Design of a Mars Airplane Propulsion System for the Aerial Regional-Scale Environmental Survey (ARES) Mission Concept

The Aerial Regional-Scale Environmental Survey (ARES) is a Mars exploration mission concept with the goal of taking scientific measurements of the atmosphere, surface, and subsurface of Mars by using an airplane as the payload platform. ARES team first conducted a Phase-A study for a 2007 launch opportunity, which was completed in May 2003. Following this study, significant efforts were undertaken to reduce the risk of the atmospheric flight system, under the NASA Langley Planetary Airplane Risk Reduction Project. The concept was then proposed to the Mars Scout program in 2006 for a 2011 launch opportunity. This paper summarizes the design and development of the ARES airplane propulsion subsystem beginning with the inception of the ARES project in 2002 through the submittal of the Mars Scout proposal in July 2006

New directions in phthalocyanine pigments

Phthalocyanines have been used as a pigment in coatings and related applications for many years. These pigments are some of the most stable organic pigments known. The phthalo blue and green pigments have been known to be ultraviolet (UV) stable and thermally stable to over 400 C. These phthalocyanines are both a semiconductor and photoconductor, exhibiting catalytic activity and photostabilization capability of polymers. Many metal free and metallic phthalocyanine derivatives have been prepared. Development of the new classes of phthalocyanine pigment could be used as coating on NASA spacecraft material such as glass to decrease the optical degradation from UV light, the outside of the space station modules for UV protection, and coating on solar cells to increase lifetime and efficiency

Video and computer-based interactive exercises are safe and improve task-specific balance in geriatric and neurological rehabilitation: A randomised trial

© 2015. Question: Does adding video/computer-based interactive exercises to inpatient geriatric and neurological rehabilitation improve mobility outcomes? Is it feasible and safe? Design: Randomised trial. Participants: Fifty-eight rehabilitation inpatients. Intervention: Physiotherapist-prescribed, tailored, video/computer-based interactive exercises for 1 hour on weekdays, mainly involving stepping and weight-shifting exercises. Outcome measures: The primary outcome was the Short Physical Performance Battery (0 to 3) at 2 weeks. Secondary outcomes were: Maximal Balance Range (mm); Step Test (step count); Rivermead Mobility Index (0 to 15); activity levels; Activity Measure for Post Acute Care Basic Mobility (18 to 72) and Daily Activity (15 to 60); Falls Efficacy Scale (10 to 40), ED5D utility score (0 to 1); Reintegration to Normal Living Index (0 to 100); System Usability Scale (0 to 100) and Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (0 to 126). Safety was determined from adverse events during intervention. Results: At 2 weeks the between-group difference in the primary outcome (0.1, 95% CI -0.2 to 0.3) was not statistically significant. The intervention group performed significantly better than usual care for Maximal Balance Range (38. mm difference after baseline adjustment, 95% CI 6 to 69). Other secondary outcomes were not statistically significant. Fifty-eight (55%) of the eligible patients agreed to participate, 25/29 (86%) completed the intervention and 10 (39%) attended > 70% of sessions, with a mean of 5.6 sessions (SD 3.3) attended and overall average duration of 4.5. hours (SD 3.1). Average scores were 62 (SD 21) for the System Usability Scale and 62 (SD 8) for the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale. There were no adverse events. Conclusion: The addition of video/computer-based interactive exercises to usual rehabilitation is a safe and feasible way to increase exercise dose, but is not suitable for all. Adding the exercises to usual rehabilitation resulted in task-specific improvements in balance but not overall mobility. Registration: ACTRN12613000610730

Desarrollo de un dispositivo IoT para el invernadero de la Asociación de Mujeres Productoras Agroecológicas de Cangahua

El desconocimiento de factores como la humedad relativa del suelo y la temperatura ambiente ha sido una problemática al momento de cultivar en el invernadero AMPAC, ya que estos son factores que inciden directamente en su producción, por lo cual se propuso el desarrollo de un dispositivo IoT para el mejoramiento de la producción de brócoli, cebolla, pepino, pimiento y tomate, este dispositivo posee un módulo ESP32 y sensores que permiten la adquisición y visualización de datos como; temperatura ambiente y humedad relativa del suelo tiempo real, estos datos son enviados al servidor de Adafruit IO en la nube y se almacenan en su base de datos, también el dispositivo permite tener el control de electroválvulas, focos y un ventilador, además con el uso de Android Studio se desarrolló una aplicación que posibilita a la persona a cargo el monitoreo de los parámetros de forma remota, de esta manera se pueden reducir los traslados del personal encargado al invernadero AMPAC, finalmente con la vinculación del servicio IFTTT se envían mensajes de alerta cuando los parámetros de humedad y temperatura hayan salido de su rango, de manera que el encargado del invernadero AMPAC pueda usar esta información y tomar las acciones necesarias en bienestar del cultivo.The lack of knowledge of factors such as relative soil humidity and ambient temperature has been a problem when growing in the AMPAC greenhouse, since these are factors that directly affect their production, so it was proposed the development of an IoT device for the improvement of the production of broccoli, onion, cucumber, bell pepper and tomato, this device has an ESP32 module and sensors that allow the acquisition and visualization of data such as; These data are sent to the Adafruit IO server in the cloud and stored in its database. The device also allows the control of solenoid valves, spotlights and a fan, and with the use of Android Studio an application was developed that enables the person in charge to monitor the parameters remotely, Finally, with the linking of the IFTTT service, alert messages are sent when the humidity and temperature parameters have gone out of range, so that the person in charge of the AMPAC greenhouse can use this information and take the necessary actions for the welfare of the crop

Elastic modulus of shape-memory NiTi from in situ neutron diffraction during macroscopic loading, instrumented indentation, and extensometryl

The elastic modulus of B19\u27 shape-memory NiTi was determined using three techniques; from the response of lattice planes measured using in situ neutron diffraction during loading, instrumented indentation using a spherical indenter and macroscopic extensometry. The macroscopic measurements resulted in a modulus of 68 GPa, significantly less than the 101 GPa from indentation and the lattice plane average of 109 GPa from neutron diffraction. Evidence from the neutron measurements suggests that the disparity derives from the onset of small amounts of twinning at stresses less that 40 MPa, which might otherwise be considered elastic from a macroscopic view point

Central Crops and Soils Research Station Highmore, South Dakota: Annual Progress Report, 2006

This is the 2006 progress report for the Central Crops and Soils Research Station at Highmore, South Dakota State College. This document represents the research conducted at the Station during the 2006 crop season including: temperature and precipitation data, evaluation of native and naturalized grasses for reduced-input turf in the Northern Plains, 2006 NTEP tall fescue ancillary trial for drought tolerance, field evaluations of woody plant materials, alfalfa production, optimal management of drought -tolerant legumes and warm season annual grasses, winter wheat breeding, evaluation of sunflower germplasm for resistance to the red sunflower seed weevil, weed control, fertilizer influence on soil test and wheat yields, and spring-seeded small grains- 2006 eastern South Dakota variety test results

Mixed Valence Copper(cu)/silica Nanocomposite: Synthesis, Characterization And Systematic Antimicrobial Studies

Copper (Cu) compounds are widely used as effective agricultural bactericides. Continuous use of these materials has led to Cu accumulation in soil over time. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) is concerned about potential Cu contamination in the environment. Improving biocidal efficacy of Cu is an attractive alternative, allowing reduction of Cu amount per application. In this research, we focused on making watersoluble mixed-valence Copper/Silica composite nanogel (CuSiNG) material. The objective is to improve the efficacy of Cu by manipulating Cu valence states. It has been shown in the literature that Cu (0) and Cu (I) states are more potent that Cu (II) states in terms of their antimicrobial efficacy. It is hypothesized that mixed valence Cu will exhibit improved efficacy over Cu (II). A water-soluble mixed valence Cu/silica nanogel (MV-CuSiNG) composite has been synthesized and characterized. Structure, morphology, crystallinity and composition of the MV-CuSiNG material was characterized using High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM), HRTEM Selected Area Electron Diffraction (SAED) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). Amount of Cu loading in MV-CuSiNG composite material was estimated by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS). To confirm presence of Cu (I) in the MV-CuSiNG material, Neocuproine (Nc, a Cu (I) specific chelator) assay was used. Antimicrobial efficacy of MVCuSiNG and CuSiNG was evaluated against X.alfalfae, B.subtilis and E.coli using Kocide® 3000 ( Insoluble Cu (II) compound), Copper sulfate ( Soluble Cu (II) compound) and Cuprous chloride (Copper (I) compound) as positive controls and silica seed particles (without Cu loading) as negative control. Antimicrobial studies included observing bacterial growth inhibition and determining the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC). Improved antimicrobial efficacy was observed in MV-CuSiNG when compared to CuSiNG and other controls. For the assessment of plant safety of MV-CuSiNG and CuSiNG materials, phytotoxicity studies were conducted using Vinca sp and Hamlin orange under environmental conditions. It was observed that MV-CuSiNG material was safe to plants at commercially use

Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: The Emerging Cornerstone in Cholangiocarcinoma Therapy?

Background: Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) encompasses a heterogeneous group of malignant tumors with dismal prognosis and increasing incidence worldwide. Both late diagnosis due to the lack of early symptoms and the refractory nature of these tumors seriously compromise patients' welfare and outcomes. Summary: During the last decade, immunotherapy and, more specifically, modulation of immune checkpoints-mediated signaling pathways have been under the spotlight in the field of oncology, emerging as a potential therapeutic approach for the treatment of several cancers, including CCA. Generally, high expression levels of immune checkpoints in patients with CCA have been associated with worse clinical outcomes, particularly with shorter overall survival and relapse-free survival. Thus, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), which mainly constitute different monoclonal antibodies, have been developed in order to hamper the immune checkpoint-mediated pathways. Interestingly, chemotherapy may increase the expression of immune checkpoints, while other therapeutic approaches such as ablative and targeted therapies may enhance their antitumor activity. In this sense, several clinical trials evaluated the safety and efficacy of ICIs for CCA, both as a monotherapy and in combination with other ICIs or loco-regional and systemic therapies. Additionally, many other clinical trials are currently ongoing and results are eagerly awaited. Here, we summarize the key aspects of immune checkpoint molecules as prognostic factors and therapeutic targets in CCA, highlighting the most recent advances in the field and future research directions. Key messages: (1) Effective therapeutic approaches for CCA are urgently needed. (2) Expression levels of immune checkpoints in patients with CCA have been proposed to be related with clinical outcomes. (3) Combination of different ICIs may outperform the efficacy of ICI monotherapy for CCA treatment. (4) Recent studies point toward the combination of ICIs and other common therapies, especially chemotherapy, as a promising strategy for treatment of CCA patients