Variable gravity research facility

Spin and despin requirements; sequence of activities required to assemble the Variable Gravity Research Facility (VGRF); power systems technology; life support; thermal control systems; emergencies; communication systems; space station applications; experimental activities; computer modeling and simulation of tether vibration; cost analysis; configuration of the crew compartments; and tether lengths and rotation speeds are discussed

Simulation of ion track ranges in uranium oxide

Direct comparisons between statistically sound simulations of ion-tracks and published experimental measurements of range densities of iodine implants in uranium dioxide have been made with implant energies in the range of 100-800 keV. Our simulations are conducted with REED-MD (Rare Event Enhanced Domain-following Molecular Dynamics) in order to account for the materials structure in both single crystalline and polycrystalline experimental samples. We find near-perfect agreement between REED-MD results and experiments for polycrystalline target materials.Comment: Eleven pages, four figures

HIV-1 Vpr Enhances Viral Burden by Facilitating Infection of Tissue Macrophages but Not Nondividing CD4+ T Cells

Prior experiments in explants of human lymphoid tissue have demonstrated that human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) productively infects diverse cellular targets including T cells and tissue macrophages. We sought to determine the specific contribution of macrophages and T cells to the overall viral burden within lymphoid tissue. To block infection of macrophages selectively while preserving infection of T cells, we used viruses deficient for viral protein R (Vpr) that exhibit profound replication defects in nondividing cells in vitro. We inoculated tonsil histocultures with matched pairs of congenic viruses that differed only by the presence of a wild-type or truncated vpr gene. Although these viruses exhibited no reduction in the infection or depletion of T cells, the ability of the Vpr-deficient R5 virus to infect tissue macrophages was severely impaired compared with matched wild-type R5 virus. Interestingly, the Vpr-deficient R5 virus also exhibited a 50% reduction in overall virus replication compared with its wild-type counterpart despite the fact that macrophages represent a small fraction of the potential targets of HIV-1 infection in these tissues. Collectively, these data highlight the importance of tissue macrophages in local viral burden and further implicate roles for CC chemokine receptor 5, macrophages, and Vpr in the life cycle and pathogenesis of HIV-1

A qualitative study of primary care clinicians' views of treating childhood obesity

Background: The prevalence of childhood obesity is rising and the UK Government have stated a commitment to addressing obesity in general. One method has been to include indicators relating to obesity within the GP pay-for-performance Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) contract. This study aimed to explore general practitioners' and practice nurses' views in relation to their role in treating childhood obesity. Methods: We interviewed eighteen practitioners (twelve GPs and six nurses) who worked in general practices contracting with Rotherham Primary Care Trust. Interviews were face to face and semi structured. The transcribed data were analysed using framework analysis. Results: GPs and practice nurses felt that their role was to raise the issue of a child's weight, but that ultimately obesity was a social and family problem. Time constraint, lack of training and lack of resources were identified as important barriers to addressing childhood obesity. There was concern that the clinician-patient relationship could be adversely affected by discussing what was often seen as a sensitive topic. GPs and practice nurses felt ill-equipped to tackle childhood obesity given the lack of evidence for effective interventions, and were sceptical that providing diet and exercise advice would have any impact upon a child's weight. Conclusion: GPs and practice nurses felt that their role in obesity management was centred upon raising the issue of a child's weight, and providing basic diet and exercise advice. Clinicians may find it difficult to make a significant impact on childhood obesity while the evidence base for effective management remains poor. Until the lack of effective interventions is addressed, implementing additional targets (for example through the QOF) may not be effective

Effect of Na+-channel blockade on the three-dimensional substrate of atrial fibrillation in a model of endo-epicardial dissociation and transmural conduction

International audienceAims Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a progressive arrhythmia characterized by structural alterations that increase its stability. Both clinical and experimental studies showed a concomitant loss of antiarrhythmic drug efficacy in later stages of AF. The mechanisms underlying this loss of efficacy are not well understood. We hypothesized that structural remodelling may explain this reduced efficacy by making the substrate more three-dimensional. To investigate this, we simulated the effect of sodium (Na þ)-channel block on AF in a model of progressive transmural uncoupling. In a computer model consisting of two cross-connected atrial layers, with realistic atrial membrane behaviour, structural remodelling was simulated by reducing the number of connections between the layers. 100% of endo-epicardial connectivity represented a healthy atrium. At various degrees of structural remodelling, we assessed the effect of 60% sodium channel block on AF stability, endo-epicardial electrical activity dissociation (EED), and fibrilla-tory conduction pattern complexity quantified by number of waves, phase singularities (PSs), and transmural conduction ('breakthrough', BT). Sodium channel block terminated AF in non-remodelled but not in remodelled atria. The temporal excitable gap (EG) and AF cycle length increased at all degrees of remodelling when compared with control. Despite an increase of EED and EG, sodium channel block decreased the incidence of BT because of trans-mural conduction block. Sodium channel block decreased the number of waves and PSs in normal atrium but not in structurally remodelled atrium. This simple atrial model explains the loss of efficacy of sodium channel blockers in terminating AF in the presence of severe structural remodelling as has been observed experimentally and clinically. Atrial fibrillation termination in atria with moderate structural remodelling in the presence of sodium channel block is caused by reduction of AF complexity. With more severe structural remodelling, sodium channel block fails to promote synchronization of the two layers of the model

Glycemic responses to strenuous training in male professional cyclists with type 1 diabetes: a prospective observational study

Introduction This prospective observational study sought to establish the glycemic, physiological and dietary demands of strenuous exercise training as part of a 9-day performance camp in a professional cycling team with type 1 diabetes (T1D).Research design and methods Sixteen male professional cyclists with T1D on multiple daily injections (age: 27±4 years; duration of T1D: 11±5 years; body mass index: 22±2 kg/m2; glycated hemoglobin: 7%±1% (50±6 mmol/mol); maximum rate of oxygen consumption: 73±4 mL/kg/min) performed road cycle sessions (50%–90% of the anaerobic threshold, duration 1–6 hours) over 9 consecutive days. Glycemic (Dexcom G6), nutrition and physiological data were collected throughout. Glycemic data were stratified into predefined glycemic ranges and mapped alongside exercise physiology and nutritional parameters, as well as split into daytime and night-time phases for comparative analysis. Data were assessed by means of analysis of variance and paired t-tests. A p value of ≤0.05 (two-tailed) was statistically significant.Results Higher levels of antecedent hypoglycemia in the nocturnal hours were associated with greater time spent in next-day hypoglycemia overall (p=0.003) and during exercise (p=0.019). Occurrence of nocturnal hypoglycemia was associated with over three times the risk of next-day hypoglycemia (p<0.001) and a twofold risk of low glucose during cycling (p<0.001). Moreover, there was trend for a greater amount of time spent in mild hypoglycemia during the night compared with daytime hours (p=0.080).Conclusion The higher prevalence of nocturnal hypoglycemia was associated with an increased risk of next-day hypoglycemia, which extended to cycle training sessions. These data highlight the potential need for additional prebed carbohydrates and/or insulin dose reduction strategies around exercise training in professional cyclists with T1D.Trial registration number DRKS00019923

Pure Profit for Russia: Benefits of Responsible Finance

The purpose of this report is to serve as a post financial crisis handbook that will help both financiers and environmentalists in Russia to cooperate in establishing a ‘greener’ and less risky financial system in a similar manner to which this process is underway in other emerging markets such as China, Brazil and South Africa. The report provides an overview of the evolution of international mechanisms of environmental and social responsibility in the global financial sector, quantifies the scope of exposure of foreign and Russian financial institutions to environment-intensive sectors of the Russian economy, and concludes with recommendations regarding actions that might be implemented by both the Russian government and domestic financial institutions. The report has been prepared within the framework of the project ‘Integration of Environmental and Social Safeguards, Standards and Processes and the Climate Change Agenda in the Russian Finance Sector’ implemented by WWF-Russia and WWF-Germany with the financial assistance of the Federal Agency for the Environment (Umweltbundesamt/UBA) under the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), and with the support of the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), in collaboration with the Equator Principles Outreach Group for Russia

Pure Profit for Russia: Benefits of Responsible Finance

The purpose of this report is to serve as a post financial crisis handbook that will help both financiers and environmentalists in Russia to cooperate in establishing a ‘greener’ and less risky financial system in a similar manner to which this process is underway in other emerging markets such as China, Brazil and South Africa. The report provides an overview of the evolution of international mechanisms of environmental and social responsibility in the global financial sector, quantifies the scope of exposure of foreign and Russian financial institutions to environment-intensive sectors of the Russian economy, and concludes with recommendations regarding actions that might be implemented by both the Russian government and domestic financial institutions. The report has been prepared within the framework of the project ‘Integration of Environmental and Social Safeguards, Standards and Processes and the Climate Change Agenda in the Russian Finance Sector’ implemented by WWF-Russia and WWF-Germany with the financial assistance of the Federal Agency for the Environment (Umweltbundesamt/UBA) under the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), and with the support of the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), in collaboration with the Equator Principles Outreach Group for Russia

Experimental simulation of environmental warming selects against pigmented morphs of land snails

H-R.K. and R.T. were gratefully hosted by INRA-PACA, Avignon, France, during the time of fieldwork in 2017. We gratefully acknowledge assistance in the field and with the open-top chamber experiments by Nik Triebskorn and Tim Triebskorn. The 35 field sites were sampled within the 2018 European Theba survey initiated by H-R.K and Thomas Knigge, Le Havre University, France. We also thank Menno Schilthuizen, Leiden University, the Netherlands, and another anonymous reviewer for constructive remarks on a previous manuscript version. Open access funding enabled and organized by ProjektDEAL.In terrestrial snails, thermal selection acts on shell coloration. However, the biological relevance of small differences in the intensity of shell pigmentation and the associated thermodynamic, physiological, and evolutionary consequences for snail diversity within the course of environmental warming are still insufficiently understood. To relate temperature‐driven internal heating, protein and membrane integrity impairment, escape behavior, place of residence selection, water loss, and mortality, we used experimentally warmed open‐top chambers and field observations with a total of >11,000 naturally or experimentally colored individuals of the highly polymorphic species Theba pisana (O.F. MÜLLER, 1774). We show that solar radiation in their natural Mediterranean habitat in Southern France poses intensifying thermal stress on increasingly pigmented snails that cannot be compensated for by behavioral responses. Individuals of all morphs acted neither jointly nor actively competed in climbing behavior, but acted similarly regardless of neighbor pigmentation intensity. Consequently, dark morphs progressively suffered from high internal temperatures, oxidative stress, and a breakdown of the chaperone system. Concomitant with increasing water loss, mortality increased with more intense pigmentation under simulated global warming conditions. In parallel with an increase in mean ambient temperature of 1.34°C over the past 30 years, the mortality rate of pigmented individuals in the field is, currently, about 50% higher than that of white morphs. A further increase of 1.12°C, as experimentally simulated in our study, would elevate this rate by another 26%. For 34 T. pisana populations from locations that are up to 2.7°C warmer than our experimental site, we show that both the frequency of pigmented morphs and overall pigmentation intensity decrease with an increase in average summer temperatures. We therefore predict a continuing strong decline in the frequency of pigmented morphs and a decrease in overall pigmentation intensity with ongoing global change in areas with strong solar radiation.ProjektDEA