The Science Case for a Scanning Electron Microscope on Mars

No abstract availabl

Sperm whale behaviour indicates the use of echolocation click buzzes 'creaks' in prey capture

Author Posting. © Royal Society, 2004. This article is posted here by permission of Royal Society for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B 271 (2004): 2239-2247, doi:10.1098/rspb.2004.2863.During foraging dives, sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) produce long series of regular clicks at 0.5-2 s intervals interspersed with rapid-click buzzes called 'creaks'. Sound, depth and orientation recording Dtags were attached to 23 whales in the Ligurian Sea and Gulf of Mexico to test whether the behaviour of diving sperm whales supports the hypothesis that creaks are produced during prey capture. Sperm whales spent most of their bottom time within one or two depth bands, apparently feeding in vertically stratified prey layers. Creak rates were highest during the bottom phase: 99.8% of creaks were produced in the deepest 50% of dives, 57% in the deepest 15% of dives. Whales swam actively during the bottom phase, producing a mean of 12.5 depth inflections per dive. A mean of 32% of creaks produced during the bottom phase occurred within 10 s of an inflection (13× more than chance). Sperm whales actively altered their body orientation throughout the bottom phase with significantly increased rates of change during creaks, reflecting increased manoeuvring. Sperm whales increased their bottom foraging time when creak rates were higher. These results all strongly support the hypothesis that creaks are an echolocation signal adapted for foraging, analogous to terminal buzzes in taxonomically diverse echolocating species.Funding for the research was provided under grant #N00014-99-1-0819 from the Office of Naval Research, and Minerals Management Service Cooperative Agreements 1435-01-02-CA-85186 and NA87RJ0445. The Royal Society provided fellowship support to P.J.O.M

A Miniaturized Variable Pressure Scanning Electron Microscope (MVP-SEM) for In-Situ Mars Surface Sample Analysis

The Miniaturized Variable Pressure Scanning Electron Microscope (MVP-SEM) project, funded by the NASA Planetary Instrument Concepts for the Advancement of Solar System Observations (PICASSO) Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES), will build upon previous miniaturized SEM designs and recent advancements in variable pressure SEM's to design and build a SEM to complete analyses of samples on the surface of Mars using the atmosphere as an imaging medium. This project is a collaboration between NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), electron gun and optics manufacturer Applied Physics Technologies, and small vacuum system manufacturer Creare. Dr. Ralph Harvery and environmental SEM (ESEM) inventor Dr. Gerry Danilatos serve as advisors to the team. Variable pressure SEMs allow for fine (nm-scale) resolution imaging and micron-scale chemical study of materials without sample preparation (e.g., carbon or gold coating). Charging of a sample is reduced or eliminated by the gas surrounding the sample. It is this property of ESEMs that make them ideal for locations where sample preparation is not yet feasible, such as the surface of Mars. In addition, the lack of sample preparation needed here will simplify the sample acquisition process and allow caching of the samples for future complementary payload use

Sandwich Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay for Detecting Sesame Seed in Foods

Small amounts of sesame can trigger allergic reactions in sesame-allergic patients. Because sesame is a widely used food ingredient, analytical methods are needed to support quality control and food safety programs in the food industry. In this study, polyclonal antibodies against sesame seed proteins were raised, and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for the detection and quantification of sesame seed residue in food. A comparison was made between this ELISA and other assays, particularly focusing on recovery of sesame seed residue from different food matrices. The developed ELISA is sensitive with a lower limit of quantification of 0.5 ppm and shows essentially no cross-reactivity with other foods or food ingredients (92 tested). The ELISA has a good recovery for analyzing sesame-based tahini in peanut butter, outperforming one other test. In a baked bread matrix, the ELISA has a low recovery, while two other assays perform better. We conclude that a sensitive and specific ELISA can be constructed based on polyclonal antibodies, which is suitable for detection of small amounts of sesame seed relevant for highly allergic patients. Furthermore, we conclude that different food products may require different assays to ensure adequate quantification of sesame

Sandwich Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay for Detecting Sesame Seed in Foods

Small amounts of sesame can trigger allergic reactions in sesame-allergic patients. Because sesame is a widely used food ingredient, analytical methods are needed to support quality control and food safety programs in the food industry. In this study, polyclonal antibodies against sesame seed proteins were raised, and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for the detection and quantification of sesame seed residue in food. A comparison was made between this ELISA and other assays, particularly focusing on recovery of sesame seed residue from different food matrices. The developed ELISA is sensitive with a lower limit of quantification of 0.5 ppm and shows essentially no cross-reactivity with other foods or food ingredients (92 tested). The ELISA has a good recovery for analyzing sesame-based tahini in peanut butter, outperforming one other test. In a baked bread matrix, the ELISA has a low recovery, while two other assays perform better. We conclude that a sensitive and specific ELISA can be constructed based on polyclonal antibodies, which is suitable for detection of small amounts of sesame seed relevant for highly allergic patients. Furthermore, we conclude that different food products may require different assays to ensure adequate quantification of sesame

A study to evaluate the potential contribution of medication use to falls in elderly patients presenting to an acute hospital

Introduction: Falls in elderly patients is a growing burden on healthcare resources globally. 10-15% of presentations in those ≥65 years at acute hospital services is due to falls. Medicines and polypharmacy are modifiable risk factors for falls. Different classes of medicines increase the risk of falling to differing extents. Aims: The aim was to review the role of medicines in falls in elderly at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda (OLOL). The objectives were: 1: Examine polypharmacy. 2: Examine the implication of the top five classes of falls risk increasing drugs (FRIDs) as potential causative factors in falls. 3: Determine is there a difference in medicine profile between those residing at home and in Long Term Care Facilities (LTCFs). 4: Has the Clinical Pharmacist a role in reducing patients’ risk of future falls. Methods: Admission records in OLOL were checked daily for elderly patients admitted due to a fall. When consent was granted data was collected from their records. Results: 94 patients met the inclusion criteria. 53 were recruited, 41 were excluded. Only 1 LTCF resident was recruited for the study, therefore objective 3 could not be examined. The Falls Risk Odds Ratio (FROR) was reduced for benzodiazepines, ACEi’s, ARB’s and diuretics but it was not a statistically significant reduction in FROR (p=0.22). Polypharmacy: Patients on ≥ 5 medicines on admission (41) 77%; Patients on ≥ 5 medicines on review (44) 83%; Polypharmacy by Medicine Class : Antipsychotics 100%; Benzodiazepines 100% ; Sedatives 100% Antidepressants 94%; Antihypertensives 76%. No of patients on ≥1 FRID: 94.3%. FRID prescribing by class: Antihypertensives 79.2%; Antidepressants 30.2%; Benzodiazepines 13.2%; Sedatives 11.3% ; Antipsychotics 1.9%. Clinical Pharmacist Recommendations Actioned Overall 41.7%. Actioned per FRID class: Antihypertensives 57.9%; Benzodiazepines 28.7%. Conclusions: Pharmacists have a role to play in highlighting polypharmacy and the prescribing of FRIDs

Angular Misalignment Measurements for an Off-Plane Reflection Grating Module

We present an analysis of an alignment technique used for an off-plane reflection grating system that, if proven to be feasible, would ideally be utilized for future astronomical x-ray spectrometers. The use of reflection gratings allows for the production of both high throughput and spectral resolution. As such, they are a candidate grating technology for future soft X-ray spectroscopy missions. To be viable for these missions, however, a low-cost optical technique for co-aligning multiple gratings into a module for use in a spectrograph must be demonstrated. The off-plane grating module was built to contain fifteen gratings with proper relative alignment to one another for a converging X-ray beam. The module was coupled with a silicon pore optic mirror to produce a spectrum of reflected and diffracted light onto a CCD camera at the focal plane. The alignment performance of the module’s grating system was assessed both before and after a series of vibrational and thermal tests were conducted at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. Data reduction was done in order to identify the number and position of photon events from the diffraction spots for each grating, and raytracing analysis was conducted in order to calculate the induced grating-to-grating angular misalignments. Finally, these measurements were compared to theoretical alignment tolerances derived using analytical techniques. The grating system yielded misalignments within a factor of 2-3 of the analytical tolerances, which is very encouraging for a first attempt. Further refinement and troubleshooting is required to see whether or not this alignment technique can be used in the future

Site investigation for the effects of vegetation on ground stability

The procedure for geotechnical site investigation is well established but little attention is currently given to investigating the potential of vegetation to assist with ground stability. This paper describes how routine investigation procedures may be adapted to consider the effects of the vegetation. It is recommended that the major part of the vegetation investigation is carried out, at relatively low cost, during the preliminary (desk) study phase of the investigation when there is maximum flexibility to take account of findings in the proposed design and construction. The techniques available for investigation of the effects of vegetation are reviewed and references provided for further consideration. As for general geotechnical investigation work, it is important that a balance of effort is maintained in the vegetation investigation between (a) site characterisation (defining and identifying the existing and proposed vegetation to suit the site and ground conditions), (b) testing (in-situ and laboratory testing of the vegetation and root systems to provide design parameters) and (c) modelling (to analyse the vegetation effects)

The oxidative degradation of phenol via in situ H2O2 synthesis using Pd supported Fe-modified ZSM-5 catalysts

The oxidative degradation of organic contaminants via the in situ synthesis of H2O2 from dilute streams of H2 and O2 has the potential to significantly reduce the detrimental environmental and health effects associated with the discharge of such pollutants into water bodies, while offering enhanced activity compared to traditional approaches to water treatment. Herein we investigate the efficacy of a series of bifunctional Pd/Fe-ZSM-5 catalysts towards the degradation of phenol, a model wastewater contaminant, where Fe is responsible for the generation of highly reactive oxygen-based species (ROS) from the synthesised H2O2. In particular we demonstrate that through control of Fe speciation and Pd oxidation state it is possible to achieve total conversion of phenol and its derivatives, while also making substantial improvements in regard to catalyst stability over previously studied materials

The degradation of phenol via in situ H2O2 production over supported Pd-based catalysts

The oxidative degradation of phenol via the in situ production of H2O2 from molecular H2 and O2 offers an attractive route to the destruction of organic contaminants in water streams, potentially overcoming the significant economic and environmental concerns associated with traditional water remediation technologies. Herein we demonstrate the efficacy of a series of bifunctional Pd-based catalysts, which offer appreciable rates of phenol degradation. In particular, the introduction of Fe into a supported Pd catalyst leads to a near four-fold increase in pollutant remediation. We ascribe this improvement in catalytic performance to the ability of Fe to catalyse the formation of oxygen-based radical species from in situ synthesised H2O2 via Fenton's pathways and the promotion of Pd domains of mixed oxidation state, with a resulting inhibition of H2O2 degradation pathways