Quantitative Analysis of Thermophysical Properties of Lava Flows on Earth and Mars

Multi-instrument approaches, at different spatial and spectral resolutions, are used to investigate the thermophysical properties of lava flows at the subpixel scale. Development of remote sensing aerial and terrain technology has provided higher spatial resolution data that can improve the derivation of surface properties from satellite datasets. TIR data have applications to interpret surface properties of planetary bodies, but are limited by the lower spatial resolution. This research utilizes multi-instrument approaches to improve the understanding of the subpixel surface properties derived from TIR data, specifically to quantify the presence of shadowing, mixed pixels, and complex surfaces with horizontal mixing and vertical layering. Visible data, with higher spatial resolutions, are used to interpret the surface topography and/or structures and TIR data, with lower spatial resolutions, are used to understand thermal properties to derive particle size and composition. Two study areas were the focus of this research: a terrestrial analog at the North Coulee, part of the Mono-Inyo Crater System, and the Daedalia Planum flow field on Mars. At the North Coulee, studies assessed the effect of shadows on ATI and aimed to better understanding the relationship between mixed pixels (with subpixel particle and block sizes variability) and ATI. The locations of shadows were identified using a DEM and a correction applied based on the areal percentage of a pixel in shadow. Analysis of the relationship between mixed pixels and ATI demonstrates that the current assumption of uniform material at the pixel scale will cause incorrect derivation of moderate and coarse materials at higher ATI values. The studies on Daedalia Planum, Mars, aim to determine the cause of the thermophysical variation between lava flows and define the areal percentage of dust, sand, and lava outcrops on the flow surfaces. Through this quantitative analysis, the variability was determined to be caused by different vertical layering and horizontal mixing of these components and that some flows have up to 40% identifiable lava outcrops with a dust layer of 0.2 mm. These techniques demonstrate the application of multi-instrument approaches to investigate complex surfaces with mixtures and layering below the spatial resolution of current TIR instruments

Regional myocardial contractile reserve assessed by strain echocardiography and the response to cardiac resynchronization therapy

Background: Overall response rate to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is still not optimal. The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of the regional myocardial contractile reserve during dobutamine infusion in the area of left ventricular (LV) electrode on the response rate and reverse remodeling LV in patients receiving CRT.Methods: Biventricular pacemaker was implanted in 41 consecutive patients (33 men, mean age 62 ± 10 years) with LV ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤ 35%, New York Heart Association class III and QRS duration ≥ 120 ms. Myocardial contractile reserve was assessed by LV strain during dobutamine infusion (20 μg/kg/min) using speckle tracking echocardiography. Patients were classified as responders if an increase in LVEF ≥ 5% or decrease in end-systolic volume ≥ 15% was observed after 6 months of CRT.Results: Twenty-four patients were responders and 17 were non-responders. During dobutamine infusion at a rate of 20 μg/kg/min, responders showed significant increase in regional deformation (Δ strain) when compared to non-responders (2.14 ± 2.9 vs. – 0.94 ± 1.74, p = 0.042). Patients with increased deformation in the LV lead area during dobutamine stimulation were more likely to be responders to CRT compared to patients without increased deformation in this area (81% vs. 20%, p = 0.0002). They exhibited significant increase in LVEF (8.8% ± 10.3% vs. 0.3% ± 6.4%, p = 0.01). LV electrode localization in viable myocardium was a good predictor of response to CRT (AUC 0.852, p < 0.0001).Conclusions: Regional contractile reserve assessed by strain rate echocardiography during dobutamine infusion predicts the response to CRT

Comparison of Experimental Surface and Flow Field Measurements to Computational Results of the Juncture Flow Model

Wing-body juncture flow fields on commercial aircraft configurations are challenging to compute accurately. The NASA Advanced Air Vehicle Program's juncture flow committee is designing an experiment to provide data to improve Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modeling in the juncture flow region. Preliminary design of the model was done using CFD, yet CFD tends to over-predict the separation in the juncture flow region. Risk reduction wind tunnel tests were requisitioned by the committee to obtain a better understanding of the flow characteristics of the designed models. NASA Ames Research Center's Fluid Mechanics Lab performed one of the risk reduction tests. The results of one case, accompanied by CFD simulations, are presented in this paper. Experimental results suggest the wall mounted wind tunnel model produces a thicker boundary layer on the fuselage than the CFD predictions, resulting in a larger wing horseshoe vortex suppressing the side of body separation in the juncture flow region. Compared to experimental results, CFD predicts a thinner boundary layer on the fuselage generates a weaker wing horseshoe vortex resulting in a larger side of body separation

Comparison of Experimental Surface and Flow Field Measurements to Computational Results of the Juncture Flow Model

Wing-body juncture flow fields on commercial aircraft configurations are challenging to compute accurately. The NASA Advanced Air Vehicle Program's juncture flow committee is designing an experiment to provide data to improve Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modeling in the juncture flow region. Preliminary design of the model was done using CFD, yet CFD tends to over-predict the separation in the juncture flow region. Risk reduction wind tunnel tests were requisitioned by the committee to obtain a better understanding of the flow characteristics of the designed models. NASA Ames Research Center's Fluid Mechanics Lab performed one of the risk reduction tests. The results of one case, accompanied by CFD simulations, are presented in this paper. Experimental results suggest the wall mounted wind tunnel model produces a thicker boundary layer on the fuselage than the CFD predictions, resulting in a larger wing horseshoe vortex suppressing the side of body separation in the juncture flow region. Compared to experimental results, CFD predicts a thinner boundary layer on the fuselage generates a weaker wing horseshoe vortex resulting in a larger side of body separation

Role of the Endogenous Antioxidant System in the Protection of Schistosoma mansoni Primary Sporocysts against Exogenous Oxidative Stress

Antioxidants produced by the parasite Schistosoma mansoni are believed to be involved in the maintenance of cellular redox balance, thus contributing to larval survival in their intermediate snail host, Biomphalaria glabrata. Here, we focused on specific antioxidant enzymes, including glutathione-S-transferases 26 and 28 (GST26 and 28), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), peroxiredoxin 1 and 2 (Prx1 and 2) and Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD), known to be involved in cellular redox reactions, in an attempt to evaluate their endogenous antioxidant function in the early-developing primary sporocyst stage of S. mansoni. Previously we demonstrated a specific and consistent RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated knockdown of GST26 and 28, Prx1 and 2, and GPx transcripts, and an unexpected elevation of SOD transcripts in sporocysts treated with gene-specific double-stranded (ds)RNA. In the present followup study, in vitro transforming sporocysts were exposed to dsRNAs for GST26 and 28, combined Prx1/2, GPx, SOD or green-fluorescent protein (GFP, control) for 7 days in culture, followed by assessment of the effects of specific dsRNA treatments on protein levels using semi-quantitative Western blot analysis (GST26, Prx1/2 only), and larval susceptibility to exogenous oxidative stress in in vitro killing assays. Significant decreases (80% and 50%) in immunoreactive GST26 and Prx1/2, respectively, were observed in sporocysts treated with specific dsRNA, compared to control larvae treated with GFP dsRNA. Sporocysts cultured with dsRNAs for GST26, GST28, Prx1/2 and GPx, but not SOD dsRNA, were significantly increased in their susceptibility to H2O2 oxidative stress (60–80% mortalities at 48 hr) compared to GFP dsRNA controls (∼18% mortality). H2O2-mediated killing was abrogated by bovine catalase, further supporting a protective role for endogenous sporocyst antioxidants. Finally, in vitro killing of S. mansoni sporocysts by hemocytes of susceptible NMRI B. glabrata snails was increased in larvae treated with Prx1/2, GST26 and GST28 dsRNA, compared to those treated with GFP or SOD dsRNAs. Results of these experiments strongly support the hypothesis that endogenous expression and regulation of larval antioxidant enzymes serve a direct role in protection against external oxidative stress, including immune-mediated cytotoxic reactions. Moreover, these findings illustrate the efficacy of a RNAi-type approach in investigating gene function in larval schistosomes

An oligonucleotide microarray for transcriptome analysis of Schistosoma mansoni and its application/use to investigate gender-associated gene expression

Global profiling transcriptomes of parasitic helminths offers the potential to simultaneously identify co-ordinately expressed genes, novel genetic programs and uniquely utilized metabolic pathways, which together provide an extensive and new resource for vaccine and drug discovery. We have exploited this post-genomic approach to fabricate the first oligonucleotide DNA microarray for gene expression analysis of the parasitic trematode Schistosoma mansoni. A total of 17,329 S. mansoni DNA sequences were used to design a microarray consisting of 7335 parasite elements or approximately 50% of this parasite's transcriptome. Here, we describe the design of this new microarray resource and its evaluation by extending studies into gender-associated gene expression in adult schistosomes. We demonstrate a high degree of reproducibility in detecting transcriptional differences among biologically replicated experiments and the ability of the microarray to distinguish between the expression of closely related gene family members. Importantly, for issues related to sexual dimorphism, labour division, gamete production and drug target discovery, 197 transcripts demonstrated a gender-biased pattern of gene expression in the adult schistosome, greatly extending the number of sex-associated genes. These data demonstrate the power of this new resource to facilitate a greater understanding into the biological complexities of schistosome development and maturation useful for identifying novel intervention strategies

The Costs of Addicted Gamblers: Should the States Initiate Mega-Lawsuits Similar to the Tobacco Cases?

Throughout the 20th century, the trend in the US was to hold corporations liable for the harm their products caused the general public. Asbestos, lead, and particularly tobacco, were the leading products that raised liability issues. As potentially harmful gambling activities were legalized throughout the 19808 and 19908, a 1992 Harris Poll indicated that the proliferation of legalized gambling failed to raise concern among a majority of the American public. However, by the mid-I990s, the public's awareness, coupled with US Congressional concerns had increased, and eventually culminated in the 1996 National Gambling Impact Study Commission Act,14 which was enacted into law on 3 August 1996. This statute established the National Gambling Impact Study Commission, which charged nine commissioners with producing a report within 2 years. ... This analysis will compare the gambling industry to the tobacco industry. It predicts that in the future the gambling industry will be held financially liable by the states for the social and economic impact gambling has on US society. Furthermore, this analysis concludes that the gambling industry will be vulnerable to state-initiated mega-lawsuits -- even without specific costs being delimited either for individual 'pathological gamblers' or for individual 'problem gamblers'. Thus, definitional debates and academic debates regarding socio-economic costs may be largely irrelevant with regard to the states' mega-lawsuits because the gambling industry's lobbyists at the American Gaming Association (AGA) acting on behalf of the gambling industry, and individual gambling companies have acknowledged that the industry has created new pathological and problem gamblers during the 1990s.published or submitted for publicationis peer reviewe

Mathematical modelling of ultrasound propagation in multi-phase flow

Transit-time ultrasonic flow meter is a well established and widely used method for measuring flow of fluids. However, its application when multi-phase flow conditions occur remains to be a challenging task, particularly in industrial applications. The presence of the multi-phase flow typically violates the repeatability of the measurements and thus impairs the device accuracy. Development of new flow meter designs for these conditions based on a purely experimental approach is expensive both in terms of time and economy. An attractive alternative is the employment of a mathematical model.In this work, a numerical model that simulates propagation of acoustic waves in ultrasonic flow meter measurement setups is developed. The underlying governing equations are modified first order stress-velocity equations of elastodynamics with additional terms to account for the effect of the background flow. Acoustic media are modelled by setting the shear modulus to zero. Spatial derivatives are approximated by a Fourier collocation method allowing the use of the Fast Fourier transform while the time integration is realized by the explicit fourth order Runge-Kutta finite difference scheme. The method is further extended by mesh adaptation techniques to accurately resolve acoustic scattering in complex geometries.The presented numerical model is, to the best of the author's knowledge, the only pseudospectral model available in the open literature that solves propagation of acoustic waves in moving heterogeneous media.The model is verified against analytical solutions and other numerical methods. Subsequently it is validated against experimental measurements in quiescent heterogeneous media. A direct comparison of the received waveforms is non-trivial due to high uncertainties of material properties in ultrasonic transducers. An alternative approach is presented in this work. The total received measured electrical and simulated acoustic energies, normalized with respect to propagation in a homogeneous medium, are compared instead. The energy losses as a function of increasing gas-void fraction are examined. A good agreement (error below $2.1$ \%) is found. The approach is afterwards used on a large set of experimental measurements conducted on an industrial multi-phase flow rig. It is demonstrated how the model can be used to give a good estimate of the signal deviation for a given gas-void fraction and size of the secondary phase inclusions.The presented work is, to the best of the author's knowledge, the only study available in the open literature that discusses simulation of ultrasonic flow meters under multi-phase flow conditions and its comparison to experimental measurements to such extent

Genetic Variants in the FGB and FGG Genes Mapping in the Beta and Gamma Nodules of the Fibrinogen Molecule in Congenital Quantitative Fibrinogen Disorders Associated with a Thrombotic Phenotype

Fibrinogen is a hexameric plasmatic glycoprotein composed of pairs of three chains (Aα, Bβ, and γ), which play an essential role in hemostasis. Conversion of fibrinogen to insoluble polymer fibrin gives structural stability, strength, and adhesive surfaces for growing blood clots. Equally important, the exposure of its non-substrate thrombin-binding sites after fibrin clot formation promotes antithrombotic properties. Fibrinogen and fibrin have a major role in multiple biological processes in addition to hemostasis and thrombosis, i.e., fibrinolysis (during which the fibrin clot is broken down), matrix physiology (by interacting with factor XIII, plasminogen, vitronectin, and fibronectin), wound healing, inflammation, infection, cell interaction, angiogenesis, tumour growth, and metastasis. Congenital fibrinogen deficiencies are rare bleeding disorders, characterized by extensive genetic heterogeneity in all the three genes: FGA, FGB, and FGG (enconding the Aα, Bβ, and γ chain, respectively). Depending on the type and site of mutations, congenital defects of fibrinogen can result in variable clinical manifestations, which range from asymptomatic conditions to the life-threatening bleeds or even thromboembolic events. In this manuscript, we will briefly review the main pathogenic mechanisms and risk factors leading to thrombosis, and we will specifically focus on molecular mechanisms associated with mutations in the C-terminal end of the beta and gamma chains, which are often responsible for cases of congenital afibrinogenemia and hypofibrinogenemia associated with thrombotic manifestations