Measurement and analysis of lightning induced voltages in aircraft electrical systems

Lightning induced voltages in aircraft electrical circuit

Weekly irinotecan in a patient with metastatic colorectal cancer on hemodialysis due to chronic renal failure

Background: The cytotoxic treatment of patients suffering from advanced or metastatic cancer undergoing hemodialysis due to chronic renal failure still remains a problem, since for those patients pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic data on most cytotoxic agents are lacking. Case Report: We report a 45-year-old male who suffered from chronic renal failure and was diagnosed with stage-3 colorectal cancer (CRC) in February 2000. After surgical removal of the tumor an adjuvant chemotherapy of dose-reduced i.v. bolus 5-fluorouracil and folinic acid was begun (Mayo protocol). Due to excessive gastrointestinal toxicity, therapy was discontinued after the first cycle. In April 2000 liver metastases were diagnosed. The patient was then put on a weekly schedule of dose-reduced CPT-11 (50 mg/m(2), 80 mg total). No hematological or non-hematological toxicity grade 3/4 was observed. Due to excellent tolerability and lack of severe side effects the dose was increased up to 80 mg/m2 (140 mg total) weekly. A dose escalation to 100 mg/m(2) (180 mg total) resulted in severe diarrhea (grade 4). Within 2 months of treatment the patient achieved a lasting partial remission until April 2001 (12 months). A significant progression of hepatic metastases required an alternative treatment regimen beginning in July 2001 (HAI, hepatic artery infusion). Conclusion: This case report demonstrates the feasibility and efficacy of a weekly treatment with dose-reduced CPT-11 in a patient with metastatic CRC on hemodialysis due to chronic renal failure

Airborne Measurements of Gravity Wave Breaking at the Tropopause

2000 FLORIDA AVE NW, WASHINGTON, DC, 2000

“Profit, People, Planet” Perverted: Holding Benefit Corporations Accountable to Intended Beneficiaries

For-profit social entrepreneurship is a steadily growing movement. As part of this movement, numerous states have enacted legislation authorizing the incorporation of benefit corporations, a new for-profit corporate form. In addition to generating profit for shareholders, benefit corporations must “create” a “public benefit.” The mandate that a for-profit corporation pursue a humanitarian cause in addition to generating profit is a significant departure from shareholder primacy: the maxim that the sole purpose of a corporation is to generate return on investment for its shareholders. Although this legislation is a necessary and progressive evolution in corporate law, the current benefit corporation form lacks meaningful accountability and oversight mechanisms. It does little to deter bad actors from taking advantage of socially conscious consumers willing to pay a premium for ethically sourced goods and services by incorporating and operating sham benefit corporations. This Note argues for amending benefit corporation legislation to allow state attorneys general to oversee the creation of public benefits. An oversight and enforcement mechanism would root out and deter bad actors from perverting the purpose of the benefit corporation form, and it would hold benefit corporations accountable to their intended beneficiaries

Persistent Vascular Collagen Accumulation Alters Hemodynamic Recovery from Chronic Hypoxia

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is caused by narrowing and stiffening of the pulmonary arteries that increase pulmonary vascular impedance (PVZ). In particular, small arteries narrow and large arteries stiffen. Large pulmonary artery (PA) stiffness is the best current predictor of mortality from PAH. We have previously shown that collagen accumulation leads to extralobar PA stiffening at high strain (Ooi et al. 2010). We hypothesized that collagen accumulation would increase PVZ, including total pulmonary vascular resistance (Z0), characteristic impedance (ZC), pulse wave velocity (PWV) and index of global wave reflections (Pb/Pf), which contribute to increased right ventricular afterload. We tested this hypothesis by exposing mice unable to degrade type I collagen (Col1a1R/R) to 21 days of hypoxia (hypoxia), some of which were allowed to recover for 42 days (recovery). Littermate wild-type mice (Col1a1+/+) were used as controls. In response to hypoxia, mean PA pressure (mPAP) increased in both mouse genotypes with no changes in cardiac output (CO) or PA inner diameter (ID); as a consequence, Z0 (mPAP/CO) increased by ∼100% in both genotypes (pZC, PWV and Pb/Pf did not change. However, with recovery, ZC and PWV decreased in the Col1a1+/+ mice and remained unchanged in the Col1a1R/R mice. Z0 decreased with recovery in both genotypes. Microcomputed tomography measurements of large PAs did not show evidence of stiffness changes as a function of hypoxia exposure or genotype. We conclude that hypoxia-induced PA collagen accumulation does not affect the pulsatile components of pulmonary hemodynamics but that excessive collagen accumulation does prevent normal hemodynamic recovery, which may have important consequences for right ventricular function

The mechanism regulating the dissociation of the centrosomal protein C-Nap1 from mitotic spindle poles

The centrosomal protein C-Nap1 is thought to play an important role in centrosome cohesion during interphase of the cell cycle. At the onset of mitosis, when centrosomes separate for bipolar spindle formation, C-Nap1 dissociates from centrosomes. Here we report the results of experiments aimed at determining whether the dissociation of C-Nap1 from mitotic centrosomes is triggered by proteolysis or phosphorylation. Specifically, we analyzed both the cell cycle regulation of endogenous C-Nap1 and the fate of exogenously expressed full-length C-Nap1. Western blot analyses suggested a reduction in the endogenous C-Nap1 level during M phase, but studies using proteasome inhibitors and destruction assays performed in Xenopus extracts argue against ubiquitin-dependent degradation of C-Nap1. Instead, our data indicate that the mitotic C-Nap1 signal is reduced as a consequence of M-phase-specific phosphorylation. Overexpression of full-length C-Nap1 in human U2OS cells caused the formation of large structures that embedded the centrosome and impaired its microtubule nucleation activity. Remarkably, however, these centrosome-associated structures did not interfere with cell division. Instead, centrosomes were found to separate from these structures at the onset of mitosis, indicating that a localized and cell-cycle-regulated activity can dissociate C-Nap1 from centrosomes. A prime candidate for this activity is the centrosomal protein kinase Nek2, as the formation of large C-Nap1 structures was substantially reduced upon co-expression of active Nek2. We conclude that the dissociation of C-Nap1 from mitotic centrosomes is regulated by localized phosphorylation rather than generalized proteolysis

A 10 GHz Quasi-Optical Grid Amplifier Using Integrated HBT Differential Pairs

We report the fabrication and testing of a 10 GHz grid amplifier utilizing sixteen GaAs chips each containing an HBT differential pair plus integral bias/feedback resistors. The overall amplifier consists of a 4x4 array of unit cells on an RT Duroid™ board having a relative permittivity of 2.2. Each unit cell consists of an emitter-coupled differential pair at the center, an input antenna which extends horizontally in both directions from the two base leads, an output antenna which extends vertically in both directions from the two collector leads, and high inductance bias lines. In operation, the active grid array is placed between a pair of crossed polarizers. The horizontally polarized input wave passes through the input polarizer and couples to the input leads. An amplified current then flows on the vertical leads, which radiate a vertically polarized amplified signal through the output polarizer. The polarizers serve dual functions, providing both input-output isolation as well as independent impedance matching for the input and output ports. The grid thus functions essentially as a free-space beam amplifier. Calculations indicate that output powers of several watts per square centimeter of grid area should be attainable with optimized structures

Farming Systems in the Pastoral Zone of NSW: An Economic Analysis

A ‘broad brush’ picture of farming in the pastoral zone of NSW is presented in this report. The pastoral zone of NSW is characterised by wide variations in climatic conditions, soil type and vegetation species. Hence representative faming system analysis was conducted for three sub-regions - the Upper Darling, the Murray-Darling and Far West. The regions were defined and described in terms of their resources, climate and the nature of agriculture. The main enterprises that farmers choose between were described and whole farm budgets and statements of assets and liabilities for the representative farms were developed. The representative farm models were used to compare traditional Merino based sheep enterprises with alternative sheep enterprises where meat was an important source of income. We found that the farming systems that have evolved in these areas are well suited to their respective environments and that the economic incentives to switch to more meat focussed sheep enterprises were not strong.Western Division, farming systems, economic, analysis, New South Wales, Farm Management, Land Economics/Use, Livestock Production/Industries, Production Economics, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies, Q160,

ATP prevents Woronin bodies from sealing septal pores in unwounded cells of the fungus Zymoseptoria tritici

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Wiley via the DOI in this record.Septa of filamentous ascomycetes are perforated by septal pores that allow communication between individual hyphal compartments. Upon injury, septal pores are plugged rapidly by Woronin bodies (WBs), thereby preventing extensive cytoplasmic bleeding. The mechanism by which WBs translocate into the pore is not known, but it has been suggested that wound-induced cytoplasmic bleeding "flushes" WBs into the septal opening. Alternatively, contraction of septum-associated tethering proteins may pull WBs into the septal pore. Here, we investigate Woronin body dynamics in the wheat pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici. Ultrastructural studies showed that 3.4 ± 0.2 WBs reside on each side of a septum and that single WBs of 128.5 ± 3.6 nm in diameter seal the septal pore (41±1.5 nm). Live cell imaging of green-fluorescent ZtHex1, a major protein in WBs, and the integral plasma membrane protein ZtSso1 confirms WB translocation into the septal pore. This was associated with the occasional formation of a plasma membrane "balloon", extruding into the dead cell, suggesting that the plasma membrane rapidly seals the wounded septal pore wound. Minor amounts of fluorescent ZtHex1-eGFP appeared associated with the "ballooning" plasma membrane, indicating that cytoplasmic ZtHex1-eGFP is recruited to the extending plasma membrane. Surprisingly, in ~15% of all cases, WBs moved from the ruptured cell into the septal pore. This translocation against the cytoplasmic flow suggests that an active mechanism drives in WB plugging. Indeed, treatment of unwounded and intact cells with the respiration inhibitor CCCP induced WB translocation into the pores. Moreover, CCCP treatment recruited cytoplasmic ZtHex1-eGFP to the lateral plasma membrane of the cells. Thus, keeping the WBs out of the septal pores, in Z. tritici, is an ATP-dependent process

Co- variation in soil biodiversity and biogeochemistry in northern and southern Victoria Land, Antarctica

Data from six sites in Victoria Land (72–77°S) investigating co-variation in soil communities (microbial and invertebrate) with biogeochemical properties showthe influence of soil properties on habitat suitability varied among local landscapes as well as across climate gradients. Species richness of metazoan invertebrates (Nematoda, Tardigrada and Rotifera) was similar to previous descriptions in this region, though identification of three cryptic nematode species of Eudorylaimus through DNA analysis contributed to the understanding of controls over habitat preferences for individual species. Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis profiles revealed unexpectedly high diversity of bacteria. Distribution of distinct bacterial communities was associated with specific sites in northern and southern Victoria Land, as was the distribution of nematode and tardigrade species. Variation in soil metazoan communities was related to differences in soil organic matter, while bacterial diversity and community structure were not strongly correlated with any single soil property. There were no apparent correlations between metazoan and bacterial diversity, suggesting that controls over distribution and habitat suitability are different for bacterial and metazoan communities. Our results imply that top-down controls over bacterial diversity mediated by their metazoan consumers are not significant determinants of bacterial community structure and biomass in these ecosystems