50 research outputs found
Method for Molding Planar Billet of Thermally Insulative Material Into Predetermined Non-Planar Shape
A method and apparatus is discussed for molding thermal protection system (TPS) tiles for spacecraft. The apparatus and method include a bottom mold member defining a mold surface shaped like a surface of the spacecraft, e.g., the nose cap of wing leading edge, sought to be thermally protected. A flat billet of TPS material is positioned over the periphery of the mold surface, and a hollow weight element that has a periphery configured like the periphery of the mold surface is positioned on the billet. The billet is then heated in accordance with a predetermined heating regime, and during the heating process the weight of the weight element causes the billet to deform to assume the shape of the mold surface. If desired, a TUFI coating is impregnated into the billet prior to heating, and the coating is sintered to the billet during heating. After heating, a composite matrix material, e.g., a graphite or fiberglass cloth which is impregnated with epoxy or polimide, is bonded to the now-shaped tile to support the tile. Silicone can then be impregnated into the now-formed tile to provide flexibility of the tile
The Problems of Induction
All of us here are drawn together by our fascination with the lucid dream experience. We believe that it has the potential to enhance personal development and perhaps to increase our scientific understanding of dreams and consciousness. Without intentional induction procedures, lucid dreams tend to occur spontaneously but sporadically. An individual experiencing a lucid dream for the first time, will often become intrigued by it, and attempt to increase the frequency of these experiences by trial and error. These hit and miss methods do not often achieve their goal consistently. If we are to make progress toward scientific and the personal understanding of lucid dreams, we must first develop techniques to induce the lucid dream experience reliably. This is the most important task currently facing lucid dream research
Stretched Lens Array (SLA) for Collection and Conversion of Infrared Laser Light: 45% Efficiency Demonstrated for Near-Term 800 W/kg Space Power System
For the past 2% years, our team has been developing a unique photovoltaic concentrator array for collection and conversion of infrared laser light. This laser-receiving array has evolved from the solar-receiving Stretched Lens Array (SLA). The laser-receiving version of SLA is being developed for space power applications when or where sunlight is not available (e.g., the eternally dark lunar polar craters). The laser-receiving SLA can efficiently collect and convert beamed laser power from orbiting spacecraft or other sources (e.g., solar-powered lasers on the permanently illuminated ridges of lunar polar craters). A dual-use version of SLA can produce power from sunlight during sunlit portions of the mission, and from beamed laser light during dark portions of the mission. SLA minimizes the cost and mass of photovoltaic cells by using gossamer-like Fresnel lenses to capture and focus incoming light (solar or laser) by a factor of 8.5X, thereby providing a cost-effective, ultra-light space power system
The Exoplanet Modeling and Analysis Center at NASA Goddard
The Exoplanet Modeling and Analysis Center (EMAC) at NASA Goddard Space
Flight Center is a web-based catalog, repository, and integration platform for
modeling and analysis resources focused on the study of exoplanet
characteristics and environments. EMAC hosts user-submitted resources ranging
in category from planetary interior models to data visualization tools. Other
features of EMAC include integrated web tools developed by the EMAC team in
collaboration with the tools' original author(s) and video demonstrations of a
growing number of hosted tools. EMAC aims to be a comprehensive repository for
researchers to access a variety of exoplanet resources that can assist them in
their work, and currently hosts a growing number of code bases, models, and
tools. EMAC is a key project of the NASA GSFC Sellers Exoplanet Environments
Collaboration (SEEC) and can be accessed at https://emac.gsfc.nasa.gov.Comment: 3 pages and 1 figure. Published in RNAA
The Vehicle, Fall 1986
Table of Contents
Selling Poetry: Honesty with the InvestorPatrick Peterspage 2
Father\u27s Book, Jan. 1984 (A Fictional Autobiography)James T. Finneganpage 3
Pet Day in Afternoon KindergartenDan Von Holtenpage 7
Dental Dreams in the Bathroom MirrorDan Von Holtenpage 7
PhotographStephanie Eihlpage 8
SilenceJoe Hortonpage 8
SkullMichael Salempage 9
The TunnelJim Harrispage 10
Lindenwood CemeteryJean Chandlerpage 12
Into the SeaDan Seltzerpage 13
PhotographStephanie Eihlpage 13
WindowsJim Harrispage 14
Little Pieces of YouStuart Albertpage 18
Slicing the AppleAmy Callpage 19
Winter WalkLarry Mitchellpage 19
Komical KellyJohn Fehrmannpage 20
Thermal SueJohn Fehrmannpage 20
Death PoemBob Zordanipage 21
Venice, ItalySherry L. Clinepage 22
RoadkillPhil Simpsonpage 24
I Hate CowsLori Delzer, Joe Crites, Becky Michaelpage 32
Telephone Operators: 1942Jim Harrispage 33
Expiration Date 3/8/65Edward Schellpage 34
Desert FloorPatrick Peterspage 35
PhotographLawrence McGownpage 36
PhotographStephanie Eihlpage 37
Coping with NightStuart Albertpage 38
PhotographDan Mountpage 38
One On OnePatrick Peterspage 39
An Acquired TasteTina Wrightpage 40
PhotographStephanie Eihlpage 40
PhotographStephanie Eihlpage 41
When Children Are Alone, The Devil SpeaksTom Greenpage 41
BobChristy Denphypage 42
Gut & ScissorsDane Buczkowskipage 42
This Old HouseAmy Callpage 43
MortgageTina Wrightpage 43https://thekeep.eiu.edu/vehicle/1048/thumbnail.jp
The Vehicle, Fall 1986
Table of Contents
Selling Poetry: Honesty with the InvestorPatrick Peterspage 2
Father\u27s Book, Jan. 1984 (A Fictional Autobiography)James T. Finneganpage 3
Pet Day in Afternoon KindergartenDan Von Holtenpage 7
Dental Dreams in the Bathroom MirrorDan Von Holtenpage 7
PhotographStephanie Eihlpage 8
SilenceJoe Hortonpage 8
SkullMichael Salempage 9
The TunnelJim Harrispage 10
Lindenwood CemeteryJean Chandlerpage 12
Into the SeaDan Seltzerpage 13
PhotographStephanie Eihlpage 13
WindowsJim Harrispage 14
Little Pieces of YouStuart Albertpage 18
Slicing the AppleAmy Callpage 19
Winter WalkLarry Mitchellpage 19
Komical KellyJohn Fehrmannpage 20
Thermal SueJohn Fehrmannpage 20
Death PoemBob Zordanipage 21
Venice, ItalySherry L. Clinepage 22
RoadkillPhil Simpsonpage 24
I Hate CowsLori Delzer, Joe Crites, Becky Michaelpage 32
Telephone Operators: 1942Jim Harrispage 33
Expiration Date 3/8/65Edward Schellpage 34
Desert FloorPatrick Peterspage 35
PhotographLawrence McGownpage 36
PhotographStephanie Eihlpage 37
Coping with NightStuart Albertpage 38
PhotographDan Mountpage 38
One On OnePatrick Peterspage 39
An Acquired TasteTina Wrightpage 40
PhotographStephanie Eihlpage 40
PhotographStephanie Eihlpage 41
When Children Are Alone, The Devil SpeaksTom Greenpage 41
BobChristy Denphypage 42
Gut & ScissorsDane Buczkowskipage 42
This Old HouseAmy Callpage 43
MortgageTina Wrightpage 43https://thekeep.eiu.edu/vehicle/1048/thumbnail.jp
Genome co-amplification upregulates a mitotic gene network activity that predicts outcome and response to mitotic protein inhibitors in breast cancer.
BACKGROUND: High mitotic activity is associated with the genesis and progression of many cancers. Small molecule inhibitors of mitotic apparatus proteins are now being developed and evaluated clinically as anticancer agents. With clinical trials of several of these experimental compounds underway, it is important to understand the molecular mechanisms that determine high mitotic activity, identify tumor subtypes that carry molecular aberrations that confer high mitotic activity, and to develop molecular markers that distinguish which tumors will be most responsive to mitotic apparatus inhibitors. METHODS: We identified a coordinately regulated mitotic apparatus network by analyzing gene expression profiles for 53 malignant and non-malignant human breast cancer cell lines and two separate primary breast tumor datasets. We defined the mitotic network activity index (MNAI) as the sum of the transcriptional levels of the 54 coordinately regulated mitotic apparatus genes. The effect of those genes on cell growth was evaluated by small interfering RNA (siRNA). RESULTS: High MNAI was enriched in basal-like breast tumors and was associated with reduced survival duration and preferential sensitivity to inhibitors of the mitotic apparatus proteins, polo-like kinase, centromere associated protein E and aurora kinase designated GSK462364, GSK923295 and GSK1070916, respectively. Co-amplification of regions of chromosomes 8q24, 10p15-p12, 12p13, and 17q24-q25 was associated with the transcriptional upregulation of this network of 54 mitotic apparatus genes, and we identify transcription factors that localize to these regions and putatively regulate mitotic activity. Knockdown of the mitotic network by siRNA identified 22 genes that might be considered as additional therapeutic targets for this clinically relevant patient subgroup. CONCLUSIONS: We define a molecular signature which may guide therapeutic approaches for tumors with high mitotic network activity
Inferring causal molecular networks: empirical assessment through a community-based effort.
It remains unclear whether causal, rather than merely correlational, relationships in molecular networks can be inferred in complex biological settings. Here we describe the HPN-DREAM network inference challenge, which focused on learning causal influences in signaling networks. We used phosphoprotein data from cancer cell lines as well as in silico data from a nonlinear dynamical model. Using the phosphoprotein data, we scored more than 2,000 networks submitted by challenge participants. The networks spanned 32 biological contexts and were scored in terms of causal validity with respect to unseen interventional data. A number of approaches were effective, and incorporating known biology was generally advantageous. Additional sub-challenges considered time-course prediction and visualization. Our results suggest that learning causal relationships may be feasible in complex settings such as disease states. Furthermore, our scoring approach provides a practical way to empirically assess inferred molecular networks in a causal sense
Inferring causal molecular networks: empirical assessment through a community-based effort
Inferring molecular networks is a central challenge in computational biology. However, it has remained unclear whether causal, rather than merely correlational, relationships can be effectively inferred in complex biological settings. Here we describe the HPN-DREAM network inference challenge that focused on learning causal influences in signaling networks. We used phosphoprotein data from cancer cell lines as well as in silico data from a nonlinear dynamical model. Using the phosphoprotein data, we scored more than 2,000 networks submitted by challenge participants. The networks spanned 32 biological contexts and were scored in terms of causal validity with respect to unseen interventional data. A number of approaches were effective and incorporating known biology was generally advantageous. Additional sub-challenges considered time-course prediction and visualization. Our results constitute the most comprehensive assessment of causal network inference in a mammalian setting carried out to date and suggest that learning causal relationships may be feasible in complex settings such as disease states. Furthermore, our scoring approach provides a practical way to empirically assess the causal validity of inferred molecular networks