A Prescribed Flight Performance Assessment for Undersea Vehicle Autopilot Robustness

Science.gov (United States)

2016-06-16

to common mechanical system design parameters and autopilot design. Two non-dimensional parameters that encompass the common changes to undersea...Figure 6.13. Steady Depth Change : Elevator, Pitch Angle, and Pitch Rate Responses... Pitch , and Pitch Rate Responses with Depth Compensation ......... 67 Figure 7.4. Five and Ten Meter Depth Change Evaluations with Depth

Living in contained environments: Research implications from undersea habitats. [undersea habitats

Science.gov (United States)

Helmreich, Robert L.

1986-01-01

A cost-reward model is used to frame a discussion of differences in observed behavior of individuals and groups in confined environments. It has been observed that the high cost of functioning in a stressful environment is likely to produce poor performance when anticipated rewards are low but that participants can manage the stress and achieve high performance if they anticipate high rewards. The high-reward environment is exemplified by early undersea habitats such as Sealab and Tektite and by early space missions. Other aspects of behavior occur in all confined environments and point to an important area for future research. Of particular interest are intergroup conflicts arising between the confined group and its external control. Also, individual differences in personality seem always to have an impact in confined environments. Recent research has focused on: (1) predicting performance and adjustment based on instrumental and expressive aspects of the self; (2) the differential predictive power of achievement striving and irritation/irritability in Type A personalities; and (3) the nature and role of leadership in small, isolated groups.

Medical radiography and information societies: Challenges and opportunities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kalra, H.P.S.

2006-01-01

This paper presents the perspective from a less developed country for broadening the horizon of medical imaging as an integral part of medical records and biomedical information. From the industrial to the information society, the number as well as the diversity of stakeholders in the medical records and medical information has grown. this call for a fresh outlook on medical radiography and medical imaging

[The importance of the Czech Medical Society yesterday and today].

Science.gov (United States)

Fejfar, Z

1992-10-23

Fourteen physicians headed by Jan Evangelista Purkynĕ signed the proposed by-laws of the Czech medical society in october 1861. Emperor's approval was received 26th june 1862 and in july Purkynĕ was elected the first president. The same illuminated personalities were the founders of the Casopis lékarů ceských--the Czech medical Journal which has remained the most important Czech periodical until the present time. The aims of the Society were to cultivate medical science and promote Czech language in medicine. Weekly scientific sessions, medical periodical and publication of monographs related to medicine were the means how to achieve the aims. The Czech Medical Society became soon the centre of medical science in Bohemia. Its members were among the foremost fighters for the use of Czech language in Charles university and their relentless effort helped much to the establishment of the Czech Univerzity in 1882 and Czech medical faculty a year later. In subsequent years the Society was also involved in professional problems related to social health insurance, medical fees, ethical problems and other relevant questions such as the establishment of medical chambers. The activity of the Czech medical Society was never interrupted during its 130 years of existence, although there were several difficult periods in its life, mainly during the first and second world war and also in the past 40 years. In spite of the atomization of medicine the Czech medical Society has been continuing its eminent mission to create communication and establish close links between the medical science and practical medicine by systematically bringing new knowledge in medicine and biology to general physicians and by putting together physicians, surgeons and basic scientists. The task for the future is seen in optimal transfer of new knowledge and ideas from scientists to practicians and vice versa; and to take care of the highest possible moral and ethical standard required for humane

A System for Computing Conceptual Pathways in Bio-medical Text Models

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andreasen, Troels; Bulskov, Henrik; Nilsson, Jørgen Fischer

2014-01-01

This paper describes the key principles in a system for querying and conceptual path finding in a logic-based knowledge base. The knowledge base is extracted from textual descriptions in bio-, pharma- and medical areas. The knowledge base applies natural logic, that is, a variable-free term...

A study to assess the knowledge and practice on bio-medical waste ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

McRoy

Practice, Bharathi College of Pharmacy, Mandya 571401, India. 5Department of ... revealed the lack of knowledge and awareness of bio-medical waste .... Female. 43. 77. 36. 64. Qualification. MPBHW/ ANM. DMLTC. D.Pharm. 101. 10. 09. 85.

Polygons of global undersea features for geographic searches

Science.gov (United States)

Hartwell, Stephen R.; Wingfield, Dana K.; Allwardt, Alan O.; Lightsom, Frances L.; Wong, Florence L.

2018-01-01

A shapefile of 311 undersea features from all major oceans and seas has been created as an aid for retrieving georeferenced information resources. Geospatial information systems with the capability to search user-defined, polygonal geographic areas will be able to utilize this shapefile or secondary products derived from it, such as linked data based on well-known text representations of the individual polygons within the shapefile. Version 1.1 of this report also includes a linked data representation of 299 of these features and their spatial extents.

A biorobotic pectoral fin for autonomous undersea vehicles.

Science.gov (United States)

Tangorra, James L; Davidson, S Naomi; Madden, Peter G; Lauder, George V; Hunter, Ian W

2006-01-01

A biorobotic fin for autonomous undersea vehicles (AUVs) was developed based on studies of the anatomy, kinematics, and hydrodynamics of the bluegill sunfish pectoral fin. The biorobotic fin was able to produce many of the complex fin motions used by the sunfish during steady swimming and was used to investigate mechanisms of thrust production and control. This biorobotic fin is an excellent experimental tool and is an important first step towards developing propulsive devices that give AUVs maneuvering characteristics that match and exceed those of highly maneuverable fish.

Teaching leadership: the medical student society model.

Science.gov (United States)

Matthews, Jacob H; Morley, Gabriella L; Crossley, Eleanor; Bhanderi, Shivam

2018-04-01

All health care professionals in the UK are expected to have the medical leadership and management (MLM) skills necessary for improving patient care, as stipulated by the UK General Medical Council (GMC). Newly graduated doctors reported insufficient knowledge about leadership and quality improvement skills, despite all UK medical schools reporting that MLM is taught within their curriculum. A medical student society organised a series of extracurricular educational events focusing on leadership topics. The society recognised that the events needed to be useful and interesting to attract audiences. Therefore, clinical leaders in exciting fields were invited to talk about their experiences and case studies of personal leadership challenges. The emphasis on personal stories, from respected leaders, was a deliberate strategy to attract students and enhance learning. Evaluation data were collected from the audiences to improve the quality of the events and to support a business case for an intercalated degree in MLM. When leadership and management concepts are taught through personal stories, students find it interesting and are prepared to give up their leisure time to engage with the subject. Students appear to recognise the importance of MLM knowledge to their future careers, and are able to organise their own, and their peers', learning and development. Organising these events and collecting feedback can provide students with opportunities to practise leadership, management and quality improvement skills. These extracurricular events, delivered through a student society, allow for subjects to be discussed in more depth and can complement an already crowded undergraduate curriculum. Newly graduated doctors reported insufficient knowledge about leadership and quality improvement skills. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and The Association for the Study of Medical Education.

Control Automation in Undersea Search and Manipulation

Science.gov (United States)

Weltman, Gershon; Freedy, Amos

1974-01-01

Automatic decision making and control mechanisms of the type termed "adaptive" or "intelligent" offer unique advantages for exploration and manipulation of the undersea environment, particularly at great depths. Because they are able to carry out human-like functions autonomously, such mechanisms can aid and extend the capabilities of the human operator. This paper reviews past and present work in the areas of adaptive control and robotics with the purpose of establishing logical guidelines for the application of automatic techniques underwater. Experimental research data are used to illustrate the importance of information feedback, personnel training, and methods of control allocation in the interaction between operator and intelligent machine.

A study of the development of bio-energy resources and the status of eco-society in China

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Xia; Huang, Yongmei; Gong, Jirui [State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875 (China); College of Resources Science and Technology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875 (China); Zhang, Xinshi [State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875 (China); College of Resources Science and Technology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875 (China); Institute of Botany, CAS, Beijing 100093 (China)

2010-11-15

Industrialization of bio-energy relies on the supply of resources on a large scale. The theoretical biomass resources could reach 2.61-3.51 billion tce (tons of coal equivalent)/a in China, while the available feedstock is about 440-640 million tce/a, however, among this only 1.5-2.5% has been transferred into energy at present. Marginal land utilization has great prospects of supplying bio-energy resources in China, with co-benefits, such as carbon sequestration, water/soil conservation, and wind erosion protection. There is a large area of marginal land in China, especially in northern China, including about 263 million ha of desertification land, 173 million ha of sand-land, and 17 million ha of salinizatin land. The plant species suitable to be grown in marginal lands, including some species in Salix, Hippophae, Tamarix, Caragana, and Prunus is also abundant Biomass feedstock in marginal lands would be 100 million tce/a in 2020, and 200 million tce/a in 2050. As a result, a win-win situation of eco-society and bio-energy development could be realized, with an expected 4-5% reduction of total CO{sub 2} emission in China in 2020-2050. Although much progress has been made in the field of bio-energy research in China, yet significant efforts should be taken in the future to fulfill large-scale industrialization of bio-energy. (author)

Medical Research Participation as "Ethical Intercorporeality": Caring for Bio-Social Bodies in a Mexican Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wentzell, Emily

2017-03-01

While medical research ethics guidelines frame participants as individual and autonomous, anthropologists emphasize the relational nature of health research participation. I analyze interviews with Mexican male HPV study participants and their wives to examine how research participants themselves focus on relationships when imagining research-related benefits. I argue that couples incorporated the local trope of the Mexican citizenry as a biologically homogeneous national body, which individual members help or harm through their gendered health behavior to understand these benefits. I use the concept of "ethical intercorporeality" to discuss spouses' understandings of themselves as parts of bio-social wholes-the couple, family, and society-that they believed men's research participation could aid both physically and socially. This finding extends the insight that focusing on relationships rather than individuals is necessary for understanding the consequences of medical research by showing how participants themselves might apply this perspective in context-specific ways. © 2016 by the American Anthropological Association.

Electrical aspects of argon micro-cell plasma with applications in bio-medical technology

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Horiuchi, Y.; Dijk, van J.; Makabe, T.

2003-01-01

Argon micro-cell plasma (MCP) is believed to be a viable tool for performing micro-surgery. The non-thermal nature of the discharge allows an effective treatment of pathological tissue without causing thermal damage to its surroundings. This bio-medical application imposes a number of design

Three-dimensional bio-printing.

Science.gov (United States)

Gu, Qi; Hao, Jie; Lu, YangJie; Wang, Liu; Wallace, Gordon G; Zhou, Qi

2015-05-01

Three-dimensional (3D) printing technology has been widely used in various manufacturing operations including automotive, defence and space industries. 3D printing has the advantages of personalization, flexibility and high resolution, and is therefore becoming increasingly visible in the high-tech fields. Three-dimensional bio-printing technology also holds promise for future use in medical applications. At present 3D bio-printing is mainly used for simulating and reconstructing some hard tissues or for preparing drug-delivery systems in the medical area. The fabrication of 3D structures with living cells and bioactive moieties spatially distributed throughout will be realisable. Fabrication of complex tissues and organs is still at the exploratory stage. This review summarize the development of 3D bio-printing and its potential in medical applications, as well as discussing the current challenges faced by 3D bio-printing.

Medical student selection and society: Lessons we learned from sociological theories.

Science.gov (United States)

Yaghmaei, Minoo; Yazdani, Shahram; Ahmady, Soleiman

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to show the interaction between the society, applicants and medical schools in terms of medical student selection. In this study, the trends to implement social factors in the selection process were highlighted. These social factors were explored through functionalism and conflict theories, each focusing on different categories of social factors. While functionalist theorists pay attention to diversity in the selection process, conflict theorists highlight the importance of socio-economic class. Although both theories believe in sorting, their different views are reflected in their sorting strategies. Both theories emphasize the importance of the person-society relationship in motivation to enter university. Furthermore, the impacts of social goals on the selection policies are derived from both theories. Theories in the sociology of education offer an approach to student selection that acknowledges and supports complexity, plurality of approaches and innovative means of selection. Medical student selection does not solely focus on the individual assessment and qualification, but it focuses on a social and collective process, which includes all the influences and interactions between the medical schools and the society. Sociological perspective of medical student selection proposes a model that envelops the individual and the society. In this model, the selection methods should meet the criteria of merit at the individual level, while the selection policies should aim at the society goals at the institutional level.

Engagement of the medical-technology sector with society.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, David; Edelman, Elazer R; Radisic, Milica; Laurencin, Cato; Untereker, Darrel

2017-04-12

The medical-technology sector must educate society in an unbiased rational way about the successes and benefits of biotechnology innovation. Copyright © 2017, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

[125th anniversary of the Serbian Medical Society].

Science.gov (United States)

Sulović, V; Pavlović, B

2002-01-01

Serbian Medical Society was founded on April 22, 1872. Foundation initiators were physicians of the following nationalities: 5 Serbs, 3 Czechs, 2 Poles, 3 Germans, 1 Slovak and 1 Greek. Josip Pancić was one of its founders as well, and the first president of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts. Dr. Aćim Medović was elected its first President at the Inaugural Assembly, and Dr. Vladan Dordević its Secretary. Later, on October 17, 1874 Constitution of the Serbian Medical Society was passed and its was acknowledged by the Serbian Interior Minister. The first professional meeting was held on August 5, 1872, when they started the first medical journal named "Serbian Archives for All Physicians" ("Srpski arhiv za celokupno lekarstvo") that is being published regularly even today. At the proposal of SLD a Law on Medical Protection was passed (1881). This Law was translated into two European languages, German and French, and sent to be reconsidered by 400 towns throughout Europe. This Law included, beside the other things, the following: "...penny intended for health cannot be spent either by King, or by the Government or by any political party because it is intended for the health, tratement of the sick and doctors' salaries..." The first Congress of the Serbian physicians and scientists devoted to natural sciences was held in Belgrade from 5th to 7th of September, 1904, and it gahtered about 433 participants, among which over hundred were from abroad. In 1907 SLD organized in Belgrade "The First Scientific Conference of Yugoslav Doctors for Operating Surgery". Red Cross in Serbia was founded upon the initiative of SLD. The first initiative to establish the School of Medicine in Belgrade was given by SLD as well. Members of SLD proved their loyalty and devotion to their people, democracy and liberty during liberation wars in XIX and XX century by putting themselves in service of the sich and wrecked. Today, SLD realizes its professional activity through the work

Are Italian medical societies bridging the distance from citizen and patients' associations? Results of a survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Mosconi, P; Colombo, C; Guella, F; Pierotti, B; Vimercati, F

2008-09-01

In the framework of PartecipaSalute--an Italian research project aimed to involve lay people, patients' associations and scientific-medical representatives on the health debate --we carried out a survey with the Italian Federation of Medical Societies. The aims of the survey were to know medical societies attitude vs. patients involvement in research activities and healthcare setting and to find out possible projects conducted in partnership with patients associations. A web-questionnaire with 17 closed questions, and three open questions has been prepared on the basis of some experiences published on the literature and through the collaboration of members of the Italian Federation of Medical Societies. A total of 205 medical societies has been contacted by e-mail with a cover letter explaining the aims of the survey. At the end 74 medical societies completed the survey. Medical societies participating to the survey varied widely in terms of years of activity, number of members, and geographical distribution. Remarkably, 36 medical societies respondent organized collaborative initiatives with patients/consumers associations during the last three years. Among these, the most frequent were the preparation of written material for patients, organization of conferences or workshops, and health awareness campaigns. Moreover, 6 medical societies published documents on patients' rights but patients or their associations were involved in only 2 of these initiatives. Advantages and disadvantages reported by medical societies answering are also presented and discussed. In conclusion, to our knowledge this is the first survey on the value of patients' involvement conducted together with medical societies in Italy, and the results point the way to stronger collaboration in future between patients' associations and medical societies.

Joint Annual Meeting of the Austrian Physical Society and the Swiss Physical Society together with the Austrian and Swiss Societies for Astronomy and Astrophysics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2013-01-01

The Joint Annual Meeting of the Austrian Physical Society and the Swiss Physical Society was organized together with both national societies of Astronomy and Astrophysics (SSAA and ÖGAA) at the Johannes Kepler University Linz, Altenberger Straße 69, 4040 Linz, Austria. The plenary sessions gave an overview of the present status of research in quantum mechanics, particle, atomic and molecular physics. The topical sessions were dedicated to: nuclear, particle- and astro particle physics; physics teachers; acoustics; atoms, molecules, quantum optics and plasmas; solid state physics and research with neutron and synchrotron radiation; history of physics; medical, bio and environmental physics; surfaces, interfaces and thin films; careers in physics. There were special sessions on thermoelectrics and photovoltaics. In addition to the regular program, an Energy Day (Energietag) with several parallel sessions on recent topics of energy generation, -transport and -storage was jointly organized by the Energy and Industry Subdivisions of the Austrian Physical Society and by the Johannes Kepler Universität Linz. Those contributions which are in the INIS subject scope are indexed individually

Air bio-battery with a gas/liquid porous diaphragm cell for medical and health care devices.

Science.gov (United States)

Arakawa, Takahiro; Xie, Rui; Seshima, Fumiya; Toma, Koji; Mitsubayashi, Kohji

2018-04-30

Powering future generations of medical and health care devices mandates the transcutaneous transfer of energy or harvesting energy from the human body fluid. Glucose-driven bio fuel cells (bio-batteries) demonstrate promise as they produce electrical energy from glucose, which is a substrate presents in physiological fluids. Enzymatic biofuel cells can convert chemical energy into electrical energy using enzymes as catalysts. In this study, an air bio-battery was developed for healthcare and medical applications, consisting of a glucose-driven enzymatic biofuel cell using a direct gas-permeable membrane or a gas/liquid porous diaphragm. The power generation characteristics included a maximum current density of 285μA/cm 2 and maximum power density of 70.7μW/cm 2 in the presence of 5mmol/L of glucose in solution. In addition, high-performance, long-term-stabilized power generation was achieved using the gas/liquid porous diaphragm for the reactions between oxygen and enzyme. This system can be powered using 5mmol/L of glucose, the value of which is similar to that of the blood sugar range in humans. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The future of graduate medical education in Germany - position paper of the Committee on Graduate Medical Education of the Society for Medical Education (GMA).

Science.gov (United States)

David, Dagmar M; Euteneier, Alexander; Fischer, Martin R; Hahn, Eckhart G; Johannink, Jonas; Kulike, Katharina; Lauch, Robert; Lindhorst, Elmar; Noll-Hussong, Michael; Pinilla, Severin; Weih, Markus; Wennekes, Vanessa

2013-01-01

The German graduate medical education system is going through an important phase of changes. Besides the ongoing reform of the national guidelines for graduate medical education (Musterweiterbildungsordnung), other factors like societal and demographic changes, health and research policy reforms also play a central role for the future and competitiveness of graduate medical education. With this position paper, the committee on graduate medical education of the Society for Medical Education (GMA) would like to point out some central questions for this process and support the current discourse. As an interprofessional and interdisciplinary scientific society, the GMA has the resources to contribute in a meaningful way to an evidence-based and future-oriented graduate medical education strategy. In this position paper, we use four key questions with regards to educational goals, quality assurance, teaching competence and policy requirements to address the core issues for the future of graduate medical education in Germany. The GMA sees its task in contributing to the necessary reform processes as the only German speaking scientific society in the field of medical education.

High-dimensional data: p >> n in mathematical statistics and bio-medical applications

OpenAIRE

Van De Geer, Sara A.; Van Houwelingen, Hans C.

2004-01-01

The workshop 'High-dimensional data: p >> n in mathematical statistics and bio-medical applications' was held at the Lorentz Center in Leiden from 9 to 20 September 2002. This special issue of Bernoulli contains a selection of papers presented at that workshop. ¶ The introduction of high-throughput micro-array technology to measure gene-expression levels and the publication of the pioneering paper by Golub et al. (1999) has brought to life a whole new branch of data analysis under the name of...

Bio and health informatics meets cloud : BioVLab as an example.

Science.gov (United States)

Chae, Heejoon; Jung, Inuk; Lee, Hyungro; Marru, Suresh; Lee, Seong-Whan; Kim, Sun

2013-01-01

The exponential increase of genomic data brought by the advent of the next or the third generation sequencing (NGS) technologies and the dramatic drop in sequencing cost have driven biological and medical sciences to data-driven sciences. This revolutionary paradigm shift comes with challenges in terms of data transfer, storage, computation, and analysis of big bio/medical data. Cloud computing is a service model sharing a pool of configurable resources, which is a suitable workbench to address these challenges. From the medical or biological perspective, providing computing power and storage is the most attractive feature of cloud computing in handling the ever increasing biological data. As data increases in size, many research organizations start to experience the lack of computing power, which becomes a major hurdle in achieving research goals. In this paper, we review the features of publically available bio and health cloud systems in terms of graphical user interface, external data integration, security and extensibility of features. We then discuss about issues and limitations of current cloud systems and conclude with suggestion of a biological cloud environment concept, which can be defined as a total workbench environment assembling computational tools and databases for analyzing bio/medical big data in particular application domains.

Medical Image Registration by means of a Bio-Inspired Optimization Strategy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hariton Costin

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Medical imaging mainly treats and processes missing, ambiguous, complementary, redundant and distorted data. Biomedical image registration is the process of geometric overlaying or alignment of two or more 2D/3D images of the same scene, taken at different time slots, from different angles, and/or by different acquisition systems. In medical practice, it is becoming increasingly important in diagnosis, treatment planning, functional studies, computer-guided therapies, and in biomedical research. Technically, image registration implies a complex optimization of different parameters, performed at local or/and global levels. Local optimization methods frequently fail because functions of the involved metrics with respect to transformation parameters are generally nonconvex and irregular. Therefore, global methods are often required, at least at the beginning of the procedure. In this paper, a new evolutionary and bio-inspired approach -- bacterial foraging optimization -- is adapted for single-slice to 3-D PET and CT multimodal image registration. Preliminary results of optimizing the normalized mutual information similarity metric validated the efficacy of the proposed method by using a freely available medical image database.

[Anniversaries of the Serbian Medical Society. 60 years since its founding. The dream is fulfilled--the home of the Serbian Medical Society is opened].

Science.gov (United States)

Vuković, Z

1998-01-01

The Serbian Medical Society was founded in Belgrade in 1872, 126 years ago. At that time, Serbia was liberated from the Ottoman domination, and was one of some thirty existing independent states gaining international recognition in 1878. In 1932 an old dream has been fulfilled--on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the existence and activity of the Serbian Medical Society--the home of Serbian Medical Society was opened. A 30-year-long period in which the building of the Home was one of the main preoccupations and a "guiding light" of Serbian doctors thus ended. Money from charitable funds was used, which caused certain benefactors to be praised as noted personalities. Medical practice in those days was in the state of choice. There were no means for adequate treatment of certain ailments, and therapy without realistic scientific base was given, often covered by fictitious reasons. This was especially true for tuberculosis and cancer. Under the pretext of the introduction of "new therapeutical approaches" into medical practice and treatment, diverse pharmaceutical formulas were introduced without knowledge of their real effect--injections of milk, drug containing animal embrional cells and special attention was paid to transplantation of the sexual glands. The injection of "camphor oil" (5 cc) was thus "recommended, harmless but useless". The treatment of tuberculosis, which domineered the pathology of population, was very chaotic. The greatest number of drugs for "successful cure" were to be found here. Most commotion was caused by the so-called Friedman's cure for tuberculosis which was rejected only after vigorous debates. Our drug "Joannin" on the basis of "the old tuberculine" was also represented in this confusion (and Koch himself was forced to recant it). This medicament was also hailed as "successful cure". The origin of serious scientific efforts, however, are to be found around newly formed journal "Medicinski pregled", which attracted new and

Bio energy - Environment, technique and market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hohle, Erik Eid

2001-01-01

Leading abstract. In this book, a group of experts discusses everything about the use of bio fuels, from the briquettes of dry alder used in automobile gas generators during World War II to the most advanced present-day use. The chapters are: (1) Energy and society, (2) Production of biomass, (3) Bio fuel - properties and production, (4) Bio fuel - conversion and use, (5) Environment and environmental engineering, (6) Economy and planning and (7) Bio energy in the energy system of the future. There is a list of literature and a glossary at the end of the book

K-edge subtraction synchrotron X-ray imaging in bio-medical research.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomlinson, W; Elleaume, H; Porra, L; Suortti, P

2018-05-01

High contrast in X-ray medical imaging, while maintaining acceptable radiation dose levels to the patient, has long been a goal. One of the most promising methods is that of K-edge subtraction imaging. This technique, first advanced as long ago as 1953 by B. Jacobson, uses the large difference in the absorption coefficient of elements at energies above and below the K-edge. Two images, one taken above the edge and one below the edge, are subtracted leaving, ideally, only the image of the distribution of the target element. This paper reviews the development of the KES techniques and technology as applied to bio-medical imaging from the early low-power tube sources of X-rays to the latest high-power synchrotron sources. Applications to coronary angiography, functional lung imaging and bone growth are highlighted. A vision of possible imaging with new compact sources is presented. Copyright © 2018 Associazione Italiana di Fisica Medica. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Medical society engagement in contentious policy reform: the Ethiopian Society for Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ESOG) and Ethiopia's 2005 reform of its Penal Code on abortion.

Science.gov (United States)

Holcombe, Sarah Jane

2018-05-01

Unsafe abortion is one of the three leading causes of maternal mortality in low-income countries; however, few countries have reformed their laws to permit safer, legal abortion, and professional medical associations have not tended to spearhead this type of reform. Support from a professional association typically carries more weight than does that from an individual medical professional. However, theory predicts and the empirical record largely reveals that medical associations shy from engagement in conflictual policymaking such as on abortion, except when professional autonomy or income is at stake. Using interviews with 10 obstetrician-gynaecologists and 44 other leaders familiar with Ethiopia's reproductive health policy context, as well as other primary and secondary sources, this research examines why, counter to theoretical expectations from the sociology of medical professions literature and experience elsewhere, the Ethiopian Society of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (ESOG) actively supported reform of national law on abortion. ESOG leadership participation was motivated by both individual and ESOG's organizational commitments to reducing maternal mortality and also by professional training and work experience. Further, typical constraints on medical society involvement in policymaking were relaxed or removed, including those related to ESOG's organizational structure and history, and to political environment. Findings do not contradict theory positing medical society avoidance of socially conflictual health policymaking, but rather identify how the expected restrictions were less present in Ethiopia, facilitating medical society participation. Results can inform efforts to encourage medical society participation in policy reform to improve women's health elsewhere in sub-Saharan Africa.

Using an Untapped Resource: Expanding the Role of the Student Worker at the Bio-Medical Library

Science.gov (United States)

Aho, Melissa K.; Beschnett, Anne M.; Reimer, Emily Y.

2010-01-01

Student workers have always been a traditional and valuable component to the smooth running of many academic health sciences libraries. However, in recent years many libraries have redefined student workers' roles to extend beyond their traditional scope due to a range of factors, such as loss of staff and budget cutbacks. The Bio-Medical Library…

Design for Additive Bio-Manufacturing: From Patient-Specific Medical Devices to Rationally Designed Meta-Biomaterials.

Science.gov (United States)

Zadpoor, Amir A

2017-07-25

Recent advances in additive manufacturing (AM) techniques in terms of accuracy, reliability, the range of processable materials, and commercial availability have made them promising candidates for production of functional parts including those used in the biomedical industry. The complexity-for-free feature offered by AM means that very complex designs become feasible to manufacture, while batch-size-indifference enables fabrication of fully patient-specific medical devices. Design for AM (DfAM) approaches aim to fully utilize those features for development of medical devices with substantially enhanced performance and biomaterials with unprecedented combinations of favorable properties that originate from complex geometrical designs at the micro-scale. This paper reviews the most important approaches in DfAM particularly those applicable to additive bio-manufacturing including image-based design pipelines, parametric and non-parametric designs, metamaterials, rational and computationally enabled design, topology optimization, and bio-inspired design. Areas with limited research have been identified and suggestions have been made for future research. The paper concludes with a brief discussion on the practical aspects of DfAM and the potential of combining AM with subtractive and formative manufacturing processes in so-called hybrid manufacturing processes.

Design for Additive Bio-Manufacturing: From Patient-Specific Medical Devices to Rationally Designed Meta-Biomaterials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amir A. Zadpoor

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Recent advances in additive manufacturing (AM techniques in terms of accuracy, reliability, the range of processable materials, and commercial availability have made them promising candidates for production of functional parts including those used in the biomedical industry. The complexity-for-free feature offered by AM means that very complex designs become feasible to manufacture, while batch-size-indifference enables fabrication of fully patient-specific medical devices. Design for AM (DfAM approaches aim to fully utilize those features for development of medical devices with substantially enhanced performance and biomaterials with unprecedented combinations of favorable properties that originate from complex geometrical designs at the micro-scale. This paper reviews the most important approaches in DfAM particularly those applicable to additive bio-manufacturing including image-based design pipelines, parametric and non-parametric designs, metamaterials, rational and computationally enabled design, topology optimization, and bio-inspired design. Areas with limited research have been identified and suggestions have been made for future research. The paper concludes with a brief discussion on the practical aspects of DfAM and the potential of combining AM with subtractive and formative manufacturing processes in so-called hybrid manufacturing processes.

BioAnnote: a software platform for annotating biomedical documents with application in medical learning environments.

Science.gov (United States)

López-Fernández, H; Reboiro-Jato, M; Glez-Peña, D; Aparicio, F; Gachet, D; Buenaga, M; Fdez-Riverola, F

2013-07-01

Automatic term annotation from biomedical documents and external information linking are becoming a necessary prerequisite in modern computer-aided medical learning systems. In this context, this paper presents BioAnnote, a flexible and extensible open-source platform for automatically annotating biomedical resources. Apart from other valuable features, the software platform includes (i) a rich client enabling users to annotate multiple documents in a user friendly environment, (ii) an extensible and embeddable annotation meta-server allowing for the annotation of documents with local or remote vocabularies and (iii) a simple client/server protocol which facilitates the use of our meta-server from any other third-party application. In addition, BioAnnote implements a powerful scripting engine able to perform advanced batch annotations. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory's 25th Anniversary Expedition to the South Pacific

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, J. R.; Wiltshire, J. C.; Malahoff, A.

2005-12-01

The Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory (HURL) was established by NOAA at the University of Hawaii 25 years ago as part of its National Undersea Research Program. HURL's mission is to study deep water marine processes in the Pacific Ocean through a competitive proposal and review process. The dual Pisces IV and Pisces V 2000-meter manned submersibles, an RCV-150 1000-meter ROV, and multibeam equipped support ship R/V Ka'imikai-o-Kanaloa ( KoK) were largely acquired from the petroleum industry then adapted and upgraded to carry out cutting edge scientific expeditions. These studies range from active submarine volcanoes, delicate precious coral gardens, endangered marine mammal and fisheries management, to engineering surveys and deployment of observatory systems. HURL successfully completed a major 5-month expedition to the South Pacific during March-August 2005, working in the waters of New Zealand, Tonga, American Samoa, and the U.S. Line Islands covering a distance of nearly 14,500 nautical miles. This mission was significant in both the scientific merit and scope of operations, consisting of 8 different cruise legs at 21 study sites, with 12 chief and co-chief scientists, 58 total science team participants, and completing 61 out of 56 scheduled Pisces science dives, 17 ROV dives, 5 multibeam survey areas, 6 CTD rosette deployments, and 7 instrument mooring recoveries. The $3.5 million expedition was funded by an international partnership with New Zealand agencies (GNS & NIWA) and the University of Kiel in Germany along with the NOAA Office of Exploration and National Undersea Research Program. While most of the individual cruise legs focused on active submarine volcanoes of the Tonga-Kermadec Islands Arc and the Samoan hot spot chain with their hydrothermal systems and associated biological communities, others concentrated on marine protected areas including those of American Samoa and the remote atolls of the Line Islands of the Central Pacific. These studies

Clinical application of bio ceramics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anu, Sharma, E-mail: issaranu@gmail.com; Gayatri, Sharma, E-mail: sharmagayatri@gmail.com [Department of Chemistry, Govt. College of Engineering & Technology, Bikaner, Rajasthan (India)

2016-05-06

Ceramics are the inorganic crystalline material. These are used in various field such as biomedical, electrical, electronics, aerospace, automotive and optical etc. Bio ceramics are the one of the most active areas of research. Bio ceramics are the ceramics which are biocompatible. The unique properties of bio ceramics make them an attractive option for medical applications and offer some potential advantages over other materials. During the past three decades, a number of major advances have been made in the field of bio ceramics. This review focuses on the use of these materials in variety of clinical scenarios.

Clinical application of bio ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anu, Sharma; Gayatri, Sharma

2016-01-01

Ceramics are the inorganic crystalline material. These are used in various field such as biomedical, electrical, electronics, aerospace, automotive and optical etc. Bio ceramics are the one of the most active areas of research. Bio ceramics are the ceramics which are biocompatible. The unique properties of bio ceramics make them an attractive option for medical applications and offer some potential advantages over other materials. During the past three decades, a number of major advances have been made in the field of bio ceramics. This review focuses on the use of these materials in variety of clinical scenarios.

The BioMedical Admissions Test for medical student selection: issues of fairness and bias.

Science.gov (United States)

Emery, Joanne L; Bell, John F; Vidal Rodeiro, Carmen L

2011-01-01

The BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT) forms part of the undergraduate medical admission process at the University of Cambridge. The fairness of admissions tests is an important issue. Aims were to investigate the relationships between applicants' background variables and BMAT scores, whether they were offered a place or rejected and, for those admitted, performance on the first year course examinations. Multilevel regression models were employed with data from three combined applicant cohorts. Admission rates for different groups were investigated with and without controlling for BMAT performance. The fairness of the BMAT was investigated by determining, for those admitted, whether scores predicted examination performance equitably. Despite some differences in applicants' BMAT performance (e.g. by school type and gender), BMAT scores predicted mean examination marks equitably for all background variables considered. The probability of achieving a 1st class examination result, however, was slightly under-predicted for those admitted from schools and colleges entering relatively few applicants. Not all differences in admission rates were accounted for by BMAT performance. However, the test constitutes only one part of a compensatory admission system in which other factors, such as interview performance, are important considerations. Results are in support of the equity of the BMAT.

NASA 14 Day Undersea Missions: A Short-Duration Spaceflight Analog for Immune System Dysregulation?

Science.gov (United States)

Crucian, B. E.; Stowe, R. P.; Mehta, S. K.; Chouker, A.; Feuerecker, M.; Quiriarte, H.; Pierson, D. L.; Sams, C. F.

2011-01-01

This poster paper reviews the use of 14 day undersea missions as a possible analog for short duration spaceflight for the study of immune system dysregulation. Sixteen subjects from the the NASA Extreme Enviro nment Mission Operations (NEEMO) 12, 13 and 14 missions were studied for immune system dysregulation. The assays that are presented in this poster are the Virleukocyte subsets, the T Cell functions, and the intracellular/secreted cytokine profiles. Other assays were performed, but are not included in this presntation.

Medical societies, patient education initiatives, public debate and marketing of unproven stem cell interventions.

Science.gov (United States)

Weiss, Daniel J; Turner, Leigh; Levine, Aaron D; Ikonomou, Laertis

2018-02-01

Businesses marketing unproven stem cell interventions proliferate within the U.S. and in the larger global marketplace. There have been global efforts by scientists, patient advocacy groups, bioethicists, and public policy experts to counteract the uncontrolled and premature commercialization of stem cell interventions. In this commentary, we posit that medical societies and associations of health care professionals have a particular responsibility to be an active partner in such efforts. We review the role medical societies can and should play in this area through patient advocacy and awareness initiatives. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Cellular Therapy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The medicalization of society: on the transformation of human conditions into treatable disorders

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Conrad, Peter

2007-01-01

... 197This page intentionally left blank PrefacePreface I have been interested in the medicalization of society for a long time. My Ph.D. dissertation was a participant observation study of the medicalization of hyperactivity in children (Conrad, 1976). This was followed by a more historical account of the medicalization of deviance, coau...

Obstacle Avoidance for Unmanned Undersea Vehicle in Unknown Unstructured Environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zheping Yan

2013-01-01

Full Text Available To avoid obstacle in the unknown environment for unmanned undersea vehicle (UUV, an obstacle avoiding system based on improved vector field histogram (VFH is designed. Forward looking sonar is used to detect the environment, and the divisional sonar modal is applied to deal with the measure uncertainty. To adapt to the VFH, rolling occupancy grids are used for the map building, and high accuracy details of local environment are obtained. The threshold is adaptively adjusted by the statistic of obstacles to solve the problem that VFH is sensitive to threshold. To improve the environment adaptability, the hybrid-behaviors strategy is proposed, which selects the optimal avoidance command according to the motion status and environment character. The simulation shows that UUV could avoid the obstacles fast and escape from the U shape obstacles.

Bio-objects’ political capacity: a research agenda

Science.gov (United States)

Maeseele, Pieter; Hendrickx, Kim; Pavone, Vincenzo; Van Hoyweghen, Ine

2013-01-01

This article explores the merits of foregrounding the dichotomy of politicization vs de-politicization for our understanding of bio-objects in order to study their production, circulation, and governance in European societies. By asking how bio-objects are configured in science, policy, public, and media discourses and practices, we focus on the role of socio-technical configurations in generating political relations. The bio-object thereby serves as an entry point to approach and conceptualize “the political” in an innovative way. PMID:23630150

Diamond bio electronics.

Science.gov (United States)

Linares, Robert; Doering, Patrick; Linares, Bryant

2009-01-01

The use of diamond for advanced applications has been the dream of mankind for centuries. Until recently this dream has been realized only in the use of diamond for gemstones and abrasive applications where tons of diamonds are used on an annual basis. Diamond is the material system of choice for many applications, but its use has historically been limited due to the small size, high cost, and inconsistent (and typically poor) quality of available diamond materials until recently. The recent development of high quality, single crystal diamond crystal growth via the Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) process has allowed physcists and increasingly scientists in the life science area to think beyond these limitations and envision how diamond may be used in advanced applications ranging from quantum computing, to power generation and molecular imaging, and eventually even diamond nano-bots. Because of diamond's unique properties as a bio-compatible material, better understanding of diamond's quantum effects and a convergence of mass production, semiconductor-like fabrication process, diamond now promises a unique and powerful key to the realization of the bio-electronic devices being envisioned for the new era of medical science. The combination of robust in-the-body diamond based sensors, coupled with smart bio-functionalized diamond devices may lead to diamond being the platform of choice for bio-electronics. This generation of diamond based bio-electronic devices would contribute substantially to ushering in a paradigm shift for medical science, leading to vastly improved patient diagnosis, decrease of drug development costs and risks, and improved effectiveness of drug delivery and gene therapy programs through better timed and more customized solutions.

First Approval of Improved Medical Device Conditional on Use-Result Survey in Japan　- Regulatory Review of Polymer-Free Drug-Coated BioFreedom Coronary Stent.

Science.gov (United States)

Konishi, Akihide; Ho, Mami; Shirai, Yuko; Shirato, Haruki

2018-05-25

A prospective randomized clinical trial showed that the BioFreedom stent (Biosensors International), which is a polymer-free and carrier-free drug-coated stent, was significantly superior to a bare-metal stent (BMS) in patients at high bleeding risk who were receiving a 1-month course of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT). However, the stent thrombosis rate (2.01% for BioFreedom vs. 2.20% for BMS) was 4-6-fold higher than that of approved drug-eluting stents based on real-world data in Japan. Furthermore, the frequency of stent thrombosis at more than 1 month with the BioFreedom stent was slightly higher than that at less than 1 month. This result suggested that it would not be acceptable to stop DAPT universally at 1 month. Thus, the target patients for the BioFreedom stent are unspecified patients at high bleeding risk needing to continue DAPT for as long as necessary in Japan. Therefore, based on the pre- and post-marketing balance of medical devices regulations, regulatory approval was given for unspecified patients conditionally upon real-world data collection of 2,000 patients with a Use-Results Survey, instead of conducting additional pre-marketing clinical trial(s). The Use-Results Survey System is part of a strategy to expedite patients' access to innovative medical devices and to accelerate the development of medical devices.

Human Injury Criteria for Underwater Blasts

Science.gov (United States)

2014-09-08

further underscored the need for this new guideline based on injury data. Conference Name: Personal Armour Systems Symposium Conference Date...29.  Cole, R., Underwater Explosion. (Dover Publications, Inc ., New York, N.Y., 1948) 30.  Nakahara, M., Nagayama, K, Mori, Y, Japanese Journal...Abstract of the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society, Inc . Annual Scientific Meeting, (1976).

51. Annual symposium of the Austrian Physical Society

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oberhummer, H.

2001-01-01

The 51th Symposium of the Austrian Physical Society was held from 17-21 September 2001 at the Technical University of Vienna (Austria). The topics covered deal with: energy (greenhouse effect, climatic change, environment protection, energy system transformation, innovative energy technologies), neutrons and synchrotron radiation, quantum mechanics, microscopy, accelerator-driven systems, physics aspects of radiotherapy, nano world, micro cosmos, modern physics, life in the universe, x-ray fluorescence, heavy-ion accelerator mass spectrometry, acoustics, atomic-, molecular- and plasma physics, solid-state physics, nuclear and particle physics, medical-, bio-and environmental physics, quantum electronics, electrodynamics and optics. Those contributions which are in the INIS subject scope are indexed separately. (nevyjel)

Twenty years of society of medical informatics of b&h and the journal acta informatica medica.

Science.gov (United States)

Masic, Izet

2012-03-01

In 2012, Health/Medical informatics profession celebrates five jubilees in Bosnia and Herzegovina: a) Thirty five years from the introduction of the first automatic manipulation of data; b) Twenty five years from establishing Society for Medical Informatics BiH; c) Twenty years from establishing scientific and professional journal of the Society for Medical Informatics of Bosnia and Herzegovina "Acta Informatica Medica"; d) Twenty years from establishing first Cathdra for Medical Informatics on biomedical faculties in Bosnia and Herzegovina and e) Ten years from the introduction of "Distance learning" in medical curriculum. All of the five mentioned activities in the area of Medical informatics had special importance and gave appropriate contribution in the development of Health/Medical informatics in Bosnia And Herzegovina.

Medical Informatics Impact of Information Society in Health Care Development

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Zvárová, Jana

2005-01-01

Roč. 9, - (2005), s. 269-274 ISSN 1335-2393. [YBERC 2005. Young Biomedical Engineers and Researchers Conference. Stará Lesná, 13.07.2005-15.07.2005] Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10300504 Keywords : medical informatics * information society * telemedicine * education * research and development Subject RIV: BD - Theory of Information

International Conference on Bio-Medical Instrumentation and related Engineering and Physical Sciences (BIOMEP 2015)

Science.gov (United States)

2015-09-01

The International Conference on Bio-Medical Instrumentation and related Engineering and Physical Sciences (BIOMEP 2015) took place in the Technological Educational Institute (TEI) of Athens, Greece on June 18-20, 2015 and was organized by the Department of Biomedical Engineering. The scope of the conference was to provide a forum on the latest developments in Biomedical Instrumentation and related principles of Physical and Engineering sciences. Scientists and engineers from academic, industrial and health disciplines were invited to participate in the Conference and to contribute both in the promotion and dissemination of the scientific knowledge.

Bio-ethical principles of medical law with an emphasis on the law of Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Ali Mahdavi Sabet

2016-12-01

Full Text Available There has been many talks about the necessity of ethics in all affairs, especially medical affairs which deal with the lives of individuals and the society expects Medical Group to be abide by morals more than laws. This matter indicates on the fact that the society considers ethics as a stronger enforcement of the law and deplores a doctor who has ignored ethics in the medical profession. Thus, they blamed the doctor from ethical aspect more than deploring him from a legal aspect (civil or criminal liability. The legislator is also influenced by public in anticipation of responsibility (both criminal and civil for doctors and imposes legal rules on this basis. The concept of this article has an extremely close relationship with three concepts of morality, professional ethics and law. Initially first two concepts will be defined and separated and then the relation between professional ethics and medical laws will be expressed. Then, the relation between two concepts of medical ethics and bioethics ethics will be evaluated. Two religion or secularism basis have been taken for medical rights and strengths and weaknesses of each are discussed and the approach of the Iranian legal system will also be mentioned with evaluation of controversial medical samples.

Minority politics in the house of medicine: the physicians forum and the New York County Medical Society, 1938-1965.

Science.gov (United States)

Brickman, J P

1999-01-01

The late 1930s challenged laissez-faire medicine. Recognition of serious inadequacies in the distribution of medical services stirred activists who questioned fee-for-service delivery and posited a national health program, including health insurance. The AMA and its components--state and county medical societies--counterattacked, mobilizing money and their powerful political arsenal to fight government intrusion in private medicine. The Physicians Forum, initially under the leadership of Ernst P. Boas, emerged as a formidable element within the New York County Medical Society (the largest component of the AMA). The Forum provoked discussion of medical indigence and economics, upsetting the Society leadership with independent candidate slates and telling the public that doctors spoke with more than one voice. For 25 years, the Physicians Forum altered the dynamics of the Medical Society of the County of New York. While the Forum effort to institutionalize minority opinion in the councils of medicine failed, the interchange between County regulars and Forum insurgents broadened the medical reform agenda and moved the County Society in directions that historically it had avoided. Although medical economics formed an unbridgeable chasm between County regulars and rebels, Forum members demonstrated that medicine was not monolithic, that "majority opinion [was not] ... unanimous opinion," and that doctors must speak to issues of medical and social policy.

The integration of acupuncture within medicine in the UK--the British Medical Acupuncture Society's 25th anniversary.

Science.gov (United States)

Baldry, Peter

2005-03-01

Acupuncture was first used in China, probable about 2000 years ago. When acupuncture first arrived in the West in the 17th century, the principles which the Chinese had used to explain its actions were at variance with current scientific knowledge of the body's structure and function. This led to the rejection of acupuncture by the medical profession in the UK, although individual practitioners adopted it with enthusiasm, usually needling the point of maximal tenderness to treat musculoskeletal pain. Acupuncture was more generally accepted in France and Germany, where the pioneering British physician Felix Mann encountered it in the 1950s. He then taught acupuncture to other medical practitioners and organised regular meetings in London, from which the British Medical Acupuncture Society, BMAS, emerged in 1980. The tradition of biannual scientific meetings has continued since then. The Society has many connections with prominent acupuncturists internationally and is a founder member of the International Council of Medical Acupuncture and Related Techniques (ICMART), and has hosted two world congresses. The Society was involved in standardisation of the meridian nomenclature published in 1990. The Society's scientific journal, Acupuncture in Medicine, was founded in 1981 and has gained international recognition, being indexed on several databases. The Society has established regular teaching courses at different levels, which lead to professional qualifications of Certificate and Diploma. The membership is now open to different health professionals, has grown steadily and now stands at nearly 2500. The Society is administered from offices in Cheshire and London. Many individual members have contributed to the Society's characteristic Western 'medical' approach to acupuncture in which needling is seen as a form of neuromuscular stimulation that owes little to traditional meridians or points. The Society has shown a particular interest in acupuncture for myofascial

Bio-based chemicals - green, but also sustainable?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ögmundarson, Ólafur; Herrgard, Markus; Förster, Jochen

For almost two decades, the chemical industry has put great effort into developing bio-chemicals,among others to fight global warming caused by greenhouse gas emissions, one of the biggest threats that are faced by our society today. To facilitate a growing and versatile bio-based chemical...... production, the US Department of Energy proposed in 2004 a list of 12 building block chemicals which can either be converged through biological or chemical conversions. Moving toward more bio-based chemicals, the chemical industry does not only claim to reduce climate change impacts, but also...... that they are increasing overall sustainability in chemical production. Whether such claims are justifiable is unclear. When sustainability of bio-based polymer production is assessed, various environmental trade-offs occur that need to be considered. It is not enough to claim that a bio-chemical is sustainable...

On Recent Progress in Modelling and Simulations of Multi-scale Transfer of Mass, Momentum and Particles in Bio-medical Applications

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kenjeres, S.

2015-01-01

We present a short overview of some of our most recent work that combines the mathematical modeling, advanced computer simulations and state-of-the-art experimental techniques of physical transport phenomena in various bio-medical applications. In the first example, we tackle predictions of complex

On Recent Progress in Modelling and Simulations of Multi-scale Transfer of Mass, Momentum and Particles in Bio-medical Applications

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kenjeres, S.

2016-01-01

We present a short overview of some of our most recent work that combines the mathematical modeling, advanced computer simulations and state-of-the-art experimental techniques of physical transport phenomena in various bio-medical applications. In the first example, we tackle predictions of complex

Electro-Quasistatic Simulations in Bio-Systems Engineering and Medical Engineering

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

U. van Rienen

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Slowly varying electromagnetic fields play a key role in various applications in bio-systems and medical engineering. Examples are the electric activity of neurons on neurochips used as biosensors, the stimulating electric fields of implanted electrodes used for deep brain stimulation in patients with Morbus Parkinson and the stimulation of the auditory nerves in deaf patients, respectively. In order to simulate the neuronal activity on a chip it is necessary to couple Maxwell's and Hodgkin-Huxley's equations. First numerical results for a neuron coupling to a single electrode are presented. They show a promising qualitative agreement with the experimentally recorded signals. Further, simulations are presented on electrodes for deep brain stimulation in animal experiments where the question of electrode ageing and energy deposition in the surrounding tissue are of major interest. As a last example, electric simulations for a simple cochlea model are presented comparing the field in the skull bones for different electrode types and stimulations in different positions.

The predictive validity of the BioMedical Admissions Test for pre-clinical examination performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Emery, Joanne L; Bell, John F

2009-06-01

Some medical courses in the UK have many more applicants than places and almost all applicants have the highest possible previous and predicted examination grades. The BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT) was designed to assist in the student selection process specifically for a number of 'traditional' medical courses with clear pre-clinical and clinical phases and a strong focus on science teaching in the early years. It is intended to supplement the information provided by examination results, interviews and personal statements. This paper reports on the predictive validity of the BMAT and its predecessor, the Medical and Veterinary Admissions Test. Results from the earliest 4 years of the test (2000-2003) were matched to the pre-clinical examination results of those accepted onto the medical course at the University of Cambridge. Correlation and logistic regression analyses were performed for each cohort. Section 2 of the test ('Scientific Knowledge') correlated more strongly with examination marks than did Section 1 ('Aptitude and Skills'). It also had a stronger relationship with the probability of achieving the highest examination class. The BMAT and its predecessor demonstrate predictive validity for the pre-clinical years of the medical course at the University of Cambridge. The test identifies important differences in skills and knowledge between candidates, not shown by their previous attainment, which predict their examination performance. It is thus a valid source of additional admissions information for medical courses with a strong scientific emphasis when previous attainment is very high.

Factors Affecting Physician Satisfaction and Wisconsin Medical Society Strategies to Drive Change.

Science.gov (United States)

Coleman, Michele; Dexter, Donn; Nankivil, Nancy

2015-08-01

Physicians' dissatisfaction in their work is increasing, which is affecting the stability of health care in America. The Wisconsin Medical Society (Society) surveyed 1016 Wisconsin physicians to determine the source of their dissatisfaction. The survey results indicate Wisconsin physicians are satisfied when it comes to practice environment, work-life balance, and income. In addition, they are extremely satisfied when it comes to rating their ability to provide high quality care, and they have identified some benefits related to the adoption of electronic health records. However, they are feeling burned out, very unsatisfied with the amount of time spent in direct patient care compared to indirect patient care, and that they are spending too much time on administrative and data entry tasks. In terms of future workforce, many physicians are either unsure or would not recommend the profession to a prospective medical student. Electronic health records serve as both a satisfier and dissatisfier and as a potential driver for future physician satisfaction interventions. Changes at the institutional, organizational, and individual levels potentially could address the identified dissatisfiers and build upon the satisfiers. The Society identifies 12 strategies to improve upon the physician experience.

The future of continuing medical education: the roles of medical professional societies and the health care industry: Position paper prepared with contributions from the European Society of Cardiology Committees for Advocacy, Education and Industry Relations, Endorsed by the Board of the European Society of Cardiology.

Science.gov (United States)

2018-02-28

In recent years, wide ranging biomedical innovation has provided powerful new approaches for prevention, diagnosis and management of diseases. In order to translate such innovation into effective practice, physicians must frequently update their knowledge base and skills through continuing medical education and training. Medical Professional Societies, run as not-for-profit organizations led by peers, are uniquely placed to deliver balanced, disease oriented and patient centred education. The medical industry has a major role in the development of new, improved technology, devices and medication. In fact, the best innovations have been achieved through collaboration with scientists, clinical academics and practicing physicians. Industry has for many years been committed to ensure the optimal and safe application of its products by providing unrestricted support of medical education developed and delivered by international and national learned societies. Recently adopted Codes of Practice for the Pharmaceutical and Device industry were intended to enhance public trust in the relationship between biomedical industry and physicians. Unexpectedly, changes resulting from adoption of the Codes have limited the opportunity for unconditional industry support of balanced medical education in favour of a more direct involvement of industry in informing physicians about their products. We describe the need for continuing medical education in Cardiovascular Medicine in Europe, interaction between the medical profession and medical industry, and propose measures to safeguard the provision of high quality, balanced medical education.

Branding the bio/biomedical engineering degree.

Science.gov (United States)

Voigt, Herbert F

2011-01-01

The future challenges to medical and biological engineering, sometimes referred to as biomedical engineering or simply bioengineering, are many. Some of these are identifiable now and others will emerge from time to time as new technologies are introduced and harnessed. There is a fundamental issue regarding "Branding the bio/biomedical engineering degree" that requires a common understanding of what is meant by a B.S. degree in Biomedical Engineering, Bioengineering, or Biological Engineering. In this paper we address some of the issues involved in branding the Bio/Biomedical Engineering degree, with the aim of clarifying the Bio/Biomedical Engineering brand.

Heterogeneous Deformable Modeling of Bio-Tissues and Haptic Force Rendering for Bio-Object Modeling

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Shiyong; Lee, Yuan-Shin; Narayan, Roger J.

This paper presents a novel technique for modeling soft biological tissues as well as the development of an innovative interface for bio-manufacturing and medical applications. Heterogeneous deformable models may be used to represent the actual internal structures of deformable biological objects, which possess multiple components and nonuniform material properties. Both heterogeneous deformable object modeling and accurate haptic rendering can greatly enhance the realism and fidelity of virtual reality environments. In this paper, a tri-ray node snapping algorithm is proposed to generate a volumetric heterogeneous deformable model from a set of object interface surfaces between different materials. A constrained local static integration method is presented for simulating deformation and accurate force feedback based on the material properties of a heterogeneous structure. Biological soft tissue modeling is used as an example to demonstrate the proposed techniques. By integrating the heterogeneous deformable model into a virtual environment, users can both observe different materials inside a deformable object as well as interact with it by touching the deformable object using a haptic device. The presented techniques can be used for surgical simulation, bio-product design, bio-manufacturing, and medical applications.

Wireless Distribution and Use of Bio-sensor Data

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kyng, Morten; Kristensen, Margit; Christensen, Erika Frischknecht

2007-01-01

consists of small bio-monitors - with sensors and a unique ID - which are placed on the victims. The bio-monitors communicate wirelessly with one or more base-stations, which distribute the signals locally at the incident site and to remote coordination centres and emergency departments. Ongoing...... data you are looking at? And, when an alarm goes off because the bio-sensor data of a patient reaches a critical threshold, how do you find the patient? In order to support medical responders on site and at coordination centres/ emergency departments, we are supplementing the bio-sensor data...

Where Are the Women? The Underrepresentation of Women Physicians Among Recognition Award Recipients From Medical Specialty Societies.

Science.gov (United States)

Silver, Julie K; Slocum, Chloe S; Bank, Anna M; Bhatnagar, Saurabha; Blauwet, Cheri A; Poorman, Julie A; Villablanca, Amparo; Parangi, Sareh

2017-08-01

Membership in medical societies is associated with a number of benefits to members that may include professional education, opportunities to present research, scientific and/or leadership training, networking, and others. In this perspective article, the authors address the value that medical specialty society membership and inclusion have in the development of an academic physician's career and how underrepresentation of women may pose barriers to their career advancement. Because society membership itself is not likely sufficient to support the advancement of academic physicians, this report focuses on one key component of advancement that also can be used as a measure of inclusion in society activities-the representation of women physicians among recipients of recognition awards. Previous reports demonstrated underrepresentation of women physicians among recognition award recipients from 2 physical medicine and rehabilitation specialty organizations, including examples of zero or near-zero results. This report investigated whether zero or near-zero representation of women physicians among recognition award recipients from medical specialty societies extended beyond the field of physical medicine and rehabilitation. Examples of the underrepresentation of women physicians, as compared with their presence in the respective field, was found across a range of additional specialties, including dermatology, neurology, anesthesiology, orthopedic surgery, head and neck surgery, and plastic surgery. The authors propose a call for action across the entire spectrum of medical specialty societies to: (1) examine gender diversity and inclusion data through the lens of the organization's mission, values, and culture; (2) transparently report the results to members and other stakeholders including medical schools and academic medical centers; (3) investigate potential causes of less than proportionate representation of women; (4) implement strategies designed to improve

Optimised design and development of a bio-medical healthcare device through quality function deployment (QFD).

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Jitendra

2012-01-01

Technology is major stimulus for change and is imbibed in various forms; especially in the field of medical devices and bio-medical instruments used in life and death situations. Cardiotocograph (CTG), a foetal heart rate and uterine contraction monitoring and measurement machine, is a valuable tool in the process of childbirth. The Quality Function Deployment (QFD) is an engineering technique with the number one priority being to satisfy the customer. The aim of using QFD in this paper is to highlight the limitations and complexities of the present instrument. The paper attempts to first discuss out the operational details of the instrument along with a brief review of the relevant literature. Following this, its functional analysis is carried out through QFD - a TQM tool. The resultant outcome enlists CTG functions with their Raw Weight and Priority Score. A detailed theoretical analysis of results pinpoints basic functional limitation of exiting machine.

Next generation platforms for high-throughput bio-dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Repin, Mikhail; Turner, Helen C.; Garty, Guy; Brenner, David J.

2014-01-01

Here the general concept of the combined use of plates and tubes in racks compatible with the American National Standards Institute/the Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening microplate formats as the next generation platforms for increasing the throughput of bio-dosimetry assays was described. These platforms can be used at different stages of bio-dosimetry assays starting from blood collection into micro-tubes organised in standardised racks and ending with the cytogenetic analysis of samples in standardised multi-well and multichannel plates. Robotically friendly platforms can be used for different bio-dosimetry assays in minimally equipped laboratories and on cost-effective automated universal biotech systems. (authors)

Use of Radioactive Beams for Bio-Medical Research

CERN Multimedia

Miederer, M; Allen, B

2002-01-01

%title\\\\ \\\\With this Proposal we wish to replace the two previous proposals P42 and P48 (corresponding to the ISOLDE Experiments IS330 and IS331, respectively, including the Addendum 1 dated 04.05.94). Based on experimental results obtained during the last four year's research in the framework of the two proposals and considering modern trends in radiopharmaceutical developments we propose as a first main direction to study systematically relationships between physico-chemical parameters, the concentration and specific activity of tracer molecules and the corresponding biological response. This kind of studies requires highest achievable quality and a universality of radio-tracers, available at ISOLDE. Special attention in this concern is paid to bio-specific tracers (receptor-binding ligands, bio-conjugates etc.) aiming to search for new and more efficient radiopharmaceuticals for radionuclide therapy. The second direction is to support clinical radionuclide therapy by a quantitative follow up of the radionu...

Bio-nanopatterning of Surfaces

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yeung Chun

2007-01-01

Full Text Available AbstractBio-nanopatterning of surfaces is a very active interdisciplinary field of research at the interface between biotechnology and nanotechnology. Precise patterning of biomolecules on surfaces with nanometre resolution has great potential in many medical and biological applications ranging from molecular diagnostics to advanced platforms for fundamental studies of molecular and cell biology. Bio-nanopatterning technology has advanced at a rapid pace in the last few years with a variety of patterning methodologies being developed for immobilising biomolecules such as DNA, peptides, proteins and viruses at the nanoscale on a broad range of substrates. In this review, the status of research and development are described, with particular focus on the recent advances on the use of nanolithographic techniques as tools for biomolecule immobilisation at the nanoscale. Present strengths and weaknesses, as well future challenges on the different nanolithographic bio-nanopatterning approaches are discussed.

Converting Scoliosis Research Society-24 to Scoliosis Research Society-22r in a Surgical-Range, Medical/Interventional Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Patient Cohort.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Antonia F; Bi, Wenzhu; Singhabahu, Dilrukshika; Londino, Joanne; Hohl, Justin; Ward, Maeve; Ward, W Timothy

2013-03-01

Prospective questionnaire administration study. To assess the ability to translate total and domain scores from Scoliosis Research Society (SRS)-24 to SRS-22r in a surgical-range, medical/interventional adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patient population. Conversion of SRS-24 to SRS-22r is demonstrated in an operative cohort of patients with AIS, but not in a medical/interventional patient population. We simultaneously administered SRS-24 and SRS-22r questionnaires to 75 surgical-range, medical/interventional AIS patients and compared them. We performed analysis by regression modeling to produce conversion equations from SRS-24 to SRS-22r. The total SRS-24 score for these medical/interventional AIS patients was 92.5 ± 9.45 (mean, 3.9 ± 0.39), and the total SRS-22r score was 93.5 ± 9.63 (mean, 4.3 ± 0.44). The correlation between these 2 groups was fair (R 2 = 0.77) and improved to good when mental health or recall questions were removed. The correlation was also fair for total pain domains (R 2 = 0.73). However, there was poor correlation for general self-image (R 2 = 0.6) and unacceptable for post-treatment self-image (R 2 = 0.01), general function (R 2 = 0.52), activity function (R 2 = 0.56), and satisfaction (R 2 = 0.53). Compared with a published population of operative AIS patients, R 2 values for total SRS-24 scores, pain, general self-image, activity function, and satisfaction were similar (p > .05). The R 2 values for general function and combined general and activity function were significantly different between the operative and medical/interventional cohorts. Scoliosis Research Society-24 can be converted to SRS-22r scores with fair accuracy in the surgical-range, medical/interventional AIS patient population for total score, and total pain domains. The SRS-24 translates unacceptably to the SRS-22r in self-image, function, and satisfaction domains. The SRS-24 to SRS-22r conversion equations are similar to operative AIS patients, except for the

Conference on Biological Actions and Medical Applications of Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO), 15-17 September 1982.

Science.gov (United States)

1983-06-01

SAAlug/mil 100 S 50 5 0.1 41 A *L05 44001 -- dim bit"~urwy actvty FIGURE 6. The coffetatlon between BAA levels and inflammatory activity in patients...brain infarction, basic considerations. In Undersea Medial Society Report. Hallen- beck & Breenbaum, Eds. (11-15-77): 138-161. *5. DE LA TORRE, J. C...hydrogen peroxide. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 141: 231-241. 8. FLORFS I., D. R. DIBONA, C. H. BECK & A. LEAF. 1975. The rate of cell swelling ischemic renal

Guidelines for biomarker testing in gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms: a national consensus of the Spanish Society of Pathology and the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology.

Science.gov (United States)

García-Carbonero, R; Vilardell, F; Jiménez-Fonseca, P; González-Campora, R; González, E; Cuatrecasas, M; Capdevila, J; Aranda, I; Barriuso, J; Matías-Guiu, X

2014-03-01

The annual incidence of neuroendocrine tumours in the Caucasian population ranges from 2.5 to 5 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants. Gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours is a family of neoplasms widely variable in terms of anatomical location, hormone composition, clinical syndromes they cause and in their biological behaviour. This high complexity and clinical heterogeneity, together with the known difficulty of predicting their behaviour from their pathological features, are reflected in the many classifications that have been developed over the years in this field. This article reviews the main tissue and clinical biomarkers and makes recommendations for their use in medical practice. This document represents a consensus reached jointly by the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM) and the Spanish Society of Pathology (SEAP).

The library of the Royal Society of Physicians in Budapest becomes today's Semmelweis Medical History Library.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaproncszay, Katalin; Magyar, László András; Putnam, Constance E

2011-01-01

The 170-year history of the library of the Royal Society of Medicine in Budapest illustrates both that political and cultural context matter and that "medical" libraries, if they survive, in due course become primarily "medical history" libraries. Two of the authors are on the staff of the Semmelweis Medical History Library; the third is a US scholar who makes frequent use of the library. Together, they avail themselves of archival and published materials-and personal experience with the collection-to establish the context that produced the original library, trace its evolution, and describe its present-day incarnation. A tale of transformation emerges that reflects how collections are likely to change. The authors present events and individuals in the life of the Royal Society's library and paint a picture of the value of today's Semmelweis Medical History Library. Unique treasures in the collection are described. The story told here is of how a particular nineteenth-century library became a twenty-first-century institution. The authors establish its peculiarly Hungarian context and potential value to librarians and historians from outside Hungary. The overall message is that general medical libraries everywhere are perforce likely to become medical historical libraries over time.

Medical countermeasures for national security: a new government role in the pharmaceuticalization of society.

Science.gov (United States)

Elbe, Stefan; Roemer-Mahler, Anne; Long, Christopher

2015-04-01

How do governments contribute to the pharmaceuticalization of society? Whilst the pivotal role of industry is extensively documented, this article shows that governments too are accelerating, intensifying and opening up new trajectories of pharmaceuticalization in society. Governments are becoming more deeply invested in pharmaceuticals because their national security strategies now aspire to defend populations against health-based threats like bioterrorism and pandemics. To counter those threats, governments are acquiring and stockpiling a panoply of 'medical countermeasures' such as antivirals, next-generation vaccines, antibiotics and anti-toxins. More than that, governments are actively incentivizing the development of many new medical countermeasures--principally by marshaling the state's unique powers to introduce exceptional measures in the name of protecting national security. At least five extraordinary policy interventions have been introduced by governments with the aim of stimulating the commercial development of novel medical countermeasures: (1) allocating earmarked public funds, (2) granting comprehensive legal protections to pharmaceutical companies against injury compensation claims, (3) introducing bespoke pathways for regulatory approval, (4) instantiating extraordinary emergency use procedures allowing for the use of unapproved medicines, and (5) designing innovative logistical distribution systems for mass drug administration outside of clinical settings. Those combined efforts, the article argues, are spawning a new, government-led and quite exceptional medical countermeasure regime operating beyond the conventional boundaries of pharmaceutical development and regulation. In the first comprehensive analysis of the pharmaceuticalization dynamics at play in national security policy, this article unearths the detailed array of policy interventions through which governments too are becoming more deeply imbricated in the pharmaceuticalization of

Medical Management and Risk Reduction of the Cardiovascular Effects of Underwater Diving.

Science.gov (United States)

Whayne, Thomas F

2017-06-20

Undersea diving is a sport and commercial industry. Knowledge of potential problems began with Caisson disease or "the bends", first identified with compressed air in the construction of tunnels under rivers in the 19th century. Subsequently, there was the commercially used old-fashioned diving helmet attached to a suit, with compressed air pumped down from the surface. Breathhold diving, with no supplementary source of air or other breathing mixture, is also a sport as well as a commercial fishing tool in some parts of the world. There has been an evolution to self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA) diving with major involvement as a recreational sport but also of major commercial importance. Knowledge of the physiology and cardiovascular plus other medical problems associated with the various forms of diving have evolved extensively. The major medical catastrophes of SCUBA diving are air embolism and decompression sickness (DCS). Understanding of the essential referral to a hyperbaric recompression chamber for these problems is critical, as well as immediate measures until that recompression is achieved. These include the administration of 100% oxygen and rehydration with intravenous normal saline. Undersea diving continues to expand, especially as a sport, and a basic understanding of the associated preventive and emergency medicine will decrease complications and save lives. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Risk and society

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tubiana, M.; Vrousos, C.; Pages, J.P.; Carde, C.

1999-01-01

This book brings together the communications presented at the colloquium 'risk and society' held in Paris (France) on November 1998. During this colloquium, the various aspects of risk and of its management were discussed by medical specialists, historians, industrialists, engineers, philosophers, lawyers, politicians and administration representatives. The first theme concerns the controversies generated by the development of some activities (genetics, bio-technologies, nuclear and radiations use). The second theme concerns the management of risks and the way to conciliate the point of view of authorities and citizens (confidence of the public with respect to experts, scientists, industrialists, government and administrative representatives, role played by the media). The debates that took place during the colloquium have shown that the public opinion concerning the nuclear activities or the new technologies greatly depends on the ideological attitudes and on the public's likes and dislikes with respect to some categories of actors (distrust with respect to public decisions, fears with respect to changes and future, nostalgia of the past). The following aspects are reviewed: Notions of risk and hazard (risk and health, risk in today's society, medicine and society, the point of view of the industrialists and of the scientific and technical specialists); from the psychological aspects of the risk to its social aspects (survey of the risk assessment battlefield, social attenuation and amplification of risk, the feeling of risks in Europe, insecurity and delinquency, controversies around radioactivity and health); the negotiation and communication about risks (risk and public health, negotiation around risks, risks and information dissemination about the public debate, communication and crisis, evolution of risk communication, comparison between American and European approaches, the Seveso directive); the public debate and the evolution of risks management (the

Submarine groundwater discharge into the coast revealed by water chemistry of man-made undersea liquefied petroleum gas cavern

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jin-Yong; Cho, Byung Wook

2008-10-01

SummaryThe occurrence of submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) as well as its supply of many nutrients and metals to coastal seawaters is now generally known. However, previous studies have focused on the chemical and radiological analysis of groundwater, surface seawater, shallow marine sediments and their pore waters, as well as the measurement of upward flow through the marine sediments, as end members of the discharge process. In this study, chemical and isotopic analysis results of marine subsurface waters are reported. These were obtained from deep boreholes of an undersea liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) storage cavern, located about 8 km off the western coast of Korea. The cavern is about 130-150 m below the sea bottom, which is covered by a 4.8-19.5 m silty clay stratum. An isotopic composition (δ 2H and δ 18O) of the marine subsurface waters falls on a mixing line between terrestrial groundwater and seawater. Vertical EC profiling at the cavern boreholes revealed the existence of a fresh water zone. An increase in the contents of ferrous iron and manganese and a decrease in levels of nitrate, bicarbonate and cavern seepage were recorded in August 2006, indicating a decreased submarine groundwater flux originating from land, mainly caused by an elevated cavern gas pressure. It is suggested in this study that the main source of fresh waters in the man-made undersea cavern is the submarine groundwater discharge mainly originating from the land.

Bio energy: Bio fuel - Properties and Production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilhelmsen, Gunnar; Martinsen, Arnold Kyrre; Sandberg, Eiliv; Fladset, Per Olav; Kjerschow, Einar; Teslo, Einar

2001-01-01

This is Chapter 3 of the book ''Bio energy - Environment, technique and market''. Its main sections are: (1) Definitions and properties, (2) Bio fuel from the forest, (3) Processed bio fuel - briquettes, pellets and powder, (4) Bio fuel from agriculture, (5) Bio fuel from agro industry, (6) Bio fuel from lakes and sea, (7) Bio fuel from aquaculture, (8) Bio fuel from wastes and (9) Hydrogen as a fuel. The exposition largely describes the conditions in Norway. The chapter on energy from the forest includes products from the timber and sawmill industry, the pulp and paper industry, furniture factories etc. Among agricultural sources are straw, energy forests, vegetable oil, bio ethanol, manure

Bio-medical electrical disconnects. [artificial stimulation of muscles for paraylzed patients

Science.gov (United States)

Parsons, W. E.

1973-01-01

Improvements in medical care during the last two decades have resulted in the survival of an ever-increasing group of patients with severe neuro-muscular disabilities who otherwise would have succumbed to their diseases or injuries. This has created a sizeable population of severely paralyzed persons totally dependent upon society for care. It has been estimated that this population may grow beyond 5,000,000 persons by 1980. A rather fortunate confluence of complementing technologies and surgical techniques offer promise of solving this growing socially significant problem.

The undersea location of the Swedish Final Repository for reactor waste, SFR - human intrusion aspects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eng, T.

1989-01-01

The Swedish Final Repository for reactor waste, SFR, is built under the Baltic sea close to the Forsmark nuclear power plant. Sixty metres of rock cover the repository caverns under the seabed. The depth of the Baltic sea is about 5-6 m at this location. A human intrusion scenario that in normal inland locations has shown to be of great importance, is a well that is drilled through or in the close vicinity of the repository. Since the land uplift in the SFR area is about 6 mm/year the undersea location of SFR ensures that no well will be drilled at this location for a considerable time while the area is covered by the Baltic sea

Mexican Society of Bioelectromagnetism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Canedo, Luis

2008-01-01

In July 2007 physicians, biologists and physicists that have collaborated in previous meetings of the medical branch of the Mexican Physical Society constituted the Mexican Society of Bioelectromagnetism with the purpose of promote scientific study of the interaction of electromagnetic energy (at frequencies ranging from zero Hertz through those of visible light) and acoustic energy with biological systems. A second goal was to increase the contribution of medical and biological professionals in the meetings of the medical branch of the Mexican Physical Society. The following paragraphs summarize some objectives of the Mexican Society of Bioelectromagnetism for the next two years

Disability in society-medical and non-medical determinants for disability pension in a Norwegian total county population study.

Science.gov (United States)

Krokstad, Steinar; Westin, Steinar

2004-05-01

The objective of this study was to describe sociomedical determinants and developments for the medically based disability pension in Norway by linking individual based data from a county health survey to data on disability from the National Insurance Administration. Two cross-sectional total population health surveys with an approximate 10-year interval were conducted in Nord-Trøndelag county, HUNT I (1984-86) and HUNT II (1995-97), which allows for analyses of changes over time, supplied with official incidence data on disability pension. The large-scale variations and overall increasing incidence rates of disability pension in Norway during the last 20 years also applied to the county of Nord-Trøndelag. The prevalence of disability pension generally increased in the population from the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s. A striking finding was a consistent pattern of increasing prevalence of disability pension with decreasing socio-economic status and education. A geographic pattern for disability pension prevalence on a municipality level suggested that structural and cultural factors were important in determining the level of disability in society. Medical determinants alone cannot explain either the dramatic variations or the overall increased incidence rates of disability pension in the last two decades in Norway. The results demonstrate the importance of social, non-medical and contextual determinants for disability pension, how these determinants result in important prevalence differences by socio-economic status, and their impact on the level of disability in society.

Engineering BioBrick vectors from BioBrick parts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Knight Thomas F

2008-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The underlying goal of synthetic biology is to make the process of engineering biological systems easier. Recent work has focused on defining and developing standard biological parts. The technical standard that has gained the most traction in the synthetic biology community is the BioBrick standard for physical composition of genetic parts. Parts that conform to the BioBrick assembly standard are BioBrick standard biological parts. To date, over 2,000 BioBrick parts have been contributed to, and are available from, the Registry of Standard Biological Parts. Results Here we extended the same advantages of BioBrick standard biological parts to the plasmid-based vectors that are used to provide and propagate BioBrick parts. We developed a process for engineering BioBrick vectors from BioBrick parts. We designed a new set of BioBrick parts that encode many useful vector functions. We combined the new parts to make a BioBrick base vector that facilitates BioBrick vector construction. We demonstrated the utility of the process by constructing seven new BioBrick vectors. We also successfully used the resulting vectors to assemble and propagate other BioBrick standard biological parts. Conclusion We extended the principles of part reuse and standardization to BioBrick vectors. As a result, myriad new BioBrick vectors can be readily produced from all existing and newly designed BioBrick parts. We invite the synthetic biology community to (1 use the process to make and share new BioBrick vectors; (2 expand the current collection of BioBrick vector parts; and (3 characterize and improve the available collection of BioBrick vector parts.

Medicamentalisation – Medicamentation in the Societies of Late Capitalism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Boštjan Slatnar

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The aim is to present some basic characteristics of the processes of medicalisation and medicamentalisation. Both processes are very complex with various negative and positive effects on the lives of individuals and on the sustainability of public health care systems. The problem is further complicated by the broadness of definitions of both processes on one hand and by foregrounding the analysis of individual cases of medicalization on the other. The most important feature of medicalisation will be emphasized: application of the bio-medical model for explanations and for the treatment of conditions which belong to the normal range of human physical and emotional states. According to this, medicalization is the process by which medical diagnosis and treatement are attributed to normal physical and psychological problems. Medicamentalisation is closely connected with the process of medicalisation, but it is not a necessary consequence of the medicalisation of an individual psychological or physical state. The actors of both processes are numerous. The most important are: the pharmaceutical industry, mass media and different kind of patients associations. The most important direct causes of the medicalisation and medicamentalisation of modern societies are directed to consumer marketing of prescription and nonprescription medications and disease mongering. One of the most interesting consequences of medicalisation is the emergence of the medical consumer, that still further brings changes to the relation between the physician and the patient. Modifications in the privileged places of medicalized joints of "power–knowledge" are significant socio-cultural effects of medicalization.

[Medical Care for Homeless People - Individual Right and a Social Duty for an Inclusive Society].

Science.gov (United States)

Trabert, G

2016-02-01

Homelessness is a social phenomenon of increasing frequency in Germany and of high relevance for an inclusive society. Its expression is both caused psychosocially and moderated socioeconomically, often with negatively reinforcing feedback-loops. This overview describes health effects and strategies for improvement, using the example of the "Mainzer Modell". The comprehensive availability of adequate medical care are both an individual right and a social duty for an inclusive society. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Implantable Glucose BioFuel Cells for Medical Devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cinquin, P; Martin, D K; Cosnier, S; Belgacem, N; Cosnier, M L; Dal Molin, R

2013-01-01

An Implantable BioFuel Cell (IBFC) is a device that produces power only from the chemicals that are naturally occurring inside the body. We have been working on two approaches to creating an IBFC. The first approach is to use chemicals such as glucose and oxygen to provide the fuel for an enzymatic IBFC. The second approach is to use electrolytes such as sodium to provide the fuel for a biomimetic IBFC

Bio-dosimetry for radiation-exposed individuals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sauvaigo, Sylvie; Chapuis, Violaine; Caillat, Sylvain; Sarrazy, Fanny; Breton, Jean

2013-01-01

Exposure of civil populations to genotoxic chemicals or radioactive hazard is an increased concern. It is not only an industrial risk (chemistry plant accident for example) but also a national security problem due to the threat of radiological and nuclear terrorism. It is important to anticipate the need of a bio-dosimetry tool aimed at identifying exposed population in the absence of acute syndrome, in order to assure the medical care that would prevent carcinogenic consequences. DNA repair is a bio-marker of exposure to geno-toxics in individuals. A DNA repair signature can be assessed from Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMCs) that reflects the exposure history of the individuals, using a functional enzymatic assay on bio-chip. A proof of concept was obtained using PBMCs from patients undergoing radiotherapy regimen. We identified two classes of responses among patients, if we except a very atypical signature in one patient that could reflect defects in DNA repair. Interestingly, repair of the major oxidative lesions increased during the course of the radiotherapy. We propose to implement this fast, quantitative, possibly automatized assay to identify bio-markers of exposure to geno-toxics and to validate the exposure bio-markers through ex vivo exposure of blood from volunteers. (authors)

Medical Information & Technology: Rapidly Expanding Vast Horizons

Science.gov (United States)

Sahni, Anil K.

2012-12-01

During ÑMedical Council Of India?, Platinum Jubilee Year (1933-2008) Celebrations, In Year 2008, Several Scientific Meeting/Seminar/Symposium, On Various Topics Of Contemporary Importance And Relevance In The Field Of ÑMedical Education And Ethics?, Were Organized, By Different Medical Colleges At Various Local, State, National Levels. The Present Discussion, Is An Comprehensive Summary Of Various Different Aspects of ìMedical Information Communication Technologyî, Especially UseFul For The Audience Stratum Group Of Those Amateur Medical & Paramedical Staff, With No Previous Work Experience Knowledge Of Computronics Applications. Outlining The, i.Administration Applications: Medical Records Etc, ii. Clinical Applications: Pros pective Scope Of TeleMedicine Applicabilities Etc iii. Other Applications: Efforts To Augment Improvement Of Medical Education, Medical Presentations, Medical Education And Research Etc. ÑMedical Trancription? & Related Recent Study Fields e.g ÑModern Pharmaceuticals?,ÑBio-Engineering?, ÑBio-Mechanics?, ÑBio-Technology? Etc., Along With Important Aspects Of Computers-General Considerations, Computer Ergonomics Assembled To Summarize, The AwareNess Regarding Basic Fundamentals Of Medical Computronics & Its Practically SuccessFul Utilities.

FY 1997 report on the research study on the effect of the active use of bio-technology on energy and social systems; 1997 nendo chosa hokokusho (bio-technology no katsuyo ni yoru energy shakai system ni oyobosu koka no chosa kenkyu)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-03-01

For construction of a sustainable society by active use of bio-technology, a research study was made on the current state of active use of bio-technology for every industrial or social field, and the basic recognition and orientation for practice and diffusion of bio-technology. The previous typical examples of the effect of bio-technology on energy and social systems were evaluated from not only an affirmative viewpoint but also a compensatory viewpoint. Based on these examples, promising features of bio-technology and measures for active use of such features were showed for the future energy and social systems from a technological viewpoint. As a scenario for sustainable development of a society, some approaches and values about collection of rare resources, agriculture based on mass circulation, and recurrence to high-protein traditional foods such as fermented food were showed for balanced development of environment, population, and resources including energy and food. 8 refs., 14 figs., 8 tabs.

Manchester medical society (imaging section) presidential address 2008

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Blakeley, C. [University of Salford (United Kingdom); Manchester Royal Infirmary (CMFT) (United Kingdom)], E-mail: c.blakeley@salford.ac.uk; Hogg, P. [University of Salford (United Kingdom)

2009-12-15

This article is based partly upon the Presidential Address of the Manchester Medical Society (Imaging Section) in 2008. It reviews the development of radiology services in the Manchester (UK) area from their inception in 1896 to the installation of the first EMI body CT scanner in Europe. It considers some of the innovative people in the Manchester area and some milestone events that occurred in that area to help establish the role and value of X-ray in diagnostic imaging. In this article the first recorded case of when X-ray imaging was used in a forensic domiciliary case is also outlined; this occurred approximately 35 miles north of Manchester on 23rd April 1896. The article also explains some interesting background information on the development of the first EMI CT scanner, drawing particularly on the revenue stream generated by the music section of EMI through the success of The Beatles - a band which emanated 35 miles from Manchester in Liverpool.

Manchester medical society (imaging section) presidential address 2008

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blakeley, C.; Hogg, P.

2009-01-01

This article is based partly upon the Presidential Address of the Manchester Medical Society (Imaging Section) in 2008. It reviews the development of radiology services in the Manchester (UK) area from their inception in 1896 to the installation of the first EMI body CT scanner in Europe. It considers some of the innovative people in the Manchester area and some milestone events that occurred in that area to help establish the role and value of X-ray in diagnostic imaging. In this article the first recorded case of when X-ray imaging was used in a forensic domiciliary case is also outlined; this occurred approximately 35 miles north of Manchester on 23rd April 1896. The article also explains some interesting background information on the development of the first EMI CT scanner, drawing particularly on the revenue stream generated by the music section of EMI through the success of The Beatles - a band which emanated 35 miles from Manchester in Liverpool.

The education and training of professionals. The perspective of the Spanish Society of Medical Physics (SEFM)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eudaldo, T.; Millan, E.; Paredes, M.C.; Vano, E.; Peinado, F.; Nunez de Villavicencio, C.; Mateos, J.C.; Pena, J.J.

2001-01-01

The aim of this paper is twofold. First, to revise some European Communities' recommendations regarding qualification, education and training of professionals involved in ionisation radiation practices, to respond to the Directive 97/43 EURATOM. And then, as Medical Physicists are directly concerned with these practices, to describe how the Spanish Society of Medical Physics deals with the challenge of improving the competence of Medical Physicists in order to assure the best patient protection against ionisation radiation. Therefore, to achieve the first aim, the point of view of the European Federation of Organisations on Medical Physics (EFOMP) concerning the introduction of the 'Medical Physics Expert' and their guidelines for Continuous Professional Development are reviewed, as well as the point of view of European Society for Therapeutic Radiation Oncology (ESTRO) in professional education matters. Referring to the second aim, after succeeding in the recognition of the Medical Physics Speciality in Spain in 1997, the SEFM is now promoting the Continuous Education and Training of their specialists through its Education Committee (Comision de Docencia de la SEFM), so that they can cope with all new professional challenges. Moreover, a number of SEFM members are also involved in education matters to others professionals: Medicine students, nurses, Radiation Technologists, etc. In conclusion, the SEFM has always been aware of the importance of specialisation and continuous education of all professionals involved in radiation ionisation practices, as a way to contribute to guarantee the best radiation protection to the patients. (author)

Performance of a novel wafer scale CMOS active pixel sensor for bio-medical imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Esposito, M; Evans, P M; Wells, K; Anaxagoras, T; Konstantinidis, A C; Zheng, Y; Speller, R D; Allinson, N M

2014-01-01

Recently CMOS active pixels sensors (APSs) have become a valuable alternative to amorphous silicon and selenium flat panel imagers (FPIs) in bio-medical imaging applications. CMOS APSs can now be scaled up to the standard 20 cm diameter wafer size by means of a reticle stitching block process. However, despite wafer scale CMOS APS being monolithic, sources of non-uniformity of response and regional variations can persist representing a significant challenge for wafer scale sensor response. Non-uniformity of stitched sensors can arise from a number of factors related to the manufacturing process, including variation of amplification, variation between readout components, wafer defects and process variations across the wafer due to manufacturing processes. This paper reports on an investigation into the spatial non-uniformity and regional variations of a wafer scale stitched CMOS APS. For the first time a per-pixel analysis of the electro-optical performance of a wafer CMOS APS is presented, to address inhomogeneity issues arising from the stitching techniques used to manufacture wafer scale sensors. A complete model of the signal generation in the pixel array has been provided and proved capable of accounting for noise and gain variations across the pixel array. This novel analysis leads to readout noise and conversion gain being evaluated at pixel level, stitching block level and in regions of interest, resulting in a coefficient of variation ⩽1.9%. The uniformity of the image quality performance has been further investigated in a typical x-ray application, i.e. mammography, showing a uniformity in terms of CNR among the highest when compared with mammography detectors commonly used in clinical practice. Finally, in order to compare the detection capability of this novel APS with the technology currently used (i.e. FPIs), theoretical evaluation of the detection quantum efficiency (DQE) at zero-frequency has been performed, resulting in a higher DQE for this

Performance of a novel wafer scale CMOS active pixel sensor for bio-medical imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Esposito, M; Anaxagoras, T; Konstantinidis, A C; Zheng, Y; Speller, R D; Evans, P M; Allinson, N M; Wells, K

2014-07-07

Recently CMOS active pixels sensors (APSs) have become a valuable alternative to amorphous silicon and selenium flat panel imagers (FPIs) in bio-medical imaging applications. CMOS APSs can now be scaled up to the standard 20 cm diameter wafer size by means of a reticle stitching block process. However, despite wafer scale CMOS APS being monolithic, sources of non-uniformity of response and regional variations can persist representing a significant challenge for wafer scale sensor response. Non-uniformity of stitched sensors can arise from a number of factors related to the manufacturing process, including variation of amplification, variation between readout components, wafer defects and process variations across the wafer due to manufacturing processes. This paper reports on an investigation into the spatial non-uniformity and regional variations of a wafer scale stitched CMOS APS. For the first time a per-pixel analysis of the electro-optical performance of a wafer CMOS APS is presented, to address inhomogeneity issues arising from the stitching techniques used to manufacture wafer scale sensors. A complete model of the signal generation in the pixel array has been provided and proved capable of accounting for noise and gain variations across the pixel array. This novel analysis leads to readout noise and conversion gain being evaluated at pixel level, stitching block level and in regions of interest, resulting in a coefficient of variation ⩽1.9%. The uniformity of the image quality performance has been further investigated in a typical x-ray application, i.e. mammography, showing a uniformity in terms of CNR among the highest when compared with mammography detectors commonly used in clinical practice. Finally, in order to compare the detection capability of this novel APS with the technology currently used (i.e. FPIs), theoretical evaluation of the detection quantum efficiency (DQE) at zero-frequency has been performed, resulting in a higher DQE for this

BioCreative V BioC track overview: collaborative biocurator assistant task for BioGRID.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Sun; Islamaj Doğan, Rezarta; Chatr-Aryamontri, Andrew; Chang, Christie S; Oughtred, Rose; Rust, Jennifer; Batista-Navarro, Riza; Carter, Jacob; Ananiadou, Sophia; Matos, Sérgio; Santos, André; Campos, David; Oliveira, José Luís; Singh, Onkar; Jonnagaddala, Jitendra; Dai, Hong-Jie; Su, Emily Chia-Yu; Chang, Yung-Chun; Su, Yu-Chen; Chu, Chun-Han; Chen, Chien Chin; Hsu, Wen-Lian; Peng, Yifan; Arighi, Cecilia; Wu, Cathy H; Vijay-Shanker, K; Aydın, Ferhat; Hüsünbeyi, Zehra Melce; Özgür, Arzucan; Shin, Soo-Yong; Kwon, Dongseop; Dolinski, Kara; Tyers, Mike; Wilbur, W John; Comeau, Donald C

2016-01-01

BioC is a simple XML format for text, annotations and relations, and was developed to achieve interoperability for biomedical text processing. Following the success of BioC in BioCreative IV, the BioCreative V BioC track addressed a collaborative task to build an assistant system for BioGRID curation. In this paper, we describe the framework of the collaborative BioC task and discuss our findings based on the user survey. This track consisted of eight subtasks including gene/protein/organism named entity recognition, protein-protein/genetic interaction passage identification and annotation visualization. Using BioC as their data-sharing and communication medium, nine teams, world-wide, participated and contributed either new methods or improvements of existing tools to address different subtasks of the BioC track. Results from different teams were shared in BioC and made available to other teams as they addressed different subtasks of the track. In the end, all submitted runs were merged using a machine learning classifier to produce an optimized output. The biocurator assistant system was evaluated by four BioGRID curators in terms of practical usability. The curators' feedback was overall positive and highlighted the user-friendly design and the convenient gene/protein curation tool based on text mining.Database URL: http://www.biocreative.org/tasks/biocreative-v/track-1-bioc/. Published by Oxford University Press 2016. This work is written by US Government employees and is in the public domain in the US.

Bio-responsive polymer hydrogels homeostatically regulate blood coagulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Maitz, Manfred F; Freudenberg, Uwe; Tsurkan, Mikhail V; Fischer, Marion; Beyrich, Theresa; Werner, Carsten

2013-01-01

Bio-responsive polymer architectures can empower medical therapies by engaging molecular feedback-response mechanisms resembling the homeostatic adaptation of living tissues to varying environmental constraints. Here we show that a blood coagulation-responsive hydrogel system can deliver heparin in amounts triggered by the environmental levels of thrombin, the key enzyme of the coagulation cascade, which--in turn--becomes inactivated due to released heparin. The bio-responsive hydrogel quantitatively quenches blood coagulation over several hours in the presence of pro-coagulant stimuli and during repeated incubation with fresh, non-anticoagulated blood. These features enable the introduced material to provide sustainable, autoregulated anticoagulation, addressing a key challenge of many medical therapies. Beyond that, the explored concept may facilitate the development of materials that allow the effective and controlled application of drugs and biomolecules.

Bio politics - The bio-environment - bio-culture of the Danube

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vlavianos-Arvanitis, A.

1997-01-01

The bio-environment has been the single most important correlation in human history and can successfully promote international co-operational co-operation and understanding. With the construction of a network for collaboration, the 'Danube Countries' can come together in celebration of their culture and heritage. As the Danube flows from the Black Forest to the Black Sea, it carries messages of peace, hope and co-operation. Applying these messages to every endeavour can improve our quality of life and lead to a brighter future. Since its inception in 1985, the Bio politics International Organization (B.I.O.) has been labouring to raise awareness of the urgent need to instate a new system of norms and principles, compatible with sound environmental management and with the most important task of ensuring global literacy on environmental issues. Along with critically re-assessing the concept of profit, the goal is to adopt a system of bio centric values, where respect for the bio-environment will govern our every action and thought

NASA 14 Day Undersea Missions: A Short-Duration Spaceflight Analog for Immune System Dysregulation

Science.gov (United States)

Crucian, B. E.; Stowe, R. P.; Mehta, S. K.; Quiriarte, H.; Pierson, D. L.; Sams, C. F.

2010-01-01

BACKGROUND Spaceflight-associated immune dysregulation (SAID) occurs during spaceflight and may represent specific clinical risks for exploration-class missions. An appropriate ground analog for spaceflight-associated immune dysregulation would offer a platform for ground-evaluation of various potential countermeasures. This study evaluated the NASA Undersea Mission Operations ( NEEMO ), consisting of 14 day undersea deployment at the Aquarius station, as an analog for SAID. Sixteen Aquanauts from missions NEEMO-12, 13 and 14 participated in the study. RESULTS Mid-mission alterations leukocyte distribution occurred, including granulocytosis and elevations in central-memory CD8+ T-cells. General T cell function was reduced during NEEMO missions in roughly 50% of subjects. Secreted cytokines profiles were evaluated following whole blood stimulation with CD3/CD28 (T cells) or LPS (monocytes). T cell production of IFNg, IL-5, IL-10, IL-2, TNFa and IL-6 were all reduced before and during the mission. Conversely, monocyte production of TNFa, IL-10, IL-6, IL-1b and IL-8 were elevated during mission, moreso at the MD-14 timepoint. Antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) viral capsid antigen and early antigen were increased in approximately 40% of the subjects. Changes in EBV tetramer-positive CD8+ T-cells exhibited a variable pattern. Antibodies against Cytomegalovirus (CMV) were marginally increased during the mission. Herpesvirus reactivation was determined by PCR. EBV viral load was generally elevated at L-6. Higher levels of salivary EBV were found during the NEEMO mission than before and after as well as than the healthy controls. No VZV or CMV was found in any pre, during and after NEEMO mission or control samples. Plasma cortisol was elevated at L-6. CONCLUSION Unfortunately, L-6 may be too near to mission start to be an appropriate baseline measurement. The general immune changes in leukocyte distribution, T cell function, cytokine production, virus specific

The critical role of personality and organizational factors as determinants of reactions to restricted and stressful environments. [undersea habitats

Science.gov (United States)

Helmreich, Robert L.

1987-01-01

Research into the impact of personality factors on groups in various settings is reviewed as an introduction to a brief discussion of personality and group behavior research needs relevant to the space program. Significant findings of some earlier research are summarized, and methodological problems are touched on. The study of intergroup and intragroup conflict in a stressful environment, as exemplified particularly by undersea habitats, is seen as being of consequence for long-term space missions. It is concluded that adequate research can only be conducted as an adjunct to data collection from operational stressful environments, and not from laboratory experiments.

Modeling and simulation of multi-physics multi-scale transport phenomenain bio-medical applications

Science.gov (United States)

Kenjereš, Saša

2014-08-01

We present a short overview of some of our most recent work that combines the mathematical modeling, advanced computer simulations and state-of-the-art experimental techniques of physical transport phenomena in various bio-medical applications. In the first example, we tackle predictions of complex blood flow patterns in the patient-specific vascular system (carotid artery bifurcation) and transfer of the so-called "bad" cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein, LDL) within the multi-layered artery wall. This two-way coupling between the blood flow and corresponding mass transfer of LDL within the artery wall is essential for predictions of regions where atherosclerosis can develop. It is demonstrated that a recently developed mathematical model, which takes into account the complex multi-layer arterial-wall structure, produced LDL profiles within the artery wall in good agreement with in-vivo experiments in rabbits, and it can be used for predictions of locations where the initial stage of development of atherosclerosis may take place. The second example includes a combination of pulsating blood flow and medical drug delivery and deposition controlled by external magnetic field gradients in the patient specific carotid artery bifurcation. The results of numerical simulations are compared with own PIV (Particle Image Velocimetry) and MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) in the PDMS (silicon-based organic polymer) phantom. A very good agreement between simulations and experiments is obtained for different stages of the pulsating cycle. Application of the magnetic drug targeting resulted in an increase of up to ten fold in the efficiency of local deposition of the medical drug at desired locations. Finally, the LES (Large Eddy Simulation) of the aerosol distribution within the human respiratory system that includes up to eight bronchial generations is performed. A very good agreement between simulations and MRV (Magnetic Resonance Velocimetry) measurements is obtained

Modeling and simulation of multi-physics multi-scale transport phenomenain bio-medical applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kenjereš, Saša

2014-01-01

We present a short overview of some of our most recent work that combines the mathematical modeling, advanced computer simulations and state-of-the-art experimental techniques of physical transport phenomena in various bio-medical applications. In the first example, we tackle predictions of complex blood flow patterns in the patient-specific vascular system (carotid artery bifurcation) and transfer of the so-called 'bad' cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein, LDL) within the multi-layered artery wall. This two-way coupling between the blood flow and corresponding mass transfer of LDL within the artery wall is essential for predictions of regions where atherosclerosis can develop. It is demonstrated that a recently developed mathematical model, which takes into account the complex multi-layer arterial-wall structure, produced LDL profiles within the artery wall in good agreement with in-vivo experiments in rabbits, and it can be used for predictions of locations where the initial stage of development of atherosclerosis may take place. The second example includes a combination of pulsating blood flow and medical drug delivery and deposition controlled by external magnetic field gradients in the patient specific carotid artery bifurcation. The results of numerical simulations are compared with own PIV (Particle Image Velocimetry) and MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) in the PDMS (silicon-based organic polymer) phantom. A very good agreement between simulations and experiments is obtained for different stages of the pulsating cycle. Application of the magnetic drug targeting resulted in an increase of up to ten fold in the efficiency of local deposition of the medical drug at desired locations. Finally, the LES (Large Eddy Simulation) of the aerosol distribution within the human respiratory system that includes up to eight bronchial generations is performed. A very good agreement between simulations and MRV (Magnetic Resonance Velocimetry) measurements is

Bio-Mimetic Sensors Based on Molecularly Imprinted Membranes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Catia Algieri

2014-07-01

Full Text Available An important challenge for scientific research is the production of artificial systems able to mimic the recognition mechanisms occurring at the molecular level in living systems. A valid contribution in this direction resulted from the development of molecular imprinting. By means of this technology, selective molecular recognition sites are introduced in a polymer, thus conferring it bio-mimetic properties. The potential applications of these systems include affinity separations, medical diagnostics, drug delivery, catalysis, etc. Recently, bio-sensing systems using molecularly imprinted membranes, a special form of imprinted polymers, have received the attention of scientists in various fields. In these systems imprinted membranes are used as bio-mimetic recognition elements which are integrated with a transducer component. The direct and rapid determination of an interaction between the recognition element and the target analyte (template was an encouraging factor for the development of such systems as alternatives to traditional bio-assay methods. Due to their high stability, sensitivity and specificity, bio-mimetic sensors-based membranes are used for environmental, food, and clinical uses. This review deals with the development of molecularly imprinted polymers and their different preparation methods. Referring to the last decades, the application of these membranes as bio-mimetic sensor devices will be also reported.

Bio-Mimetic Sensors Based on Molecularly Imprinted Membranes

Science.gov (United States)

Algieri, Catia; Drioli, Enrico; Guzzo, Laura; Donato, Laura

2014-01-01

An important challenge for scientific research is the production of artificial systems able to mimic the recognition mechanisms occurring at the molecular level in living systems. A valid contribution in this direction resulted from the development of molecular imprinting. By means of this technology, selective molecular recognition sites are introduced in a polymer, thus conferring it bio-mimetic properties. The potential applications of these systems include affinity separations, medical diagnostics, drug delivery, catalysis, etc. Recently, bio-sensing systems using molecularly imprinted membranes, a special form of imprinted polymers, have received the attention of scientists in various fields. In these systems imprinted membranes are used as bio-mimetic recognition elements which are integrated with a transducer component. The direct and rapid determination of an interaction between the recognition element and the target analyte (template) was an encouraging factor for the development of such systems as alternatives to traditional bio-assay methods. Due to their high stability, sensitivity and specificity, bio-mimetic sensors-based membranes are used for environmental, food, and clinical uses. This review deals with the development of molecularly imprinted polymers and their different preparation methods. Referring to the last decades, the application of these membranes as bio-mimetic sensor devices will be also reported. PMID:25196110

Veterans in Society Conference 2014: Humanizing the Discourse (Conference Program)

OpenAIRE

Virginia Tech. Department of English. Center for the Study of Rhetoric in Society; Virginia Tech. Veterans Studies Group

2014-01-01

This program lists the daily sessions, presentations, and events that took place during the 2014 Veterans in Society Conference, which was held from April 27-28, 2014 at the Hotel Roanoke in Roanoke, VA. This program also includes speaker and presenter bios, descriptions of unrecorded conference events, and a letter from conference co-chair Jim Dubinsky, the director of Virginia Tech's Center for the Study of Rhetoric in Society. The 2014 Veterans in Society Conference: Humanizing the Discour...

Meals at medical specialty society annual meetings: a preliminary assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

La Puma, John; Schiedermayer, David; Becker, Jennifer

2003-01-01

Little isd known about how meals are chosen for medical meetings. We surveyed the annual meeting planners for 20 major specialty societies. Thirteen (65%) responded; all were currently planning their next meeting. Attendance in 2000 was reported at 113,477 physicians, with 2 million planned meals and snacks. No physician was named as responsible for food choices; the meeting planner and staff were primarily responsible for deciding what food to serve, excluding exhibit halls. Twelve (92%) respondents rated "available budget" as the most important factor. "Nutritional guidelines" were rated "very important" by eight of 13 (63%). However, no specific nutritional guidelines could be identified by any planner. All respondents indicated that members would attend a meeting if "healthy" food were the only option. For 2000, 100% of respondents indicated that for each lunch and for each dinner, a dessert had been included. No annual meeting and no planned 2001 meeting excluded potato chips, snack mixes, or candies at breaks; soda pop was offered at each break. Most respondents (89%) relied on a concluding questionnaire about the meeting facilities to evaluate the food. Respondents reported no difference in charges for "special meals," including vegetarian and kosher meals. Physicians may be unaware that some food served at medical meetings may impair learning, with excessive calorie, fat, and carbohydrate consumption. Small changes can improve the quality of food and beverages selected, without increased cost, and provide choices that conform to national nutritional guidelines. Medical meetings should serve flavorful, healthful food.

System modeling of an air-independent solid oxide fuel cell system for unmanned undersea vehicles

Science.gov (United States)

Burke, A. Alan; Carreiro, Louis G.

To examine the feasibility of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC)-powered unmanned undersea vehicle (UUV), a system level analysis is presented that projects a possible integration of the SOFC stack, fuel steam reformer, fuel/oxidant storage and balance of plant components into a 21-in. diameter UUV platform. Heavy hydrocarbon fuel (dodecane) and liquid oxygen (LOX) are chosen as the preferred reactants. A maximum efficiency of 45% based on the lower heating value of dodecane was calculated for a system that provides 2.5 kW for 40 h. Heat sources and sinks have been coupled to show viable means of thermal management. The critical design issues involve proper recycling of exhaust steam from the fuel cell back into the reformer and effective use of the SOFC stack radiant heat for steam reformation of the hydrocarbon fuel.

Apology, responsibility, memory. Coming to terms with Nazi medical crimes: the example of the Max Planck Society.

Science.gov (United States)

Sachse, Carola

2011-11-01

In June 2001, the then president of the Max Planck Society addressed a formal apology to survivors of Nazi medical crimes. Starting from this ritual of repentance, the paper examines the participants' diverse views of how to deal with the medical crimes of National Socialism. In comparison with the DGPPN, it asks about possibilities of going beyond historical retrospection to fulfil the imperative of remembrance.

Conflict of interest and professional medical associations: the North American Spine Society experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Schofferman, Jerome A; Eskay-Auerbach, Marjorie L; Sawyer, Laura S; Herring, Stanley A; Arnold, Paul M; Muehlbauer, Eric J

2013-08-01

Recently the financial relationships between industry and professional medical associations have come under increased scrutiny because of the concern that industry ties may create real or perceived conflicts of interest. Professional medical associations pursue public advocacy as well as promote medical education, develop clinical practice guidelines, fund research, and regulate professional conduct. Therefore, the conflicts of interest of a professional medical association and its leadership can have more far-reaching effects on patient care than those of an individual physician. Few if any professional medical associations have reported their experience with implementing strict divestment and disclosure policies, and among the policies that have been issued, there is little uniformity. We describe the experience of the North American Spine Society (NASS) in implementing comprehensive conflicts of interest policies. A special feature article. We discuss financial conflicts of interest as they apply to professional medical associations rather than to individual physicians. We describe the current policies of disclosure and divestment adopted by the NASS and how these policies have evolved, been refined, and have had no detrimental impact on membership, attendance at annual meetings, finances, or leadership recruitment. No funding was received for this work. The authors report no potential conflict-of-interest-associated biases in the text. The NASS has shown that a professional medical association can manage its financial relationships with industry in a manner that minimizes influence and bias. The NASS experience can provide a template for other professional medical associations to help manage their own possible conflicts of interest issues. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Bio-films and processes of bio-corrosion and bio-deterioration in oil-and gas-processing industry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kholodenko, V.P.; Irkhina, I.A.; Chugunov, V.A.; Rodin, V.B.; Zhigletsova, S.K.; Yermolenko, Z.M.; Rudavin, V.V. [State Research Center for Applied Microbiology, Obolensk, Moscow region (Russian Federation)

2004-07-01

As a rule, oil- and gas-processing equipment and pipelines are attacked by different microorganisms. Their vital ability determines processes of bio-deterioration and bio-corrosion that lead often to technological accidents and severe environmental contamination. Bio-films presenting a complex association of different microorganisms and their metabolites are responsible for most of damages. In this context, to study the role bio-films may play in processes of bio-damages and in efficacy of protective measures is important. We have developed method of culturing bio-films on the surface of metal coupons by using a natural microbial association isolated from oil-processing sites. Simple and informative methods of determining microbiological parameters of bio-films required to study bio-corrosion processes are also developed. In addition, a method of electron microscopic analysis of bio-films and pitting corrosion is offered. Using these methods, we conducted model experiments to determine the dynamics of corrosion processes depending on qualitative and quantitative composition of bio-films, aeration conditions and duration of the experiment. A harmful effect of soil bacteria and micro-mycetes on different pipeline coatings was also investigated. Experiments were conducted within 3-6 months and revealed degrading action of microorganisms. This was confirmed by axial tension testing of coatings. All these approaches will be used for further development of measures to protect gas- and oil-processing equipment and pipelines against bio-corrosion and bio-damages (first of all biocides). (authors)

SEACAT CTD data of the Hawaii Undersea Research Program from 593 dives of the remotely operated vehicle and the submersibles Pisces IV and V during 1995-2012 in the North and South Pacific (NODC Accession 0116373)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory (HURL) was established by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the University of Hawaii. Its...

Bio-prospecting of distillery yeasts as bio-control and bio-remediation agents.

Science.gov (United States)

Ubeda, Juan F; Maldonado, María; Briones, Ana I; Francisco, J Fernández; González, Francisco J

2014-05-01

This work constitutes a preliminary study in which the capacity of non-Saccharomyces yeasts isolated from ancient distilleries as bio-control agents against moulds and in the treatment of waste waters contaminated by heavy metals-i.e. bio-remediation-is shown. In the first control assays, antagonist effect between non-Saccharomyces yeasts, their extracts and supernatants against some moulds, analysing the plausible (not exhaustive) involved factors were qualitatively verified. In addition, two enzymatic degrading properties of cell wall plant polymers, quitinolitic and pectinolitic, were screened. Finally, their use as agents of bio-remediation of three heavy metals (cadmium, chromium and lead) was analysed semi-quantitatively. The results showed that all isolates belonging to Pichia species effectively inhibited all moulds assayed. Moreover, P. kudriavzevii is a good candidate for both bio-control and bio-remediation because it inhibited moulds and accumulated the major proportion of the three tested metals.

Career opportunities and benefits for young oncologists in the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Morgan, Gilberto; Lambertini, Matteo; Kourie, Hampig Raphael

2016-01-01

The European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) is one of the leading societies of oncology professionals in the world. Approximately 30% of the 13 000 ESMO members are below the age of 40 and thus meet the society's definition of young oncologists (YOs). ESMO has identified the training...... and development of YOs as a priority and has therefore established a comprehensive career development programme. This includes a leadership development programme to help identify and develop the future leaders in oncology. Well-trained and highly motivated future generations of multidisciplinary oncologists...... are essential to ensure the optimal evolution of the field of oncology with the ultimate goal of providing the best possible care to patients with cancer. ESMO's career development portfolio is managed and continuously optimised by several dedicated committees composed of ESMO officers and is directly...

The European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Precision Medicine Glossary.

Science.gov (United States)

Yates, L R; Seoane, J; Le Tourneau, C; Siu, L L; Marais, R; Michiels, S; Soria, J C; Campbell, P; Normanno, N; Scarpa, A; Reis-Filho, J S; Rodon, J; Swanton, C; Andre, F

2018-01-01

Precision medicine is rapidly evolving within the field of oncology and has brought many new concepts and terminologies that are often poorly defined when first introduced, which may subsequently lead to miscommunication within the oncology community. The European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) recognises these challenges and is committed to support the adoption of precision medicine in oncology. To add clarity to the language used by oncologists and basic scientists within the context of precision medicine, the ESMO Translational Research and Personalised Medicine Working Group has developed a standardised glossary of relevant terms. Relevant terms for inclusion in the glossary were identified via an ESMO member survey conducted in Autumn 2016, and by the ESMO Translational Research and Personalised Medicine Working Group members. Each term was defined by experts in the field, discussed and, if necessary, modified by the Working Group before reaching consensus approval. A literature search was carried out to determine which of the terms, 'precision medicine' and 'personalised medicine', is most appropriate to describe this field. A total of 43 terms are included in the glossary, grouped into five main themes-(i) mechanisms of decision, (ii) characteristics of molecular alterations, (iii) tumour characteristics, (iv) clinical trials and statistics and (v) new research tools. The glossary classes 'precision medicine' or 'personalised medicine' as technically interchangeable but the term 'precision medicine' is favoured as it more accurately reflects the highly precise nature of new technologies that permit base pair resolution dissection of cancer genomes and is less likely to be misinterpreted. The ESMO Precision Medicine Glossary provides a resource to facilitate consistent communication in this field by clarifying and raising awareness of the language employed in cancer research and oncology practice. The glossary will be a dynamic entity, undergoing

Medical error reduction and tort reform through private, contractually-based quality medicine societies.

Science.gov (United States)

MacCourt, Duncan; Bernstein, Joseph

2009-01-01

physicians cede their implicit "right to remain silent", even if some injured patients will receive less than they do today. Likewise, physicians will be happier with a system that avoids blame-even if this system placed strict requirements for high quality care and disclosure of error. We therefore conceive of de facto trade between patients and physicians, a Pareto improvement, taking form via the establishment of "Societies of Quality Medicine." Physicians working within these societies would consent to onerous processes for disclosing, rectifying and preventing medical error. Patients would in turn contractually agree to assert their claims in arbitration and with limits on recovery. The role of plaintiffs' lawyers would be unchanged, but due to increased disclosure, discovery costs would diminish and the likelihood of prevailing will more than triple. This article examines the legal and policy issues surrounding the establishment of Societies of Quality Medicine, particularly the issues of contracting over liability, and outlines a means of overcoming the theoretical and practical difficulties with enterprise liability, alternative dispute resolution and the imposition of limits on recovery for non-pecuniary damages. We aim to build a welfare enhancing system that rebuffs the culture of silence and promotes error reduction, a system that is at the same time legally sound, fiscally prudent and politically possible.

Bio-inspired nanotechnology from surface analysis to applications

CERN Document Server

Walsh, Tiffany

2014-01-01

This book focuses on the use of bio-inspired and biomimetic methods for the fabrication and activation of nanomaterials. This includes studies concerning the binding of the biomolecules to the surface of inorganic structures, structure/function relationships of the final materials, and extensive discussions on the final applications of such biomimetic materials in unique applications including energy harvesting/storage, biomedical diagnostics, and materials assembly. This book also: ·          Covers the sustainable features of bio-inspired nanotechnology ·          Includes studies on the unique applications of biomimetic materials, such as energy harvesting and biomedical diagnostics Bio-Inspired Nanotechnology: From Surface Analysis to Applications is an ideal book for researchers, students, nanomaterials engineers, bioengineers, chemists, biologists, physicists, and medical researchers.

High performance bio-integrated devices

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Dae-Hyeong; Lee, Jongha; Park, Minjoon

2014-06-01

In recent years, personalized electronics for medical applications, particularly, have attracted much attention with the rise of smartphones because the coupling of such devices and smartphones enables the continuous health-monitoring in patients' daily life. Especially, it is expected that the high performance biomedical electronics integrated with the human body can open new opportunities in the ubiquitous healthcare. However, the mechanical and geometrical constraints inherent in all standard forms of high performance rigid wafer-based electronics raise unique integration challenges with biotic entities. Here, we describe materials and design constructs for high performance skin-mountable bio-integrated electronic devices, which incorporate arrays of single crystalline inorganic nanomembranes. The resulting electronic devices include flexible and stretchable electrophysiology electrodes and sensors coupled with active electronic components. These advances in bio-integrated systems create new directions in the personalized health monitoring and/or human-machine interfaces.

Bio-fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2008-01-01

This report presents an overview of the technologies which are currently used or presently developed for the production of bio-fuels in Europe and more particularly in France. After a brief history of this production since the beginning of the 20. century, the authors describe the support to agriculture and the influence of the Common Agricultural Policy, outline the influence of the present context of struggle against the greenhouse effect, and present the European legislative context. Data on the bio-fuels consumption in the European Union in 2006 are discussed. An overview of the evolution of the activity related to bio-fuels in France, indicating the locations of ethanol and bio-diesel production facilities, and the evolution of bio-fuel consumption, is given. The German situation is briefly presented. Production of ethanol by fermentation, the manufacturing of ETBE, the bio-diesel production from vegetable oils are discussed. Second generation bio-fuels are then presented (cellulose enzymatic processing), together with studies on thermochemical processes and available biomass resources

Awareness and practices regarding bio-medical waste management among health care workers in a tertiary care hospital in Delhi.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhagawati, G; Nandwani, S; Singhal, S

2015-01-01

Health care institutions are generating large amount of Bio-Medical Waste (BMW), which needs to be properly segregated and treated. With this concern, a questionnaire based cross-sectional study was done to determine the current status of awareness and practices regarding BMW Management (BMWM) and areas of deficit amongst the HCWs in a tertiary care teaching hospital in New Delhi, India. The correct responses were graded as satisfactory (more than 80%), intermediate (50-80%) and unsatisfactory (less than 50%). Some major areas of deficit found were about knowledge regarding number of BMW categories (17%), mercury waste disposal (37.56%) and definition of BMW (47%).

Awareness and practices regarding bio-medical waste management among health care workers in a tertiary care hospital in Delhi

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G Bhagawati

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Health care institutions are generating large amount of Bio-Medical Waste (BMW, which needs to be properly segregated and treated. With this concern, a questionnaire based cross-sectional study was done to determine the current status of awareness and practices regarding BMW Management (BMWM and areas of deficit amongst the HCWs in a tertiary care teaching hospital in New Delhi, India. The correct responses were graded as satisfactory (more than 80%, intermediate (50–80% and unsatisfactory (less than 50%. Some major areas of deficit found were about knowledge regarding number of BMW categories (17%, mercury waste disposal (37.56% and definition of BMW (47%.

Present status of NMCC and sample preparation method for bio-samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Futatsugawa, S.; Hatakeyama, S.; Saitou, S.; Sera, K.

1993-01-01

In NMCC(Nishina Memorial Cyclotron Center) we are doing researches on PET of nuclear medicine (Positron Emission Computed Tomography) and PIXE analysis (Particle Induced X-ray Emission) using a small cyclotron of compactly designed. The NMCC facilities have been opened to researchers of other institutions since April 1993. The present status of NMCC is described. Bio-samples (medical samples, plants, animals and environmental samples) have mainly been analyzed by PIXE in NMCC. Small amounts of bio-samples for PIXE are decomposed quickly and easily in a sealed PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) vessel with a microwave oven. This sample preparation method of bio-samples also is described. (author)

Bio-hybrid micro/nanodevices powered by flagellar motor: challenges and strategies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jin-Woo eKim

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Molecular motors, which are precision-engineered by nature, offer exciting possibilities for bio-hybrid engineered systems. They could enable real applications ranging from micro/nano fluidics, to biosensing, to medical diagnoses. This review describes the fundamental biological insights and fascinating potentials of these remarkable sensing and actuation machines, in particular bacterial flagellar motors, as well as their engineering perspectives with regard to applications in bio-engineered hybrid systems and nanobiotechnology.

Evaluation of medical research performance--position paper of the Association of the Scientific Medical Societies in Germany (AWMF).

Science.gov (United States)

Herrmann-Lingen, Christoph; Brunner, Edgar; Hildenbrand, Sibylle; Loew, Thomas H; Raupach, Tobias; Spies, Claudia; Treede, Rolf-Detlef; Vahl, Christian-Friedrich; Wenz, Hans-Jürgen

2014-01-01

The evaluation of medical research performance is a key prerequisite for the systematic advancement of medical faculties, research foci, academic departments, and individual scientists' careers. However, it is often based on vaguely defined aims and questionable methods and can thereby lead to unwanted regulatory effects. The current paper aims at defining the position of German academic medicine toward the aims, methods, and consequences of its evaluation. During the Berlin Forum of the Association of the Scientific Medical Societies in Germany (AWMF) held on 18 October 2013, international experts presented data on methods for evaluating medical research performance. Subsequent discussions among representatives of relevant scientific organizations and within three ad-hoc writing groups led to a first draft of this article. Further discussions within the AWMF Committee for Evaluation of Performance in Research and Teaching and the AWMF Executive Board resulted in the final consented version presented here. The AWMF recommends modifications to the current system of evaluating medical research performance. Evaluations should follow clearly defined and communicated aims and consist of both summative and formative components. Informed peer reviews are valuable but feasible in longer time intervals only. They can be complemented by objective indicators. However, the Journal Impact Factor is not an appropriate measure for evaluating individual publications or their authors. The scientific "impact" rather requires multidimensional evaluation. Indicators of potential relevance in this context may include, e.g., normalized citation rates of scientific publications, other forms of reception by the scientific community and the public, and activities in scientific organizations, research synthesis and science communication. In addition, differentiated recommendations are made for evaluating the acquisition of third-party funds and the promotion of junior scientists. With the

Combining Bio-inspired Sensing with Bio-inspired Locomotion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Shaikh, Danish; Hallam, John; Christensen-Dalsgaard, Jakob

In this paper we present a preliminary Braitenberg vehicle–like approach to combine bio-inspired audition with bio-inspired quadruped locomotion in simulation. Locomotion gaits of the salamander–like robot Salamandra robotica are modified by a lizard’s peripheral auditory system model that modula......In this paper we present a preliminary Braitenberg vehicle–like approach to combine bio-inspired audition with bio-inspired quadruped locomotion in simulation. Locomotion gaits of the salamander–like robot Salamandra robotica are modified by a lizard’s peripheral auditory system model...

Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport utilities metering, Phase 1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carroll, D.M.

1992-11-01

Pacific Northwest Laboratory developed this report for the US Navy`s Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport, Rhode Island (NUWC). The purpose of the report was to review options for metering electricity and steam used in the NUWC compound, and to make recommendations to NUWC for implementation under a follow-on project. An additional NUWC concern is a proposed rate change by the servicing utility, Newport Electric, which would make a significant shift from consumption to demand billing, and what effect that rate change would have on the NUWC utility budget. Automated, remote reading meters are available which would allow NUWC to monitor its actual utility consumption and demand for both the entire NUWC compound and by end-use in individual buildings. Technology is available to perform the meter reads and manipulate the data using a personal computer with minimal staff requirement. This is not meant to mislead the reader into assuming that there is no requirement for routine preventive maintenance. All equipment requires routine maintenance to maintain its accuracy. While PNL reviewed the data collected during the site visit, however, it became obvious that significant opportunities exist for reducing the utility costs other than accounting for actual consumption and demand. Unit costs for both steam and electricity are unnecessarily high, and options are presented in this report for reducing them. Additionally, NUWC has an opportunity to undertake a comprehensive energy resource management program to significantly reduce its energy demand, consumption, and costs.

Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport utilities metering, Phase 1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carroll, D.M.

1992-11-01

Pacific Northwest Laboratory developed this report for the US Navy's Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport, Rhode Island (NUWC). The purpose of the report was to review options for metering electricity and steam used in the NUWC compound, and to make recommendations to NUWC for implementation under a follow-on project. An additional NUWC concern is a proposed rate change by the servicing utility, Newport Electric, which would make a significant shift from consumption to demand billing, and what effect that rate change would have on the NUWC utility budget. Automated, remote reading meters are available which would allow NUWC to monitor its actual utility consumption and demand for both the entire NUWC compound and by end-use in individual buildings. Technology is available to perform the meter reads and manipulate the data using a personal computer with minimal staff requirement. This is not meant to mislead the reader into assuming that there is no requirement for routine preventive maintenance. All equipment requires routine maintenance to maintain its accuracy. While PNL reviewed the data collected during the site visit, however, it became obvious that significant opportunities exist for reducing the utility costs other than accounting for actual consumption and demand. Unit costs for both steam and electricity are unnecessarily high, and options are presented in this report for reducing them. Additionally, NUWC has an opportunity to undertake a comprehensive energy resource management program to significantly reduce its energy demand, consumption, and costs.

Risk and society; Risque et societe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tubiana, M. [Academie des Sciences, 75 - Paris (France)]|[Centre Antoine Beclere, Faculte de medecine, 75 - Paris (France); Vrousos, C.; Pages, J.P. [Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, 38 - Grenoble (France); Carde, C.

1999-07-01

This book brings together the communications presented at the colloquium 'risk and society' held in Paris (France) on November 1998. During this colloquium, the various aspects of risk and of its management were discussed by medical specialists, historians, industrialists, engineers, philosophers, lawyers, politicians and administration representatives. The first theme concerns the controversies generated by the development of some activities (genetics, bio-technologies, nuclear and radiations use). The second theme concerns the management of risks and the way to conciliate the point of view of authorities and citizens (confidence of the public with respect to experts, scientists, industrialists, government and administrative representatives, role played by the media). The debates that took place during the colloquium have shown that the public opinion concerning the nuclear activities or the new technologies greatly depends on the ideological attitudes and on the public's likes and dislikes with respect to some categories of actors (distrust with respect to public decisions, fears with respect to changes and future, nostalgia of the past). The following aspects are reviewed: Notions of risk and hazard (risk and health, risk in today's society, medicine and society, the point of view of the industrialists and of the scientific and technical specialists); from the psychological aspects of the risk to its social aspects (survey of the risk assessment battlefield, social attenuation and amplification of risk, the feeling of risks in Europe, insecurity and delinquency, controversies around radioactivity and health); the negotiation and communication about risks (risk and public health, negotiation around risks, risks and information dissemination about the public debate, communication and crisis, evolution of risk communication, comparison between American and European approaches, the Seveso directive); the public debate and the evolution of risks

Risk and society; Risque et societe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tubiana, M [Academie des Sciences, 75 - Paris (France); [Centre Antoine Beclere, Faculte de medecine, 75 - Paris (France); Vrousos, C; Pages, J P [Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, 38 - Grenoble (France); Carde, C

1999-07-01

This book brings together the communications presented at the colloquium 'risk and society' held in Paris (France) on November 1998. During this colloquium, the various aspects of risk and of its management were discussed by medical specialists, historians, industrialists, engineers, philosophers, lawyers, politicians and administration representatives. The first theme concerns the controversies generated by the development of some activities (genetics, bio-technologies, nuclear and radiations use). The second theme concerns the management of risks and the way to conciliate the point of view of authorities and citizens (confidence of the public with respect to experts, scientists, industrialists, government and administrative representatives, role played by the media). The debates that took place during the colloquium have shown that the public opinion concerning the nuclear activities or the new technologies greatly depends on the ideological attitudes and on the public's likes and dislikes with respect to some categories of actors (distrust with respect to public decisions, fears with respect to changes and future, nostalgia of the past). The following aspects are reviewed: Notions of risk and hazard (risk and health, risk in today's society, medicine and society, the point of view of the industrialists and of the scientific and technical specialists); from the psychological aspects of the risk to its social aspects (survey of the risk assessment battlefield, social attenuation and amplification of risk, the feeling of risks in Europe, insecurity and delinquency, controversies around radioactivity and health); the negotiation and communication about risks (risk and public health, negotiation around risks, risks and information dissemination about the public debate, communication and crisis, evolution of risk communication, comparison between American and European approaches, the Seveso directive); the public debate and the evolution of risks management (the

The internationalization of the Korean radiological society

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Byung Ihn; Kim, Seung Hyup; Han, Man Chung; Kim, Young Goo; Kim, Kun Sang

1995-01-01

Toward the beginning of the twenty-first century, the world experiences the dramatic changes in politics, economics and culture, and it is evident that the Korean medical field will not be able to survive provided it doesn't prepare ourselves to adapt to those changes. The Korean Medical Society held a forum for the active operation of the medical society, inviting several leading affiliated societies, to meet the needs of the times. This review describes the summary of the presentation that the authors made on behalf of the Korean Radiological Society in the forum, including the organization, current status of academic activity, current status of international communication, and problems encountered in the internationalization of the Korean Radiological Society

Bio-fuel barometer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2015-01-01

After a year of doubt and decline the consumption of bio-fuel resumed a growth in 2014 in Europe: +6.1% compared to 2013, to reach 14 millions tep (Mtep) that is just below the 2012 peak. This increase was mainly due to bio-diesel. By taking into account the energy content and not the volume, the consumption of bio-diesel represented 79.7% of bio-fuel consumption in 2014, that of bio-ethanol only 19.1% and that of biogas 1%. The incorporating rate of bio-fuels in fuels used for transport were 4.6% in 2013 and 4.9% in 2014. The trend is good and the future of bio-fuel seems clearer as the European Union has set a not-so-bad limit of 7% for first generation bio-fuels in order to take into account the CASI effect. The CASI effect shows that an increase of the consumption of first generation bio-fuels (it means bio-fuels produced from food crops like rape, soy, cereals, sugar beet,...) implies in fact a global increase in greenhouse gas release that is due to a compensation phenomenon. More uncultivated lands (like forests, grasslands, bogs are turned into cultivated lands in order to compensate lands used for bio-fuel production. In most European countries the consumption of bio-diesel increased in 2014 while it was a bad year for the European industry of ethanol because ethanol prices dropped by 16 %. Oil companies are now among the most important producers of bio-diesel in Europe.

Mastering multi-depth bio-chip patterns with DVD LBRs

Science.gov (United States)

Carson, Doug

2017-08-01

Bio chip and bio disc are rapidly growing technologies used in medical, health and other industries. While there are numerous unique designs and features, these products all rely on precise three-dimensional micro-fluidic channels or arrays to move, separate and combine samples under test. These bio chip and bio disc consumables are typically manufactured by molding these parts to a precise three-dimensional pattern on a negative metal stamper, or they can be made in smaller quantities using an appropriate curable resin and a negative mold/stamper. Stampers required for bio chips have been traditionally made using either micro machining or XY stepping lithography. Both of these technologies have their advantages as well as limitations when it comes to creating micro-fluidic patterns. Significant breakthroughs in continuous maskless lithography have enabled accurate and efficient manufacturing of micro-fluidic masters using LBRs (Laser Beam Recorders) and DRIE (Deep Reactive Ion Etching). The important advantages of LBR continuous lithography vs. XY stepping lithography and micro machining are speed and cost. LBR based continuous lithography is >100x faster than XY stepping lithography and more accurate than micro machining. Several innovations were required in order to create multi-depth patterns with sub micron accuracy. By combining proven industrial LBRs with DCA's G3-VIA pattern generator and DRIE, three-dimensional bio chip masters and stampers are being manufactured efficiently and accurately.

Symposium 'Methodology in Medical Education Research' organised by the Methodology in Medical Education Research Committee of the German Society of Medical Education May, 25th to 26th 2013 at Charité, Berlin.

Science.gov (United States)

Schüttpelz-Brauns, Katrin; Kiessling, Claudia; Ahlers, Olaf; Hautz, Wolf E

2015-01-01

In 2013, the Methodology in Medical Education Research Committee ran a symposium on "Research in Medical Education" as part of its ongoing faculty development activities. The symposium aimed to introduce to participants educational research methods with a specific focus on research in medical education. Thirty-five participants were able to choose from workshops covering qualitative methods, quantitative methods and scientific writing throughout the one and a half days. The symposium's evaluation showed participant satisfaction with the format as well as suggestions for future improvement. Consequently, the committee will offer the symposium again in a modified form in proximity to the next annual Congress of the German Society of Medical Education.

[Medical behavior (deontology) towards our students, our colleagues, our patients and the society].

Science.gov (United States)

Grammaticos, Philip C

2011-01-01

In this paper we try to describe the importance of a dignified behavior of the physician to his students, colleagues, patients and the society. We come to the conclusion that even if the other party is not showing the best of behavior, the physician has not only the responsibility and the duty but it is very much for his own interest to show a dignified and useful behavior to others. This is the main route for having a good reputation which will help him better exercise his medical duties and offer him personal happiness. Jeremy Bentham, an English judge and philosopher formed the Greek word deontology to mean correct behavior stating that this behavior is morally useful and a source of pleasure. The codes of Hammurabi, of the Indian Ayr Veda, of the Egyptians, the teaching of Aristotle, Hippocrates and others also describe medical deontology.

The Evolution of Psychology as a Basic Bio-behavioral Science in Healthcare Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Carr, John E

2017-12-01

For over a century, researchers and educators have called for the integration of psychological science into medical school curricula, but such efforts have been impeded by barriers within medicine and psychology. In addressing these barriers, Psychology has re-examined its relationship to Medicine, incorporated psychological practices into health care, and redefined its parameters as a science. In response to interdisciplinary research into the mechanisms of bio-behavioral interaction, Psychology evolved from an ancillary social science to a bio-behavioral science that is fundamental to medicine and health care. However, in recent medical school curriculum innovations, psychological science is being reduced to a set of "clinical skills," and once again viewed as an ancillary social science. These developments warrant concern and consideration of new approaches to integrating psychological science in medical education.

The Prevalence of Honorary and Ghost Authorships in Iranian Bio-Medical Journals and Its Associated Factors

Science.gov (United States)

Mirzazadeh, A; Navadeh, S; Rokni, MB; Farhangniya, M

2011-01-01

Background: The purpose of this study was to detect the prevalence of ghost and honorary authors and its determinant factors in bio-medical journals of Iran. Methods: The study was done in 2009–10 in Tehran, Kerman, and Iran Medical Universities, Iran. We contacted the first or corresponding authors of the papers had published papers in the recent two issues of Iranian Journal of Public Health, Journal of Kerman University of Medical Sciences, and Tehran University Medical Journal. They explored the role of each coauthor and others who had done mouthing for the paper. Then, according to ICMJE criteria, we counted how many of them are real, honorary or ghost author. For the analysis, we utilized two databases. One included articles as the records and the other included authors as the records. Results: From 124 articles, with 536 authors, 301 (56.1%) were honorary authors. Each article had 4.35 authors on average, while 2.4 of them were honorary authors. The percentage of honorary author in basic science articles was about 6% more than the articles of clinical sciences. Moreover, 89% of articles had at least one honorary author. About 20% of all articles had more than three honorary authors. Besides, 25 (21.43%) authors confessed they had colleague(s) omitted from the authors list, while only one (0.81%) of them met the authorship criteria. The percentage of agreement between the corresponding and the remaining authors on the number of honorary of the authors was about 47.4% (Kappa= 0.27, P= 0.01). Conclusion: It seems that the present data might assist the authorities to make a decisive decision on amending the process of authorship in Iran. PMID:23113050

An Unwilling Partnership With the Great Society Part I: Head Start and the Beginning of Change in the White Medical Community.

Science.gov (United States)

deShazo, Richard D; Minor, Wilson F Bill; Smith, Robert; Skipworth, Leigh Baldwin

2016-07-01

By 1965, the policies and programs of Lyndon B. Johnson's Great Society brought optimism to black physicians and a new wave of resistance against black civil rights advocates in the American South. The largest of the first Head Start programs, Child Development Group of Mississippi (CDGM), had its roots in Freedom Summer 1964 and the Medical Committee for Human Rights. Like other proposed programs with strong medical components, CDGM was caught in a legislative Bermuda triangle created by the powerful Mississippi congressional delegation to maintain white supremacy and plantation economics. Physician-led investigations exposed the extraordinary level of poor health among Mississippi's black children, supported Head Start as a remedy, and awakened the white medical establishment to health disparities of the Jim Crow period. It was also the beginning of positive change in the previously silent white medical community in the South and their support of civil justice in health. Copyright © 2016 Southern Society for Clinical Investigation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

75 FR 60149 - Notice of Public Meeting To Solicit Comments on the Draft Policy Statement on the Protection of...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-09-29

... industry. Conduct of bio-medical research in view of cesium-137 irradiation. Issues in calibration... exercises? Are other isotopes being considered for the future production of existing designs? Are new... applications that benefit society: (a) Blood irradiation; (b) Bio-medical and industrial research; and (c...

The missions of medical schools: the pursuit of health in the service of society

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lewkonia Ray M

2001-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Mission statements and role documents of medical schools in the United Kingdom, United States, Canada and Australia have been examined on their Internet Web sites and categorised in purpose, content and presentation. The format and content are highly variable, but there is a common vision of three integral roles, namely, education, advancement of knowledge and service to society. Other frequent themes include tradition and historical perspective, service for designated communities, and benchmarking to accreditation standards. Differences in content reflect variable interpretation of the notion of "mission", and local or national characteristics such as institutional affiliations, the types, levels and organisation of medical education, relationships with health systems, and extent of multi-professional education. Outcomes data and measures of medical school performance referenced to the institution's stated missions are rarely encountered. Mission documents placed on the Internet are in the public domain. These Web sites and documents and linked information constitute a valuable new resource for international exchange of approaches and ideas in medical education and generally in academic medicine. Routine inclusion of outcome or performance data could help to demonstrate the community roles and social accountability of medical schools This paper proposes that partial standardisation of these Web documents could enhance their value both internally and for external readers. A generic descriptive statement template is offered.

BIOS Security Analysis and a Kind of Trusted BIOS

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Zhenliu; Xu, Rongsheng

The BIOS's security threats to computer system are analyzed and security requirements for firmware BIOS are summarized in this paper. Through discussion about TCG's trust transitivity, a new approach about CRTM implementation based on BIOS is developed. In this paper, we also put forward a new trusted BIOS architecture-UTBIOS which is built on Intel Framework for EFI/UEFI. The trustworthiness of UTBIOS is based on trusted hardware TPM. In UTBIOS, trust encapsulation and trust measurement are used to construct pre-OS trust chain. Performance of trust measurement is also analyzed in the end.

Changing Anthropology, Changing Society

Science.gov (United States)

Varughese, Heather

2009-01-01

Fifty years after the founding of the field of medical anthropology, the Society for Medical Anthropology of the American Anthropological Association held its first independent meeting on September 24-27, 2009, at Yale University. PMID:20027281

Three generation production biotechnology of biomass into bio-fuel

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Chaocheng

2017-08-01

The great change of climate change, depletion of natural resources, and scarcity of fossil fuel in the whole world nowadays have witnessed a sense of urgency home and abroad among scales of researchers, development practitioners, and industrialists to search for completely brand new sustainable solutions in the area of biomass transforming into bio-fuels attributing to our duty-that is, it is our responsibility to take up this challenge to secure our energy in the near future with the help of sustainable approaches and technological advancements to produce greener fuel from nature organic sources or biomass which comes generally from organic natural matters such as trees, woods, manure, sewage sludge, grass cuttings, and timber waste with a source of huge green energy called bio-fuel. Biomass includes most of the biological materials, livings or dead bodies. This energy source is ripely used industrially, or domestically for rather many years, but the recent trend is on the production of green fuel with different advance processing systems in a greener. More sustainable method. Biomass is becoming a booming industry currently on account of its cheaper cost and abundant resources all around, making it fairly more effective for the sustainable use of the bio-energy. In the past few years, the world has witnessed a remarkable development in the bio-fuel production technology, and three generations of bio-fuel have already existed in our society. The combination of membrane technology with the existing process line can play a vital role for the production of green fuel in a sustainable manner. In this paper, the science and technology for sustainable bio-fuel production will be introduced in detail for a cleaner world.

Guide of good practices in medical physics - French Society of Medical Physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosenwald, Jean-Claude; Aventin, Christophe; Coste, Frederic; Francois, Pascal; Ginestet, Chantal; Perrin, Benedicte; Salvat, Cecile; Caselles, Olivier; Dedieu, Veronique; Dejean, Catherine; Batalla, Alain; Guillaume, Bonniaud; Le Du, Dominique; Lisbona, Albert; Marchesi, Vincent; Sarrazin, Thierry; Mazeron, Jean-Jacques; Lipinski, Francis; Vera, Pierre; Vermandel, Maximilien; Ducou le Pointe, Hubert; Vidal, Vincent; Henry, Cecile; Mazeau-Woynar, Valerie; Prot, Camille; Valero, Marc; Aubert, Bernard; Etard, Cecile; Jimonet, Christine; Roue, Amelie; Sage, Julie; Bardies, Manuel; Beauvais, Helene; Bey, Pierre; Costa, Andre; Desblancs, Claire; Eudaldo, Teresa; Farman, Bardia; Ferrand, Regis; Garcia, Robin; Giraud, Jean-Yves; Husson, Francois; Koulibaly, Malick; Carlan, Loic de; Manens, Jean-Pierre; Naudy, Suzanne; Noel, Alain; Pilette, Pierre; Verdun, Francis; Bouette, Aurelien; Breen, Stephen; Bridier, Andre; Chauvenet, Bruno; Chavaudra, Jean; Gardin, Isabelle; Herlevin, Karine

2012-01-01

After a presentation of the methodological approach used to write this book, the first chapter addresses the profession of medical physicist: medical physics in France (history, evolution of the profession, of the education and of regulation), legal framework (related to the medical use of ionizing radiations, legal texts directly concerning medical physics, regulations impacting the professional practice of medical physicists), scopes of intervention of the medical physicist (context, missions, dose management, image quality, quality management and safety, relationship with the patient, education, training and research, relationships with industry, cost management), operating conditions, and good professional practices. The second chapter addresses the principles of management of quality and safety: quality management in medical physics, safety management, quality and safety in health care facilities. The third part addresses good practices in medical physics: general principles of working methods, equipment management, participation to clinic activities

Japanese Society of Medical Oncology Clinical Guidelines: Molecular Testing for Colorectal Cancer Treatment, Third Edition.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamazaki, Kentaro; Taniguchi, Hiroya; Yoshino, Takayuki; Akagi, Kiwamu; Ishida, Hideyuki; Ebi, Hiromichi; Nakatani, Kaname; Muro, Kei; Yatabe, Yasushi; Yamaguchi, Kensei; Tsuchihara, Katsuya

2018-06-01

The Japanese Society of Medical Oncology (JSMO) previously published 2 editions of the clinical guidelines: "Japanese guidelines for testing of KRAS gene mutation in colorectal cancer" in 2008 and "Japanese Society of Medical Oncology Clinical Guidelines: RAS (KRAS/NRAS) mutation testing in colorectal cancer patients" in 2014. These guidelines have contributed to the proper use of KRAS and RAS mutation testing, respectively. Recently, clinical utility, particularly for colorectal cancer (CRC) patients with BRAF V600E mutation or DNA mismatch-repair (MMR) deficiency, has been established. Therefore, the guideline members decided these genetic alterations should also be involved. The aim of this revision is to properly carry out testing for BRAF V600E mutation and MMR deficiency in addition to RAS mutation. The revised guidelines include the basic requirements for testing for these genetic alterations based on recent scientific evidence. Furthermore, because clinical utility of comprehensive genetic testing using next-generation sequencing and somatic gene testing of analyzing circulating tumor DNA has increasingly evolved with recent advancements in testing technology, we noted the current situation and prospects for these testing technologies and their clinical implementation in the revised guidelines. © 2018 The Authors. Cancer Science published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Cancer Association.

The capacity, capabilities and needs of the who BioDoseNet member laboratories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maznyk, N. A.; Wilkins, R. C.; Carr, Z.; Lloyd, D. C.

2012-01-01

Bio-dosimetry is an essential tool for providing timely assessments of radiation exposure, particularly when physical dosimetry is unavailable or unreliable. For mass-casualty events involving public exposure to ionising radiation, it is paramount to rapidly provide this dose information for medical management of casualties. The dicentric chromosome assay is currently the most reliable accepted method for bio-dosimetry; however, in a mass-casualty scenario, the throughput of this assay will be challenged by its time-consuming nature and the specific expertise required. To address this limitation, many countries have established expertise in cytogenetic bio-dosimetry and started developing surge capabilities through setting up regional networks to deal with emergency situations. To capitalise on this growing expertise and organise it into an internationally coordinated laboratory network, the World Health Organization has created and launched a global bio-dosimetry network (BioDoseNet). In order to determine the existing capacity of BioDoseNet member laboratories, including their expertise and in vivo experience, involvement in national and international activities, problems, needs and prospects, an in-depth survey was conducted. These survey results provide significant information on the current state of emergency cytogenetic bio-dosimetry capabilities around the world. (authors)

[An introduction of the Translational Medical Science Committee (TMSC) of the Japanese Society of Neuropsychopharmacology].

Science.gov (United States)

Ishigooka, Jun

2014-06-01

The Japanese Society of Neuropsychopharmacology (NP) has established a Translational Medical Science Committee (TMSC), which is introduced in this article. In this century, the Japanese Government has made great effort to establish highly organized supporting systems for translational research (TR); however, clinical developments for psychotropic drugs in Japan are facing stagnation. TMSC will provide advisory activities from an academic point of view in this field, which will be result in the improvement of people's health.

Exploring the bio-psychosocial effects of renal replacement therapy ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2011-05-25

May 25, 2011 ... This article described a qualitative study that investigated the bio-psychosocial effects of renal replacement ... of the exodus of health professionals affecting the medical fraternity, as .... and interpret the meanings and effects of specific phenomena. ... as an early indicator of topic and location selection by.

An Advanced Bio-Inspired PhotoPlethysmoGraphy (PPG) and ECG Pattern Recognition System for Medical Assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Rundo, Francesco; Conoci, Sabrina; Ortis, Alessandro; Battiato, Sebastiano

2018-01-30

Physiological signals are widely used to perform medical assessment for monitoring an extensive range of pathologies, usually related to cardio-vascular diseases. Among these, both PhotoPlethysmoGraphy (PPG) and Electrocardiography (ECG) signals are those more employed. PPG signals are an emerging non-invasive measurement technique used to study blood volume pulsations through the detection and analysis of the back-scattered optical radiation coming from the skin. ECG is the process of recording the electrical activity of the heart over a period of time using electrodes placed on the skin. In the present paper we propose a physiological ECG/PPG "combo" pipeline using an innovative bio-inspired nonlinear system based on a reaction-diffusion mathematical model, implemented by means of the Cellular Neural Network (CNN) methodology, to filter PPG signal by assigning a recognition score to the waveforms in the time series. The resulting "clean" PPG signal exempts from distortion and artifacts is used to validate for diagnostic purpose an EGC signal simultaneously detected for a same patient. The multisite combo PPG-ECG system proposed in this work overpasses the limitations of the state of the art in this field providing a reliable system for assessing the above-mentioned physiological parameters and their monitoring over time for robust medical assessment. The proposed system has been validated and the results confirmed the robustness of the proposed approach.

Bio Optofluidics Cell Sorter – cell-BOCS Concept and Applications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Roth, Tue; Glückstad, Jesper

2012-01-01

The cell-BOCS is a novel microfluidics based cell-sorting instrument utilizing next generation optical trapping technology developed at the Technical University of Denmark. It is targeted emerging bio-medical research and diagnostics markets where it for certain applications offers a number...

Nano-bio-sensing

CERN Document Server

Carrara, Sandro

2011-01-01

This book examines state-of-the-art applications of nano-bio-sensing. It brings together researchers from nano-electronics and bio-technology, providing multidisciplinary content from nano-structures fabrication to bio-sensing applications.

Study of bio-oil and bio-char production from algae by slow pyrolysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chaiwong, K.; Kiatsiriroat, T.; Vorayos, N.; Thararax, C.

2013-01-01

This study examined bio-oil and bio-char fuel produced from Spirulina Sp. by slow pyrolysis. A thermogravimetric analyser (TGA) was used to investigate the pyrolytic characteristics and essential components of algae. It was found that the temperature for the maximum degradation, 322 °C, is lower than that of other biomass. With our fixed-bed reactor, 125 g of dried Spirulina Sp. algae was fed under a nitrogen atmosphere until the temperature reached a set temperature between 450 and 600 °C. It was found that the suitable temperature to obtain bio-char and bio-oil were at approximately 500 and 550 °C respectively. The bio-oil components were identified by a gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The saturated functional carbon of the bio-oil was in a range of heavy naphtha, kerosene and diesel oil. The energy consumption ratio (ECR) of bio-oil and bio-char was calculated, and the net energy output was positive. The ECR had an average value of 0.49. -- Highlights: •Bio-oil and bio-char fuel produced from Spirulina Sp. by slow pyrolysis. •Suitable temperature to obtained bio-oil and bio-char were at about 550 and 500 °C. •Saturated functional carbon of bio-oil was heavy naphtha, kerosene, diesel oil. •ECR had an average value of 0.49

From marine bio-corrosion to new bio-processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bergel, A.; Dasilva, S.; Basseguy, R.; Feron, D.; Mollica, A.

2004-01-01

Full text of publication follows: From the middle of the last century it has been observed that the development of marine bio-films on the surface of stainless steels and different metallic materials induces the ennoblement of their free corrosion potential. A main step in deciphering the mechanisms of aerobic marine bio-corrosion has been achieved around 1976 with the demonstration that the potential ennoblement was due to the modification of the cathodic process. Since this date, the catalysis of oxygen reduction by marine bio-films has been the topic of numerous controversies, but it is now commonly agreed as a basic phenomena in aerobic corrosion. Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain the fine mechanisms of the bio-film-catalysed reduction of oxygen: intermediate formation of hydrogen peroxide, modification of the oxide layer on the stainless steel surface, involvement of manganese species and manganese oxidising bacteria, catalysis by proteins produced by the micro-organisms... Recent results may confirm the possible involvement of hemic enzymes or proteins. Whatever the mechanisms, very promising results have been obtained with the possible application of bio-film-catalysed oxygen reduction to conceive innovative biofuel cells with stainless steel electrodes. Actually, the catalysis of oxygen reduction is a key step that still drastically hinders the development of economically efficient hydrogen/oxygen fuel cells. The current technology requires high amounts of platinum or platinum-based materials to catalyze oxygen reduction on the cathode of these cells. The prohibitive cost of platinum is a main obstacle to the commercialization of low-cost fuel cells. Unpublished results recently showed that adapting the enzyme-catalysed reaction that was assumed for bio-corrosion on the cathode of hydrogen/oxygen fuel cells may lead to a significant decrease in the charge of platinum. Moreover, it was demonstrated on a laboratory-scale fuel cell pilot that

BioRadioTransmitter: a self-powered wireless glucose-sensing system.

Science.gov (United States)

Hanashi, Takuya; Yamazaki, Tomohiko; Tsugawa, Wakako; Ikebukuro, Kazunori; Sode, Koji

2011-09-01

Although an enzyme fuel cell can be utilized as a glucose sensor, the output power generated is too low to power a device such as a currently available transmitter and operating system, and an external power source is required for operating an enzyme-fuel-cell-based biosensing system. We proposed a novel biosensor that we named BioCapacitor, in which a capacitor serves as a transducer. In this study, we constructed a new BioCapacitor-based system with an added radio-transmitter circuit and a miniaturized enzyme fuel cell. A miniaturized direct-electron-transfer-type compartmentless enzyme fuel cell was constructed with flavin adenine dinucleotide-dependent glucose dehydrogenase complex-based anode and a bilirubin-oxidase-based cathode. For construction of a BioRadioTransmitter wireless sensing system, a capacitor, an ultra-low-voltage charge-pump-integrated circuit, and Hartley oscillator circuit were connected to the miniaturized enzyme fuel cell. A radio-receiver circuit, comprising two field-effect transistors and a coil as an antenna, was used to amplify the signal generated from the biofuel cells. Radio wave signals generated by the BioRadioTransmitter were received, amplified, and converted from alternate to direct current by the radio receiver. When the capacitor discharges in the presence of glucose, the BioRadioTransmitter generates a radio wave, which is monitored by a radio receiver connected wirelessly to the sensing device. Magnitude of the radio wave transmission frequency change observed at the radio receiver was correlated to glucose concentration in the fuel cells. We constructed a stand-alone, self-powered, wireless glucose-sensing system called a BioRadioTransmitter by using a radio transmitter in which the radio wave transmission frequency changes with the glucose concentration in the fuel cell. The BioRadioTransmitter is a significant advance toward construction of an implantable continuous glucose monitor. © 2011 Diabetes Technology Society.

Attitudes of Brazilian Medical Students Towards Psychiatric Patients and Mental Illness: A Quantitative Study Before and After Completing the Psychiatric Clerkship.

Science.gov (United States)

da Rocha Neto, Helio Gomes; Rosenheck, Robert A; Stefanovics, Elina A; Cavalcanti, Maria Tavares

2017-06-01

The authors evaluated whether a psychiatric clerkship reduces stigmatized attitudes towards people with mental illness among medical students. A 56-item questionnaire was used to assess the attitudes of medical students towards patients with mental illness and their beliefs about its causes before and after their participation in their psychiatric clerkship at a major medical school in Rio de Janeiro. Exploratory factor analysis identified four factors, reflecting "social acceptance of people with mental illness," "normalizing roles for people with mental illness in society," "non-belief in supernatural causes for mental illness," and "belief in bio-psychosocial causes for mental illness." Analysis of variance was used to evaluate changes in these factors before and after the clerkship. One significant difference was identified with a higher score on the factor representing social acceptance after as compared to before the clerkship (p = 0.0074). No significant differences were observed on the other factors. Participation in a psychiatric clerkship was associated with greater social acceptance but not with improvement on other attitudinal factors. This may reflect ceiling effects in responses before the clerkship concerning supernatural and bio-psychosocial beliefs about causes of mental illness that left little room for change.

Jehovah's Witness patients within the German medical landscape.

Science.gov (United States)

Rajtar, Małgorzata

2016-08-01

Blood transfusions belong to standard and commonly utilised biomedical procedures. Jehovah's Witnesses' transfusion refusals are often referred to in bioethical and medical textbooks. Members of this globally active religious organisation do not, however, challenge biomedical diagnosis and treatment as such. A result of both their trust in and their interpretation of the Bible, they question only this medical treatment. In spite of the global presence of this religious community and its uniformly practised teachings, including those pertaining to blood, experiences and choices of Jehovah's Witness patients have been understudied. Drawing on a nine-month fieldwork with Jehovah's Witnesses and physicians in Germany (mainly in Berlin) between 2010 and 2012, the paper addresses treatment choices made by Witness patients and their relationship with physicians. In light of the long tradition of 'medical heterodoxy' established in German culture and society, Germany constitutes an ideal point of departure for such a study. By utilising the concept of 'medical landscape' it is argued that Jehovah's Witnesses in my field site find themselves at the intersection of different medical landscapes: in the 'immediate' surroundings of the German healthcare system that is open to different 'treatment modalities', and that of the United States, which favours biomedicine. The paper also argues that Jehovah's Witnesses' position towards blood transfusions can further be used as a lens to shed light on the German (bio)medical landscape itself.

Croatian Society of Medical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine: national recommendations for venous blood sampling.

Science.gov (United States)

Nikolac, Nora; Supak-Smolcić, Vesna; Simundić, Ana-Maria; Celap, Ivana

2013-01-01

Phlebotomy is one of the most complex medical procedures in the diagnosis, management and treatment of patients in healthcare. Since laboratory test results are the basis for a large proportion (60-80%) of medical decisions, any error in the phlebotomy process could have serious consequences. In order to minimize the possibility of errors, phlebotomy procedures should be standardised, well-documented and written instructions should be available at every workstation. Croatia is one of the few European countries that have national guidelines for phlebotomy, besides the universally used CLSI (Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute) H3-A6 Procedures for the Collection of Diagnostic Blood Specimens by Venipuncture; approved Standard-Sixth Edition (CLSI, 2007) and WHO (World Health Organization) guidelines on drawing blood: best practices in phlebotomy (WHO, 2010). However, the growing body of evidence in importance of preanalytical phase management resulted in a need for evidence based revision and expansion of existing recommendations. The Croatian Society for Medical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Working Group for the Preanalytical Phase issued this recommendation. This document is based on the CLSI guideline H3-A6, with significant differences and additional information.

Aspectos legais da enfermagem hiperbárica brasileira: por que regulamentar? Aspectos legales de la enfermería hiperbárica brasileña: ¿por que reglamentar? Legal issues of Brazilian hyperbaric nursing: why regulate?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leila Milman Alcantara

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Este estudo objetivou apontar as necessidades de normatizar a assistência de enfermagem relacionada à oxigenação hiperbárica e regulamentar as condições de trabalho para a equipe de enfermagem que atua nessa área. Aborda-se a legislação existente na Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Hiperbárica, no Capítulo Brasileiro da Undersea Hyperbaric Medical Society, nas Normas Reguladoras do Ministério do Trabalho e no Código de Ética dos Profissionais de Enfermagem, como instrumentos ainda insuficientes para legalização do Enfermeiro Hiperbárico e de seus procedimentos nas condições hiperbáricas e ambientes pressurizados. Permitiu refletir quanto a divulgação do estado da arte da enfermagem hiperbárica, bem como a incorporação dessa atividade na relação de especialidades constantes da Resolução COFEN 290/2004 e de cursos de pós-graduação em Enfermagem.Este estudio objetivó apuntar necesidades de normalizar la atención de enfermería relacionada con la oxigenación hiperbárica y regular condiciones de trabajo para el equipo de enfermería de esta área. Se abarca la legislación existente en la Sociedad Brasileña de Medicina Hiperbárica, capitulo Brasileño de la Undersea Hyperbaric Medical Society, en las Normas Reguladoras del Ministerio del Trabajo y en el Código de Ética de los Profesionales de Enfermería, como instrumentos aún insuficientes para legalizar el enfermero Hiperbárico, sus procedimientos en condiciones hiperbáricas y ambientes presurizados. Permitió reflejar sobre la difusión del estado del arte de la enfermería hiperbárica, así como incorporación de esta actividad en la relación de las especialidades que están en la Resolución COFEN 290/2004 y cursos de postgrado en enfermería.This study aimed to show the needs to standardize nursing care related to hyperbaric oxygenation and regulate working conditions for nursing staff that works on this area. They approach the legislation at the

Bio-inspired fuel cells for miniaturized body-area-networks applications

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Xu, Wei; Gao, Lu; Danilov, Dmitri; Pop, V.; Notten, Peter

2010-01-01

The improvement in quality of modern health-care is closely related to the need for medical autonomous systems that enable people to ‘carry’ their personal wireless Body-Area-Network (BAN). Bio-inspired fuel cells (BFC) are a promising approach of energy harvesting to achieve autonomy and

48th Annual Convention of Computer Society of India

CERN Document Server

Avadhani, P; Udgata, Siba; Lakshminarayana, Sadasivuni; ICT and Critical Infrastructure

2014-01-01

  This volume contains 85 papers presented at CSI 2013: 48th Annual Convention of Computer Society of India with the theme “ICT and Critical Infrastructure”. The convention was held during 13th –15th December 2013 at Hotel Novotel Varun Beach, Visakhapatnam and hosted by Computer Society of India, Vishakhapatnam Chapter in association with Vishakhapatnam Steel Plant, the flagship company of RINL, India. This volume contains papers mainly focused on Data Mining, Data Engineering and Image Processing, Software Engineering and Bio-Informatics, Network Security, Digital Forensics and Cyber Crime, Internet and Multimedia Applications and E-Governance Applications.

Proceedings from the 9th Annual Meeting of International Society for Medical Publication Professionals Roundtable Session: key insights.

Science.gov (United States)

Simcoe, Donna; Juneja, Renu; Scott, Gayle Nicholas; Sridharan, Kanaka; Williams-Hughes, Celeste

2014-03-01

During the 9th Annual Meeting of the International Society for Medical Publication Professionals (ISMPP, April 29-May 1, 2013 in Baltimore, MD), ∼650 participants attended two of 13 available roundtable sessions. Participants included medical publication professionals from industry, communication agencies, and journals. DISCUSSION TOPICS: Roundtable participants discussed how to best interpret and implement various guidances, such as Good Publication Practices 2 (GPP2), the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) guidelines, and the Physician Payment Sunshine Act. The impact of and compliance with Corporate Integrity agreements (CIAs) on medical publication planning practices was debated. Roundtable participants also discussed ways of advancing both advocacy for the medical publication professional field and internal and external collaborations. The development of review manuscripts, publications from regions newly emerging in publication planning, medical devices publications, and real-world experience publications were discussed. Participants also considered the benefits and uncertainties of new technologies in medical publications such as multimedia and social media. This is the first ever article to be published following the well-attended ISMPP roundtable sessions. The objective of this manuscript is to summarize key learnings that will aid continued discussions about challenges and opportunities facing medical publication professionals.

understanding medical ethics in a contemporary society

African Journals Online (AJOL)

drclement

these basic principles will go a long way in reducing the ... medical practitioner must therefore be prepared at all ... physician accepts to see a patient, he must define in his ... tells the nurse who is doing daily ..... International Journal of Medical ...

Comparative techno-economic analysis of biohydrogen production via bio-oil gasification and bio-oil reforming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Yanan; Brown, Tristan R.; Hu, Guiping; Brown, Robert C.

2013-01-01

This paper evaluates the economic feasibility of biohydrogen production via two bio-oil processing pathways: bio-oil gasification and bio-oil reforming. Both pathways employ fast pyrolysis to produce bio-oil from biomass stock. The two pathways are modeled using Aspen Plus ® for a 2000 t d −1 facility. Equipment sizing and cost calculations are based on Aspen Economic Evaluation® software. Biohydrogen production capacity at the facility is 147 t d −1 for the bio-oil gasification pathway and 160 t d −1 for the bio-oil reforming pathway. The biomass-to-fuel energy efficiencies are 47% and 84% for the bio-oil gasification and bio-oil reforming pathways, respectively. Total capital investment (TCI) is 435 million dollars for the bio-oil gasification pathway and is 333 million dollars for the bio-oil reforming pathway. Internal rates of return (IRR) are 8.4% and 18.6% for facilities employing the bio-oil gasification and bio-oil reforming pathways, respectively. Sensitivity analysis demonstrates that biohydrogen price, biohydrogen yield, fixed capital investment (FCI), bio-oil yield, and biomass cost have the greatest impacts on facility IRR. Monte-Carlo analysis shows that bio-oil reforming is more economically attractive than bio-oil gasification for biohydrogen production. -- Highlights: ► Biohydrogen production via bio-oil reforming has higher energy efficiency compared to gasification. ► Hydrogen price, fixed capital cost, and feedstock cost most strongly affect IRR. ► Lower risk investment is biohydrogen production via bio-oil reforming

D-Amino acid oxidase bio-functionalized platforms: Toward an enhanced enzymatic bio-activity

Science.gov (United States)

Herrera, Elisa; Valdez Taubas, Javier; Giacomelli, Carla E.

2015-11-01

The purpose of this work is to study the adsorption process and surface bio-activity of His-tagged D-amino acid oxidase (DAAO) from Rhodotorula gracilis (His6-RgDAAO) as the first step for the development of an electrochemical bio-functionalized platform. With such a purpose this work comprises: (a) the His6-RgDAAO bio-activity in solution determined by amperometry, (b) the adsorption mechanism of His6-RgDAAO on bare gold and carboxylated modified substrates in the absence (substrate/COO-) and presence of Ni(II) (substrate/COO- + Ni(II)) determined by reflectometry, and (c) the bio-activity of the His6-RgDAAO bio-functionalized platforms determined by amperometry. Comparing the adsorption behavior and bio-activity of His6-RgDAAO on these different solid substrates allows understanding the contribution of the diverse interactions responsible for the platform performance. His6-RgDAAO enzymatic performance in solution is highly improved when compared to the previously used pig kidney (pk) DAAO. His6-RgDAAO exhibits an amperometrically detectable bio-activity at concentrations as low as those expected on a bio-functional platform; hence, it is a viable bio-recognition element of D-amino acids to be coupled to electrochemical platforms. Moreover, His6-RgDAAO bio-functionalized platforms exhibit a higher surface activity than pkDAAO physically adsorbed on gold. The platform built on Ni(II) modified substrates present enhanced bio-activity because the surface complexes histidine-Ni(II) provide with site-oriented, native-like enzymes. The adsorption mechanism responsible of the excellent performance of the bio-functionalized platform takes place in two steps involving electrostatic and bio-affinity interactions whose prevalence depends on the degree of surface coverage.

Feature Issue Introduction: Bio-Optics in Clinical Applications, Nanotechnology, and Drug Discovery

OpenAIRE

Nordstrom, Robert J.; Almutairi, Adah; Hillman, Elizabeth M.C.

2010-01-01

The editors introduce the Biomedical Optics Express feature issue, “Bio-Optics in Clinical Applications, Nanotechnology, and Drug Discovery,” which combines three technical areas from the 2010 Optical Society of America (OSA), Biomedical Optics (BIOMED) Topical Meeting held on 11–14 April in Miami, FL and includes contributions from conference attendees.

tmBioC: improving interoperability of text-mining tools with BioC.

Science.gov (United States)

Khare, Ritu; Wei, Chih-Hsuan; Mao, Yuqing; Leaman, Robert; Lu, Zhiyong

2014-01-01

The lack of interoperability among biomedical text-mining tools is a major bottleneck in creating more complex applications. Despite the availability of numerous methods and techniques for various text-mining tasks, combining different tools requires substantial efforts and time owing to heterogeneity and variety in data formats. In response, BioC is a recent proposal that offers a minimalistic approach to tool interoperability by stipulating minimal changes to existing tools and applications. BioC is a family of XML formats that define how to present text documents and annotations, and also provides easy-to-use functions to read/write documents in the BioC format. In this study, we introduce our text-mining toolkit, which is designed to perform several challenging and significant tasks in the biomedical domain, and repackage the toolkit into BioC to enhance its interoperability. Our toolkit consists of six state-of-the-art tools for named-entity recognition, normalization and annotation (PubTator) of genes (GenNorm), diseases (DNorm), mutations (tmVar), species (SR4GN) and chemicals (tmChem). Although developed within the same group, each tool is designed to process input articles and output annotations in a different format. We modify these tools and enable them to read/write data in the proposed BioC format. We find that, using the BioC family of formats and functions, only minimal changes were required to build the newer versions of the tools. The resulting BioC wrapped toolkit, which we have named tmBioC, consists of our tools in BioC, an annotated full-text corpus in BioC, and a format detection and conversion tool. Furthermore, through participation in the 2013 BioCreative IV Interoperability Track, we empirically demonstrate that the tools in tmBioC can be more efficiently integrated with each other as well as with external tools: Our experimental results show that using BioC reduces >60% in lines of code for text-mining tool integration. The tmBioC toolkit

A guide for good practices in medical physics - French Society of Medical Physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosenwald, Jean-Claude; Aventin, Christophe; Coste, Frederic; Francois, Pascal; Ginestet, Chantal; Perrin, Benedicte; Salvat, Cecile; Caselles, Olivier; Dedieu, Veronique; Dejean, Catherine; Batalla, Alain; Guillaume, Bonniaud; LeDu, Dominique; Lisbona, Albert; Marchesi, Vincent; Sarrazin, Thierry; Mazeron, Jean-Jacques; Lipinski, Francis; Vera, Pierre; Maximilien Vermandel; Ducou le Pointe, Hubert; Vidal, Vincent; Henry, Cecile; Mazeau-Woynar, Valerie; Prot, Camille; Valero, Marc; Aubert, Bernard; Etard, Cecile; Jimonet, Christine; Roue, Amelie; Sage, Julie; Bardies, Manuel; Beauvais, Helene; Bey, Pierre; Costa, Andre; Desblancs, Claire; Eudaldo, Teresa; Farman, Bardia; Ferrand, Regis; Garcia, Robin; Giraud, Jean-Yves; Husson, Francois; Koulibaly, Malick; Carlan, Loic de; Manens, Jean-Pierre; Naudy, Suzanne; Noel, Alain; Pilette, Pierre; Verdun, Francis

2012-12-01

After a presentation of the methodological approach used to write this book, the first chapter addresses the profession of medical physicist: medical physics in France (history, evolution of the profession, of the education and of regulation), legal framework (related to the medical use of ionizing radiations, legal texts directly concerning medical physics, regulations impacting the professional practice of medical physicists), scopes of intervention of the medical physicist (context, missions, dose management, image quality, quality management and safety, relationship with the patient, education, training and research, relationships with industry, cost management), operating conditions, and good professional practices. The second chapter addresses the principles of management of quality and safety: quality management in medical physics, safety management, quality and safety in health care facilities. The third part addresses good practices in medical physics: general principles of working methods, equipment management, participation to clinic activities

Preclinical MRI and NMR Bio-markers of Alzheimer's Disease: Concepts and Applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dhenain, M.; Dhenain, M.; Dhenain, M.

2008-01-01

Alzheimer's disease is an important social and economic issue for our societies. The development of therapeutics against this severe dementia requires assessing the effects of new drugs in animal models thanks to dedicated bio-markers. This review first overviews Alzheimer's disease and its models as well as the concept of bio-markers. It then focuses on MRI and NMR bio-markers of Alzheimer's disease in animals. Anatomical markers such as atrophy and angiography are useful to phenotype newly developed models of Alzheimer's disease, even if the alterations in these animals are not as severe as in humans. Amyloid plaques imaging is a promising marker of the pathology in animals, and is a rapidly evolving field of MRI. Functional methods such as perfusion and diffusion imaging or spectroscopy are able to detect alterations in transgenic mice mimicking Alzheimer and also to show similar alterations than in humans. They can thus be good translational markers of the disease. Manganese-Enhanced MRI shows a reduction of neuronal transportation in transgenic models of Alzheimer and it allows monitoring improvements induced by treatments of the disease. It is thus a promising bio-marker of the pathology in animals. (authors)

Wilderness Medical Society practice guidelines for the use of epinephrine in outdoor education and wilderness settings: 2014 update.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaudio, Flavio G; Lemery, Jay; Johnson, David E

2014-12-01

The Epinephrine Roundtable took place on July 27, 2008, during the 25th Annual Meeting of the Wilderness Medical Society (WMS) in Snowmass, CO. The WMS convened this roundtable to explore areas of consensus and uncertainty in the field treatment of anaphylaxis. Panelists were selected on the basis of their relevant academic or professional experience. There is a paucity of data that address the treatment of anaphylaxis in the wilderness. Anaphylaxis is a rare disease, with a sudden onset and drastic course that does not lend itself to study in randomized, controlled trials. Therefore, the panel endorsed the following position based on the limited available evidence and review of published articles, as well as expert consensus. The position represents the consensus of the panelists and is endorsed by the WMS. In 2014, the authors reviewed relevant articles published since the Epinephrine Roundtable. The following is an updated version of the original guidelines published in Wilderness & Environmental Medicine 2010;21(4):185-187. Copyright © 2014 Wilderness Medical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

WebBio, a web-based management and analysis system for patient data of biological products in hospital.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Ying-Hao; Kuo, Chen-Chun; Huang, Yaw-Bin

2011-08-01

We selected HTML, PHP and JavaScript as the programming languages to build "WebBio", a web-based system for patient data of biological products and used MySQL as database. WebBio is based on the PHP-MySQL suite and is run by Apache server on Linux machine. WebBio provides the functions of data management, searching function and data analysis for 20 kinds of biological products (plasma expanders, human immunoglobulin and hematological products). There are two particular features in WebBio: (1) pharmacists can rapidly find out whose patients used contaminated products for medication safety, and (2) the statistics charts for a specific product can be automatically generated to reduce pharmacist's work loading. WebBio has successfully turned traditional paper work into web-based data management.

Bio-oil fractionation and condensation

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Robert C; Jones, Samuel T; Pollard, Anthony

2013-07-02

A method of fractionating bio-oil vapors which involves providing bio-oil vapors comprising bio-oil constituents is described. The bio-oil vapors are cooled in a first stage which comprises a condenser having passages for the bio-oil separated by a heat conducting wall from passages for a coolant. The coolant in the condenser of the first stage is maintained at a substantially constant temperature, set at a temperature in the range of 75 to 100.degree. C., to condense a first liquid fraction of liquefied bio-oil constituents in the condenser of the first stage. The first liquid fraction of liquified bio-oil constituents from the condenser in the first stage is collected. Also described are steps for subsequently recovering further liquid fractions of liquefied bio-oil constituents. Particular compositions of bio-oil condensation products are also described.

Physical and Digital Design of the BlueBio Biomonitoring System Prototype, to be used in Emergency Medical Response

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kramp, Gunnar; Kristensen, Margit; Pedersen, Jacob Frølund

2007-01-01

This paper presents the physical and digital design of a wireless biomonitoring system meant to be used especially in the prehospital medical emergency response. The handling of many patients with a minimum of ressources at major incidents is an immense challenge for the emergency personnel at work...... on an accident site. New technology such as the BlueBio biomonitoring system, can help emergency personnel monitor the patients and support them in making priorities of treatment and transport of patients. However, if new technology is to be introduced in such a complex and stressed situation it must relate...... to the palpable aspects of pervasive computing. It must be able to comply with the scale of the situation and still be understandable. It must also be able to comply with change of location and users and yet still be stable, and it must comply with the shifting requirements from the users regarding automation...

Combinatorial Nano-Bio Interfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Pingqiang; Zhang, Xiaoqian; Wang, Ming; Wu, Yun-Long; Chen, Xiaodong

2018-06-08

Nano-bio interfaces are emerging from the convergence of engineered nanomaterials and biological entities. Despite rapid growth, clinical translation of biomedical nanomaterials is heavily compromised by the lack of comprehensive understanding of biophysicochemical interactions at nano-bio interfaces. In the past decade, a few investigations have adopted a combinatorial approach toward decoding nano-bio interfaces. Combinatorial nano-bio interfaces comprise the design of nanocombinatorial libraries and high-throughput bioevaluation. In this Perspective, we address challenges in combinatorial nano-bio interfaces and call for multiparametric nanocombinatorics (composition, morphology, mechanics, surface chemistry), multiscale bioevaluation (biomolecules, organelles, cells, tissues/organs), and the recruitment of computational modeling and artificial intelligence. Leveraging combinatorial nano-bio interfaces will shed light on precision nanomedicine and its potential applications.

2010 World bio-energy conference

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2010-01-01

After having evoked the bio-energy price awarded to a Brazilian for his works on the use of eucalyptus as energy source, this report proposes a synthesis of the highlights of the conference: discussions about sustainability, bio-energies as an opportunity for developing countries, the success of bio-energies in Sweden, and more particularly some technological advances in the field of biofuels: a bio-LPG by Biofuel-solution AB, catalysis, bio-diesel from different products in a Swedish farm, a second generation ethanol by the Danish company Inbicon, a large scale methanization in Goteborg, a bio-refinery concept in Sweden, bio-gases

[Survey on the medical mycology processes to the members of the French Society for Medical Mycology].

Science.gov (United States)

Kauffmann-Lacroix, C; Albouy-Llaty, M; Migeot, V; Contet-Audonneau, N

2011-09-01

The objective of the survey was to describe the practices of clinical laboratories in terms of cultures in medical mycology. We have implemented this project within the members of the French Society for Medical Mycology (SFMM) to evaluate the analytical processes of the mycological examination in our laboratories. This preliminary study would help to suggest the future French guidelines. A questionnaire regarding the processing of mycology analysis was sent to the 227 members of the SFMM in 2009. The data involved 21 types of samples, direct microscopic examination with or without colouring and the reagents, the number of culture media, the types of media (Sabouraud, Sabouraud antibiotic, Sabouraud cycloheximide and chromogenic medium), temperature and duration of the incubation (days) and the existence of a first result before the end of the incubation period. The analytical processes were compared to an accredited laboratory according to EN ISO 15189. A great heterogeneity was observed in the 36 forms from 27 (75%) laboratories belonging to university hospitals among the 38 existing in France. As for deep samples, two microscopic exams were performed, only one was usually done. A more sensitive technique was preferred to the wet-mount for some samples. Routine samples are often inoculated on a chromogenic media. For deep samples two medium are inoculated (chromogenic media, Sabouraud and antibiotics). If the temperature of incubation is unique, 30°C was chosen. A temperature of 37°C was preferred for samples where Candida spp. is selected. When there are two temperatures of incubation, 27°C and 37°C were preferred. Each biologist can compare his proceedings to the other laboratories and to a laboratory already accredited. The question is to find the best strategies for each medical mycology specimen. They will aid the process of accreditation according to EN ISO 15189, which now applies in all laboratories in Europe. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS

Beclometasone oral--DOR BioPharma.

Science.gov (United States)

2007-01-01

to investigate orBec in the prevention of gastrointestinal GVHD. DOR BioPharma has executed an exclusive licence agreement with the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston for the use of oral luminally active anti-inflammatory drugs, such as orBec, for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome.

Bio-oil and bio-char production from biomass and their structural analyses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kilic, Murat; Özsin, Gamzenur; Pütün, Ayşe E.; Pütün, Ersan

2015-01-01

Energy demand is increasing day by day because of the rapid developments in the population, industrialization and urbanisation. Since, fossil fuels will be at the verge of getting extinct, researches are mostly focused on the renewable sources, such as biomass, in recent years. This paper provides an environmentally friendly process to convert waste biomass samples to bio-oil and bio-char by pyrolysis. For this purpose, pyrolysis characteristics of pomegranate peels under inert atmosphere were studied by using both TGA to analysis decomposition behaviour and a batch reactor to investigate product yields and properties. The properties of bio-oil and bio-char were investigated by different analytical techniques such as GC-MS, FT-IR, SEM, He pycnometry and elemental analysis. As a consequence, it is possible to obtain bio-oil, which has similar properties like petroleum hydrocarbons, and to obtain bio-char, which can be further used as a solid fuel or a carbonaceous adsorbent material via pyrolysis process. (full text)

A Comprehensive Evaluation System for Military Hospitals' Response Capability to Bio-terrorism.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Hui; Jiang, Nan; Shao, Sicong; Zheng, Tao; Sun, Jianzhong

2015-05-01

The objective of this study is to establish a comprehensive evaluation system for military hospitals' response capacity to bio-terrorism. Literature research and Delphi method were utilized to establish the comprehensive evaluation system for military hospitals' response capacity to bio-terrorism. Questionnaires were designed and used to survey the status quo of 134 military hospitals' response capability to bio-terrorism. Survey indicated that factor analysis method was suitable to for analyzing the comprehensive evaluation system for military hospitals' response capacity to bio-terrorism. The constructed evaluation system was consisted of five first-class and 16 second-class indexes. Among them, medical response factor was considered as the most important factor with weight coefficient of 0.660, followed in turn by the emergency management factor with weight coefficient of 0.109, emergency management consciousness factor with weight coefficient of 0.093, hardware support factor with weight coefficient of 0.078, and improvement factor with weight coefficient of 0.059. The constructed comprehensive assessment model and system are scientific and practical.

Photobiology of Symbiodinium revisited: bio-physical and bio-optical signatures

Science.gov (United States)

Hennige, S. J.; Suggett, D. J.; Warner, M. E.; McDougall, K. E.; Smith, D. J.

2009-03-01

Light is often the most abundant resource within the nutrient-poor waters surrounding coral reefs. Consequently, zooxanthellae ( Symbiodinium spp.) must continually photoacclimate to optimise productivity and ensure coral success. In situ coral photobiology is becoming dominated by routine assessments using state-of-the-art non-invasive bio-optical or chlorophyll a fluorescence (bio-physical) techniques. Multiple genetic types of Symbiodinium are now known to exist; however, little focus has been given as to how these types differ in terms of characteristics that are observable using these techniques. Therefore, this investigation aimed to revisit and expand upon a pivotal study by Iglesias-Prieto and Trench (1994) by comparing the photoacclimation characteristics of different Symbiodinium types based on their bio-physical (chlorophyll a fluorescence, reaction centre counts) and bio-optical (optical absorption, pigment concentrations) ‘signatures’. Signatures described here are unique to Symbiodinium type and describe phenotypic responses to set conditions, and hence are not suitable to describe taxonomic structure of in hospite Symbiodinium communities. In this study, eight Symbiodinium types from clades and sub-clades (A-B, F) were grown under two PFDs (Photon Flux Density) and examined. The photoacclimation response by Symbiodinium was highly variable between algal types for all bio-physical and for many bio-optical measurements; however, a general preference to modifying reaction centre content over effective antennae-absorption was observed. Certain bio-optically derived patterns, such as light absorption, were independent of algal type and, when considered per photosystem, were matched by reaction centre stoichiometry. Only by better understanding genotypic and phenotypic variability between Symbiodinium types can future studies account for the relative taxonomic and physiological contribution by Symbiodinium to coral acclimation.

BioPepDB: an integrated data platform for food-derived bioactive peptides.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Qilin; Zhang, Chao; Chen, Hongjun; Xue, Jitong; Guo, Xiaolei; Liang, Ming; Chen, Ming

2018-03-12

Food-derived bioactive peptides play critical roles in regulating most biological processes and have considerable biological, medical and industrial importance. However, a large number of active peptides data, including sequence, function, source, commercial product information, references and other information are poorly integrated. BioPepDB is a searchable database of food-derived bioactive peptides and their related articles, including more than four thousand bioactive peptide entries. Moreover, BioPepDB provides modules of prediction and hydrolysis-simulation for discovering novel peptides. It can serve as a reference database to investigate the function of different bioactive peptides. BioPepDB is available at http://bis.zju.edu.cn/biopepdbr/ . The web page utilises Apache, PHP5 and MySQL to provide the user interface for accessing the database and predict novel peptides. The database itself is operated on a specialised server.

PLA/Bio-PE blends: effect of the Bio-PE content on the crystallinity rheological properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Araujo, Aylanna P.M. de; Agrawal, Pankaj; Cavalcanti, Shirley N.; Alves, Amanda M.; Melo, Tomas J.A. de; Brito, Gustavo F.

2014-01-01

The aim of this work is to evaluate the effect of the Bio-PE content on the crystallinity and rheological properties of PLA/Bio-PE blend. The blends containing 05 and 15% of Bio-PE were prepared by extrusion followed by injection molding and characterized by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and rheological properties at low and high shear rates. XRD results indicated that the PLA present low crystallinity and this behavior was not changed with the addition of Bio-PE, regardless of Bio-PE content. Rheological properties results indicated that at low shear rates the viscosity of the PLA/Bio-PE increased with the increase in the Bio-PE content while at high shear rates the viscosities where almost similar, which may be ascribed to the orientation of Bio-PE particles in the flow direction or by the viscous dissipation. (author)

Bio-fuels barometer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

2010-01-01

European Union bio-fuel use for transport reached 12 million tonnes of oil equivalent (mtoe) threshold during 2009. The slowdown in the growth of European consumption deepened again. Bio-fuel used in transport only grew by 18.7% between 2008 and 2009, as against 30.3% between 2007 and 2008 and 41.8% between 2006 and 2007. The bio-fuel incorporation rate in all fuels used by transport in the E.U. is unlikely to pass 4% in 2009. We can note that: -) the proportion of bio-fuel in the German fuels market has plummeted since 2007: from 7.3% in 2007 to 5.5% in 2009; -) France stays on course with an incorporation rate of 6.25% in 2009; -) In Spain the incorporation rate reached 3.4% in 2009 while it was 1.9% in 2008. The European bio-diesel industry has had another tough year. European production only rose by 16.6% in 2009 or by about 9 million tonnes which is well below the previous year-on-year growth rate recorded (35.7%). France is leading the production of bio-ethanol fuels in Europe with an output of 1250 million liters in 2009 while the total European production reached 3700 million litters and the world production 74000 million liters. (A.C.)

Enriched adhesion of talc/ZnO nanocomposites on cotton fabric assisted by aloe-vera for bio-medical application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Selvakumar, D.; Yogamalar, N. R.; Jayavel, R., E-mail: rjvel@annauniv.edu [Centre for Nanoscience and Technology, Anna University, Chennai – 600025 (India); Thenammai, A. N.; Hemamalini, R. [Department of Physics, Queen Mary’s College, Chennai – 600004 (India)

2015-06-24

Synthesis and characterization of talc/ZnO nanocomposites with the assistance of aloe-vera are investigated by structural and morphological studies. The crystal structure and the phase analysis of ZnO and talc are characterized and confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The average crystallite size estimation from the Scherrer formula and the particle size analysis clearly predicts that the size of the ZnO declines when aloe-vera is used as a capping molecule in comparison to the commercially available ZnO. The reduced crystallite size of ZnO renders a stable cohesion with the talc composition and the presence of distinct functional group pyridines/ammonia in the synthesized nanocomposites enriches the good adhesion between the as-synthesized material and cotton fabric. The adhesion and homogeneous distribution of talc/ZnO nanocomposites on the cotton fabric are inferred from the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results. The basic studies and characterizations would pave way for futuristic bio-medical application.

Enriched adhesion of talc/ZnO nanocomposites on cotton fabric assisted by aloe-vera for bio-medical application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Selvakumar, D.; Yogamalar, N. R.; Jayavel, R.; Thenammai, A. N.; Hemamalini, R.

2015-01-01

Synthesis and characterization of talc/ZnO nanocomposites with the assistance of aloe-vera are investigated by structural and morphological studies. The crystal structure and the phase analysis of ZnO and talc are characterized and confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The average crystallite size estimation from the Scherrer formula and the particle size analysis clearly predicts that the size of the ZnO declines when aloe-vera is used as a capping molecule in comparison to the commercially available ZnO. The reduced crystallite size of ZnO renders a stable cohesion with the talc composition and the presence of distinct functional group pyridines/ammonia in the synthesized nanocomposites enriches the good adhesion between the as-synthesized material and cotton fabric. The adhesion and homogeneous distribution of talc/ZnO nanocomposites on the cotton fabric are inferred from the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results. The basic studies and characterizations would pave way for futuristic bio-medical application

Enriched adhesion of talc/ZnO nanocomposites on cotton fabric assisted by aloe-vera for bio-medical application

Science.gov (United States)

Selvakumar, D.; Thenammai, A. N.; Yogamalar, N. R.; Hemamalini, R.; Jayavel, R.

2015-06-01

Synthesis and characterization of talc/ZnO nanocomposites with the assistance of aloe-vera are investigated by structural and morphological studies. The crystal structure and the phase analysis of ZnO and talc are characterized and confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The average crystallite size estimation from the Scherrer formula and the particle size analysis clearly predicts that the size of the ZnO declines when aloe-vera is used as a capping molecule in comparison to the commercially available ZnO. The reduced crystallite size of ZnO renders a stable cohesion with the talc composition and the presence of distinct functional group pyridines/ammonia in the synthesized nanocomposites enriches the good adhesion between the as-synthesized material and cotton fabric. The adhesion and homogeneous distribution of talc/ZnO nanocomposites on the cotton fabric are inferred from the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results. The basic studies and characterizations would pave way for futuristic bio-medical application.

A lossless multichannel bio-signal compression based on low-complexity joint coding scheme for portable medical devices.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Dong-Sun; Kwon, Jin-San

2014-09-18

Research on real-time health systems have received great attention during recent years and the needs of high-quality personal multichannel medical signal compression for personal medical product applications are increasing. The international MPEG-4 audio lossless coding (ALS) standard supports a joint channel-coding scheme for improving compression performance of multichannel signals and it is very efficient compression method for multi-channel biosignals. However, the computational complexity of such a multichannel coding scheme is significantly greater than that of other lossless audio encoders. In this paper, we present a multichannel hardware encoder based on a low-complexity joint-coding technique and shared multiplier scheme for portable devices. A joint-coding decision method and a reference channel selection scheme are modified for a low-complexity joint coder. The proposed joint coding decision method determines the optimized joint-coding operation based on the relationship between the cross correlation of residual signals and the compression ratio. The reference channel selection is designed to select a channel for the entropy coding of the joint coding. The hardware encoder operates at a 40 MHz clock frequency and supports two-channel parallel encoding for the multichannel monitoring system. Experimental results show that the compression ratio increases by 0.06%, whereas the computational complexity decreases by 20.72% compared to the MPEG-4 ALS reference software encoder. In addition, the compression ratio increases by about 11.92%, compared to the single channel based bio-signal lossless data compressor.

Alignment of the UMLS semantic network with BioTop: Methodology and assessment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

S. Schulz; E. Beisswanger (Elena); L. van den Hoek (László); O. Bodenreider (Olivier); E.M. van Mulligen (Erik)

2009-01-01

textabstractMotivation: For many years, the Unified Medical Language System (UMLS) semantic network (SN) has been used as an upper-level semantic framework for the categorization of terms from terminological resources in biomedicine. BioTop has recently been developed as an upper-level ontology for

Editorial: from plant biotechnology to bio-based products.

Science.gov (United States)

Stöger, Eva

2013-10-01

From plant biotechnology to bio-based products - this Special Issue of Biotechnology Journal is dedicated to plant biotechnology and is edited by Prof. Eva Stöger (University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria). The Special Issue covers a wide range of topics in plant biotechnology, including metabolic engineering of biosynthesis pathways in plants; taking advantage of the scalability of the plant system for the production of innovative materials; as well as the regulatory challenges and society acceptance of plant biotechnology. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Bio-oil and bio-char production from corn cobs and stover by fast pyrolysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mullen, Charles A.; Boateng, Akwasi A.; Goldberg, Neil M.; Lima, Isabel M.; Laird, David A.; Hicks, Kevin B.

2010-01-01

Bio-oil and bio-char were produced from corn cobs and corn stover (stalks, leaves and husks) by fast pyrolysis using a pilot scale fluidized bed reactor. Yields of 60% (mass/mass) bio-oil (high heating values are ∼20 MJ kg -1 , and densities >1.0 Mg m -3 ) were realized from both corn cobs and from corn stover. The high energy density of bio-oil, ∼20-32 times on a per unit volume basis over the raw corn residues, offers potentially significant savings in transportation costs particularly for a distributed 'farm scale' bio-refinery system. Bio-char yield was 18.9% and 17.0% (mass/mass) from corn cobs and corn stover, respectively. Deploying the bio-char co-product, which contains most of the nutrient minerals from the corn residues, as well as a significant amount of carbon, to the land can enhance soil quality, sequester carbon, and alleviate environmental problems associated with removal of crop residues from fields.

Bio-methane & Bio-hydrogen. Status and perspectives of biological methane and hydrogen production

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wijffels, R.H.; Janssen, M.G.J.

2003-01-01

Eerst wordt het kader geschetst voor de potentiële rol van bio-methaan en bio-waterstof in de energiehuishouding en de invloeden daarop van de ontwikkeling van eindgebruikstechnologie en infrastructuur, en het energiebeleid. Daarna wordt uitvoerig ingegaan op de technieken voor bio-methaan en

BioAir: Bio-Inspired Airborne Infrastructure Reconfiguration

Science.gov (United States)

2016-01-01

must also minimize resource usage due to limitations on the amount of processing , memory and power onboard a node. BioAIR assumes the availability of...subsequent maintenance of tentacles, each node will take one of the following roles: “ orphan ”, “free”, “tip”, “backbone” or “extra”. The BioAIR...algorithm dictates that when a node is disconnected from the tentacle or origin it is an orphan , and as such it will change its target to the nearest

HIGH-DENSITY, BIO-COMPATIBLE, AND HERMETIC ELECTRICAL FEEDTHROUGHS USING EXTRUDED METAL VIAS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shah, K G; Delima, T; Felix, S; Sheth, H; Tolosa, V; Tooker, A; Pannu, S S

2012-03-28

Implanted medical devices such as pacemakers and neural prosthetics require that the electronic components that power these devices are protected from the harsh chemical and biological environment of the body. Typically, the electronics are hermetically sealed inside a bio-compatible package containing feedthroughs that transmit electrical signals, while being impermeable to particles or moisture. We present a novel approach for fabricating one of the highest densities of biocompatible hermetic feedthroughs in alumina (Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}). Alumina substrates with laser machined vias of 200 {micro}m pitch were conformally metallized and lithographically patterned. Hermetic electrical feedthroughs were formed by extruding metal stud-bumps partially through the vias. Hermeticity testing showed leak rates better than 9 x 10{sup -10} torr-l/s. Based on our preliminary results and process optimization, this extruded metal via approach is a high-density, low temperature, cost-effective, and robust method of miniaturizing electrical feedthroughs for a wide range of implantable bio-medical device applications.

HIGH-DENSITY, BIO-COMPATIBLE, AND HERMETIC ELECTRICAL FEEDTHROUGHS USING EXTRUDED METAL VIAS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tooker, A; Shah, K; Tolosa, V; Sheth, H; Felix, S; Delima, T; Pannu, S

2012-03-29

Implanted medical devices such as pacemakers and neural prosthetics require that the electronic components that power these devices are protected from the harsh chemical and biological environment of the body. Typically, the electronics are hermetically sealed inside a bio-compatible package containing feedthroughs that transmit electrical signals, while being impermeable to particles or moisture. We present a novel approach for fabricating one of the highest densities of biocompatible hermetic feedthroughs in alumina (Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}). Alumina substrates with laser machined vias of 200 {mu}m pitch were conformally metallized and lithographically patterned. Hermetic electrical feedthroughs were formed by extruding metal studbumps partially through the vias. Hermeticity testing showed leak rates better than 9x10{sup -10} torr-l/s. Based on our preliminary results and process optimization, this extruded metal via approach is a high-density, low temperature, cost-effective, and robust method of miniaturizing electrical feedthroughs for a wide range of implantable bio-medical device applications.

Biodegradable and bio-based polymers: future prospects of eco-friendly plastics.

Science.gov (United States)

Iwata, Tadahisa

2015-03-09

Currently used plastics are mostly produced from petrochemical products, but there is a growing demand for eco-friendly plastics. The use of bio-based plastics, which are produced from renewable resources, and biodegradable plastics, which are degraded in the environment, will lead to a more sustainable society and help us solve global environmental and waste management problems. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

[The meaning of "apology": the survivors of Nazi medical crimes and the Max Planck Society].

Science.gov (United States)

Sachse, Carola

2011-09-01

Around the turn of the twenty-first century a new practice in international politics became established: representatives of political, economic and religious organisations apologised for the historical and political crimes of their own collectives, addressing the victims or the victims' descendants. At a public event in June 2001, a formal apology of this kind was made by the president of the Max Planck Society (MPS), who had previously launched an extensive programme of research into the National Socialist history of what was then the Kaiser Wilhelm Society. The majority of the eight invited survivors of human experimentation in Nazi concentration camps refused forgiveness. Instead, they called for the MPS not to content itself with historical research and analysis, but to ensure the continued remembrance of the victims and their suffering. Starting from this 2001 ritual of repentance, the paper examines the participants' diverse views of how to deal with the medical crimes of National Socialism, and asks about possibilities of going beyond historical retrospection to fulfil the imperative of remembrance.

Catalogue of learning goals for pregraduate education in geriatric medicine. A recommendation of the German Geriatric Society (DGG), the German Society of Gerontology and Geriatrics (DGGG), the Austrian Society of Geriatrics and Gerontology (OGGG) and the Swiss Society of Geriatric Medicine (SFGG) on the basis of recommendations of the European Union of Medical Specialists Geriatric Medicine Section (UEMS-GMS) 2013

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Singler, K.; Stuck, A. E.; Masud, T.

2014-01-01

using a modified Delphi technique in order to encourage education in this field. This catalogue of learning objectives for geriatric medicine focuses on the minimum requirements with specific learning goals in knowledge, skills and attitudes that medical students should have acquired by the end...... at German-speaking medical faculties and universities of Austria, Germany and Switzerland. This article contains the final German translation of the curriculum. The Geriatric Medicine Societies of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland formally endorse the present curriculum and recommend that medical faculties...

Production of bio-energies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gurtler, J.L.; Femenias, A.; Blondy, J.

2009-01-01

After having indicated the various possible origins of biomass, this paper considers the issue of bio-energies, i.e., energies produced with biomass related to forest or agriculture production. Some indicators are defined (share of renewable energies, share of biomass in the energy production and consumption, number of production units). Stake holders are identified. Then, major and emerging trends are identified and discussed. The major trends are: development and diversification of renewable energies, development of bio-fuels with the support of incentive policies, prevalence of the wood-energy sector on the whole renewable energies, increase of surfaces dedicated to bio-fuels since the end of the 1990's, a French biogas sector which is late with respect to other countries. The emerging trends are: the important role of oil price in the development of bio-fuels, a necessary public support for the development of biogas, mobilization of research and development of competitiveness poles for bio-industries. Some prospective issues are also discussed in terms of uncertainties (soil availabilities, environmental performance of bio-fuels, available biomass resource, need of a technological advance, and evolution of energy needs on a medium term, tax and public policy). Three hypotheses of bio-energy evolutions are discussed

Determining the bio-based content of bio-plastics used in Thailand by radiocarbon analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Ploykrathok, T.; Chanyotha, S.

2017-06-01

Presently, there is an increased interest in the development of bio-plastic products from agricultural materials which are biodegradable in order to reduce the problem of waste disposal. Since the amount of modern carbon in bio-plastics can indicate how much the amount of agricultural materials are contained in the bio-plastic products, this research aims to determine the modern carbon in bio-plastic using the carbon dioxide absorption method. The radioactivity of carbon-14 contained in the sample is measured by liquid scintillation counter (Tri-carb 3110 TR, PerkinElmer). The percentages of bio-based content in the samples were determined by comparing the observed modern carbon content with the values contained in agricultural raw materials. The experimental results show that only poly(lactic acid) samples have the modern carbon content of 97.4%, which is close to the agricultural materials while other bio-plastics types are found to have less than 50% of the modern carbon content. In other words, most of these bio-plastic samples were mixed with other materials which are not agriculturally originated.

Determining the bio-based content of bio-plastics used in Thailand by radiocarbon analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ploykrathok, T; Chanyotha, S

2017-01-01

Presently, there is an increased interest in the development of bio-plastic products from agricultural materials which are biodegradable in order to reduce the problem of waste disposal. Since the amount of modern carbon in bio-plastics can indicate how much the amount of agricultural materials are contained in the bio-plastic products, this research aims to determine the modern carbon in bio-plastic using the carbon dioxide absorption method. The radioactivity of carbon-14 contained in the sample is measured by liquid scintillation counter (Tri-carb 3110 TR, PerkinElmer). The percentages of bio-based content in the samples were determined by comparing the observed modern carbon content with the values contained in agricultural raw materials. The experimental results show that only poly(lactic acid) samples have the modern carbon content of 97.4%, which is close to the agricultural materials while other bio-plastics types are found to have less than 50% of the modern carbon content. In other words, most of these bio-plastic samples were mixed with other materials which are not agriculturally originated. (paper)

Bio-oil and bio-char production from corn cobs and stover by fast pyrolysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mullen, Charles A.; Boateng, Akwasi A.; Goldberg, Neil M.; Hicks, Kevin B. [Eastern Regional Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 600 E. Mermaid Lane, Wyndmoor, PA 19038 (United States); Lima, Isabel M. [Southern Regional Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1100 Robert E. Lee Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70124 (United States); Laird, David A. [National Soil Tilth Laboratory, U.S. Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2110 University Blvd., Ames, IA 50011 (United States)

2010-01-15

Bio-oil and bio-char were produced from corn cobs and corn stover (stalks, leaves and husks) by fast pyrolysis using a pilot scale fluidized bed reactor. Yields of 60% (mass/mass) bio-oil (high heating values are {proportional_to}20 MJ kg{sup -1}, and densities >1.0 Mg m{sup -3}) were realized from both corn cobs and from corn stover. The high energy density of bio-oil, {proportional_to}20-32 times on a per unit volume basis over the raw corn residues, offers potentially significant savings in transportation costs particularly for a distributed ''farm scale'' bio-refinery system. Bio-char yield was 18.9% and 17.0% (mass/mass) from corn cobs and corn stover, respectively. Deploying the bio-char co-product, which contains most of the nutrient minerals from the corn residues, as well as a significant amount of carbon, to the land can enhance soil quality, sequester carbon, and alleviate environmental problems associated with removal of crop residues from fields. (author)

Bio-Nano ECRIS: An electron cyclotron resonance ion source for new materials production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Uchida, T. [Bio-Nano Electronics Research Centre, Toyo University, 2100, Kujirai, Kawagoe, Saitama 350-8585 (Japan); Minezaki, H. [Graduate School of Engineering, Toyo University, 2100, Kujirai, Kawagoe, Saitama 350-8585 (Japan); Tanaka, K.; Asaji, T. [Tateyama Machine Co., Ltd., 30 Shimonoban, Toyama, Toyama 930-1305 (Japan); Muramatsu, M.; Kitagawa, A. [National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS), 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8555 (Japan); Kato, Y. [Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871 (Japan); Biri, S. [Institute of Nuclear Research (ATOMKI), H-4026 Debrecen, Bem Ter 18/c (Hungary); Yoshida, Y. [Bio-Nano Electronics Research Centre, Toyo University, 2100, Kujirai, Kawagoe, Saitama 350-8585 (Japan); Graduate School of Engineering, Toyo University, 2100, Kujirai, Kawagoe, Saitama 350-8585 (Japan)

2010-02-15

We developed an electron cyclotron resonance ion source (ECRIS) for new materials production on nanoscale. Our main target is the endohedral fullerenes, which have potential in medical care, biotechnology, and nanotechnology. In particular, iron-encapsulated fullerene can be applied as a contrast material for magnetic resonance imaging or microwave heat therapy. Thus, our new ECRIS is named the Bio-Nano ECRIS. In this article, the recent progress of the development of the Bio-Nano ECRIS is reported: (i) iron ion beam production using induction heating oven and (ii) optimization of singly charged C{sub 60} ion beam production.

BioHack*Kolding

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wilde, Danielle

Short Abstract BioHack*Kolding explores the potential of do-it-together biology to support community building in a town that lacks strong science representation, assisting participants to reflect on the bio-potential of their personal, social and political ecologies and to translate their ideas...... into action. Long Abstract Organisations that support lay people to practice bioscience alongside experts are proliferating. They enable interested people to join the global discussion on Bio Engineering by supporting them to gain the necessary knowledge and skills to do it themselves. Such organisations play...... an important role in facilitating informed debate around the biological sciences. Yet they cannot reach everyone. BioHack*Kolding asks how community-focused biology initiatives can reach people in smaller towns that lack science representation, so that they too can join the debate and ensure that its...

The current and future role of the medical oncologist in the professional care for cancer patients: a position paper by the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO).

Science.gov (United States)

Popescu, R A; Schäfer, R; Califano, R; Eckert, R; Coleman, R; Douillard, J-Y; Cervantes, A; Casali, P G; Sessa, C; Van Cutsem, E; de Vries, E; Pavlidis, N; Fumasoli, K; Wörmann, B; Samonigg, H; Cascinu, S; Cruz Hernández, J J; Howard, A J; Ciardiello, F; Stahel, R A; Piccart, M

2014-01-01

The number of cancer patients in Europe is rising and significant advances in basic and applied cancer research are making the provision of optimal care more challenging. The concept of cancer as a systemic, highly heterogeneous and complex disease has increased the awareness that quality cancer care should be provided by a multidisciplinary team (MDT) of highly qualified healthcare professionals. Cancer patients also have the right to benefit from medical progress by receiving optimal treatment from adequately trained and highly skilled medical professionals. Built on the highest standards of professional training and continuing medical education, medical oncology is recognised as an independent medical specialty in many European countries. Medical oncology is a core member of the MDT and offers cancer patients a comprehensive and systemic approach to treatment and care, while ensuring evidence-based, safe and cost-effective use of cancer drugs and preserving the quality of life of cancer patients through the entire 'cancer journey'. Medical oncologists are also engaged in clinical and translational research to promote innovation and new therapies and they contribute to cancer diagnosis, prevention and research, making a difference for patients in a dynamic, stimulating professional environment. Medical oncologists play an important role in shaping the future of healthcare through innovation and are also actively involved at the political level to ensure a maximum contribution of the profession to Society and to tackle future challenges. This position paper summarises the multifarious and vital contributions of medical oncology and medical oncologists to today's and tomorrow's professional cancer care.

44. Annual Convention of the Austrian Physical Society

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-01-01

There are about 270 contributions presented by title and abstract only. 250 of them are of INIS interest. The range of subject matters covered is indicated by the headings of topical sessions: (1) acoustics (2) atomic-, molecular- and plasma physics (3) solid-state physics (4) nuclear- and particle physics (5) school teachers' continuing education (6) medical-, bio-and environmental physics (7) polymer physics (8) quantum electronics, electrodynamics and optics. (blahsl)

The problem of bio-concepts: biopolitics, bio-economy and the political economy of nothing

Science.gov (United States)

Birch, Kean

2017-12-01

Scholars in science and technology studies—and no doubt other fields—have increasingly drawn on Michel Foucault's concept of biopolitics to theorize a variety of new `bio-concepts'. While there might be some theoretical value in such exercises, many of these bio-concepts have simply replaced more rigorous—and therefore time-consuming—analytical work. This article provides a (sympathetic) critique of these various bio-concepts, especially as they are applied to the emerging `bio-economy'. In so doing, the article seeks to show that the analysis of the bio-economy could be better framed as a political economy of nothing. This has several implications for science education, which are raised in the article.

Method to upgrade bio-oils to fuel and bio-crude

Science.gov (United States)

Steele, Philip H; Pittman, Jr., Charles U; Ingram, Jr., Leonard L; Gajjela, Sanjeev; Zhang, Zhijun; Bhattacharya, Priyanka

2013-12-10

This invention relates to a method and device to produce esterified, olefinated/esterified, or thermochemolytic reacted bio-oils as fuels. The olefinated/esterified product may be utilized as a biocrude for input to a refinery, either alone or in combination with petroleum crude oils. The bio-oil esterification reaction is catalyzed by addition of alcohol and acid catalyst. The olefination/esterification reaction is catalyzed by addition of resin acid or other heterogeneous catalyst to catalyze olefins added to previously etherified bio-oil; the olefins and alcohol may also be simultaneously combined and catalyzed by addition of resin acid or other heterogeneous catalyst to produce the olefinated/esterified product.

Knowledge and acceptability of alternative HIV prevention bio-medical products among MSM who bareback.

Science.gov (United States)

Nodin, N; Carballo-Diéguez, A; Ventuneac, A M; Balan, I C; Remien, R

2008-01-01

Condom use is the best available strategy to prevent HIV infection during sexual intercourse. However, since many people choose not to use condoms in circumstances in which HIV risk exists, alternatives to condom use for HIV prevention are needed. Currently there are several alternative bio-medical HIV-prevention products in different stages of development: microbicides, vaccines, post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Seventy-two men who have sex with men (MSM) who took part in a study on Internet use and intentional condomless anal intercourse were asked about these four products during a semi-structured interview. The questions explored knowledge and acceptability of all the products and willingness to participate in microbicide and vaccine trials. Qualitative analysis of the data suggests that these men had virtually no knowledge of PrEP, very limited knowledge of microbicides, some information about PEP and considerably more knowledge about vaccines. Reactions towards the products were generally positive except for PrEP, for which reactions were polarized as either enthusiastic or negative. With the exception of PrEP, many men expressed willingness to use the products in the future. Most men would be willing to participate in trials for microbicides and vaccines if given basic reassurances. Concerns over negative side effects and preoccupation with possible infection were some of the motives given for non-willingness to participate in a vaccine trial. These results should inform the development of future trials of biomedical prevention products.

Bio diesel production from algae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khola, G.; Ghazala, B.

2011-01-01

Algae appear to be an emerging source of biomass for bio diesel that has the potential to completely displace fossil fuel. Two thirds of earth's surface is covered with water, thus alga e would truly be renewable option of great potential for global energy needs. This study discusses specific and comparative bio diesel quantitative potential of Cladophora sp., also highlighting its biomass (after oil extraction), pH and sediments (glycerine, water and pigments) quantitative properties. Comparison of Cladophora sp., with Oedogonium sp., and Spirogyra sp., (Hossain et al., 2008) shows that Cladophora sp., produce higher quantity of bio diesel than Spirogyra sp., whereas biomass and sediments were higher than the both algal specimens in comparison to the results obtained by earlier workers. No prominent difference in pH of bio diesel was found. In Pakistan this is a first step towards bio diesel production from algae. Results indicate that Cladophora sp., provide a reasonable quantity of bio diesel, its greater biomass after oil extraction and sediments make it a better option for bio diesel production than the comparing species. (author)

Bio-optofluidics and Bio-photonics: Programmable Phase Optics activities at DTU Fotonik

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bañas, Andrew Rafael; Palima, Darwin; Pedersen, Finn

We present ongoing research and development activities for constructing a compact next generation BioPhotonics Workstation and a Bio-optofluidic Cell Sorter (cell-BOCS) for all-optical micromanipulation platforms utilizing low numerical aperture beam geometries. Unlike conventional high NA optical...... tweezers, the BioPhotonics workstation is e.g. capable of long range 3D manipulation. This enables a variety of biological studies such as manipulation of intricate microfabricated assemblies or for automated and parallel optofluidic cell sorting. To further reduce its overhead, we propose ways of making...... the BioPhotonics Workstation platform more photon efficient by studying the 3D distribution of the counter propagating beams and utilizing the Generalized Phase Contrast (GPC) method for illuminating the applied spatial light modulators....

Anaerobic co-digestion of cassava peels and manure: a technological approach for biogas generation and bio-fertilizer production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bayitse, R.; Laryea, G. N.; Selormey, G.; Oduro, W. O.; Aggey, M.; Mensah, B.; Gustavsson, M.; Bjerre, A.B.

2014-01-01

The modern global society faces great challenges in supply of energy and management of wastes in sustainable ways. One way of resolving the local challenges is to develop environmentally appropriate and socio economically viable biotechnological processes for converting biomass to energy. The general principles of anaerobic bio-digestion, digester design and features of bio-digestion are presented in the feature article, focusing on the prospects of utilizing cassava peels as a readily available lignocellulose feedstock for co-digestion with manure for the production of biogas and bio-fertilizer. Aside of the high cyanogenic properties, cassava peels would require pre-treatment before use as a substrate, hence, a multi-stage and high rate digestion system might be adopted in efficient digestion of cassava peels. To optimize carbon-nitrogen ratio for efficient digestion, cassava should be co-digested with manure. The socio-economic benefits of the anaerobic co-digestion technology and key policy measures to be implemented to harness bio-energy from agricultural wastes are also outlined. (au)

Bio-energy status document 2012; Statusdocument bio-energie 2012

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bles, M.; Schepers, B.L.; Van Grinsven, A.H.; Bergsma, G.C.; Croezen, H.C.

2013-05-15

In 2012 bio-energy contributed over 71 PJ to the Dutch energy supply, a rise of almost 2 PJ over 2011. This means that 75% of the renewable energy consumed in the Netherlands is now derived from biomass. The growth is due mainly to the increase in the mandatory biotransport fuel percentage from 4.25% to 4.5%. The use of energy from 'other biomass combustion' (incl. paper sludge, green waste and chicken excrement) recovered to the level of 2010, following a marked drop in 2011 due to plant maintenance, termination of the MEP ('Environmental Quality of Power Generation') subsidy scheme and high biomass prices. At large power stations there was a considerable decrease in co-incineration of biomass because of incidents (a fire at the Nijmegen coal-fired plant) and a maintenance backlog (at the Amer power station). These are some of the results reported in the 'Bio-energy status document 2012', prepared by CE Delft for NL Agency. In addition to a review and characterisation of the current situation, the report contains an update on government policies on bio-energy and a review of the sources and sustainability of the biomass used in the Netherlands [Dutch] De bijdrage van bio-energie aan de Nederlandse energievoorziening bedroeg in 2012 ruim 71 PJ, een stijging van bijna 2 PJ ten opzichte van 2011. Daarmee is 75% van het verbruik van hernieuwbare energie in Nederland afkomstig van bio-energie. De stijging wordt vooral veroorzaakt door de oplopende bijmengplicht van biotransportbrandstoffen van 4,25% naar 4,5%. Verbruik van energie uit 'overige biomassaverbranding' (o.a. papierslib, groenafval en kippenmest) herstelde zicht tot het niveau van 2010, na een forse daling in 2011 door onderhoud aan installaties, afloop van MEP-subsidies en hoge prijzen van biomassa. Het bij- en meestoken van biomassa in grote elektriciteitscentrales daalde juist aanzienlijk door calamiteiten en uitloop van onderhoud (brand kolencentrale bij Nijmegen

Relations between professional medical associations and healthcare industry, concerning scientific communication and continuing medical education: a policy statement from the European Society of Cardiology.

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

Physicians have an ethical duty to keep up-to-date with current knowledge. Professional medical associations such as the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) support these obligations. In Europe, the costs of continuing medical education (CME) are insufficiently supported from governments and employers; however, medical associations have been criticized for accepting alternative financial support from industry. Medical education and training in research include learning how to assess the quality and reliability of any information. There is some risk of bias in any form of scientific communication including intellectual, professional, and financial and it is essential that in particular, the latter must be acknowledged by full disclosure. It is essential that there is strong collaboration between basic and clinical researchers from academic institutions on the one hand, with engineers and scientists from the research divisions of device and pharmaceutical companies on the other. This is vital so that new diagnostic methods and treatments are developed. Promotion of advances by industry may accelerate their implementation into clinical practice. Universities now frequently exhort their academic staff to protect their intellectual property or commercialize their research. Thus, it is not commercial activity or links per se that have become the target for criticism but the perceived influence of commercial enterprises on clinical decision-making or on messages conveyed by professional medical organizations. This document offers the perspective of the ESC on the current debate, and it recommends how to minimize bias in scientific communications and CME and how to ensure proper ethical standards and transparency in relations between the medical profession and industry. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier España.

Functional Hypothalamic Amenorrhea: An Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline.

Science.gov (United States)

Gordon, Catherine M; Ackerman, Kathryn E; Berga, Sarah L; Kaplan, Jay R; Mastorakos, George; Misra, Madhusmita; Murad, M Hassan; Santoro, Nanette F; Warren, Michelle P

2017-05-01

The American Society for Reproductive Medicine, the European Society of Endocrinology, and the Pediatric Endocrine Society. This guideline was funded by the Endocrine Society. To formulate clinical practice guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of functional hypothalamic amenorrhea (FHA). The participants include an Endocrine Society-appointed task force of eight experts, a methodologist, and a medical writer. This evidence-based guideline was developed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach to describe the strength of recommendations and the quality of evidence. The task force commissioned two systematic reviews and used the best available evidence from other published systematic reviews and individual studies. One group meeting, several conference calls, and e-mail communications enabled consensus. Endocrine Society committees and members and cosponsoring organizations reviewed and commented on preliminary drafts of this guideline. FHA is a form of chronic anovulation, not due to identifiable organic causes, but often associated with stress, weight loss, excessive exercise, or a combination thereof. Investigations should include assessment of systemic and endocrinologic etiologies, as FHA is a diagnosis of exclusion. A multidisciplinary treatment approach is necessary, including medical, dietary, and mental health support. Medical complications include, among others, bone loss and infertility, and appropriate therapies are under debate and investigation. Copyright © 2017 Endocrine Society

Medical risk assessment in dentistry: use of the American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status Classification.

Science.gov (United States)

Clough, S; Shehabi, Z; Morgan, C

2016-02-12

Medical risk assessment is essential to safe patient management and the delivery of appropriate dental care. The American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status (ASA PS) Classification is widely used within medicine and dentistry, but has received significant criticism. This is the first UK survey to assess the consistency of medical risk assessment in dentistry. (i) To determine the use and consistency of the ASA PS among dentists and anaesthetists. (ii) To consider the appropriateness of the ASA PS in relation to dental treatment planning and delivery of care. A cross-sectional online questionnaire was distributed to anaesthetists and dental practitioners in general practice, community and hospital dental services. Questions focused on professional backgrounds, use of the ASA PS, alternative approaches to risk assessment in everyday practice and scoring of eight hypothetical patients using ASA PS. There were 101 responses, 82 were complete. Anaesthetists recorded ASA PS score more frequently than dental practitioners and found it more useful. Inconsistencies were evident in the assignment of ASA PS scores both between and within professional groups. Many dental practitioners did not use or find ASA PS helpful, with significant inconsistencies in its use. An awareness of alternative assessment scales may be useful across settings. Accepting its limitations, it would be helpful for all dentists to be educated in ASA PS and its use in medical risk assessment, particularly in relation to conscious sedation.

Complex biological and bio-inspired systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ecke, Robert E [Los Alamos National Laboratory

2009-01-01

The understanding and characterization ofthe fundamental processes of the function of biological systems underpins many of the important challenges facing American society, from the pathology of infectious disease and the efficacy ofvaccines, to the development of materials that mimic biological functionality and deliver exceptional and novel structural and dynamic properties. These problems are fundamentally complex, involving many interacting components and poorly understood bio-chemical kinetics. We use the basic science of statistical physics, kinetic theory, cellular bio-chemistry, soft-matter physics, and information science to develop cell level models and explore the use ofbiomimetic materials. This project seeks to determine how cell level processes, such as response to mechanical stresses, chemical constituents and related gradients, and other cell signaling mechanisms, integrate and combine to create a functioning organism. The research focuses on the basic physical processes that take place at different levels ofthe biological organism: the basic role of molecular and chemical interactions are investigated, the dynamics of the DNA-molecule and its phylogenetic role are examined and the regulatory networks of complex biochemical processes are modeled. These efforts may lead to early warning algorithms ofpathogen outbreaks, new bio-sensors to detect hazards from pathomic viruses to chemical contaminants. Other potential applications include the development of efficient bio-fuel alternative-energy processes and the exploration ofnovel materials for energy usages. Finally, we use the notion of 'coarse-graining,' which is a method for averaging over less important degrees of freedom to develop computational models to predict cell function and systems-level response to disease, chemical stress, or biological pathomic agents. This project supports Energy Security, Threat Reduction, and the missions of the DOE Office of Science through its efforts to

Utilization of oil palm tree residues to produce bio-oil and bio-char via pyrolysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abnisa, Faisal; Arami-Niya, Arash; Wan Daud, W.M.A.; Sahu, J.N.; Noor, I.M.

2013-01-01

Highlights: • About 14.72% of the total landmass in Malaysia was used for oil palm plantations. • Oil palm tree residues were pyrolyzed to produce bio-oil and bio-char. • The process was performed at a temperature of 500 °C and reaction time of 60 min. • Characterization of the products was performed. - Abstract: Oil palm tree residues are a rich biomass resource in Malaysia, and it is therefore very important that they be utilized for more beneficial purposes, particularly in the context of the development of biofuels. This paper described the possibility of utilizing oil palm tree residues as biofuels by producing bio-oil and bio-char via pyrolysis. The process was performed in a fixed-bed reactor at a temperature of 500 °C, a nitrogen flow rate of 2 L/min and a reaction time of 60 min. The physical and chemical properties of the products, which are important for biofuel testing, were then characterized. The results showed that the yields of the bio-oil and bio-char obtained from different residues varied within the ranges of 16.58–43.50 wt% and 28.63–36.75 wt%, respectively. The variations in the yields resulted from differences in the relative amounts of cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, volatiles, fixed carbon, and ash in the samples. The energy density of the bio-char was found to be higher than that of the bio-oil. The highest energy density of the bio-char was obtained from a palm leaf sample (23.32 MJ/kg), while that of the bio-oil was obtained from a frond sample (15.41 MJ/kg)

Die Zukunft der ärztlichen Weiterbildung in Deutschland – Positionspapier des Ausschusses Weiterbildung der Gesellschaft für Medizinische Ausbildung (GMA [The future of graduate medical education in Germany – Position paper of the committee on graduate medical education of the Society for Medical Education (GMA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Weih, Markus

2013-05-01

Full Text Available [english] The German graduate medical education system is going through an important phase of changes. Besides the ongoing reform of the national guidelines for graduate medical education (Musterweiterbildungsordnung, other factors like societal and demographic changes, health and research policy reforms also play a central role for the future and competitiveness of graduate medical education.With this position paper, the committee on graduate medical education of the Society for Medical Education (GMA would like to point out some central questions for this process and support the current discourse.As an interprofessional and interdisciplinary scientific society, the GMA has the resources to contribute in a meaningful way to an evidence-based and future-oriented graduate medical education strategy.In this position paper, we use four key questions with regards to educational goals, quality assurance, teaching competence and policy requirements to address the core issues for the future of graduate medical education in Germany. The GMA sees its task in contributing to the necessary reform processes as the only German speaking scientific society in the field of medical education.[german] Die ärztliche Weiterbildung in Deutschland befindet sich im Umbruch. Neben der aktuellen Reform der Musterweiterbildungsordnung spielen gesellschaftliche, demographische, gesundheits- und forschungspolitische Faktoren eine wichtige Rolle für die Zukunft und Konkurrenzfähigkeit der ärztlichen Weiterbildung.Der Ausschuss für Weiterbildung der Gesellschaft für Medizinische Ausbildung (GMA möchte mit diesem Positionspapier auf zentrale Fragen in diesem Prozess aufmerksam machen und Impulse für den aktuellen Diskurs geben.Dabei kann die GMA als interdisziplinäre und interprofessionelle Fachgesellschaft wichtige Beiträge zu einer evidenzbasierten und zukunftsorientierten Weiterbildungsstrategie liefern.Im vorliegenden Papier werden anhand von vier Leitfragen zu

Understanding bio-economics

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Patel, M.K.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/18988097X

2008-01-01

New plants for production of bio-based fuels, chemicals or plastics are being set up at an accelerating pace. However, this transition towards bio-based fuels, feedstocks and chemicals has not come without consequences. Increased demand has pushed up prices of key agricultural products such as maize

Bio-inspired networking

CERN Document Server

Câmara, Daniel

2015-01-01

Bio-inspired techniques are based on principles, or models, of biological systems. In general, natural systems present remarkable capabilities of resilience and adaptability. In this book, we explore how bio-inspired methods can solve different problems linked to computer networks. Future networks are expected to be autonomous, scalable and adaptive. During millions of years of evolution, nature has developed a number of different systems that present these and other characteristics required for the next generation networks. Indeed, a series of bio-inspired methods have been successfully used to solve the most diverse problems linked to computer networks. This book presents some of these techniques from a theoretical and practical point of view. Discusses the key concepts of bio-inspired networking to aid you in finding efficient networking solutions Delivers examples of techniques both in theoretical concepts and practical applications Helps you apply nature's dynamic resource and task management to your co...

Non-thermal atmospheric pressure HF plasma source: generation of nitric oxide and ozone for bio-medical applications

Science.gov (United States)

Kühn, S.; Bibinov, N.; Gesche, R.; Awakowicz, P.

2010-01-01

A new miniature high-frequency (HF) plasma source intended for bio-medical applications is studied using nitrogen/oxygen mixture at atmospheric pressure. This plasma source can be used as an element of a plasma source array for applications in dermatology and surgery. Nitric oxide and ozone which are produced in this plasma source are well-known agents for proliferation of the cells, inhalation therapy for newborn infants, disinfection of wounds and blood ozonation. Using optical emission spectroscopy, microphotography and numerical simulation, the gas temperature in the active plasma region and plasma parameters (electron density and electron distribution function) are determined for varied nitrogen/oxygen flows. The influence of the gas flows on the plasma conditions is studied. Ozone and nitric oxide concentrations in the effluent of the plasma source are measured using absorption spectroscopy and electro-chemical NO-detector at variable gas flows. Correlations between plasma parameters and concentrations of the particles in the effluent of the plasma source are discussed. By varying the gas flows, the HF plasma source can be optimized for nitric oxide or ozone production. Maximum concentrations of 2750 ppm and 400 ppm of NO and O3, correspondingly, are generated.

Pyrolysis of waste animal fats in a fixed-bed reactor: Production and characterization of bio-oil and bio-char

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ben Hassen-Trabelsi, A., E-mail: aidabenhassen@yahoo.fr [Centre de Recherche et de Technologies de l’Energie (CRTEn), Technopôle Borj-Cédria, B.P 95, 2050, Hammam Lif (Tunisia); Kraiem, T. [Centre de Recherche et de Technologies de l’Energie (CRTEn), Technopôle Borj-Cédria, B.P 95, 2050, Hammam Lif (Tunisia); Département de Géologie, Université de Tunis, 2092, Tunis (Tunisia); Naoui, S. [Centre de Recherche et de Technologies de l’Energie (CRTEn), Technopôle Borj-Cédria, B.P 95, 2050, Hammam Lif (Tunisia); Belayouni, H. [Département de Géologie, Université de Tunis, 2092, Tunis (Tunisia)

2014-01-15

Highlights: • Produced bio-fuels (bio-oil and bio-char) from some animal fatty wastes. • Investigated the effects of main parameters on pyrolysis products distribution. • Determined the suitable conditions for the production of the maximum of bio-oil. • Characterized bio-oils and bio-chars obtained from several animal fatty wastes. - Abstract: Several animal (lamb, poultry and swine) fatty wastes were pyrolyzed under nitrogen, in a laboratory scale fixed-bed reactor and the main products (liquid bio-oil, solid bio-char and syngas) were obtained. The purpose of this study is to produce and characterize bio-oil and bio-char obtained from pyrolysis of animal fatty wastes. The maximum production of bio-oil was achieved at a pyrolysis temperature of 500 °C and a heating rate of 5 °C/min. The chemical (GC–MS analyses) and spectroscopic analyses (FTIR analyses) of bio-oil showed that it is a complex mixture consisting of different classes of organic compounds, i.e., hydrocarbons (alkanes, alkenes, cyclic compounds…etc.), carboxylic acids, aldehydes, ketones, esters,…etc. According to fuel properties, produced bio-oils showed good properties, suitable for its use as an engine fuel or as a potential source for synthetic fuels and chemical feedstock. Obtained bio-chars had low carbon content and high ash content which make them unattractive for as renewable source energy.

Pyrolysis of waste animal fats in a fixed-bed reactor: Production and characterization of bio-oil and bio-char

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ben Hassen-Trabelsi, A.; Kraiem, T.; Naoui, S.; Belayouni, H.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Produced bio-fuels (bio-oil and bio-char) from some animal fatty wastes. • Investigated the effects of main parameters on pyrolysis products distribution. • Determined the suitable conditions for the production of the maximum of bio-oil. • Characterized bio-oils and bio-chars obtained from several animal fatty wastes. - Abstract: Several animal (lamb, poultry and swine) fatty wastes were pyrolyzed under nitrogen, in a laboratory scale fixed-bed reactor and the main products (liquid bio-oil, solid bio-char and syngas) were obtained. The purpose of this study is to produce and characterize bio-oil and bio-char obtained from pyrolysis of animal fatty wastes. The maximum production of bio-oil was achieved at a pyrolysis temperature of 500 °C and a heating rate of 5 °C/min. The chemical (GC–MS analyses) and spectroscopic analyses (FTIR analyses) of bio-oil showed that it is a complex mixture consisting of different classes of organic compounds, i.e., hydrocarbons (alkanes, alkenes, cyclic compounds…etc.), carboxylic acids, aldehydes, ketones, esters,…etc. According to fuel properties, produced bio-oils showed good properties, suitable for its use as an engine fuel or as a potential source for synthetic fuels and chemical feedstock. Obtained bio-chars had low carbon content and high ash content which make them unattractive for as renewable source energy

Limitación del esfuerzo terapéutico versus eutanasia: una reflexión bioética Limiting life-sustaining medical treatment versus euthanasia: a bioethical reflection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gilberto de Jesús Betancourt Betancourt

2011-08-01

Full Text Available La práctica de la limitación del esfuerzo terapéutico no es novedad en las unidades de atención al paciente grave. Es necesario diferenciar la eutanasia de la limitación del esfuerzo terapéutico, considerada esta última como una buena práctica clínica. En este trabajo se realiza una reflexión teórica que tiene como objetivo fundamental el análisis bioético acerca de las diferencias fundamentales entre ambas.The practice of limiting life-sustaining medical treatment is nothing new at intensive care units. Euthanasia should be distinguished from limiting life-sustaining medical treatments, which is considered as a good practice. This paper presents a theoretical reflection based on a bioethical analysis of the main differences between both of them.

Alignment of the UMLS semantic network with BioTop: methodology and assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Schulz, Stefan; Beisswanger, Elena; van den Hoek, László; Bodenreider, Olivier; van Mulligen, Erik M

2009-06-15

For many years, the Unified Medical Language System (UMLS) semantic network (SN) has been used as an upper-level semantic framework for the categorization of terms from terminological resources in biomedicine. BioTop has recently been developed as an upper-level ontology for the biomedical domain. In contrast to the SN, it is founded upon strict ontological principles, using OWL DL as a formal representation language, which has become standard in the semantic Web. In order to make logic-based reasoning available for the resources annotated or categorized with the SN, a mapping ontology was developed aligning the SN with BioTop. The theoretical foundations and the practical realization of the alignment are being described, with a focus on the design decisions taken, the problems encountered and the adaptations of BioTop that became necessary. For evaluation purposes, UMLS concept pairs obtained from MEDLINE abstracts by a named entity recognition system were tested for possible semantic relationships. Furthermore, all semantic-type combinations that occur in the UMLS Metathesaurus were checked for satisfiability. The effort-intensive alignment process required major design changes and enhancements of BioTop and brought up several design errors that could be fixed. A comparison between a human curator and the ontology yielded only a low agreement. Ontology reasoning was also used to successfully identify 133 inconsistent semantic-type combinations. BioTop, the OWL DL representation of the UMLS SN, and the mapping ontology are available at http://www.purl.org/biotop/.

Mini and Micro Propulsion for Medical Swimmers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

JianFeng

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Mini and micro robots, which can swim in an underwater environment, have drawn widespread research interests because of their potential applicability to the medical or biological fields, including delivery and transportation of bio-materials and drugs, bio-sensing, and bio-surgery. This paper reviews the recent ideas and developments of these types of self-propelling devices, ranging from the millimeter scale down to the micro and even the nano scale. Specifically, this review article makes an emphasis on various propulsion principles, including methods of utilizing smart actuators, external magnetic/electric/acoustic fields, bacteria, chemical reactions, etc. In addition, we compare the propelling speed range, directional control schemes, and advantages of the above principles.

Maxillary sinus floor augmentation with Bio-Oss or Bio-Oss mixed with autogenous bone as graft in animals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, T; Schou, S; Stavropoulos, Andreas

2012-01-01

The objective of the present systematic review was to test the hypothesis of no differences between the use of Bio-Oss or Bio-Oss mixed with autogenous bone as graft for maxillary sinus floor augmentation (MSFA) applying the lateral window technique, as evaluated in animals. A MEDLINE (Pub...... of the graft improved significantly with increased proportion of Bio-Oss. Bone regeneration, bone-to-implant contact (BIC), biomechanical implant test values, and biodegradation of Bio-Oss after MSFA with Bio-Oss or Bio-Oss mixed with autogenous bone have never been compared within the same study in animals....... Thus, the hypothesis of no differences between the use of Bio-Oss and Bio-Oss mixed with autogenous bone as graft for MSFA could neither be confirmed nor rejected based on existing animal studies....

Navigating the Bio-Politics of Childhood

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Nick; Motzkau, Johanna

2011-01-01

Childhood research has long shared a bio-political terrain with state agencies in which children figure primarily as "human futures". In the 20th century bio-social dualism helped to make that terrain navigable by researchers, but, as life processes increasingly become key sites of bio-political action, bio-social dualism is becoming…

Academic health centers and society: an ethical reflection.

Science.gov (United States)

Pellegrino, E D

1999-08-01

Academic health centers--which combine university, medical school, and hospital--exist to satisfy universal human needs and thus are by definition instruments of social purpose. Their core mission is threefold: to provide medical knowledge that can help relieve and prevent illness and suffering, to supply practitioners able to apply that knowledge wisely, and to serve as sites where optimal use of medical knowledge can be demonstrated and investigated. Maintaining a balance between core mission and responsiveness to social trends is a delicate exercise. Overly close accommodation to such trends can endanger the core mission, as has occurred in the United States with regard to managed care. Society and academic health centers have mutual obligations. Obligations of society include giving academic health centers financial and other support and allowing them sufficient freedom to pursue their mission; obligations of academic medical centers include accepting greater scrutiny by society and providing social criticism on matters relating to health. A task for the future is to discern how academic health centers can be responsive to social needs without being totally subservient to societal desires.

Preclinical MRI and NMR Bio-markers of Alzheimer's Disease: Concepts and Applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dhenain, M. [CEA, DSV, I2BM, SHFJ, F-91401 Orsay (France); Dhenain, M. [CNRS, URA 2210, F-91401 Orsay (France); Dhenain, M. [CEA, DSV, I2BM, Neurospin, F-91191 Gif sur Yvette(France)

2008-07-01

Alzheimer's disease is an important social and economic issue for our societies. The development of therapeutics against this severe dementia requires assessing the effects of new drugs in animal models thanks to dedicated bio-markers. This review first overviews Alzheimer's disease and its models as well as the concept of bio-markers. It then focuses on MRI and NMR bio-markers of Alzheimer's disease in animals. Anatomical markers such as atrophy and angiography are useful to phenotype newly developed models of Alzheimer's disease, even if the alterations in these animals are not as severe as in humans. Amyloid plaques imaging is a promising marker of the pathology in animals, and is a rapidly evolving field of MRI. Functional methods such as perfusion and diffusion imaging or spectroscopy are able to detect alterations in transgenic mice mimicking Alzheimer and also to show similar alterations than in humans. They can thus be good translational markers of the disease. Manganese-Enhanced MRI shows a reduction of neuronal transportation in transgenic models of Alzheimer and it allows monitoring improvements induced by treatments of the disease. It is thus a promising bio-marker of the pathology in animals. (authors)

Report on the surveys in fiscal 1999. Surveys on foundations for establishing industrial technology strategies (Strategies by fields - Bio technology field); 1999 nendo sangyo gijutsu senryaku sakutei kiban chosa hokokusho. Bun'yabetsu gijutsu senryaku (Bio technology bun'ya)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2000-03-01

In order to deal with strengthening of competitive power in the bio-technological field and social requirements thereon, it was intended to establish target setting, ways to achieve the objectives, and technological strategies including extraction of policy problems, by combining the wisdom possessed by industries, governmental organizations, and academic world. Section 1 describes the result of the surveys on establishing technological strategies by fields. America tackles importantly with matters related to life science. Japan is strong in fermentation technologies, bio-reactors, and enzyme engineering. Japan stands nearly equal, or is slightly inferior to America in clone livestocks and bio-sensors. Japan's competitiveness is very low in such advanced technology fields as gene therapies, gene combined agricultural products, bio-agricultural chemicals, gene exploration technologies, and gene diagnosis. Section 2 describes technological strategies in four fields. To explain, the improvement in foundations to raise efficiencies in research and development and industrialization processes, strategies to place importance on such industrial fields as realizing 'wishes of people for happiness of diversified nature', the improvement of the environment in which people and societies can enjoy benefits brought about by growth of the industries, and structuring of institutions to promote industrialization of bio-technologies for the nation as a whole. (NEDO)

Electrochemical construction of a bio-inspired micro/nano-textured structure with cell-sized microhole arrays on biomedical titanium to enhance bioactivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liang, Jianhe; Song, Ran; Huang, Qiaoling; Yang, Yun; Lin, Longxiang; Zhang, Yanmei; Jiang, Pinliang; Duan, Hongping; Dong, Xiang; Lin, Changjian

2015-01-01

Highlights: • The bio-inspired structure mimicked mulit-level structures of natural bone. • Ordered cell-sized microhole arrays were employed as microscale structure. • High surface roughness and superhydrophilicity were achieved on the titanium surface. • The bio-inspired titanium surface showed superior ability of biomineralization. • Cell responses were enhanced on the bio-inspired micro/nano-texutred surface. - Abstract: Biomimetic surface design of medical implants is vitally crucial to improve cellular responses and the integration of tissue onto materials. In this study, a novel hierarchical cell-sized microhole array combined with a nano-network structure was fabricated on a medical titanium surface to mimic multi-level bone structure. A three-step procedure was developed as follows: 1) electrochemical self-organization of etching on titanium substrate to create highly ordered cell-sized microhole arrays, 2) suitable dual acid etching to increase the roughness of the microholes, and then 3) electrochemical anodization in a NaOH electrolyte to construct a nano-network porous titania layer on the above micro-roughened surface. The bio-inspired micro/nano-textured structure presented the enhanced wettability and superhydrophilicity. The ability of in vitro biomineralization and corrosion resistance of the bio-inspired micro/nano-textured structure were enhanced after annealing treatment. More importantly, the bio-inspired micro/nano-textured structure on the titanium surface possessed a favourable interfacial environment to enhance attachment and proliferation of human osteoblast-like MG63 cells. All of the results demonstrated that such a bio-inspired surface of micro/nano-textured porous TiO 2 is a most promising candidate for the next generation of titanium implants

Bio-energy. Innovators talking; Bio-energie. Innovators aan het woord

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2013-02-15

Qualitative studies have been conducted of the results of completed projects focused on energy innovation, spread over the seven themes of the top sector Energy: Energy saving in industry, Energy conservation in the built environment, Gas, Bio-energy, Smart grids, Offshore Wind, Solar PV. This provides insight into the follow-up activities and lessons of some EOS (Energy Research Subsidy) completed projects with the aim to inspire, connect and strengthen the TKIs (Topconsortia for Knowledge and Innovation) and individual companies and researchers working on energy innovation. This report concerns the research on bio-energy [Dutch] Er is een kwalitatief onderzoek uitgevoerd naar de resultaten van afgeronde projecten gericht op energie-innovatie, verdeeld over de zeven thema's van de topsector Energie: Energiebesparing in de industrie; Energiebesparing in de gebouwde omgeving; Gas; Bio-energie; Smart grids; Wind op zee; Zon-pv. Daarmee wordt inzicht gegeven in de vervolgactiviteiten en lessen van een aantal afgesloten EOS-projecten (Energie Onderzoek Subsidie) met het oog op het inspireren, verbinden en versterken van de TKI's (Topconsortia voor Kennis en Innovatie) en individuele bedrijven en onderzoekers die werken aan energie-innovatie. Dit rapport betreft het onderzoek naar bio-energie.

Bio-energy. Innovators talking; Bio-energie. Innovators aan het woord

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2013-02-15

Qualitative studies have been conducted of the results of completed projects focused on energy innovation, spread over the seven themes of the top sector Energy: Energy saving in industry, Energy conservation in the built environment, Gas, Bio-energy, Smart grids, Offshore Wind, Solar PV. This provides insight into the follow-up activities and lessons of some EOS (Energy Research Subsidy) completed projects with the aim to inspire, connect and strengthen the TKIs (Topconsortia for Knowledge and Innovation) and individual companies and researchers working on energy innovation. This report concerns the research on bio-energy [Dutch] Er is een kwalitatief onderzoek uitgevoerd naar de resultaten van afgeronde projecten gericht op energie-innovatie, verdeeld over de zeven thema's van de topsector Energie: Energiebesparing in de industrie; Energiebesparing in de gebouwde omgeving; Gas; Bio-energie; Smart grids; Wind op zee; Zon-pv. Daarmee wordt inzicht gegeven in de vervolgactiviteiten en lessen van een aantal afgesloten EOS-projecten (Energie Onderzoek Subsidie) met het oog op het inspireren, verbinden en versterken van de TKI's (Topconsortia voor Kennis en Innovatie) en individuele bedrijven en onderzoekers die werken aan energie-innovatie. Dit rapport betreft het onderzoek naar bio-energie.

The BioC-BioGRID corpus: full text articles annotated for curation of protein–protein and genetic interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Sun; Chatr-aryamontri, Andrew; Chang, Christie S.; Oughtred, Rose; Rust, Jennifer; Wilbur, W. John; Comeau, Donald C.; Dolinski, Kara; Tyers, Mike

2017-01-01

A great deal of information on the molecular genetics and biochemistry of model organisms has been reported in the scientific literature. However, this data is typically described in free text form and is not readily amenable to computational analyses. To this end, the BioGRID database systematically curates the biomedical literature for genetic and protein interaction data. This data is provided in a standardized computationally tractable format and includes structured annotation of experimental evidence. BioGRID curation necessarily involves substantial human effort by expert curators who must read each publication to extract the relevant information. Computational text-mining methods offer the potential to augment and accelerate manual curation. To facilitate the development of practical text-mining strategies, a new challenge was organized in BioCreative V for the BioC task, the collaborative Biocurator Assistant Task. This was a non-competitive, cooperative task in which the participants worked together to build BioC-compatible modules into an integrated pipeline to assist BioGRID curators. As an integral part of this task, a test collection of full text articles was developed that contained both biological entity annotations (gene/protein and organism/species) and molecular interaction annotations (protein–protein and genetic interactions (PPIs and GIs)). This collection, which we call the BioC-BioGRID corpus, was annotated by four BioGRID curators over three rounds of annotation and contains 120 full text articles curated in a dataset representing two major model organisms, namely budding yeast and human. The BioC-BioGRID corpus contains annotations for 6409 mentions of genes and their Entrez Gene IDs, 186 mentions of organism names and their NCBI Taxonomy IDs, 1867 mentions of PPIs and 701 annotations of PPI experimental evidence statements, 856 mentions of GIs and 399 annotations of GI evidence statements. The purpose, characteristics and possible future

Addressing the nation's physician workforce needs: The Society of General Internal Medicine (SGIM) recommendations on graduate medical education reform.

Science.gov (United States)

Jackson, Angela; Baron, Robert B; Jaeger, Jeffrey; Liebow, Mark; Plews-Ogan, Margaret; Schwartz, Mark D

2014-11-01

The Graduate Medical Education (GME) system in the United States (US) has garnered worldwide respect, graduating over 25,000 new physicians from over 8,000 residency and fellowship programs annually. GME is the portal of entry to medical practice and licensure in the US, and the pathway through which resident physicians develop the competence to practice independently and further develop their career plans. The number and specialty distribution of available GME positions shapes the overall composition of our national workforce; however, GME is failing to provide appropriate programs that support the delivery of our society's system of healthcare. This paper, prepared by the Health Policy Education Subcommittee of the Society of General Internal Medicine (SGIM) and unanimously endorsed by SGIM's Council, outlines a set of recommendations on how to reform the GME system to best prepare a physician workforce that can provide high quality, high value, population-based, and patient-centered health care, aligned with the dynamic needs of our nation's healthcare delivery system. These recommendations include: accurate workforce needs assessment, broadened GME funding sources, increased transparency of the use of GME dollars, and implementation of incentives to increase the accountability of GME-funded programs for the preparation and specialty selection of their program graduates.

Quality management of clinical-practical instruction for Practical Year medical students in Germany - proposal for a catalogue of criteria from the German Society of Medical Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Raes, Patricia; Angstwurm, Matthias; Berberat, Pascal; Kadmon, Martina; Rotgans, Jerome; Streitlein-Böhme, Irmgard; Burckhardt, Gerhard; Fischer, Martin R

2014-01-01

Amended in 2013, the current version of the German Medical Licensure Regulation contains structural specifications that are also required of non-university institutions involved in Practical Year clinical training. The criteria are worded in relatively general terms. Furthermore, not all of the structural specifications can be readily applied to every subject area. In order to ensure commensurability in Practical Year instruction in Germany, not least in light of recently introduced Practical Year mobility, it is necessary to define consistent quality criteria for Practical Year training. The authors therefore propose a catalogue of criteria for the quality management process in Practical Year instruction facilities. In January 2014, the board of directors of the German Society for Medical Education decided to establish a committee comprised of representatives from various German medical faculties. In a process similar to the Delphi methodology, the group developed criteria for structure, process and outcome quality in Practical Year training in Germany. The criteria developed for structure, process and outcome quality apply to Practical Year training in academic teaching hospitals and university medical centres. Furthermore, modalities for review are proposed. The present catalogue of criteria is intended to contribute to the formation of a basis for the most consistent quality standards possible for Practical Year instruction in Germany.

Bio-ethanol

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wenzel, Henrik

2007-01-01

, there is not enough biomass for 'everyone', not physically and not in terms of money to promote its use. This leads to the conclusion that any use of biomass for energy purposes will have to compare to the lost opportunity of using it for something else. In this perspective, the choice to use biomass for bio......-ethanol production will not lead to reduction but to increase in CO2 emission and fossil fuel dependency. Both first and second generation bio-ethanol suffer from a biomass-to-ethanol energy conversion efficiency as low as 30-40 %, and moreover external fossil fuels are used to run the conversion. There is only......, but they do not improve the energy balance enough for bio-ethanol to compete with alternative uses of the biomass. When using biomass to substitute fossil fuels in heat & power production, a close to 100% substitution efficiency is achieved. The best alternative for CO2 reduction and oil saving is, therefore...

Bio diesel, v. 15(58)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gicheva, Ljubitsa

2007-01-01

The history of bio-fuels/bio-diesel is more political and economical than it is technological. The technology of the production is the same as it was 200 years ago. The economy closed the usage of bio-fuels in the middies of the 20 Th century and put it back on the agenda of the world economy at the beginning of the 21 st century. With price of more then 70 US$ per barrel of grudge oil, production and usage of bio-fuels becomes more economical category rather than political and ecological. If we, additionally, add secondary, yet nowadays very important factors, as ecological protection, recycling the emission of poisonous gasses, exploitation of agro sector, then the reincarnation of bio-fuels is very interesting, and for Macedonia a potentially strategic category. The basics of the biography is to follow in the article paying special attention on the characteristics, standards, production, processing and usage of the bio-diesel fuel as well as the blended B20 and B5. (Author)

Bio diesel, v. 15(59)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gicheva, Ljubitsa

2007-01-01

The history of bio-fuels/bio-diesel is more political and economical than it is technological. The technology of the production is the same as it was 200 years ago. The economy closed the usage of bio-fuels in the middies of the 20 Th century and put it back on the agenda of the world economy at the beginning of the 21 st century. With price of more then 70 US$ per barrel of grudge oil, production and usage of bio-fuels becomes more economical category rather than political and ecological. If we, additionally, add secondary, yet nowadays very important factors, as ecological protection, recycling the emission of poisonous gasses, exploitation of agro sector, then the reincarnation of bio-fuels is very interesting, and for Macedonia a potentially strategic category. The basics of the biography is to follow in the article paying special attention on the characteristics, standards, production, processing and usage of the bio-diesel fuel as well as the blended B20 and B5. (Author)

The basis for a Platform Bio-Energy. Combining forces for the Dutch bio-energy business

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Halen, C.J.G.

1998-02-01

It appears that there is a need for a community of interests in the field of bio-energy to solve numerous problems and to answer many questions with respect to the development of businesses that are active in the field of bio-energy. The title study was carried out in the third and fourth quarter of 1997 by means of surveys and depth interviews among representatives of bio-energy businesses, interest groups and research institutes. The majority of the respondents supports the foundation of the Platform Bio-Energy and suggests many different activities

Management of hemodynamically unstable pelvic trauma: results of the first Italian consensus conference (cooperative guidelines of the Italian Society of Surgery, the Italian Association of Hospital Surgeons, the Multi-specialist Italian Society of Young Surgeons, the Italian Society of Emergency Surgery and Trauma, the Italian Society of Anesthesia, Analgesia, Resuscitation and Intensive Care, the Italian Society of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, the Italian Society of Emergency Medicine, the Italian Society of Medical Radiology -Section of Vascular and Interventional Radiology- and the World Society of Emergency Surgery)

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Hemodynamically Unstable Pelvic Trauma is a major problem in blunt traumatic injury. No cosensus has been reached in literature on the optimal treatment of this condition. We present the results of the First Italian Consensus Conference on Pelvic Trauma which took place in Bergamo on April 13 2013. An extensive review of the literature has been undertaken by the Organizing Committee (OC) and forwarded to the Scientific Committee (SC) and the Panel (JP). Members of them were appointed by surgery, critical care, radiology, emergency medicine and orthopedics Italian and International societies: the Italian Society of Surgery, the Italian Association of Hospital Surgeons, the Multi-specialist Italian Society of Young Surgeons, the Italian Society of Emergency Surgery and Trauma, the Italian Society of Anesthesia, Analgesia, Resuscitation and Intensive Care, the Italian Society of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, the Italian Society of Emergency Medicine, the Italian Society of Medical Radiology, Section of Vascular and Interventional Radiology and the World Society of Emergency Surgery. From November 2012 to January 2013 the SC undertook the critical revision and prepared the presentation to the audience and the Panel on the day of the Conference. Then 3 recommendations were presented according to the 3 submitted questions. The Panel voted the recommendations after discussion and amendments with the audience. Later on a email debate took place until December 2013 to reach a unanimous consent. We present results on the 3 following questions: which hemodynamically unstable patient needs an extraperitoneal pelvic packing? Which hemodynamically unstable patient needs an external fixation? Which hemodynamically unstable patient needs emergent angiography? No longer angiography is considered the first therapeutic maneuver in such a patient. Preperitoneal pelvic packing and external fixation, preceded by pelvic binder have a pivotal role in the management of these patients

The Deep-Sea Natural Products, Biogenic Polyphosphate (Bio-PolyP and Biogenic Silica (Bio-Silica, as Biomimetic Scaffolds for Bone Tissue Engineering: Fabrication of a Morphogenetically-Active Polymer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Florian Draenert

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Bone defects in human, caused by fractures/nonunions or trauma, gain increasing impact and have become a medical challenge in the present-day aging population. Frequently, those fractures require surgical intervention which ideally relies on autografts or suboptimally on allografts. Therefore, it is pressing and likewise challenging to develop bone substitution materials to heal bone defects. During the differentiation of osteoblasts from their mesenchymal progenitor/stem cells and of osteoclasts from their hemopoietic precursor cells, a lineage-specific release of growth factors and a trans-lineage homeostatic cross-talk via signaling molecules take place. Hence, the major hurdle is to fabricate a template that is functioning in a way mimicking the morphogenetic, inductive role(s of the native extracellular matrix. In the last few years, two naturally occurring polymers that are produced by deep-sea sponges, the biogenic polyphosphate (bio-polyP and biogenic silica (bio-silica have also been identified as promoting morphogenetic on both osteoblasts and osteoclasts. These polymers elicit cytokines that affect bone mineralization (hydroxyapatite formation. In this manner, bio-silica and bio-polyP cause an increased release of BMP-2, the key mediator activating the anabolic arm of the hydroxyapatite forming cells, and of RANKL. In addition, bio-polyP inhibits the progression of the pre-osteoclasts to functionally active osteoclasts. Based on these findings, new bioinspired strategies for the fabrication of bone biomimetic templates have been developed applying 3D-printing techniques. Finally, a strategy is outlined by which these two morphogenetically active polymers might be used to develop a novel functionally active polymer.

The Deep-Sea Natural Products, Biogenic Polyphosphate (Bio-PolyP) and Biogenic Silica (Bio-Silica), as Biomimetic Scaffolds for Bone Tissue Engineering: Fabrication of a Morphogenetically-Active Polymer

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xiaohong; Schröder, Heinz C.; Feng, Qingling; Draenert, Florian; Müller, Werner E. G.

2013-01-01

Bone defects in human, caused by fractures/nonunions or trauma, gain increasing impact and have become a medical challenge in the present-day aging population. Frequently, those fractures require surgical intervention which ideally relies on autografts or suboptimally on allografts. Therefore, it is pressing and likewise challenging to develop bone substitution materials to heal bone defects. During the differentiation of osteoblasts from their mesenchymal progenitor/stem cells and of osteoclasts from their hemopoietic precursor cells, a lineage-specific release of growth factors and a trans-lineage homeostatic cross-talk via signaling molecules take place. Hence, the major hurdle is to fabricate a template that is functioning in a way mimicking the morphogenetic, inductive role(s) of the native extracellular matrix. In the last few years, two naturally occurring polymers that are produced by deep-sea sponges, the biogenic polyphosphate (bio-polyP) and biogenic silica (bio-silica) have also been identified as promoting morphogenetic on both osteoblasts and osteoclasts. These polymers elicit cytokines that affect bone mineralization (hydroxyapatite formation). In this manner, bio-silica and bio-polyP cause an increased release of BMP-2, the key mediator activating the anabolic arm of the hydroxyapatite forming cells, and of RANKL. In addition, bio-polyP inhibits the progression of the pre-osteoclasts to functionally active osteoclasts. Based on these findings, new bioinspired strategies for the fabrication of bone biomimetic templates have been developed applying 3D-printing techniques. Finally, a strategy is outlined by which these two morphogenetically active polymers might be used to develop a novel functionally active polymer. PMID:23528950

Relations between professional medical associations and the health-care industry, concerning scientific communication and continuing medical education: a policy statement from the European Society of Cardiology.

Science.gov (United States)

2012-06-01

Physicians have an ethical duty to keep up-to-date with current knowledge. Professional medical associations such as the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) support these obligations. In Europe, the costs of continuing medical education (CME) are insufficiently supported from governments and employers; however, medical associations have been criticized for accepting alternative financial support from industry. Medical education and training in research include learning how to assess the quality and reliability of any information. There is some risk of bias in any form of scientific communication including intellectual, professional, and financial and it is essential that in particular, the latter must be acknowledged by full disclosure. It is essential that there is strong collaboration between basic and clinical researchers from academic institutions on the one hand, with engineers and scientists from the research divisions of device and pharmaceutical companies on the other. This is vital so that new diagnostic methods and treatments are developed. Promotion of advances by industry may accelerate their implementation into clinical practice. Universities now frequently exhort their academic staff to protect their intellectual property or commercialize their research. Thus, it is not commercial activity or links per se that have become the target for criticism but the perceived influence of commercial enterprises on clinical decision-making or on messages conveyed by professional medical organizations. This document offers the perspective of the ESC on the current debate, and it recommends how to minimize bias in scientific communications and CME and how to ensure proper ethical standards and transparency in relations between the medical profession and industry.

[Rural medical practice at the beginning of the 20th century. Martínez Saldise (1855-1937), honorary member of Paediatric Society of Madrid in 1927].

Science.gov (United States)

Zafra Anta, Miguel Ángel; Flores Martín, Carlos; Ponte Hernando, Fernando Julio; Gil García, Andrés; Gómez López, Ana; Fernández Durán, Carla

2016-01-01

On the centenary of the foundation of the Paediatrics Society of Madrid, a tribute is presented to rural medical practice of that time, although there are few documents on the history of rural medicine. The main objective is to describe the context of the rural medical practice in the late 19th and beginning 20th century, while presenting a historical biographical review of Manuel Martínez Saldise, who was medical specialist from Cazalegas (Toledo). He was appointed an Honorary Member by the Paediatrics Society of Madrid in 1927. A search was carried out in repositories of digitized media, web portals of history of medicine, PubMed, IME files of local councils and medical colleges. The family archives were reviewed with the collaboration of his descendants. The hiring of rural doctors was carried out by the municipalities, and the salary largely depended on private practice as well as "retainers". Specialist physicians took part in epidemics, legal medicine, and in hygiene measures. They also had disputes with mayors, chiefs, with colleagues and with protectionism. A summary of the biography and occupational activity of Manuel Martínez Saldise is presented. Rural doctors were subjected to the society of their time, with the issues that arose, denouncing the shortcomings of the local administrations, dedicated efforts to their family and the most disadvantaged. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

„Bio-politics Reflexes” or something about what happens with Bio-politics today

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Viorella Manolache

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Under the pressure dictated by Western modernity movements, life finally enters within strategic (long term relationships circuit. The present study establishes that, bio-politics and bio-power denounces the paradigm of politicization of the biological life. Foucault’s late writings confirm the subordination of bio-politics to the technologies of power, which integrate / reduce life to biological continuity of the species, to the objectification of individual body or investigation of self-techniques, that would allow (beyond the corset of the institutional, the (re affirmation of subjectivity as a force or a form of resistance. The present reactivation of the bio model establishes that we cannot evade Foucault’s view, in which, the biology- meeting – politics confirms that, none of the terms no longer retains its original meaning.

Review of the Proceedings of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO 2017 Congress

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. A. Kirichek

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO Congress in partnership with the European Association for Cancer Research took place between September 8th and 12th of 2017 in Madrid. In 42 years of its existence, the forum has grown from a regional educational meeting in Europe to the main international event in oncology. The key topic of this Congress was integration of molecular biology knowledge with clinical specialties. The ESMO 2017 Congress united almost 24,000 professionals of various fields from 131 countries who submitted 1736 abstracts. More than 50 scientific abstracts which were deemed worthy of special discussion and capable of changing current clinical practice, were separated into a category of late-breaking abstract (LBA. This review highlights some important topics of oncological urology that were discussed at the ESMO 2017 Congress.

A versatile electrowetting-based digital microfluidic platform for quantitative homogeneous and heterogeneous bio-assays

Science.gov (United States)

Vergauwe, Nicolas; Witters, Daan; Ceyssens, Frederik; Vermeir, Steven; Verbruggen, Bert; Puers, Robert; Lammertyn, Jeroen

2011-05-01

Electrowetting-on-dielectric (EWOD) lab-on-a-chip systems have already proven their potential within a broad range of bio-assays. Nevertheless, research on the analytical performance of those systems is limited, yet crucial for a further breakthrough in the diagnostic field. Therefore, this paper presents the intrinsic possibilities of an EWOD lab-on-a-chip as a versatile platform for homogeneous and heterogeneous bio-assays with high analytical performance. Both droplet dispensing and splitting cause variations in droplet size, thereby directly influencing the assay's performance. The extent to which they influence the performance is assessed by a theoretical sensitivity analysis, which allows the definition of a basic framework for the reduction of droplet size variability. Taking advantage of the optimized droplet manipulations, both homogeneous and heterogeneous bio-assays are implemented in the EWOD lab-on-a-chip to demonstrate the analytical capabilities and versatility of the device. A fully on-chip enzymatic assay is realized with high analytical performance. It demonstrates the promising capabilities of an EWOD lab-on-a-chip in food-related and medical applications, such as nutritional and blood analyses. Further, a magnetic bio-assay for IgE detection using superparamagnetic nanoparticles is presented whereby the nanoparticles are used as solid carriers during the bio-assay. Crucial elements are the precise manipulation of the superparamagnetic nanoparticles with respect to dispensing and separation. Although the principle of using nano-carriers is demonstrated for protein detection, it can be easily extended to a broader range of bio-related applications like DNA sensing. In heterogeneous bio-assays the chip surface is actively involved during the execution of the bio-assay. Through immobilization of specific biological compounds like DNA, proteins and cells a reactive chip surface is realized, which enhances the bio-assay performance. To demonstrate

Bio fertilizer Application in a Fertigation System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmad Nazrul Abd Wahid; Latiffah Noordin; Hoe, P.C.K.

2011-01-01

Bio fertilizers contain live beneficial microorganisms that provide nutrients and other benefits to crops. At present, bio fertilizers can be found in solid and liquid forms. Liquid bio fertilizer can be one of the alternatives to chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Liquid bio fertilizer is produced through culturing of microorganisms that are known to have specific capabilities in helping plant growth. However, application of bio fertilizers in the form of solution is more tedious than that of solid bio fertilizers, which can be applied directly to plants, whereas the liquid form requires several stages of preparation before it can be applied to crops. In Malaysian Nuclear Agency, a study on the distribution of liquid bio fertilizers to crops through the fertigation system has been conducted. In Malaysia, this study has not been conducted in depth, since the present fertigation system is associated to delivery of solubilised mineral fertilizers. This paper discusses the application of liquid bio fertilizers through a fertigation system. Discussions cover technical aspects of bio fertilizer preparation and its application via the said system. Tomato plant was used as test crop to determine the capability and efficiency of bio fertilizer application through the fertigation system. (author)

To be, or not to be biodegradable… that is the question for the bio-based plastics.

Science.gov (United States)

Prieto, Auxiliadora

2016-09-01

Global warming, market and production capacity are being the key drivers for selecting the main players for the next decades in the market of bio-based plastics. The drop-in bio-based polymers such as the bio-based polyethylene terephtalate (PET) or polyethylene (PE), chemically identical to their petrochemical counterparts but having a component of biological origin, are in the top of the list. They are followed by new polymers such as PHA and PLA with a significant market growth rate since 2014 with projections to 2020. Research will provide improved strains designed through synthetic and systems biology approaches; furthermore, the use of low-cost substrates will contribute to the widespread application of these bio- based polymers. The durability of plastics is not considered anymore as a virtue, and interesting bioprospecting strategies to isolate microorganisms for assimilating the recalcitrant plastics will pave the way for in vivo strategies for plastic mineralization. In this context, waste management of bio-based plastic will be one of the most important issues in the near future in terms of the circular economy. There is a clear need for standardized labelling and sorting instructions, which should be regulated in a coordinated way by policymakers and material producers. © 2016 The Author. Microbial Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Society for Applied Microbiology.

Unraveling Dutch citizens' perceptions on the bio-based economy : The case of bioplastics, bio-jetfuels and small-scale bio-refineries

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lynch, Durwin H J; Klaassen, Pim; Broerse, Jacqueline E W

2017-01-01

Little is known about how citizens perceive the transition towards a bio-based economy (BBE), despite the fact that they are one of the most important actors in this transition. Citizens' perceptions of bio-based innovations can support policy-makers to improve the quality of decision-making and the

The BioC-BioGRID corpus: full text articles annotated for curation of protein-protein and genetic interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Islamaj Dogan, Rezarta; Kim, Sun; Chatr-Aryamontri, Andrew; Chang, Christie S; Oughtred, Rose; Rust, Jennifer; Wilbur, W John; Comeau, Donald C; Dolinski, Kara; Tyers, Mike

2017-01-01

A great deal of information on the molecular genetics and biochemistry of model organisms has been reported in the scientific literature. However, this data is typically described in free text form and is not readily amenable to computational analyses. To this end, the BioGRID database systematically curates the biomedical literature for genetic and protein interaction data. This data is provided in a standardized computationally tractable format and includes structured annotation of experimental evidence. BioGRID curation necessarily involves substantial human effort by expert curators who must read each publication to extract the relevant information. Computational text-mining methods offer the potential to augment and accelerate manual curation. To facilitate the development of practical text-mining strategies, a new challenge was organized in BioCreative V for the BioC task, the collaborative Biocurator Assistant Task. This was a non-competitive, cooperative task in which the participants worked together to build BioC-compatible modules into an integrated pipeline to assist BioGRID curators. As an integral part of this task, a test collection of full text articles was developed that contained both biological entity annotations (gene/protein and organism/species) and molecular interaction annotations (protein-protein and genetic interactions (PPIs and GIs)). This collection, which we call the BioC-BioGRID corpus, was annotated by four BioGRID curators over three rounds of annotation and contains 120 full text articles curated in a dataset representing two major model organisms, namely budding yeast and human. The BioC-BioGRID corpus contains annotations for 6409 mentions of genes and their Entrez Gene IDs, 186 mentions of organism names and their NCBI Taxonomy IDs, 1867 mentions of PPIs and 701 annotations of PPI experimental evidence statements, 856 mentions of GIs and 399 annotations of GI evidence statements. The purpose, characteristics and possible future

Bio-Medical Waste Managment in a Tertiary Care Hospital: An Overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Pandey, Anita; Ahuja, Sanjiv; Madan, Molly; Asthana, Ajay Kumar

2016-11-01

Bio-Medical Waste (BMW) management is of utmost importance as its improper management poses serious threat to health care workers, waste handlers, patients, care givers, community and finally the environment. Simultaneously, the health care providers should know the quantity of waste generated in their facility and try to reduce the waste generation in day-to-day work because lesser amount of BMW means a lesser burden on waste disposal work and cost saving. To have an overview of management of BMW in a tertiary care teaching hospital so that effective interventions and implementations can be carried out for better outcome. The observational study was carried out over a period of five months from January 2016 to May 2016 in Chhatrapati Shivaji Subharti Hospital, Meerut by the Infection Control Team (ICT). Assessment of knowledge was carried out by asking set of questions individually and practice regarding awareness of BMW Management among the Health Care Personnel (HCP) was carried out by direct observation in the workplace. Further, the total BMW generated from the present setup in kilogram per bed per day was calculated by dividing the mean waste generated per day by the number of occupied beds. Segregation of BMW was being done at the site of generation in almost all the areas of the hospital in color coded polythene bags as per the hospital protocol. The different types of waste being collected were infectious solid waste in red bag, soiled infectious waste in yellow bag and sharp waste in puncture proof container and blue bag. Though awareness (knowledge) about segregation of BMW was seen in 90% of the HCP, 30%-35% did not practice. Out of the total waste generated (57912 kg.), 8686.8 kg. (15%) was infectious waste. Average infectious waste generated was 0.341 Kg per bed per day. The transport, treatment and disposal of each collected waste were outsourced and carried out by 'Synergy' waste management Pvt. Ltd. The practice of BMW Management was lacking in 30

Bio-Oil Analysis Laboratory Procedures | Bioenergy | NREL

Science.gov (United States)

Bio-Oil Analysis Laboratory Procedures Bio-Oil Analysis Laboratory Procedures NREL develops laboratory analytical procedures (LAPs) for the analysis of raw and upgraded pyrolysis bio-oils. These standard procedures have been validated and allow for reliable bio-oil analysis. Procedures Determination

After the Biomedical Technology Revolution: Where to Now for a Bio-Psycho-Social Approach to Social Work?

Science.gov (United States)

Healy, Karen

2016-07-01

In the late twentieth century, the bio-psycho-social framework emerged as a powerful influence on the conceptualisation and delivery of health and rehabilitation services including social work services in these fields. The bio-psycho-social framework is built on a systems view of health and well-being ( Garland and Howard, 2009). The systems perspective encourages medical and allied health professions, including social work, to recognise and to respond to the multiple systems impacting on individual health and well-being ( Engel, 2003). This paper analyses how advances in biomedical technology, particularly in the fields of neuroscience and human genomics, are challenging the bio-psycho-social approach to practice. The paper examines the pressures on the social work profession to embrace biomedical science and points to the problems in doing so. The conclusion points to some tentative ways forward for social workers to engage critically with biomedical advances and to strengthen the bio-psycho-social framework in the interests of holistic and ethical approaches to social work practice.

Bio-methane via fast pyrolysis of biomass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Görling, Martin; Larsson, Mårten; Alvfors, Per

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Pyrolysis gases can efficiently be upgraded to bio-methane. ► The integration can increase energy efficiency and provide a renewable vehicle fuel. ► The biomass to bio-methane conversion efficiency is 83% (HHV). ► The efficiency is higher compared to bio-methane produced via gasification. ► Competitive alternative to other alternatives of bio-oil upgrading. - Abstract: Bio-methane, a renewable vehicle fuel, is today produced by anaerobic digestion and a 2nd generation production route via gasification is under development. This paper proposes a poly-generation plant that produces bio-methane, bio-char and heat via fast pyrolysis of biomass. The energy and material flows for the fuel synthesis are calculated by process simulation in Aspen Plus®. The production of bio-methane and bio-char amounts to 15.5 MW and 3.7 MW, when the total inputs are 23 MW raw biomass and 1.39 MW electricity respectively (HHV basis). The results indicate an overall efficiency of 84% including high-temperature heat and the biomass to bio-methane yield amounts to 83% after allocation of the biomass input to the final products (HHV basis). The overall energy efficiency is higher for the suggested plant than for the gasification production route and is therefore a competitive route for bio-methane production

Report on the surveys in fiscal 1999. Surveys on foundations for establishing industrial technology strategies (Strategies by fields - Bio technology field); 1999 nendo sangyo gijutsu senryaku sakutei kiban chosa hokokusho. Bun'yabetsu gijutsu senryaku (Bio technology bun'ya)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2000-03-01

In order to deal with strengthening of competitive power in the bio-technological field and social requirements thereon, it was intended to establish target setting, ways to achieve the objectives, and technological strategies including extraction of policy problems, by combining the wisdom possessed by industries, governmental organizations, and academic world. Section 1 describes the result of the surveys on establishing technological strategies by fields. America tackles importantly with matters related to life science. Japan is strong in fermentation technologies, bio-reactors, and enzyme engineering. Japan stands nearly equal, or is slightly inferior to America in clone livestocks and bio-sensors. Japan's competitiveness is very low in such advanced technology fields as gene therapies, gene combined agricultural products, bio-agricultural chemicals, gene exploration technologies, and gene diagnosis. Section 2 describes technological strategies in four fields. To explain, the improvement in foundations to raise efficiencies in research and development and industrialization processes, strategies to place importance on such industrial fields as realizing 'wishes of people for happiness of diversified nature', the improvement of the environment in which people and societies can enjoy benefits brought about by growth of the industries, and structuring of institutions to promote industrialization of bio-technologies for the nation as a whole. (NEDO)

Bio-threat microparticle simulants

Science.gov (United States)

Farquar, George Roy; Leif, Roald N

2012-10-23

A bio-threat simulant that includes a carrier and DNA encapsulated in the carrier. Also a method of making a simulant including the steps of providing a carrier and encapsulating DNA in the carrier to produce the bio-threat simulant.

Bio-threat microparticle simulants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Farquar, George Roy; Leif, Roald

2014-09-16

A bio-threat simulant that includes a carrier and DNA encapsulated in the carrier. Also a method of making a simulant including the steps of providing a carrier and encapsulating DNA in the carrier to produce the bio-threat simulant.

Bio-fuel production potential in Romania

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laurentiu, F.; Silvian, F.; Dumitru, F.

2006-01-01

The paper is based on the ESTO Study: Techno- Economic Feasibility of Large-Scale Production of Bio-Fuels in EU-Candidate Countries. Bio-fuel production has not been taken into account significantly until now in Romania, being limited to small- scale productions of ethanol, used mostly for various industrial purposes. However the climatic conditions and the quality of the soil are very suitable in the country for development of the main crops (wheat, sugar-beet, sunflower and rape-seed) used in bio-ethanol and bio-diesel production. The paper intended to consider a pertinent discussion of the present situation in Romania's agriculture stressing on the following essential items in the estimation of bio-fuels production potential: availability of feed-stock for bio-fuel production; actual productions of bio-fuels; fuel consumption; cost assessment; SWOT approach; expected trends. Our analysis was based on specific agricultural data for the period 1996-2000. An important ethanol potential (due to wheat, sugar-beet and maize cultures), as well as bio-diesel one (due to sun-flower and rape-seed) were predicted for the period 2005-2010 which could be exploited with the support of an important financial and technological effort, mainly from EU countries

Developments in Veterinary Medical Education : Intentions, perceptions, learning processes and outcomes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jaarsma, A.D.C.

2008-01-01

The past decennia, veterinary medical education worldwide has gone through some rapid and major developments. Motivation for these developments were, among others, the explosion of (bio) medical knowledge, the related problem of curriculum overload and the mismatch between university and the

Round table on bio-fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-11-01

The French ministers of agriculture and of industry have organized a meeting with the main French actors of agriculture, petroleum industry, car making and accessories industry and with professionals of agriculture machines to encourage the development of bio-fuels in France. This meeting took place in Paris in November 21, 2005. Its aim was to favor the partnerships between the different actors and the public authorities in order to reach the ambitious goals of the government of 5.75% of bio-fuels in fossil fuels by 2008, 7% by 2010 and 10% by 2015. The main points discussed by the participants were: the compatibility of automotive fuel standards with the objectives of bio-fuel incorporation, the development of direct incorporation of methanol in gasoline, the ethanol-ETBE partnership, the question of the lower calorific value of ETBE (ethyl tertio butyl ether), the development of new bio-fuels, the development of bio-diesel and the specific case of pure vegetal oils, and the fiscal framework of bio-fuels. This meeting has permitted to reach important improvements with 15 concrete agreements undertaken by the participants. (J.S.)

Chitosan: An undisputed bio-fabrication material for tissue engineering and bio-sensing applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Baranwal, Anupriya; Kumar, Ashutosh; Priyadharshini, A; Oggu, Gopi Suresh; Bhatnagar, Ira; Srivastava, Ananya; Chandra, Pranjal

2018-04-15

Biopolymers have been serving the mankind in various ways since long. Over the last few years, these polymers have found great demand in various domains which includes bio medicine, tissue engineering, bio sensor fabrications etc. because of their excellent bio compatibility. In this context, chitosan has found global attention due to its environmentally benign nature, biocompatibility, biodegradability, and ease of availability. In last one decade or so, extensive research in active biomaterials, like chitosan has led to the development of novel delivery systems for drugs, genes, and biomolecules; and regenerative medicine. Additionally, chitosan has also witnessed its usage in functionalization of biocompatible materials, nanoparticle (NP) synthesis, and immobilization of various bio-recognition elements (BREs) to form active bio-surfaces with great ease. Keeping these aspects in mind, we have written a comprehensive review which aims to acquaint its readers with the exceptional properties of chitosan and its usage in the domain of biomedicine, tissue engineering, and biosensor fabrication. Herein, we have briefly explained various aspects of direct utilization of chitosan and then presented vivid strategies towards formulation of chitosan based nanocomposites for biomedicine, tissue engineering, and biosensing applications. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Medical impacts of anthropometric records. | Adebisi | Annals of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Anthropology is now one of the inter-disciplinary scientific fields that is gaining much attention in forensic, socio-cultural, industrial and bio-medical applications. There is a need for a better awareness of some of the impacts - past and present, in the medical practice, of the records that were obtained by workers in this field in ...

Alkaline phosphatase immobilization onto Bio-Gide(R) and Bio-Oss(R) for periodontal and bone regeneration.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Oortgiesen, D.A.W.; Plachokova, A.S.; Geenen, C.; Meijer, G.J.; Walboomers, X.F.; Beucken, J.J.J.P van den; Jansen, J.B.M.J.

2012-01-01

AIM: To evaluate the effect of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) immobilization onto Bio-Gide((R)) in vitro, and to study the in vivo performance of ALP-enriched Bio-Gide((R)) and/or Bio-Oss((R)) with the purpose to enhance periodontal regeneration. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Alkaline phosphatase ALP was

Negated bio-events: analysis and identification

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background Negation occurs frequently in scientific literature, especially in biomedical literature. It has previously been reported that around 13% of sentences found in biomedical research articles contain negation. Historically, the main motivation for identifying negated events has been to ensure their exclusion from lists of extracted interactions. However, recently, there has been a growing interest in negative results, which has resulted in negation detection being identified as a key challenge in biomedical relation extraction. In this article, we focus on the problem of identifying negated bio-events, given gold standard event annotations. Results We have conducted a detailed analysis of three open access bio-event corpora containing negation information (i.e., GENIA Event, BioInfer and BioNLP’09 ST), and have identified the main types of negated bio-events. We have analysed the key aspects of a machine learning solution to the problem of detecting negated events, including selection of negation cues, feature engineering and the choice of learning algorithm. Combining the best solutions for each aspect of the problem, we propose a novel framework for the identification of negated bio-events. We have evaluated our system on each of the three open access corpora mentioned above. The performance of the system significantly surpasses the best results previously reported on the BioNLP’09 ST corpus, and achieves even better results on the GENIA Event and BioInfer corpora, both of which contain more varied and complex events. Conclusions Recently, in the field of biomedical text mining, the development and enhancement of event-based systems has received significant interest. The ability to identify negated events is a key performance element for these systems. We have conducted the first detailed study on the analysis and identification of negated bio-events. Our proposed framework can be integrated with state-of-the-art event extraction systems. The

Bio-oils and other bio fuels used in heat- and power generation; Flytande biobraenslen foer el- och vaermeproduktion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sandgren, Annamaria; Ekdahl, Emma; Sernhed, Kerstin; Lindstroem, Erica

2010-05-15

The purpose of this study was to assemble and disseminate knowledge about bio-oils and other bio fuels which are used for heat- and power generation or liquid bio fuels/oils that may become interesting in the future. One aim of this study was to give an updated picture of the Swedish market for bio-oils and to provide an overview of practical experience on the usage of bio-oils in the Swedish heat and power industry. In order to show a green profile, bio-oils can be used in the heat and power generation. However, not all bio-oils can be viewed as climate friendly. Some production of bio-oils may actually - if a lifecycle perspective is considered - lead to increased emissions of greenhouse gases, and there are also ethical issues that need to be considered. The data collection was carried out in three different fields. The objective of the first part was to create an overview of the Swedish market for liquid bio fuels/oils for heat and power production. The second part of the study aimed to clarify the issues surrounding environmental and ethical issues associated with the use of different bio-oils. A selection of oil crops for a closer study was made based on production volume (soybean, palm oil and rapeseed) and expected future potential (jatropha). This part of the study was based on a literature review. In the third part of the study technical and practical experiences from using bio-oils in heat and power production were studied. The interviews made with purchasing managers in the second part gave valuable information on which utilities would be the most interesting to interview for the study of technical and practical experiences, where interviews were carried out with persons familiar with the daily operation of the plant. The use of liquid bio fuels was about 4.3 % of total fuel use in Swedish district heating production in 2007 (1.2 % pine oil and 3.0 % other bio-oil). In other words, it is mainly bio-oils that have been used and not other types of liquid

Bio-oils and other bio fuels used in heat- and power generation; Flytande biobraenslen foer el- och vaermeproduktion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sandgren, Annamaria; Ekdahl, Emma; Sernhed, Kerstin; Lindstroem, Erica

2010-05-15

The purpose of this study was to assemble and disseminate knowledge about bio-oils and other bio fuels which are used for heat- and power generation or liquid bio fuels/oils that may become interesting in the future. One aim of this study was to give an updated picture of the Swedish market for bio-oils and to provide an overview of practical experience on the usage of bio-oils in the Swedish heat and power industry. In order to show a green profile, bio-oils can be used in the heat and power generation. However, not all bio-oils can be viewed as climate friendly. Some production of bio-oils may actually - if a lifecycle perspective is considered - lead to increased emissions of greenhouse gases, and there are also ethical issues that need to be considered. The data collection was carried out in three different fields. The objective of the first part was to create an overview of the Swedish market for liquid bio fuels/oils for heat and power production. The second part of the study aimed to clarify the issues surrounding environmental and ethical issues associated with the use of different bio-oils. A selection of oil crops for a closer study was made based on production volume (soybean, palm oil and rapeseed) and expected future potential (jatropha). This part of the study was based on a literature review. In the third part of the study technical and practical experiences from using bio-oils in heat and power production were studied. The interviews made with purchasing managers in the second part gave valuable information on which utilities would be the most interesting to interview for the study of technical and practical experiences, where interviews were carried out with persons familiar with the daily operation of the plant. The use of liquid bio fuels was about 4.3 % of total fuel use in Swedish district heating production in 2007 (1.2 % pine oil and 3.0 % other bio-oil). In other words, it is mainly bio-oils that have been used and not other types of liquid

Bio-Chemicals Derived from Waste: Building on the Concept of a Bio-Refinery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Habib, M.; Habib, U.; Khan, A.U.; Rehman, Z.U.; Zeb, A.; Moeed, A.; Pasha, M.K.; Memon, A.R.

2013-01-01

The work presented here has looked into the thermal-conversion of wheat and barley spent grains (SG). Wheat fermentation was carried in the laboratory to get a mashed product while barley grain residues were sourced from a local brewing company. Pyrolysis carried at 460, 520 and 540 Degree C at ambient conditions of pressure in a bench scale fluidized bed reactor resulted in producing bio-oil, charcoal and non-condensable gases. These products were characterized by using the Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), Differential Thermo-glavemetric Analysis (DTG), Elemental Analyzer (E.A) and a Bomb Calorimeter. The final pyrolysis product analysis revealed that the bio-oil production yields and Higher Heating Value (HHV) largely depended on the pyrolysis temperature and the sample type. In comparison with original raw grain samples, the analysis of thermally treated (pyrolysis) spent grains revealed the presence of high carbon and low oxygen contents. Results gathered in this work have shown that high bio-crude-oil production yields can be obtained at 520 Degree C (53 and 37wt percentage bio-oil from wheat and barley SG). Pyrolysis of wheat and barley SG resulted in giving a Higher Heating Value (HHV) of 21.80 and 21.86 MJ/kg at 540 and 460 Degree C, which is considerably more in comparison to their virgin counterparts. This suggested route thus has a potential for further up-gradation of waste bio-mass for use as an intermediate fuel or as a raw material source for producing other bio-chemicals. (author)

Safety Aspects of Bio-Based Nanomaterials.

Science.gov (United States)

Catalán, Julia; Norppa, Hannu

2017-12-01

Moving towards a bio-based and circular economy implies a major focus on the responsible and sustainable utilization of bio-resources. The emergence of nanotechnology has opened multiple possibilities, not only in the existing industrial sectors, but also for completely novel applications of nanoscale bio-materials, the commercial exploitation of which has only begun during the last few years. Bio-based materials are often assumed not to be toxic. However, this pre-assumption is not necessarily true. Here, we provide a short overview on health and environmental aspects associated with bio-based nanomaterials, and on the relevant regulatory requirements. We also discuss testing strategies that may be used for screening purposes at pre-commercial stages. Although the tests presently used to reveal hazards are still evolving, regarding modifi-cations required for nanomaterials, their application is needed before the upscaling or commercialization of bio-based nanomaterials, to ensure the market potential of the nanomaterials is not delayed by uncertainties about safety issues.

BioCMOS Interfaces and Co-Design

CERN Document Server

Carrara, Sandro

2013-01-01

The application of CMOS circuits and ASIC VLSI systems to problems in medicine and system biology has led to the emergence of Bio/CMOS Interfaces and Co-Design as an exciting and rapidly growing area of research. The mutual inter-relationships between VLSI-CMOS design and the biophysics of molecules interfacing with silicon and/or onto metals has led to the emergence of the interdisciplinary engineering approach to Bio/CMOS interfaces. This new approach, facilitated by 3D circuit design and nanotechnology, has resulted in new concepts and applications for VLSI systems in the bio-world. This book offers an invaluable reference to the state-of-the-art in Bio/CMOS interfaces. It describes leading-edge research in the field of CMOS design and VLSI development for applications requiring integration of biological molecules onto the chip. It provides multidisciplinary content ranging from biochemistry to CMOS design in order to address Bio/CMOS interface co-design in bio-sensing applications.

Which future for aviation bio-fuels?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Botti, Jean; Combarnous, Michel; Jarry, Bruno; Monsan, Pierre; Burzynski, Jean-Pierre; Jeuland, Nicolas; Porot, Pierre; Demoment, Pascale; Gillmann, Marc; Marchand, Philippe; Kuentzmann, Paul; Kurtsoglou, Nicolas; Lombaert-Valot, Isabelle; Pelegrin, Marc; Renvier, Jacques; Rousseau, Julien; Stadler, Thierry; Tremeau, Benoit

2014-01-01

This collective report proposes a detailed overview of the evolution of aviation fuels and bio-fuels from technological, regulatory and economic points of view. It also proposes a road-map for possible future evolutions, and outlines the different assessments between American and European countries regarding the predictions for the beginning of industrial production and use of bio-jet-fuel. After having recalled international objectives, an overview of European and French commitments for technological and operational advances, and a discussion of the role of bio-fuels in the carbon cycle, the report presents various technical constraints met in aircraft industry and describes the role bio-fuels may have. The next part proposes an overview of bio-fuels which are industrially produced in the world in 2013. The authors then focus on aviation bio-fuels (main production processes, thermo-chemical processes), discuss the political context, and examine obstacles, partnerships and the role of public authorities

Safety Aspects of Bio-Based Nanomaterials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julia Catalán

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Moving towards a bio-based and circular economy implies a major focus on the responsible and sustainable utilization of bio-resources. The emergence of nanotechnology has opened multiple possibilities, not only in the existing industrial sectors, but also for completely novel applications of nanoscale bio-materials, the commercial exploitation of which has only begun during the last few years. Bio-based materials are often assumed not to be toxic. However, this pre-assumption is not necessarily true. Here, we provide a short overview on health and environmental aspects associated with bio-based nanomaterials, and on the relevant regulatory requirements. We also discuss testing strategies that may be used for screening purposes at pre-commercial stages. Although the tests presently used to reveal hazards are still evolving, regarding modifi­cations required for nanomaterials, their application is needed before the upscaling or commercialization of bio-based nanomaterials, to ensure the market potential of the nanomaterials is not delayed by uncertainties about safety issues.

[Current status of bio-based materials industry in China].

Science.gov (United States)

Diao, Xiaoqian; Weng, Yunxuan; Huang, Zhigang; Yang, Nan; Wang, Xiyuan; Zhang, Min; Jin, Yujuan

2016-06-25

In recent years, bio-based materials are becoming a new dominant industry leading the scientific and technological innovation, and economic development of the world. We reviewed the new development of bio-based materials industry in China, analyzed the entire market of bio-based materials products comprehensively, and also stated the industry status of bio-based chemicals, such as lactic acid, 1,3-propanediol, and succinic acid; biodegradable bio-based polymers, such as co-polyester of diacid and diol, polylactic acid, carbon dioxide based copolymer, polyhydroxyalknoates, polycaprolactone, and thermoplastic bio-based plastics; non-biodegradable bio-based polymers, such as bio-based polyamide, polytrimethylene terephthalate, bio-based polyurethane, and bio-based fibers.

World Federation of Vascular Societies: presidential address

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sillesen, Henrik Hegaard

2010-01-01

The presidential address describes briefly the history of the World Federation for Vascular Societies (WFVS) and its objectives. Vascular Surgery today includes interventional procedures (open surgical and endovascular) in addition to risk factor reduction and medical treatment. It is equally imp...... throughout the world. In addition, for introduction of new treatments, training issues and dissemination of science a global organisation like the WFVS is needed.......The presidential address describes briefly the history of the World Federation for Vascular Societies (WFVS) and its objectives. Vascular Surgery today includes interventional procedures (open surgical and endovascular) in addition to risk factor reduction and medical treatment. It is equally...

Embryo transfer techniques: an American Society for Reproductive Medicine survey of current Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology practices.

Science.gov (United States)

Toth, Thomas L; Lee, Malinda S; Bendikson, Kristin A; Reindollar, Richard H

2017-04-01

To better understand practice patterns and opportunities for standardization of ET. Cross-sectional survey. Not applicable. Not applicable. An anonymous 82-question survey was emailed to the medical directors of 286 Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology member IVF practices. A follow-up survey composed of three questions specific to ET technique was emailed to the same medical directors. Descriptive statistics of the results were compiled. The survey assessed policies, protocols, restrictions, and specifics pertinent to the technique of ET. There were 117 (41%) responses; 32% practice in academic settings and 68% in private practice. Responders were experienced clinicians, half of whom had performed Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Bio-objects and the media: the role of communication in bio-objectification processes.

Science.gov (United States)

Maeseele, Pieter; Allgaier, Joachim; Martinelli, Lucia

2013-06-01

The representation of biological innovations in and through communication and media practices is vital for understanding the nature of "bio-objects" and the process we call "bio-objectification." This paper discusses two ideal-typical analytical approaches based on different underlying communication models, ie, the traditional (science- and media-centered) and media sociological (a multi-layered process involving various social actors in defining the meanings of scientific and technological developments) approach. In this analysis, the latter is not only found to be the most promising approach for understanding the circulation, (re)production, and (re)configuration of meanings of bio-objects, but also to interpret the relationship between media and science. On the basis of a few selected examples, this paper highlights how media function as a primary arena for the (re)production and (re)configuration of scientific and biomedical information with regards to bio-objects in the public sphere in general, and toward decision-makers, interest groups, and the public in specific.

The Two Revolutions In Bio-Medical Research

OpenAIRE

2005-01-01

In the field of modern medical science, we can identify certain epochs. Some of these will be our concern here, for they offer important insights into the development of modern medicine and offer equally important predictors of where it is heading in the future. In fact they are so important that they qualify to be called nothing less than revolutions.Till the early twentieth century, medicine was an activity dependent on a small privileged elite. This changed by the mid-twentieth century int...

[The bio-psycho-social tridimensional constructivism of Socolas' School in the perspective of contemporary psychiatry (author's transl)].

Science.gov (United States)

Branzei, P P; Nathanson, I N

1981-01-01

The authors present the characteristics of the bio-psycho-social concept, developed by the School of Iasi, with pertinence and consequence on and after 1960. This one affirms its originality through its constructivistic psychiatric theory based on the tridimensional concept. The authors review several concepts of "constructivism" and analyze its implications in psychology, psychoanalysis, sociology, ethnology etc. This critical review shows once more the originality and specificity of the approach of the School of Socola. The bio-psycho-social concept is conceived as a dynamic and unitary concept and is applyed through a close link between psychiatric services and society and through an intense interdisciplinary activity aimed at the knowledge of the whole man.

Valorization of algal waste via pyrolysis in a fixed-bed reactor: Production and characterization of bio-oil and bio-char.

Science.gov (United States)

Aboulkas, A; Hammani, H; El Achaby, M; Bilal, E; Barakat, A; El Harfi, K

2017-11-01

The aim of the present work is to develop processes for the production of bio-oil and bio-char from algae waste using the pyrolysis at controlled conditions. The pyrolysis was carried out at different temperatures 400-600°C and different heating rates 5-50°C/min. The algal waste, bio-oil and bio-char were successfully characterized using Elemental analysis, Chemical composition, TGA, FTIR, 1 H NMR, GC-MS and SEM. At a temperature of 500°C and a heating rate of 10°C/min, the maximum yield of bio-oil and bio-char was found to be 24.10 and 44.01wt%, respectively, which was found to be strongly influenced by the temperature variation, and weakly affected by the heating rate variation. Results show that the bio-oil cannot be used as bio-fuel, but can be used as a source of value-added chemicals. On the other hand, the bio-char is a promising candidate for solid fuel applications and for the production of carbon materials. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Evaluation of Science Learning Program, Technology and Society Application of Audio Bio Harmonic System with Solar Energy to Improve Crop Productivity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. Rosana

2017-04-01

Full Text Available One of the greatest challenges in science learning is how to integrate a wide range of basic scientific concepts of physics, chemistry, and biology into an integrated learning material. Research-based teaching material in this area is still very poor and does not much involve students of science education in its implementation as part of the learning program science technology and society (STS. The purpose of this study is to get the result of evaluation of the teaching and learning of STS in the form of public service in Kulon Progo, Yogyakarta. The program to improve crop productivity through the application of Audio Bio Harmonic System (ABHS with solar energy have been selected for utilizing the natural animal sounds to open stomata of the leaves conducted during foliar fertilization, making it suitable for integrated science lessons. Component of evaluation model used is Stufflebeam model evaluation (CIPP. CIPP evaluation in these activities resulted in two aspects: The first aspect was improving the skills of students and farmers in using ABHS, and these two aspects, namely food crop productivity; (1 cayenne increased 76.4%, (2 increased red onions (56.3% and (3 of maize increased by 67.8%. Besides, it was also the effect of the application of ABHS on the rate of plant growth. The outcome of this study is the STS teaching materials and appropriate technology of ABHS with solar energy.

Bio-inspired computation in telecommunications

CERN Document Server

Yang, Xin-She; Ting, TO

2015-01-01

Bio-inspired computation, especially those based on swarm intelligence, has become increasingly popular in the last decade. Bio-Inspired Computation in Telecommunications reviews the latest developments in bio-inspired computation from both theory and application as they relate to telecommunications and image processing, providing a complete resource that analyzes and discusses the latest and future trends in research directions. Written by recognized experts, this is a must-have guide for researchers, telecommunication engineers, computer scientists and PhD students.

Comparative Study of Bio-implantable Acoustic Generator Architectures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Christensen, D; Roundy, S

2013-01-01

This paper is a comparative study of the design spaces of two bio-implantable acoustically excited generator architectures: the thickness-stretch-mode circular piezoelectric plate and the bending-mode unimorph piezoelectric diaphragm. The generators are part of an acoustic power transfer system for implanted sensors and medical devices such as glucose monitors, metabolic monitors, drug delivery systems, etc. Our studies indicate that at small sizes the diaphragm architecture outperforms the plate architecture. This paper will present the results of simulation studies and initial experiments that explore the characteristics of the two architectures and compare their performance

Bio-Organic Reaction Animations (BioORA): Student Performance, Student Perceptions, and Instructor Feedback

Science.gov (United States)

Gunersel, Adalet Baris; Fleming, Steven

2014-01-01

Research shows that computer animations are especially helpful in fields such as chemistry and in this mixed-methods study, we investigate the educational effectiveness of Bio-Organic Reaction Animations (BioORA), a 3-D software, in four undergraduate biochemistry classes at different universities. Statistically significant findings indicate that…

Study on demetalization of sewage sludge by sequential extraction before liquefaction for the production of cleaner bio-oil and bio-char.

Science.gov (United States)

Leng, Lijian; Yuan, Xingzhong; Shao, Jianguang; Huang, Huajun; Wang, Hou; Li, Hui; Chen, Xiaohong; Zeng, Guangming

2016-01-01

Demetalization of sewage sludge (SS) by sequential extraction before liquefaction was implemented to produce cleaner bio-char and bio-oil. Demetalization steps 1 and 2 did not cause much organic matter loss on SS, and thus the bio-oil and bio-char yields and the compositions of bio-oils were also not affected significantly. However, the demetalization procedures resulted in the production of cleaner bio-chars and bio-oils. The total concentrations and the acid soluble/exchangeable fraction (F1 fraction, the most toxic heavy metal fraction) of heavy metals (Cu, Cr, Pb, Zn, and Cd) in these products were significantly reduced and the environmental risks of these products were also relived considerably compared with those produced from raw SS, respectively. Additionally, these bio-oils had less heavy fractions. Demetalization processes with removal of F1 and F2 fractions of heavy metals would benefit the production of cleaner bio-char and bio-oil by liquefaction of heavy metal abundant biomass like SS. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

52. Annual symposium of the Austrian Physical Society

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lippitsch, M.

2002-01-01

The 52th Symposium of the Austrian Physical Society was held from 23.-26. September 2002 at the Montan University of Leoben (Austria). The papers presented were organized under the following sessions: main session (intermetallic materials, nanostructures as sensors, volcanic products as dating materials); Fritz-Kohlrausch-price 2002 (electronic structure and charge transfer in doped single-walled carbon nanotubes), Max-Auwaerter-price 2002 ( growth phenomena of thin overlayers on semiconductor surfaces), Viktor-Hess-price 2002 (analysis of rare Ke4 - decays), Roman-Ulrich-Sexl-price 2002 (experienced physics); acoustics; atomic-, molecular- and plasma physics (plasma ion mass spectrometers, proton-transfer-reaction-mass-spectrometry, radiation damage, electron-molecule interactions, decay); solid physics (nanoopticcs, nanocrystalline magnetic materials, nanostructure, nanoelectronics); nuclear and particle physics (CP-violations, neutral kaons, quark-antiquark systems, QCD, kaonic atoms spectroscopy, hadronic decay, long-lived radionuclides); medical-, bio-and environmental physics (biological radiation damage, photons therapy, Med-AUSTRON, doses rate, endovascular brachytherapy); physics-industry-energy (ski-simulation, acoustic surface wave); neutrons and synchrotron radiation physics (neutron quantum interferometry, AUSTRON, synchrotron-induced x-ray analysis); polymer physics(micro-Raman spectroscopy, x-ray analysis); quantum electronics, electrodynamics and optics (solid-state lasers, doped lasers, quantum purification and teleportation, Bose-Einstein condensates, quantum optics, Talbot-Lau interferometry, neutron quantum phases) and two poster sessions with topics dealing with the subjects above mentioned. Those contributions which are in the INIS subject scope are indexed separately. (nevyjel)

Educating medical students for work in culturally diverse societies.

Science.gov (United States)

Loudon, R F; Anderson, P M; Gill, P S; Greenfield, S M

1999-09-01

Recent attention has focused on whether government health service institutions, particularly in the United Kingdom, reflect cultural sensitivity and competence and whether medical students receive proper guidance in this area. To systematically identify educational programs for medical students on cultural diversity, in particular, racial and ethnic diversity. The following databases were searched: MEDLINE (1963-August 1998); Bath International Data Service (BIDS) Institute for Scientific Information science and social science citation indexes (1981-August 1998); BIDS International Bibliography for the Social Sciences (1981-August 1998); and the Educational Resources Information Centre (1981-August 1998). In addition, the following online data sets were searched: Kings Fund; Centre for Ethnic Relations, University of Warwick; Health Education Authority; European Research Centre on Migration and Ethnic Relations, University of Utrecht; International Centre for Intercultural Studies, University of London; the Refugee Studies Programme, University of Oxford. Medical education and academic medicine journals (1994-1998) were searched manually and experts in medical education were contacted. Studies included in the analysis were articles published in English before August 1998 that described specific programs for medical students on racial and ethnic diversity. Of 1456 studies identified by the literature search, 17 met the criteria. Two of the authors performed the study selection independently. The following data were extracted: publication year, program setting, student year, whether a program was required or optional, the teaching staff and involvement of minority racial and ethnic communities, program length, content and teaching methods, student assessment, and nature of program evaluation. Of the 17 selected programs, 13 were conducted in North America. Eleven programs were exclusively for students in years 1 or 2. Fewer than half (n = 7) the programs were part of

Bio gasification of industrial bio waste and sewage sludge-management of biogas quality

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kymalainen, M.; Lahde, K.; Kaarnakoski, M.; Pirttijarvi, T.; Arnold, M.; Kurola, J.; Kautola, H.

2009-07-01

Bio gasification, i. e. anaerobic digestion, is a well known sustainable option for the management of organic solid wastes and sludges. the produced biogas is a valuable bio fuel to replace fossil fuels in different technical applications (like heating, electricity, transport fuel generation) which in turn determine its quality requirements. (Author)

Understanding bio-economics

OpenAIRE

Patel, M.K.

2008-01-01

New plants for production of bio-based fuels, chemicals or plastics are being set up at an accelerating pace. However, this transition towards bio-based fuels, feedstocks and chemicals has not come without consequences. Increased demand has pushed up prices of key agricultural products such as maize and corn with the result that consumers - especially those in low income areas - have reacted with concern and protest. At the same time, environmental research institutes and lobby groups - and n...

BioFET-SIM

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hediger, M. R.; Martinez, K. L.; Nygård, J.

2013-01-01

Biosensors based on nanowire field effect transistor (FET) have received much attention in recent years as a way to achieve ultra-sensitive and label-free sensing of molecules of biological interest. The BioFET-SIM computer model permits the analysis and interpretation of experimental sensor...... signals through its web-based interface www.biofetsim.org. The model also allows for predictions of the effects of changes in the experimental setup on the sensor signal. After an introduction to nanowire-based FET biosensors, this chapter reviews the theoretical basis of BioFET-SIM models describing both...... single and multiple charges on the analyte. Afterwards the usage of the interface and its relative command line version is briefly shown. Finally, possible applications of the BioFET-SIM model are presented. Among the possible uses of the interface, the effects on the predicted signal of pH, buffer ionic...

Atomic Layer Deposition in Bio-Nanotechnology: A Brief Overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Bishal, Arghya K; Butt, Arman; Selvaraj, Sathees K; Joshi, Bela; Patel, Sweetu B; Huang, Su; Yang, Bin; Shukohfar, Tolou; Sukotjo, Cortino; Takoudis, Christos G

2015-01-01

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is a technique increasingly used in nanotechnology and ultrathin film deposition; it is ideal for films in the nanometer and Angstrom length scales. ALD can effectively be used to modify the surface chemistry and functionalization of engineering-related and biologically important surfaces. It can also be used to alter the mechanical, electrical, chemical, and other properties of materials that are increasingly used in biomedical engineering and biological sciences. ALD is a relatively new technique for optimizing materials for use in bio-nanotechnology. Here, after a brief review of the more widely used modes of ALD and a few of its applications in biotechnology, selected results that show the potential of ALD in bio-nanotechnology are presented. ALD seems to be a promising means for tuning the hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity characteristics of biomedical surfaces, forming conformal ultrathin coatings with desirable properties on biomedical substrates with a high aspect ratio, tuning the antibacterial properties of substrate surfaces of interest, and yielding multifunctional biomaterials for medical implants and other devices.

Bio digester : anaerobic methanogenesis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bullema, Marten; Hulzen, Hans; Keizer, Melvin; Pruisscher, Gerlof; Smint, Martin; Vincent, Helene

2014-01-01

As part of the theme 13 and 14, our group have to realize a project in the field of the renewable energy. This project consist of the design of a bio-digester for the canteen of Zernikeplein. Gert Hofstede is our client. To produce energy, a bio-digester uses the anaerobic digestion, which is made

The American Society for Clinical Pathology's 2014 vacancy survey of medical laboratories in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia, Edna; Ali, Asma M; Soles, Ryan M; Lewis, D Grace

2015-09-01

To determine the extent and distribution of workforce shortages within the nation's medical laboratories. Historically, the results of this biennial survey have served as a basis for additional research on laboratory recruitment, retention, education, marketing, certification, and advocacy. The 2014 Vacancy Survey was conducted through collaboration between American Society for Clinical Pathology's Institute of Science, Technology, and Policy in Washington, DC, and the Evaluation, Measurement, and Assessment Department and Board of Certification in Chicago, Illinois. Data were collected via an Internet survey that was distributed to individuals who were able to report on staffing and certifications for their laboratories. Data reveal increased overall vacancy rates since 2012 for all departments surveyed except cytology and cytogenetics. Also, results show higher anticipated retirement rates for both staff and supervisors. Overall certification rates are highest among laboratory personnel in cytogenetics, hematology/coagulation, and flow cytometry departments and lowest among phlebotomy, specimen processing, and anatomic pathology. Factors such as retirement and the improving economy are driving the need for more laboratory professionals. Recruitment of qualified laboratory professionals in the workforce and students in laboratory programs will be the key in fulfilling the higher vacancies revealed from the survey results in 2014. Copyright© by the American Society for Clinical Pathology.

Capillary blood sampling: national recommendations on behalf of the Croatian Society of Medical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Krleza, Jasna Lenicek; Dorotic, Adrijana; Grzunov, Ana; Maradin, Miljenka

2015-01-01

Capillary blood sampling is a medical procedure aimed at assisting in patient diagnosis, management and treatment, and is increasingly used worldwide, in part because of the increasing availability of point-of-care testing. It is also frequently used to obtain small blood volumes for laboratory testing because it minimizes pain. The capillary blood sampling procedure can influence the quality of the sample as well as the accuracy of test results, highlighting the need for immediate, widespread standardization. A recent nationwide survey of policies and practices related to capillary blood sampling in medical laboratories in Croatia has shown that capillary sampling procedures are not standardized and that only a small proportion of Croatian laboratories comply with guidelines from the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) or the World Health Organization (WHO). The aim of this document is to provide recommendations for capillary blood sampling. This document has been produced by the Working Group for Capillary Blood Sampling within the Croatian Society of Medical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine. Our recommendations are based on existing available standards and recommendations (WHO Best Practices in Phlebotomy, CLSI GP42-A6 and CLSI C46-A2), which have been modified based on local logistical, cultural, legal and regulatory requirements. We hope that these recommendations will be a useful contribution to the standardization of capillary blood sampling in Croatia.

Bio-slurry as fertilizer : is bio-slurry from household digesters a better fertilizer than manure? : a literature review

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bonten, L.T.C.; Zwart, K.B.; Rietra, R.P.J.J.; Postma, R.; Haas, de M.J.G.; Nysingh, S.L.

2014-01-01

In many developing countries manure is anaerobically digested to produce biogas. The residue of manure digestion, bio-slurry, can be used as fertilizer for crop production and aquaculture. This study compared bio-slurry and manure as fertilizers. Nutrients in bio-slurry, especially nitrogen, are

Limits to the potential of bio-fuels and bio-sequestration of carbon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pearman, Graeme I.

2013-01-01

This document examines bio-physical limits of bio-fuels and bio-sequestration of carbon by examining available solar radiation and observed efficiencies with which natural ecosystems and agricultural systems convert that energy to biomass. It compares these energy/carbon exchanges with national levels of energy use and carbon emissions for Australia, Brazil, China, Japan, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, Sweden, United Kingdom and United States. Globally primary energy consumption (related carbon emissions) is currently equivalent to ∼0.06% of the incident solar energy, and 43% of the energy (carbon) captured by photosynthesis. The nations fall into three categories. Those with primary energy consumption that is: 1–10% (Japan, Korea and Singapore); ∼0.1% (China, UK and the US) and; 0.1–0.01% (Australia, Brazil, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and Sweden) of incident solar radiation. The percentage of energy captured in biomass follows this pattern, but generally lower by ∼3 orders of magnitude. The energy content of traded wheat, corn and rice represents conversion efficiencies of solar radiation of 0.08–0.17% and for sugar close to 1%, ignoring energy use in production and conversion of biomass to fuels. The study implies that bio-fuels or bio-sequestration can only be a small part of an inclusive portfolio of actions towards a low carbon future and minimised net emissions of carbon to the atmosphere. - Highlights: • Global energy consumption is ∼0.06% of solar; 43% of net primary production. • 11 nations studied fall into 3 groups: consumption/solar=1–10%; ∼0.1%; 0.1–0.01%. • % of energy captured in biomass is lower by ∼3 orders of magnitude. • Crops and natural ecosystems capture 0.1–0.3% and sugar 1% of solar energy. • Significant bio-energy/carbon sequestration via biomass is unrealistic

A ética médica, a bioética e os procedimentos com células-tronco hematopoéticas Medical ethics, bioethics and procedures with hematopoietic stem cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eudes Q. Oliveira Junior

2009-05-01

, visa encartar o profissional no campo seguro da ética e do pensamento bioético. O comprometimento médico assume uma postura social direcionada para a melhor realização do ser humano, ofertando a ele não só o tratamento adequado, mas contando com sua colaboração para atingir os resultados pretendidos. Uma verdadeira simbiose, que busca a concretização do princípio da dignidade humana.Cell therapy has been gaining more and more attention in medical procedures providing acceptable results and thereby efficiently satisfying the mission entrusted by specialists in hematology. The moral principles, together with the professional ethical conduct, demand new positions. The evolution of biotechnology and biotechnoscience carries a considerable amount of human knowledge, but requires the development and refinement of ethical concepts, bringing together social approval and bioethics. More than ever the doctor is geared to conduct an analysis and take into consideration the patient or his guardian. The purpose of this present study is to discuss the main roots of ethics, since its birth, its transformation in philosophical thought, its suitability in the professional field, the materialization of the Code of Medical Ethics and the severance of the new life science, named bioethics. This is in fact an effort to raise undervalued ethical principles again, reassess them in the Code of Medical Ethics, a status it deserves, and open space for bioethical thought. Bioethics emerges as a two-way science, because it involves doctors, researchers, patients and volunteers. The objectives of medical intervention should be explained, discussed and approved by interested parties. The hematologist has to put himself in the shoes of his patient, show him the clinical situation, pointing out the options for conduct and await the "placet". The proposal, therefore, aims to raise the professional to the safety of ethics and bioethical thought. The doctor takes an attitude better targeted

The dynamics of a non-equilibrium bubble near bio-materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohl, S W; Klaseboer, E; Khoo, B C

2009-01-01

In many medical treatments oscillating (non-equilibrium) bubbles appear. They can be the result of high-intensity-focused ultrasound, laser treatments or shock wave lithotripsy for example. The physics of such oscillating bubbles is often not very well understood. This is especially so if the bubbles are oscillating near (soft) bio-materials. It is well known that bubbles oscillating near (hard) materials have a tendency to form a high speed jet directed towards the material during the collapse phase of the bubble. It is equally well studied that bubbles near a free interface (air) tend to collapse with a jet directed away from this interface. If the interface is neither 'free' nor 'hard', such as often occurs in bio-materials, the resulting flow physics can be very complex. Yet, in many bio-applications, it is crucial to know in which direction the jet will go (if there is a jet at all). Some applications require a jet towards the tissue, for example to destroy it. For other applications, damage due to impacting jets is to be prevented at all cost. This paper tries to address some of the physics involved in these treatments by using a numerical method, the boundary element method (BEM), to study the dynamics of such bubbles near several bio-materials. In the present work, the behaviour of a bubble placed in a water-like medium near various bio-materials (modelled as elastic fluids) is investigated. It is found that its behaviour depends on the material properties (Young's modulus, Poisson ratio and density) of the bio-material. For soft bio-materials (fat, skin, brain and muscle), the bubble tends to split into smaller bubbles. In certain cases, the resulting bubbles develop opposing jets. For hard bio-materials (cornea, cartilage and bone), the bubble collapses towards the interface with high speed jets (between 100 and about 250 m s -1 ). A summary graph is provided identifying the combined effects of the dimensionless elasticity (κ) and density ratio (α) of

[Preface for special issue on bio-based materials (2016)].

Science.gov (United States)

Weng, Yunxuan

2016-06-25

Bio-based materials are new materials or chemicals with renewable biomass as raw materials such as grain, legume, straw, bamboo and wood powder. This class of materials includes bio-based polymer, biobased fiber, glycotechnology products, biobased rubber and plastics produced by biomass thermoplastic processing and basic biobased chemicals, for instance, bio-alcohols, organic acids, alkanes, and alkenes, obtained by bio-synthesis, bio-processing and bio-refinery. Owing to its environmental friendly and resource conservation, bio-based materials are becoming a new dominant industry taking the lead in the world scientific and technological innovation and economic development. An overview of bio-based materials development is reported in this special issue, and the industrial status and research progress of the following aspects, including biobased fiber, polyhydroxyalkanoates, biodegradable mulching film, bio-based polyamide, protein based biomedical materials, bio-based polyurethane, and modification and processing of poly(lactic acid), are introduced.

Bio-fuels for the gas turbine: A review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gupta, K.K.; Rehman, A.; Sarviya, R.M.

2010-01-01

Due to depletion of fossil fuel, bio-fuels have generated a significant interest as an alternative fuel for the future. The use of bio-fuels to fuel gas turbine seems a viable solution for the problems of decreasing fossil-fuel reserves and environmental concerns. Bio-fuels are alternative fuels, made from renewable sources and having environmental benefit. In recent years, the desire for energy independence, foreseen depletion of nonrenewable fuel resources, fluctuating petroleum fuel costs, the necessity of stimulating agriculture based economy, and the reality of climate change have created an interest in the development of bio-fuels. The application of bio-fuels in automobiles and heating applications is increasing day by day. Therefore the use of these fuels in gas turbines would extend this application to aviation field. The impact of costly petroleum-based aviation fuel on the environment is harmful. So the development of alternative fuels in aviation is important and useful. The use of liquid and gaseous fuels from biomass will help to fulfill the Kyoto targets concerning global warming emissions. In addition, to reduce exhaust emission waste gases and syngas, etc., could be used as a potential gas turbine fuel. The term bio-fuel is referred to alternative fuel which is produced from biomass. Such fuels include bio-diesel, bio-ethanol, bio-methanol, pyrolysis oil, biogas, synthetic gas (dimethyl ether), hydrogen, etc. The bio-ethanol and bio-methanol are petrol additive/substitute. Bio-diesel is an environment friendly alternative liquid fuel for the diesel/aviation fuel. The gas turbine develops steady flame during its combustion; this feature gives a flexibility to use alternative fuels. Therefore so the use of different bio-fuels in gas turbine has been investigated by a good number of researchers. The suitability and modifications in the existing systems are also recommended. (author)

Tax exemption for bio fuels in Germany: is bio-ethanol really an option for climate policy?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Henke, J.M.; Klepper, G.; Schmitz, N.

2005-01-01

In 2002 the German Parliament decided to exempt biofuels from the gasoline tax to increase their competitiveness compared to conventional gasoline. The policy to promote biofuels is being justified by their allegedly positive effects on climate, energy, and agricultural policy goals. An increased use of biofuels would contribute to sustainable development by reducing greenhouse-gas emissions and the use of non-renewable resources. The paper takes a closer look at bio-ethanol as a substitute for gasoline. It analyzes the underlying basic German, European, and worldwide conditions that provide the setting for the production and promotion of biofuels. It is shown that the production of bio-ethanol in Germany is not competitive and that imports are likely to increase. Using energy and greenhouse-gas balances we then demonstrate that the promotion and a possible increased use of bio-ethanol to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions are economically inefficient and that there are preferred alternative strategies. In addition, scenarios of the future development of the bio-ethanol market are derived from a model that allows for variations in all decisive variables and reflects the entire production and trade chain of bio-ethanol, from the agricultural production of wheat and sugar beet to the consumption of bio-ethanol in the fuel sector. (author)

Tax exemption for bio fuels in Germany: is bio-ethanol really an option for climate policy?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Henke, J.M.; Klepper, G. [Kiel Institute for World Economics, Kiel (Germany); Schmitz, N. [Meo Consulting Team, Koeln (Germany)

2005-11-01

In 2002 the German Parliament decided to exempt biofuels from the gasoline tax to increase their competitiveness compared to conventional gasoline. The policy to promote biofuels is being justified by their allegedly positive effects on climate, energy, and agricultural policy goals. An increased use of biofuels would contribute to sustainable development by reducing greenhouse-gas emissions and the use of non-renewable resources. The paper takes a closer look at bio-ethanol as a substitute for gasoline. It analyzes the underlying basic German, European, and worldwide conditions that provide the setting for the production and promotion of biofuels. It is shown that the production of bio-ethanol in Germany is not competitive and that imports are likely to increase. Using energy and greenhouse-gas balances we then demonstrate that the promotion and a possible increased use of bio-ethanol to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions are economically inefficient and that there are preferred alternative strategies. In addition, scenarios of the future development of the bio-ethanol market are derived from a model that allows for variations in all decisive variables and reflects the entire production and trade chain of bio-ethanol, from the agricultural production of wheat and sugar beet to the consumption of bio-ethanol in the fuel sector. (author)

Direct electronic communication at bio-interfaces assisted by layered-metal-hydroxide slab arrays with controlled nano-micro structures.

Science.gov (United States)

An, Zhe; He, Jing

2011-10-28

The electronic transfer (eT) at bio-interfaces has been achieved by orientating 2D inorganic slabs in a regular arrangement with the slab ab-planes vertical to the electrode substrate. The eT rate is effectively promoted by tuning the nano-micro scale structures of perpendicular LDH arrays. This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2011

[Catalogue of learning goals for pregraduate education in geriatric medicine. A recommendation of the German Geriatric Society (DGG), the German Society of Gerontology and Geriatrics (DGGG), the Austrian Society of Geriatrics and Gerontology (ÖGGG) and the Swiss Society of Geriatric Medicine (SFGG) on the basis of recommendations of the European Union of Medical Specialists Geriatric Medicine Section (UEMS-GMS) 2013].

Science.gov (United States)

Singler, K; Stuck, A E; Masud, T; Goeldlin, A; Roller, R E

2014-11-01

Sound knowledge in the care and management of geriatric patients is essential for doctors in almost all medical subspecialties. Therefore, it is important that pregraduate medical education adequately covers the field of geriatric medicine. However, in most medical faculties in Europe today, learning objectives in geriatric medicine are often substandard or not even explicitly addressed. As a first step to encourage undergraduate teaching in geriatric medicine, the European Union of Medical Specialists -Geriatric Medicine Section (UEMS-GMS) recently developed a catalogue of learning goals using a modified Delphi technique in order to encourage education in this field. This catalogue of learning objectives for geriatric medicine focuses on the minimum requirements with specific learning goals in knowledge, skills and attitudes that medical students should have acquired by the end of their studies.In order to ease the implementation of this new, competence-based curriculum among the medical faculties in universities teaching in the German language, the authors translated the published English language curriculum into German and adapted it according to medical language and terms used at German-speaking medical faculties and universities of Austria, Germany and Switzerland. This article contains the final German translation of the curriculum. The Geriatric Medicine Societies of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland formally endorse the present curriculum and recommend that medical faculties adapt their curricula for undergraduate teaching based on this catalogue.

Biomaterials in medical devices: an interview with Jörg Vienken of Fresenius Medical Care, Germany.

Science.gov (United States)

Vienken, Jörg

2012-06-01

Biomaterial and biopolymer research have significant impact on the development as well as application of biotechnology. Biotechnology Journal recently attended the "Nanomaterials for Biomedical Technologies 2012" conference. We were privileged to have the opportunity to ask Prof. Dr. Jörg Vienken, VP of BioSciences at Fresenius Medical Care, a few questions relating to medical devices, the importance of publishing for industry, and also his advice for young scientists/engineers looking for a career in industry. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Emphasizing humanities in medical education: Promoting the integration of medical scientific spirit and medical humanistic spirit.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Peipei; Tang, Wei

2017-05-23

In the era of the biological-psychological-social medicine model, an ideal of modern medicine is to enhance the humanities in medical education, to foster medical talents with humanistic spirit, and to promote the integration of scientific spirit and humanistic spirit in medicine. Throughout the United States (US), United Kingdom (UK), other Western countries, and some Asian countries like Japan, many medical universities have already integrated the learning of medical humanities in their curricula and recognized their value. While in China, although medical education reform over the past decade has emphasized the topic of medical humanities to increase the professionalism of future physicians, the integration of medical humanity courses in medical universities has lagged behind the pace in Western countries. In addition, current courses in medical humanities were arbitrarily established due to a lack of organizational independence. For various reasons like a shortage of instructors, medical universities have failed to pay sufficient attention to medical humanities education given the urgent needs of society. The medical problems in contemporary Chinese society are not solely the purview of biomedical technology; what matters more is enhancing the humanities in medical education and fostering medical talents with humanistic spirit. Emphasizing the humanities in medical education and promoting the integration of medical scientific spirit and medical humanistic spirit have become one of the most pressing issues China must address. Greater attention should be paid to reasonable integration of humanities into the medical curriculum, creation of medical courses related to humanities and optimization of the curriculum, and actively allocating abundant teaching resources and exploring better methods of instruction.

Hair flow sensors: from bio-inspiration to bio-mimicking—a review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tao, Junliang; Yu, Xiong

2012-01-01

A great many living beings, such as aquatics and arthropods, are equipped with highly sensitive flow sensors to help them survive in challenging environments. These sensors are excellent sources of inspiration for developing application-driven artificial flow sensors with high sensitivity and performance. This paper reviews the bio-inspirations on flow sensing in nature and the bio-mimicking efforts to emulate such sensing mechanisms in recent years. The natural flow sensing systems in aquatics and arthropods are reviewed to highlight inspirations at multiple levels such as morphology, sensing mechanism and information processing. Biomimetic hair flow sensors based on different sensing mechanisms and fabrication technologies are also reviewed to capture the recent accomplishments and to point out areas where further progress is necessary. Biomimetic flow sensors are still in their early stages. Further efforts are required to unveil the sensing mechanisms in the natural biological systems and to achieve multi-level bio-mimicking of the natural system to develop their artificial counterparts. (topical review)

Green bio-oil extraction for oil crops

Science.gov (United States)

Zainab, H.; Nurfatirah, N.; Norfaezah, A.; Othman, H.

2016-06-01

The move towards a green bio-oil extraction technique is highlighted in this paper. The commonly practised organic solvent oil extraction technique could be replaced with a modified microwave extraction. Jatropha seeds (Jatropha curcas) were used to extract bio-oil. Clean samples were heated in an oven at 110 ° C for 24 hours to remove moisture content and ground to obtain particle size smaller than 500μm. Extraction was carried out at different extraction times 15 min, 30 min, 45 min, 60 min and 120 min to determine oil yield. The biooil yield obtained from microwave assisted extraction system at 90 minutes was 36% while that from soxhlet extraction for 6 hours was 42%. Bio-oil extracted using the microwave assisted extraction (MAE) system could enhance yield of bio-oil compared to soxhlet extraction. The MAE extraction system is rapid using only water as solvent which is a nonhazardous, environment-friendly technique compared to soxhlet extraction (SE) method using hexane as solvent. Thus, this is a green technique of bio-oil extraction using only water as extractant. Bio-oil extraction from the pyrolysis of empty fruit bunch (EFB), a biomass waste from oil palm crop, was enhanced using a biocatalyst derived from seashell waste. Oil yield for non-catalytic extraction was 43.8% while addition of seashell based biocatalyst was 44.6%. Oil yield for non-catalytic extraction was 43.8% while with addition of seashell-based biocatalyst was 44.6%. The pH of bio-oil increased from 3.5 to 4.3. The viscosity of bio-oil obtained by catalytic means increased from 20.5 to 37.8 cP. A rapid and environment friendly extraction technique is preferable to enhance bio-oil yield. The microwave assisted approach is a green, rapid and environmental friendly extraction technique for the production of bio-oil bearing crops.

Combining bio-electrospraying with gene therapy: a novel biotechnique for the delivery of genetic material via living cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Ward, Eliot; Chan, Emma; Gustafsson, Kenth; Jayasinghe, Suwan N

2010-05-01

The investigations reported in this article demonstrate the ability of bio-electrosprays and cell electrospinning to deliver a genetic construct in association with living cells. Previous studies on both bio-electrosprays and cell electrospinning demonstrated great promise for tissue engineering and regenerative biology/medicine. The investigations described herein widen the applicability of these biotechniques by combining gene therapy protocols, resulting in a novel drug delivery methodology previously unexplored. In these studies a human cell line was transduced with recombinant self-inactivating lentiviral particles. These particles incorporated a green fluorescent protein fused to an endosomal targeting construct. This construct encodes a peptide, which can subsequently be detected on the surface of cells by specific T-cells. The transduced cell line was subsequently manipulated in association with either bio-electrospraying or cell electrospinning. Hence this demonstrates (i) the ability to safely handle genetically modified living cells and (ii) the ability to directly form pre-determined architectures bearing living therapeutic cells. This merged technology demonstrates a unique approach for directly forming living therapeutic architectures for controlled and targeted release of experimental cells/genes, as well as medical cell/gene therapeutics for a plethora of biological and medical applications. Hence, such developments could be applied to personalised medicine.

The first joint congress of the South African Biochemical Society, South African Genetics Society and the South African Society for Microbiology at the University of the Witwatersrand, 29 June-4 July 1986

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-01-01

The South African Biochemical Society, South African Genetics Society and the South African Society for Microbiology held a joint congress at the University of the Witwatersrand from 29 June - 4 July 1986. The papers delivered cover subjects such as Molecular biology, Genetics, Biochemistry, Medical biochemistry, Physiology, Zoology and Isotope and radiation sciences. Different isotopes are used in labelling studies of enzymes, nutrition, metabolism, viruses, bacteria and other biological assays done in the fields of Biochenmistry, Genetics and Microbiology. This work contains only the abstracts of these papers

American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) National Practice Guideline for the Use of Medications in the Treatment of Addiction Involving Opioid Use.

Science.gov (United States)

Kampman, Kyle; Jarvis, Margaret

2015-01-01

The Centers for Disease Control have recently described opioid use and resultant deaths as an epidemic. At this point in time, treating this disease well with medication requires skill and time that are not generally available to primary care doctors in most practice models. Suboptimal treatment has likely contributed to expansion of the epidemic and concerns for unethical practices. At the same time, access to competent treatment is profoundly restricted because few physicians are willing and able to provide it. This "Practice Guideline" was developed to assist in the evaluation and treatment of opioid use disorder, and in the hope that, using this tool, more physicians will be able to provide effective treatment. Although there are existing guidelines for the treatment of opioid use disorder, none have included all of the medications used at present for its treatment. Moreover, few of the existing guidelines address the needs of special populations such as pregnant women, individuals with co-occurring psychiatric disorders, individuals with pain, adolescents, or individuals involved in the criminal justice system. This Practice Guideline was developed using the RAND Corporation (RAND)/University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Appropriateness Method (RAM) - a process that combines scientific evidence and clinical knowledge to determine the appropriateness of a set of clinical procedures. The RAM is a deliberate approach encompassing review of existing guidelines, literature reviews, appropriateness ratings, necessity reviews, and document development. For this project, American Society of Addiction Medicine selected an independent committee to oversee guideline development and to assist in writing. American Society of Addiction Medicine's Quality Improvement Council oversaw the selection process for the independent development committee. Recommendations included in the guideline encompass a broad range of topics, starting with the initial evaluation of the

Status and potential of bio-methane fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2008-01-01

This document first indicates and describes the various bio-methane production processes which can be implemented on a short term (use of organic wastes or effluents), on a medium term (from energetic crops) and on a longer term (gasification). It discusses and assesses the potential production of bio-methane fuel from different sources and processes. It describes the steps of the production of bio-methane fuel from biogas, with notably biogas refinement to produce bio-methane through three processes (de-carbonation, desulfurization, dehydration). Cost productions are assessed. Expected technology advances are evoked. Finally, the authors outline the contribution of bio-methane in the limitation of greenhouse gas emissions in the transport sector

Bio-Conjugates for Nanoscale Applications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Villadsen, Klaus

Bio-conjugates for Nanoscale Applications is the title of this thesis, which covers three different projects in chemical bio-conjugation research, namely synthesis and applications of: Lipidated fluorescent peptides, carbohydrate oxime-azide linkers and N-aryl O-R2 oxyamine derivatives. Lipidated...

Indian Society for Apheresis and apheresis tourism in India--is there a future?

Science.gov (United States)

Srivastava, R

2006-04-01

Apheresis has now become an internationally popular mode of treatment for multiple immune complex disorders. However, the treatment remains quite expensive in Western Europe and the US. Apheresis tourism is a part of medical tourism or medical tourism specially related to therapeutic apheresis (TA) treatment in a foreign country on a cost effective basis. In the last couple of years, 'Medical Tourism' has become an upcoming and growing enterprise in India. The Indian Society for Apheresis (ISA) has taken a plunge at the opportune time and is trying to promote apheresis tourism in India. ISA is a member of various international apheresis organizations globally including the World Apheresis Association (WAA), the International Society for Apheresis (ISFA), the International Society for Artificial Organs (ISAO) and an associate of other national apheresis societies. The Indian Society for Apheresis (ISA) and the Ludhiana MediCiti (LMC) at Ludhiana Punjab are taking a big step in this direction. The therapeutic apheresis (TA) center at LMC is being set up as a Therapeutic Apheresis Institute and Research Center of excellence. The potential future impacts on the apheresis scenario are summarized.

BioCore Guide: A Tool for Interpreting the Core Concepts of Vision and Change for Biology Majors.

Science.gov (United States)

Brownell, Sara E; Freeman, Scott; Wenderoth, Mary Pat; Crowe, Alison J

2014-01-01

Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education outlined five core concepts intended to guide undergraduate biology education: 1) evolution; 2) structure and function; 3) information flow, exchange, and storage; 4) pathways and transformations of energy and matter; and 5) systems. We have taken these general recommendations and created a Vision and Change BioCore Guide-a set of general principles and specific statements that expand upon the core concepts, creating a framework that biology departments can use to align with the goals of Vision and Change. We used a grassroots approach to generate the BioCore Guide, beginning with faculty ideas as the basis for an iterative process that incorporated feedback from more than 240 biologists and biology educators at a diverse range of academic institutions throughout the United States. The final validation step in this process demonstrated strong national consensus, with more than 90% of respondents agreeing with the importance and scientific accuracy of the statements. It is our hope that the BioCore Guide will serve as an agent of change for biology departments as we move toward transforming undergraduate biology education. © 2014 S. E. Brownell et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2014 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

A new bio-active glass ceramic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shamim, A.; Arif, I.; Suleman, M.; Hussain, K.; Shah, W.A.

1995-01-01

Since 1960 fine ceramics such as alumina have been used side by side with metallic materials for bone and joint replacement. They have high mechanical strength and are free from corrosion problem faced by metals. However they don't bond to the natural living bone and hence are called bio-inactive. This was followed by the development of bio-active glasses and glass-ceramics which bond to the natural bone but have low mechanical strength. In the present work a new bio-active glass-ceramic, based on CaO-SiO/sub 2/-P/sub 2/O/sub 3/-MgO composition, has been developed which has mechanical strength compared to that of a bio-inactive glass ceramic and also bonds strongly to the natural bone. X-ray diffraction analysis reveals wollastanite and apatite phases in the glass ceramic. A new bio-active cement has also been developed which can be used to join broken pieces of bone or by itself at a filler. (author)

Bio-MTBE. A new option to fulfil biofuel quota for gasoline; Bio-MTBE. Eine neue Option zur Erfuellung der Biokraftstoffquote in Ottokraftstoffen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Busch, Oliver M.; Schade, Arnd; Locher, Annette [Evonik Industries AG, Essen (Germany)

2013-05-15

To meet the legally required bio-fuel quota in gasoline, an alternative to the ethanol blend E10 is nowavailable for nearly one year. Evonik Industries has introduced a bio-version of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), an anti-knock agent, on the market. Chemically, both products are identical, because in production methanol is exchanged for bio-methanol. Bio-methanol is produced from raw glycerine, which arises as a byproduct from biodiesel production. This makes bio-MTBE an ideal bio-fuel component as defined by the EU's Renewable Energy Directive: Fuel components made from waste and residues are ''double counted'' regarding their bio-energy content. The product is widely used in the German and Dutch markets. In both countries, bio- MTBE is legally recognized as a bio-fuel component fulfilling double counting requirements. In the meantime, also other European countries have been introducing double counting for second-generation biofuel components. The EU Commission proposed to allow components based on residual materials to be calculated fourfold in the future. Should this be the case, bio-MTBE would become significantly more valuable. (orig.)

Computing Pathways in Bio-Models Derived from Bio-Science Text Sources

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andreasen, Troels; Bulskov, Henrik; Nilsson, Jørgen Fischer

2015-01-01

This paper outlines a system, OntoScape, serving to accomplish complex inference tasks on knowledge bases and bio-models derived from life-science text corpora. The system applies so-called natural logic, a form of logic which is readable for humans. This logic affords ontological representations...... of complex terms appearing in the text sources. Along with logical propositions, the system applies a semantic graph representation facilitating calculation of bio-pathways. More generally, the system aords means of query answering appealing to general and domain specic inference rules....

The potential of activated carbon derived from bio-char waste of bio-oil pyrolysis as adsorbent

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zulkania Ariany

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Activated carbon from bio-char waste of bio oil pyrolysis of mixed sugarcane bagasse and Rambutan twigs was investigated. Bio-char as by-product of bio-oil pyrolysis has potential to be good adsorbed by activating process. Bio-chars waste was activated in fixed bed reactor inside furnace without presenting oxygen. Gas N2 and CO2 were employed to drive out oxygen from the reactor and as activator, respectively. One of the best activation treatments is achieved by performing activation in different temperature and time to produce standard activated carbon. The experiment was performed at different temperatures and activation time, i.e. 800, 850, and 900° C and 80 and 120 minutes, respectively, to determine the optimal operating condition. Activated carbon was characterized by analysis of moisture content, ash content pH, and methylene blue test. The results showed that optimum activation was at 850°C and 80 minute, where activated carbon produced indicated the best adsorption capacity. The ash content and pH had significant role in resulting good activated carbon.

Hyper bio assembler for 3D cellular systems

CERN Document Server

Arai, Fumihito; Yamato, Masayuki

2015-01-01

Hyper Bio Assembler for Cellular Systems is the first book to present a new methodology for measuring and separating target cells at high speed and constructing 3D cellular systems in vitro. This book represents a valuable resource for biologists, biophysicists and robotic engineers, as well as researchers interested in this new frontier area, offering a better understanding of the measurement, separation, assembly, analysis and synthesis of complex biological tissue, and of the medical applications of these technologies. This book is the outcome of the new academic fields of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology’s Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research in Japan.

Convergence of knowledge, technology and society beyond convergence of nano-bio-info-cognitive technologies

CERN Document Server

Bainbridge, William; Tonn, Bruce; Whitesides, George

2013-01-01

Convergence of knowledge and technology for the benefit of society (CKTS) is the core opportunity for progress in the 21st century, based on five principles: (1) the interdependence of all components of nature and society, (2) enhancement of creativity and innovation through evolutionary processes of convergence that combine existing principles, and divergence that generates new ones, (3) decision analysis for research and development based on system-logic deduction, (4) higher-level cross-domain languages to generate new solutions and support transfer of new knowledge, and (5) vision-inspired basic research embodied in grand challenges. Solutions are outlined for key societal challenges, including creating new industries and jobs, improving lifelong wellness and human potential, achieving personalized and integrated healthcare and education, and securing a sustainable quality of life for all. This report provides a ten-year “NBIC2” vision within a longer-term framework for converging technology and human...

BioSentinel

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The Advanced Exploration Systems' (AES) BioSentinel project will develop, prototype, integrate, test, and prepare for the first spaceflight mission of a broadly...

Sustainable bio-based materials: opportunities and challenges

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Meer, Yvonne

2017-01-01

Research in the area of bio-based materials aims to achieve breakthroughs in bio-based materials development. A novel way is presented to organise bio-based materials research with a value chain approach in which sustainability research is integrated in the research program. This research approach

3D Bio-Printing Review

Science.gov (United States)

Du, Xianbin

2018-01-01

Ultimate goal of tissue engineering is to replace pathological or necrotic body tissue or organ by artificial tissue or organ and tissue engineering is a very promising research field. 3D bio-printing is a kind of emerging technologies and a branch of tissue engineering. It has made significant progress in the past decade. 3D bio-printing can realize tissue and organ construction in vitro and has wide application in basic research and pharmacy. This paper is to make an analysis and review on 3D bio-printing from the perspectives of bioink, printing technology and technology application.

BioDynaMo: Biological simulation in the cloud

CERN Multimedia

CERN. Geneva; Hesam, Ahmad Siar

2017-01-01

Besides its traditional joint R&D activities between CERN and industry, CERN openlab runs an extensive programme of knowledge sharing projects. The goal is to understand what technologies and skills from the HEP community can be applied in other sciences and conversely if any ideas from other research communities can be used to support the HEP computing and data infrastructure. Today the main focus of this programme is to take part in defining the next generation of distributed data analysis and computing platforms, exploiting the flexibility of cloud infrastructures, common sets of tools and the recent trends in machine learning. This talk is the first part of a two-part series where we highlight the current collaborations in life science and medical research, following the recently approved CERN "Strategy for Knowledge Transfer for the Benefit of Medical Applications". We present BioDynaMo, a platform to simulate the growth and development of tissues starting from single cells. Addressing ambitious res...

Bio fuels. Environment and Energy Aspects and Future Prospects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiaramonti, D.; Grassi, G.; Tondi, G.; Martelli, F.

2000-01-01

The present work aims at describing some of the most important bio fuels (bio diesel, bio methanol, bi oethanol, bio-crude-oil). Environmental effects are also presented, as well as some cost data. Europe and USA are compared, when appropriate. The motivations for a justified and beneficial market penetration of bio fuels in urban areas are reported [it

Bio-SimVerb and Bio-SimLex: wide-coverage evaluation sets of word similarity in biomedicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Chiu, Billy; Pyysalo, Sampo; Vulić, Ivan; Korhonen, Anna

2018-02-05

Word representations support a variety of Natural Language Processing (NLP) tasks. The quality of these representations is typically assessed by comparing the distances in the induced vector spaces against human similarity judgements. Whereas comprehensive evaluation resources have recently been developed for the general domain, similar resources for biomedicine currently suffer from the lack of coverage, both in terms of word types included and with respect to the semantic distinctions. Notably, verbs have been excluded, although they are essential for the interpretation of biomedical language. Further, current resources do not discern between semantic similarity and semantic relatedness, although this has been proven as an important predictor of the usefulness of word representations and their performance in downstream applications. We present two novel comprehensive resources targeting the evaluation of word representations in biomedicine. These resources, Bio-SimVerb and Bio-SimLex, address the previously mentioned problems, and can be used for evaluations of verb and noun representations respectively. In our experiments, we have computed the Pearson's correlation between performances on intrinsic and extrinsic tasks using twelve popular state-of-the-art representation models (e.g. word2vec models). The intrinsic-extrinsic correlations using our datasets are notably higher than with previous intrinsic evaluation benchmarks such as UMNSRS and MayoSRS. In addition, when evaluating representation models for their abilities to capture verb and noun semantics individually, we show a considerable variation between performances across all models. Bio-SimVerb and Bio-SimLex enable intrinsic evaluation of word representations. This evaluation can serve as a predictor of performance on various downstream tasks in the biomedical domain. The results on Bio-SimVerb and Bio-SimLex using standard word representation models highlight the importance of developing dedicated

Non-contact multi-frequency magnetic induction spectroscopy system for industrial-scale bio-impedance measurement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

O'Toole, M D; Marsh, L A; Davidson, J L; Tan, Y M; Armitage, D W; Peyton, A J

2015-01-01

Biological tissues have a complex impedance, or bio-impedance, profile which changes with respect to frequency. This is caused by dispersion mechanisms which govern how the electromagnetic field interacts with the tissue at the cellular and molecular level. Measuring the bio-impedance spectra of a biological sample can potentially provide insight into the sample’s properties and its cellular structure. This has obvious applications in the medical, pharmaceutical and food-based industrial domains. However, measuring the bio-impedance spectra non-destructively and in a way which is practical at an industrial scale presents substantial challenges. The low conductivity of the sample requires a highly sensitive instrument, while the demands of industrial-scale operation require a fast high-throughput sensor of rugged design. In this paper, we describe a multi-frequency magnetic induction spectroscopy (MIS) system suitable for industrial-scale, non-contact, spectroscopic bio-impedance measurement over a bandwidth of 156 kHz–2.5 MHz. The system sensitivity and performance are investigated using calibration and known reference samples. It is shown to yield rapid and consistently sensitive results with good long-term stability. The system is then used to obtain conductivity spectra of a number of biological test samples, including yeast suspensions of varying concentration and a range of agricultural produce, such as apples, pears, nectarines, kiwis, potatoes, oranges and tomatoes. (paper)

Development and characterization of a new bio-nanocomposite (bio-NCP) for diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martins, Murillo L., E-mail: murillolongo@gmail.com [Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, DK-2100 Copenhagen (Denmark); Instituto de Biociências – Universidade Estadual Paulista – CP 510, 18618-970 Botucatu, SP (Brazil); Saeki, Margarida Juri [Instituto de Biociências – Universidade Estadual Paulista – CP 510, 18618-970 Botucatu, SP (Brazil); Telling, Mark T.F. [ISIS, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, Didcot OX11 OQX (United Kingdom); Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford (United Kingdom); Parra, Joao P.R.L.L. [Instituto de Biociências – Universidade Estadual Paulista – CP 510, 18618-970 Botucatu, SP (Brazil); Landsgesell, Sven [Helmholtz–Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie, Hahn-Meitner Platz 1, D-14109 Berlin (Germany); Smith, Ron I. [ISIS, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, Didcot OX11 OQX (United Kingdom); Bordallo, Heloisa N. [Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, DK-2100 Copenhagen (Denmark)

2014-01-25

Highlights: • We synthesized a magnetic bio-NCP with potential to be used against breast cancer. • The magnetic nanoparticles have an inverted spinel structure. • The coating with chitosan does not cause changes to the particle microstructure. • The hydration level of bio-NCP is crucial to the surface modification with apatite. • Bio-NCP with narrow size distribution and high magnetic response was obtained. -- Abstract: Breast cancer is a public health problem throughout the world. Moreover, breast cancer cells have a great affinity for hydroxyapatite, leading to a high occurrence of bone metastasis. In this work we developed a bio-nanocomposite (bio-NCP) in order to use such affinity in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. The bio-NCP consists of magnetic nanoparticles of Mn and Zn ferrite inside a polymeric coating (chitosan) modified with nanocrystals of apatite. The materials were characterized with synchrotron X-ray Powder Diffraction (XPD), Time-of-Flight Neutron Powder Diffraction (NPD), Fourier Transformed Infra-red Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and magnetic measurement with a Physical Property Measurement System (PPMS). We obtained ferrite nanoparticles with a high inversion degree of the spinel structure regarding the Fe and Mn, but with all the Zn in the A site. The coating of such nanoparticles with chitosan had no notable effects to the ferrite microstructure. In addition, the polymeric surface can be easily modified with apatite nanocrystals since the hydration of the bio-NCP during synthesis can be controlled. The resulting bio-NCP presents a spherical shape with a narrow size distribution and high magnetic response at room temperature and is a very promising material for early diagnosis of breast cancer and its treatment.

[Action proposals to Japanese Neurological Society from Fukushima Medical University: based on our three years' experiences].

Science.gov (United States)

Ugawa, Yoshikazu

2013-01-01

In this paper, I make several proposals of what Japanese Neurological Society is able to do or should do in preparing future disaster in Japan. I mention several points separately.Patient education: Patients usually try to visit their hospital as soon as possible for the safety, especially in Japan. Is it true? The traffic jams actually blocked this action in March 11, 2011, which made more serious problems in some patients. We should ask them to prepare matters necessary for staying at home at least for a week when no medical emergency is present.Disaster prevention training: We should make a list of hospitals which accept emergent patients at disaster. We should have some methods of communication still active at disaster (internet, satellite phone) and make society network for communication and patient transportation. How to transfer required drugs to patients is another issue we should consider.Name tag: We sometimes treated unidentified patients in the disaster because the name tag or reference papers was gone or not specified to a certain patient. It is due to great mechanical power of injury or rains. For not detached from the patient and waterproofed, I recommend writing the patient's name on the chest with a permanent marker used in the triathlon when transferring the patients to other hospitals or other places.

55. Annual symposium of the Austrian Physical Society. Abstracts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vogl, G.; Sepiol, B.

2005-01-01

Full text: The 55 th Annual Symposium of the Austrian Physical Society was held from 27.-29. September 2005 at the University of Vienna (Austria), it consisted of a plenary session, oral and poster sessions devoted to: acoustics; women and physics; atomic-, molecular- and plasma physics; solid physics; nuclear and particle physics; medical-, bio-and environmental physics; neutrons and synchrotron radiation physics; surface and thin film analysis and quantum electronics, electrodynamics and optics. Topics such as graphs quantization, molecular interferometry, Brownian movement, ion beam diagnostics, electron emission, optical pumping, Bose-Einstein condensates, molecular matter waves, double-wall carbon nanotubes, quantum dots, ferromagnetic nanocomposites, nanowires, transmission electron microscopy analysis of nanostructures, nanocrystals studies, atomic defects in intermetallic compounds, electron energy loss spectroscopy of intermetallic compounds, CHIRALTEM project, covariance data, nuclear astrophysics, kaonic atoms, pionic hydrogen, geometric phase measurements with neutrons, International linear collider project, ATLAS muon spectrometer, ATLAS detector, LHC's protection system, baryon structure, QCD, lattice QCD, coherent tomography, light microscopy, high resolution magnetic resonance imaging, polymer gel dosimetry, radon microdosimetry, traffic air pollutants, BVOC seasonal variations, biogenic VOC emissions, ice dating, synchrotron small angle x-ray diffraction, small angle neutron scattering, stepped surfaces oxidation, grazing incidence synchrotron reflexion studies, magnetic thin films, atoms quantum dynamics, quantum entanglement, BEC and quantum gases experiments were discussed. This book of abstracts contains their summaries and those contributions which are in the INIS subject scope are indexed individually. (nevyjel)

Women on professional society and journal editorial boards.

Science.gov (United States)

Morton, Melinda J; Sonnad, Seema S

2007-07-01

Membership on a professional medical society or journal editorial board is a marker of influence and prestige for those in academic medicine. This study presents the first comprehensive quantification of women on these boards and the implications for women in medicine. The numbers of women and men on professional society and journal editorial boards across 28 specialties (March 2004) were counted. The number of women holding multiple roles on these boards and the number of women holding top leadership positions on these boards were counted, and these proportions were compared. Three-thousand-four-hundred-seventy-three individuals on 39 professional medical society boards and 54 journal editorial boards were included. Eighty-three percent (2,884) of board members were male. Men occupied > 80% of top leadership positions on these boards. Thirty-five of the 589 women in the study held multiple roles. Anesthesiology (p women on boards in comparison to the total women in the specialty. Internal medicine, plastic surgery, cardiology and general surgery had nearly equivalent proportions; in otolaryngology and family medicine, female board members slightly exceeded the proportion of women in the field. Women's representation on society and editorial boards does not always reflect their presence in medical specialties, and it is critically lacking in certain specialties. Efforts should be made to attain parity of women leaders on these boards. Further efforts should be made to eliminate barriers to women's leadership in medicine.

What are the qualifications and selection criteria for women to be appointed to society journal editorial boards?

Science.gov (United States)

Tomizawa, Yasuko

2014-02-01

Japan ranks extremely low in global ranking of gender equality. It is not easy for female doctors to acquire leadership positions in member societies of the Japanese Association of Medical Science (JAMS). Very few women are included on editorial boards of English medical journals in Japan. Furthermore, until last year, there had been no female editors in English language journals of surgical societies. The qualifications and criteria for selecting editorial board members of medical journals should be clarified. Medical journals in Japan would gain diversity by including women on editorial boards in the same proportion as women membership in the corresponding medical societies.

BioSystems

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — The NCBI BioSystems Database provides integrated access to biological systems and their component genes, proteins, and small molecules, as well as literature...

A bio-energy plant in your neighborhood. Answers to your questions; Een bio-energiecentrale bij u in de buurt. Antwoorden op uw vragen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2008-06-15

This brochure is intended for municipalities and initiators and discusses the following subjects: What is a bio-energy plant?; How large is a bio-energy plant?; What do you see?; Renewable energy: clean and always available; Bio-energy: what is it? [mk]. [Dutch] De brochure is bedoeld voor gemeenten en initiatiefnemers en behandelt de volgende onderwerpen: Wat is een bio-energiecentrale?; Hoe groot is een bio-energiecentrale?; Wat neem je waar?; Duurzame energie: schoon en altijd aanwezig; Bio-energie: wat is dat?.

Sustainable and participatory society for the realization of urban settlement (Case study: Green kampong, Malang City)

Science.gov (United States)

Purnamasari, W. D.; Kirana, V.; Wardhani, D. K.

2017-06-01

Green Kampong is one of the participatory development to conserve our environment. RW 03 Sukun, Malang City has chosen by researcher become case study because it has be successful to obtain a predicate as “Green Kampong” by following environmental management contests through the participatory society. There was some purpose of this study. The first aim was to find out the level of participation at every kind of the social activities such as waste separation for households, bio-pores project, stone massage therapy on the road, and other greening acts. The second aim was to evaluate the level for sustainable society which consists of: the leadership, the social capital, the internal controls activity, the use of technology, and also the finance of physical development in green kampong. The researcher has used the scoring and schema methods in this study. The result showed that the activity that has reached the maintenance phase are sorting waste and greening, whilst the activity that only reached the stage of control are bio-pores development and stone therapy. The social activities with highest participation was taken by greening act and the lowest was taken by bio-pores project. The sustainability of the community rw 03 Sukun known that of the five components aspects the sustainability of, three of whom were have achieved good progress toward the sustainability of the aspects leadership, social capital, and technology facilities and infrastructure while two aspects of whom were still achieved a good start toward sustainability of the aspects monitoring and evaluation and financing.

Bio-fuels of the first generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2012-04-01

After having briefly recalled the objective of use of renewable energies and the role bio-fuels may play, this publication briefly presents various bio-fuels: bio-diesel (from colza, soybean or sunflower oil), and ethanol (from beet, sugar cane, wheat or corn). Some key data regarding bio-fuel production and use in France are briefly commented. The publication outlines strengths (a positive energy assessment, a decreased dependency on imported fossil fuels and a higher supply safety, a diversification of agriculture revenues and prospects, a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions) and weaknesses (uncertainty regarding the evolution of soil use, an environmental impact related to farming methods) of this sector. Actions undertaken by the ADEME in collaboration with other agencies and institutions are briefly overviewed

Bio-methane. Challenges and technical solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blaisonneau, Laurent; Carlu, Elieta; Feuillette, Vincent

2012-06-01

Among the new energy sectors in development, biogas has many benefits: several valorization possibilities (bio-methane, electricity and heat), continuous production, easy storage. In Europe, and particularly in France, the bio-methane market will be in the next years a driver for the improvement of the economic, environmental and social performance of the actors of the value chain of biogas. ENEA releases a report on the current state of the bio-methane market in Europe. This publication mainly describes: An outlook of the market evolution and the corresponding stakes for the actors of this sector, the technical and economic characteristics, maturity level and specificities of each biogas upgrading process, An analysis of the French regulatory framework for bio-methane injection into the grid

[Representation of women in health-related scientific societies in Spain in 2014].

Science.gov (United States)

Casado-Mejía, Rosa; Botello-Hermosa, Alicia

2015-01-01

To describe the presence of women in the governance of health-related scientific societies in Spain today. Spanish scientific societies were identified by vising the websites of the Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality, and Fisterra. The sex of the president, executive officers and the board of directors was identified. Data were analyzed according to the overall percentage of women and by profession and setting. Of 173 scientific societies in July 2014, 41 had a female president (22.53%). Women held 35.45% of executive positions and accounted for 36.32% of the boards of directors. Only 16.07% of medical societies had a female president compared with 76.92% of nursing societies. Primary care societies had more women in executive positions (54.55%) than societies in which the professional activity of members involved both primary and secondary care (35.74%) and societies related to hospital care (27.93%). There is a lack of parity, which is greater in nursing and primary care societies than in medical and hospital-related societies. Parity decreases as the level of responsibility rises. Copyright © 2014 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Multiple bio-monitoring system using visible light for electromagnetic-wave free indoor healthcare

Science.gov (United States)

An, Jinyoung; Pham, Ngoc Quan; Chung, Wan-Young

2017-12-01

In this paper, a multiple biomedical data transmission system with visible light communication (VLC) is proposed for an electromagnetic-wave-free indoor healthcare. VLC technology has emerged as an alternative solution to radio-frequency (RF) wireless systems, due to its various merits, e.g., ubiquity, power efficiency, no RF radiation, and security. With VLC, critical bio-medical signals, including electrocardiography (ECG), can be transmitted in places where RF radiation is restricted. This potential advantage of VLC could save more lives in emergency situations. A time hopping (TH) scheme is employed to transfer multiple medical-data streams in real time with a simple system design. Multiple data streams are transmitted using identical color LEDs and go into an optical detector. The received multiple data streams are demodulated and rearranged using a TH-based demodulator. The medical data is then monitored and managed to provide the necessary medical care for each patient.

Bio-fuels - biohazard

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Slovak, K.

2008-01-01

Politicians have a clear explanation for growing commodity prices. It is all the fault of speculators. It is easy to point the finger at an imaginary enemy. It is more difficult and from the point of view of a political career suicidal to admit one's mistakes. And there are reasons for remorse. According to studies prepared by the OECD and the World Bank bio-fuels are to be blame for high food prices. The bio-fuel boom that increases the demand for agro-commodities has been created by politicians offering generous subsidies. And so farming products do not end up on the table, but in the fuel tanks of cars in the form of additives. And their only efficiency is that they make food more expensive. The first relevant indication that environmentalist tendencies in global politics have resulted in shortages and food price increases can be found in a confidential report prepared by the World Bank. Parts of the report were leaked to the media last month. According to this information growing bio-fuel production has resulted in a food price increase by 75%. The theory that this development was caused by speculators and Chinese and Indian demand received a serious blow. And the OECD report definitely contradicted the excuse used by the politicians. According to the report one of the main reasons for growing food prices are generously subsidized bio-fuels. Their share of the increase of demand for agro-commodities in 2005 -2007 was 60% according to the study. (author)

Sobre a correlação entre a bioética e a psicologia médica About correlation between bioethics and medical psychology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Alvaro Marques Marcolino

2008-08-01

Full Text Available Os autores realizam um estudo a respeito de uma correlação entre a bioética e a psicologia médica. Dividem o trabalho em duas partes. A primeira discute os conceitos filosóficos sobre a distinção entre moral e ética, trata da ética ligada à medicina e dedica-se à bioética, procurando definir o que se compreende por essa disciplina, descrevendo seus três princípios básicos: a autonomia, a beneficência, não-maleficência e a justiça. Portanto, traça nesta parte do trabalho, uma trajetória que partiu da ética em sua vertente filosófica até chegar à ética em sua aplicação à medicina. A segunda parte é dedicada a definição do campo da psicologia médica, estudando aspectos da relação emocional do indivíduo doente com a sua doença, da relação do médico com a medicina e enfoca o relacionamento do médico com seu paciente. Discutem algumas situações clínicas em que se observa essa correlação. No final, buscam elaborar algumas conclusões.The authors make a study about the correlation between bioethics and medical psychology. They divide the study in two parts. The first part they discuss the philosophical concepts about the distinction between morals and ethics, they deal with ethics applied to medicine and they are trying to define what is meant by subject and describe its three basic principles: autonomy, beneficence, non maleficence and justice. Consequently in this part they trace route that started from ethics in its philosophical origins and moved on to ethics in its application to medicine. The second part is dedicated to the definition of the field of study of medical psychology, they study some aspects of the emotional relation of the patient with his illness, the relation of the doctors of his medicine and the relacionship between doctor and his patient. They discusse some clinical issues where they observe this correlation. At last, they try to draw some conclusions.

One-step synthesis and antibacterial property of water-soluble silver nanoparticles by CGJ bio-template

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu Zichun; Wu Qingsheng; Chen Ping; Yang Xiaohong

2011-01-01

In this article, a new synthetic method of nanoparticles with fresh Chinese gooseberry juice (CGJ) as bio-template was developed. One-step synthesis of highly water-soluble silver nanoparticles at room temperature without using any harmful reducing agents and special capping agent was fulfilled with this method. In the process, the products were obtained by adding AgNO 3 to CGJ, which was used as reducing agent, capping agent, and the bio-template. The products of silver nanoparticles with diameter of 10–30 nm have strong water solubility and excellent antibiotic function. With the same concentration 0.047 μg mL −1 , the antibacterial effect of water-soluble silver particles by fresh CGJ was 53%, whereas only 27% for silver nanoparticles synthesized using the template method of fresh onion inner squama coat (OISC). The excellent water solubility of the products would enable them have better applications in the bio-medical field. The synthetic method would also have potential application in preparing other highly water-soluble particles, because of its simple apparatus, high yield, mild conditions, and facile operation.

Bio-mimetic Flow Control

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Haecheon

2009-11-01

Bio-mimetic engineering or bio-mimetics is the application of biological methods and systems found in nature to the study and design of engineering systems and modern technology (from Wikipedia). The concept itself is old, but successful developments have been made recently, especially in the research field of flow control. The objective of flow control based on the bio-mimetic approach is to develop novel concepts for reducing drag, increasing lift and enhancing aerodynamic performance. For skin friction reduction, a few ideas have been suggested such as the riblet from shark, compliant surface from dolphin, microbubble injection and multiple front-body curvature from penguin, and V-shaped protrusion from sailfish. For form drag reduction, several new attempts have been also made recently. Examples include the V-shaped spanwise grooves from saguaro cactus, overall shape of box fish, longitudinal grooves on scallop shell, bill of swordfish, hooked comb on owl wing, trailing-edge protrusion on dragonfly wing, and fillet. For the enhancement of aerodynamic performance, focuses have been made on the birds, fish and insects: e.g., double layered feather of landing bird, leading-edge serration of humpback-whale flipper, pectoral fin of flying fish, long tail on swallowtail-butterfly wing, wing flapping motion of dragonfly, and alula in birds. Living animals adapt their bodies to better performance in multi purposes, but engineering requires single purpose in most cases. Therefore, bio-mimetic approaches often produce excellent results more than expected. However, they are sometimes based on people's wrong understanding of nature and produce unwanted results. Successes and failures from bio-mimetic approaches in flow control will be discussed in the presentation.

Development of production technology for bio diesel fuel and feasibility test of bio diesel engine (II)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Na, Y J; Ju, U S; Park, Y C [National Kyung Sang University (Korea, Republic of)

1996-02-01

At the beginning of the 21 st century two urgent tasks which our global countries would face with could be the security of the alternative energy source as a preparation against the fossil energy exhaustion and the development of the clean energy source to protect the environment from pollution. The above two problems should be solved together. The bio diesel oil which is made by methylesterfication of bio oil has very low sulfur content than does the diesel oil. Therefore, there is a great possibility to solve the pollution problem caused by the exhaust gas from diesel engine vehicles. So, bio oil has been attracted with attentions as an alternative and clean energy source. Advanced countries began early to develop the bio diesel oil suitable to their respective conditions. Recently their production stage have reached to the commercial level partially. The sudden increase of energy demand followed by a rapid growth of industry and the serious situation about the environmental pollution caused by the exhaust has from diesel engine vehicles occupying 42% of distribution among all vehicles have called attention of our government to consider the importance of alternative and clean energy sources for the future on the national scale. This study is consisted of three main parts; - The development of production technology for bio diesel oil. - The development of the atomization improvement method and nozzle for high viscous vegetable oils. - Feasibility test of bio diesel engine. (author) 119 refs., 52 tabs., 88 figs.

Bio-oil production from cotton stalk

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zheng Jilu; Yi Weiming; Wang Nana

2008-01-01

Cotton stalk was fast pyrolyzed at temperatures between 480 deg. C and 530 deg. C in a fluidized bed, and the main product of bio-oil is obtained. The experimental result shows that the highest bio-oil yield of 55 wt% was obtained at 510 deg. C for cotton stalk. The chemical composition of the bio-oil acquired was analyzed by GC-MS, and its heat value, stability, miscibility and corrosion characteristics were determined. These results showed that the bio-oil obtained can be directly used as a fuel oil for combustion in a boiler or a furnace without any upgrading. Alternatively, the fuel can be refined to be used by vehicles. Furthermore, the energy performance of the pyrolysis process was analyzed. In the pyrolysis system used in our experiment, some improvements to former pyrolysis systems are done. Two screw feeders were used to prevent jamming the feeding system, and the condenser is equipped with some nozzles and a heat exchanger to cool quickly the cleaned hot gas into bio-oil

BioProject

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — The BioProject database provides an organizational framework to access information about research projects with links to data that have been or will be deposited...

Bio-Based Polymers with Potential for Biodegradability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas F. Garrison

2016-07-01

Full Text Available A variety of renewable starting materials, such as sugars and polysaccharides, vegetable oils, lignin, pine resin derivatives, and proteins, have so far been investigated for the preparation of bio-based polymers. Among the various sources of bio-based feedstock, vegetable oils are one of the most widely used starting materials in the polymer industry due to their easy availability, low toxicity, and relative low cost. Another bio-based plastic of great interest is poly(lactic acid (PLA, widely used in multiple commercial applications nowadays. There is an intrinsic expectation that bio-based polymers are also biodegradable, but in reality there is no guarantee that polymers prepared from biorenewable feedstock exhibit significant or relevant biodegradability. Biodegradability studies are therefore crucial in order to assess the long-term environmental impact of such materials. This review presents a brief overview of the different classes of bio-based polymers, with a strong focus on vegetable oil-derived resins and PLA. An entire section is dedicated to a discussion of the literature addressing the biodegradability of bio-based polymers.

The environmentally friendly technology for bio fuel production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bekers, M.; Danilevics, A.; Guriniece, E.; Gulbis, V.

2003-01-01

Full text: Bio fuel production and use have been discussed this time in EC and in Latvia as alternative energy sources. The national resources allow producing liquid fuels - bio diesel and bi oethanol from rape seeds and grain correspondingly. Liquid bio fuels can be recommended especially for auto transport in big towns to reduce the pollution of air. A system for environmentally friendly production of bio fuel from agricultural raw materials has been developed, which permit a complex utilization of byproducts an wastes for obtaining of valuable food-stuffs and industrial products, providing the agricultural production requirements and supporting with local mineral fertilizers. Such a bio fuel production includes the agricultural and industrial productions in a united biotechnological system. Production objects of system interact: the products, by-products and wastes from one object are used as raw materials, auxiliary materials or heat carriers in other system's objects. This integrated agro-industrial production system would allow the production of feeds and chemical products, along with bio fuels. In this work, a model of a system for a conventional administrative rural region is presented, exemplified with the case of Latvia. The model is developed for three forms of bio fuel production, i.e. ethanol, bio diesel and biogas as local energy source. Bio diesel is produced using ethanol as transesterifying agent of rape-seed oil fatty acids. This bio diesel is a blend of rape-seed oil fatty acid ethyl esters (REE) and consists solely from renewable raw materials. The capacity of distillery of system is 40 million litters per year and bio diesel 35000 ton. Important for agriculture is protein reach press cakes the byproduct from bio diesel production (66000 t/y). This byproduct can be exported as well. Biogas reactors of system can be used for utilization of wastes from town if necessary. Recommended bio system occupates up to 150.000 ha of agriculture lands

The history and development of the Human Genetics Society of Australasia.

Science.gov (United States)

Sutherland, Grant R

2008-08-01

The Human Genetics Society of Australasia is a vibrant professional society with more than 900 members that promotes and regulates the practice of human and medical genetics in Australia and New Zealand. The growth of human genetics was stimulated by the development of diagnostic clinical cytogenetics laboratories in the early to mid 1960s. This coincided with the recognition by medical specialists, mainly pediatricians, that genetic disorders, especially inborn errors of metabolism and birth defects, were of clinical interest and potentially challenging areas for their skills. The organization of professionals in human genetics was slow to evolve. There was an early Western Australian Human Genetics Society, and the cytogenetics community had begun to meet annually from about 1966 but was coordinated by a mailing list rather than as a formal organization. In 1976, as part of the celebrations of the Centenary Year of the Adelaide Children's Hospital, a clinical genetics meeting involving several high profile international speakers and most of the senior medical geneticists in Australia and New Zealand along with the annual meeting of the loose-knit cytogeneticists group agreed that a small working group be charged with setting up a Human Genetics Society. The society was formally incorporated in South Australia in 1977.

Past, Present, and Future Production of Bio-oil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Steele, Philip; Yu, Fei; Gajjela, Sanjeev

2009-04-01

Bio-oil is a liquid product produced by fast pyrol-ysis of biomass. The fast pyrolysis is performed by heating the biomass rapidly (2 sec) at temperatures ranging from 350 to 650 oC. The vapors produced by this rapid heating are then condensed to produce a dark brown water-based emulsion composed of frag-ments of the original hemicellulose, cellulose and lignin molecules contained in the biomass. Yields range from 60 to 75% based on the feedstock type and the pyrolysis reactor employed. The bio-oil pro-duced by this process has a number of negative prop-erties that are produced mainly by the high oxygen content (40 to 50%) contributed by that contained in water (25 to 30% of total mass) and oxygenated compounds. Each bio-oil contains hundreds of chemi-cal compounds. The chemical composition of bio-oil renders it a very recalcitrant chemical compound. To date, the difficulties in utilizing bio-oil have limited its commercial development to the production of liq-uid smoke as food flavoring. Practitioners have at-tempted to utilize raw bio-oil as a fuel; they have also applied many techniques to upgrade bio-oil to a fuel. Attempts to utilize raw bio-oil as a combustion engine fuel have resulted in engine or turbine dam-age; however, Stirling engines have been shown to successfully combust raw bio-oil without damage. Utilization of raw bio-oil as a boiler fuel has met with more success and an ASTM standard has recently been released describing bio-oil characteristics in relation to assigned fuel grades. However, commercialization has been slow to follow and no reports of distribution of these bio-oil boiler fuels have been reported. Co-feeding raw bio-oil with coal has been successfully performed but no current power generation facilities are following this practice. Upgrading of bio-oils to hydrocarbons via hydroprocessing is being performed by several organizations. Currently, limited catalyst life is the obstacle to commercialization of this tech-nology. Researchers

Bio-flex obtained from pyrolysis of biomass as fuel; Bio-flex obtido da pirolise de biomassa como combustivel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mesa Perez, Juan Miguel; Viltre Rodriguez, Roberto Alfonso; Marin Mesa, Henry Ramon [Bioware Tecnologia, Campinas, SP (Brazil); Rocha, Jose Dilcio [Universidade Estadual de Campinas (NIPE/UNICAMP), SP (Brazil). Nucleo Interdisciplinar de Planejamento Energetico; Samaniego, Manuel Raul Pelaez [Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), SP (Brazil). Planejamento de Sistemas Energeticos; Cortez, Luis Augusto Barbosa [Universidade Estadual de Campinas (FEAGRI/UNICAMP), SP (Brazil). Fac. de Engenharia Agricola

2006-07-01

This paper describes the BIOWARE experience in the bio fuel production from biomass residues. Fast pyrolysis of a mixture of sugar cane trash and elephant grass carried out in a fluidized bed reactor with capacity of 200 kg/h dry feed (12% w/w). The co-products particulate charcoal, acid extract, and bio-oil were obtained. The fast pyrolysis pilot plant PPR-200 belonged to UNICAMP and is operated by BIOWARE personnel. This paper presents the chemical rote to bio-flex production (a kind of bio diesel from acid esterification) from pyrolytic carboxylic acids. Both ethanol and methanol were used as reactant but higher yields were found with methanol. (author)

Medical implants and methods of making medical implants

Science.gov (United States)

Shaw, Wendy J; Yonker, Clement R; Fulton, John L; Tarasevich, Barbara J; McClain, James B; Taylor, Doug

2014-09-16

A medical implant device having a substrate with an oxidized surface and a silane derivative coating covalently bonded to the oxidized surface. A bioactive agent is covalently bonded to the silane derivative coating. An implantable stent device including a stent core having an oxidized surface with a layer of silane derivative covalently bonded thereto. A spacer layer comprising polyethylene glycol (PEG) is covalently bonded to the layer of silane derivative and a protein is covalently bonded to the PEG. A method of making a medical implant device including providing a substrate having a surface, oxidizing the surface and reacting with derivitized silane to form a silane coating covalently bonded to the surface. A bioactive agent is then covalently bonded to the silane coating. In particular instances, an additional coating of bio-absorbable polymer and/or pharmaceutical agent is deposited over the bioactive agent.

Review of the Statistical Techniques in Medical Sciences | Okeh ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... medical researcher in selecting the appropriate statistical techniques. Of course, all statistical techniques have certain underlying assumptions, which must be checked before the technique is applied. Keywords: Variable, Prospective Studies, Retrospective Studies, Statistical significance. Bio-Research Vol. 6 (1) 2008: pp.

BioSig - An application of Octave

OpenAIRE

Schlögl, Alois

2006-01-01

BioSig is an open source software library for biomedical signal processing. Most users in the field are using Matlab; however, significant effort was undertaken to provide compatibility to Octave, too. This effort has been widely successful, only some non-critical components relying on a graphical user interface are missing. Now, installing BioSig on Octave is as easy as on Matlab. Moreover, a benchmark test based on BioSig has been developed and the benchmark results of several platforms are...

Recycling used palm oil and used engine oil to produce white bio oil, bio petroleum diesel and heavy fuel

Science.gov (United States)

Al-abbas, Mustafa Hamid; Ibrahim, Wan Aini Wan; Sanagi, Mohd. Marsin

2012-09-01

Recycling waste materials produced in our daily life is considered as an additional resource of a wide range of materials and it conserves the environment. Used engine oil and used cooking oil are two oils disposed off in large quantities as a by-product of our daily life. This study aims at providing white bio oil, bio petroleum diesel and heavy fuel from the disposed oils. Toxic organic materials suspected to be present in the used engine oil were separated using vacuum column chromatography to reduce the time needed for the separation process and to avoid solvent usage. The compounds separated were detected by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and found to contain toxic aromatic carboxylic acids. Used cooking oils (thermally cracked from usage) were collected and separated by vacuum column chromatography. White bio oil produced was examined by GC-MS. The white bio oil consists of non-toxic hydrocarbons and is found to be a good alternative to white mineral oil which is significantly used in food industry, cosmetics and drugs with the risk of containing polycyclic aromatic compounds which are carcinogenic and toxic. Different portions of the used cooking oil and used engine were mixed to produce several blends for use as heavy oil fuels. White bio oil was used to produce bio petroleum diesel by blending it with petroleum diesel and kerosene. The bio petroleum diesel produced passed the PETRONAS flash point and viscosity specification test. The heat of combustion of the two blends of heavy fuel produced was measured and one of the blends was burned to demonstrate its burning ability. Higher heat of combustion was obtained from the blend containing greater proportion of used engine oil. This study has provided a successful recycled alternative for white bio oil, bio petroleum fuel and diesel which can be an energy source.

Socio-economic Effects of a Bio-DME Plant in Vaexjoe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baudin, Anders; Nordvall, Hans-Olof

2008-03-15

The task described for CHRISGAS Work Package (WP) 16 (Socio-economic Studies) is to assess the likely short- and long-term effects on society in general and the forest sector in particular of a full-scale bio-DME plant in Vaexjoe. Bio-DME is an emission free substitute to diesel. Bio-DME can also be mixed with or constitute a substitute for LPG (Liquid Petroleum Gas). A full-scale bio-DME plant is expected to produce 400 000 tons annually with a raw material requirement in the order of 2.6 TWh. In our study we have also considered output levels at 200 000 and 100 000 tons, respectively. The essential issues investigated concern the raw material availability, investment cost, product prices and employment. In our study we limit the discussion on raw material for bio-DME to include logging residues and stumps. Despite this limitation we have to consider it from the whole context of the forest sector. The availability of logging residues and stumps is closely related to forest operations such as clear cuts, thinnings and clearings. Transport of raw material to Vaexjoe is considered within a distance of 150 km by road, 600 km by railroad and 10 000 km by sea. Although it can be argued that forest fuel is a commodity that can be transported over long distances, e. g. as chips, it has to be recognised that the vast majority raw material has to be found near the bio-DME plant. Therefore it is necessary to obtain a realistic view on what is available within road distance, i.e. within 150 km from Vaexjoe. Based on two independent data sources and considering only logging residues and stumps we find that the bio-DME plant in Vaexjoe to a large (or even full) extent can be supplied by logging residues and stumps in a radius of 150 km around Vaexjoe. From the aspect of competition of raw material the picture is more complicated. Logging residues and stumps will, to an increasing degree, be used by the thermal heating/power plants in south Sweden and, in addition, there is

Core ethical values: EuropaBio.

Science.gov (United States)

2002-01-01

EuropaBio, the European Association for BioIndustries, represents 40 companies operating world wide and 14 national association (totaling around 600 small and medium-sized enterprises) involved in the research, development, testing, manufacturing, marketing, sales and distribution of biotechnology products and services in the fields of healthcare, agriculture, food and the environment.

Bio-Research: About this journal

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Bio-Research: About this journal. Journal Home > Bio-Research: About this journal. Log in or Register to get access to full text downloads. Username, Password, Remember me, or Register · Journal Home · ABOUT THIS JOURNAL · Advanced Search · Current Issue · Archives. People. » Contact. Policies. » Focus and ...

Comparison of Intact PTH and Bio-Intact PTH Assays Among Non-Dialysis Dependent Chronic Kidney Disease Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Einbinder, Yael; Benchetrit, Sydney; Golan, Eliezer; Zitman-Gal, Tali

2017-09-01

The third-generation bio-intact parathyroid hormone (PTH) (1-84) assay was designed to overcome problems associated with the detection of C-terminal fragments by the second-generation intact PTH assay. The two assays have been compared primarily among dialysis populations. The present study evaluated the correlations and differences between these two PTH assays among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages 3 to 5 not yet on dialysis. Blood samples were collected from 98 patients with CKD stages 3 to 5. PTH concentrations were measured simultaneously by using the second-generation - PTH intact-STAT and third-generation bio-intact 1-84 PTH assays. Other serum biomarkers of bone mineral disorders were also assessed. CKD stage was calculated by using the CKD-Epidemiology Collaboration (EPI) formula. Serum bio-intact PTH concentrations were strongly correlated but significantly lower than the intact PTH concentrations (r=0.963, Pbio-intact PTH) positively correlated with urea (r=0.523, r=0.504; P=0.002, respectively), phosphorus (r=0.532, r=0.521; Pbio-intact PTH assay detected significantly lower PTH concentrations compared with intact PTH assay. Additional studies that correlate the diagnosis and management of CKD mineral and bone disorders with bone histomorphometric findings are needed to determine whether bio-intact PTH assay results are better surrogate markers in these early stages of CKD. © The Korean Society for Laboratory Medicine

Biodegradation of chloroethene compounds in groundwater at Operable Unit 1, Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Division Keyport, Washington, 1999-2010

Science.gov (United States)

Dinicola, R.S.; Huffman, R.L.

2012-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey evaluated the biodegradation of chloroethene compounds in groundwater beneath the former landfill at Operable Unit 1 (OU 1) of the U.S. Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC), Division Keyport. The predominant contaminants in groundwater are the chloroethene compounds trichloroethene, cis-1,2-dichloroethene, and vinyl chloride. The remedy selected for groundwater contamination at OU 1 includes phytoremediation and natural attenuation. In 1999, the U.S. Navy planted two hybrid poplar plantations, referred to as the northern and southern plantations, over the most contaminated parts of the landfill. The U.S. Navy monitors tree health, groundwater levels, and contaminant concentrations to assess the effectiveness of phytoremediation. The U.S. Geological Survey began a cooperative effort with the U.S. Navy in 1995 to monitor the effectiveness of natural attenuation processes for removing and controlling the migration of chloroethenes and chloroethanes. Field and laboratory studies from 1996 through 2000 demonstrated that biodegradation of chloroethenes and chloroethanes in shallow groundwater at OU 1 was substantial. The U.S. Geological Survey monitored geochemical and contaminant concentrations in groundwater annually from 2001 through 2010. This report presents groundwater geochemical and contaminant data collected by the U.S. Geological Survey during June 2010 and evaluates evidence for continued biodegradation of chloroethenes in groundwater.

Hybrid Societies: Challenges and Perspectives in the Design of Collective Behavior in Self-organizing Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heiko eHamann

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Hybrid societies are self-organizing, collective systems composed of different components, for example, natural and artificial parts (bio-hybrid or human beings interacting with and through technical systems (socio-technical. Many different disciplines investigate methods and systems closely related to the design of hybrid societies. A~stronger collaboration between these disciplines could allow for re-use of methods and create significant synergies. We identify three main areas of challenges in the design of self-organizing hybrid societies. First, we identify the formalization challenge. There is an urgent need for a generic model that allows a description and comparison of collective hybrid societies. Second, we identify the system design challenge. Starting from the formal specification of the system, we need to develop an integrated design process. Third, we identify the challenge of interdisciplinarity. Current research on self-organizing hybrid societies stretches over many different fields and hence requires the re-use and synthesis of methods at intersections between disciplines. We then conclude by presenting our perspective for future approaches with high potential in this area.

Promotion of hydrogen-rich gas and phenolic-rich bio-oil production from green macroalgae Cladophora glomerata via pyrolysis over its bio-char.

Science.gov (United States)

Norouzi, Omid; Jafarian, Sajedeh; Safari, Farid; Tavasoli, Ahmad; Nejati, Behnam

2016-11-01

Conversion of Cladophora glomerata (C. glomerata) as a Caspian Sea's green macroalgae into gaseous, liquid and solid products was carried out via pyrolysis at different temperatures to determine its potential for bio-oil and hydrogen-rich gas production for further industrial utilization. Non-catalytic tests were performed to determine the optimum condition for bio-oil production. The highest portion of bio-oil was retrieved at 500°C. The catalytic test was performed using the bio-char derived at 500°C as a catalyst. Effect of the addition of the algal bio-char on the composition of the bio-oil and also gaseous products was investigated. Pyrolysis derived bio-char was characterized by BET, FESEM and ICP method to show its surface area, porosity, and presence of inorganic metals on its surface, respectively. Phenols were increased from 8.5 to 20.76area% by the addition of bio-char. Moreover, the hydrogen concentration and hydrogen selectivity were also enhanced by the factors of 1.37, 1.59 respectively. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Electro-active bio-films: formation, characterization and mechanisms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parot, Sandrine

2007-01-01

Some bacteria, which are able to exchange electrons with a conductive material without mediator form on conductive surfaces electro-active bio-films. This bacterial property has been recently discovered (2001). Objectives of this work are to develop electro-active bio-films in various natural environments from indigenous flora, then through complementary electrochemical techniques (chrono-amperometry and cyclic voltammetry), to evaluate electro-activity of isolates coming from so-formed bio-films and to characterize mechanisms of electron transfer between bacteria and materials. First, electro-active bio-films have been developed under chrono-amperometry in garden compost and in water coming from Guyana mangrove. These bio-films were respectively able to use an electrode as electron acceptor (oxidation) or as electron donor (reduction). In compost, results obtained in chrono-amperometry and cyclic voltammetry suggest a two-step electron transfer: slow substrate consumption, then rapid electron transfer between bacteria and the electrode. Thereafter, the ability to reduce oxygen was demonstrated with cyclic voltammetry for facultative aerobic isolates from compost bio-films (Enterobacter spp. and Pseudomonas spp.) and for aerobic isolates obtained from marine electro-active bio-films (Roseobacter spp. in majority). Finally, bio-films inducing current increase in chrono-amperometry were developed in bioreactor with synthetic medium from a pure culture of isolates. Hence, for the first time, electro-activity of several anaerobic strains of Geobacter bremensis isolated from compost bio-films was highlighted. (author) [fr

BioNet Digital Communications Framework

Science.gov (United States)

Gifford, Kevin; Kuzminsky, Sebastian; Williams, Shea

2010-01-01

BioNet v2 is a peer-to-peer middleware that enables digital communication devices to talk to each other. It provides a software development framework, standardized application, network-transparent device integration services, a flexible messaging model, and network communications for distributed applications. BioNet is an implementation of the Constellation Program Command, Control, Communications and Information (C3I) Interoperability specification, given in CxP 70022-01. The system architecture provides the necessary infrastructure for the integration of heterogeneous wired and wireless sensing and control devices into a unified data system with a standardized application interface, providing plug-and-play operation for hardware and software systems. BioNet v2 features a naming schema for mobility and coarse-grained localization information, data normalization within a network-transparent device driver framework, enabling of network communications to non-IP devices, and fine-grained application control of data subscription band width usage. BioNet directly integrates Disruption Tolerant Networking (DTN) as a communications technology, enabling networked communications with assets that are only intermittently connected including orbiting relay satellites and planetary rover vehicles.

Bio energy: Environment and Environmental Engineering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soma, Morten; Noreng, Katrina; Soerensen, Heidi; Teslo, Einar; Daehlen, Knut; Liodden, Ole Joergen; Wilhelmsen, Gunnar; Hohle, Erik Eid

2001-01-01

This is Chapter 5 of the book ''Bio energy - Environment, technique and market''. Its main sections are: (1) Environmental issues in the use of energy, (2) Environmental issues in the production of biomass, (3) Forestry, (4) Agriculture, (5) Environmental issues in fuel production and storage, (6) Environmental issues in combustion, (7) Environmental issues in using bio fuel, (8) Life cycle analyses, (9) Laws, regulations and norms for the use of bio fuel. Unlike the other sections, the one on laws is mostly concerned with Norwegian conditions

Upgrading biomass pyrolysis bio-oil to renewable fuels.

Science.gov (United States)

2015-01-01

Fast pyrolysis is a process that can convert woody biomass to a crude bio-oil (pyrolysis oil). However, some of these compounds : contribute to bio-oil shelf life instability and difficulty in refining. Catalytic hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of the bio-o...

The evolution of formula-bio

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Maas, A.; Steinbuch, M.

2013-01-01

Formula-Bio started out as a dream of building a race car with only three students and thereby showing the world that everything is possible if you put your passion into it. In this internship report the story of Formula-Bio and the reasoning behind the FB01 can be found. A large part of the report

Bio-technology drawing attention for solution of environmental problems. Kankyo mondai kaiketsu demo chumokusareru bio technology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shimazaki, A [Bank of Tokyo, Tokyo (Japan)

1991-06-01

Explanations are given on the recent movements in the bio-technology applications. In the United States, gene therapy has been applied to patients having damaged immune system, while in Japan the first outdoor experiment is about to begin this year on gene recombined tomatoes. In the area of the marine bio-technology, researches carried out by the industrial, governmental, and academic sectors combined, led by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry have begun, which include such an attractive subject as finding out new kinds of algae living on carbon dioxide as their special favorite diet to use them to prevent the earth warming-up. On the other hand, the difficulty of bio-business is represented by the fact that venture business groups are absorbed into larger chemical companies. In Japan, the bio-business established in individual regions related to soy bean paste and Shoyu sauce industry is a distinct feature. Deregulations and review on the patent system are in progress in the United States and Germany aiming at strengthening the business competitiveness. Expectation is placed on the bio-technology that it will contribute largely in the future to solving such a critical environmental problem as experienced in the Persian Gulf war. 1 tab.

Bioenergy Status Document 2012; Statusdocument Bio-energie 2012

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bles, M.; Schepers, B.; Van Grinsven, A.; Bergsma, G.; Croezen, H. [CE Delft, Delft (Netherlands)

2013-05-15

In addition to a review and characterisation of the current situation, the report contains an update on government policies on bio-energy and a review of the sources and sustainability of the biomass used in the Netherlands [Dutch] Het statusdocument bio-energie 2012 geeft de huidige status weer van bio-energie in Nederland, inclusief trends en verwachtingen voor de toekomst. Het doel van dit document is inzicht verstrekken in de ontwikkelingen van bio-energie, voor overheden en marktpartijen.

2nd generation biogas. BioSNG

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zwart, R.W.R.

2008-11-01

The substitution of natural gas by a renewable equivalent is an interesting option to reduce the use of fossil fuels and the accompanying greenhouse gas emissions, as well as from the point of view of security of supply. The renewable alternative for natural gas is green natural gas, i.e. gaseous energy carriers produced from biomass comprising both biogas and Synthetic Natural Gas (SNG). Via this route can be benefited from all the advantages of natural gas, like the existing dense infrastructure, trade and supply network, and natural gas applications. In this presentation attention is paid to the differences between first generation biogas and second generation bioSNG; the market for bioSNG: grid injection vs. transportation fuel; latest update on the lab- and pilot-scale bioSNG development at ECN; and an overview is given of ongoing bioSNG activities worldwide

Bio fuels. A comparative analysis; Biokraftstoffe. Eine vergleichende Analyse

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schmitz, Norbert; Henke, Jan; Klepper, Gernot

2009-07-01

The market for bio fuels is subject to very high dynamics worldwide. Due to the extreme rise of the prices of raw materials as well as due to the retrogressive tax reductions for bio fuels in Germany one hardly invests in bio fuels. Substantial changes are experienced in the markets for fossil raw materials. The prices for agrarian raw material used in this contribution originate from the years 2006 and 2007. The effects of clearly higher oil prices on the bio fuel market are described. The investigation under consideration also deals with criteria of sustainability. The contribution of the individual bio fuels to the reduction of greenhouse gases is analyzed. The costs resulting from this are numerated. This enables a well-established comparison in which less representative bio fuels such as bio methane, BtL fuels and cellulose ethanol also are included.

BioBlend.objects: metacomputing with Galaxy.

Science.gov (United States)

Leo, Simone; Pireddu, Luca; Cuccuru, Gianmauro; Lianas, Luca; Soranzo, Nicola; Afgan, Enis; Zanetti, Gianluigi

2014-10-01

BioBlend.objects is a new component of the BioBlend package, adding an object-oriented interface for the Galaxy REST-based application programming interface. It improves support for metacomputing on Galaxy entities by providing higher-level functionality and allowing users to more easily create programs to explore, query and create Galaxy datasets and workflows. BioBlend.objects is available online at https://github.com/afgane/bioblend. The new object-oriented API is implemented by the galaxy/objects subpackage. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press.

How 3D immersive visualization is changing medical diagnostics

Science.gov (United States)

Koning, Anton H. J.

2011-03-01

Originally the only way to look inside the human body without opening it up was by means of two dimensional (2D) images obtained using X-ray equipment. The fact that human anatomy is inherently three dimensional leads to ambiguities in interpretation and problems of occlusion. Three dimensional (3D) imaging modalities such as CT, MRI and 3D ultrasound remove these drawbacks and are now part of routine medical care. While most hospitals 'have gone digital', meaning that the images are no longer printed on film, they are still being viewed on 2D screens. However, this way valuable depth information is lost, and some interactions become unnecessarily complex or even unfeasible. Using a virtual reality (VR) system to present volumetric data means that depth information is presented to the viewer and 3D interaction is made possible. At the Erasmus MC we have developed V-Scope, an immersive volume visualization system for visualizing a variety of (bio-)medical volumetric datasets, ranging from 3D ultrasound, via CT and MRI, to confocal microscopy, OPT and 3D electron-microscopy data. In this talk we will address the advantages of such a system for both medical diagnostics as well as for (bio)medical research.

Life-Cycle Assessment of Pyrolysis Bio-Oil Production*

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Steele, Philip; Puettmann, Maureen E.; Penmetsa, Venkata Kanthi; Cooper, Jerome E.

2012-07-01

As part ofthe Consortium for Research on Renewable Industrial Materials' Phase I life-cycle assessments ofbiofuels, lifecycle inventory burdens from the production of bio-oil were developed and compared with measures for residual fuel oil. Bio-oil feedstock was produced using whole southern pine (Pinus taeda) trees, chipped, and converted into bio-oil by fast pyrolysis. Input parameters and mass and energy balances were derived with Aspen. Mass and energy balances were input to SimaPro to determine the environmental performance of bio-oil compared with residual fuel oil as a heating fuel. Equivalent functional units of 1 MJ were used for demonstrating environmental preference in impact categories, such as fossil fuel use and global warming potential. Results showed near carbon neutrality of the bio-oil. Substituting bio-oil for residual fuel oil, based on the relative carbon emissions of the two fuels, estimated a reduction in CO2 emissions by 0.075 kg CO2 per MJ of fuel combustion or a 70 percent reduction in emission over residual fuel oil. The bio-oil production life-cycle stage consumed 92 percent of the total cradle-to-grave energy requirements, while feedstock collection, preparation, and transportation consumed 4 percent each. This model provides a framework to better understand the major factors affecting greenhouse gas emissions related to bio-oil production and conversion to boiler fuel during fast pyrolysis.

French bio-diesel demand and promoting measures analysis by 2010

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bernard, F.

2008-02-01

The researches presented aim at assessing bio-diesel promoting measures under consideration in France by 2010. This assessment is based on a deep study of French bio-diesel demand. The use of a linear model for optimizing the whole French refining industry costs allow us to take into account the physicochemical characteristics of bio-diesel useful for gas oil blending operation. This researches show that bio-diesel can be incorporated up to 27% blend in volume to diesel fuel without major technical problem. A decomposition of the value allotted to the bio-diesel by French refiners according to its physicochemical characteristics shows that energy content is the most disadvantageous characteristics for bio-diesel incorporation and, up to 17%, density become also constraining. However, the low bio-diesel sulphur content could become interesting from now to 2010. On the basis of this bio-diesel demand analysis, we proceed to an external coupling of an agro-industrial model of bio-diesel supply with the French refining model. Thus, we study the impact of the 2010 French bio-diesel consumption objective on agricultural surface need, the competitiveness of the bio-diesel, the reduction of greenhouse gases emissions and the trade balance of the petroleum products. On this basis, we propose a critical analysis of French bio-diesel promoting measures under consideration by 2010. (author)

Bio-oil production through pyrolysis of blue-green algae blooms (BGAB): Product distribution and bio-oil characterization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu, Zhiquan; Zheng, Yang; Yan, Feng; Xiao, Bo; Liu, Shiming

2013-01-01

Pyrolysis experiments of blue-green algae blooms (BGAB) were carried out in a fixed-bed reactor to determine the effects of pyrolysis temperature, particle size and sweep gas flow rate on pyrolysis product yields and bio-oil properties. The pyrolysis temperature, particle size and sweep gas flow rate were varied in the ranges of 300–700 °C, below 0.25–2.5 mm and 50–400 mL min −1 , respectively. The maximum oil yield of 54.97% was obtained at a pyrolysis temperature of 500 °C, particle size below 0.25 mm and sweep gas flow rate of 100 mL min −1 . The elemental analysis and calorific value of the oil were determined, and the chemical composition of the oil was investigated using gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy (GC–MS) technique. The analysis of bio-oil composition showed that bio-oil from BGAB could be a potential source of renewable fuel with a heating value of 31.9 MJ kg −1 . - Highlights: ► Bio-oil production from pyrolysis of blue-green algae blooms in fixed bed reactor. ► Effects of pyrolysis conditions on product distribution were investigated. ► The maximum bio-oil yield reached 54.97 wt %. ► The bio-oil has high heating value and may be suitable as renewable fuel. ► Pyrolysis of algal biomass beneficial for energy recovery, eutrophication control

Optimum concrete compression strength using bio-enzyme

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bagio Tony Hartono

2017-01-01

Full Text Available To make concrete with high compressive strength and has a certain concrete specifications other than the main concrete materials are also needed concrete mix quality control and other added material is also in line with the current technology of concrete mix that produces concrete with specific characteristics. Addition of bio enzyme on five concrete mixture that will be compared with normal concrete in order to know the optimum level bio-enzyme in concrete to increase the strength of the concrete. Concrete with bio-enzyme 200 ml/m3, 400 ml/m3, 600 ml/m3, 800 ml/m3, 1000 ml/m3 and normal concrete. Refer to the crushing test result, its tends to the mathematical model using 4th degree polynomial regression (least quartic, as represent on the attached data series, which is for the design mix fc′ = 25 MPa generate optimum value for 33,98 MPa, on the bio-additive dosage of 509 ml bio enzymes.

Briquetting mechanism and waterproof performance of bio-briquette

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huang, G.; Chen, L.; Cao, J. [Henen Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo (China)

2008-07-15

Maize stalk and bio-briquette binder made from it were studied comparatively by FTIR and the microstructure of bio-briquette was observed and analyzed by microscopy. It was found that a large amount of unreacted biomass fibers exist in the binder. These form a multi-level network structure inside the bio-briquette and could make fine coal particles connect together. The multi-level network structure would be still present after the bio-briquettes are immersed in water for 24 hours. On the other hand, stalk materials could be partly degraded after treatment and, with other liquid ingredients in the binder, the degradation products could form a viscous fluid which would work as a bonding ingredient inside the bio-briquette and could improve the waterproofing ability of the binder after solidification. Therefore, the multi-level network structure of the biomaterial and the presence of viscous fluid are very important to the shaping and the improvement of the waterproofing ability of bio-briquettes. 11 refs., 3 figs.

Future bio-energy potential under various natural constraints

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vuuren, Detlef P. van; Vliet, Jasper van; Stehfest, Elke

2009-01-01

Potentials for bio-energy have been estimated earlier on the basis of estimates of potentially available land, excluding certain types of land use or land cover (land required for food production and forests). In this paper, we explore how such estimates may be influenced by other factors such as land degradation, water scarcity and biodiversity concerns. Our analysis indicates that of the original bio-energy potential estimate of 150, 80 EJ occurs in areas classified as from mild to severe land degradation, water stress, or with high biodiversity value. Yield estimates were also found to have a significant impact on potential estimates. A further 12.5% increase in global yields would lead to an increase in bio-energy potential of about 50%. Changes in bio-energy potential are shown to have a direct impact on bio-energy use in the energy model TIMER, although the relevant factor is the bio-energy potential at different cost levels and not the overall potential.

Bio-based liquid crystalline polyesters

Science.gov (United States)

Wilsens, Carolus; Rastogi, Sanjay; Dutch Collaboration

2013-03-01

The reported thin-film polymerization has been used as a screening method in order to find bio-based liquid crystalline polyesters with convenient melting temperatures for melt-processing purposes. An in depth study of the structural, morphological and chemical changes occurring during the ongoing polycondensation reactions of these polymers have been performed. Structural and conformational changes during polymerization for different compositions have been followed by time resolved X-ray and Infrared spectroscopy. In this study, bio-based monomers such as vanillic acid and 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid are successfully incorporated in liquid crystalline polyesters and it is shown that bio-based liquid crystalline polymers with high aromatic content and convenient processing temperatures can be synthesized. Special thanks to the Dutch Polymer Institute for financial support

Bio-indicators for radiation dose assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trivedi, A.

1990-12-01

In nuclear facilities, such as Chalk River Laboratories, dose to the atomic radiation workers (ARWs) is assessed routinely by using physical dosimeters and bioassay procedures in accordance with regulatory recommendations. However, these procedures may be insufficient in some circumstances, e.g., in cases where the reading of the physical dosimeters is questioned, in cases of radiation accidents where the person(s) in question was not wearing a dosimeter, or in the event of a radiation emergency when an exposure above the dose limits is possible. The desirability of being able to assess radiation dose on the basis of radio-biological effects has prompted the Dosimetric Research Branch to investigate the suitability of biological devices and techniques that could be used for this purpose. Current biological dosimetry concepts suggest that there does not appear to be any bio-indicator that could reliably measure the very low doses that are routinely measured by the physical devices presently in use. Nonetheless, bio-indicators may be useful in providing valuable supplementary information in cases of unusual radiation exposures, such as when the estimated body doses are doubtful because of lack of proper physical measurements, or in cases where available results need to be confirmed for medical treatment plannings. This report evaluates the present state of biological dosimetry and, in particular, assesses the efficiency and limits of individual indicators. This has led to the recommendation of a few promising research areas that may result in the development of appropriate biological dosimeters for operational and emergency needs at Chalk River

Bio-medical waste management: situational analysis & predictors of performances in 25 districts across 20 Indian States

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

INCLEN Program Evaluation Network (IPEN study group, New Delhi, India

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background & objectives: A legislative framework for bio-medical waste management (BMWM was established in the country more than a decade ago. Though some studies have identified gaps at local levels, no systematic effort was done to collect data from different parts of the country. The objective of this nationwide study was to document existing resources, infrastructure and practices related to BMWM across the study districts. Methods: The study was conducted in 25 districts spread over 20 States of India including urban and rural areas. Primary (n=388, secondary (n=25 and tertiary care (n=24 health facilities from public (n=238 and private (n=199 sector were assessed and scored for the state of BMWM through 9 items representing system capacity, availability of resources and processes in place. Health facilities were assigned into one of the three categories (Red, Yellow and Green based on the cumulative median scores. Results: Around 82 per cent of primary, 60 per cent of secondary and 54 per cent of tertiary care health facilities were in the ′RED′ category. Multivariate analysis indicated that charts at the point of waste generation, availability of designated person, appropriate containers and bags, availability of functional needle destroyers, availability of personal protective gears, segregation of waste at point of generation and log book maintenance were independently (OR-between 1.2-1.55; P <0.03 or less associated with better BMWM system in the health facilities. This was true for both rural-urban and public or private health facilities. Interpretation & conclusions: The study highlighted the urgent need for greater commitments at policy and programme levels for capacity building, and resource investments in BMWM.

Method and device for bio-impedance measurement with hard-tissue applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guimerà, A; Calderón, E; Los, P; Christie, A M

2008-01-01

Bio-impedance measurements can be used to detect and monitor several properties of living hard-tissues, some of which include bone mineral density, bone fracture healing or dental caries detection. In this paper a simple method and hardware architecture for hard tissue bio-impedance measurement is proposed. The key design aspects of such architecture are discussed and a commercial handheld ac impedance device is presented that is fully certified to international medical standards. It includes a 4-channel multiplexer and is capable of measuring impedances from 10 kΩ to 10 MΩ across a frequency range of 100 Hz to 100 kHz with a maximum error of 5%. The device incorporates several user interface methods and a Bluetooth link for bi-directional wireless data transfer. Low-power design techniques have been implemented, ensuring the device exceeds 8 h of continuous use. Finally, bench test results using dummy cells consisting of parallel connected resistors and capacitors, from 10 kΩ to 10 MΩ and from 20 pF to 100 pF, are discussed

Method and device for bio-impedance measurement with hard-tissue applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Guimerà, A; Calderón, E; Los, P; Christie, A M

2008-06-01

Bio-impedance measurements can be used to detect and monitor several properties of living hard-tissues, some of which include bone mineral density, bone fracture healing or dental caries detection. In this paper a simple method and hardware architecture for hard tissue bio-impedance measurement is proposed. The key design aspects of such architecture are discussed and a commercial handheld ac impedance device is presented that is fully certified to international medical standards. It includes a 4-channel multiplexer and is capable of measuring impedances from 10 kOmega to 10 MOmega across a frequency range of 100 Hz to 100 kHz with a maximum error of 5%. The device incorporates several user interface methods and a Bluetooth link for bi-directional wireless data transfer. Low-power design techniques have been implemented, ensuring the device exceeds 8 h of continuous use. Finally, bench test results using dummy cells consisting of parallel connected resistors and capacitors, from 10 kOmega to 10 MOmega and from 20 pF to 100 pF, are discussed.

Microneedle, bio-microneedle and bio-inspired microneedle: A review.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Guojun; Wu, Chengwei

2017-04-10

Microneedles (MNs) are micro-scale needles used for drug delivery and other targets. Micro-scale size endows them with many advantages over hypodermic needles, including painlessness, minimal invasiveness and convenient operation, but it may also lead to risk of mechanical failures, which should be prevented in the clinical applications of MNs. The objective of this review is mainly to introduce studies on the mechanics problems with respect to MNs. Firstly, the basic knowledge of MNs is introduced in brief, so that readers can understand the basic characteristics of MNs. Secondly, researches on inserting behavior and mechanical performances of MNs are discussed. Thirdly, literatures on the drug delivery and the pain resulted from the insertion of MNs are overviewed. Finally, some bio-microneedles and bio-inspired MNs are introduced. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Bio Engineering Laboratory

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — Description/History: Chemistry and biology laboratoriesThe Bio Engineering Laboratory (BeL) is theonly full spectrum biotechnology capability within the Department...

[The activities of the Russian Society of Red Cross during the First World War].

Science.gov (United States)

Gorelova, L Ye; Rudoiy, N A

2013-01-01

During the First World War, the Russian Society of Red Cross used experience of previous wars expanded its activities. The medical service functioned in the conditions of cruel war. For the first time in history, the weapon of mass destruction was applied The merit of the Russian society of Red Cross was development of specialized medical care.

44. Annual Convention of the Austrian Physical Society; Oesterreichische Physikalische Gesellschaft - 44. Jahrestagung

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1994-12-31

There are about 270 contributions presented by title and abstract only. 250 of them are of INIS interest. The range of subject matters covered is indicated by the headings of topical sessions: (1) acoustics (2) atomic-, molecular- and plasma physics (3) solid-state physics (4) nuclear- and particle physics (5) school teachers` continuing education (6) medical-, bio-and environmental physics (7) polymer physics (8) quantum electronics, electrodynamics and optics. (blahsl).

The use of multiple tools for teaching medical biochemistry.

Science.gov (United States)

Sé, Alexandre B; Passos, Renato M; Ono, André H; Hermes-Lima, Marcelo

2008-03-01

In this work, we describe the use of several strategies employing the philosophies of active learning and problem-based learning (PBL) that may be used to improve the teaching of metabolic biochemistry to medical and nutritional undergraduate students. The main activities are as follows: 1) a seminar/poster system in a mini-congress format (using topics of applied biochemistry); 2) a true/false applied biochemistry exam (written by peer tutors); 3) a 9-h exam on metabolism (based in real publications); 4) the Advanced Biochemistry course (directed to peer tutors, where students learn how to read and criticize real medical papers); 5) experiments about nutrition and metabolism, using students as volunteers, and about free radicals (real science for students); 6) the BioBio blog (taking advantage of the "web age," this enhances out of class exchanges of information between the professor, students, and peer tutors); 7) student lectures on public health issues and metabolic disorders directed to the community and lay people; and 8) the BioBio quiz show. The main objective of these activities is to provide students with a more practical and interesting approach to biochemistry, such as the application of theoretical knowledge to real situations (diseases, experiments, media information, and scientific discoveries). In addition, we emphasize the importance of peer tutor activities for optimized learning of both students and peer tutors, the importance of a closer interaction between students and teaching staff, and the necessity to initiate students precociously in two broad fields of medical activity: "real" basic science and contact with the public (also helping students--future doctors and nutritionists--to be able to communicate with lay people). Most activities were evaluated by the students through written questionnaires and informal conversations, along various semesters, indicating good acceptance and approval of these methods. Good student scores in the

Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Statement on Plagiarism.

Science.gov (United States)

Asher, Shellie L; Iserson, Kenneth V; Merck, Lisa H

2017-10-01

The integrity of the research enterprise is of the utmost importance for the advancement of safe and effective medical practice for patients and for maintaining the public trust in health care. Academic societies and editors of journals are key participants in guarding scientific integrity. Avoiding and preventing plagiarism helps to preserve the scientific integrity of professional presentations and publications. The Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) Ethics Committee discusses current issues in scientific publishing integrity and provides a guideline to avoid plagiarism in SAEM presentations and publications. © 2017 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

Microbial biodiversity of Tang and Pirgal mud volcanoes and evaluation of bio-emulsifier and bio-demulsifier activities of Capnophile bacteria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yasaman Parsia

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The data presented in this article is related to the Master thesis; entitled “Survey Aerobic Microbial Diversity Mud Volcanoes in Chabahar and Khash Ports in Southern Iran” by the first author of this article, year 2011, Islamic Azad University, Iran (reference number (Parsia, 2011 [1] of this article. This article shows microbial biodiversity and evaluates bio-emulsifier and bio-demulsifier abilities of capnophile isolates, in order to introduce a superior isolate for the Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery (MEOR process in the petrochemical industry. Keywords: Mud volcanoes, Biodiversity, Bio-emulsification, Bio-demulsification, Petrochemistry

New development thoughts on the bio-inspired intelligence based control for unmanned combat aerial vehicle

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

无

2010-01-01

Bio-inspired intelligence is in the spotlight in the field of international artificial intelligence,and unmanned combat aerial vehicle(UCAV),owing to its potential to perform dangerous,repetitive tasks in remote and hazardous,is very promising for the technological leadership of the nation and essential for improving the security of society.On the basis of introduction of bioinspired intelligence and UCAV,a series of new development thoughts on UCAV control are proposed,including artificial brain based high-level autonomous control for UCAV,swarm intelligence based cooperative control for multiple UCAVs,hy-brid swarm intelligence and Bayesian network based situation assessment under complicated combating environments, bio-inspired hardware based high-level autonomous control for UCAV,and meta-heuristic intelligence based heterogeneous cooperative control for multiple UCAVs and unmanned combat ground vehicles(UCGVs).The exact realization of the proposed new development thoughts can enhance the effectiveness of combat,while provide a series of novel breakthroughs for the intelligence,integration and advancement of future UCAV systems.

BioMEMS

CERN Document Server

Urban, Gerald A

2007-01-01

Explosive growth in the field of Microsystem Technology has introduced a variety of promising products in major disciplines from microelectronics to life sciences. 'Biomes' is a discipline which focuses on microsystems for living systems. This work presents the exciting field of bio-microsystems.

Utilization of bio-resources through nuclear technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tamikazu Kume

2002-01-01

Nuclear technology such as gamma-ray, eb and ion beams is widely use for the utilization of bio-resources. Irradiation using gamma ray from 60 Co and electron beam is commercially used for the sterilization and modification of materials. Polysaccharides such as chitosan, sodium alginate, carrageenan, cellulose, pectin were easily degraded by irradiation and induced various kinds of biological activities, i.e. anti-bacterial activity, elicitor activity, plant growth promotion, suppression of environmental stress on plants. Some carbohydrate derivatives, carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), carboxymethyl-starch and carboxymethyl-chitin/chitosan, can be crosslinked under certain radiation condition and produced the biodegradable hydrogel for medical and agricultural uses. Ion beams have also been applied for mutation breeding for medical and agricultural use. Ion beams have also been applied for mutation breeding and the production of positron-emitting isotopes such as 11 C, 13 N, etc. It was succeeded to induce several kinds of flower-color and flower-form mutants in chrysanthemum and carnation by ion beams that have never produced by gamma-ray. The positron emitting tracer imaging system (PETIS) has been developed to obtain a dynamic image of plant transport in situ. (Author)

Bio-assessment of water pollution in coal belt

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mishra, P.K.

1998-01-01

Water pollution in coal belt has attracted attention of scientists as well as general people. Implication of water pollution on bio-system is still a more important issue and a lot of information has been accumulated. Apart from conventional methods of pollution monitoring, bio-monitoring is comparatively a new approach and a proper methodology is still in pipeline. The present study reviews various methods of bio-monitoring and compare various methodologies suggested at population level with conventional methods. The results indicated that the bio-assessment methodology can be a tool and hence be developed. (author)

How big is the bio-business? Notes on measuring the size of the Dutch bio-economy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Heijman, Wim

2016-01-01

This paper focuses on the size of the Dutch bio-economy. With the help of consolidated input-output tables, the size of the bio-economy in terms of value added is estimated for the years 2008-2012. It appears that in the Netherlands, during the period indicated, its share in national production

40 years of Bio-Psycho-Social model: what’s new?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kholmogorova A.B.

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Bio-Psycho-Social Model, proposed by George Engel in 1977, was recognized as a turning point in the praxis of medical diagnosis and treatments. Bio-Psycho-Social Model should be seen in a historical context as bucking against the trend of biological reductionism. Social Neuroscience has been formed ten years. Social neuroscience aims to investigate the biological systems that underlie people’s thoughts, feelings and actions in light of the social context in which they operate. Social neuroscience has captured the interest of anthropologists, psychiatrists, psychologists, and experts in other disciplines, as well as the general public who more and more draw upon the insights and methods of social neuroscience to explain, predict and change social behavior. An analysis of the current situation in neurosciences shows that new methods of instrumental brain research do not exclude biological reductionism. The authors qualify the situation in modern studies of social neuroscience as a methodological crisis associated with the prevalence of reductionist approaches that ignore the uniqueness of the human psyche. He substantiates the heuristic provisions of the cultural and historical development of Vygotsky’s psyche theory to overcome any contradictions

Quercetin as natural stabilizing agent for bio-polymer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Morici, Elisabetta [Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica, Gestionale, Informatica, Meccanica, Università di Palermo, 90128 Palermo (Italy); Arrigo, Rossella; Dintcheva, Nadka Tzankova [Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile, Ambientale, Aerospaziale, dei Materiali, Università di Palermo, 90128 Palermo (Italy)

2014-05-15

The introduction of antioxidants in polymers is the main way to prevent or delay the degradation process. In particular natural antioxidants receive attention in the food industry also because of their presumed safety. In this work bio-polymers, i.e. a commercial starch-based polymer (Mater-Bi®) and a bio-polyester (PLA), and a bio-polyether (PEO) were additivated with quercetin, a natural flavonoid antioxidants, in order to formulate bio-based films for ecosustainable packaging and outdoor applications. The photo-oxidation behavior of unstabilized and quercetin stabilized films was analyzed and compared with the behavior of films additivated with a commercial synthetic light stabilizer. The quercetin is able to slow down the photo-degradation rate of all bio-polymeric films investigated in similar way to the synthetic stabilizer.

Quercetin as natural stabilizing agent for bio-polymer

Science.gov (United States)

Morici, Elisabetta; Arrigo, Rossella; Dintcheva, Nadka Tzankova

2014-05-01

The introduction of antioxidants in polymers is the main way to prevent or delay the degradation process. In particular natural antioxidants receive attention in the food industry also because of their presumed safety. In this work bio-polymers, i.e. a commercial starch-based polymer (Mater-Bi®) and a bio-polyester (PLA), and a bio-polyether (PEO) were additivated with quercetin, a natural flavonoid antioxidants, in order to formulate bio-based films for ecosustainable packaging and outdoor applications. The photo-oxidation behavior of unstabilized and quercetin stabilized films was analyzed and compared with the behavior of films additivated with a commercial synthetic light stabilizer. The quercetin is able to slow down the photo-degradation rate of all bio-polymeric films investigated in similar way to the synthetic stabilizer.

Quercetin as natural stabilizing agent for bio-polymer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morici, Elisabetta; Arrigo, Rossella; Dintcheva, Nadka Tzankova

2014-01-01

The introduction of antioxidants in polymers is the main way to prevent or delay the degradation process. In particular natural antioxidants receive attention in the food industry also because of their presumed safety. In this work bio-polymers, i.e. a commercial starch-based polymer (Mater-Bi®) and a bio-polyester (PLA), and a bio-polyether (PEO) were additivated with quercetin, a natural flavonoid antioxidants, in order to formulate bio-based films for ecosustainable packaging and outdoor applications. The photo-oxidation behavior of unstabilized and quercetin stabilized films was analyzed and compared with the behavior of films additivated with a commercial synthetic light stabilizer. The quercetin is able to slow down the photo-degradation rate of all bio-polymeric films investigated in similar way to the synthetic stabilizer

Abridged version of the AWMF guideline for the medical clinical diagnostics of indoor mould exposure: S2K Guideline of the German Society of Hygiene, Environmental Medicine and Preventive Medicine (GHUP) in collaboration with the German Association of Allergists (AeDA), the German Society of Dermatology (DDG), the German Society for Allergology and Clinical Immunology (DGAKI), the German Society for Occupational and Environmental Medicine (DGAUM), the German Society for Hospital Hygiene (DGKH), the German Society for Pneumology and Respiratory Medicine (DGP), the German Mycological Society (DMykG), the Society for Pediatric Allergology and Environmental Medicine (GPA), the German Federal Association of Pediatric Pneumology (BAPP), and the Austrian Society for Medical Mycology (ÖGMM).

Science.gov (United States)

Wiesmüller, Gerhard A; Heinzow, Birger; Aurbach, Ute; Bergmann, Karl-Christian; Bufe, Albrecht; Buzina, Walter; Cornely, Oliver A; Engelhart, Steffen; Fischer, Guido; Gabrio, Thomas; Heinz, Werner; Herr, Caroline E W; Kleine-Tebbe, Jörg; Klimek, Ludger; Köberle, Martin; Lichtnecker, Herbert; Lob-Corzilius, Thomas; Merget, Rolf; Mülleneisen, Norbert; Nowak, Dennis; Rabe, Uta; Raulf, Monika; Seidl, Hans Peter; Steiß, Jens-Oliver; Szewszyk, Regine; Thomas, Peter; Valtanen, Kerttu; Hurraß, Julia

2017-01-01

This article is an abridged version of the AWMF mould guideline "Medical clinical diagnostics of indoor mould exposure" presented in April 2016 by the German Society of Hygiene, Environmental Medicine and Preventive Medicine ( Gesellschaft für Hygiene, Umweltmedizin und Präventivmedizin, GHUP ), in collaboration with the above-mentioned scientific medical societies, German and Austrian societies, medical associations and experts. Indoor mould growth is a potential health risk, even if a quantitative and/or causal relationship between the occurrence of individual mould species and health problems has yet to be established. Apart from allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) and mould-caused mycoses, only sufficient evidence for an association between moisture/mould damage and the following health effects has been established: allergic respiratory disease, asthma (manifestation, progression and exacerbation), allergic rhinitis, hypersensitivity pneumonitis (extrinsic allergic alveolitis), and increased likelihood of respiratory infections/bronchitis. In this context the sensitizing potential of moulds is obviously low compared to other environmental allergens. Recent studies show a comparatively low sensitizing prevalence of 3-10% in the general population across Europe. Limited or suspected evidence for an association exist with respect to mucous membrane irritation and atopic eczema (manifestation, progression and exacerbation). Inadequate or insufficient evidence for an association exist for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, acute idiopathic pulmonary hemorrhage in children, rheumatism/arthritis, sarcoidosis and cancer. The risk of infection posed by moulds regularly occurring indoors is low for healthy persons; most species are in risk group 1 and a few in risk group 2 ( Aspergillus fumigatus, A. flavus ) of the German Biological Agents Act ( Biostoffverordnung ). Only moulds that are potentially able to form toxins can be triggers of toxic

Estimating Nitrogen Availability of Heat-Dried Bio solids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cogger, C.G.; Bary, A.I.; Myhre, E.A.

2011-01-01

As heat-dried bio solids become more widely produced and marketed, it is important to improve estimates of N availability from these materials. Objectives were to compare plant-available N among three different heat-dried bio solids and determine if current guidelines were adequate for estimating application rates. Heat-dried bio solids were surface applied to tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) in Washington State, USA, and forage yield and N uptake measured for two growing seasons following application. Three rates of urea and a zero-N control were used to calculate N fertilizer efficiency regressions. Application year plant-available N (estimated as urea N equivalent) for two bio solids exceeded 60% of total N applied, while urea N equivalent for the third bio solids was 45%. Residual (second-year) urea N equivalent ranged from 5 to 10%. Guidelines for the Pacific Northwest USA recommend mineralization estimates of 35 to 40% for heat-dried bio solids, but this research shows that some heat-dried materials fall well above that range.

A Batteryless Sensor ASIC for Implantable Bio-Impedance Applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodriguez, Saul; Ollmar, Stig; Waqar, Muhammad; Rusu, Ana

2016-06-01

The measurement of the biological tissue's electrical impedance is an active research field that has attracted a lot of attention during the last decades. Bio-impedances are closely related to a large variety of physiological conditions; therefore, they are useful for diagnosis and monitoring in many medical applications. Measuring living tissues, however, is a challenging task that poses countless technical and practical problems, in particular if the tissues need to be measured under the skin. This paper presents a bio-impedance sensor ASIC targeting a battery-free, miniature size, implantable device, which performs accurate 4-point complex impedance extraction in the frequency range from 2 kHz to 2 MHz. The ASIC is fabricated in 150 nm CMOS, has a size of 1.22 mm × 1.22 mm and consumes 165 μA from a 1.8 V power supply. The ASIC is embedded in a prototype which communicates with, and is powered by an external reader device through inductive coupling. The prototype is validated by measuring the impedances of different combinations of discrete components, measuring the electrochemical impedance of physiological solution, and performing ex vivo measurements on animal organs. The proposed ASIC is able to extract complex impedances with around 1 Ω resolution; therefore enabling accurate wireless tissue measurements.

Bio-SNG. Prospective renewable energy carrier in the E.ON gas grid; Bio-SNG. Zukuenftiger regenerativer Energietraeger im E.ON Gasnetz

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Adelt, Marius; Vogel, Alexander [E.ON Ruhrgas AG, Essen (Germany)

2010-10-15

Biogas processing and injection into the natural gas pipeline system on an industrial scale has been around in Germany for some time. E.ON operates a number of biogas plants with a production capacity of 200-1700 m{sup 3}/h. More plants are under construction or planned. The German government is looking to increase the share of biogas (upgraded to natural gas quality) in the pipeline system to 6 billion m{sup 3}/a by 2020, so significantly more production capacity is needed. Biogas is produced mainly from dedicated energy crops (maize) as well as several catch crops and, depending on the processing plant, various amounts of bio residues. The biogas is upgraded to natural gas quality and fed into the pipeline system as biomethane (E.ON: bio natural gas). To achieve the ambitious production targets it will be necessary to tap the unused potential of wood for gasification and subsequent methanisation into bio-SNG. E.ON AG actively promotes the development and introduction of this technology. This article provides an overview of different aspects of bio-SNG production and use including: Utilisation paths for biomethane/bio-SNG (heat, fuel, CHP), Potential of wood for bio-SNG production, Bio-SNG production technologies, Current E.ON activities and projects. (orig.)

Structural Prospects and Challenges for Bio Commodity Processes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Narodoslawsky

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The current discussion about dwindling reserves of crude oil, rising fuel prices, global warming and supply disruption of natural gas has renewed interest in the provision of bioenergy and bio-based commodity products. There is a growing consensus that the 21st century will see a profound change in the resource base for industry and society, with less emphasis on fossil coal, oil and gas and more emphasis on renewable resources. This new resource base may take the form either of direct solar energy like photovoltaics and thermal solar energy or indirect utilisation of solar energy via biomass. Such a change in the raw material base, however, entails a profound revolution in the structure of processes, technologies employed and the economical framework of industry and society. Renewable resources constitute 'limited infinity': although they may be provided for infinite time, their yield is limited. This paper explores the strategic challenges for society in general and process industry in particular, and indicates some methodological approaches to meet these challenges, exemplified in case studies about decentralised bioethanol production and decentralised multifunctional production centres. The paper shows that utilising renewable resources enlarges the process concept by including resource provision and logistics into the process design. It also highlights a new balance between economy and ecology of scale when resource provision and logistics are taken into account. Ecological process evaluation as analytical methods and process synthesis as design methods will gain increasing importance for process technology as the share of renewable resources is increased.

Recent Advances in Bio-inorganic Chemistry

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Unknown

Bio-inorganic chemistry has developed rapidly in recent years. A number of laboratories in India have made significant contributions to this area. The motivation in bringing out this special issue on Bio-inorganic. Chemistry is to highlight the recent work emerging from India in this important and fascinating interdisci-.

Development and characterization of a new bio-nanocomposite (bio-NCP) for diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Martins, Murillo L; Saeki, Margarida J.; Telling, Mark T. F.

2014-01-01

Breast cancer is a public health problem throughout the world. Moreover, breast cancer cells have a great affinity for hydroxyapatite, leading to a high occurrence of bone metastasis. In this work we developed a bio-nanocomposite (bio-NCP) in order to use such affinity in the diagnosis...

Social accountability of medical education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lindgren, Stefan; Karle, Hans

2011-01-01

accountability of medical education must be included in all accreditation processes at all levels. The global standards programme by World Federation for Medical Education (WFME) provides tools for national or regional accreditation but also guidance for reforms and quality improvement. The standards are used......Medical doctors constitute a profession which embraces trust from and accountability to society. This responsibility extends to all medical educational institutions. Social accountability of medical education means a willingness and ability to adjust to the needs of patients and health care systems...... both nationally and globally. But it also implies a responsibility to contribute to the development of medicine and society through fostering competence for research and improvement. Accreditation is a process by which a statutory body evaluates and recognises an educational institution and/or its...

investigación en Bioética.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel Meneses Carmona

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Este escrito esboza cuestiones acerca del lugar y el problema de la Bioética, tanto como preguntas que no tienen respuestas pre-establecidas y, como tal, exigen investigación. Como lugar, en Bioética se heredan las transformaciones de la racionalidad, la Epistemología y la Ética ocurridas en las interacciones sociales asumidas como contexto; la "Bioética" no tiene un lugar establecido y propio, se sitúa en un campo que se configura sólo al asumir la pregunta por la vida y por lo vivo. Propongo la tesis siguiente: La Bioética se constituye en la acción de introducir la vida como problema en lo cotidiano; esto conlleva la creación de nuevas sensibilidades a lo aún no sentido, lo aún no pensado, lo aún no valorado. De esta manera, el lugar de la Bioética se muestra como un juego de figuras diversas en y con las que se crean opciones de otras vidas aún no vividas y que remite a los aprendizajes como exposición al cambio y a las narrativas en las que éstos ocurren y son posibles. Esta tesis se perfila, en la perspectiva de la Bioética, como el conocimiento de cómo usar el conocimiento.

Bio aerosol Generation at wastewater treatment plants: Identification of main bio aerosols sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanchez Monedero, M. A.; Aguilar, M. I.; Fenoll, R.; Roig, A.

2009-01-01

Typical operations taking place at wastewater treatment plants, especially those involving aeration and mechanical agitation of raw wastewater, represent one of the main sources of bio aerosols that, if inhaled, could pose a biologic hazard to site workers and local residents. Six different wastewater treatment plants from southeast Spain were monitories in order to identify the main bio aerosol sources and to evaluate the airborne microorganisms levels to which workers may be exposed to. Air samples were taken from selected locations by using a single stage impactor. (Author)

Novas tecnologias reprodutivas conceptivas: bioética e controvérsias New reproductive conception technologies: bioethics and controversies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marlene Tamanini

2004-04-01

Full Text Available Este artigo trata de alguns dos múltiplos aspectos éticos/bioéticos e de gênero no campo das novas tecnologias reprodutivas conceptivas (NTRc. A literatura nele apresentada aponta para a pluralidade de situações e abordagens possíveis em um campo multidimensional e controvertido. Explicita alguns princípios éticos/bioéticos do agir biomédico encontrados durante pesquisa com casais heterossexuais que fizeram reprodução assistida e com médic@s especialistas em reprodução humana no Sul do Brasil.1 Apresenta os pressupostos éticos/bioéticos sancionadores do agir médico e da continuidade dos chamados tratamentos para engravidar, e analisa os mecanismos utilizados para reerguer as expectativas dos casais em situação de desconfiança ou de insucesso.This article concerns some of the multiple ethical-bioethical and gender issues in the field of new reproductive and contraceptive technologies. The literature presented points to the plurality of possible situations and approaches in a multidimensional and controversial field. It presents some ethical-bioethical principals of biomedical action found in the study of heterosexual couples who use assisted reproduction. and of medical specialists in human reproduction in southern Brazil. It presents the ethical-bioethical presumptions that sanction medical behavior and the continuity of the so-called impregnation treatments, and analyzes the mechanisms used to raise the expectations of couples who lack confidence or success.

DBMS for index book for the Journal of the Korean Radiological Society

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Hyung Sik; Suh, Jung Ho

1990-01-01

Medical research and writing for publication are based on a collection and arrangement of related literatures. The authors developed DBMS (Database Management System) for index book of the Journal of the Korean Radiological Society. The computer program was generated in R base system V language (Microrim) using the IBM compatible AT. Two tables had fundamental data with about 1.4 megabytes. Four tables were derived from them to produce seven printing files, the sum memory of which was about 1.5 megabytes. Many radiologists may utilize the database to pursue the information of these published in the Journal of the Korean Radiological Society. This DBMS is useful publishing the index book and can be applied by other medical societies

Bio-Culturalism

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grodal, Torben Kragh

2007-01-01

The article argues on the basis of analyses of successful films for children that not only cultural determinants but also innate determinats are important, and that film studies should combine cultural studies with cognitive theory, evolutionary theory and neuroscience, an approach that is called...... Bio-culturalism....

Continuous production of bio-oil by catalytic liquefaction from wet distiller’s grain with solubles (WDGS) from bio-ethanol production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toor, Saqib Sohail; Rosendahl, Lasse; Nielsen, Mads Pagh; Glasius, Marianne; Rudolf, Andreas; Iversen, Steen Brummerstedt

2012-01-01

Bio-refinery concepts are currently receiving much attention due to the drive toward flexible, highly efficient systems for utilization of biomass for food, feed, fuel and bio-chemicals. One way of achieving this is through appropriate process integration, in this particular case combining enzymatic bio-ethanol production with catalytic liquefaction of the wet distillers grains with soluble, a byproduct from the bio-ethanol process. The catalytic liquefaction process is carried out at sub-critical conditions (280–370 °C and 25 MPa) in the presence of a homogeneous alkaline and a heterogeneous Zirconia catalyst, a process known as the Catliq ® process. In the current work, catalytic conversion of WDGS was performed in a continuous pilot plant with a maximum capacity of 30 dm 3 h −1 of wet biomass. In the process, WDGS was converted to bio-oil, gases and water-soluble organic compounds. The oil obtained was characterized using several analysis methods, among them elementary analysis and GC–MS. The study shows that WDGS can be converted to bio oil with high yields. The results also indicate that through the combination of bio-ethanol production and catalytic liquefaction, it is possible to significantly increase the liquid product yield and scope, opening up for a wider end use applicability. -- Highlights: ► Hydrothermal liquefaction of wet biomass. ► Product phase analysis: oil, acqeous, gas and mineral phase. ► Energy and mass balance evaluation.

Bio-tribology.

Science.gov (United States)

Dowson, Duncan

2012-01-01

It is now forty six years since the separate topics of friction, lubrication, wear and bearing design were integrated under the title 'Tribology' [Department of Education and Science, Lubrication (Tribology) Education and Research. A Report on the Present Position and Industry's Needs, HMSO, London, 1966]. Significant developments have been reported in many established and new aspects of tribology during this period. The subject has contributed to improved performance of much familiar equipment, such as reciprocating engines, where there have been vast improvements in engine reliability and efficiency. Nano-tribology has been central to remarkable advances in information processing and digital equipment. Shortly after widespread introduction of the term tribology, integration with biology and medicine prompted rapid and extensive interest in the fascinating sub-field now known as Bio-tribology [D. Dowson and V. Wright, Bio-tribology, in The Rheology of Lubricants, ed. T. C. Davenport, Applied Science Publishers, Barking, 1973, pp. 81-88]. An outline will be given of some of the developments in the latter field.

Syntrophic co-culture of aerobic Bacillus and anaerobic Clostridium for bio-fuels and bio-hydrogen production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chang, Jui-Jen; Ho, Cheng-Yu.; Chen, Wei-En; Huang, Chieh-Chen [Department of Life Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung (China); Chou, Chia-Hung; Lay, Jiunn-Jyi [Department of Science and Technology, National Kaohsiung First University, Kaohsiung (China)

2008-10-15

By using brewery yeast waste and microflora from rice straw compost, an anaerobic semi-solid bio-hydrogen-producing system has been established. For the purpose of industrialization, the major players of both aerobic and anaerobic bacterial strains in the system were isolated and their combination for an effective production of bio-hydrogen and other bio-fuels was examined in this study. The phylogenetic analysis found that four anaerobic isolates (Clostridium beijerinckii L9, Clostridium diolis Z2, Clostridium roseum Z5-1, and C. roseum W8) were highly related with each other and belongs to the cluster I clostridia family, the family that many of solvent-producing strains included. On the other hand, one of the aerobic isolates, the Bacillus thermoamylovorans strain I, shown multiple extracellular enzyme activities including lipase, protease, {alpha}-amylase, pectinase and cellulase, was suggested as a good partner for creating an anaerobic environment and pre-saccharification of substrate for those co-cultured solventogenic clostridial strain. Among these clostridial strains, though C. beijerinckii L9 do not show as many extracellular enzyme activities as Bacillus, but it performs the highest hydrogen-producing ability. The original microflora can be updated to a syntrophic bacterial co-culture system contended only with B. thermoamylovorans I and C. beijerinckii L9. The combination of aerobic Bacillus and anaerobic Clostridium may play the key role for developing the industrialized bio-fuels and bio-hydrogen-producing system from biomass. (author)

Lateral ridge augmentation with Bio-Oss alone or Bio-Oss mixed with particulate autogenous bone graft: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Aludden, H C; Mordenfeld, A; Hallman, M; Dahlin, C; Jensen, T

2017-08-01

The objective of this systematic review was to test the hypothesis of no difference in implant treatment outcomes when using Bio-Oss alone or Bio-Oss mixed with particulate autogenous bone grafts for lateral ridge augmentation. A search of the MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, and Embase databases in combination with a hand-search of relevant journals was conducted. Human studies published in English from 1 January 1990 to 1 May 2016 were included. The search provided 337 titles and six studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Considerable variation prevented a meta-analysis from being performed. The two treatment modalities have never been compared within the same study. Non-comparative studies demonstrated a 3-year implant survival of 96% with 50% Bio-Oss mixed with 50% autogenous bone graft. Moreover, Bio-Oss alone or Bio-Oss mixed with autogenous bone graft seems to increase the amount of newly formed bone as well as the width of the alveolar process. Within the limitations of this systematic review, lateral ridge augmentation with Bio-Oss alone or in combination with autogenous bone graft seems to induce newly formed bone and increase the width of the alveolar process, with high short-term implant survival. However, long-term studies comparing the two treatment modalities are needed before final conclusions can be drawn. Copyright © 2017 International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Use of Bio-Amp, a commercial bio-additive for the treatment of grease trap wastewater containing fat, oil, and grease.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Hao L; Xie, Yuefeng F; Chen, Yen-Chih

2012-11-01

This research investigated the application of Bio-Amp, a commercial bio-additive for the treatment of fat, oil, and grease (FOG) in a grease trap, and evaluated potential impacts of treated effluent on downstream collection system and treatment processes. Results show that after Bio-Amp treatment, FOG deposit formation was reduced by 40%, implicating a potential reduction of sewer line blockages. Chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP) and total fatty acids were reduced by 39%, 33%, 56%, and 59%, respectively, which represents an overall loading reduction of 9% COD, 5% TN and 40% TP received by the treatment plant from all the dining halls. On the other hand, readily biodegradable COD fractions significantly increased, which implies a potential improvement on Bio-P removal. Overall, the results showed that application of Bio-Amp in grease trap provides potential reduction of sewer line blockages, and can also alleviate downstream treatment burden. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Israel Marine Bio-geographic Database (ISRAMAR-BIO)

Science.gov (United States)

Greengrass, Eyal; Krivenko, Yevgeniya; Ozer, Tal; Ben Yosef, Dafna; Tom, Moshe; Gertman, Isaac

2015-04-01

The knowledge of the space/time variations of species is the basis for any ecological investigations. While historical observations containing integral concentrations of biological parameters (chlorophyll, abundance, biomass…) are organized partly in ISRAMAR Cast Database, the taxon-specific data collected in Israel has not been sufficiently organized. This has been hindered by the lack of standards, variability of methods and complexity of biological data formalization. The ISRAMAR-BIO DB was developed to store various types of historical and future available information related to marine species observations and related metadata. Currently the DB allows to store biological data acquired by the following sampling devices such as: van veer grab, box corer, sampling bottles, nets (plankton, trawls and fish), quadrates, and cameras. The DB's logical unit is information regarding a specimen (taxa name, barcode, image), related attributes (abundance, size, age, contaminants…), habitat description, sampling device and method, time and space of sampling, responsible organization and scientist, source of information (cruise, project and publication). The following standardization of specimen and attributes naming were implemented: Taxonomy according to World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS: http://www.marinespecies.org). Habitat description according to Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standards (CMECS: http://www.cmecscatalog.org) Parameter name; Unit; Device name; Developmental stage; Institution name; Country name; Marine region according to SeaDataNet Vocabularies (http://www.seadatanet.org/Standards-Software/Common-Vocabularies). This system supports two types of data submission procedures, which support the above stated data structure. The first is a downloadable excel file with drop-down fields based on the ISRAMAR-BIO vocabularies. The file is filled and uploaded online by the data contributor. Alternatively, the same dataset can be assembled by

Bio-fuels barometer - EurObserv'ER - July 2016

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2016-07-01

The European bio-fuel market is now regulated by the directive, known as ILUC, whose wording focuses on the environmental impact of first generation bio-fuel development. This long-awaited clarification has arrived against the backdrop of falling oil prices and shrinking European Union bio-fuel consumption, which should drop by 1.7% between 2014 and 2015, according to EurObserv'ER

A Review on the 3D Printing of Functional Structures for Medical Phantoms and Regenerated Tissue and Organ Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kan Wang

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Medical models, or “phantoms,” have been widely used for medical training and for doctor-patient interactions. They are increasingly used for surgical planning, medical computational models, algorithm verification and validation, and medical devices development. Such new applications demand high-fidelity, patient-specific, tissue-mimicking medical phantoms that can not only closely emulate the geometric structures of human organs, but also possess the properties and functions of the organ structure. With the rapid advancement of three-dimensional (3D printing and 3D bioprinting technologies, many researchers have explored the use of these additive manufacturing techniques to fabricate functional medical phantoms for various applications. This paper reviews the applications of these 3D printing and 3D bioprinting technologies for the fabrication of functional medical phantoms and bio-structures. This review specifically discusses the state of the art along with new developments and trends in 3D printed functional medical phantoms (i.e., tissue-mimicking medical phantoms, radiologically relevant medical phantoms, and physiological medical phantoms and 3D bio-printed structures (i.e., hybrid scaffolding materials, convertible scaffolds, and integrated sensors for regenerated tissues and organs.

78 FR 39327 - Bio Diagnostic International; Denial of Application

Science.gov (United States)

2013-07-01

... DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Drug Enforcement Administration [Docket No. 11-63] Bio Diagnostic... Control, Drug Enforcement Administration, issued an Order to Show Cause to Bio Diagnostic International... application of Bio Diagnostic International, Inc., for a DEA Certificate of Registration as a distributor of...

Alkaline hydrothermal liquefaction of swine carcasses to bio-oil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zheng, Ji-Lu, E-mail: triace@163.com; Zhu, Ming-Qiang; Wu, Hai-tang

2015-09-15

Highlights: • Swine carcasses can be converted to bio-oil by alkaline hydrothermal liquefaction. • It seems that the use of the bio-oil for heat or CHP is technically suitable. • Some valuable chemicals were found in the bio-oils. • The bio-oil and the solid residue constituted an energy efficiency of 93.63% for the feedstock. • The solid residue can be used as a soil amendment, to sequester C and for preparing activated carbon. - Abstract: It is imperative that swine carcasses are disposed of safely, practically and economically. Alkaline hydrothermal liquefaction of swine carcasses to bio-oil was performed. Firstly, the effects of temperature, reaction time and pH value on the yield of each liquefaction product were determined. Secondly, liquefaction products, including bio-oil and solid residue, were characterized. Finally, the energy recovery ratio (ERR), which was defined as the energy of the resultant products compared to the energy input of the material, was investigated. Our experiment shows that reaction time had certain influence on the yield of liquefaction products, but temperature and pH value had bigger influence on the yield of liquefaction products. Yields of 62.2 wt% bio-oil, having a high heating value of 32.35 MJ/kg and a viscosity of 305cp, and 22 wt% solid residue were realized at a liquefaction temperature of 250 °C, a reaction time of 60 min and a pH value of 9.0. The bio-oil contained up to hundreds of different chemical components that may be classified according to functional groups. Typical compound classes in the bio-oil were hydrocarbons, organic acids, esters, ketones and heterocyclics. The energy recovery ratio (ERR) reached 93.63%. The bio-oil is expected to contribute to fossil fuel replacement in stationary applications, including boilers and furnaces, and upgrading processes for the bio-oil may be used to obtain liquid transport fuels.

Alkaline hydrothermal liquefaction of swine carcasses to bio-oil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zheng, Ji-Lu; Zhu, Ming-Qiang; Wu, Hai-tang

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Swine carcasses can be converted to bio-oil by alkaline hydrothermal liquefaction. • It seems that the use of the bio-oil for heat or CHP is technically suitable. • Some valuable chemicals were found in the bio-oils. • The bio-oil and the solid residue constituted an energy efficiency of 93.63% for the feedstock. • The solid residue can be used as a soil amendment, to sequester C and for preparing activated carbon. - Abstract: It is imperative that swine carcasses are disposed of safely, practically and economically. Alkaline hydrothermal liquefaction of swine carcasses to bio-oil was performed. Firstly, the effects of temperature, reaction time and pH value on the yield of each liquefaction product were determined. Secondly, liquefaction products, including bio-oil and solid residue, were characterized. Finally, the energy recovery ratio (ERR), which was defined as the energy of the resultant products compared to the energy input of the material, was investigated. Our experiment shows that reaction time had certain influence on the yield of liquefaction products, but temperature and pH value had bigger influence on the yield of liquefaction products. Yields of 62.2 wt% bio-oil, having a high heating value of 32.35 MJ/kg and a viscosity of 305cp, and 22 wt% solid residue were realized at a liquefaction temperature of 250 °C, a reaction time of 60 min and a pH value of 9.0. The bio-oil contained up to hundreds of different chemical components that may be classified according to functional groups. Typical compound classes in the bio-oil were hydrocarbons, organic acids, esters, ketones and heterocyclics. The energy recovery ratio (ERR) reached 93.63%. The bio-oil is expected to contribute to fossil fuel replacement in stationary applications, including boilers and furnaces, and upgrading processes for the bio-oil may be used to obtain liquid transport fuels

Bio solids Effects in Chihuahuan Desert Rangelands: A Ten-Year Study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wester, D.B; Sosebee, R.E; Fish, E.B; Villalobos, J.C; Zartman, R.E; Gonzalez, R.M; Jurado, P.; Moffet, C.A

2011-01-01

Arid and semiarid rangelands are suitable for responsible bio solids application. Topical application is critical to avoid soil and vegetation disturbance. Surface-applied bio solids have long-lasting effects in these ecosystems. We conducted a 10-year research program investigating effects of bio solids applied at rates from 0 to 90 dry Mg ha -1 on soil water infiltration; runoff and leachate water quality; soil erosion; forage production and quality; seedling establishment; plant physiological responses; nitrogen dynamics; bio solids decomposition; and grazing animal behavior and management. Bio solids increased soil water infiltration and reduced erosion. Effects on soil water quality were observed only at the highest application rates. Bio solids increased soil nitrate-nitrogen. Bio solids increased forage production and improved forage quality. Bio solids increased leaf area of grasses; photosynthetic rates were not necessarily increased by bio solids. Bio solids effects on plant establishment are expected only under moderately favorable conditions. Over an 82-mo exposure period, total organic carbon, nitrogen, and total and available phosphorus decreased and inorganic matter increased. Grazing animals spent more time grazing, ruminating, and resting in bio solids-treated areas; positive effects on average daily gain were observed during periods of higher rainfall. Our results suggest that annual bio solids application rates of up to 18 Mg ha -1 are appropriate for desert rangelands.

Bio diesel- the Clean, Green Fuel for Diesel Engines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elkareish, S.M.M.

2004-01-01

Natural, renewable resources such as vegetable oils, animal fats and recycled restaurant greases can be chemically transformed into clean burning bio diesel fuels (1). Just like petroleum diesel, bio diesel operates in combustion-ignition engines. Blends of up to 20% bio diesel (mixed with petroleum diesel fuels) can be used in nearly all diesel equipment and are compatible with most storage and distribution equipment. Using bio diesel in a conventional diesel engine substantially reduces emissions of unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, sulphates, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, nitrated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and particulate matter. The use of bio diesel has grown dramatically during the last few years. Egypt has a promising experiment in promoting forestation by cultivation of Jatropha plant especially in luxor and many other sites of the country. The first production of the Egyptian Jatropha seeds oil is now under evaluation to produce a cost-competitive bio diesel fuel

BioRuby: bioinformatics software for the Ruby programming language.

Science.gov (United States)

Goto, Naohisa; Prins, Pjotr; Nakao, Mitsuteru; Bonnal, Raoul; Aerts, Jan; Katayama, Toshiaki

2010-10-15

The BioRuby software toolkit contains a comprehensive set of free development tools and libraries for bioinformatics and molecular biology, written in the Ruby programming language. BioRuby has components for sequence analysis, pathway analysis, protein modelling and phylogenetic analysis; it supports many widely used data formats and provides easy access to databases, external programs and public web services, including BLAST, KEGG, GenBank, MEDLINE and GO. BioRuby comes with a tutorial, documentation and an interactive environment, which can be used in the shell, and in the web browser. BioRuby is free and open source software, made available under the Ruby license. BioRuby runs on all platforms that support Ruby, including Linux, Mac OS X and Windows. And, with JRuby, BioRuby runs on the Java Virtual Machine. The source code is available from http://www.bioruby.org/. katayama@bioruby.org

46. Annual meeting of the German Society for Medical Physics. Abstracts; 46. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft fuer Medizinische Physik. Abstractband

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fiebich, Martin [Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen, Giessen (Germany). Inst. fuer Medizinische Physik und Strahlenschutz; Zink, Klemens (ed.) [Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen, Giessen (Germany). Inst. fuer Medizinische Physik und Strahlenschutz; Universitaetsklinikum Giessen-Marburg, Marburg (Germany). Klinik fuer Strahlentherapie und Radioonkologie

2015-07-01

The abstracts volume of the 46th annual meeting of the German Society for Medical Physics includes abstracts on the following issues: audiology; particle therapy: dosimetric and biological aspects; functional and molecular imaging; computerized tomography; dosimetry: 2D dosimetry and clinical dosimetry; MR imaging: cardio and lungs imaging; quality assurance in radiation therapy; brachytherapy/IORT; irradiation planning; functional and molecular imaging: methodic principles; dosimetry: dosimetric base data and Monte Carlo; adaptive and guided radiation therapy; irradiation planning; laser accelerated protons; brachytherapy/IORT: dosimetry; particle therapy: irradiation planning and imaging; stereotaxis and radiosurgery; radiation protection; dosimetry: detectors and small photon fields; MRT and MRS - neuroimaging; particle therapy: in vivo verification.

Security enhanced BioEncoding for protecting iris codes

Science.gov (United States)

Ouda, Osama; Tsumura, Norimichi; Nakaguchi, Toshiya

2011-06-01

Improving the security of biometric template protection techniques is a key prerequisite for the widespread deployment of biometric technologies. BioEncoding is a recently proposed template protection scheme, based on the concept of cancelable biometrics, for protecting biometric templates represented as binary strings such as iris codes. The main advantage of BioEncoding over other template protection schemes is that it does not require user-specific keys and/or tokens during verification. Besides, it satisfies all the requirements of the cancelable biometrics construct without deteriorating the matching accuracy. However, although it has been shown that BioEncoding is secure enough against simple brute-force search attacks, the security of BioEncoded templates against more smart attacks, such as record multiplicity attacks, has not been sufficiently investigated. In this paper, a rigorous security analysis of BioEncoding is presented. Firstly, resistance of BioEncoded templates against brute-force attacks is revisited thoroughly. Secondly, we show that although the cancelable transformation employed in BioEncoding might be non-invertible for a single protected template, the original iris code could be inverted by correlating several templates used in different applications but created from the same iris. Accordingly, we propose an important modification to the BioEncoding transformation process in order to hinder attackers from exploiting this type of attacks. The effectiveness of adopting the suggested modification is validated and its impact on the matching accuracy is investigated empirically using CASIA-IrisV3-Interval dataset. Experimental results confirm the efficacy of the proposed approach and show that it preserves the matching accuracy of the unprotected iris recognition system.

The Role of Bio-productivity on Bio-energy Yields

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marc J. J. Janssens

2009-04-01

Full Text Available The principal photosynthetic pathways convert solar energy differently depending on the environmental conditions and the plant morphotype. Partitioning of energy storage within crops will vary according to environmental and seasonal conditions as well. Highest energy concentration is found in terpens like latex and, to a lesser extent, in lipids. Ideally, we want plant ingredients with high energy content easily amenable to ready-to-use bio-fuel. Generally, these crops are adapted to drier areas and tend to save on eco-volume space. Competition with food crops could be avoided by fetching energy from cheap agricultural by-products or waste products such as bagasse in the sugar cane. This would in fact mean that reducing power of agricultural residues should be extracted from the biomass through non-photosynthetic processes like animal ingestion or industrial bio-fermentation. Conversion and transformation efficiencies in the production chain are illustrated for some relevant crops in the light of the maximum power theorem.

Bio-robots automatic navigation with electrical reward stimulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Chao; Zhang, Xinlu; Zheng, Nenggan; Chen, Weidong; Zheng, Xiaoxiang

2012-01-01

Bio-robots that controlled by outer stimulation through brain computer interface (BCI) suffer from the dependence on realtime guidance of human operators. Current automatic navigation methods for bio-robots focus on the controlling rules to force animals to obey man-made commands, with animals' intelligence ignored. This paper proposes a new method to realize the automatic navigation for bio-robots with electrical micro-stimulation as real-time rewards. Due to the reward-seeking instinct and trial-and-error capability, bio-robot can be steered to keep walking along the right route with rewards and correct its direction spontaneously when rewards are deprived. In navigation experiments, rat-robots learn the controlling methods in short time. The results show that our method simplifies the controlling logic and realizes the automatic navigation for rat-robots successfully. Our work might have significant implication for the further development of bio-robots with hybrid intelligence.

[Reflection on developing bio-energy industry of large oil company].

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Haiyang; Su, Haijia; Tan, Tianwei; Liu, Shumin; Wang, Hui

2013-03-01

China's energy supply becomes more serious nowadays and the development of bio-energy becomes a major trend. Large oil companies have superb technology, rich experience and outstanding talent, as well as better sales channels for energy products, which can make full use of their own advantages to achieve the efficient complementary of exist energy and bio-energy. Therefore, large oil companies have the advantages of developing bio-energy. Bio-energy development in China is in the initial stage. There exist some problems such as available land, raw material supply, conversion technologies and policy guarantee, which restrict bio-energy from industrialized development. According to the above key issues, this article proposes suggestions and methods, such as planting energy plant in the marginal barren land to guarantee the supply of bio-energy raw materials, cultivation of professional personnel, building market for bio-energy counting on large oil companies' rich experience and market resources about oil industry, etc, aimed to speed up the industrialized process of bio-energy development in China.

Medical oncology future plan of the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology: challenges and future needs of the Spanish oncologists.

Science.gov (United States)

Rivera, F; Andres, R; Felip, E; Garcia-Campelo, R; Lianes, P; Llombart, A; Piera, J M; Puente, J; Rodriguez, C A; Vera, R; Virizuela, J A; Martin, M; Garrido, P

2017-04-01

The SEOM Future Plan is aimed at identifying the main challenges, trends and needs of the medical oncology speciality over the next years, including potential oncologist workforce shortages, and proposing recommendations to overcome them. The estimations of the required medical oncologists workforce are based on an updated Medical Oncologist Register in Spain, Medical Oncology Departments activity data, dedication times and projected cancer incidence. Challenges, needs and future recommendations were drawn from an opinion survey and an advisory board. A shortage of 211 FTE medical oncologist specialists has been established. To maintain an optimal ratio of 158 new cases/FTE, medical oncology workforce should reach 1881 FTE by 2035. Main recommendations to face the growing demand and complexity of oncology services include a yearly growth of 2.5% of medical oncologist's workforce until 2035, and development and application of more accurate quality indicators for cancer care and health outcomes measure.

Recent trends in global production and utilization of bio-ethanol fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balat, Mustafa; Balat, Havva

2009-01-01

Bio-fuels are important because they replace petroleum fuels. A number of environmental and economic benefits are claimed for bio-fuels. Bio-ethanol is by far the most widely used bio-fuel for transportation worldwide. Production of bio-ethanol from biomass is one way to reduce both consumption of crude oil and environmental pollution. Using bio-ethanol blended gasoline fuel for automobiles can significantly reduce petroleum use and exhaust greenhouse gas emission. Bio-ethanol can be produced from different kinds of raw materials. These raw materials are classified into three categories of agricultural raw materials: simple sugars, starch and lignocellulose. Bio-ethanol from sugar cane, produced under the proper conditions, is essentially a clean fuel and has several clear advantages over petroleum-derived gasoline in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving air quality in metropolitan areas. Conversion technologies for producing bio-ethanol from cellulosic biomass resources such as forest materials, agricultural residues and urban wastes are under development and have not yet been demonstrated commercially.

Bio-fuels production and the environmental indicators

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gomes, Marcos Sebastiao de Paula [Mechanical Engineering Department/Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro - PUC-Rio, Rua Marques de Sao Vicente 225, Gavea, CEP 22453-900, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Muylaert de Araujo, Maria Silvia [Energy and Environment Planning Program/Federal University of Rio de Janeiro - COPPE/UFRJ, Cidade Universitaria, Centro de Tecnologia, Bloco C, sala 211, Ilha do Fundao, CEP: 21945-970, Caixa Postal: 68501, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

2009-10-15

The paper evaluates the role of the bio-fuels production in the transportation sector in the world, for programs of greenhouse gases emissions reductions and sustainable environmental performance. Depending on the methodology used to account for the local pollutant emissions and the global greenhouse gases emissions during the production and consumption of both the fossil and bio-fuels, the results can show huge differences. If it is taken into account a life cycle inventory approach to compare the different fuel sources, these results can present controversies. A comparison study involving the American oil diesel and soybean diesel developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory presents CO{sub 2} emissions for the bio-diesel which are almost 20% of the emissions for the oil diesel: 136 g CO{sub 2}/bhp-h for the bio-diesel from soybean and 633 g CO{sub 2}/bhp-h for the oil diesel [National Renewable Energy Laboratory - NREL/SR-580-24089]. Besides that, important local environmental impacts can also make a big difference. The water consumption in the soybean production is much larger in comparison with the water consumption for the diesel production [National Renewable Energy Laboratory - NREL/SR-580-24089]. Brazil has an important role to play in this scenario because of its large experience in bio-fuels production since the seventies, and the country has conditions to produce bio-fuels for attending great part of the world demand in a sustainable pathway. (author)

Bio-Manufacturing to market pilot project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dressen, Tiffaney [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

2017-09-25

The Bio-Manufacturing to Market pilot project was a part of the AMJIAC, the Advanced Manufacturing Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge grant. This internship program set out to further define and enhance the talent pipeline from the University and local Community Colleges to startup culture in East Bay Area, provide undergraduate STEM students with opportunities outside academia, and provide startup companies with much needed talent. Over the 4 year period of performance, the Bio-Manufacturing to Market internship program sponsored 75 undergraduate STEM students who were able to spend anywhere from one to six semesters working with local Bay Area startup companies and DOE sponsored facilities/programs in the biotech, bio-manufacturing, and biomedical device fields.

What is a medical physicist?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Endo, Masahiro

2011-01-01

The modern radiotherapy requires a medical physicist who optimizes treatment plans, assures delivered dose equal to prescription, and performs QA (quality assurance) of radiotherapy equipments. However, medical physicist has not been established as a medical profession in Japan mainly because importance of radiotherapy was not sufficiently recognized until recently. Between 2000 and 2004, several accidents of radiotherapy including hundreds of patients were found and these accidents were mainly caused by lack of QA. The necessity and importance of medical physicist were recognized by these accidents as well as by the advent of high-precision radiotherapy such as IMRT (intensity modulation radiation therapy). JRS (Japan Radiological Society) that certified medical physicists with the help of JSMP (Japan Society of Medical Physics), decided to extend eligibility in order to increase certified medical physicists rapidly in 2003. After the decision certified medical physicists were rapidly increased in number. The government supports this tendency to enact that certified medical physicists is necessary to reimbursement for high-precision therapy. It also started to supply grants for medical physics training in physical and health science graduate schools. In this program several universities have started medical physics course in their graduate schools. If these movements continue, medical physicist will be established as a medical profession in the near future. (author)

Brucella BioR Regulator Defines a Complex Regulatory Mechanism for Bacterial Biotin Metabolism

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Jie; Zhang, Huimin; Srinivas, Swaminath

2013-01-01

The enzyme cofactor biotin (vitamin H or B7) is an energetically expensive molecule whose de novo biosynthesis requires 20 ATP equivalents. It seems quite likely that diverse mechanisms have evolved to tightly regulate its biosynthesis. Unlike the model regulator BirA, a bifunctional biotin protein ligase with the capability of repressing the biotin biosynthetic pathway, BioR has been recently reported by us as an alternative machinery and a new type of GntR family transcriptional factor that can repress the expression of the bioBFDAZ operon in the plant pathogen Agrobacterium tumefaciens. However, quite unusually, a closely related human pathogen, Brucella melitensis, has four putative BioR-binding sites (both bioR and bioY possess one site in the promoter region, whereas the bioBFDAZ [bio] operon contains two tandem BioR boxes). This raised the question of whether BioR mediates the complex regulatory network of biotin metabolism. Here, we report that this is the case. The B. melitensis BioR ortholog was overexpressed and purified to homogeneity, and its solution structure was found to be dimeric. Functional complementation in a bioR isogenic mutant of A. tumefaciens elucidated that Brucella BioR is a functional repressor. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays demonstrated that the four predicted BioR sites of Brucella plus the BioR site of A. tumefaciens can all interact with the Brucella BioR protein. In a reporter strain that we developed on the basis of a double mutant of A. tumefaciens (the ΔbioR ΔbioBFDA mutant), the β-galactosidase (β-Gal) activity of three plasmid-borne transcriptional fusions (bioBbme-lacZ, bioYbme-lacZ, and bioRbme-lacZ) was dramatically decreased upon overexpression of Brucella bioR. Real-time quantitative PCR analyses showed that the expression of bioBFDA and bioY is significantly elevated upon removal of bioR from B. melitensis. Together, we conclude that Brucella BioR is not only a negative autoregulator but also a repressor of

Roles of medical image processing in medical physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arimura, Hidetaka

2011-01-01

Image processing techniques including pattern recognition techniques play important roles in high precision diagnosis and radiation therapy. The author reviews a symposium on medical image information, which was held in the 100th Memorial Annual Meeting of the Japan Society of Medical Physics from September 23rd to 25th. In this symposium, we had three invited speakers, Dr. Akinobu Shimizu, Dr. Hideaki Haneishi, and Dr. Hirohito Mekata, who are active engineering researchers of segmentation, image registration, and pattern recognition, respectively. In this paper, the author reviews the roles of the medical imaging processing in medical physics field, and the talks of the three invited speakers. (author)

Prospects for a bio-based succinate industry.

Science.gov (United States)

McKinlay, James B; Vieille, C; Zeikus, J Gregory

2007-09-01