The Role of Statistics in Characterizing Nuclear Waste Package Behavior

1984 ◽  
Vol 44 ◽  
Author(s):  
William M. Bowen
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Waste ◽  
Estimation Methods ◽  
Waste Package ◽  
Sources Of Uncertainty ◽  
Testing Method ◽  
Individual Contributions ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Behavior Characteristic

AbstractThe characterization of nuclear waste package behavior is primarily based on the outcome of laboratory tests, where components of a proposed waste package are either individually or simultaneously subjected to simulated repository conditions. At each step of a testing method, both controllable and uncontrollable factors contribute to the overall uncertainty in the final outcome of the test. If not dealt with correctly, these sources of uncertainty could obscure or distort important information that might otherwise be gleaned form the test data. This could result in misleading or erroneous conclusions about the behavior characteristic being studied. It could also preclude estimation of the individual contributions of the major sources of uncertainty to the overall uncertainty. Statistically designed experiments and sampling plans, followed by correctly applied statistical analysis and estimation methods will yield the most information possible for the time and resources spent on experimentation, and they can eliminate the above concerns. Conclusions reached on the basis of such information will be sound and defensible. This presentation is intended to emphasize the importance of correctly applied, theoretically sound statistical methodology in characterizing nuclear waste package behavior.

The Role of Colloids in Nuclear Waste Disposal

1983 ◽  
Vol 26 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Avogadro ◽  
G.De Marsily
Keyword(s):  
Ground Water ◽  
Nuclear Waste ◽  
Waste Disposal ◽  
Column Experiments ◽  
Colloidal Transport ◽  
Container Material ◽  
Colloidal Fraction ◽  
Filtration Model

ABSTRACTAspects of formation and characterization of a radioactive colloidal fraction released by the waste form or produced by association with microcolloids naturally existing in ground water or produced either by corrosion of container material or by degradation of backfill material are discussed. A filtration model has been developed in order to describe colloidal transport under field conditions. Comparison between data obtained with laboratory column experiments and theoretical evaluations is presented.

scholarly journals Regeneration: Why junk DNA might matter

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Díaz-Castillo
Keyword(s):  
Natural Variation ◽  
Spatial Organization ◽  
Natural Phenomena ◽  
Collective Knowledge ◽  
Junk Dna ◽  
Research Fields ◽  
Biological Variables ◽  
The Individual

The ability of certain natural species to restore or regenerate missing structures has been a recurrent source of inspiration to forge our collective knowledge, from being used to adorn mythological figures with superhuman powers to permitting controlled reproducible observations that help setting the bases of entire research fields such as experimental biology and regenerative medicine. In spite of being one of the oldest natural phenomena under study, what makes certain species able or unable to regenerate missing parts is still largely a mystery. Recent advancements towards the highly detailed characterization of the sequence, the spatial organization, and the expression of genomes is offering a new standpoint to address the study of the natural variation in regenerative responses. An intriguing observation that has not yet conveniently pursued is that species with remarkable regenerative abilities tend to have genomes loaded with junk DNA (jDNA), i.e., genetic elements presumed to be useless for the benefit of the individual, whereas species for taxa with limited regenerative abilities tend to have jDNA-poor genomes. Here, I use existing knowledge on the role of jDNA as genome evolution facilitator and its non-random chromosome and nuclear distributions to speculate about two non-excluding ways through which the variation in jDNA genomic content might end up enhancing or limiting regenerative responses. The present piece aims to go beyond the confines of correlational studies between biological variables and to lay sensible conceptual grounds for future hypothesis-driven attempts to substantiate the genomic determinants of the natural variation of regenerative responses.

scholarly journals Art across Frontiers: Cross-cultural Encounters in America. Introduction

2013 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 301-311
Author(s):  
STEPHANIE LEWTHWAITE
Keyword(s):  
Visual Arts ◽  
Cultural Exchange ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Artistic Practice ◽  
Short Introduction ◽  
Cultural Encounters ◽  
Individual Contributions ◽  
The Individual

This short introduction provides a brief overview of the special issue, by addressing the main historiographical and theoretical concerns that unite the individual contributions and by placing the essays in comparative, inter-American and interdisciplinary perspective. What do comparative analyses tell us about patterns of cross-cultural exchange in the visual arts? More specifically, what do these analyses tell us about the role of ethnic agency and audience, and the complex relationship between artistic practice and the “mainstream,” the local and the global?

scholarly journals GTPase-Activating Proteins for Cdc42

2002 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 469-480 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory R. Smith ◽  
Scott A. Givan ◽  
Paul Cullen ◽  
George F. Sprague
Keyword(s):  
Rho Gtpase ◽  
Invasive Growth ◽  
Gtpase Activating Proteins ◽  
Morphological Defects ◽  
P21 Activated Kinase ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Hydrolysis Of ◽  
Pak Kinase

ABSTRACT The Rho-type GTPase, Cdc42, has been implicated in a variety of functions in the yeast life cycle, including septin organization for cytokinesis, pheromone response, and haploid invasive growth. A group of proteins called GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs) catalyze the hydrolysis of GTP to GDP, thereby inactivating Cdc42. At the time this study began, there was one known GAP, Bem3, and one putative GAP, Rga1, for Cdc42. We identified another putative GAP for Cdc42 and named it Rga2 (Rho GTPase-activating protein 2). We confirmed by genetic and biochemical criteria that Rga1, Rga2, and Bem3 act as GAPs for Cdc42. A detailed characterization of Rga1, Rga2, and Bem3 suggested that they regulate different subsets of Cdc42 function. In particular, deletion of the individual GAPs conferred different phenotypes. For example, deletion of RGA1, but not RGA2 or BEM3, caused hyperinvasive growth. Furthermore, overproduction or loss of Rga1 and Rga2, but not Bem3, affected the two-hybrid interaction of Cdc42 with Ste20, a p21-activated kinase (PAK) kinase required for haploid invasive growth. These results suggest Rga1, and possibly Rga2, facilitate the interaction of Cdc42 with Ste20 to mediate signaling in the haploid invasive growth pathway. Deletion of BEM3 resulted in cells with severe morphological defects not observed in rga1Δ or rga2Δ strains. These data suggest that Bem3 and, to a lesser extent, Rga1 and Rga2 facilitate the role of Cdc42 in septin organization. Thus, it appears that the GAPs play a role in modulating specific aspects of Cdc42 function. Alternatively, the different phenotypes could reflect quantitative rather than qualitative differences in GAP activity in the mutant strains.

Circulation, Conditions, Claims: Examining the Politics of Historical Memory in Eastern Europe

2021 ◽  
pp. 088832542096978
Author(s):  
Félix Krawatzek ◽  
George Soroka
Keyword(s):  
Eastern Europe ◽  
Special Section ◽  
Historical Memory ◽  
The Past ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Form Part ◽  
Regime Types ◽  
Individual Contributions ◽  
The Individual

Across Eastern Europe how the past is remembered has become a crucial factor for understanding present-day political developments within and between states. In this introduction, we first present the articles that form part of this special section through a discussion of the various methods used by the authors to demonstrate the potential ways into studying collective memory. We then define the regional characteristics of Eastern Europe’s mnemonic politics and the reasons for their oftentimes conflictual character. Thereafter we consider three thematic arenas that situate the individual contributions to this special section within the wider scholarly debate. First, we examine the institutional and structural conditions that shape the circulation of memory and lead to conflictive constellations of remembering; second, we discuss how different regime types and cultural rules influence the framing of historical episodes, paying attention to supranational integration and the role of technological change; third, we consider the different types of actors that shape the present recall of the past, including political elites, social movements, and society at large. We conclude by identifying several promising avenues for further research.

scholarly journals Prognostic Role of Albumin, Bilirubin, and ALBI Scores: Analysis of 1000 Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma Undergoing Radioembolization

Cancers ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 879 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Antkowiak ◽  
Ahmed Gabr ◽  
Arighno Das ◽  
Rehan Ali ◽  
Laura Kulik ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Proportional Hazards ◽  
Cox Proportional Hazards ◽  
Survival Prediction ◽  
Survival Prognosis ◽  
Kaplan Meier ◽  
Main Driver ◽  
Individual Contributions ◽  
The Individual

Introduction: We compared the efficacy of the ALBI (albumin–bilirubin) score to the established Child–Pugh (CP) grade in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients treated with yttrium-90 radioembolization (Y90). We further assessed the individual contributions of albumin and bilirubin to survival prediction. Methods: 1000 consecutive HCC patients treated with Y90 were included. Overall survival (OS) was assessed using Kaplan Meier analysis. Sub-stratification analyses were performed using CP and ALBI and in subgroups determined by United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) or Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) staging. The independent impact (hazard ratio (HR)) of ALBI, CP, albumin, and bilirubin on survival was assessed using Cox proportional hazards analysis. Results: Median OS for ALBI 1, 2, and 3 grades was 46.7, 19.1, and 8.8 months, respectively. The HR for death for ALBI 2 vs. ALBI 1 was 3.39 (1.75–6.57); ALBI 3 vs. ALBI 1 was 7.58 (3.89–14.79); and the c-index was 0.623. Median OS for CP A, B, and C was 21.7, 11.3, and 6.0 months, respectively. The HR for death for CP B vs. CP A was 2.04 (1.71–2.43); CP C vs. CP A was 3.27 (2.08–5.14); and the c-index was 0.616. Stratified OS showed unique prognostic groups identified by ALBI within CP-B and CP-C. Median OS for albumin grades 1, 2, and 3 was 46.0, 17.1, and 9.1 months, respectively. Median OS for bilirubin grades 1, 2, and 3 was 15.6, 21.0, and 5.8 months, respectively. The HR for death for albumin 2 vs. 1 was 2.48 (1.81–3.41); albumin 3 vs. 1 was 4.74 (3.44–6.54); and the c-index was 0.640. The HR for death for bilirubin 2 vs. 1 was 1.09 (0.82–1.44); bilirubin 3 vs. 1 was 2.37 (1.66–3.40); and the c-index was 0.533. Conclusions: ALBI outperforms CP in survival prognosis in Y90 treated patients. On sub-analyses, serum albumin (not bilirubin) appears to be the main driver of survival prediction. Our study supports the prognostic ability of ALBI and may suggest a role of albumin alone as a biomarker for patients with HCC.

Characterization of the action of tachykinin signaling on pulsatile LH secretion in male mice

Endocrinology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajae Talbi ◽  
Ferrari Kaitlin ◽  
Ji Hae Choi ◽  
Achi Gerutshang ◽  
Elizabeth A McCarthy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pulse Generator ◽  
Neurokinin A ◽  
Male Mice ◽  
Intact Male ◽  
Stimulatory Action ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Lh Secretion ◽  
Increased Activity

Abstract The alternation of the stimulatory action of the tachykinin neurokinin B (NKB) and the inhibitory action of dynorphin within arcuate (ARH) Kiss1 neurons has been proposed as the mechanism behind the generation of GnRH pulses through the pulsatile release of kisspeptin. However, we have recently documented that GnRH pulses still exist in gonadectomized mice in the absence of tachykinin signaling. Here, we document an increase in basal frequency and amplitude of LH pulses in intact male mice deficient in substance P (SP), neurokinin A (NKA) signaling (Tac1KO) and NKB signaling (Tac2KO and Tacr3KO). Moreover, we offer evidence that a single bolus of the NKB receptor agonist senktide to gonad intact WT males increases the basal release of LH without changing its frequency. Altogether, these data support the dispensable role of the individual tachykinin systems in the generation of LH pulses. Moreover, the increased activity of the GnRH pulse generator in intact KO male mice suggests the existence of compensation by additional mechanisms in the generation of kisspeptin/GnRH pulses.

scholarly journals Structural Basis of Subtilase Cytotoxin SubAB Assembly

2013 ◽  
Vol 288 (38) ◽  
pp. 27505-27516 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jérôme Le Nours ◽  
Adrienne W. Paton ◽  
Emma Byres ◽  
Sally Troy ◽  
Brock P. Herdman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dominant Role ◽  
Functional Characterization ◽  
Structural Basis ◽  
Sequence Comparisons ◽  
A Subunit ◽  
The Individual ◽  
A1 Domain ◽  
Cellular Dysfunction

Pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli produce a number of toxins that belong to the AB5 toxin family, which comprise a catalytic A-subunit that induces cellular dysfunction and a B-pentamer that recognizes host glycans. Although the molecular actions of many of the individual subunits of AB5 toxins are well understood, how they self-associate and the effect of this association on cytotoxicity are poorly understood. Here we have solved the structure of the holo-SubAB toxin that, in contrast to other AB5 toxins whose molecular targets are located in the cytosol, cleaves the endoplasmic reticulum chaperone BiP. SubA interacts with SubB in a similar manner to other AB5 toxins via the A2 helix and a conserved disulfide bond that joins the A1 domain with the A2 helix. The structure revealed that the active site of SubA is not occluded by the B-pentamer, and the B-pentamer does not enhance or inhibit the activity of SubA. Structure-based sequence comparisons with other AB5 toxin family members, combined with extensive mutagenesis studies on SubB, show how the hydrophobic patch on top of the B-pentamer plays a dominant role in binding the A-subunit. The structure of SubAB and the accompanying functional characterization of various mutants of SubAB provide a framework for understanding the important role of the B-pentamer in the assembly and the intracellular trafficking of this AB5 toxin.

scholarly journals Additive Attenuation of Virulence ofStreptococcus pneumoniae by Mutation of the Genes Encoding Pneumolysin and Other Putative Pneumococcal Virulence Proteins

2000 ◽  
Vol 68 (1) ◽  
pp. 133-140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne M. Berry ◽  
James C. Paton
Keyword(s):  
Protein A ◽  
Surface Protein ◽  
The Other ◽  
Virulence Proteins ◽  
Vaccine Antigens ◽  
Genes Encoding ◽  
Individual Contributions ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACT Although the polysaccharide capsule of Streptococcus pneumoniae has been recognized as a sine qua non of virulence, much recent attention has focused on the role of pneumococcal proteins in pathogenesis, particularly in view of their potential as vaccine antigens. The individual contributions of pneumolysin (Ply), the major neuraminidase (NanA), autolysin (LytA), hyaluronidase (Hyl), pneumococcal surface protein A (PspA), and choline-binding protein A (CbpA) have been examined by specifically mutagenizing the respective genes in the pneumococcal chromosome and comparing the impact on virulence in a mouse intraperitoneal challenge model. Mutagenesis of either the ply, lytA, or pspA gene in S. pneumoniae D39 significantly reduced virulence, relative to that of the wild-type strain, indicating that the respective gene products contribute to pathogenesis. On the other hand, mutations in nanA, hyl, or cbpA had no significant impact. The virulence of D39 derivatives carrying aply deletion mutation as well as an insertion-duplication mutation in one of the other genes was also examined. Mutagenesis of either nanA or lytA did not result in an additional attenuation of virulence in the ply deletion background. However, significant additive attenuation in virulence was observed for the strains with ply-hyl,ply-pspA, and ply-cbpA double mutations.

scholarly journals The Role of the Academy and HRD in the Changing of the Guard

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-10
Author(s):  
Katherine Rosenbusch ◽  
Emily Morrison
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Human Resource Development ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Rate Of Change ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Faculty Work ◽  
Quality Of Higher Education ◽  
Individual Contributions ◽  
The Individual

The Problem Life for faculty members is becoming more complex and stressful due to the rate of change and the ever-increasing demands being placed on them: publish in top journals, apply for funding, teach and support more students, integrate new technology into classes, serve on committees, and contribute to your discipline and professional association. Current systems, policies, and practices within higher education often fail to recognize the unique contributions of faculty members, especially those who might not reflect the traditional perspectives that have been put in place for decades. Rather, there remains a strongly guarded tradition of what is valued and rewarded within higher education. Hence, higher education needs to transform its organizational culture, valuing individual contributions, meeting workforce demands, and ensuring the health of the education system and society. The Solution The field of human resource development (HRD) with its interdisciplinary roots and expertise in learning, leadership, organizational change, and culture is uniquely poised to not only inform this conversation, but also to critique and contribute to the transformation of faculty work and associated expectations. This Issue addresses and identifies where changes are needed at the individual, organizational, and societal levels to transform the role of faculty members so that it is better aligned with the current environment and context of higher education. The Stakeholders Scholars, practitioners, administrators, and community who recognize that the health of the broader community is affected by the quality of higher education and, in particular, faculty and the way that they teach and prepare students to be scholar-practitioners.

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