A Study of Cosmic Ray Secondaries Induced by the Mir Space Station Using AMS-01

The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS-02) is a high energy particle physics experiment that will study cosmic rays in the $\sim 100 \mathrm{MeV}$ to $1 \mathrm{TeV}$ range and will be installed on the International Space Station (ISS) for at least 3 years. A first version of AMS-02, AMS-01, flew aboard the space shuttle \emph{Discovery} from June 2 to June 12, 1998, and collected $10^8$ cosmic ray triggers. Part of the \emph{Mir} space station was within the AMS-01 field of view during the four day \emph{Mir} docking phase of this flight. We have reconstructed an image of this part of the \emph{Mir} space station using secondary $\pi^-$ and $\mu^-$ emissions from primary cosmic rays interacting with \emph{Mir}. This is the first time this reconstruction was performed in AMS-01, and it is important for understanding potential backgrounds during the 3 year AMS-02 mission.Comment: To be submitted to NIM B Added material requested by referee. Minor stylistic and grammer change

Protons in near earth orbit

The proton spectrum in the kinetic energy range 0.1 to 200 GeV was measured by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) during space shuttle flight STS-91 at an altitude of 380 km. Above the geomagnetic cutoff the observed spectrum is parameterized by a power law. Below the geomagnetic cutoff a substantial second spectrum was observed concentrated at equatorial latitudes with a flux ~ 70 m^-2 sec^-1 sr^-1. Most of these second spectrum protons follow a complicated trajectory and originate from a restricted geographic region.Comment: 19 pages, Latex, 7 .eps figure

Ponte et stratégie de la reproduction chez les femelles du tacaud Trisopterus luscus (Gadidés) du plateau continental de la Galice, nord-ouest de l'Espagne

[EN] Pouting, Trisopterus luscus is harvested commercially on the Galician shelf by the Spanish inshore artisanal fleet. In spite of a substantial decrease in pouting catches, fishery regulations are limited to size length restrictions. This study provides biological data including length-at-maturity based on histological methods, seasonal maturation, spawning and fecundity. A collection 443 females, from 17 to 42 cm in total length, were sampled from landings (December 2003 to December 2004). Pouting length-at-maturity was estimated as 19.2 cm on average. Pouting females in spawning condition were observed throughout the year and the number of developing oocytes ranged from 20 000 to 1 327 000. Peak spawning was observed between February and April, which correlated well with trends in gonadosomatic index, and inverse to condition factor and hepatosomatic index. Histological examination of the gonads revealed that pouting ovarian development organization is asynchronous, and fecundity is probably determinate.[FR] Le tacaud, Trisopterus luscus est pêché par la flotte artisanale espagnole. En dépit d'une diminution substantielle des captures de tacaud, la pêche est réglementée uniquement à partir d'une taille minimum commerciale. Cette étude fournit des données biologiques comprenant la taille à maturité sexuelle basée sur l'histologie, la maturation saisonnière, la ponte et la fécondité. Un échantillon de 443 femelles, de 17 à 42 cm longueur totale, est examiné à partir des débarquements durant une année (de décembre 2003 à décembre 2004). La taille moyenne à maturité sexuelle est estimée à 19,2 cm. Les femelles de tacaud en condition de ponte sont observée tout au long de l'année et le nombre d'ovocytes s'étend de 20 000 to 1 327 000 par individu. Les pics de ponte sont observés entre février et avril, ce qui est bien corrélé avec l'évolution du rapport gonado-somatique et inverse de celle du facteur de condition et du rapport hépato-somatique. L'étude histologique révèle que le développement ovarien chez le tacaud est asynchrone, et que la fécondité est probablement déterminée.Peer reviewe

Early Fixation of Cobalt-Chromium Based Alloy Surgical Implants to Bone Using a Tissue-engineering Approach

To establish the methods of demonstrating early fixation of metal implants to bone, one side of a Cobalt-Chromium (CoCr) based alloy implant surface was seeded with rabbit marrow mesenchymal cells and the other side was left unseeded. The mesenchymal cells were further cultured in the presence of ascorbic acid, β-glycerophosphate and dexamethasone, resulting in the appearance of osteoblasts and bone matrix on the implant surface. Thus, we succeeded in generating tissue-engineered bone on one side of the CoCr implant. The CoCr implants were then implanted in rabbit bone defects. Three weeks after the implantation, evaluations of mechanical test, undecalcified histological section and electron microscope analysis were performed. Histological and electron microscope images of the tissue engineered surface exhibited abundant new bone formation. However, newly formed bone tissue was difficult to detect on the side without cell seeding. In the mechanical test, the mean values of pull-out forces were 77.15 N and 44.94 N for the tissue-engineered and non-cell-seeded surfaces, respectively. These findings indicate early bone fixation of the tissue-engineered CoCr surface just three weeks after implantation

Environmental Citizenship in Primary Formal Education

The concept of Environmental Citizenship, as it has been developed in this project, calls for the development of specific awareness, attitudes, skills, behaviours and competences that need to be cultivated from early childhood for active civic participation. Primary formal education could provide opportunities for the achievement of these goals. In this chapter, we elaborate on how Environmental Citizenship, which provides the specifics of age and formal settings, could be approached and the educational strategies that could be recommended or avoided based on the existing literature. This chapter also provides an overview of the most important educational aims regarding the development of Environmental Citizenship in primary formal education. These include environmental sensitivity, a sense of justice, a basic understanding of ecological systems, necessary skills for the investigation of ecological and social phenomena, and action skills that relate to active participation in community issues. We suggest that successful educational interventions, integrated pedagogical approaches and key designing principles could promote Environmental Citizenship at primary schools. In addition, effective training and professional development programmes can equip teachers with the knowledge, values, skills and strategies necessary to implement Environmental Citizenship at this level

Ice-confined construction of a large basaltic volcano—Austurfjöll massif, Askja, Iceland

Austurfjöll is the largest basaltic glaciovolcanic massif at Askja volcano (Central Iceland), and through detailed studies of its volcanological and geochemical characteristics, we provide a detailed account of the sequence and structure of the ice-confined construction of a large Icelandic basaltic volcano. In particular, Austurfjöll represents a geometry of vents, and resulting glaciovolcanic morphology, not previously documented in ice-confined basaltic volcanoes. Austurfjöll was constructed during two major phases of basaltic volcanism, via seven eruptive episodes through disperse fissure-dominated eruptions. The earliest episode involved a rare and poorly exposed example of subaerial activity, and this was succeeded by six episodes involving the eruption of ice-confined pillow lavas and numerous overlapping fissure eruptions of phreatomagmatic tephra. Evidence of local subaerial lavas and tephras indicates the local growth of eruptive centers above englacial lake levels, and subsequent flooding, but no prolonged subaerial activity. Localized ice-contact facies, paleowater levels, and diamictons indicate the position and thickness of the ice was variable during the construction of Austurfjöll, and eruptive activity likely occurred in multiple and variable level meltwater lakes during the last glacial period. Lithofacies evidence including gradational transitions from effusive to explosive deposits, superposition of fragmental facies above coherent facies, and drainage channels suggest that changes in eruptive style were driven largely by external factors such as drainage and the increasing elevation of the massif. This study emphasizes the unique character of Austurfjöll, being composed of large pillow lava sheets, numerous (> 40) overlapping glaciovolcanic tindars, and only localized emergent deposits, as a product of its prolonged ice-confined eruptive history, contrasts with previous descriptions of tuyas and tindars

A novel emergency department based prevention intervention program for people living with HIV: evaluation of early experiences

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>HIV prevention is increasingly focused on people living with HIV (PLWH) and the role of healthcare settings in prevention. Emergency Departments (EDs) frequently care for PLWH, but do not typically endorse a prevention mission. We conducted a pilot exploratory evaluation of the first reported ED program to address the prevention needs of PLWH.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This retrospective observational cohort evaluation reviewed program records to describe the first six months of participants and programmatic operation. Trained counselors provided a risk assessment and counseling intervention combined with three linkage interventions: i) linkage to health care, ii) linkage to case management, and iii) linkage to partner counseling and referral.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of 81 self-identified PLWH who were approached, 55 initially agreed to participate. Of those completing risk assessment, 17/53 (32%, 95 CI 20% to 46%) reported unprotected anal/vaginal intercourse or needle sharing in the past six months with a partner presumed to be HIV negative. Counseling was provided to 52/53 (98%). For those requesting services, 11/15 (73%) were linked to healthcare, 4/23 (17%) were coordinated with case management, and 1/4 (25%) completed partner counseling and referral.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Given base resources of trained counselors, it was feasible to implement a program to address the prevention needs for persons living with HIV in an urban ED. ED patients with HIV often have unmet needs which might be addressed by improved linkage with existing community resources. Healthcare and prevention barriers for PLWH may be attenuated if EDs were to incorporate CDC recommended prevention measures for healthcare providers.</p

Lifecourse socioeconomic circumstances and multimorbidity among older adults

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Many older adults manage multiple chronic conditions (i.e. multimorbidity); and many of these chronic conditions share common risk factors such as low socioeconomic status (SES) in adulthood and low SES across the lifecourse. To better capture socioeconomic condition in childhood, recent research in lifecourse epidemiology has broadened the notion of SES to include the experience of specific hardships. In this study we investigate the association among childhood financial hardship, lifetime earnings, and multimorbidity.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Cross-sectional analysis of 7,305 participants age 50 and older from the 2004 Health and Retirement Study (HRS) who also gave permission for their HRS records to be linked to their Social Security Records in the United States. Zero-inflated Poisson regression models were used to simultaneously model the likelihood of the absence of morbidity and the expected number of chronic conditions.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Childhood financial hardship and lifetime earnings were not associated with the absence of morbidity. However, childhood financial hardship was associated with an 8% higher number of chronic conditions; and, an increase in lifetime earnings, operationalized as average annual earnings during young and middle adulthood, was associated with a 5% lower number of chronic conditions reported. We also found a significant interaction between childhood financial hardship and lifetime earnings on multimorbidity.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This study shows that childhood financial hardship and lifetime earnings are associated with multimorbidity, but not associated with the absence of morbidity. Lifetime earnings modified the association between childhood financial hardship and multimorbidity suggesting that this association is differentially influential depending on earnings across young and middle adulthood. Further research is needed to elucidate lifecourse socioeconomic pathways associated with the absence of morbidity and the presence of multimorbidity among older adults.</p

Not all shellfish "allergy" is allergy!

The popularity of shellfish has been increasing worldwide, with a consequent increase in adverse reactions that can be allergic or toxic. The approximate prevalence of shellfish allergy is estimated at 0.5-2.5% of the general population, depending on degree of consumption by age and geographic regions. The manifestations of shellfish allergy vary widely, but it tends to be more severe than most other food allergens

Structure of Metaphase Chromosomes: A Role for Effects of Macromolecular Crowding

In metaphase chromosomes, chromatin is compacted to a concentration of several hundred mg/ml by mechanisms which remain elusive. Effects mediated by the ionic environment are considered most frequently because mono- and di-valent cations cause polynucleosome chains to form compact ∼30-nm diameter fibres in vitro, but this conformation is not detected in chromosomes in situ. A further unconsidered factor is predicted to influence the compaction of chromosomes, namely the forces which arise from crowding by macromolecules in the surrounding cytoplasm whose measured concentration is 100–200 mg/ml. To mimic these conditions, chromosomes were released from mitotic CHO cells in solutions containing an inert volume-occupying macromolecule (8 kDa polyethylene glycol, 10.5 kDa dextran, or 70 kDa Ficoll) in 100 µM K-Hepes buffer, with contaminating cations at only low micromolar concentrations. Optical and electron microscopy showed that these chromosomes conserved their characteristic structure and compaction, and their volume varied inversely with the concentration of a crowding macromolecule. They showed a canonical nucleosomal structure and contained the characteristic proteins topoisomerase IIα and the condensin subunit SMC2. These observations, together with evidence that the cytoplasm is crowded in vivo, suggest that macromolecular crowding effects should be considered a significant and perhaps major factor in compacting chromosomes. This model may explain why ∼30-nm fibres characteristic of cation-mediated compaction are not seen in chromosomes in situ. Considering that crowding by cytoplasmic macromolecules maintains the compaction of bacterial chromosomes and has been proposed to form the liquid crystalline chromosomes of dinoflagellates, a crowded environment may be an essential characteristic of all genomes