New findings and instrumentation from the NASA Lewis microgravity facilities

The study of fundamental combustion and fluid physics in a microgravity environment is a relatively new scientific endeavor. The microgravity environment enables a new range of experiments to be performed since: buoyancy-induced flows are nearly eliminated; normally obscured forces and flows may be isolated; gravitational settling or sedimentation is nearly eliminated; and larger time or length scales in experiments become permissible. Unexpected phenomena have been observed, with surprising frequency, in microgravity experiments, raising questions about the degree of accuracy and completeness of the classical understanding. An overview is provided of some new phenomena found through ground-based, microgravity research, the instrumentation used in this research, and plans for new instrumentation

Quality of life of patients treated surgically for head and neck cancer

The quality of survival of 48 patients treated surgically for head and neck cancer was assessed using a problem-orientated self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire was based on the European Organization for Research into the Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) core questionnaire to which a specific head and neck module was added. The following domains were studied: pain, fatigue, physical symptoms (gastrointestinal and 'other'), functional activity, psychological symptoms, overall physical condition and overall quality of life. For the analysis, five groups of patients were considered: laryngectomy (n = 15), pharyngolaryngoesophagectomy (n = 5), craniofacial procedure (n = 11), 'other operations' (n = 9) and patients with disease recurrence (n = 8). Each group identified different problem areas. Laryngectomees and 'other operation' patients reported relatively few problems, whereas patients with disease recurrence described difficulties in all of the domains examined. Symptoms of fatigue were common. Information collected in this way may facilitate improved rehabilitation and thus better quality of survival

The pharmacokinetics of nebulized nanocrystal budesonide suspension in healthy volunteers.

Nanocrystal budesonide (nanobudesonide) is a suspension for nebulization in patients with steroid-responsive pulmonary diseases such as asthma. The pharmacokinetics and safety of the product were compared to those of Pulmicort Respules. Sixteen healthy volunteers were administered nanobudesonide 0.5 and 1.0 mg, Pulmicort Respules 0.5 mg, and placebo in a four-way, randomized crossover design. All nebulized formulations were well tolerated, with no evidence of bronchospasm. Nebulization times were significantly shorter for nanobudesonide compared to Pulmicort Respules. Because of a low oral bioavailability, plasma concentration of budesonide is a good marker of lung-delivered dose. The pharmacokinetics of nanobudesonide 0.5 and 1.0 mg were approximately dose proportional with respect to Cmax, AUC(0-t), and AUC(0-infinity). Nanobudesonide 0.5 mg and Pulmicort Respules 0.5 mg exhibited similar AUCs, suggesting a similar extent of pulmonary absorption. A higher Cmax was noted with nanobudesonide 0.5 mg, and the tmax was significantly different, suggesting a more rapid rate of drug delivery of nanobudesonide 0.5 mg than Pulmicort Respules. In conclusion, nebulized nanobudesonide 0.5 mg was safe in healthy volunteers, with a similar extent of absorption as Pulmicort Respules

Luring houseflies (Musca domestica Diptera: Muscidae) to traps: Do cuticular hydrocarbons and visual cues increase catch?

Houseflies (Musca domestica L.) are a major pest species of livestock units and landfill sites used for the disposal of domestic waste. Of the many methods used to limit housefly populations, the most common are chemical control and lure-and-kill trap systems. Insecticide resistance has seen increased emphasis on lure-and-kill, but the success of this method relies on effective attraction of houseflies using olfactory or visual stimuli. Here we examine the efficacy of olfactory (cuticular hydrocarbons) or visual (colours and groups of flies) attractants in a poultry unit. Despite simulating the cuticular hydrocarbon profiles of male and female houseflies, we found no significant increase in the number of individuals lured to traps, or any sex-specific responses. Similarly the use of target colours selected to match the three peaks in housefly visual spectral sensitivity yielded no improvement in catch rate. We also demonstrate that male and female flies have significantly different spectral reflectance (males are brighter between 320-470nm; females are brighter between 470-670nm). An experiment incorporating groups of recently killed flies from which cuticular hydrocarbons were either removed by solvent or left in-tact also failed to show any evidence of olfactory or visual attraction for houseflies of either sex. Thus variations on the most commonly applied methods of luring houseflies to traps in commercial livestock units failed to significantly increase capture rates. Our results support commonly observed inconsistencies associated with using olfactory or visual stimuli in lure-and-kill systems, possibly because field conditions lessen the attractant properties observed in laboratory experiments

Escuchando las Voces de Los Estudiantes y Profesores: Un Enfoque Fenomenológico de la Investigación Educativa

Many contemporary researchers claim to use a phenomenological approach but seldom connect their methods to tenets from phenomenological philosophy. We describe a distinctive approach, grounded in the writings of French philosopher Maurice Merleau-Ponty, for conducting educational research. Procedures are outlined for bracketing pre-understandings of a phenomenon, interviewing, and thematizing data with assistance of an interdisciplinary interpretive group. Using our approach, researchers capture the figural aspects of a phenomenon that dominate perception as well as the contextual background that is less visible but integral to understanding it. This phenomenological approach offers educational researchers a radical empiricism, a flexible structure, and a dialogical community of support.Muchos investigadores contemporáneos afirman utilizar un enfoque fenomenológico, pero rara vez conectan sus métodos con los principios de la filosofía fenomenológica. Se describe un enfoque distintivo para la realización de investigación educativa, basado en los escritos del filósofo francés Maurice Merleau-Ponty. Se esbozan procedimientos para acotar el pre-conocimiento de un fenómeno, para entrevistas y para tematizar datos con ayuda de un equipo interdisciplinario interpretativo. Usando nuestro enfoque, los investigadores captan los aspectos figurativos de un fenómeno que domina la percepción, así como el fondo contextual que es menos visible, aunque integral para su comprensión. Este enfoque fenomenológico ofrece a los investigadores educativos un empirismo radical, una estructura flexible, y una comunidad dialógica de apoyo

The pharmacokinetics of taurolidine metabolites in healthy volunteers.

Taurolidine is an experimental antibacterial and antiendotoxic compound whose clinical utility as an antitumor agent is being investigated in human clinical trials. Taurolidine in aqueous solution exists in equilibrium with taurultam. Taurultam is subsequently transformed to taurinamide. The pharmacokinetic profiles of these metabolites are not well established. In this study, 18 healthy volunteers were administered 5.0 g of taurolidine in 250 mL of 5% polyvinylpyrrolidone in water over 2, 1, or 0.5 hours by intravenous infusion in a parallel-group design. All subjects noted discomfort at the infusion site, although there were no serious adverse events. t(max) generally occurred at the end of infusion for taurinamide, whereas that of taurultam was reached before completion of infusion. The taurolidine metabolite taurultam demonstrated a shorter half-life and lower systemic exposure than taurinamide. Shortening of infusion duration increased the C(max) and AUC of taurultam. Changes in infusion rate did not substantially change the pharmacokinetic parameters of taurinamide