Film density analyzers for infrared investigations

Joyce-Loebl microdensitometer-isodensitracer for infrared film density analysi

Concurrent Acquisition of a Single Nucleotide Polymorphism in Diverse Influenza H5N1 Clade 2.2 Sub-clades

Highly pathogenic Influenza A H5N1 was first identified in Guangdong Province in 1996, followed by human cases in Hong Kong in 1997 1,2. The number of confirmed human cases now exceeds 300, and the associated Case Fatality Rate exceeds 60% 3. The genetic diversity of the serotype continues to increase. Four distinct clades or sub-clades have been linked to human cases 4-7. The gradual genetic changes identified in the sub-clades have been attributed to copy errors by viral encoded polymerases that lack an editing function, thereby resulting in antigenic drift 8. We report here the concurrent acquisition of the same polymorphism by multiple, genetically distinct, clade 2.2 sub-clades in Egypt, Russia, and Ghana. These changes are not easily explained by the current theory of “random mutation” through copy error, and are more easily explained by recombination with a common source. This conclusion is supported by additional polymorphisms shared by clade 2.2 isolates in Egypt and Germany

Impact wave deposits provide new constraints on the location of the K/T boundary impact

All available evidence is consistent with an impact into oceanic crust terminating the Cretaceous Period. Although much of this evidence is incompatible with an endogenic origin, some investigators still feel that a volcanic origin is possible for the Cretaceous/Tertiary (K/T) boundary clay layers. The commonly cited evidence for a large impact stems from delicate clay layers and their components and the impact site has not yet been found. Impact sites have been suggested all over the globe. The impact is felt to have occurred near North America by: the occurrence of a 2 cm thick ejecta layer only at North American locales, the global variation of shocked quartz grain sizes peaking in North America, the global variation of spinel compositions with most refractory compositions occurring in samples from the Pacific region and possibly uniquely severe plant extinctions in the North American region. The K/T boundary interval was investigated as preserved on the banks of the Brazos River, Texas. The K/T fireball and ejecta layers with associated geochemical anomalies were found interbedded with this sequence which apparently allows a temporal resolution 4 orders of magnitude greater than typical K/T boundary sections. A literature search reveals that such coarse deposits are widely preserved at the K/T boundary. Impact wave deposits have not been found elsewhere on the globe, suggesting the impact occurred between North and South America. The coarse deposits preserved in Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) holes 151-3 suggest the impact occurred nearby. Subsequent tectonism has complicated the picture

Small High-Speed Self-Acting Shaft Seals for Liquid Rocket Engines

Design analysis, fabrication, and experimental evaluation were performed on three self-acting facetype LOX seal designs and one circumferential-type helium deal design. The LOX seals featured Rayleigh step lift pad and spiral groove geometry for lift augmentation. Machined metal bellows and piston ring secondary seal designs were tested. The helium purge seal featured floating rings with Rayleigh step lift pads. The Rayleigh step pad piston ring and the spiral groove LOX seals were successfully tested for approximately 10 hours in liquid oxygen. The helium seal was successfully tested for 24 hours. The shrouded Rayleigh step hydrodynamic lift pad LOX seal is feasible for advanced, small, high-speed oxygen turbopumps

Seasonal and inter-annual patterns of sediment-water nutrient and oxygen fluxes in Mobile Bay, Alabama (USA): Regulating factors and ecological significance.

Sediment oxygen and nutrient fluxes were measured monthly for 2 yr in Mobile Bay, Alabama, USA. Rates of sediment oxygen consumption (0.1 to 1.25 gO2 m-2 d-1), ammonium flux (-22 to 181 µmol m-2 h-1), nitrate flux (-14 to 67 µmol m-2 h-1), phosphate flux (-2 to 20.4 µmol m-2 h-1), and dissolved silicate flux (-15 to 342 µmol m-2 h-1) were moderate to high compared to values for other estuaries. A step-wise regression analysis revealed that dissolved oxygen concentration and temperature in bottom-waters explained much of the variance in fluxes. This is presumably because of their influence on rates of microbial and physico-chemical processes. Organic matter availability was not found to be an important factor in regulating temporal (month to month) variability of fluxes, possibly because frequent resuspension of the sediments in this shallow system rendered indices of sediment organic matter nearly constant with time. However, warm season-averaged sediment nutrient releases were correlated with sediment chlorophyll a. This relationship in Mobile Bay is in strong agreement with similar relationships found in other estuarine systems, and suggests that the availability of labile organic matter ultimately regulates the maximum rate of nutrient release by the sediments. Annually averaged sediment fluxes supplied 36% of the nitrogen (N) and 25% of the phosphorus (P) required by phytoplankton in Mobile Bay. While this is not particularly high compared to other estuaries, monthly estimates show that the sediments can supply from 0 to 94% of the N, and 0 to 83% of the P required by phytoplankton. In addition, flux ratios show that N and P are released from sediments at N:P ratios that rapidly switch from above (maximum 98) to below (minimum 1.2) that required for phytoplankton growth. This pattern is different from cooler temperate systems, where such switching is seasonally base

Provenance of the K/T boundary layers

An array of chemical, physical and isotopic evidence indicates that an impact into oceanic crust terminated the Cretaceous Period. Approximately 1500 cu km of debris, dispersed by the impact fireball, fell out globally in marine and nonmarine environments producing a 2 to 4 mm thick layer (fireball layer). In North American locales, the fireball layer overlies a 15 to 25 mm thick layer of similar but distinct composition. This 15 to 25 mm layer (ejecta layer) may represent approximately 1000 cu km of lower energy ejecta from a nearby impact site. Isotopic and chemical evidence supports a mantle provenance for the bulk of the layers. The extraordinary REE pattern of the boundary clays was modelled as a mixture of oceanic crust, mantle, and approximately 10 percent continental material. The results are presented. If the siderophiles of the ejecta layer were derived solely from the mantle, a test may be available to see if the siderophile element anomaly of the fireball layer had an extraterrestrial origin. Radiogenic Os-187 is depleted in the mantle relative to an undifferentiated chondritic source. Os-187/Os-186 ratios of 1.049 and 1.108 were calculated for the ejecta and fireball layers, respectively

Effects of macrobenthos on sediment-water oxygen and ammonium fluxes. Final Report.

Sediments are an important location in determining the fate of nutrients entering the estuary. Role of sediments needs to be incorporated into water quality models. Purpose of this study was to estimate the portion of sediment oxygen consumption (SOC) and sediment ammonium (NH4+) release directly attributable to benthic invertebrates via the respiratory use of oxygen and catabolic release of ammonium. Samples were collected at 8 locations from August 1985 through November 1988. (PDF contains 45 pages

The effects of environmental temperature on high-intensity interval training

Endurance athletes typically spend the large majority of training (\u3e 70%) at low intensities (i.e. below lactate threshold) coupled with short and intermittent bouts of high-intensity exercise or interval training (HIIT). Despite HIIT being a relatively small part of training in terms of duration, it has a substantial effect on the adaptations to endurance training. While it is well-established endurance exercise performance is affected in both hot and cold environmental conditions, the effect ambient temperature (TA; frequently referred to as environmental temperature) has on HIIT as performed by an endurance athlete population is not well understood. Therefore, the overall purpose of this thesis was to investigate the effects TA has on HIIT in an endurance trained population. Specifically, this thesis aimed to increase the understanding of how TA acutely affects performance and physiological responses during high-intensity intervals (Study 1); how repeated exposure to TA manipulates physiological responses during high-intensity intervals (Study 2), and how TA affects performance outcomes of a HIIT intervention (Study 3). In Study 1, eleven well-trained cyclists completed 4 interval sessions at 5°C, 13°C, 22°C, and 35°C (55 ± 13% RH) in a randomised order. Each session involved 5 x 4-minute intervals interspersed with 5 minutes of recovery. During the intervals, power output, core temperature (TC), oxygen consumption (VO2), and heart rate (HR) were recorded. It was hypothesized that the 13°C condition would have the highest mean power output compared to the other TA conditions. However, mean session power output for 13°C (366 ± 32 W) was not significantly different than 5°C (363 ± 32 W), 22°C (364 ± 36 W), or 35°C (352 ± 31 W). Power output was lower in the 5th interval of the 35°C condition, compared with all other TA. TC was higher in 22°C compared with both 5°C and 13°C (P= .001). VO2 was not different across TA. HR was higher in the 4th and 5th intervals of 35°C compared with 5°C and 13°C. It was concluded well-trained cyclists performing maximal high-intensity aerobic intervals can achieve near optimal power output over a broader range of TA than previous literature may indicate. Study 1 indicated TA had acute effects on performance and physiological responses during high-intensity aerobic intervals, especially in terms of cardiovascular stress. However, whether acute cardiorespiratory and thermoregulatory responses during high-intensity intervals change as a result of repeated TA exposures (i.e. during HIIT) was unknown. In Study 2, 20 trained cyclists and triathletes completed a 4-week (8 session) HIIT intervention in either cool (13°C) or hot (35°C) conditions. The HIIT intervention utilized the interval protocol from Study 1 and recorded cardiopulmonary and thermoregulatory measures during the first (INT8) and last (INT8) sessions. It was observed that time spent at or near maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) during HIIT was greater in 13°C (877 ± 297 seconds) than 35°C (421 ± 395 seconds), but did not change for either TA condition between INT1 and INT8. HR was not significantly different between 13°C (164 ± 9 bpm) and 35°C HIIT (164 ± 12 bpm). TC significantly decreased in 35°C HIIT between INT1 and INT8. These results potentially indicate the relationship between time spent at or near VO2max and cardiovascular strain during HIIT is influenced by TA. Additionally, HIIT performed intermittently (~2x per week) at 35°C resulted in demonstrated evidence for heat acclimation in endurance athletes. Study 1 and Study 2 provided findings for performance, cardiorespiratory, and thermoregulatory responses during acute high-intensity interval sessions and after repeated exposure to TA. In particular, differences in time spent at or near VO2max between 13°C and 35°C HIIT, and changes in thermoregulatory responses over the course of a HIIT intervention both have the potential to affect endurance performance outcomes and coinciding physiological responses. In order to investigate this, Study 3 evaluated submaximal warm-ups and 20 km time-trials in temperate conditions (22°C) before (TT1) and after (TT2) the HIIT interventions from Study 2. Gross mechanical efficiency (GME) was measured during the warm-up (at 50% peak power output), whilst power output and HR were measured during the 20 km TT. Rate of perceived exertion (RPE) and body temperature (TB) were measured through the warm-up and time-trial. It was demonstrated that time-trial power output was increased after HIIT interventions in both the 13°C (3%; HIIT13) and 35°C (7%; HIIT35), yet no differences between groups for power output, HR, or RPE were noted. Within subject increases for HR and RPE during the 20 km time-trial were noted in HIIT13, but not in HIIT35. GME approached a significant decrease (P= .051) in HIIT13. A significant interaction in TB was observed between groups and TT1 and TT2 during both the 20 km time-trial and submaximal warm-up. These findings indicate that HIIT performed in hot and cool conditions result in similar temperate time-trial performance outcomes. However, changes in cardiorespiratory, thermoregulatory, and subjective responses during aerobic exercise after a HIIT intervention appear to be dependent on the TA HIIT is performed in. The results of this thesis demonstrate TA acutely affects performance, and cardiorespiratory and thermoregulatory responses during high-intensity intervals; repeated exposures to TA during HIIT can stimulate changes in thermoregulatory responses; and TA exposure during HIIT has limited effect on temperate endurance performance, yet affects coinciding cardiorespiratory, thermoregulatory, and subjective responses. These findings will assist coaches and athletes to make better informed decisions relating to HIIT prescription and acclimating endurance athletes to TA

The Fellow Servant Rule in Admiralty Cases Involving Stevedores

In view of the recent decision of the Supreme Court of Washington in the case of Havertv v. International Stevedoring Co., it becomes a matter of importance to ascertain just what the maritime law is in regard to the application of the fellow servant rule in cases where a stevedore has been injured as the result of the negligence of a fellow servant

The student protest movement a recapitulation

https://stars.library.ucf.edu/prism/1369/thumbnail.jp