Detergent Extraction of a Presumptive Gating Component from the Voltage-Dependent Sodium Channel

A physiologically characterized radiolabeled neurotoxin complex obtained from venom of the scorpion Leiurus quinquestriatus has been used to identify detergent-solubilized presumptive sodium channel components in sucrose gradients. This toxin-binding component is found in extracts prepared from three sources of excitable membrane but appears to be absent from similar extracts prepared from nonexcitable membrane or from Torpedo californica membrane. Procedures that destroy the physiological activity of the Leiurus neurotoxin lead to a corresponding loss of toxin binding to the putative sodium channel component. The major component recognized by the Leiurus toxin sediments at 6.5 S. Scatchard analysis of quantitative binding experiments carried out in sucrose gradients shows approximately linear plots and indicates that the toxin recognizes a relatively small number of sites with a dissociation constant near 10 nM. Once formed, the channel element--toxin complex is quite stable. Experiments show diphasic dissociation kinetics with half-times near 70 hr and greater than 200 hr

Magnetic Properties of a Two-Dimensional Mixed-Spin System

Using a Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) synthesis method, novel two-dimensional (2D) mixed-spin magnetic systems, in which each magnetic layer is both structurally and magnetically isolated, have been generated. Specifically, a 2D Fe-Ni cyanide-bridged network with a face-centered square grid structure has been magnetically and structurally characterized. The results indicate the presence of ferromagnetic exchange interactions between the Fe$^{3+}$ ($S=1/2$) and Ni$^{2+}$ (S=1) centers.Comment: 2 pages, 3 figs., submitted 23rd International Conference on Low Temperature Physics (LT-23), Aug. 200

The Tiff Over TIF: Extending Tax Increment Financing to Municipal Maritime Infrastructure

Harbors, inner harbors and their navigational connection to the streams of maritime commerce are the economic and cultural lifeblood of most waterfront communities. Oddly, this connection has often been disregarded in the development and financing of municipal plans. Working waterfront communities need to find new and creative means to finance or co-finance improvements to their maritime infrastructure. One such means is through redevelopment planning and the financial vehicle known as Tax Increment Financing (TIF). Typically associated with dry land, TIF allows the incremental increase in property taxes from a base year to be captured from a defined geographic area and used to fund activities within that area. By the end of the 1980s, many states were utilizing TIF to address inner city blight. In most cases, the authorization for TIF remains imbedded in statutes that create “redevelopment districts” – based on statutory definitions of “slum” and “blight.” Because working waterfronts often lie within the urban core, the landside facilities that keep these waterfronts working also lie within these so-called “blight districts.” However, waterfront blight districts can fail to include the waterside of their waterfront, including navigation infrastructure and natural resources that may contribute to both on-water and waterfront blight. Moreover, in many cases, municipal boundaries themselves end at the waterfront, compounding the jurisdictional problem. Expending TIF revenue to support on-water harbor improvements outside these TIF districts and their associated municipalities may be legally problematic. This article explores the issues associated with TIF financing in Florida for maritime infrastructure outside of the redevelopment district that provides the tax increment and suggests options for local governments, including targeted statutory reform

Bromine trifluoride method for oxygen in liquid alkali metals Second quarterly report, 1 Apr. - 30 Jun. 1964

Measuring apparatus for determining oxygen in potassium by bromine trifluoride metho

1995 Site Environmental Report Tonopah Test Range, Tonopah, Nevada

This report summarizes the environmental surveillance activities conducted by Sandia National Laboratories. Sandia National Laboratories` responsibility for environmental surveillance results extends to those activities performed by Sandia National Laboratories or under its direction. Results from other organizations environmental surveillance activities are included to provide a measure of completeness. Other environmental compliance programs such as the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, environmental permits, and environmental restoration and waste management programs are also included in this report, prepared for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in compliance with DOE Order 5400.1

Demonstration of the Zero-Crossing Phasemeter with a LISA Test-bed Interferometer

The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) is being designed to detect and study in detail gravitational waves from sources throughout the Universe such as massive black hole binaries. The conceptual formulation of the LISA space-borne gravitational wave detector is now well developed. The interferometric measurements between the sciencecraft remain one of the most important technological and scientific design areas for the mission. Our work has concentrated on developing the interferometric technologies to create a LISA-like optical signal and to measure the phase of that signal using commercially available instruments. One of the most important goals of this research is to demonstrate the LISA phase timing and phase reconstruction for a LISA-like fringe signal, in the case of a high fringe rate and a low signal level. We present current results of a test-bed interferometer designed to produce an optical LISA-like fringe signal previously discussed in the literature.Comment: find minor corrections in the CQG versio

Sustaining Long-Term Energy Savings for a Major Texas State Agency Performance Contracting Initiative

The file with the "a" is the PowerPoint presentation given at the Hot and Humid Conference.The Texas Mental Health and Mental Retardation agency, now part of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, was challenged to deal with regularly deteriorating infrastructure at twentythree large campuses located throughout the state during large statewide budget cuts in 2003. Repair and replacement funding was considerably reduced with costs amounting to more than $250 million. The agency therefore decided to take advantage of new state legislation passed in the prior biennium allowing state agencies to use utility savings performance contracting as a means to replace aging and inefficient equipment. In such contracts, the utility savings will pay for the more efficient equipment cost over a fifteen-year period. The utility savings are measured over the life of the contract in order to ensure the savings stream and maintain the savings guarantee. The agency chose an energy services firm specializing in performance contracting. This company uses a utility bill analysis software tool based on cooling degree-days and heating degree-days. To date, savings have accrued for over two years for the first phase of the project and are presented in this paper for one of the measured electric meters. This paper focuses on the on-going savings stream to demonstrate the importance of continued measurement and verification on a representative meter at the Austin State Hospital located in Austin, Texas. In this paper, the Energy Services Company (ESCO) savings results are compared to savings results calculated from a regression analysis software package using average outdoor air temperature data and actual preand post-retrofit data. The software used as the comparison calculates simple mean, two-parameter (2P), three-parameter (3P) change point, or fourparameter (4P) change point models to be used as the utility baseline. To accurately account for the guaranteed savings, it is necessary to apply detailed as well as practical measurement and verification techniques. The agency continues to work closely with the ESCO to generate a savings persistence program that both parties can effectively put into practice; thus ensuring long-term goals are met.Texas Health and Human Services Commission; Energy Systems Laborator

Canine intrahepatic portosystemic shunt insertion into the systemic circulation is commonly through primary hepatic veins as assessed with CT angiography

Congenital intrahepatic portosystemic shunts (IHPSS) in dogs are traditionally classified as right, left, or central divisional. There are few descriptive studies regarding the variation of IHPSS within these categories. This multicenter, analytical, cross‐sectional study aimed to describe a large series of dogs with CT angiography (CTA) of IHPSS, hypothesizing that there would be variation to the existing classification. Ninety CTA studies were assessed for IHPSS type, insertion, and the relationship of the insertion to the primary hepatic veins. Ninety‐two percent of IHPSS inserted into a primary hepatic vein (HV) or phrenic vein, 8% inserted directly into the ventral aspect of the intrahepatic caudal vena cava. The most common IHPSS type was a single right divisional (44%), including those inserting via the right lateral HV or the caudate HV. Left divisional IHPSS (33%) inserted into the left HV or left phrenic vein. Central divisional IHPSS (13%) inserted into the quadrate HV, central HV, dorsal right medial HV, or directly into the ventral aspect of the intrahepatic caudal vena cava. Multiple sites of insertion were seen in 9% of dogs. Within left, central, and right divisional types, further subclassifications can therefore commonly be defined based on the hepatic veins with which the shunting vessel communicates. Relating IHPSS morphology to the receiving primary HV could make IHPSS categorization more consistent and may influence the type and method of IHPSS attenuation recommended