Dosimetry for radiobiological studies of the human hematopoietic system

A system for estimating individual bone marrow doses in therapeutic radiation exposures of leukemia patients was studied. These measurements are used to make dose response correlations and to study the effect of dose protraction on peripheral blood cell levels. Three irradiators designed to produce a uniform field of high energy gamma radiation for total body exposures of large animals and man are also used for radiobiological studies

A new method for the determination of thin film porosity

Internal reflection spectroscopy may be used to determine presence of water in thin film pores. Presence of water in such pores is function of relative humidity and pore size. Thus, one can determine pore size by controlling humidity. Fluids with surface tension different from that of water can be used to detect pores

Aphidophagous Coccinellids in Alfalfa, Small Grains, and Maize in Eastern South Dakota

In a 13-year study of aphidophagous coccinellids associated with alfalfa (Medicago sativa), maize (Zea mays), and small grain crops in eastern South Dakota, the following species were consistently associated with the crops: Hippodamia convergens, H. tredecimpunctata tibialis, H. parenthesis, Coleomegilla maculata lengi, Coccinella transversoguttata richardsoni, Cycloneda munda, and Adalia bipunctata. All species except A. bipunctata were associated with each of the three crops, while A. bipunctata occurred only in maize. Relative abundances of each species varied among crops and among years. Although only seven species were associated with the crops, additional species were captured on sticky traps stationed adjacent to sampled fields. The species diversity of immature coccinellids did not differ among crops but did differ among years. The diversity of adults differed among crops and years. The site from which samples were taken had no influence on the diversity of immatures or adults. Species relative abundances in alfalfa and small grains were more similar to each other than they were to relative abundances in maize

Effect of high wavelengths low intensity light during dark period on physical exercise performance, biochemical and haematological parameters of swimming rats

Nocturnal rodents should be assessed at an appropriate time of day, which leads to a challenge in identifying an adequate environmental light which allows animal visualisation without perturbing physiological homeostasis. Thus, we analysed the influence of high wavelength and low intensity light during dark period on physical exercise and biochemical and haematological parameters of nocturnal rats. We submitted 80 animals to an exhaustive exercise at individualised intensity under two different illuminations during dark period. Red light (> 600 nm; < 15lux) was applied constantly during dark period (EI; for experimental illumination groups) or only for handling and assessments (SI; for standard illumination groups). EI led to worse haematological and biochemical conditions, demonstrating that EI alone can influence physiological parameters and jeopardise result interpretation. SI promotes normal physiological conditions and greater aerobic tolerance than EI, showing the importance of a correct illumination pattern for all researchers that employ nocturnal rats for health/disease or sports performance experiments

Generalising the logistic map through the qq-product

We investigate a generalisation of the logistic map as $x_{n+1}=1-ax_{n}\otimes_{q_{map}} x_{n}$ ($-1 \le x_{n} \le 1$, $0<a\le2$) where $\otimes_q$ stands for a generalisation of the ordinary product, known as $q$-product [Borges, E.P. Physica A {\bf 340}, 95 (2004)]. The usual product, and consequently the usual logistic map, is recovered in the limit $q\to 1$, The tent map is also a particular case for $q_{map}\to\infty$. The generalisation of this (and others) algebraic operator has been widely used within nonextensive statistical mechanics context (see C. Tsallis, {\em Introduction to Nonextensive Statistical Mechanics}, Springer, NY, 2009). We focus the analysis for $q_{map}>1$ at the edge of chaos, particularly at the first critical point $a_c$, that depends on the value of $q_{map}$. Bifurcation diagrams, sensitivity to initial conditions, fractal dimension and rate of entropy growth are evaluated at $a_c(q_{map})$, and connections with nonextensive statistical mechanics are explored.Comment: 12 pages, 23 figures, Dynamics Days South America. To be published in Journal of Physics: Conference Series (JPCS - IOP

The population of deformed bands in 48^{48}Cr by emission of 8^{8}Be from the 32^{32}S + 24^{24}Mg reaction

Using particle-$\gamma$ coincidences we have studied the population of final states after the emission of 2 $\alpha$-particles and of $^{8}$Be in nuclei formed in $^{32}$S+$^{24}$Mg reactions at an energy of $\textrm{E}_{\rm L}(^{32}\textrm{S}) = 130 {\rm MeV}$. The data were obtained in a setup consisting of the GASP $\gamma$-ray detection array and the multidetector array ISIS. Particle identification is obtained from the $\Delta$E and E signals of the ISIS silicon detector telescopes, the $^{8}$Be being identified by the instantaneous pile up of the $\Delta$E and E pulses. $\gamma$-ray decays of the $^{48}$Cr nucleus are identified with coincidences set on 2 $\alpha$-particles and on $^{8}$Be. Some transitions of the side-band with $K^\pi=4^{-}$ show stronger population for $^{8}$Be emission relative to that of 2 $\alpha$-particles (by a factor $1.5-1.8$). This observation is interpreted as due to an enhanced emission of $^{8}$Be into a more deformed nucleus. Calculations based on the extended Hauser-Feshbach compound decay formalism confirm this observation quantitatively.Comment: 17 pages, 9 figures accepted for publication in J. Phys.

Radio and X-ray nebulae associated with PSR J1509-5850

We have discovered a long radio trail at 843 MHz which is apparently associated with middle age pulsar PSR J1509-5850. The radio trail has a length of ~7 arcmin. In X-rays, Chandra observations of PSR J1509-5850 reveal an associated X-ray trail which extends in the same orientation as the radio trail. Moreover, two clumpy structures are observed along the radio trail. The larger one is proposed to be the supernova remnant (SNR) candidate MSC 319.9-0.7. Faint X-ray enhancement at the position of the SNR candidate is found in the Chandra data.Comment: Accepted by A&A, 5 pages, 4 figures, 1 tabl

Transdifferentiation from cornea to lens in Xenopus laevis depends on BMP signalling and involves upregulation of Wnt signalling

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Surgical removal of the lens from larval <it>Xenopus laevis </it>results in a rapid transdifferention of central corneal cells to form a new lens. The trigger for this process is understood to be an induction event arising from the unprecedented exposure of the cornea to the vitreous humour that occurs following lens removal. The molecular identity of this trigger is unknown.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Here, we have used a functional transgenic approach to show that BMP signalling is required for lens regeneration and a microarray approach to identify genes that are upregulated specifically during this process. Analysis of the array data strongly implicates Wnt signalling and the Pitx family of transcription factors in the process of cornea to lens transdifferentiation. Our analysis also captured several genes associated with congenital cataract in humans. Pluripotency genes, in contrast, were not upregulated, supporting the idea that corneal cells transdifferentiate without returning to a stem cell state. Several genes from the array were expressed in the forming lens during embryogenesis. One of these, <it>Nipsnap1</it>, is a known direct target of BMP signalling.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our results strongly implicate the developmental Wnt and BMP signalling pathways in the process of cornea to lens transdifferentiation (CLT) in <it>Xenopus</it>, and suggest direct transdifferentiation between these two anterior eye tissues.</p

Brief Studies

Obstacles to Bible Reading in the Home In The Sign of Bach Notes on Col 3:1