Computed Tomography Assessment of Intestinal Gas Volumes in Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders

( Sebastian R Mc Williams ),( Patrick D Mc Laughlin ),( Owen J O’connor ),( Alan N Desmond ),( Aine Ni Laoire ),( Fergus Shanahan ),( Eamonn Mm Quigley ),( Michael M Maher ) 대한소화기기능성질환·운동학회 2012 Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility (JNM Vol.18 No.4

Background/Aims Many patients with functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) rank sensations of bloating and distension among their most debilitating symptoms. Previous studies that have examined intestinal gas volume (IGV) in patients with FGIDs have employed a variety of invasive and imaging techniques. These studies are limited by small numbers and have shown conflicting results. The aim of our study was to estimate, using CT of the abdomen and pelvis (CTAP), IGV in patients attending FGID clinic and to compare IGV in patients with and without FGID. Methods All CTAP (n = 312) performed on patients (n = 207) attending a specialized FGID clinic over 10-year period were included in this study. Patients were classified into one of 3 groups according to the established clinical grading system, as organic gastrointestinal disorder (OGID, ie, patients with an organic non-functional disorder, n = 84), FGID (n = 36) or organic and functional gastrointestinal disorder (OFGID, ie, patients with an organic and a functional disorder, n = 87). Two independent readers blinded to the diagnostic group calculated IGV using threshold based 3D region growing with OsiriX. Results Median IGVs for the FGID, OGID, and OFGID groups were 197.6, 220.6 and 155.0 mL, respectively. Stepwise linear regression revealed age at study, gender, and calculated body mass index to predict the log IGV with an r2 of 0.116, and P < 0.001. There was a significant positive correlation between age and IGV in OGID (Spearman’s = 0.253, P = 0.02) but this correlation was non-significant in the other groups. Conclusions Although bloating is a classic symptom in FGID patients, IGV may not be increased compared with OGID and OFGID patients. (J Neurogastroenterol Motil 2012,18:419-425)

Methods for sampling and analysis of marine microalgae in ship ballast tanks: a case study from Tampa Bay, Florida, USA

Matthew J. Garrett,R. William Richardson,Jennifer L. Wolny,B. James Williams,Michael D. Dirks,Julie A. Brame 한국조류학회I 2011 ALGAE Vol.26 No.2

Ballasting and deballasting of shipping vessels in foreign ports have been reported worldwide as a vector of introduction of non-native aquatic plants and animals. Recently, attention has turned to ballast water as a factor in the global increase of harmful algal blooms (HABs). Many species of microalgae, including harmful dinoflagellate species, can remain viable for months in dormant benthic stages (cysts) in ballast sediments. Over a period of four years, we surveyed ballast water and sediment of ships docked in two ports of Tampa Bay, Florida, USA. Sampling conditions encountered while sampling ballast water and sediments were vastly different between vessels. Since no single sample collection protocol could be applied, existing methods for sampling ballast were modified and new methods created to reduce time and labor necessary for the collection of high-quality, qualitative samples. Five methods were refined or developed,including one that allowed for a directed intake of water and sediments. From 63 samples, 1,633 dinoflagellate cysts and cyst-like cells were recovered. A native, cyst-forming, harmful dinoflagellate, Alexandrium balechii (Steidinger) F. J. R. Taylor, was collected, isolated, and cultured from the same vessel six months apart, indicating that ships exchanging ballast water in Tampa Bay have the potential to transport HAB species to other ports with similar ecologies, exposing them to non-native, potentially toxic blooms.

Methods for sampling and analysis of marine microalgae in ship ballast tanks: a case study from Tampa Bay, Florida, USA

Garrett, Matthew J.,Wolny, Jennifer L.,Williams, B. James,Dirks, Michael D.,Brame, Julie A.,Richardson, R. William The Korean Society of Phycology 2011 ALGAE Vol.26 No.2

Ballasting and deballasting of shipping vessels in foreign ports have been reported worldwide as a vector of introduction of non-native aquatic plants and animals. Recently, attention has turned to ballast water as a factor in the global increase of harmful algal blooms (HABs). Many species of microalgae, including harmful dinoflagellate species, can remain viable for months in dormant benthic stages (cysts) in ballast sediments. Over a period of four years, we surveyed ballast water and sediment of ships docked in two ports of Tampa Bay, Florida, USA. Sampling conditions encountered while sampling ballast water and sediments were vastly different between vessels. Since no single sample collection protocol could be applied, existing methods for sampling ballast were modified and new methods created to reduce time and labor necessary for the collection of high-quality, qualitative samples. Five methods were refined or developed, including one that allowed for a directed intake of water and sediments. From 63 samples, 1,633 dinoflagellate cysts and cyst-like cells were recovered. A native, cyst-forming, harmful dinoflagellate, Alexandrium balechii (Steidinger) F. J. R. Taylor, was collected, isolated, and cultured from the same vessel six months apart, indicating that ships exchanging ballast water in Tampa Bay have the potential to transport HAB species to other ports with similar ecologies, exposing them to non-native, potentially toxic blooms.

MC²: MAPPING THE DARK MATTER DISTRIBUTION OF THE “TOOTHBRUSH” CLUSTER RX J0603.3+4214 WITH<i>HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE</i>AND SUBARU WEAK LENSING

Jee, M. James,Dawson, William A.,Stroe, Andra,Wittman, David,van Weeren, Reinout J.,Brü,ggen, Marcus,Bradač,, Maruš,a,Rö,ttgering, Huub American Astronomical Society 2016 The Astrophysical journal Vol.817 No.2

<P>The galaxy cluster RX J0603.3+4214. at z-0.225 is one of the rarest clusters boasting an extremely large (similar to 2 Mpc) radio. relic. Because of the remarkable morphology of the relic, the cluster is nicknamed the. 'Toothbrush Cluster.' Although the cluster's underlying mass distribution is one of the critical pieces of information needed to reconstruct the merger scenario responsible for the puzzling radio. relic morphology, its proximity to the Galactic plane b similar to 10 degrees has imposed significant observational challenges. We present a high-resolution weak-lensing study of the cluster with Subaru/Suprime Cam and Hubble Space Telescope imaging data. Our mass reconstruction reveals that the cluster is composed of complicated dark matter substructures closely tracing the galaxy distribution, in contrast, however, with the relatively simple binary X-ray morphology. Nevertheless, we find that the cluster mass is still dominated by the two most massive clumps aligned north-south with a similar to 3: 1 mass ratio (M-200 = 6.29(-1.62)(+2.24) x 10(14) M-circle dot and 1.98(-0.74)(+1.24) x 10(14) M-circle dot for the northern and southern clumps, respectively). The southern mass peak is similar to 2' offset toward the south with respect to the corresponding X-ray peak, which has a 'bullet'-like morphology pointing south. Comparison of the current weak-lensing result with the X-ray, galaxy, and radio. relic suggests that perhaps the dominant mechanism responsible for the observed relic may be a highspeed collision of the two most massive subclusters, although the peculiarity of the morphology necessitates involvement of additional subclusters. Careful numerical simulations should follow in order to obtain more complete understanding of the merger scenario utilizing all existing observations.</P>

Imaging Gene Expression in the Brain In Vivo in a Transgenic Mouse Model of Huntington's Disease with an Antisense Radiopharmaceutical and Drug-Targeting Technology

Lee, Hwa Jeong,Boado, Ruben J.,Brassch, Dwaine A.,Corey, David R.,Pardridge, William M. 梨花女子大學校 藥學硏究所 2002 藥學硏究論文集 Vol.- No.11

Disease-specific genes of unknown function can be imaged invivo with antisense radiopharmaceuticals, providing the trans-cellular transport of these molecules is enabled with drug-tar-geting technology. The current studies describe the productionof 16-mer peptide nucleic acid (PNA) that is antisense aroundthe methionine initiation codon of the huntingtin gene of Hun-tington's disease (HD). Methods: The PNA is biotinylated,which allows for rapid capture by a conjugate of streptavidinand the rat 8D3 monoclonal antibody (mAb) to the mouse trans-ferrin receptor (TfR), and contains a tyrosine residue, whichenables radiolabeling with ^125I. The reformulated PNA antisenseradiopharmaceutical that is conjugated to the 8D3 mAb is des-ignated ^125I-PNA/8D3, This form of the PNA is able to accessendogenous transferrin transport pathways at both the blood-brain barrier and the brain cell membrane and undergoes bothimport from the blood to the brain and export from the brain tothe blood through the TfR. Results: The ability of the PNA tohybridize to the target huntingtin RNA, despite conjugation tothe mAb, was shown both with cell-free translation assays andwith ribonuclease protection assays. The ^123I-PNA/8D3 conju-gate was administered intravenously to either littermate controlmice or to R6/2 transgenic mice, which express the exon 1 ofthe human HD gene. The mice were sacrificed 6 h later forfrozen sectioning of the brain and quantitative autoradiography.The studies showed a 3-fold increase in sequestration of the^125I-PNA/8D3 antisense radiopharmaceutical in the brains of theHD transgenic mice in vivo, consistent with the selective ex-pression of the HD exon-1 messenger RNA in these animals.Conclusion: These results support the hypothesis that geneexpression in vivo can be quantitated with antisense radiophar-maceuticals, providing these molecules are reformulated withdrug-targeting technology. Drug targeting enables access of theantisense agent to endogenous transport pathways, which per-mits passage across the cellular barriers that separate bloodand intracellular compartments of target tissues.

Comparison of Remote Sensing and Crop Growth Models for Estimating Within-Field LAI Variability

Suk Young Hong,Kenneth A. Sudduth,Newell R. Kitchen,Clyde W. Fraisse,Harlan L. Palm,William J. Wiebold 大韓遠隔探査學會 2004 大韓遠隔探査學會誌 Vol.20 No.3

The objectives of this study were to estimate leaf area index (LAI) as a function of image-derived vegetation indices, and to compare measured and estimated LAI to the results of crop model simulation. Soil moisture, crop phenology, and LAI data were obtained several times during the 2001 growing season at monitoring sites established in two central Missouri experimental fields, one planted to com (Zea mays L.) and the other planted to soybean (Glycine max L.). Hyper- and multi-spectral images at varying spatial and spectral resolutions were acquired from both airborne and satellite platforms, and data were extracted to calculate standard vegetative indices (normalized difference vegetative index, NDVI; ratio vegetative index, RVI; and soil-adjusted vegetative index, SAVI). When comparing these three indices, regressions for measured LAI were of similar quality (r2=0.59 to 0.61 for com; r2=0.66 to 0.68 for soybean) in this single-year dataset. CERES(Crop Environment REsource Synthesis)-Maize and CROPGRO-Soybean models were calibrated to measured soil moisture and yield data and used to simulate LAI over the growing season. The CERES-Maize model over-predicted LAI at all corn monitoring sites. Simulated LAI from CROPGRO-Soybean was similar to observed and image-estimated LAI for most soybean monitoring sites. These results suggest crop growth model predictions might be improved by incorporating image-estimated LAI. Greater improvements might be expected with com than with soybean.

Comparison of Remote Sensing and Crop Growth Models for Estimating Within-Field LAI Variability

Hong, Suk-Young,Sudduth, Kenneth-A.,Kitchen, Newell-R.,Fraisse, Clyde-W.,Palm, Harlan-L.,Wiebold, William-J. The Korean Society of Remote Sensing 2004 大韓遠隔探査學會誌 Vol.20 No.3

The objectives of this study were to estimate leaf area index (LAI) as a function of image-derived vegetation indices, and to compare measured and estimated LAI to the results of crop model simulation. Soil moisture, crop phenology, and LAI data were obtained several times during the 2001 growing season at monitoring sites established in two central Missouri experimental fields, one planted to com (Zea mays L.) and the other planted to soybean (Glycine max L.). Hyper- and multi-spectral images at varying spatial. and spectral resolutions were acquired from both airborne and satellite platforms, and data were extracted to calculate standard vegetative indices (normalized difference vegetative index, NDVI; ratio vegetative index, RVI; and soil-adjusted vegetative index, SAVI). When comparing these three indices, regressions for measured LAI were of similar quality $(r^2$ =0.59 to 0.61 for com; $r^2$ =0.66 to 0.68 for soybean) in this single-year dataset. CERES(Crop Environment Resource Synthesis)-Maize and CROPGRO-Soybean models were calibrated to measured soil moisture and yield data and used to simulate LAI over the growing season. The CERES-Maize model over-predicted LAI at all corn monitoring sites. Simulated LAI from CROPGRO-Soybean was similar to observed and image-estimated LA! for most soybean monitoring sites. These results suggest crop growth model predictions might be improved by incorporating image-estimated LAI. Greater improvements might be expected with com than with soybean.

Neutron capture measurements and resonance parameters of dysprosium

Shin, S. G.,Kye, Y. U.,Namkung, W.,Cho, M. H.,Kang, Y. -R.,Lee, M. W.,Kim, G. N.,Ro, T. -I.,Danon, Y.,Williams, D.,Leinweber, G.,Block, R. C.,Barry, D. P.,Rapp, M. J. Springer-Verlag 2017 The european physical journal. A, Hadrons and nucl Vol.53 No.10

<P>Neutron capture yields of dysprosium isotopes (Dy-161, Dy-162, Dy-163, and Dy-164) were measured using the time-of-flight method with a 16 segment sodium iodide multiplicity detector. The measurements were made at the 25m flight station at the Gaerttner LINAC Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Resonance parameters were obtained using the multilevel R-matrix Bayesian code SAMMY. The neutron capture data for four enriched dysprosium isotopes and one natural dysprosium sample were sequentially fitted. New resonances not listed in ENDF/B-VII. 1 were observed. There were 29 and 17 new resonances from Dy-161 and Dy-163 isotopes, respectively. Six resonances from Dy-161 isotope, two resonances from Dy-163, and four resonances from Dy-164 were not observed. The capture resonance integrals of each isotope were calculated with the resulting resonance parameters and those of ENDF/B-VII. 1 in the energy region from 0.5 eV to 20MeV and were compared to the capture resonance integrals with the resonance parameters from ENDF/B-VII. 1. A resonance integral value of the natural dysprosium calculated with present resonance parameters was 1405 +/- 3.5 barn. The value is similar to 0.3% higher than that obtained with the ENDF/B-VII. 1 parameters. The distributions of the present and ENDF/B-VII. 1 neutron widths were compared to a Porter-Thomas distribution. Neutron strength functions for Dy-161 and Dy-163 were calculated with the present resonance parameters and both values were in between the values of 'Atlas of Neutron Resonances' and ENDF/B-VII. 1. The present radiation width distributions of Dy-161 and Dy-163 were fitted with the chi(2) distribution by varying the degrees of freedom.</P>

The Effects of Caterpillar Salivary Enzymes on Plant Defenses

R. O. Musser,C. J. White,S. A. Williams 한국응용곤충학회 2005 한국응용곤충학회 학술대회논문집 Vol.2005 No.05

COLD NEUTRONS AT NIST

J. M. ROWE,R. E. WILLIAMS,P. A KOPETKA 한국원자력학회 2006 Nuclear Engineering and Technology Vol.38 No.5

The design process for the series of cold neutron sources installed at NIST is presented, with particular emphasis on thereason for the decisions and choices made. These developments are used to illustrate some of the general principles of CNSdesign