Localize and identify the gravity sensing mechanism of plants

The machinery by which a plant transduces the gravity stimulus into a growth response is localized and identified at the cellular level. The fact that a plant grows unequally on the lower side of a horizontally placed stem implies that there must be an asymmetric distribution of some of the chemical substances involved in the growth response. The three most likely chemicals to cause this growth were determined to be potassium, calcium, or the growth hormone, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). IAA was chosen for this study and the results present a fairly complete understanding of the transduction of the gravity stimulus

The chromatographic identification of some biologically important phosphate esters

the objective of the present work was to provide a means for separating and indentifying phosphate esters involved in glycolysis in higher plants. Paper chromatography of phosphate esters has been employed by several workers, most notably Benson et al. (1) and Hanes and Isherwood (2). Benson's procedures were not primarily designed for identification of phosphate esters and gave low Rr values for the phosphate compounds of particular interest to us. The unidimensional methods of Hanes and Isherwood do not result in adequate resolution of the complex mixtures such as are obtained from our plant materials. The present procedure is based on two-dimensional chromatography with successive development in an acid and in a basic solvent. The solvents finally selected gave the best over-all resolution of the intermediates involved in plant glycolysis. Undoubtedly the resolution of certain pairs of compounds may be improved by suitable modifications. We have in addition made certain improvements in the procedure for locating the chromatographed materials

November Snowfall Variability and Trends Around Lake Michigan: Sensitivity to Temperature and Teleconnection Patterns

Using available long-term stations, November climatology of temperature and snowfall since 1950 has been composited for the region near Lake Michigan. Daily data was examined for the available stations to explore the monthly temperature and snowfall, the number of days with snowfall, and snow cover. The characteristics of six sub-region composites were compared using composites around Lake Michigan, respectively. Early season snowfall is much more common in the eastern sub-regions, implying a dominant role of lake-effect snowfall to the overall climatology. The number of days with snowfall is greater in the eastern sub-regions. Western and eastern sub-regions both exhibit a negative correlation between snowfall and temperature. The snowfall is particularly sensitive to the number of near to below freezing days. Teleconnection processes were also examined and a deviation was found with El Niño Novembers as opposed to neutral and La Niña Novembers. A weaker relation to snowfall was seen to the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). There is a trend toward less November monthly snowfall and number of days with snow. For some stations in lake-effect prone areas, there are virtually no snowless Novembers in the initial decades, yet three or four out of ten Novembers have been essentially snowless since 1990

The Alpha-Helix Concept: Innovative utilization of the Space Station Program. A report to the National Aeronautical and Space Administration requesting establishment of a Sensory Physiology Laboratory on the Space Station

A major laboratory dedicated to biological-medical research is proposed for the Space Platform. The laboratory would focus on sensor physiology and biochemistry since sensory physiology represents the first impact of the new space environment on living organisms. Microgravity and the high radiation environment of space would be used to help solve the problems of prolonged sojourns in space but, more importantly, to help solve terrestrial problems of human health and agricultural productivity. The emphasis would be on experimental use of microorganisms and small plants and small animals to minimize the space and time required to use the Space Platform for maximum human betterment. The Alpha Helix Concept, that is, the use of the Space Platform to bring experimental biomedicine to a new and extreme frontier is introduced so as to better understand the worldly environment. Staffing and instrumenting the Space Platform biomedical laboratory in a manner patterned after successful terrestrial sensory physiology laboratories is also proposed

Working Around the CCP’s Insecurities

Language is a sensitive matter for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), a fact made clear by the well-documented mechanisms of party-state censorship and propaganda, which aim to repel criticism and set the agenda in the CCP’s favor. Less widely acknowledged, however, is the extent to which even terms of praise and devotion must be subjected to careful scrutiny in China. Two recent catchphrases in particular that speak anew to deeper anxieties about the image of the CCP and its top leader, Xi Jinping. These are “low-level red” and “high-level black,” odd phrases in English that invite some elucidation. The terms, which first emerged on the internet, refer in both cases to covert or unintentional acts of criticism. “Low-level red,” or dijihong (低級紅), refers in official parlance to language or conduct that is intended to praise the Party or government, but which ultimately has the opposite effect because it is patently false, cheap, or ill-considered. “High-level black,” or gaojihei (高级黑), refers on the other hand to more deliberate and skilful acts of disguised sabotage, in which language is deployed in obscurely humorous ways, or cloaked in academic respectability, in order to criticise or ridicule. 對中國共產黨來說，語言是一個敏感的問題， 這在中國的審查和宣傳機制中得到了充分的證實。審查的目的是為了排斥批評，營造有利於中國共產黨的輿情。然而，鮮為人知的是，在中國，即使是讚美和奉承的詞彙也會受到審查。尤其是最近的兩個流行語 —— "低級紅"和"高級黑"，再次體現了人們對中共及其最高領導人習近平形象的深層憂慮。這兩個詞最早出現在互聯網，均為隱蔽或無意的批評。 "低級紅"指的是那些旨在讚美黨或政府的語言或行為，但最終卻因明顯的虛假、低級或考慮不周而產生相反的效果。而"高級黑"則指更有心機、更有技巧的變相貶低。它以隱晦幽默的方式運用語言，或披上學術的外衣，以達到批評或嘲笑的目的。對中國共產黨來說，語言是一個敏感的問題， 這在中國的審查和宣傳機制中得到了充分的證實。審查的目的是為了排斥批評，營造有利於中國共產黨的輿情。然而，鮮為人知的是，在中國，即使是讚美和奉承的詞彙也會受到審查。尤其是最近的兩個流行語 —— "低級紅"和"高級黑"，再次體現了人們對中共及其最高領導人習近平形象的深層憂慮。這兩個詞最早出現在互聯網，均為隱蔽或無意的批評。 "低級紅"指的是那些旨在讚美黨或政府的語言或行為，但最終卻因明顯的虛假、低級或考慮不周而產生相反的效果。而"高級黑"則指更有心機、更有技巧的變相貶低。它以隱晦幽默的方式運用語言，或披上學術的外衣，以達到批評或嘲笑的目的

Effects of microgravity on growth hormone concentration and distribution in plants

On earth, gravity affects the distribution of the plant growth hormone, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), in a manner such that the plant grows into a normal vertical orientation (shoots up, roots down). How the plant controls the amount and distribution of IAA is only partially understood and is currently under investigation in this laboratory. The question to be answered in the flight experiment concerns the effect of gravity on the concentration, turn over, and distribution of the growth hormone. The answer to this question will aid in understanding the mechanism by which plants control the amount and distribution of growth hormone. Such knowledge of a plant's hormonal metabolism may aid in the growth of plants in space and will lead to agronomic advances

Artificial neural networks in nuclear medicine

An analysis of the accessible literature on the diagnostic applicability of artificial neural networks in coronary artery disease and pulmonary embolism appears to be comparative to the diagnosis of experienced doctors dealing with nuclear medicine. Differences in the employed models of artificial neural networks indicate a constant search for the most optimal parameters, which could guarantee the ultimate accuracy in neural network activity. The diagnostic potential within systems containing artificial neural networks proves this calculation tool to be an independent or/and an additional device for supporting a doctor’s diagnosis of artery disease and pulmonary embolism

Undergraduate teaching of nuclear medicine: a comparison between Central & Eastern Europe and European Union countries

This paper overviews the curricula of nuclear medicine (NM) undergraduate training in 34 Central & Eastern European (CEE) and 37 European Union (EU) medical faculties. The data show enormous variation in the number of hours devoted to nuclear medicine, varying between 1–2 to 40 hours and highly differentiated concepts/ideas of nuclear medicine training in particular countries. In most EU countries this teaching is integrated with that of radiology or clinical modules, also with training in clinical physiology. In many CEE countries teaching and testing of NM are independent, although integration with other teaching modules is frequent. The paper discusses the differences in particular approaches to nuclear medicine teaching