gougeon, Véronique; Waddell, Guy; Bureau, Yves-André; Girard, Isabelle; Morin, Mélanie

2016-05-14

Provoked vestibulodynia is the most common form of vulvodynia. Despite its high prevalence and deleterious sexual, conjugal, and psychological repercussions, effective evidence-based interventions for provoked vestibulodynia remain limited. For a high proportion of women, significant pain persists despite the currently available treatments. Growing evidence suggests that the central nervous system (CNS) could play a key role in provoked vestibulodynia; thus, treatment targeting the CNS, rather than localized dysfunctions, may be beneficial for women suffering from provoked vestibulodynia. In this study, we aim to build on the promising results of a previous case report and evaluate whether transcranial direct-current stimulation, a non-invasive brain stimulation technique targeting the CNS, could be an effective treatment option for women with provoked vestibulodynia. This single-center, triple-blind, parallel group, randomized, controlled trial aims to compare the efficacy of transcranial direct-current stimulation with sham transcranial direct-current stimulation in women with provoked vestibulodynia. Forty women diagnosed with provoked vestibulodynia by a gynecologist, following a standardized treatment protocol, are randomized to either active transcranial direct-current stimulation treatment for ten sessions of 20 minutes at an intensity of 2 mA or sham transcranial direct-current stimulation over a 2-week period. Outcome measures are collected at baseline, 2 weeks after treatment and at 3-month follow-up. The primary outcome is pain during intercourse, assessed with a numerical rating scale. Secondary measurements focus on the sexual function, vestibular pain sensitivity, psychological distress, treatment satisfaction, and the patient's global impression of change. To our knowledge, this study is the first randomized controlled trial to examine the efficacy of transcranial direct-current stimulation in women with provoked vestibulodynia. Findings from this

The Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Minority Institutions Environmental Technology and Waste Management Consortium annual report, 1990--1991

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1991-12-31

The HBCU/MI Environmental Technology and Waste Management Consortium was established in January 1990, through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) among the member institutions. This group of research-oriented Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Institutions (HBCU/MI) agreed to work together to initiate research, technology development and education programs to address the nation`s critical environmental problems. As a group the HBCU/MI Consortium is uniquely positioned to reach women and the minority populations of African Americans, Hispanics and American Indians. As part of their initial work, they developed the Research, Education, and Technology Transfer (RETT) Plan to actualize the Consortium`s guiding principles. In addition to developing a comprehensive research agenda, four major programs were begun to meet these goals. This report summarizes the 1990--1991 progress.

Psychological Therapies for Auditory Hallucinations (Voices): Current Status and Key Directions for Future Research

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Thomas, N.; Hayward, M.; Peters, E; van der Gaag, M.; Bentall, R.P.; Jenner, J.; Strauss, C.; Sommer, I.E.; Johns, L.C.; Varese, F.; Gracia-Montes, J.M.; Waters, F.; Dodgson, G.; McCarthy-Jones, S.

2014-01-01

This report from the International Consortium on Hallucinations Research considers the current status and future directions in research on psychological therapies targeting auditory hallucinations (hearing voices). Therapy approaches have evolved from behavioral and coping-focused interventions,

STROKOG (stroke and cognition consortium): An international consortium to examine the epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment of neurocognitive disorders in relation to cerebrovascular disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Sachdev, Perminder S; Lo, Jessica W; Crawford, John D; Mellon, Lisa; Hickey, Anne; Williams, David; Bordet, Régis; Mendyk, Anne-Marie; Gelé, Patrick; Deplanque, Dominique; Bae, Hee-Joon; Lim, Jae-Sung; Brodtmann, Amy; Werden, Emilio; Cumming, Toby; Köhler, Sebastian; Verhey, Frans R J; Dong, Yan-Hong; Tan, Hui Hui; Chen, Christopher; Xin, Xu; Kalaria, Raj N; Allan, Louise M; Akinyemi, Rufus O; Ogunniyi, Adesola; Klimkowicz-Mrowiec, Aleksandra; Dichgans, Martin; Wollenweber, Frank A; Zietemann, Vera; Hoffmann, Michael; Desmond, David W; Linden, Thomas; Blomstrand, Christian; Fagerberg, Björn; Skoog, Ingmar; Godefroy, Olivier; Barbay, Mélanie; Roussel, Martine; Lee, Byung-Chul; Yu, Kyung-Ho; Wardlaw, Joanna; Makin, Stephen J; Doubal, Fergus N; Chappell, Francesca M; Srikanth, Velandai K; Thrift, Amanda G; Donnan, Geoffrey A; Kandiah, Nagaendran; Chander, Russell J; Lin, Xuling; Cordonnier, Charlotte; Moulin, Solene; Rossi, Costanza; Sabayan, Behnam; Stott, David J; Jukema, J Wouter; Melkas, Susanna; Jokinen, Hanna; Erkinjuntti, Timo; Mok, Vincent C T; Wong, Adrian; Lam, Bonnie Y K; Leys, Didier; Hénon, Hilde; Bombois, Stéphanie; Lipnicki, Darren M; Kochan, Nicole A

2017-01-01

The Stroke and Cognition consortium (STROKOG) aims to facilitate a better understanding of the determinants of vascular contributions to cognitive disorders and help improve the diagnosis and treatment of vascular cognitive disorders (VCD). Longitudinal studies with ≥75 participants who had suffered or were at risk of stroke or TIA and which evaluated cognitive function were invited to join STROKOG. The consortium will facilitate projects investigating rates and patterns of cognitive decline, risk factors for VCD, and biomarkers of vascular dementia. Currently, STROKOG includes 25 (21 published) studies, with 12,092 participants from five continents. The duration of follow-up ranges from 3 months to 21 years. Although data harmonization will be a key challenge, STROKOG is in a unique position to reuse and combine international cohort data and fully explore patient level characteristics and outcomes. STROKOG could potentially transform our understanding of VCD and have a worldwide impact on promoting better vascular cognitive outcomes.

Characteristics of a bioflocculant produced by a consortium of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The characteristics of a bioflocculant produced by a consortium of 2 bacteria belonging to the genera Cobetia and Bacillus was investigated. The extracellular bioflocculant was composed of 66% uronic acid and 31% protein and showed an optimum flocculation (90% flocculating activity) of kaolin suspension at a dosage of ...

Highly migratory shark fisheries research by the National Shark Research Consortium (NSRC), 2002-2007

OpenAIRE

Hueter, Robert E.; Cailliet, Gregor M.; Ebert, David A.; Musick, John A.; Burgess, George H.

2007-01-01

The National Shark Research Consortium (NSRC) includes the Center for Shark Research at Mote Marine Laboratory, the Pacific Shark Research Center at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, the Shark Research Program at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, and the Florida Program for Shark Research at the University of Florida. The consortium objectives include shark-related research in the Gulf of Mexico and along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of the U.S., education and scientific cooperation.

Consortium for oral health-related informatics: improving dental research, education, and treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Stark, Paul C; Kalenderian, Elsbeth; White, Joel M; Walji, Muhammad F; Stewart, Denice C L; Kimmes, Nicole; Meng, Thomas R; Willis, George P; DeVries, Ted; Chapman, Robert J

2010-10-01

Advances in informatics, particularly the implementation of electronic health records (EHR), in dentistry have facilitated the exchange of information. The majority of dental schools in North America use the same EHR system, providing an unprecedented opportunity to integrate these data into a repository that can be used for oral health education and research. In 2007, fourteen dental schools formed the Consortium for Oral Health-Related Informatics (COHRI). Since its inception, COHRI has established structural and operational processes, governance and bylaws, and a number of work groups organized in two divisions: one focused on research (data standardization, integration, and analysis), and one focused on education (performance evaluations, virtual standardized patients, and objective structured clinical examinations). To date, COHRI (which now includes twenty dental schools) has been successful in developing a data repository, pilot-testing data integration, and sharing EHR enhancements among the group. This consortium has collaborated on standardizing medical and dental histories, developing diagnostic terminology, and promoting the utilization of informatics in dental education. The consortium is in the process of assembling the largest oral health database ever created. This will be an invaluable resource for research and provide a foundation for evidence-based dentistry for years to come.

The ENIGMA Consortium: large-scale collaborative analyses of neuroimaging and genetic data.

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Paul M; Stein, Jason L; Medland, Sarah E; Hibar, Derrek P; Vasquez, Alejandro Arias; Renteria, Miguel E; Toro, Roberto; Jahanshad, Neda; Schumann, Gunter; Franke, Barbara; Wright, Margaret J; Martin, Nicholas G; Agartz, Ingrid; Alda, Martin; Alhusaini, Saud; Almasy, Laura; Almeida, Jorge; Alpert, Kathryn; Andreasen, Nancy C; Andreassen, Ole A; Apostolova, Liana G; Appel, Katja; Armstrong, Nicola J; Aribisala, Benjamin; Bastin, Mark E; Bauer, Michael; Bearden, Carrie E; Bergmann, Orjan; Binder, Elisabeth B; Blangero, John; Bockholt, Henry J; Bøen, Erlend; Bois, Catherine; Boomsma, Dorret I; Booth, Tom; Bowman, Ian J; Bralten, Janita; Brouwer, Rachel M; Brunner, Han G; Brohawn, David G; Buckner, Randy L; Buitelaar, Jan; Bulayeva, Kazima; Bustillo, Juan R; Calhoun, Vince D; Cannon, Dara M; Cantor, Rita M; Carless, Melanie A; Caseras, Xavier; Cavalleri, Gianpiero L; Chakravarty, M Mallar; Chang, Kiki D; Ching, Christopher R K; Christoforou, Andrea; Cichon, Sven; Clark, Vincent P; Conrod, Patricia; Coppola, Giovanni; Crespo-Facorro, Benedicto; Curran, Joanne E; Czisch, Michael; Deary, Ian J; de Geus, Eco J C; den Braber, Anouk; Delvecchio, Giuseppe; Depondt, Chantal; de Haan, Lieuwe; de Zubicaray, Greig I; Dima, Danai; Dimitrova, Rali; Djurovic, Srdjan; Dong, Hongwei; Donohoe, Gary; Duggirala, Ravindranath; Dyer, Thomas D; Ehrlich, Stefan; Ekman, Carl Johan; Elvsåshagen, Torbjørn; Emsell, Louise; Erk, Susanne; Espeseth, Thomas; Fagerness, Jesen; Fears, Scott; Fedko, Iryna; Fernández, Guillén; Fisher, Simon E; Foroud, Tatiana; Fox, Peter T; Francks, Clyde; Frangou, Sophia; Frey, Eva Maria; Frodl, Thomas; Frouin, Vincent; Garavan, Hugh; Giddaluru, Sudheer; Glahn, David C; Godlewska, Beata; Goldstein, Rita Z; Gollub, Randy L; Grabe, Hans J; Grimm, Oliver; Gruber, Oliver; Guadalupe, Tulio; Gur, Raquel E; Gur, Ruben C; Göring, Harald H H; Hagenaars, Saskia; Hajek, Tomas; Hall, Geoffrey B; Hall, Jeremy; Hardy, John; Hartman, Catharina A; Hass, Johanna; Hatton, Sean N; Haukvik, Unn K; Hegenscheid, Katrin; Heinz, Andreas; Hickie, Ian B; Ho, Beng-Choon; Hoehn, David; Hoekstra, Pieter J; Hollinshead, Marisa; Holmes, Avram J; Homuth, Georg; Hoogman, Martine; Hong, L Elliot; Hosten, Norbert; Hottenga, Jouke-Jan; Hulshoff Pol, Hilleke E; Hwang, Kristy S; Jack, Clifford R; Jenkinson, Mark; Johnston, Caroline; Jönsson, Erik G; Kahn, René S; Kasperaviciute, Dalia; Kelly, Sinead; Kim, Sungeun; Kochunov, Peter; Koenders, Laura; Krämer, Bernd; Kwok, John B J; Lagopoulos, Jim; Laje, Gonzalo; Landen, Mikael; Landman, Bennett A; Lauriello, John; Lawrie, Stephen M; Lee, Phil H; Le Hellard, Stephanie; Lemaître, Herve; Leonardo, Cassandra D; Li, Chiang-Shan; Liberg, Benny; Liewald, David C; Liu, Xinmin; Lopez, Lorna M; Loth, Eva; Lourdusamy, Anbarasu; Luciano, Michelle; Macciardi, Fabio; Machielsen, Marise W J; Macqueen, Glenda M; Malt, Ulrik F; Mandl, René; Manoach, Dara S; Martinot, Jean-Luc; Matarin, Mar; Mather, Karen A; Mattheisen, Manuel; Mattingsdal, Morten; Meyer-Lindenberg, Andreas; McDonald, Colm; McIntosh, Andrew M; McMahon, Francis J; McMahon, Katie L; Meisenzahl, Eva; Melle, Ingrid; Milaneschi, Yuri; Mohnke, Sebastian; Montgomery, Grant W; Morris, Derek W; Moses, Eric K; Mueller, Bryon A; Muñoz Maniega, Susana; Mühleisen, Thomas W; Müller-Myhsok, Bertram; Mwangi, Benson; Nauck, Matthias; Nho, Kwangsik; Nichols, Thomas E; Nilsson, Lars-Göran; Nugent, Allison C; Nyberg, Lars; Olvera, Rene L; Oosterlaan, Jaap; Ophoff, Roel A; Pandolfo, Massimo; Papalampropoulou-Tsiridou, Melina; Papmeyer, Martina; Paus, Tomas; Pausova, Zdenka; Pearlson, Godfrey D; Penninx, Brenda W; Peterson, Charles P; Pfennig, Andrea; Phillips, Mary; Pike, G Bruce; Poline, Jean-Baptiste; Potkin, Steven G; Pütz, Benno; Ramasamy, Adaikalavan; Rasmussen, Jerod; Rietschel, Marcella; Rijpkema, Mark; Risacher, Shannon L; Roffman, Joshua L; Roiz-Santiañez, Roberto; Romanczuk-Seiferth, Nina; Rose, Emma J; Royle, Natalie A; Rujescu, Dan; Ryten, Mina; Sachdev, Perminder S; Salami, Alireza; Satterthwaite, Theodore D; Savitz, Jonathan; Saykin, Andrew J; Scanlon, Cathy; Schmaal, Lianne; Schnack, Hugo G; Schork, Andrew J; Schulz, S Charles; Schür, Remmelt; Seidman, Larry; Shen, Li; Shoemaker, Jody M; Simmons, Andrew; Sisodiya, Sanjay M; Smith, Colin; Smoller, Jordan W; Soares, Jair C; Sponheim, Scott R; Sprooten, Emma; Starr, John M; Steen, Vidar M; Strakowski, Stephen; Strike, Lachlan; Sussmann, Jessika; Sämann, Philipp G; Teumer, Alexander; Toga, Arthur W; Tordesillas-Gutierrez, Diana; Trabzuni, Daniah; Trost, Sarah; Turner, Jessica; Van den Heuvel, Martijn; van der Wee, Nic J; van Eijk, Kristel; van Erp, Theo G M; van Haren, Neeltje E M; van 't Ent, Dennis; van Tol, Marie-Jose; Valdés Hernández, Maria C; Veltman, Dick J; Versace, Amelia; Völzke, Henry; Walker, Robert; Walter, Henrik; Wang, Lei; Wardlaw, Joanna M; Weale, Michael E; Weiner, Michael W; Wen, Wei; Westlye, Lars T; Whalley, Heather C; Whelan, Christopher D; White, Tonya; Winkler, Anderson M; Wittfeld, Katharina; Woldehawariat, Girma; Wolf, Christiane; Zilles, David; Zwiers, Marcel P; Thalamuthu, Anbupalam; Schofield, Peter R; Freimer, Nelson B; Lawrence, Natalia S; Drevets, Wayne

2014-06-01

The Enhancing NeuroImaging Genetics through Meta-Analysis (ENIGMA) Consortium is a collaborative network of researchers working together on a range of large-scale studies that integrate data from 70 institutions worldwide. Organized into Working Groups that tackle questions in neuroscience, genetics, and medicine, ENIGMA studies have analyzed neuroimaging data from over 12,826 subjects. In addition, data from 12,171 individuals were provided by the CHARGE consortium for replication of findings, in a total of 24,997 subjects. By meta-analyzing results from many sites, ENIGMA has detected factors that affect the brain that no individual site could detect on its own, and that require larger numbers of subjects than any individual neuroimaging study has currently collected. ENIGMA's first project was a genome-wide association study identifying common variants in the genome associated with hippocampal volume or intracranial volume. Continuing work is exploring genetic associations with subcortical volumes (ENIGMA2) and white matter microstructure (ENIGMA-DTI). Working groups also focus on understanding how schizophrenia, bipolar illness, major depression and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affect the brain. We review the current progress of the ENIGMA Consortium, along with challenges and unexpected discoveries made on the way.

Culture-dependent and -independent approaches establish the complexity of a PAH-degrading microbial consortium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vinas, M.; Sabate, J.; Solanas, A.M. [Barcelona Univ., Barcelona (Spain). Dept. of Microbiology; Guasp, C.; Lalucat, J. [Illes Balears Univ., Palma de Mallorca (Spain). Dept. of Biology

2005-11-15

Microbial consortia are used in the decontamination of polluted environmental sites. A microbial consortium obtained by batch enrichment culture is a closed system with controlled conditions in which micro-organisms with a potentially high growth rate are selected and become dominant. The aim of this study was to identify the members of consortium AM, in which earlier batch enrichment work had shown high biodegradation rates of the aromatic fraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH). The AM consortium was obtained by sequential enrichment in liquid culture with a PAH mixture of 3- and 4- ringed PAHs as the sole source of carbon and energy. The consortium was examined using a triple approach method based on various cultivation strategies, denaturing gradient electrophoresis (DGGE) and the screening of 16S and 18S rRNA gene clone libraries. Eleven different sequences by culture-dependent techniques and 7 by both DGGE and clone libraries were obtained, yielding 19 different microbial components. Proteobacteria were the dominant group, representing 83 per cent of the total, while the Cytophaga-Flexibactor-Bacteroides group (CFB) was 11 per cent, and Ascomycota fungi were 6 per cent. It was determined that {beta}-Proteobacteria were predominant in the DGGE and clone library methods, whereas they were a minority in culturable strains. The highest diversity and number of noncoincident sequences was achieved by the cultivation method that showed members of the {alpha},{beta}, and {gamma}-Proteobacteria, CFB bacterial group, and Ascomycota fungi. Only 6 of the 11 strains isolated showed PAH-degrading capability. The bacterial strain (AMS7) and the fungal strain (AMF1) achieved the greatest PAH depletion. Results indicated that polyphasic assessment is necessary for a proper understanding of the composition of a microbial consortium. It was concluded that microbial consortia are more complex than previously realized. 54 refs., 3 tabs., 3 figs.

Enhanced bioremediation of soil contaminated with viscous oil through microbial consortium construction and ultraviolet mutation.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Jing; Yang, Qiuyan; Huang, Taipeng; Zhang, Yongkui; Ding, Ranfeng

2011-06-01

This study focused on enhancing the bioremediation of soil contaminated with viscous oil by microorganisms and evaluating two strategies. Construction of microbial consortium and ultraviolet mutation were both effective applications in the remediation of soil contaminated with viscous oil. Results demonstrated that an interaction among the microorganisms existed and affected the biodegradation rate. Strains inoculated equally into the test showed the best remediation, and an optimal microbial consortium was achieved with a 7 days' degradation rate of 49.22%. On the other hand, the use of ultraviolet mutation increased one strain's degrading ability from 41.83 to 52.42% in 7 days. Gas chromatography and mass spectrum analysis showed that microbial consortium could treat more organic fractions of viscous oil, while ultraviolet mutation could be more effect on increasing one strain's degrading ability.

Chemometric formulation of bacterial consortium-AVS for improved decolorization of resonance-stabilized and heteropolyaromatic dyes.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Madhava Anil; Kumar, Vaidyanathan Vinoth; Premkumar, Manickam Periyaraman; Baskaralingam, Palanichamy; Thiruvengadaravi, Kadathur Varathachary; Dhanasekaran, Anuradha; Sivanesan, Subramanian

2012-11-01

A bacterial consortium-AVS, consisting of Pseudomonas desmolyticum NCIM 2112, Kocuria rosea MTCC 1532 and Micrococcus glutamicus NCIM 2168 was formulated chemometrically, using the mixture design matrix based on the design of experiments methodology. The formulated consortium-AVS decolorized acid blue 15 and methylene blue with a higher average decolorization rate, which is more rapid than that of the pure cultures. The UV-vis spectrophotometric, Fourier transform infra red spectrophotometric and high performance liquid chromatographic analysis confirm that the decolorization was due to biodegradation by oxido-reductive enzymes, produced by the consortium-AVS. The toxicological assessment of plant growth parameters and the chlorophyll pigment concentrations of Phaseolus mungo and Triticum aestivum seedlings revealed the reduced toxic nature of the biodegraded products. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thirty Years of Innovation in Seismology with the IRIS Consortium

Science.gov (United States)

Sumy, D. F.; Woodward, R.; Aderhold, K.; Ahern, T. K.; Anderson, K. R.; Busby, R.; Detrick, R. S.; Evers, B.; Frassetto, A.; Hafner, K.; Simpson, D. W.; Sweet, J. R.; Taber, J.

2015-12-01

The United States academic seismology community, through the National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS) Consortium, has promoted and encouraged a rich environment of innovation and experimentation in areas such as seismic instrumentation, data processing and analysis, teaching and curriculum development, and academic science. As the science continually evolves, IRIS helps drive the market for new research tools that enable science by establishing a variety of standards and goals. This has often involved working directly with manufacturers to better define the technology required, co-funding key development work or early production prototypes, and purchasing initial production runs. IRIS activities have helped establish de-facto international standards and impacted the commercial sector in areas such as seismic instrumentation, open-access data management, and professional development. Key institutional practices, conducted and refined over IRIS' thirty-year history of operations, have focused on open-access data availability, full retention of maximum-bandwidth, continuous data, and direct community access to state-of-the-art seismological instrumentation and software. These practices have helped to cultivate and support a thriving commercial ecosystem, and have been a key element in the professional development of multiple generations of seismologists who now work in both industry and academia. Looking toward the future, IRIS is increasing its engagement with industry to better enable bi-directional exchange of techniques and technology, and enhancing the development of tomorrow's workforce. In this presentation, we will illustrate how IRIS has promoted innovations grown out of the academic community and spurred technological advances in both academia and industry.

The Black Rock Forest Consortium: A narrative

Science.gov (United States)

Buzzetto-More, Nicole Antoinette

The Black Rock Forest is a 3,785-acre wilderness area whose richly forested landscape represents the splendor of the Hudson Valley Region of New York State. Although originally intended to become the home of wealthy banker James Stillman, it was his son Ernest whose love of conservation caused him to embrace the then new and revolutionary practice of sustainable forestry and establish Black Rock in 1928. Due to Ernest Stillman's foresight, the property was protected from development and bequeathed to Harvard University following his death for the establishment of an experimental forest. The modern environmental movement in America began when the Black Rock Forest was threatened with development by Consolidated Edison, and the people of the surrounding community banded together, battling tirelessly for over 17 years to stop the degradation of this historic forest. The outcome of this crusade marked a hallmark win for the environment leaving an illustrious and inveterate legacy. The campaign resulted in the watershed legislation the National Environmental Policy Act, the formation of several environmental advocacy groups, the creation of the Council on Environmental Quality of the Executive Office of the President, as well as set a precedent for communities to initiate and win cases against major corporations in order to safeguard natural resources. In the midst of the controversy it became apparent that alternative futures for the Forest needed to be explored. As a result of a committee report and one man's vision, the idea emerged to create a consortium that would purchase and steward the Forest. With a formation that took nearly fifteen years, the Black Rock Forest Consortium was formed, a unique amalgamation of K--12 public and private schools, colleges and universities, and science and cultural centers that successfully collaborate to enhance scientific research, environmental conservation, and education. The Consortium works to bridge the gaps between learners

25 CFR 1000.54 - How will a Tribe/Consortium know whether or not it has been selected to receive an advance...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

...) Planning and Negotiation Grants Advance Planning Grant Funding § 1000.54 How will a Tribe/Consortium know... Director will notify the Tribe/Consortium by letter whether it has been selected to receive an advance... 25 Indians 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false How will a Tribe/Consortium know whether or not it has...

Simulating real world functioning in schizophrenia using a naturalistic city environment and single-trial, goal-directed navigation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John A Zawadzki

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Objective: To develop a virtual reality platform that would serve as a functionally meaningful measure of cognition in schizophrenia that would complement standard batteries of cognitive tests during clinical trials for cognitive treatments in schizophrenia, be amenable to human neuroimaging research, yet lend itself to neurobiological comparison with rodent analogues.Method: Thirty-three patients with schizophrenia and 33 healthy controls matched for age, sex, video gaming experience and education completed eight rapid, single-trial virtual navigation tasks within a naturalistic virtual city. Four trials tested their ability to find different targets seen during the passive viewing of a closed path that led them around different city blocks. Four subsequent trials tested their ability to return to four different starting points after viewing a path that took them several blocks away from the starting position. Results: Individuals with schizophrenia had difficulties in way-finding, measured as distance travelled to find targets previously encountered within the virtual city. They were also more likely not to notice the target during passive viewing, less likely to find novel shortcuts to targets and more likely to become lost and fail completely in finding the target. Total travel distances across all eight trials strongly correlated (negatively with neurocognitive measures and, for 49 participants who completed the Quality of Life Scale, psychosocial functioning. Conclusion: Single-trial, goal-directed navigation in a naturalistic virtual environment is a functionally meaningful measure of cognitive functioning in schizophrenia.

A programmable Escherichia coli consortium via tunable symbiosis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alissa Kerner

Full Text Available Synthetic microbial consortia that can mimic natural systems have the potential to become a powerful biotechnology for various applications. One highly desirable feature of these consortia is that they can be precisely regulated. In this work we designed a programmable, symbiotic circuit that enables continuous tuning of the growth rate and composition of a synthetic consortium. We implemented our general design through the cross-feeding of tryptophan and tyrosine by two E. coli auxotrophs. By regulating the expression of genes related to the export or production of these amino acids, we were able to tune the metabolite exchanges and achieve a wide range of growth rates and strain ratios. In addition, by inverting the relationship of growth/ratio vs. inducer concentrations, we were able to "program" the co-culture for pre-specified attributes with the proper addition of inducing chemicals. This programmable proof-of-concept circuit or its variants can be applied to more complex systems where precise tuning of the consortium would facilitate the optimization of specific objectives, such as increasing the overall efficiency of microbial production of biofuels or pharmaceuticals.

The Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial (DiRECT): protocol for a cluster randomised trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Leslie, Wilma S; Ford, Ian; Sattar, Naveed; Hollingsworth, Kieren G; Adamson, Ashley; Sniehotta, Falko F; McCombie, Louise; Brosnahan, Naomi; Ross, Hazel; Mathers, John C; Peters, Carl; Thom, George; Barnes, Alison; Kean, Sharon; McIlvenna, Yvonne; Rodrigues, Angela; Rehackova, Lucia; Zhyzhneuskaya, Sviatlana; Taylor, Roy; Lean, Mike E J

2016-02-16

Despite improving evidence-based practice following clinical guidelines to optimise drug therapy, Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) still exerts a devastating toll from vascular complications and premature death. Biochemical remission of T2DM has been demonstrated with weight loss around 15kg following bariatric surgery and in several small studies of non-surgical energy-restriction treatments. The non-surgical Counterweight-Plus programme, running in Primary Care where obesity and T2DM are routinely managed, produces >15 kg weight loss in 33% of all enrolled patients. The Diabetes UK-funded Counterpoint study suggested that this should be sufficient to reverse T2DM by removing ectopic fat in liver and pancreas, restoring first-phase insulin secretion. The Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial (DiRECT) was designed to determine whether a structured, intensive, weight management programme, delivered in a routine Primary Care setting, is a viable treatment for achieving durable normoglycaemia. Other aims are to understand the mechanistic basis of remission and to identify psychological predictors of response. Cluster-randomised design with GP practice as the unit of randomisation: 280 participants from around 30 practices in Scotland and England will be allocated either to continue usual guideline-based care or to add the Counterweight-Plus weight management programme, which includes primary care nurse or dietitian delivery of 12-20weeks low calorie diet replacement, food reintroduction, and long-term weight loss maintenance. Main inclusion criteria: men and women aged 20-65 years, all ethnicities, T2DM 0-6years duration, BMI 27-45 kg/m(2). Tyneside participants will undergo Magnetic Resonance (MR) studies of pancreatic and hepatic fat, and metabolic studies to determine mechanisms underlying T2DM remission. Co-primary endpoints: weight reduction ≥ 15 kg and HbA1c <48 mmol/mol at one year. Further follow-up at 2 years. This study will establish whether a structured weight

HIV Pathogenesis: Abstracts from the March 2017 Cleveland Immunopathogenesis Consortium Meeting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael M. Lederman

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The Cleveland Immunopathogenesis Consortium (CLIC was launched in March 2004 by a small group of investigators (Ron Bosch, Jason Brenchley,  Steven Deeks, Danny Douek, Zvi Grossman, Robert Kalayjian, Clifford Harding, Michael Lederman, Leonid Margolis, Miguel Quinones, Benigno Rodriguez, Rafick Sekaly, Scott Sieg, and Guido Silvestri who were increasingly persuaded that immune activation was an important driver of HIV pathogenesis. We met around a chalk board and scribbled our models of pathogenesis, designed some experiments then went back home to do them. We met again soon to review our new and unpublished findings that refined and shaped these models. The data presentations were short, informal and heavy on discussion. The model worked well, the consortium was productive and the meetings catalyzed numerous collaborations and scores of high impact papers. The CLIC (less formally, the Bad Boys of Cleveland [1] has been meeting regularly since then. Consortium membership has expanded to include other investigators (some are listed in the presentations below. Whether the goal is to prevent the morbid complications of HIV infection, to understand the determinants of HIV persistence or the factors that protect from acquisition of infection, a more clear understanding of HIV immunopathogenesis is central. Here in this issue of Pathogens and Immunity is a brief summary of the most recent CLIC//BBC meeting held in Cleveland in March 2017.

The Research Consortium, 1977-2010: Contributions, Milestones, and Trends

Science.gov (United States)

Cardinal, Bradley J.; Claman, Gayle

2010-01-01

Research and innovation are a cornerstone of any progressive organization. The Research Consortium (RC) has served as the principal organization fulfilling this function on behalf of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD) throughout much of its history. The RC is an organization of approximately 5,000…

25 CFR 1000.367 - Will the Department evaluate a Tribe's/Consortium's performance of non-trust related programs?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... Evaluations § 1000.367 Will the Department evaluate a Tribe's/Consortium's performance of non-trust related... 25 Indians 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Will the Department evaluate a Tribe's/Consortium's performance of non-trust related programs? 1000.367 Section 1000.367 Indians OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY...

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for treatment of major depression during pregnancy: study protocol for a pilot randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Vigod, Simone; Dennis, Cindy-Lee; Daskalakis, Zafiris; Murphy, Kellie; Ray, Joel; Oberlander, Tim; Somerton, Sarah; Hussain-Shamsy, Neesha; Blumberger, Daniel

2014-09-18

Women with depression in pregnancy are faced with difficult treatment decisions. Untreated, antenatal depression has serious negative implications for mothers and children. While antidepressant drug treatment is likely to improve depressive symptoms, it crosses the placenta and may pose risks to the unborn child. Transcranial direct current stimulation is a focal brain stimulation treatment that improves depressive symptoms within 3 weeks of treatment by inducing changes to brain areas involved in depression, without impacting any other brain areas, and without inducing changes to heart rate, blood pressure or core body temperature. The localized nature of transcranial direct current stimulation makes it an ideal therapeutic approach for treating depression during pregnancy, although it has never previously been evaluated in this population. We describe a pilot randomized controlled trial of transcranial direct current stimulation among women with depression in pregnancy to assess the feasibility of a larger, multicentre efficacy study. Women over 18 years of age and between 14 and 32 weeks gestation can be enrolled in the study provided they meet diagnostic criteria for a major depressive episode of at least moderate severity and have been offered but refused antidepressant medication. Participants are randomized to receive active transcranial direct current stimulation or a sham condition that is administered in 15 30-minute treatments over three weeks. Women sit upright during treatment and receive obstetrical monitoring prior to, during and after each treatment session. Depressive symptoms, treatment acceptability, and pregnancy outcomes are assessed at baseline (prior to randomization), at the end of each treatment week, every four weeks post-treatment until delivery, and at 4 and 12 weeks postpartum. Transcranial direct current stimulation is a novel therapeutic option for treating depression during pregnancy. This protocol allows for assessment of the

Clinical Trials

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Full Text Available ... and treatments that work best. How Clinical Trials Work If you take part in a clinical trial, ... Learn More Connect With Us Contact Us Directly Policies Privacy Policy Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Accessibility ...

Distinguishing benign and malignant breast tumors: preliminary comparison of kinetic modeling approaches using multi-institutional dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI data from the International Breast MR Consortium 6883 trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Sorace, Anna G; Partridge, Savannah C; Li, Xia; Virostko, Jack; Barnes, Stephanie L; Hippe, Daniel S; Huang, Wei; Yankeelov, Thomas E

2018-01-01

Comparative preliminary analysis of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) data collected in the International Breast MR Consortium 6883 multicenter trial was performed to distinguish benign and malignant breast tumors. Prebiopsy DCE-MRI data from 45 patients with suspicious breast lesions were obtained. Semiquantitative mean signal-enhancement ratio ([Formula: see text]) was calculated for all lesions, and quantitative pharmacokinetic, parameters [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text], were calculated for the subset with available [Formula: see text] maps ([Formula: see text]). Diagnostic performance was estimated for DCE-MRI parameters and compared to standard clinical MRI assessment. Quantitative and semiquantitative metrics discriminated benign and malignant lesions, with receiver operating characteristic area under the curve (AUC) values of 0.71, 0.70, and 0.82 for [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text], respectively ([Formula: see text]). At equal 94% sensitivity, the specificity and positive predictive value of [Formula: see text] (53% and 63%, respectively) and K trans (42% and 58%) were higher than clinical MRI assessment (32% and 54%). A multivariable model combining [Formula: see text] and clinical MRI assessment had an AUC value of 0.87. Quantitative pharmacokinetic and semiquantitative analyses of DCE-MRI improves discrimination of benign and malignant breast tumors, with our findings suggesting higher diagnostic accuracy using [Formula: see text]. [Formula: see text] has potential to help reduce unnecessary biopsies resulting from routine breast imaging.

Geodesy and the UNAVCO Consortium: Three Decades of Innovations

Science.gov (United States)

Rowan, L. R.; Miller, M. M.; Meertens, C. M.; Mattioli, G. S.

2015-12-01

UNAVCO, a non-profit, university consortium that supports geoscience research using geodesy, began with the ingenious recognition that the nascent Global Positioning System constellation (GPS) could be used to investigate earth processes. The consortium purchased one of the first commercially available GPS receivers, Texas Instrument's TI-4100 NAVSTAR Navigator, in 1984 to measure plate deformation. This early work was highlighted in a technology magazine, GPSWorld, in 1990. Over a 30-year period, UNAVCO and the community have helped advance instrument design for mobility, flexibility, efficiency and interoperability, so research could proceed with higher precision and under ever challenging conditions. Other innovations have been made in data collection, processing, analysis, management and archiving. These innovations in tools, methods and data have had broader impacts as they have found greater utility beyond research for timing, precise positioning, safety, communication, navigation, surveying, engineering and recreation. Innovations in research have expanded the utility of geodetic tools beyond the solid earth science through creative analysis of the data and the methods. For example, GPS sounding of the atmosphere is now used for atmospheric and space sciences. GPS reflectrometry, another critical advance, supports soil science, snow science and ecological research. Some research advances have had broader impacts for society by driving innovations in hazards risk reduction, hazards response, resource management, land use planning, surveying, engineering and other uses. Furthermore, the geodetic data is vital for the design of space missions, testing and advancing communications, and testing and dealing with interference and GPS jamming. We will discuss three decades (and counting) of advances by the National Science Foundation's premiere geodetic facility, consortium and some of the many geoscience principal investigators that have driven innovations in

External RNA Controls Consortium Beta Version Update.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Hangnoh; Pine, P Scott; McDaniel, Jennifer; Salit, Marc; Oliver, Brian

2016-01-01

Spike-in RNAs are valuable controls for a variety of gene expression measurements. The External RNA Controls Consortium developed test sets that were used in a number of published reports. Here we provide an authoritative table that summarizes, updates, and corrects errors in the test version that ultimately resulted in the certified Standard Reference Material 2374. We have noted existence of anti-sense RNA controls in the material, corrected sub-pool memberships, and commented on control RNAs that displayed inconsistent behavior.

Glycan array data management at Consortium for Functional Glycomics.

Science.gov (United States)

Venkataraman, Maha; Sasisekharan, Ram; Raman, Rahul

2015-01-01

Glycomics or the study of structure-function relationships of complex glycans has reshaped post-genomics biology. Glycans mediate fundamental biological functions via their specific interactions with a variety of proteins. Recognizing the importance of glycomics, large-scale research initiatives such as the Consortium for Functional Glycomics (CFG) were established to address these challenges. Over the past decade, the Consortium for Functional Glycomics (CFG) has generated novel reagents and technologies for glycomics analyses, which in turn have led to generation of diverse datasets. These datasets have contributed to understanding glycan diversity and structure-function relationships at molecular (glycan-protein interactions), cellular (gene expression and glycan analysis), and whole organism (mouse phenotyping) levels. Among these analyses and datasets, screening of glycan-protein interactions on glycan array platforms has gained much prominence and has contributed to cross-disciplinary realization of the importance of glycomics in areas such as immunology, infectious diseases, cancer biomarkers, etc. This manuscript outlines methodologies for capturing data from glycan array experiments and online tools to access and visualize glycan array data implemented at the CFG.

Multiple Syntrophic Interactions in a Terephthalate-Degrading Methanogenic Consortium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lykidis, Athanasios; Chen, Chia-Lung; Tringe, Susannah G.; McHardy, Alice C.; Copeland, Alex 5; Kyrpides, Nikos C.; Hugenholtz, Philip; Liu, Wen-Tso

2010-08-05

Terephthalate (TA) is one of the top 50 chemicals produced worldwide. Its production results in a TA-containing wastewater that is treated by anaerobic processes through a poorly understood methanogenic syntrophy. Using metagenomics, we characterized the methanogenic consortium tinside a hyper-mesophilic (i.e., between mesophilic and thermophilic), TA-degrading bioreactor. We identified genes belonging to dominant Pelotomaculum species presumably involved in TA degradation through decarboxylation, dearomatization, and modified ?-oxidation to H{sub 2}/CO{sub 2} and acetate. These intermediates are converted to CH{sub 4}/CO{sub 2} by three novel hyper-mesophilic methanogens. Additional secondary syntrophic interactions were predicted in Thermotogae, Syntrophus and candidate phyla OP5 and WWE1 populations. The OP5 encodes genes capable of anaerobic autotrophic butyrate production and Thermotogae, Syntrophus and WWE1 have the genetic potential to oxidize butyrate to COsub 2}/H{sub 2} and acetate. These observations suggest that the TA-degrading consortium consists of additional syntrophic interactions beyond the standard H{sub 2}-producing syntroph ? methanogen partnership that may serve to improve community stability.

Simultaneous biodegradation of three mononitrophenol isomers by a tailor-made microbial consortium immobilized in sequential batch reactors.

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, H; Zhang, J-J; Xu, Y; Chao, H-J; Zhou, N-Y

2017-03-01

The ortho-nitrophenol (ONP)-utilizing Alcaligenes sp. strain NyZ215, meta-nitrophenol (MNP)-utilizing Cupriavidus necator JMP134 and para-nitrophenol (PNP)-utilizing Pseudomonas sp. strain WBC-3 were assembled as a consortium to degrade three nitrophenol isomers in sequential batch reactors. Pilot test was conducted in flasks to demonstrate that a mixture of three mononitrophenols at 0·5 mol l -1 each could be mineralized by this microbial consortium within 84 h. Interestingly, neither ONP nor MNP was degraded until PNP was almost consumed by strain WBC-3. By immobilizing this consortium into polyurethane cubes, all three mononitrophenols were continuously degraded in lab-scale sequential reactors for six batch cycles over 18 days. Total concentrations of ONP, MMP and PNP that were degraded were 2·8, 1·5 and 2·3 mol l -1 during this time course respectively. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis showed that each member in the microbial consortium was relatively stable during the entire degradation process. This study provides a novel approach to treat polluted water, particularly with a mixture of co-existing isomers. Nitroaromatic compounds are readily spread in the environment and pose great potential toxicity concerns. Here, we report the simultaneous degradation of three isomers of mononitrophenol in a single system by employing a consortium of three bacteria, both in flasks and lab-scale sequential batch reactors. The results demonstrate that simultaneous biodegradation of three mononitrophenol isomers can be achieved by a tailor-made microbial consortium immobilized in sequential batch reactors, providing a pilot study for a novel approach for the bioremediation of mixed pollutants, especially isomers present in wastewater. © 2016 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Clinical Trials

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... Clinical trials produce the best data available for health care decisionmaking. The purpose of clinical trials is research, ... and advance medical care. They also can help health care decisionmakers direct resources to the strategies and treatments ...

DoD Alcohol and Substance Abuse Consortium Award

Science.gov (United States)

2017-10-01

formerly ORG 34517) in Veterans with Co-morbid PTSD/AUD” (Principal Investigator: Dewleen G. Baker, MD) The primary objective of this study is to...test the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of a novel GR antagonist PT150 (formerly ORG 34517) for AUD/PTSD dual diagnosis treatment in veterans. The...Pharmacotherapies for Alcohol and Substance Abuse (PASA) Consortium PI: Rick Williams, PhD & Thomas Kosten, MD Org : RTI International Study Research Planning

Validating genetic risk associations for ovarian cancer through the international Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pearce, C L; Near, A M; Van Den Berg, D J

2009-01-01

The search for genetic variants associated with ovarian cancer risk has focused on pathways including sex steroid hormones, DNA repair, and cell cycle control. The Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium (OCAC) identified 10 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes in these pathways, which had...... been genotyped by Consortium members and a pooled analysis of these data was conducted. Three of the 10 SNPs showed evidence of an association with ovarian cancer at P... and risk of ovarian cancer suggests that this pathway may be involved in ovarian carcinogenesis. Additional follow-up is warranted....

Resistance to Antibiotics and Antifungal Medicinal Products: Can Complementary and Alternative Medicine Help Solve the Problem in Common Infection Diseases? The Introduction of a Dutch Research Consortium

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Esther T. Kok

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The increase of antibiotic resistance worldwide, rising numbers of deaths and costs associated with this, and the fact that hardly any new antimicrobial drugs have been developed during the last decade have increased the interest in Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM therapeutic interventions, if proven safe and effective. Observational studies on clinical CAM practices demonstrate positive effects of treatment of infections with CAM therapies (clinical effects, patient satisfaction in combination with small percentages of antibiotics prescription. However, Cochrane reviews and other studies demonstrate that in most instances the quality of clinical trials on CAM treatment of infections is currently too low to provide sufficient evidence. Therefore a Dutch consortium on (in vitro and clinical scientific research on CAM and antibiotic resistance has been formed. The aim and objective of the consortium is to establish an enduring partnership and to develop expertise to further develop and investigate safe and effective CAM treatments for infectious diseases of humans (and animals. A first ongoing project on the development of safe and effective biobased CAM antimycotics in women with (recurrent vaginal candidiasis infection is introduced.

Simultaneous cell growth and ethanol production from cellulose by an engineered yeast consortium displaying a functional mini-cellulosome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Madan Bhawna

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The recalcitrant nature of cellulosic materials and the high cost of enzymes required for efficient hydrolysis are the major impeding steps to their practical usage for ethanol production. Ideally, a recombinant microorganism, possessing the capability to utilize cellulose for simultaneous growth and ethanol production, is of great interest. We have reported recently the use of a yeast consortium for the functional presentation of a mini-cellulosome structure onto the yeast surface by exploiting the specific interaction of different cohesin-dockerin pairs. In this study, we engineered a yeast consortium capable of displaying a functional mini-cellulosome for the simultaneous growth and ethanol production on phosphoric acid swollen cellulose (PASC. Results A yeast consortium composed of four different populations was engineered to display a functional mini-cellulosome containing an endoglucanase, an exoglucanase and a β-glucosidase. The resulting consortium was demonstrated to utilize PASC for growth and ethanol production. The final ethanol production of 1.25 g/L corresponded to 87% of the theoretical value and was 3-fold higher than a similar yeast consortium secreting only the three cellulases. Quantitative PCR was used to enumerate the dynamics of each individual yeast population for the two consortia. Results indicated that the slight difference in cell growth cannot explain the 3-fold increase in PASC hydrolysis and ethanol production. Instead, the substantial increase in ethanol production is consistent with the reported synergistic effect on cellulose hydrolysis using the displayed mini-cellulosome. Conclusions This report represents a significant step towards the goal of cellulosic ethanol production. This engineered yeast consortium displaying a functional mini-cellulosome demonstrated not only the ability to grow on the released sugars from PASC but also a 3-fold higher ethanol production than a similar yeast

Circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D and the risk of rarer cancers: Design and methods of the Cohort Consortium Vitamin D Pooling Project of Rarer Cancers.

Science.gov (United States)

Gallicchio, Lisa; Helzlsouer, Kathy J; Chow, Wong-Ho; Freedman, D Michal; Hankinson, Susan E; Hartge, Patricia; Hartmuller, Virginia; Harvey, Chinonye; Hayes, Richard B; Horst, Ronald L; Koenig, Karen L; Kolonel, Laurence N; Laden, Francine; McCullough, Marjorie L; Parisi, Dominick; Purdue, Mark P; Shu, Xiao-Ou; Snyder, Kirk; Stolzenberg-Solomon, Rachael Z; Tworoger, Shelley S; Varanasi, Arti; Virtamo, Jarmo; Wilkens, Lynne R; Xiang, Yong-Bing; Yu, Kai; Zeleniuch-Jacquotte, Anne; Zheng, Wei; Abnet, Christian C; Albanes, Demetrius; Bertrand, Kimberly; Weinstein, Stephanie J

2010-07-01

The Cohort Consortium Vitamin D Pooling Project of Rarer Cancers (VDPP), a consortium of 10 prospective cohort studies from the United States, Finland, and China, was formed to examine the associations between circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations and the risk of rarer cancers. Cases (total n = 5,491) included incident primary endometrial (n = 830), kidney (n = 775), ovarian (n = 516), pancreatic (n = 952), and upper gastrointestinal tract (n = 1,065) cancers and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (n = 1,353) diagnosed in the participating cohorts. At least 1 control was matched to each case on age, date of blood collection (1974-2006), sex, and race/ethnicity (n = 6,714). Covariate data were obtained from each cohort in a standardized manner. The majority of the serum or plasma samples were assayed in a central laboratory using a direct, competitive chemiluminescence immunoassay on the DiaSorin LIAISON platform (DiaSorin, Inc., Stillwater, Minnesota). Masked quality control samples included serum standards from the US National Institute of Standards and Technology. Conditional logistic regression analyses were conducted using clinically defined cutpoints, with 50-<75 nmol/L as the reference category. Meta-analyses were also conducted using inverse-variance weights in random-effects models. This consortium approach permits estimation of the association between 25(OH)D and several rarer cancers with high accuracy and precision across a wide range of 25(OH)D concentrations.

University Research Consortium annual review meeting program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-07-01

This brochure presents the program for the first annual review meeting of the University Research Consortium (URC) of the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL). INEL is a multiprogram laboratory with a distinctive role in applied engineering. It also conducts basic science research and development, and complex facility operations. The URC program consists of a portfolio of research projects funded by INEL and conducted at universities in the United States. In this program, summaries and participant lists for each project are presented as received from the principal investigators

University Research Consortium annual review meeting program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-07-01

This brochure presents the program for the first annual review meeting of the University Research Consortium (URC) of the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL). INEL is a multiprogram laboratory with a distinctive role in applied engineering. It also conducts basic science research and development, and complex facility operations. The URC program consists of a portfolio of research projects funded by INEL and conducted at universities in the United States. In this program, summaries and participant lists for each project are presented as received from the principal investigators.

The recent clinical trials on use of the novel direct oral anticoagulants in patients with venous thromboembolism: a review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gualtiero Palareti

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Venous thromboembolism (VTE, encompassing deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, requires an immediate anticoagulation, that has been carried out so far by administering a parenteral anticoagulant drug (heparin or derivatives overlapped with an oral vitamin K antagonist (VKA, more often warfarin. Several new direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs, with a mechanism of action completely different than VKA, have been developed in recent years. Recent clinical trials have investigated their use in VTE patients showing results at least equal for efficacy and safety, and sometime even better, as the standard anticoagulant treatment. There are differences in the design of the trials. In two cases the involved DOAC was administered immediately after VTE diagnosis as a single drug treatment (rivaroxaban and apixaban, whereas in the other trials (involving dabigatran and edoxaban the DOAC was administered after an initial course of approximately 7 days with heparin or derivatives. Some clinical trials have also investigated the use of DOACs for extended anticoagulant treatment after the acute phase. Aim of this article is to review the results of the currently available clinical trials that have compared the use of DOACs versus the standard of care in patients with VTE.

Effectiveness of transcranial direct current stimulation preceding cognitive behavioural management for chronic low back pain: sham controlled double blinded randomised controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Luedtke, Kerstin; Rushton, Alison; Wright, Christine; Jürgens, Tim; Polzer, Astrid; Mueller, Gerd; May, Arne

2015-04-16

To evaluate the effectiveness of transcranial direct current stimulation alone and in combination with cognitive behavioural management in patients with non-specific chronic low back pain. Double blind parallel group randomised controlled trial with six months' follow-up conducted May 2011-March 2013. Participants, physiotherapists, assessors, and analyses were blinded to group allocation. Interdisciplinary chronic pain centre. 135 participants with non-specific chronic low back pain >12 weeks were recruited from 225 patients assessed for eligibility. Participants were randomised to receive anodal (20 minutes to motor cortex at 2 mA) or sham transcranial direct current stimulation (identical electrode position, stimulator switched off after 30 seconds) for five consecutive days immediately before cognitive behavioural management (four week multidisciplinary programme of 80 hours). Two primary outcome measures of pain intensity (0-100 visual analogue scale) and disability (Oswestry disability index) were evaluated at two primary endpoints after stimulation and after cognitive behavioural management. Analyses of covariance with baseline values (pain or disability) as covariates showed that transcranial direct current stimulation was ineffective for the reduction of pain (difference between groups on visual analogue scale 1 mm (99% confidence interval -8.69 mm to 6.3 mm; P=0.68)) and disability (difference between groups 1 point (-1.73 to 1.98; P=0.86)) and did not influence the outcome of cognitive behavioural management (difference between group 3 mm (-10.32 mm to 6.73 mm); P=0.58; difference between groups on Oswestry disability index 0 point (-2.45 to 2.62); P=0.92). The stimulation was well tolerated with minimal transitory side effects. This results of this trial on the effectiveness of transcranial direct current stimulation for the reduction of pain and disability do not support its clinical use for managing non-specific chronic low back pain.Trial

Biodegradation of BOD and ammonia-free using bacterial consortium in aerated fixed film bioreactor (AF2B)

Science.gov (United States)

Prayitno, Rulianah, Sri; Saroso, Hadi; Meilany, Diah

2017-06-01

BOD and Ammonia-free (NH3-N) are pollutants of hospital wastewater which often exceed the quality standards. It is because biological processes in wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) have not been effective in degrading BOD and NH3-N. Therefore, a study on factors that influence the biodegradation of BOD and NH3-N by choosing the type of bacteria to improve the mechanisms of biodegradation processes is required. Bacterial consortium is a collection of several types of bacteria obtained from isolation process, which is known to be more effective than a single bacterial in degrading pollutants. On the other hand, AF2B is a type of reactor in wastewater treatment system. The AF2B contains a filter media that has a large surface area so that the biodegradation process of pollutants by microorganism can be improved. The objective of this research is to determine the effect of volume of starter and air supplies on decreasing BOD and NH3-N in hospital wastewater using bacterial consortium in the AF2B on batch process. The research was conducted in three stages: the making of the growth curve of the bacterial consortium, bacterial consortium acclimatization, and hospital wastewater treatment in the AF2B with batch process. The variables used are the volume of starter (65%, 75%, and 85% in volume) and air supplies (2.5, 5, and 7.5 L/min). Meanwhile, the materials used are hospital wastewater, bacterial consortium (Pseudomonas diminuta, Pseudomonas capica, Bacillius sp, and Nitrobacter sp), blower, and AF2B. AF2B is a plastic basin containing a filter media with a wasp-nest shape used as a medium for growing the bacterial consortium. In the process of making the growth curve, a solid form of bacterial consortium was dissolved in sterilized water, then grown in a nutrient broth (NB). Then, shaking and sampling were done at any time to determine the path growth of bacterial consortium. In the acclimatization process, bacterial isolates were grown using hospital wastewater as a

HNF1A variant, energy-reduced diets and insulin resistance improvement during weight loss: The POUNDS Lost trial and DIRECT.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Tao; Wang, Tiange; Heianza, Yoriko; Sun, Dianjianyi; Ivey, Kerry; Durst, Ronen; Schwarzfuchs, Dan; Stampfer, Meir J; Bray, George A; Sacks, Frank M; Shai, Iris; Qi, Lu

2018-06-01

To determine whether weight-loss diets varying in macronutrients modulate the genetic effect of hepatocyte nuclear factor 1α (HNF1A) rs7957197 on weight loss and improvement of insulin resistance. We analysed the interaction between HNF1A rs7957197 and weight-loss diets with regard to weight loss and insulin resistance improvement among 722 overweight/obese adults from a 2-year randomized weight-loss trial, the POUNDS Lost trial. The findings were replicated in another independent 2-year weight-loss trial, the Dietary Intervention Randomized Controlled Trial (DIRECT), in 280 overweight/obese adults. In the POUNDS Lost trial, we found that a high-fat diet significantly modified the genetic effect of HNF1A on weight loss and reduction in waist circumference (P for interaction = .006 and .005, respectively). Borderline significant interactions for fasting insulin and insulin resistance (P for interaction = .07 and .06, respectively) were observed. We replicated the results in DIRECT. Pooled results showed similar significant interactions with weight loss, waist circumference reduction, and improvement in fasting insulin and insulin resistance (P values for interaction = .001, .005, .02 and .03, respectively). Greater decreases in weight, waist circumference, fasting insulin level and insulin resistance were observed in participants with the T allele compared to those without the T allele in the high-fat diet group (P = .04, .03 and .01, respectively). Our replicable findings provide strong evidence that individuals with the HNF1A rs7957197 T allele might obtain more benefits in weight loss and improvement of insulin resistance by choosing a hypocaloric and high-fat diet. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A randomized controlled trial of directive and nondirective smoking cessation coaching through an employee quitline.

Science.gov (United States)

Sumner, Walton; Walker, Mark S; Highstein, Gabrielle R; Fischer, Irene; Yan, Yan; McQueen, Amy; Fisher, Edwin B

2016-07-11

Telephone quitlines can help employees quit smoking. Quitlines typically use directive coaching, but nondirective, flexible coaching is an alternative. Call-2-Quit used a worksite-sponsored quitline to compare directive and nondirective coaching modes, and evaluated employee race and income as potential moderators. An unblinded randomized controlled trial compared directive and nondirective telephone coaching by trained laypersons. Participants were smoking employees and spouses recruited through workplace smoking cessation campaigns in a hospital system and affiliated medical school. Coaches were four non-medical women trained to use both coaching modes. Participants were randomized by family to coaching mode. Participants received up to 7 calls from coaches who used computer assisted telephone interview software to track topics and time. Outcomes were reported smoking abstinence for 7 days at last contact, 6 or 12 months after coaching began. Both worksites implemented new tobacco control policies during the study. Most participants responded to an insurance incentive introduced at the hospital. Call-2-Quit coached 518 participants: 22 % were African-American; 45 % had incomes below $30,000. Income, race, and intervention did not affect coaching completion rates. Cessation rates were comparable with directive and nondirective coaching (26 % versus 30 % quit, NS). A full factorial logistic regression model identified above median income (odds ratio = 1.8, p = 0.02), especially among African Americans (p = 0.04), and recent quit attempts (OR = 1.6, p = 0.03) as predictors of cessation. Nondirective coaching was associated with high cessation rates among subgroups of smokers reporting income above the median, recent quit attempts, or use of alternative therapies. Waiting up to 4 weeks to start coaching did not affect cessation. Of 41 highly addicted or depressed smokers who had never quit more than 30 days, none quit. Nondirective

Inner-City Energy and Environmental Education Consortium: Inventory of existing programs. Appendix 13.5

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1992-08-21

This is the ``first effort`` to prepare an inventory of existing educational programs, focused primarily on inner-city youth, in operation in Washington, DC, Baltimore, and Philadelphia. The purpose of the inventory is to identify existing programs which could be augmented, adapted, or otherwise strengthened to help fulfil the mission of the Department of Energy-sponsored Inner-City Energy and Environmental Education Consortium, the mission of which is to recruit and retain inner-city youth to pursue careers in energy-related scientific and technical areas and in environmental restoration and waste management. The Consortium does not want to ``reinvent the wheel`` and all of its members need to learn what others are doing. Each of the 30 participating academic institutions was invited to submit as many program descriptions as they wished. Due to the summer holidays, or because they did not believe than they were carrying out programs relevant to the mission of the Consortium, some institutions did not submit any program descriptions. In addition, several industries, governmental agencies, and not-for-profit institutions were invited to submit program descriptions.

Midwest Superconductivity Consortium: 1994 Progress report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1995-01-01

The mission of the Midwest Superconductivity Consortium, MISCON, is to advance the science and understanding of high {Tc} superconductivity. During the past year, 27 projects produced over 123 talks and 139 publications. Group activities and interactions involved 2 MISCON group meetings (held in August and January); with the second MISCON Workshop held in August; 13 external speakers; 79 collaborations (with universities, industry, Federal laboratories, and foreign research centers); and 48 exchanges of samples and/or measurements. Research achievements this past year focused on understanding the effects of processing phenomena on structure-property interrelationships and the fundamental nature of transport properties in high-temperature superconductors.

History of the Tinnitus Research Consortium.

Science.gov (United States)

Snow, James B

2016-04-01

This article describes the creation and accomplishments of the Tinnitus Research Consortium (TRC), founded and supported through philanthropy and intended to enrich the field of tinnitus research. Bringing together a group of distinguished auditory researchers, most of whom were not involved in tinnitus research, over the fifteen years of its life it developed novel research approaches and recruited a number of new investigators into the field. The purpose of this special issue is to highlight some of the significant accomplishments of the investigators supported by the TRC. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled "Tinnitus". Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Midwest Superconductivity Consortium: 1994 Progress report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-01-01

The mission of the Midwest Superconductivity Consortium, MISCON, is to advance the science and understanding of high T c superconductivity. During the past year, 27 projects produced over 123 talks and 139 publications. Group activities and interactions involved 2 MISCON group meetings (held in August and January); with the second MISCON Workshop held in August; 13 external speakers; 79 collaborations (with universities, industry, Federal laboratories, and foreign research centers); and 48 exchanges of samples and/or measurements. Research achievements this past year focused on understanding the effects of processing phenomena on structure-property interrelationships and the fundamental nature of transport properties in high-temperature superconductors

Trial of Electrical Direct-Current Therapy versus Escitalopram for Depression.

Science.gov (United States)

Brunoni, Andre R; Moffa, Adriano H; Sampaio-Junior, Bernardo; Borrione, Lucas; Moreno, Marina L; Fernandes, Raquel A; Veronezi, Beatriz P; Nogueira, Barbara S; Aparicio, Luana V M; Razza, Lais B; Chamorro, Renan; Tort, Luara C; Fraguas, Renerio; Lotufo, Paulo A; Gattaz, Wagner F; Fregni, Felipe; Benseñor, Isabela M

2017-06-29

We compared transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) with a selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitor for the treatment of depression. In a single-center, double-blind, noninferiority trial involving adults with unipolar depression, we randomly assigned patients to receive tDCS plus oral placebo, sham tDCS plus escitalopram, or sham tDCS plus oral placebo. The tDCS was administered in 30-minute, 2-mA prefrontal stimulation sessions for 15 consecutive weekdays, followed by 7 weekly treatments. Escitalopram was given at a dose of 10 mg per day for 3 weeks and 20 mg per day thereafter. The primary outcome measure was the change in the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS-17) score (range, 0 to 52, with higher scores indicating more depression). Noninferiority of tDCS versus escitalopram was defined by a lower boundary of the confidence interval for the difference in the decreased score that was at least 50% of the difference in the scores with placebo versus escitalopram. A total of 245 patients underwent randomization, with 91 being assigned to escitalopram, 94 to tDCS, and 60 to placebo. In the intention-to-treat analysis, the mean (±SD) decrease in the score from baseline was 11.3±6.5 points in the escitalopram group, 9.0±7.1 points in the tDCS group, and 5.8±7.9 points in the placebo group. The lower boundary of the confidence interval for the difference in the decrease for tDCS versus escitalopram (difference, -2.3 points; 95% confidence interval [CI], -4.3 to -0.4; P=0.69) was lower than the noninferiority margin of -2.75 (50% of placebo minus escitalopram), so noninferiority could not be claimed. Escitalopram and tDCS were both superior to placebo (difference vs. placebo, 5.5 points [95% CI, 3.1 to 7.8; Pescitalopram had more frequent sleepiness and obstipation than did those in the other two groups. In a single-center trial, tDCS for the treatment of depression did not show noninferiority to escitalopram over a 10-week period and was

Industrial Consortium for the Utilization of the Geopressured-Geothermal Resource. Volume 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Negus-deWys, J. (ed.)

1990-03-01

The Geopressured-Geothermal Program, now in its fifteenth year, is entering the transition period to commercial use. The industry cost-shared proposals to the consortium, represented in the presentations included in these proceedings, attest to the interest developing in the industrial community in utilizing the geopressured-geothermal resource. Sixty-five participants attended these sessions, two-thirds of whom represented industry. The areas represented by cost-shared proposals include (1) thermal enhanced oil recovery, (2) direct process use of thermal energy, e.g., aquaculture and agriculture, (3) conversion of thermal energy to electricity, (4) environment related technologies, e.g., use of supercritical processes, and (5) operational proposals, e.g., a field manual for scale inhibitors. It is hoped that from this array of potential use projects, some will persist and be successful in proving the viability of using the geopressured-geothermal resource. Such industrial use of an alternative and relatively clean energy resource will benefit our nation and its people.

Bioremediation and reclamation of soil contaminated with petroleum oil hydrocarbons by exogenously seeded bacterial consortium: a pilot-scale study.

Science.gov (United States)

Mukherjee, Ashis K; Bordoloi, Naba K

2011-03-01

Spillage of petroleum hydrocarbons causes significant environmental pollution. Bioremediation is an effective process to remediate petroleum oil contaminant from the ecosystem. The aim of the present study was to reclaim a petroleum oil-contaminated soil which was unsuitable for the cultivation of crop plants by using petroleum oil hydrocarbon-degrading microbial consortium. Bacterial consortium consisting of Bacillus subtilis DM-04 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa M and NM strains were seeded to 20% (v/w) petroleum oil-contaminated soil, and bioremediation experiment was carried out for 180 days under laboratory condition. The kinetics of hydrocarbon degradation was analyzed using biochemical and gas chromatographic (GC) techniques. The ecotoxicity of the elutriates obtained from petroleum oil-contaminated soil before and post-treatment with microbial consortium was tested on germination and growth of Bengal gram (Cicer aretinum) and green gram (Phaseolus mungo) seeds. Bacterial consortium showed a significant reduction in total petroleum hydrocarbon level in contaminated soil (76% degradation) as compared to the control soil (3.6% degradation) 180 days post-inoculation. The GC analysis confirmed that bacterial consortium was more effective in degrading the alkane fraction compared to aromatic fraction of crude petroleum oil hydrocarbons in soil. The nitrogen, sulfur, and oxygen compounds fraction was least degraded. The reclaimed soil supported the germination and growth of crop plants (C. aretinum and P. mungo). In contrast, seeds could not be germinated in petroleum oil-contaminated soil. The present study reinforces the application of bacterial consortium rather than individual bacterium for the effective bioremediation and reclamation of soil contaminated with petroleum oil.

Direct versus Indirect Treatment for Preschool Children who Stutter: The RESTART Randomized Trial.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Caroline de Sonneville-Koedoot

Full Text Available Stuttering is a common childhood disorder. There is limited high quality evidence regarding options for best treatment. The aim of the study was to compare the effectiveness of direct treatment with indirect treatment in preschool children who stutter.In this multicenter randomized controlled trial with an 18 month follow-up, preschool children who stutter who were referred for treatment were randomized to direct treatment (Lidcombe Program; n = 99 or indirect treatment (RESTART-DCM treatment; n = 100. Main inclusion criteria were age 3-6 years, ≥3% syllables stuttered (%SS, and time since onset ≥6 months. The primary outcome was the percentage of non-stuttering children at 18 months. Secondary outcomes included stuttering frequency (%SS, stuttering severity ratings by the parents and therapist, severity rating by the child, health-related quality of life, emotional and behavioral problems, and speech attitude.Percentage of non-stuttering children for direct treatment was 76.5% (65/85 versus 71.4% (65/91 for indirect treatment (Odds Ratio (OR, 0.6; 95% CI, 0.1-2.4, p = .42. At 3 months, children treated by direct treatment showed a greater decline in %SS (significant interaction time x therapy: β = -1.89; t(282.82 = -2.807, p = .005. At 18 months, stuttering frequency was 1.2% (SD 2.1 for direct treatment and 1.5% (SD 2.1 for indirect treatment. Direct treatment had slightly better scores on most other secondary outcome measures, but no differences between treatment approaches were significant.Direct treatment decreased stuttering more quickly during the first three months of treatment. At 18 months, however, clinical outcomes for direct and indirect treatment were comparable. These results imply that at 18 months post treatment onset, both treatments are roughly equal in treating developmental stuttering in ways that surpass expectations of natural recovery. Follow-up data are needed to confirm these findings in the longer term

The Latin American Consortium of Studies in Obesity (LASO)

Science.gov (United States)

Bautista, L. E.; Casas, J. P.; Herrera, V. M.; Miranda, J. J.; Perel, P.; Pichardo, R.; González, A.; Sanchez, J. R.; Ferreccio, C.; Aguilera, X.; Silva, E.; Oróstegui, M.; Gómez, L. F.; Chirinos, J. A.; Medina-Lezama, J.; Pérez, C. M.; Suárez, E.; Ortiz, A. P.; Rosero, L.; Schapochnik, N.; Ortiz, Z.; Ferrante, D.

2009-01-01

Summary Current, high-quality data are needed to evaluate the health impact of the epidemic of obesity in Latin America. The Latin American Consortium of Studies of Obesity (LASO) has been established, with the objectives of (i) Accurately estimating the prevalence of obesity and its distribution by sociodemographic characteristics; (ii) Identifying ethnic, socioeconomic and behavioural determinants of obesity; (iii) Estimating the association between various anthropometric indicators or obesity and major cardiovascular risk factors and (iv) Quantifying the validity of standard definitions of the various indexes of obesity in Latin American population. To achieve these objectives, LASO makes use of individual data from existing studies. To date, the LASO consortium includes data from 11 studies from eight countries (Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Peru, Puerto Rico and Venezuela), including a total of 32 462 subjects. This article describes the overall organization of LASO, the individual studies involved and the overall strategy for data analysis. LASO will foster the development of collaborative obesity research among Latin American investigators. More important, results from LASO will be instrumental to inform health policies aiming to curtail the epidemic of obesity in the region. PMID:19438980

Proposal to establish a Sponsoring Consortium for Open Access Publishing in Particle Physics

CERN Document Server

CERN. Geneva

2007-01-01

In the present proposal, the publishers' subscription income from multiple institutions is replaced by an "author-side" funding. Journals are paid through contracts between publishers and a single financial partner, the "Sponsoring Consortium for Open Access Publishing in Particle Physics" (SCOAP3). SCOAP3 is envisioned as a global network of funding agencies, research laboratories, and libraries that will contribute the necessary funding; each SCOAP3 partner will recover its contribution from the cancellation of journal subscriptions. This model avoids the obvious disadvantage of authors being directly charged for the OA publication of their articles, which is perceived as an even higher barrier than subscription charges, in particular for theoretical physicists from small institutions who account for the vast majority of HEP papers. The financing and governance of SCOAP3 will follow as much as possible the example of the memoranda of understanding governing large research collaborations. Its partners will c...

25 CFR 1000.68 - May non-BIA bureaus provide technical assistance to a Tribe/Consortium in drafting its planning...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... Financial Assistance for Planning and Negotiation Grants for Non-BIA Programs Eligibility and Application... Tribe/Consortium in drafting its planning grant application? 1000.68 Section 1000.68 Indians OFFICE OF... planning grant application? Yes, upon request from the Tribe/Consortium, a non-BIA bureau may provide...

Rationale and design of the multiethnic Pharmacogenomics in Childhood Asthma consortium

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Farzan, Niloufar; Vijverberg, Susanne J.; Andiappan, Anand K.; Arianto, Lambang; Berce, Vojko; Blanca-López, Natalia; Bisgaard, Hans; Bønnelykke, Klaus; Burchard, Esteban G.; Campo, Paloma; Canino, Glorisa; Carleton, Bruce; Celedón, Juan C.; Chew, Fook Tim; Chiang, Wen Chin; Cloutier, Michelle M.; Daley, Denis; den Dekker, Herman T.; Dijk, F. Nicole; Duijts, Liesbeth; Flores, Carlos; Forno, Erick; Hawcutt, Daniel B.; Hernandez-Pacheco, Natalia; de Jongste, Johan C.; Kabesch, Michael; Koppelman, Gerard H.; Manolopoulos, Vangelis G.; Melén, Erik; Mukhopadhyay, Somnath; Nilsson, Sara; Palmer, Colin N.; Pino-Yanes, Maria; Pirmohamed, Munir; Potočnik, Uros; Raaijmakers, Jan A.; Repnik, Katja; Schieck, Maximilian; Sio, Yang Yie; Smyth, Rosalind L.; Szalai, Csaba; Tantisira, Kelan G.; Turner, Steve; van der Schee, Marc P.; Verhamme, Katia M.; Maitland-van der Zee, Anke H.

2017-01-01

Aim: International collaboration is needed to enable large-scale pharmacogenomics studies in childhood asthma. Here, we describe the design of the Pharmacogenomics in Childhood Asthma (PiCA) consortium. Materials & methods: Investigators of each study participating in PiCA provided data on the study

Rationale and design of the multiethnic Pharmacogenomics in Childhood Asthma consortium

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Farzan, Niloufar; Vijverberg, Susanne J.; Andiappan, Anand K.; Arianto, Lambang; Berce, Vojko; Blanca-Lopez, Natalia; Bisgaard, Hans; Bonnelykke, Klaus; Burchard, Esteban G.; Campo, Paloma; Canino, Glorisa; Carleton, Bruce; Celedon, Juan C.; Chew, Fook Tim; Chiang, Wen Chin; Cloutier, Michelle M.; Daley, Denis; Den Dekker, Herman T.; Dijk, Nicole F.; Duijts, Liesbeth; Flores, Carlos; Forno, Erick; Hawcutt, Daniel B.; Hernandez-Pacheco, Natalia; de Jongste, Johan C.; Kabesch, Michael; Koppelman, Gerard H.; Manolopoulos, Vangelis G.; Melen, Erik; Mukhopadhyay, Somnath; Nilsson, Sara; Palmer, Colin N.; Pino-Yanes, Maria; Pirmohamed, Munir; Potocnki, Uros; Raaijmakers, Jan A.; Repnik, Katja; Schieck, Maximilian; Sio, Yang Yie; Smyth, Rosalind L.; Szalai, Csaba; Tantisira, Kelan G.; Turner, Steve; van der Schee, Marc P.; Verhamme, Katia M.; Maitland-van der Zee, Anke H.

2017-01-01

Aim: International collaboration is needed to enable large-scale pharmacogenomics studies in childhood asthma. Here, we describe the design of the Pharmacogenomics in Childhood Asthma (PiCA) consortium.  Materials & methods: Investigators of each study participating in PiCA provided data on the

Feasibility of bio-hydrogen production from sewage sludge using defined microbial consortium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shireen Meher Kotay; Debabrata Das [Fermentation Technology Lab., Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, W.B., INDIA-721302 (India)

2006-07-01

Biological hydrogen production potential of a defined microbial consortium consisting of three facultative anaerobes, Enterobacter cloacae IIT-BT 08, Citrobacter freundii IIT-BT L139 and Bacillus coagulans IIT-BT S1 was studied. In this investigation their individual and combinatorial H{sub 2} production capabilities have been studied on defined media and pretreated sewage sludge. Defined medium, MYG (1% w/v Malt extract, 0.4% w/v yeast extract and 1% w/v glucose) with glucose as limiting substrate has been found to be most suitable for hydrogen production. Individually E. cloacae clearly gave higher yield (276 ml H{sub 2}/ g COD reduced) using defined medium than the other two strains. There was no considerable difference in maximal yield of hydrogen from individual and combinatorial (1:1:1 consortium) modes suggesting that E. cloacae dominated in the consortia on defined medium. Contradictorily, B. coagulans gave better bio-hydrogen yield (37.16 ml H{sub 2}/g COD consumed) than the other two strains when activated sewage sludge was used as substrate. The pretreatment of sludge included sterilization, (15% v/v) dilution and supplementation with 0.5%w/v glucose which was found to be essential to screen out the hydrogen consuming bacteria and ameliorate the hydrogenation. Considering (1:1:1) consortium as inoculum, interestingly yield of hydrogen was recorded to increase to 41.23 ml H{sub 2}/ g COD reduced inferring that in consortium, the substrate utilization was significantly higher. The hydrogen yield from pretreated sludge obtained in this study (35.54 ml H{sub 2} g sludge) has been found to be distinctively higher than the earlier reports (8.1 - 16.9 ml H{sub 2}/g sludge). However it was lower compared to the yield obtained from co-digestion of (83:17) food waste and sewage sludge (122 ml H{sub 2}/g carbohydrate COD). Employing formulated microbial consortia for bio-hydrogen production from sewage sludge was an attempt to augment the hydrogen yield from sludge

Feasibility of bio-hydrogen production from sewage sludge using defined microbial consortium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shireen Meher Kotay; Debabrata Das [Fermentation Technology Lab., Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, W.B., INDIA-721302 (India)

2006-07-01

Biological hydrogen production potential of a defined microbial consortium consisting of three facultative anaerobes, Enterobacter cloacae IIT-BT 08, Citrobacter freundii IIT-BT L139 and Bacillus coagulans IIT-BT S1 was studied. In this investigation their individual and combinatorial H{sub 2} production capabilities have been studied on defined media and pretreated sewage sludge. Defined medium, MYG (1% w/v Malt extract, 0.4% w/v yeast extract and 1% w/v glucose) with glucose as limiting substrate has been found to be most suitable for hydrogen production. Individually E. cloacae clearly gave higher yield (276 ml H{sub 2}/ g COD reduced) using defined medium than the other two strains. There was no considerable difference in maximal yield of hydrogen from individual and combinatorial (1:1:1 consortium) modes suggesting that E. cloacae dominated in the consortia on defined medium. Contradictorily, B. coagulans gave better bio-hydrogen yield (37.16 ml H{sub 2}/ g COD consumed) than the other two strains when activated sewage sludge was used as substrate. The pretreatment of sludge included sterilization, (15% v/v) dilution and supplementation with 0.5% w/v glucose which was found to be essential to screen out the hydrogen consuming bacteria and ameliorate the hydrogenation. Considering (1:1:1) consortium as inoculum, interestingly yield of hydrogen was recorded to increase to 41.23 ml H{sub 2}/ g COD reduced inferring that in consortium, the substrate utilization was significantly higher. The hydrogen yield from pretreated sludge obtained in this study (35.54 ml H{sub 2}/ g sludge) has been found to be distinctively higher than the earlier reports (8.1 - 16.9 ml H{sub 2} / g sludge). However it was lower compared to the yield obtained from co-digestion of (83:17) food waste and sewage sludge (122 ml H{sub 2}/ g carbohydrate COD). Employing formulated microbial consortia for bio-hydrogen production from sewage sludge was an attempt to augment the hydrogen yield from

Feasibility of bio-hydrogen production from sewage sludge using defined microbial consortium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shireen Meher Kotay; Debabrata Das

2006-01-01

Biological hydrogen production potential of a defined microbial consortium consisting of three facultative anaerobes, Enterobacter cloacae IIT-BT 08, Citrobacter freundii IIT-BT L139 and Bacillus coagulans IIT-BT S1 was studied. In this investigation their individual and combinatorial H 2 production capabilities have been studied on defined media and pretreated sewage sludge. Defined medium, MYG (1% w/v Malt extract, 0.4% w/v yeast extract and 1% w/v glucose) with glucose as limiting substrate has been found to be most suitable for hydrogen production. Individually E. cloacae clearly gave higher yield (276 ml H 2 / g COD reduced) using defined medium than the other two strains. There was no considerable difference in maximal yield of hydrogen from individual and combinatorial (1:1:1 consortium) modes suggesting that E. cloacae dominated in the consortia on defined medium. Contradictorily, B. coagulans gave better bio-hydrogen yield (37.16 ml H 2 /g COD consumed) than the other two strains when activated sewage sludge was used as substrate. The pretreatment of sludge included sterilization, (15% v/v) dilution and supplementation with 0.5%w/v glucose which was found to be essential to screen out the hydrogen consuming bacteria and ameliorate the hydrogenation. Considering (1:1:1) consortium as inoculum, interestingly yield of hydrogen was recorded to increase to 41.23 ml H 2 / g COD reduced inferring that in consortium, the substrate utilization was significantly higher. The hydrogen yield from pretreated sludge obtained in this study (35.54 ml H 2 g sludge) has been found to be distinctively higher than the earlier reports (8.1 - 16.9 ml H 2 /g sludge). However it was lower compared to the yield obtained from co-digestion of (83:17) food waste and sewage sludge (122 ml H 2 /g carbohydrate COD). Employing formulated microbial consortia for bio-hydrogen production from sewage sludge was an attempt to augment the hydrogen yield from sludge. (authors)

Feasibility of bio-hydrogen production from sewage sludge using defined microbial consortium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shireen Meher Kotay; Debabrata Das

2006-01-01

Biological hydrogen production potential of a defined microbial consortium consisting of three facultative anaerobes, Enterobacter cloacae IIT-BT 08, Citrobacter freundii IIT-BT L139 and Bacillus coagulans IIT-BT S1 was studied. In this investigation their individual and combinatorial H 2 production capabilities have been studied on defined media and pretreated sewage sludge. Defined medium, MYG (1% w/v Malt extract, 0.4% w/v yeast extract and 1% w/v glucose) with glucose as limiting substrate has been found to be most suitable for hydrogen production. Individually E. cloacae clearly gave higher yield (276 ml H 2 / g COD reduced) using defined medium than the other two strains. There was no considerable difference in maximal yield of hydrogen from individual and combinatorial (1:1:1 consortium) modes suggesting that E. cloacae dominated in the consortia on defined medium. Contradictorily, B. coagulans gave better bio-hydrogen yield (37.16 ml H 2 / g COD consumed) than the other two strains when activated sewage sludge was used as substrate. The pretreatment of sludge included sterilization, (15% v/v) dilution and supplementation with 0.5% w/v glucose which was found to be essential to screen out the hydrogen consuming bacteria and ameliorate the hydrogenation. Considering (1:1:1) consortium as inoculum, interestingly yield of hydrogen was recorded to increase to 41.23 ml H 2 / g COD reduced inferring that in consortium, the substrate utilization was significantly higher. The hydrogen yield from pretreated sludge obtained in this study (35.54 ml H 2 / g sludge) has been found to be distinctively higher than the earlier reports (8.1 - 16.9 ml H 2 / g sludge). However it was lower compared to the yield obtained from co-digestion of (83:17) food waste and sewage sludge (122 ml H 2 / g carbohydrate COD). Employing formulated microbial consortia for bio-hydrogen production from sewage sludge was an attempt to augment the hydrogen yield from sludge. (authors)

The UNC-CH MCH Leadership Training Consortium: building the capacity to develop interdisciplinary MCH leaders.

Science.gov (United States)

Dodds, Janice; Vann, William; Lee, Jessica; Rosenberg, Angela; Rounds, Kathleen; Roth, Marcia; Wells, Marlyn; Evens, Emily; Margolis, Lewis H

2010-07-01

This article describes the UNC-CH MCH Leadership Consortium, a collaboration among five MCHB-funded training programs, and delineates the evolution of the leadership curriculum developed by the Consortium to cultivate interdisciplinary MCH leaders. In response to a suggestion by the MCHB, five MCHB-funded training programs--nutrition, pediatric dentistry, social work, LEND, and public health--created a consortium with four goals shared by these diverse MCH disciplines: (1) train MCH professionals for field leadership; (2) address the special health and social needs of women, infants, children and adolescents, with emphasis on a public health population-based approach; (3) foster interdisciplinary practice; and (4) assure competencies, such as family-centered and culturally competent practice, needed to serve effectively the MCH population. The consortium meets monthly. Its primary task to date has been to create a leadership curriculum for 20-30 master's, doctoral, and post-doctoral trainees to understand how to leverage personal leadership styles to make groups more effective, develop conflict/facilitation skills, and identify and enhance family-centered and culturally competent organizations. What began as an effort merely to understand shared interests around leadership development has evolved into an elaborate curriculum to address many MCH leadership competencies. The collaboration has also stimulated creative interdisciplinary research and practice opportunities for MCH trainees and faculty. MCHB-funded training programs should make a commitment to collaborate around developing leadership competencies that are shared across disciplines in order to enhance interdisciplinary leadership.

NSF Antarctic and Arctic Data Consortium; Scientific Research Support & Data Services for the Polar Community

Science.gov (United States)

Morin, P. J.; Pundsack, J. W.; Carbotte, S. M.; Tweedie, C. E.; Grunow, A.; Lazzara, M. A.; Carpenter, P.; Sjunneskog, C. M.; Yarmey, L.; Bauer, R.; Adrian, B. M.; Pettit, J.

2014-12-01

The U.S. National Science Foundation Antarctic & Arctic Data Consortium (a2dc) is a collaboration of research centers and support organizations that provide polar scientists with data and tools to complete their research objectives. From searching historical weather observations to submitting geologic samples, polar researchers utilize the a2dc to search andcontribute to the wealth of polar scientific and geospatial data.The goals of the Antarctic & Arctic Data Consortium are to increase visibility in the research community of the services provided by resource and support facilities. Closer integration of individual facilities into a "one stop shop" will make it easier for researchers to take advantage of services and products provided by consortium members. The a2dc provides a common web portal where investigators can go to access data and samples needed to build research projects, develop student projects, or to do virtual field reconnaissance without having to utilize expensive logistics to go into the field.Participation by the international community is crucial for the success of a2dc. There are 48 nations that are signatories of the Antarctic Treaty, and 8 sovereign nations in the Arctic. Many of these organizations have unique capabilities and data that would benefit US ­funded polar science and vice versa.We'll present an overview of the Antarctic & Arctic Data Consortium, current participating organizations, challenges & opportunities, and plans to better coordinate data through a geospatial strategy and infrastructure.

Interpreting clinical trial results by deductive reasoning: In search of improved trial design.

Science.gov (United States)

Kurbel, Sven; Mihaljević, Slobodan

2017-10-01

Clinical trial results are often interpreted by inductive reasoning, in a trial design-limited manner, directed toward modifications of the current clinical practice. Deductive reasoning is an alternative in which results of relevant trials are combined in indisputable premises that lead to a conclusion easily testable in future trials. © 2017 WILEY Periodicals, Inc.

A DOE University-national laboratory waste-management education and research consortium (WERC)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhada, R.K.; Morgan, J.D.; Townsend, J.S.

1991-01-01

This paper presents the results and current status of a consortium of three universities and two national laboratories working closely with industry for an Education and Research program on waste-management and environmental restoration. The program sponsored by the US Department of Energy has been in effect for 18 months and has achieved significant progress towards establishing: undergraduate, graduate and associate degree programs involving environmental management, interactive TV courses from the consortium members transmitted throughout the United States, Mexico ampersand Canada, a satellite TV network, a professional development teleconference series, research programs at the leading edge of technology training multi-disciplinary students, research laboratories for analyses, testing, and student training, technology transfer programs, including a TV series on research applications, outreach programs, including pre-college and minority education, community monitoring

An efficient Azorean thermophilic consortium for lignocellulosic biomass degradation

OpenAIRE

Martins, Rita; Teixeira, Mário; Toubarro, Duarte; Simões, Nelson; Domingues, Lucília; Teixeira, J. A.

2015-01-01

[Excerpt] Lignocellulosic plant biomass is being envisioned by biorefinery industry as an alternative to current petroleum platform because of the large scale availability, low cost and environmentally benign production. The industrial bioprocessing designed to transform lignocellulosic biomass into biofuels are harsh and the enzymatic reactions may be severely compromised reducing the production of fermentable sugars from lignocellulosic biomass. Thermophilic bacteria consortium are a potent...

Isolation and Partial Characterization of Bacteria in an Anaerobic Consortium That Mineralizes 3-Chlorobenzoic Acid †

OpenAIRE

Shelton, Daniel R.; Tiedje, James M.

1984-01-01

A methanogenic consortium able to use 3-chlorobenzoic acid as its sole energy and carbon source was enriched from anaerobic sewage sludge. Seven bacteria were isolated from the consortium in mono- or coculture. They included: one dechlorinating bacterium (strain DCB-1), one benzoate-oxidizing bacterium (strain BZ-2), two butyrate-oxidizing bacteria (strains SF-1 and NSF-2), two H2-consuming methanogens (Methanospirillum hungatei PM-1 and Methanobacterium sp. strain PM-2), and a sulfate-reduci...

25 CFR 1000.107 - Must a Tribe/Consortium with a base budget or base budget-eligible program amounts negotiated...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... Programs Establishing Self-Governance Base Budgets § 1000.107 Must a Tribe/Consortium with a base budget or... residual amounts? No, if a Tribe/Consortium negotiated amounts before January 16, 2001, it does not need to.... (c) Self-governance Tribes/Consortia are eligible for funding amounts for new or available programs...

Enhancement of pyrene degradation efficacy of Synechocystis sp., by construction of an artificial microalgal-bacterial consortium

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jignasa G. Patel

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This study was carried out to investigate the ability of microalgae Synechocystis sp. to high molecular weight Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon pyrene (PYR and artificial microalgal–bacterial consortium at different concentrations. The consortium consisted of one axenic species Synechocystis sp. and two PYR-degrading bacteria with known complementary degradative capabilities viz. Pseudomonas sp. and Bacillus sp. The influence of PYR on growth in terms of chlorophyll-a were analysed, and it was found that in the presence of bacteria, Synechocystis sp. tremendously increased in growth as well as biodegradation capability, whereas Synechocystis sp. alone exhibited concentration-dependent decrease in growth and biodegradation ability. Degradation of PYR shows that the consortium could eliminate PYR by 94.1% at 50 mg/L; however, Synechocystis sp alone could degrade up to 36% at 1.5 mg/L after 16 days of incubation. The study revealed that microalgae grew better in the presence of the aerobic heterotrophic bacteria and provided them with necessary organics for efficient PYR degradation activities. Moreover, consortium JP-NKA7B2 grows efficiently on other xenobiotic compounds. The artificial consortia JP-NK is thus proven to be an effective and promising system for bioremediating PYR compound and could be suggested in degradation of PYR compound in hydrocarbon-polluted areas in situ and ex situ.

Acclimation of a marine microbial consortium for efficient Mn(II) oxidation and manganese containing particle production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou, Hao; Pan, Haixia; Xu, Jianqiang; Xu, Weiping; Liu, Lifen

2016-01-01

Highlights: • An efficient Mn(II) oxidation marine sediments microbial community was obtained. • High-throughput sequencing indicated new Mn(II) oxidation associated genus. • Na_3MnPO_4CO_3 and MnCO_3 were synthesized by the consortium. • Consortium exhibited Mn(II) oxidation performance over a range of harsh conditions. - Abstract: Sediment contamination with metals is a widespread concern in the marine environment. Manganese oxidizing bacteria (MOB) are extensively distributed in various environments, but a marine microbial community containing MOB is rarely reported. In this study, a consortium of marine metal-contaminated sediments was acclimated using Mn(II). The shift in community structure was determined through high-throughput sequencing. In addition, the consortium resisted several harsh conditions, such as toxic metals (1 mM Cu(II) and Fe(III)), and exhibited high Mn(II) oxidation capacities even the Mn(II) concentration was up to 5 mM. Meanwhile, biogenic Mn containing particles were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and N_2 adsorption/desorption. Dye removal performance of the Mn containing particles was assayed using methylene blue, and 20.8 mg g"−"1 adsorption capacity was obtained. Overall, this study revealed several new genera associated with Mn(II) oxidation and rare biogenic Na_3MnPO_4CO_3_. Results suggested the complexity of natural microbe-mediated Mn transformation.

Default options in advance directives: study protocol for a randomised clinical trial

Science.gov (United States)

Gabler, Nicole B; Cooney, Elizabeth; Small, Dylan S; Troxel, Andrea B; Arnold, Robert M; White, Douglas B; Angus, Derek C; Loewenstein, George; Volpp, Kevin G; Bryce, Cindy L; Halpern, Scott D

2016-01-01

Introduction Although most seriously ill Americans wish to avoid burdensome and aggressive care at the end of life, such care is often provided unless patients or family members specifically request otherwise. Advance directives (ADs) were created to provide opportunities to set limits on aggressive care near life's end. This study tests the hypothesis that redesigning ADs such that comfort-oriented care is provided as the default, rather than requiring patients to actively choose it, will promote better patient-centred outcomes. Methods and analysis This multicentre trial randomises seriously ill adults to receive 1 of 3 different ADs: (1) a traditional AD that requires patients to actively choose their goals of care or preferences for specific interventions (eg, feeding tube insertion) or otherwise have their care guided by their surrogates and the prevailing societal default toward aggressive care; (2) an AD that defaults to life-extending care and receipt of life-sustaining interventions, enabling patients to opt out from such care; or (3) an AD that defaults to comfort care, enabling patients to opt into life-extending care. We seek to enrol 270 patients who return complete, legally valid ADs so as to generate sufficient power to detect differences in the primary outcome of hospital-free days (days alive and not in an acute care facility). Secondary outcomes include hospital and intensive care unit admissions, costs of care, hospice usage, decision conflict and satisfaction, quality of life, concordance of preferences with care received and bereavement outcomes for surrogates of patients who die. Ethics and dissemination This study has been approved by the Institutional Review Boards at all trial centres, and is guided by a data safety and monitoring board and an ethics advisory board. Study results will be disseminated using methods that describe the results in ways that key stakeholders can best understand and implement. Trial registration number NCT02017548

2013 Puget Sound LiDAR Consortium (PSLC) Topographic LiDAR: Tulalip Partnership

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — In October 2012, WSI (Watershed Sciences, Inc.) was contracted by the Puget Sound LiDAR Consortium (PSLC)to collect Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data on a...

2013 Puget Sound LiDAR Consortium (PSLC) Topographic LiDAR: Saddle Mountain

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — In October 2013, WSI, a Quantum Spatial Company (QSI), was contracted by the Puget Sound LiDAR Consortium (PSLC) to collect Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data...

From Franchise Network to Consortium: The Evolution and Operation of a New Kind of Further and Higher Education Partnership

Science.gov (United States)

Bridge, Freda; Fisher, Roy; Webb, Keith

2003-01-01

The Consortium for Post-Compulsory Education and Training (CPCET) is a single subject consortium of further education and higher education providers of professional development relating to in-service teacher training for the whole of the post-compulsory sector. Involving more than 30 partners spread across the North of England, CPCET evolved from…

Response of an algal consortium to diesel under varying culture conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Chavan, Anal; Mukherji, Suparna

2010-03-01

A diesel-tolerant sessile freshwater algal consortium obtained from the vicinity of Powai Lake (Mumbai, India) was cultured in the laboratory. The presence of diesel in batch cultures enhanced the maximum specific growth rate of the algal consortium. With decrease in light-dark (L:D) cycle from 20:4 to 4:20 h, the chlorophyll-a levels decreased; however, the removal of diesel was found to be maximum at L:D of 18:6 h with 37.6% degradation over and above controls. In addition to growth in the form of green clumps, white floating biomass was found surrounding the diesel droplets on the surface. This culture predominated at the least L:D ratio of 4:20 h. Studies confirmed the ability of the floating organisms to grow heterotrophically in the dark utilizing diesel as carbon source and also in the presence of light in a medium devoid of organic carbon sources.

Bioremediation of high molecular weight polyaromatic hydrocarbons co-contaminated with metals in liquid and soil slurries by metal tolerant PAHs degrading bacterial consortium.

Science.gov (United States)

Thavamani, Palanisami; Megharaj, Mallavarapu; Naidu, Ravi

2012-11-01

Bioremediation of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) contaminated soils in the presence of heavy metals have proved to be difficult and often challenging due to the ability of toxic metals to inhibit PAH degradation by bacteria. In this study, a mixed bacterial culture designated as consortium-5 was isolated from a former manufactured gas plant (MGP) site. The ability of this consortium to utilise HMW PAHs such as pyrene and BaP as a sole carbon source in the presence of toxic metal Cd was demonstrated. Furthermore, this consortium has proven to be effective in degradation of HMW PAHs even from the real long term contaminated MGP soil. Thus, the results of this study demonstrate the great potential of this consortium for field scale bioremediation of PAHs in long term mix contaminated soils such as MGP sites. To our knowledge this is the first study to isolate and characterize metal tolerant HMW PAH degrading bacterial consortium which shows great potential in bioremediation of mixed contaminated soils such as MGP.

Monitoring Consortiums: A Cost-Effective Means to Enhancing Watershed Data Collection and Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Monitoring is essential for tracking overall watershed health, but monitoring costs are a limiting factor. As demonstrated in the four case studies, consortiums can reduce costs and improve cooperation among partners.

Parenting Interventions in Early Head Start: The Buffering Toxic Stress Consortium

Science.gov (United States)

Berlin, Lisa; Blair, Clancy; Boyd, Misty L.; Constantino, John N.; Hallam, Rena A.; Han, Myae; Hustedt, Jason; Harden, Brenda Jones; Raver, C. Cybele; Sarche, Michelle; Vu, Jennifer A.; Watamura, Sarah Enos; Meyer, Aleta; Fortunato, Christine

2013-01-01

The Buffering Toxic Stress Consortium was created by the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation within the Administration for Children and Families to test preventive interventions for Early Head Start families facing toxic stress, as conceptualized by Shonkoff, Boyce, and McEwen in their influential 2009 article. Because relationships…

Clinical translation and regulatory aspects of CAR/TCR-based adoptive cell therapies-the German Cancer Consortium approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Krackhardt, Angela M; Anliker, Brigitte; Hildebrandt, Martin; Bachmann, Michael; Eichmüller, Stefan B; Nettelbeck, Dirk M; Renner, Matthias; Uharek, Lutz; Willimsky, Gerald; Schmitt, Michael; Wels, Winfried S; Schüssler-Lenz, Martina

2018-04-01

Adoptive transfer of T cells genetically modified by TCRs or CARs represents a highly attractive novel therapeutic strategy to treat malignant diseases. Various approaches for the development of such gene therapy medicinal products (GTMPs) have been initiated by scientists in recent years. To date, however, the number of clinical trials commenced in Germany and Europe is still low. Several hurdles may contribute to the delay in clinical translation of these therapeutic innovations including the significant complexity of manufacture and non-clinical testing of these novel medicinal products, the limited knowledge about the intricate regulatory requirements of the academic developers as well as limitations of funds for clinical testing. A suitable good manufacturing practice (GMP) environment is a key prerequisite and platform for the development, validation, and manufacture of such cell-based therapies, but may also represent a bottleneck for clinical translation. The German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) and the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut (PEI) have initiated joint efforts of researchers and regulators to facilitate and advance early phase, academia-driven clinical trials. Starting with a workshop held in 2016, stakeholders from academia and regulatory authorities in Germany have entered into continuing discussions on a diversity of scientific, manufacturing, and regulatory aspects, as well as the benefits and risks of clinical application of CAR/TCR-based cell therapies. This review summarizes the current state of discussions of this cooperative approach providing a basis for further policy-making and suitable modification of processes.

The ENIGMA Consortium : large-scale collaborative analyses of neuroimaging and genetic data

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Thompson, Paul M.; Stein, Jason L.; Medland, Sarah E.; Hibar, Derrek P.; Vasquez, Alejandro Arias; Renteria, Miguel E.; Toro, Roberto; Jahanshad, Neda; Schumann, Gunter; Franke, Barbara; Wright, Margaret J.; Martin, Nicholas G.; Agartz, Ingrid; Alda, Martin; Alhusaini, Saud; Almasy, Laura; Almeida, Jorge; Alpert, Kathryn; Andreasen, Nancy C.; Andreassen, Ole A.; Apostolova, Liana G.; Appel, Katja; Armstrong, Nicola J.; Aribisala, Benjamin; Bastin, Mark E.; Bauer, Michael; Bearden, Carrie E.; Bergmann, Orjan; Binder, Elisabeth B.; Blangero, John; Bockholt, Henry J.; Boen, Erlend; Bois, Catherine; Boomsma, Dorret I.; Booth, Tom; Bowman, Ian J.; Bralten, Janita; Brouwer, Rachel M.; Brunner, Han G.; Brohawn, David G.; Buckner, Randy L.; Buitelaar, Jan; Bulayeva, Kazima; Bustillo, Juan R.; Calhoun, Vince D.; Hartman, Catharina A.; Hoekstra, Pieter J.; Penninx, Brenda W.; Schmaal, Lianne; van Tol, Marie-Jose

The Enhancing NeuroImaging Genetics through Meta-Analysis (ENIGMA) Consortium is a collaborative network of researchers working together on a range of large-scale studies that integrate data from 70 institutions worldwide. Organized into Working Groups that tackle questions in neuroscience,

The ENIGMA Consortium: large-scale collaborative analyses of neuroimaging and genetic data

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Thompson, Paul M.; Stein, Jason L.; Medland, Sarah E.; Hibar, Derrek P.; Vasquez, Alejandro Arias; Renteria, Miguel E.; Toro, Roberto; Jahanshad, Neda; Schumann, Gunter; Franke, Barbara; Wright, Margaret J.; Martin, Nicholas G.; Agartz, Ingrid; Alda, Martin; Alhusaini, Saud; Almasy, Laura; Almeida, Jorge; Alpert, Kathryn; Andreasen, Nancy C.; Andreassen, Ole A.; Apostolova, Liana G.; Appel, Katja; Armstrong, Nicola J.; Aribisala, Benjamin; Bastin, Mark E.; Bauer, Michael; Bearden, Carrie E.; Bergmann, Orjan; Binder, Elisabeth B.; Blangero, John; Bockholt, Henry J.; Bøen, Erlend; Bois, Catherine; Boomsma, Dorret I.; Booth, Tom; Bowman, Ian J.; Bralten, Janita; Brouwer, Rachel M.; Brunner, Han G.; Brohawn, David G.; Buckner, Randy L.; Buitelaar, Jan; Bulayeva, Kazima; Bustillo, Juan R.; Calhoun, Vince D.; Cannon, Dara M.; Cantor, Rita M.; Carless, Melanie A.; Caseras, Xavier; Cavalleri, Gianpiero L.; Chakravarty, M. Mallar; Chang, Kiki D.; Ching, Christopher R. K.; Christoforou, Andrea; Cichon, Sven; Clark, Vincent P.; Conrod, Patricia; Coppola, Giovanni; Crespo-Facorro, Benedicto; Curran, Joanne E.; Czisch, Michael; Deary, Ian J.; de Geus, Eco J. C.; den Braber, Anouk; Delvecchio, Giuseppe; Depondt, Chantal; de Haan, Lieuwe; de Zubicaray, Greig I.; Dima, Danai; Dimitrova, Rali; Djurovic, Srdjan; Dong, Hongwei; Donohoe, Gary; Duggirala, Ravindranath; Dyer, Thomas D.; Ehrlich, Stefan; Ekman, Carl Johan; Elvsåshagen, Torbjørn; Emsell, Louise; Erk, Susanne; Espeseth, Thomas; Fagerness, Jesen; Fears, Scott; Fedko, Iryna; Fernández, Guillén; Fisher, Simon E.; Foroud, Tatiana; Fox, Peter T.; Francks, Clyde; Frangou, Sophia; Frey, Eva Maria; Frodl, Thomas; Frouin, Vincent; Garavan, Hugh; Giddaluru, Sudheer; Glahn, David C.; Godlewska, Beata; Goldstein, Rita Z.; Gollub, Randy L.; Grabe, Hans J.; Grimm, Oliver; Gruber, Oliver; Guadalupe, Tulio; Gur, Raquel E.; Gur, Ruben C.; Göring, Harald H. H.; Hagenaars, Saskia; Hajek, Tomas; Hall, Geoffrey B.; Hall, Jeremy; Hardy, John; Hartman, Catharina A.; Hass, Johanna; Hatton, Sean N.; Haukvik, Unn K.; Hegenscheid, Katrin; Heinz, Andreas; Hickie, Ian B.; Ho, Beng-Choon; Hoehn, David; Hoekstra, Pieter J.; Hollinshead, Marisa; Holmes, Avram J.; Homuth, Georg; Hoogman, Martine; Hong, L. Elliot; Hosten, Norbert; Hottenga, Jouke-Jan; Hulshoff Pol, Hilleke E.; Hwang, Kristy S.; Jack, Clifford R.; Jenkinson, Mark; Johnston, Caroline; Jönsson, Erik G.; Kahn, René S.; Kasperaviciute, Dalia; Kelly, Sinead; Kim, Sungeun; Kochunov, Peter; Koenders, Laura; Krämer, Bernd; Kwok, John B. J.; Lagopoulos, Jim; Laje, Gonzalo; Landen, Mikael; Landman, Bennett A.; Lauriello, John; Lawrie, Stephen M.; Lee, Phil H.; Le Hellard, Stephanie; Lemaître, Herve; Leonardo, Cassandra D.; Li, Chiang-Shan; Liberg, Benny; Liewald, David C.; Liu, Xinmin; Lopez, Lorna M.; Loth, Eva; Lourdusamy, Anbarasu; Luciano, Michelle; Macciardi, Fabio; Machielsen, Marise W. J.; Macqueen, Glenda M.; Malt, Ulrik F.; Mandl, René; Manoach, Dara S.; Martinot, Jean-Luc; Matarin, Mar; Mather, Karen A.; Mattheisen, Manuel; Mattingsdal, Morten; Meyer-Lindenberg, Andreas; McDonald, Colm; McIntosh, Andrew M.; McMahon, Francis J.; McMahon, Katie L.; Meisenzahl, Eva; Melle, Ingrid; Milaneschi, Yuri; Mohnke, Sebastian; Montgomery, Grant W.; Morris, Derek W.; Moses, Eric K.; Mueller, Bryon A.; Muñoz Maniega, Susana; Mühleisen, Thomas W.; Müller-Myhsok, Bertram; Mwangi, Benson; Nauck, Matthias; Nho, Kwangsik; Nichols, Thomas E.; Nilsson, Lars-Göran; Nugent, Allison C.; Nyberg, Lars; Olvera, Rene L.; Oosterlaan, Jaap; Ophoff, Roel A.; Pandolfo, Massimo; Papalampropoulou-Tsiridou, Melina; Papmeyer, Martina; Paus, Tomas; Pausova, Zdenka; Pearlson, Godfrey D.; Penninx, Brenda W.; Peterson, Charles P.; Pfennig, Andrea; Phillips, Mary; Pike, G. Bruce; Poline, Jean-Baptiste; Potkin, Steven G.; Pütz, Benno; Ramasamy, Adaikalavan; Rasmussen, Jerod; Rietschel, Marcella; Rijpkema, Mark; Risacher, Shannon L.; Roffman, Joshua L.; Roiz-Santiañez, Roberto; Romanczuk-Seiferth, Nina; Rose, Emma J.; Royle, Natalie A.; Rujescu, Dan; Ryten, Mina; Sachdev, Perminder S.; Salami, Alireza; Satterthwaite, Theodore D.; Savitz, Jonathan; Saykin, Andrew J.; Scanlon, Cathy; Schmaal, Lianne; Schnack, Hugo G.; Schork, Andrew J.; Schulz, S. Charles; Schür, Remmelt; Seidman, Larry; Shen, Li; Shoemaker, Jody M.; Simmons, Andrew; Sisodiya, Sanjay M.; Smith, Colin; Smoller, Jordan W.; Soares, Jair C.; Sponheim, Scott R.; Sprooten, Emma; Starr, John M.; Steen, Vidar M.; Strakowski, Stephen; Strike, Lachlan; Sussmann, Jessika; Sämann, Philipp G.; Teumer, Alexander; Toga, Arthur W.; Tordesillas-Gutierrez, Diana; Trabzuni, Daniah; Trost, Sarah; Turner, Jessica; van den Heuvel, Martijn; van der Wee, Nic J.; van Eijk, Kristel; van Erp, Theo G. M.; van Haren, Neeltje E. M.; van 't Ent, Dennis; van Tol, Marie-Jose; Valdés Hernández, Maria C.; Veltman, Dick J.; Versace, Amelia; Völzke, Henry; Walker, Robert; Walter, Henrik; Wang, Lei; Wardlaw, Joanna M.; Weale, Michael E.; Weiner, Michael W.; Wen, Wei; Westlye, Lars T.; Whalley, Heather C.; Whelan, Christopher D.; White, Tonya; Winkler, Anderson M.; Wittfeld, Katharina; Woldehawariat, Girma; Wolf, Christiane; Zilles, David; Zwiers, Marcel P.; Thalamuthu, Anbupalam; Schofield, Peter R.; Freimer, Nelson B.; Lawrence, Natalia S.; Drevets, Wayne

2014-01-01

The Enhancing NeuroImaging Genetics through Meta-Analysis (ENIGMA) Consortium is a collaborative network of researchers working together on a range of large-scale studies that integrate data from 70 institutions worldwide. Organized into Working Groups that tackle questions in neuroscience,

The ENIGMA Consortium: Large-scale collaborative analyses of neuroimaging and genetic data

NARCIS (Netherlands)

P.M. Thompson (Paul); J.L. Stein; S.E. Medland (Sarah Elizabeth); D.P. Hibar (Derrek); A.A. Vásquez (Arias); M.E. Rentería (Miguel); R. Toro (Roberto); N. Jahanshad (Neda); G. Schumann (Gunter); B. Franke (Barbara); M.J. Wright (Margaret); N.G. Martin (Nicholas); I. Agartz (Ingrid); M. Alda (Martin); S. Alhusaini (Saud); L. Almasy (Laura); K. Alpert (Kathryn); N.C. Andreasen; O.A. Andreassen (Ole); L.G. Apostolova (Liana); K. Appel (Katja); N.J. Armstrong (Nicola); B. Aribisala (Benjamin); M.E. Bastin (Mark); M. Bauer (Michael); C.E. Bearden (Carrie); Ø. Bergmann (Ørjan); E.B. Binder (Elisabeth); J. Blangero (John); H.J. Bockholt; E. Bøen (Erlend); M. Bois (Monique); D.I. Boomsma (Dorret); T. Booth (Tom); I.J. Bowman (Ian); L.B.C. Bralten (Linda); R.M. Brouwer (Rachel); H.G. Brunner; D.G. Brohawn (David); M. Buckner; J.K. Buitelaar (Jan); K. Bulayeva (Kazima); J. Bustillo; V.D. Calhoun (Vince); D.M. Cannon (Dara); R.M. Cantor; M.A. Carless (Melanie); X. Caseras (Xavier); G. Cavalleri (Gianpiero); M.M. Chakravarty (M. Mallar); K.D. Chang (Kiki); C.R.K. Ching (Christopher); A. Christoforou (Andrea); S. Cichon (Sven); V.P. Clark; P. Conrod (Patricia); D. Coppola (Domenico); B. Crespo-Facorro (Benedicto); J.E. Curran (Joanne); M. Czisch (Michael); I.J. Deary (Ian); E.J.C. de Geus (Eco); A. den Braber (Anouk); G. Delvecchio (Giuseppe); C. Depondt (Chantal); L. de Haan (Lieuwe); G.I. de Zubicaray (Greig); D. Dima (Danai); R. Dimitrova (Rali); S. Djurovic (Srdjan); H. Dong (Hongwei); D.J. Donohoe (Dennis); A. Duggirala (Aparna); M.D. Dyer (Matthew); S.M. Ehrlich (Stefan); C.J. Ekman (Carl Johan); T. Elvsåshagen (Torbjørn); L. Emsell (Louise); S. Erk; T. Espeseth (Thomas); J. Fagerness (Jesen); S. Fears (Scott); I. Fedko (Iryna); G. Fernandez (Guillén); S.E. Fisher (Simon); T. Foroud (Tatiana); P.T. Fox (Peter); C. Francks (Clyde); S. Frangou (Sophia); E.M. Frey (Eva Maria); T. Frodl (Thomas); V. Frouin (Vincent); H. Garavan (Hugh); S. Giddaluru (Sudheer); D.C. Glahn (David); B. Godlewska (Beata); R.Z. Goldstein (Rita); R.L. Gollub (Randy); H.J. Grabe (Hans Jörgen); O. Grimm (Oliver); O. Gruber (Oliver); T. Guadalupe (Tulio); R.E. Gur (Raquel); R.C. Gur (Ruben); H.H.H. Göring (Harald); S. Hagenaars (Saskia); T. Hajek (Tomas); G.B. Hall (Garry); J. Hall (Jeremy); J. Hardy (John); C.A. Hartman (Catharina); J. Hass (Johanna); W. Hatton; U.K. Haukvik (Unn); K. Hegenscheid (Katrin); J. Heinz (Judith); I.B. Hickie (Ian); B.C. Ho (Beng ); D. Hoehn (David); P.J. Hoekstra (Pieter); M. Hollinshead (Marisa); A.J. Holmes (Avram); G. Homuth (Georg); M. Hoogman (Martine); L.E. Hong (L.Elliot); N. Hosten (Norbert); J.J. Hottenga (Jouke Jan); H.E. Hulshoff Pol (Hilleke); K.S. Hwang (Kristy); C.R. Jack Jr. (Clifford); S. Jenkinson (Sarah); C. Johnston; E.G. Jönsson (Erik); R.S. Kahn (René); D. Kasperaviciute (Dalia); S. Kelly (Steve); S. Kim (Shinseog); P. Kochunov (Peter); L. Koenders (Laura); B. Krämer (Bernd); J.B.J. Kwok (John); J. Lagopoulos (Jim); G. Laje (Gonzalo); M. Landén (Mikael); B.A. Landman (Bennett); J. Lauriello; S. Lawrie (Stephen); P.H. Lee (Phil); S. Le Hellard (Stephanie); H. Lemaître (Herve); C.D. Leonardo (Cassandra); C.-S. Li (Chiang-shan); B. Liberg (Benny); D.C. Liewald (David C.); X. Liu (Xinmin); L.M. Lopez (Lorna); E. Loth (Eva); A. Lourdusamy (Anbarasu); M. Luciano (Michelle); F. MacCiardi (Fabio); M.W.J. Machielsen (Marise); G.M. MacQueen (Glenda); U.F. Malt (Ulrik); R. Mandl (René); D.S. Manoach (Dara); J.-L. Martinot (Jean-Luc); M. Matarin (Mar); R. Mather; M. Mattheisen (Manuel); M. Mattingsdal (Morten); A. Meyer-Lindenberg; C. McDonald (Colm); A.M. McIntosh (Andrew); F.J. Mcmahon (Francis J); K.L. Mcmahon (Katie); E. Meisenzahl (Eva); I. Melle (Ingrid); Y. Milaneschi (Yuri); S. Mohnke (Sebastian); G.W. Montgomery (Grant); D.W. Morris (Derek W); E.K. Moses (Eric); B.A. Mueller (Bryon ); S. Muñoz Maniega (Susana); T.W. Mühleisen (Thomas); B. Müller-Myhsok (Bertram); B. Mwangi (Benson); M. Nauck (Matthias); K. Nho (Kwangsik); T.E. Nichols (Thomas); L.G. Nilsson; A.C. Nugent (Allison); L. Nyberg (Lisa); R.L. Olvera (Rene); J. Oosterlaan (Jaap); R.A. Ophoff (Roel); M. Pandolfo (Massimo); M. Papalampropoulou-Tsiridou (Melina); M. Papmeyer (Martina); T. Paus (Tomas); Z. Pausova (Zdenka); G. Pearlson (Godfrey); B.W.J.H. Penninx (Brenda); C.P. Peterson (Charles); A. Pfennig (Andrea); M. Phillips (Mary); G.B. Pike (G Bruce); J.B. Poline (Jean Baptiste); S.G. Potkin (Steven); B. Pütz (Benno); A. Ramasamy (Adaikalavan); J. Rasmussen (Jerod); M. Rietschel (Marcella); M. Rijpkema (Mark); S.L. Risacher (Shannon); J.L. Roffman (Joshua); R. Roiz-Santiañez (Roberto); N. Romanczuk-Seiferth (Nina); E.J. Rose (Emma); N.A. Royle (Natalie); D. Rujescu (Dan); M. Ryten (Mina); P.S. Sachdev (Perminder); A. Salami (Alireza); T.D. Satterthwaite (Theodore); J. Savitz (Jonathan); A.J. Saykin (Andrew); C. Scanlon (Cathy); L. Schmaal (Lianne); H. Schnack (Hugo); N.J. Schork (Nicholas); S.C. Schulz (S.Charles); R. Schür (Remmelt); L.J. Seidman (Larry); L. Shen (Li); L. Shoemaker (Lawrence); A. Simmons (Andrew); S.M. Sisodiya (Sanjay); C. Smith (Colin); J.W. Smoller; J.C. Soares (Jair); S.R. Sponheim (Scott); R. Sprooten (Roy); J.M. Starr (John); V.M. Steen (Vidar); S. Strakowski (Stephen); L.T. Strike (Lachlan); J. Sussmann (Jessika); P.G. Sämann (Philipp); A. Teumer (Alexander); A.W. Toga (Arthur); D. Tordesillas-Gutierrez (Diana); D. Trabzuni (Danyah); S. Trost (Sarah); J. Turner (Jessica); M. van den Heuvel (Martijn); N.J. van der Wee (Nic); K.R. van Eijk (Kristel); T.G.M. van Erp (Theo G.); N.E.M. van Haren (Neeltje E.); D. van 't Ent (Dennis); M.J.D. van Tol (Marie-José); M.C. Valdés Hernández (Maria); D.J. Veltman (Dick); A. Versace (Amelia); H. Völzke (Henry); R. Walker (Robert); H.J. Walter (Henrik); L. Wang (Lei); J.M. Wardlaw (J.); M.E. Weale (Michael); M.W. Weiner (Michael); W. Wen (Wei); L.T. Westlye (Lars); H.C. Whalley (Heather); C.D. Whelan (Christopher); T.J.H. White (Tonya); A.M. Winkler (Anderson); K. Wittfeld (Katharina); G. Woldehawariat (Girma); A. Björnsson (Asgeir); D. Zilles (David); M.P. Zwiers (Marcel); A. Thalamuthu (Anbupalam); J.R. Almeida (Jorge); C.J. Schofield (Christopher); N.B. Freimer (Nelson); N.S. Lawrence (Natalia); D.A. Drevets (Douglas)

2014-01-01

textabstractThe Enhancing NeuroImaging Genetics through Meta-Analysis (ENIGMA) Consortium is a collaborative network of researchers working together on a range of large-scale studies that integrate data from 70 institutions worldwide. Organized into Working Groups that tackle questions in

78 FR 40084 - Proposed Requirement-Migrant Education Program Consortium Incentive Grant Program

Science.gov (United States)

2013-07-03

... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 34 CFR Chapter II Proposed Requirement--Migrant Education Program... educational agencies (SEAs) under the Migrant Education Program (MEP) Consortium Incentive Grant (CIG) Program... the interstate or intrastate coordination of migrant education programs by addressing key needs of...

Comparative metagenomic analysis of PAH degradation in soil by a mixed microbial consortium.

Science.gov (United States)

Zafra, German; Taylor, Todd D; Absalón, Angel E; Cortés-Espinosa, Diana V

2016-11-15

In this study, we used a taxonomic and functional metagenomic approach to analyze some of the effects (e.g. displacement, permanence, disappearance) produced between native microbiota and a previously constructed Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH)-degrading microbial consortium during the bioremediation process of a soil polluted with PAHs. Bioaugmentation with a fungal-bacterial consortium and biostimulation of native microbiota using corn stover as texturizer produced appreciable changes in the microbial diversity of polluted soils, shifting native microbial communities in favor of degrading specific populations. Functional metagenomics showed changes in gene abundance suggesting a bias towards aromatic hydrocarbon and intermediary degradation pathways, which greatly favored PAH mineralization. In contrast, pathways favoring the formation of toxic intermediates such as cytochrome P450-mediated reactions were found to be significantly reduced in bioaugmented soils. PAH biodegradation in soil using the microbial consortium was faster and reached higher degradation values (84% after 30 d) as a result of an increased co-metabolic degradation when compared with other mixed microbial consortia. The main differences between inoculated and non-inoculated soils were observed in aromatic ring-hydroxylating dioxygenases, laccase, protocatechuate, salicylate and benzoate-degrading enzyme genes. Based on our results, we propose that several concurrent metabolic pathways are taking place in soils during PAH degradation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

BIOFERTILIZATION WITH RHIZOBACTERIA AND A CONSORTIUM OF ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI IN CITRUS ROOTSTOCKS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roberto Gregorio Chiquito-Contreras

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Biofertilization of plants with rhizobacteria and vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizae (mycorrhizal consortium, potentially promotes plant growth and health, and reduces the use of agrochemicals. The effect of individual and combined biofertilization with three strains of rhizobacteria and the mycorrhizal consortium (MTZ-1 was evaluated under nursery conditions on the growth of rootstocks of Citrus volkameriana and Rangpur lime grafted with Tahiti lime. Plants were inoculated individually and combined with the rhizobacteria strains FCA-8, FCA-56 and FCA-60 of Pseudomonas putida, and with MTZ-1; 50 % fertilization also was applied (18-46-00 N-P-K and compared with controls that received nursery management and 100 % fertilization. A split-plot experimental design with five replications per treatment was established. Individual and combined biofertilization with the three strains of bacteria and MTZ-1 positively promoted the growth of C. volkameriana, and Rangpur lime grafted with Tahiti lime, similar to the control with 100 % fertilization. The nutrient content of Tahiti lime leaves was similar to the control for both rootstocks. The presence of rhizobacterial and mycorrhizal populations in the combined biofertilization treatments demonstrated a positive synergism in the colonization of rootstock roots. Results demonstrate the potential of the three strains of P. putida and the MTZ-1 mycorrhizal consortium on the promotion of plant growth and assimilation of nutrients.

Value of information: interim analysis of a randomized, controlled trial of goal-directed hemodynamic treatment for aged patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Bartha, Erzsebet; Davidson, Thomas; Brodtkorb, Thor-Henrik; Carlsson, Per; Kalman, Sigridur

2013-07-09

A randomized, controlled trial, intended to include 460 patients, is currently studying peroperative goal-directed hemodynamic treatment (GDHT) of aged hip-fracture patients. Interim efficacy analysis performed on the first 100 patients was statistically uncertain; thus, the trial is continuing in accordance with the trial protocol. This raised the present investigation's main question: Is it reasonable to continue to fund the trial to decrease uncertainty? To answer this question, a previously developed probabilistic cost-effectiveness model was used. That model depicts (1) a choice between routine fluid treatment and GDHT, given uncertainty of current evidence and (2) the monetary value of further data collection to decrease uncertainty. This monetary value, that is, the expected value of perfect information (EVPI), could be used to compare future research costs. Thus, the primary aim of the present investigation was to analyze EVPI of an ongoing trial with interim efficacy observed. A previously developed probabilistic decision analytic cost-effectiveness model was employed to compare the routine fluid treatment to GDHT. Results from the interim analysis, published trials, the meta-analysis, and the registry data were used as model inputs. EVPI was predicted using (1) combined uncertainty of model inputs; (2) threshold value of society's willingness to pay for one, quality-adjusted life-year; and (3) estimated number of future patients exposed to choice between GDHT and routine fluid treatment during the expected lifetime of GDHT. If a decision to use GDHT were based on cost-effectiveness, then the decision would have a substantial degree of uncertainty. Assuming a 5-year lifetime of GDHT in clinical practice, the number of patients who would be subject to future decisions was 30,400. EVPI per patient would be €204 at a €20,000 threshold value of society's willingness to pay for one quality-adjusted life-year. Given a future population of 30,400 individuals

Federal Laboratory Consortium Recognizes Unituxin Collaborators with Excellence in Technology Transfer Awards | Poster

Science.gov (United States)

The Federal Laboratory Consortium (FLC) presented an Excellence in Technology Transfer award to the group that collaborated to bring Unituxin (dinutuximab, also known as ch14.18), an immunotherapy for neuroblastoma, to licensure.

Acclimation of a marine microbial consortium for efficient Mn(II) oxidation and manganese containing particle production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou, Hao, E-mail: zhouhao@dlut.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education), School of Food and Environment, Dalian University of Technology, Panjin 124221 (China); Pan, Haixia [Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education), School of Food and Environment, Dalian University of Technology, Panjin 124221 (China); Xu, Jianqiang [School of Life Science and Medicine, Dalian University of Technology, Panjin 124221 (China); Xu, Weiping; Liu, Lifen [Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education), School of Food and Environment, Dalian University of Technology, Panjin 124221 (China)

2016-03-05

Highlights: • An efficient Mn(II) oxidation marine sediments microbial community was obtained. • High-throughput sequencing indicated new Mn(II) oxidation associated genus. • Na{sub 3}MnPO{sub 4}CO{sub 3} and MnCO{sub 3} were synthesized by the consortium. • Consortium exhibited Mn(II) oxidation performance over a range of harsh conditions. - Abstract: Sediment contamination with metals is a widespread concern in the marine environment. Manganese oxidizing bacteria (MOB) are extensively distributed in various environments, but a marine microbial community containing MOB is rarely reported. In this study, a consortium of marine metal-contaminated sediments was acclimated using Mn(II). The shift in community structure was determined through high-throughput sequencing. In addition, the consortium resisted several harsh conditions, such as toxic metals (1 mM Cu(II) and Fe(III)), and exhibited high Mn(II) oxidation capacities even the Mn(II) concentration was up to 5 mM. Meanwhile, biogenic Mn containing particles were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and N{sub 2} adsorption/desorption. Dye removal performance of the Mn containing particles was assayed using methylene blue, and 20.8 mg g{sup −1} adsorption capacity was obtained. Overall, this study revealed several new genera associated with Mn(II) oxidation and rare biogenic Na{sub 3}MnPO{sub 4}CO{sub 3.} Results suggested the complexity of natural microbe-mediated Mn transformation.

Midwest Superconductivity Consortium: 1995 Progress report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-01-01

The mission of the Midwest Superconductivity Consortium, MISCON, is to advance the science and understanding of high Tc superconductivity. During the past year, 26 projects produced over 133 talks and 127 publications. Three Master`s Degrees and 9 Doctor`s of Philosophy Degrees were granted to students working on MISCON projects. Group activities and interactions involved 2 MISCON group meetings (held in January and July); the third MISCON Summer School held in July; 12 external speakers; 81 collaborations (with universities, industry, Federal laboratories, and foreign research centers); and 54 exchanges of samples and/or measurements. Research achievements this past year focused on understanding the effects of processing phenomena on structure-property interrelationships and the fundamental nature of transport properties in high-temp superconductors.

Midwest Superconductivity Consortium: 1995 Progress report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-01-01

The mission of the Midwest Superconductivity Consortium, MISCON, is to advance the science and understanding of high Tc superconductivity. During the past year, 26 projects produced over 133 talks and 127 publications. Three Master's Degrees and 9 Doctor's of Philosophy Degrees were granted to students working on MISCON projects. Group activities and interactions involved 2 MISCON group meetings (held in January and July); the third MISCON Summer School held in July; 12 external speakers; 81 collaborations (with universities, industry, Federal laboratories, and foreign research centers); and 54 exchanges of samples and/or measurements. Research achievements this past year focused on understanding the effects of processing phenomena on structure-property interrelationships and the fundamental nature of transport properties in high-temp superconductors

Perspectives of International Human Epigenome Consortium

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jae-Bum Bae

2013-03-01

Full Text Available As the International Human Epigenome Consortium (IHEC launched officially at the 2010 Washington meeting, a giant step toward the conquest of unexplored regions of the human genome has begun. IHEC aims at the production of 1,000 reference epigenomes to the international scientific community for next 7-10 years. Seven member institutions, including South Korea, Korea National Institute of Health (KNIH, will produce 25-200 reference epigenomes individually, and the produced data will be publically available by using a data center. Epigenome data will cover from whole genome bisulfite sequencing, histone modification, and chromatin access information to miRNA-seq. The final goal of IHEC is the production of reference maps of human epigenomes for key cellular status relevant to health and disease.

Improving healthcare and outcomes for high-risk children and teens: formation of the National Consortium for Pediatric and Adolescent Evidence-Based Practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Melnyk, Bernadette Mazurek; Fineout-Overholt, Ellen; Hockenberrry, Marilyn; Huth, Myra; Jamerson, Patricia; Latta, Linda; Lewandowski, Linda; Gance-Cleveland, Bonnie

2007-01-01

Although major healthcare and professional organizations as well as key leaders have long emphasized the importance of evidence-based practice (EBP) in improving patient care and outcomes, the majority of healthcare professionals do not implement EBP. There is a huge gap in time that exists between the generation of research findings and the translation of those findings into clinical practice. Many efficacious interventions are not being used in clinical practice even though research findings suggest that they improve child and adolescent health and development. Conversely, many clinical practices are being implemented without sufficient evidence to support their use. Because of the need to accelerate EBP and to generate evidence to support best practices, the first EBP Leadership Summit focused on children and adolescents was conducted in February 2007. Several nationally recognized EBP experts and healthcare leaders from a number of children's hospitals and colleges of nursing across the U.S. participated in the Summit. This article describes the process used and outcomes generated from this landmark event in child and adolescent healthcare, including the launching of the new National Consortium for Pediatric and Adolescent EBP (NCPAEP). Future directions of the consortium also are highlighted.

Effect of an End-of-Life Planning Intervention on the completion of advance directives in homeless persons: a randomized trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, John; Ratner, Edward R; Wall, Melanie M; Bartels, Dianne M; Ulvestad, Nancy; Petroskas, Dawn; West, Melissa; Weber-Main, Anne Marie; Grengs, Leah; Gelberg, Lillian

2010-07-20

Few interventions have focused on improving end-of-life care for underserved populations, such as homeless persons. To determine whether homeless persons will complete a counseling session on advance care planning and fill out a legal advance directive designed to assess care preferences and preserve the dignity of marginalized persons. Prospective, single-blind, randomized trial comparing self-guided completion of an advance directive with professionally assisted advance care planning. (ClinicalTrials.gov registration number: NCT00546884) 8 sites serving homeless persons in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 262 homeless persons recruited between November 2007 and August 2008. Minimal, self-guided intervention consisting of advance directive forms and written educational information versus a one-on-one advance planning intervention consisting of counseling and completing an advance directive with a social worker. Rate of advance directive completion, assessed by inspection of completed documents. The overall completion rate for advance directives was 26.7% (95% CI, 21.5% to 32.5%), with a higher rate in the counselor-guided group (37.9%) than in the self-guided group (12.8%) (CI of adjusted difference, 15.3 to 34.3 percentage points). This difference persisted across all sites and most subgroups. The advance directive's 4 clinical scenarios found a preference for surrogate decision making in 29% to 34% of written responses. Sampling was limited to a more stable subset of the homeless population in Minneapolis and may have been subject to selection bias. Modest compensation to complete the preintervention survey could have influenced participants to complete advance directives. Both a simple and complex intervention successfully engaged a diverse sample of homeless persons in advance care planning. One-on-one assistance significantly increased the completion rate. Homeless persons can respond to an intervention to plan for end-of-life care and can express specific preferences

Consortium de recherche pour le développement de l'agriculture en ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Ce consortium stimulera la recherche agricole, améliorera la coordination et le ... deux villes colombiennes ont été discutées lors du deuxième atelier international ... coopération scientifique et technologique en appui aux projets de recherche ...

Influence of humic acid on the trichloroethene degradation by Dehalococcoides-containing consortium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu Miao; Zhang Ying; Wang Zhigang; Jiang Zhao; Li Juan

2011-01-01

By taking an anaerobic Dehalococcoides-containing consortium (designated UC-1) as the research object, the influence of humic acid on the degradation of TCE by UC-1 was examined. The results indicated that (i) TCE was more rapidly degraded in the presence of humic acid compared with the control and the TCE removal efficiencies increased with the increase of concentrations of humic acid; and (ii) at the end of experiments, in the presence of humic acid, much more ethene was produced compared with the control, whereas less VC was accumulated in the medium. Presumably, humic acid improves the activity of organisms in dechlorinating populations resulting in more ethene accumulated in the medium, and (iii) the degradation of TCE stimulated by humic acid by UC-1 might be a biotic process or an abiotic process. Thus, humic acid could influence the degradation of TCE by UC-1 directly via enhancing electron transfer between UC-1 and TCE. This work is a preliminary step for accelerating the degradation of TCE in the groundwater environment using a kind of natural organic matter - humic acid.

Influence of humic acid on the trichloroethene degradation by Dehalococcoides-containing consortium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hu Miao [School of Resources Environment, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030 (China); Zhang Ying, E-mail: zhangyinghr@hotmail.com [School of Resources Environment, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030 (China); Wang Zhigang; Jiang Zhao; Li Juan [School of Resources Environment, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030 (China)

2011-06-15

By taking an anaerobic Dehalococcoides-containing consortium (designated UC-1) as the research object, the influence of humic acid on the degradation of TCE by UC-1 was examined. The results indicated that (i) TCE was more rapidly degraded in the presence of humic acid compared with the control and the TCE removal efficiencies increased with the increase of concentrations of humic acid; and (ii) at the end of experiments, in the presence of humic acid, much more ethene was produced compared with the control, whereas less VC was accumulated in the medium. Presumably, humic acid improves the activity of organisms in dechlorinating populations resulting in more ethene accumulated in the medium, and (iii) the degradation of TCE stimulated by humic acid by UC-1 might be a biotic process or an abiotic process. Thus, humic acid could influence the degradation of TCE by UC-1 directly via enhancing electron transfer between UC-1 and TCE. This work is a preliminary step for accelerating the degradation of TCE in the groundwater environment using a kind of natural organic matter - humic acid.

25 CFR 1000.316 - May the Tribe/Consortium be reimbursed for actual and reasonable “wind up costs” incurred after...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... reasonable âwind up costsâ incurred after the effective date of retrocession? 1000.316 Section 1000.316... Reassumption § 1000.316 May the Tribe/Consortium be reimbursed for actual and reasonable “wind up costs” incurred after the effective date of retrocession? Yes, the Tribe/Consortium may be reimbursed for actual...

Report of the 4th Workshop for Technology Transfer for Intelligent Compaction Consortium.

Science.gov (United States)

2016-03-01

On October 2728, 2015, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) hosted the 4th workshop for : the Technology Transfer for Intelligent Compaction Consortium (TTICC), a Transportation Pooled Fund : (TPF5(233)) initiative designed to identify, s...

International technical assistance example. Consortium action in Bulgaria; Exemple d`assistance internationale. Cas de la Bulgarie, action du consortium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mattei, J M; Milhem, J L [CEA Centre d` Etudes de Fontenay-aux-Roses, 92 (France). Inst. de Protection et de Surete Nucleaire; Heuser, F W; Kelm, P [Gesellschaft fuer Reaktorsicherheit mbH (GRS), Koeln (Germany)

1993-03-01

The safety status achieved last year at the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) and the capability of the Bulgarian Nuclear Safety Authority (BNSA) to assess the safety of the plant and the adequacy of proposed improvements have been matters of international concern. However, the Kozloduy NPP contributes 35-40 per cent of the electrical generating capacity in Bulgaria. For further operation of the plants, it is therefore, essential that safety is improved. In july 1991, the Commission of the European Communities (CEC) instituted a Six Months Emergency Action Programme for Bulgaria under the PHARE regional nuclear safety programme. The programme consisted of three parts: - an industrial emergency programme supporting the utility of the Kozloduy NPP, - a study to evaluate Bulgaria`s electricity needs, - technical assistance for reinforcement of the Bulgarian Nuclear Safety Authority. For the third part, complementary to the industrial emergency programme carried out by the WANO (World Association of Nuclear Operators), a Consortium of expert institutions and regulatory from EC member states was established by CEC for assistance to BNSA. The Consortium consisted of: - Institut de Protection et de Surete Nucleaire (IPSN), France, technical support of the French regulatory body, - Gesellschaft fur Anlagen und Reaktorsicherheit (GRS) mbH, Germany, an organization in safety engineering, technical support of governmental regulatory body, - AIB-Vincotte Nuclear (AVN), Belgium, the organization authorized by the Belgian Government for licensing and inspection of nuclear power plants, - UK Atomic Energy Authority (AEA Technology), an independent UK Government owned nuclear R and D and consultancy organization, - Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII) of the Health and Safety Executive, United Kingdom, the nuclear regulatory body for the United Kingdom.

Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet: A Multifaceted Approach to Bringing Disease-Modifying Therapy to Clinical Use in Type 1 Diabetes.

Science.gov (United States)

Bingley, Polly J; Wherrett, Diane K; Shultz, Ann; Rafkin, Lisa E; Atkinson, Mark A; Greenbaum, Carla J

2018-04-01

What will it take to bring disease-modifying therapy to clinical use in type 1 diabetes? Coordinated efforts of investigators involved in discovery, translational, and clinical research operating in partnership with funders and industry and in sync with regulatory agencies are needed. This Perspective describes one such effort, Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet, a National Institutes of Health-funded and JDRF-supported international clinical trials network that emerged from the Diabetes Prevention Trial-Type 1 (DPT-1). Through longitudinal natural history studies, as well as trials before and after clinical onset of disease combined with mechanistic and ancillary investigations to enhance scientific understanding and translation to clinical use, TrialNet is working to bring disease-modifying therapies to individuals with type 1 diabetes. Moreover, TrialNet uses its expertise and experience in clinical studies to increase efficiencies in the conduct of trials and to reduce the burden of participation on individuals and families. Herein, we highlight key contributions made by TrialNet toward a revised understanding of the natural history of disease and approaches to alter disease course and outline the consortium's plans for the future. © 2018 by the American Diabetes Association.

Experience of the Paris Research Consortium Climate-Environment-Society

Science.gov (United States)

Joussaume, Sylvie; Pacteau, Chantal; Vanderlinden, Jean Paul

2016-04-01

It is now widely recognized that the complexity of climate change issues translates itself into a need for interdisciplinary approaches to science. This allows to first achieve a more comprehensive vision of climate change and, second, to better inform the decision-making processes. However, it seems that willingness alone is rarely enough to implement interdisciplinarity. The purpose of this presentation is to mobilize reflexivity to revisit and analyze the experience of the Paris Consortium for Climate-Environment-Society. The French Consortium Climate-Environment-Society aims to develop, fund and coordinate interdisciplinary research into climate change and its impacts on society and environment. Launched in 2007, the consortium relies on the research expertise of 17 laboratories and federation in the Paris area working mainly in the fields of climatology, hydrology, ecology, health sciences, and the humanities and social sciences. As examples, economists and climatologists have studied greenhouse gas emission scenarios compatible with climate stabilization goals. Historical records have provided both knowledge about past climate change and vulnerability of societies. Some regions, as the Mediterranean and the Sahel, are particularly vulnerable and already have to cope with water availability, agricultural production and even health issues. A project showed that millet production in West Africa is expected to decline due to warming in a higher proportion than observed in recent decades. Climate change also raises many questions concerning health: combined effects of warming and air quality, impacts on the production of pollens and allergies, impacts on infectious diseases. All these issues lead to a need for approaches integrating different disciplines. Furthermore, climate change impacts many ecosystems which, in turn, affect its evolution. Our experience shows that interdisciplinarity supposes, in order to take shape, the conjunction between programming

A novel process for synthesis of spherical nanocellulose by controlled hydrolysis of microcrystalline cellulose using anaerobic microbial consortium.

Science.gov (United States)

Satyamurthy, P; Vigneshwaran, N

2013-01-10

Degradation of cellulose by anaerobic microbial consortium is brought about either by an exocellular process or by secretion of extracellular enzymes. In this work, a novel route for synthesis of nanocellulose is described where in an anaerobic microbial consortium enriched for cellulase producers is used for hydrolysis. Microcrystalline cellulose derived from cotton fibers was subjected to controlled hydrolysis by the anaerobic microbial consortium and the resultant nanocellulose was purified by differential centrifugation technique. The nanocellulose had a bimodal size distribution (43±13 and 119±9 nm) as revealed by atomic force microscopy. A maximum nanocellulose yield of 12.3% was achieved in a span of 7 days. While the conventional process of nanocellulose preparation using 63.5% (w/w) sulfuric acid resulted in the formation of whisker shaped nanocellulose with surface modified by sulfation, controlled hydrolysis by anaerobic microbial consortium yielded spherical nanocellulose also referred to as nano crystalline cellulose (NCC) without any surface modification as evidenced from Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Also, it scores over chemo-mechanical production of nanofibrillated cellulose by consuming less energy due to enzyme (cellulase) assisted catalysis. This implies the scope for use of microbial prepared nanocellulose in drug delivery and bio-medical applications requiring bio-compatibility. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Korean Consortium's preliminary research for enhancing a probabilistic fracture mechanics code, PRO-LOCA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Sun-Hye; Park, Jung-Soon; Lee, Jin-Ho; Yun, Eun-Sub; Kang, Sun-Ye; Shim, Do-Jun

2015-01-01

The Battelle developed a probabilistic fracture mechanics code called PRO-LOCA, which can be used as a tool for evaluating the pipe break frequency. It is being further developed through the international co-operative research program, PARTRIDGE. KINS, KHNP-CRI, and KEPCO-E&C are participating in the PARTIRDGE program by composing a Korean Consortium. The members of Korean Consortium performed benchmark analyses using the beta version of PRO-LOCA 4.0 to evaluate the effect of variables such as simulation methods, crack features, loading conditions, and inspection models on the failure probabilities. The benchmark analyses showed that the PRO-LOCA can provide a trend consistent with the expected crack growth and pipe failure behavior. Especially, the availability of the stress intensity factor and crack opening displacement for non-idealized through-wall cracks was proven from this study. This new solution for non-idealized through-wall cracks had been developed by the Korean Consortium and it was newly included in PRO-LOCA 4.0. However, further improvement is needed to address the problems such as the instability of adaptive sampling method and the unexpected trend of failure probabilities at the early stage of crack growth

25 CFR 1000.84 - Does a Tribe/Consortium have the right to include provisions of Title I of Pub. L. 93-638 in an AFA?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 25 Indians 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Does a Tribe/Consortium have the right to include.../Consortium have the right to include provisions of Title I of Pub. L. 93-638 in an AFA? Yes, under Pub. L. 104-109, a Tribe/Consortium has the right to include any provision of Title I of Pub. L. 93-638 in an...

IGEMS: The Consortium on Interplay of Genes and Environment Across Multiple Studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Nancy L; Christensen, Kaare; Dahl, Anna K

2013-01-01

The Interplay of Genes and Environment across Multiple Studies (IGEMS) group is a consortium of eight longitudinal twin studies established to explore the nature of social context effects and gene-environment interplay in late-life functioning. The resulting analysis of the combined data from ove...

2003 Puget Sound LiDAR Consortium (PSLC) Topographic LiDAR: Snohomish County, Washington

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TerraPoint surveyed and created this data for the Puget Sound LiDAR Consortium under contract. The area surveyed is approximately 167 square miles and covers a...

2009 Puget Sound LiDAR Consortium (PSLC) Topographic LiDAR: Lewis County, Washington

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Watershed Sciences, Inc. (WSI) collected Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data for the Lewis County survey area for the Puget Sound LiDAR Consortium. This data...

The national drug abuse treatment clinical trials network data share project: website design, usage, challenges, and future directions.

Science.gov (United States)

Shmueli-Blumberg, Dikla; Hu, Lian; Allen, Colleen; Frasketi, Michael; Wu, Li-Tzy; Vanveldhuisen, Paul

2013-01-01

There are many benefits of data sharing, including the promotion of new research from effective use of existing data, replication of findings through re-analysis of pooled data files, meta-analysis using individual patient data, and reinforcement of open scientific inquiry. A randomized controlled trial is considered as the 'gold standard' for establishing treatment effectiveness, but clinical trial research is very costly, and sharing data is an opportunity to expand the investment of the clinical trial beyond its original goals at minimal costs. We describe the goals, developments, and usage of the Data Share website (http://www.ctndatashare.org) for the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network (CTN) in the United States, including lessons learned, limitations, and major revisions, and considerations for future directions to improve data sharing. Data management and programming procedures were conducted to produce uniform and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)-compliant de-identified research data files from the completed trials of the CTN for archiving, managing, and sharing on the Data Share website. Since its inception in 2006 and through October 2012, nearly 1700 downloads from 27 clinical trials have been accessed from the Data Share website, with the use increasing over the years. Individuals from 31 countries have downloaded data from the website, and there have been at least 13 publications derived from analyzing data through the public Data Share website. Minimal control over data requests and usage has resulted in little information and lack of control regarding how the data from the website are used. Lack of uniformity in data elements collected across CTN trials has limited cross-study analyses. The Data Share website offers researchers easy access to de-identified data files with the goal to promote additional research and identify new findings from completed CTN studies. To maximize the utility of the website

Mission Connect Mild TBI Translational Research Consortium, Post Traumatic Hypopituitarism

Science.gov (United States)

2010-08-01

10 Aug 2010 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE The Mission Connect MTBI Translational Research Consortium 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER Post traumatic hypopituitarism 5b...distribution unlimited 13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 14. ABSTRACT The purpose of this project is to identify the incidence of post traumatic hypopituitarism ...June 21, 2010; however, none have reached the six month milestone for blood testing 15. SUBJECT TERMS post traumatic hypopituitarism 16. SECURITY

2000 Puget Sound LiDAR Consortium (PSLC) Topographic LiDAR: Kitsap Peninsula, Washington

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TerraPoint surveyed and created this data for the Puget Sound LiDAR Consortium under contract. The area surveyed is approximately 1,146 square miles and covers part...

2003 Puget Sound LiDAR Consortium (PSLC) Topographic LiDAR: Lewis County, Washington

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TerraPoint surveyed and created this data for the Puget Sound LiDAR Consortium under contract. The area surveyed is approximately 100 square miles and covers part of...

Microbial activity of soil with sulfentrazone associated with phytoremediator species and inoculation with a bacterial consortium

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christiane Augusta Diniz Melo

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Phytostimulation plays a key role in the process of rhizodegradation of herbicides in soil. Additionally, bio-enhancement associated with phytoremediation may increase the efficiency of the decontamination process of soils with herbicides. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the biomass and microbial activity of soil contaminated with sulfentrazone and cultivated with phytoremediator species plus a bacterial consortium. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse, carried out with a 2 × 4 × 4 completely randomized factorial design with 4 replications. The first factor consisted of the presence or absence of bio-enhancement with a bacterial consortium composed of Pseudomonas bacteria; the second factor consisted of a monoculture or mixed cultivation of 2 phytoremediator species Canavalia ensiformis and Helianthus annuus, besides the absence of cultivation; the third factor was made up by the bio-remediation time (25, 45, 65, and 85 days after thinning. Uncultivated soils displayed low values of microbial biomass carbon and microbial quotient as well as high values of metabolic quotient throughout the bio-remediation time, indicating the importance of cultivating phytoremediator species for the stimulation of soil microbiota. Bio-enhancement with the bacterial consortium, in general, promoted an increase in the microbial biomass and activity of soil contaminated with sulfentrazone. In the presence of the bacterial consortium, Canavalia ensiformis stimulated a greater activity of associated microbiota and supported a higher microbial biomass. Phytoremediation associated with microbial bio-enhancement are thus promising techniques for the bio-remediation for soils contaminated with sulfentrazone. This technique enhances the biomass and activity of soil microorganisms.

A Cluster-Randomised Trial of Staff Education to Improve the Quality of Life of People with Dementia Living in Residential Care: The DIRECT Study

OpenAIRE

Beer, Christopher; Horner, Barbara; Flicker, Leon; Scherer, Samuel; Lautenschlager, Nicola T.; Bretland, Nick; Flett, Penelope; Schaper, Frank; Almeida, Osvaldo P.

2011-01-01

BACKGROUND: The Dementia In Residential care: EduCation intervention Trial (DIRECT) was conducted to determine if delivery of education designed to meet the perceived need of GPs and care staff improves the quality of life of participants with dementia living in residential care. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: This cluster-randomised controlled trial was conducted in 39 residential aged care facilities in the metropolitan area of Perth, Western Australia. 351 care facility residents aged 65 ...

SEEA SOUTHEAST CONSORTIUM FINAL TECHNICAL REPORT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Block, Timothy [Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance; Ball, Kia [Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance; Fournier, Ashley [Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance

2014-01-21

In 2010 the Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance (SEEA) received a $20 million Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) under the U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Building Neighborhood Program (BBNP). This grant, funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, also included sub-grantees in 13 communities across the Southeast, known as the Southeast Consortium. The objective of this project was to establish a framework for energy efficiency retrofit programs to create models for replication across the Southeast and beyond. To achieve this goal, SEEA and its project partners focused on establishing infrastructure to develop and sustain the energy efficiency market in specific localities across the southeast. Activities included implementing minimum training standards and credentials for marketplace suppliers, educating and engaging homeowners on the benefits of energy efficiency through strategic marketing and outreach and addressing real or perceived financial barriers to investments in whole-home energy efficiency through a variety of financing mechanisms. The anticipated outcome of these activities would be best practice models for program design, marketing, financing, data collection and evaluation as well as increased market demand for energy efficiency retrofits and products. The Southeast Consortium’s programmatic impacts along with the impacts of the other BBNP grantees would further the progress towards the overall goal of energy efficiency market transformation. As the primary grantee SEEA served as the overall program administrator and provided common resources to the 13 Southeast Consortium sub-grantees including contracted services for contractor training, quality assurance testing, data collection, reporting and compliance. Sub-grantee programs were located in cities across eight states including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Each sub

Successive changes in community structure of an ethylbenzene-degrading sulfate-reducing consortium.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakagawa, Tatsunori; Sato, Shinya; Yamamoto, Yoko; Fukui, Manabu

2002-06-01

The microbial community structure and successive changes in a mesophilic ethylbenzene-degrading sulfate-reducing consortium were for the first time clarified by the denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis of the PCR amplified 16S rRNA gene fragments. At least ten bands on the DGGE gel were detected in the stationary phase. Phylogenetic analysis of the DGGE bands revealed that the consortium consisted of different eubacterial phyla including the delta subgroup of Proteobacteria, the order Sphingobacteriales, the order Spirochaetales, and the unknown bacterium. The most abundant band C was closely related to strain mXyS1, an m-xylene-degrading sulfate-reducing bacterium (SRB), and occurred as a sole band on DGGE gels in the logarithmic growth phase that 40% ethylbenzene was consumed accompanied by sulfide production. During further prolonged incubation, the dominancy of band C did not change. These results suggest that SRB corresponds to the most abundant band C and contributes mainly to the degradation of ethylbenzene coupled with sulfate reduction.

Quality Assurance Issues in Conducting Multi-Institutional Advanced Technology Clinical Trials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Purdy, James A.

2008-01-01

The National Cancer Institute-sponsored Advanced Technology Quality Assurance (QA) Consortium, which consisted of the Image-Guided Therapy QA Center, Radiation Therapy Oncology Group, Radiological Physics Center, Quality Assurance Review Center, and Resource Center for Emerging Technologies, has pioneered the development of an infrastructure and QA method for advanced technology clinical trials that requires volumetric digital data submission of a protocol patient's treatment plan and verification data. In particular, the Image-Guided Therapy QA Center has nearly 15 years experience in facilitating QA review for Radiation Therapy Oncology Group advanced technology clinical trials. This QA process includes (1) a data integrity review for completeness of protocol required elements, the format of data, and possible data corruption, and recalculation of dose-volume histograms; (2) a review of compliance with target volume and organ-at-risk contours by study chairs; and (3) a review of dose prescription and dose heterogeneity compliance by the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group Headquarters Dosimetry Group or the Radiological Physics Center dosimetrists (for brachytherapy protocols). This report reviews the lessons learned and the QA challenges presented by the use of advanced treatment modalities in clinical trials requiring volumetric digital data submission

Hydrogen Production by Geobacter Species and a Mixed Consortium in a Microbial Electrolysis Cell

KAUST Repository

Call, D. F.; Wagner, R. C.; Logan, B. E.

2009-01-01

A hydrogen utilizing exoelectrogenic bacterium (Geobacter sulfurreducens) was compared to both a nonhydrogen oxidizer (Geobacter metallireducens) and a mixed consortium in order to compare the hydrogen production rates and hydrogen recoveries

Signalling in malaria parasites – The MALSIG consortium#

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Doerig C.

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Depending on their developmental stage in the life cycle, malaria parasites develop within or outside host cells, and in extremely diverse contexts such as the vertebrate liver and blood circulation, or the insect midgut and hemocoel. Cellular and molecular mechanisms enabling the parasite to sense and respond to the intra- and the extra-cellular environments are therefore key elements for the proliferation and transmission of Plasmodium, and therefore are, from a public health perspective, strategic targets in the fight against this deadly disease. The MALSIG consortium, which was initiated in February 2009, was designed with the primary objective to integrate research ongoing in Europe and India on i the properties of Plasmodium signalling molecules, and ii developmental processes occurring at various points of the parasite life cycle. On one hand, functional studies of individual genes and their products in Plasmodium falciparum (and in the technically more manageable rodent model Plasmodium berghei are providing information on parasite protein kinases and phosphatases, and of the molecules governing cyclic nucleotide metabolism and calcium signalling. On the other hand, cellular and molecular studies are elucidating key steps of parasite development such as merozoite invasion and egress in blood and liver parasite stages, control of DNA replication in asexual and sexual development, membrane dynamics and trafficking, production of gametocytes in the vertebrate host and further parasite development in the mosquito. This article, which synthetically reviews such signalling molecules and cellular processes, aims to provide a glimpse of the global frame in which the activities of the MALSIG consortium will develop over the next three years.

The SAATELLITE and EVADE Clinical Studies Within the COMBACTE Consortium: A Public-Private Collaborative Effort in Designing and Performing Clinical Trials for Novel Antibacterial Drugs to Prevent Nosocomial Pneumonia.

Science.gov (United States)

François, Bruno; Chastre, Jean; Eggiman, Philippe; Laterre, Pierre-François; Torres, Antoni; Sanchez, Miguel; Esser, Mark T; Bishop, Brian; Bonten, Marc; Goosens, Herman; Jafri, Hasan S

2016-08-15

The Innovative Medicines Initiative-funded COMBACTE consortium fosters academic-industry partnership in pioneering studies to combat serious bacterial infections. We describe how this partnership is advancing the development of 2 monoclonal antibodies, MEDI4893 and MEDI3902, for the prevention of nosocomial pneumonia. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.

Development of an Efficient Bacterial Consortium for the Potential Remediation of Hydrocarbons from Contaminated Sites.

Science.gov (United States)

Patowary, Kaustuvmani; Patowary, Rupshikha; Kalita, Mohan C; Deka, Suresh

2016-01-01

The intrinsic biodegradability of hydrocarbons and the distribution of proficient degrading microorganisms in the environment are very crucial for the implementation of bioremediation practices. Among others, one of the most favorable methods that can enhance the effectiveness of bioremediation of hydrocarbon-contaminated environment is the application of biosurfactant producing microbes. In the present study, the biodegradation capacities of native bacterial consortia toward total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) with special emphasis to poly aromatic hydrocarbons were determined. The purpose of the study was to isolate TPH degrading bacterial strains from various petroleum contaminated soil of Assam, India and develop a robust bacterial consortium for bioremediation of crude oil of this native land. From a total of 23 bacterial isolates obtained from three different hydrocarbons contaminated samples five isolates, namely KS2, PG1, PG5, R1, and R2 were selected as efficient crude oil degraders with respect to their growth on crude oil enriched samples. Isolates KS2, PG1, and R2 are biosurfactant producers and PG5, R1 are non-producers. Fourteen different consortia were designed involving both biosurfactant producing and non-producing isolates. Consortium 10, which comprises two Bacillus strains namely, Bacillus pumilus KS2 and B. cereus R2 (identified by 16s rRNA sequencing) has shown the best result in the desired degradation of crude oil. The consortium showed degradation up to 84.15% of TPH after 5 weeks of incubation, as revealed from gravimetric analysis. FTIR (Fourier transform infrared) and GCMS (Gas chromatography-mass spectrometer) analyses were correlated with gravimetric data which reveals that the consortium has removed a wide range of petroleum hydrocarbons in comparison with abiotic control including different aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons.

Development of an efficient bacterial consortium for the potential remediation of hydrocarbons from contaminated sites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kaustuvmani Patowary

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The intrinsic biodegradability of hydrocarbons and the distribution of proficient degrading microorganisms in the environment are very crucial for the implementation of bioremediation practices. Among others, one of the most favorable methods that can enhance the effectiveness of bioremediation of hydrocarbon-contaminated environment is the application of biosurfactant producing microbes. In the present study, the biodegradation capacities of native bacterial consortia towards total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH with special emphasis to poly aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs were determined. The purpose of the study was to isolate TPH degrading bacterial strains from various petroleum contaminated soil of Assam, India and develop a robust bacterial consortium for bioremediation of crude oil of this native land. From a total of 23 bacterial isolates obtained from three different hydrocarbons contaminated samples 5 isolates, namely KS2, PG1, PG5, R1 and R2 were selected as efficient crude oil degraders with respect to their growth on crude oil enriched samples. Isolates KS2, PG1 and R2 are biosurfactant producers and PG5, R1 are non-producers. Fourteen different consortia were designed involving both biosurfactant producing and non-producing isolates. Consortium 10, which comprises two Bacillus strains namely, Bacillus pumilus KS2 and Bacillus cereus R2 (identified by 16s rRNA sequencing has shown the best result in the desired degradation of crude oil. The consortium showed degradation up to 84.15% of total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH after five weeks of incubation, as revealed from gravimetric analysis. FTIR (Fourier transform infrared and GCMS (Gas chromatography-mass spectrometer analyses were correlated with gravimetric data which reveals that the consortium has removed a wide range of petroleum hydrocarbons in comparison with abiotic control including different aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons.

Landscape of early clinical trials for childhood and adolescence cancer in Spain.

Science.gov (United States)

Bautista, F; Gallego, S; Cañete, A; Mora, J; Diaz de Heredia, C; Cruz, O; Fernández, J M; Rives, S; Madero, L; Castel, V; Cela, M E; Ramírez, G; Sábado, C; Acha, T; Astigarraga, I; Sastre, A; Muñoz, A; Guibelalde, M; Moreno, L

2016-07-01

Despite numerous advances, survival remains dismal for children and adolescents with poor prognosis cancers or those who relapse or are refractory to first line treatment. There is, therefore, a major unmet need for new drugs. Recent advances in the knowledge of molecular tumor biology open the door to more adapted therapies according to individual alterations. Promising results in the adult anticancer drug development have not yet been translated into clinical practice. We report the activity in early pediatric oncology trials in Spain. All members of the Spanish Society of Pediatric Hematology Oncology (SEHOP) were contacted to obtain information about early trials open in each center. 22 phase I and II trials were open as of May 2015: 15 for solid tumors (68 %) and 7 for hematological malignancies (32 %). Fourteen (64 %) were industry sponsored. Since 2010, four centers have joined the Innovative Therapies For Children With Cancer, an international consortium whose aim is developing novel therapies for pediatric cancers. A substantial number of studies have opened in these 5 years, improving the portfolio of trials for children. Results of recently closed trials show the contribution of Spanish investigators, the introduction of molecularly targeted agents and their benefits. Clinical trials are the way to evaluate new drugs, avoiding the use of off-label drugs that carry significant risks. The Spanish pediatric oncology community through the SEHOP is committed to develop and participate in collaborative academic trials, to favor the advancement and optimization of existing therapies in pediatric cancer.

Promoting Academic Development: A History of the International Consortium for Educational Development (ICED)

Science.gov (United States)

Mason O'Connor, Kristine

2016-01-01

This essay traces the history of the International Consortium for Educational Development (ICED) through document analysis and email interviews with founding and prominent ICED members. It also provides a summary of the themes and locations of all the ICED conferences.

25 CFR 1000.50 - What must a Tribe/Consortium seeking a planning grant submit in order to meet the planning phase...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 25 Indians 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false What must a Tribe/Consortium seeking a planning grant submit in order to meet the planning phase requirements? 1000.50 Section 1000.50 Indians OFFICE OF THE...) Planning and Negotiation Grants Advance Planning Grant Funding § 1000.50 What must a Tribe/Consortium...

Multi-University Southeast INIE Consortium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hawari, Ayman; Hertel, Nolan; Al-Sheikhly, Mohamed; Miller, Laurence; Bayoumi, Abdel-Moeze; Haghighat, Ali; Lewis, Kenneth

2010-01-01

The Multi-University Southeast INIE Consortium (MUSIC) was established in response to the US Department of Energy's (DOE) Innovations in Nuclear Infrastructure and Education (INIE) program. MUSIC was established as a consortium composed of academic members and national laboratory partners. The members of MUSIC are the nuclear engineering programs and research reactors of Georgia Institute of Technology (GIT), North Carolina State University (NCSU), University of Maryland (UMD), University of South Carolina (USC), and University of Tennessee (UTK). The University of Florida (UF), and South Carolina State University (SCSU) were added to the MUSIC membership in the second year. In addition, to ensure proper coordination between the academic community and the nation's premier research and development centers in the fields of nuclear science and engineering, MUSIC created strategic partnerships with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) including the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) project and the Joint Institute for Neutron Scattering (JINS), and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). A partnership was also created with the Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute (AFRRI) with the aim of utilizing their reactor in research if funding becomes available. Consequently, there are three university research reactors (URRs) within MUSIC, which are located at NCSU (1-MW PULSTAR), UMD (0.25-MW TRIGA) and UF (0.10-MW Argonaut), and the AFRRI reactor (1-MW TRIGA MARK F). The overall objectives of MUSIC are: (a) Demonstrate that University Research Reactors (URR) can be used as modern and innovative instruments of research in the basic and applied sciences, which include applications in fundamental physics, materials science and engineering, nondestructive examination, elemental analysis, and contributions to research in the health and medical sciences, (b) Establish a strong technical collaboration between the nuclear engineering faculty and the MUSIC URRs

25 CFR 1000.222 - How does a Tribe/Consortium obtain a waiver?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... ANNUAL FUNDING AGREEMENTS UNDER THE TRIBAL SELF-GOVERNMENT ACT AMENDMENTS TO THE INDIAN SELF-DETERMINATION AND EDUCATION ACT Waiver of Regulations § 1000.222 How does a Tribe/Consortium obtain a waiver? To...; (b) Identify the regulation to be waived and the reasons for the request; (c) Identify the programs...

Genome-Centric Analysis of a Thermophilic and Cellulolytic Bacterial Consortium Derived from Composting

Science.gov (United States)

Lemos, Leandro N.; Pereira, Roberta V.; Quaggio, Ronaldo B.; Martins, Layla F.; Moura, Livia M. S.; da Silva, Amanda R.; Antunes, Luciana P.; da Silva, Aline M.; Setubal, João C.

2017-01-01

Microbial consortia selected from complex lignocellulolytic microbial communities are promising alternatives to deconstruct plant waste, since synergistic action of different enzymes is required for full degradation of plant biomass in biorefining applications. Culture enrichment also facilitates the study of interactions among consortium members, and can be a good source of novel microbial species. Here, we used a sample from a plant waste composting operation in the São Paulo Zoo (Brazil) as inoculum to obtain a thermophilic aerobic consortium enriched through multiple passages at 60°C in carboxymethylcellulose as sole carbon source. The microbial community composition of this consortium was investigated by shotgun metagenomics and genome-centric analysis. Six near-complete (over 90%) genomes were reconstructed. Similarity and phylogenetic analyses show that four of these six genomes are novel, with the following hypothesized identifications: a new Thermobacillus species; the first Bacillus thermozeamaize genome (for which currently only 16S sequences are available) or else the first representative of a new family in the Bacillales order; the first representative of a new genus in the Paenibacillaceae family; and the first representative of a new deep-branching family in the Clostridia class. The reconstructed genomes from known species were identified as Geobacillus thermoglucosidasius and Caldibacillus debilis. The metabolic potential of these recovered genomes based on COG and CAZy analyses show that these genomes encode several glycoside hydrolases (GHs) as well as other genes related to lignocellulose breakdown. The new Thermobacillus species stands out for being the richest in diversity and abundance of GHs, possessing the greatest potential for biomass degradation among the six recovered genomes. We also investigated the presence and activity of the organisms corresponding to these genomes in the composting operation from which the consortium was built

The International Cannabis Consortium: What did we learn about the genetics of cannabis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verweij, K.J.H.; Minica, C.C.; Stringer, S.; Most, P.J. van der; Mbarek, H.; Nivard, M.G.; Abdellaoui, A.; Hottenga, J.J.; Martin, N.G.; Boomsma, D.I.; Gillespie, N.A.; Derks, E.M.; Vink, J.M.

2017-01-01

Background: Cannabis is the most frequently used and abused illicit drug worldwide and cannabis (ab)use is associated with social, physical, and psychological problems. Twin and family studies have shown that cannabis use and abuse are heritable traits. The International Cannabis Consortium was

Bioremediation of oil sludge using a type of nitrogen source and the consortium of bacteria with composting method

Science.gov (United States)

Fitri, Inayah; Ni'matuzahroh, Surtiningsih, Tini

2017-06-01

The purpose of this research are to know the effect of addition of different nitrogen source, consortium of bacteria, incubation time and the interaction between those variables to the total number of bacteria (CFU/g-soil) and the percentage of degradation (%) in the bioremediation of oil sludge contaminated soil; as well as degraded hydrocarbon components at the best treatment on 6th week. The experiments carried out by mixing the materials and placed them in each bath with and without adding different nitrogen source and bacterial consortium. pH and moisture were measured for every week. An increase in total number of bacteria and percent of maximum degradation recorded at treatment with the addition of NPK+Azotobacter+bacteria consortium; with the TPC value was 14.24 log CFU/g, percent degradation was 77.8%, organic C content was 10.91%, total N was 0.12% and organic matter content was 18.87%, respectively.

A Study of Strategic Alliance for Library Consortium%图书馆联盟之战略联盟探究

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

叶仕平

2012-01-01

文章阐述了图书馆联盟的发展现状、特点与存在问题,并对图书馆联盟之战略联盟进行了研究和探讨。%This article introduced the development,characteristics and the problems of library consortium,and then analyzed the feasibility of strategic alliance in library consortium.

Greenshell™ Mussels: A Review of Veterinary Trials and Future Research Directions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Charles T. Eason

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The therapeutic benefits of Greenshell™ mussel (GSM; Perna canaliculus preparations have been studied using in vitro test systems, animal models, and human clinical trials focusing mainly on anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic effects. Activity is thought to be linked to key active ingredients that include omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, a variety of carotenoids and other bioactive compounds. In this paper, we review the studies that have been undertaken in dogs, cats, and horses, and outline new research directions in shellfish breeding and high-value nutrition research programmes targeted at enhancing the efficacy of mussel and algal extracts. The addition of GSM to animal diets has alleviated feline degenerative joint disease and arthritis symptoms, and chronic orthopaedic pain in dogs. In horses, GSM extracts decreased the severity of lameness and joint pain and provided improved joint flexion in limbs with lameness attributed to osteoarthritis. Future research in this area should focus on elucidating the key active ingredients in order to link concentrations of these active ingredients with their pharmacokinetics and therapeutic effects. This would enable consistent and improved efficacy from GSM-based products for the purpose of improved animal health.

International Arid Lands Consortium: Better land stewardship in water and watershed management

Science.gov (United States)

Peter F. Ffolliott; James T. Fisher; Menachem Sachs; Darrell W. DeBoer; Jeffrey O. Dawson; Timothy E. Fulbright; John Tracy

2000-01-01

The International Arid Lands Consortium (IALC) was established in 1990 to promote research, education, and training for the development, management, and restoration of arid and semi-arid lands throughout the world. One activity of IALC members and cooperators is to support research and development and demonstration projects that enhance management of these fragile...

Why might regional vaccinology networks fail? The case of the Dutch-Nordic Consortium

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hendriks, J.; Blume, S.

2016-01-01

We analyzed an attempt to develop and clinically test a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine for the developing world, undertaken by public health institutions from the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland: the Dutch Nordic Consortium (DNC), between 1990 and 2000. Our review shows that the

The FaceBase Consortium: A comprehensive program to facilitate craniofacial research

Science.gov (United States)

Hochheiser, Harry; Aronow, Bruce J.; Artinger, Kristin; Beaty, Terri H.; Brinkley, James F.; Chai, Yang; Clouthier, David; Cunningham, Michael L.; Dixon, Michael; Donahue, Leah Rae; Fraser, Scott E.; Hallgrimsson, Benedikt; Iwata, Junichi; Klein, Ophir; Marazita, Mary L.; Murray, Jeffrey C.; Murray, Stephen; de Villena, Fernando Pardo-Manuel; Postlethwait, John; Potter, Steven; Shapiro, Linda; Spritz, Richard; Visel, Axel; Weinberg, Seth M.; Trainor, Paul A.

2012-01-01

The FaceBase Consortium consists of ten interlinked research and technology projects whose goal is to generate craniofacial research data and technology for use by the research community through a central data management and integrated bioinformatics hub. Funded by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) and currently focused on studying the development of the middle region of the face, the Consortium will produce comprehensive datasets of global gene expression patterns, regulatory elements and sequencing; will generate anatomical and molecular atlases; will provide human normative facial data and other phenotypes; conduct follow up studies of a completed genome-wide association study; generate independent data on the genetics of craniofacial development, build repositories of animal models and of human samples and data for community access and analysis; and will develop software tools and animal models for analyzing and functionally testing and integrating these data. The FaceBase website (http://www.facebase.org) will serve as a web home for these efforts, providing interactive tools for exploring these datasets, together with discussion forums and other services to support and foster collaboration within the craniofacial research community. PMID:21458441

The conception of administrators regarding the formation of a healthcare consortium in Pernambuco, Brazil: a case study.

Science.gov (United States)

e Silva, Keila S Brito; Bezerra, Adriana Falangola B

2011-01-01

The formation of healthcare consortia is a management strategy adopted by a number of cities in Brazil in order to minimize the difficulties the population has in access to services of greater technological complexity. As administrators are the main governmental actors in the promotion of this strategy, the aim of the present study was to identify the motives, expectations and difficulties faced by the mayors, and secretaries of health that make up a healthcare consortium undergoing a formation process in the rural, coastal zone of the state of Pernambuco. A descriptive, qualitative, case study was conducted. Data collection was carried out through semi-structured interviews held with mayors and secretaries of health of the municipalities participating in the consortium. Data were analyzed by means of content analysis, using the NVivo 2.0 software program. The administrators cited difficulty in access to specialized services and the high cost of transporting patients to distant locations for treatment as motives for the formation of the consortium. With the implantation of this healthcare strategy, the expectations are a reduction in costs regarding patient transportation, an increase in access to services of greater complexity, and negotiations with other spheres of government. The main difficulties faced are political-partisan conflicts and excessive bureaucracy. Although there were no considerable divergences in the administrators' perceptions, it was evident that those who initiated the formation of the consortium offered a deeper, more detailed discourse, thereby demonstrating greater involvement when compared to those who offered continuity to the process. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Establishing an International Soil Modelling Consortium

Science.gov (United States)

Vereecken, Harry; Schnepf, Andrea; Vanderborght, Jan

2015-04-01

-change-feedback processes, bridge basic soil science research and management, and facilitate the communication between science and society . To meet these challenges an international community effort is required, similar to initiatives in systems biology, hydrology, and climate and crop research. We therefore propose to establish an international soil modelling consortium with the aims of 1) bringing together leading experts in modelling soil processes within all major soil disciplines, 2) addressing major scientific gaps in describing key processes and their long term impacts with respect to the different functions and ecosystem services provided by soil, 3) intercomparing soil model performance based on standardized and harmonized data sets, 4) identifying interactions with other relevant platforms related to common data formats, protocols and ontologies, 5) developing new approaches to inverse modelling, calibration, and validation of soil models, 6) integrating soil modelling expertise and state of the art knowledge on soil processes in climate, land surface, ecological, crop and contaminant models, and 7) linking process models with new observation, measurement and data evaluation technologies for mapping and characterizing soil properties across scales. Our consortium will bring together modelers and experimental soil scientists at the forefront of new technologies and approaches to characterize soils. By addressing these aims, the consortium will contribute to improve the role of soil modeling as a knowledge dissemination instrument in addressing key global issues and stimulate the development of translational research activities. This presentation will provide a compelling case for this much-needed effort, with a focus on tangible benefits to the scientific and food security communities.

THE STUDY OF DIRECTED FERMENTATION PROCESS USING STRAINS OF LACTIC ACID BACTERIA FOR OBTAINING VEGETABLE PRODUCTS OF STABLE QUALITY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. V. Kondratenko

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The objective of the research was to study the process of directed fermentation of whitehead cabbage variety ‘Slava’, using strains of lactic acid bacteria and their consortium with the degree of their mutual influence. As strains of lactic acid bacteria, we have chosen the following: VCR 536 Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus plantarum VKM V-578. To obtain comparable results, all experiments were performed on model mediums. For the first time we studied the dynamics of changes in quality indicators at the process of directed fermentation using strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB including their consortiums. The mathematical model developed adequately describes the degree of destruction of glucose and fructose in the fermentation process. The raw material was undergone to homogenization and sterilization with the aim to create optimal conditionsfor the development of the target microorganisms and to detect the degree of  restruction of fructose and glucose by different strains of microorganisms. The mathematical model developed adequately described the degree of destruction of fructose and glucose in the treatment process. The use of a consortium of lactic acid bacteria (L. plantarum+L. casei to this culture medium is shown to be impractical. The addition of fructose in quantity 0.5% to weight of the model medium enabled to intensify significantly the process of white cabbage fermentation.

2015 Puget Sound LiDAR Consortium (PSLC) LiDAR: WA DNR Lands (P1)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — In June 2014, WSI, a Quantum Spatial Inc. (QSI) company, was contracted by the Puget Sound LiDAR Consortium (PSLC) to collect Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR)...

2014 Puget Sound LiDAR Consortium (PSLC) Topographic LiDAR: Willapa Valley (Delivery 1)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — In January, 2014 WSI, a Quantum Spatial (QSI) company, was contracted by the Puget Sound LiDAR Consortium (PSLC) to collect Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data...

2015 Puget Sound LiDAR Consortium (PSLC) LiDAR: WA DNR Lands (P2)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — In June 2014, WSI, a Quantum Spatial Inc. (QSI) company, was contracted by the Puget Sound LiDAR Consortium (PSLC) to collect Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR)...

International technical assistance example. Consortium action in Bulgaria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mattei, J.M.; Milhem, J.L.

1993-03-01

The safety status achieved last year at the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) and the capability of the Bulgarian Nuclear Safety Authority (BNSA) to assess the safety of the plant and the adequacy of proposed improvements have been matters of international concern. However, the Kozloduy NPP contributes 35-40 per cent of the electrical generating capacity in Bulgaria. For further operation of the plants, it is therefore, essential that safety is improved. In july 1991, the Commission of the European Communities (CEC) instituted a Six Months Emergency Action Programme for Bulgaria under the PHARE regional nuclear safety programme. The programme consisted of three parts: - an industrial emergency programme supporting the utility of the Kozloduy NPP, - a study to evaluate Bulgaria's electricity needs, - technical assistance for reinforcement of the Bulgarian Nuclear Safety Authority. For the third part, complementary to the industrial emergency programme carried out by the WANO (World Association of Nuclear Operators), a Consortium of expert institutions and regulatory from EC member states was established by CEC for assistance to BNSA. The Consortium consisted of: - Institut de Protection et de Surete Nucleaire (IPSN), France, technical support of the French regulatory body, - Gesellschaft fur Anlagen und Reaktorsicherheit (GRS) mbH, Germany, an organization in safety engineering, technical support of governmental regulatory body, - AIB-Vincotte Nuclear (AVN), Belgium, the organization authorized by the Belgian Government for licensing and inspection of nuclear power plants, - UK Atomic Energy Authority (AEA Technology), an independent UK Government owned nuclear R and D and consultancy organization, - Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII) of the Health and Safety Executive, United Kingdom, the nuclear regulatory body for the United Kingdom

Anticipated educational outcomes: a case study of the outdoor recreation consortium experience

Science.gov (United States)

Yasong Wang; Alan Graefe

2008-01-01

This paper reports on a case study of an outdoor experiential learning program and examines its meaning for program participants. The research was conducted with 56 university students who participated in the Outdoor Recreation Consortium held at the Great Smoky Mountain Institute in Tremont, TN. A mixed-method comparative research approach, using both quantitative and...

Earth Hazards Consortium: a Unique Approach to Student-Centered Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Mann, C. P.; Granados, H. D.; Durant, A.; Wolf, R. E.; Girard, G.; Javier, I. H.; Cisneros, M.; Rose, W.; Sánchez, S. S.; Stix, J.

2006-12-01

The Earth Hazards (EHaz) consortium consists of six research-based universities in the United States (Michigan Technological University, University at Buffalo), Canada (McGill University, Simon Fraser University) and México (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Universidad de Colima) funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, and the Secretaría de Educación Pública of México, as part of the North American Free Trade Agreement. The objective of the consortium is to expose students to a wide variety of scientific and cultural perspectives in the mitigation of geological natural hazards in North America. This four year program is multi-faceted, including student exchanges, graduate level, web-based courses in volcanology, and intensive group field trips. In 2005 to 2006, a total of 27 students were mobilized among the three countries. In this first year, the videoconferencing course focused on caldera supervolcanoes with weekly discussion leaders from various fields of volcanology. At the end of the course the students participated in a field trip to Long Valley and Yellowstone calderas. Also during the first year of the program, México hosted an International Course on Volcanic Hazards Map Construction. The course was attended by graduate students from Mexico and the United States, included lectures from noted guest speakers, and involved a field trip to Popocatepetl volcano. A student survey demonstrated that during the videoconferencing the students benefited by the weekly interaction with well- known volcanologists at the top of their field. Students who participated in the field trip benefited from an outstanding opportunity to link the theoretical concepts covered during the course with the field aspects of supervolcano systems, as well as the opportunity to network amongst their peers. Feedback from students who went abroad indicates that the program provided support for internship opportunities

A rapid selection strategy for an anodophilic consortium for microbial fuel cells

KAUST Repository

Wang, Aijie

2010-07-01

A rapid selection method was developed to enrich for a stable and efficient anodophilic consortium (AC) for microbial fuel cells (MFCs). A biofilm sample from a microbial electrolysis cell was serially diluted up to 10-9 in anaerobic phosphate buffer solution and incubated in an Fe(III)-acetate medium, and an Fe(III)-reducing AC was obtained for dilutions up to 10-6. The activity of MFC inoculated with the enrichment AC was compared with those inoculated with original biofilm or activated sludge. The power densities and Coulombic efficiencies of the AC (226 mW/m2, 34%) were higher than those of the original biofilm (209 mW/m2, 23%) and activated sludge (192 mW/m2, 19%). The start-up period of the AC (60 h) was also shorter than those obtained with the other inocula (biofilm, 95 h; activated sludge, 300 h). This indicated that such a strategy is highly efficient for obtaining an anodophilic consortium for improving the performance of an MFC. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd.

Critical evaluation of post-consumption food waste composting employing thermophilic bacterial consortium.

Science.gov (United States)

Awasthi, Mukesh Kumar; Selvam, Ammaiyappan; Lai, Ka Man; Wong, Jonathan W C

2017-12-01

Effect of single-function (oil degrading) and multi-functional bacterial consortium with zeolite as additive for post-consumption food waste (PCFW) composting was investigated through assessing the oil content reduction in a computer controlled 20-L composter. Three treatments of PCFWs combined with 10% zeolite were developed: Treatment-2 and Treatment-3 were inoculated with multi-functional (BC-1) and oil degrading bacterial consortium (BC-2), respectively, while T-1 was without bacterial inoculation and served as control. Results revealed that BC-2 inoculated treatment (T-3) was superior to control treatment and marginally better than T-2 in terms of oil degradation. The reduction of oil content was >97.8% in T-3 and 92.27% in T-2, while total organic matter degradation was marginally higher in T-2 (42.95%) than T-3 (41.67%). Other parameters of compost maturity including germination test indicated that T-2 was marginally better than T-3 and significantly enhanced the oily PCFW decomposition and shortened the composting period by 20days. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Creation of the Probiotic Consortium on the Base of Strains of Bifidobacterium spp.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kozhakhmetov, S. S.

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, a widespread circulation of disbiotic conditions among the population of all ages in Kazakhstan requires an active development in industry for both preparations and products with probiotic properties. The gained bacterial isolates, Bifidobacterium adolescentis 180, B. breve 204, B. breve 584 and B. breve 587 were used in our researches and screening showed they possess high probiotic properties. The consortium possesses strong antimicrobial activity to pathogenic and potentially-pathogenic microflora, insulated during disbacteriosis, as well as from vagina and urea. They are able to produce vitamin B12 and also have antimutagenic activity. As a result, the consortium on the base of strains of Bifidobacterium spp. was received, possessing the following advantages: contains live mass of microbial, antagonistically active strains B. breve and B. adolescentis; contains more than 10^9 alive Bifidobacteria; does not contain plasmids, which means that it could not be a carrier of antibiotic stability for Gram-positive receptive pathogenic and potentially-pathogenic microflora.

Biodegradation by bioaugmentation of dairy wastewater by fungal consortium on a bioreactor lab-scale and on a pilot-scale.

Science.gov (United States)

Djelal, Hayet; Amrane, Abdeltif

2013-09-01

A fungal consortium including Aspergillus niger, Mucor hiemalis and Galactomyces geotrichum was tested for the treatment of dairy wastewater. The bio-augmentation method was tested at lab-scale (4 L), at pilot scale (110 L) and at an industrial scale in Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTP). The positive impact of fungal addition was confirmed when fungi was beforehand accelerated by pre-culture on whey (5 g/L lactose) or on the dairy effluent. Indeed, chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal yields increased from 55% to 75% for model medium, diluted milk. While after inoculation of an industrial biological tank from a dairy factory with the fungal consortium accelerated by pre-cultivation in a 1000 L pilot plant, the outlet COD values decreased from values above the standard one (100 mg/L) to values in the range of 50-70 mg/L. In addition, there was a clear impact of fungal addition on the 'hard' or non-biodegradable COD owing to the significant reduction of the increase of the COD on BOD5 ratio between the inlet and the outlet of the biological tank of WWTP. It was in the range of 451%-1111% before adding fungal consortium, and in the range of 257%-153% after bio-augmentation with fungi. An inoculated bioreactor with fungal consortium was developed at lab-scale and demonstrated successfully at pilot scale in

Teaching About Critical Earth Issues in the 2U Semester Online Consortium (Invited)

Science.gov (United States)

Wysession, M. E.

2013-12-01

In the spring of 2014 Washington University will present one of the first courses, entitled 'Critical Earth Issues,' in a new experiment in online education to be carried out by a consortium of Universities working with the production company 2U. The consortium, consisting of Washington University in St. Louis, Boston College, Brandeis University, Emory University, Northwestern University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the University of Notre Dame, will all offer courses that can be taken by each other's students. In addition, three affiliate institutions so far (Baylor University, Southern Methodist University, and Temple University) have agree to allow their students to take online courses from this consortium, and transfer credit will be granted from the consortium institution teaching a particular course to students from other institutions as well. A total of eleven courses from the seven consortium schools are being taught in the fall of 2013. 'Critical Earth Issues,' to be taught the next spring, will be the first geoscience course taught. The structure of the course will be very different from traditional MOOCs. Half of the course (80 minutes per week) will be asynchronous and produced in advance by the company 2U. This is designed to take the place of the lecture component of a class, but it can take a variety of forms. While there are traditional lecture segments and filmed demos, these are also broken up by assignments for the students in order to make the 'lecture' segment more interactive. Sometimes the students will have to answer short or long questions before they can go on to the next part of the asynchronous material. Students can only get to the assignment at the end if they work their way through all the produced and interactive segments. This material will often also prompt them to upload an 'assignment,' such as uploading photos of different rocks that are used for the buildings at their host institution (to be shared

Production of poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) by Methylobacterium organophilum isolated from a methanotrophic consortium in a two-phase partition bioreactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zuniga, C.; Morales, M.; Le Borgne, S.; Revah, S.

2011-01-01

The biodegradation of methane, a greenhouse gas, and the accumulation of poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) were studied using a methanotrophic consortium and an isolated strain thereof. The specific rates for methane consumption were 100 and 17mg CH 4 g x -1 h -1 for the isolate and the consortium, respectively. Also the effect of including 10% (v v -1 ) of silicone oil in a two-phase partitioning bioreactor (TPPB) was assayed for the elimination of 1% methane in air stream. TPPB allowed a 33-45% increase of methane elimination under growing conditions. Nitrogen limitation was assayed in bioreactors to promote PHB production. Under this condition, the specific methane degradation rate remained unchanged for the consortium and decreased to 36mg CH 4 g x -1 h -1 for the isolated strain. The accumulated PHB in the reactor was 34% and 38% (w w -1 ) for the consortium and the isolate, respectively. The highest productivity was obtained in the TPPB and was 1.61mg PHB g x -1 h -1 . The CZ-2 isolate was identified as Methylobacterium organophilum, this is the first study that reports this species as being able to grow on methane and accumulate up to 57% (w w -1 ) of PHB under nitrogen limitation in microcosm experiments.

Ophthalmic epidemiology in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Delcourt, Cécile; Korobelnik, Jean-François; Buitendijk, Gabriëlle H S

2016-01-01

The European Eye Epidemiology (E3) consortium is a recently formed consortium of 29 groups from 12 European countries. It already comprises 21 population-based studies and 20 other studies (case-control, cases only, randomized trials), providing ophthalmological data on approximately 170,000 Euro......The European Eye Epidemiology (E3) consortium is a recently formed consortium of 29 groups from 12 European countries. It already comprises 21 population-based studies and 20 other studies (case-control, cases only, randomized trials), providing ophthalmological data on approximately 170......,000 European participants. The aim of the consortium is to promote and sustain collaboration and sharing of data and knowledge in the field of ophthalmic epidemiology in Europe, with particular focus on the harmonization of methods for future research, estimation and projection of frequency and impact...

Problematic trial detection in ClinicalTrials.gov

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hartgerink, C.H.J.; George, Stephen

2015-01-01

Clinical trials are crucial in determining the effectiveness of treatments and directly affect clinical and policy decisions. These decisions are undermined if the data are problematic due to data fabrication or other errors. Researchers have worked on developing statistical methods to detect

Low temperature reduction of hexavalent chromium by a microbial enrichment consortium and a novel strain of Arthrobacter aurescens

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thompson Vicki S

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Chromium is a transition metal most commonly found in the environment in its trivalent [Cr(III] and hexavalent [Cr(VI] forms. The EPA maximum total chromium contaminant level for drinking water is 0.1 mg/l (0.1 ppm. Many water sources, especially underground sources, are at low temperatures (less than or equal to 15 Centigrade year round. It is important to evaluate the possibility of microbial remediation of Cr(VI contamination using microorganisms adapted to these low temperatures (psychrophiles. Results Core samples obtained from a Cr(VI contaminated aquifer at the Hanford facility in Washington were enriched in Vogel Bonner medium at 10 Centigrade with 0, 25, 50, 100, 200, 400 and 1000 mg/l Cr(VI. The extent of Cr(VI reduction was evaluated using the diphenyl carbazide assay. Resistance to Cr(VI up to and including 1000 mg/l Cr(VI was observed in the consortium experiments. Reduction was slow or not observed at and above 100 mg/l Cr(VI using the enrichment consortium. Average time to complete reduction of Cr(VI in the 30 and 60 mg/l Cr(VI cultures of the consortium was 8 and 17 days, respectively at 10 Centigrade. Lyophilized consortium cells did not demonstrate adsorption of Cr(VI over a 24 hour period. Successful isolation of a Cr(VI reducing organism (designated P4 from the consortium was confirmed by 16S rDNA amplification and sequencing. Average time to complete reduction of Cr(VI at 10 Centigrade in the 25 and 50 mg/l Cr(VI cultures of the isolate P4 was 3 and 5 days, respectively. The 16S rDNA sequence from isolate P4 identified this organism as a strain of Arthrobacter aurescens, a species that has not previously been shown to be capable of low temperature Cr(VI reduction. Conclusion A. aurescens, indigenous to the subsurface, has the potential to be a predominant metal reducer in enhanced, in situ subsurface bioremediation efforts involving Cr(VI and possibly other heavy metals and radionuclides.

Genomic analysis reveals key aspects of prokaryotic symbiosis in the phototrophic consortium "Chlorochromatium aggregatum"

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liu, Zhenfeng; Müller, Johannes; Li, Tao

2013-01-01

'Chlorochromatium aggregatum' is a phototrophic consortium, a symbiosis that may represent the highest degree of mutual interdependence between two unrelated bacteria not associated with a eukaryotic host. 'Chlorochromatium aggregatum' is a motile, barrel-shaped aggregate formed from a single cell...

Consortium inoculum of five thermo-tolerant phosphate solubilizing Actinomycetes for multipurpose biofertilizer preparation.

Science.gov (United States)

Nandimath, Arusha P; Karad, Dilip D; Gupta, Shantikumar G; Kharat, Arun S

2017-10-01

Alkaline pH of the soil facilitates the conversion of phosphate present in phosphate fertilizer applied in the field to insoluble phosphate which is not available to plants. Problem of soluble phosphate deficiency arises, primarily due to needless use of phosphate fertilizer. We sought to biofertilizer with the thermo-tolerant phosphate solubilizing actinomycetes consortium that could convert insoluble phosphate to soluble phosphate at wider temperature range. In the present investigation consortium of five thermo-tolerant phosphate solubilizing actinomycetes was applied for preparation of inoculum to produce multipurpose bio-fertilizer. Phosphates solubilizing thermo-tolerant 32 actinomycetes strains were processed for identification with the use of PIBWIN software and were screened for phosphate solubilizing activity. Amongst these five actinomycetes were selected on the basis of their ability to produce cellulase, chitinase, pectinase, protease, lipase, amylase and phosphate solubilizing enzymes. Ability to produce these enzymes at 28°C and 50°C were examined. Biofertilizer was prepared by using agricultural waste as a raw material. While preparation of bio-fertilizer the pH decreased from 7.5 to 4.3 and temperature increased up to 74°C maximum at the end of 4 th week and in subsequent week it started to decline gradually till it reached around 50°C, which was found to be stable up to eighth week. This thermo-tolerant actinomycetes consortium released soluble phosphate of up to 46.7 μg ml -1 . As the mesophilic organisms die out at high temperature of composting hence thormo-tolerant actinomycetes would be the better substitute for preparation of phosphate solubilizing bio-fertilizer with added potential to degrade complex macromolecules in composting.

Novel dark fermentation involving bioaugmentation with constructed bacterial consortium for enhanced biohydrogen production from pretreated sewage sludge

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kotay, Shireen Meher; Das, Debabrata [Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur (India)

2009-09-15

The present study summarizes the observations on various nutrient and seed formulation methods using sewage sludge that have been aimed at ameliorating the biohydrogen production potential. Pretreatment methods viz., acid/base treatment, heat treatment, sterilization, freezing-thawing, microwave, ultrasonication and chemical supplementation were attempted on sludge. It was observed that pretreatment was essential not only to reduce the needless, competitive microbial load but also to improve the nutrient solublization of sludge. Heat treatment at 121 C for 20 min was found to be most effective in reducing the microbial load by 98% and hydrolyzing the organic fraction of sludge. However, this pretreatment alone was either not sufficient or inconsistent in developing a suitable microbial consortium for hydrogen production. Hydrogen yield was found to improve 1.5-4 times upon inoculation with H{sub 2}-producing microorganisms. A defined microbial consortium was developed consisting of three established bacteria viz., Enterobacter cloacae IIT-BT 08, Citrobacter freundii IIT-BT L139 and Bacillus coagulans IIT-BT S1. Following pretreatments soluble proteins and lipids (the major component of the sludge) were also found to be consumed besides carbohydrates. This laid out the concurrent proteolytic/lipolytic ability of the developed H{sub 2}-producing consortium. 1:1:1 v/v ratio of these bacteria in consortium was found to give the maximum yield of H{sub 2} from sludge, 39.15 ml H{sub 2}/g COD{sub reduced}. 15%v/v dilution and supplementation with 0.5%w/v cane molasses prior to heat treatment was found to further improve the yield to 41.23 ml H{sub 2}/g COD{sub reduced}. (author)

Understanding and preventing type 1 diabetes through the unique working model of TrialNet.

Science.gov (United States)

Battaglia, Manuela; Anderson, Mark S; Buckner, Jane H; Geyer, Susan M; Gottlieb, Peter A; Kay, Thomas W H; Lernmark, Åke; Muller, Sarah; Pugliese, Alberto; Roep, Bart O; Greenbaum, Carla J; Peakman, Mark

2017-11-01

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease arising from the destruction of pancreatic insulin-producing beta cells. The disease represents a continuum, progressing sequentially at variable rates through identifiable stages prior to the onset of symptoms, through diagnosis and into the critical periods that follow, culminating in a variable depth of beta cell depletion. The ability to identify the very earliest of these presymptomatic stages has provided a setting in which prevention strategies can be trialled, as well as furnishing an unprecedented opportunity to study disease evolution, including intrinsic and extrinsic initiators and drivers. This niche opportunity is occupied by Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet, an international consortium of clinical trial centres that leads the field in intervention and prevention studies, accompanied by deep longitudinal bio-sampling. In this review, we focus on discoveries arising from this unique bioresource, comprising more than 70,000 samples, and outline the processes and science that have led to new biomarkers and mechanistic insights, as well as identifying new challenges and opportunities. We conclude that via integration of clinical trials and mechanistic studies, drawing in clinicians and scientists and developing partnership with industry, TrialNet embodies an enviable and unique working model for understanding a disease that to date has no cure and for designing new therapeutic approaches.

Consortium for Petroleum & Natural Gas Stripper Wells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Morrison, Joel [Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States)

2011-12-01

The United States has more oil and gas wells than any other country. As of December 31, 2004, there were more than half a million producing oil wells in the United States. That is more than three times the combined total for the next three leaders: China, Canada, and Russia. The Stripper Well Consortium (SWC) is a partnership that includes domestic oil and gas producers, service and supply companies, trade associations, academia, the Department of Energy’s Strategic Center for Natural Gas and Oil (SCNGO) at the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). The Consortium was established in 2000. This report serves as a final technical report for the SWC activities conducted over the May 1, 2004 to December 1, 2011 timeframe. During this timeframe, the SWC worked with 173 members in 29 states and three international countries, to focus on the development of new technologies to benefit the U.S. stripper well industry. SWC worked with NETL to develop a nationwide request-for-proposal (RFP) process to solicit proposals from the U.S. stripper well industry to develop and/or deploy new technologies that would assist small producers in improving the production performance of their stripper well operations. SWC conducted eight rounds of funding. A total of 132 proposals were received. The proposals were compiled and distributed to an industry-driven SWC executive council and program sponsors for review. Applicants were required to make a formal technical presentation to the SWC membership, executive council, and program sponsors. After reviewing the proposals and listening to the presentations, the executive council made their funding recommendations to program sponsors. A total of 64 projects were selected for funding, of which 59 were fully completed. Penn State then worked with grant awardees to issue a subcontract for their approved work. SWC organized and hosted a total of 14 meetings

Multi-University Southeast INIE Consortium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ayman Hawari; Nolan Hertel; Mohamed Al-Sheikhly; Laurence Miller; Abdel-Moeze Bayoumi; Ali Haghighat; Kenneth Lewis

2010-12-29

2 Project Summary: The Multi-University Southeast INIE Consortium (MUSIC) was established in response to the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Innovations in Nuclear Infrastructure and Education (INIE) program. MUSIC was established as a consortium composed of academic members and national laboratory partners. The members of MUSIC are the nuclear engineering programs and research reactors of Georgia Institute of Technology (GIT), North Carolina State University (NCSU), University of Maryland (UMD), University of South Carolina (USC), and University of Tennessee (UTK). The University of Florida (UF), and South Carolina State University (SCSU) were added to the MUSIC membership in the second year. In addition, to ensure proper coordination between the academic community and the nation’s premier research and development centers in the fields of nuclear science and engineering, MUSIC created strategic partnerships with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) including the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) project and the Joint Institute for Neutron Scattering (JINS), and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). A partnership was also created with the Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute (AFRRI) with the aim of utilizing their reactor in research if funding becomes available. Consequently, there are three university research reactors (URRs) within MUSIC, which are located at NCSU (1-MW PULSTAR), UMD (0.25-MW TRIGA) and UF (0.10-MW Argonaut), and the AFRRI reactor (1-MW TRIGA MARK F). The overall objectives of MUSIC are: a) Demonstrate that University Research Reactors (URR) can be used as modern and innovative instruments of research in the basic and applied sciences, which include applications in fundamental physics, materials science and engineering, nondestructive examination, elemental analysis, and contributions to research in the health and medical sciences, b) Establish a strong technical collaboration between the nuclear engineering

Efficacy of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in reducing consumption in patients with alcohol use disorders: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Trojak, Benoit; Soudry-Faure, Agnès; Abello, Nicolas; Carpentier, Maud; Jonval, Lysiane; Allard, Coralie; Sabsevari, Foroogh; Blaise, Emilie; Ponavoy, Eddy; Bonin, Bernard; Meille, Vincent; Chauvet-Gelinier, Jean-Christophe

2016-05-17

Approximately 15 million persons in the European Union and 10 million persons in the USA are alcohol-dependent. The global burden of disease and injury attributable to alcohol is considerable: worldwide, approximately one in 25 deaths in 2004 was caused by alcohol. At the same time, alcohol use disorders remain seriously undertreated. In this context, alternative or adjunctive therapies such as brain stimulation may play a prominent role. The early results of studies using transcranial direct current stimulation found that stimulations delivered to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex result in a significant reduction of craving and an improvement of the decision-making processes in various additive disorders. We, therefore, hypothesize that transcranial direct current stimulation can lead to a decrease in alcohol consumption in patients suffering from alcohol use disorders. We report the protocol of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial, to evaluate the efficacy of transcranial direct current stimulation on alcohol reduction in patients with an alcohol use disorder. The study will be conducted in 14 centers in France and Monaco. Altogether, 340 subjects over 18 years of age and diagnosed with an alcohol use disorder will be randomized to receive five consecutive twice-daily sessions of either active or placebo transcranial direct current stimulation. One session consists in delivering a current flow continuously (anode F4; cathode F3) twice for 13 minutes, with treatments separated by a rest interval of 20 min. Efficacy will be evaluated using the change from baseline (alcohol consumption during the 4 weeks before randomization) to 24 weeks in the total alcohol consumption and number of heavy drinking days. Secondary outcome measures will include alcohol craving, clinical and biological improvements, and the effects on mood and quality of life, as well as cognitive and safety assessments, and, for smokers, an assessment of the

Characterization of the biodegradation, bioremediation and detoxification capacity of a bacterial consortium able to degrade the fungicide thiabendazole.

Science.gov (United States)

Perruchon, Chiara; Pantoleon, Anastasios; Veroutis, Dimitrios; Gallego-Blanco, Sara; Martin-Laurent, F; Liadaki, Kalliopi; Karpouzas, Dimitrios G

2017-12-01

Thiabendazole (TBZ) is a persistent fungicide used in the post-harvest treatment of fruits. Its application results in the production of contaminated effluents which should be treated before their environmental discharge. In the absence of efficient treatment methods in place, biological systems based on microbial inocula with specialized degrading capacities against TBZ could be a feasible treatment approach. Only recently the first bacterial consortium able to rapidly transform TBZ was isolated. This study aimed to characterize its biodegradation, bioremediation and detoxification potential. The capacity of the consortium to mineralize 14 C-benzyl-ring labelled TBZ was initially assessed. Subsequent tests evaluated its degradation capacity under various conditions (range of pH, temperatures and TBZ concentration levels) and relevant practical scenarios (simultaneous presence of other postharvest compounds) and its bioaugmentation potential in soils contaminated with increasing TBZ levels. Finally cytotoxicity assays explored its detoxification potential. The consortium effectively mineralized the benzoyl ring of the benzimidazole moiety of TBZ and degraded spillage level concentrations of the fungicide in aqueous cultures (750 mg L -1 ) and in soil (500 mg kg -1 ). It maintained its high degradation capacity in a wide range of pH (4.5-7.5) and temperatures (15-37 °C) and in the presence of other pesticides (ortho-phenylphenol and diphenylamine). Toxicity assays using the human liver cancer cell line HepG2 showed a progressive decrease in cytotoxicity, concomitantly with the biodegradation of TBZ, pointing to a detoxification process. Overall, the bacterial consortium showed high potential for future implementation in bioremediation and biodepuration applications.

A University Consortium on Low Temperature Combustion for High Efficiency, Ultra-Low Emission Engines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Assanis, Dennis N. [Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States); Atreya, Arvind [Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States); Chen, Jyh-Yuan [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States); Cheng, Wai K. [Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States); Dibble, Robert W. [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States); Edwards, Chris [Stanford Univ., CA (United States); Filipi, Zoran S. [Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States); Gerdes, Christian [Stanford Univ., CA (United States); Im, Hong [Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States); Lavoie, George A. [Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States); Wooldridge, Margaret S. [Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)

2009-12-31

The objective of the University consortium was to investigate the fundamental processes that determine the practical boundaries of Low Temperature Combustion (LTC) engines and develop methods to extend those boundaries to improve the fuel economy of these engines, while operating with ultra low emissions. This work involved studies of thermal effects, thermal transients and engine management, internal mixing and stratification, and direct injection strategies for affecting combustion stability. This work also examined spark-assisted Homogenous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) and exhaust after-treatment so as to extend the range and maximize the benefit of Homogenous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI)/ Partially Premixed Compression Ignition (PPCI) operation. In summary the overall goals were; Investigate the fundamental processes that determine the practical boundaries of Low Temperature Combustion (LTC) engines; Develop methods to extend LTC boundaries to improve the fuel economy of HCCI engines fueled on gasoline and alternative blends, while operating with ultra low emissions; and Investigate alternate fuels, ignition and after-treatment for LTC and Partially Premixed compression Ignition (PPCI) engines.

Northeast Artificial Intelligence Consortium (NAIC). Volume 2. Discussing, Using, and Recognizing Plans

Science.gov (United States)

1990-12-01

knowledge and meta-reasoning. In Proceedings of EP14-85 ("Encontro Portugues de Inteligencia Artificial "), pages 138-154, Oporto, Portugal, 1985. [19] N, J...See reverse) 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADORESS(ES) 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION Northeast Artificial Intelligence...ABSTRACTM-2.,-- The Northeast Artificial Intelligence Consortium (NAIC) was created by the Air Force Systems Command, Rome Air Development Center, and

Degradation of paracetamol by pure bacterial cultures and their microbial consortium.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Lili; Hu, Jun; Zhu, Runye; Zhou, Qingwei; Chen, Jianmeng

2013-04-01

Three bacterial strains utilizing paracetamol as the sole carbon, nitrogen, and energy source were isolated from a paracetamol-degrading aerobic aggregate, and assigned to species of the genera Stenotrophomonas and Pseudomonas. The Stenotrophomonas species have not included any known paracetamol degraders until now. In batch cultures, the organisms f1, f2, and fg-2 could perform complete degradation of paracetamol at concentrations of 400, 2,500, and 2,000 mg/L or below, respectively. A combination of three microbial strains resulted in significantly improved degradation and mineralization of paracetamol. The co-culture was able to use paracetamol up to concentrations of 4,000 mg/L, and mineralized 87.1 % of the added paracetamol at the initial of 2,000 mg/L. Two key metabolites of the biodegradation pathway of paracetamol, 4-aminophenol, and hydroquinone were detected. Paracetamol was degraded predominantly via 4-aminophenol to hydroquinone with subsequent ring fission, suggesting new pathways for paracetamol-degrading bacteria. The degradation of paracetamol could thus be performed by the single isolates, but is stimulated by a synergistic interaction of the three-member consortium, suggesting a possible complementary interaction among the various isolates. The exact roles of each of the strains in the consortium need to be further elucidated.

Developing the Safety of Atrial Fibrillation Ablation Registry Initiative (SAFARI) as a collaborative pan-stakeholder critical path registry model: a Cardiac Safety Research Consortium "Incubator" Think Tank.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Khatib, Sana M; Calkins, Hugh; Eloff, Benjamin C; Kowey, Peter; Hammill, Stephen C; Ellenbogen, Kenneth A; Marinac-Dabic, Danica; Waldo, Albert L; Brindis, Ralph G; Wilbur, David J; Jackman, Warren M; Yaross, Marcia S; Russo, Andrea M; Prystowsky, Eric; Varosy, Paul D; Gross, Thomas; Pinnow, Ellen; Turakhia, Mintu P; Krucoff, Mitchell W

2010-10-01

Although several randomized clinical trials have demonstrated the safety and efficacy of catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) in experienced centers, the outcomes of this procedure in routine clinical practice and in patients with persistent and long-standing persistent AF remain uncertain. Brisk adoption of this therapy by physicians with diverse training and experience highlights potential concerns regarding the safety and effectiveness of this procedure. Some of these concerns could be addressed by a national registry of AF ablation procedures such as the Safety of Atrial Fibrillation Ablation Registry Initiative that was initially proposed at a Cardiac Safety Research Consortium Think Tank meeting in April 2009. In January 2010, the Cardiac Safety Research Consortium, in collaboration with the Duke Clinical Research Institute, the US Food and Drug Administration, the American College of Cardiology, and the Heart Rhythm Society, held a follow-up meeting of experts in the field to review the construct and progress to date. Other participants included the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; the AdvaMed AF working group; and additional industry representatives. This article summarizes the discussions that occurred at the meeting of the state of the Safety of Atrial Fibrillation Ablation Registry Initiative, the identification of a clear pathway for its implementation, and the exploration of solutions to potential issues in the execution of this registry. Copyright © 2010 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Meta-analysis of human genome-microbiome association studies: the MiBioGen consortium initiative.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jun; Kurilshikov, Alexander; Radjabzadeh, Djawad; Turpin, Williams; Croitoru, Kenneth; Bonder, Marc Jan; Jackson, Matthew A; Medina-Gomez, Carolina; Frost, Fabian; Homuth, Georg; Rühlemann, Malte; Hughes, David; Kim, Han-Na; Spector, Tim D; Bell, Jordana T; Steves, Claire J; Timpson, Nicolas; Franke, Andre; Wijmenga, Cisca; Meyer, Katie; Kacprowski, Tim; Franke, Lude; Paterson, Andrew D; Raes, Jeroen; Kraaij, Robert; Zhernakova, Alexandra

2018-06-08

In recent years, human microbiota, especially gut microbiota, have emerged as an important yet complex trait influencing human metabolism, immunology, and diseases. Many studies are investigating the forces underlying the observed variation, including the human genetic variants that shape human microbiota. Several preliminary genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have been completed, but more are necessary to achieve a fuller picture. Here, we announce the MiBioGen consortium initiative, which has assembled 18 population-level cohorts and some 19,000 participants. Its aim is to generate new knowledge for the rapidly developing field of microbiota research. Each cohort has surveyed the gut microbiome via 16S rRNA sequencing and genotyped their participants with full-genome SNP arrays. We have standardized the analytical pipelines for both the microbiota phenotypes and genotypes, and all the data have been processed using identical approaches. Our analysis of microbiome composition shows that we can reduce the potential artifacts introduced by technical differences in generating microbiota data. We are now in the process of benchmarking the association tests and performing meta-analyses of genome-wide associations. All pipeline and summary statistics results will be shared using public data repositories. We present the largest consortium to date devoted to microbiota-GWAS. We have adapted our analytical pipelines to suit multi-cohort analyses and expect to gain insight into host-microbiota cross-talk at the genome-wide level. And, as an open consortium, we invite more cohorts to join us (by contacting one of the corresponding authors) and to follow the analytical pipeline we have developed.

2014 Puget Sound LiDAR Consortium (PSLC) Topographic LiDAR: Cedar River Watershed (Delivery 2)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — In September 2013, WSI, a Quantum Spatial company (QSI), was contracted by the Puget Sound LiDAR Consortium (PSLC) to collect Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR)...

2014 Puget Sound LiDAR Consortium (PSLC) Topographic LiDAR: Cedar River Watershed (Delivery 1)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — In September 2013, WSI, a Quantum Spatial company (QSI), was contracted by the Puget Sound LiDAR Consortium (PSLC) to collect Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR)...

2002 Puget Sound LiDAR Consortium (PSLC) Unclassified Topographic LiDAR: Puget Sound Lowlands Washington

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TerraPoint surveyed and created this data for the Puget Sound LiDAR Consortium under contract. The area surveyed is approximately 730 square miles and covers the...

Designing clinical trials to address the needs of childhood and adult asthma: the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's AsthmaNet.

Science.gov (United States)

Sutherland, E Rand; Busse, William W

2014-01-01

In 2008, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute announced its intent to support a new asthma network known as AsthmaNet. This clinical trials consortium, now in its fifth year, has been charged with developing and executing clinical trials to address the most important asthma management questions and identify new treatment approaches in pediatric and adult patients. This review will discuss the organization of AsthmaNet and the scientific context in which the network was developed and began its work, report the results of an internal priority-setting exercise designed to guide the network's scientific strategy, and highlight the portfolio of clinical trials, proof-of-concept studies, and mechanistic studies planned for the 7-year period of the network to update the global asthma community regarding the progress and processes of the network. Copyright © 2013 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

[Construction of a microbial consortium RXS with high degradation ability for cassava residues and studies on its fermentative characteristics].

Science.gov (United States)

He, Jiang; Mao, Zhong-Gui; Zhang, Qing-Hua; Zhang, Jian-Hua; Tang, Lei; Zhang, Hong-Jian

2012-03-01

A microbial consortium with high effective and stable cellulosic degradation ability was constructed by successive enrichment and incubation in a peptone cellulose medium using cassava residues and filter paper as carbon sources, where the inoculums were sampled from the environment filled with rotten lignocellulosic materials. The degradation ability to different cellulosic materials and change of main parameters during the degradation process of cassava residues by this consortium was investigated in this study. It was found that, this consortium can efficiently degrade filter paper, absorbent cotton, avicael, wheat-straw and cassava residues. During the degradation process of cassava residues, the key hydrolytic enzymes including cellulase, hemicellulase and pectinase showed a maximum enzyme activity of 34.4, 90.5 and 15.8 U on the second or third day, respectively. After 10 days' fermentation, the degradation ratio of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin of cassava residues was 79.8%, 85.9% and 19.4% respectively, meanwhile the loss ratio of cassava residues reached 61.5%. Otherwise,it was found that the dominant metabolites are acetic acid, butyric acid, caproic acid and glycerol, and the highest hydrolysis ratio is obtained on the second day by monitoring SCOD, total volatile fatty acids and total sugars. The above results revealed that this consortium can effectively hydrolyze cassava residues (the waste produced during the cassava based bioethanol production) and has great potential to be utilized for the pretreatment of cassava residues for biogas fermentation.

Consortium biology in immunology: the perspective from the Immunological Genome Project.

OpenAIRE

Benoist, C; Lanier, L; Merad, M; Mathis, D; Immunological Genome Project,

2012-01-01

Although the field has a long collaborative tradition, immunology has made less use than genetics of 'consortium biology', wherein groups of investigators together tackle large integrated questions or problems. However, immunology is naturally suited to large-scale integrative and systems-level approaches, owing to the multicellular and adaptive nature of the cells it encompasses. Here, we discuss the value and drawbacks of this organization of research, in the context of the long-running 'bi...

Production of poly-{beta}-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) by Methylobacterium organophilum isolated from a methanotrophic consortium in a two-phase partition bioreactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zuniga, C., E-mail: cristal7n@gmail.com [Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana-Cuajimalpa, Departamento de Procesos y Tecnologia, Artificios 40, Col. Miguel Hidalgo, C.P. 01120, Mexico D.F. (Mexico); Morales, M., E-mail: mmorales@correo.cua.uam.mx [Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana-Cuajimalpa, Departamento de Procesos y Tecnologia, Artificios 40, Col. Miguel Hidalgo, C.P. 01120, Mexico D.F. (Mexico); Le Borgne, S., E-mail: sylvielb@correo.cua.uam.mx [Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana-Cuajimalpa, Departamento de Procesos y Tecnologia, Artificios 40, Col. Miguel Hidalgo, C.P. 01120, Mexico D.F. (Mexico); Revah, S., E-mail: srevah@correo.cua.uam.mx [Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana-Cuajimalpa, Departamento de Procesos y Tecnologia, Artificios 40, Col. Miguel Hidalgo, C.P. 01120, Mexico D.F. (Mexico)

2011-06-15

The biodegradation of methane, a greenhouse gas, and the accumulation of poly-{beta}-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) were studied using a methanotrophic consortium and an isolated strain thereof. The specific rates for methane consumption were 100 and 17mg{sub CH{sub 4}}g{sub x}{sup -1} h{sup -1} for the isolate and the consortium, respectively. Also the effect of including 10% (v v{sup -1}) of silicone oil in a two-phase partitioning bioreactor (TPPB) was assayed for the elimination of 1% methane in air stream. TPPB allowed a 33-45% increase of methane elimination under growing conditions. Nitrogen limitation was assayed in bioreactors to promote PHB production. Under this condition, the specific methane degradation rate remained unchanged for the consortium and decreased to 36mg{sub CH{sub 4}}g{sub x}{sup -1} h{sup -1} for the isolated strain. The accumulated PHB in the reactor was 34% and 38% (w w{sup -1}) for the consortium and the isolate, respectively. The highest productivity was obtained in the TPPB and was 1.61mg{sub PHB}g{sub x}{sup -1} h{sup -1}. The CZ-2 isolate was identified as Methylobacterium organophilum, this is the first study that reports this species as being able to grow on methane and accumulate up to 57% (w w{sup -1}) of PHB under nitrogen limitation in microcosm experiments.

A Low-Cost Wheat Bran Medium for Biodegradation of the Benzidine-Based Carcinogenic Dye Trypan Blue Using a Microbial Consortium

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Harshad Lade

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Environmental release of benzidine-based dyes is a matter of health concern. Here, a microbial consortium was enriched from textile dye contaminated soils and investigated for biodegradation of the carcinogenic benzidine-based dye Trypan Blue using wheat bran (WB as growth medium. The PCR-DGGE analysis of enriched microbial consortium revealed the presence of 15 different bacteria. Decolorization studies suggested that the microbial consortium has high metabolic activity towards Trypan Blue as complete removal of 50 mg∙L−1 dye was observed within 24 h at 30 ± 0.2 °C and pH 7. Significant reduction in TOC (64% and COD (88% of dye decolorized broths confirmed mineralization. Induction in azoreductase (500%, NADH-DCIP reductase (264% and laccase (275% proved enzymatic decolorization of dye. HPLC analysis of dye decolorized products showed the formation of six metabolites while the FTIR spectrum indicated removal of diazo bonds at 1612.30 and 1581.34 cm−1. The proposed dye degradation pathway based on GC-MS and enzyme analysis suggested the formation of two low molecular weight intermediates. Phytotoxicity and acute toxicity studies revealed the less toxic nature of the dye degradation products. These results provide experimental evidence for the utilization of agricultural waste as a novel low-cost growth medium for biodegradation of benzidine-based dyes, and suggested the potential of the microbial consortium in detoxification.

Comparative biodegradation of HDPE and LDPE using an indigenously developed microbial consortium.

Science.gov (United States)

Satlewal, Alok; Soni, Ravindra; Zaidi, Mgh; Shouche, Yogesh; Goel, Reeta

2008-03-01

A variety of bacterial strains were isolated from waste disposal sites of Uttaranchal, India, and some from artificially developed soil beds containing maleic anhydride, glucose, and small pieces of polyethylene. Primary screening of isolates was done based on their ability to utilize high- and low-density polyethylenes (HDPE/LDPE) as a primary carbon source. Thereafter, a consortium was developed using potential strains. Furthermore, a biodegradation assay was carried out in 500-ml flasks containing minimal broth (250 ml) and HDPE/ LDPE at 5 mg/ml concentration. After incubation for two weeks, degraded samples were recovered through filtration and subsequent evaporation. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and simultaneous thermogravimetric-differential thermogravimetry-differential thermal analysis TG-DTG-DTA) were used to analyze these samples. Results showed that consortium-treated HDPE (considered to be more inert relative to LDPE) was degraded to a greater extent 22.41% weight loss) in comparison with LDPE (21.70% weight loss), whereas, in the case of untreated samples, weight loss was more for LDPE than HDPE (4.5% and 2.5%, respectively) at 400 degrees . Therefore, this study suggests that polyethylene could be degraded by utilizing microbial consortia in an eco-friendly manner.

The effectiveness of an augmented cognitive behavioural intervention for post-stroke depression with or without anxiety (PSDA: the Restore4Stroke-PSDA trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kootker Joyce A

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Post-Stroke Depression with or without Anxiety (PSDA is a common disorder in the chronic phase of stroke. Neuropsychiatric problems, such as PSDA, have a negative impact on social reintegration and quality of life. Currently, there is no evidence-based treatment available for reducing PSDA symptoms. In the recent literature on depression in the general population it has been shown that depression complaints can diminish by cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT. In the current study, the effectiveness of augmented, activation-based and individually tailored CBT on the reduction of depression and anxiety will be investigated in patients with PSDA. Additionally, the effects on various secondary outcome measures, such as quality of life, goal attainment and societal participation will be evaluated. This study is embedded in a consortium of 4 interrelated studies on quality of life after stroke (Restore4Stroke. Methods/design A multi-centre, assessor-blind, randomized controlled trial is conducted. A sample of 106 PSDA patients, as assessed with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS depression subscale >7, will be recruited and randomly allocated to either an experimental or a control group. The experimental intervention consists of an augmented CBT intervention. The intervention is based on CBT principles of recognizing, registering, and altering negative thoughts and cognitions so that mood, and emotional symptoms are improved. CBT is augmented with direct in-vivo activation offered by occupational or movement therapists. Patients in the control group will receive a computerized cognitive training intervention. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline, immediately post intervention, and at 6 and 12 months follow up. Discussion This study is the first randomized clinical trial that evaluates the (maintenance of effects of augmented CBT on post-stroke depression with or without anxiety symptoms. Together with three other

77 FR 12041 - Applications for New Awards; Migrant Education Program (MEP) Consortium Incentive Grants Program

Science.gov (United States)

2012-02-28

... involvement of migratory parents in the education of migratory students whose education is interrupted... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Applications for New Awards; Migrant Education Program (MEP) Consortium Incentive Grants Program AGENCY: Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Department of Education...

A randomized controlled Alzheimer's disease prevention trial's evolution into an exposure trial: the PREADViSE Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Kryscio, R J; Abner, E L; Schmitt, F A; Goodman, P J; Mendiondo, M; Caban-Holt, A; Dennis, B C; Mathews, M; Klein, E A; Crowley, J J

2013-01-01

To summarize the ongoing prevention of Alzheimer's disease (AD) by vitamin E and selenium (PREADViSE) trial as an ancillary study to SELECT (a large prostate cancer prevention trial) and to present the blinded results of the first year as an exposure study. PREADViSE was designed as a double blind randomized controlled trial (RCT). SELECT terminated after median of 5.5 years of exposure to supplements due to a futility analysis. Both trials then converted into an exposure study. In the randomized component PREADViSE enrolled 7,547 men age 62 or older (60 if African American). Once the trial terminated 4,246 of these men volunteered for the exposure study. Demographics were similar for both groups with exposure volunteers having baseline mean age 67.3 ± 5.2 years, 15.3 ± 2.4 years of education, 9.8% African Americans, and 22.0% reporting a family history of dementia. In the RCT men were randomly assigned to either daily doses of 400 IU of vitamin E or placebo and 200 µg of selenium or placebo using a 2x2 factorial structure. In the RCT, participants completed the memory impairment screen (MIS), and if they failed, underwent a longer screening (based on an expanded Consortium to Establish a Registry in AD [CERAD] battery). CERAD failure resulted in visits to their clinician for medical examination with records of these examinations forwarded to the PREADViSE center for further review. In the exposure study, men are contacted by telephone and complete the telephone version of the memory impairment screen (MIS-T) screen. If they fail the MIS-T, a modified telephone interview of cognitive status (TICS-M) exam is given. A failed TICS-M exam also leads to a visit to their clinician for an in-depth examination and forwarding of records for a centralized consensus diagnosis by expert clinicians. A subgroup of the men who pass the MIS-T also take the TICS-M exam for validation purposes. While this ancillary trial was open to all 427 SELECT clinical sites, only 130 (30

Directly observed therapy for treating tuberculosis

Science.gov (United States)

Karumbi, Jamlick; Garner, Paul

2015-01-01

Background Tuberculosis (TB) requires at least six months of treatment. If treatment is incomplete, patients may not be cured and drug resistance may develop. Directly Observed Therapy (DOT) is a specific strategy, endorsed by the World Health Organization, to improve adherence by requiring health workers, community volunteers or family members to observe and record patients taking each dose. Objectives To evaluate DOT compared to self-administered therapy in people on treatment for active TB or on prophylaxis to prevent active disease. We also compared the effects of different forms of DOT. Search methods We searched the following databases up to 13 January 2015: the Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group Specialized Register; the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), published in the Cochrane Library; MEDLINE; EMBASE; LILACS and mRCT. We also checked article reference lists and contacted relevant researchers and organizations. Selection criteria Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-RCTs comparing DOT with routine self-administration of treatment or prophylaxis at home. Data collection and analysis Two review authors independently assessed risk of bias of each included trial and extracted data. We compared interventions using risk ratios (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). We used a random-effects model if meta-analysis was appropriate but heterogeneity present (I2 statistic = 50%). We assessed the quality of the evidence using the GRADE approach. Main results Eleven trials including 5662 participants met the inclusion criteria. DOT was performed by a range of people (nurses, community health workers, family members or former TB patients) in a variety of settings (clinic, the patient's home or the home of a community volunteer). DOT versus self-administered Six trials from South Africa, Thailand, Taiwan, Pakistan and Australia compared DOT with self-administered therapy for treatment. Trials included DOT at home by family members

Cognitive effects of transcranial direct current stimulation in depression: Results from the SELECT-TDCS trial and insights for further clinical trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Brunoni, André Russowsky; Tortella, Gabriel; Benseñor, Isabela Martins; Lotufo, Paulo Andrade; Carvalho, André Ferrer; Fregni, Felipe

2016-09-15

Cognitive dysfunction treatment remains an unmet clinical need in major depressive disorder (MDD). Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) may improve cognitive symptoms in MDD. Our aim was to investigate the cognitive effects of tDCS in the Sertraline vs. Electric Current Therapy for Treating Depression Clinical Study (SELECT-TDCS). We also explored whether tDCS could have mood-independent cognitive effects. One hundred twenty MDD patients aged from 18 to 65 years received 12 sessions of active/sham tDCS (2mA for 30min) and real/placebo 50mg/d sertraline over 6 weeks in a factorial trial. We analyzed whether changes in performance of neuropsychological tests (Trail Making, Digit Span, Stroop Task, Mini-Mental Status Exam and Montreal Cognitive Assessment) occurred over time, according to treatment group and depression improvement. Exploratory analyses were carried out to verify the influence of clinical and demographic variables on the outcomes. Cognitive improvement was showed in most tests used, although they occurred regardless of intervention type and depression improvement. Further exploratory analyses revealed that clinical response and education level could have mediated pro-cognitive tDCS effects on some of the tests used. The neuropsychological battery used might not have been sensitive to detect tDCS-induced effects on cognition. Lack of simultaneous cognitive training during application may have also limited its cognitive effects. We found no evidence of beneficial or deleterious cognitive effects of tDCS as a treatment for depression. We discussed clinical trial design considerations for further tDCS studies assessing cognitive effects, including sample and outcomes considerations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Biodegradation of Organic Liquid Waste by Using Consortium Bacteria as Material Preparation of Environmental Pollution Course Textbook

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dora Dayu Rahma Turista

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Organic waste is one waste type which oftenly pollutes the waters. Biodegradation can be used as an environmental remedy solution that is contaminated by organic matter. This research aimed to determine the ability of bacteria consortium in degrading of organic liquid waste, and construct the textbook for Environmental Pollution subject based on research of biodegradation organic waste by using bacteria consortium. This research was done through two stages. The first stage was an experimental research by using Randomized Complete Designe with bacterial type treatment and 3 repetitions, while the second phase of research was a developmental research from the first stage. The results of the first phase showed that the combination of 3 indigenous isolats bacteria (Enterobacter gergoviae, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and Pseudomonas stutzeri was the highest potential bacteria in decreasing BOD (71.75% , COD (74.40%, TSS (58.44%, and increasing DO (84.15%. The second phase was Educational Research and Development of teaching materials which refers to the development model of Borg & Gall. The stages of research were: Research and Information Collecting, Planning, Develop Preliminary Form of Product, Preliminary Field Testing and Main Product Revision which was produced as textbook for the Environmental Pollution course entitled Biodegradation Organic Waste by Using Bacteria Consortium.

Meeting the challenge - solutions for managing oil sands tailings: report of the fine tailings fundamentals consortium 1989-1995

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-01-01

The development and demonstration of effective alternatives for the management of fine tailings in the oil sands industry were discussed in a report describing the work of the Fine Tailings Fundamentals Consortium during the period from 1989 to 1995. The final report of the Consortium is a four-volume publication entitled 'Advances in Oil Sands Tailings Research' which is the state-of-the-art reference to key issues in the reclamation of fine tailings. Government regulations now make it the responsibility of industry to integrate the fine tailings into reclaimed landscapes, so that the final landscape is equal in productive capability to the pre-disturbed state. Impressive progress has been made in understanding the formation of fine tailings and in characterizing their properties, much of it through the work of this Consortium. Fundamental research on the clay particles within fine tailings provides a better understanding of how to manage them. Although there is no 'magic bullet', research has demonstrated that an integrated approach incorporating fine tailings with a variety of elements, uplands, lakes and wetlands, offer the best hope for an environmentally sound solution. figs

A History of the Liberal Arts Computer Science Consortium and Its Model Curricula

Science.gov (United States)

Bruce, Kim B.; Cupper, Robert D.; Scot Drysdale, Robert L.

2010-01-01

With the support of a grant from the Sloan Foundation, nine computer scientists from liberal arts colleges came together in October, 1984 to form the Liberal Arts Computer Science Consortium (LACS) and to create a model curriculum appropriate for liberal arts colleges. Over the years the membership has grown and changed, but the focus has remained…

Breast cancer risk and 6q22.33: combined results from Breast Cancer Association Consortium and Consortium of Investigators on Modifiers of BRCA1/2.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomas Kirchhoff

Full Text Available Recently, a locus on chromosome 6q22.33 (rs2180341 was reported to be associated with increased breast cancer risk in the Ashkenazi Jewish (AJ population, and this association was also observed in populations of non-AJ European ancestry. In the present study, we performed a large replication analysis of rs2180341 using data from 31,428 invasive breast cancer cases and 34,700 controls collected from 25 studies in the Breast Cancer Association Consortium (BCAC. In addition, we evaluated whether rs2180341 modifies breast cancer risk in 3,361 BRCA1 and 2,020 BRCA2 carriers from 11 centers in the Consortium of Investigators of Modifiers of BRCA1/2 (CIMBA. Based on the BCAC data from women of European ancestry, we found evidence for a weak association with breast cancer risk for rs2180341 (per-allele odds ratio (OR = 1.03, 95% CI 1.00-1.06, p = 0.023. There was evidence for heterogeneity in the ORs among studies (I(2 = 49.3%; p = <0.004. In CIMBA, we observed an inverse association with the minor allele of rs2180341 and breast cancer risk in BRCA1 mutation carriers (per-allele OR = 0.89, 95%CI 0.80-1.00, p = 0.048, indicating a potential protective effect of this allele. These data suggest that that 6q22.33 confers a weak effect on breast cancer risk.

Breast Cancer Risk and 6q22.33: Combined Results from Breast Cancer Association Consortium and Consortium of Investigators on Modifiers of BRCA1/2

Science.gov (United States)

Antoniou, Antonis C.; McGuffog, Lesley; Humphreys, Manjeet K.; Dunning, Alison M.; Bojesen, Stig E.; Nordestgaard, Børge G.; Flyger, Henrik; Kang, Daehee; Yoo, Keun-Young; Noh, Dong-Young; Ahn, Sei-Hyun; Dork, Thilo; Schürmann, Peter; Karstens, Johann H.; Hillemanns, Peter; Couch, Fergus J.; Olson, Janet; Vachon, Celine; Wang, Xianshu; Cox, Angela; Brock, Ian; Elliott, Graeme; Reed, Malcolm W.R.; Burwinkel, Barbara; Meindl, Alfons; Brauch, Hiltrud; Hamann, Ute; Ko, Yon-Dschun; Broeks, Annegien; Schmidt, Marjanka K.; Van ‘t Veer, Laura J.; Braaf, Linde M.; Johnson, Nichola; Fletcher, Olivia; Gibson, Lorna; Peto, Julian; Turnbull, Clare; Seal, Sheila; Renwick, Anthony; Rahman, Nazneen; Wu, Pei-Ei; Yu, Jyh-Cherng; Hsiung, Chia-Ni; Shen, Chen-Yang; Southey, Melissa C.; Hopper, John L.; Hammet, Fleur; Van Dorpe, Thijs; Dieudonne, Anne-Sophie; Hatse, Sigrid; Lambrechts, Diether; Andrulis, Irene L.; Bogdanova, Natalia; Antonenkova, Natalia; Rogov, Juri I.; Prokofieva, Daria; Bermisheva, Marina; Khusnutdinova, Elza; van Asperen, Christi J.; Tollenaar, Robert A.E.M.; Hooning, Maartje J.; Devilee, Peter; Margolin, Sara; Lindblom, Annika; Milne, Roger L.; Arias, José Ignacio; Zamora, M. Pilar; Benítez, Javier; Severi, Gianluca; Baglietto, Laura; Giles, Graham G.; kConFab; Group, AOCS Study; Spurdle, Amanda B.; Beesley, Jonathan; Chen, Xiaoqing; Holland, Helene; Healey, Sue; Wang-Gohrke, Shan; Chang-Claude, Jenny; Mannermaa, Arto; Kosma, Veli-Matti; Kauppinen, Jaana; Kataja, Vesa; Agnarsson, Bjarni A.; Caligo, Maria A.; Godwin, Andrew K.; Nevanlinna, Heli; Heikkinen, Tuomas; Fredericksen, Zachary; Lindor, Noralane; Nathanson, Katherine L.; Domchek, Susan M.; SWE-BRCA; Loman, Niklas; Karlsson, Per; Askmalm, Marie Stenmark; Melin, Beatrice; von Wachenfeldt, Anna; HEBON; Hogervorst, Frans B. L.; Verheus, Martijn; Rookus, Matti A.; Seynaeve, Caroline; Oldenburg, Rogier A.; Ligtenberg, Marjolijn J.; Ausems, Margreet G.E.M.; Aalfs, Cora M.; Gille, Hans J.P.; Wijnen, Juul T.; Gómez García, Encarna B.; EMBRACE; Peock, Susan; Cook, Margaret; Oliver, Clare T.; Frost, Debra; Luccarini, Craig; Pichert, Gabriella; Davidson, Rosemarie; Chu, Carol; Eccles, Diana; Ong, Kai-Ren; Cook, Jackie; Douglas, Fiona; Hodgson, Shirley; Evans, D. Gareth; Eeles, Rosalind; Gold, Bert; Pharoah, Paul D.P.; Offit, Kenneth; Chenevix-Trench, Georgia; Easton, Douglas F.

2012-01-01

Recently, a locus on chromosome 6q22.33 (rs2180341) was reported to be associated with increased breast cancer risk in the Ashkenazi Jewish (AJ) population, and this association was also observed in populations of non-AJ European ancestry. In the present study, we performed a large replication analysis of rs2180341 using data from 31,428 invasive breast cancer cases and 34,700 controls collected from 25 studies in the Breast Cancer Association Consortium (BCAC). In addition, we evaluated whether rs2180341 modifies breast cancer risk in 3,361 BRCA1 and 2,020 BRCA2 carriers from 11 centers in the Consortium of Investigators of Modifiers of BRCA1/2 (CIMBA). Based on the BCAC data from women of European ancestry, we found evidence for a weak association with breast cancer risk for rs2180341 (per-allele odds ratio (OR) = 1.03, 95% CI 1.00–1.06, p = 0.023). There was evidence for heterogeneity in the ORs among studies (I2 = 49.3%; p = <0.004). In CIMBA, we observed an inverse association with the minor allele of rs2180341 and breast cancer risk in BRCA1 mutation carriers (per-allele OR = 0.89, 95%CI 0.80–1.00, p = 0.048), indicating a potential protective effect of this allele. These data suggest that that 6q22.33 confers a weak effect on breast cancer risk. PMID:22768030

A genome-wide association study of corneal astigmatism: The CREAM Consortium

OpenAIRE

Shah, Rupal L.; Li, Qing; Zhao, Wanting; Tedja, Milly S.; Tideman, J. Willem L.; Khawaja, Anthony P.; Fan, Qiao; Yazar, Seyhan; Williams, Katie M.; Verhoeven, Virginie J.M.; Xie, Jing; Wang, Ya Xing; Hess, Moritz; Nickels, Stefan; Lackner, Karl J.

2018-01-01

Purpose To identify genes and genetic markers associated with corneal astigmatism. Methods: A meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies (GWASs) of corneal astigmatism undertaken for 14 European ancestry (n=22,250) and 8 Asian ancestry (n=9,120) cohorts was performed by the Consortium for Refractive Error and Myopia. Cases were defined as having >0.75 diopters of corneal astigmatism. Subsequent gene-based and gene-set analyses of the meta-analyzed results of European ancestry cohorts we...

A genome-wide association study of corneal astigmatism: The CREAM Consortium

OpenAIRE

Shah, Rupal L.; Li, Qing; Zhao, Wanting; Tedja, Milly S.; Tideman, J. Willem L.; Khawaja, Anthony P.; Fan, Qiao; Yazar, Seyhan; Williams, Katie M.; Verhoeven, Virginie J.M.; Xie, Jing; Wang, Ya Xing; Hess, Moritz; Nickels, Stefan; Lackner, Karl J.

2018-01-01

Purpose To identify genes and genetic markers associated with corneal astigmatism. Methods A meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies (GWASs) of corneal astigmatism undertaken for 14 European ancestry (n=22,250) and 8 Asian ancestry (n=9,120) cohorts was performed by the Consortium for Refractive Error and Myopia. Cases were defined as having >0.75 diopters of corneal astigmatism. Subsequent gene-based and gene-set analyses of the meta-analyzed results of European ancestry cohorts wer...

A genome-wide association study of corneal astigmatism: The CREAM Consortium.

OpenAIRE

Shah, Rupal L; Li, Qing; Zhao, Wanting; Tedja, Milly S; Tideman, J Willem L; Khawaja, Anthony P; Fan, Qiao; Yazar, Seyhan; Williams, Katie M; Verhoeven, Virginie J M; Xie, Jing; Wang, Ya Xing; Hess, Moritz; Nickels, Stefan; Lackner, Karl J

2018-01-01

Purpose To identify genes and genetic markers associated with corneal astigmatism. Methods A meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies (GWASs) of corneal astigmatism undertaken for 14 European ancestry (n=22,250) and 8 Asian ancestry (n=9,120) cohorts was performed by the Consortium for Refractive Error and Myopia. Cases were defined as having >0.75 diopters of corneal astigmatism. Subsequent gene-based and gene-set analyses of the meta-analyzed results of European ancestry...

A genome-wide association study of corneal astigmatism : The CREAM Consortium

OpenAIRE

Shah, Rupal L.; Li, Qing; Zhao, Wanting; Tedja, Milly S.; Tideman, J. Willem L.; Khawaja, Anthony P.; Fan, Qiao; Yazar, Seyhan; Williams, Katie M.; Verhoeven, Virginie J.M.; Xie, Jing; Wang, Ya Xing; Hess, Moritz; Nickels, Stefan; Lackner, Karl J.

2018-01-01

Purpose: To identify genes and genetic markers associated with corneal astigmatism. Methods: A meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies (GWASs) of corneal astigmatism undertaken for 14 European ancestry (n=22,250) and 8 Asian ancestry (n=9,120) cohorts was performed by the Consortium for Refractive Error and Myopia. Cases were defined as having >0.75 diopters of corneal astigmatism. Subsequent gene-based and gene-set analyses of the meta-analyzed results of European ancestry cohor...

A genome-wide association study of corneal astigmatism:The CREAM consortium

OpenAIRE

Shah, Rupal L.; Li, Qing; Zhao, Wanting; Tedja, Milly S.; Tideman, J. Willem L.; Khawaja, Anthony P.; Fan, Qiao; Yazar, Seyhan; Williams, Katie M.; Verhoeven, Virginie J.M.; Xie, Jing; Wang, Ya Xing; Hess, Moritz; Nickels, Stefan; Lackner, Karl J.

2018-01-01

Purpose: To identify genes and genetic markers associated with corneal astigmatism. Methods: A meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies (GWASs) of corneal astigmatism undertaken for 14 European ancestry (n=22,250) and 8 Asian ancestry (n=9,120) cohorts was performed by the Consortium for Refractive Error and Myopia. Cases were defined as having >0.75 diopters of corneal astigmatism. Subsequent gene-based and gene-set analyses of the meta-analyzed results of European ancestry cohort...

Pathways to smoking behaviours : biological insights from the Tobacco and Genetics Consortium meta-analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Minicã, C C; Mbarek, H; Pool, R; Dolan, C V; Boomsma, D I; Vink, J M

By running gene and pathway analyses for several smoking behaviours in the Tobacco and Genetics Consortium (TAG) sample of 74 053 individuals, 21 genes and several chains of biological pathways were implicated. Analyses were carried out using the HYbrid Set-based Test (HYST) as implemented in the

[Early clinical trials in paediatric oncology in Spain: a nationwide perspective].

Science.gov (United States)

Bautista, Francisco; Gallego, Soledad; Cañete, Adela; Mora, Jaume; Díaz de Heredia, Cristina; Cruz, Ofelia; Fernández, José María; Rives, Susana; Berlanga, Pablo; Hladun, Raquel; Juan Ribelles, Antonio; Madero, Luis; Ramírez, Manuel; Fernández Delgado, Rafael; Pérez-Martínez, Antonio; Mata, Cristina; Llort, Anna; Martín Broto, Javier; Cela, María Elena; Ramírez, Gema; Sábado, Constantino; Acha, Tomás; Astigarraga, Itziar; Sastre, Ana; Muñoz, Ascensión; Guibelalde, Mercedes; Moreno, Lucas

2017-09-01

Cancer is the leading cause of death between the first year of life and adolescence, and some types of diseases are still a major challenge in terms of cure. There is, therefore, a major need for new drugs. Recent findings in cancer biology open the door to the development of targeted therapies against individual molecular changes, as well as immunotherapy. Promising results in adult anti-cancer drug development have not yet been translated into paediatric clinical practice. A report is presented on the activity in early paediatric oncology trials (phase I-II) in Spain. All members of the Spanish Society of Paediatric Haematology Oncology (SEHOP) were contacted in order to identify early clinical trials in paediatric cancer opened between 2005 and 2015. A total of 30 trials had been opened in this period: 21 (70%) in solid tumours, and 9 (30%) in malignant haemopathies. A total of 212 patients have been enrolled. The majority was industry sponsored (53%). Since 2010, four centres have joined the international consortium of Innovative Therapies for Children with Cancer (ITCC), which has as its aim to develop novel therapies for paediatric tumours. A significant number of new studies have opened since 2010, improving the treatment opportunities for our children. Results of recently closed trials show the contribution of Spanish investigators, the introduction of molecularly targeted agents, and their benefits. The activity in clinical trials has increased in the years analysed. The SEHOP is committed to develop and participate in collaborative academic trials, in order to help in the advancement and optimisation of existing therapies in paediatric cancer. Copyright © 2016 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

76 FR 16819 - Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993-Consortium for...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-25

..., Chester Township, PA; Consortium for Education, Research and Technology of North Louisiana (CERT... commercialized. Additional information concerning the CEED can be obtained from Mr. Darold L. Griffin, Executive...

Crystals against cancer

CERN Multimedia

2009-01-01

This is a remarkable example of direct technology transfer from particle physics to medicine. Clinical trials have begun in Portugal on a new medical imaging system for the diagnosis of breast cancer, which uses positron emission tomography (PET). The system, developed by a Portuguese consortium in collaboration with CERN and laboratories participating in the Crystal Clear collaboration, will detect even the smallest tumours and thus help avoid unnecessary biopsies.

Consortium Application of Endophytic Bacteria and Fungi Improves Grain Yield and Physiological Attributes in Advanced Lines of Bread Wheat

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ghulam Muhae-Ud-Din

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Increasing human population places pressure on agriculture. To feed this population, two time increase in the current wheat production is needed. Today agriculture is becoming input intensive with more reliance on synthetic fertilizers and agrochemicals to fulfil the feed demand of the growing numbers. Use of synthetic fertilizer since last few years is impacting the soil quality. In this scenario, the use of beneficial endophytic microbes is an attractive strategy to overcome the use of synthetic products. To investigate the effect of consortium application of endophytic bacteria and fungus on plant growth, grain yield moisture status, a pot experiment was conducted in different wheat lines. It comprised four treatments like control, application of bacterial strain Bacillus sp. MN54, fungal strain Trichoderma sp. MN6, and their consortium (Bacillus sp. MN54 + Trichoderma sp. MN6. The effect of consortium application was more prominent and significantly different from the sole application of bacteria and fungus. The results showed that with a consortium application of endophytic bacteria and fungus, there was 28.6, 4.3, -6.3 and -3.7% increases in flag leaf area, chlorophyll content, relative membrane permeability and water content respectively. Consortia of endophytic microbes also resulted in the yield enhancement through the betterment of various yield attributes like number of spikelet’s, grains per spike and grain yield per plant (32.2, 25.8 and 30.8%, respectively. So, consortia of endophytic microbes can greatly promote the progress of plants in dry land agriculture and increase the yield in an environmentally sustainable way.

The Consortium for Dark Sky Studies: A Transdisciplinary Institute for Understanding the Loss of the Night

Science.gov (United States)

Barentine, John; Kieda, David; Goldsmith, Stephen; Foott, Bettymaya; Muir, Janet

2018-01-01

Research into the effects of artificial light at night (ALAN) has grown from a niche speciality into a broad field touching on aspects of life science, physics, astronomy, social science, and more, reflecting the highly interconnected subjects whose common characteristic is the alteration of the natural nighttime environment by anthropogenic light pollution. Until recently, there was no focal point for these diverse efforts to foster connections between researchers and initiate new topics of study in ALAN research. In 2016, the Consortium for Dark Sky Studies (CDSS), the world’s first organization dedicated to the study of the night and the influence of human nighttime activities on the integrity of natural darkness, was founded at the University of Utah. We describe the motivations for establishing the Consortium, its early activities, and initial outcomes of the effort.

2012 Puget Sound LiDAR Consortium (PSLC) Topographic LiDAR: Quinault River Watershed, Washington (Delivery 1)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Watershed Sciences, Inc. (WSI) collected Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data on the Quinault watershed survey area for the Puget Sound LiDAR Consortium. This...

Remotely-Supervised Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS for Clinical Trials: Guidelines for Technology and Protocols

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leigh E Charvet

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS is cumulative. Treatment protocols typically require multiple consecutive sessions spanning weeks or months. However, traveling to clinic for a tDCS session can present an obstacle to subjects and their caregivers. With modified devices and headgear, tDCS treatment can be administered remotely under clinical supervision, potentially enhancing recruitment, throughput, and convenience. Here we propose standards and protocols for clinical trials utilizing remotely-supervised tDCS with the goal of providing safe, reproducible and well-tolerated stimulation therapy outside of the clinic. The recommendations include: 1 training of staff in tDCS treatment and supervision, 2 assessment of the user’s capability to participate in tDCS remotely, 3 ongoing training procedures and materials including assessments of the user and/or caregiver, 4 simple and fail-safe electrode preparation techniques and tDCS headgear, 5 strict dose control for each session, 6 ongoing monitoring to quantify compliance (device preparation, electrode saturation/placement, stimulation protocol, with corresponding corrective steps as required, 7 monitoring for treatment-emergent adverse effects, 8 guidelines for discontinuation of a session and/or study participation including emergency failsafe procedures tailored to the treatment population’s level of need. These guidelines are intended to provide a minimal level of methodological rigor for clinical trials seeking to apply tDCS outside a specialized treatment center. We outline indication-specific applications (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Depression, Multiple Sclerosis, Palliative Care following these recommendations that support a standardized framework for evaluating the tolerability and reproducibility of remote-supervised tDCS that, once established, will allow for translation of tDCS clinical trials to a greater size and range of patient populations.

Identification and characterization of an anaerobic ethanol-producing cellulolytic bacterial consortium from Great Basin hot springs with agricultural residues and energy crops.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Chao; Deng, Yunjin; Wang, Xingna; Li, Qiuzhe; Huang, Yifan; Liu, Bin

2014-09-01

In order to obtain the cellulolytic bacterial consortia, sediments from Great Basin hot springs (Nevada, USA) were sampled and enriched with cellulosic biomass as the sole carbon source. The bacterial composition of the resulting anaerobic ethanol-producing celluloytic bacterial consortium, named SV79, was analyzed. With methods of the full-length 16S rRNA librarybased analysis and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis, 21 bacteria belonging to eight genera were detected from this consortium. Clones with closest relation to the genera Acetivibrio, Clostridium, Cellulosilyticum, Ruminococcus, and Sporomusa were predominant. The cellulase activities and ethanol productions of consortium SV79 using different agricultural residues (sugarcane bagasse and spent mushroom substrate) and energy crops (Spartina anglica, Miscanthus floridulus, and Pennisetum sinese Roxb) were studied. During cultivation, consortium SV79 produced the maximum filter paper activity (FPase, 9.41 U/ml), carboxymethylcellulase activity (CMCase, 6.35 U/ml), and xylanase activity (4.28 U/ml) with sugarcane bagasse, spent mushroom substrate, and S. anglica, respectively. The ethanol production using M. floridulus as substrate was up to 2.63 mM ethanol/g using gas chromatography analysis. It has high potential to be a new candidate for producing ethanol with cellulosic biomass under anoxic conditions in natural environments.

Meta-Analysis of Mismatch Repair Polymorphisms within the Cogent Consortium for Colorectal Cancer Susceptibility

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Picelli, S.; Bermejo, J. L.; Chang-Claude, J.; Hoffmeister, M.; Fernandez-Rozadilla, C.; Carracedo, A.; Castells, A.; Castellví-Bel, S.; Naccarati, Alessio; Pardini, Barbara; Vodičková, Ludmila; Müller, H.; Talseth-Palmer, B. A.; Stibbard, G.; Peterlongo, P.; Nici, C.; Veneroni, S.; Li, L.; Casey, G.; Tenesa, A.; Farrington, S.M.; Tomlinson, I.; Moreno, V.; van Wezel, T.; Wijnen, J.; Dunlop, M.; Radice, P.; Scott, R. J.; Vodička, Pavel; Ruiz-Ponte, C.; Brenner, H.; Buch, S.; Völzke, H.; Hampe, J.; Schafmayer, C.; Lindblom, A.

2013-01-01

Roč. 8, č. 9 (2013), e72091 E-ISSN 1932-6203 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP304/10/1286; GA ČR GA310/07/1430 Institutional support: RVO:68378041 Keywords : colerectal cancer * The EPICOLON Consortium Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 3.534, year: 2013

Bioremoval of Am-241 and Cs-137 from liquid radioactive wasters by bacterial consortiums; Biorremocao de Am-241 e Cs-137 de rejeitos radioativos liquidos por consorcios bacterianos

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ferreira, Rafael Vicente de Padua; Lima, Josenilson B. de; Gomes, Mirella C.; Borba, Tania R.; Bellini, Maria Helena; Marumo, Julio Takehiro; Sakata, Solange Kazumi, E-mail: rpadua@ipen.b, E-mail: sksakata@ipen.b, E-mail: jblima@ipen.b, E-mail: mbmarumo@ipen.b, E-mail: jtmarumo@ipen.b [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

2011-10-26

This paper evaluates the capacity of two bacterial consortiums of impacted areas in removing the Am-241 and Cs-137 from liquid radioactive wastes.The experiments indicated that the two study consortiums were able to remove 100% of the Cs-137 and Am-241 presents in the waste from 4 days of contact. These results suggest that the bio removal with the selected consortiums, can be a viable technique for the treatment of radioactive wastes containing Am-241 and Cs-137

Subgroup analyses in randomised controlled trials: cohort study on trial protocols and journal publications.

Science.gov (United States)

Kasenda, Benjamin; Schandelmaier, Stefan; Sun, Xin; von Elm, Erik; You, John; Blümle, Anette; Tomonaga, Yuki; Saccilotto, Ramon; Amstutz, Alain; Bengough, Theresa; Meerpohl, Joerg J; Stegert, Mihaela; Olu, Kelechi K; Tikkinen, Kari A O; Neumann, Ignacio; Carrasco-Labra, Alonso; Faulhaber, Markus; Mulla, Sohail M; Mertz, Dominik; Akl, Elie A; Bassler, Dirk; Busse, Jason W; Ferreira-González, Ignacio; Lamontagne, Francois; Nordmann, Alain; Gloy, Viktoria; Raatz, Heike; Moja, Lorenzo; Rosenthal, Rachel; Ebrahim, Shanil; Vandvik, Per O; Johnston, Bradley C; Walter, Martin A; Burnand, Bernard; Schwenkglenks, Matthias; Hemkens, Lars G; Bucher, Heiner C; Guyatt, Gordon H; Briel, Matthias

2014-07-16

To investigate the planning of subgroup analyses in protocols of randomised controlled trials and the agreement with corresponding full journal publications. Cohort of protocols of randomised controlled trial and subsequent full journal publications. Six research ethics committees in Switzerland, Germany, and Canada. 894 protocols of randomised controlled trial involving patients approved by participating research ethics committees between 2000 and 2003 and 515 subsequent full journal publications. Of 894 protocols of randomised controlled trials, 252 (28.2%) included one or more planned subgroup analyses. Of those, 17 (6.7%) provided a clear hypothesis for at least one subgroup analysis, 10 (4.0%) anticipated the direction of a subgroup effect, and 87 (34.5%) planned a statistical test for interaction. Industry sponsored trials more often planned subgroup analyses compared with investigator sponsored trials (195/551 (35.4%) v 57/343 (16.6%), P<0.001). Of 515 identified journal publications, 246 (47.8%) reported at least one subgroup analysis. In 81 (32.9%) of the 246 publications reporting subgroup analyses, authors stated that subgroup analyses were prespecified, but this was not supported by 28 (34.6%) corresponding protocols. In 86 publications, authors claimed a subgroup effect, but only 36 (41.9%) corresponding protocols reported a planned subgroup analysis. Subgroup analyses are insufficiently described in the protocols of randomised controlled trials submitted to research ethics committees, and investigators rarely specify the anticipated direction of subgroup effects. More than one third of statements in publications of randomised controlled trials about subgroup prespecification had no documentation in the corresponding protocols. Definitive judgments regarding credibility of claimed subgroup effects are not possible without access to protocols and analysis plans of randomised controlled trials. © The DISCO study group 2014.

Treatment: Latent TB Infection (LTBI) and TB Disease

Science.gov (United States)

... Adverse Events TB Treatment of Persons Living with HIV TB Treatment and Pregnancy TB Treatment for Children Drug-Resistant TB Research TB Epidemiologic Studies Consortium Research Projects Publications TB Trials Consortium Study ...

Testing for TB Infection

Science.gov (United States)

... Adverse Events TB Treatment of Persons Living with HIV TB Treatment and Pregnancy TB Treatment for Children Drug-Resistant TB Research TB Epidemiologic Studies Consortium Research Projects Publications TB Trials Consortium Study ...

An international assistance example. The Bulgaria case. Action of the Consortium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Milhem, J.L.; Mattei, J.M.

1993-01-01

The approach used by the Consortium (IPSN, GRS, AVN, AEA, NII) in order to judge on the acceptability of the assistance programme to the Bulgarian Nuclear Safety Authority (BNSA) and of its fulfillment, is presented. Examples of improvements analysis at the Kozloduy unit 2 nuclear plant are given: preventive measures analysis (reactor protection system, control of the pressure), development of procedures for design basis accident, beyond design accident analysis (treatment of a break on the HPIS header, emergency feed water system)

Functional consortium for denitrifying sulfide removal process.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Chuan; Ren, Nanqi; Wang, Aijie; Liu, Lihong; Lee, Duu-Jong

2010-03-01

Denitrifying sulfide removal (DSR) process simultaneously converts sulfide, nitrate, and chemical oxygen demand from industrial wastewaters to elemental sulfur, nitrogen gas, and carbon dioxide, respectively. This investigation utilizes a dilution-to-extinction approach at 10(-2) to 10(-6) dilutions to elucidate the correlation between the composition of the microbial community and the DSR performance. In the original suspension and in 10(-2) dilution, the strains Stenotrophomonas sp., Thauera sp., and Azoarcus sp. are the heterotrophic denitrifiers and the strains Paracoccus sp. and Pseudomonas sp. are the sulfide-oxidizing denitrifers. The 10(-4) dilution is identified as the functional consortium for the present DSR system, which comprises two functional strains, Stenotrophomonas sp. strain Paracoccus sp. At 10(-6) dilution, all DSR performance was lost. The functions of the constituent cells in the DSR granules were discussed based on data obtained using the dilution-to-extinction approach.

Improving temporal bone dissection using self-directed virtual reality simulation: results of a randomized blinded control trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Yi Chen; Kennedy, Gregor; Yukawa, Kumiko; Pyman, Brian; O'Leary, Stephen

2011-03-01

A significant benefit of virtual reality (VR) simulation is the ability to provide self-direct learning for trainees. This study aims to determine whether there are any differences in performance of cadaver temporal bone dissections between novices who received traditional teaching methods and those who received unsupervised self-directed learning in a VR temporal bone simulator. Randomized blinded control trial. Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital. Twenty novice trainees. After receiving an hour lecture, participants were randomized into 2 groups to receive an additional 2 hours of training via traditional teaching methods or self-directed learning using a VR simulator with automated guidance. The simulation environment presented participants with structured training tasks, which were accompanied by real-time computer-generated feedback as well as real operative videos and photos. After the training, trainees were asked to perform a cortical mastoidectomy on a cadaveric temporal bone. The dissection was videotaped and assessed by 3 otologists blinded to participants' teaching group. The overall performance scores of the simulator-based training group were significantly higher than those of the traditional training group (67% vs 29%; P < .001), with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.93, indicating excellent interrater reliability. Using other assessments of performance, such as injury size, the VR simulator-based training group also performed better than the traditional group. This study indicates that self-directed learning on VR simulators can be used to improve performance on cadaver dissection in novice trainees compared with traditional teaching methods alone.

The Southern and Eastern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality. Assessment GEMs No. 8

Science.gov (United States)

Australian Council for Educational Research, 2015

2015-01-01

The Southern and Eastern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality (SACMEQ) carries out large-scale cross-national research studies in member countries in the Southern and Eastern Africa region. It aims to assess the conditions of schooling and performance levels of learners and teachers in the areas of literacy and numeracy. SACMEQ has…

EDCTP regional networks of excellence: initial merits for planned clinical trials in Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Miiro, George M; Oukem-Boyer, Odile Ouwe Missi; Sarr, Ousmane; Rahmani, Maerangis; Ntoumi, Francine; Dheda, Keertan; Pym, Alexander; Mboup, Souleymane; Kaleebu, Pontiano

2013-03-22

Achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and combating hotspots with escalating but preventable communicable diseases remain major challenges in Africa. The European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) intervened to combat poverty-related diseases including malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, and to conduct multi-centre clinical trials and multi-disciplinary health research through an innovative model of regional Networks of Excellence (NoEs). We participated in a quasi-formative evaluation between October and December 2011 on the 4 regional-led research networks. These included the: Central Africa Network on Tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and Malaria (CANTAM); East African Consortium for Clinical Research (EACCR); West African Network of Excellence for TB, AIDS and Malaria (WANETAM), and the Trials of Excellence for Southern Africa (TESA) launched between 2009 and 2010. We shared a participatory appraisal of field reports, progress reports and presentations from each network to jointly outline the initial experiences of the merits, outputs and lessons learnt. The self-regulating democratic networks, with 64 institutions in 21 African countries, have trained over 1, 000 African scientists, upgraded 36 sites for clinical trials, leveraged additional € 24 million and generated 38 peer-reviewed publications through networking and partnerships. The shared initial merits and lessons learnt portray in part the strengthened capacity of these networks for improved research coordination and conduct of planned multi-center clinical trials in Africa. Increased funding by African agencies, governments and international health partners will ensure sustainability of these networks for research capacity development and demonstrate their commitment to achieving the MDGs in Africa.

Determinism and Contingency Shape Metabolic Complementation in an Endosymbiotic Consortium.

Science.gov (United States)

Ponce-de-Leon, Miguel; Tamarit, Daniel; Calle-Espinosa, Jorge; Mori, Matteo; Latorre, Amparo; Montero, Francisco; Pereto, Juli

2017-01-01

Bacterial endosymbionts and their insect hosts establish an intimate metabolic relationship. Bacteria offer a variety of essential nutrients to their hosts, whereas insect cells provide the necessary sources of matter and energy to their tiny metabolic allies. These nutritional complementations sustain themselves on a diversity of metabolite exchanges between the cell host and the reduced yet highly specialized bacterial metabolism-which, for instance, overproduces a small set of essential amino acids and vitamins. A well-known case of metabolic complementation is provided by the cedar aphid Cinara cedri that harbors two co-primary endosymbionts, Buchnera aphidicola BCc and Ca . Serratia symbiotica SCc, and in which some metabolic pathways are partitioned between different partners. Here we present a genome-scale metabolic network (GEM) for the bacterial consortium from the cedar aphid i BSCc. The analysis of this GEM allows us the confirmation of cases of metabolic complementation previously described by genome analysis (i.e., tryptophan and biotin biosynthesis) and the redefinition of an event of metabolic pathway sharing between the two endosymbionts, namely the biosynthesis of tetrahydrofolate. In silico knock-out experiments with i BSCc showed that the consortium metabolism is a highly integrated yet fragile network. We also have explored the evolutionary pathways leading to the emergence of metabolic complementation between reduced metabolisms starting from individual, complete networks. Our results suggest that, during the establishment of metabolic complementation in endosymbionts, adaptive evolution is significant in the case of tryptophan biosynthesis, whereas vitamin production pathways seem to adopt suboptimal solutions.

Effects of Transcranial Direct-Current Stimulation on Neurosurgical Skill Acquisition: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Ciechanski, Patrick; Cheng, Adam; Lopushinsky, Steven; Hecker, Kent; Gan, Liu Shi; Lang, Stefan; Zareinia, Kourosh; Kirton, Adam

2017-12-01

Recent changes in surgical training environments may have limited opportunities for trainees to gain proficiency in skill. Complex skills such as neurosurgery require extended periods of training. Methods to enhance surgical training are required to overcome duty-hour restrictions, to ensure the acquisition of skill proficiency. Transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) can enhance motor skill learning, but is untested in surgical procedural training. We aimed to determine the effects of tDCS on simulation-based neurosurgical skill acquisition. Medical students were trained to acquire tumor resection skills using a virtual reality neurosurgical simulator. The primary outcome of change in tumor resection was scored at baseline, over 8 repetitions, post-training, and again at 6 weeks. Participants received anodal tDCS or sham over the primary motor cortex. Secondary outcomes included changes in brain resected, resection effectiveness, duration of excessive forces (EF) applied, and resection efficiency. Additional outcomes included tDCS tolerability. Twenty-two students consented to participate, with no dropouts over the course of the trial. Participants receiving tDCS intervention increased the amount of tumor resected, increased the effectiveness of resection, reduced the duration of EF applied, and improved resection efficiency. Little or no decay was observed at 6 weeks in both groups. No adverse events were documented, and sensation severity did not differ between stimulation groups. The addition of tDCS to neurosurgical training may enhance skill acquisition in a simulation-based environment. Trials of additional skills in high-skill residents, and translation to nonsimulated performance are needed to determine the potential utility of tDCS in surgical training. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Three steam generator replacement projects in 1995: Consortium Siemens Framatome is well prepared to contribute its experience to the SGR at the Krsko NPP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holz, R.; Clavier, G.

1996-01-01

Since the companies Siemens AG and Framatome S.A. joined their experience and efforts in the field of steam generators replacements and formed a consortium in 1991, the following projects were performed in 1995: Ringhals 3, Tihange 3 and Asco 2. Further projects will follow in 1996, i.e., Doel 4 and Asco 2. Currently, this European consortium is bidding for the contract to replace the steam generators at the Krsko NPP and hopes to be awarded in 1996. An overview of the way the Consortium Siemens and Framatome approaches SG replacement projects is given based on the projects performed in 1995. Various aspects of project planning, management, licensing, personnel qualification and techniques used on site will be discussed. (author)

A proteomics approach to study synergistic and antagonistic interactions of the fungal-bacterial consortium Fusarium oxysporum wild-type MSA 35.

Science.gov (United States)

Moretti, Marino; Grunau, Alexander; Minerdi, Daniela; Gehrig, Peter; Roschitzki, Bernd; Eberl, Leo; Garibaldi, Angelo; Gullino, Maria Lodovica; Riedel, Kathrin

2010-09-01

Fusarium oxysporum is an important plant pathogen that causes severe damage of many economically important crop species. Various microorganisms have been shown to inhibit this soil-borne plant pathogen, including non-pathogenic F. oxysporum strains. In this study, F. oxysporum wild-type (WT) MSA 35, a biocontrol multispecies consortium that consists of a fungus and numerous rhizobacteria mainly belonging to gamma-proteobacteria, was analyzed by two complementary metaproteomic approaches (2-DE combined with MALDI-Tof/Tof MS and 1-D PAGE combined with LC-ESI-MS/MS) to identify fungal or bacterial factors potentially involved in antagonistic or synergistic interactions between the consortium members. Moreover, the proteome profiles of F. oxysporum WT MSA 35 and its cured counter-part CU MSA 35 (WT treated with antibiotics) were compared with unravel the bacterial impact on consortium functioning. Our study presents the first proteome mapping of an antagonistic F. oxysporum strain and proposes candidate proteins that might play an important role for the biocontrol activity and the close interrelationship between the fungus and its bacterial partners.

C-MAC compared with direct laryngoscopy for intubation in patients with cervical spine immobilization: A manikin trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Smereka, Jacek; Ladny, Jerzy R; Naylor, Amanda; Ruetzler, Kurt; Szarpak, Lukasz

2017-08-01

The aim of this study was to compare C-MAC videolaryngoscopy with direct laryngoscopy for intubation in simulated cervical spine immobilization conditions. The study was designed as a prospective randomized crossover manikin trial. 70 paramedics with immobilization (Scenario A); manual inline cervical immobilization (Scenario B); cervical immobilization using cervical extraction collar (Scenario C). Scenario A: Nearly all participants performed successful intubations with both MAC and C-MAC on the first attempt (95.7% MAC vs. 100% C-MAC), with similar intubation times (16.5s MAC vs. 18s C-MAC). Scenario B: The results with C-MAC were significantly better than those with MAC (pimmobilization. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Gene Ontology Consortium: going forward.

Science.gov (United States)

2015-01-01

The Gene Ontology (GO; http://www.geneontology.org) is a community-based bioinformatics resource that supplies information about gene product function using ontologies to represent biological knowledge. Here we describe improvements and expansions to several branches of the ontology, as well as updates that have allowed us to more efficiently disseminate the GO and capture feedback from the research community. The Gene Ontology Consortium (GOC) has expanded areas of the ontology such as cilia-related terms, cell-cycle terms and multicellular organism processes. We have also implemented new tools for generating ontology terms based on a set of logical rules making use of templates, and we have made efforts to increase our use of logical definitions. The GOC has a new and improved web site summarizing new developments and documentation, serving as a portal to GO data. Users can perform GO enrichment analysis, and search the GO for terms, annotations to gene products, and associated metadata across multiple species using the all-new AmiGO 2 browser. We encourage and welcome the input of the research community in all biological areas in our continued effort to improve the Gene Ontology. © The Author(s) 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Aerobic De-Epoxydation of Trichothecene Mycotoxins by a Soil Bacterial Consortium Isolated Using In Situ Soil Enrichment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wei-Jie He

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Globally, the trichothecene mycotoxins deoxynivalenol (DON and nivalenol (NIV are among the most widely distributed mycotoxins that contaminate small grain cereals. In this study, a bacterial consortium, PGC-3, with de-epoxydation activity was isolated from soil by an in situ soil enrichment method. Screening of 14 soil samples that were sprayed with DON revealed that 4 samples were able to biotransform DON into de-epoxydized DON (dE-DON. Among these, the PGC-3 consortium showed the highest and most stable activity to biotransform DON into dE-DON and NIV into dE-NIV. PGC-3 exhibited de-epoxydation activity at a wide range of pH (5–10 and temperatures (20–37 °C values under aerobic conditions. Sequential subculturing with a continued exposure to DON substantially reduced the microbial population diversity of this consortium. Analyses of the 16S rDNA sequences indicated that PGC-3 comprised 10 bacterial genera. Among these, one species, Desulfitobacterium, showed a steady increase in relative abundance, from 0.03% to 1.55% (a 52-fold increase, as higher concentrations of DON were used in the subculture media, from 0 to 500 μg/mL. This study establishes the foundation to further develop bioactive agents that can detoxify trichothecene mycotoxins in cereals and enables for the characterization of detoxifying genes and their regulation.

The INHANCE consortium: toward a better understanding of the causes and mechanisms of head and neck cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Winn, D M; Lee, Y-C A; Hashibe, M; Boffetta, P

2015-09-01

The International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology (INHANCE) consortium is a collaboration of research groups leading large epidemiology studies to improve the understanding of the causes and mechanisms of head and neck cancer. The consortium includes investigators of 35 studies who have pooled their data on 25 500 patients with head and neck cancer (i.e., cancers of the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, and larynx) and 37 100 controls. The INHANCE analyses have confirmed that tobacco use and alcohol intake are key risk factors of these diseases and have provided precise estimates of risk and dose response, the benefit of quitting, and the hazard of smoking even a few cigarettes per day. Other risk factors include short height, lean body mass, low education and income, and a family history of head and neck cancer. Risk factors are generally similar for oral cavity, pharynx, and larynx, although the magnitude of risk may vary. Some major strengths of pooling data across studies include more precise estimates of risk and the ability to control for potentially confounding factors and to examine factors that may interact with each other. The INHANCE consortium provides evidence of the scientific productivity and discoveries that can be obtained from data pooling projects. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Clinical utilization of genomics data produced by the international Pseudomonas aeruginosa consortium

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Freschi, Luca; Jeukens, Julie; Kukavica-Ibrulj, Irena

2015-01-01

The International Pseudomonas aeruginosa Consortium is sequencing over 1000 genomes and building an analysis pipeline for the study of Pseudomonas genome evolution, antibiotic resistance and virulence genes. Metadata, including genomic and phenotypic data for each isolate of the collection, are a...... implicated in human and animal infections, understand how patients become infected and how the infection evolves over time as well as identify prognostic markers for better evidence-based decisions on patient care....

25 CFR 1000.382 - What may the Tribe's/Consortium's annual report on self-governance address?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

...-governance address? 1000.382 Section 1000.382 Indians OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY, INDIAN AFFAIRS... report on self-governance address? (a) The Tribe's/Consortium's annual self-governance report may address... the programs and services funded under self-governance, summarized and annotated as the Tribe may deem...

25 CFR 1000.223 - When can a Tribe/Consortium request a waiver of a regulation?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... regulation? 1000.223 Section 1000.223 Indians OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY, INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR ANNUAL FUNDING AGREEMENTS UNDER THE TRIBAL SELF-GOVERNMENT ACT AMENDMENTS TO THE INDIAN SELF-DETERMINATION AND EDUCATION ACT Waiver of Regulations § 1000.223 When can a Tribe/Consortium...

77 FR 25406 - Consortium on “Concrete Rheology: Enabling Metrology (CREME)”: Membership Fee Update

Science.gov (United States)

2012-04-30

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Institute of Standards and Technology Consortium on ``Concrete... Technology, Commerce. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: On October 25, 2011, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) published a notice of a public meeting, which was held on November 8, 2011, to explore the...

The East Bay Vegetation Management Consortium:\\ta subregional approach to resource management and planning

Science.gov (United States)

Tony Acosta

1995-01-01

Formed in response to the October 20, 1991, Oakland/Berkeley hills firestorm, the East Bay Vegetation Management Consortium (EBVMC) is a voluntary association of public agencies concerned with vegetation management and planning related to fire hazard reduction in the Oakland/ Berkeley hills. To date, a total of nine agencies are participating in the EBVMC, including...

Caspian Pipeline Consortium, Bellwether of Russia's Investment climate?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dellecker, A.

2008-01-01

The Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), a shipper-owned oil pipeline carrying Caspian oil to Russia's Black Sea port of Novorossyisk, remains to this day the only oil export pipeline on Russian territory that is not under the control of the state company Transneft. Completed in 2001, the CPC was, from the start, the product of a fragile balance of power between states eager to maintain control of hydrocarbon flows and private companies able to finance the necessary infrastructure. Despite its economic success, the future of the CPC currently hinges on a share-holding dispute pitting Russia against private shareholders. This essay places the CPC dossier in the broader context of Russia's investment climate and argues that the dispute's dynamic is an important bellwether of the Russian energy policy. (author)

Sharing perspectives and experiences of doctoral fellows in the first cohort of Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa: 2011–2014

Science.gov (United States)

Adedokun, Babatunde; Nyasulu, Peter; Maseko, Fresier; Adedini, Sunday; Akinyemi, Joshua; Afolabi, Sulaimon; de Wet, Nicole; Sulaimon, Adedokun; Sambai, Caroline; Utembe, Wells; Opiyo, Rose; Awotidebe, Taofeek; Chirwa, Esnat; Nabakwe, Esther; Niragire, François; Uwizeye, Dieudonné; Niwemahoro, Celine; Kamndaya, Mphatso; Mwakalinga, Victoria; Otwombe, Kennedy

2014-01-01

Background Resolution of public health problems in Africa remains a challenge because of insufficient skilled human resource capacity. The Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa (CARTA) was established to enhance capacity in multi-disciplinary health research that will make a positive impact on population health in Africa. Objective The first cohort of the CARTA program describes their perspectives and experiences during the 4 years of fellowship and puts forward suggestions for future progress and direction of research in Africa. Conclusions The model of training as shown by the CARTA program is an effective model of research capacity building in African academic institutions. An expansion of the program is therefore warranted to reach out to more African academics in search of advanced research training. PMID:25280739

Sharing perspectives and experiences of doctoral fellows in the first cohort of Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa: 2011–2014

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Babatunde Adedokun

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Background: Resolution of public health problems in Africa remains a challenge because of insufficient skilled human resource capacity. The Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa (CARTA was established to enhance capacity in multi-disciplinary health research that will make a positive impact on population health in Africa. Objective: The first cohort of the CARTA program describes their perspectives and experiences during the 4 years of fellowship and puts forward suggestions for future progress and direction of research in Africa. Conclusions: The model of training as shown by the CARTA program is an effective model of research capacity building in African academic institutions. An expansion of the program is therefore warranted to reach out to more African academics in search of advanced research training.

Biodegradation of diesel oil by a novel microbial consortium: comparison between co-inoculation with biosurfactant-producing strain and exogenously added biosurfactants.

Science.gov (United States)

Mnif, Inès; Mnif, Sami; Sahnoun, Rihab; Maktouf, Sameh; Ayedi, Younes; Ellouze-Chaabouni, Semia; Ghribi, Dhouha

2015-10-01

Bioremediation, involving the use of microorganisms to detoxify or remove pollutants, is the most interesting strategy for hydrocarbon remediation. In this aim, four hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria were isolated from oil-contaminated soil in Tunisia. They were identified by the 16S rDNA sequence analysis, as Lysinibacillus bronitolerans RI18 (KF964487), Bacillus thuringiensis RI16 (KM111604), Bacillus weihenstephanensis RI12 (KM094930), and Acinetobacter radioresistens RI7 (KJ829530). Moreover, a lipopeptide biosurfactant produced by Bacillus subtilis SPB1, confirmed to increase diesel solubility, was tested to increase diesel biodegradation along with co-inoculation with two biosurfactant-producing strains. Culture studies revealed the enhancement of diesel biodegradation by the selected consortium with the addition of SPB1 lipopeptide and in the cases of co-inoculation by biosurfactant-producing strain. In fact, an improvement of about 38.42 and 49.65 % of diesel degradation was registered in the presence of 0.1 % lipopeptide biosurfactant and when culturing B. subtilis SPB1 strain with the isolated consortium, respectively. Furthermore, the best improvement, evaluated to about 55.4 %, was recorded when using the consortium cultured with B. subtilis SPB1 and A. radioresistens RI7 strains. Gas chromatography analyses were correlated with the gravimetric evaluation of the residual hydrocarbons. Results suggested the potential applicability of the selected consortium along with the ex situ- and in situ-added biosurfactant for the effective bioremediation of diesel-contaminated water and soil.

Clinical Trials

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... taking the same treatment the same way. These patients are closely watched by Data and Safety Monitoring Boards. Even if you don't directly ... risk procedures (such as gene therapy) or vulnerable patients (such as ... trial for safety problems or differences in results among different groups. ...

Contribution of hot spring bacterial consortium in cadmium and lead bioremediation through quadratic programming model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sen, Sudip Kumar; Raut, Sangeeta; Dora, Tapas Kumar [Department of Biotechnology, Gandhi Institute of Engineering and Technology, Gunupur, Rayagada 765 022, Odisha (India); Mohapatra, Pradeep Kumar Das, E-mail: pkdmvu@gmail.com [Department of Microbiology, Vidyasagar University, Midnapore 721 102, West Bengal (India)

2014-01-30

Highlights: • Adsorption of cadmium and lead using hot spring microbial consortium. • Development of empirical models for % adsorption using ANOVA and response surface methodology. • Fitting of the kinetics of adsorption to Freundlich and Langmuir model. • Optimization of the operating parameters to maximize the % of adsorption. -- Abstract: In the present investigation, a number of experiments have been conducted to isolate microbial strains from Taptapani Hot Spring Odisha, India for bioremediation of cadmium and lead. The strains Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (SS1), Aeromonas veronii (SS2) and Bacillus barbaricus (SS3) have shown better adaptation to metal tolerance test, with different concentrations of cadmium and lead and hence have been selected for further studies of metal microbial interaction and optimization. The results of bioremediation process indicate that consortium of thermophilic isolates adsorbed heavy metals more effectively than the individually treated isolates. Therefore, A 24 full factorial central composite design has been employed to analyze the effect of metal ion concentration, microbial concentration and time on removal of heavy metals with consortium. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) shows a high coefficient of determination value. The kinetic data have been fitted to pseudo-first order and second-order models. The isotherm equilibrium data have been well fitted by the Langmuir and Freundlich models. The optimum removal conditions determined for initial ion concentration was 0.3 g/l; contact time 72 h; microbial concentration, 3 ml/l; and pH 7. At optimum adsorption conditions, the adsorption of cadmium and lead are found to be 92% and 93%, respectively, and presence of metals was confirmed through EDS analysis.

Contribution of hot spring bacterial consortium in cadmium and lead bioremediation through quadratic programming model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sen, Sudip Kumar; Raut, Sangeeta; Dora, Tapas Kumar; Mohapatra, Pradeep Kumar Das

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Adsorption of cadmium and lead using hot spring microbial consortium. • Development of empirical models for % adsorption using ANOVA and response surface methodology. • Fitting of the kinetics of adsorption to Freundlich and Langmuir model. • Optimization of the operating parameters to maximize the % of adsorption. -- Abstract: In the present investigation, a number of experiments have been conducted to isolate microbial strains from Taptapani Hot Spring Odisha, India for bioremediation of cadmium and lead. The strains Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (SS1), Aeromonas veronii (SS2) and Bacillus barbaricus (SS3) have shown better adaptation to metal tolerance test, with different concentrations of cadmium and lead and hence have been selected for further studies of metal microbial interaction and optimization. The results of bioremediation process indicate that consortium of thermophilic isolates adsorbed heavy metals more effectively than the individually treated isolates. Therefore, A 24 full factorial central composite design has been employed to analyze the effect of metal ion concentration, microbial concentration and time on removal of heavy metals with consortium. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) shows a high coefficient of determination value. The kinetic data have been fitted to pseudo-first order and second-order models. The isotherm equilibrium data have been well fitted by the Langmuir and Freundlich models. The optimum removal conditions determined for initial ion concentration was 0.3 g/l; contact time 72 h; microbial concentration, 3 ml/l; and pH 7. At optimum adsorption conditions, the adsorption of cadmium and lead are found to be 92% and 93%, respectively, and presence of metals was confirmed through EDS analysis

Dataset of acute repeated sessions of bifrontal transcranial direct current stimulation for treatment of intractable tinnitus: A randomized controlled trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Yadollahpour

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS has reportedly shown promising therapeutic effects for tinnitus (Forogh et al., 2016; Joos et al., 2014 [1,2]. Studies are ongoing to determine optimum treatment protocol and the site of stimulation. Findings of the early studies are heterogeneous and most studies have focused on single session tDCS and short follow-up periods. There is no study on repeated sessions of tDCS with long term follow-up. This study presents the results of a randomized clinical trial investigating the therapeutic effects of acute multi-session tDCS over dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC on tinnitus symptoms and comorbid depression and anxiety in patients with chronic intractable tinnitus. The dataset includes the demographic information, audiometric assessments, tinnitus specific characteristics, and the response variables of the study. The response variables included the scores of tinnitus handicap inventory (THI, tinnitus loudness and tinnitus related distress based on 0–10 numerical visual analogue scale (VAS scores, beck depression inventory (BDI-II and beck anxiety inventory (BAI scores. The dataset included the scores of THI pre and immediately post intervention, and at one month follow-up; the tinnitus loudness and distress scores prior to intervention, and immediately, one hour, one week, and at one month after the last stimulation session. In addition, the BDI-II, and BAI scores pre and post intervention are included. The data of the real (n=25 and sham tDCS (n=17 groups are reported. The main manuscript of this dataset is 'Acute repeated sessions of bifrontal transcranial direct current stimulation for treatment of intractable tinnitus: a randomized controlled trial' (Bayat et al., submitted for publication [3]. Keywords: Transcranial direct current stimulation, Acute stimulations, Tinnitus, Depression, Anxiety, DLPFC

The innovative use of a large-scale industry biomedical consortium to research the genetic basis of drug induced serious adverse events.

Science.gov (United States)

Holden, Arthur L

2007-01-01

The International Serious Adverse Event Consortium (SAEC) is a pharmaceutical industry and FDA led international (501 c3 non-profit) consortium, focused on identifying and validating DNA-variants useful in predicting the risk of drug induced, rare serious adverse events (SAEs). As such, it functions with the explicit purpose of enhancing the 'public good'. Its members are (i) organizations engaged principally in the business of discovering, developing and marketing pharmaceutical products, or (ii) a charitable, governmental, or other non-profit organization with an interest in researching the molecular basis of drug response.Drug-induced, rare SAEs present significant health issues for patients; and pose challenges for the safe use of approved drugs and the development of new drugs. Examples of drug-induced, rare SAEs include hepatotoxicity, QT prolongation, rhabdomyolosis, serious skin rashes (e.g. SJS), edema, acute renal failure, acute hypersensitivity, anemias/neutropenias, excessive weigh gain, retinopathy, vasculitis, among others. The rarity of such drug induced SAEs and the absence of effective government surveillance/research networks, makes it extremely difficult for any one company or research entity to accrue enough SAE cases and controls to conduct effective whole genome studies. Central to the notion of the SAEC is industry, government and health care providers can join forces to make use of a variety of sample and data resources in researching the genetic basis of these events.The purpose of the SAEC is threefold:•To carry out research directed toward the discovery of DNA-variants clinically useful in understanding and predicting the risk of drug induced serious adverse events and similar scientific research.•To ensure the widespread availability of the results of such research to the scientific research community and the public at large for no charge through publication and web-based methods; and•To educate the scientific research and medical

The International Human Epigenome Consortium Data Portal.

Science.gov (United States)

Bujold, David; Morais, David Anderson de Lima; Gauthier, Carol; Côté, Catherine; Caron, Maxime; Kwan, Tony; Chen, Kuang Chung; Laperle, Jonathan; Markovits, Alexei Nordell; Pastinen, Tomi; Caron, Bryan; Veilleux, Alain; Jacques, Pierre-Étienne; Bourque, Guillaume

2016-11-23

The International Human Epigenome Consortium (IHEC) coordinates the production of reference epigenome maps through the characterization of the regulome, methylome, and transcriptome from a wide range of tissues and cell types. To define conventions ensuring the compatibility of datasets and establish an infrastructure enabling data integration, analysis, and sharing, we developed the IHEC Data Portal (http://epigenomesportal.ca/ihec). The portal provides access to >7,000 reference epigenomic datasets, generated from >600 tissues, which have been contributed by seven international consortia: ENCODE, NIH Roadmap, CEEHRC, Blueprint, DEEP, AMED-CREST, and KNIH. The portal enhances the utility of these reference maps by facilitating the discovery, visualization, analysis, download, and sharing of epigenomics data. The IHEC Data Portal is the official source to navigate through IHEC datasets and represents a strategy for unifying the distributed data produced by international research consortia. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

One-Year Outcomes Following Directional Atherectomy of Infrapopliteal Artery Lesions: Subgroup Results of the Prospective, Multicenter DEFINITIVE LE Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Rastan, Aljoscha; McKinsey, James F; Garcia, Lawrence A; Rocha-Singh, Krishna J; Jaff, Michael R; Noory, Elias; Zeller, Thomas

2015-12-01

To report a subgroup analysis of the prospective, multicenter, single-arm DEFINITIVE LE trial to assess the effectiveness of directional atherectomy for the treatment of infrapopliteal artery lesions at 1 year. In the DEFINITIVE LE trial, follow-up assessments occurred up to 1 year postprocedure. Of the 800 patients enrolled, 145 subjects with 189 infrapopliteal lesions met the criteria for this analysis. Seventy (48.3%) and 75 (51.7%) patients were suffering critical limb ischemia (CLI) and intermittent claudication, respectively; 68.3% (99/145) had diabetes. The mean lesion length was 58±44 mm (all lesions); 20.2% were occluded. The primary endpoint for patients with claudication was duplex ultrasound-derived primary patency, while for subjects with CLI it was freedom from major amputation of the target limb at 1 year. Endpoints and adverse events were independently assessed. Procedure success (≤30% residual stenosis) was achieved in 84% of treated lesions. The 1-year primary patency rate was 84% (claudicants 89.6% and CLI patients 78%, p=0.11), and the freedom from major amputation rate was 97.1% (claudicants 100% and CLI 93.8%, p=0.03). In both claudication and CLI patients, significant improvements in Rutherford category and objective measures of walking distance and quality of life were seen at 1 year in comparison to baseline. This study demonstrates that directional atherectomy in infrapopliteal arteries results in promising technical and clinical results at 1 year for claudicant as well as CLI patients. © The Author(s) 2015.

New treatment directions for IPF: current status of ongoing and upcoming clinical trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Macagno, Francesco; Varone, Francesco; Leone, Paolo Maria; Mari, Pier-Valerio; Panico, Loredana; Berardini, Ludovica; Richeldi, Luca

2017-07-01

The main objective of this review is to explore the wide and expanding field of new clinical trials in IPF. Recent trials have confirmed the efficacy of the approved drugs pirfenidone and nintedanib; nonetheless, the discovery of new biological pathways has opened new horizons in this field. Areas covered: New strategies against matrix deposition are under study and so is for the role of immunity and autoimmunity. Recent advances in the use of stem cells are opening new possibilities for the recovery of damaged lung tissues. The role of microbioma is under investigation in order to evaluate the use of antibiotics in IPF treatment. Analysing all the new and the upcoming clinical trials, we are trying to offer a comprehensive view of the emerging new frontiers in the treatment of IPF. Expert commentary: The key points for the ongoing and upcoming clinical trials will be to avoid previous mistakes and to choose carefully both study populations and efficacy endpoints. The exciting possibility to enrol patients with progressive lung fibrosis, both idiopathic and not, could be a next step forward. How the existing therapies will fit in a futurist scenario of personalized medicine is still a challenge.

Analysis of mammalian gene function through broad-based phenotypic screens across a consortium of mouse clinics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

de Angelis, Martin Hrabě; Nicholson, George; Selloum, Mohammed

2015-01-01

The function of the majority of genes in the mouse and human genomes remains unknown. The mouse embryonic stem cell knockout resource provides a basis for the characterization of relationships between genes and phenotypes. The EUMODIC consortium developed and validated robust methodologies...

Social media in clinical trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Michael A

2014-01-01

Social media has potential in clinical trials for pointing out trial issues, addressing barriers, educating, and engaging multiple groups involved in cancer clinical research. Social media is being used in clinical trials to highlight issues such as poor accrual and barriers; educate potential participants and physicians about clinical trial options; and is a potential indirect or direct method to improve accrual. We are moving from a passive "push" of information to patients to a "pull" of patients requesting information. Patients and advocates are often driving an otherwise reluctant health care system into communication. Online patient communities are creating new information repositories. Potential clinical trial participants are using the Twittersphere and other sources to learn about potential clinical trial options. We are seeing more organized patient-centric and patient-engaged forums with the potential to crowd source to improve clinical trial accrual and design. This is an evolving process that will meet many individual, institutional, and regulatory obstacles as we move forward in a changed research landscape.

Notification of suspected and unexpected serious adverse reactions according to the Clinical Trials Directive - A descriptive analysis of the legislation and the requirements in a European context

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Ellen Moseholm; Grarup, Jesper; Gey, Daniela Christine

2010-01-01

The European Clinical Trials Directive (CTD) came into force on May 1st 2004. The CTD provides the legal basis for monitoring the safety of clinical trials and covers the requirements for notification of SUSAR. Implementation of the CTD into national legislation in each Member State has resulted...... in various interpretations of CTD requirements. The objective of this paper is to investigate how the European Member States administer the safety reporting requirements of the CTD and to clarify the requirements for SUSAR notification in the different Member States. Data was collected through publicly...

Selection, isolation and growth kinetic study of a bacterial consortium obtained from the Potengi mangrove in the presence of crude oil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Costa, C.C.; Vaz, M.R.F.; Santos, E.S.; Macedo, G.R. [Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, RN (Brazil). Dept. de Engenharia Quimica], E-mail: natcintia@gmail.com; Costa, J.G. da [Universidade Federal do Amazonas (UFAM), Coari, AM (Brazil). Inst. de Saude e Biotecnologia

2011-10-15

The selection, isolation and kinetic study of a bacterial consortium obtained from a sample of soil from the Potengi mangrove, located in the city of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, has been carried out using the enrichment culture technique to observe aspects such as the evaluation of main growth parameters. The kinetic study used a rotary incubator shaker at 150rpm, under 30 deg C. The bacterial consortium isolated from the estuary of the Potengi River showed a good acclimation in minimum mineral medium with 1% (v/v) of oil. The cell concentration reached 2.55 g/L at 16h of cultivation and surface tension dropped. The maximum productivity in cells obtained was of 0.3 g/L.h, the specific velocity of growth was of 0.075h{sup -1}, with a generation time (tg) of 9.24h. This study seeks to demonstrate that the consortium can be used as inoculants in biological treatments, capable of reducing the waste's degradation time. (author)

Academic consortium for the evaluation of computer-aided diagnosis (CADx) in mammography

Science.gov (United States)

Mun, Seong K.; Freedman, Matthew T.; Wu, Chris Y.; Lo, Shih-Chung B.; Floyd, Carey E., Jr.; Lo, Joseph Y.; Chan, Heang-Ping; Helvie, Mark A.; Petrick, Nicholas; Sahiner, Berkman; Wei, Datong; Chakraborty, Dev P.; Clarke, Laurence P.; Kallergi, Maria; Clark, Bob; Kim, Yongmin

1995-04-01

Computer aided diagnosis (CADx) is a promising technology for the detection of breast cancer in screening mammography. A number of different approaches have been developed for CADx research that have achieved significant levels of performance. Research teams now recognize the need for a careful and detailed evaluation study of approaches to accelerate the development of CADx, to make CADx more clinically relevant and to optimize the CADx algorithms based on unbiased evaluations. The results of such a comparative study may provide each of the participating teams with new insights into the optimization of their individual CADx algorithms. This consortium of experienced CADx researchers is working as a group to compare results of the algorithms and to optimize the performance of CADx algorithms by learning from each other. Each institution will be contributing an equal number of cases that will be collected under a standard protocol for case selection, truth determination, and data acquisition to establish a common and unbiased database for the evaluation study. An evaluation procedure for the comparison studies are being developed to analyze the results of individual algorithms for each of the test cases in the common database. Optimization of individual CADx algorithms can be made based on the comparison studies. The consortium effort is expected to accelerate the eventual clinical implementation of CADx algorithms at participating institutions.

Metabolic commensalism and competition in a two-species microbial consortium

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Bjarke Bak; Haagensen, Janus Anders Juul; Heydorn, Arne

2002-01-01

We analyzed metabolic interactions and the importance of specific structural relationships in a benzyl alcohol-degrading microbial consortium comprising two species, Pseudomonas putida strain R1 and Acinetobacter strain C6, both of which are able to utilize benzyl alcohol as their sole carbon...... alcohol, which apparently gives Acinetobacter strain C6 a growth advantage, probably because it converts benzyl alcohol to benzoate with a higher yield per time unit than P. putida R1. In biofilms, however, the organisms establish structured, surface-attached consortia, in which heterogeneous ecological...... niches develop, and under these conditions competition for the primary carbon source is not the only determinant of biomass and population structure....

Two biomarker-directed randomized trials in European and Chinese patients with nonsmall-cell lung cancer: the BRCA1-RAP80 Expression Customization (BREC) studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Moran, T; Wei, J; Cobo, M; Qian, X; Domine, M; Zou, Z; Bover, I; Wang, L; Provencio, M; Yu, L; Chaib, I; You, C; Massuti, B; Song, Y; Vergnenegre, A; Lu, H; Lopez-Vivanco, G; Hu, W; Robinet, G; Yan, J; Insa, A; Xu, X; Majem, M; Chen, X; de Las Peñas, R; Karachaliou, N; Sala, M A; Wu, Q; Isla, D; Zhou, Y; Baize, N; Zhang, F; Garde, J; Germonpre, P; Rauh, S; ALHusaini, H; Sanchez-Ronco, M; Drozdowskyj, A; Sanchez, J J; Camps, C; Liu, B; Rosell, R

2014-11-01

In a Spanish Lung Cancer Group (SLCG) phase II trial, the combination of BRCA1 and receptor-associated protein 80 (RAP80) expression was significantly associated with outcome in Caucasian patients with nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The SLCG therefore undertook an industry-independent collaborative randomized phase III trial comparing nonselected cisplatin-based chemotherapy with therapy customized according to BRCA1/RAP80 expression. An analogous randomized phase II trial was carried out in China under the auspices of the SLCG to evaluate the effect of BRCA1/RAP80 expression in Asian patients. Eligibility criteria included stage IIIB-IV NSCLC and sufficient tumor specimen for molecular analysis. Randomization to the control or experimental arm was 1 : 1 in the SLCG trial and 1 : 3 in the Chinese trial. In both trials, patients in the control arm received docetaxel/cisplatin; in the experimental arm, patients with low RAP80 expression received gemcitabine/cisplatin, those with intermediate/high RAP80 expression and low/intermediate BRCA1 expression received docetaxel/cisplatin, and those with intermediate/high RAP80 expression and high BRCA1 expression received docetaxel alone. The primary end point was progression-free survival (PFS). Two hundred and seventy-nine patients in the SLCG trial and 124 in the Chinese trial were assessable for PFS. PFS in the control and experimental arms in the SLCG trial was 5.49 and 4.38 months, respectively [log rank P = 0.07; hazard ratio (HR) 1.28; P = 0.03]. In the Chinese trial, PFS was 4.74 and 3.78 months, respectively (log rank P = 0.82; HR 0.95; P = 0.82). Accrual was prematurely closed on the SLCG trial due to the absence of clinical benefit in the experimental over the control arm. However, the BREC studies provide proof of concept that an international, nonindustry, biomarker-directed trial is feasible. Thanks to the groundwork laid by these studies, we expect that ongoing further research on alternative biomarkers to

Biodegradation of benzo[α]pyrene, toluene, and formaldehyde from the gas phase by a consortium of Rhodococcus erythropolis and Fusarium solani.

Science.gov (United States)

Morales, Paulina; Cáceres, Manuel; Scott, Felipe; Díaz-Robles, Luis; Aroca, Germán; Vergara-Fernández, Alberto

2017-09-01

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are important indoor contaminants. Their hydrophobic nature hinders the possibility of biological abatement using biofiltration. Our aim was to establish whether the use of a consortium of Fusarium solani and Rhodococcus erythropolis shows an improved performance (in terms of mineralization rate and extent) towards the degradation of formaldehyde, as a slightly polar VOC; toluene, as hydrophobic VOC; and benzo[α]pyrene (BaP) as PAH at low concentrations compared to a single-species biofilm in serum bottles with vermiculite as solid support to mimic a biofilter and to relate the possible improvements with the surface hydrophobicity and partition coefficient of the biomass at three different temperatures. Results showed that the hydrophobicity of the surface of the biofilms was affected by the hydrophobicity of the carbon source in F. solani but it did not change in R. erythropolis. Similarly, the partition coefficients of toluene and BaP in F. solani biomass (both as pure culture and consortium) show a reduction of up to 38 times compared to its value in water, whereas this reduction was only 1.5 times in presence of R. erythropolis. Despite that increments in the accumulated CO 2 and its production rate were found when F. solani or the consortium was used, the mineralization extent of toluene was below 25%. Regarding BaP degradation, the higher CO 2 production rates and percent yields were obtained when a consortium of F. solani and R. erythropolis was used, despite a pure culture of R. erythropolis exhibits poor mineralization of BaP.

Real-Time Enrollment Dashboard For Multisite Clinical Trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Mattingly, William A; Kelley, Robert R; Wiemken, Timothy L; Chariker, Julia H; Peyrani, Paula; Guinn, Brian E; Binford, Laura E; Buckner, Kimberley; Ramirez, Julio

2015-10-30

Achieving patient recruitment goals are critical for the successful completion of a clinical trial. We designed and developed a web-based dashboard for assisting in the management of clinical trial screening and enrollment. We use the dashboard to assist in the management of two observational studies of community-acquired pneumonia. Clinical research associates and managers using the dashboard were surveyed to determine its effectiveness as compared with traditional direct communication. The dashboard has been in use since it was first introduced in May of 2014. Of the 23 staff responding to the survey, 77% felt that it was easier or much easier to use the dashboard for communication than to use direct communication. We have designed and implemented a visualization dashboard for managing multi-site clinical trial enrollment in two community acquired pneumonia studies. Information dashboards are a useful tool for clinical trial management. They can be used as a standalone trial information tool or included into a larger management system.

Centralized adjudication of cardiovascular end points in cardiovascular and noncardiovascular pharmacologic trials: a report from the Cardiac Safety Research Consortium.

Science.gov (United States)

Seltzer, Jonathan H; Turner, J Rick; Geiger, Mary Jane; Rosano, Giuseppe; Mahaffey, Kenneth W; White, William B; Sabol, Mary Beth; Stockbridge, Norman; Sager, Philip T

2015-02-01

This white paper provides a summary of presentations and discussions at a cardiovascular (CV) end point adjudication think tank cosponsored by the Cardiac Safety Research Committee and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that was convened at the FDA's White Oak headquarters on November 6, 2013. Attention was focused on the lack of clarity concerning the need for end point adjudication in both CV and non-CV trials: there is currently an absence of widely accepted academic or industry standards and a definitive regulatory policy on how best to structure and use clinical end point committees (CECs). This meeting therefore provided a forum for leaders in the fields of CV clinical trials and CV safety to develop a foundation of initial best practice recommendations for use in future CEC charters. Attendees included representatives from pharmaceutical companies, regulatory agencies, end point adjudication specialist groups, clinical research organizations, and active, academically based adjudicators. The manuscript presents recommendations from the think tank regarding when CV end point adjudication should be considered in trials conducted by cardiologists and by noncardiologists as well as detailing key issues in the composition of a CEC and its charter. In addition, it presents several recommended best practices for the establishment and operation of CECs. The science underlying CV event adjudication is evolving, and suggestions for additional areas of research will be needed to continue to advance this science. This manuscript does not constitute regulatory guidance. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Goal directed fluid therapy decreases postoperative morbidity but not mortality in major non-cardiac surgery: a meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Som, Anirban; Maitra, Souvik; Bhattacharjee, Sulagna; Baidya, Dalim K

2017-02-01

Optimum perioperative fluid administration may improve postoperative outcome after major surgery. This meta-analysis and systematic review has been aimed to determine the effect of dynamic goal directed fluid therapy (GDFT) on postoperative morbidity and mortality in non-cardiac surgical patients. Meta-analysis of published prospective randomized controlled trials where GDFT based on non-invasive flow based hemodynamic measurement has been compared with a standard care. Data from 41 prospective randomized trials have been included in this study. Use of GDFT in major surgical patients does not decrease postoperative hospital/30-day mortality (OR 0.70, 95 % CI 0.46-1.08, p = 0.11) length of post-operative hospital stay (SMD -0.14; 95 % CI -0.28, 0.00; p = 0.05) and length of ICU stay (SMD -0.12; 95 % CI -0.28, 0.04; p = 0.14). However, number of patients having at least one postoperative complication is significantly lower with use of GDFT (OR 0.57; 95 % CI 0.43, 0.75; p infection (p = 0.002) and postoperative hypotension (p = 0.04) are also decreased with used of GDFT as opposed to a standard care. Though patients who received GDFT were infused more colloid (p infection, abdominal complications and postoperative hypotension is reduced.

Characterization of a bioflocculant produced by a consortium of Halomonas sp. Okoh and Micrococcus sp. Leo.

Science.gov (United States)

Okaiyeto, Kunle; Nwodo, Uchechukwu U; Mabinya, Leonard V; Okoh, Anthony I

2013-10-16

The physicochemical and flocculating properties of a bioflocculant produced by a bacterial consortium composed of Halomonas sp. Okoh and Micrococcus sp. Leo were investigated. The purified bioflocculant was cation and pH dependent, and optimally flocculated kaolin clay suspension at a dosage of 0.1 mg/mL. The flocculating activity of the bioflocculant was stimulated in the presence of Ca2+, Mn2+, Al3+ and had a wide pH range of 2-10, with the highest flocculating activity of 86% at pH 8. The bioflocculant was thermostable and retained more than 70% of its flocculating activity after being heated at 80 °C for 30 min. Thermogravimetric analyses revealed a partial thermal decomposition of the biofloculant at 400 °C. The infrared spectrum showed the presence of hydroxyl, carboxyl and amino moieties as functional groups. The bioflocculant produced by the bacterial consortium appears to hold promising alternative to inorganic and synthetic organic flocculants that are widely used in wastewater treatment.

Biohydrogen and methane production via a two-step process using an acid pretreated native microalgae consortium.

Science.gov (United States)

Carrillo-Reyes, Julian; Buitrón, Germán

2016-12-01

A native microalgae consortium treated under thermal-acidic hydrolysis was used to produce hydrogen and methane in a two-step sequential process. Different acid concentrations were tested, generating hydrogen and methane yields of up to 45mLH 2 gVS -1 and 432mLCH 4 gVS -1 , respectively. The hydrogen production step solubilized the particulate COD (chemical oxygen demand) up to 30%, creating considerable amounts of volatile fatty acids (up to 10gCODL -1 ). It was observed that lower acid concentration presented higher hydrogen and methane production potential. The results revealed that thermal acid hydrolysis of a native microalgae consortium is a simple but effective strategy for producing hydrogen and methane in the sequential process. In addition to COD removal (50-70%), this method resulted in an energy recovery of up to 15.9kJ per g of volatile solids of microalgae biomass, one of the highest reported. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A consortium approach to competency-based undergraduate medical education in Uganda: process, opportunities and challenges.

Science.gov (United States)

Kiguli, Sarah; Mubuuke, Roy; Baingana, Rhona; Kijjambu, Stephen; Maling, Samuel; Waako, Paul; Obua, Celestino; Ovuga, Emilio; Kaawa-Mafigiri, David; Nshaho, Jonathan; Kiguli-Malwadde, Elsie; Bollinger, Robert; Sewankambo, Nelson

2014-01-01

Uganda, like the rest of Africa, is faced with serious health challenges including human immunodeficiency virus infection/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS), other infectious diseases and increasing non-communicable diseases, yet it has a significant shortage of health workers. Even the few health workers available may lack desired competencies required to address current and future health challenges. Reducing Uganda's disease burden and addressing health challenges requires Ugandan medical schools to produce health workers with the necessary competencies. This study describes the process which a consortium of Ugandan medical schools and the Medical Education Partnership for Equitable Services to all Ugandans (MESAU) undertook to define the required competencies of graduating doctors in Uganda and implement competency-based medical education (CBME). A retrospective qualitative study was conducted in which document analysis was used to collect data employing pre-defined checklists, in a desktop or secondary review of various documents. These included reports of MESAU meetings and workshops, reports from individual institutions as well as medical undergraduate curricula of the different institutions. Thematic analysis was used to extract patterns from the collected data. MESAU initiated the process of developing competencies for medical graduates in 2011 using a participatory approach of all stakeholders. The process involved consultative deliberations to identify priority health needs of Uganda and develop competencies to address these needs. Nine competence domain areas were collaboratively identified and agreed upon, and competencies developed in these domains. Key successes from the process include institutional collaboration, faculty development in CBME and initiating the implementation of CBME. The consortium approach strengthened institutional collaboration that led to the development of common competencies desired of all medical graduates to

The contribution of fermentative bacteria and methanogenic archaea to azo dye reduction by a thermophilic anaerobic consortium

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Santos, dos A.B.; Cervantes, F.J.; Madrid, de M.P.; Bok, de F.A.M.; Stams, A.J.M.; Lier, van J.B.

2006-01-01

The contribution of fermentative bacteria and methanogenic archaea to azo dye reduction by a thermophilic anaerobic consortium was studied. Additionally, the effects of different electron-donating substrates and the redox mediator riboflavin on dye reduction were assessed by using either a

25 CFR 1000.173 - How does a newly selected Tribe/Consortium initiate the negotiation phase?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 25 Indians 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false How does a newly selected Tribe/Consortium initiate the negotiation phase? 1000.173 Section 1000.173 Indians OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY, INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR ANNUAL FUNDING AGREEMENTS UNDER THE TRIBAL SELF-GOVERNMENT ACT AMENDMENTS TO THE INDIAN SELF-DETERMINATION AND EDUCATIO...

Competitive advantage of bacteriocinogenic strains within lactic acid bacteria consortium of raw milk cheese

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Irena Rogelj

2011-03-01

Full Text Available The presence of gene determinants for different bacteriocins has been already demonstrated in traditional Slovenian types of raw milk cheeses ‘Tolminc’ and ‘Kraški’. These genes were present also in the cultivable microbiota. In this research the aim was to establish how the presence of gene determinants for bacteriocins in microbial consortia is reflected in its antimicrobial activity. In addition, one of the goals was to determine whether the strains that carry gene determinants for bacteriocins have any competitive growth advantage in microbial population. Microbial consortium of ‘Tolminc’ cheese was propagated in milk and examined at the end of propagation its antimicrobial activity and the presence of gene determinants for bacteriocins. Comparison of the results obtained before and after propagation leaded to the conclusion that most of the strains possessing gene determinants for bacteriocins were unable to persist during propagation. The strains which did persist during propagation carried gene determinants for enterocins P, L50B and cytolysin. Antimicrobial activity of consortium before and after propagation was not substantially different and cannot be attributed to any of detected bacteriocins.

Direct-to-consumer marketing of psychological treatments: A randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Gallo, Kaitlin P; Comer, Jonathan S; Barlow, David H; Clarke, Roberta N; Antony, Martin M

2015-10-01

Although direct-to-consumer (DTC) marketing of pharmacologic interventions is effective and common, similar approaches have yet to be evaluated in the promotion of psychological treatments (PTs). This is the first randomized controlled trial evaluating the potential of DTC marketing of PTs. Participants (N = 344; 75.0% female, mean age = 18.6 years, 48.5% non-Hispanic White) were randomly assigned to consume one of four extended commercial campaigns embedded within unrelated programming across 3 weeks. The four campaign conditions were a PT campaign, a PT informing about medication side effects campaign, a medication campaign, and a neutral campaign. Attitudes about and intention to seek psychological treatment were assessed prior to campaign exposure (T1), 1 week following the final week of campaign exposure (T2), and at a 3-month follow-up evaluation (T3). The percentage of participants who newly intended psychological treatment at T2 or T3 differed by condition, with those assigned to the PT campaign slightly more likely to have intended to receive psychological treatment at T2 or T3 than those in other conditions. Baseline reports of emotional symptoms moderated the effect of condition on attitudes toward PT and perceived likelihood of seeking treatment in the future. Findings support the preliminary utility of DTC marketing of psychological treatments. Increasing consumer knowledge of PTs may be a worthwhile complement to current dissemination and implementation efforts aimed at promoting the uptake of PTs in mental health care. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Leading Contributors to the Research Consortium's Annual Program, 1992-2011: High-Visibility Institutions, Researchers, and Topics

Science.gov (United States)

Cardinal, Bradley J.; Lee, Hyo

2013-01-01

Between 1992-2011, peer-reviewed research on the Research Consortium's annual program has been published in abstract form in the "Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport". On the basis of frequency, high-visibility institutions, researchers, and sub-disciplinary categories were identified. Data were extracted from each abstract (N =…

Response inhibition signals and miscoding of direction in dorsomedial striatum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel W Bryden

2012-09-01

Full Text Available The ability to inhibit action is critical for everyday behavior and is affected by a variety of disorders. Behavioral control and response inhibition is thought to depend on a neural circuit that includes the dorsal striatum, yet the neural signals that lead to response inhibition and its failure are unclear. To address this issue, we recorded from neurons in rat dorsomedial striatum (mDS in a novel task in which rats responded to a spatial cue that signaled that reward would be delivered either to the left or to the right. On 80% of trials rats were instructed to respond in the direction cued by the light (GO. On 20% of trials a second light illuminated instructing the rat to refrain from making the cued movement and move in the opposite direction (STOP. Many neurons in mDS encoded direction, firing more or less strongly for GO movements made ipsilateral or contralateral to the recording electrode. Neurons that fired more strongly for contralateral GO responses were more active when rats were faster, showed reduced activity on STOP trials, and miscoded direction on errors, suggesting that when these neurons were overly active, response inhibition failed. Neurons that decreased firing for contralateral movement were excited during trials in which the rat was required to stop the ipsilateral movement. For these neurons activity was reduced when errors were made and was negatively correlated with movement time suggesting that when these neurons were less active on STOP trials, response inhibition failed. Finally, the activity of a significant number of neurons represented a global inhibitory signal, firing more strongly during response inhibition regardless of response direction. Breakdown by cell type suggests that putative medium spiny neurons tended to fire more strongly under STOP trials, whereas putative interneurons exhibited both activity patterns. 

Inconsistency between direct and indirect comparisons of competing interventions: meta-epidemiological study.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Fujian; Xiong, Tengbin; Parekh-Bhurke, Sheetal; Loke, Yoon K; Sutton, Alex J; Eastwood, Alison J; Holland, Richard; Chen, Yen-Fu; Glenny, Anne-Marie; Deeks, Jonathan J; Altman, Doug G

2011-08-16

To investigate the agreement between direct and indirect comparisons of competing healthcare interventions. Meta-epidemiological study based on sample of meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials. Data sources Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and PubMed. Inclusion criteria Systematic reviews that provided sufficient data for both direct comparison and independent indirect comparisons of two interventions on the basis of a common comparator and in which the odds ratio could be used as the outcome statistic. Inconsistency measured by the difference in the log odds ratio between the direct and indirect methods. The study included 112 independent trial networks (including 1552 trials with 478,775 patients in total) that allowed both direct and indirect comparison of two interventions. Indirect comparison had already been explicitly done in only 13 of the 85 Cochrane reviews included. The inconsistency between the direct and indirect comparison was statistically significant in 16 cases (14%, 95% confidence interval 9% to 22%). The statistically significant inconsistency was associated with fewer trials, subjectively assessed outcomes, and statistically significant effects of treatment in either direct or indirect comparisons. Owing to considerable inconsistency, many (14/39) of the statistically significant effects by direct comparison became non-significant when the direct and indirect estimates were combined. Significant inconsistency between direct and indirect comparisons may be more prevalent than previously observed. Direct and indirect estimates should be combined in mixed treatment comparisons only after adequate assessment of the consistency of the evidence.

25 CFR 1000.47 - What must a Tribe/Consortium do to receive a negotiation grant?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 25 Indians 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false What must a Tribe/Consortium do to receive a negotiation grant? 1000.47 Section 1000.47 Indians OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY, INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR ANNUAL FUNDING AGREEMENTS UNDER THE TRIBAL SELF-GOVERNMENT ACT AMENDMENTS TO THE INDIAN SELF-DETERMINATION AND EDUCATION ACT Section...

Circulating 25-Hydroxyvitamin D and the Risk of Rarer Cancers: Design and Methods of the Cohort Consortium Vitamin D Pooling Project of Rarer Cancers

OpenAIRE

Gallicchio, Lisa; Helzlsouer, Kathy J.; Chow, Wong-Ho; Freedman, D. Michal; Hankinson, Susan E.; Hartge, Patricia; Hartmuller, Virginia; Harvey, Chinonye; Hayes, Richard B.; Horst, Ronald L.; Koenig, Karen L.; Kolonel, Laurence N.; Laden, Francine; McCullough, Marjorie L.; Parisi, Dominick

2010-01-01

The Cohort Consortium Vitamin D Pooling Project of Rarer Cancers (VDPP), a consortium of 10 prospective cohort studies from the United States, Finland, and China, was formed to examine the associations between circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations and the risk of rarer cancers. Cases (total n = 5,491) included incident primary endometrial (n = 830), kidney (n = 775), ovarian (n = 516), pancreatic (n = 952), and upper gastrointestinal tract (n = 1,065) cancers and non-Hodgki...

Hydrogen Production by Geobacter Species and a Mixed Consortium in a Microbial Electrolysis Cell

KAUST Repository

Call, D. F.

2009-10-09

A hydrogen utilizing exoelectrogenic bacterium (Geobacter sulfurreducens) was compared to both a nonhydrogen oxidizer (Geobacter metallireducens) and a mixed consortium in order to compare the hydrogen production rates and hydrogen recoveries of pure and mixed cultures in microbial electrolysis cells (MECs). At an applied voltage of 0.7 V, both G. sulfurreducens and the mixed culture generated similar current densities (ca. 160 A/m3), resulting in hydrogen production rates of ca. 1.9 m3 H2/m 3/day, whereas G. metallireducens exhibited lower current densities and production rates of 110 ± 7 A/m3 and 1.3 ± 0.1 m3 H2/m3/day, respectively. Before methane was detected in the mixed-culture MEC, the mixed consortium achieved the highest overall energy recovery (relative to both electricity and substrate energy inputs) of 82% ± 8% compared to G. sulfurreducens (77% ± 2%) and G. metallireducens (78% ± 5%), due to the higher coulombic efficiency of the mixed consortium. At an applied voltage of 0.4 V, methane production increased in the mixed-culture MEC and, as a result, the hydrogen recovery decreased and the overall energy recovery dropped to 38% ± 16% compared to 80% ± 5% for G. sulfurreducens and 76% ± 0% for G. metallireducens. Internal hydrogen recycling was confirmed since the mixed culture generated a stable current density of 31 ± 0 A/m3 when fed hydrogen gas, whereas G. sulfurreducens exhibited a steady decrease in current production. Community analysis suggested that G. sulfurreducens was predominant in the mixed-culture MEC (72% of clones) despite its relative absence in the mixed-culture inoculum obtained from a microbial fuel cell reactor (2% of clones). These results demonstrate that Geobacter species are capable of obtaining similar hydrogen production rates and energy recoveries as mixed cultures in an MEC and that high coulombic efficiencies in mixed culture MECs can be attributed in part to the recycling of hydrogen into current. Copyright �

Hydrogen Production by Geobacter Species and a Mixed Consortium in a Microbial Electrolysis Cell▿

Science.gov (United States)

Call, Douglas F.; Wagner, Rachel C.; Logan, Bruce E.

2009-01-01

A hydrogen utilizing exoelectrogenic bacterium (Geobacter sulfurreducens) was compared to both a nonhydrogen oxidizer (Geobacter metallireducens) and a mixed consortium in order to compare the hydrogen production rates and hydrogen recoveries of pure and mixed cultures in microbial electrolysis cells (MECs). At an applied voltage of 0.7 V, both G. sulfurreducens and the mixed culture generated similar current densities (ca. 160 A/m3), resulting in hydrogen production rates of ca. 1.9 m3 H2/m3/day, whereas G. metallireducens exhibited lower current densities and production rates of 110 ± 7 A/m3 and 1.3 ± 0.1 m3 H2/m3/day, respectively. Before methane was detected in the mixed-culture MEC, the mixed consortium achieved the highest overall energy recovery (relative to both electricity and substrate energy inputs) of 82% ± 8% compared to G. sulfurreducens (77% ± 2%) and G. metallireducens (78% ± 5%), due to the higher coulombic efficiency of the mixed consortium. At an applied voltage of 0.4 V, methane production increased in the mixed-culture MEC and, as a result, the hydrogen recovery decreased and the overall energy recovery dropped to 38% ± 16% compared to 80% ± 5% for G. sulfurreducens and 76% ± 0% for G. metallireducens. Internal hydrogen recycling was confirmed since the mixed culture generated a stable current density of 31 ± 0 A/m3 when fed hydrogen gas, whereas G. sulfurreducens exhibited a steady decrease in current production. Community analysis suggested that G. sulfurreducens was predominant in the mixed-culture MEC (72% of clones) despite its relative absence in the mixed-culture inoculum obtained from a microbial fuel cell reactor (2% of clones). These results demonstrate that Geobacter species are capable of obtaining similar hydrogen production rates and energy recoveries as mixed cultures in an MEC and that high coulombic efficiencies in mixed culture MECs can be attributed in part to the recycling of hydrogen into current. PMID:19820150

The direct and indirect effects of lurasidone monotherapy on functional improvement among patients with bipolar depression: results from a randomized placebo-controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Rajagopalan, Krithika; Bacci, Elizabeth Dansie; Wyrwich, Kathleen W; Pikalov, Andrei; Loebel, Antony

2016-12-01

Bipolar depression is characterized by depressive symptoms and impairment in many areas of functioning, including work, family, and social life. The objective of this study was to assess the independent, direct effect of lurasidone treatment on functioning improvement, and examine the indirect effect of lurasidone treatment on functioning improvement, mediated through improvements in depression symptoms. Data from a 6-week placebo-controlled trial assessing the effect of lurasidone monotherapy versus placebo in patients with bipolar depression was used. Patient functioning was measured using the Sheehan disability scale (SDS). Descriptive statistics were used to assess the effect of lurasidone on improvement on the SDS total and domain scores (work/school, social, and family life), as well as number of days lost and unproductive due to symptoms. Path analyses evaluated the total effect (β1), as well as the indirect effect (β2×β3) and direct effect (β4) of lurasidone treatment on SDS total score change, using standardized beta path coefficients and baseline scores as covariates. The direct effect of treatment on SDS total score change and indirect effects accounting for mediation through depression improvement were examined for statistical significance and magnitude using MPlus. In this 6-week trial (N = 485), change scores from baseline to 6-weeks were significantly larger for both lurasidone treatment dosage groups versus placebo on the SDS total and all three SDS domain scores (p accounting for depression improvement. Results demonstrated statistically significant improvement in functioning among patients on lurasidone monotherapy compared to placebo. Improvement in functioning among patients on lurasidone was largely mediated through a reduction in depression symptoms, but lurasidone also had a medium and statistically significant independent direct effect in improving functioning.

Earth Hazards Consortium: a Novel Approach to Student Education in Geoscience

Science.gov (United States)

Mann, C. P.; Delgado Granados, H.; Escobar Wolf, R.; Durant, A.; Girard, G.; Calder, E.; Dominguez, T.; Roberge, J.; Rose, W.; Stix, J.; Varley, N.; Williams-Jones, G.; Hernandez Javier, I.; Salinas Sanchez, S.

2007-05-01

The Earth Hazards (Ehaz) consortium consists of six research-based universities in the United States (Michigan Technological University, University of New York at Buffalo), Canada (McGill University, Simon Fraser University) and Mexico (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Universidad de Colima) funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, and the Secretaría de Educación Pública of Mexico, as part of the North American Free Trade Agreement. The objective of the consortium is to expose students to a wide variety of scientific and cultural perspectives in the mitigation of geological natural hazards in North America. This four-year program is multi-faceted, including student exchanges, graduate level, web-based courses in volcanology, and intensive group field trips. In 2005 to 2006, a total of 27 students were mobilized among the three countries. In this first year, the videoconferencing course focused on caldera "Supervolcanoes" with weekly discussion leaders from various fields of volcanology. At the end of the course the students participated in a field trip to Long Valley and Yellowstone calderas. Also during the first year of the program, Mexico hosted an International Course on Volcanic Hazards Map Construction. The course was attended by graduate students from Mexico and the United States, included lectures from noted guest speakers, and involved a field trip to Popocatépetl volcano. The multi-university course focus for 2007 is Volcanic Edifice Failure with a field trip planned in August 2007 to the Cascades and Western Canada. A student survey from 2006 demonstrated that (1) during the videoconferencing the students benefited by the weekly interaction with well-known volcanologists at the top of their field, (2) the field trip provided an outstanding opportunity for participants to link the theoretical concepts covered during the course with the field aspects of supervolcano systems, as well as the

Enrichment and cultivation of a sulfide-oxidizing bacteria consortium for its deploying in full-scale biogas desulfurization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

González Sánchez, Armando; Flores Márquez, Trinidad Eliseo; Revah, Sergio; Morgan Sagastume, Juan Manuel

2014-01-01

Operational experiences and strategies to get suitable chemolithoautotrophic sulfide-oxidizing biomass from activated sludge wastewater treatment plant for its deploying in a full-scale biogas desulfurization plant are described. An economic nutrient source was applied to foster microbial selection and rapid growth. Respirometry was implemented on full-scale installations to monitor the ability of the specialized bacteria consortium to oxidize reduced sulfur i.e. H 2 S. During the deployment in the full-scale desulfurization reactor, intermittent sulfide feed from biogas scrubbing was performed to accelerate the startup the desulfurization process. - Highlights: • A simple method for reaching high amounts of specialized sulfide-oxidizing bacterial consortium from activated sludge was developed. • The full-scale desulfurization process can be continuously monitored by respirometry allowing fast decision making if problems arise. • The dissolved sulfide concentration was estimated with an empirical correlation between measurements of ORP, dissolved oxygen and pH

Direct Pulp Capping with Calcium Hydroxide, Mineral Trioxide Aggregate, and Biodentine in Permanent Young Teeth with Caries: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Brizuela, Claudia; Ormeño, Andrea; Cabrera, Carolina; Cabezas, Roxana; Silva, Carolina Inostroza; Ramírez, Valeria; Mercade, Montse

2017-11-01

Direct pulp capping treatment is intended to preserve pulp vitality, to avoid or retard root canal treatment, and, in cases with an open apex, to allow continued root development. Historically, calcium hydroxide (CH) was the gold standard material, but nowadays calcium silicate materials (CSMs) are displacing CH because of their high bioactivity, biocompatibility, sealing ability, and mechanical properties. However, more randomized clinical trials are needed to confirm the appropriateness of CSMs as replacement materials for CH in direct pulp capping procedures. A randomized clinical trial was conducted that included 169 patients (mean age, 11.3 years) from the Maipo district (Chile). The inclusion criterion was patients with 1 carious permanent tooth with pulpal exposure, a candidate for a direct pulp capping procedure. The patients were randomly allocated to one of the experimental groups (CH, Biodentine, or mineral trioxide aggregate [MTA]). Clinical follow-up examinations were performed at 1 week, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year. The Fisher exact test was performed. At the follow-up examination at 1 week, the patients showed 100% clinical success. At 3 months, there was 1 failure in the CH group. At 6 months, there were 4 new failures (1 in the CH group and 3 in the MTA group). At 1 year, there was another failure in the CH group. There were no statistically significant differences among the experimental groups. CSMs appear to be suitable materials to replace CH. Although no significant differences were found among the materials studied, Biodentine and MTA offered some advantages over CH. Copyright © 2017 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Meeting on establishing a sponsoring consortium for Open Access publishing in particle physics, 3rd November 2006, CERN. Minutes

CERN Document Server

Yeomans, Joanne

2006-01-01

In December 2005 a Task Force on Open Access Publishing in Particle Physics was set up, and it produced its report in June 2006. Its main conclusion was that a sponsorship model was the most appropriate for the transition period to full Open Access. The present meeting was called to discuss the formation of a consortium (SCOAP3) that could coordinate this sponsorship. Representatives from major European particle physics funding agencies, library consortia and the research community attended. In the past year, many more physics publishers have introduced Open Access options of one kind or another. It is fairly clear that these moves have been a direct consequence of the discussion on Open Access in the particle physics research community. The maintenance of a peer-review system for quality assurance, currently carried out by the publishers, was felt to be an essential element to preserve in the transition to Open Access. A move to full Open Access, rather than the hybrid variety currently proposed by several p...

Astroparticle Physics European Consortium Town Meeting Conference

CERN Document Server

2016-01-01

The Astroparticle Physics European Consortium (APPEC) invites you to a town meeting at the Grand Amphithéatre de Sorbonne in Paris on the 6th and 7th April 2016 to discuss an update of the 2011 APPEC Astroparticle Physics roadmap, to be published in September 2016. In 2014 APPEC decided to launch an update of the 2011 Roadmap, transforming it to a “resource aware” roadmap. The intention was to gauge the financial impact of the beginnings of operation of the large global scale observatories put forward in the previous roadmap and to examine the possibilities of international coordination of future global initiatives. The APPEC Scientific Advisory Committee examined the field and prepared a set of recommendations. Based on these recommendations, the APPEC General Assembly drafted a set of “considerations” to be published by end of February 2016 and be debated in an open dialogue with the community, through the web page but primarily at the town meeting of 6-7 April. Based on this debate the final re...

25 CFR 1000.398 - May a Tribe/Consortium invest funds received under a self-governance agreement?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 25 Indians 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false May a Tribe/Consortium invest funds received under a self-governance agreement? 1000.398 Section 1000.398 Indians OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY, INDIAN AFFAIRS... invest funds received under a self-governance agreement? Yes, self-governance funds may be invested if...

The International Rare Diseases Research Consortium: Policies and Guidelines to maximize impact.

Science.gov (United States)

Lochmüller, Hanns; Torrent I Farnell, Josep; Le Cam, Yann; Jonker, Anneliene H; Lau, Lilian Pl; Baynam, Gareth; Kaufmann, Petra; Dawkins, Hugh Js; Lasko, Paul; Austin, Christopher P; Boycott, Kym M

2017-12-01

The International Rare Diseases Research Consortium (IRDiRC) has agreed on IRDiRC Policies and Guidelines, following extensive deliberations and discussions in 2012 and 2013, as a first step towards improving coordination of research efforts worldwide. The 25 funding members and 3 patient umbrella organizations (as of early 2013) of IRDiRC, a consortium of research funders that focuses on improving diagnosis and therapy for rare disease patients, agreed in Dublin, Ireland in April 2013 on the Policies and Guidelines that emphasize collaboration in rare disease research, the involvement of patients and their representatives in all relevant aspects of research, as well as the sharing of data and resources. The Policies and Guidelines provide guidance on ontologies, diagnostics, biomarkers, patient registries, biobanks, natural history, therapeutics, models, publication, intellectual property, and communication. Most IRDiRC members-currently nearly 50 strong-have since incorporated its policies in their funding calls and some have chosen to exceed the requirements laid out, for instance in relation to data sharing. The IRDiRC Policies and Guidelines are the first, detailed agreement of major public and private funding organizations worldwide to govern rare disease research, and may serve as a template for other areas of international research collaboration. While it is too early to assess their full impact on research productivity and patient benefit, the IRDiRC Policies and Guidelines have already contributed significantly to improving transparency and collaboration in rare disease research.

Numerate Intends to Join ATOM Consortium to Rapidly Accelerate Preclinical Drug Development | Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research

Science.gov (United States)

SAN FRANCISCO – Computational drug design company Numerate has signed a letter of intent to join an open consortium of scientists staffed from two U.S. national laboratories, industry, and academia working to transform drug discovery and developmen

Implications of ICD-10 for Sarcopenia Clinical Practice and Clinical Trials: Report by the International Conference on Frailty and Sarcopenia Research Task Force.

Science.gov (United States)

Vellas, B; Fielding, R A; Bens, C; Bernabei, R; Cawthon, P M; Cederholm, T; Cruz-Jentoft, A J; Del Signore, S; Donahue, S; Morley, J; Pahor, M; Reginster, J-Y; Rodriguez Mañas, L; Rolland, Y; Roubenoff, R; Sinclair, A; Cesari, M

2018-01-01

Establishment of an ICD-10-CM code for sarcopenia in 2016 was an important step towards reaching international consensus on the need for a nosological framework of age-related skeletal muscle decline. The International Conference on Frailty and Sarcopenia Research Task Force met in April 2017 to discuss the meaning, significance, and barriers to the implementation of the new code as well as strategies to accelerate development of new therapies. Analyses by the Sarcopenia Definitions and Outcomes Consortium are underway to develop quantitative definitions of sarcopenia. A consensus conference is planned to evaluate this analysis. The Task Force also discussed lessons learned from sarcopenia trials that could be applied to future trials, as well as lessons from the osteoporosis field, a clinical condition with many constructs similar to sarcopenia and for which ad hoc treatments have been developed and approved by regulatory agencies.

ESHRE PGD Consortium/Embryology Special Interest Group--best practice guidelines for polar body and embryo biopsy for preimplantation genetic diagnosis/screening (PGD/PGS)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Harton, G L; Magli, M C; Lundin, K

2011-01-01

In 2005, the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) Consortium published a set of Guidelines for Best Practice to give information, support and guidance to potential, existing and fledgling PGD programmes (Thornhill AR, De Die...... have seen the introduction of a number of new technologies as well as the evolution of current techniques. Additionally, in light of ESHRE's recent advice on how practice guidelines should be written and formulated, the Consortium believed it was timely to revise and update the PGD guidelines. Rather...

Fidelity considerations in translational research: Eating As Treatment - a stepped wedge, randomised controlled trial of a dietitian delivered behaviour change counselling intervention for head and neck cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Beck, Alison Kate; Baker, Amanda; Britton, Ben; Wratten, Chris; Bauer, Judith; Wolfenden, Luke; Carter, Gregory

2015-10-15

The confidence with which researchers can comment on intervention efficacy relies on evaluation and consideration of intervention fidelity. Accordingly, there have been calls to increase the transparency with which fidelity methodology is reported. Despite this, consideration and/or reporting of fidelity methods remains poor. We seek to address this gap by describing the methodology for promoting and facilitating the evaluation of intervention fidelity in The EAT (Eating As Treatment) project: a multi-site stepped wedge randomised controlled trial of a dietitian delivered behaviour change counselling intervention to improve nutrition (primary outcome) in head and neck cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy. In accordance with recommendations from the National Institutes of Health Behaviour Change Consortium Treatment Fidelity Workgroup, we sought to maximise fidelity in this stepped wedge randomised controlled trial via strategies implemented from study design through to provider training, intervention delivery and receipt. As the EAT intervention is designed to be incorporated into standard dietetic consultations, we also address unique challenges for translational research. We offer a strong model for improving the quality of translational findings via real world application of National Institutes of Health Behaviour Change Consortium recommendations. Greater transparency in the reporting of behaviour change research is an important step in improving the progress and quality of behaviour change research. ACTRN12613000320752 (Date of registration 21 March 2013).

Emerging Global Initiatives in Neurogenetics: The Enhancing Neuroimaging Genetics through Meta-analysis (ENIGMA) Consortium.

Science.gov (United States)

Bearden, Carrie E; Thompson, Paul M

2017-04-19

The Enhancing Neuroimaging Genetics through Meta-analysis (ENIGMA) Consortium is a global team science effort, now including over 800 scientists spread across 340 institutions in 35 countries, with the shared goal of understanding disease and genetic influences on the brain. This "crowdsourcing" approach to team neuroscience has unprecedented power for advancing our understanding of both typical and atypical human brain development. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Customer Satisfaction Perceptions of Dislocated Workers Served by WIN Job Centers in the Mississippi Corridor Consortium

Science.gov (United States)

Washburn, Dava Michelle

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions of satisfaction of dislocated workers served by WIN Job Centers in the Mississippi Corridor Consortium. Four WIN Job Centers participated in this study: Northeast Mississippi Community College WIN Job Center in Corinth, Northwest Mississippi Community College WIN Job Center in Oxford,…

Academically Ambitious and Relevant Higher Education Research: The Legacy of the Consortium of Higher Education Researchers

Science.gov (United States)

Teichler, Ulrich

2013-01-01

The Consortium of Higher Education Researchers (CHER) was founded in 1988 to stimulate international communication and collaboration of higher education researchers. A need was felt to offset the isolation of the small numbers of scholars in this area of expertise in many countries, as well as the isolation of individual disciplines addressing…

Research ethics board approval for an international thromboprophylaxis trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Lutz, Kristina; Wilton, Kelly; Zytaruk, Nicole; Julien, Lisa; Hall, Richard; Harvey, Johanne; Skrobik, Yoanna; Vlahakis, Nicholas; Meade, Laurie; Matte, Andrea; Meade, Maureen; Burns, Karen; Albert, Martin; Cash, Bronwyn Barlow; Vallance, Shirley; Klinger, James; Heels-Ansdell, Diane; Cook, Deborah

2012-06-01

Research ethics board (REB) review of scientific protocols is essential, ensuring participants' dignity, safety, and rights. The objectives of this study were to examine the time from submission to approval, to analyze predictors of approval time, and to describe the scope of conditions from REBs evaluating an international thromboprophylaxis trial. We generated survey items through literature review and investigators' discussions, creating 4 domains: respondent and institutional demographics, the REB application process, and alternate consent models. We conducted a document analysis that involved duplicate assessment of themes from REB critique of the protocol and informed consent forms (ICF). Approval was granted from 65 REB institutions, requiring 58 unique applications. We analyzed 44 (75.9%) of 58 documents and surveys. Survey respondents completing the applications had 8 (5-12) years of experience; 77% completed 4 or more REB applications in previous 5 years. Critical care personnel were represented on 54% of REBs. The time to approval was a median (interquartile range) of 75 (42, 150) days, taking longer for sites with national research consortium membership (89.1 vs 31.0 days, P = .03). Document analysis of the application process and ICF yielded 5 themes: methodology, data management, consent procedures, cataloguing, and miscellaneous. Protocol-specific themes focused on trial implementation, external critiques, and budget. The only theme specific to the ICF was risks and benefits. The most frequent comments on the protocol and ICF were about methodology and miscellaneous issues; ICF comments also addressed study risks and benefits. More studies on methods to enhance efficiency and consistency of the REB approval processes for clinical trials are needed while still maintaining high ethical standards. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

International Consortium on Mammographic Density: Methodology and Population Diversity captured across 22 Countries

Science.gov (United States)

McCormack, Valerie A.; Burton, Anya; dos-Santos-Silva, Isabel; Hipwell, John H.; Dickens, Caroline; Salem, Dorria; Kamal, Rasha; Hartman, Mikael; Ling Lee, Charmaine Pei; Chia, Kee-Seng; Ozmen, Vahit; Aribal, Mustafa Erkin; Flugelman, Anath Arzee; Lajous, Martín; Lopez-Riduara, Ruy; Rice, Megan; Romieu, Isabelle; Ursin, Giske; Qureshi, Samera; Ma, Huiyan; Lee, Eunjung; van Gils, Carla H.; Wanders, Johanna O.P.; Vinayak, Sudhir; Ndumia, Rose; Allen, Steve; Vinnicombe, Sarah; Moss, Sue; Lee, Jong Won; Kim, Jisun; Pereira, Ana; Garmendia, Maria Luisa; Sirous, Reza; Sirous, Mehri; Peplonska, Beata; Bukowska, Agnieszka; Tamimi, Rulla M.; Bertrand, Kimberly; Nagata, Chisato; Kwong, Ava; Vachon, Celine; Scott, Christopher; Perez-Gomez, Beatriz; Pollan, Marina; Maskarinec, Gertraud; Giles, Graham; Hopper, John; Stone, Jennifer; Rajaram, Nadia; Teo, Soo-Hwang; Mariapun, Shivaani; Yaffe, Martin J.; Schüz, Joachim; Chiarelli, Anna; Linton, Linda; Boyd, Norman F.

2015-01-01

Mammographic density (MD) is a quantitative trait, measurable in all women, and is among the strongest markers of breast cancer risk. The population-based epidemiology of MD has revealed genetic, lifestyle and societal/environmental determinants, but studies have largely been conducted in women with similar westernized lifestyles living in countries with high breast cancer incidence rates. To benefit from the heterogeneity in risk factors and their combinations worldwide, we created an International Consortium on Mammographic Density (ICMD) to pool individual-level epidemiological and MD data from general population studies worldwide. ICMD aims to characterize determinants of MD more precisely, and to evaluate whether they are consistent across populations worldwide. We included 11755 women, from 27 studies in 22 countries, on whom individual-level risk factor data were pooled and original mammographic images were re-read for ICMD by a core team to obtain standardized comparable MD data. In the present article, we present (i) the rationale for this consortium; (ii) characteristics of the studies and women included; and (iii) study methodology to obtain comparable MD data from original re-read films. We also highlight the risk factor heterogeneity captured by such an effort and, thus, the unique insight the pooled study promises to offer through wider exposure ranges, different confounding structures and enhanced power for sub-group analyses. PMID:26724463

The establishment of the GENEQOL consortium to investigate the genetic disposition of patient-reported quality-of-life outcomes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sprangers, M.A.G.; Sloan, J.A.; Veenhoven, R.; Cleeland, C.S.; Halyard, M.Y.; Abertnethy, A.P.; Baas, F.; Barsevick, A.M.; Bartels, M.; Boomsma, D.I.; Chauhan, C.; Dueck, A.C.; Frost, M.H.; Hall, P.; Klepstad, P.; Martin, N.G.; Miaskowski, C.; Mosing, M.; Movsas, B.; van Noorden, C.J.F.; Patrick, D.L.; Pedersen, N.L.; Ropka, M.E.; Shi, Q.; Shinozaki, G.; Singh, J.A.; Yang, P.; Zwinderman, A.H.

2009-01-01

To our knowledge, no comprehensive, interdisciplinary initiatives have been taken to examine the role of genetic variants on patient-reported qualityof-life outcomes. The overall objective of this paper is to describe the establishment of an international and interdisciplinary consortium, the

Trial design: Rivaroxaban for the prevention of major cardiovascular events after transcatheter aortic valve replacement: Rationale and design of the GALILEO study.

Science.gov (United States)

Windecker, Stephan; Tijssen, Jan; Giustino, Gennaro; Guimarães, Ana H C; Mehran, Roxana; Valgimigli, Marco; Vranckx, Pascal; Welsh, Robert C; Baber, Usman; van Es, Gerrit-Anne; Wildgoose, Peter; Volkl, Albert A; Zazula, Ana; Thomitzek, Karen; Hemmrich, Melanie; Dangas, George D

2017-02-01

Optimal antithrombotic treatment after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is unknown and determined empirically. The direct factor Xa inhibitor rivaroxaban may potentially reduce TAVR-related thrombotic complications and premature valve failure. GALILEO is an international, randomized, open-label, event-driven, phase III trial in more than 1,520 patients without an indication for oral anticoagulation who underwent a successful TAVR (ClinicalTrials.govNCT02556203). Patients are randomized (1:1 ratio), 1 to 7days after a successful TAVR, to either a rivaroxaban-based strategy or an antiplatelet-based strategy. In the experimental arm, subjects receive rivaroxaban (10mg once daily [OD]) plus acetylsalicylic acid (ASA, 75-100mg OD) for 90days followed by rivaroxaban alone. In the control arm, subjects receive clopidogrel (75mg OD) plus ASA (as above) for 90days followed by ASA alone. In case new-onset atrial fibrillation occurs after randomization, full oral anticoagulation will be implemented with maintenance of the original treatment assignment. The primary efficacy end point is the composite of all-cause death, stroke, myocardial infarction, symptomatic valve thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, deep venous thrombosis, and systemic embolism. The primary safety end point is the composite of life-threatening, disabling, and major bleeding, according to the Valve Academic Research Consortium definitions. GALILEO will test the hypothesis that a rivaroxaban-based antithrombotic strategy reduces the risk of thromboembolic complications post-TAVR with an acceptable risk of bleeding compared with the currently recommended antiplatelet therapy-based strategy in subjects without need of chronic oral anticoagulation. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Concurrent transcranial direct current stimulation and progressive resistance training in Parkinson's disease: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Hendy, Ashlee M; Tillman, Alex; Rantalainen, Timo; Muthalib, Makii; Johnson, Liam; Kidgell, Dawson J; Wundersitz, Daniel; Enticott, Peter G; Teo, Wei-Peng

2016-07-19

Parkinson's disease (PD) results from a loss of dopamine in the brain, leading to movement dysfunctions such as bradykinesia, postural instability, resting tremor and muscle rigidity. Furthermore, dopamine deficiency in PD has been shown to result in maladaptive plasticity of the primary motor cortex (M1). Progressive resistance training (PRT) is a popular intervention in PD that improves muscular strength and results in clinically significant improvements on the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). In separate studies, the application of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (a-tDCS) to the M1 has been shown to improve motor function in PD; however, the combined use of tDCS and PRT has not been investigated. We propose a 6-week, double-blind randomised controlled trial combining M1 tDCS and PRT of the lower body in participants (n = 42) with moderate PD (Hoehn and Yahr scale score 2-4). Supervised lower body PRT combined with functional balance tasks will be performed three times per week with concurrent a-tDCS delivered at 2 mA for 20 minutes (a-tDCS group) or with sham tDCS (sham group). Control participants will receive standard care (control group). Outcome measures will include functional strength, gait speed and variability, balance, neurophysiological function at rest and during movement execution, and the UPDRS motor subscale, measured at baseline, 3 weeks (during), 6 weeks (post), and 9 weeks (retention). Ethical approval has been granted by the Deakin University Human Research Ethics Committee (project number 2015-014), and the trial has been registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12615001241527). This will be the first randomised controlled trial to combine PRT and a-tDCS targeting balance and gait in people with PD. The study will elucidate the functional, clinical and neurophysiological outcomes of combined PRT and a-tDCS. It is hypothesised that combined PRT and a-tDCS will significantly

Combustion Byproducts Recycling Consortium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ziemkiewicz, Paul; Vandivort, Tamara; Pflughoeft-Hassett, Debra; Chugh, Y Paul; Hower, James

2008-08-31

Each year, over 100 million tons of solid byproducts are produced by coal-burning electric utilities in the United States. Annual production of flue gas desulfurization (FGD) byproducts continues to increase as the result of more stringent sulfur emission restrictions. In addition, stricter limits on NOx emissions mandated by the 1990 Clean Air Act have resulted in utility burner/boiler modifications that frequently yield higher carbon concentrations in fly ash, which restricts the use of the ash as a cement replacement. Controlling ammonia in ash is also of concern. If newer, “clean coal” combustion and gasification technologies are adopted, their byproducts may also present a management challenge. The objective of the Combustion Byproducts Recycling Consortium (CBRC) is to develop and demonstrate technologies to address issues related to the recycling of byproducts associated with coal combustion processes. A goal of CBRC is that these technologies, by the year 2010, will lead to an overall ash utilization rate from the current 34% to 50% by such measures as increasing the current rate of FGD byproduct use and increasing in the number of uses considered “allowable” under state regulations. Another issue of interest to the CBRC would be to examine the environmental impact of both byproduct utilization and disposal. No byproduct utilization technology is likely to be adopted by industry unless it is more cost-effective than landfilling. Therefore, it is extremely important that the utility industry provide guidance to the R&D program. Government agencies and privatesector organizations that may be able to utilize these materials in the conduct of their missions should also provide input. The CBRC will serve as an effective vehicle for acquiring and maintaining guidance from these diverse organizations so that the proper balance in the R&D program is achieved.

Borderline Personality Disorder and Oxytocin: Review of Clinical Trials and Future Directions.

Science.gov (United States)

Amad, Ali; Thomas, Pierre; Perez-Rodriguez, M Mercedes

2015-01-01

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a common mental disorder characterized by a pervasive pattern of emotional Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a common mental disorder characterized by a pervasive pattern of emotional lability, impulsivity, interpersonal difficulties, identity disturbances, and disturbed cognition. Traditional pharmacotherapies are effective in treating some of these core symptoms but have only modest effects on the domain of interpersonal dysfunction of BPD. Thus there is a need to develop new, neurobiologically informed pharmacological treatments for BPD. This review focuses on the potential use of intranasal oxytocin (OXT), which has key roles in the regulation of complex social cognition and behaviors, to target symptoms of interpersonal dysfunction in BPD. Surprisingly, despite promising data on the prosocial effects of OXT, only 5 trials in BPD have been published to date. These trials show mixed results with on one hand, a decrease of emotional responses to stress and on the other hand, some "paradoxical" reactions with worsened interpersonal anxiety and decreased cooperative behavior. These mixed results are interpreted according to different theoretical models and also in light of some methodological limitations. Further studies are needed to understand the effect of OXT in patients with BPD and ongoing clinical trials will provide some answers to remaining questions on the use of OXT in BPD. Recommendations for future studies are also proposed in this review.

Trends in the incidence of dementia: design and methods in the Alzheimer Cohorts Consortium.

Science.gov (United States)

Chibnik, Lori B; Wolters, Frank J; Bäckman, Kristoffer; Beiser, Alexa; Berr, Claudine; Bis, Joshua C; Boerwinkle, Eric; Bos, Daniel; Brayne, Carol; Dartigues, Jean-Francois; Darweesh, Sirwan K L; Debette, Stephanie; Davis-Plourde, Kendra L; Dufouil, Carole; Fornage, Myriam; Grasset, Leslie; Gudnason, Vilmundur; Hadjichrysanthou, Christoforos; Helmer, Catherine; Ikram, M Arfan; Ikram, M Kamran; Kern, Silke; Kuller, Lewis H; Launer, Lenore; Lopez, Oscar L; Matthews, Fiona; Meirelles, Osorio; Mosley, Thomas; Ower, Alison; Psaty, Bruce M; Satizabal, Claudia L; Seshadri, Sudha; Skoog, Ingmar; Stephan, Blossom C M; Tzourio, Christophe; Waziry, Reem; Wong, Mei Mei; Zettergren, Anna; Hofman, Albert

2017-10-01

Several studies have reported a decline in incidence of dementia which may have large implications for the projected burden of disease, and provide important guidance to preventive efforts. However, reports are conflicting or inconclusive with regard to the impact of gender and education with underlying causes of a presumed declining trend remaining largely unidentified. The Alzheimer Cohorts Consortium aggregates data from nine international population-based cohorts to determine changes in the incidence of dementia since 1990. We will employ Poisson regression models to calculate incidence rates in each cohort and Cox proportional hazard regression to compare 5-year cumulative hazards across study-specific epochs. Finally, we will meta-analyse changes per decade across cohorts, and repeat all analysis stratified by sex, education and APOE genotype. In all cohorts combined, there are data on almost 69,000 people at risk of dementia with the range of follow-up years between 2 and 27. The average age at baseline is similar across cohorts ranging between 72 and 77. Uniting a wide range of disease-specific and methodological expertise in research teams, the first analyses within the Alzheimer Cohorts Consortium are underway to tackle outstanding challenges in the assessment of time-trends in dementia occurrence.

Study of the Bioremediation of Atrazine under Variable Carbon and Nitrogen Sources by Mixed Bacterial Consortium Isolated from Corn Field Soil in Fars Province of Iran

Science.gov (United States)

Nasseri, Simin; Hashemi, Hassan

2013-01-01

Atrazine herbicide that is widely used in corn production is frequently detected in water resources. The main objectives of this research were focused on assessing the effects of carbon and nitrogen sources on atrazine biodegradation by mixed bacterial consortium and by evaluating the feasibility of using mixed bacterial consortium in soil culture. Shiraz corn field soil with a long history of atrazine application has been explored for their potential of atrazine biodegradation. The influence of different carbon compounds and the effect of nitrogen sources and a different pH (5.5–8.5) on atrazine removal efficiency by mixed bacterial consortium in liquid culture were investigated. Sodium citrate and sucrose had the highest atrazine biodegradation rate (87.22%) among different carbon sources. Atrazine biodegradation rate decreased more quickly by the addition of urea (26.76%) compared to ammonium nitrate. Based on the data obtained in this study, pH of 7.0 is optimum for atrazine biodegradation. After 30 days of incubation, the percent of atrazine reduction rates were significantly enhanced in the inoculated soils (60.5%) as compared to uninoculated control soils (12%) at the soil moisture content of 25%. In conclusion, bioaugmentation of soil with mixed bacterial consortium may enhance the rate of atrazine degradation in a highly polluted soil. PMID:23533452

Consortium biology in immunology: the perspective from the Immunological Genome Project.

Science.gov (United States)

Benoist, Christophe; Lanier, Lewis; Merad, Miriam; Mathis, Diane

2012-10-01

Although the field has a long collaborative tradition, immunology has made less use than genetics of 'consortium biology', wherein groups of investigators together tackle large integrated questions or problems. However, immunology is naturally suited to large-scale integrative and systems-level approaches, owing to the multicellular and adaptive nature of the cells it encompasses. Here, we discuss the value and drawbacks of this organization of research, in the context of the long-running 'big science' debate, and consider the opportunities that may exist for the immunology community. We position this analysis in light of our own experience, both positive and negative, as participants of the Immunological Genome Project.