Unusually large unit cell of lipid bicontinuous cubic phase: towards nature's length scales

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Hojun; Leal, Cecilia

Lipid bicontinuous cubic phases are of great interest for drug delivery, protein crystallization, biosensing, and templates for directing hard material assembly. Structural modulations of lipid mesophases regarding phase identity and unit cell size are often necessary to augment loading and gain pore size control. One important example is the need for unit cells large enough to guide the crystallization of bigger proteins without distortion of the templating phase. In nature, bicontinuous cubic constructs achieve unit cell dimensions as high as 300 nm. However, the largest unit cell of lipid mesophases synthesized in the lab is an order of magnitude lower. In fact, it has been predicted theoretically that lipid bicontinuous cubic phases of unit cell dimensions exceeding 30 nm could not exist, as high membrane fluctuations would damp liquid crystalline order. Here we report non-equilibrium assembly methods of synthesizing metastable bicontinuous cubic phases with unit cell dimensions as high as 70 nm. The phases are stable for very long periods and become increasingly ordered as time goes by without changes to unit cell dimensions. We acknowledge the funding source as a NIH.

Visualizing the effect of tumor microenvironments on radiation-induced cell kinetics in multicellular spheroids consisting of HeLa cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaida, Atsushi; Miura, Masahiko

2013-01-01

Highlights: •We visualized radiation-induced cell kinetics in spheroids. •HeLa-Fucci cells were used for detection of cell-cycle changes. •Radiation-induced G2 arrest was prolonged in the spheroid. •The inner and outer cell fractions behaved differently. -- Abstract: In this study, we visualized the effect of tumor microenvironments on radiation-induced tumor cell kinetics. For this purpose, we utilized a multicellular spheroid model, with a diameter of ∼500 μm, consisting of HeLa cells expressing the fluorescent ubiquitination-based cell-cycle indicator (Fucci). In live spheroids, a confocal laser scanning microscope allowed us to clearly monitor cell kinetics at depths of up to 60 μm. Surprisingly, a remarkable prolongation of G2 arrest was observed in the outer region of the spheroid relative to monolayer-cultured cells. Scale, an aqueous reagent that renders tissues optically transparent, allowed visualization deeper inside spheroids. About 16 h after irradiation, a red fluorescent cell fraction, presumably a quiescent G0 cell fraction, became distinct from the outer fraction consisting of proliferating cells, most of which exhibited green fluorescence indicative of G2 arrest. Thereafter, the red cell fraction began to emit green fluorescence and remained in prolonged G2 arrest. Thus, for the first time, we visualized the prolongation of radiation-induced G2 arrest in spheroids and the differences in cell kinetics between the outer and inner fractions

Hydrologic consistency as a basis for assessing complexity of monthly water balance models for the continental United States

Science.gov (United States)

Martinez, Guillermo F.; Gupta, Hoshin V.

2011-12-01

Methods to select parsimonious and hydrologically consistent model structures are useful for evaluating dominance of hydrologic processes and representativeness of data. While information criteria (appropriately constrained to obey underlying statistical assumptions) can provide a basis for evaluating appropriate model complexity, it is not sufficient to rely upon the principle of maximum likelihood (ML) alone. We suggest that one must also call upon a "principle of hydrologic consistency," meaning that selected ML structures and parameter estimates must be constrained (as well as possible) to reproduce desired hydrological characteristics of the processes under investigation. This argument is demonstrated in the context of evaluating the suitability of candidate model structures for lumped water balance modeling across the continental United States, using data from 307 snow-free catchments. The models are constrained to satisfy several tests of hydrologic consistency, a flow space transformation is used to ensure better consistency with underlying statistical assumptions, and information criteria are used to evaluate model complexity relative to the data. The results clearly demonstrate that the principle of consistency provides a sensible basis for guiding selection of model structures and indicate strong spatial persistence of certain model structures across the continental United States. Further work to untangle reasons for model structure predominance can help to relate conceptual model structures to physical characteristics of the catchments, facilitating the task of prediction in ungaged basins.

Advanced fuel cell development in the United States

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ackerman, J.P.

1984-01-01

Both molten carbonate and solid oxide fuel cells are being developed in the United States to complement and/or supplant phosphoric acid cells for commercial and utility use. This paper described the two technologies and the programs for their development

Towards consistent generation of pancreatic lineage progenitors from human pluripotent stem cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Rostovskaya, Maria; Bredenkamp, Nicholas; Smith, Austin

2015-10-19

Human pluripotent stem cells can in principle be used as a source of any differentiated cell type for disease modelling, drug screening, toxicology testing or cell replacement therapy. Type I diabetes is considered a major target for stem cell applications due to the shortage of primary human beta cells. Several protocols have been reported for generating pancreatic progenitors by in vitro differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells. Here we first assessed one of these protocols on a panel of pluripotent stem cell lines for capacity to engender glucose sensitive insulin-producing cells after engraftment in immunocompromised mice. We observed variable outcomes with only one cell line showing a low level of glucose response. We, therefore, undertook a systematic comparison of different methods for inducing definitive endoderm and subsequently pancreatic differentiation. Of several protocols tested, we identified a combined approach that robustly generated pancreatic progenitors in vitro from both embryo-derived and induced pluripotent stem cells. These findings suggest that, although there are intrinsic differences in lineage specification propensity between pluripotent stem cell lines, optimal differentiation procedures may consistently direct a substantial fraction of cells into pancreatic specification. © 2015 The Authors.

Analysis of long-time operation of micro-cogeneration unit with fuel cell

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Patsch Marek

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Micro-cogeneration is cogeneration with small performance, with maximal electric power up to 50 kWe. On the present, there are available small micro-cogeneration units with small electric performance, about 1 kWe, which are usable also in single family houses or flats. These micro-cogeneration units operate on principle of conventional combustion engine, Stirling engine, steam engine or fuel cell. Micro-cogeneration units with fuel cells are new progressive developing type of units for single family houses. Fuel cell is electrochemical device which by oxidation-reduction reaction turn directly chemical energy of fuel to electric power, secondary products are pure water and thermal energy. The aim of paper is measuring and evaluation of operation parameters of micro-cogeneration unit with fuel cell which uses natural gas as a fuel.

Hydrogen Fuel Cell Performance as Telecommunications Backup Power in the United States

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kurtz, Jennifer [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Saur, Genevieve [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Sprik, Sam [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2015-03-01

Working in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and industry project partners, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) acts as the central data repository for the data collected from real-world operation of fuel cell backup power systems. With American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) co-funding awarded through DOE's Fuel Cell Technologies Office, more than 1,300 fuel cell units were deployed over a three-plus-year period in stationary, material handling equipment, auxiliary power, and backup power applications. This surpassed a Fuel Cell Technologies Office ARRA objective to spur commercialization of an early market technology by installing 1,000 fuel cell units across several different applications, including backup power. By December 2013, 852 backup power units out of 1,330 fuel cell units deployed were providing backup service, mainly for telecommunications towers. For 136 of the fuel cell backup units, project participants provided detailed operational data to the National Fuel Cell Technology Evaluation Center for analysis by NREL's technology validation team. NREL analyzed operational data collected from these government co-funded demonstration projects to characterize key fuel cell backup power performance metrics, including reliability and operation trends, and to highlight the business case for using fuel cells in these early market applications. NREL's analyses include these critical metrics, along with deployment, U.S. grid outage statistics, and infrastructure operation.

The fundamental unit of pain is the cell.

Science.gov (United States)

Reichling, David B; Green, Paul G; Levine, Jon D

2013-12-01

The molecular/genetic era has seen the discovery of a staggering number of molecules implicated in pain mechanisms [18,35,61,69,96,133,150,202,224]. This has stimulated pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to invest billions of dollars to develop drugs that enhance or inhibit the function of many these molecules. Unfortunately this effort has provided a remarkably small return on this investment. Inevitably, transformative progress in this field will require a better understanding of the functional links among the ever-growing ranks of "pain molecules," as well as their links with an even larger number of molecules with which they interact. Importantly, all of these molecules exist side-by-side, within a functional unit, the cell, and its adjacent matrix of extracellular molecules. To paraphrase a recent editorial in Science magazine [223], although we live in the Golden age of Genetics, the fundamental unit of biology is still arguably the cell, and the cell is the critical structural and functional setting in which the function of pain-related molecules must be understood. This review summarizes our current understanding of the nociceptor as a cell-biological unit that responds to a variety of extracellular inputs with a complex and highly organized interaction of signaling molecules. We also discuss the insights that this approach is providing into peripheral mechanisms of chronic pain and sex dependence in pain.

Importance of unit cells in accurate evaluation of the characteristics of graphene

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sabzyan, Hassan; Sadeghpour, Narges [Isfahan Univ. (Iran, Islamic Republic of). Dept. of Chemistry

2016-08-01

Effects of the size of the unit cell on energy, atomic charges, and phonon frequencies of graphene at the Γ point of the Brillouin zone are studied in the absence and presence of an electric field using density functional theory (DFT) methods (LDA and DFT-PBE functionals with Goedecker-Teter-Hutter (GTH) and Troullier-Martins (TM) norm-conserving pseudopotentials). Two types of unit cells containing n{sub c}=4-28 carbon atoms are considered. Results show that stability of graphene increases with increasing size of the unit cell. Energy, atomic charges, and phonon frequencies all converge above n{sub c}=24 for all functional-pseudopotentials used. Except for the LDA-GTH calculations, application of an electric field of 0.4 and 0.9 V/nm strengths does not change the trends with the size of the unit cell but instead slightly decreases the binding energy of graphene. Results of this study show that the choice of unit cell size and type is critical for calculation of reliable characteristics of graphene.

OECD benchmark a of MOX fueled PWR unit cells using SAS2H, triton and mocup

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ganda, F.; Greenspan, A.

2005-01-01

Three code systems are tested by applying them to calculate the OECD PWR MOX unit cell benchmark A. The codes tested are the SAS2H code sequence of the SCALE5 code package using 44 group library, MOCUP (MCNP4C + ORIGEN2), and the new TRITON depletion sequence of SCALE5 using 238 group cross sections generated using CENTRM with continuous energy cross sections. The burnup-dependent k ∞ and actinides concentration calculated by all three code-systems were found to be in good agreement with the OECD benchmark average results. Limited results were calculated also with the WIMS-ANL code package. WIMS-ANL was found to significantly under-predict k ∞ as well as the concentration of Pu 242 , consistently with the predictions of the WIMS-LWR reported by two of the OECD benchmark participants. Additionally, SAS2H is benchmarked against MOCUP for a hydride fuel containing unit cell, giving very satisfactory agreement. (authors)

Frequency distribution of the reduced unit cells of centred lattices from the Protein Data Bank.

Science.gov (United States)

Swaminathan, Kunchithapadam

2012-03-01

In crystallography, a centred conventional lattice unit cell has its corresponding reduced primitive unit cell. This study presents the frequency distribution of the reduced unit cells of all centred lattice entries of the Protein Data Bank (as of 23 August 2011) in four unit-cell-dimension-based groups and seven interaxial-angle-based subgroups. This frequency distribution is an added layer of support during space-group assignment in new crystals. In addition, some interesting patterns of distribution are discussed as well as how some reduced unit cells could be wrongly accepted as primitive lattices in a different crystal system.

Colonic stem cell data are consistent with the immortal model of stem cell division under non-random strand segregation.

Science.gov (United States)

Walters, K

2009-06-01

Colonic stem cells are thought to reside towards the base of crypts of the colon, but their numbers and proliferation mechanisms are not well characterized. A defining property of stem cells is that they are able to divide asymmetrically, but it is not known whether they always divide asymmetrically (immortal model) or whether there are occasional symmetrical divisions (stochastic model). By measuring diversity of methylation patterns in colon crypt samples, a recent study found evidence in favour of the stochastic model, assuming random segregation of stem cell DNA strands during cell division. Here, the effect of preferential segregation of the template strand is considered to be consistent with the 'immortal strand hypothesis', and explore the effect on conclusions of previously published results. For a sample of crypts, it is shown how, under the immortal model, to calculate mean and variance of the number of unique methylation patterns allowing for non-random strand segregation and compare them with those observed. The calculated mean and variance are consistent with an immortal model that incorporates non-random strand segregation for a range of stem cell numbers and levels of preferential strand segregation. Allowing for preferential strand segregation considerably alters previously published conclusions relating to stem cell numbers and turnover mechanisms. Evidence in favour of the stochastic model may not be as strong as previously thought.

Heat and Mass Transfer during Hydrogen Generation in an Array of Fuel Bars of a BWR Using a Periodic Unit Cell

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. Romero-Paredes

2012-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents, the numerical analysis of heat and mass transfer during hydrogen generation in an array of fuel cylinder bars, each coated with a cladding and a steam current flowing outside the cylinders. The analysis considers the fuel element without mitigation effects. The system consists of a representative periodic unit cell where the initial and boundary-value problems for heat and mass transfer were solved. In this unit cell, we considered that a fuel element is coated by a cladding with steam surrounding it as a coolant. The numerical simulations allow describing the evolution of the temperature and concentration profiles inside the nuclear reactor and could be used as a basis for hybrid upscaling simulations.

Rhombicuboctahedron unit cell based scaffolds for bone regeneration: geometry optimization with a mechanobiology - driven algorithm.

Science.gov (United States)

Boccaccio, Antonio; Fiorentino, Michele; Uva, Antonio E; Laghetti, Luca N; Monno, Giuseppe

2018-02-01

In a context more and more oriented towards customized medical solutions, we propose a mechanobiology-driven algorithm to determine the optimal geometry of scaffolds for bone regeneration that is the most suited to specific boundary and loading conditions. In spite of the huge number of articles investigating different unit cells for porous biomaterials, no studies are reported in the literature that optimize the geometric parameters of such unit cells based on mechanobiological criteria. Parametric finite element models of scaffolds with rhombicuboctahedron unit cell were developed and incorporated into an optimization algorithm that combines them with a computational mechanobiological model. The algorithm perturbs iteratively the geometry of the unit cell until the best scaffold geometry is identified, i.e. the geometry that allows to maximize the formation of bone. Performances of scaffolds with rhombicuboctahedron unit cell were compared with those of other scaffolds with hexahedron unit cells. We found that scaffolds with rhombicuboctahedron unit cell are particularly suited for supporting medium-low loads, while, for higher loads, scaffolds with hexahedron unit cells are preferable. The proposed algorithm can guide the orthopaedic/surgeon in the choice of the best scaffold to be implanted in a patient-specific anatomic region. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

International migration to and from the United Kingdom, 1975-1999: consistency, change and implications for the labour market.

Science.gov (United States)

Dobson, J; McLaughlan, G

2001-01-01

This article presents some findings of a recent study carried out for the Home Office by the Migration Research Unit (MRU) in the Department of Geography at UCL. The study was concerned with patterns and trends in international migration to and from the United Kingdom since 1975, with a particular focus on those in employment, and drew on many sources. The statistics analysed here derive from the International Passenger Survey, including hitherto unpublished tables provided by the Office for National Statistics on migration of the employed by citizenship. They indicate remarkable consistency in some aspects of migration flows and major change in others.

The Daniell cell, Ohm's law, and the emergence of the International System of Units

Science.gov (United States)

Jayson, Joel S.

2014-01-01

Telegraphy originated in the 1830s and 40 s and flourished in the following decades but with a patchwork of electrical standards. Electromotive force was for the most part measured in units of the predominant Daniell cell, but each telegraphy company had their own resistance standard. In 1862, the British Association for the Advancement of Science formed a committee to address this situation. By 1873, they had given definition to the electromagnetic system of units (emu) and defined the practical units of the ohm as 109 emu units of resistance and the volt as 108 emu units of electromotive force. These recommendations were ratified and expanded upon in a series of international congresses held between 1881 and 1904. A proposal by Giovanni Giorgi in 1901 took advantage of a coincidence between the conversion of the units of energy in the emu system (the erg) and in the practical system (the Joule). As it was, the same conversion factor existed between the cgs based emu system and a theretofore undefined MKS system. By introducing another unit X (where X could be any of the practical electrical units), Giorgi demonstrated that a self-consistent MKSX system was tenable without the need for multiplying factors. Ultimately, the ampere was selected as the fourth unit. It took nearly 60 years, but in 1960, Giorgi's proposal was incorporated as the core of the newly inaugurated International System of Units (SI). This article surveys the physics, physicists, and events that contributed to those developments.

Learning about the Unit Cell and Crystal Lattice with Computerized Simulations and Games: A Pilot Study

Science.gov (United States)

Luealamai, Sutha; Panijpan, Bhinyo

2012-01-01

The authors have developed a computer-based learning module on the unit cell of various types of crystal. The module has two components: the virtual unit cell (VUC) part and the subsequent unit cell hunter part. The VUC is a virtual reality simulation for students to actively arrive at the unit cell from exploring, from a broad view, the crystal…

A spot check for assessing static orientation consistency of inertial and magnetic sensing units.

Science.gov (United States)

Picerno, Pietro; Cereatti, Andrea; Cappozzo, Aurelio

2011-03-01

Despite the widespread use of Magnetic and Inertial Measurement Units (MIMUs) for movement reconstruction, only a few studies have tackled issues related to their accuracy. It has been proved that their performance decreases over a period of use since calibration parameters become no longer effective. Good practice rules recommend to assess, prior to any experimental session, the instrumental errors associated to the relevant measures. Aim of this study was to provide a practical and reproducible spot check for assessing the performance of MIMUs in terms of consistency in determining their orientation with respect to a common (inter-MIMUs consistency, IC) and invariant (self-MIMU consistency, SC) global frame. IC was assessed by verifying the hypothesis that the orientation of 9 MIMUs aligned to each other on a rigid Plexiglas plank coincided at any orientation of the plank. SC was assessed separately by verifying differences between measured and imposed known rotations imparted to each MIMU. The orientation of MIMUs relative to the global frame was expressed in terms of quaternion. IC test showed that MIMUs defined their orientation differently. This difference was not constant but varied according to the plank's orientation. The least consistent MIMU showed discrepancy up to 5.7°. SC test confirmed the same MIMU as that affected by the highest inaccuracy (8.4°), whereas it revealed errors within limits (1°) in correspondence to other MIMUs. A tool has been proposed that allows the users to be aware of the errors that may be expected when using MIMUs for the estimate of absolute and relative segments kinematics. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Experimental and numerical studies on pressure drop in reverse electrodialysis: Effect of unit cell configuration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hong, Sung Kook; Choi, Kyung Soo [Advanced Combustion Laboratory, Korea Institute of Energy Research, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Chan Soo; Hwang, Kyo Sik; Han, Ji Hyung; Kim, Han Ki; Jeong, Nam Jo [Jeju Global Research Center, Korea Institute of Energy Research, Jeju (Korea, Republic of)

2016-11-15

Experimental and numerical studies on pressure drop in Reverse electrodialysis (RED) were performed. In this study, a module with 200 unit cells is considered for the demonstration of bench-scale RED module and two different unit cell configurations are utilized. Pressure drop through the module is measured by varying flow rates. For evaluating the hydrodynamic characteristics in the unit cell, a numerical simulation is also conducted and the simplified method using a porous media model is employed to simulate the channel filled with spacer. Due to the insertion of spacer and narrow channel, great pressure loss occurs along the unit cell. Based on estimated pressure data, high pressure difference between seawater and fresh water channel takes place locally in the unit cell configuration with crossflow direction, leading to a leakage problem through the membrane and finally degradation in the output power. Consequently, it is confirmed that the unit cell configuration is one of the important design parameters in a RED module.

THE FEATURES OF CONNEXINS EXPRESSION IN THE CELLS OF NEUROVASCLAR UNIT IN NORMAL CONDITIONS AND HYPOXIA IN VITRO

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. V. Morgun

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this research was to assess a role of connexin 43 (Cx43 and associated molecule CD38 in the regulation of cell-cell interactions in the neurovascular unit (NVU in vitro in physiological conditions and in hypoxia.Materials and methods. The study was done using the original neurovascular unit model in vitro. The NVU consisted of three cell types: neurons, astrocytes, and cerebral endothelial cells derived from rats. Hypoxia was induced by incubating cells with sodium iodoacetate for 30 min at37 °C in standard culture conditions.Results. We investigated the role of connexin 43 in the regulation of cell interactions within the NVU in normal and hypoxic injury in vitro. We found that astrocytes were characterized by high levels of expression of Cx43 and low level of CD38 expression, neurons demonstrated high levels of CD38 and low levels of Cx43. In hypoxic conditions, the expression of Cx43 and CD38 in astrocytes markedly increased while CD38 expression in neurons decreased, however no changes were found in endothelial cells. Suppression of Cx43 activity resulted in down-regulation of CD38 in NVU cells, both in physiological conditions and at chemical hypoxia.Conclusion. Thus, the Cx-regulated intercellular NAD+-dependent communication and secretory phenotype of astroglial cells that are the part of the blood-brain barrier is markedly changed in hypoxia.

Monitoring the consistency of the dynalyser output via digital display unit and calculated practical peak voltage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wan Hazlinda Ismail; Muhammad Jamal Mohd Isa; Abdul Aziz Mohd Ramli; Shahrul Azlan Azizan

2010-01-01

This study was carried out to ensure the adequacy and accuracy of the Dynalyser Digital Display unit for measuring the true kVp from the invasive kVp meter unit during calibration of non-invasive kVp meters. An invasive high voltage divider (dynalyser) coupled to the x-ray system measures the true kilo voltage supplied to the x-ray tube. The kVp output measured was displayed via its digital display unit while its waveform was acquired using a calibrated oscilloscope. The waveform was used to calculate the Practical Peak Voltage (PPV) using the International Standard method adapted from IEC 61676 and treated as the true kVp value. The kVp output was measured at 9 points ranging between 40 kV-120 kV with interval steps of 10 kV and monitored every day. The test result was evaluated for variation of output, intrinsic error and limit of variation in compliance with the IEC standard. Results showed that kVp output measured by the display unit everyday is consistent with variations of not more than ±0.45 kV, intrinsic error of not more than ±0.009 kV and limits of variation of less than 1% which comply with the IEC standard requirement. The kVp output via digital display unit has a total uncertainty of not more than 2.8 kV (k=2) while the PPV output via oscilloscope has total uncertainty of not more than 0.75 kV (k=2). As a conclusion, the dynalyser digital display unit complies with standard requirement and can be used to measure the true kVp output during the calibration of non-invasive kVp meters. (author)

RNA-Seq reveals spliceosome and proteasome genes as most consistent transcripts in human cancer cells.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tara Macrae

Full Text Available Accurate quantification of gene expression by qRT-PCR relies on normalization against a consistently expressed control gene. However, control genes in common use often vary greatly between samples, especially in cancer. The advent of Next Generation Sequencing technology offers the possibility to better select control genes with the least cell to cell variability in steady state transcript levels. Here we analyze the transcriptomes of 55 leukemia samples to identify the most consistent genes. This list is enriched for components of the proteasome (ex. PSMA1 and spliceosome (ex. SF3B2, and also includes the translation initiation factor EIF4H, and many heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein genes (ex. HNRNPL. We have validated the consistency of our new control genes in 1933 cancer and normal tissues using publically available RNA-seq data, and their usefulness in qRT-PCR analysis is clearly demonstrated.

Using stochastic cell division and death to probe minimal units of cellular replication

Science.gov (United States)

Chib, Savita; Das, Suman; Venkatesan, Soumya; Sai Narain Seshasayee, Aswin; Thattai, Mukund

2018-03-01

The invariant cell initiation mass measured in bacterial growth experiments has been interpreted as a minimal unit of cellular replication. Here we argue that the existence of such minimal units induces a coupling between the rates of stochastic cell division and death. To probe this coupling we tracked live and dead cells in Escherichia coli populations treated with a ribosome-targeting antibiotic. We find that the growth exponent from macroscopic cell growth or decay measurements can be represented as the difference of microscopic first-order cell division and death rates. The boundary between cell growth and decay, at which the number of live cells remains constant over time, occurs at the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the antibiotic. This state appears macroscopically static but is microscopically dynamic: division and death rates exactly cancel at MIC but each is remarkably high, reaching 60% of the antibiotic-free division rate. A stochastic model of cells as collections of minimal replicating units we term ‘widgets’ reproduces both steady-state and transient features of our experiments. Sub-cellular fluctuations of widget numbers stochastically drive each new daughter cell to one of two alternate fates, division or death. First-order division or death rates emerge as eigenvalues of a stationary Markov process, and can be expressed in terms of the widget’s molecular properties. High division and death rates at MIC arise due to low mean and high relative fluctuations of widget number. Isolating cells at the threshold of irreversible death might allow molecular characterization of this minimal replication unit.

Additively Manufactured Open-Cell Porous Biomaterials Made from Six Different Space-Filling Unit Cells: The Mechanical and Morphological Properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seyed Mohammad Ahmadi

2015-04-01

Full Text Available It is known that the mechanical properties of bone-mimicking porous biomaterials are a function of the morphological properties of the porous structure, including the configuration and size of the repeating unit cell from which they are made. However, the literature on this topic is limited, primarily because of the challenge in fabricating porous biomaterials with arbitrarily complex morphological designs. In the present work, we studied the relationship between relative density (RD of porous Ti6Al4V EFI alloy and five compressive properties of the material, namely elastic gradient or modulus (Es20–70, first maximum stress, plateau stress, yield stress, and energy absorption. Porous structures with different RD and six different unit cell configurations (cubic (C, diamond (D, truncated cube (TC, truncated cuboctahedron (TCO, rhombic dodecahedron (RD, and rhombicuboctahedron (RCO were fabricated using selective laser melting. Each of the compressive properties increased with increase in RD, the relationship being of a power law type. Clear trends were seen in the influence of unit cell configuration and porosity on each of the compressive properties. For example, in terms of Es20–70, the structures may be divided into two groups: those that are stiff (comprising those made using C, TC, TCO, and RCO unit cell and those that are compliant (comprising those made using D and RD unit cell.

Empirical Derivation of Correction Factors for Human Spiral Ganglion Cell Nucleus and Nucleolus Count Units.

Science.gov (United States)

Robert, Mark E; Linthicum, Fred H

2016-01-01

Profile count method for estimating cell number in sectioned tissue applies a correction factor for double count (resulting from transection during sectioning) of count units selected to represent the cell. For human spiral ganglion cell counts, we attempted to address apparent confusion between published correction factors for nucleus and nucleolus count units that are identical despite the role of count unit diameter in a commonly used correction factor formula. We examined a portion of human cochlea to empirically derive correction factors for the 2 count units, using 3-dimensional reconstruction software to identify double counts. The Neurotology and House Histological Temporal Bone Laboratory at University of California at Los Angeles. Using a fully sectioned and stained human temporal bone, we identified and generated digital images of sections of the modiolar region of the lower first turn of cochlea, identified count units with a light microscope, labeled them on corresponding digital sections, and used 3-dimensional reconstruction software to identify double-counted count units. For 25 consecutive sections, we determined that double-count correction factors for nucleus count unit (0.91) and nucleolus count unit (0.92) matched the published factors. We discovered that nuclei and, therefore, spiral ganglion cells were undercounted by 6.3% when using nucleolus count units. We determined that correction factors for count units must include an element for undercounting spiral ganglion cells as well as the double-count element. We recommend a correction factor of 0.91 for the nucleus count unit and 0.98 for the nucleolus count unit when using 20-µm sections. © American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation 2015.

Development of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) automotive auxiliary power unit (APU) fueled by gasoline

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

DeMinco, C.; Mukerjee, S.; Grieve, J.; Faville, M.; Noetzel, J.; Perry, M.; Horvath, A.; Prediger, D.; Pastula, M.; Boersma, R.; Ghosh, D.

2000-01-01

This paper describes the design and the development progress of a 3 to 5 auxiliary power unit (APU) based on a gasoline fueled solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC). This fuel cell was supplied reformate gas (reactant) by a partial oxidation (POx) catalytic reformer utilizing liquid gasoline and designed by Delphi Automotive Systems. This reformate gas consists mainly of hydrogen, carbon monoxide and nitrogen and was fed directly in to the SOFC stack without any additional fuel reformer processing. The SOFC stack was developed by Global Thermoelectric and operates around 700 o C. This automotive APU produces power to support future 42 volt vehicle electrical architectures and loads. The balance of the APU, designed by Delphi Automotive Systems, employs a packaging and insulation design to facilitate installation and operation on-board automobiles. (author)

Polymer electrolyte fuel cell mini power unit for portable application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Urbani, F.; Squadrito, G.; Barbera, O.; Giacoppo, G.; Passalacqua, E. [CNR-ITAE, via Salita S. Lucia sopra Contesse n. 5, 98126 S. Lucia, Messina (Italy); Zerbinati, O. [Universita del Piemonte Orientale, Dip. di Scienze dell' Ambiente e della Vita, via Bellini 25/g, 15100 Alessandria (Italy)

2007-06-20

This paper describes the design, realisation and test of a power unit based on a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, operating at room temperature, for portable application. The device is composed of an home made air breathing fuel cell stack, a metal hydride tank for H{sub 2} supply, a dc-dc converter for power output control and a fan for stack cooling. The stack is composed by 10 cells with an active surface of 25 cm{sup 2} and produces a rated power of 15 W at 6 V and 2 A. The stack successfully runs with end-off fed hydrogen without appreciable performance degradation during the time. The final assembled system is able to generate 12 W at 9.5 V, and power a portable DVD player for 3 h in continuous. The power unit has collected about 100 h of operation without maintenance. (author)

A comprehensive, consistent and systematic mathematical model of PEM fuel cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baschuk, J.J.; Li Xianguo

2009-01-01

This paper presents a comprehensive, consistent and systematic mathematical model for PEM fuel cells that can be used as the general formulation for the simulation and analysis of PEM fuel cells. As an illustration, the model is applied to an isothermal, steady state, two-dimensional PEM fuel cell. Water is assumed to be in either the gas phase or as a liquid phase in the pores of the polymer electrolyte. The model includes the transport of gas in the gas flow channels, electrode backing and catalyst layers; the transport of water and hydronium in the polymer electrolyte of the catalyst and polymer electrolyte layers; and the transport of electrical current in the solid phase. Water and ion transport in the polymer electrolyte was modeled using the generalized Stefan-Maxwell equations, based on non-equilibrium thermodynamics. Model simulations show that the bulk, convective gas velocity facilitates hydrogen transport from the gas flow channels to the anode catalyst layers, but inhibits oxygen transport. While some of the water required by the anode is supplied by the water produced in the cathode, the majority of water must be supplied by the anode gas phase, making operation with fully humidified reactants necessary. The length of the gas flow channel has a significant effect on the current production of the PEM fuel cell, with a longer channel length having a lower performance relative to a shorter channel length. This lower performance is caused by a greater variation in water content within the longer channel length

Evaluation of the impact of banking umbilical cord blood units with high cell dose for ethnically diverse patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Stritesky, Gretta; Wadsworth, Kimberly; Duffy, Merry; Buck, Kelly; Dehn, Jason

2018-02-01

Umbilical cord blood units provide an important stem cell source for transplantation, particularly for patients of ethnic diversity who may not have suitably matched available, adult-unrelated donors. However, with the cost of cord blood unit acquisition from public banks significantly higher than that for adult-unrelated donors, attention is focused on decreasing cost yet still providing cord blood units to patients in need. Historical practices of banking units with low total nucleated cell counts, including units with approximately 90 × 10 7 total nucleated cells, indicates that most banked cord blood units have much lower total nucleated cell counts than are required for transplant. The objective of this study was to determine the impact on the ability to identify suitable cord blood units for transplantation if the minimum total nucleated cell count for banking were increased from 90 × 10 7 to 124 or 149 × 10 7 . We analyzed ethnically diverse patients (median age, 3 years) who underwent transplantation of a single cord blood unit in 2005 to 2016. A cord blood unit search was evaluated to identify units with equal or greater human leukocyte antigen matching and a greater total nucleated cell count than that of the transplanted cord blood unit (the replacement cord blood unit). If the minimum total nucleated cell count for banking increased to 124 or 149 × 10 7 , then from 75 to 80% of patients would still have at least 1 replacement cord blood unit in the current (2016) cord blood unit inventory. The best replacement cord blood units were often found among cords with the same ethnic background as the patient. The current data suggest that, if the minimum total nucleated cell count were increased for banking, then it would likely lead to an inventory of more desirable cord blood units while having minimal impact on the identification of suitable cord blood units for transplantation. © 2017 AABB.

Implementing a cornerstone of culture change: Consistent staff assignment in VHA community living centers.

Science.gov (United States)

Lemke, Sonne; Brennan, Penny L; SooHoo, Sonya; Schutte, Kathleen K

2017-08-01

In 2011, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) began implementing consistent staff assignment in its nursing homes (called Community Living Centers or CLCs). Consistent assignment, a cornerstone of culture change, minimizes the number of staff who provide a resident's care. The present research assessed the level and stability of consistent assignment in units within VHA CLCs and identified unit characteristics related to implementation of this staff assignment model. Schedulers in 185 of 335 organizational units that make up VHA CLCs completed a Staffing Practices Survey. For the month prior to the survey, 53% of CLC units had full implementation of consistent assignment. Tracked back over time, 37% of CLC units had stable high consistent assignment, 29% had stable low consistent assignment, and 34% were variable. Units with stable high consistent assignment were most likely to use care teams with stable membership and to obtain staff input for care assignments. Schedulers in these units reported more positive experiences with consistent staff assignment and better unit functioning in terms of staff absences, complaints about workload fairness, and resolution of scheduling problems. Units with stable low and variable consistent assignment were similar in most of these respects; however, units with variable consistent assignment made greater use of stable care teams and were less likely to change assignments at a staff member's request. Overall, consistent assignment implementation was not related to unit size, nursing hours per resident day, or specialty focus. Findings can help guide consistent staff assignment implementation in VHA and community nursing homes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

The influence of international and domestic events in the evolution of forest inventory and reporting consistency in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

W. Brad Smith

2009-01-01

This article takes a brief chronological look at resource inventory and reporting and links to international influences. It explores events as drivers of more consistent data within the United States and highlights key dates and events in the evolution of inventory policy and practice. From King George to L?Ecole nationale forestiere to the Food and Agriculture...

Modulation of the androgenetic response in diverse skin cell types: the pilosebaceous unit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zurvarra, F.; Kerner, N.; Hagelin, K.

2009-01-01

Androgens play a central role in diverse morphogenetic processes of the skin. Hair growth and follicular cycle are regulated in part by androgens. Androgens also play a key function, together with other receptors such as the PPARs receptors family, on the proliferation and differentiation of the sebaceous gland that forms part of the pilosebaceous unit and influences hair growth and skin well-being. UV radiation may affect androgens regulation of skin homeostasis. Objectives: to study the modulation of androgenetic response related to UV radiation on the pilosebaceous unit, in two skin conditions: androgenetic alopecia and acne, both affecting skin and constituting major concerns for affected individuals. Methods: primary cultures of cells and established cell lines from the pilosebaceous unit: dermal papillae cells, keratinocytes and sebocytes. Analysis of lipid content, inflammatory response and proliferation of cells under the influence of androgens, PPARs ligands and UVR. Results: sebocytes primary cultures were obtained from human sebaceous glands. Proliferation and differentiation, as well as the expression of proinflammatory molecules (IL-1, TNF alpha, iNOs) and lipogenic enzymes (FASN) under androgens and UV treatment were assessed. The response to androgens under UV exposure was also analyzed in dermal papillae cells in culture. (authors)

In vivo studies of the long-term 51Cr red cell survival of serologically incompatible red cell units

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baldwin, M.L.; Ness, P.M.; Barrasso, C.; Kickler, T.S.; Drew, H.; Tsan, M.F.; Shirey, R.S.

1985-01-01

The long-term survival of serologically incompatible red cell units was measured in five patients with antibodies to high-frequency antigens. Initially, the survival of 1 ml of 51 Cr-labeled incompatible red cells was measured over 1 hour. After demonstrating that the 1-hour survival times were successful (greater than 70%), each patient then received 5 ml of the same 51 Cr-labeled red cells followed by the transfusion of the remainder of the red cell unit. The long-term T 1/2Cr survival for each case was patient 1 (anti-McCa), 15 days; patient 2 (anti-JMH), 12 days; patient 3 (anti-Kna), 31 days; patient 4 (anti-McCa), 12 days; and patient 5 (anti-Hya), 14 days. Each antibody tested in an in vitro homologous macrophage assay showed less than 5 percent phagocytosis. Anti-JMH was the only antibody to react with IgG subclass antisera and was determined to be IgG4. The macrophage assay, IgG subclass testing, and short-term (1 hour, 1 ml) 51 Cr survival studies all indicated that the short-term survival was good. However, only the measurement of long-term survival with transfused units of serologically incompatible red cells was able to determine the actual survival, and clinical significance of the alloantibodies. Determining the actual long-term survival by the method described here can be of importance for patients requiring chronic red cell transfusion

Relationship between unit cell type and porosity and the fatigue behavior of selective laser melted meta-biomaterials.

Science.gov (United States)

Amin Yavari, S; Ahmadi, S M; Wauthle, R; Pouran, B; Schrooten, J; Weinans, H; Zadpoor, A A

2015-03-01

Meta-materials are structures when their small-scale properties are considered, but behave as materials when their homogenized macroscopic properties are studied. There is an intimate relationship between the design of the small-scale structure and the homogenized properties of such materials. In this article, we studied that relationship for meta-biomaterials that are aimed for biomedical applications, otherwise known as meta-biomaterials. Selective laser melted porous titanium (Ti6Al4V ELI) structures were manufactured based on three different types of repeating unit cells, namely cube, diamond, and truncated cuboctahedron, and with different porosities. The morphological features, static mechanical properties, and fatigue behavior of the porous biomaterials were studied with a focus on their fatigue behavior. It was observed that, in addition to static mechanical properties, the fatigue properties of the porous biomaterials are highly dependent on the type of unit cell as well as on porosity. None of the porous structures based on the cube unit cell failed after 10(6) loading cycles even when the applied stress reached 80% of their yield strengths. For both other unit cells, higher porosities resulted in shorter fatigue lives for the same level of applied stress. When normalized with respect to their yield stresses, the S-N data points of structures with different porosities very well (R(2)>0.8) conformed to one single power law specific to the type of the unit cell. For the same level of normalized applied stress, the truncated cuboctahedron unit cell resulted in a longer fatigue life as compared to the diamond unit cell. In a similar comparison, the fatigue lives of the porous structures based on both truncated cuboctahedron and diamond unit cells were longer than that of the porous structures based on the rhombic dodecahedron unit cell (determined in a previous study). The data presented in this study could serve as a basis for design of porous biomaterials

Development of integrated DMFC and PEM fuel cell units. Final report; Udvikling af integrerede DMFC og PEM braendselscelle enheder. Slutrapport

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Odgaard, M. (IRD Fuel Cell Technology, Svendborg (DK))

2007-06-15

The 36-month long project 'Development of integrated DMFC and PEM fuel cell units' has been completed. The project goal was to develop a completely new MEA concept for integrated PEM and DMFC unit cells with enhanced power density and in this way obtain a price reduction. The integrated unit cell consists of a MEA, a gas diffusion layer with flow fields completed with bipolar plates and seals. The main focus of the present project was to: 1) Develop new catalyst materials fabricated by the use of FSD (flame spray deposition method). 2) Optimisation of the state-of-the-art MEA materials and electrode structure. 3) Implementation of a model to account for the CO poisoning of PEM fuel cells. Results and progress obtained in the project established that the individual unit cell components were able to meet and follow the road map of LT-PEM FC regarding electrode catalyst loading and fulfilled the targets for Year 2006. The project has resulted in some important successes. The highlights are as follows: The project has resulted in some important successes. The highlights are as follows: 1) MEA structure knowledge acquired in the project provide a sound basis for further progress. 2) A novel method for the synthesis of electrode by using flame spray synthesis was explored. 3) Electrochemical and catalytic behaviours of catalysts activity for CH{sub 3}OH explored. 4) Implementation of a sub model to account for the CO poisoning of PEM FC has been developed. 5) Numerical study of the flow distribution in FC manifolds was developed and completed with experimental data. 6) The electrode catalyst loading targets for year 2006 achieved. 7) The DMFC MEA performance has been improved by 35%. 8) Optimisation of the MEAs fabrication process has been successfully developed. 9) A new simple flow field design has been designed. 10) A procedure for integrated seals has been developed (au)

Dielectric Behavior of Low Microwave Loss Unit Cell for All Dielectric Metamaterial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tianhuan Luo

2015-01-01

Full Text Available With a deep study of the metamaterial, its unit cells have been widely extended from metals to dielectrics. The dielectric based unit cells attract much attention because of the advantage of easy preparation, tunability, and higher frequency response, and so forth. Using the conventional solid state method, we prepared a kind of incipient ferroelectrics (calcium titanate, CaTiO3 with higher microwave permittivity and lower loss, which can be successfully used to construct metamaterials. The temperature and frequency dependence of dielectric constant are also measured under different sintering temperatures. The dielectric spectra showed a slight permittivity decrease with the increase of temperature and exhibited a loss of 0.0005, combined with a higher microwave dielectric constant of ~167 and quality factor Q of 2049. Therefore, CaTiO3 is a kind of versatile and potential metamaterial unit cell. The permittivity of CaTiO3 at higher microwave frequency was also examined in the rectangular waveguide and we got the permittivity of 165, creating a new method to test permittivity at higher microwave frequency.

TRICE - A program for reconstructing 3D reciprocal space and determining unit-cell parameters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zou Xiaodong; Hovmoeller, Anders; Hovmoeller, Sven

2004-01-01

A program system-Trice-for reconstructing the 3D reciprocal lattice from an electron diffraction tilt series is described. The unit-cell parameters can be determined from electron diffraction patterns directly by Trice. The unit cell can be checked and the lattice type and crystal system can be determined from the 3D reciprocal lattice. Trice can be applied to all crystal systems and lattice types

Utilization of transmission probabilities in the calculation of unit-cell by the interface-current method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Queiroz Bogado Leite, S. de.

1989-10-01

A widely used but otherwise physically incorrect assumption in unit-cell calculations by the method of interface currents in cylindrical or spherical geometries, is that of that of isotropic fluxes at the surfaces of the cell annular regions, when computing transmission probabilities. In this work, new interface-current relations are developed without making use of this assumption and the effects on calculated integral parameters are shown for an idealized unit-cell example. (author) [pt

All-electron ab initio calculations of YBa2Cu3O7 with self-consistence crystal field

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

刘洪霖; 陈念贻

1995-01-01

The quantum chemical calculations of cluster YBa2Cu3O7 considering all electrons have been per-formed by using the ab initio HF method with self-consistence crystal field.A Hartree-Fork surface potentialis proposed to make an asymmetric duster model possess a relatively symmetric potential field and to obtaina relatively symmetric electronic structure,electronic distributions,frontier orbitals,and bond order,etc.Thesuggestions that there exists a covalent bonding complex,[CuO2-O-CuO-O-Cu2]6,8-,in the cell unit ofthe crystal,and the cell units are connected with each other by ionic bonds along the c direction of the crys-tal lattice are offered based on the chemical bonding characteristics from the calculated results.The importantcontribution of the apical oxygen to superconductivities is emphasized as well.

Computer programs for unit-cell determination in electron diffraction experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, X.Z.

2005-01-01

A set of computer programs for unit-cell determination from an electron diffraction tilt series and pattern indexing has been developed on the basis of several well-established algorithms. In this approach, a reduced direct primitive cell is first determined from experimental data, in the means time, the measurement errors of the tilt angles are checked and minimized. The derived primitive cell is then checked for possible higher lattice symmetry and transformed into a proper conventional cell. Finally a least-squares refinement procedure is adopted to generate optimum lattice parameters on the basis of the lengths of basic reflections in each diffraction pattern and the indices of these reflections. Examples are given to show the usage of the programs

Technician Consistency in Specular Microscopy Measurements: A "Real-World" Retrospective Analysis of a United States Eye Bank.

Science.gov (United States)

Rand, Gabriel M; Kwon, Ji Won; Gore, Patrick K; McCartney, Mitchell D; Chuck, Roy S

2017-10-01

To quantify consistency of endothelial cell density (ECD) measurements among technicians in a single US eye bank operating under typical operating conditions. In this retrospective analysis of 51 microscopy technicians using a semiautomated counting method on 35,067 eyes from July 2007 to May 2015, technician- and date-related marginal ECD effects were calculated using linear regression models. ECD variance was correlated with the number of specular microscopy technicians. Technician mean ECDs ranged from 2386 ± 431 to 3005 ± 560 cells/mm. Nine technicians had statistically and clinically significant marginal effects. Annual mean ECDs adjusted for changes in technicians ranged from 2422 ± 433 to 2644 ± 430 cells/mm. The period of 2007 to 2009 had statistically and clinically significant marginal effects. There was a nonstatistically significant association between the number of technicians and ECD standard deviation. There was significant ECD variability associated with specular microscopy technicians and with the date of measurement. We recommend that eye banks collect data related to laboratory factors that have been shown to influence ECD variability.

Closure Report for Corrective Action Unit 116: Area 25 Test Cell C Facility, Nevada National Security Site, Nevada

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NSTec Environmental Restoration

2011-09-29

This Closure Report (CR) presents information supporting closure of Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 116, Area 25 Test Cell C Facility. This CR complies with the requirements of the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order (FFACO) that was agreed to by the State of Nevada; the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Environmental Management; the U.S. Department of Defense; and DOE, Legacy Management (FFACO, 1996 [as amended March 2010]). CAU 116 consists of the following two Corrective Action Sites (CASs), located in Area 25 of the Nevada National Security Site: (1) CAS 25-23-20, Nuclear Furnace Piping and (2) CAS 25-41-05, Test Cell C Facility. CAS 25-41-05 consisted of Building 3210 and the attached concrete shield wall. CAS 25-23-20 consisted of the nuclear furnace piping and tanks. Closure activities began in January 2007 and were completed in August 2011. Activities were conducted according to Revision 1 of the Streamlined Approach for Environmental Restoration Plan for CAU 116 (U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office [NNSA/NSO], 2008). This CR provides documentation supporting the completed corrective actions and provides data confirming that closure objectives for CAU 116 were met. Site characterization data and process knowledge indicated that surface areas were radiologically contaminated above release limits and that regulated and/or hazardous wastes were present in the facility.

40 CFR Appendix A to Part 76 - Phase I Affected Coal-Fired Utility Units With Group 1 or Cell Burner Boilers

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... Units With Group 1 or Cell Burner Boilers A Appendix A to Part 76 Protection of Environment... 1 or Cell Burner Boilers Table 1—Phase I Tangentially Fired Units State Plant Unit Operator ALABAMA... Vertically fired boiler. 2 Arch-fired boiler. Table 3—Phase I Cell Burner Technology Units State Plant Unit...

A heated vapor cell unit for DAVLL in atomic rubidium

OpenAIRE

McCarron, Daniel J.; Hughes, Ifan G.; Tierney, Patrick; Cornish, Simon L.

2007-01-01

The design and performance of a compact heated vapor cell unit for realizing a dichroic atomic vapor laser lock (DAVLL) for the D2 transitions in atomic rubidium is described. A 5 cm-long vapor cell is placed in a double-solenoid arrangement to produce the required magnetic field; the heat from the solenoid is used to increase the vapor pressure and correspondingly the DAVLL signal. We have characterized experimentally the dependence of important features of the DAVLL signal on magnetic field...

Modeling the performance of hydrogen-oxygen unitized regenerative proton exchange membrane fuel cells for energy storage

Science.gov (United States)

Guarnieri, Massimo; Alotto, Piergiorgio; Moro, Federico

2015-11-01

Thanks to the independent sizing of power and energy, hydrogen-based energy storage is one of the very few technologies capable of providing long operational times in addition to the other advantages offered by electrochemical energy storage, for example scalability, site versatility, and mobile service. The typical design consists of an electrolyzer in charge mode and a separate fuel cell in discharge mode. Instead, a unitized regenerative fuel cell (URFC) is a single device performing both energy conversions, achieving a higher compactness and power-to-weight ratio. This paper presents a performance model of a URFC based on a proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyte and working on hydrogen and oxygen, which can provide high energy and power densities (>0.7 W cm-2). It provides voltage, power, and efficiency at varying load conditions as functions of the controlling physical quantities: temperature, pressure, concentration, and humidification. The model constitutes a tool for designing the interface and control sub-system as well as for exploring optimized cell/stack designs and operational conditions. To date, only a few of such analyses have been carried out and more research is needed in order to explore the true potential of URFCs.

Ambulatory cell phone injuries in the United States: an emerging national concern.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Daniel C; Schreiber, Kristin M; Saltos, Andreas; Lichenstein, Sarah B; Lichenstein, Richard

2013-12-01

Over the past 15 years, the use of cell phones has increased 8-fold in the United States. Cell phone use has been shown to increase crash risks for drivers, but no systematic analyses have described injuries related to ambulatory cell phone use. The purpose of this study is to describe and quantitate injuries and deaths among persons using cell phones while walking. We searched the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) for emergency department (ED) reports of injuries related to phone use. The cases that returned were screened initially using words that would eliminate cases unlikely to be related to cell phone use and walking, possibly linked to distraction. The resulting cases were randomized and evaluated for consistency with predetermined case definitions by two authors blinded to the dates of the incidents. Cases that were disagreed upon were evaluated in a second screening by both authors for final case determination. National ED visit rates were estimated based on NEISS sampling methods. Annual variations were analyzed using linear regression with a restricted maximum likelihood approach. Our screening process identified 5,754 possible cases that occurred between 2000 and 2011, and 310 were agreed on as cases of cell-phone-induced distraction. The majority of the patients were female (68%) and 40 years of age or younger (54%). The primary mechanism of injury was a fall (72%), and most patients were treated and released from the ED (85%). No patients died from their injuries while they were in the ED. Linear modeling by year revealed a statistically significant increase in distraction injury rates over the years of study (pcell phone use has been increasing. More research is needed to determine the risks associated with walking and talking on a cell phone and to develop strategies for intervention. Cell phone use continues to increase both at home and outdoor environments. The use of smart phones, with their more enticing features, increases

Automated assembling of single fuel cell units for use in a fuel cell stack

Science.gov (United States)

Jalba, C. K.; Muminovic, A.; Barz, C.; Nasui, V.

2017-05-01

The manufacturing of PEMFC stacks (POLYMER ELEKTROLYT MEMBRAN Fuel Cell) is nowadays still done by hand. Over hundreds of identical single components have to be placed accurate together for the construction of a fuel cell stack. Beside logistic problems, higher total costs and disadvantages in weight the high number of components produce a higher statistic interference because of faulty erection or material defects and summation of manufacturing tolerances. The saving of costs is about 20 - 25 %. Furthermore, the total weight of the fuel cells will be reduced because of a new sealing technology. Overall a one minute cycle time has to be aimed per cell at the manufacturing of these single components. The change of the existing sealing concept to a bonded sealing is one of the important requisites to get an automated manufacturing of single cell units. One of the important steps for an automated gluing process is the checking of the glue application by using of an image processing system. After bonding the single fuel cell the sealing and electrical function can be checked, so that only functional and high qualitative cells can get into further manufacturing processes.

Improved reproducibility of unit-cell parameters in macromolecular cryocrystallography by limiting dehydration during crystal mounting.

Science.gov (United States)

Farley, Christopher; Burks, Geoffry; Siegert, Thomas; Juers, Douglas H

2014-08-01

In macromolecular cryocrystallography unit-cell parameters can have low reproducibility, limiting the effectiveness of combining data sets from multiple crystals and inhibiting the development of defined repeatable cooling protocols. Here, potential sources of unit-cell variation are investigated and crystal dehydration during loop-mounting is found to be an important factor. The amount of water lost by the unit cell depends on the crystal size, the loop size, the ambient relative humidity and the transfer distance to the cooling medium. To limit water loss during crystal mounting, a threefold strategy has been implemented. Firstly, crystal manipulations are performed in a humid environment similar to the humidity of the crystal-growth or soaking solution. Secondly, the looped crystal is transferred to a vial containing a small amount of the crystal soaking solution. Upon loop transfer, the vial is sealed, which allows transport of the crystal at its equilibrated humidity. Thirdly, the crystal loop is directly mounted from the vial into the cold gas stream. This strategy minimizes the exposure of the crystal to relatively low humidity ambient air, improves the reproducibility of low-temperature unit-cell parameters and offers some new approaches to crystal handling and cryoprotection.

Computing with impure numbers - Automatic consistency checking and units conversion using computer algebra

Science.gov (United States)

Stoutemyer, D. R.

1977-01-01

The computer algebra language MACSYMA enables the programmer to include symbolic physical units in computer calculations, and features automatic detection of dimensionally-inhomogeneous formulas and conversion of inconsistent units in a dimensionally homogeneous formula. Some examples illustrate these features.

Plasma and BIAS Modeling: Self-Consistent Electrostatic Particle-in-Cell with Low-Density Argon Plasma for TiC

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jürgen Geiser

2011-01-01

processes. In this paper we present a new model taken into account a self-consistent electrostatic-particle in cell model with low density Argon plasma. The collision model are based of Monte Carlo simulations is discussed for DC sputtering in lower pressure regimes. In order to simulate transport phenomena within sputtering processes realistically, a spatial and temporal knowledge of the plasma density and electrostatic field configuration is needed. Due to relatively low plasma densities, continuum fluid equations are not applicable. We propose instead a Particle-in-cell (PIC method, which allows the study of plasma behavior by computing the trajectories of finite-size particles under the action of an external and self-consistent electric field defined in a grid of points.

Electrochemical characterization of a polybenzimidazole-based high temperature proton exchange membrane unit cell

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jespersen, Jesper Lebæk; Schaltz, Erik; Kær, Søren Knudsen

2009-01-01

This work constitutes detailed EIS (Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy) measurements on a PBIbased HT-PEM unit cell. By means of EIS the fuel cell is characterized in several modes of operation by varying the current density, temperature and the stoichiometry of the reactant gases. Using...

Adipogenic differentiation of laser-printed 3D tissue grafts consisting of human adipose-derived stem cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gruene, M; Deiwick, A; Koch, L; Schlie, S; Unger, C; Chichkov, B N; Pflaum, M; Wilhelmi, M; Haverich, A

2011-01-01

Laser-assisted bioprinting (LaBP) allows the realization of computer-generated 3D tissue grafts consisting of cells embedded in a hydrogel environment. In this study, human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs) were printed in a free-scalable 3D grid pattern by means of LaBP. We demonstrate that neither the proliferation ability nor the differentiation behaviour of the stem cells was affected by the LaBP procedure. Furthermore, the 3D grafts were differentiated down the adipogenic lineage pathway for 10 days. We verify by quantitative assessments of adipogenic markers that the 3D grafts resemble cell lineages present in natural adipose tissue. Additionally, we provide the proof that even pre-differentiated hASCs could be utilized for the generation of 3D tissue grafts. These results indicate that the biofabrication of living grafts resembling their complex native origin is within reach.

Adipogenic differentiation of laser-printed 3D tissue grafts consisting of human adipose-derived stem cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gruene, M; Deiwick, A; Koch, L; Schlie, S; Unger, C; Chichkov, B N [Nanotechnology Department, Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V., Hollerithallee 8, 30419 Hannover (Germany); Pflaum, M; Wilhelmi, M; Haverich, A, E-mail: m.gruene@lzh.de [Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, 30625 Hannover (Germany)

2011-03-15

Laser-assisted bioprinting (LaBP) allows the realization of computer-generated 3D tissue grafts consisting of cells embedded in a hydrogel environment. In this study, human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs) were printed in a free-scalable 3D grid pattern by means of LaBP. We demonstrate that neither the proliferation ability nor the differentiation behaviour of the stem cells was affected by the LaBP procedure. Furthermore, the 3D grafts were differentiated down the adipogenic lineage pathway for 10 days. We verify by quantitative assessments of adipogenic markers that the 3D grafts resemble cell lineages present in natural adipose tissue. Additionally, we provide the proof that even pre-differentiated hASCs could be utilized for the generation of 3D tissue grafts. These results indicate that the biofabrication of living grafts resembling their complex native origin is within reach.

Development of a portable PEM fuel cell system with bipolar plates consisting an electronically conductive thermoplastic Compound material; Entwicklung eines portablen PEM-Brennstoffzellensystems mit Bipolarplatten aus einem elektronisch leitfaehigen thermoplastischen Compound-Material

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Niemzig, O.C.

2005-07-18

In order to meet the cost targets of PEM fuel cells for commercialization significant cost reductions of cell stack components like membrane/electrode assemblies and bipolar plates have become key aspects of research and development. Central topics of his work are the bipolar plates and humidification for portable applications. Best results concerning conductivity of an extensive screening of a variety of carbon polymer compounds with polypropylene as matrix could be achieved with the carbon black/graphite/polypropylene-base system. Successful tests of this material in a fuel cell stack could be performed as well as the proof of suitability concerning material- and manufacturing costs. Dependent on application a decrease of material cost to 2 Euro/kg to 1,8 Euro/kW seems to be possible. Finally bipolar plates consisting of a selected carbon polymer compound were successfully integrated and tested in a 20-cell stack which was implemented in a portable PEFC-demonstrator unit with a power output between 50 and 150 W. (orig.)

Structure and oxidation states of giant unit cell compound Dy{sub 117+x}Fe{sub 57-y}Sn{sub 112-z}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brown, Alexander T.; Barron, Keaton G.; Salazar, Bryan G.; Kirby, Parker; McCandless, Gregory T. [Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Texas, Dallas, Richardson, TX (United States); Walker, Amy V.; Chan, Julia Y. [Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Texas, Dallas, Richardson, TX (United States); Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Texas, Dallas, Richardson, TX (United States)

2017-12-13

Motivated by the complex structure and properties of giant unit cell intermetallic compounds, a new isostructural Fe analogue of the Dy{sub 117}Co{sub 57}Sn{sub 112} structure type was synthesized. Single crystals of Dy{sub 122}Fe{sub 55}Sn{sub 101} were grown at 1260 C via a Dy-Fe eutectoid flux. The Fe analogue also adopts the space group Fm anti 3m with lattice parameters a = 29.914(9) Aa, V = 26769(23) Aa{sup 3}, and Z = 4. Dy{sub 122}Fe{sub 55}Sn{sub 101} has a large cell volume, structural complexity, and consists of seven Dy, eight Fe, and ten Sn unique crystallographic sites. There are fifteen fully occupied atomic positions, three unique pairs of alternating atomic positions with positional disorder, and seven partially occupied atomic sites. Within this complex unit cell, only approximately half the unique atomic positions are fully occupied with the remainder of the atoms either positionally or occupationally disordered. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicates that the compound contains Dy{sup 3+}, Fe{sup 0}, Fe{sup 2+}, Sn{sup 0}, and Sn{sup 4+}. (copyright 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Inulin isoforms differ by repeated additions of one crystal unit cell

Science.gov (United States)

Cooper, Peter D.; Barclay, Thomas G.; Ginic-Markovic, Milena; Gerson, Andrea R.; Petrovsky, Nikolai

2014-01-01

Inulin isoforms, especially delta inulin, are important biologically as immune activators and clinically as vaccine adjuvants. In exploring action mechanisms, we previously found regular increments in thermal properties of the seven-member inulin isoform series that suggested regular additions of some energetic structural unit. Because the previous isolates carried additional longer chains that masked defining ranges, these were contrasted with new isoform isolates comprising only inulin chain lengths defining that isoform. The new series began with 19 fructose units per chain (alpha-1 inulin), increasing regularly by 6 fructose units per isoform. Thus the ‘energetic unit’ equates to 6 fructose residues per chain. All isoforms showed indistinguishable X-ray diffraction patterns that were also identical with known inulin crystals. We conclude that an ‘energetic unit’ equates to one helix turn of 6 fructose units per chain as found in one unit cell of the inulin crystal. Each isoform chain comprised progressively more helix turns plus one additional fructose and glucose residues per chain. PMID:24528745

A development of solid oxide fuel cell technology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lim, Hee Chun; Lee, Chang Woo [Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO), Taejon (Korea, Republic of). Research Center; Kim, Kwy Youl; Yoon, Moon Soo; Kim, Ho Ki; Kim, Young Sik; Mun, Sung In; Eom, Sung Wuk [Korea Electrotechnology Research Inst., Changwon (Korea, Republic of)

1996-12-31

Solid oxide fuel cell which was consisted of ceramics has high power density and is very simple in shape. The project named A development of SOFC(Solid Oxide Fuel Cell) technology is to develop the unit cell fabrication processing and to evaluate the unit cell of solid oxide full cell. In this project, a manufacturing process of cathode by citrate method and polymeric precursor methods were established. By using tape casting method, high density thin electrolyte was manufactured and has high performance. Unit cell composed with La{sub 17}Sr{sub 13}Mn{sub 3} as cathode, 8YSZ electrolyte and 50% NiYSZ anode had a performance of O.85 W/cm{sup 2} and recorded 510 hours operation time. On the basis of these results. 100 cm{sup 2} class unit cell will be fabricated and tests in next program (author). 59 refs., 120 figs.

A development of solid oxide fuel cell technology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lim, Hee Chun; Lee, Chang Woo [Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO), Taejon (Korea, Republic of). Research Center; Kim, Kwy Youl; Yoon, Moon Soo; Kim, Ho Ki; Kim, Young Sik; Mun, Sung In; Eom, Sung Wuk [Korea Electrotechnology Research Inst., Changwon (Korea, Republic of)

1995-12-31

Solid oxide fuel cell which was consisted of ceramics has high power density and is very simple in shape. The project named A development of SOFC(Solid Oxide Fuel Cell) technology is to develop the unit cell fabrication processing and to evaluate the unit cell of solid oxide full cell. In this project, a manufacturing process of cathode by citrate method and polymeric precursor methods were established. By using tape casting method, high density thin electrolyte was manufactured and has high performance. Unit cell composed with La{sub 17}Sr{sub 13}Mn{sub 3} as cathode, 8YSZ electrolyte and 50% NiYSZ anode had a performance of O.85 W/cm{sup 2} and recorded 510 hours operation time. On the basis of these results. 100 cm{sup 2} class unit cell will be fabricated and tests in next program (author). 59 refs., 120 figs.

Production process reproducibility and product quality consistency of transient gene expression in HEK293 cells with anti-PD1 antibody as the model protein.

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Kai; Han, Lei; Zong, Huifang; Chen, Junsheng; Zhang, Baohong; Zhu, Jianwei

2017-03-01

Demonstration of reproducibility and consistency of process and product quality is one of the most crucial issues in using transient gene expression (TGE) technology for biopharmaceutical development. In this study, we challenged the production consistency of TGE by expressing nine batches of recombinant IgG antibody in human embryonic kidney 293 cells to evaluate reproducibility including viable cell density, viability, apoptotic status, and antibody yield in cell culture supernatant. Product quality including isoelectric point, binding affinity, secondary structure, and thermal stability was assessed as well. In addition, major glycan forms of antibody from different batches of production were compared to demonstrate glycosylation consistency. Glycan compositions of the antibody harvested at different time periods were also measured to illustrate N-glycan distribution over the culture time. From the results, it has been demonstrated that different TGE batches are reproducible from lot to lot in overall cell growth, product yield, and product qualities including isoelectric point, binding affinity, secondary structure, and thermal stability. Furthermore, major N-glycan compositions are consistent among different TGE batches and conserved during cell culture time.

Delivery of care consistent with the psychosocial standards in pediatric cancer: Current practices in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Scialla, Michele A; Canter, Kimberly S; Chen, Fang Fang; Kolb, E Anders; Sandler, Eric; Wiener, Lori; Kazak, Anne E

2018-03-01

With published evidence-based Standards for Psychosocial Care for Children with Cancer and their Families, it is important to know the current status of their implementation. This paper presents data on delivery of psychosocial care related to the Standards in the United States. Pediatric oncologists, psychosocial leaders, and administrators in pediatric oncology from 144 programs completed an online survey. Participants reported on the extent to which psychosocial care consistent with the Standards was implemented and was comprehensive and state of the art. They also reported on specific practices and services for each Standard and the extent to which psychosocial care was integrated into broader medical care. Participants indicated that psychosocial care consistent with the Standards was usually or always provided at their center for most of the Standards. However, only half of the oncologists (55.6%) and psychosocial leaders (45.6%) agreed or strongly agreed that their psychosocial care was comprehensive and state of the art. Types of psychosocial care provided included evidence-based and less established approaches but were most often provided when problems were identified, rather than proactively. The perception of state of the art care was associated with practices indicative of integrated psychosocial care and the extent to which the Standards are currently implemented. Many oncologists and psychosocial leaders perceive that the delivery of psychosocial care at their center is consistent with the Standards. However, care is quite variable, with evidence for the value of more integrated models of psychosocial services. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Theoretical Analysis of Moving Reference Planes Associated with Unit Cells of Nonreciprocal Lossy Periodic Transmission-Line Structures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Lamultree

2017-04-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a theoretical analysis of moving reference planes associated with unit cells of nonreciprocal lossy periodic transmission-line structures (NRLSPTLSs by the equivalent bi-characteristic-impedance transmission line (BCITL model. Applying the BCITL theory, only the equivalent BCITL parameters (characteristic impedances for waves propagating in forward and reverse directions and associated complex propagation constants are of interest. An infinite NRLSPTLS is considered first by shifting a reference position of unit cells along TLs of interest. Then, a semi-infinite terminated NRLSPTLS is investigated in terms of associated load reflection coefficients. It is found that the equivalent BCITL characteristic impedances of the original and shifted unit cells are mathematically related by the bilinear transformation. In addition, the associated load reflection coefficients of both unit cells are mathematically related by the bilinear transformation. However, the equivalent BCITL complex propagation constants remain unchanged. Numerical results are provided to show the validity of the proposed theoretical analysis.

Fermi surface properties of paramagnetic NpCd11 with a large unit cell

Science.gov (United States)

Homma, Yoshiya; Aoki, Dai; Haga, Yoshinori; Settai, Rikio; Sakai, Hironori; Ikeda, Shugo; Yamamoto, Etsuji; Nakamura, Akio; Shiokawa, Yoshinobu; Takeuchi, Tetsuya; Yamagami, Hiroshi; Ōnuki, Yoshichika

2010-03-01

We succeeded in growing a high-quality single crystal of NpCd11 with the cubic BaHg11-type structure by the Cd-self flux method. The lattice parameter of a = 9.2968(2) Å and crystallographic positions of the atoms were determined by x-ray single-crystal structure analysis. From the results of the magnetic susceptibility and specific heat experiments, this compound is found to be a 5f-localized paramagnet with the singlet ground state in the crystalline electric field (CEF) scheme. Fermi surface properties were measured using the de Haas-van Alphen (dHvA) technique. Long-period oscillations were observed in the dHvA frequency range of 9.1 x 105 to 1.9 x 107 Oe, indicating small cross-sectional areas of Fermi surfaces, which is consistent with a small Brillouin zone based on a large unit cell. From the results of dHvA and magnetoresistance experiments, the Fermi surface of NpCd11 is found to consist of many kinds of closed Fermi surfaces and a multiply-connected-like Fermi surface, although the result of energy band calculations based on the 5f-localized Np3+(5f4) configuration reveals the existence of only closed Fermi surfaces. The corresponding cyclotron effective mass is small, ranging from 0.1 to 0.7 m0, which is consistent with a small electronic specific heat coefficient γ ≅ 10mJ/K2·mol, revealing no hybridization between the 5f electrons and conduction electrons.

THE GERMLINE STEM CELL NICHE UNIT IN MAMMALIAN TESTES

Science.gov (United States)

Oatley, Jon M.; Brinster, Ralph L.

2014-01-01

This review addresses current understanding of the germline stem cell niche unit in mammalian testes. Spermatogenesis is a classic model of tissue-specific stem cell function relying on self-renewal and differentiation of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs). These fate decisions are influenced by a niche microenvironment composed of a growth factor milieu that is provided by several testis somatic support cell populations. Investigations over the last two decades have identified key determinants of the SSC niche including cytokines that regulate SSC functions and support cells providing these factors, adhesion molecules that influence SSC homing, and developmental heterogeneity of the niche during postnatal aging. Emerging evidence suggests that Sertoli cells are a key support cell population influencing the formation and function of niches by secreting soluble factors and possibly orchestrating contributions of other support cells. Investigations with mice have shown that niche influence on SSC proliferation differs during early postnatal development and adulthood. Moreover, there is mounting evidence of an age-related decline in niche function, which is likely influenced by systemic factors. Defining the attributes of stem cell niches is key to developing methods to utilize these cells for regenerative medicine. The SSC population and associated niche comprise a valuable model system for study that provides fundamental knowledge about the biology of tissue-specific stem cells and their capacity to sustain homeostasis of regenerating tissue lineages. While the stem cell is essential for maintenance of all self-renewing tissues and has received considerable attention, the role of niche cells is at least as important and may prove to be more receptive to modification in regenerative medicine. PMID:22535892

A cost effective model for appropriate administration of red cell units and salvaging un-transfused red cell units by using temperature sensitive indicators for blood component transportation in a hospital setting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aseem K Tiwari

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background: A rule called "30-min rule" defines that red cell unit cannot be used if it has been out of blood bank refrigerator for over 30 min. This rule is useful to guide initiation of transfusion, but is inadequate for deciding whether to reuse or discard units received-back at blood transfusion services (BTS. A simple cost-effective temperature-sensitive indicator was evaluated to decide upon reuse (cold chain was uninterrupted or discard (where cold chain was interrupted in a simulation exercise. Materials and Methods: Temperature-sensitive indicators TH-F™ that irreversibly changed color from white to red demonstrated that heat excursion has occurred and the cumulative temperature has exceeded 10°C for over 30 min, were used in outdated red cells for simulating units, which are not used and received-back. These units were also tagged with a standard temperature monitoring device, which was a re-usable credit card sized device, which would log the actual time and temperature. In few units percent hemolysis was also calculated. Results: Statistically insignificant elevation in average temperature was noted in 102 simulated units at the time of return to BTS (Δ 0.04°C, despite the fact that these units were in the transport box for over 4 h. The average supernatant hemoglobin in these units was 0.24%, much below the prescribed threshold. Conclusion: Transportation of blood in controlled conditions with temperature-sensitive indicator is a cost-effective model to save blood, a precious human resource.

Homogenization of Periodic Masonry Using Self-Consistent Scheme and Finite Element Method

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Nitin; Lambadi, Harish; Pandey, Manoj; Rajagopal, Amirtham

2016-01-01

Masonry is a heterogeneous anisotropic continuum, made up of the brick and mortar arranged in a periodic manner. Obtaining the effective elastic stiffness of the masonry structures has been a challenging task. In this study, the homogenization theory for periodic media is implemented in a very generic manner to derive the anisotropic global behavior of the masonry, through rigorous application of the homogenization theory in one step and through a full three-dimensional behavior. We have considered the periodic Eshelby self-consistent method and the finite element method. Two representative unit cells that represent the microstructure of the masonry wall exactly are considered for calibration and numerical application of the theory.

Zeroing in on red blood cell unit expiry.

Science.gov (United States)

Ayyalil, Fathima; Irwin, Greg; Ross, Bryony; Manolis, Michael; Enjeti, Anoop K

2017-12-01

Expiry of red blood cell (RBC) units is a significant contributor to wastage of precious voluntary donations. Effective strategies aimed at optimal resource utilization are required to minimize wastage. This retrospective study analyzed the strategic measures implemented to reduce expiry of RBC units in an Australian tertiary regional hospital. The measures, which included inventory rearrangement, effective stock rotation, and the number of emergency courier services required during a 24-month period, were evaluated. There was no wastage of RBC units due to expiry over the 12 months after policy changes. Before these changes, approximately half of RBC wastage (261/511) was due to expiry. The total number of transfusions remained constant in this period and there was no increase in the use of emergency couriers. Policy changes implemented were decreasing the RBC inventory level by one-third and effective stock rotation and using a computerized system to link the transfusion services across the area. Effective stock rotation resulted in a reduction in older blood (>28 days) received in the main laboratory rotated from peripheral hospitals, down from 6%-41% to 0%-2.5%. Age-related expiry of blood products is preventable and can be significantly reduced by improving practices in the pathology service. This study provides proof of principle for "zero tolerance for RBC unit expiry" across a large networked blood banking service. © 2017 The Authors Transfusion published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of AABB.

Unit cell-based computer-aided manufacturing system for tissue engineering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, Hyun-Wook; Park, Jeong Hun; Kang, Tae-Yun; Seol, Young-Joon; Cho, Dong-Woo

2012-01-01

Scaffolds play an important role in the regeneration of artificial tissues or organs. A scaffold is a porous structure with a micro-scale inner architecture in the range of several to several hundreds of micrometers. Therefore, computer-aided construction of scaffolds should provide sophisticated functionality for porous structure design and a tool path generation strategy that can achieve micro-scale architecture. In this study, a new unit cell-based computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) system was developed for the automated design and fabrication of a porous structure with micro-scale inner architecture that can be applied to composite tissue regeneration. The CAM system was developed by first defining a data structure for the computing process of a unit cell representing a single pore structure. Next, an algorithm and software were developed and applied to construct porous structures with a single or multiple pore design using solid freeform fabrication technology and a 3D tooth/spine computer-aided design model. We showed that this system is quite feasible for the design and fabrication of a scaffold for tissue engineering. (paper)

Unit cell-based computer-aided manufacturing system for tissue engineering.

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Hyun-Wook; Park, Jeong Hun; Kang, Tae-Yun; Seol, Young-Joon; Cho, Dong-Woo

2012-03-01

Scaffolds play an important role in the regeneration of artificial tissues or organs. A scaffold is a porous structure with a micro-scale inner architecture in the range of several to several hundreds of micrometers. Therefore, computer-aided construction of scaffolds should provide sophisticated functionality for porous structure design and a tool path generation strategy that can achieve micro-scale architecture. In this study, a new unit cell-based computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) system was developed for the automated design and fabrication of a porous structure with micro-scale inner architecture that can be applied to composite tissue regeneration. The CAM system was developed by first defining a data structure for the computing process of a unit cell representing a single pore structure. Next, an algorithm and software were developed and applied to construct porous structures with a single or multiple pore design using solid freeform fabrication technology and a 3D tooth/spine computer-aided design model. We showed that this system is quite feasible for the design and fabrication of a scaffold for tissue engineering.

Development of a unit cell model for interim performance assessment of vitrified low level waste disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kline, N.W.

1995-09-01

The unit cell modeling approach has been developed and used in analysis of some design options for a vitrified low level waste disposal facility. The unit cell modeling approach is likely to be useful in interim performance assessment for the facility. The present unit cell model will probably need to be refitted in terms of some model parameters for the latter purpose. Two present disposal facility concepts differ in the length of a capillary barrier proposed to limit effective recharge through the top of the facility. Results of the study summarized herein suggest design of a capillary barrier which can reduce a recharge rate of 0.1 cm/yr by one or two orders of magnitude seems feasible for both concepts. A benchmark comparison of the unit cell model against a full facility model shows comparable predictive accuracy in less than one percent of the computer time. Results suggest that model parameters include capillary barrier performance, inter-canister spacing, rate of moisture withdrawal due to glass corrosion, contaminant inventory, and the well interceptor factor. It is also important that variations of waste form hydraulic parameters suggest that transport through the waste form is dominated by diffusion

Storage characteristics of multiple-donor pooled red blood cells compared to single-donor red blood cell units.

Science.gov (United States)

Mathur, Aabhas; Chowdhury, Raquibul; Hillyer, Christopher D; Mitchell, W Beau; Shaz, Beth H

2016-12-01

Each unit of blood donated is processed and stored individually resulting in variability in the amount of red blood cells (RBCs) collected, RBC properties, and the 24-hour posttransfusion RBC survivability. As a result, each unit differs in its ability to deliver oxygen and potentially its effects on the recipient. The goal of this study was to investigate the storage of pooled RBCs from multiple donors in comparison to control standard RBC units. Two units of irradiated, leukoreduced RBCs of same ABO, D, E, C, and K antigen phenotype were collected from each of five donors using apheresis. One unit from each donor was pooled in a 2-L bag and remaining units were used as controls. After being pooled, RBCs were separated in five bags and stored at 4°C along with the controls. Quality indexes were measured on Days 2, 14, and 28 for all the units. Adenosine triphosphate assays for both pooled and controls showed a slight decrease from Day 2 to Day 28 (pooled/control from 5.22/5.24 to 4.35/4.33 µmol/g hemoglobin [Hb]). 2,3-Diphosphoglycerate was successfully rejuvenated for all RBC units on Day 28 (pooled 11.46 µmol/g Hb; control 11.86 µmol/g Hb). The results showed a nonsignificant difference between pooled and control units, with a general trend of lower standard deviation for pooled units when compared to controls. Pooled units have reduced unit-to-unit variability. Future exploration of their immunogenicity is required before using pooled units for transfusion. © 2016 AABB.

Fuel Cells in Distributed Power Market Applications in the United States

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rastler, D.

2002-01-01

This paper reviews results from EPRI market analysis, which examined the technical and economic market potential of fuel cells in distributed power markets in the United States. A methodology and approach for developing realistic quantitative estimates of market potential in competitive electricity markets is presented. Market size estimates for phosphoric acid, polymer exchange membrane, high temperature fuel cells (carbonate and solid oxide systems) and ultra-high efficient fuel cell hybrids are estimated. Market potentials are reviewed for fuel cells systems ranging in size from 3 kW up to 20-30 MW in scale and underlying assumptions are provided. The results and implications are discussed in relation to the changing U.S. electric utility market structures. Results will be of value to energy companies and to fuel cell developers seeking to understand revenue sales estimates, market size, and most profitable segments for fuel cells in the competitive US electric markets. (author)

Integrable nonlinear Schrödinger system on a lattice with three structural elements in the unit cell

Science.gov (United States)

Vakhnenko, Oleksiy O.

2018-05-01

Developing the idea of increasing the number of structural elements in the unit cell of a quasi-one-dimensional lattice as applied to the semi-discrete integrable systems of nonlinear Schrödinger type, we construct the zero-curvature representation for the general integrable nonlinear system on a lattice with three structural elements in the unit cell. The integrability of the obtained general system permits to find explicitly a number of local conservation laws responsible for the main features of system dynamics and in particular for the so-called natural constraints separating the field variables into the basic and the concomitant ones. Thus, considering the reduction to the semi-discrete integrable system of nonlinear Schrödinger type, we revealed the essentially nontrivial impact of concomitant fields on the Poisson structure and on the whole Hamiltonian formulation of system dynamics caused by the nonzero background values of these fields. On the other hand, the zero-curvature representation of a general nonlinear system serves as an indispensable key to the dressing procedure of system integration based upon the Darboux transformation of the auxiliary linear problem and the implicit Bäcklund transformation of field variables. Due to the symmetries inherent to the six-component semi-discrete integrable nonlinear Schrödinger system with attractive-type nonlinearities, the Darboux-Bäcklund dressing scheme is shown to be simplified considerably, giving rise to the appropriately parameterized multi-component soliton solution consisting of six basic and four concomitant components.

Unit-cell refinement from powder diffraction scans

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pawley, G.S.

1981-01-01

A procedure for the refinement of the crystal unit cell from a powder diffraction scan is presented. In this procedure knowledge of the crystal structure is not required, and at the end of the refinement a list of indexed intensities is produced. This list may well be usable as the starting point for the application of direct methods. The problems of least-squares ill-conditioning due to overlapping reflections are overcome by constraints. An example using decafluorocyclohexene, C 6 F 10 , shows the quality of fit obtained in a case which may even be a false minimum. The method should become more relevant as powder scans of improved resolution become available, through the use of pulsed neutron sources. (Auth.)

Unit-cell design for two-dimensional phase-field simulation of microstructure evolution in single-crystal Ni-based superalloys during solidification

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dongjia Cao

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Phase-field simulation serves as an effective tool for quantitative characterization of microstructure evolution in single-crystal Ni-based superalloys during solidification nowadays. The classic unit cell is either limited to γ dendrites along crystal orientation or too ideal to cover complex morphologies for γ dendrites. An attempt to design the unit cell for two-dimensional (2-D phase-field simulations of microstructure evolution in single-crystal Ni-based superalloys during solidification was thus performed by using the MICRESS (MICRostructure Evolution Simulation Software in the framework of the multi-phase-field (MPF model, and demonstrated in a commercial TMS-113 superalloy. The coupling to CALPHAD (CALculation of PHAse Diagram thermodynamic database was realized via the TQ interface and the experimental diffusion coefficients were utilized in the simulation. Firstly, the classic unit cell with a single γ dendrite along crystal orientation was employed for the phase-field simulation in order to reproduce the microstructure features. Then, such simple unit cell was extended into the cases with two other different crystal orientations, i.e., and . Thirdly, for crystal orientations, the effect of γ dendritic orientations and unit cell sizes on microstructure and microsegregation was comprehensively studied, from which a new unit cell with multiple γ dendrites was proposed. The phase-field simulation with the newly proposed unit cell was further performed in the TMS-113 superalloy, and the microstructure features including the competitive growth of γ dendrites, microsegregation of different solutes and distribution of γ′ grains, can be nicely reproduced.

Trends in US minority red blood cell unit donations.

Science.gov (United States)

Yazer, Mark H; Delaney, Meghan; Germain, Marc; Karafin, Matthew S; Sayers, Merlyn; Vassallo, Ralph; Ziman, Alyssa; Shaz, Beth

2017-05-01

To provide the appropriately diverse blood supply necessary to support alloimmunized and chronically transfused patients, minority donation recruitment programs have been implemented. This study investigated temporal changes in minority red blood cell (RBC) donation patterns in the United States. Data on donor race and ethnicity from 2006 through 2015, including the number of unique donors, collections, RBCs successfully donated, and average annual number of RBC donations per donor (donor fraction), were collected from eight US blood collectors. Minority donors were stratified into the following groups: Asian, black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Native Indian or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, white, multiracial/other, and no answer/not sure. Over the 10-year period, white donors annually constituted the majority of unique donors (range, 70.7%-73.9%), had the greatest proportion of collections (range, 76.1%-79.8%), and donated the greatest proportion of RBC units (range, 76.3%-80.2%). These donors also had the highest annual donor fraction (range, 1.82-1.91 units per donor). Black or African American donors annually constituted between 4.9 and 5.2% of all donors during the study period and donated between 4.0 and 4.3% of all RBC units. Linear regression analysis revealed decreasing numbers of donors, collections, and donated RBC units from white donors over time. Although the US population has diversified, and minority recruitment programs have been implemented, white donors constitute the majority of RBC donors and donations. Focused and effective efforts are needed to increase the proportion of minority donors. © 2017 AABB.

Quasi bound states in the continuum with few unit cells of photonic crystal slab

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Taghizadeh, Alireza; Chung, Il-Sug

2017-01-01

cell structures. They are explained by a viewpoint of BICs originating from the tight-binding of individual resonances of each unit cell as in semiconductors. Combined with a reciprocal-space matching technique, the microcavities based on quasi-BICs can achieve a Q-factor as high as defect-based Ph...

VLE measurements using a static cell vapor phase manual sampling method accompanied with an empirical data consistency test

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freitag, Joerg; Kosuge, Hitoshi; Schmelzer, Juergen P.; Kato, Satoru

2015-01-01

Highlights: • We use a new, simple static cell vapor phase manual sampling method (SCVMS) for VLE (x, y, T) measurement. • The method is applied to non-azeotropic, asymmetric and two-liquid phase forming azeotropic binaries. • The method is approved by a data consistency test, i.e., a plot of the polarity exclusion factor vs. pressure. • The consistency test reveals that with the new SCVMS method accurate VLE near ambient temperature can be measured. • Moreover, the consistency test approves that the effect of air in the SCVMS system is negligible. - Abstract: A new static cell vapor phase manual sampling (SCVMS) method is used for the simple measurement of constant temperature x, y (vapor + liquid) equilibria (VLE). The method was applied to the VLE measurements of the (methanol + water) binary at T/K = (283.2, 298.2, 308.2 and 322.9), asymmetric (acetone + 1-butanol) binary at T/K = (283.2, 295.2, 308.2 and 324.2) and two-liquid phase forming azeotropic (water + 1-butanol) binary at T/K = (283.2 and 298.2). The accuracy of the experimental data was approved by a data consistency test, that is, an empirical plot of the polarity exclusion factor, β, vs. the system pressure, P. The SCVMS data are accurate, because the VLE data converge to the same lnβ vs. lnP straight line determined from conventional distillation-still method and a headspace gas chromatography method

Diffractive stacks of metamaterial lattices with a complex unit cell : Self-consistent long-range bianisotropic interactions in experiment and theory

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kwadrin, A.; Koenderink, A.F.

2014-01-01

Metasurfaces and metamaterials promise arbitrary rerouting of light using two-dimensional (2D) planar arrangements of electric and magnetic scatterers, respectively, 3D stacks built out of such 2D planes. An important problem is how to self-consistently model the response of these systems in a

The Daniell Cell, Ohm's Law and the Emergence of the International System of Units

OpenAIRE

Jayson, Joel S.

2015-01-01

Telegraphy originated in the 1830s and 40s and flourished in the following decades, but with a patchwork of electrical standards. Electromotive force was for the most part measured in units of the predominant Daniell cell. Each company had their own resistance standard. In 1862 the British Association for the Advancement of Science formed a committee to address this situation. By 1873 they had given definition to the electromagnetic system of units (emu) and defined the practical units of the...

Diffusion of single Au, Ag and Cu atoms inside Si(111)-(7 × 7) half unit cells: A comparative study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Qin [Department of Physics, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055 (China); Department of Physics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territory, Hong Kong (China); Science and Technology on Surface Physics and Chemistry Laboratory, Mianyang, Sichuan 621908 (China); Fu, Qiang [Institut für Physik and IRIS Adlershof, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Zum Großen Windkanal 6, 12489 Berlin (Germany); Shao, Xiji; Ma, Xuhang; Wu, Xuefeng [Department of Physics, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055 (China); Wang, Kedong, E-mail: wangkd@sustc.edu.cn [Department of Physics, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055 (China); Xiao, Xudong, E-mail: xdxiao@phy.cuhk.edu.hk [Department of Physics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territory, Hong Kong (China)

2017-04-15

Highlights: • Diffusions of Au, Ag and Cu atoms in the half unit cells of Si(111)-(7×7) have been studied by using a STM-based I-t method. • Despite their similar absorption sites, the diffusion dynamics show obvious differences between Ag and the other two. • Theoretical calculations suggest that different potential energy profiles are responsible for the observed differences. - Abstract: The diffusion behaviors of single Au, Ag and Cu atoms on Si(111)-(7 × 7) half unit cells have been investigated via combining scanning tunneling microscopy and first-principles calculations. Despite the similar adsorption sites between both half unit cells among these elements, the diffusion dynamics show obvious differences between Ag and the other two. Although obvious asymmetry has been found in the diffusion behaviors of Au and Cu atoms in two half unit cells of Si(111)-(7 × 7), the asymmetry behaves in a way different from that of Ag atoms and no dual-time character has been observed for the diffusions of Au and Cu in both half unit cells. Theoretical calculations suggest a different potential energy profile caused by the stronger hybridization between d states of Au (Cu) and Si states make the concept of basin useless for the diffusion of Au and Cu atoms inside the half unit cells of Si(111)-(7 × 7).

Flow field measurements in the cell culture unit

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, Stephen; Wilder, Mike; Dimanlig, Arsenio; Jagger, Justin; Searby, Nancy

2002-01-01

The cell culture unit (CCU) is being designed to support cell growth for long-duration life science experiments on the International Space Station (ISS). The CCU is a perfused loop system that provides a fluid environment for controlled cell growth experiments within cell specimen chambers (CSCs), and is intended to accommodate diverse cell specimen types. Many of the functional requirements depend on the fluid flow field within the CSC (e.g., feeding and gas management). A design goal of the CCU is to match, within experimental limits, all environmental conditions, other than the effects of gravity on the cells, whether the hardware is in microgravity ( micro g), normal Earth gravity, or up to 2g on the ISS centrifuge. In order to achieve this goal, two steps are being taken. The first step is to characterize the environmental conditions of current 1g cell biology experiments being performed in laboratories using ground-based hardware. The second step is to ensure that the design of the CCU allows the fluid flow conditions found in 1g to be replicated from microgravity up to 2g. The techniques that are being used to take these steps include flow visualization, particle image velocimetry (PIV), and computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Flow visualization using the injection of dye has been used to gain a global perspective of the characteristics of the CSC flow field. To characterize laboratory cell culture conditions, PIV is being used to determine the flow field parameters of cell suspension cultures grown in Erlenmeyer flasks on orbital shakers. These measured parameters will be compared to PIV measurements in the CSCs to ensure that the flow field that cells encounter in CSCs is within the bounds determined for typical laboratory experiments. Using CFD, a detailed simulation is being developed to predict the flow field within the CSC for a wide variety of flow conditions, including microgravity environments. Results from all these measurements and analyses of the

Performance report for Stanford/SLAC Microstore Analog Memory Unit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freytag, D.R.; Walker, J.T.

1984-09-01

Tests of a newly developed Analog Memory Unit (AMU) are described. The device contains 256 analog storage cells consisting of pass transistors, a storage capacitor and a differential read out buffer. By addressing the storage cells sequentially, the shape of the signal present at the input can be recorded in time. Fast response and good amplitude resolution were the design goals for the development. Measurements on individual devices will be presented and the status of hybridized subsystems containing eight AMUs discussed

Fuel cell collaboration in the United States. Follow up report to the Danish Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2013-01-15

Fuel cell technology continues to grow in the United States, with strong sales in stationary applications and early markets such as data centers, materials handling equipment, and telecommunications sites. New fuel cell customers include Fortune 500 companies Apple, eBay, Coca-Cola, and Walmart, who will use fuel cells to provide reliable power to data centers, stores, and facilities. Some are purchasing multi-megawatt (MW) systems, including three of the largest non-utility purchases of stationary fuel cells in the world by AT and T, Apple and eBay - 17 MW, 10 MW and 6 MW respectively. Others are replacing fleets of battery forklifts with fuel cells. Sysco, the food distributor, has more than 700 fuel cell-powered forklifts operating at seven facilities, with more on order. Mega-retailer Walmart now operates more than 500 fuel cell forklifts at three warehouses, including a freezer facility. Although federal government budget reduction efforts are impacting a wide range of departments and programs, fuel cell and hydrogen technology continues to be funded, albeit at a lower level than in past years. The Department of Energy (DOE) is currently funding fuel cell and hydrogen R and D and has nearly 300 ongoing projects at companies, national labs, and universities/institutes universities. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 and DOE's Market Transformation efforts have acted as a government ''catalyst'' for market success of emerging technologies. Early market deployments of about 1,400 fuel cells under the ARRA have led to more than 5,000 additional fuel cell purchases by industry with no DOE funding. In addition, interest in Congress remains high. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chris Coons (D-DE), Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and John Hoeven (R-ND) re-launched the bipartisan Senate Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Caucus in August 2012 to promote the continued development and commercialization of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies

Culture of human cells in experimental units for spaceflight impacts on their behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Cazzaniga, Alessandra; Moscheni, Claudia; Maier, Jeanette Am; Castiglioni, Sara

2017-05-01

Because space missions produce pathophysiological alterations such as cardiovascular disorders and bone demineralization which are very common on Earth, biomedical research in space is a frontier that holds important promises not only to counterbalance space-associated disorders in astronauts but also to ameliorate the health of Earth-bound population. Experiments in space are complex to design. Cells must be cultured in closed cell culture systems (from now defined experimental units (EUs)), which are biocompatible, functional, safe to minimize any potential hazard to the crew, and with a high degree of automation. Therefore, to perform experiments in orbit, it is relevant to know how closely culture in the EUs reflects cellular behavior under normal growth conditions. We compared the performances in these units of three different human cell types, which were recently space flown, i.e. bone mesenchymal stem cells, micro- and macrovascular endothelial cells. Endothelial cells are only slightly and transiently affected by culture in the EUs, whereas these devices accelerate mesenchymal stem cell reprogramming toward osteogenic differentiation, in part by increasing the amounts of reactive oxygen species. We conclude that cell culture conditions in the EUs do not exactly mimic what happens in a culture dish and that more efforts are necessary to optimize these devices for biomedical experiments in space. Impact statement Cell cultures represent valuable preclinical models to decipher pathogenic circuitries. This is true also for biomedical research in space. A lot has been learnt about cell adaptation and reaction from the experiments performed on many different cell types flown to space. Obviously, cell culture in space has to meet specific requirements for the safety of the crew and to comply with the unique environmental challenges. For these reasons, specific devices for cell culture in space have been developed. It is important to clarify whether these

Low cost balancing unit design

Science.gov (United States)

Golembiovsky, Matej; Dedek, Jan; Slanina, Zdenek

2017-06-01

This article deals with the design of a low-cost balancing system which consist of battery balancing units, accumulator pack units and coordinator unit with interface for higher level of battery management system. This solution allows decentralized mode of operation and the aim of this work is implementation of controlling and diagnostic mechanism into an electric scooter project realized at Technical university of Ostrava. In todays world which now fully enjoys the prime of electromobility, off-grid battery systems and other, it is important to seek the optimal balance between functionality and the economy side of BMS that being electronics which deals with secondary cells of batery packs. There were numerous sophisticated, but not too practical BMS models in the past, such as centralized system or standalone balance modules of individual cells. This article aims at development of standalone balance modules which are able to communicate with the coordinator, adjust their parameters and ensure their cells safety in case of a communication failure. With the current worldwide cutting cost trend in mind, the emphasis was put on the lowest price possible for individual component. The article is divided into two major categories, the first one being desing of power electronics with emphasis on quality, safety (cooling) and also cost. The second part describes development of a communication interface with reliability and cost in mind. The article contains numerous graphs from practical measurements. The outcome of the work and its possible future is defined in the conclusion.

Hydrogen and fuel cells in the United States Congress

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yacobucci, B.D.

2003-01-01

Over the past few years, the United States Congress has shown increasing interest in the development of hydrogen fuel and fuel cells for transportation, stationary, and mobile applications The high efficiency of fuel cell systems could address some of the concern over increasing dependence on imported petroleum. Further, lower emissions could help promote air quality goals However, many questions remain, including the affordability, safety, overall fuel-cycle efficiency and emissions. These questions, especially those related to cost, have led Members of Congress to enact legislation to speed the development and commercialization of the technologies. This paper discusses congressional action on hydrogen and fuel cells. It provides an overview of the U.S. Congress, and outlines the role of the appropriations process. It then provides a history of federal hydrogen fuel research and development (R and D), both in terms of legislative and executive initiatives, and it describes pending legislation current as of this writing, including bills on energy policy, transportation policy, tax policy, and appropriations. Finally, the paper presents some of the issues that the pending legislation may raise for industry. (author)

Ethnic Variations in Duodenal Villous Atrophy Consistent With Celiac Disease in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Krigel, Anna; Turner, Kevin O; Makharia, Govind K; Green, Peter H R; Genta, Robert M; Lebwohl, Benjamin

2016-08-01

Celiac disease is a common disorder with a worldwide distribution, although the prevalence among different ethnicities varies. We aimed to measure the prevalence of duodenal villous atrophy among patients of different ethnicities throughout the United States. We performed a cross-sectional study of all patients who had duodenal biopsies submitted to a national pathology laboratory between January 2, 2008 and April 30, 2015. The prevalence of villous atrophy was calculated for the following ethnicities by using a previously published algorithm based on patient names: North Indian, South Indian, East Asian, Hispanic, Middle Eastern, Jewish, and other Americans. Among all patients (n = 454,885), the median age was 53 years, and 66% were female. The overall prevalence of celiac disease was 1.74%. Compared with other Americans (n = 380,163; celiac disease prevalence, 1.83%), celiac disease prevalence was lower in patients of South Indian (n = 177, 0%; P = .08), East Asian (n = 4700, 0.15%; P ≤ .0001), and Hispanic (n = 31,491, 1.06%; P ≤ .0001) ethnicities. Celiac disease was more common in patients from the Punjab region (n = 617, 3.08%) than in patients from North India (n = 1195, 1.51%; P = .02). The prevalence of celiac disease among patients of Jewish (n = 17,806, 1.80%; P = .78) and Middle Eastern (n = 1903, 1.52%; P = .33) ethnicities was similar to that of other Americans. Among Jewish individuals (n = 17,806), the prevalence of celiac disease was 1.83% in Ashkenazi persons (n = 16,440) and 1.39% in Sephardic persons (n = 1366; P = .24). Among patients undergoing duodenal biopsy, individuals from the Punjab region of India constitute the ethnic group in the United States with the highest prevalence of villous atrophy consistent with celiac disease. Compared with other Americans, villous atrophy prevalence on duodenal biopsy is significantly lower among U.S. residents of South Indian, East Asian, and Hispanic ancestry. Copyright © 2016 AGA

Derivation of Nationally Consistent Indices Representing Urban Intensity Within and Across Nine Metropolitan Areas of the Conterminous United States

Science.gov (United States)

Cuffney, Thomas F.; Falcone, James A.

2009-01-01

Two nationally consistent multimetric indices of urban intensity were developed to support studies of the effects of urbanization on streams in nine metropolitan areas of the conterminous United States: Atlanta, Georgia; Birmingham, Alabama; Boston, Massachusetts; Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas; Denver, Colorado; Milwaukee-Green Bay, Wisconsin; Portland, Oregon; Raleigh, North Carolina; and Salt Lake City, Utah. These studies were conducted as a part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program. These urban intensity indices were used to define gradients of urbanization and to interpret biological, physical, and chemical changes along these gradients. Ninety census, land-cover, and infrastructure variables obtained from nationally available databases were evaluated. Only variables that exhibited a strong and consistent linear relation with 2000 population density were considered for use in the indices. Housing-unit density (HUDEN), percentage of basin area in developed land (P_NLCD1_2), and road density (ROADDEN) were selected as the best representatives of census, land-cover, and infrastructure variables. The metropolitan area national urban intensity index (MA-NUII) was scaled to represent urban intensity within each metropolitan area and ranged from 0 (little or no urban) to 100 (maximum urban) for sites within each metropolitan area. The national urban intensity index (NUII) was scaled to represent urban intensity across all nine metropolitan areas and ranged from 0 to 100 for all sites. The rates at which HUDEN, P_NLCD1_2, and ROADDEN changed with changes in population density varied among metropolitan areas. Therefore, these variables were adjusted to obtain a more uniform rate of response across metropolitan areas in the derivation of the NUII. The NUII indicated that maximum levels of urban intensity occurred in the West and Midwest rather than in the East primarily because small inner-city streams in eastern metropolitan areas are

Self-assessment: Strategy for higher standards, consistency, and performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ide, W.E.

1996-01-01

In late 1994, Palo Verde operations underwent a transformation from a unitized structure to a single functional unit. It was necessary to build consistency in watchstanding practices and create a shared mission. Because there was a lack of focus on actual plant operations and because personnel were deeply involved with administrative tasks, command and control of evolutions were weak. Improvement was needed. Consistent performance standards have been set for all three operating units. These expectation focus on nuclear, radiological, and industrial safety. Straightforward descriptions of watchstanding and monitoring practices have been provided to all department personnel. The desired professional and leadership qualities for employee conduct have been defined and communicated thoroughly. A healthy and competitive atmosphere developed with the successful implementation of these standards. Overall performance improved. The auxiliary operators demonstrated increased pride and ownership in the performance of their work activities. In addition, their morale improved. Crew teamwork improved as well as the quality of shift briefs. There was a decrease in the noise level and the administrative functions in the control room. The use of self-assessment helped to anchor and define higher and more consistent standards. The proof of Palo Verde's success was evident when an Institute of Nuclear Power Operations finding was turned into a strength within 1 yr

Failure of anti-T-cell receptor V beta antibodies to consistently identify a malignant T-cell clone in Sézary syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Bigler, R D; Boselli, C M; Foley, B; Vonderheid, E C

1996-11-01

Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) reacting with the human T cell receptor (TCR) V beta or V alpha region have been shown to be almost as specific as a private idiotypic MAb in identifying T cell clones. When available, V beta-specific MAbs offer the ease of immunofluorescence analysis to identify and quantitate expanded malignant or nonmalignant T cell populations without requiring polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology to evaluate expression of V beta gene families. The V beta expression of peripheral blood lymphocytes from twenty-three consecutive patients with Sézary syndrome has been analyzed by reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR. Ten patients had malignant T cell clones that expressed a TCR V beta corresponding to a commercially available anti-V beta antibody. Immunofluorescence staining with anti-V beta MAbs showed a direct correlation with RT-PCR results in seven of ten patients. No false positive reactivity was noted on immunofluorescence staining with any MAb. Cells from three patients, however, did not react with the corresponding anti-V beta MAb. These three cases expressed a TCR V beta from gene families containing a single member, ie, V beta 14, V beta 18, and V beta 20, yet MAbs reported to be specific for these regions failed to react with the T cell clone from these patients. Sequencing of the PCR product in these cases confirmed the RT-PCR results. Cells from two patients expressed a TCR using V beta 5.1-D beta 1.1 genes with different J-C segments. One patient's cells reacted with an anti-V beta 5.1 MAb (LC4) whereas the other patient's cells bound one-tenth the amount of this same MAb. These results indicate that currently available anti-TCR V region MAbs may not react consistently with T cell clones expressing the corresponding V region or may react with a low affinity making detection difficult. Differences in the J-C junction or in CDR3 may influence the binding of these MAbs. Until the false negative rate is reduced and the fine specificity and

A simplistic analytical unit cell based model for the effective thermal conductivity of high porosity open-cell metal foams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, X H; Kuang, J J; Lu, T J; Han, F S; Kim, T

2013-01-01

We present a simplistic yet accurate analytical model for the effective thermal conductivity of high porosity open-cell metal foams saturated in a low conducting fluid (air). The model is derived analytically based on a realistic representative unit cell (a tetrakaidecahedron) under the assumption of one-dimensional heat conduction along highly tortuous-conducting ligaments at high porosity ranges (ε ⩾ 0.9). Good agreement with existing experimental data suggests that heat conduction along highly conducting and tortuous ligaments predominantly defines the effective thermal conductivity of open-cell metal foams with negligible conduction in parallel through the fluid phase. (paper)

Three-dimensional reconstruction of statistically optimal unit cells of polydisperse particulate composites from microtomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, H.; Brandyberry, M.; Tudor, A.; Matous, K.

2009-01-01

In this paper, we present a systematic approach for characterization and reconstruction of statistically optimal representative unit cells of polydisperse particulate composites. Microtomography is used to gather rich three-dimensional data of a packed glass bead system. First-, second-, and third-order probability functions are used to characterize the morphology of the material, and the parallel augmented simulated annealing algorithm is employed for reconstruction of the statistically equivalent medium. Both the fully resolved probability spectrum and the geometrically exact particle shapes are considered in this study, rendering the optimization problem multidimensional with a highly complex objective function. A ten-phase particulate composite composed of packed glass beads in a cylindrical specimen is investigated, and a unit cell is reconstructed on massively parallel computers. Further, rigorous error analysis of the statistical descriptors (probability functions) is presented and a detailed comparison between statistics of the voxel-derived pack and the representative cell is made.

Active cells for redundant and configurable articulated structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Swensen, John P; Nawroj, Ahsan I; Pounds, Paul E I; Dollar, Aaron M

2014-01-01

The proposed research effort explores the development of active cells—simple contractile electro-mechanical units that can be used as the material basis for larger articulable structures. Each cell, which might be considered a ‘muscle unit,’ consists of a contractile Nitinol Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) core with conductive terminals. Large numbers of these cells might be combined and externally powered to change phase, contracting to either articulate with a large strain or increase the stiffness of the ensemble, depending on the cell design. Unlike traditional work in modular robotics, the approach presented here focuses on cells that have a simplistic design and function, are inexpensive to fabricate, and are eventually scalable to sub-millimeter sizes, working toward our vision of articulated and robotic structures that can be custom-fabricated from large numbers of general cell units, similar to biological structures. In this paper, we present the design of the active cells and demonstrate their usage with three articulated structures built with them. (paper)

Active and reactive power sharing and frequency restoration in a distributed power system consisting of two UPS units

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Parlak, Koray Sener; Oezdemir, Mehmet [Dept. of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Firat University, Elazig, 23119 (Turkey); Aydemir, M. Timur [Dept. of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Gazi University, Maltepe-Ankara 06570 (Turkey)

2009-06-15

A distributed power system consisting of two uninterrupted power supplies (UPS) is investigated in this paper. Parallel operation of the two sources increases the established power rating of the system. One of the sources can supply the system even when the other system is disconnected due to some faults, and this is an important feature. The control algorithm makes sure that the total load is shared between the supplies in accordance with their rated power levels, and the frequency of the supplies are restored to the rated values after the transitions. As the UPSs operate at an optimum power level, losses and faults due to overloading are prevented. The units safely operate without any means of communication between each other. The focus of the work is on the inverter stages of the UPSs. Simulations performed in Matlab Simulink environment have been verified with experimental work via DS1103 controller card. (author)

Corrective Action Management Unit Report of Post-Closure Care Activities Calendar Year 2016.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ziock, Robert [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Little, Bonnie Colleen [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2017-02-01

The Corrective Action Management Unit (CAMU) at Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico (SNL/NM) consisted of a containment cell, two treatment systems, four associated waste staging and storage areas, and support areas; all were used for management of remediation wastes between 1997 and 2003.

Circularly Polarized Transparent Microstrip Patch Reflectarray Integrated with Solar Cell for Satellite Applications

OpenAIRE

Zainud-Deen, S. H.; El-Shalaby, N. A.; Gaber, S. M.; Malhat, H. A.

2016-01-01

Circularly polarized (CP) transparent microstrip reflectarray antenna is integrated with solar cell for small satellite applications at 10 GHz. The reflectarray unit cell consists of a perfect electric conductor (PEC) square patch printed on an optically transparent substrate with the PEC ground plane. A comparison between using transparent conducting polymers and using the PEC in unit-cell construction has been introduced. The waveguide simulator is used to calculate the required compensatio...

Experimental broadband absorption enhancement in silicon nanohole structures with optimized complex unit cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Chenxi; Martínez, Luis Javier; Povinelli, Michelle L

2013-09-09

We design silicon membranes with nanohole structures with optimized complex unit cells that maximize broadband absorption. We fabricate the optimized design and measure the optical absorption. We demonstrate an experimental broadband absorption about 3.5 times higher than an equally-thick thin film.

Improved and consistent determination of the nuclear inventory of spent PWR-fuel on the basis of time-dependent cell-calculations with KORIGEN

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fischer, U.; Wiese, H.W.

1983-01-01

For safe handling, processing and storage of spent nuclear fuel a reliable, experimentally validated method is needed to determine fuel and waste characteristics: composition, radioactivity, heat and radiation. For PWR's, a cell-burnup procedure has been developed which is able to calculate the inventory in consistency with cell geometry, initial enrichment, and reactor control. Routine calculations can be performed with KORIGEN using consistent cross-section sets - burnup-dependent and based on the latest Karlsruhe evaluations for actinides - which were calculated previously with the cell-burnup procedure. Extensive comparisons between calculations and experiments validate the presented procedure. For the use of the KORIGEN code the input description and sample problems are added. Improvements in the calculational method and in data are described, results from KORIGEN, ORIGEN and ORIGEN2 calculations are compared. Fuel and waste inventories are given for BIBLIS-type fuel of different burnup. (orig.) [de

Additively Manufactured Open-Cell Porous Biomaterials Made from Six Different Space-Filling Unit Cells : The Mechanical and Morphological Properties

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ahmadi, S.M.; Yavari, S.A.; Wauthle, R.; Pouran, B.; Schrooten, J.; Weinans, H.; Zadpoor, A.A.

2015-01-01

It is known that the mechanical properties of bone-mimicking porous biomaterials are a function of the morphological properties of the porous structure, including the configuration and size of the repeating unit cell from which they are made. However, the literature on this topic is limited,

Major design issues of molten carbonate fuel cell power generation unit

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, T.P.

1996-04-01

In addition to the stack, a fuel cell power generation unit requires fuel desulfurization and reforming, fuel and oxidant preheating, process heat removal, waste heat recovery, steam generation, oxidant supply, power conditioning, water supply and treatment, purge gas supply, instrument air supply, and system control. These support facilities add considerable cost and system complexity. Bechtel, as a system integrator of M-C Power`s molten carbonate fuel cell development team, has spent substantial effort to simplify and minimize these supporting facilities to meet cost and reliability goals for commercialization. Similiar to other fuels cells, MCFC faces design challenge of how to comply with codes and standards, achieve high efficiency and part load performance, and meanwhile minimize utility requirements, weight, plot area, and cost. However, MCFC has several unique design issues due to its high operating temperature, use of molten electrolyte, and the requirement of CO2 recycle.

3D-Printing Crystallographic Unit Cells for Learning Materials Science and Engineering

Science.gov (United States)

Rodenbough, Philip P.; Vanti, William B.; Chan, Siu-Wai

2015-01-01

Introductory materials science and engineering courses universally include the study of crystal structure and unit cells, which are by their nature highly visual 3D concepts. Traditionally, such topics are explored with 2D drawings or perhaps a limited set of difficult-to-construct 3D models. The rise of 3D printing, coupled with the wealth of…

CLIMATE CHANGE FUEL CELL PROGRAM UNITED STATES COAST GUARD AIR STATION CAPE COD BOURNE, MASSACHUSETTS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

John K. Steckel Jr

2004-06-30

This report covers the first year of operation of a fuel cell power plant, installed by PPL Spectrum, Inc. (PPL) under contract with the United States Coast Guard (USCG), Research and Development Center (RDC). The fuel cell was installed at Air Station Cape Cod in Bourne, MA. The project had the support of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MTC), the Department of Energy (DOE), and Keyspan Energy. PPL selected FuelCell Energy, Inc. (FCE) and its fuel cell model DFC{reg_sign}300 for the contract. Grant contributions were finalized and a contract between PPL and the USCG for the manufacture, installation, and first year's maintenance of the fuel cell was executed on September 24, 2001. As the prime contractor, PPL was responsible for all facets of the project. All the work was completed by PPL through various subcontracts, including the primary subcontract with FCE for the manufacture, delivery, and installation of the fuel cell. The manufacturing and design phases proceeded in a relatively timely manner for the first half of the project. However, during latter stages of manufacture and fuel cell testing, a variety of issues were encountered that ultimately resulted in several delivery delays, and a number of contract modifications. Final installation and field testing was completed in April and May 2003. Final acceptance of the fuel cell was completed on May 16, 2003. The fuel cell has operated successfully for more than one year. The unit achieved an availability rate of 96%, which exceeded expectations. The capacity factor was limited because the unit was set at 155 kW (versus a nameplate of 250 kW) due to the interconnection with the electric utility. There were 18 shutdowns during the first year and most were brief. The ability of this plant to operate in the island mode improved availability by 3 to 4%. Events that would normally be shutdowns were simply island mode events. The mean time between failure was calculated at 239 hours, or slightly

On the Effect of Unit-Cell Parameters in Predicting the Elastic Response of Wood-Plastic Composites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fatemeh Alavi

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a study on the effect of unit-cell geometrical parameters in predicting elastic properties of a typical wood plastic composite (WPC. The ultimate goal was obtaining the optimal values of representative volume element (RVE parameters to accurately predict the mechanical behavior of the WPC. For each unit cell, defined by a given combination of the above geometrical parameters, finite element simulation in ABAQUS was carried out, and the corresponding stress-strain curve was obtained. A uniaxial test according to ASTM D638-02a type V was performed on the composite specimen. Modulus of elasticity was determined using hyperbolic tangent function, and the results were compared to the sets of finite element analyses. Main effects of RVE parameters and their interactions were demonstrated and discussed, specially regarding the inclusion of two adjacent wood particles within one unit cell of the material. Regression analysis was performed to mathematically model the RVE parameter effects and their interactions over the modulus of elasticity response. The model was finally employed in an optimization analysis to arrive at an optimal set of RVE parameters that minimizes the difference between the predicted and experimental moduli of elasticity.

Peripheral blood stem cell harvest in patients with limited stage small-cell lung cancer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Katakami, Nobuyuki; Takakura, Shunji; Fujii, Hiroshi; Nishimura, Takashi; Umeda, Bunichi [Kobe City General Hospital (Japan)

2000-06-01

Chemotherapy plus granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) induced mobilization of peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) was performed in patients with limited stage small-cell lung cancer. Chemotherapy consisted of cisplatin/etoposide or cisplatin/adriamycin/etoposide. The amounts of CD34 positive cells and granulocyte-macrophage colony forming units (CFU-GM) collected during 2-3 courses of apheresis were 3.1{+-}2.9 x 10{sup 6}/kg (n=10) and 3.1{+-}1.5 x 10{sup 5}/kg (n=8) , respectively. Adequate amounts of PBSC were also harvested even in patients treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Eight patients were successfully treated with high-dose chemotherapy consisting of ifosfamide, carboplatin and etoposide with PBSC transfusion. The patients'-bone marrow reconstruction was rapid and no treatment-related death was observed. (author)

A consistent homogenization procedure to obtain few-group cell parameters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pierini, G.

1979-01-01

The criterion, according to which one heterogeneous and one homogeneous cell are equivalent if they have the same boundary values of both the flux and the normal components of the current, is used to homogenize radially an axially infinite cylindrical cell, with azimuth independent properties and moderatur adequately described by diffusion theory. The method, which leads to the definition of a full matrix of diffusion coefficients, provides a new and simple definition of the few-group cell parameters, which are nearly independent of the environment. (orig.) [de

Cell phone recycling experiences in the United States and potential recycling options in Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Silveira, Geraldo T R; Chang, Shoou-Yuh

2010-11-01

This paper presents an overview of cell phone recycling programs currently available in the United States. At the same time, it also provides analyses of the current recycling situation and possible recycling alternatives for Brazil. Although there are several recycling options in the United States, collection rates are still only 10% of all potential devices because customers are not aware of these possibilities. The whole system is financially based on reselling refurbished cell phones and recycled materials to developing countries which represent an effective and strong market. Several recyclers offer funds to collection partners who are either charities or who work with charities while obtaining the materials that they need in order to run their operations. A mobile phone recycling system for Brazil considering the United States experience and the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) principle is suggested. A deposit/refund/advance-recycling fee is proposed which might be implemented as a voluntary industrial initiative managed by PRO Brazil, a producer responsibility organization. One widespread public-private agreement will integrate all mobile phone stakeholders, and environmental education actions and promotional events will promote citizen's participation. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Molten Salt Breeder Reactor Analysis Based on Unit Cell Model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jeong, Yongjin; Choi, Sooyoung; Lee, Deokjung [Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan (Korea, Republic of)

2014-05-15

Contemporary computer codes like the MCNP6 or SCALE are only good for solving a fixed solid fuel reactor. However, due to the molten-salt fuel, MSR analysis needs some functions such as online reprocessing and refueling, and circulating fuel. J. J. Power of Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) suggested in 2013 a method for simulating the Molten Salt Breeder Reactor (MSBR) with SCALE, which does not support continuous material processing. In order to simulate MSR characteristics, the method proposes dividing a depletion time into short time intervals and batchwise reprocessing and refueling at each step. We are applying this method by using the MCNP6 and PYTHON and NEWT-TRITON-PYTHON and PYTHON code systems to MSBR. This paper contains various parameters to analyze the MSBR unit cell model such as the multiplication factor, breeding ratio, change of amount of fuel, amount of fuel feeding, and neutron flux distribution. The result of MCNP6 and NEWT module in SCALE show some difference in depletion analysis, but it still seems that they can be used to analyze MSBR. Using these two computer code system, it is possible to analyze various parameters for the MSBR unit cells such as the multiplication factor, breeding ratio, amount of material, total feeding, and neutron flux distribution. Furthermore, the two code systems will be able to be used for analyzing other MSR model or whole core models of MSR.

Molten Salt Breeder Reactor Analysis Based on Unit Cell Model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, Yongjin; Choi, Sooyoung; Lee, Deokjung

2014-01-01

Contemporary computer codes like the MCNP6 or SCALE are only good for solving a fixed solid fuel reactor. However, due to the molten-salt fuel, MSR analysis needs some functions such as online reprocessing and refueling, and circulating fuel. J. J. Power of Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) suggested in 2013 a method for simulating the Molten Salt Breeder Reactor (MSBR) with SCALE, which does not support continuous material processing. In order to simulate MSR characteristics, the method proposes dividing a depletion time into short time intervals and batchwise reprocessing and refueling at each step. We are applying this method by using the MCNP6 and PYTHON and NEWT-TRITON-PYTHON and PYTHON code systems to MSBR. This paper contains various parameters to analyze the MSBR unit cell model such as the multiplication factor, breeding ratio, change of amount of fuel, amount of fuel feeding, and neutron flux distribution. The result of MCNP6 and NEWT module in SCALE show some difference in depletion analysis, but it still seems that they can be used to analyze MSBR. Using these two computer code system, it is possible to analyze various parameters for the MSBR unit cells such as the multiplication factor, breeding ratio, amount of material, total feeding, and neutron flux distribution. Furthermore, the two code systems will be able to be used for analyzing other MSR model or whole core models of MSR

Structural Consistency, Consistency, and Sequential Rationality.

OpenAIRE

Kreps, David M; Ramey, Garey

1987-01-01

Sequential equilibria comprise consistent beliefs and a sequentially ra tional strategy profile. Consistent beliefs are limits of Bayes ratio nal beliefs for sequences of strategies that approach the equilibrium strategy. Beliefs are structurally consistent if they are rationaliz ed by some single conjecture concerning opponents' strategies. Consis tent beliefs are not necessarily structurally consistent, notwithstan ding a claim by Kreps and Robert Wilson (1982). Moreover, the spirit of stru...

Increased numbers of spleen colony forming units in B cell deficient CBA/N mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wiktor-Jedrzejczak, W.; Krupienicz, A.; Scher, I.

1986-01-01

The formation of exogenous and endogenous spleen colonies was studied in immune-defective mice expressing the CBA/N X-linked xid gene. Bone marrow and spleen cells of immune deficient mice formed increased numbers of eight-day exogenous spleen colonies when transferred to either normal or B cell deficient lethally irradiated recipients. Moreover, defective mice showed increased formation of five-day endogenous spleen colonies (derived from transient endogenous colony forming units; T-CFU) and of ten-day endogenous spleen colonies (derived from CFU-S). Among the possible mechanisms responsible for the observed effects, the most probable appears the one in which decreased numbers of B cell precursors stimulate stem cell pools through a feedback mechanism. (orig.) [de

Theoretical characterization and design of small molecule donor material containing naphthodithiophene central unit for efficient organic solar cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Duan, Yu-Ai; Geng, Yun; Li, Hai-Bin; Jin, Jun-Ling; Wu, Yong; Su, Zhong-Min

2013-07-15

To seek for high-performance small molecule donor materials used in heterojunction solar cell, six acceptor-donor-acceptor small molecules based on naphtho[2,3-b:6,7-b']dithiophene (NDT) units with different acceptor units were designed and characterized using density functional theory and time-dependent density functional theory. Their geometries, electronic structures, photophysical, and charge transport properties have been scrutinized comparing with the reported donor material NDT(TDPP)2 (TDPP  =  thiophene-capped diketopyrrolopyrrole). The open circuit voltage (V(oc)), energetic driving force(ΔE(L-L)), and exciton binding energy (E(b)) were also provided to give an elementary understanding on their cell performance. The results reveal that the frontier molecular orbitals of 3-7 match well with the acceptor material PC61 BM, and compounds 3-5 were found to exhibit the comparable performances to 1 and show promising potential in organic solar cells. In particular, comparing with 1, system 7 with naphthobisthiadiazole acceptor unit displays broader absorption spectrum, higher V(oc), lower E(b), and similar carrier mobility. An in-depth insight into the nature of the involved excited states based on transition density matrix and charge density difference indicates that all S1 states are mainly intramolecular charge transfer states with the charge transfer from central NDT unit to bilateral acceptor units, and also imply that the exciton of 7 can be dissociated easily due to its large extent of the charge transfer. In a word, 7 maybe superior to 1 and may act as a promising donor candidate for organic solar cell. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Error Consistency in Acquired Apraxia of Speech with Aphasia: Effects of the Analysis Unit

Science.gov (United States)

Haley, Katarina L.; Cunningham, Kevin T.; Eaton, Catherine Torrington; Jacks, Adam

2018-01-01

Purpose: Diagnostic recommendations for acquired apraxia of speech (AOS) have been contradictory concerning whether speech sound errors are consistent or variable. Studies have reported divergent findings that, on face value, could argue either for or against error consistency as a diagnostic criterion. The purpose of this study was to explain…

A heated vapor cell unit for dichroic atomic vapor laser lock in atomic rubidium.

Science.gov (United States)

McCarron, Daniel J; Hughes, Ifan G; Tierney, Patrick; Cornish, Simon L

2007-09-01

The design and performance of a compact heated vapor cell unit for realizing a dichroic atomic vapor laser lock (DAVLL) for the D(2) transitions in atomic rubidium is described. A 5 cm long vapor cell is placed in a double-solenoid arrangement to produce the required magnetic field; the heat from the solenoid is used to increase the vapor pressure and correspondingly the DAVLL signal. We have characterized experimentally the dependence of important features of the DAVLL signal on magnetic field and cell temperature. For the weaker transitions both the amplitude and gradient of the signal are increased by an order of magnitude.

A heated vapor cell unit for dichroic atomic vapor laser lock in atomic rubidium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCarron, Daniel J.; Hughes, Ifan G.; Tierney, Patrick; Cornish, Simon L.

2007-01-01

The design and performance of a compact heated vapor cell unit for realizing a dichroic atomic vapor laser lock (DAVLL) for the D 2 transitions in atomic rubidium is described. A 5 cm long vapor cell is placed in a double-solenoid arrangement to produce the required magnetic field; the heat from the solenoid is used to increase the vapor pressure and correspondingly the DAVLL signal. We have characterized experimentally the dependence of important features of the DAVLL signal on magnetic field and cell temperature. For the weaker transitions both the amplitude and gradient of the signal are increased by an order of magnitude

Simplified DFT methods for consistent structures and energies of large systems

Science.gov (United States)

Caldeweyher, Eike; Gerit Brandenburg, Jan

2018-05-01

Kohn–Sham density functional theory (DFT) is routinely used for the fast electronic structure computation of large systems and will most likely continue to be the method of choice for the generation of reliable geometries in the foreseeable future. Here, we present a hierarchy of simplified DFT methods designed for consistent structures and non-covalent interactions of large systems with particular focus on molecular crystals. The covered methods are a minimal basis set Hartree–Fock (HF-3c), a small basis set screened exchange hybrid functional (HSE-3c), and a generalized gradient approximated functional evaluated in a medium-sized basis set (B97-3c), all augmented with semi-classical correction potentials. We give an overview on the methods design, a comprehensive evaluation on established benchmark sets for geometries and lattice energies of molecular crystals, and highlight some realistic applications on large organic crystals with several hundreds of atoms in the primitive unit cell.

High quality-factor fano metasurface comprising a single resonator unit cell

Science.gov (United States)

Sinclair, Michael B.; Warne, Larry K.; Basilio, Lorena I.; Langston, William L.; Campione, Salvatore; Brener, Igal; Liu, Sheng

2017-06-20

A new monolithic resonator metasurface design achieves ultra-high Q-factors while using only one resonator per unit cell. The metasurface relies on breaking the symmetry of otherwise highly symmetric resonators to induce intra-resonator mixing of bright and dark modes (rather than inter-resonator couplings), and is scalable from the near-infrared to radio frequencies and can be easily implemented in dielectric materials. The resulting high-quality-factor Fano metasurface can be used in many sensing, spectral filtering, and modulation applications.

Conceptual design of a FGM thermoelectric energy conversion system for high temperature heat source. 1. Design of thermoelectric energy conversion unit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kambe, Mitsuru; Teraki, Junichi; Hirano, Toru.

1996-01-01

Thermoelectric (TE) power conversion system has been focused as a candidate of direct energy conversion systems for high temperature heat source to meet the various power requirements in next century. A concept of energy conversion unit by using TE cell elements combined with FGM compliant pads has been presented to achieve high thermal energy density as well as high energy conversion efficiency. An energy conversion unit consists of 8 couples of P-N cell elements sandwiched between two FGM compliant pads. Performance analysis revealed that the power generated by this unit was 11 watts which is nearly ten times as much as conventional unit of the same size. Energy conversion efficiency of 12% was expected based on the assumption of ZT = 1. All the member of compliant pads as well as TE cells could be bonded together to avoid thermal resistance. (author)

Single-unit-cell layer established Bi 2 WO 6 3D hierarchical architectures: Efficient adsorption, photocatalysis and dye-sensitized photoelectrochemical performance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huang, Hongwei; Cao, Ranran; Yu, Shixin; Xu, Kang; Hao, Weichang; Wang, Yonggang; Dong, Fan; Zhang, Tierui; Zhang, Yihe

2017-12-01

Single-layer catalysis sparks huge interests and gains widespread attention owing to its high activity. Simultaneously, three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical structure can afford large surface area and abundant reactive sites, contributing to high efficiency. Herein, we report an absorbing single-unit-cell layer established Bi2WO6 3D hierarchical architecture fabricated by a sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS)-assisted assembled strategy. The DBS- long chains can adsorb on the (Bi2O2)2+ layers and hence impede stacking of the layers, resulting in the single-unit-cell layer. We also uncovered that SDS with a shorter chain is less effective than SDBS. Due to the sufficient exposure of surface O atoms, single-unit-cell layer 3D Bi2WO6 shows strong selectivity for adsorption on multiform organic dyes with different charges. Remarkably, the single-unit-cell layer 3D Bi2WO6 casts profoundly enhanced photodegradation activity and especially a superior photocatalytic H2 evolution rate, which is 14-fold increase in contrast to the bulk Bi2WO6. Systematic photoelectrochemical characterizations disclose that the substantially elevated carrier density and charge separation efficiency take responsibility for the strengthened photocatalytic performance. Additionally, the possibility of single-unit-cell layer 3D Bi2WO6 as dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) has also been attempted and it was manifested to be a promising dye-sensitized photoanode for oxygen evolution reaction (ORR). Our work not only furnish an insight into designing single-layer assembled 3D hierarchical architecture, but also offer a multi-functional material for environmental and energy applications.

Osteogenic Differentiation of Three-Dimensional Bioprinted Constructs Consisting of Human Adipose-Derived Stem Cells In Vitro and In Vivo.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiao-Fei Wang

Full Text Available Here, we aimed to investigate osteogenic differentiation of human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs in three-dimensional (3D bioprinted tissue constructs in vitro and in vivo. A 3D Bio-plotter dispensing system was used for building 3D constructs. Cell viability was determined using live/dead cell staining. After 7 and 14 days of culture, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR was performed to analyze the expression of osteogenesis-related genes (RUNX2, OSX, and OCN. Western blotting for RUNX2 and immunofluorescent staining for OCN and RUNX2 were also performed. At 8 weeks after surgery, osteoids secreted by osteogenically differentiated cells were assessed by hematoxylin-eosin (H&E staining, Masson trichrome staining, and OCN immunohistochemical staining. Results from live/dead cell staining showed that most of the cells remained alive, with a cell viability of 89%, on day 1 after printing. In vitro osteogenic induction of the 3D construct showed that the expression levels of RUNX2, OSX, and OCN were significantly increased on days 7 and 14 after printing in cells cultured in osteogenic medium (OM compared with that in normal proliferation medium (PM. Fluorescence microscopy and western blotting showed that the expression of osteogenesis-related proteins was significantly higher in cells cultured in OM than in cells cultured in PM. In vivo studies demonstrated obvious bone matrix formation in the 3D bioprinted constructs. These results indicated that 3D bioprinted constructs consisting of hASCs had the ability to promote mineralized matrix formation and that hASCs could be used in 3D bioprinted constructs for the repair of large bone tissue defects.

Consistent forcing scheme in the cascaded lattice Boltzmann method.

Science.gov (United States)

Fei, Linlin; Luo, Kai Hong

2017-11-01

In this paper, we give an alternative derivation for the cascaded lattice Boltzmann method (CLBM) within a general multiple-relaxation-time (MRT) framework by introducing a shift matrix. When the shift matrix is a unit matrix, the CLBM degrades into an MRT LBM. Based on this, a consistent forcing scheme is developed for the CLBM. The consistency of the nonslip rule, the second-order convergence rate in space, and the property of isotropy for the consistent forcing scheme is demonstrated through numerical simulations of several canonical problems. Several existing forcing schemes previously used in the CLBM are also examined. The study clarifies the relation between MRT LBM and CLBM under a general framework.

Consistent forcing scheme in the cascaded lattice Boltzmann method

Science.gov (United States)

Fei, Linlin; Luo, Kai Hong

2017-11-01

In this paper, we give an alternative derivation for the cascaded lattice Boltzmann method (CLBM) within a general multiple-relaxation-time (MRT) framework by introducing a shift matrix. When the shift matrix is a unit matrix, the CLBM degrades into an MRT LBM. Based on this, a consistent forcing scheme is developed for the CLBM. The consistency of the nonslip rule, the second-order convergence rate in space, and the property of isotropy for the consistent forcing scheme is demonstrated through numerical simulations of several canonical problems. Several existing forcing schemes previously used in the CLBM are also examined. The study clarifies the relation between MRT LBM and CLBM under a general framework.

Culture, Cross-Role Consistency, and Adjustment: Testing Trait and Cultural Psychology Perspectives

OpenAIRE

Church, A. Timothy; Anderson-Harumi, Cheryl A.; del Prado, Alicia M.; Curtis, Guy J.; Tanaka-Matsumi, Junko; Valdez Medina, José L.; Mastor, Khairul A.; White, Fiona A.; Miramontes, Lilia A.; Katigbak, Marcia S.

2008-01-01

Trait and cultural psychology perspectives on cross-role consistency and its relation to adjustment were examined in two individualistic cultures, the United States (N = 231) and Australia (N = 195), and four collectivistic cultures, Mexico (N = 199), Philippines (N = 195), Malaysia (N = 217), and Japan (N = 180). Cross-role consistency in trait ratings was evident in all cultures, supporting trait perspectives. Cultural comparisons of mean consistency provided support for cultural psychology...

Self-consistent electron transport in collisional plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mason, R.J.

1982-01-01

A self-consistent scheme has been developed to model electron transport in evolving plasmas of arbitrary classical collisionality. The electrons and ions are treated as either multiple donor-cell fluids, or collisional particles-in-cell. Particle suprathermal electrons scatter off ions, and drag against fluid background thermal electrons. The background electrons undergo ion friction, thermal coupling, and bremsstrahlung. The components move in self-consistent advanced E-fields, obtained by the Implicit Moment Method, which permits Δt >> ω/sub p/ -1 and Δx >> lambda/sub D/ - offering a 10 2 - 10 3 -fold speed-up over older explicit techniques. The fluid description for the background plasma components permits the modeling of transport in systems spanning more than a 10 7 -fold change in density, and encompassing contiguous collisional and collisionless regions. Results are presented from application of the scheme to the modeling of CO 2 laser-generated suprathermal electron transport in expanding thin foils, and in multi-foil target configurations

Transcriptome dynamics along axolotl regenerative development are consistent with an extensive reduction in gene expression heterogeneity in dedifferentiated cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos Díaz-Castillo

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Although in recent years the study of gene expression variation in the absence of genetic or environmental cues or gene expression heterogeneity has intensified considerably, many basic and applied biological fields still remain unaware of how useful the study of gene expression heterogeneity patterns might be for the characterization of biological systems and/or processes. Largely based on the modulator effect chromatin compaction has for gene expression heterogeneity and the extensive changes in chromatin compaction known to occur for specialized cells that are naturally or artificially induced to revert to less specialized states or dedifferentiate, I recently hypothesized that processes that concur with cell dedifferentiation would show an extensive reduction in gene expression heterogeneity. The confirmation of the existence of such trend could be of wide interest because of the biomedical and biotechnological relevance of cell dedifferentiation-based processes, i.e., regenerative development, cancer, human induced pluripotent stem cells, or plant somatic embryogenesis. Here, I report the first empirical evidence consistent with the existence of an extensive reduction in gene expression heterogeneity for processes that concur with cell dedifferentiation by analyzing transcriptome dynamics along forearm regenerative development in Ambystoma mexicanum or axolotl. Also, I briefly discuss on the utility of the study of gene expression heterogeneity dynamics might have for the characterization of cell dedifferentiation-based processes, and the engineering of tools that afforded better monitoring and modulating such processes. Finally, I reflect on how a transitional reduction in gene expression heterogeneity for dedifferentiated cells can promote a long-term increase in phenotypic heterogeneity following cell dedifferentiation with potential adverse effects for biomedical and biotechnological applications.

Transcriptome dynamics along axolotl regenerative development are consistent with an extensive reduction in gene expression heterogeneity in dedifferentiated cells

Science.gov (United States)

2017-01-01

Although in recent years the study of gene expression variation in the absence of genetic or environmental cues or gene expression heterogeneity has intensified considerably, many basic and applied biological fields still remain unaware of how useful the study of gene expression heterogeneity patterns might be for the characterization of biological systems and/or processes. Largely based on the modulator effect chromatin compaction has for gene expression heterogeneity and the extensive changes in chromatin compaction known to occur for specialized cells that are naturally or artificially induced to revert to less specialized states or dedifferentiate, I recently hypothesized that processes that concur with cell dedifferentiation would show an extensive reduction in gene expression heterogeneity. The confirmation of the existence of such trend could be of wide interest because of the biomedical and biotechnological relevance of cell dedifferentiation-based processes, i.e., regenerative development, cancer, human induced pluripotent stem cells, or plant somatic embryogenesis. Here, I report the first empirical evidence consistent with the existence of an extensive reduction in gene expression heterogeneity for processes that concur with cell dedifferentiation by analyzing transcriptome dynamics along forearm regenerative development in Ambystoma mexicanum or axolotl. Also, I briefly discuss on the utility of the study of gene expression heterogeneity dynamics might have for the characterization of cell dedifferentiation-based processes, and the engineering of tools that afforded better monitoring and modulating such processes. Finally, I reflect on how a transitional reduction in gene expression heterogeneity for dedifferentiated cells can promote a long-term increase in phenotypic heterogeneity following cell dedifferentiation with potential adverse effects for biomedical and biotechnological applications. PMID:29134148

Recognition properties of receptors consisting of imidazole and indole recognition units towards carbohydrates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Monika Mazik

2010-02-01

Full Text Available Compounds 4 and 5, including both 4(5-substituted imidazole or 3-substituted indole units as the entities used in nature, and 2-aminopyridine group as a heterocyclic analogue of the asparagine/glutamine primary amide side chain, were prepared and their binding properties towards carbohydrates were studied. The design of these receptors was inspired by the binding motifs observed in the crystal structures of protein–carbohydrate complexes. 1H NMR spectroscopic titrations in competitive and non-competitive media as well as binding studies in two-phase systems, such as dissolution of solid carbohydrates in apolar media, revealed both highly effective recognition of neutral carbohydrates and interesting binding preferences of these acyclic compounds. Compared to the previously described acyclic receptors, compounds 4 and 5 showed significantly increased binding affinity towards β-galactoside. Both receptors display high β- vs. α-anomer binding preferences in the recognition of glycosides. It has been shown that both hydrogen bonding and interactions of the carbohydrate CH units with the aromatic rings of the receptors contribute to the stabilization of the receptor–carbohydrate complexes. The molecular modeling calculations, synthesis and binding properties of 4 and 5 towards selected carbohydrates are described and compared with those of the previously described receptors.

Interconnection between the geometry and the structure of unit cells of substances in inorganic chemistry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eliseev, A.A.; Kuz'micheva, G.M.

1979-01-01

Regularity of interconnection between the geometry and the structure of elementary cells of inorganic compounds is investigated. Structural motives on the basis of NaCl structure for all phases of rare earth chalcogenides are built. It is shown that compounds (phases of variable content), detected on 23 (out of 48 possible) state diagrams of rare earths chalcogen binary systems are closely bound both from the viewpoint of geometric dimensions of elementary cells and structural motives. It is shown that using ion representations the number of formula units in the cell of a new rare earth chalcogenide can be calculated and its structural motif can be built

Use of an adaptable cell culture kit for performing lymphocyte and monocyte cell cultures in microgravity

Science.gov (United States)

Hatton, J. P.; Lewis, M. L.; Roquefeuil, S. B.; Chaput, D.; Cazenave, J. P.; Schmitt, D. A.

1998-01-01

The results of experiments performed in recent years on board facilities such as the Space Shuttle/Spacelab have demonstrated that many cell systems, ranging from simple bacteria to mammalian cells, are sensitive to the microgravity environment, suggesting gravity affects fundamental cellular processes. However, performing well-controlled experiments aboard spacecraft offers unique challenges to the cell biologist. Although systems such as the European 'Biorack' provide generic experiment facilities including an incubator, on-board 1-g reference centrifuge, and contained area for manipulations, the experimenter must still establish a system for performing cell culture experiments that is compatible with the constraints of spaceflight. Two different cell culture kits developed by the French Space Agency, CNES, were recently used to perform a series of experiments during four flights of the 'Biorack' facility aboard the Space Shuttle. The first unit, Generic Cell Activation Kit 1 (GCAK-1), contains six separate culture units per cassette, each consisting of a culture chamber, activator chamber, filtration system (permitting separation of cells from supernatant in-flight), injection port, and supernatant collection chamber. The second unit (GCAK-2) also contains six separate culture units, including a culture, activator, and fixation chambers. Both hardware units permit relatively complex cell culture manipulations without extensive use of spacecraft resources (crew time, volume, mass, power), or the need for excessive safety measures. Possible operations include stimulation of cultures with activators, separation of cells from supernatant, fixation/lysis, manipulation of radiolabelled reagents, and medium exchange. Investigations performed aboard the Space Shuttle in six different experiments used Jurkat, purified T-cells or U937 cells, the results of which are reported separately. We report here the behaviour of Jurkat and U937 cells in the GCAK hardware in ground

Regulations in the United States for cell transplantation clinical trials in neurological diseases

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

He Zhu; Yuanqing Tan; Qi Gu; Weifang Han; Zhongwen Li; Jason S Meyer; Baoyang Hu

2015-01-01

Objective: This study aimed to use a systematic approach to evaluate the current utilization, safety, and effectiveness of cell therapies for neurological diseases in human. And review the present regulations, considering United States (US) as a representative country, for cell transplantation in neurological disease and discuss the challenges facing the field of neurology in the coming decades. Methods:A detailed search was performed in systematic literature reviews of cellular‐based therapies in neurological diseases, using PubMed, web of science, and clinical trials. Regulations of cell therapy products used for clinical trials were searched from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Results: Seven most common types of cell therapies for neurological diseases have been reported to be relatively safe with varying degrees of neurological recovery. And a series of regulations in US for cellular therapy was summarized including preclinical evaluations, sourcing material, stem cell manufacturing and characterization, cell therapy product, and clinical trials. Conclusions:Stem cell‐based therapy holds great promise for a cure of such diseases and will value a growing population of patients. However, regulatory permitting activity of the US in the sphere of stem cells, technologies of regenerative medicine and substitutive cell therapy are selective, theoretical and does not fit the existing norm and rules. Compiled well‐defined regulations to guide the application of stem cell products for clinical trials should be formulated.

Hybrid Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Consisting of Double Titania Layers for Harvesting Light with Wide Range of Wavelengths

Science.gov (United States)

Sadamasu, Kengo; Inoue, Takafumi; Ogomi, Yuhei; Pandey, Shyam S.; Hayase, Shuzi

2011-02-01

We report a hybrid dye-sensitized solar cell consisting of double titania layers (top and bottom layers) stained with two dyes. A top layer fabricated on a glass was mechanically pressed with a bottom layer fabricated on a glass cloth. The glass cloth acts as a supporter of a porous titania layer as well as a holder of electrolyte. The incident photon to current efficiency (IPCE) curve had two peaks corresponding to those of the two dyes, which demonstrates that electrons are collected from both the top and bottom layers.

Simulation of a tubular solid oxide fuel cell stack using AspenPlusTM unit operation models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, W.; Croiset, E.; Douglas, P.L.; Fowler, M.W.; Entchev, E.

2005-01-01

The design of a fuel cell system involves both optimization of the fuel cell stack and the balance of plant with respect to efficiency and economics. Many commercially available process simulators, such as AspenPlus TM , can facilitate the analysis of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system. A SOFC system may include fuel pre-processors, heat exchangers, turbines, bottoming cycles, etc., all of which can be very effectively modelled in process simulation software. The current challenge is that AspenPlus TM or any other commercial process simulators do not have a model of a basic SOFC stack. Therefore, to enable performing SOFC system simulation using one of these simulators, one must construct an SOFC stack model that can be implemented in them. The most common approach is to develop a complete SOFC model in a programming language, such as Fortran, Visual Basic or C++, first and then link it to a commercial process simulator as a user defined model or subroutine. This paper introduces a different approach to the development of a SOFC model by utilizing existing AspenPlus TM functions and existing unit operation modules. The developed ''AspenPlus TM SOFC'' model is able to provide detailed thermodynamic and parametric analyses of the SOFC operation and can easily be extended to study the entire power plant consisting of the SOFC and the balance of plant without the requirement for linking with other software. Validation of this model is performed by comparison to a Siemens-Westinghouse 100 kW class tubular SOFC stack. Sensitivity analyses of major operating parameters, such as utilization factor (U f ), current density (I c ) and steam-carbon ratio (S/C), were performed using the developed model, and the results are discussed in this paper

Unit Cost Compendium Calculations

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — The Unit Cost Compendium (UCC) Calculations raw data set was designed to provide for greater accuracy and consistency in the use of unit costs across the USEPA...

Cytogenetic 'rogue' cells: Their frequency, origin, and evolutionary significance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Awa, A.A.; Neel, J.V.

1986-07-01

Among 102,170 cultured lymphocytes obtained from 9,818 Hiroshima Japanese aged 9 to 37 years and scored for chromosomal abnormalities, 24 cells exhibiting an extreme degree of damage were encountered. The damage consists of multiple dicentric and even tricentric chromosomes, as well as numerous fragments, many with the appearance of 'double minutes'. The occurrence of these cells was not correlated with parental exposure to the atomic bomb, age, sex, year, or season. The distribution of chromosomal abnormalities by individual was nonrandom. Such cells were originally described in South American Indians, and have also been recorded in United States and United Kingdom inhabitants; this appears to be a worldwide phenomenon. Their cause remains unknown, nor is it known whether they occur in other somatic and also germ-line cells. Should the latter be the case, and should the least damaged of these cells occasionally successfully complete mitosis and meiosis, the possible role of such cells in oncogenesis and evolution must be considered. (author)

Cytogenetic 'rogue' cells: Their frequency, origin, and evolutionary significance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Awa, A A; Neel, J V [Department of Genetics, University of Michigan Medical School (United States)

1986-07-15

Among 102,170 cultured lymphocytes obtained from 9,818 Hiroshima Japanese aged 9 to 37 years and scored for chromosomal abnormalities, 24 cells exhibiting an extreme degree of damage were encountered. The damage consists of multiple dicentric and even tricentric chromosomes, as well as numerous fragments, many with the appearance of 'double minutes'. The occurrence of these cells was not correlated with parental exposure to the atomic bomb, age, sex, year, or season. The distribution of chromosomal abnormalities by individual was nonrandom. Such cells were originally described in South American Indians, and have also been recorded in United States and United Kingdom inhabitants; this appears to be a worldwide phenomenon. Their cause remains unknown, nor is it known whether they occur in other somatic and also germ-line cells. Should the latter be the case, and should the least damaged of these cells occasionally successfully complete mitosis and meiosis, the possible role of such cells in oncogenesis and evolution must be considered. (author)

On the internal consistency of the term structure of forecasts of housing starts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pierdzioch, C.; Rulke, J. C.; Stadtmann, G.

2013-01-01

We use the term structure of forecasts of housing starts to test for rationality of forecasts. Our test is based on the idea that short-term and long-term forecasts should be internally consistent. We test the internal consistency of forecasts using data for Australia, Canada, Japan and the United...

Failure mechanisms of additively manufactured porous biomaterials: Effects of porosity and type of unit cell.

Science.gov (United States)

Kadkhodapour, J; Montazerian, H; Darabi, A Ch; Anaraki, A P; Ahmadi, S M; Zadpoor, A A; Schmauder, S

2015-10-01

Since the advent of additive manufacturing techniques, regular porous biomaterials have emerged as promising candidates for tissue engineering scaffolds owing to their controllable pore architecture and feasibility in producing scaffolds from a variety of biomaterials. The architecture of scaffolds could be designed to achieve similar mechanical properties as in the host bone tissue, thereby avoiding issues such as stress shielding in bone replacement procedure. In this paper, the deformation and failure mechanisms of porous titanium (Ti6Al4V) biomaterials manufactured by selective laser melting from two different types of repeating unit cells, namely cubic and diamond lattice structures, with four different porosities are studied. The mechanical behavior of the above-mentioned porous biomaterials was studied using finite element models. The computational results were compared with the experimental findings from a previous study of ours. The Johnson-Cook plasticity and damage model was implemented in the finite element models to simulate the failure of the additively manufactured scaffolds under compression. The computationally predicted stress-strain curves were compared with the experimental ones. The computational models incorporating the Johnson-Cook damage model could predict the plateau stress and maximum stress at the first peak with less than 18% error. Moreover, the computationally predicted deformation modes were in good agreement with the results of scaling law analysis. A layer-by-layer failure mechanism was found for the stretch-dominated structures, i.e. structures made from the cubic unit cell, while the failure of the bending-dominated structures, i.e. structures made from the diamond unit cells, was accompanied by the shearing bands of 45°. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Application of Load-cell Technique in the Study of Armour Unit Responses to Impact Loads Tests

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Burcharth, H. F.; Liu, Z.

1995-01-01

The slender, complex types of armour units, such as Tetrapods and Dolosse are widely used for rubble mound breakwaters. Many of the recent failures of such structures were caused by unforeseen early breakage of the units, thus revealing an in balance between the strength (structural integrity......) of the units and the hydraulic stability (resistance to displacements) of the armour layers. Breakage is caused by stresses from static, pulsating and impact loads. Impact load generated stresses are difficult to investigate due to non-linear scaling laws. The paper describes a method by which impact loads on....... slender armour units can be studied. by load-cell technique. Moreover, the paper presents DoJos design diagrams for the prediction of both breakage and hydraulic stability...

Is There a Future for Education Consistent with Agenda 21?

Science.gov (United States)

Smyth, John

1999-01-01

Discusses recent experiences in developing and implementing strategies for education consistent with the concept of sustainable development at two different levels: (1) the international level characterized by Agenda 21 along with the efforts of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development to foster its progress; and (2) the national…

Conspicuous variation of the lattice unit cell in the pavonite homologous series and its relation with cation/anion occupational modulations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Perez-Mato, J.M., E-mail: jm.perez-mato@ehu.es [Dpto. de Física de la Materia Condensada, Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología, UPV/EHU, Apartado 644, 48080 Bilbao (Spain); Elcoro, Luis [Dpto. de Física de la Materia Condensada, Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología, UPV/EHU, Apartado 644, 48080 Bilbao (Spain); Makovicky, Emil [Department of Geography and Geology, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 10, DK-1350 Copenhagen K (Denmark); Topa, Dan [Department of Materials Research and Physics, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, 5020 Salzburg (Austria); Petříček, Václav [Institute of Physics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic v.v.i., Na Slovance 2, 182 21 Praha 8 (Czech Republic); Madariaga, Gotzon [Dpto. de Física de la Materia Condensada, Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología, UPV/EHU, Apartado 644, 48080 Bilbao (Spain)

2013-06-01

Highlights: ► Strong non-uniform variation of unit cell parameters in the pavonite homologous series. ► Conspicuous unit cell variation due to an underlying sub-lattice with cation/anion occupation. ► A modulated model common to the whole series using the superspace formalism proposed. ► Model successfully applied to the {sup 7}P pavonite Ag{sub 3}(Bi,Pb){sub 7}S{sub 12}. ► The model can be applied in a predictive way to other members of the family. - Abstract: The pavonites is a homologous series of sulfosalts with galena-like modules of variable size. A survey of their unit cells reveals that they are severely constrained by the metrics of an underlying common average sublattice. The unit cell of any compound of the series accommodates with high precision an integer number of approximately equal subcells. This explains a peculiar non-uniform variation of the unit cell parameters within the series and evidences that the interface between the galena-like modules, despite having a very different topology, approximately maintains the subperiodicity of the modules, and must therefore be subject to strong steric restrictions. It also implies that cations and anions occupy the nodes of the observed common underlying average sublattice according to a striking alternate cation/anion occupational modulation. This is the starting point for a description of these materials as modulated structures, which can make a proficient use of the approximate atomic positional non-crystallographic correlations caused by their modular character. Under this approach only four parameters suffice to define a realistic approximate model of any member of the series. A full structural characterization of any of the compounds only requires the determination of additional small/smooth modulations. As an example, the case of the {sup 7}P pavonite Ag{sub 3}Bi{sub 6.2}Pb{sub 0.8}S{sub 12}, is analyzed.

The PRR11-SKA2 Bidirectional Transcription Unit Is Negatively Regulated by p53 through NF-Y in Lung Cancer Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yitao Wang

2017-03-01

Full Text Available We previously identified proline-rich protein 11 (PRR11 as a novel cancer-related gene that is implicated in the regulation of cell cycle and tumorigenesis. Our recent study demonstrated that PRR11 and its adjacent gene, kinetochore associated 2 (SKA2, constitute a classic head-to-head gene pair that is coordinately regulated by nuclear factor Y (NF-Y. In the present study, we further show that the PRR11-SKA2 bidirectional transcription unit is an indirect target of the tumor suppressor p53. A luciferase reporter assay revealed that overexpression of wild type p53, but not mutant p53, significantly represses the basal activity and NF-Y mediated transactivation of the PRR11-SKA2 bidirectional promoter. Deletion and mutation analysis of the PRR11-SKA2 promoter revealed that p53-mediated PRR11-SKA2 repression is dependent on the presence of functional NF-Y binding sites. Furthermore, a co-immunoprecipitation assay revealed that p53 associates with NF-Y in lung cancer cells, and a chromatin immunoprecipitation assay showed that p53 represses PRR11-SKA2 transcription by reducing the binding amount of NF-Y in the PRR11-SKA2 promoter region. Consistently, the ability of p53 to downregulate PRR11-SKA2 transcription was significantly attenuated upon siRNA-mediated depletion of nuclear factor Y subunit beta (NF-YB. Notably, lung cancer patients with lower expression of either PRR11 or SKA2 along with wild type p53 exhibited the best overall survival compared with others with p53 mutation and/or higher expression of either PRR11 or SKA2. Taken together, our results demonstrate that p53 negatively regulates the expression of the PRR11-SKA2 bidirectional transcription unit through NF-Y, suggesting that the inability to repress the PRR11-SKA2 bidirectional transcription unit after loss of p53 might contribute to tumorigenesis.

Synthesis and characterization of two polyoxometalates consisting of different Cu-ligand hydrogen phosphate units

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yan, Jinshuang; Zhao, Xiaofang; Huang, Jiao; Gong, Kaining; Han, Zhangang, E-mail: hanzg116@126.com; Zhai, Xueliang, E-mail: xlzhai253@mail.hebtu.edu.cn

2014-03-15

Two polyoxometalates [(Cu-mbpy){sub 4}(HPO{sub 4}){sub 2}(H{sub 2}O){sub 2}][PMo{sub 12}O{sub 40}]·H{sub 2}O (1) and [(Cu-mbpy){sub 6}(HPO{sub 4}){sub 4}][PW{sub 12}O{sub 40}]·4H{sub 2}O (2) (mbpy=4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-dipyridyl in 1; 5,5″-dimethyl-2,2'-dipyridyl in 2) have been synthesized and characterized by IR, X-ray powder diffraction, TG analysis and electrochemical property. The structural features of 1–2 are in their cationic moieties consisting of different linkages of [Cu-mbpy]{sup 2+} and HPO{sub 4}{sup 2−} groups. In 1 four Cu-mbpy bridged by two HPO{sub 4}{sup 2−} ions form a discrete cluster with an interesting octahedron of (Cu{sub 4}P{sub 2}), while in 2 Cu-mbpy fragments are bridged by HPO{sub 4}{sup 2−} ions into 1D structure consisting of trigonal bipyramidal polyhedra of (Cu{sub 3}P{sub 2}). Photocatalytic experiments indicate that compounds 1 and 2 are actively photocatalytic for degradation of methyl orange in the presence of H{sub 2}O{sub 2} under UV light irradiation. -- Graphical abstract: Two polyoxometalate-based supramolecular compounds consisting of different linkages based on Cu-ligand and HPO{sub 4}{sup 2−} groups have been synthesized and characterized. The photocatalytic activity are studied. Highlights: • Two polyoxometalate-based supramolecular compounds consisting of different linkages based on Cu-ligand and HPO{sub 4}{sup 2−} groups have been synthesized. • Hydrogen bonding and π…π interactions play important roles in constructing crystal supramolecular frameworks. • Two compounds represent a high photocatalytic activity in the degradation of methyl orange.

Context-specific metabolic networks are consistent with experiments.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Scott A Becker

2008-05-01

Full Text Available Reconstructions of cellular metabolism are publicly available for a variety of different microorganisms and some mammalian genomes. To date, these reconstructions are "genome-scale" and strive to include all reactions implied by the genome annotation, as well as those with direct experimental evidence. Clearly, many of the reactions in a genome-scale reconstruction will not be active under particular conditions or in a particular cell type. Methods to tailor these comprehensive genome-scale reconstructions into context-specific networks will aid predictive in silico modeling for a particular situation. We present a method called Gene Inactivity Moderated by Metabolism and Expression (GIMME to achieve this goal. The GIMME algorithm uses quantitative gene expression data and one or more presupposed metabolic objectives to produce the context-specific reconstruction that is most consistent with the available data. Furthermore, the algorithm provides a quantitative inconsistency score indicating how consistent a set of gene expression data is with a particular metabolic objective. We show that this algorithm produces results consistent with biological experiments and intuition for adaptive evolution of bacteria, rational design of metabolic engineering strains, and human skeletal muscle cells. This work represents progress towards producing constraint-based models of metabolism that are specific to the conditions where the expression profiling data is available.

Akt2 and nucleophosmin/B23 function as an oncogenic unit in human lung cancer cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Chung Kwon; Nguyen, Truong L.X.; Lee, Sang Bae; Park, Sang Bum; Lee, Kyung-Hoon; Cho, Sung-Woo; Ahn, Jee-Yin

2011-01-01

The signaling network of protein kinase B(PKB)/Akt has been implicated in survival of lung cancer cells. However, understanding the relative contribution of the different isoform of Akt network is nontrival. Here, we report that Akt2 is highly expressed in human lung adenocarcinoma cell line A549 cells. Suppression of Akt2 expression in A549 cells results in notable inhibition of cell poliferation, soft agar growth, and invasion, accompanying by a decrease of nucleophosmin/B23 protein. Overexpression of Akt1 restores cancerous growth of A549 cells in B23-knockdown (KD) cells while Akt2 overexpression did not restore proliferating potential in cells with downregulated B23, thus suggesting Akt2 requires B23 to drive proliferation of lung cancer cell. Loss of functional Akt2 and B23 has similar defects on cell proliferation, apoptotic resistance and cell cycle regulation, while loss of Akt1 has less defects on cell proliferation, survial and cell cycle progression in A549 cells. Moreover, overexpression of B23 rescues the proliferative block induced as a consequence of loss of Akt2. Thus our data suggest that Akt2/B23 functions as an oncogenic unit to drive tumorigenesis of A549 lung cancer cells.

Consistent lithological units and its influence on geomechanical stratification in shale reservoir: case study from Baltic Basin, Poland.

Science.gov (United States)

Pachytel, Radomir; Jarosiński, Marek; Bobek, Kinga

2017-04-01

Geomechanical investigations in shale reservoir are crucial to understand rock behavior during hydraulic fracturing treatment and to solve borehole wall stability problem. Anisotropy should be considered as key mechanical parameter while trying to characterize shale properties in variety of scales. We are developing a concept of step-by-step approach to characterize and upscale the Consistent Lithological Units (CLU) at several scales of analysis. We decided that the most regional scale model, comparable to lithostratigraphic formations, is too general for hydraulic fracture propagation study thus a more detailed description is needed. The CLU's hierarchic model aims in upscale elastic properties with their anisotropy based on available data from vertical borehole. For the purpose of our study we have an access to continuous borehole core profile and full set of geophysical logging from several wells in the Pomeranian part of the Ordovician and Silurian shale complex belongs to the Baltic Basin. We are focused on shale properties that might be crucial for mechanical response to hydraulic fracturing: mineral components, porosity, density, elastic parameters and natural fracture pattern. To prepare the precise CLU model we compare several methods of determination and upscaling every single parameter used for consistent units secretion. Mineralogical data taken from ULTRA log, GEM log, X-ray diffraction and X-ray fluorescence were compared with Young modulus from sonic logs and Triaxial Compressive Strength Tests. The results showed the impact of clay content and porosity increase on Young's modulus reduction while carbonates (both calcite and dolomite) have stronger impact on elastic modulus growth, more than quartz, represented here mostly by detrital particles. Comparing the shales of similar composition in a few wells of different depths we concluded that differences in diagenesis and compaction due to variation in formation depth in a range of 1 km has negligible

Research of the impact of coupling between unit cells on performance of linear-to-circular polarization conversion metamaterial with half transmission and half reflection

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Mengchao; Zhou, Kan; Wang, Xiaokun; Zhuang, Haiyan; Tang, Dongming; Zhang, Baoshan; Yang, Yi

2018-04-01

In this paper, the impact of coupling between unit cells on the performance of linear-to-circular polarization conversion metamaterial with half transmission and half reflection is analyzed by changing the distance between the unit cells. An equivalent electrical circuit model is then built to explain it based on the analysis. The simulated results show that, when the distance between the unit cells is 23 mm, this metamaterial converts half of the incident linearly-polarized wave into reflected left-hand circularly-polarized wave and converts the other half of it into transmitted left-hand circularly-polarized wave at 4.4 GHz; when the distance is 28 mm, this metamaterial reflects all of the incident linearly-polarized wave at 4.4 GHz; and when the distance is 32 mm, this metamaterial converts half of the incident linearly-polarized wave into reflected right-hand circularly-polarized wave and converts the other half of it into transmitted right-hand circularly-polarized wave at 4.4 GHz. The tunability is realized successfully. The analysis shows that the changes of coupling between unit cells lead to the changes of performance of this metamaterial. The coupling between the unit cells is then considered when building the equivalent electrical circuit model. The built equivalent electrical circuit model can be used to perfectly explain the simulated results, which confirms the validity of it. It can also give help to the design of tunable polarization conversion metamaterials.

Simulation of the behaviour of a set of Cu/sub 2/S-CdS unit photocells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jacquemin, J L; Bordure, G

1982-03-01

With the help of a general simulation program (the Spice II program from the University of California, Berkeley), adapted to photocell modelling, we studied the behaviour of a large solar photocell consisting of smaller Cu/sub 2/S-CdS unit solar cells in parallel. In particular we examined a theoretical set of photocells identical with the best cell made in the laboratory, a set of 30 real photocells characterized individually and the effect of introducing low efficiency cells. We indicate the role of each parameter characterizing the photocells in order to improve the behaviour of photovoltaic panels of larger dimensions.

Overview of the Special Issue: A Multi-Model Framework to Achieve Consistent Evaluation of Climate Change Impacts in the United States

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Waldhoff, Stephanie T.; Martinich, Jeremy; Sarofim, Marcus; DeAngelo, B. J.; McFarland, Jim; Jantarasami, Lesley; Shouse, Kate C.; Crimmins, Allison; Ohrel, Sara; Li, Jia

2015-07-01

The Climate Change Impacts and Risk Analysis (CIRA) modeling exercise is a unique contribution to the scientific literature on climate change impacts, economic damages, and risk analysis that brings together multiple, national-scale models of impacts and damages in an integrated and consistent fashion to estimate climate change impacts, damages, and the benefits of greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation actions in the United States. The CIRA project uses three consistent socioeconomic, emissions, and climate scenarios across all models to estimate the benefits of GHG mitigation policies: a Business As Usual (BAU) and two policy scenarios with radiative forcing (RF) stabilization targets of 4.5 W/m2 and 3.7 W/m2 in 2100. CIRA was also designed to specifically examine the sensitivity of results to uncertainties around climate sensitivity and differences in model structure. The goals of CIRA project are to 1) build a multi-model framework to produce estimates of multiple risks and impacts in the U.S., 2) determine to what degree risks and damages across sectors may be lowered from a BAU to policy scenarios, 3) evaluate key sources of uncertainty along the causal chain, and 4) provide information for multiple audiences and clearly communicate the risks and damages of climate change and the potential benefits of mitigation. This paper describes the motivations, goals, and design of the CIRA modeling exercise and introduces the subsequent papers in this special issue.

Cell type discovery using single-cell transcriptomics: implications for ontological representation.

Science.gov (United States)

Aevermann, Brian D; Novotny, Mark; Bakken, Trygve; Miller, Jeremy A; Diehl, Alexander D; Osumi-Sutherland, David; Lasken, Roger S; Lein, Ed S; Scheuermann, Richard H

2018-05-01

Cells are fundamental function units of multicellular organisms, with different cell types playing distinct physiological roles in the body. The recent advent of single-cell transcriptional profiling using RNA sequencing is producing 'big data', enabling the identification of novel human cell types at an unprecedented rate. In this review, we summarize recent work characterizing cell types in the human central nervous and immune systems using single-cell and single-nuclei RNA sequencing, and discuss the implications that these discoveries are having on the representation of cell types in the reference Cell Ontology (CL). We propose a method, based on random forest machine learning, for identifying sets of necessary and sufficient marker genes, which can be used to assemble consistent and reproducible cell type definitions for incorporation into the CL. The representation of defined cell type classes and their relationships in the CL using this strategy will make the cell type classes being identified by high-throughput/high-content technologies findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable (FAIR), allowing the CL to serve as a reference knowledgebase of information about the role that distinct cellular phenotypes play in human health and disease.

A battery-fuel cell hybrid auxiliary power unit for trucks: Analysis of direct and indirect hybrid configurations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Samsun, Remzi Can; Krupp, Carsten; Baltzer, Sidney; Gnörich, Bruno; Peters, Ralf; Stolten, Detlef

2016-01-01

Highlights: • A battery-fuel cell hybrid auxiliary power unit for heavy duty vehicles is reported. • Comparison of direct and indirect hybrids using representative load profiles. • Evaluation based on validated fuel cell system and battery models. • Indirect hybrid with constant fuel cell load yields 29.3% hybrid system efficiency. • Fuel cell should be pre-heated using waste heat from the diesel engine during drive. - Abstract: The idling operation of engines in heavy duty vehicles to cover electricity demand during layovers entails significant fuel consumption and corresponding emissions. Indeed, this mode of operation is highly inefficient and a noteworthy contributor to the transportation sector’s aggregate carbon dioxide emissions. Here, a potential solution to this wasteful practice is outlined in the form of a hybrid battery-fuel cell system for application as an auxiliary power unit for trucks. Drawing on experimentally-validated fuel cell and battery models, several possible hybrid concepts are evaluated and direct and indirect hybrid configurations analyzed using a representative load profile. The results indicate that a direct hybrid configuration is only applicable if the load demand profile does not deviate strongly from the assumed profile. Operation of an indirect hybrid with a constant fuel cell load yields the greatest hybrid system efficiency, at 29.3%, while battery size could be reduced by 87% if the fuel cell is operated at the highest dynamics. Maximum efficiency in truck applications can be achieved by pre-heating the system prior to operation using exhaust heat from the motor, which increased system efficiency from 25.3% to 28.1%, including start-up. These findings confirm that hybrid systems could offer enormous fuel savings and constitute a sizeable step on the path toward energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly heavy duty vehicles that does not necessitate a fuel switch.

TADs are 3D structural units of higher-order chromosome organization in Drosophila

Science.gov (United States)

Szabo, Quentin; Jost, Daniel; Chang, Jia-Ming; Cattoni, Diego I.; Papadopoulos, Giorgio L.; Bonev, Boyan; Sexton, Tom; Gurgo, Julian; Jacquier, Caroline; Nollmann, Marcelo; Bantignies, Frédéric; Cavalli, Giacomo

2018-01-01

Deciphering the rules of genome folding in the cell nucleus is essential to understand its functions. Recent chromosome conformation capture (Hi-C) studies have revealed that the genome is partitioned into topologically associating domains (TADs), which demarcate functional epigenetic domains defined by combinations of specific chromatin marks. However, whether TADs are true physical units in each cell nucleus or whether they reflect statistical frequencies of measured interactions within cell populations is unclear. Using a combination of Hi-C, three-dimensional (3D) fluorescent in situ hybridization, super-resolution microscopy, and polymer modeling, we provide an integrative view of chromatin folding in Drosophila. We observed that repressed TADs form a succession of discrete nanocompartments, interspersed by less condensed active regions. Single-cell analysis revealed a consistent TAD-based physical compartmentalization of the chromatin fiber, with some degree of heterogeneity in intra-TAD conformations and in cis and trans inter-TAD contact events. These results indicate that TADs are fundamental 3D genome units that engage in dynamic higher-order inter-TAD connections. This domain-based architecture is likely to play a major role in regulatory transactions during DNA-dependent processes. PMID:29503869

Inhibition of Cell Survival by Curcumin Is Associated with Downregulation of Cell Division Cycle 20 (Cdc20) in Pancreatic Cancer Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yu; Xue, Ying-Bo; Li, Hang; Qiu, Dong; Wang, Zhi-Wei; Tan, Shi-Sheng

2017-02-04

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive human tumors in the United States. Curcumin, a polyphenol derived from the Curcuma longa plant, has been reported to exert its antitumor activity in pancreatic cancer. However, the molecular mechanisms of curcumin-mediated tumor suppressive function have not been fully elucidated. In the current study, we explore whether curcumin exhibits its anti-cancer function through inhibition of oncoprotein cell division cycle 20 (Cdc20) in pancreatic cancer cells. We found that curcumin inhibited cell growth, enhanced apoptosis, induced cell cycle arrest and retarded cell invasion in pancreatic cancer cells. Moreover, we observed that curcumin significantly inhibited the expression of Cdc20 in pancreatic cancer cells. Furthermore, our results demonstrated that overexpression of Cdc20 enhanced cell proliferation and invasion, and abrogated the cytotoxic effects induced by curcumin in pancreatic cancer cells. Consistently, downregulation of Cdc20 promoted curcumin-mediated anti-tumor activity. Therefore, our findings indicated that inhibition of Cdc20 by curcumin could be useful for the treatment of pancreatic cancer patients.

Super Unit Cells in Aperture-Based Metamaterials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dragan Tanasković

2015-01-01

Full Text Available An important class of electromagnetic metamaterials are aperture-based metasurfaces. Examples include extraordinary optical transmission arrays and double fishnets with negative refractive index. We analyze a generalization of such metamaterials where a simple aperture is now replaced by a compound object formed by superposition of two or more primitive objects (e.g., rectangles, circles, and ellipses. Thus obtained “super unit cell” shows far richer behavior than the subobjects that comprise it. We show that nonlocalities introduced by overlapping simple subobjects can be used to produce large deviations of spectral dispersion even for small additive modifications of the basic geometry. Technologically, some super cells may be fabricated by simple spatial shifting of the existing photolithographic masks. In our investigation we applied analytical calculations and ab initio finite element modeling to prove the possibility to tailor the dispersion including resonances for plasmonic nanocomposites by adjusting the local geometry and exploiting localized interactions at a subwavelength level. Any desired form could be defined using simple primitive objects, making the situation a geometrical analog of the case of series expansion of a function. Thus an additional degree of tunability of metamaterials is obtained. The obtained designer structures can be applied in different fields like waveguiding and sensing.

Silicon Nanowire/Polymer Hybrid Solar Cell-Supercapacitor: A Self-Charging Power Unit with a Total Efficiency of 10.5.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Ruiyuan; Wang, Jie; Sun, Teng; Wang, Mingjun; Wu, Changsheng; Zou, Haiyang; Song, Tao; Zhang, Xiaohong; Lee, Shuit-Tong; Wang, Zhong Lin; Sun, Baoquan

2017-07-12

An integrated self-charging power unit, combining a hybrid silicon nanowire/polymer heterojunction solar cell with a polypyrrole-based supercapacitor, has been demonstrated to simultaneously harvest solar energy and store it. By efficiency enhancement of the hybrid nanowire solar cells and a dual-functional titanium film serving as conjunct electrode of the solar cell and supercapacitor, the integrated system is able to yield a total photoelectric conversion to storage efficiency of 10.5%, which is the record value in all the integrated solar energy conversion and storage system. This system may not only serve as a buffer that diminishes the solar power fluctuations from light intensity, but also pave its way toward cost-effective high efficiency self-charging power unit. Finally, an integrated device based on ultrathin Si substrate is demonstrated to expand its feasibility and potential application in flexible energy conversion and storage devices.

One-unit versus two-unit cord-blood transplantation for hematologic cancers.

Science.gov (United States)

Wagner, John E; Eapen, Mary; Carter, Shelly; Wang, Yanli; Schultz, Kirk R; Wall, Donna A; Bunin, Nancy; Delaney, Colleen; Haut, Paul; Margolis, David; Peres, Edward; Verneris, Michael R; Walters, Mark; Horowitz, Mary M; Kurtzberg, Joanne

2014-10-30

Umbilical-cord blood has been used as the source of hematopoietic stem cells in an estimated 30,000 transplants. The limited number of hematopoietic cells in a single cord-blood unit prevents its use in recipients with larger body mass and results in delayed hematopoietic recovery and higher mortality. Therefore, we hypothesized that the greater numbers of hematopoietic cells in two units of cord blood would be associated with improved outcomes after transplantation. Between December 1, 2006, and February 24, 2012, a total of 224 patients 1 to 21 years of age with hematologic cancer were randomly assigned to undergo double-unit (111 patients) or single-unit (113 patients) cord-blood transplantation after a uniform myeloablative conditioning regimen and immunoprophylaxis for graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). The primary end point was 1-year overall survival. Treatment groups were matched for age, sex, self-reported race (white vs. nonwhite), performance status, degree of donor-recipient HLA matching, and disease type and status at transplantation. The 1-year overall survival rate was 65% (95% confidence interval [CI], 56 to 74) and 73% (95% CI, 63 to 80) among recipients of double and single cord-blood units, respectively (P=0.17). Similar outcomes in the two groups were also observed with respect to the rates of disease-free survival, neutrophil recovery, transplantation-related death, relapse, infections, immunologic reconstitution, and grade II-IV acute GVHD. However, improved platelet recovery and lower incidences of grade III and IV acute and extensive chronic GVHD were observed among recipients of a single cord-blood unit. We found that among children and adolescents with hematologic cancer, survival rates were similar after single-unit and double-unit cord-blood transplantation; however, a single-unit cord-blood transplant was associated with better platelet recovery and a lower risk of GVHD. (Funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the

Evaluation and Verification of a Biological Shield in a SHARS Unit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dhlomo, S.V.; Swart, H.S.

2008-01-01

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Waste Technology Section with additional support from the U.S. National Nuclear Security Agency (NNSA) through the IAEA Nuclear Security Fund has funded the design, fabrication, evaluation, and testing of a portable hot cell intended to address the problem of disused SHARS in obsolete irradiation devices such as teletherapy heads and dry irradiators. This unit, designed and manufactured by the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa), can be assembled, disassembled and packed inside two ISO containers and transported to the desired destination with relative ease. The unit was also licensed by the South African Regulator, the Department of Health (DoH), Directorate Radiation Control. This facility is used for the recovery and conditioning of orphaned/ abandoned or spent high activity radioactive sources from teletherapy units, gamma irradiators, and brachytherapy units. The hot cell was designed for a 3,7 E+13 Bq (1000 Ci) activity although it was demonstrated that it can handle activities of more than 7,4 E+13 Bq (2000 Ci) with ease. The biological shield of the SHARS facility consists of river sand sandwiched between metal plates, and a viewing window filled with a 50% zinc bromide solution. The shielding effectiveness of the river sand is evaluated experimentally by determining its density. The experimentally measured dose rates are compared to the dose rates estimated by computational codes. (authors)

Evaluation and Verification of a Biological Shield in a SHARS Unit

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dhlomo, S.V.; Swart, H.S. [Compliance Management Department, Nuclear Liabilities Management, South African Nuclear Energy Corporation, P.O. Box 582, Pretoria 0001 (South Africa)

2008-07-01

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Waste Technology Section with additional support from the U.S. National Nuclear Security Agency (NNSA) through the IAEA Nuclear Security Fund has funded the design, fabrication, evaluation, and testing of a portable hot cell intended to address the problem of disused SHARS in obsolete irradiation devices such as teletherapy heads and dry irradiators. This unit, designed and manufactured by the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa), can be assembled, disassembled and packed inside two ISO containers and transported to the desired destination with relative ease. The unit was also licensed by the South African Regulator, the Department of Health (DoH), Directorate Radiation Control. This facility is used for the recovery and conditioning of orphaned/ abandoned or spent high activity radioactive sources from teletherapy units, gamma irradiators, and brachytherapy units. The hot cell was designed for a 3,7 E+13 Bq (1000 Ci) activity although it was demonstrated that it can handle activities of more than 7,4 E+13 Bq (2000 Ci) with ease. The biological shield of the SHARS facility consists of river sand sandwiched between metal plates, and a viewing window filled with a 50% zinc bromide solution. The shielding effectiveness of the river sand is evaluated experimentally by determining its density. The experimentally measured dose rates are compared to the dose rates estimated by computational codes. (authors)

Unit cell determination of epitaxial thin films based on reciprocal space vectors by high-resolution X-ray diffractometry

OpenAIRE

Yang, Ping; Liu, Huajun; Chen, Zuhuang; Chen, Lang; Wang, John

2013-01-01

A new approach, based on reciprocal space vectors (RSVs), is developed to determine Bravais lattice types and accurate lattice parameters of epitaxial thin films by high-resolution X-ray diffractometry (HR-XRD). The lattice parameters of single crystal substrates are employed as references to correct the systematic experimental errors of RSVs of thin films. The general procedure is summarized, involving correction of RSVs, derivation of raw unit cell, subsequent conversion to the Niggli unit ...

The Disruptive Effect of Lysozyme on the Bacterial Cell Wall Explored by an "In-Silico" Structural Outlook

Science.gov (United States)

Primo, Emiliano D.; Otero, Lisandro H.; Ruiz, Francisco; Klinke, Sebastián; Giordano, Walter

2018-01-01

The bacterial cell wall, a structural unit of peptidoglycan polymer comprised of glycan strands consisting of a repeating disaccharide motif [N-acetylglucosamine (NAG) and N-acetylmuramylpentapeptide (NAM pentapeptide)], encases bacteria and provides structural integrity and protection. Lysozymes are enzymes that break down the bacterial cell wall…

35-We polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell system for notebook computer using a compact fuel processor

Science.gov (United States)

Son, In-Hyuk; Shin, Woo-Cheol; Lee, Yong-Kul; Lee, Sung-Chul; Ahn, Jin-Gu; Han, Sang-Il; kweon, Ho-Jin; Kim, Ju-Yong; Kim, Moon-Chan; Park, Jun-Yong

A polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) system is developed to power a notebook computer. The system consists of a compact methanol-reforming system with a CO preferential oxidation unit, a 16-cell PEMFC stack, and a control unit for the management of the system with a d.c.-d.c. converter. The compact fuel-processor system (260 cm 3) generates about 1.2 L min -1 of reformate, which corresponds to 35 We, with a low CO concentration (notebook computers.

A model for cytoplasmic rheology consistent with magnetic twisting cytometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Butler, J P; Kelly, S M

1998-01-01

Magnetic twisting cytometry is gaining wide applicability as a tool for the investigation of the rheological properties of cells and the mechanical properties of receptor-cytoskeletal interactions. Current technology involves the application and release of magnetically induced torques on small magnetic particles bound to or inside cells, with measurements of the resulting angular rotation of the particles. The properties of purely elastic or purely viscous materials can be determined by the angular strain and strain rate, respectively. However, the cytoskeleton and its linkage to cell surface receptors display elastic, viscous, and even plastic deformation, and the simultaneous characterization of these properties using only elastic or viscous models is internally inconsistent. Data interpretation is complicated by the fact that in current technology, the applied torques are not constant in time, but decrease as the particles rotate. This paper describes an internally consistent model consisting of a parallel viscoelastic element in series with a parallel viscoelastic element, and one approach to quantitative parameter evaluation. The unified model reproduces all essential features seen in data obtained from a wide variety of cell populations, and contains the pure elastic, viscoelastic, and viscous cases as subsets.

Surface and Interface Properties of 10–12 Unit Cells Thick Sputter Deposited Epitaxial CeO2 Films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. V. Saraf

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Ultrathin and continuous epitaxial films with relaxed lattice strain can potentially maintain more of its bulk physical and chemical properties and are useful as buffer layers. We study surface, interface, and microstructural properties of ultrathin (∼10–12 unit cells thick epitaxial ceria films grown on single crystal YSZ substrates. The out-of -plane and in-plane lattice parameters indicate relaxation in the continuous film due to misfit dislocations seen by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM and substrate roughness of ∼1-2 unit cells, confirmed by atomic force microscopy and HRTEM. A combination of secondary sputtering, lattice mismatch, substrate roughness, and surface reduction creating secondary phase was likely the cause of surface roughness which should be reduced to a minimum level for effective use of it as buffer layers.

Design of hydraulic recuperation unit

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jandourek Pavel

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This article deals with design and measurement of hydraulic recuperation unit. Recuperation unit consist of radial turbine and axial pump, which are coupled on the same shaft. Speed of shaft with impellers are 6000 1/min. For economic reasons, is design of recuperation unit performed using commercially manufactured propellers.

Embryonic stem cells in scaffold-free three-dimensional cell culture: osteogenic differentiation and bone generation.

Science.gov (United States)

Handschel, Jörg; Naujoks, Christian; Depprich, Rita; Lammers, Lydia; Kübler, Norbert; Meyer, Ulrich; Wiesmann, Hans-Peter

2011-07-14

Extracorporeal formation of mineralized bone-like tissue is still an unsolved challenge in tissue engineering. Embryonic stem cells may open up new therapeutic options for the future and should be an interesting model for the analysis of fetal organogenesis. Here we describe a technique for culturing embryonic stem cells (ESCs) in the absence of artificial scaffolds which generated mineralized miromasses. Embryonic stem cells were harvested and osteogenic differentiation was stimulated by the addition of dexamethasone, ascorbic acid, and ß-glycerolphosphate (DAG). After three days of cultivation microspheres were formed. These spherical three-dimensional cell units showed a peripheral zone consisting of densely packed cell layers surrounded by minerals that were embedded in the extracellular matrix. Alizarine red staining confirmed evidence of mineralization after 10 days of DAG stimulation in the stimulated but not in the control group. Transmission electron microscopy demonstrated scorching crystallites and collagenous fibrils as early indication of bone formation. These extracellular structures resembled hydroxyl apatite-like crystals as demonstrated by distinct diffraction patterns using electron diffraction analysis. The micromass culture technique is an appropriate model to form three-dimensional bone-like micro-units without the need for an underlying scaffold. Further studies will have to show whether the technique is applicable also to pluripotent stem cells of different origin. © 2011 Handschel et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

Embryonic stem cells in scaffold-free three-dimensional cell culture: osteogenic differentiation and bone generation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meyer Ulrich

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Extracorporeal formation of mineralized bone-like tissue is still an unsolved challenge in tissue engineering. Embryonic stem cells may open up new therapeutic options for the future and should be an interesting model for the analysis of fetal organogenesis. Here we describe a technique for culturing embryonic stem cells (ESCs in the absence of artificial scaffolds which generated mineralized miromasses. Embryonic stem cells were harvested and osteogenic differentiation was stimulated by the addition of dexamethasone, ascorbic acid, and ß-glycerolphosphate (DAG. After three days of cultivation microspheres were formed. These spherical three-dimensional cell units showed a peripheral zone consisting of densely packed cell layers surrounded by minerals that were embedded in the extracellular matrix. Alizarine red staining confirmed evidence of mineralization after 10 days of DAG stimulation in the stimulated but not in the control group. Transmission electron microscopy demonstrated scorching crystallites and collagenous fibrils as early indication of bone formation. These extracellular structures resembled hydroxyl apatite-like crystals as demonstrated by distinct diffraction patterns using electron diffraction analysis. The micromass culture technique is an appropriate model to form three-dimensional bone-like micro-units without the need for an underlying scaffold. Further studies will have to show whether the technique is applicable also to pluripotent stem cells of different origin.

Evaluation of two thermal neutron detection units consisting of ZnS/{sup 6}LiF scintillating layers with embedded WLS fibers read out with a SiPM

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mosset, J.-B., E-mail: jean-baptiste.mosset@a3.epfl.ch [Paul Scherrer Institute, CH-5232 Villigen PSI (Switzerland); Stoykov, A.; Greuter, U.; Hildebrandt, M.; Schlumpf, N. [Paul Scherrer Institute, CH-5232 Villigen PSI (Switzerland); Van Swygenhoven, H. [Paul Scherrer Institute, CH-5232 Villigen PSI (Switzerland); Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne (Switzerland)

2014-11-11

Two single channel detection units for thermal neutron detection are investigated in a neutron beam. They consist of two ZnS/{sup 6}LiF scintillating layers sandwiching an array of WLS fibers. The pattern of these units can be repeated laterally and vertically in order to build up a one-dimensional position sensitive multi-channel detector with the needed sensitive surface and with the required neutron absorption probability. The originality of this work arises from the fact that the WLS fibers are read out with SiPMs instead of the traditionally used PMTs or MaPMTs. The signal processing system is based on a photon counting approach. For SiPMs with a dark count rate as high as 0.7 MHz, a trigger efficiency of 80% is achieved together with a system background rate lower than 10{sup −3}Hz and a dead time of 30μs. No change of performance is observed for neutron count rates of up to 3.6 kHz.

Reproduction of the FC/DFC units in nucleoli.

Science.gov (United States)

Smirnov, Evgeny; Hornáček, Matúš; Kováčik, Lubomír; Mazel, Tomáš; Schröfel, Adam; Svidenská, Silvie; Skalníková, Magdalena; Bartová, Eva; Cmarko, Dušan; Raška, Ivan

2016-04-25

The essential structural components of the nucleoli, Fibrillar Centers (FC) and Dense Fibrillar Components (DFC), together compose FC/DFC units, loci of rDNA transcription and early RNA processing. In the present study we followed cell cycle related changes of these units in 2 human sarcoma derived cell lines with stable expression of RFP-PCNA (the sliding clamp protein) and GFP-RPA43 (a subunit of RNA polymerase I, pol I) or GFP-fibrillarin. Correlative light and electron microscopy analysis showed that the pol I and fibrillarin positive nucleolar beads correspond to individual FC/DFC units. In vivo observations showed that at early S phase, when transcriptionally active ribosomal genes were replicated, the number of the units in each cell increased by 60-80%. During that period the units transiently lost pol I, but not fibrillarin. Then, until the end of interphase, number of the units did not change, and their duplication was completed only after the cell division, by mid G1 phase. This peculiar mode of reproduction suggests that a considerable subset of ribosomal genes remain transcriptionally silent from mid S phase to mitosis, but become again active in the postmitotic daughter cells.

STREAMLINED APPROACH FOR ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION PLAN FOR CORRECTIVE ACTION UNIT 116: AREA 25 TEST CELL C FACILITY NEVADA TEST SITE, NEVADA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2006-01-01

This Streamlined Approach for Environmental Restoration Plan identifies the activities required for the closure of Corrective Action Unit 116, Area 25 Test Cell C Facility. The Test Cell C Facility is located in Area 25 of the Nevada Test Site approximately 25 miles northwest of Mercury, Nevada

Evaluation of the accuracy, consistency, and stability of measurements of the Planck constant used in the redefinition of the international system of units

Science.gov (United States)

Possolo, Antonio; Schlamminger, Stephan; Stoudt, Sara; Pratt, Jon R.; Williams, Carl J.

2018-02-01

The Consultative Committee for Mass and related quantities (CCM), of the International Committee for weights and measures (CIPM), has recently declared the readiness of the community to support the redefinition of the international system of units (SI) at the next meeting of the General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM) scheduled for November, 2018. Such redefinition will replace the international prototype of the Kilogram (IPK), as the definition and sole primary realization of the unit of mass, with a definition involving the Planck constant, h. This redefinition in terms of a fundamental constant of nature will enable widespread primary realizations not only of the kilogram but also of its multiples and sub-multiples, best to address the full range of practical needs in the measurement of mass. We review and discuss the statistical models and statistical data reductions, uncertainty evaluations, and substantive arguments that support the verification of several technical preconditions for the redefinition that the CCM has established, and whose verification the CCM has affirmed. These conditions relate to the accuracy and mutual consistency of qualifying measurement results. We review also an issue that has surfaced only recently, concerning the convergence toward a stable value, of the historical values that the task group on fundamental constants of the committee on Data for Science and Technology CODATA-TGFC has recommended for h over the years, even though the CCM has not deemed this issue to be relevant. We conclude that no statistically significant trend can be substantiated for these recommended values, but note that cumulative consensus values that may be derived from the historical measurement results for h seem to have converged while continuing to exhibit fluctuations that are typical of a process in statistical control. Finally, we argue that the most recent consensus value derived from the best measurements available for h, obtained using

Natural Killer/T-cell Neoplasms: Analysis of Incidence, Patient Characteristics, and Survival Outcomes in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Kommalapati, Anuhya; Tella, Sri Harsha; Ganti, Apar Kishore; Armitage, James O

2018-05-04

Limited data are available regarding the incidence, survival patterns, and long-term outcomes of natural killer (NK)/T-cell neoplasms in the United States. We performed a retrospective study of patients with NK/T-cell neoplasms diagnosed from 2001 to 2014 using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program database. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate the overall survival difference among the subgroups. Multivariate analyses were used to determine the factors affecting survival. For the 797 patients with NK/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type, the median age at diagnosis was 53 years, and males tended to be younger at diagnosis (P < .0001). The incidence of the disease increased from 0.4 in 2001 to 0.8 in 2014 per 1,000,000 individuals. The incidence was significantly greater in Hispanic patients compared with that in non-Hispanic patients (rate ratio, 3.03; P = .0001). The median overall survival was 20 months (range, 2-73 months) and varied significantly according to the primary site (P < .0001) and the disease stage at diagnosis (P < .0001). NK/T-cell lymphoma patients had an increased risk of acute myeloid leukemia (standardized incidence ratio, 18.77; 95% confidence interval, 2.27-67.81). For the 105 NK/T-cell leukemia patients, the median age at diagnosis was 58 years (range, 4-95 years). The overall incidence of the disease was 0.09 per 1,000,000 individuals and was significantly greater in males (rate ratio, 0.41; P < .0001). Unlike NK/T-cell lymphoma, no racial disparities were found in the incidence. The median overall survival was 17 months (range, 0-36 months). The incidence of NK/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type, in the United States has at least doubled in the past decade, with the greatest predilection among Hispanics. Patients with NK/T-cell lymphoma might have an increased risk of the subsequent development of acute myeloid leukemia. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The TMI regenerable solid oxide fuel cell

Science.gov (United States)

Cable, Thomas L.

1995-04-01

Energy storage and production in space requires rugged, reliable hardware which minimizes weight, volume, and maintenance while maximizing power output and usable energy storage. These systems generally consist of photovoltaic solar arrays which operate during sunlight cycles to provide system power and regenerate fuel (hydrogen) via water electrolysis; during dark cycles, hydrogen is converted by the fuel cell into system. The currently preferred configuration uses two separate systems (fuel cell and electrolyzer) in conjunction with photovoltaic cells. Fuel cell/electrolyzer system simplicity, reliability, and power-to-weight and power-to-volume ratios could be greatly improved if both power production (fuel cell) and power storage (electrolysis) functions can be integrated into a single unit. The Technology Management, Inc. (TMI), solid oxide fuel cell-based system offers the opportunity to both integrate fuel cell and electrolyzer functions into one unit and potentially simplify system requirements. Based an the TMI solid oxide fuel cell (SOPC) technology, the TMI integrated fuel cell/electrolyzer utilizes innovative gas storage and operational concepts and operates like a rechargeable 'hydrogen-oxygen battery'. Preliminary research has been completed on improved H2/H2O electrode (SOFC anode/electrolyzer cathode) materials for solid oxide, regenerative fuel cells. Improved H2/H2O electrode materials showed improved cell performance in both fuel cell and electrolysis modes in reversible cell tests. ln reversible fuel cell/electrolyzer mode, regenerative fuel cell efficiencies (ratio of power out (fuel cell mode) to power in (electrolyzer model)) improved from 50 percent (using conventional electrode materials) to over 80 percent. The new materials will allow the TMI SOFC system to operate as both the electrolyzer and fuel cell in a single unit. Preliminary system designs have also been developed which indicate the technical feasibility of using the TMI SOFC

Fuel cell collaboration in the United States. A report to the Danish Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2011-08-15

The purpose of this report is to provide members of the Danish Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells with information regarding collaborative opportunities in the United States. The report is designed to provide an overview of key issues and activities and to provide guidance on strategies for finding U.S. research and commercial partners and gaining access to the U.S. market. Section 1 of this report provides an overview of the key drivers of policy at the federal and state government levels regarding hydrogen and fuel cell technologies and provides a perspective of the U.S. industry and key players. It also suggests three general pathways for accessing U.S. opportunities: enhancing visibility; developing vendor relationships; and establishing a formal presence in the U.S. The next sections summarize focus areas for commercial and research activity that currently are of the greatest interest in the U.S. Section 2 describes major programs within the federal government and national laboratories, and discusses various methods for identifying R and D funding opportunities, with an overview of federal acquisition regulations. Section 3 reviews the efforts of several state governments engaging the fuel cell industry as an economic driver and presents an overview of acquisition at the state level. Section 4 discusses university research and development (R and D) and university-industry partnerships. There are 12 appendices attached to the report. These appendices provide more detailed information regarding the key federal government agencies involved in fuel cells and hydrogen, state-specific policies and activities, national laboratories and universities, and other information regarding the fuel cell and hydrogen industry in the U.S. (Author)

The histone genes in HeLa cells are on individual transcriptional units

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hackett, P.B.; Traub, P.; Gallwitz, D.

1978-01-01

The distances of the five major histone genes from their promotors have been investigated in order to determine whether in human cells these genes could be transcribed as a single polycistronic transcriptional unit. By measuring the decreases of both histone protein and histone mRNA synthesis as functions of the ultraviolet light dosage, it was possible to calculate the distances of the histone genes from their promotors. The inactivation kinetics for histone genes H1 and H3 are first-order, indicating a single type of transcriptional unit for each gene. The dose-response kinetics for genes H2A, H2B and H4 are first-order with two distinct rates; 10 to 15% of the genes for each of these histones appear to be much more sensitive to ultraviolet light inactivation than are the majority. It is concluded that the transcriptional units for 85 to 90% of the genes for H2A, H2B and H4 are similar. As determined by the inhibition of protein synthesis, the inactivation coefficients for the major component of each histone are: H1, 907 mm 2 /erg; H2A, 878 mm 2 /erg; H2B, 871 mm 2 /erg; H3, 965 mm 2 /erg; and H4, 792 mm 2 /erg. The sensitivities of histone mRNA synthesis to irradiation were measured by translation in vitro with similar results. The calculated target sizes for the genes (in base-pairs) are: H1, 1190; H2A, 1240; H2B, 1250; H3, 1130; and H4, 1380. This similarity in target sizes for all five of the histones genes indicates that they are primarily transcribed from individual transcriptional units. (author)

Deciphering the Role of Sulfonated Unit in Heparin-Mimicking Polymer to Promote Neural Differentiation of Embryonic Stem Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Lei, Jiehua; Yuan, Yuqi; Lyu, Zhonglin; Wang, Mengmeng; Liu, Qi; Wang, Hongwei; Yuan, Lin; Chen, Hong

2017-08-30

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), especially heparin and heparan sulfate (HS), hold great potential for inducing the neural differentiation of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and have brought new hope for the treatment of neurological diseases. However, the disadvantages of natural heparin/HS, such as difficulty in isolating them with a sufficient amount, highly heterogeneous structure, and the risk of immune responses, have limited their further therapeutic applications. Thus, there is a great demand for stable, controllable, and well-defined synthetic alternatives of heparin/HS with more effective biological functions. In this study, based upon a previously proposed unit-recombination strategy, several heparin-mimicking polymers were synthesized by integrating glucosamine-like 2-methacrylamido glucopyranose monomers (MAG) with three sulfonated units in different structural forms, and their effects on cell proliferation, the pluripotency, and the differentiation of ESCs were carefully studied. The results showed that all the copolymers had good cytocompatibility and displayed much better bioactivity in promoting the neural differentiation of ESCs as compared to natural heparin; copolymers with different sulfonated units exhibited different levels of promoting ability; among them, copolymer with 3-sulfopropyl acrylate (SPA) as a sulfonated unit was the most potent in promoting the neural differentiation of ESCs; the promoting effect is dependent on the molecular weight and concentration of P(MAG-co-SPA), with the highest levels occurring at the intermediate molecular weight and concentration. These results clearly demonstrated that the sulfonated unit in the copolymers played an important role in determining the promoting effect on ESCs' neural differentiation; SPA was identified as the most potent sulfonated unit for copolymer with the strongest promoting ability. The possible reason for sulfonated unit structure as a vital factor influencing the ability of the copolymers

Device for monitoring cell voltage

Science.gov (United States)

Doepke, Matthias [Garbsen, DE; Eisermann, Henning [Edermissen, DE

2012-08-21

A device for monitoring a rechargeable battery having a number of electrically connected cells includes at least one current interruption switch for interrupting current flowing through at least one associated cell and a plurality of monitoring units for detecting cell voltage. Each monitoring unit is associated with a single cell and includes a reference voltage unit for producing a defined reference threshold voltage and a voltage comparison unit for comparing the reference threshold voltage with a partial cell voltage of the associated cell. The reference voltage unit is electrically supplied from the cell voltage of the associated cell. The voltage comparison unit is coupled to the at least one current interruption switch for interrupting the current of at least the current flowing through the associated cell, with a defined minimum difference between the reference threshold voltage and the partial cell voltage.

Dedicated education unit: student perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Nishioka, Vicki M; Coe, Michael T; Hanita, Makoto; Moscato, Susan R

2014-01-01

The study compared students' perceptions of their clinical learning experiences in a dedicated education unit (DEU) with their experiences in traditional clinical education. Unlike traditional academic-instructor models, expert nurses in the DEU provide clinical education to students with faculty support. This repeated measures design used student surveys, supplemented by focus group data. Students were more likely to agree that their clinical learning experience was high quality and they had a consistent mentoring relationship during DEU rotations. Students also reported the quality of the unit's learning environment, the leadership style of the nurse manager, and the nursing care on the unit was more favorable in DEUs than traditional units. Consistent with their changed role in DEUs, faculty members were less active in helping students integrate theory and practice. These findings provide additional evidence of the value that the DEU model contributes to high-quality clinical education.

Principles of applying Poisson units in radiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benyumovich, M.S.

2000-01-01

The probability that radioactive particles hit particular space patterns (e.g. cells in the squares of a count chamber net) and time intervals (e.g. radioactive particles hit a given area per time unit) follows the Poisson distribution. The mean is the only parameter from which all this distribution depends. A metrological base of counting the cells and radioactive particles is a property of the Poisson distribution assuming equality of a standard deviation to a root square of mean (property 1). The application of Poisson units in counting of blood formed elements and cultured cells was proposed by us (Russian Federation Patent No. 2126230). Poisson units relate to the means which make the property 1 valid. In a case of cells counting, the square of these units is equal to 1/10 of one of count chamber net where they count the cells. Thus one finds the means from the single cell count rate divided by 10. Finding the Poisson units when counting the radioactive particles should assume determination of a number of these particles sufficient to make equality 1 valid. To this end one should subdivide a time interval used in counting a single particle count rate into different number of equal portions (count numbers). Next one should pick out the count number ensuring the satisfaction of equality 1. Such a portion is taken as a Poisson unit in the radioactive particles count. If the flux of particles is controllable one should set up a count rate sufficient to make equality 1 valid. Operations with means obtained by with the use of Poisson units are performed on the base of approximation of the Poisson distribution by a normal one. (author)

Novel web-based real-time dashboard to optimize recycling and use of red cell units at a large multi-site transfusion service.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharpe, Christopher; Quinn, Jason G; Watson, Stephanie; Doiron, Donald; Crocker, Bryan; Cheng, Calvino

2014-01-01

Effective blood inventory management reduces outdates of blood products. Multiple strategies have been employed to reduce the rate of red blood cell (RBC) unit outdate. We designed an automated real-time web-based dashboard interfaced with our laboratory information system to effectively recycle red cell units. The objective of our approach is to decrease RBC outdate rates within our transfusion service. The dashboard was deployed in August 2011 and is accessed by a shortcut that was placed on the desktops of all blood transfusion services computers in the Capital District Health Authority region. It was designed to refresh automatically every 10 min. The dashboard provides all vital information on RBC units, and implemented a color coding scheme to indicate an RBC unit's proximity to expiration. The overall RBC unit outdate rate in the 7 months period following implementation of the dashboard (September 2011-March 2012) was 1.24% (123 units outdated/9763 units received), compared to similar periods in 2010-2011 and 2009-2010: 2.03% (188/9395) and 2.81% (261/9220), respectively. The odds ratio of a RBC unit outdate postdashboard (2011-2012) compared with 2010-2011 was 0.625 (95% confidence interval: 0.497-0.786; P dashboard system is an inexpensive and novel blood inventory management system which was associated with a significant reduction in RBC unit outdate rates at our institution over a period of 7 months. This system, or components of it, could be a useful addition to existing RBC management systems at other institutions.

Picometer registration of zinc impurity states in Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ for phase determination in intra-unit-cell Fourier transform STM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamidian, M H; Firmo, I A; Fujita, K; Mukhopadhyay, S; Davis, J C; Orenstein, J W; Eisaki, H; Uchida, S; Lawler, M J; Kim, E-A

2012-01-01

Direct visualization of electronic-structure symmetry within each crystalline unit cell is a new technique for complex electronic matter research (Lawler et al 2010 Nature 466 347-51, Schmidt et al 2011 New J. Phys. 13 065014, Fujita K et al 2012 J. Phys. Soc. Japan 81 011005). By studying the Bragg peaks in Fourier transforms of electronic structure images and particularly by resolving both the real and imaginary components of the Bragg amplitudes, distinct types of intra-unit-cell symmetry breaking can be studied. However, establishing the precise symmetry point of each unit cell in real space is crucial in defining the phase for such a Bragg-peak Fourier analysis. Exemplary of this challenge is the high-temperature superconductor Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8+δ for which the surface Bi atom locations are observable, while it is the invisible Cu atoms that define the relevant CuO 2 unit-cell symmetry point. Here we demonstrate, by imaging with picometer precision the electronic impurity states at individual Zn atoms substituted at Cu sites, that the phase established using the Bi lattice produces a ∼2%(2π) error relative to the actual Cu lattice. Such a phase assignment error would not diminish reliability in the determination of intra-unit-cell rotational symmetry breaking at the CuO 2 plane (Lawler et al 2010 Nature 466 347-51, Schmidt et al 2011 New J. Phys. 13 065014, Fujita K et al 2012 J. Phys. Soc. Japan 81 011005). Moreover, this type of impurity atom substitution at the relevant symmetry site can be of general utility in phase determination for the Bragg-peak Fourier analysis of intra-unit-cell symmetry. (paper)

Loss of let-7 up-regulates EZH2 in prostate cancer consistent with the acquisition of cancer stem cell signatures that are attenuated by BR-DIM.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dejuan Kong

Full Text Available The emergence of castrate-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC contributes to the high mortality of patients diagnosed with prostate cancer (PCa, which in part could be attributed to the existence and the emergence of cancer stem cells (CSCs. Recent studies have shown that deregulated expression of microRNAs (miRNAs contributes to the initiation and progression of PCa. Among several known miRNAs, let-7 family appears to play a key role in the recurrence and progression of PCa by regulating CSCs; however, the mechanism by which let-7 family contributes to PCa aggressiveness is unclear. Enhancer of Zeste homolog 2 (EZH2, a putative target of let-7 family, was demonstrated to control stem cell function. In this study, we found loss of let-7 family with corresponding over-expression of EZH2 in human PCa tissue specimens, especially in higher Gleason grade tumors. Overexpression of let-7 by transfection of let-7 precursors decreased EZH2 expression and repressed clonogenic ability and sphere-forming capacity of PCa cells, which was consistent with inhibition of EZH2 3'UTR luciferase activity. We also found that the treatment of PCa cells with BR-DIM (formulated DIM: 3,3'-diindolylmethane by Bio Response, Boulder, CO, abbreviated as BR-DIM up-regulated let-7 and down-regulated EZH2 expression, consistent with inhibition of self-renewal and clonogenic capacity. Moreover, BR-DIM intervention in our on-going phase II clinical trial in patients prior to radical prostatectomy showed upregulation of let-7 consistent with down-regulation of EZH2 expression in PCa tissue specimens after BR-DIM intervention. These results suggest that the loss of let-7 mediated increased expression of EZH2 contributes to PCa aggressiveness, which could be attenuated by BR-DIM treatment, and thus BR-DIM is likely to have clinical impact.

Optimal stochastic coordinated scheduling of proton exchange membrane fuel cell-combined heat and power, wind and photovoltaic units in micro grids considering hydrogen storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bornapour, Mosayeb; Hooshmand, Rahmat-Allah; Khodabakhshian, Amin; Parastegari, Moein

2017-01-01

Highlights: •Stochastic model is proposed for coordinated scheduling of renewable energy sources. •The effect of combined heat and power is considered. •Hydrogen storage is considered for fuel cells. •Maximizing profits of micro grid is considered as objective function. •Considering the uncertainties of problem lead to profit increasing. -- Abstract: Nowadays, renewable energy sources and combined heat and power units are extremely used in micro grids, so it is necessary to schedule these units to improve the performance of the system. In this regard, a stochastic model is proposed in this paper to schedule proton exchange membrane fuel cell-combined heat and power, wind turbines, and photovoltaic units coordinately in a micro grid while considering hydrogen storage. Hydrogen storage strategy is considered for the operation of proton exchange membrane fuel cell-combined heat and power units. To consider stochastic generation of renewable energy source units in this paper, a scenario-based method is used. In this method, the uncertainties of electrical market price, the wind speed, and solar irradiance are considered. This stochastic scheduling problem is a mixed integer- nonlinear programming which considers the proposed objective function and variables of coordinated scheduling of PEMFC-CHP, wind turbines and photovoltaic units. It also considers hydrogen storage strategy and converts it to a mixed integer nonlinear problem. In this study a modified firefly algorithm is used to solve the problem. This method is examined on modified 33-bus distributed network as a MG for its performance.

Simulation of the behaviour of a set of Cu/sub 2/S-CdS unit photocells. [Spice II program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jacquemin, J L; Bordure, G

1982-03-01

With the help of a general simulation program (the Spice II program from the University of California, Berkeley), adapted to photocell modeling, authors studied the behavior of a large solar photocell consisting of smaller Cu/sub 2/S-CdS unit solar cells in parallel, in particular, a theoretical set of photocells identical with the best cell made in the laboratory, a set of 30 real photocells characterized individually and the effect of introducing low efficiency cells. The role of each parameter characterizing the photocells is indicated, in order to improve the behavior of photovoltaic panels of larger dimensions. 2 refs.

Design and validation of a consistent and reproducible manufacture process for the production of clinical-grade bone marrow-derived multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Codinach, Margarita; Blanco, Margarita; Ortega, Isabel; Lloret, Mireia; Reales, Laura; Coca, Maria Isabel; Torrents, Sílvia; Doral, Manel; Oliver-Vila, Irene; Requena-Montero, Miriam; Vives, Joaquim; Garcia-López, Joan

2016-09-01

Multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) have achieved a notable prominence in the field of regenerative medicine, despite the lack of common standards in the production processes and suitable quality controls compatible with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP). Herein we describe the design of a bioprocess for bone marrow (BM)-derived MSC isolation and expansion, its validation and production of 48 consecutive batches for clinical use. BM samples were collected from the iliac crest of patients for autologous therapy. Manufacturing procedures included: (i) isolation of nucleated cells (NC) by automated density-gradient centrifugation and plating; (ii) trypsinization and expansion of secondary cultures; and (iii) harvest and formulation of a suspension containing 40 ± 10 × 10(6) viable cells. Quality controls were defined as: (i) cell count and viability assessment; (ii) immunophenotype; and (iii) sterility tests, Mycoplasma detection, endotoxin test and Gram staining. A 3-week manufacturing bioprocess was first designed and then validated in 3 consecutive mock productions, prior to producing 48 batches of BM-MSC for clinical use. Validation included the assessment of MSC identity and genetic stability. Regarding production, 139.0 ± 17.8 mL of BM containing 2.53 ± 0.92 × 10(9) viable NC were used as starting material, yielding 38.8 ± 5.3 × 10(6) viable cells in the final product. Surface antigen expression was consistent with the expected phenotype for MSC, displaying high levels of CD73, CD90 and CD105, lack of expression of CD31 and CD45 and low levels of HLA-DR. Tests for sterility, Mycoplasma, Gram staining and endotoxin had negative results in all cases. Herein we demonstrated the establishment of a feasible, consistent and reproducible bioprocess for the production of safe BM-derived MSC for clinical use. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Cellular Therapy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The role of total cell-free DNA in predicting outcomes among trauma patients in the intensive care unit

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gögenur, Mikail; Burcharth, Jakob; Gögenur, Ismail

2017-01-01

searched Pubmed, Embase, Scopus and the Cochrane Central Register for Controlled Trials and reference lists of relevant articles for studies that assessed the prognostic value of cell-free DNA detection in trauma patients in the intensive care unit. Outcomes of interest included survival, posttraumatic...

Planar conjugated polymers containing 9,10-disubstituted phenanthrene units for efficient polymer solar cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Guangwu; Kang, Chong; Li, Cuihong; Lu, Zhen; Zhang, Jicheng; Gong, Xue; Zhao, Guangyao; Dong, Huanli; Hu, Wenping; Bo, Zhishan

2014-06-01

Four novel conjugated polymers (P1-4) with 9,10-disubstituted phenanthrene (PhA) as the donor unit and 5,6-bis(octyloxy)benzothiadiazole as the acceptor unit are synthesized and characterized. These polymers are of medium bandgaps (2.0 eV), low-lying HOMO energy levels (below -5.3 eV), and high hole mobilities (in the range of 3.6 × 10(-3) to 0.02 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) ). Bulk heterojunction (BHJ) polymer solar cells (PSCs) with P1-4:PC71 BM blends as the active layer and an alcohol-soluble fullerene derivative (FN-C60) as the interfacial layer between the active layer and cathode give the best power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 4.24%, indicating that 9,10-disubstituted PhA are potential donor materials for high-efficiency BHJ PSCs. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Operable Unit Boundaries

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — This dataset consists of operable unit data from multiple Superfund sites in U.S. EPA Region 8. These data were acquired from multiple sources at different times and...

Life cycle comparison of fuel cell vehicles and internal combustion engine vehicles for Canada and the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Zamel, Nada; Li, Xianguo

The objective of this study is to put forward a full analysis of the impact of the difference between the Canadian and American energy realities on the life cycle of fuel cell vehicles and internal combustion engine vehicles. Electricity is a major type of energy used in the transportation sector. Electricity is needed in the production of feedstock of fuel, the production of the fuel, the production of the vehicle material and the assembly of the vehicles. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the impact of the electricity mix difference between Canada and the United States. In the analysis, the life cycle of the fuel consists of obtaining the raw material, extracting the fuel from the raw material, transporting and storing the fuel as well as using the fuel in the vehicle. Four different methods of obtaining hydrogen were analyzed; using coal and nuclear power to produce electricity and extract hydrogen through electrolysis and via steam reforming of natural gas in a natural gas plant and in a hydrogen refueling station. It is found that fuel cell vehicle fuelled by hydrogen has lower energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions than internal combustion engine vehicle fuelled by conventional gasoline except for hydrogen production using coal as the primary energy source in Canada and the United States. Using the Canadian electricity mix will result in lower carbon dioxide emissions and energy consumption than using the American electricity mix. For the present vehicles, using the Canadian electricity mix will save up to 215.18 GJ of energy and 20.87 t of CO 2 on a per capita basis and 26.53 GJ of energy and 6.8 t of CO 2 on a per vehicle basis. Similarly, for the future vehicles, using the Canadian electricity mix will lower the total carbon dioxide emissions by 21.15 t and the energy consumed is reduced by 218.49 GJ on a per capita basis and 26.53 GJ of energy and 7.22 t of CO 2 on a per vehicle basis. The well-to-tank efficiencies are higher with the

SPOKEN CUZCO QUECHUA, UNITS 1-6.

Science.gov (United States)

SOLA, DONALD F.; AND OTHERS

THE MATERIALS IN THIS VOLUME COMPRISE SIX UNITS WHICH PRESENT BASIC ASPECTS OF CUZCO QUECHUA PHONOLOGY, MORPHOLOGY, AND SYNTAX FOR THE BEGINNING STUDENT. THE SIX UNITS ARE DESIGNED FOR APPROXIMATELY 120 HOURS OF SUPERVISED CLASS WORK WITH OUTSIDE PREPARATION EXPECTED OF THE STUDENT. EACH UNIT CONSISTS OF A DIALOGUE TO BE MEMORIZED, A DIALOGUE…

Novel web-based real-time dashboard to optimize recycling and use of red cell units at a large multi-site transfusion service

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christopher Sharpe

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Effective blood inventory management reduces outdates of blood products. Multiple strategies have been employed to reduce the rate of red blood cell (RBC unit outdate. We designed an automated real-time web-based dashboard interfaced with our laboratory information system to effectively recycle red cell units. The objective of our approach is to decrease RBC outdate rates within our transfusion service. Methods: The dashboard was deployed in August 2011 and is accessed by a shortcut that was placed on the desktops of all blood transfusion services computers in the Capital District Health Authority region. It was designed to refresh automatically every 10 min. The dashboard provides all vital information on RBC units, and implemented a color coding scheme to indicate an RBC unit′s proximity to expiration. Results: The overall RBC unit outdate rate in the 7 months period following implementation of the dashboard (September 2011-March 2012 was 1.24% (123 units outdated/9763 units received, compared to similar periods in 2010-2011 and 2009-2010: 2.03% (188/9395 and 2.81% (261/9220, respectively. The odds ratio of a RBC unit outdate postdashboard (2011-2012 compared with 2010-2011 was 0.625 (95% confidence interval: 0.497-0.786; P < 0.0001. Conclusion: Our dashboard system is an inexpensive and novel blood inventory management system which was associated with a significant reduction in RBC unit outdate rates at our institution over a period of 7 months. This system, or components of it, could be a useful addition to existing RBC management systems at other institutions.

Uncertainty analysis of light water reactor unit fuel pin cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kamerow, S.; Ivanov, K., E-mail: sln107@PSU.EDU, E-mail: kni1@PSU.EDU [Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, PA (United States); Moreno, C. Arenas, E-mail: cristina.arenas@UPC.EDU [Department of Physics and Nuclear Engineering, Technical University of Catalonia, Barcelona (Spain)

2011-07-01

The study explored the calculation of uncertainty based on available covariance data and computational tools. Uncertainty due to temperature changes and different fuel compositions are the main focus of this analysis. Selected unit fuel pin cells were analyzed according to the OECD LWR UAM benchmark specifications. Criticality and uncertainty analyses were performed using TSUNAMI-1D sequence in SCALE 6.0. It was found that uncertainties increase with increasing temperature while k{sub eff} decreases. This increase in the uncertainty is due to the increase in sensitivity of the largest contributor of uncertainty, namely nuclide reaction {sup 238}U (n, gamma). The sensitivity grew larger as the capture cross-section of {sup 238}U expanded due to Doppler broadening. In addition, three different compositions (UOx, MOx, and UOxGd{sub 2}O{sub 3}) of fuel cells were analyzed. It showed a remarkable increase in uncertainty in k{sub eff} for the case of the MOx fuel cell and UOxGd{sub 2}O{sub 3} fuel cell. The increase in the uncertainty of k{sub eff} in UOxGd{sub 2}O{sub 3} fuel was nearly twice of that in MOx fuel and almost four times the amount in UOx fuel. The components of the uncertainties in k{sub eff} in each case were examined and it was found that the neutron-nuclide reaction of {sup 238}U, mainly (n,n'), contributed the most to the uncertainties in the cases of MOx and UOxGd{sub 2}O{sub 3}. At higher energy, the covariance coefficient matrix of {sup 238}U (n,n') to {sup 238}U (n,n') and {sup 238}U (n,n') cross-section showed very large values. Further, examination of the UOxGd{sub 2}O{sub 3} case found that the {sup 238}U (n,n') became the dominant contributor to the uncertainty because most of the thermal neutrons in the cell were absorbed by Gadolinium in UOxGd{sub 2}O{sub 3} case and thus shifting the neutron spectrum to higher energy. For the MOx case on other hand, {sup 239}Pu has a very strong absorption cross-section at low energy

A Miniaturized Antenna with Negative Index Metamaterial Based on Modified SRR and CLS Unit Cell for UWB Microwave Imaging Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Md. Moinul Islam

2015-01-01

Full Text Available A miniaturized antenna employing a negative index metamaterial with modified split-ring resonator (SRR and capacitance-loaded strip (CLS unit cells is presented for Ultra wideband (UWB microwave imaging applications. Four left-handed (LH metamaterial (MTM unit cells are located along one axis of the antenna as the radiating element. Each left-handed metamaterial unit cell combines a modified split-ring resonator (SRR with a capacitance-loaded strip (CLS to obtain a design architecture that simultaneously exhibits both negative permittivity and negative permeability, which ensures a stable negative refractive index to improve the antenna performance for microwave imaging. The antenna structure, with dimension of 16 × 21 × 1.6 mm3, is printed on a low dielectric FR4 material with a slotted ground plane and a microstrip feed. The measured reflection coefficient demonstrates that this antenna attains 114.5% bandwidth covering the frequency band of 3.4–12.5 GHz for a voltage standing wave ratio of less than 2 with a maximum gain of 5.16 dBi at 10.15 GHz. There is a stable harmony between the simulated and measured results that indicate improved nearly omni-directional radiation characteristics within the operational frequency band. The stable surface current distribution, negative refractive index characteristic, considerable gain and radiation properties make this proposed negative index metamaterial antenna optimal for UWB microwave imaging applications.

Culture, cross-role consistency, and adjustment: testing trait and cultural psychology perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Church, A Timothy; Anderson-Harumi, Cheryl A; del Prado, Alicia M; Curtis, Guy J; Tanaka-Matsumi, Junko; Valdez Medina, José L; Mastor, Khairul A; White, Fiona A; Miramontes, Lilia A; Katigbak, Marcia S

2008-09-01

Trait and cultural psychology perspectives on cross-role consistency and its relation to adjustment were examined in 2 individualistic cultures, the United States (N=231) and Australia (N=195), and 4 collectivistic cultures, Mexico (N=199), the Philippines (N=195), Malaysia (N=217), and Japan (N=180). Cross-role consistency in trait ratings was evident in all cultures, supporting trait perspectives. Cultural comparisons of mean consistency provided support for cultural psychology perspectives as applied to East Asian cultures (i.e., Japan) but not collectivistic cultures more generally. Some but not all of the hypothesized predictors of consistency were supported across cultures. Cross-role consistency predicted aspects of adjustment in all cultures, but prediction was most reliable in the U.S. sample and weakest in the Japanese sample. Alternative constructs proposed by cultural psychologists--personality coherence, social appraisal, and relationship harmony--predicted adjustment in all cultures but were not, as hypothesized, better predictors of adjustment in collectivistic cultures than in individualistic cultures.

Traction sheave elevator, hoisting unit and machine space

Science.gov (United States)

Hakala, Harri; Mustalahti, Jorma; Aulanko, Esko

2000-01-01

Traction sheave elevator consisting of an elevator car moving along elevator guide rails, a counterweight moving along counterweight guide rails, a set of hoisting ropes (3) on which the elevator car and counterweight are suspended, and a drive machine unit (6) driving a traction sheave (7) acting on the hoisting ropes (3) and placed in the elevator shaft. The drive machine unit (6) is of a flat construction. A wall of the elevator shaft is provided with a machine space with its open side facing towards the shaft, the essential parts of the drive machine unit (6) being placed in the space. The hoisting unit (9) of the traction sheave elevator consists of a substantially discoidal drive machine unit (6) and an instrument panel (8) mounted on the frame (20) of the hoisting unit.

A Novel Counter Sheet-flow Sandwich Cell Culture Device for Mammalian Cell Growth in Space

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Shujin; Gao, Yuxin; Shu, Nanjiang; Tang, Zemei; Tao, Zulai; Long, Mian

2008-08-01

Cell culture and growth in space is crucial to understand the cellular responses under microgravity. The effects of microgravity were coupled with such environment restrictions as medium perfusion, in which the underlying mechanism has been poorly understood. In the present work, a customer-made counter sheet-flow sandwich cell culture device was developed upon a biomechanical concept from fish gill breathing. The sandwich culture unit consists of two side chambers where the medium flow is counter-directional, a central chamber where the cells are cultured, and two porous polycarbonate membranes between side and central chambers. Flow dynamics analysis revealed the symmetrical velocity profile and uniform low shear rate distribution of flowing medium inside the central culture chamber, which promotes sufficient mass transport and nutrient supply for mammalian cell growth. An on-orbit experiment performed on a recovery satellite was used to validate the availability of the device.

Nature of leukemic stem cells in murine myelogenous leukemia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshida, K.; Nemoto, K.; Nishimura, M.; Hayata, I.; Inoue, T.; Seki, M.

1986-01-01

We investigated the nature of myelogenous leukemic stem cells in mice. L-8057, a megakaryoblastic leukemia cell line used in this study, produces in vivo and in vitro colonies. By means of typical chromosomal aberrations in L-8057, one can conveniently detect the origin of the cells in each colony derived from a leukemic stem cell. Direct evidence of whether cells from each colony had leukemogenicity in recipient mice was successfully obtained by the colony transplantation assay. Both leukemic colony-forming unit-spleen (L-CFU-s) and leukemic colony-forming unit-culture (L-CFU-c) in L-8057 may have belonged to the same differentiating stage in the stem cells because of their similar radiosensitivity, although some parts of the L-CFU of L-8057 seemed to have lost their capability to regenerate L-CFU-s when the cells were plated in dishes. This leukemic stem cell preserves high self-renewal ability in vitro after 10 passages. In addition, in vitro colony formation by this leukemic cell during the above course of serial passages did not require any additional exogenous stimulators. The same sort of trials have been made on other types of leukemias. Leukemic stem cells showed remarkable variety in their response to stimulating factors and in their self-renewal activity, which suggests that they may have consisted of heterogeneous populations

35-We polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell system for notebook computer using a compact fuel processor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Son, In-Hyuk; Shin, Woo-Cheol; Lee, Sung-Chul; Ahn, Jin-Gu; Han, Sang-Il; kweon, Ho-Jin; Kim, Ju-Yong; Park, Jun-Yong [Energy 1 Group, Energy Laboratory at Corporate R and D Center in Samsung SDI Co., Ltd., 575, Shin-dong, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do 443-731 (Korea); Lee, Yong-Kul [Department of Chemical Engineering, Dankook University, Youngin 448-701 (Korea); Kim, Moon-Chan [Department of Environmental Engineering, Chongju University, Chongju 360-764 (Korea)

2008-10-15

A polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) system is developed to power a notebook computer. The system consists of a compact methanol-reforming system with a CO preferential oxidation unit, a 16-cell PEMFC stack, and a control unit for the management of the system with a d.c.-d.c. converter. The compact fuel-processor system (260 cm{sup 3}) generates about 1.2 L min{sup -1} of reformate, which corresponds to 35 We, with a low CO concentration (<30 ppm, typically 0 ppm), and is thus proven to be capable of being targetted at notebook computers. (author)

Three-dimensional self-consistent radiation transport model for the fluid simulation of plasma display panel cell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, H.C.; Yang, S.S.; Lee, J.K.

2003-01-01

In plasma display panels (PDPs), the resonance radiation trapping is one of the important processes. In order to incorporate this effect in a PDP cell, a three-dimensional radiation transport model is self-consistently coupled with a fluid simulation. This model is compared with the conventional trapping factor method in gas mixtures of neon and xenon. It shows the differences in the time evolutions of spatial profile and the total number of resonant excited states, especially in the afterglow. The generation rates of UV light are also compared for the two methods. The visible photon flux reaching the output window from the phosphor layers as well as the total UV photon flux arriving at the phosphor layer from the plasma region are calculated for resonant and nonresonant excited species. From these calculations, the time-averaged spatial profiles of the UV flux on the phosphor layers and the visible photon flux through the output window are obtained. Finally, the diagram of the energy efficiency and the contribution of each UV light are shown

Permeability, strength and electrochemical studies on ceramic multilayers for solid-state electrochemical cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Kjeld Bøhm; Charlas, Benoit; Stamate, Eugen

2017-01-01

An electrochemical reactor can be used to purify flue gasses. Such a reactor can be a multilayer structure consisting of alternating layers of porous electrodes and electrolytes (a porous cell stack). In this work optimization of such a unit has been done by changing the pore former composition...

Liver cancer cells: targeting and prolonged-release drug carriers consisting of mesoporous silica nanoparticles and alginate microspheres.

Science.gov (United States)

Liao, Yu-Te; Liu, Chia-Hung; Yu, Jiashing; Wu, Kevin C-W

2014-01-01

A new microsphere consisting of inorganic mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) and organic alginate (denoted as MSN@Alg) was successfully synthesized by air-dynamic atomization and applied to the intracellular drug delivery systems (DDS) of liver cancer cells with sustained release and specific targeting properties. MSN@Alg microspheres have the advantages of MSN and alginate, where MSN provides a large surface area for high drug loading and alginate provides excellent biocompatibility and COOH functionality for specific targeting. Rhodamine 6G was used as a model drug, and the sustained release behavior of the rhodamine 6G-loaded MSN@Alg microspheres can be prolonged up to 20 days. For targeting therapy, the anticancer drug doxorubicin was loaded into MSN@Alg microspheres, and the (lysine)4-tyrosine-arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (K4YRGD) peptide was functionalized onto the surface of MSN@Alg for targeting liver cancer cells, hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2). The results of the 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and confocal laser scanning microscopy indicate that the MSN@Alg microspheres were successfully uptaken by HepG2 without apparent cytotoxicity. In addition, the intracellular drug delivery efficiency was greatly enhanced (ie, 3.5-fold) for the arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD)-labeled, doxorubicin-loaded MSN@Alg drug delivery system compared with the non-RGD case. The synthesized MSN@Alg microspheres show great potential as drug vehicles with high biocompatibility, sustained release, and targeting features for future intracellular DDS.

Fuel cell processor with low-temperature PEM fuel cell - testing. Final report; Naturgasreformersystem med lavtgemperatur-PEM braendselsceller - TEST. Slutrapport

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bech-Madsen, J.

2006-11-03

The purpose of the project is to further develop a Danish natural gas reformer system including optimisation of subsystems and the overall system consisting of a natural gas reformer and fuel cell CHP generator. This will contribute to the evaluation of to what extend Denmark shall develop small reformer units for PEM fuel Cells. In the project a reformer system with a high degree of automatic control has been build that fulfils the CHP requirements to operation time, dynamics etc. This work, with a FP05 reformer unit, has given valuable results concerning the possibilities and limitations of the reformer technology for CHP usage. It is important that the reformer and fuel cell units are designed with matching yields to optimise efficiency, turn-down start-up time etc. The burner that delivers heat for the steam reaction shall be able to use natural gas as fuel. This gives the possibility of using existing burner technology. In addition this will improve the efficiency since it will not be necessary to reform natural gas to feed the burner. The large number of BoP components in the FP05 unit is primarily used for achieving good regulation dynamics and accuracy. To reduce the number of components, a CHP unit with few or only one operational point should be considered. A single point of operation will reduce the number of valves as well as the requirements to the control and regulation of the system. A large part of the reformer size is needed to meet the high demands for CO purification of the reformat. This purification results in a very narrow window of operation for the reformer system. By using more CO tolerant fuel cells this part of the system can be reduced or even eliminated. To test the developed automatic control it was planned to integrate the FP05 reformer with a 10kW CHP unit that was being build by IRD in a separate project. This unit was perfect in size for testing with the reformer. However due to a number of reasons it was not possible during the

The Vertebrate Brain, Evidence of Its Modular Organization and Operating System: Insights into the Brain's Basic Units of Structure, Function, and Operation and How They Influence Neuronal Signaling and Behavior

Science.gov (United States)

Baslow, Morris H.

2011-01-01

The human brain is a complex organ made up of neurons and several other cell types, and whose role is processing information for use in eliciting behaviors. However, the composition of its repeating cellular units for both structure and function are unresolved. Based on recent descriptions of the brain's physiological “operating system”, a function of the tri-cellular metabolism of N-acetylaspartate (NAA) and N-acetylaspartylglutamate (NAAG) for supply of energy, and on the nature of “neuronal words and languages” for intercellular communication, insights into the brain's modular structural and functional units have been gained. In this article, it is proposed that the basic structural unit in brain is defined by its physiological operating system, and that it consists of a single neuron, and one or more astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and vascular system endothelial cells. It is also proposed that the basic functional unit in the brain is defined by how neurons communicate, and consists of two neurons and their interconnecting dendritic–synaptic–dendritic field. Since a functional unit is composed of two neurons, it requires two structural units to form a functional unit. Thus, the brain can be envisioned as being made up of the three-dimensional stacking and intertwining of myriad structural units which results not only in its gross structure, but also in producing a uniform distribution of binary functional units. Since the physiological NAA–NAAG operating system for supply of energy is repeated in every structural unit, it is positioned to control global brain function. PMID:21720525

The Vertebrate Brain, Evidence of Its Modular Organization and Operating System: Insights into the Brain's Basic Units of Structure, Function, and Operation and How They Influence Neuronal Signaling and Behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Baslow, Morris H

2011-01-01

The human brain is a complex organ made up of neurons and several other cell types, and whose role is processing information for use in eliciting behaviors. However, the composition of its repeating cellular units for both structure and function are unresolved. Based on recent descriptions of the brain's physiological "operating system", a function of the tri-cellular metabolism of N-acetylaspartate (NAA) and N-acetylaspartylglutamate (NAAG) for supply of energy, and on the nature of "neuronal words and languages" for intercellular communication, insights into the brain's modular structural and functional units have been gained. In this article, it is proposed that the basic structural unit in brain is defined by its physiological operating system, and that it consists of a single neuron, and one or more astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and vascular system endothelial cells. It is also proposed that the basic functional unit in the brain is defined by how neurons communicate, and consists of two neurons and their interconnecting dendritic-synaptic-dendritic field. Since a functional unit is composed of two neurons, it requires two structural units to form a functional unit. Thus, the brain can be envisioned as being made up of the three-dimensional stacking and intertwining of myriad structural units which results not only in its gross structure, but also in producing a uniform distribution of binary functional units. Since the physiological NAA-NAAG operating system for supply of energy is repeated in every structural unit, it is positioned to control global brain function.

Corrective Action Management Unit Report of Post-Closure Care Activities Calendar Year 2017.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ziock, Robert [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Little, Bonnie Colleen [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2018-02-01

The Corrective Action Management Unit (CAMU) at Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico (SNL/NM) consists of a containment cell and ancillary systems that underwent regulatory closure in 2003 in accordance with the Closure Plan in Appendix D of the Class 3 Permit Modification (SNL/NM September 1997). The containment cell was closed with wastes in place. On January 27, 2015, the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) issued the Hazardous Waste Facility Operating Permit (Permit) for Sandia National Laboratories (NMED January 2015). The Permit became effective February 26, 2015. The CAMU is undergoing post-closure care in accordance with the Permit, as revised and updated. This CAMU Report of Post-Closure Care Activities documents all activities and results for Calendar Year (CY) 2017 as required by the Permit. The CAMU containment cell consists of engineered barriers including a cover system, a bottom liner with a leachate collection and removal system (LCRS), and a vadose zone monitoring system (VZMS). The VZMS provides information on soil conditions under the cell for early leak detection. The VZMS consists of three monitoring subsystems, which include the primary subliner (PSL), a vertical sensor array (VSA), and the Chemical Waste Landfill (CWL) sanitary sewer (CSS) line. The PSL, VSA, and CSS monitoring subsystems are monitored quarterly for soil moisture concentration, the VSA is monitored quarterly for soil temperature, and the VSA and CSS monitoring subsystems are monitored annually for volatile organic compound (VOC) concentrations in the soil vapor at various depths. Baseline data for the soil moisture, soil temperature, and soil vapor were established between October 2003 and September 2004.

Time-consistent and market-consistent evaluations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pelsser, A.; Stadje, M.A.

2014-01-01

We consider evaluation methods for payoffs with an inherent financial risk as encountered for instance for portfolios held by pension funds and insurance companies. Pricing such payoffs in a way consistent to market prices typically involves combining actuarial techniques with methods from

Condom Use and Consistency among Teen Males. Fact Sheet. Publication #2008-37

Science.gov (United States)

Ikramullah, Erum; Manlove, Jennifer

2008-01-01

Teens in the United States have high rates of unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and recent data indicate that U.S. teens are engaging in riskier sexual behaviors. Male adolescents can help to lower these rates and risks by using condoms consistently with their sexual partners. Child Trends drew on national survey…

Development of an automated chip culture system with integrated on-line monitoring for maturation culture of retinal pigment epithelial cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mee-Hae Kim

2017-10-01

Full Text Available In cell manufacturing, the establishment of a fully automated, microfluidic, cell culture system that can be used for long-term cell cultures, as well as for process optimization is highly desirable. This study reports the development of a novel chip bioreactor system that can be used for automated long-term maturation cultures of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE cells. The system consists of an incubation unit, a medium supply unit, a culture observation unit, and a control unit. In the incubation unit, the chip contains a closed culture vessel (2.5 mm diameter, working volume 9.1 μL, which can be set to 37 °C and 5% CO2, and uses a gas-permeable resin (poly- dimethylsiloxane as the vessel wall. RPE cells were seeded at 5.0 × 104 cells/cm2 and the medium was changed every day by introducing fresh medium using the medium supply unit. Culture solutions were stored either in the refrigerator or the freezer, and fresh medium was prepared before any medium change by warming to 37 °C and mixing. Automated culture was allowed to continue for 30 days to allow maturation of the RPE cells. This chip culture system allows for the long-term, bubble-free, culture of RPE cells, while also being able to observe cells in order to elucidate their cell morphology or show the presence of tight junctions. This culture system, along with an integrated on-line monitoring system, can therefore be applied to long-term cultures of RPE cells, and should contribute to process control in RPE cell manufacturing.

Ecological units of the Northern Region: Subsections

Science.gov (United States)

John A. Nesser; Gary L. Ford; C. Lee Maynard; Debbie Dumroese

1997-01-01

Ecological units are described at the subsection level of the Forest Service National Hierarchical Framework of Ecological Units. A total of 91 subsections are delineated on the 1996 map "Ecological Units of the Northern Region: Subsections," based on physical and biological criteria. This document consists of descriptions of the climate, geomorphology,...

Closure Report for Corrective Action Unit 261: Area 25 Test Cell A Leachfield System, Nevada Test Site, Nevada

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

T. M. Fitzmaurice

2001-04-01

The purpose of this Closure Report (CR) is to provide documentation of the completed corrective action at the Test Cell A Leachfield System and to provide data confirming the corrective action. The Test Cell A Leachfield System is identified in the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order (FFACO) of 1996 as Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 261. Remediation of CAU 261 is required under the FFACO (1996). CAU 261 is located in Area 25 of the Nevada Test Site (NTS) which is approximately 140 kilometers (87 miles) northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada (Figure 1). CAU 261 consists of two Corrective Action Sites (CASS): CAS 25-05-01, Leachfield; and CAS 25-05-07, Acid Waste Leach Pit (AWLP) (Figures 2 and 3). Test Cell A was operated during the 1960s and 1970s to support the Nuclear Rocket Development Station. Various operations within Building 3124 at Test Cell A resulted in liquid waste releases to the Leachfield and the AWLP. The following existing site conditions were reported in the Corrective Action Decision Document (CADD) (U.S. Department of Energy, Nevada Operations Office [DOE/NV], 1999): Soil in the leachfield was found to exceed the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP) Action Level for petroleum hydrocarbons, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) preliminary remediation goals for semi volatile organic compounds, and background concentrations for strontium-90; Soil below the sewer pipe and approximately 4.5 meters (m) (15 feet [ft]) downstream of the initial outfall was found to exceed background concentrations for cesium-137 and strontium-90; Sludge in the leachfield septic tank was found to exceed the NDEP Action Level for petroleum hydrocarbons and to contain americium-241, cesium-137, uranium-234, uranium-238, potassium-40, and strontium-90; No constituents of concern (COC) were identified at the AWLP. The NDEP-approved CADD (DOWNV, 1999) recommended Corrective Action Alternative 2, ''Closure of the Septic Tank and Distribution Box

Development of a unit suitable for corrosion monitoring in district heating systems. Experiences with the LOCOR-cell test method

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Asbjørn; Hilbert, Lisbeth Rischel

2004-01-01

A by-pass unit suitable for placement of a number of different probes for corrosion monitoring has been designed. Also measurements of water parameters are allowed in a side stream from the unit. The project is a part of the Nordic Innovation Fund project KORMOF. The by-pass unit has been installed...... in 6 pressurised circulating heating systems and in one cooling system. 7 different corrosion monitoring methods have been used to study corrosion rates and types in dependency of water chemistry. This paper describes the design of the by-pass unit including water analysis methods. It also describes...... the purpose, background and gained results of one of the used monitoring techniques, the crevice corrosion measurements obtained by the LOCOR-Cell„§. The crevice corrosion cell was developed by FORCE Technology in a previous district heating project financed by Nordic Industrial Fund (1)(2). Results from...

Calcitonin, phosphate, and the osteocyte--osteoblast bone cell unit

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Talmage, R.V.; Matthews, J.L.; Martin, J.H.; Kennedy, J.W. III; Davis, W.L.; Roycroft, J.H. Jr.

1974-01-01

In this report we have attempted to correlate the morphological and chemical changes that occur in the long bone (tibia) of rats with the hypocalcemia that is produced following calcitonin injection or release from its gland of origin. By varying the supply of phosphate available to the rat, it has been possible to demonstrate that changes produced by CT both in bone and in plasma calcium concentrations were dependent upon an adequate supply of this ion. It is, therefore, postulated that the hypocalcemia produced by calcitonin is secondary to the formation of a calcium phosphate complex in and around osteocytes and lining cells. It is suggested that this complex, which is normally prevented from transforming to apatite crystal by the presence of an inhibitor, reduces the availability of calcium for rapid transport to the ECF. The reduction in calcium flux from bone to ECF results in a rapid and transient hypocalcemia. Regardless of the status of this postulate, we have at least demonstrated that the osteocyte-osteoblast unit of compact bone reacts rapidly to calcitonin in a process requiring phosphate in a sequence of events which can be closely correlated to the hypocalcemic action of the hormone.

Impact of selection of cord blood units from the United States and swiss registries on the cost of banking operations.

Science.gov (United States)

Bart, Thomas; Boo, Michael; Balabanova, Snejana; Fischer, Yvonne; Nicoloso, Grazia; Foeken, Lydia; Oudshoorn, Machteld; Passweg, Jakob; Tichelli, Andre; Kindler, Vincent; Kurtzberg, Joanne; Price, Thomas; Regan, Donna; Shpall, Elizabeth J; Schwabe, Rudolf

2013-02-01

Over the last 2 decades, cord blood (CB) has become an important source of blood stem cells. Clinical experience has shown that CB is a viable source for blood stem cells in the field of unrelated hematopoietic blood stem cell transplantation. Studies of CB units (CBUs) stored and ordered from the US (National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) and Swiss (Swiss Blood Stem Cells (SBSQ)) CB registries were conducted to assess whether these CBUs met the needs of transplantation patients, as evidenced by units being selected for transplantation. These data were compared to international banking and selection data (Bone Marrow Donors Worldwide (BMDW), World Marrow Donor Association (WMDA)). Further analysis was conducted on whether current CB banking practices were economically viable given the units being selected from the registries for transplant. It should be mentioned that our analysis focused on usage, deliberately omitting any information about clinical outcomes of CB transplantation. A disproportionate number of units with high total nucleated cell (TNC) counts are selected, compared to the distribution of units by TNC available. Therefore, the decision to use a low threshold for banking purposes cannot be supported by economic analysis and may limit the economic viability of future public CB banking. We suggest significantly raising the TNC level used to determine a bankable unit. A level of 125 × 10(7) TNCs, maybe even 150 × 10(7) TNCs, might be a viable banking threshold. This would improve the return on inventory investments while meeting transplantation needs based on current selection criteria.

A self-consistent upward leader propagation model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Becerra, Marley; Cooray, Vernon

2006-01-01

The knowledge of the initiation and propagation of an upward moving connecting leader in the presence of a downward moving lightning stepped leader is a must in the determination of the lateral attraction distance of a lightning flash by any grounded structure. Even though different models that simulate this phenomenon are available in the literature, they do not take into account the latest developments in the physics of leader discharges. The leader model proposed here simulates the advancement of positive upward leaders by appealing to the presently understood physics of that process. The model properly simulates the upward continuous progression of the positive connecting leaders from its inception to the final connection with the downward stepped leader (final jump). Thus, the main physical properties of upward leaders, namely the charge per unit length, the injected current, the channel gradient and the leader velocity are self-consistently obtained. The obtained results are compared with an altitude triggered lightning experiment and there is good agreement between the model predictions and the measured leader current and the experimentally inferred spatial and temporal location of the final jump. It is also found that the usual assumption of constant charge per unit length, based on laboratory experiments, is not valid for lightning upward connecting leaders

Evaluating Temporal Consistency in Marine Biodiversity Hotspots.

Science.gov (United States)

Piacenza, Susan E; Thurman, Lindsey L; Barner, Allison K; Benkwitt, Cassandra E; Boersma, Kate S; Cerny-Chipman, Elizabeth B; Ingeman, Kurt E; Kindinger, Tye L; Lindsley, Amy J; Nelson, Jake; Reimer, Jessica N; Rowe, Jennifer C; Shen, Chenchen; Thompson, Kevin A; Heppell, Selina S

2015-01-01

With the ongoing crisis of biodiversity loss and limited resources for conservation, the concept of biodiversity hotspots has been useful in determining conservation priority areas. However, there has been limited research into how temporal variability in biodiversity may influence conservation area prioritization. To address this information gap, we present an approach to evaluate the temporal consistency of biodiversity hotspots in large marine ecosystems. Using a large scale, public monitoring dataset collected over an eight year period off the US Pacific Coast, we developed a methodological approach for avoiding biases associated with hotspot delineation. We aggregated benthic fish species data from research trawls and calculated mean hotspot thresholds for fish species richness and Shannon's diversity indices over the eight year dataset. We used a spatial frequency distribution method to assign hotspot designations to the grid cells annually. We found no areas containing consistently high biodiversity through the entire study period based on the mean thresholds, and no grid cell was designated as a hotspot for greater than 50% of the time-series. To test if our approach was sensitive to sampling effort and the geographic extent of the survey, we followed a similar routine for the northern region of the survey area. Our finding of low consistency in benthic fish biodiversity hotspots over time was upheld, regardless of biodiversity metric used, whether thresholds were calculated per year or across all years, or the spatial extent for which we calculated thresholds and identified hotspots. Our results suggest that static measures of benthic fish biodiversity off the US West Coast are insufficient for identification of hotspots and that long-term data are required to appropriately identify patterns of high temporal variability in biodiversity for these highly mobile taxa. Given that ecological communities are responding to a changing climate and other

Assessment of Motor Units in Neuromuscular Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Henderson, Robert D; McCombe, Pamela A

2017-01-01

The motor unit comprises the anterior horn cell, its axon, and the muscle fibers that it innervates. Although the true number of motor units is unknown, the number of motor units appears to vary greatly between different muscles and between different individuals. Assessment of the number and function of motor units is needed in diseases of the anterior horn cell and other motor nerve disorders. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is the most important disease of anterior horn cells. The need for an effective biomarker for assessing disease progression and for use in clinical trials in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis has stimulated the study of methods to measure the number of motor units. Since 1970 a number of different methods, including the incremental, F-wave, multipoint, and statistical methods, have been developed but none has achieved widespread applicability. Two methods (MUNIX and the multipoint incremental method) are in current use across multiple centres and are discussed in detail in this review, together with other recently published methods. Imaging with magnetic resonance and ultrasound is increasingly being applied to this area. Motor unit number estimates have also been applied to other neuromuscular diseases such as spinal muscular atrophy, compression neuropathies, and prior poliomyelitis. The need for an objective measure for the assessment of motor units remains tantalizingly close but unfulfilled in 2016.

Modeling and control of a small solar fuel cell hybrid energy system

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

LI Wei; ZHU Xin-jian; CAO Guang-yi

2007-01-01

This paper describes a solar photovoltaic fuel cell (PVEC) hybrid generation system consisting of a photovoltaic (PV) generator, a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), an electrolyser, a supercapacitor, a storage gas tank and power conditioning unit (PCU). The load is supplied from the PV generator with a fuel cell working in parallel. Excess PV energy when available is converted to hydrogen using an electrolyser for later use in the fuel cell. The individual mathematical model for each component is presented. Control strategy for the system is described. MATLAB/Simulink is used for the simulation of this highly nonlinear hybrid energy system. The simulation results are shown in the paper.

Self-consistent electrodynamic scattering in the symmetric Bragg case

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Campos, H.S.

1988-01-01

We have analyzed the symmetric Bragg case, introducing a model of self consistent scattering for two elliptically polarized beams. The crystal is taken as a set of mathematical planes, each of them defined by a surface density of dipoles. We have considered the mesofield and the epifield differently from that of the Ewald's theory and, we assumed a plane of dipoles and the associated fields as a self consistent scattering unit. The exact analytical treatment when applied to any two neighbouring planes, results in a general and self consistent Bragg's equation, in terms of the amplitude and phase variations. The generalized solution for the set of N planes was obtained after introducing an absorption factor in the incident radiation, in two ways: (i) the analytical one, through a rule of field similarity, which says that the incidence occurs in both faces of the all crystal planes and also, through a matricial development with the Chebyshev polynomials; (ii) using the numerical solution we calculated, iteratively, the reflectivity, the reflection phase, the transmissivity, the transmission phase and the energy. The results are showed through reflection and transmission curves, which are characteristics as from kinematical as dynamical theories. The conservation of the energy results from the Ewald's self consistency principle is used. In the absorption case, the results show that it is not the only cause for the asymmetric form in the reflection curves. The model contains basic elements for a unified, microscope, self consistent, vectorial and exact formulation for interpretating the X ray diffraction in perfect crystals. (author)

Post-Closure Inspection Report for Corrective Action Unit 424: Area 3 Landfill Complexes Tonopah Test Range, Nevada Calendar Year 2001; TOPICAL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

K. B. Campbell

2002-01-01

Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 424, the Area 3 Landfill Complexes at Tonopah Test Range, consists of eight Corrective Action Sites (CASs), seven of which are landfill cells that were closed previously by capping. (The eighth CAS, A3-7, was not used as a landfill site and was closed without taking any corrective action.) Figure 1 shows the general location of the landfill cells. Figure 2 shows in more detail the location of the eight landfill cells. CAU 424 closure activities included removing small volumes of soil containing petroleum hydrocarbons, repairing cell covers that were cracked or had subsided, and installing above-grade and at-grade monuments marking the comers of the landfill cells. Post-closure monitoring requirements for CAU 424 are detailed in Section 5.0, Post-Closure Inspection Plan, contained in the Closure Report for Corrective Action Unit 424: Area 3 Landfill Complexes, Tonopah Test Range, Nevada, report number DOE/NV-283, July 1999. The Closure Report (CR) was approved by the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP) in July 1999. The CR includes compaction and permeability results of soils that cap the seven landfill cells. As stated in Section 5.0 of the NDEP-approved CR, post-closure monitoring at CAU 424 consists of the following: (1) Site inspections conducted twice a year to evaluate the condition of the unit. (2) Verification that landfill markers and warning signs are in-place, intact, and readable. (3) Notice of any subsidence, erosion, unauthorized use, or deficiencies that may compromise the integrity of the landfill covers. (4) Remedy of any deficiencies within 90 days of discovery. (5) Preparation and submittal of an annual report. Site inspections were conducted on May 16, 2001, and November 6, 2001. The inspections were preformed after the NDEP approval of the CR. This report includes copies of the inspection checklist, photographs, recommendations, and conclusions. The Post-Closure Inspection Checklists are found in

Octasaccharide is the minimal length unit required for efficient binding of cyclophilin B to heparin and cell surface heparan sulphate.

Science.gov (United States)

Vanpouille, Christophe; Denys, Agnès; Carpentier, Mathieu; Pakula, Rachel; Mazurier, Joël; Allain, Fabrice

2004-09-01

Cyclophilin B (CyPB) is a heparin-binding protein first identified as a receptor for cyclosporin A. In previous studies, we reported that CyPB triggers chemotaxis and integrin-mediated adhesion of T-lymphocytes by way of interaction with two types of binding sites. The first site corresponds to a signalling receptor; the second site has been identified as heparan sulphate (HS) and appears crucial to induce cell adhesion. Characterization of the HS-binding unit is critical to understand the requirement of HS in pro-adhesive activity of CyPB. By using a strategy based on gel mobility shift assays with fluorophore-labelled oligosaccharides, we demonstrated that the minimal heparin unit required for efficient binding of CyPB is an octasaccharide. The mutants CyPB(KKK-) [where KKK- refers to the substitutions K3A(Lys3-->Ala)/K4A/K5A] and CyPB(DeltaYFD) (where Tyr14-Phe-Asp16 has been deleted) failed to interact with octasaccharides, confirming that the Y14FD16 and K3KK5 clusters are required for CyPB binding. Molecular modelling revealed that both clusters are spatially arranged so that they may act synergistically to form a binding site for the octasaccharide. We then demonstrated that heparin-derived octasaccharides and higher degree of polymerization oligosaccharides inhibited the interaction between CyPB and fluorophore-labelled HS chains purified from T-lymphocytes, and strongly reduced the HS-dependent pro-adhesive activity of CyPB. However, oligosaccharides or heparin were unable to restore adhesion of heparinase-treated T-lymphocytes, indicating that HS has to be present on the cell membrane to support the pro-adhesive activity of CyPB. Altogether, these results demonstrate that the octasaccharide is likely to be the minimal length unit required for efficient binding of CyPB to cell surface HS and consequent HS-dependent cell responses.

Isolation and characterization of the environmental bacterial and fungi contamination in a pharmaceutical unit of mesenchymal stem cell for clinical use.

Science.gov (United States)

Martín, Patricia Gálvez; González, María Bermejo; Martínez, Adolfina Ruiz; Lara, Visitación Gallardo; Naveros, Beatriz Clares

2012-09-01

Design and implementation of an environmental monitoring program is vital to assure the maintenance of acceptable quality conditions in a pharmaceutical manufacturing unit of human mesenchymal stem cells. Since sterility testing methods require 14 days and these cells are only viable for several hours, they are currently administered without the result of this test. Consequently environmental monitoring is a key element in stem cell banks for assuring low levels of potential introduction of contaminants into the cell products. The aim of this study was to qualitatively and quantitatively analyze the environmental microbiological quality in a pharmaceutical manufacturing unit of human mesenchymal stem cells production for use in advanced therapies. Two hundred and sixty one points were tested monthly during one year, 156 from air and 105 from surfaces. Among the 6264 samples tested, 231 showed contamination, 76.6% for bacteria and 23.4% for fungi. Microbial genuses isolated were Staphylococcus (89.7%), Microccocus (4.5%), Kocuria (3.2%) and Bacillus (2.6%). In the identification of fungi, three genuses were detected: Aspergillus (56%), Penicillium (26%) and Cladosporium (18%). The origin of the contamination was found to be due to personnel manipulation and air microbiota. For all sampling methods, alert limits were set and corrective measures suggested. Copyright © 2012 The International Alliance for Biological Standardization. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

HTTR criticality calculations with SCALE6: Studies of various geometric and unit-cell options in modeling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, J. Y.; Chiang, M. H.; Sheu, R. J.; Liu, Y. W. H. [Inst. of Nuclear Engineering and Science, National Tsing Hua Univ., Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan (China)

2012-07-01

The fuel element of the High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR) presents a doubly heterogeneous geometry, where tiny TRISO fuel particles dispersed in a graphite matrix form the fuel region of a cylindrical fuel rod, and a number of fuel rods together with moderator or reflector then constitute the lattice design of the core. In this study, a series of full-core HTTR criticality calculations were performed with the SCALE6 code system using various geometric and unit-cell options in order to systematically investigate their effects on neutronic analysis. Two geometric descriptions (ARRAY or HOLE) in SCALE6 can be used to construct a complicated and repeated model. The result shows that eliminating the use of HOLE in the HTTR geometric model can save the computation time by a factor of 4. Four unit-cell treatments for resonance self-shielding corrections in SCALE6 were tested to create problem-specific multigroup cross sections for the HTTR core model. Based on the same ENDF/B-VII cross-section library, their results were evaluated by comparing with continuous-energy calculations. The comparison indicates that the INFHOMMEDIUM result overestimates the system multiplication factor (k{sub eff}) by 55 mk, whereas the LATTICECELL and MULTIREGION treatments predict the k{sub eff} values with similar biases of approximately 10 mk overestimation. The DOUBLEHET result shows a more satisfactory agreement, about 4.2 mk underestimation in the k{sub eff} value. In addition, using cell-weighted cross sections instead of an explicit modeling of TRISO particles in fuel region can further reduce the computation time by a factor of 5 without sacrificing accuracy. (authors)

A direct methanol fuel cell system to power a humanoid robot

Science.gov (United States)

Joh, Han-Ik; Ha, Tae Jung; Hwang, Sang Youp; Kim, Jong-Ho; Chae, Seung-Hoon; Cho, Jae Hyung; Prabhuram, Joghee; Kim, Soo-Kil; Lim, Tae-Hoon; Cho, Baek-Kyu; Oh, Jun-Ho; Moon, Sang Heup; Ha, Heung Yong

In this study, a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) system, which is the first of its kind, has been developed to power a humanoid robot. The DMFC system consists of a stack, a balance of plant (BOP), a power management unit (PMU), and a back-up battery. The stack has 42 unit cells and is able to produce about 400 W at 19.3 V. The robot is 125 cm tall, weighs 56 kg, and consumes 210 W during normal operation. The robot is integrated with the DMFC system that powers the robot in a stable manner for more than 2 h. The power consumption by the robot during various motions is studied, and load sharing between the fuel cell and the back-up battery is also observed. The loss of methanol feed due to crossover and evaporation amounts to 32.0% and the efficiency of the DMFC system in terms of net electric power is 22.0%.

Evaluation unit of X-ray spectrometer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Polivka, V.

1986-01-01

The evaluation unit is designed as a CAMAC modular system. It processes analog signals from the detector, amplifies them, digitizes them, stores them, and displays them. The analog data collection system consists of a high voltage supply, a linear amplifier, and an analog-to-digital convertor. The digital part of the data collection system consists of a data memory and a mapping unit. The control and calculation system consisting of a controller, a memory, an expandable working memory, a floppy disk controller, a parallel input and output for the terminal, and a controller for block transfer, provides the control of the entire spectrometer and the calculations for qualitative and quantitative analyses. It also provides connection to the peripherals: the disk operating system, the graphics terminal with keyboard, and the mosaic printer. (M.D.)

Diagnosing a Strong-Fault Model by Conflict and Consistency

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wenfeng Zhang

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The diagnosis method for a weak-fault model with only normal behaviors of each component has evolved over decades. However, many systems now demand a strong-fault models, the fault modes of which have specific behaviors as well. It is difficult to diagnose a strong-fault model due to its non-monotonicity. Currently, diagnosis methods usually employ conflicts to isolate possible fault and the process can be expedited when some observed output is consistent with the model’s prediction where the consistency indicates probably normal components. This paper solves the problem of efficiently diagnosing a strong-fault model by proposing a novel Logic-based Truth Maintenance System (LTMS with two search approaches based on conflict and consistency. At the beginning, the original a strong-fault model is encoded by Boolean variables and converted into Conjunctive Normal Form (CNF. Then the proposed LTMS is employed to reason over CNF and find multiple minimal conflicts and maximal consistencies when there exists fault. The search approaches offer the best candidate efficiency based on the reasoning result until the diagnosis results are obtained. The completeness, coverage, correctness and complexity of the proposals are analyzed theoretically to show their strength and weakness. Finally, the proposed approaches are demonstrated by applying them to a real-world domain—the heat control unit of a spacecraft—where the proposed methods are significantly better than best first and conflict directly with A* search methods.

Diagnosing a Strong-Fault Model by Conflict and Consistency.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Wenfeng; Zhao, Qi; Zhao, Hongbo; Zhou, Gan; Feng, Wenquan

2018-03-29

The diagnosis method for a weak-fault model with only normal behaviors of each component has evolved over decades. However, many systems now demand a strong-fault models, the fault modes of which have specific behaviors as well. It is difficult to diagnose a strong-fault model due to its non-monotonicity. Currently, diagnosis methods usually employ conflicts to isolate possible fault and the process can be expedited when some observed output is consistent with the model's prediction where the consistency indicates probably normal components. This paper solves the problem of efficiently diagnosing a strong-fault model by proposing a novel Logic-based Truth Maintenance System (LTMS) with two search approaches based on conflict and consistency. At the beginning, the original a strong-fault model is encoded by Boolean variables and converted into Conjunctive Normal Form (CNF). Then the proposed LTMS is employed to reason over CNF and find multiple minimal conflicts and maximal consistencies when there exists fault. The search approaches offer the best candidate efficiency based on the reasoning result until the diagnosis results are obtained. The completeness, coverage, correctness and complexity of the proposals are analyzed theoretically to show their strength and weakness. Finally, the proposed approaches are demonstrated by applying them to a real-world domain-the heat control unit of a spacecraft-where the proposed methods are significantly better than best first and conflict directly with A* search methods.

The Cost of Privacy: Riley v. California's Impact on Cell Phone Searches

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jennifer Moore

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Riley v. California is the United States Supreme Court’s first attempt to regulate the searches of cell phones by law enforcement.  The 2014 unanimous decision requires a warrant for all cell phone searches incident to arrest absent an emergency.  This work summarizes the legal precedent and analyzes the limitations and practical implications of the ruling.  General guidelines for members of the criminal justice system at all levels consistent with the Supreme Court’s decision are provided.  

Traditional African Religion: A Resource Unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Garland, William E.

This resource unit is based on research conducted by Lynn Mitchell and Ernest Valenzuela, experienced classroom teachers of African history and culture. The unit consists of an introduction by Mr. Garland and two major parts. Part I is an annotated bibliography of selected sources on various aspects of traditional African Religion useful in…

Steam generator replacement in Bruce A Unit 1 and Unit 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hart, R.S.

2006-01-01

The Bruce A Generating Station consists of four 900 MW class CANDU units. The reactor and Primary Heat Transport System for each Unit are housed within a reinforced concrete reactor vault. A large duct running below the reactor vaults accommodates the shared fuel handling system, and connects the four reactor vaults to the vacuum building. The reactor vaults, fuelling system duct and the vacuum building constitute the station vacuum containment system. Bruce A Unit 2 was shut down in 1995 and Bruce A Units 1, 3 and 4 were shutdown in 1997. Bruce A Units 3 and 4 were returned to service in late 2003 and are currently operating. Units 1 and 2 remain out of service. Bruce Power is currently undertaking a major rehabilitation of Bruce A Unit 1 and Units 2 that will extend the in-service life of these units by at least 25 years. Replacement of the Steam Generators (eight in each unit) is required; this work was awarded to SNC-Lavalin Nuclear (SLN). The existing steam drums (which house the steam separation and drying equipment) will be retained. Unit 2 is scheduled to be synchronized with the grid in 2009, followed by Unit 1 in 2009. Each Bruce A unit has two steam generating assemblies, one located above and to each end of the reactor. Each steam generating assembly consists of a horizontal cylindrical steam drum and four vertical Steam Generators. The vertical Steam Generators connect to individual nozzles that are located on the underside of the Steam Drum (SD). The steam drums are located in concrete shielding structures (steam drum enclosures). The lower sections of the Steam Generators penetrate the top of the reactor vaults: the containment pressure boundary is established by bellows assemblies that connect between the reactor vault roof slab and the Steam Generators. Each Steam Generators is supported from the bottom by a trapeze that is suspended from the reactor vault top structure. The Steam Generator Replacement (SGR) methodology developed by SLN for Unit 1

New triarylamine organic dyes containing the 9-hexyl-2-(hexyloxy)-9H-carbazole for dye-sensitized solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Su, Jianyang; Chen, Yu; Wu, Yungen; Ghimire, Raju Prasad; Xu, Yingjun; Liu, Xiujie; Wang, Zhihui; Liang, Mao

2017-01-01

Highlights: •9-hexyl-2-(hexyloxy)-9H-carbazole (HHCBZ) was synthesized for organic dyes. •Three new triarylamine sensitizers based on the HHCBZ unit were synthesized. •The HHCBZ unit outperforms the HCBZ when used as an electron donor. •An efficiency of 8.67% was achieved by M92 with the HHCBZ donor. -- Abstract: Developing carbazole derivatives as the electron donor for organic dyes have attracted extensive interest recently. Three organic dyes M92-94 based on the 9-hexyl-2-(hexyloxy)-9H-carbazole (HHCBZ) electron donor have been successfully designed and synthesized for dye-sensitized solar cells. M95 with the 9-hexyl-9H-carbazole (HCBZ) unit has also been synthesized for comparison. An introduction of the HHCBZ unit in triarylamine brings several advantages: (i) red shifting the absorption peak and increasing the maximum molar absorption coefficient of absorption bands; (ii) decreasing the charge recombination in cobalt cells as well as iodine cells; (iii) enhancing photocurrent/photovoltage and thus the power conversion efficiencies of cobalt cells as well as iodine cells. Devices prepared with M92 show consistently higher light-to-electric energy conversion efficiencies, with the champion device reaching 8.67%, surpassing M93-95.

A modular scanning tunneling microscope with an interchangeable elastic closed cell and external actuators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bjarnason, Elias H.; Arnalds, Unnar B.; Olafsson, Sveinn

2006-01-01

We introduce a novel modular cell based scanning tunneling microscope with external piezoelectric actuators. A tip and a sample are contained in a closed interchangeable cell, consisting of a stiff top plate and a bottom part, fastened together by an elastic material. The bottom part, containing a scanning tip, is fastened to a base unit while the top plate, containing a sample, is capable of scanning motion by external piezoelectric actuators mounted in the same base unit. The actuators are pre-loaded by the deformation of the elastic material of the cell, giving an increased stability. This design is expected to simplify the scanning tunneling microscope (STM) operation in difficult environments greatly by enclosing only the tip and sample in a small cell-module, which is pluggable to a scanning mechanism and other supportive functionalities. A frequency characterization and an image scan showing atomic resolution of highly oriented graphite in air, at room temperature, is presented

CRYOPRESERVATION STRATEGY FOR TISSUE ENGINEERING CONSTRUCTS CONSISTING OF HUMAN MESENHYMAL STEM CELLS AND HYDROGEL BIOMATERIALS.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Y; Wen, F; Gouk, S S; Lee, E H; Kuleshova, L

2015-01-01

The development of vitrification strategy for cell-biomaterial constructs, particularly biologically inspired nanoscale materials and hydrogels mimicking the in vivo environment is an active area. A cryopreservation strategy mimicking the in vivo environment for cell-hydrogel constructs may enhance cell proliferation and biological function. To demonstrate the efficacy of vitrification as a platform technology involving tissue engineering and human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). Microcarriers made from alginate coated with chitosan and collagen are used. Conventional freezing and vitrification were compared. The vitrification strategy includes 10 min step-wise exposure to a vitrification solution (40% v/v EG, 0.6M sucrose) and immersion into liquid nitrogen. Confocal imaging of live/dead staining of hMSCs cultured on the surface of microcarriers demonstrated that vitrified cells had excellent appearance and prolonged spindle shape morphology. The proliferation ability of post-vitrified cells arbitrated to protein Ki-67 gene expression was not significantly different in comparison to untreated control, while that of post-freezing cells was almost lost. The ability of hMSCs cultured on the surface of microcarriers to proliferate has been not affected by vitrification and it was significantly better after vitrification than after conventional freezing during continuous culture. Collagen II related mRNA expression by 4 weeks post-vitrification and post-freezing showed that ability to differentiate into cartilage was sustained during vitrification and reduced during conventional freezing. No significant difference was found between control and vitrification groups only. Vitrification strategy coupled with advances in hMSC-expansion platform that completely preserves the ability of stem cells to proliferate and subsequently differentiate allows not only to reach a critical cell number, but also demonstrate prospects for effective utilization and transportation of cells

Unit Advancement Flap for Lower Lip Reconstruction.

Science.gov (United States)

Ogino, Akihiro; Onishi, Kiyoshi; Okada, Emi; Nakamichi, Miho

2018-05-01

Lower lip reconstruction requires consideration of esthetic and functional outcome in selecting a surgical procedure, and reconstruction with local tissue is useful. The authors reconstructed full-thickness defects with a unit advancement flap. Reconstruction was performed using this method in 4 patients with lower lip squamous cell carcinoma in whom tumor resection with preservation of the mouth angle was possible. The lower lip resection width was 30 to 45 mm, accounting for 50% to 68% of the entire width of the lower lip. The flap was prepared by lateral extension from above the mental unit and matched with the potential wrinkle line of the lower lip in order to design a unit morphology surrounded by the anterior margin of the depressor labii inferioris muscle. It was elevated as a full-thickness flap composed of the orbicularis oris muscle, skin, and mucosa of the residual lower lip from the bilateral sides, and advanced to the defect. Flap transfer was adjusted by small triangular resection of the skin on the lateral side of the mental unit. The postoperative scar was inconspicuous in all patients and there was no impairment of the mouth opening-closing or articulation functions. This was a relatively simple surgical procedure. A blood supply of the flap was stable, and continuity of the orbicularis oris muscle was reconstructed by transferred the residual lower lip advancement flap from the bilateral sides. The postoperative mouth opening-closing function was sufficient, and dentures could be placed from an early phase in elderly patients. The postoperative scar was consistent with the lip unit morphology, being esthetically superior. This procedure may be applicable for reconstruction of defects approximately 1/3 to 2/3 the width of the lower lip where the mouth angle is preserved.

Roll-to-roll manufacturing of amorphous silicon alloy solar cells with in situ cell performance diagnostics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Izu, M.; Ellison, T.

2003-01-01

In order to meet the price target necessary for widespread use of solar cell products, Energy Conversion Devices, Inc., ECD, has developed and commercialized a continuous roll-to-roll manufacturing technology for the production of a-Si alloy solar cells. Since the early 1980s, we have advanced this technology from a small-scale pilot machine to a large-scale production machine. In 2002, ECD commissioned a 30 MW per year machine for United Solar Systems Corp. in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The RF PECVD a-Si alloy solar cell processor, designed and built by ECD, deposits triple-junction solar cell materials consisting of nine layers of a-Si alloys in a continuous roll-to-roll operation simultaneously on six coils of 130 μm thick, 0.36 m wide, 2.6 km long stainless-steel substrate at 1 cm/s. In order to minimize production losses due to undetected deviations of production conditions and carry on a continuous program of device optimization, we have developed and are incorporating in situ cell performance diagnostic systems. (author)

Steam generator replacement in Bruce A Unit 1 and Unit 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hart, R.S.

2007-01-01

The Bruce A Generating Station consists of four 900 MW class CANDU units. The reactor and Primary Heat Transport System for each Unit are housed within a reinforced concrete reactor vault. A large duct running below the reactor vaults accommodates the shared fuel handling system, and connects the four reactor vaults to the vacuum building. The reactor vaults, fuelling system duct and the vacuum building constitute the station vacuum containment system. Bruce A Unit 2 was shut down in 1995 and Bruce A Units 1, 3 and 4 were shutdown in 1997. Bruce A Units 3 and 4 were returned to service in late 2003 and are currently operating. Units 1 and 2 remain out of service. Bruce Power is currently undertaking a major rehabilitation of Bruce A Unit 1 and Unit 2 that will extend the in-service tile of these units by at least 25 years. Replacement of the Steam Generators (eight in each unit) is required; this work was awarded to SNC-Lavalin Nuclear (SLN). The existing steam drums (which house the steam separation and drying equipment) will be retained. Unit 2 is scheduled to be synchronized with the grid in 2009, followed by Unit 1 in 2009. Each Bruce A unit has two steam generating assemblies, one located above and to each end of the reactor. Each steam generating assembly consists of a horizontal cylindrical steam drum and four vertical Steam Generators. The vertical Steam Generators connect to individual nozzles that are located on the underside of the Steam Drum (SD). The steam drums are located in concrete shielding structures (steam drum enclosures). The lower sections of the Steam Generators penetrate the top of the reactor vaults: the containment pressure boundary is established by bellows assemblies that connect between the reactor vault roof slab and the Steam Generators. Each Steam Generators is supported from he bottom by a trapeze that is suspended from the reactor vault top structure. The Steam Generator Replacement (SGR) methodology developed by SLN for Unit 1

Breakwater stability with damaged single layer armour units

OpenAIRE

De Rover, R.; Verhagen, H.J.; Van den Berge, A.; Reedijk, B.

2008-01-01

The effect of single layer interlocking armour unit breakage on the hydraulic armour layer stability and potential damage progression is addressed in this paper. A 2-dimensional scale model of a rubble mound breakwater with an armour layer consisting of Xbloc armour units was tested. The residual armour layer stability with broken units was determined. The armour unit displacement and damage progression was assessed. According to the test series breakage of the single layer armour units has a...

Inter-relationships between single carbon units' metabolism and resting energy expenditure in weight-losing patients with small cell lung cancer. Effects of methionine supply and chemotherapy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sengeløv, H; Hansen, O P; Simonsen, L

1994-01-01

The one-carbon unit metabolism was investigated in 8 weight-losing patients with small cell carcinoma of the lung (SCLC). At diagnosis, 6 of the 8 patients had elevated formiminoglutamic acid (FIGLU) excretion after a histidine load, suggesting a lack of one-carbon units. In accordance...

Direct Observation of High-Temperature Superconductivity in One-Unit-Cell FeSe Films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Wen-Hao; Zhang Jin-Song; Li Fang-Sen; Guo Ming-Hua; Ding Hao; Tang Chen-Jia; Wang Qing-Yan; He Ke; Ji Shuai-Hua; Chen Xi; Sun Yi; Zhao Yan-Fei; Xing Ying; Wang Hui-Chao; Zhang Hui-Min; Peng Jun-Ping; Li Zhi; Wang Meng; Fujita Takeshi; Hirata Akihiko

2014-01-01

We prepared one-unit-cell (1-UC) thick FeSe films on insulating SrTiO 3 substrates with non-superconducting FeTe protection layers by molecular beam epitaxy for ex situ studies. By direct transport and magnetic measurements, we provide definitive evidence for high temperature superconductivity in the 1-UC FeSe films with an onset T C above 40 K and an extremely large critical current density J C ∼1.7×10 6 A/cm 2 at 2 K, which are much higher than T C ∼8 K and J C ∼10 4 A/cm 2 for bulk FeSe, respectively. Our work may pave the way to enhancing and tailoring superconductivity by interface engineering. (express letter)

Prognosis of Allogeneic Haematopoietic Stem Cell Recipients Admitted to the Intensive Care Unit

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lindgaard, Sidsel Christy; Nielsen, Jonas; Lindmark, Anders

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: Allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a procedure with inherent complications and intensive care may be necessary. We evaluated the short- and long-term outcomes of the HSCT recipients requiring admission to the intensive care unit (ICU). METHODS: We...... ventilation had a statistically significant effect on in-ICU (p = 0.02), 6-month (p = 0.049) and 1-year (p = 0.014) mortality. Renal replacement therapy also had a statistically significant effect on in-hospital (p = 0.038) and 6-month (p = 0.026) mortality. Short ICU admissions, i.e. ... to the ICU was confirmed in our study. Mechanical ventilation, renal replacement therapy and an ICU admission of ≥10 days were each risk factors for mortality in the first year after ICU admission....

Inter-relationships between single carbon units' metabolism and resting energy expenditure in weight-losing patients with small cell lung cancer. Effects of methionine supply and chemotherapy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sengeløv, H; Hansen, O P; Simonsen, L

1994-01-01

The one-carbon unit metabolism was investigated in 8 weight-losing patients with small cell carcinoma of the lung (SCLC). At diagnosis, 6 of the 8 patients had elevated formiminoglutamic acid (FIGLU) excretion after a histidine load, suggesting a lack of one-carbon units. In accordance, a signifi...

Consistent approach to air-cleaning system duct design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miller, W.H.; Ornberg, S.C.; Rooney, K.L.

1981-01-01

Nuclear power plant air-cleaning system effectiveness is dependent on the capability of a duct system to safely convey contaminated gas to a filtration unit and subsequently to a point of discharge. This paper presents a logical and consistent design approach for selecting sheet metal ductwork construction to meet applicable criteria. The differences in design engineers' duct construction specifications are acknowledged. Typical duct construction details and suggestions for their effective use are presented. Improvements in duct design sections of ANSI/ASME N509-80 are highlighted. A detailed leakage analysis of a control room HVAC system is undertaken to illustrate the effects of conceptual design variations on duct construction requirements. Shortcomings of previously published analyses and interpretations of a current standard are included

A program for the derivation of crystal unit cell parameters from X-ray powder diffraction measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferguson, I.F.; Rogerson, A.H.

1984-01-01

The program, FIRESTAR, determines the dimensions of a crystallographic unit cell from a set of X-ray powder diffraction measurements corresponding to a set of Bragg reflections, provided that the crystal system applicable is known and the Bragg reflections have been indexed. The program includes a range of possible extrapolation functions, and the data may be weighted. Provision is made for detecting and rejecting a single 'bad' measurement, and then rejecting measurements which lie outside an error limit set in the input data. (orig.)

Assessment of changes in plasma hemoglobin and potassium levels in red cell units during processing and storage.

Science.gov (United States)

Saini, Nishant; Basu, Sabita; Kaur, Ravneet; Kaur, Jasbinder

2015-06-01

Red cell units undergo changes during storage and processing. The study was planned to assess plasma potassium, plasma hemoglobin, percentage hemolysis during storage and to determine the effects of outdoor blood collection and processing on those parameters. Blood collection in three types of blood storage bags was done - single CPDA bag (40 outdoor and 40 in-house collection), triple CPD + SAGM bag (40 in-house collection) and quadruple CPD + SAGM bag with integral leukoreduction filter (40 in-house collection). All bags were sampled on day 0 (day of collection), day 1 (after processing), day 7, day 14 and day 28 for measurement of percentage hemolysis and potassium levels in the plasma of bag contents. There was significant increase in percentage hemolysis, plasma hemoglobin and plasma potassium level in all the groups during storage (p levels during the storage of red blood cells. Blood collection can be safely undertaken in outdoor blood donation camps even in hot summer months in monitored blood transport boxes. SAGM additive solution decreases the red cell hemolysis and allows extended storage of red cells. Prestorage leukoreduction decreases the red cell hemolysis and improves the quality of blood. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The ethics of patenting human embryonic stem cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Chapman, Audrey R

2009-09-01

Just as human embryonic stem cell research has generated controversy about the uses of human embryos for research and therapeutic applications, human embryonic stem cell patents raise fundamental ethical issues. The United States Patent and Trademark Office has granted foundational patents, including a composition of matter (or product) patent to the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF), the University of Wisconsin-Madison's intellectual property office. In contrast, the European Patent Office rejected the same WARF patent application for ethical reasons. This article assesses the appropriateness of these patents placing the discussion in the context of the deontological and consequentialist ethical issues related to human embryonic stem cell patenting. It advocates for a patent system that explicitly takes ethical factors into account and explores options for new types of intellectual property arrangements consistent with ethical concerns.

New Lithium-ion Polymer Battery for the Extravehicular Mobility Unit Suit

Science.gov (United States)

Jeevarajan, J. A.; Darcy, E. C.

2004-01-01

The Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) suit currently has a silver-zinc battery that is 20.5 V and 45 Ah capacity. The EMU's portable life support system (PLSS) will draw power from the battery during the entire period of an EVA. Due to the disadvantages of using the silver-zinc battery in terms of cost and performance, a new high energy density battery is being developed for future use, The new battery (Lithium-ion battery or LIB) will consist of Li-ion polymer cells that will provide power to the EMU suit. The battery design consists of five 8 Ah cells in parallel to form a single module of 40 Ah and five such modules will be placed in series to give a 20.5 V, 40 Ah battery. Charging will be accomplished on the Shuttle or Station using the new LIB charger or the existing ALPS (Air Lock Power Supply) charger. The LIB delivers a maximum of 3.8 A on the average, for seven continuous hours, at voltages ranging from 20.5 V to 16.0 V and it should be capable of supporting transient pulses during start up and once every hour to support PLSS fan and pump operation. Figure 1 shows the placement of the battery in the backpack area of the EMU suit. The battery and cells will undergo testing under different conditions to understand its performance and safety characteristics.

UNDERSTANDING IDEA OF CURRICULUM 2013 AND ITS CONSISTENCY ON DEVELOPING CURRICULUM DOCUMENT AT LEVEL OF EDUCATION UNIT (KTSP AT PRIMARY SCHOOL LEVEL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

- Prihantini

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract:. This study is based on various issues of Curriculum 2013, both in terms of teacher readiness to accept the Curriculum 2013, an understanding of the idea of Curriculum 2013, as well as in the implementation of teaching and learning. In the curriculum development theory, curriculum ideas are an important component that the curriculum development team needs to understand, so that the development of curriculum documents composed reflects continuity with curriculum ideas. The purpose of this study is to describe and explore the understanding of principals and teachers about the idea of Curriculum 2013 and its consistency on developing Education Unit Level Curriculum (KTSP at elementary school in Sukalarang sub-district, Sukabumi regency. The research method applied is qualitative research with descriptive exploratory approach. The conclusions of the study are: (1 the understanding of principals and teachers about the idea of the  Curriculum 2013 at the know stage, the understanding that curriculum ideas have consistency in the development of the Education Unit Level Curriculum (KTSP document is not yet owned; (2 the development of KTSP document shows no consistency between the idea of Curriculum 2013 with the documents of Book I KTSP, Book II KTSP, and Book III KTSP; (3 the problems faced by school principals and teachers in relation to the Curriculum 2013 is assessment of learning, both with regard to the techniques and types of assessment and techniques of administering the results of the assessment.Recommendations are proposed to policy makers that training strategies need to be changed from "theory oriented" to "practice oriented" and need to be varied in implementation at the Kecamatan or Cluster levels and enhanced effectiveness of curriculum counseling 2013. For principals and teachers expected to disseminate the 2013 Curriculum should be supported by presenting expert resources during the workshop, Principal Working Group (K3S and

The role of the lacrimal functional unit in the pathophysiology of dry eye.

Science.gov (United States)

Stern, Michael E; Gao, Jianping; Siemasko, Karyn F; Beuerman, Roger W; Pflugfelder, Stephen C

2004-03-01

The majority of dry eye symptoms are due to a chronic inflammation of the lacrimal functional unit resulting in a loss of tear film integrity and normal function. This leads to a reduction in the ability of the ocular surface to respond to environmental challenges. The underlying cause of tear film dysfunction is the alteration of tear aqueous, mucin, and lipid components. This may result from a systemic autoimmune disease or a local autoimmune event. A lack of systemic androgen support to the lacrimal gland has been shown to be a facilitative factor in the initiation of this type of pathophysiology. Tear secretion is controlled by the lacrimal functional unit consisting of the ocular surface (cornea, conjunctiva, accessory lacrimal glands, and meibomian glands), the main lacrimal gland and the interconnecting innervation. If any portion of this functional unit is compromised, lacrimal gland support to the ocular surface is impeded. Factors such as neurogenic inflammation and T cell involvement in the disease pathogenesis as well as newly developed animal models of ocular surface inflammation are discussed.

cellPACK: a virtual mesoscope to model and visualize structural systems biology.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Graham T; Autin, Ludovic; Al-Alusi, Mostafa; Goodsell, David S; Sanner, Michel F; Olson, Arthur J

2015-01-01

cellPACK assembles computational models of the biological mesoscale, an intermediate scale (10-100 nm) between molecular and cellular biology scales. cellPACK's modular architecture unites existing and novel packing algorithms to generate, visualize and analyze comprehensive three-dimensional models of complex biological environments that integrate data from multiple experimental systems biology and structural biology sources. cellPACK is available as open-source code, with tools for validation of models and with 'recipes' and models for five biological systems: blood plasma, cytoplasm, synaptic vesicles, HIV and a mycoplasma cell. We have applied cellPACK to model distributions of HIV envelope protein to test several hypotheses for consistency with experimental observations. Biologists, educators and outreach specialists can interact with cellPACK models, develop new recipes and perform packing experiments through scripting and graphical user interfaces at http://cellPACK.org/.

Synthesis and optoelectronic properties of a monodispersed macrocycle oligomer consisting of three triarylamine units

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kong, Qinggang, E-mail: gangq0172@163.com [Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, 219 Ningliu Road, Pukou District, Nanjing 210044 (China); Qian, Haiyan, E-mail: qianhaiy@163.com [College of Material Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Technology, 5 Xinmofan Road, Nanjing 210009 (China); Zhou, Yonghui; Li, Jun; Xiao, Huining [Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, 219 Ningliu Road, Pukou District, Nanjing 210044 (China)

2012-08-15

A monodispersed macrocyclic oligomer constructed by three triarylmine units ((TPAT){sub 3}) was designed and readily synthesized from the monomer of 3-(4 Prime -(phenyl(4 Double-Prime -methylphenyl)amino)-phenyl)pentan-3-ol (TPAT) by means of a simple Friedel-Crafts alkylation reaction. The structure of the resultant macrocycle was examined using FT-IR, NMR and MALDI-TOF mass spectroscopy. Compared with 1,10-bis(di-4-tolylaminophenyl) cyclohexane (TAPC) and tri-p-tolylamine (TTA), (TPAT){sub 3} possesses the three-dimensional chair conformation and the higher T{sub g}. In the photoluminescence (PL) spectrum of (TPAT){sub 3} film, there are no excimer emission peaks in the range of 400-550 nm region as those of TAPC and TTA. Besides an EL peak at 386 nm, the single-layer device occured only the 438 nm excimer emission peak, whose intensity increased with the excitation voltage increase. Using 1,3,5-Tris(N-phenylbenzimidazol-2-yl)-benzene (TPBI) as the electron-transporting layer, the resulting double-layer device ITO/(TPAT){sub 3} (40 nm)/TPBI (40 nm)/Mg:Ag (10:1; 50 nm)/Ag (100 nm) only exhibited a 438 nm maximum symmetrical emission peak under an excitation voltage of 14 V. However, as the applied voltage was increased from 14 V to 19 V, the intensity of the symmetrical curve with a 468 nm peak from exciplex emission gets stronger and stronger. In fact, the resultant emission curve was asymmetrical, due to the overlap of two symmetrical curves with 438 nm and 468 nm peaks, respectively. The maximum luminance and luminous efficiency are 2240 cd m{sup -2} at 18.8 V and 1.73 cd A{sup -1} at 1878 cd m{sup -2} (13.9 V). Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The monodispersed macrocyclic oligomer constructed by three triarylamine units was synthesized and characterized. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The PL of (TPAT){sub 3} film does not emerge TAPC and TTA's emission peaks of over 400 nm region. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The 438 nm emission peak was found from

The use of PEM united regenerative fuel cells in solar- hydrogen systems for remote area power supply

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arun K Doddathimmaiah; John Andrews

2006-01-01

Remote area power supply (RAPS) is a potential early market for renewable energy - hydrogen systems because of the relatively high costs of conventional energy sources in remote regions. Solar hydrogen RAPS systems commonly employ photovoltaic panels, a Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolyser, a storage for hydrogen gas, and a PEM fuel cell. Currently such systems are more costly than conventional RAPS systems employing diesel generator back up or battery storage. Unitized regenerative fuel cells (URFCs) have the potential to lower the costs of solar hydrogen RAPS systems since a URFC employs the same hardware for both the electrolyser and fuel cell functions. The need to buy a separate electrolyser and a separate fuel cell, both expensive items, is thus avoided. URFCs are in principle particularly suited for use in RAPS applications since the electrolyser function and fuel cell function are never required simultaneously. The present paper reports experimental findings on the performance of a URFC compared to that of a dedicated PEM electrolyser and a dedicated fuel cell. A design for a single-cell PEM URFC for use in experiments is described. The experimental data give a good quantitative description of the performance characteristics of all the devices. It is found that the performance of the URFC in the electrolyser mode is closely similar to that of the stand-alone electrolyser. In the fuel cell mode the URFC performance is, however, lower than that of the stand-alone fuel cell. The wider implications of these findings for the economics of future solar-hydrogen RAPS systems are discussed, and a design target of URFCs for renewable-energy RAPS applications proposed. (authors)

SPOKEN COCHABAMBA QUECHUA, UNITS 1-12.

Science.gov (United States)

LASTRA, YOLANDA; SOLA, DONALD F.

THE FIRST OF TWO VOLUMES PREPARED FOR TEACHING THE COCHABAMBA DIALECT OF QUECHUA TO SPEAKERS OF ENGLISH, THIS DOCUMENT IS MADE UP OF 12 UNITS THAT COMPRISE A 6-WEEK INTENSIVE COURSE OF 20 CLASS HOURS A WEEK. EACH UNIT CONSISTS OF ONE OR MORE DIALOGS TO BE MEMORIZED, A DIALOG REVIEW, A SECTION ON GRAMMAR WITH ACCOMPANYING EXERCISES, CONVERSATION,…

[Endoplasmic-mitochondrial Ca(2+)-functional unit: dependence of respiration of secretory cells on activity of ryanodine- and IP3 - sensitive Ca(2+)-channels].

Science.gov (United States)

Velykopols'ka, O Iu; Man'ko, B O; Man'ko, V V

2012-01-01

Using Clark oxygen electrode, dependence of mitochondrial functions on Ca(2+)-release channels activity of Chironomus plumosus L. larvae salivary glands suspension was investigated. Cells were ATP-permeabilized in order to enable penetration of exogenous oxidative substrates. Activation of plasmalemmal P2X-receptors (as well as P2Y-receptors) per se does not modify the endogenous respiration of salivary gland suspension. That is, Ca(2+)-influx from extracellular medium does not influence functional activity of mitochondria, although they are located along the basal part of the plasma membrane. Activation of RyRs intensifies endogenous respiration and pyruvate-malate-stimulated respiration, but not succinate-stimulated respiration. Neither activation of IP3Rs (via P2Y-receptors activation), nor their inhibition alters endogenous respiration. Nevertheless, IP3Rs inhibition by 2-APB intensifies succinate-stimulated respiration. All abovementioned facts testify that Ca2+, released from stores via channels, alters functional activity of mitochondria, and undoubtedly confirm the existence of endoplasmic-mitochondrial Ca(2+)-functional unit in Ch. plumosus larvae salivary glands secretory cells. In steady state of endoplasmic-mitochondrial Ca(2+)-functional unit the spontaneous activity of IP3Rs is observed; released through IP3Rs, Ca2+ is accumulated in mitochondria via uniporter and modulates oxidative processes. Activation of RyRs induces the transition of endoplasmic-mitochondrial Ca(2+)-functional unit to the active state, which is required to intensify cell respiration and oxidative phosphorylation. As expected, the transition of endoplasmic-mitochondrial Ca(2+)-functional unit to inactivated state (i. e. inhibition of Ca(2+)-release channels at excessive [Ca2+]i) limits the duration of signal transduction, has protective nature and prevents apoptosis.

Consistent mutational paths predict eukaryotic thermostability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

van Noort Vera

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Proteomes of thermophilic prokaryotes have been instrumental in structural biology and successfully exploited in biotechnology, however many proteins required for eukaryotic cell function are absent from bacteria or archaea. With Chaetomium thermophilum, Thielavia terrestris and Thielavia heterothallica three genome sequences of thermophilic eukaryotes have been published. Results Studying the genomes and proteomes of these thermophilic fungi, we found common strategies of thermal adaptation across the different kingdoms of Life, including amino acid biases and a reduced genome size. A phylogenetics-guided comparison of thermophilic proteomes with those of other, mesophilic Sordariomycetes revealed consistent amino acid substitutions associated to thermophily that were also present in an independent lineage of thermophilic fungi. The most consistent pattern is the substitution of lysine by arginine, which we could find in almost all lineages but has not been extensively used in protein stability engineering. By exploiting mutational paths towards the thermophiles, we could predict particular amino acid residues in individual proteins that contribute to thermostability and validated some of them experimentally. By determining the three-dimensional structure of an exemplar protein from C. thermophilum (Arx1, we could also characterise the molecular consequences of some of these mutations. Conclusions The comparative analysis of these three genomes not only enhances our understanding of the evolution of thermophily, but also provides new ways to engineer protein stability.

Consistent model driven architecture

Science.gov (United States)

Niepostyn, Stanisław J.

2015-09-01

The goal of the MDA is to produce software systems from abstract models in a way where human interaction is restricted to a minimum. These abstract models are based on the UML language. However, the semantics of UML models is defined in a natural language. Subsequently the verification of consistency of these diagrams is needed in order to identify errors in requirements at the early stage of the development process. The verification of consistency is difficult due to a semi-formal nature of UML diagrams. We propose automatic verification of consistency of the series of UML diagrams originating from abstract models implemented with our consistency rules. This Consistent Model Driven Architecture approach enables us to generate automatically complete workflow applications from consistent and complete models developed from abstract models (e.g. Business Context Diagram). Therefore, our method can be used to check practicability (feasibility) of software architecture models.

Tone and call responses of units in the auditory nerve and dorsal medullary nucleus of Xenopus laevis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Elliott, Taffeta M.; Christensen-Dalsgaard, Jakob; Kelley, Darcy B.

2007-01-01

The clawed frog Xenopus laevis produces vocalizations consisting of distinct patterns of clicks. This study provides the first description of spontaneous, pure-tone and communication-signal evoked discharge properties of auditory nerve (n.VIII) fibers and dorsal medullary nucleus (DMN) cells...... in an obligatorily aquatic anuran. Responses of 297 n.VIII and 253 DMN units are analyzed for spontaneous rates (SR), frequency tuning, rate-intensity functions, and firing rate adaptation, with a view to how these basic characteristics shape responses to recorded call stimuli. Response properties generally resemble......Hz with approximately 500 Hz in 3 dB bandwidth. SRs range from 0 to 80 (n.VIII) and 0 to 73 spikes/s (DMN). Nerve and DMN units of all CFs follow click rates in natural calls,

New multicell model for describing the atomic structure of La{sub 3}Ga{sub 5}SiO{sub 14} piezoelectric crystal: Unit cells of different compositions in the same single crystal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dudka, A. P., E-mail: dudka@ns.crys.ras.ru [Russian Academy of Sciences, Shubnikov Institute of Crystallography, Federal Scientific Research Centre “Crystallography and Photonics” (Russian Federation)

2017-03-15

Accurate X-ray diffraction study of langasite (La{sub 3}Ga{sub 5}SiO{sub 14}) single crystal has been performed using the data obtained on a diffractometer equipped with a CCD area detector at 295 and 90.5 K. Within the known La{sub 3}Ga{sub 5}SiO{sub 14} model, Ga and Si cations jointly occupy the 2d site. A new model of a “multicell” consisting of two different unit cells is proposed. Gallium atoms occupy the 2d site in one of these cells, and silicon atoms occupy this site in the other cell; all other atoms correspondingly coordinate these cations. This structure implements various physical properties exhibited by langasite family crystals. The conclusions are based on processing four data sets obtained with a high resolution (sin θ/λ ≤ 1.35 Å{sup –1}), the results reproduced in repeated experiments, and the high relative precision of the study (sp. gr. P321, Z = 1; at 295 K, a = 8.1652(6) Å, c = 5.0958(5) Å, R/wR = 0.68/0.68%, 3927 independent reflections; at 90.5 K, a = 8.1559(4) Å, c = 5.0913(6) Å, R/wR = 0.92/0.93%, 3928 reflections).

Link between self-consistent pressure profiles and electron internal transport barriers in tokamaks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Razumova, K A [Nuclear Fusion Institute, RRC ' Kurchatov Institute' , 123182 Moscow (Russian Federation); Andreev, V F [Nuclear Fusion Institute, RRC ' Kurchatov Institute' , 123182 Moscow (Russian Federation); Donne, A J H [FOM-Institute for Plasma Physics Rijnhuizen, Association EURATOM-FOM, partner in the Trilateral Euregio Cluster, PO Box 1207, 3430 BE Nieuwegein (Netherlands); Hogeweij, G M D [FOM-Institute for Plasma Physics Rijnhuizen, Association EURATOM-FOM, partner in the Trilateral Euregio Cluster, PO Box 1207, 3430 BE Nieuwegein (Netherlands); Lysenko, S E [Nuclear Fusion Institute, RRC ' Kurchatov Institute' , 123182 Moscow (Russian Federation); Shelukhin, D A [Nuclear Fusion Institute, RRC ' Kurchatov Institute' , 123182 Moscow (Russian Federation); Spakman, G W [FOM-Institute for Plasma Physics Rijnhuizen, Association EURATOM-FOM, partner in the Trilateral Euregio Cluster, PO Box 1207, 3430 BE Nieuwegein (Netherlands); Vershkov, V A [Nuclear Fusion Institute, RRC ' Kurchatov Institute' , 123182 Moscow (Russian Federation); Zhuravlev, V A [Nuclear Fusion Institute, RRC ' Kurchatov Institute' , 123182 Moscow (Russian Federation)

2006-09-15

Tokamak plasmas have a tendency to self-organization: the plasma pressure profiles obtained in different operational regimes and even in various tokamaks may be represented by a single typical curve, called the self-consistent pressure profile. About a decade ago local zones with enhanced confinement were discovered in tokamak plasmas. These zones are referred to as internal transport barriers (ITBs) and they can act on the electron and/or ion fluid. Here the pressure gradients can largely exceed the gradients dictated by profile consistency. So the existence of ITBs seems to be in contradiction with the self-consistent pressure profiles (this is also often referred to as profile resilience or profile stiffness). In this paper we will discuss the interplay between profile consistency and ITBs. A summary of the cumulative information obtained from T-10, RTP and TEXTOR is given, and a coherent explanation of the main features of the observed phenomena is suggested. Both phenomena, the self-consistent profile and ITB, are connected with the density of rational magnetic surfaces, where the turbulent cells are situated. The distance between these cells determines the level of their interaction, and therefore the level of the turbulent transport. This process regulates the plasma pressure profile. If the distance is wide, the turbulent flux may be diminished and the ITB may be formed. In regions with rarefied surfaces the steeper pressure gradients are possible without instantaneously inducing pressure driven instabilities, which force the profiles back to their self-consistent shapes. Also it can be expected that the ITB region is wider for lower dq/d{rho} (more rarefied surfaces)

Fresenius AS.TEC204 blood cell separator.

Science.gov (United States)

Sugai, Mikiya

2003-02-01

Fresenius AS.TEC204 is a third-generation blood cell separator that incorporates the continuous centrifugal separation method and automatic control of the cell separation process. Continuous centrifugation separates cell components according to their specific gravity, and different cell components are either harvested or eliminated as needed. The interface between the red blood cell and plasma is optically detected, and the Interface Control (IFC) cooperates with different pumps, monitors and detectors to harvest required components automatically. The system is composed of three major sections; the Front Panel Unit; the Pump Unit, and the Centrifuge Unit. This unit can be used for a wide variety of clinical applications including collection of platelets, peripheral blood stem cells, bone marrow stem cells, granulocytes, mononuclear cells, and exchange of plasma or red cells, and for plasma treatment.

BERM BREAKWATERS WITH CONCRETE BLOCKS AS ARMOUR UNITS

OpenAIRE

Camara Aguilera, Altea

2013-01-01

The objective of this thesis is to test the hydraulic stability of berm breakwaters with concrete armour units. To achieve this, five breakwater models were tested with the same wave program. All the models were modifications of the Sirevåg berm breakwater. The modifications consisted in the replacement of the class I stone form the armour layer by two different concrete units, cubes and cubipodsThe design waves were Hs,100=7.0 m, Tz=10.6 s. HoTo=48. The wave program consisted in 7 different ...

Detection unit with corrected energy dependence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Viererbl, L.

1989-01-01

The detection unit consists of a plastic scintillator with a layer of a powder semicrystalline scintillator deposited on its surface. An inorgaic monocrystalline scintillator is placed inside the plastic scintillator and surrounded with an absorption layer, except for the window. The advantage of the detection unit is a reduced energy dependence of response, especially in the energy range 100 to 400 keV. (E.J.). 3 figs

How Do We Really Compute with Units?

Science.gov (United States)

Fiedler, B. H.

2010-01-01

The methods that we teach students for computing with units of measurement are often not consistent with the practice of professionals. For professionals, the vast majority of computations with quantities of measure are performed within programs on electronic computers, for which an accounting for the units occurs only once, in the design of the…

Testing for Unit Roots in Market Shares

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Franses, P.H.B.F.; Srinivasan, S.; Boswijk, H.P.

2001-01-01

A unique characteristic of marketing data sets is the logical consistency requirement in market share models that market shares are bounded by 0 and 1, and they sum to unity. To take account of this logical consistency requirement, we propose to test for unit roots in individual market share series

Quasi-Unit-Cell Model for an Al-Ni-Co Ideal Quasicrystal based on Clusters with Broken Tenfold Symmetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abe, Eiji; Saitoh, Koh; Takakura, H.; Tsai, A. P.; Steinhardt, P. J.; Jeong, H.-C.

2000-01-01

We present new evidence supporting the quasi-unit-cell description of the Al 72 Ni 20 Co 8 decagonal quasicrystal which shows that the solid is composed of repeating, overlapping decagonal cluster columns with broken tenfold symmetry. We propose an atomic model which gives a significantly improved fit to electron microscopy experiments compared to a previous proposal by us and to alternative proposals with tenfold symmetric clusters. (c) 2000 The American Physical Society

Unit cell modeling in support of interim performance assessment for low level tank waste disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kline, N.W.

1996-01-01

A unit cell model is used to simulate the base analysis case and related sensitivity cases for the interim performance assessment of low level tank waste disposal. Simulation case results are summarized in terms of fractional contaminant release rates to the vadose zone and to the water table at the unconfined aquifer. Results suggest that the crushed glass water conditioning layer at the top of the facility and the chemical retardation pad at the bottom of the facility can be important components of the facility. Results also suggest that the release rates to the water table are dominated by the release rate from the waste form

Breakwater stability with damaged single layer armour units

NARCIS (Netherlands)

De Rover, R.; Verhagen, H.J.; Van den Berge, A.; Reedijk, B.

2008-01-01

The effect of single layer interlocking armour unit breakage on the hydraulic armour layer stability and potential damage progression is addressed in this paper. A 2-dimensional scale model of a rubble mound breakwater with an armour layer consisting of Xbloc armour units was tested. The residual

Measurement units of physical values; Unites de mesure des grandeurs physiques

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Debraine, P [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Saclay(France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

1955-07-01

The aim of this paper is twofold: 1) to give an analysis of the formation conditions of the various systems of units, 2) to show how the practical problems involving changes of units can be solved. This analysis leads to the conception of 'types' of systems, which is very useful to clarity the question of rationalized and non rationalized systems. The second point which consists essentially in: 1) finding the relationship between the measures of a given quantity in different systems, 2) deriving practical formulas, 3) deriving formulas in various 'types' of systems, is made easier by use of sets of: * definition formulas, * transformation formulas, * units of the various practical systems with useful numerical information covering the following fields: ** geometry, ** kinematics, ** mechanics, ** electricity and magnetism, ** thermodynamics, ** radiation, ** photometry, These sets being printed on coloured paper can be easily found. A number of numerical examples (21) show in a detailed way how to solve the various problems likely to occur. A chapter is particularly devoted to the Giorgi MKS system. (author) [French] Le but de cet expose est double: 1) donner une analyse des conditions de formation des differents systemes d'unites, 2) montrer comment peuvent se resoudre les problemes pratiques de changement d'unites. Cette analyse amene a 1a conception de ''types'' de systemes, conception tres utile pour eclairer la question des systemes rationalises et non rationalises. La seconde partie du programme qui consiste essentiellement: 1) a determiner les relations entre les mesures d'une meme grandeur dans differents systemes, 2) a etablir des formules pratiques, 3) a etablir les formules valables dans un ''type'' de systeme donne est facilitee par l'utilisation de listes classees de 1) formules de definition, 2) equations de transformation, 3) unites des differents systemes accompagnees de relations numeriques utiles, couvrant les domaines suivants: 1) geometrie, 5

Unit: Plants, Inspection Pack, National Trial Print.

Science.gov (United States)

Australian Science Education Project, Toorak, Victoria.

This is a National Trial Print of a unit on plants produced as a part of the Australian Science Education Project. The unit consists of an information booklet for students, a booklet for recording student data, and a teacher's guide. The material, designed for use with students in the upper elementary grades, takes from 15 to 20 forty-minute…

Epidemiologic characteristics and risk factors for renal cell cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Loren Lipworth

2009-04-01

Full Text Available Loren Lipworth1,2, Robert E Tarone1,2, Lars Lund2,3, Joseph K McLaughlin1,21International Epidemiology Institute, Rockville, MD, USA; 2Department of Medicine (JKM, RET and Preventive Medicine (LL, Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Nashville, TN, USA; 3Department of Urology, Viborg Hospital, Viborg, DenmarkAbstract: Incidence rates of renal cell cancer, which accounts for 85% of kidney cancers, have been rising in the United States and in most European countries for several decades. Family history is associated with a two- to four-fold increase in risk, but the major forms of inherited predisposition together account for less than 4% of renal cell cancers. Cigarette smoking, obesity, and hypertension are the most consistently established risk factors. Analgesics have not been convincingly linked with renal cell cancer risk. A reduced risk of renal cell cancer among statin users has been hypothesized but has not been adequately studied. A possible protective effect of fruit and vegetable consumption is the only moderately consistently reported dietary finding, and, with the exception of a positive association with parity, evidence for a role of hormonal or reproductive factors in the etiology of renal cell cancer in humans is limited. A recent hypothesis that moderate levels of alcohol consumption may be protective for renal cell cancer is not strongly supported by epidemiologic results, which are inconsistent with respect to the categories of alcohol consumption and the amount of alcohol intake reportedly associated with decreased risk. For occupational factors, the weight of the evidence does not provide consistent support for the hypotheses that renal cell cancer may be caused by asbestos, gasoline, or trichloroethylene exposure. The established determinants of renal cell cancer, cigarette smoking, obesity, and hypertension, account for less than half of these cancers. Novel epidemiologic approaches

Characterization of a resident population of adventitial macrophage progenitor cells in postnatal vasculature.

Science.gov (United States)

Psaltis, Peter J; Puranik, Amrutesh S; Spoon, Daniel B; Chue, Colin D; Hoffman, Scott J; Witt, Tyra A; Delacroix, Sinny; Kleppe, Laurel S; Mueske, Cheryl S; Pan, Shuchong; Gulati, Rajiv; Simari, Robert D

2014-07-18

Macrophages regulate blood vessel structure and function in health and disease. The origins of tissue macrophages are diverse, with evidence for local production and circulatory renewal. We identified a vascular adventitial population containing macrophage progenitor cells and investigated their origins and fate. Single-cell disaggregates from adult C57BL/6 mice were prepared from different tissues and tested for their capacity to form hematopoietic colony-forming units. Aorta showed a unique predilection for generating macrophage colony-forming units. Aortic macrophage colony-forming unit progenitors coexpressed stem cell antigen-1 and CD45 and were adventitially located, where they were the predominant source of proliferating cells in the aortic wall. Aortic Sca-1(+)CD45(+) cells were transcriptionally and phenotypically distinct from neighboring cells lacking stem cell antigen-1 or CD45 and contained a proliferative (Ki67(+)) Lin(-)c-Kit(+)CD135(-)CD115(+)CX3CR1(+)Ly6C(+)CD11b(-) subpopulation, consistent with the immunophenotypic profile of macrophage progenitors. Adoptive transfer studies revealed that Sca-1(+)CD45(+) adventitial macrophage progenitor cells were not replenished via the circulation from bone marrow or spleen, nor was their prevalence diminished by depletion of monocytes or macrophages by liposomal clodronate treatment or genetic deficiency of macrophage colony-stimulating factor. Rather adventitial macrophage progenitor cells were upregulated in hyperlipidemic ApoE(-/-) and LDL-R(-/-) mice, with adventitial transfer experiments demonstrating their durable contribution to macrophage progeny particularly in the adventitia, and to a lesser extent the atheroma, of atherosclerotic carotid arteries. The discovery and characterization of resident vascular adventitial macrophage progenitor cells provides new insight into adventitial biology and its participation in atherosclerosis and provokes consideration of the broader existence of local macrophage

Self-consistent modeling of amorphous silicon devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hack, M.

1987-01-01

The authors developed a computer model to describe the steady-state behaviour of a range of amorphous silicon devices. It is based on the complete set of transport equations and takes into account the important role played by the continuous distribution of localized states in the mobility gap of amorphous silicon. Using one set of parameters they have been able to self-consistently simulate the current-voltage characteristics of p-i-n (or n-i-p) solar cells under illumination, the dark behaviour of field-effect transistors, p-i-n diodes and n-i-n diodes in both the ohmic and space charge limited regimes. This model also describes the steady-state photoconductivity of amorphous silicon, in particular, its dependence on temperature, doping and illumination intensity

Growth Factor Independence-1 (Gfi1) Is Required for Pancreatic Acinar Unit Formation and Centroacinar Cell Differentiation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Qu, Xiaoling; Nyeng, Pia; Xiao, Fan

2015-01-01

of granulocytes, inner ear hair cells, and the development of secretory cell types in the intestine. As GFI1/Gfi1 is expressed in human and rodent pancreas, we characterized the potential function of Gfi1 in mouse pancreatic development. METHODS: Gfi1 knockout mice were analyzed at histological and molecular...... levels, including qRT-PCR, in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry, and electron microscopy. RESULTS: Loss of Gfi1 impacted formation and structure of the pancreatic acinar/centroacinar unit. Histologic and ultrastructural analysis of Gfi1-null pancreas revealed specific defects at the level...... was correlated with an exocrine organ defect. Postnatally, Gfi1 deficiency resulted in severe pancreatic acinar dysplasia, including loss of granulation, autolytic vacuolation, and a proliferative and apoptotic response. CONCLUSIONS: Gfi1 plays an important role in regulating the development of pancreatic CACs...

Performance of 7-cells Dye Sensitized Solar Module in Z-type Series Interconnection

Science.gov (United States)

Nur Anggraini, Putri; Muliani, Lia; Maulani Nursam, Natalita; Hidayat, Jojo

2018-01-01

Dye sensitized solar cells (DSSC) is becoming attractive research topic as third generation solar cells technology since it provides clean energy and low cost fabrication. In this study, DSSC was fabricated into module scale, which is important for practical applications. The module was prepared in sandwich structure consisting of TiO2 working electrode and Pt counter electrode on conductive substrate with an area of 100 mm x 100 mm, which was distributed into seven active cells. TiO2 paste was deposited on FTO glass as working electrode with a size of 10 mm x 98 mm per unit cell by screen printing method. Each cell was connected in Z-type series that able to produce high voltage. I - V measurement was applied in two methods consisting of laboratory testing using sun simulator under 500 W/m2 of illumination and outdoor testing using a digital multimeter under direct sunlight. The result shows that DSSC module has photoconversion efficiency of 1.08% and 1.17% for laboratory and outdoor testing, respectively. The module was also tested in three different times to monitor its stability performance.

Synthesis of a conjugated pyrrolopyridazinedione–benzodithiophene (PPD–BDT) copolymer and its application in organic and hybrid solar cells

KAUST Repository

Knall, Astrid-Caroline

2017-03-30

Herein, we describe the synthesis and characterization of a conjugated donor–acceptor copolymer consisting of a pyrrolopyridazinedione (PPD) acceptor unit, and a benzodithiophene (BDT) donor unit. The polymerization was done via a Stille cross-coupling polycondensation. The resulting PPD–BDT copolymer revealed an optical bandgap of 1.8 eV and good processability from chlorobenzene solutions. In an organic solar cell in combination with PC70BM, the polymer led to a power conversion efficiency of 4.5%. Moreover, the performance of the copolymer was evaluated in polymer/nanocrystal hybrid solar cells using non-toxic CuInS2 nanocrystals as inorganic phase, which were prepared from precursors directly in the polymer matrix without using additional capping ligands. The PPD–BDT/CuInS2 hybrid solar cells showed comparably high photovoltages and a power conversion efficiency of 2.2%.Graphical abstract

Synthesis of a conjugated pyrrolopyridazinedione-benzodithiophene (PPD-BDT) copolymer and its application in organic and hybrid solar cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Knall, Astrid-Caroline; Jones, Andrew O F; Kunert, Birgit; Resel, Roland; Reishofer, David; Zach, Peter W; Kirkus, Mindaugas; McCulloch, Iain; Rath, Thomas

2017-01-01

Herein, we describe the synthesis and characterization of a conjugated donor-acceptor copolymer consisting of a pyrrolopyridazinedione (PPD) acceptor unit, and a benzodithiophene (BDT) donor unit. The polymerization was done via a Stille cross-coupling polycondensation. The resulting PPD-BDT copolymer revealed an optical bandgap of 1.8 eV and good processability from chlorobenzene solutions. In an organic solar cell in combination with PC 70 BM, the polymer led to a power conversion efficiency of 4.5%. Moreover, the performance of the copolymer was evaluated in polymer/nanocrystal hybrid solar cells using non-toxic CuInS 2 nanocrystals as inorganic phase, which were prepared from precursors directly in the polymer matrix without using additional capping ligands. The PPD-BDT/CuInS 2 hybrid solar cells showed comparably high photovoltages and a power conversion efficiency of 2.2%.

A COMPUTATIONAL FLUID DYNAMICS ANALYSIS OF AIR FLOW THROUGH A TELECOM BACK-UP UNIT POWERED BY AN AIR-COOLED PROTON EXCHANGE MEMBRANE FUEL CELL

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gao, Xin; Berning, Torsten; Kær, Søren Knudsen

2016-01-01

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC’s) are currently being commercialized for various applications ranging from automotive to stationary such as powering telecom back-up units. In PEMFC’s, oxygen from air is internally combined with hydrogen to form water and produce electricity and heat....... This product heat has to be effectively removed from the fuel cell, and while automotive fuel cells are usually liquid-cooled using a secondary coolant loop similar to the internal combustion engines, stationary fuel cell systems as they are used for telecom back-up applications often rely on excessive air fed...... to the fuel cell cathode to remove the heat. Thereby, the fuel cell system is much simpler and cheaper while the fuel cell performance is substantially lower compared to automotive fuel cells. This work presents a computational fluid dynamics analysis on the heat management of an air-cooled fuel cell powered...

Definite existence of subphases with eight- and ten-layer unit cells as studied by complementary methods, electric-field-induced birefringence and microbeam resonant x-ray scattering.

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Zhengyu; Chandani Perera, A D L; Fukuda, Atsuo; Vij, Jagdish K; Ishikawa, Ken; Iida, Atsuo; Takanishi, Yoichi

2017-07-01

A mixture of two selenium-containing compounds, 80 wt. % AS657 and 20 wt. % AS620, are studied with two complementary methods, electric-field-induced birefringence (EFIB) and microbeam resonant x-ray scattering (μRXS). The mixture shows the typical phase sequence of Sm-C_{A}^{*}-1/3-1/2-Sm-C^{*}-Sm-C_{α}^{*}-Sm-A, where 1/3 and 1/2 are two prototypal ferrielectric and antiferroelectric subphases with three- and four-layer unit cells, respectively. Here we designate the subphase as its q_{T} number defined by the ratio of [F]/([F]+[A]), where [F] and [A] are the numbers of synclinic ferroelectric and anticlinic antiferroelectric orderings in the unit cell, respectively. The electric field vs temperature phase diagram with EFIB contours indicates the emergence of three additional subphases, an antiferroelectric one between Sm-C_{A}^{*} and 1/3 and antiferroelectric and apparently ferrielectric ones between 1/3 and 1/2. The simplest probable q_{T}'s for these additional subphases are 1/4, 2/5, and 3/7, respectively, in the order of increasing temperature. The μRXS profiles indicate that antiferroelectric 1/4 and 2/5 approximately have the eight-layer (FAAAFAAA) and ten-layer (FAFAAFAFAA) Ising unit cells, respectively. The remaining subphase may be ferrielectric 3/7 with a seven-layer unit cell, although the evidence is partial. These experimental results are compared with the phenomenological Landau model [P. V. Dolganov and E. I. Kats, Liq. Cryst. Rev. 1, 127 (2014)2168-039610.1080/21680396.2013.869667] and the quasimolecular model [A. V. Emelyanenko and M. A. Osipov, Phys. Rev. E 68, 051703 (2003)1063-651X10.1103/PhysRevE.68.051703].

Liver cancer cells: targeting and prolonged-release drug carriers consisting of mesoporous silica nanoparticles and alginate microspheres

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liao YT

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Yu-Te Liao,1 Chia-Hung Liu,2 Jiashing Yu,1 Kevin C-W Wu1,3 1Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; 2Department of Urology, Taipei Medical University-Shuang Ho Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan; 3Division of Medical Engineering Research, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan Township, Miaoli County, Taiwan Abstract: A new microsphere consisting of inorganic mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs and organic alginate (denoted as MSN@Alg was successfully synthesized by air-dynamic atomization and applied to the intracellular drug delivery systems (DDS of liver cancer cells with sustained release and specific targeting properties. MSN@Alg microspheres have the advantages of MSN and alginate, where MSN provides a large surface area for high drug loading and alginate provides excellent biocompatibility and COOH functionality for specific targeting. Rhodamine 6G was used as a model drug, and the sustained release behavior of the rhodamine 6G-loaded MSN@Alg microspheres can be prolonged up to 20 days. For targeting therapy, the anticancer drug doxorubicin was loaded into MSN@Alg microspheres, and the (lysine4-tyrosine-arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (K4YRGD peptide was functionalized onto the surface of MSN@Alg for targeting liver cancer cells, hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2. The results of the 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT assay and confocal laser scanning microscopy indicate that the MSN@Alg microspheres were successfully uptaken by HepG2 without apparent cytotoxicity. In addition, the intracellular drug delivery efficiency was greatly enhanced (ie, 3.5-fold for the arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD-labeled, doxorubicin-loaded MSN@Alg drug delivery system compared with the non-RGD case. The synthesized MSN@Alg microspheres show great potential as drug vehicles with high biocompatibility, sustained release, and targeting features for future intracellular DDS. Keywords

Effects of the Scientific Argumentation Based Learning Process on Teaching the Unit of Cell Division and Inheritance to Eighth Grade Students

Science.gov (United States)

Balci, Ceyda; Yenice, Nilgun

2016-01-01

The aim of this study is to analyse the effects of scientific argumentation based learning process on the eighth grade students' achievement in the unit of "cell division and inheritance". It also deals with the effects of this process on their comprehension about the nature of scientific knowledge, their willingness to take part in…

The eye-complaint questionnaire in a visual display unit work environment: Internal consistency and test-retest reliability

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Steenstra, Ivan A.; Sluiter, Judith K.; Frings-Dresen, Monique H. W.

2009-01-01

The internal consistency and test-retest reliability of a 10-item eye-complaint questionnaire (ECQ) were examined within a sample of office workers. Repeated within-subjects measures were performed within a single day and over intervals of 1 and 7 d. Questionnaires were completed by 96 workers (70%

Observations on the contributions of environmental restraints and innate stem cell ability to hematopoietic regeneration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duke-Cohan, J.S.

1988-01-01

A competitive repopulation assay utilizing chromosome markers was used to assay the reconstituting potential of hematopoietic populations. The test populations consisted of tibial murine marrow locally irradiated with doses ranging from 1.5 Gy to 8.5 Gy and of marrow generated from either murine splenic or marrow stem cells. The purpose of this assay was to assess the innate proliferative potential and microenvironmental influences on the ability to repopulate. Regardless of origin, spleen repopulating ability consistently agreed with spleen colony-forming unit (CFU-s) content. Doses of radiation from 5 Gy to 8.5 Gy diminished, by a factor of 2, the ability to repopulate marrow despite maintenance of CFU-s levels. Marrow generated from splenic stem cells had one-fifth the repopulating ability of marrow derived from marrow stem cells, even though CFU-s levels were equivalent. The results imply that the splenic environment can only maintain stem cells at the level of the CFU-s, even if the stem cells were originally of higher quality, and that their original potential cannot be regained in a marrow environment. Nevertheless, the marrow can maintain more primitive stem cells, but this reserve is drained to support CFU-s levels

Some Notes about Unit Accentuation in Danish

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Togeby, Ole

2006-01-01

Unit accentuation in Danish, e.g.:han ostod 'op (he got up) vs han 'stod 'op (he was standing)  is described as consisting of a stress loser (stod) and a stress keeper (op). A destinction is made between progressive stress loss, which is discontinous,  and regressive stress loss, which is not dis......Unit accentuation in Danish, e.g.:han ostod 'op (he got up) vs han 'stod 'op (he was standing)  is described as consisting of a stress loser (stod) and a stress keeper (op). A destinction is made between progressive stress loss, which is discontinous,  and regressive stress loss, which...

Seismic structural response analysis using consistent mass matrices having dynamic coupling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shaw, D.E.

1977-01-01

The basis for the theoretical development of this paper is the linear matrix equations of motion for an unconstrained structure subject to support excitation. The equations are formulated in terms of absolute displacement, velocity and acceleration vectors. By means of a transformation of the absolute response vectors into displacements, velocities and accelerations relative to the support motions, the homogeneous equations become non-homogeneous and the non-homogeneous boundary conditions become homogeneous with relative displacements, velocities and accelerations being zero at support points. The forcing function or inertial loading vector is shown to consist of two parts. The first part is comprised of the mass matrix times the suppport acceleration function times a vector of structural displacements resulting from a unit vector of support displacements in the direction of excitation. This inertial loading corresponds to the classical seismic loading vector and is indeed the only loading vector for lumped-mass systems. The second part of he inertial loading vectors consists of the mass matrix times the support acceleration function times a vector of structural accelerations resulting from unit support accelerations in the direction of excitation. This term is not present in classical seismic analysis formulations and results from the presence of off-diagonal terms in the mass matrices which give rise to dynamic coupling through the mass matrix. Thus, for lumped-mass models, the classical formulation of the inertial loading vector is correct. However, if dynamic coupling terms are included through off-diagonal terms in the mass matrix, an additional inertia loading vector must be considered

Measuring process and knowledge consistency

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Edwards, Kasper; Jensen, Klaes Ladeby; Haug, Anders

2007-01-01

When implementing configuration systems, knowledge about products and processes are documented and replicated in the configuration system. This practice assumes that products are specified consistently i.e. on the same rule base and likewise for processes. However, consistency cannot be taken...... for granted; rather the contrary, and attempting to implement a configuration system may easily ignite a political battle. This is because stakes are high in the sense that the rules and processes chosen may only reflect one part of the practice, ignoring a majority of the employees. To avoid this situation......, this paper presents a methodology for measuring product and process consistency prior to implementing a configuration system. The methodology consists of two parts: 1) measuring knowledge consistency and 2) measuring process consistency. Knowledge consistency is measured by developing a questionnaire...

Bitcoin Meets Strong Consistency

OpenAIRE

Decker, Christian; Seidel, Jochen; Wattenhofer, Roger

2014-01-01

The Bitcoin system only provides eventual consistency. For everyday life, the time to confirm a Bitcoin transaction is prohibitively slow. In this paper we propose a new system, built on the Bitcoin blockchain, which enables strong consistency. Our system, PeerCensus, acts as a certification authority, manages peer identities in a peer-to-peer network, and ultimately enhances Bitcoin and similar systems with strong consistency. Our extensive analysis shows that PeerCensus is in a secure state...

Flexible and elastic metamaterial absorber for low frequency, based on small-size unit cell

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoo, Y. J.; Zheng, H. Y.; Kim, Y. J.; Lee, Y. P., E-mail: yplee@hanyang.ac.kr [Department of Physics and RINS, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791 (Korea, Republic of); Rhee, J. Y. [Department of Physics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon (Korea, Republic of); Kang, J.-H. [Department of Nano and Electronic Physics, Kookmin University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, K. W. [Department of Information Display, Sunmoon University, Asan (Korea, Republic of); Cheong, H. [Department of Physics, Sogang University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Y. H. [Infovion Inc., Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2014-07-28

Using a planar and flexible metamaterial (MM), we obtained the low-frequency perfect absorption even with very small unit-cell size in snake-shape structure. These shrunken, deep-sub-wavelength and thin MM absorbers were numerically and experimentally investigated by increasing the inductance. The periodicity/thickness (the figure of merit for perfect absorption) is achieved to be 10 and 2 for single-snake-bar and 5-snake-bar structures, respectively. The ratio between periodicity and resonance wavelength (in mm) is close to 1/12 and 1/30 at 2 GHz and 400 MHz, respectively. The absorbers are specially designed for absorption peaks around 2 GHz and 400 MHz, which can be used for depressing the electromagnetic noise from everyday electronic devices and mobile phones.

The effects of unit morale and interpersonal relations on conflict in the nursing unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Cox, K B

2001-07-01

Health care organizations face major changes, and these changes are likely to increase conflict in organizations. Although numerous studies have focused on conflict management, few have considered causes and effect of conflict in nursing units. The investigation tested a structural equation that examined the relationships among individual and contextual variables and intragroup conflict, job satisfaction, team performance effectiveness, and anticipated turnover. The nonrandom sample consisted of 141 nurses employed on 13 inpatient units at a state-supported, 597-bed academic medical centre in a southeastern city. Intragroup conflict was higher on smaller units with a higher ratio of RNs to total staff. Intragroup conflict was not associated with satisfaction with pay or anticipated turnover. In the final model, the unit morale and interpersonal relations dimension of team performance effectiveness was negatively associated with intragroup conflict and anticipated turnover, and positively associated with satisfaction with pay. High perceptions of unit morale and interpersonal relations buffered the effect of unit size and skill mix on intragroup conflict. Goodness of fit statistics indicated a good fit of the model to data. The findings have implications for nursing educators and administrators, and provide direction for future research.

Microcontroller Unit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tulaev, A.B.

1994-01-01

The general purpose micro controller unit based on 8-bit single-chip microcomputer of the MCS-51 family is described. The controller has the data and program memories, a serial interface and an external bus for functional I/O extensions. The controller consists of a microcomputer chip, up to 4 ROM-RAM chips and 10 SSI and MSI chips, and it measures 160x120 mm. Both hardware and software micro system debugging tools are described. (author). 8 refs., 1 fig., 1 tab

View from Europe: stability, consistency or pragmatism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dunster, H.J.

1988-01-01

The last few years of this decade look like a period of reappraisal of radiation protection standards. The revised risk estimates from Japan will be available, and the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation will be publishing new reports on biological topics. The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) has started a review of its basic recommendations, and the new specification for dose equivalent in radiation fields of the International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements (ICRU) will be coming into use. All this is occurring at a time when some countries are still trying to catch up with committed dose equivalent and the recently recommended change in the value of the quality factor for neutrons. In Europe, the problems of adapting to new ICRP recommendations are considerable. The European Community, including 12 states and nine languages, takes ICRP recommendations as a basis and develops council directives that are binding on member states, which have then to arrange for their own regulatory changes. Any substantial adjustments could take 5 y or more to work through the system. Clearly, the regulatory preference is for stability. Equally clearly, trade unions and public interest groups favor a rapid response to scientific developments (provided that the change is downward). Organizations such as the ICRP have to balance their desire for internal consistency and intellectual purity against the practical problems of their clients in adjusting to change. This paper indicates some of the changes that might be necessary over the next few years and how, given a pragmatic approach, they might be accommodated in Europe without too much regulatory confusion

Strategies for ensuring global consistency/comparability of water-quality data

Science.gov (United States)

Klein, J.M.

1999-01-01

In the past 20 years the water quality of the United States has improved remarkably-the waters are safer for drinking, swimming, and fishing. However, despite many accomplishments, it is still difficult to answer such basic questions as: 'How clean is the water?' and 'How is it changing over time?' These same questions exist on a global scale as well. In order to focus water-data issues in the United States, a national Intergovernmental Task Force on Monitoring Water Quality (ITFM) was initiated for public and private organizations, whereby key elements involved in data collection, analysis, storage, and management could be made consistent and comparable. The ITFM recommended and its members are implementing a nationwide strategy to improve water-quality monitoring, assessment, and reporting activities. The intent of this paper is to suggest that a voluntary effort be initiated to ensure the comparability and utility of hydrological data on a global basis. Consistent, long-term data sets that are comparable are necessary in order to formulate ideas regarding regional and global trends in water quantity and quality. The author recommends that a voluntary effort similar to the ITFM effort be utilized. The strategy proposed would involve voluntary representation from countries and international organizations (e.g. World Health Organization) involved in drinking-water assessments and/or ambient water-quality monitoring. Voluntary partnerships such as this will improve curability to reduce health risks and achieve a better return on public and private investments in monitoring, environmental protection, and natural resource management, and result in a collaborative process that will save millions of dollars.In this work it is suggested that a voluntary effort be initiated to ensure the comparability and utility of hydrological data on a global basis. The strategy proposed would involve voluntary representation from countries and international organizations involved in

Mobile emergency response unit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kadi, W.J.; Trolan, R.T.; Becker, J.F.

1979-01-01

The Hotspot quick-response unit was the solution to a requirement to find, identify, and control areas of radioactive contamination at the scene of a nuclear weapons accident. The unit consists of two trucks and two trailers, and is designed to be transported by one U.S. Air Force C-141. One truck (generator truck) carries a 40 kW generator-heater-air conditioner combination, spare tires, and accessories. The other (water truck) carries supplies and a 250-gal water tank. One trailer (counting trailer) contains detecting, counting, and recording equipment. The other (decontaminating trailer) contains a shower, sink, 30-gal hot water tank, and supplies

Manufacturing history of etanercept (Enbrel®): Consistency of product quality through major process revisions.

Science.gov (United States)

Hassett, Brian; Singh, Ena; Mahgoub, Ehab; O'Brien, Julie; Vicik, Steven M; Fitzpatrick, Brian

2018-01-01

Etanercept (ETN) (Enbrel®) is a soluble protein that binds to, and specifically inhibits, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), a proinflammatory cytokine. ETN is synthesized in Chinese hamster ovary cells by recombinant DNA technology as a fusion protein, with a fully human TNFRII ectodomain linked to the Fc portion of human IgG1. Successful manufacture of biologics, such as ETN, requires sophisticated process and product understanding, as well as meticulous control of operations to maintain product consistency. The objective of this evaluation was to show that the product profile of ETN drug substance (DS) has been consistent over the course of production. Multiple orthogonal biochemical analyses, which included evaluation of attributes indicative of product purity, potency, and quality, were assessed on >2,000 batches of ETN from three sites of DS manufacture, during the period 1998-2015. Based on the key quality attributes of product purity (assessed by hydrophobic interaction chromatography HPLC), binding activity (to TNF by ELISA), potency (inhibition of TNF-induced apoptosis by cell-based bioassay) and quality (N-linked oligosaccharide map), we show that the integrity of ETN DS has remained consistent over time. This consistency was maintained through three major enhancements to the initial process of manufacturing that were supported by detailed comparability assessments, and approved by the European Medicines Agency. Examination of results for all major quality attributes for ETN DS indicates a highly consistent process for over 18 years and throughout changes to the manufacturing process, without affecting safety and efficacy, as demonstrated across a wide range of clinical trials of ETN in multiple inflammatory diseases.

How unit level nursing responsibilities are structured in US hospitals.

Science.gov (United States)

Minnick, Ann F; Mion, Lorraine C; Johnson, Mary E; Catrambone, Cathy

2007-10-01

To describe (1) the extent to which acute and intensive care units use the elements of nursing models (team, functional, primary, total patient care, patient-focused care, case management) and (2) the deployment of non-unit-based personnel resources. The lack of current data-based behavioral descriptions of the extent to which elements of nursing models are implemented makes it difficult to determine how work models may influence outcomes. Nurse managers of 56 intensive care units and 80 acute care adult units from 40 randomly selected US hospitals participated in a structured interview regarding (1) day-shift use of patient assignment behaviors associated with nursing models and (2) the availability and consistency of assignment of non-unit-based support personnel. No model was implemented fully. Almost all intensive care units reported similar assignment behaviors except in the consistency of patient assignment. Non-intensive care units demonstrated wide variation in assignment patterns. Patterns differed intra-institutionally. There were large differences in the availability and deployment of non-unit-based supportive resources. Administrators must recognize the differences in work models within their institutions as a part of any quality improvement effort. Attempts to test new work models must be rigorous in the measurement of their implementation.

Consistently violating the non-Gaussian consistency relation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mooij, Sander; Palma, Gonzalo A.

2015-01-01

Non-attractor models of inflation are characterized by the super-horizon evolution of curvature perturbations, introducing a violation of the non-Gaussian consistency relation between the bispectrum's squeezed limit and the power spectrum's spectral index. In this work we show that the bispectrum's squeezed limit of non-attractor models continues to respect a relation dictated by the evolution of the background. We show how to derive this relation using only symmetry arguments, without ever needing to solve the equations of motion for the perturbations

Asymmetric lateral distribution of melanoma and Merkel cell carcinoma in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Paulson, Kelly G; Iyer, Jayasri G; Nghiem, Paul

2010-01-01

Background A recent report suggested a trend towards more UV-linked skin cancers arising on the left rather than the right side of the body in the United States. Objective To test whether the reported incidences of two UV-linked skin cancers, malignant melanoma (MM) and Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), are greater on the left than the right in the US. Methods MMs (n = 82,587) and MCCs (n = 2,384) occurring on the left or right side of the face, arm or leg that were reported in the SE*ER registry between 1986–2006 were included for analysis. Results MM and MCC were significantly more likely to present on the left than the right (p automobile UV exposure (approximately 20-fold stronger on the left than right arm) is a likely contributing factor. It may be prudent to remind skin cancer-prone individuals to take appropriate sun precautions when driving in an automobile. PMID:21514002

Current Status on Stem Cells and Cancers of the Gastric Epithelium

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Werner Hoffmann

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Gastric cancer is still a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide in spite of declining incidence. Gastric cancers are, essentially, adenocarcinomas and one of the strongest risk factors is still infection with Helicobacter pylori. Within the last years, it became clear that gastric self-renewal and carcinogenesis are intimately linked, particularly during chronic inflammatory conditions. Generally, gastric cancer is now regarded as a disease resulting from dysregulated differentiation of stem and progenitor cells, mainly due to an inflammatory environment. However, the situation in the stomach is rather complex, consisting of two types of gastric units which show bidirectional self-renewal from an unexpectedly large variety of progenitor/stem cell populations. As in many other tumors, cancer stem cells have also been characterized for gastric cancer. This review focuses on the various gastric epithelial stem cells, how they contribute to self-renewal and which routes are known to gastric adenocarcinomas, including their stem cells.

Do Health Systems Have Consistent Performance Across Locations and Is Consistency Associated With Higher Performance?

Science.gov (United States)

Crespin, Daniel J; Christianson, Jon B; McCullough, Jeffrey S; Finch, Michael D

This study addresses whether health systems have consistent diabetes care performance across their ambulatory clinics and whether increasing consistency is associated with improvements in clinic performance. Study data included 2007 to 2013 diabetes care intermediate outcome measures for 661 ambulatory clinics in Minnesota and bordering states. Health systems provided more consistent performance, as measured by the standard deviation of performance for clinics in a system, relative to propensity score-matched proxy systems created for comparison purposes. No evidence was found that improvements in consistency were associated with higher clinic performance. The combination of high performance and consistent care is likely to enhance a health system's brand reputation, allowing it to better mitigate the financial risks of consumers seeking care outside the organization. These results suggest that larger health systems are most likely to deliver the combination of consistent and high-performance care. Future research should explore the mechanisms that drive consistent care within health systems.

Consistency argued students of fluid

Science.gov (United States)

Viyanti; Cari; Suparmi; Winarti; Slamet Budiarti, Indah; Handika, Jeffry; Widyastuti, Fatma

2017-01-01

Problem solving for physics concepts through consistency arguments can improve thinking skills of students and it is an important thing in science. The study aims to assess the consistency of the material Fluid student argmentation. The population of this study are College students PGRI Madiun, UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta and Lampung University. Samples using cluster random sampling, 145 samples obtained by the number of students. The study used a descriptive survey method. Data obtained through multiple-choice test and interview reasoned. Problem fluid modified from [9] and [1]. The results of the study gained an average consistency argmentation for the right consistency, consistency is wrong, and inconsistent respectively 4.85%; 29.93%; and 65.23%. Data from the study have an impact on the lack of understanding of the fluid material which is ideally in full consistency argued affect the expansion of understanding of the concept. The results of the study as a reference in making improvements in future studies is to obtain a positive change in the consistency of argumentations.

Designed cell consortia as fragrance-programmable analog-to-digital converters.

Science.gov (United States)

Müller, Marius; Ausländer, Simon; Spinnler, Andrea; Ausländer, David; Sikorski, Julian; Folcher, Marc; Fussenegger, Martin

2017-03-01

Synthetic biology advances the rational engineering of mammalian cells to achieve cell-based therapy goals. Synthetic gene networks have nearly reached the complexity of digital electronic circuits and enable single cells to perform programmable arithmetic calculations or to provide dynamic remote control of transgenes through electromagnetic waves. We designed a synthetic multilayered gaseous-fragrance-programmable analog-to-digital converter (ADC) allowing for remote control of digital gene expression with 2-bit AND-, OR- and NOR-gate logic in synchronized cell consortia. The ADC consists of multiple sampling-and-quantization modules sensing analog gaseous fragrance inputs; a gas-to-liquid transducer converting fragrance intensity into diffusible cell-to-cell signaling compounds; a digitization unit with a genetic amplifier circuit to improve the signal-to-noise ratio; and recombinase-based digital expression switches enabling 2-bit processing of logic gates. Synthetic ADCs that can remotely control cellular activities with digital precision may enable the development of novel biosensors and may provide bioelectronic interfaces synchronizing analog metabolic pathways with digital electronics.

Mitigation of Unwanted Forward Narrow-band Radiation from PCBs with a Metamaterial Unit Cell

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ruaro, Andrea; Thaysen, Jesper; Jakobsen, Kaj Bjarne

2013-01-01

Mitigation of EMI from a PCB is obtained through the use of a metamaterial unit cell. The focus is on the reduction of narrow-band radiation in the forward hemisphere when the resonant element is etched on a layer located between the source of radiation and the ground plane. As opposed to previous...... publications in the literature, the aim of this work is the application of a filter to scattered radiation, generalizing the former characterizations based solely upon transmission lines’ insertion loss. The radiating area accounts for traces and components placed on the top layer of a PCB and is simulated via...... a patch antenna. The study exhibits how the radiation pattern and the electric field on the patch antenna change within and outside the resonance bandwidth of the parasitic element. An EMC assessment provides experimental verification of the operating principle....

Selective Laser Melting: a regular unit cell approach for the manufacture of porous, titanium, bone in-growth constructs, suitable for orthopedic applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Mullen, Lewis; Stamp, Robin C; Brooks, Wesley K; Jones, Eric; Sutcliffe, Christopher J

2009-05-01

In this study, a novel porous titanium structure for the purpose of bone in-growth has been designed, manufactured and evaluated. The structure was produced by Selective Laser Melting (SLM); a rapid manufacturing process capable of producing highly intricate, functionally graded parts. The technique described utilizes an approach based on a defined regular unit cell to design and produce structures with a large range of both physical and mechanical properties. These properties can be tailored to suit specific requirements; in particular, functionally graded structures with bone in-growth surfaces exhibiting properties comparable to those of human bone have been manufactured. The structures were manufactured and characterized by unit cell size, strand diameter, porosity, and compression strength. They exhibited a porosity (10-95%) dependant compression strength (0.5-350 Mpa) comparable to the typical naturally occurring range. It is also demonstrated that optimized structures have been produced that possesses ideal qualities for bone in-growth applications and that these structures can be applied in the production of orthopedic devices. (c) 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Soil Formation and Distribution in Missouri. Instructional Unit. Conservation Education Series.

Science.gov (United States)

Castillon, David A.

This unit is designed to help vocational agriculture teachers incorporate information on soil formation and the soils geography of Missouri into their curriculum. The unit consists of: (1) a topic outline; (2) general unit objectives; (3) discussions of processes and factors of soil formation, the soils geography of Missouri, and some soil…

NZG 201 portable spectrometric unit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jursa, P.; Novakova, O.; Slezak, V.

The NZG 201 spectrometric unit is a portable single-channel processing unit supplied from the mains or a battery which allows the qualitative and quantitative measurement of different types of ionizing radiation when connected to a suitable detection unit. The circuit layout and the choice of control elements makes the spectrometric unit suitable for use with scintillation detector units. The spectrometric unit consists of a pulse amplifier, an amplitude pulse analyzer, a pulse counter, a pulse rate counter with an output for a recorder, a high voltage source and a low voltage source. The block diagram is given. All circuits are modular and are mounted on PCB's. The apparatus is built in a steel cabinet with a raised edge which protects the control elements. The linear pulse amplifier has a maximum gain of 1024, the pulse counter has a maximum capacity of 10 6 -1 imp and time resolution better than 0.5 μs. The temperature interval at which the apparatus is operational is 0 to 45 degC, its weight is 12.5 kg and dimensions 36x280x310 mm, energy range O.025 to 2.5 MeV, for 137 Cs the energy resolution is 8 to 10%. The spectrometric unit NZG 2O1 may, with regard to its parameters, number and range of control elements, be used as a universal measuring unit. (J.P.)

Consistency of orthodox gravity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bellucci, S. [INFN, Frascati (Italy). Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati; Shiekh, A. [International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste (Italy)

1997-01-01

A recent proposal for quantizing gravity is investigated for self consistency. The existence of a fixed-point all-order solution is found, corresponding to a consistent quantum gravity. A criterion to unify couplings is suggested, by invoking an application of their argument to more complex systems.

Pilot study of alternating radiotherapy and three-drug combined chemotherapy consisting of ifosfamide, cisplatin and vindesine in localized inoperable non-small cell lung cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rikimaru, Toru; Tanaka, Yasuyuki; Ichikawa, Yoichiro; Oizumi, Kotaro; Fukurono, Kazuyoshi; Hayabuchi, Naofumi

1993-01-01

During the period from February 1991 through October 1992, we conducted a pilot phase II trial of an 'Alternating Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy' for 15 patients with localized inoperable non-small cell lung cancer. The combined regimen, consisting of ifosfamide 1.5 g/m 2 on days 1 through 3, cisplatin 80 mg/m 2 and vindesine 3 mg/m 2 on day 1, was given repeatedly every 4 weeks. Patients were treated in a split course fashion with combination chemotherapy sandwiched between radiation therapy (total dose 60 Gy). Of 15 evaluable patients, complete remission, partial remission and no change were obtained in 1, 13 and 1 patients, respectively, with an overall response rate of 93.3%. The median survival for all patients was 62 weeks. Hematologic toxicity was severe and was judged to be dose limiting. It was, however, clinically manageable with colony stimulating factor. These results indicate that this alternating radiotherapy and chemotherapy is feasible for localized non-small cell lung cancer and warrants further clinical trials. (author)

Mechanisms of immune red cell destruction, and red cell compatibility testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garratty, G.

1983-01-01

The immune destruction of red cells can occur as a complement-mediated intravascular process, or extravascularly, where the red cells are destroyed by macrophages following interaction with cell-bound IgG1, IgG3, and/or C3b. Many of the factors that affect this in vivo destruction are not taken into account during in vitro pretransfusion compatibility testing. At present, even by use of more elaborate tests, it is difficult to accurately predict the fate of a transfused unit of blood. By using some simple information, such as antibody specificity and thermal range, it is sometimes possible to predict the outcome of transfusing a unit of blood that is incompatible in vitro. At other times it may be necessary to utilize 51 Cr-labeled red cells to determine the risk of transfusing such units. Because of the paucity of reported clinical correlations, macrophage/monocyte monolayer assays are of little practical value at present

Recycled Cell Phones - A Treasure Trove of Valuable Metals

Science.gov (United States)

Sullivan, Daniel E.

2006-01-01

This U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Fact Sheet examines the potential value of recycling the metals found in obsolete cell phones. Cell phones seem ubiquitous in the United States and commonplace throughout most of the world. There were approximately 1 billion cell phones in use worldwide in 2002. In the United States, the number of cell phone subscribers increased from 340,000 in 1985 to 180 million in 2004. Worldwide, cell phone sales have increased from slightly more than 100 million units per year in 1997 to an estimated 779 million units per year in 2005. Cell phone sales are projected to exceed 1 billion units per year in 2009, with an estimated 2.6 billion cell phones in use by the end of that year. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimated that, by 2005, as many as 130 million cell phones would be retired annually in the United States. The nonprofit organization INFORM, Inc., anticipated that, by 2005, a total of 500 million obsolete cell phones would have accumulated in consumers' desk drawers, store rooms, or other storage, awaiting disposal. Typically, cell phones are used for only 1 1/2 years before being replaced. Less than 1 percent of the millions of cell phones retired and discarded annually are recycled. When large numbers of cell phones become obsolete, large quantities of valuable metals end up either in storage or in landfills. The amount of metals potentially recoverable would make a significant addition to total metals recovered from recycling in the United States and would supplement virgin metals derived from mining.

Assembly of hydrogel units for 3D microenvironment in a poly(dimethylsiloxane) channel

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Chang Hyun; Kwon, Seyong; Park, Je-Kyun

2017-12-01

Construction of three-dimensional (3D) microenvironment become an important issue in recent biological studies due to their biological relevance compared to conventional two-dimensional (2D) microenvironment. Various fabrication techniques have been employed to construct a 3D microenvironment, however, it is difficult to fully satisfy the biological and mechanical properties required for the 3D cell culture system, such as heterogeneous tissue structures generated from the functional differences or diseases. We propose here an assembly method for facile construction of 3D microenvironment in a poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) channel using hydrogel units. The high-aspect-ratio of hydrogel units was achieved by fabricating these units using a 2D mold. With this approach, 3D heterogeneous hydrogel units were produced and assembled in a PDMS channel by structural hookup. In vivo-like 3D heterogeneous microenvironment in a precisely controllable fluidic system was also demonstrated using a controlled assembly of different types of hydrogel units, which was difficult to obtain from previous methods. By regulating the flow condition, the mechanical stability of the assembled hydrogel units was verified by the flow-induced deformation of hydrogel units. In addition, in vivo-like cell culture environment was demonstrated using an assembly of cell-coated hydrogel units in the fluidic channel. Based on these features, our method expects to provide a beneficial tool for the 3D cell culture module and biomimetic engineering.

Digital remote viewing system for coronary care unit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, P.S.; Tillisch, J.; Huang, H.K.

1987-01-01

A digital remote viewing system developed for the coronary care unit at the UCLA Medical Center has been in clinical operation since March 1, 1987. The present system consists of three 512-line monitors, VAX 11/750, Gould IP8500 image processor and a broad-band communication system. The patients' images are acquired with a computed radiography system and are transmitted to the coronary care unit, which is five floors above the radiology department. This exhibit presents the architecture and the performance characteristics of the system. Also, the second-generation system, which consists of an intelligent local work station with three 1,024-line monitors and a fast digital communication network, will be introduced

Self-consistent Analysis of Three-dimensional Uniformly Charged Ellipsoid with Zero Emittance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Batygin, Yuri K.

2001-01-01

A self-consistent treatment of a three-dimensional ellipsoid with negligible emittance in time-dependent external field is performed. Envelope equations describing the evolution of an ellipsoid boundary are discussed. For a complete model it is required that the initial particle momenta be a linear function of the coordinates. Numerical example and verification of the problem by a 3-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations are given

Hanford Site Waste Management Units Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-01-01

This Hanford Site Waste Management Units Report (HSWMUR) was originated to provide information responsive to Section 3004(u) of the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments (HSWA) of the 1984 United States Code (USC). The report provides a comprehensive inventory of all types of waste management units at the Hanford Site and consists of waste disposal units, including (1) Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA) disposal units, (2) Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) disposal units, (3) unplanned releases, (4) inactive contaminated structure, (5) RCRA treatment and storage units, and (6) other storage areas. Because of the comprehensive nature of this report, the listing of sites is more extensive than required by Section 3004(u) of HSWA. In support of the Hanford RCRA permit, a field was added to designate whether the waste management unit is a solid waste management unit (SWMU). As SWMUs are identified, they will added to the Hanford Waste Information Data System (WIDS), which is the database supporting this report, and added to the report at its next annual update. A quality review of the WIDS was conducted this past year. The review included checking all data against their reference and making appropriate changes, updating the data elements using the most recent references, marking duplicate units for deletion, and addition additional information. 6 refs

Hanford Site Waste Management Units Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-01-01

This Hanford Site Waste Management Units Report (HSWMUR) was originated to provide information responsive to Section 3004(u) of the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments (HSWA) of the 1984 United States Code (USC). The report provides a comprehensive inventory of all types of waste management units at the Hanford Site and consists of waste disposal units, including (1) Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA) disposal units, (2) Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) disposal units, (3) unplanned releases, (4) inactive contaminated structures, (5) RCRA treatment and storage units, and (6) other storage areas. Because of the comprehensive nature of this report, the listing of sites is more extensive than required by Section 3004(u) of HSWA. In support of the Hanford RCRA permit, a field was added to designate whether the waste management unit is a solid waste management unit (SWMU). As SWMUs are identified, they will added to the Hanford Waste Information Data System (WIDS), which is the database supporting this report, and added to the report at its next annual update. A quality review of the WIDS was conducted this past year. The review included checking all data against their reference and making appropriate changes, updating the data elements using the most recent references, marking duplicate units for deletion, and adding additional information. 6 refs

Test procedures, AN/AIC-27 system and component units. [for space shuttle

Science.gov (United States)

Reiff, F. H.

1975-01-01

The AN/AIC-27 (v) intercommunication system is a 30-channel audio distribution which consists of: air crew station units, maintenance station units, and a central control unit. A test procedure for each of the above units and also a test procedure for the system are presented. The intent of the test is to provide data for use in shuttle audio subsystem design.

Market-consistent actuarial valuation

CERN Document Server

Wüthrich, Mario V

2016-01-01

This is the third edition of this well-received textbook, presenting powerful methods for measuring insurance liabilities and assets in a consistent way, with detailed mathematical frameworks that lead to market-consistent values for liabilities. Topics covered are stochastic discounting with deflators, valuation portfolio in life and non-life insurance, probability distortions, asset and liability management, financial risks, insurance technical risks, and solvency. Including updates on recent developments and regulatory changes under Solvency II, this new edition of Market-Consistent Actuarial Valuation also elaborates on different risk measures, providing a revised definition of solvency based on industry practice, and presents an adapted valuation framework which takes a dynamic view of non-life insurance reserving risk.

Quasiparticles and thermodynamical consistency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shanenko, A.A.; Biro, T.S.; Toneev, V.D.

2003-01-01

A brief and simple introduction into the problem of the thermodynamical consistency is given. The thermodynamical consistency relations, which should be taken into account under constructing a quasiparticle model, are found in a general manner from the finite-temperature extension of the Hellmann-Feynman theorem. Restrictions following from these relations are illustrated by simple physical examples. (author)

Prediction and Cross-Situational Consistency of Daily Behavior across Cultures: Testing Trait and Cultural Psychology Perspectives

Science.gov (United States)

Church, A. Timothy; Katigbak, Marcia S.; Reyes, Jose Alberto S.; Salanga, Maria Guadalupe C.; Miramontes, Lilia A.; Adams, Nerissa B.

2008-01-01

Trait and cultural psychology perspectives on the cross-situational consistency of behavior, and the predictive validity of traits, were tested in a daily process study in the United States (N = 68), an individualistic culture, and the Philippines (N = 80), a collectivistic culture. Participants completed the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (Costa & McCrae, 1992) and a measure of self-monitoring, then reported their daily behaviors and associated situational contexts for approximately 30 days. Consistent with trait perspectives, the Big Five traits predicted daily behaviors in both cultures, and relative (interindividual) consistency was observed across many, although not all, situational contexts. The frequency of various Big Five behaviors varied across relevant situational contexts in both cultures and, consistent with cultural psychology perspectives, there was a tendency for Filipinos to exhibit greater situational variability than Americans. Self-monitoring showed some ability to account for individual differences in situational variability in the American sample, but not the Filipino sample. PMID:22146866

Semiempirical and DFT computations of the influence of Tb(III) dopant on unit cell dimensions of cerium(III) fluoride.

Science.gov (United States)

Shyichuk, Andrii; Runowski, Marcin; Lis, Stefan; Kaczkowski, Jakub; Jezierski, Andrzej

2015-01-30

Several computational methods, both semiempirical and ab initio, were used to study the influence of the amount of dopant on crystal cell dimensions of CeF3 doped with Tb(3+) ions (CeF3 :Tb(3+) ). AM1, RM1, PM3, PM6, and PM7 semiempirical parameterization models were used, while the Sparkle model was used to represent the lanthanide cations in all cases. Ab initio calculations were performed by means of GGA+U/PBE projector augmented wave density functional theory. The computational results agree well with the experimental data. According to both computation and experiment, the crystal cell parameters undergo a linear decrease with increasing amount of the dopant. The computations performed using Sparkle/PM3 and DFT methods resulted in the best agreement with the experiment with the average deviation of about 1% in both cases. Typical Sparkle/PM3 computation on a 2×2×2 supercell of CeF3:Tb3+ lasted about two orders of magnitude shorter than the DFT computation concerning a unit cell of this material. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Handling of Highly Radioactive Radiation Sources in a Hot Cell Using a Mechanically Driven Cell Crane - 13452

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Klute, Stefan; Huber, Wolfgang-Bruno [Siempelkamp Nukleartechnik GmbH, Am Taubenfeld 25/1, 69123 Heidelberg (Germany); Meyer, Franz [Nuclear Engineering Seibersdorf GmbH, 2444 Seibersdorf (Austria)

2013-07-01

In 2010, Siempelkamp Nukleartechnik GmbH was awarded the contract for design and erection of a Hot Cell for handling and storage of highly radioactive radiation sources. This Hot Cell is part of a new hot cell laboratory, constructed for the NHZ (Neues Handhabungszentrum = New Handling Center) of the Nuclear Engineering Seibersdorf GmbH (NES). All incurring radioactive materials from Austria are collected in the NHZ, where they are safely conditioned and stored temporarily until their final storage. The main tasks of the NES include, apart from the collection, conditioning and storage of radioactive waste, also the reprocessing and the decontamination of facilities and laboratories originating from 45 years of research and development at the Seibersdorf site as well as the operation of the Hot Cell Laboratory [1]. The new Hot Cell Laboratory inside the NHZ consists of the following room areas: - One hot cell, placed in the center, for remote controlled, radiation protected handling of radioactive materials, including an integrated floor storage for the long-term temporary storage of highly radioactive radiation sources; - An anteroom for the loading and unloading of the hot cell; - One control room for the remote controlling of the hot cell equipment; - One floor storage, placed laterally to the hot cell, for burial, interim storage and removal of fissionable radioactive material in leak-proof packed units in 100 l drums. The specific design activity of the hot cell of 1.85 Pbq relating to 1-Me-Radiator including the integrated floor storage influences realization and design of the components used in the cell significantly. (authors)

Mechanical Design of a New Injector Cryomodule 2-Cell Cavity at CEBAF

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cheng, Guangfeng G. [JLAB; Henry, James E. [JLAB; Mammosser, John D. [JLAB; Rimmer, Robert A. [JLAB; Wang, Haipeng [JLAB; Wiseman, Mark A. [JLAB; Yang, Shuo [JLAB

2013-12-01

As a part of Jefferson Lab’s 12 GeV upgrade, a new injector superconducting RF cryomodule is required. This unit consists of a 2-cell and 7-cell cavity, with the latter being refurbished from an existing cavity. The new 2-cell cavity requires electromagnetic design and optimization followed by mechanical design analyses. The electromagnetic design is reported elsewhere. This paper aims to present the procedures and conclusions of the analyses on cavity tuning sensitivity, pressure sensitivity, upset condition pressure induced stresses, and structural vibration frequencies. The purposes of such analyses include: 1) provide reference data for cavity tuner design; 2) examine the structural integrity of the cavity; and 3) evaluate the 2-cell cavity’s resistance to microphonics. Design issues such as the location of stiffening rings, effect of tuner stiffness on cavity stress, choice of cavity wall thickness, etc. are investigated by conducting extensive finite element analyses. Progress in fabrication of the 2-cell cavity is also reported.

Tracking the Oxygen Status in the Cell Nucleus with a Hoechst-Tagged Phosphorescent Ruthenium Complex.

Science.gov (United States)

Hara, Daiki; Umehara, Yui; Son, Aoi; Asahi, Wataru; Misu, Sotaro; Kurihara, Ryohsuke; Kondo, Teruyuki; Tanabe, Kazuhito

2018-05-04

Molecular oxygen in living cells is distributed and consumed inhomogeneously, depending on the activity of each organelle. Therefore, tractable methods that can be used to monitor the oxygen status in each organelle are needed to understand cellular function. Here we report the design of a new oxygen-sensing probe for use in the cell nucleus. We prepared "Ru-Hoechsts", each consisting of a phosphorescent ruthenium complex linked to a Hoechst 33258 moiety, and characterized their properties as oxygen sensors. The Hoechst unit shows strong DNA-binding properties in the nucleus, and the ruthenium complex shows oxygen-dependent phosphorescence. Thus, Ru-Hoechsts accumulated in the cell nucleus and showed oxygen-dependent signals that could be monitored. Of the Ru-Hoechsts prepared in this study, Ru-Hoechst b, in which the ruthenium complex and the Hoechst unit were linked through a hexyl chain, showed the most suitable properties for monitoring the oxygen status. Ru-Hoechsts are probes with high potential for visualizing oxygen fluctuations in the nucleus. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Novel hydroxyamides and amides containing D-glucopyranose or D-fructose units: Biological assays in MCF-7 and MDST8 cell lines.

Science.gov (United States)

Carreiro, Elisabete P; Costa, Ana R; Cordeiro, Maria M; Martins, Rute; Pires, Tiago O; Saraiva, Mafalda; Antunes, Célia M; Burke, Anthony J

2016-02-01

A novel library of 15 compounds, hydroxyamides and amides containing a β-D-glucopyranose (D-Gluc) or a β-D-fructose (D-Fruc) units was designed and synthesized for antiproliferative assays in breast (MCF-7) and colon (MDST8) cancer cell lines. Twelve of them were hydroxyamides and were successfully synthesized from β-D-glucuronic acid (D-GluA). Six of these hydroxyamides which were acetylated hydroxy-β-D-glucopyranuronamide 2a-2f (1st Family) and the other six were their respective isomers, that is, hydroxy-β-D-fructuronamide 3a-3f (2nd Family), obtained by acid-base catalyzed isomerization. These compounds have the general structure, D-Gluc-C=ONH-CHR-(CH2)n-OH and D-Fruc-C=ONH-CHR-(CH2)n-OH, where R=an aromatic, alkyl or a hydrogen substituent, with n=0 or 1. Eight of these contained a chiral aminoalcohol group. Three compounds were amides containing a D-glucopyranose unit (3rd Family). SAR studies were conducted with these compounds. Antiproliferative studies showed that compound 4a, the bromo-amide containing the β-D-glucopyranose ring, potently inhibits the proliferation of the MDST8 cells. Five compounds (2e, 2f, 3d, 3e, and 3f) were shown to potently selectively inhibit the proliferation of the MCF-7 cells. Compound 4b was the only one showing inhibition in both cell lines. In general, the more active compounds were the amides and hydroxyamides containing the β-D-fructose moiety, and containing an alkyl group or hydrogen. Half-inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of between 0.01 and 10 μM, were observed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hydrogen storage and integrated fuel cell assembly

Science.gov (United States)

Gross, Karl J.

2010-08-24

Hydrogen is stored in materials that absorb and desorb hydrogen with temperature dependent rates. A housing is provided that allows for the storage of one or more types of hydrogen-storage materials in close thermal proximity to a fuel cell stack. This arrangement, which includes alternating fuel cell stack and hydrogen-storage units, allows for close thermal matching of the hydrogen storage material and the fuel cell stack. Also, the present invention allows for tailoring of the hydrogen delivery by mixing different materials in one unit. Thermal insulation alternatively allows for a highly efficient unit. Individual power modules including one fuel cell stack surrounded by a pair of hydrogen-storage units allows for distribution of power throughout a vehicle or other electric power consuming devices.

Experimental Investigation of Double Effect Evaporative Cooling Unit

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmed Abd Mohammad Saleh

2018-03-01

Full Text Available This work presents the experimental investigation of double effect evaporative cooling unit with approximate capacity 7 kW. The unit consisted of two stages, the sensible heat exchanger and the cooling tower composing the external indirect regenerative evaporative cooling stage where a direct evaporative cooler represent the second stage. Testing results showed a maximum capacity and lowest supplied air temperature when the water flow rate in heat exchanger was 0.1 L/s. The experiment recorded the unit daily readings at two airflow rates (0.425 m3/s, 0.48 m3/s. The reading shows that unit inlet DBT is effect positively on unit wet bulb effectiveness and unit COP at constant humidity ratio. The air extraction ratio effected positively on the unit wet bulb effectiveness within a certain limit where maximum COP recorded 11.4 when the extraction ratio equal to 40%.

A dual pH and temperature responsive polymeric fluorescent sensor and its imaging application in living cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Yin, Liyan; He, Chunsheng; Huang, Chusen; Zhu, Weiping; Wang, Xin; Xu, Yufang; Qian, Xuhong

2012-05-11

A polymeric fluorescent sensor PNME, consisting of A4 and N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) units, was synthesized. PNME exhibited dual responses to pH and temperature, and could be used as an intracellular pH sensor for lysosomes imaging. Moreover, it also could sense different temperature change in living cells at 25 and 37 °C, respectively. This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2012

Development of solid oxide fuel cell technology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kang, Dae Kab; Kim, Sun Jae; Jung, Choong Hwan; Kim, Kyung Hoh; Park, Ji Yun; Oh, Suk Jin [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

1995-01-01

Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) technologies that use zirconium oxide as the electrolyte material were studied in this present report. SOFC exhibits a very high power generation efficiency of over 50 %, and does not discharge pollution materials such as dusts, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxide. Zirconia, Ni/YSZ (yttria stabilized zirconia), and La-Sr-Mn-Oxide materials were developed for the electrolyte material, for the anode, and for the cathode, respectively. After making thin zirconia plate using tape casting process, anode and cathode powders were screen printed on the zirconia plate for fabricating unit cells. A test system composed of a vertical tube furnace, digital multimeter, DC current supplier, and measuring circuit was constructed for testing the unit cell performance. This system was controlled by a home-made computer program. Founded on this unit cell technology and system, a multi-stack SOFC system was studied. This system was composed of 10 unit cells each of them had an electrode area of 40 x 40 mm. Based on this system design, large and thin zirconia plates of 70 x 70 mm in area was fabricated for the electrolyte. Different from in the unit cell system, interconnectors are needed in the multi-stack system for connecting unit cells electrically. For this interconnectors, Inconel 750 alloy was selected, sliced into wafers, machined, surface finished, and then Pt-plated. 55 figs, 8 tabs, 51 refs. (Author).

Development of solid oxide fuel cell technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, Dae Kab; Kim, Sun Jae; Jung, Choong Hwan; Kim, Kyung Hoh; Park, Ji Yun; Oh, Suk Jin

1995-01-01

Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) technologies that use zirconium oxide as the electrolyte material were studied in this present report. SOFC exhibits a very high power generation efficiency of over 50 %, and does not discharge pollution materials such as dusts, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxide. Zirconia, Ni/YSZ (yttria stabilized zirconia), and La-Sr-Mn-Oxide materials were developed for the electrolyte material, for the anode, and for the cathode, respectively. After making thin zirconia plate using tape casting process, anode and cathode powders were screen printed on the zirconia plate for fabricating unit cells. A test system composed of a vertical tube furnace, digital multimeter, DC current supplier, and measuring circuit was constructed for testing the unit cell performance. This system was controlled by a home-made computer program. Founded on this unit cell technology and system, a multi-stack SOFC system was studied. This system was composed of 10 unit cells each of them had an electrode area of 40 x 40 mm. Based on this system design, large and thin zirconia plates of 70 x 70 mm in area was fabricated for the electrolyte. Different from in the unit cell system, interconnectors are needed in the multi-stack system for connecting unit cells electrically. For this interconnectors, Inconel 750 alloy was selected, sliced into wafers, machined, surface finished, and then Pt-plated. 55 figs, 8 tabs, 51 refs. (Author)

The role of the neuro-astro-vascular unit in the etiology of Ataxia Telangiectasia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leenoy eMeshulam

2012-09-01

Full Text Available The growing recognition that brain pathologies do not affect neurons only but rather are, to a large extent, pathologies of glial cells as well as of the vasculature opens to new perspectives in our understanding of genetic disorders of the CNS. To validate the role of the neuron-glial-vascular unit in the etiology of genome instability disorders, we report about cell death and morphological aspects of neuro-glia networks and the associated vasculature in a mouse model of Ataxia Telangiectasia (A-T, a human genetic disorder that induces severe motor impairment. We found that AT-mutated protein deficiency was consistent with aberrant astrocytic morphology and alterations of the vasculature, often accompanied by reactive gliosis. Interestingly similar findings could also be reported in the case of other genetic disorders. These observations bolster the notion that astrocyte-specific pathologies, hampered vascularization and astrocyte-endothelium interactions in the CNS could play a crucial role in the etiology of genome instability brain disorders and could underlie neurodegeneration.

Identification of the Consistently Altered Metabolic Targets in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Nwosu, Zeribe Chike; Megger, Dominik Andre; Hammad, Seddik; Sitek, Barbara; Roessler, Stephanie; Ebert, Matthias Philip; Meyer, Christoph; Dooley, Steven

2017-09-01

Cancer cells rely on metabolic alterations to enhance proliferation and survival. Metabolic gene alterations that repeatedly occur in liver cancer are largely unknown. We aimed to identify metabolic genes that are consistently deregulated, and are of potential clinical significance in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We studied the expression of 2,761 metabolic genes in 8 microarray datasets comprising 521 human HCC tissues. Genes exclusively up-regulated or down-regulated in 6 or more datasets were defined as consistently deregulated. The consistent genes that correlated with tumor progression markers ( ECM2 and MMP9) (Pearson correlation P < .05) were used for Kaplan-Meier overall survival analysis in a patient cohort. We further compared proteomic expression of metabolic genes in 19 tumors vs adjacent normal liver tissues. We identified 634 consistent metabolic genes, ∼60% of which are not yet described in HCC. The down-regulated genes (n = 350) are mostly involved in physiologic hepatocyte metabolic functions (eg, xenobiotic, fatty acid, and amino acid metabolism). In contrast, among consistently up-regulated metabolic genes (n = 284) are those involved in glycolysis, pentose phosphate pathway, nucleotide biosynthesis, tricarboxylic acid cycle, oxidative phosphorylation, proton transport, membrane lipid, and glycan metabolism. Several metabolic genes (n = 434) correlated with progression markers, and of these, 201 predicted overall survival outcome in the patient cohort analyzed. Over 90% of the metabolic targets significantly altered at the protein level were similarly up- or down-regulated as in genomic profile. We provide the first exposition of the consistently altered metabolic genes in HCC and show that these genes are potentially relevant targets for onward studies in preclinical and clinical contexts.

A fresh look at the thermodynamic consistency of vapour-liquid equilibria data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wisniak, Jaime; Ortega, Juan; Fernández, Luis

2017-01-01

Highlights: • The thermodynamic consistency tests commonly used to evaluate VLE data are presented and discussed. • Advantages/disadvantages for each one of test are listed using actual examples. • All manuscripts should include information about VLE variables and test results. • In any case, the Herington test should not be used for VLE data evaluation. • Simultaneous application of several tests is recommended. - Abstract: Design of a separation unit requires real information about the phase equilibrium of the system being handled. Accurate equilibrium data allows the best design from a thermodynamic viewpoint and contributes to a better knowledge about the behaviour of fluids and their mixtures. The principles behind the concept of thermodynamic consistency are presented and discussed. The present state of the art shows that no definite test is available for insuring the quality of the measured values. The main available procedures for testing the consistency of vapour-liquid equilibrium (VLE) data at constant temperature or pressure are reviewed and analysed and recommendations provided for their proper use, for the presentation of VLE results, and also some possible means for determining their quality. Suitable examples are provided about the adequate use of the available tests and about their misuse.

The organization of human epidermis: functional epidermal units and phi proportionality.

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Hoath, Steven B; Leahy, D G

2003-12-01

The concept that mammalian epidermis is structurally organized into functional epidermal units has been proposed on the basis of stratum corneum (SC) architecture, proliferation kinetics, melanocyte:keratinocyte ratios (1:36), and, more recently, Langerhans cell: epidermal cell ratios (1:53). This article examines the concept of functional epidermal units in human skin in which the maintenance of phi (1.618034) proportionality provides a central organizing principle. The following empirical measurements were used: 75,346 nucleated epidermal cells per mm2, 1394 Langerhans cells per mm2, 1999 melanocytes per mm2, 16 (SC) layers, 900-microm2 corneocyte surface area, 17,778 corneocytes per mm2, 14-d (SC) turnover time, and 93,124 per mm2 total epidermal cells. Given these empirical data: (1) the number of corneocytes is a mean proportional between the sum of the Langerhans cell + melanocyte populations and the number of epidermal cells, 3393/17,778-17,778/93,124; (2) the ratio of nucleated epidermal cells over corneocytes is phi proportional, 75,346/17,778 approximately phi3; (3) assuming similar 14-d turnover times for the (SC) and Malpighian epidermis, the number of corneocytes results from subtraction of a cellular fraction equal to approximately 2/phi2 x the number of living cells, 75,436 - (2/phi2 x 75,346) approximately 17,778; and (4) if total epidermal turnover time equals (SC) turnover time x the ratio of living/dead cells, then compartmental turnover times are unequal (14 d for (SC) to 45.3 d for nucleated epidermis approximately 1/2phi) and cellular replacement rates are 52.9 corneocytes/69.3 keratinocytes per mm2 per h approximately 2/phi2. These empirically derived equivalences provide logicomathematical support for the presence of functional epidermal units in human skin. Validation of a phi proportional unit architecture in human epidermis will be important for tissue engineering of skin and the design of instruments for skin measurement.

Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Activity in Pediatric Cancer between 2008 and 2014 in the United States: A Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Khandelwal, Pooja; Millard, Heather R; Thiel, Elizabeth; Abdel-Azim, Hisham; Abraham, Allistair A; Auletta, Jeffery J; Boulad, Farid; Brown, Valerie I; Camitta, Bruce M; Chan, Ka Wah; Chaudhury, Sonali; Cowan, Morton J; Angel-Diaz, Miguel; Gadalla, Shahinaz M; Gale, Robert Peter; Hale, Gregory; Kasow, Kimberly A; Keating, Amy K; Kitko, Carrie L; MacMillan, Margaret L; Olsson, Richard F; Page, Kristin M; Seber, Adriana; Smith, Angela R; Warwick, Anne B; Wirk, Baldeep; Mehta, Parinda A

2017-08-01

This Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research report describes the use of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in pediatric patients with cancer, 4408 undergoing allogeneic (allo) and3076 undergoing autologous (auto) HSCT in the United States between 2008 and 2014. In both settings, there was a greater proportion of boys (n = 4327; 57%), children reports of transplant practices in the United States. Copyright © 2017 The American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

One unit-cell seed layer induced epitaxial growth of heavily nitrogen doped anatase TiO{sub 2} films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, T L; Hirose, Y; Hitosugi, T; Hasegawa, T [Kanagawa Academy of Science and Technology (KAST), Kawasaki 213-0012 (Japan)], E-mail: chen@ksp.or.jp

2008-03-21

We present a novel way to obtain heavily nitrogen doped anatase TiO{sub 2} films by using a solid-state nitrogen source. Epitaxial growth of the films was realized by introducing one unit-cell seed layer, which was indicated by reflection high-energy electron diffraction as intensity oscillation. Results of x-ray diffraction and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed that the films were in the anatase phase heavily doped with nitrogen of {approx}15 at%. The films obtained exhibited considerable narrowing of the optical bandgap, resulting in an enhancement of absorption in the visible-light region. (fast track communication)

Efficient particle-in-cell simulation of auroral plasma phenomena using a CUDA enabled graphics processing unit

Science.gov (United States)

Sewell, Stephen

This thesis introduces a software framework that effectively utilizes low-cost commercially available Graphic Processing Units (GPUs) to simulate complex scientific plasma phenomena that are modeled using the Particle-In-Cell (PIC) paradigm. The software framework that was developed conforms to the Compute Unified Device Architecture (CUDA), a standard for general purpose graphic processing that was introduced by NVIDIA Corporation. This framework has been verified for correctness and applied to advance the state of understanding of the electromagnetic aspects of the development of the Aurora Borealis and Aurora Australis. For each phase of the PIC methodology, this research has identified one or more methods to exploit the problem's natural parallelism and effectively map it for execution on the graphic processing unit and its host processor. The sources of overhead that can reduce the effectiveness of parallelization for each of these methods have also been identified. One of the novel aspects of this research was the utilization of particle sorting during the grid interpolation phase. The final representation resulted in simulations that executed about 38 times faster than simulations that were run on a single-core general-purpose processing system. The scalability of this framework to larger problem sizes and future generation systems has also been investigated.

Development of batch electrolytic enrichment cells with 100-fold volume reduction, control electronic units and neutralization/distillation unit, to enable better sensitivity to be achieved in low-level tritium measurements when liquid scintillation counting follows the enrichment process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taylor, C.B.

1980-06-01

Full details of the batch-cell tritium enrichment system design are provided including electronic control circuits specially developed for these cells. The system incorporates a new type of concentric electrode cell (outer cathode of mild steel, anode of stainless steel, inner cathode of mild steel) with volume reduction capability 1 l to ca 9 ml. Electrolysis of 20 cells is performed in 2 steps. Down to sample volume ca 20 ml, the cells are series connected at constant currents up to 14.5 A, in the 2nd step, each cell is connected to its own individual current supply (2A) and control circuit. Automatic shut-off at the desired final volume is achieved by sensing the drop in current through the inner cathode as the electrolyte level falls below a PTFE insulator. The large electrode surface area and careful dimensioning at the foot of the cell allow operation with low starting electrolyte concentration 1.5 g Na 2 O 2 .l -1 . After electrolysis, quantitative recovery as distilled water of all hydrogen from the enriched residue is achieved by CO 2 -neutralisation and vacuum distillation at 100 0 C in a distillation unit which handles 20 cells simultaneously

Scientific projection paper for mutagenesis, transformation and cell killing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Todd, P.

1980-01-01

Our knowledge about mutagenesis, transformation, and cell killing by ionizing radiation consists of large bodies of data, which are potentially useful in terms of application to human risk assessment and to the constructive use of radiation, as in cancer treatment. The three end-points discussed above are united by at least five significant concepts in radiation research strategy: (1) The inter-relationships among the important end-points, mutation, carcinogenesis, and cell killing. Research on one is meaningful only in the context of information about the other two. (2) The interaction of radiations with other agents in producing these end-points. (3) The mechanisms of action of other environmental mutagenic, carcinogenic, and cytotoxic agents. (4) The use of repair deficient human mutant cells. (5) The study of radiation damage mechanisms. There is no better way to extrapolate laboratory data to the clinical and public worlds than to understand the underlying biological mechanisms that produced the data

Convergent synthesis of a tetrasaccharide repeating unit of the O-specific polysaccharide from the cell wall lipopolysaccharide of Azospirillum brasilense strain Sp7

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pintu Kumar Mandal

2014-01-01

Full Text Available A straightforward convergent synthesis has been carried out for the tetrasaccharide repeating unit of the O-specific cell wall lipopolysaccharide of the strain Sp7 of Azospirillum brasilense. The target tetrasaccharide has been synthesized from suitably protected monosaccharide intermediates in 42% overall yield in seven steps by using a [2 + 2] block glycosylation approach.

Photonic Nanostructures Design and Optimization for Solar Cell Application

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qian Liu

2015-08-01

Full Text Available In this paper, a semiconducting photonic nanostructure capable of wide range absorption and tunable optical resonance has been designed with a proposed theoretical optimization model. The design consists of ZnO/CdS core-shell nanowire arrays as well as multilayer thin films that act to absorb incident electromagnetic (EM waves over a broad frequency range. Theoretical, as well as numerical, studies of the nanostructure inside a solar cell plate have been conducted in order to validate the proposed microstructural design. Excellent energy absorption rates of EM waves have been achieved in the high frequency range by using the optical resonance of the nanowire array. By combining multilayer thin film with the core-shell nanowire in the unit cell of a photonic solar cell, a broadband high absorption has been achieved. Moreover, the geometry of the proposed photonic nanostructure is obtained through the implementation of a genetic algorithm. This avoids local minima and an optimized absorption rate of ~90% over the frequency range of 300 to 750 THz has been obtained in the solar cell.

Unit cell parameters of wurtzite InP nanowires determined by x-ray diffraction.

Science.gov (United States)

Kriegner, D; Wintersberger, E; Kawaguchi, K; Wallentin, J; Borgström, M T; Stangl, J

2011-10-21

High resolution x-ray diffraction is used to study the structural properties of the wurtzite polytype of InP nanowires. Wurtzite InP nanowires are grown by metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy using S-doping. From the evaluation of the Bragg peak position we determine the lattice parameters of the wurtzite InP nanowires. The unit cell dimensions are found to differ from the ones expected from geometric conversion of the cubic bulk InP lattice constant. The atomic distances along the c direction are increased whereas the atomic spacing in the a direction is reduced in comparison to the corresponding distances in the zinc-blende phase. Using core/shell nanowires with a thin core and thick nominally intrinsic shells we are able to determine the lattice parameters of wurtzite InP with a negligible influence of the S-doping due to the much larger volume in the shell. The determined material properties will enable the ab initio calculation of electronic and optical properties of wurtzite InP nanowires.

Shuttle Kit Freezer Refrigeration Unit Conceptual Design

Science.gov (United States)

Copeland, R. J.

1975-01-01

The refrigerated food/medical sample storage compartment as a kit to the space shuttle orbiter is examined. To maintain the -10 F in the freezer kit, an active refrigeration unit is required, and an air cooled Stirling Cycle refrigerator was selected. The freezer kit contains two subsystems, the refrigeration unit, and the storage volume. The freezer must provide two basic capabilities in one unit. One requirement is to store 215 lbs of food which is consumed in a 30-day period by 7 people. The other requirement is to store 128.3 lbs of medical samples consisting of both urine and feces. The unit can be mounted on the lower deck of the shuttle cabin, and will occupy four standard payload module compartments on the forward bulkhead. The freezer contains four storage compartments.

Unit type differences in RN workgroup job satisfaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Boyle, Diane K; Miller, Peggy A; Gajewski, Byron J; Hart, Sara E; Dunton, Nancy

2006-10-01

Using cross-sectional data from the 2004 National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI) RN Satisfaction Survey, differences in RN workgroup job satisfaction were examined among 10 unit types--medical-surgical, step-down, critical care, pediatric, maternal-newborn, psychiatric, emergency department, rehabilitation, surgical services, and outpatient clinics and labs. The national sample included RN workgroups in 2,900 patient care units (55,516 RNs; 206 hospitals in 44 states). Workgroup satisfaction across all unit types was moderate. RN workgroups in pediatric units were the most satisfied, whereas those in surgical services and emergency department unit types were least satisfied. A consistent finding across all unit types was high satisfaction with the specific domains of nurse-to-nurse interaction, professional status, and professional development versus much lower satisfaction with task, decision making, and pay. Findings can be used to inform and develop investigations that examine specific aspects of the work environment for RN workgroups in various unit types.

An internally consistent pressure calibration of geobarometers applicable to the Earth’s upper mantle using in situ XRD

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beyer, Christopher; Rosenthal, Anja; Myhill, Robert; Crichton, Wilson A.; Yu, Tony; Wang, Yanbin; Frost, Daniel J.

2018-02-01

We have performed an experimental cross calibration of a suite of mineral equilibria within mantle rock bulk compositions that are commonly used in geobarometry to determine the equilibration depths of upper mantle assemblages. Multiple barometers were compared simultaneously in experimental runs, where the pressure was determined using in-situ measurements of the unit cell volumes of MgO, NaCl, Re and h-BN between 3.6 and 10.4 GPa, and 1250 and 1500 °C. The experiments were performed in a large volume press (LVPs) in combination with synchrotron X-ray diffraction. Noble metal capsules drilled with multiple sample chambers were loaded with a range of bulk compositions representative of peridotite, eclogite and pyroxenite lithologies. By this approach, we simultaneously calibrated the geobarometers applicable to different mantle lithologies under identical and well determined pressure and temperature conditions. We identified discrepancies between the calculated and experimental pressures for which we propose simple linear or constant correction factors to some of the previously published barometric equations. As a result, we establish internally-consistent cross-calibrations for a number of garnet-orthopyroxene, garnet-clinopyroxene, Ca-Tschermaks-in-clinopyroxene and majorite geobarometers.

Dendritic Cells Limit Fibro-Inflammatory Injury in NASH

Science.gov (United States)

Henning, Justin R.; Graffeo, Christopher S.; Rehman, Adeel; Fallon, Nina C.; Zambirinis, Constantinos P.; Ochi, Atsuo; Barilla, Rocky; Jamal, Mohsin; Deutsch, Michael; Greco, Stephanie; Ego-Osuala, Melvin; Saeed, Usama Bin; Rao, Raghavendra S.; Badar, Sana; Quesada, Juan P.; Acehan, Devrim; Miller, George

2013-01-01

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is the most common etiology of chronic liver dysfunction in the United States and can progress to cirrhosis and liver failure. Inflammatory insult resulting from fatty infiltration of the liver is central to disease pathogenesis. Dendritic cells (DC) are antigen presenting cells with an emerging role in hepatic inflammation. We postulated that DC are important in the progression of NASH. We found that intrahepatic DC expand and mature in NASH liver and assume an activated immune-phenotype. However, rather than mitigating the severity of NASH, DC depletion markedly exacerbated intrahepatic fibro-inflammation. Our mechanistic studies support a regulatory role for DC in NASH by limiting sterile inflammation via their role in clearance of apoptotic cells and necrotic debris. We found that DC limit CD8+ T cell expansion and restrict Toll-like receptor expression and cytokine production in innate immune effector cells in NASH, including Kupffer cells, neutrophils, and inflammatory monocytes. Consistent with their regulatory role in NASH, during the recovery phase of disease, ablation of DC populations results in delayed resolution of intrahepatic inflammation and fibroplasia. Conclusion Our findings support a role for DC in modulating NASH. Targeting DC functional properties may hold promise for therapeutic intervention in NASH. PMID:23322710

Consistent-handed individuals are more authoritarian.

Science.gov (United States)

Lyle, Keith B; Grillo, Michael C

2014-01-01

Individuals differ in the consistency with which they use one hand over the other to perform everyday activities. Some individuals are very consistent, habitually using a single hand to perform most tasks. Others are relatively inconsistent, and hence make greater use of both hands. More- versus less-consistent individuals have been shown to differ in numerous aspects of personality and cognition. In several respects consistent-handed individuals resemble authoritarian individuals. For example, both consistent-handedness and authoritarianism have been linked to cognitive inflexibility. Therefore we hypothesised that consistent-handedness is an external marker for authoritarianism. Confirming our hypothesis, we found that consistent-handers scored higher than inconsistent-handers on a measure of submission to authority, were more likely to identify with a conservative political party (Republican), and expressed less-positive attitudes towards out-groups. We propose that authoritarianism may be influenced by the degree of interaction between the left and right brain hemispheres, which has been found to differ between consistent- and inconsistent-handed individuals.

Semi-automatic film processing unit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohamad Annuar Assadat Husain; Abdul Aziz Bin Ramli; Mohd Khalid Matori

2005-01-01

The design concept applied in the development of an semi-automatic film processing unit needs creativity and user support in channelling the required information to select materials and operation system that suit the design produced. Low cost and efficient operation are the challenges that need to be faced abreast with the fast technology advancement. In producing this processing unit, there are few elements which need to be considered in order to produce high quality image. Consistent movement and correct time coordination for developing and drying are a few elements which need to be controlled. Other elements which need serious attentions are temperature, liquid density and the amount of time for the chemical liquids to react. Subsequent chemical reaction that take place will cause the liquid chemical to age and this will adversely affect the quality of image produced. This unit is also equipped with liquid chemical drainage system and disposal chemical tank. This unit would be useful in GP clinics especially in rural area which practice manual system for developing and require low operational cost. (Author)

Self-consistent asset pricing models

Science.gov (United States)

Malevergne, Y.; Sornette, D.

2007-08-01

We discuss the foundations of factor or regression models in the light of the self-consistency condition that the market portfolio (and more generally the risk factors) is (are) constituted of the assets whose returns it is (they are) supposed to explain. As already reported in several articles, self-consistency implies correlations between the return disturbances. As a consequence, the alphas and betas of the factor model are unobservable. Self-consistency leads to renormalized betas with zero effective alphas, which are observable with standard OLS regressions. When the conditions derived from internal consistency are not met, the model is necessarily incomplete, which means that some sources of risk cannot be replicated (or hedged) by a portfolio of stocks traded on the market, even for infinite economies. Analytical derivations and numerical simulations show that, for arbitrary choices of the proxy which are different from the true market portfolio, a modified linear regression holds with a non-zero value αi at the origin between an asset i's return and the proxy's return. Self-consistency also introduces “orthogonality” and “normality” conditions linking the betas, alphas (as well as the residuals) and the weights of the proxy portfolio. Two diagnostics based on these orthogonality and normality conditions are implemented on a basket of 323 assets which have been components of the S&P500 in the period from January 1990 to February 2005. These two diagnostics show interesting departures from dynamical self-consistency starting about 2 years before the end of the Internet bubble. Assuming that the CAPM holds with the self-consistency condition, the OLS method automatically obeys the resulting orthogonality and normality conditions and therefore provides a simple way to self-consistently assess the parameters of the model by using proxy portfolios made only of the assets which are used in the CAPM regressions. Finally, the factor decomposition with the

Red blood cell-derived microparticles isolated from blood units initiate and propagate thrombin generation.

Science.gov (United States)

Rubin, Olivier; Delobel, Julien; Prudent, Michel; Lion, Niels; Kohl, Kid; Tucker, Erik I; Tissot, Jean-Daniel; Angelillo-Scherrer, Anne

2013-08-01

Red blood cell-derived microparticles (RMPs) are small phospholipid vesicles shed from RBCs in blood units, where they accumulate during storage. Because microparticles are bioactive, it could be suggested that RMPs are mediators of posttransfusion complications or, on the contrary, constitute a potential hemostatic agent. This study was performed to establish the impact on coagulation of RMPs isolated from blood units. Using calibrated automated thrombography, we investigated whether RMPs affect thrombin generation (TG) in plasma. We found that RMPs were not only able to increase TG in plasma in the presence of a low exogenous tissue factor (TF) concentration, but also to initiate TG in plasma in absence of exogenous TF. TG induced by RMPs in the absence of exogenous TF was neither affected by the presence of blocking anti-TF nor by the absence of Factor (F)VII. It was significantly reduced in plasma deficient in FVIII or F IX and abolished in FII-, FV-, FX-, or FXI-deficient plasma. TG was also totally abolished when anti-XI 01A6 was added in the sample. Finally, neither Western blotting, flow cytometry, nor immunogold labeling allowed the detection of traces of TF antigen. In addition, RMPs did not comprise polyphosphate, an important modulator of coagulation. Taken together, our data show that RMPs have FXI-dependent procoagulant properties and are able to initiate and propagate TG. The anionic surface of RMPs might be the site of FXI-mediated TG amplification and intrinsic tenase and prothrombinase complex assembly. © 2012 American Association of Blood Banks.

A pixel unit-cell targeting 16 ns resolution and radiation hardness in a column read-out particle vertex detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wright, M.; Millaud, J.; Nygren, D.

1992-10-01

A pixel unit cell (PUC) circuit architecture, optimized for a column read out architecture, is reported. Each PUC contains an integrator, active filter, comparator, and optional analog store. The time-over-threshold (TOT) discriminator allows an all-digital interface to the array periphery readout while passing an analog measure of collected charge. Use of (existing) radiation hard processes, to build a detector bump-bonded to a pixel readout array, is targeted. Here, emphasis is on a qualitative explanation of how the unique circuit implementation benefits operation for Super Collider (SSC) detector application

A pixel unit-cell targeting 16ns resolution and radiation hardness in a column read-out particle vertex detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wright, M.; Millaud, J.; Nygren, D.

1993-01-01

A pixel unit cell (PUC) circuit architecture, optimized for a column read out architecture, is reported. Each PUC contains an integrator, active filter, comparator, and optional analog store. The time-over-threshold (TOT) discriminator allows an all-digital interface to the array periphery readout while passing an analog measure of collected charge. Use of (existing) radiation hard processes, to build a detector bump-bonded to a pixel readout array, is targeted. Here emphasis is on a qualitative explanation of how the unique circuit implementation benefits operation for Super Collider (SSC) detector application. (orig.)

Results and analysis of saltstone cores taken from saltstone disposal unit cell 2A

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reigel, M. M. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Hill, K. A. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL)

2016-03-01

As part of an ongoing Performance Assessment (PA) Maintenance Plan, Savannah River Remediation (SRR) has developed a sampling and analyses strategy to facilitate the comparison of field-emplaced samples (i.e., saltstone placed and cured in a Saltstone Disposal Unit (SDU)) with samples prepared and cured in the laboratory. The primary objectives of the Sampling and Analyses Plan (SAP) are; (1) to demonstrate a correlation between the measured properties of laboratory-prepared, simulant samples (termed Sample Set 3), and the field-emplaced saltstone samples (termed Sample Set 9), and (2) to validate property values assumed for the Saltstone Disposal Facility (SDF) PA modeling. The analysis and property data for Sample Set 9 (i.e. six core samples extracted from SDU Cell 2A (SDU2A)) are documented in this report, and where applicable, the results are compared to the results for Sample Set 3. Relevant properties to demonstrate the aforementioned objectives include bulk density, porosity, saturated hydraulic conductivity (SHC), and radionuclide leaching behavior.

New solar cell and clean unit system platform (CUSP) for earth and environmental science

Science.gov (United States)

Ishibashi, A.; Matsuoka, T.; Enomoto, R.; Yasutake, M.

2017-11-01

We have investigated InGaN-based multi-striped orthogonal photon-photocarrier propagation solar cell (MOP3SC) in which sunlight propagates in a direction being orthogonal to that of photocarriers generated by the sunlight. Thanks to the orthogonality, in MOP3SC, absorption of the sunlight and collection of the photocarriers can be simultaneously and independently optimized with no trade-off. Furthermore, by exploiting the degree of freedom along the photon propagation and using multi-semiconductor stripes in which the incoming photons first encounter the widest gap semiconductor, and the narrowest at last, we can convert the whole solar spectrum into electricity resulting in the high conversion efficiency. For processing MOP3SC, we have developed Clean Unit System Platform (CUSP), which turns out to be able to serve as clean versatile environment having low power-consumption and high cost-performance. CUSP is suitable not only for processing devices, but also for cross-disciplinary fields, including medical/hygienic applications.

Self-consistent quark bags

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rafelski, J.

1979-01-01

After an introductory overview of the bag model the author uses the self-consistent solution of the coupled Dirac-meson fields to represent a bound state of strongly ineteracting fermions. In this framework he discusses the vivial approach to classical field equations. After a short description of the used numerical methods the properties of bound states of scalar self-consistent Fields and the solutions of a self-coupled Dirac field are considered. (HSI) [de

Proton conductivity and fuel cell property of composite electrolyte consisting of Cs-substituted heteropoly acids and sulfonated poly(ether-ether ketone)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oh, S.Y.; Yoshida, T.; Kawamura, G.; Sakai, M.; Matsuda, A. [Department of Materials Science, Toyohashi University of Technology, 1-1 Hibarigaoka, Tempaku-cho, Toyohashi, Aichi 441-8580 (Japan); Muto, H. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Kurume National College of Technology, 1-1-1 Komorino, Kurume, Fukuoka 830-8555 (Japan)

2010-09-15

Inorganic-organic composite electrolytes were fabricated from partially Cs{sup +}-substituted heteropoly acids (Cs-HPAs) and sulfonated poly(ether-ether ketone) (SPEEK) for application in fuel cells. Heteropoly acids, such as phosphotungstic acid (H{sub 3}PW{sub 12}O{sub 40}:WPA), and silicotungstic acid (H{sub 4}SiW{sub 12}O{sub 40}:WSiA), were mechanochemically treated with cesium hydrogen sulfate (CsHSO{sub 4}) to obtain the form of Cs-HPAs. SPEEK was prepared from PEEK by sulfonation using concentrated sulfuric acid. Water durability and surface structure of HPAs were modified by introducing Cs{sup +} into HPAs. Flexible and hot water stable composite electrolytes were obtained, and their electrochemical properties were markedly improved with the addition of Cs-HPAs into the SPEEK matrix. Maximum power densities of 245 and 247 mW cm{sup -2} were obtained for 50WPA.50CsHSO{sub 4} and 50WSiA.50CsHSO{sub 4} in SPEEK (1/5 by weight) composite electrolytes, respectively, from single cell tests at 80 C and 80 RH%. These results suggest that a three-dimensional proton-conductive path was formed among homogeneously distributed Cs-HPAs particles in the SPEEK matrix. The Cs-HPAs incorporated into the SPEEK matrix increased the number of protonate sites in the electrolyte. These observations imply that the mechanochemically synthesized Cs-HPAs, which consist of hydrogen bondings between Cs-HPAs and -HSO{sub 4}{sup -}, dissociated from CsHSO{sub 4}, are promising materials as inorganic fillers in inorganic-organic composite. (author)

Consistently Showing Your Best Side? Intra-individual Consistency in #Selfie Pose Orientation

Science.gov (United States)

Lindell, Annukka K.

2017-01-01

Painted and photographic portraits of others show an asymmetric bias: people favor their left cheek. Both experimental and database studies confirm that the left cheek bias extends to selfies. To date all such selfie studies have been cross-sectional; whether individual selfie-takers tend to consistently favor the same pose orientation, or switch between multiple poses, remains to be determined. The present study thus examined intra-individual consistency in selfie pose orientations. Two hundred selfie-taking participants (100 male and 100 female) were identified by searching #selfie on Instagram. The most recent 10 single-subject selfies for the each of the participants were selected and coded for type of selfie (normal; mirror) and pose orientation (left, midline, right), resulting in a sample of 2000 selfies. Results indicated that selfie-takers do tend to consistently adopt a preferred pose orientation (α = 0.72), with more participants showing an overall left cheek bias (41%) than would be expected by chance (overall right cheek bias = 31.5%; overall midline bias = 19.5%; no overall bias = 8%). Logistic regression modellng, controlling for the repeated measure of participant identity, indicated that sex did not affect pose orientation. However, selfie type proved a significant predictor when comparing left and right cheek poses, with a stronger left cheek bias for mirror than normal selfies. Overall, these novel findings indicate that selfie-takers show intra-individual consistency in pose orientation, and in addition, replicate the previously reported left cheek bias for selfies and other types of portrait, confirming that the left cheek bias also presents within individuals’ selfie corpora. PMID:28270790

Meteorology: Observing, Understanding, and Predicting Weather. Self-Directed Study Units for Grades K-8.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Mary; Dickinson, Rosemary

This book consists of two complete units on meteorology. The first unit is created for lower elementary students and the second one is for upper elementary grade levels. The units are designed for gifted students and encourage students to be responsible for their own education. Each unit is based on an interdisciplinary approach. Suggestions for…

Experiments and Cycling at the LHC Prototype Half-Cell

Science.gov (United States)

Saban, R.; Casas-Cubillos, J.; Coull, L.; Cruikshank, P.; Dahlerup-Petersen, K.; Hilbert, B.; Krainz, G.; Kos, N.; Lebrun, P.; Momal, F.; Misiaen, D.; Parma, V.; Poncet, A.; Riddone, G.; Rijllart, A.; Rodriguez-Mateos, F.; Schmidt, R.; Serio, L.; Wallen, E.; van Weelderen, R.; Williams, L. R.

1997-05-01

The first version of the LHC prototype half-cell has been in operation since February 1995. It consists of one quadrupole and three 10-m twin aperture dipole magnets which operate at 1.8 K. This experimental set-up has been used to observe and study phenomena which appear when the systems are assembled in one unit and influence one another. The 18-month long experimental program has validated the cryogenic system and yielded a number of results on cryogenic instrumentation, magnet protection and vacuum in particular under non-standard operating conditions. The program was recently complemented by the cycling experiment: it consisted in powering the magnets following the ramp rates which will be experienced by the magnets during an LHC injection. In order to simulate 10 years of routine operation of LHC, more than 2000 1-hour cycles were performed interleaved with provoked quenches. The objective of this experiment was to reveal eventual flaws in the design of components. The prototype half-cell performed to expectations showing no sign of failure of fatigue of components for more than 2000 cycles until one of the dipoles started exhibiting an erratic quench behavior.

Interface Consistency

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Staunstrup, Jørgen

1998-01-01

This paper proposes that Interface Consistency is an important issue for the development of modular designs. Byproviding a precise specification of component interfaces it becomes possible to check that separately developedcomponents use a common interface in a coherent matter thus avoiding a very...... significant source of design errors. Awide range of interface specifications are possible, the simplest form is a syntactical check of parameter types.However, today it is possible to do more sophisticated forms involving semantic checks....

Establishment of a long-term three-dimensional primary culture of mouse glandular stomach epithelial cells within the stem cell niche

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Katano, Takahito; Ootani, Akifumi; Mizoshita, Tsutomu; Tanida, Satoshi; Tsukamoto, Hironobu; Ozeki, Keiji; Ebi, Masahide; Mori, Yoshinori; Kataoka, Hiromi; Kamiya, Takeshi; Toda, Shuji; Joh, Takashi

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► We established a 3D culture system to allow long-term culture of stomach cells. ► In this culture system, gastric epithelial cells grew for about 3 months. ► The cultured cells differentiated into multi-units of the stomach. ► This culture method should be useful for elucidating the cause of gastric diseases. -- Abstract: Compared to the small intestine and colon, little is known about stem cells in the stomach because of a lack of specific stem cell markers and an in vitro system that allows long-term culture. Here we describe a long-term three-dimensional (3D) primary gastric culture system within the stem cell niche. Glandular stomach cells from neonatal mice cultured in collagen gel yielded expanding sphere-like structures for 3 months. The wall of the gastrospheres consisted of a highly polarized epithelial monolayer with an outer lining of myofibroblasts. The epithelial cells showed a tall columnar cell shape, basal round nuclei, and mucus-filled cytoplasm as well as expression of MUC5AC, indicating differentiation into gastric surface mucous cells. These cells demonstrated the features of fully differentiated gastric surface mucous cells such as microvilli, junctional complexes, and glycogen and secretory granules. Fewer than 1% of cultured epithelial cells differentiated into enteroendocrine cells. Active proliferation of the epithelial cells and many apoptotic cells in the inner lumen revealed the rapid cell turnover in gastrospheres in vitro. This method enables us to investigate the role of signaling between cell–cell and epithelial–mesenchymal interactions in an environment that is extremely similar to the in vivo environment

Establishment of a long-term three-dimensional primary culture of mouse glandular stomach epithelial cells within the stem cell niche

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Katano, Takahito [Department of Gastroenterology and Metabolism, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, 1 Kawasumi, Mizuho-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya 467-8601 (Japan); Ootani, Akifumi [Department of Gastroenterology and GI Endoscopy Center, Shin-Kokura Hospital, Federation of National Public Service Personnel Mutual Aid Associations, 1-3-1 Kanada, Kokurakita-ku, Kitakyushu 803-0816 (Japan); Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, 5-1-1 Nabeshima, Saga 849-8501 (Japan); Mizoshita, Tsutomu, E-mail: tmizoshi@med.nagoya-cu.ac.jp [Department of Gastroenterology and Metabolism, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, 1 Kawasumi, Mizuho-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya 467-8601 (Japan); Tanida, Satoshi; Tsukamoto, Hironobu; Ozeki, Keiji; Ebi, Masahide; Mori, Yoshinori; Kataoka, Hiromi; Kamiya, Takeshi [Department of Gastroenterology and Metabolism, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, 1 Kawasumi, Mizuho-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya 467-8601 (Japan); Toda, Shuji [Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, 5-1-1 Nabeshima, Saga 849-8501 (Japan); Joh, Takashi [Department of Gastroenterology and Metabolism, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, 1 Kawasumi, Mizuho-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya 467-8601 (Japan)

2013-03-22

Highlights: ► We established a 3D culture system to allow long-term culture of stomach cells. ► In this culture system, gastric epithelial cells grew for about 3 months. ► The cultured cells differentiated into multi-units of the stomach. ► This culture method should be useful for elucidating the cause of gastric diseases. -- Abstract: Compared to the small intestine and colon, little is known about stem cells in the stomach because of a lack of specific stem cell markers and an in vitro system that allows long-term culture. Here we describe a long-term three-dimensional (3D) primary gastric culture system within the stem cell niche. Glandular stomach cells from neonatal mice cultured in collagen gel yielded expanding sphere-like structures for 3 months. The wall of the gastrospheres consisted of a highly polarized epithelial monolayer with an outer lining of myofibroblasts. The epithelial cells showed a tall columnar cell shape, basal round nuclei, and mucus-filled cytoplasm as well as expression of MUC5AC, indicating differentiation into gastric surface mucous cells. These cells demonstrated the features of fully differentiated gastric surface mucous cells such as microvilli, junctional complexes, and glycogen and secretory granules. Fewer than 1% of cultured epithelial cells differentiated into enteroendocrine cells. Active proliferation of the epithelial cells and many apoptotic cells in the inner lumen revealed the rapid cell turnover in gastrospheres in vitro. This method enables us to investigate the role of signaling between cell–cell and epithelial–mesenchymal interactions in an environment that is extremely similar to the in vivo environment.

Overlap function and Regge cut in a self-consistent multi-Regge model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Banerjee, H.; Mallik, S.

1977-01-01

A self-consistent multi-Regge model with unit intercept for the input trajectory is presented. Violation of unitarity is avoided in the model by assuming the vanishing of the pomeron-pomeron-hadron vertex, as the mass of either pomeron tends to zero. The model yields an output Regge pole in the inelastic overlap function which for t>0 lies on the r.h.s. of the moving branch point in the complex J-plane, but for t<0 moves to unphysical sheets. The leading Regge-cut contribution to the forward diffraction amplitude can be negative, so that the total cross section predicted by the model attains a limiting value from below

Overlap function and Regge cut in a self-consistent multi-Regge model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Banerjee, H [Saha Inst. of Nuclear Physics, Calcutta (India); Mallik, S [Bern Univ. (Switzerland). Inst. fuer Theoretische Physik

1977-04-21

A self-consistent multi-Regge model with unit intercept for the input trajectory is presented. Violation of unitarity is avoided in the model by assuming the vanishing of the pomeron-pomeron-hadron vertex, as the mass of either pomeron tends to zero. The model yields an output Regge pole in the inelastic overlap function which for t>0 lies on the r.h.s. of the moving branch point in the complex J-plane, but for t<0 moves to unphysical sheets. The leading Regge-cut contribution to the forward diffraction amplitude can be negative, so that the total cross section predicted by the model attains a limiting value from below.

Licensed pertussis vaccines in the United States: History and current state

OpenAIRE

Klein, Nicola P

2014-01-01

The United States switched from whole cell to acellular pertussis vaccines in the 1990s following global concerns with the safety of the whole cell vaccines. Despite high levels of acellular pertussis vaccine coverage, the United States and other countries are experiencing large pertussis outbreaks. The aim of this article is to describe the historical context which led to acellular pertussis vaccine development, focusing on vaccines currently licensed in the US, and to review evidence that w...

Use of variations in unit cell length, reflectance and hardness for determining the origin of Fe disulphides in sedimentary rocks

Science.gov (United States)

Dill, H. G.; Eberhard, E.; Hartmann, B.

1997-01-01

Fe disulphides are common opaque accessories in sedimentary rocks. Both marcasite and pyrite may shed some light on the depositional environment and help determine the diagenesis of their host rocks. Quantitative ore microscopy (reflectance measurements, Vickers hardness numbers) and X-ray diffraction methods, supplemented with scanning electron microscopy and chemical analyses, were applied to pyrite (and some marcasite) hosted by sedimentary rocks spanning the interval from the Devonian to the Pliocene, and formed in various marine and continental environments. Quantitative ore microscopy of pyrites of sedimentary origin does not seem to be an efficient tool for analyzing the environment owing to the inhomogeneous nature of sulphide aggregates when viewed under the ore microscope, and the variable amounts of minor elements (e.g., As, Ni, and Co) that control the reflectance values (RV) and Vickers hardness numbers (VHN) of the host sulphides. However, such parameters as crystal habit and unit cell length of pyrite, which correlate with FeS x, are useful for environmental analysis. The redox conditions and the presence of organic remains during formation are the main factors determining these crystallographic parameters. Differences in these parameters from those of pure, ideal FeS 2 can be related to substitution of, e.g., wustite in the pyrite lattice, reflecting moderate oxidation (i.e. in the microenvironment). As far as crystal habit and length of the cell edge are concerned, late stage diagenesis is obviously less important than the microenvironment attending initial formation. The environment of deposition (i.e. the macroenvironment) of pyrite-bearing rocks has no influence on the crystal morphology or the length of the unit cell of Fe disulphide. X-ray diffraction measurements demonstrate that this method provides useful evidence on the microenvironment of sulphide precipitation around a single, equant pyrite, as well as around pyritized fossils.

Groundwater-quality data for the Sierra Nevada study unit, 2008: Results from the California GAMA program

Science.gov (United States)

Shelton, Jennifer L.; Fram, Miranda S.; Munday, Cathy M.; Belitz, Kenneth

2010-01-01

Groundwater quality in the approximately 25,500-square-mile Sierra Nevada study unit was investigated in June through October 2008, as part of the Priority Basin Project of the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The GAMA Priority Basin Project is being conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB). The Sierra Nevada study was designed to provide statistically robust assessments of untreated groundwater quality within the primary aquifer systems in the study unit, and to facilitate statistically consistent comparisons of groundwater quality throughout California. The primary aquifer systems (hereinafter, primary aquifers) are defined by the depth of the screened or open intervals of the wells listed in the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) database of wells used for public and community drinking-water supplies. The quality of groundwater in shallower or deeper water-bearing zones may differ from that in the primary aquifers; shallow groundwater may be more vulnerable to contamination from the surface. In the Sierra Nevada study unit, groundwater samples were collected from 84 wells (and springs) in Lassen, Plumas, Butte, Sierra, Yuba, Nevada, Placer, El Dorado, Amador, Alpine, Calaveras, Tuolumne, Madera, Mariposa, Fresno, Inyo, Tulare, and Kern Counties. The wells were selected on two overlapping networks by using a spatially-distributed, randomized, grid-based approach. The primary grid-well network consisted of 30 wells, one well per grid cell in the study unit, and was designed to provide statistical representation of groundwater quality throughout the entire study unit. The lithologic grid-well network is a secondary grid that consisted of the wells in the primary grid-well network plus 53 additional wells and was designed to provide statistical representation of groundwater quality in each of the four major lithologic units in the Sierra

Congenital and nosocomial sepsis in infants born in a regional perinatal unit: cause, outcome, and white blood cell response.

Science.gov (United States)

Ohlsson, A; Vearncombe, M

1987-02-01

The incidence, cause, and outcome of sepsis and the white blood cell response were studied in 6315 infants born in a regional perinatal unit. The incidence of neonatal sepsis was 6.5 per 1000 live births. Congenital sepsis (12 cases) was overwhelming, with associated maternal infection (92%), neutropenia (75%), and high rate of mortality (50%). The most common organism was Escherichia coli (58%). Gestational age and birth weight were similar in survivors and nonsurvivors. There was a strong correlation between total white blood cell count and both mature and immature neutrophil counts in survivors but this correlation decreased substantially in neonates that died. Analysis of variance indicated that the means for polymorphonuclear leukocyte and immature neutrophil counts were significantly higher in survivors. Nosocomial sepsis (38 cases) occurred in premature low birth weight infants receiving invasive, intensive care. The most common organism was Staphylococcus epidermidis (76%). Total white blood cell, polymorphonuclear leukocyte, and immature neutrophil counts rose significantly in response to sepsis. None died. Prevention of congenital sepsis requires methods to detect early maternal-fetal infection. Providing granulocytes to neutropenic neonates with congenital sepsis might improve outcome.

MILA Antenna Control Unit Replacement Project

Science.gov (United States)

Bresette, Jeremy

2007-01-01

The Air to Ground Subsystem (AGS) Antenna Control Units at the MILA Ground Network Tracking Station are at end-of-life and are being replaced. AGS consists of two antennas at MILA (Quad-Helix and Teltrac). Software was taken from the existing Subsystem Controller and modified for the Antenna Control Unit (ACU). The software is capable of receiving and sending commands to and from the ACU. Moving the azimuth clockwise, counterclockwise, moving the elevation up or down, turning servo power on and off, and inputting azimuth and elevation angles are commands that the antenna can receive.

Intergenerational educational mobility in Denmark and the United States

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andrade, Stefan Bastholm; Thomsen, Jens-Peter

2018-01-01

An overall finding in comparative mobility studies is that intergenerational mobility is greater in Scandinavia than in liberal welfare-state countries like the United States and United Kingdom. However, in a recent study, Landersø and Heckman (L & H) (2017) argue that intergenerational educational...... mobility in Denmark and the United States is remarkably similar. L & H’s findings run contrary to widespread beliefs and have been echoed in academia and mass media on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. In this article, we reanalyze educational mobility in Denmark and the United States using the same data...... sources as L & H. We apply several different methodological approaches from economics and sociology, and we consistently find that educational mobility is higher in Denmark than in the United States....

A small mono-polar direct methanol fuel cell stack with passive operation

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Y. H.; Zhao, T. S.; Chen, R.; Xu, C.

A passive direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) stack that consists of six unit cells was designed, fabricated, and tested. The stack was tested with different methanol concentrations under ambient conditions. It was found that the stack performance increased when the methanol concentration inside the fuel tank was increased from 2.0 to 6.0 M. The improved performance is primarily due to the increased cell temperature as a result of the exothermic reaction between the permeated methanol and oxygen on the cathode. Moreover, the increased cell temperature enhanced the water evaporation rate on the air-breathing cathode, which significantly reduced water flooding on the cathode and further improved the stack performance. This passive DMFC stack, providing 350 mW at 1.8 V, was successfully applied to power a seagull display kit. The seagull display kit can continuously run for about 4 h on a single charge of 25 cm 3 4.0-M methanol solution.

Numerical analysis of stiffener for hybrid drive unite

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jakubovičová Lenka

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The matter of this article is a stress-strain analysis of hybrid drive prototype unit connected directly to convention Concrete Transit Mixer Gearbox. The unite was developed with intention to do field test on existing convection machines with possibility to use existing interfaces. The hybrid drive unit consists from electric and hydrostatic motor connected through addition mechanical transmission gearbox. The question is if today standard interface is good enough or need additional support a “stiffener”. Two engineering design were analysed. The first one includes using the stiffener to fixate the construction of hybrid drive unite connected to the planetary gear. The second one is without the stiffener. For strain-stress analysis, a finite element software ANSYS Workbench was used.

Replica consistency in a Data Grid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Domenici, Andrea; Donno, Flavia; Pucciani, Gianni; Stockinger, Heinz; Stockinger, Kurt

2004-01-01

A Data Grid is a wide area computing infrastructure that employs Grid technologies to provide storage capacity and processing power to applications that handle very large quantities of data. Data Grids rely on data replication to achieve better performance and reliability by storing copies of data sets on different Grid nodes. When a data set can be modified by applications, the problem of maintaining consistency among existing copies arises. The consistency problem also concerns metadata, i.e., additional information about application data sets such as indices, directories, or catalogues. This kind of metadata is used both by the applications and by the Grid middleware to manage the data. For instance, the Replica Management Service (the Grid middleware component that controls data replication) uses catalogues to find the replicas of each data set. Such catalogues can also be replicated and their consistency is crucial to the correct operation of the Grid. Therefore, metadata consistency generally poses stricter requirements than data consistency. In this paper we report on the development of a Replica Consistency Service based on the middleware mainly developed by the European Data Grid Project. The paper summarises the main issues in the replica consistency problem, and lays out a high-level architectural design for a Replica Consistency Service. Finally, results from simulations of different consistency models are presented

Single cell analysis of yeast replicative aging using a new generation of microfluidic device.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yi Zhang

Full Text Available A major limitation to yeast aging study has been the inability to track mother cells and observe molecular markers during the aging process. The traditional lifespan assay relies on manual micro-manipulation to remove daughter cells from the mother, which is laborious, time consuming, and does not allow long term tracking with high resolution microscopy. Recently, we have developed a microfluidic system capable of retaining mother cells in the microfluidic chambers while removing daughter cells automatically, making it possible to observe fluorescent reporters in single cells throughout their lifespan. Here we report the development of a new generation of microfluidic device that overcomes several limitations of the previous system, making it easier to fabricate and operate, and allowing functions not possible with the previous design. The basic unit of the device consists of microfluidic channels with pensile columns that can physically trap the mother cells while allowing the removal of daughter cells automatically by the flow of the fresh media. The whole microfluidic device contains multiple independent units operating in parallel, allowing simultaneous analysis of multiple strains. Using this system, we have reproduced the lifespan curves for the known long and short-lived mutants, demonstrating the power of the device for automated lifespan measurement. Following fluorescent reporters in single mother cells throughout their lifespan, we discovered a surprising change of expression of the translation elongation factor TEF2 during aging, suggesting altered translational control in aged mother cells. Utilizing the capability of the new device to trap mother-daughter pairs, we analyzed mother-daughter inheritance and found age dependent asymmetric partitioning of a general stress response reporter between mother and daughter cells.

Coordinating user interfaces for consistency

CERN Document Server

Nielsen, Jakob

2001-01-01

In the years since Jakob Nielsen's classic collection on interface consistency first appeared, much has changed, and much has stayed the same. On the one hand, there's been exponential growth in the opportunities for following or disregarding the principles of interface consistency-more computers, more applications, more users, and of course the vast expanse of the Web. On the other, there are the principles themselves, as persistent and as valuable as ever. In these contributed chapters, you'll find details on many methods for seeking and enforcing consistency, along with bottom-line analys

The TMI Regenerative Solid Oxide Fuel Cell

Science.gov (United States)

Cable, Thomas L.; Ruhl, Robert C.; Petrik, Michael

1996-01-01

Energy storage and production in space requires rugged, reliable hardware which minimizes weight, volume, and maintenance while maximizing power output and usable energy storage. Systems generally consist of photovoltaic solar arrays which operate (during sunlight cycles) to provide system power and regenerate fuel (hydrogen) via water electrolysis and (during dark cycles) fuel cells convert hydrogen into electricity. Common configurations use two separate systems (fuel cell and electrolyzer) in conjunction with photovoltaic cells. Reliability, power to weight and power to volume ratios could be greatly improved if both power production (fuel cells) and power storage (electrolysis) functions can be integrated into a single unit. The solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) based design integrates fuel cell and electrolyzer functions and potentially simplifies system requirements. The integrated fuel cell/electrolyzer design also utilizes innovative gas storage concepts and operates like a rechargeable 'hydrogen-oxygen battery'. Preliminary research has been completed on improved H2/H20 electrode (SOFC anode/electrolyzer cathode) materials for regenerative fuel cells. Tests have shown improved cell performance in both fuel and electrolysis modes in reversible fuel cell tests. Regenerative fuel cell efficiencies, ratio of power out (fuel cell mode) to power in (electrolyzer mode), improved from 50 percent using conventional electrode materials to over 80 percent. The new materials will allow a single SOFC system to operate as both the electolyzer and fuel cell. Preliminary system designs have also been developed to show the technical feasibility of using the design for space applications requiring high energy storage efficiencies and high specific energy. Small space systems also have potential for dual-use, terrestrial applications.

Energy conversion using hydrogen PEM fuel cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stoenescu, D.; Patularu, L.; Culcer, M.; Lazar, R.; Mirica, D.; Varlam, M.; Carcadea, E.; Stefanescu, I.

2004-01-01

It is well known that hydrogen is the most promising solution of future energy, both for long and medium term strategies. Hydrogen can be produced using many primary sources (naphthalene, natural gas, methanol, coal, biomass), solar cells power, etc. It can be burned or chemically reacted having a high yield of energy conversion and is a non-polluted fuel. This paper presents the results obtained by ICSI Rm. Valcea in an experimental-demonstrative conversion energy system consisting in a catalytic methane reforming plant for hydrogen production and three synthesis gas purification units in order to get pure hydrogen with a CO level lower than 10 ppm that finally feeds a hydrogen fuel stock. (authors)

Corrective Action Investigation Plan for Corrective Action Unit 232: Area 25 Sewage Lagoons Nevada Test Site, Nevada

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

DOE/NV Operations Office

1999-05-01

This Corrective Action Investigation Plan (CAIP) has been developed in accordance with the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order (FFACO) (1996) that was agreed to by the US Department of Energy, Nevada Operations Office (DOE/NV); the State of Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP); and the US Department of Defense. The CAIP is a document that provides or references all of the specific information for investigation activities associated with Corrective Action Units (CAUs) or Corrective Action Sites (CASs). According to the FFACO, CASs are sites potentially requiring corrective action(s) and may include solid waste management units or individual disposal or release sites. A CAU consists of one or more CASs grouped together based on geography, technical similarity, or agency responsibility for the purpose of determining corrective actions. This CAIP contains the environmental sample collection objectives and criteria for conducting site investigation activities at CAU 232, Area 25 Sewage Lagoons. Corrective Action Unit 232 consists of CAS 25-03-01, Sewage Lagoon, located in Area 25 of the Nevada Test Site (NTS). The NTS is approximately 65 miles (mi) northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada (Figure 1-1) (DOE/NV, 1996a). The Area 25 Sewage Lagoons (Figure 1-2) (IT, 1999b) are located approximately 0.3 mi south of the Test Cell 'C' (TCC) Facility and were used for the discharge of sanitary effluent from the TCC facility. For purposes of this discussion, this site will be referred to as either CAU 232 or the sewage lagoons.

Multiphase flows of N immiscible incompressible fluids: A reduction-consistent and thermodynamically-consistent formulation and associated algorithm

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, S.

2018-05-01

We present a reduction-consistent and thermodynamically consistent formulation and an associated numerical algorithm for simulating the dynamics of an isothermal mixture consisting of N (N ⩾ 2) immiscible incompressible fluids with different physical properties (densities, viscosities, and pair-wise surface tensions). By reduction consistency we refer to the property that if only a set of M (1 ⩽ M ⩽ N - 1) fluids are present in the system then the N-phase governing equations and boundary conditions will exactly reduce to those for the corresponding M-phase system. By thermodynamic consistency we refer to the property that the formulation honors the thermodynamic principles. Our N-phase formulation is developed based on a more general method that allows for the systematic construction of reduction-consistent formulations, and the method suggests the existence of many possible forms of reduction-consistent and thermodynamically consistent N-phase formulations. Extensive numerical experiments have been presented for flow problems involving multiple fluid components and large density ratios and large viscosity ratios, and the simulation results are compared with the physical theories or the available physical solutions. The comparisons demonstrate that our method produces physically accurate results for this class of problems.

Enhanced pulmonary toxicity with bleomycin and radiotherapy in oat cell lung cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Einhorn, L.; Krause, M.; Hornback, N.; Furnas, B.

1976-01-01

In a recently completed study, combination chemotherapy consisting of bleomycin, adriamycin, cyclophosphamide, and vincristine was given to 29 patients with oat cell lung cancer. There were no cases of pulmonary fibrosis in these 29 patients. Although several of these patients had prior radiotherapy, none had concomitant radiotherapy and chemotherapy. This same four-drug chemotherapy regimen was combined with concomitant radiotherapy in 13 patients with oat cell lung cancer. There were three cases of fatal pulmonary fibrosis and two other cases of clinically significant pulmonary fibrosis. All five cases of pulmonary fibrosis occurred several weeks after completion of a six-week course of bleomycin (total dosage 90 units). It is concluded that bleomycin cannot be safely administered while patients are receiving radiotherapy of the lung

DNA labeled during phosphonoacetate inhibition and following its reversal in herpesvirus infected cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jacob, R.J.

1984-01-01

Human embryonic lung cells were pre-equilibrated with phosphonoacetate and 32 P orthophosphate label, then infected with phosphonoacetate-sensitive herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1. Analyses of viral DNA produced in these cells showed the following. i) Viral DNA was synthesized in infected cells exposed to 100 μg of the drug per ml of medium but not in cells exposed to four-fold higher concentrations of the drug. ii) At 300 μg/ml a region of the DNA between 0.58 and 0.69 map units became transiently labeled, but the restriction endonuclease fragment containing these sequences migrated more slowly than the corresponding fragment from virion DNA. iii) Viral DNA extracted from infected cells 1.5 hours post drug withdrawal (300 μg/ml) was preferentially labeled in 2 regions of the genome mapping between 0.17 and 0.23 and 0.58-0.69 map units. This finding is in agreement with a report of Friedman et al. suggesting that HSV DNA contains two different sites if initiation. In addition a 4.8 x 10 6 molecular weight fragment was also preferentially labeled. This fragment could represent a smaller, aberrantly migrating fragment from the 0.17-0.27 map unit region of the DNA. iv) Viral DNA extracted from infected cells at longer intervals after drug withdrawal showed an increasing gradient of radioactivity progressively labeling the genome. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that viral DNA has at least two sites of initiation of DNA synthesis and that both sites are within the L component of the DNA. Alternatively, the results could be interpreted as two sites of localized synthesis (repair) that are detected at high concentrations of phosphonoacetate and immediately following reversal of inhibition of DNA synthesis. The results do not exclude the possibility that secondary sites in both L and S are utilized late in infection or in untreated cells. (Author)

Enhanced Engraftment of a Very Low-Dose Cord Blood Unit in an Adult Haemopoietic Transplant by Addition of Six Mismatched Viable Cord Units

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stephen J. Proctor

2010-01-01

, supported by six mismatched cord blood units (one unit per 10 kg recipient weight. No adverse reaction occurred following the infusion of mismatched units and engraftment of the suboptimal-dose matched unit occurred rapidly, with no molecular evidence of engraftment of mismatched cords. Early molecular remission of ALL was demonstrated using a novel PCR for a mitochondrial DNA mutation in the leukaemic clone. The cell dose of the matched cord was well below that recommended to engraft a 70 kg recipient. We suggest that a factor or factors in the mismatched cords enhanced/supported engraftment of the matched cord.

Consistency Anchor Formalization and Correctness Proofs

OpenAIRE

Miguel, Correia; Bessani, Alysson

2014-01-01

This is report contains the formal proofs for the techniques for increasing the consistency of cloud storage as presented in "Bessani et al. SCFS: A Cloud-backed File System. Proc. of the 2014 USENIX Annual Technical Conference. June 2014." The consistency anchor technique allows one to increase the consistency provided by eventually consistent cloud storage services like Amazon S3. This technique has been used in the SCFS (Shared Cloud File System) cloud-backed file system for solving rea...

Investigations on autothermal reforming of kerosene Jet A-1 for supplying solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC); Untersuchungen zur autothermen Reformierung von Kerosin Jet A-1 zur Versorgung oxidkeramischer Festelektrolyt-Brennstoffzellen (SOFC)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lenz, B.

2007-01-25

The auxiliary power unit of commercial aircraft is a gas turbine producing electric power with an efficiency of 18 %. This APU can be replaced by a fuel cell system, consisting of an autothermal kerosene reformer and a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC). The fuel is kerosene Jet A-1. The autothermal reforming of Jet A-1 is practically investigated under variation of steam-to-carbon-ratio, air ratio, space velocity, time in operation and reactor pressure on commercial catalysts. Using stationary system simulation the thermodynamic processes of the device is investigated. Finally, the autothermal reformer and the SOFC consisting of 14 cells are coupled. During this test series, I-V-characteristics are measured, fuel utilisation is calculated and the self-sufficient system operation is shown. (orig.)

Theoretical Study of the π-Bridge Influence with Different Units of Thiophene and Thiazole in Coumarin Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rody Soto-Rojo

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Eight coumarin derivative dyes were studied by varying the π-bridge size with different thiophene and thiazole units for their potential use in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC. Geometry optimization, the energy levels and electron density of the Highest Occupied Molecular Orbital and the Lowest Unoccupied Molecular Orbital, and ultraviolet-visible absorption spectra were calculated by Density Functional Theory (DFT and Time-Dependent-DFT. All molecular properties were analyzed to decide which dye was the most efficient. Furthermore, chemical reactivity parameters, such as chemical hardness, electrophilicity index, and electroaccepting power, were obtained and analyzed, whose values predicted the properties of the dyes in addition to the rest of the studied molecular properties. Our calculations allow us to qualitatively study dye molecules and choose the best for use in a DSSC. The effects of π-bridges based on thiophenes, thiazoles, and combinations of the two were reviewed; dyes with three units mainly of thiazole were chosen as the best photosensitizers for DSSC.

Gamma: A C++ Sound Synthesis Library Further Abstracting the Unit Generator

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Putnam, Lance Jonathan

2014-01-01

Gamma is a C++ library for sound synthesis that was created to address some of the limitations of existing sound synthesis libraries. The first limitation is that unit generators cannot easily be organized into separate sampling domains. This makes it difficult to use unit generators with different...... sample rates and in other domains, namely the frequency domain. The second limitation is that certain internal unit generator algorithms, such as interpolation, cannot be customized. This tends to lead to closed architectures consisting of multiple unit generators with only slight algorithmic differences...

The Rising Tiger (United States Policy Consideration towards Southeast Asia)

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Douglas, Carla; Pagliano, Gary; Rosner, Elliot J

1997-01-01

.... Southeast Asia, consisting of the countries of Thailand, Cambodia, Burma, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei, and the Philippines, presents opportunities for the United States...

Simulation and optimization of an industrial PSA unit

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barg C.

2000-01-01

Full Text Available The Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA units have been used as a low cost alternative to the usual gas separation processes. Its largest commercial application is for hydrogen purification systems. Several studies have been made about the simulation of pressure swing adsorption units, but there are only few reports on the optimization of such processes. The objective of this study is to simulate and optimize an industrial PSA unit for hydrogen purification. This unit consists of six beds, each of them have three layers of different kinds of adsorbents. The main impurities are methane, carbon monoxide and sulfidric gas. The product stream has 99.99% purity in hydrogen, and the recovery is around 90%. A mathematical model for a commercial PSA unit is developed. The cycle time and the pressure swing steps are optimized. All the features concerning with complex commercial processes are considered.

The Gaseous State. Independent Learning Project for Advanced Chemistry (ILPAC). Unit P1.

Science.gov (United States)

Inner London Education Authority (England).

This unit on the gaseous state is one of 10 first year units produced by the Independent Learning Project for Advanced Chemistry (ILPAC). The unit consists of two levels. Level one deals with the distinctive characteristics of gases, then considers the gas laws, in particular the ideal gas equation and its applications. Level two concentrates on…

Equilibrium I: Principles. Independent Learning Project for Advanced Chemistry (ILPAC). Unit P2.

Science.gov (United States)

Inner London Education Authority (England).

This unit on the principles of equilibrium is one of 10 first year units produced by the Independent Learning Project for Advanced Chemistry (ILPAC). The unit consists of two levels. After a treatment of non-mathematical aspects in level one (the idea of a reversible reaction, characteristics of an equilibrium state, the Le Chatelier's principle),…

A new approach to hull consistency

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Kolev Lubomir

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Hull consistency is a known technique to improve the efficiency of iterative interval methods for solving nonlinear systems describing steady-states in various circuits. Presently, hull consistency is checked in a scalar manner, i.e. successively for each equation of the nonlinear system with respect to a single variable. In the present poster, a new more general approach to implementing hull consistency is suggested which consists in treating simultaneously several equations with respect to the same number of variables.

Time-Consistent and Market-Consistent Evaluations (Revised version of 2012-086)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Stadje, M.A.; Pelsser, A.

2014-01-01

Abstract: We consider evaluation methods for payoffs with an inherent financial risk as encountered for instance for portfolios held by pension funds and insurance companies. Pricing such payoffs in a way consistent to market prices typically involves combining actuarial techniques with methods from

Adenylate cyclase regulation in the spermatogenic cell plasma membrane: Modulating effects of TPA and TCDD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beebe, L.E.

1989-01-01

This research was designed to compare the effects of TPA, a phorbol ester, and TCDD in a spermatogenic cell population, a target of TCDD toxicity. Membrane-bound adenylate cyclase activity was used an index of membrane function, and was quantified by the amount of 32 P-cAMP formed from 32 P-ATP following chromatographic separation. Exposure to male germ cells in-vitro to TPA and TCDD followed by direct measurement of enzyme activity was used to investigate the potential of each agent to perturb membrane function. TPA and TCDD consistently inhibited adenylate cyclase activity at the levels of G s -catalytic unit coupling and hormone-receptor activation, as measured by the stimulation of enzyme activity by concomitant addition of forskolin and GTP and FSH and GTP, respectively. The effect on coupling required at least 60 minutes of exposure to TPA or TCDD. Concentration-response curves demonstrated a progressive desensitization with increasing TPA concentration, while TCDD exhibited consistent inhibition over the same concentration range

A phase I/II trial to evaluate the safety, feasibility and activity of salvage therapy consisting of the mTOR inhibitor Temsirolimus added to standard therapy of Rituximab and DHAP for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large cell B-Cell lymphoma – the STORM trial

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Witzens-Harig, Mathias; Memmer, Marie Luise; Dreyling, Martin; Hess, Georg

2013-01-01

The current standard treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large cell B-Cell lymphoma (DLBCL) primarily consists of intensified salvage therapy and, if the disease is chemo-sensitive, high dose therapy followed with autologous stem cell transplantation. In the rituximab era however, this treatment approach has shown only limited benefit. In particular, patients relapsing after rituximab-containing primary treatment have an adverse prognosis, especially if this occurs within the first year after therapy or if the disease is primarily refractory. Therefore there is an ultimate need for improved salvage treatment approaches. The STORM study is a prospective, multicentre phase I/II study to evaluate the safety, feasibility and activity of salvage therapy consisting of the mTOR inhibitor temsirolimus added to the standard therapy rituximab and DHAP for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory DLBCL. The primary objective of the phase I of the trial is to establish the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of temsirolimus in combination with rituximab and DHAP. The secondary objective is to demonstrate that stem cells can be mobilized during this regimen in patients scheduled to proceed to high dose therapy. In phase II, the previously established maximum tolerated dose of temsirolimus will be used. The primary objective is to evaluate the overall response rate (ORR) in patients with relapsed DLBCL. The secondary objective is to evaluate progression free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) and toxicity. The study will be accompanied by an analysis of lymphoma subtypes determined by gene expression analysis (GEP). The STORM trial evaluates the safety, feasibility and activity of salvage therapy consisting of the mTOR inhibitor temsirolimus added to standard therapy of rituximab and DHAP for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory DLBCL. It also might identify predictive markers for this treatment modality. ClinicalTrials.gov http

Facet Theory and the Mapping Sentence As Hermeneutically Consistent Structured Meta-Ontology and Structured Meta-Mereology

Science.gov (United States)

Hackett, Paul M. W.

2016-01-01

When behavior is interpreted in a reliable manner (i.e., robustly across different situations and times) its explained meaning may be seen to possess hermeneutic consistency. In this essay I present an evaluation of the hermeneutic consistency that I propose may be present when the research tool known as the mapping sentence is used to create generic structural ontologies. I also claim that theoretical and empirical validity is a likely result of employing the mapping sentence in research design and interpretation. These claims are non-contentious within the realm of quantitative psychological and behavioral research. However, I extend the scope of both facet theory based research and claims for its structural utility, reliability and validity to philosophical and qualitative investigations. I assert that the hermeneutic consistency of a structural ontology is a product of a structural representation's ontological components and the mereological relationships between these ontological sub-units: the mapping sentence seminally allows for the depiction of such structure. PMID:27065932

Human Breast Cancer Cells Are Redirected to Mammary Epithelial Cells upon Interaction with the Regenerating Mammary Gland Microenvironment In-Vivo

Science.gov (United States)

Bussard, Karen M.; Smith, Gilbert H.

2012-01-01

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. At present, the etiology of breast cancer is unknown; however the possibility of a distinct cell of origin, i.e. a cancer stem cell, is a heavily investigated area of research. Influencing signals from the tissue niche are known to affect stem cells. Literature has shown that cancer cells lose their tumorigenic potential and display ‘normal’ behavior when placed into ‘normal’ ontogenic environments. Therefore, it may be the case that the tissue microenvironment is able to generate signals to redirect cancer cell fate. Previously, we showed that pluripotent human embryonal carcinoma cells could be redirected by the regenerating mammary gland microenvironment to contribute epithelial progeny for ‘normal’ gland development in-vivo. Here, we show that that human metastatic, non-metastatic, and metastasis-suppressed breast cancer cells proliferate and contribute to normal mammary gland development in-vivo without tumor formation. Immunochemistry for human-specific mitochondria, keratin 8 and 14, as well as human-specific milk proteins (alpha-lactalbumin, impregnated transplant hosts) confirmed the presence of human cell progeny. Features consistent with normal mammary gland development as seen in intact hosts (duct, lumen formation, development of secretory acini) were recapitulated in both primary and secondary outgrowths from chimeric implants. These results suggest the dominance of the tissue microenvironment over cancer cell fate. This work demonstrates that cultured human breast cancer cells (metastatic and non-metastatic) respond developmentally to signals generated by the mouse mammary gland microenvironment during gland regeneration in-vivo. PMID:23155468

Human breast cancer cells are redirected to mammary epithelial cells upon interaction with the regenerating mammary gland microenvironment in-vivo.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karen M Bussard

Full Text Available Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. At present, the etiology of breast cancer is unknown; however the possibility of a distinct cell of origin, i.e. a cancer stem cell, is a heavily investigated area of research. Influencing signals from the tissue niche are known to affect stem cells. Literature has shown that cancer cells lose their tumorigenic potential and display 'normal' behavior when placed into 'normal' ontogenic environments. Therefore, it may be the case that the tissue microenvironment is able to generate signals to redirect cancer cell fate. Previously, we showed that pluripotent human embryonal carcinoma cells could be redirected by the regenerating mammary gland microenvironment to contribute epithelial progeny for 'normal' gland development in-vivo. Here, we show that that human metastatic, non-metastatic, and metastasis-suppressed breast cancer cells proliferate and contribute to normal mammary gland development in-vivo without tumor formation. Immunochemistry for human-specific mitochondria, keratin 8 and 14, as well as human-specific milk proteins (alpha-lactalbumin, impregnated transplant hosts confirmed the presence of human cell progeny. Features consistent with normal mammary gland development as seen in intact hosts (duct, lumen formation, development of secretory acini were recapitulated in both primary and secondary outgrowths from chimeric implants. These results suggest the dominance of the tissue microenvironment over cancer cell fate. This work demonstrates that cultured human breast cancer cells (metastatic and non-metastatic respond developmentally to signals generated by the mouse mammary gland microenvironment during gland regeneration in-vivo.

Relation Between the Cell Volume and the Cell Cycle Dynamics in Mammalian cell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Magno, A.C.G.; Oliveira, I.L.; Hauck, J.V.S.

2016-01-01

The main goal of this work is to add and analyze an equation that represents the volume in a dynamical model of the mammalian cell cycle proposed by Gérard and Goldbeter (2011) [1]. The cell division occurs when the cyclinB/Cdkl complex is totally degraded (Tyson and Novak, 2011)[2] and it reaches a minimum value. At this point, the cell is divided into two newborn daughter cells and each one will contain the half of the cytoplasmic content of the mother cell. The equations of our base model are only valid if the cell volume, where the reactions occur, is constant. Whether the cell volume is not constant, that is, the rate of change of its volume with respect to time is explicitly taken into account in the mathematical model, then the equations of the original model are no longer valid. Therefore, every equations were modified from the mass conservation principle for considering a volume that changes with time. Through this approach, the cell volume affects all model variables. Two different dynamic simulation methods were accomplished: deterministic and stochastic. In the stochastic simulation, the volume affects every model's parameters which have molar unit, whereas in the deterministic one, it is incorporated into the differential equations. In deterministic simulation, the biochemical species may be in concentration units, while in stochastic simulation such species must be converted to number of molecules which are directly proportional to the cell volume. In an effort to understand the influence of the new equation a stability analysis was performed. This elucidates how the growth factor impacts the stability of the model's limit cycles. In conclusion, a more precise model, in comparison to the base model, was created for the cell cycle as it now takes into consideration the cell volume variation (paper)

Consistent expression of guanylyl cyclase-C in primary and metastatic gastrointestinal cancers.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hadi Danaee

Full Text Available The transmembrane receptor guanylate cyclase-C (GCC has been found to be expressed in colorectal cancers. However, limited data are available on GCC protein expression in non-colorectal gastrointestinal tumors and few studies have reported whether GCC protein expression was consistently preserved in synchronous primary and metastatic cancer tissues.GCC protein status was assessed by immunohistochemistry in tumor specimens from individuals (n = 627 with gastrointestinal tumors, including esophageal (n = 130, gastric (n = 276, pancreatic (n = 136, and colorectal (n = 85 primary and metastatic tumors. Tissue specimens consisted of tissue microarrays containing esophageal, gastric, pancreatic tumors, and whole-slide tissue sections from colorectal cancer patients with matching primary and metastatic tumors.Among the evaluated esophageal, gastric, and pancreatic tumors, the frequency of GCC positivity at the protein level ranged from 59% to 68%. GCC was consistently expressed in primary and matched/synchronous metastatic lesions of colorectal cancer tissues derived from the same patients.This observational study demonstrated the protein expression of GCC across various gastrointestinal malignancies. In all cancer histotypes, GCC protein localization was observed predominantly in the cytoplasm compared to the membrane region of tumor cells. Consistent immunohistochemistry detection of GCC protein expression in primary colorectal cancers and in their matched liver metastases suggests that the expression of GCC is maintained throughout the process of tumor progression and formation of metastatic disease.

Transfusão de concentrado de hemácias na unidade de terapia intensiva Red blood cells transfusion in intensive care unit

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Solange Emanuelle Volpato

2009-12-01

Full Text Available INTRODUÇÃO: A anemia é um problema comum na admissão dos pacientes nas unidades de terapia intensiva, sendo a prática de transfusão de concentrado de hemácias uma terapêutica freqüente. As causas de anemia em pacientes críticos que realizam transfusão de concentrado de hemácias são várias: perda aguda de sangue após trauma, hemorragia gastrointestinal, cirurgia, dentre outras. Atualmente, poucos estudos são disponibilizados sobre o uso de hemocomponentes em pacientes sob cuidados intensivos. Embora as transfusões sangüíneas sejam freqüentes em unidades de terapia intensiva, os critérios de manejo otimizados não são claramente definidos, não existindo, inclusive, guidelines específicos. OBJETIVOS: Analisar as indicações clínicas do uso do concentrado hemácia na unidade de terapia intensiva. MÉTODOS: Foram analisados os prontuários dos pacientes internados na unidade de terapia intensiva que realizaram transfusão de concentrado de hemácias no período de 1º de janeiro de 2005 a 31 de dezembro de 2005. O trabalho foi aceito pelo Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa da Universidade do Sul de Santa Catarina (UNISUL. RESULTADOS: A taxa de transfusão foi de 19,33%, tendo predomínio do gênero masculino. Prevalência de paciente com idade superior ou igual a 60 anos. A taxa de óbitos nos pacientes transfundidos com concentrado de hemácias foi de 38,22%. O critério de indicação de transfusão mais freqüente foi por baixa concentração de hemoglobina (78% com média da hemoglobina pré-transfusional de 8,11g/dl. CONCLUSÕES: Os diagnósticos pré-transfusão mais frequentes são politrauma e sepse/choque séptico. Baixa concentração de hemoglobina é o principal critério clínico com média pré-transfusional de 8,11g/dl.BACKGROUND: The anemia is a common problem upon admission of the patients in the intensive care unit being the red blood cell transfusion a frequent therapeutic. The causes of anemia in critical

N-ethylmaleimide sensitization of x-irradiated hypoxic Chinese hamster cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kimler, B.F.; Sinclair, W.K.; Elkind, M.M.

1977-01-01

Chinese hamster cells were x irradiated either aerobically or hypoxically, after flushing with nitrogen plus carbon dioxide. In agreement with earlier data, for asynchronous cells, the oxygen enhancement ratio (OER) was approximately three. If the sulfhydryl-binding agent N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) was present during or immediately after irradiation, the principal effect was a pronounced decrease in the extrapolation number of the survival curve of NEM-treated cells compared to nontreated cells. This was observed with hypoxic as well as aerobic cells and the OER for NEM-treated cells was also about three. For NEM treatments which were essentially nontoxic, NEM acts synergistically with X rays, suggestive of an inhibition by NEM of a cell's ability to repair sublethal damage. For synchronous cells obtained by mitotic selection, a result consistent with the above was obtained; a dose three times as large was necessary to reduce survival to the same level for hypoxic cells as for aerobic cells, whether or not the cells were treated with NEM. Thus the OER was independent of NEM treatment throughout the cell cycle, with the possible exception of mitosis which could not be studied with the methods used. It is concluded that the action of NEM at low concentrations (0.75 μM) is largely independent of oxygen tension. Oxygen acts to produce more damage per unit dose in the cell while NEM sensitizes apparently by preventing the repair of sublethal damage

Technical Analysis of Installed Micro-Combined Heat and Power Fuel-Cell System

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brooks, Kriston P.; Makhmalbaf, Atefe

2014-10-31

Combined heat and power fuel cell systems (CHP-FCSs) provide consistent electrical power and hot water with greater efficiency and lower emissions than alternative sources. These systems can be used either as baseload, grid-connected, or as off-the-grid power sources. This report presents a technical analysis of 5 kWe CHP-FCSs installed in different locations in the U.S. At some sites as many as five 5 kWe system is used to provide up to 25kWe of power. Systems in this power range are considered “micro”-CHP-FCS. To better assess performance of micro-CHP-FCS and understand their benefits, the U.S. Department of Energy worked with ClearEdge Power to install fifteen 5-kWe PBI high temperature PEM fuel cells (CE5 models) in the commercial markets of California and Oregon. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory evaluated these systems in terms of their economics, operations, and technical performance. These units were monitored from September 2011 until June 2013. During this time, about 190,000 hours of data were collected and more than 17 billion data points were analyzed. Beginning in July 2013, ten of these systems were gradually replaced with ungraded systems (M5 models) containing phosphoric acid fuel cell technology. The new units were monitored until June 2014 until they went offline because ClearEdge was bought by Doosan at the time and the new manufacturer did not continue to support data collection and maintenance of these units. During these two phases, data was collected at once per second and data analysis techniques were applied to understand behavior of these systems. The results of this analysis indicate that systems installed in the second phase of this demonstration performed much better in terms of availability, consistency in generation, and reliability. The average net electrical power output increased from 4.1 to 4.9 kWe, net heat recovery from 4.7 to 5.4 kWth, and system availability improved from 94% to 95%. The average net system electric

Towards Cryogenic Liquid-Vapor Energy Storage Units for space applications

Science.gov (United States)

Afonso, Josiana Prado

With the development of mechanical coolers and very sensitive cryogenic sensors, it could be interesting to use Energy Storage Units (ESU) and turn off the cryocooler to operate in a free micro vibration environment. An ESU would also avoid cryogenic systems oversized to attenuate temperature fluctuations due to thermal load variations which is useful particularly for space applications. In both cases, the temperature drift must remain limited to keep good detector performances. In this thesis, ESUs based on the high latent heat associated to liquid-vapor phase change to store energy have been studied. To limit temperature drifts while keeping small size cell at low temperature, a potential solution consists in splitting the ESU in two volumes: a low temperature cell coupled to a cryocooler cold finger through a thermal heat switch and an expansion volume at room temperature to reduce the temperature increase occurring during liquid evaporation. To obtain a vanishing temperature drift, a new improvement has been tested using two-phase nitrogen: a controlled valve was inserted between the two volumes in order to control the cold cell pressure. In addition, a porous material was used inside the cell to turn the ESU gravity independent and suitable for space applications. In this case, experiments reveal not fully understood results concerning both energy storage and liquid-wall temperature difference. To capture the thermal influence of the porous media, a dedicated cell with poorly conductive lateral wall was built and operated with two-phase helium. After its characterization outside the saturation conditions (conduction, convection), experiments were performed, with and without porous media, heating at the top or the bottom of the cell with various heat fluxes and for different saturation temperatures. In parallel, a model describing the thermal response for a cell containing liquid and vapor with a porous medium heated at the top ("against gravity") was developed

Development of GT-MGR plant power conversion unit design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kostin, V.I.; Kodochigov, N.G.; Belov, S.E.; Vasyaev, A.V.; Golovko, V.F.; Shenoj, A.

2007-01-01

The General Atomic Company (USA) and the Pilot Design Bureau for Machine-Building (Russia) are involved in the efforts to design the GT-MGR modular helium cooled reactor and the energy conversion unit with the direct gas turbine cycle. The reactor capacity is equal to 600 MW, it is cooled by helium under 7 MPa pressure. The energy conversion unit consists of a gas turbine, a recuperator, preliminary and intermediate coolers, a generator. The turbine shaft rotation frequency is equal to 4400 rotation/minute. One analyzed the alternate designs of the energy conversion unit to choose its configuration [ru

Energetic and Exergy Efficiency of a Heat Storage Unit for Building Heating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hazami, Mejdi; Kooli, Sami; Lazaar, Meriem; Farhat, Abdelhamid; Belghith, Ali

2009-01-01

This paper deals with a numerical and experimental investigation of a daily solar storage system conceived and built in Laboratoire de Maitrise des Technologies de l Energie (LMTE, Borj Cedria). This system consists mainly of the storage unit connected to a solar collector unit. The storage unit consists of a wooden case with dimension of 5 m 3 (5 m x 1m x 1m) filed with fin sand. Inside the wooden case was buried a network of a polypropylene capillary heat exchanger with an aperture area equal to 5 m 2 . The heat collection unit consisted of 5 m 2 of south-facing solar collector mounted at a 37 degree tilt angle. In order to evaluate the system efficiency during the charging period (during the day) and discharging period (during the night) an energy and exergy analyses were applied. Outdoor experiments were also carried out under varied environmental conditions for several consecutive days. Results showed that during the charging period, the average daily rates of thermal energy and exergy stored in the heat storage unit were 400 and 2.6 W, respectively. It was found that the net energy and exergy efficiencies in the charging period were 32 pour cent and 22 pour cent, respectively. During the discharging period, the average daily rates of the thermal energy and exergy recovered from the heat storage unit were 2 kW and 2.5 kW, respectively. The recovered heat from the heat storage unit was used for the air-heating of a tested room (4 m x 3 m x 3 m). The results showed that 30 pour cent of the total heating requirement of the tested room was obtained from the heat storage system during the whole night in cold seasons

HTR-PROTEUS benchmark calculations. Pt. 1. Unit cell results LEUPRO-1 and LEUPRO-2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hogenbirk, A.; Stad, R.C.L. van der; Janssen, A.J.; Klippel, H.T.; Kuijper, J.C.

1995-09-01

In the framework of the IAEA Co-ordinated Research Programme (CRP) on 'Validation of Safety Related Physics Calculations for Low-Enriched (LEU) HTGRs' calculational benchmarks are performed on the basis of LEU-HTR pebble-bed critical experiments carried out in the PROTEUS facility at PSI, Switzerland. Of special interest is the treatment of the double heterogeneity of the fuel and the spherical fuel elements of these pebble bed core configurations. Also of interest is the proper calculation of the safety related physics parameters like the effect of water ingress and control rod worth. This document describes the ECN results of the LEUPRO-1 and LEUPRO-2 unitcell calculations performed with the codes WIMS-E, SCALE-4 and MCNP4A. Results of the LEUPRO-1 unit cell with 20% water ingress in the void is also reported for both the single and the double heterogeneous case. Emphasis is put on the intercomparison of the results obtained by the deterministic codes WIMS-E and SCALE-4, and the Monte Carlo code MCNP4A. The LEUPRO whole core calculations will be reported later. (orig.)

Performance analysis of three-dimensional-triple-level cell and two-dimensional-multi-level cell NAND flash hybrid solid-state drives