Design of a 10.8 kWh, 28V Ni-MH Battery Using Commercial Ni-MH Cells

This paper describes the design of a 10.8 kWh, 28V, Ni-MH battery using commercial off-the shelf (COTS) 4/3A Ni-MH cells for the X-38 vehicle, an experimental version of the Crew Return Vehicle (CRY). This will be an autonomous vehicle that will enable International Space Station crews to return to earth in the event of a medical, or other, emergency. The X-38 will be powered by 3 batteries: a 32 V primary battery, which will power the vehicle avionics for up to 7 hours for a loiter and de-orbit phase of the descent; a 28 V Ni-MH battery which will take over for the primary battery after de-orbit until landing, and a 270V Ni-Cd battery, which will be used to power electromechanical actuators and the winches controlling a parachute for landing

The SMAC mimetic LCL-161 selectively targets JAK2V617F mutant cells.

Background:Evasion from programmed cell death is a hallmark of cancer and can be achieved in cancer cells by overexpression of inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAPs). Second mitochondria-derived activator of caspases (SMAC) directly bind to IAPs and promote apoptosis; thus, SMAC mimetics have been investigated in a variety of cancer types. particularly in diseases with high inflammation and NFĸB activation. Given that elevated TNFα levels and NFĸB activation is a characteristic feature of myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN), we investigated the effect of the SMAC mimetic LCL-161 on MPN cell survival in vitro and disease development in vivo. Methods:To investigate the effect of the SMAC mimetic LCL-161 in vitro, we utilized murine and human cell lines to perform cell viability assays as well as primary bone marrow from mice or humans with JAK2V617F-driven MPN to interrogate myeloid colony formation. To elucidate the effect of the SMAC mimetic LCL-161 in vivo, we treated a JAK2V617F-driven mouse model of MPN with LCL-161 then assessed blood counts, splenomegaly, and myelofibrosis. Results:We found that JAK2V617F-mutated cells are hypersensitive to the SMAC mimetic LCL-161 in the absence of exogenous TNFα. JAK2 kinase activity and NFĸB activation is required for JAK2V617F-mediated sensitivity to LCL-161, as JAK or NFĸB inhibitors diminished the differential sensitivity of JAK2V617F mutant cells to IAP inhibition. Finally, LCL-161 reduces splenomegaly and may reduce fibrosis in a mouse model of JAK2V617F-driven MPN. Conclusion:LCL-161 may be therapeutically useful in MPN, in particular when exogenous TNFα signaling is blocked. NFĸB activation is a characteristic feature of JAK2V617F mutant cells and this sensitizes them to SMAC mimetic induced killing even in the absence of TNFα. However, when exogenous TNFα is added, NFĸB is activated in both mutant and wild-type cells, abolishing the differential sensitivity. Moreover, JAK kinase activity is required for the differential sensitivity of JAK2V617F mutant cells, suggesting that the addition of JAK2 inhibitors to SMAC mimetics would detract from the ability of SMAC mimetics to selectively target JAK2V617F mutant cells. Instead, combination therapy with other agents that reduce inflammatory cytokines but preserve JAK2 signaling in mutant cells may be a more beneficial combination therapy in MPN

Promoting Effective Community Participation in Land Use Planning and Management of Wildlife Conservation Areas

The major threat facing conservation of wildlife within and outside protected areas presently is the continuous loss of wildlife corridors and dispersal areas. This is as a result of increase in human settlements and the introduction of land uses which conflict with conservation activities in areas that were once not settled or had minimal human population. This study sought to unveil how sound wildlife conservation and co-existence between humans and wildlife can be promoted with a view of making local communities conserve and benefit from wildlife resources in and out of protected areas. Key issues addressed in the study included resource use conflicts as well as problems that constrain effective community participation. Study findings indicated that wildlife corridors have been invaded by the local community due to population pressure and the search for alternative livelihoods thereby promoting conflicts. There is also minimal involvement of communities in the planning and management of Meru National park, dispersal areas and wildlife corridors. It was further established that lack of direct benefits from conservation hindered active community participation. The study has provided an integrated conservation model and use of zoning as a land use planning approaches to spatial conflict resolution. Intensifying environmental education and multiple resource use approaches such as ecotourism where communities can access the benefits for protecting wildlife and their habitats to meet their needs should also be enhanced. Keywords: Community; Participation; Dispersal Areas; Land Use; Plannin

Evaluating Institutional Repositories’ (IR) capabilities for long-term preservation with a focus on content, file format and metadata practices in selected public university libraries in Kenya

The type of content and file format influences the success of digital preservation strategies. Institutional repositories are custodians of digital resources that are to be held in perpetuity necessitating the need to consider long term preservation of these resources. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the suitability of digital content and its metadata for long term digital preservation. The study was qualitative in nature utilizing interviews as well as document analysis. websites and IR database investigations were utilized to check on content, format and metadata adequacy. The findings revealed great inadequacies in the IRs’ capabilities to support long term preservation as evidenced by haphazard content and format selection, ingest procedures that did not consider long-term preservation as well as metadata that focused on access only. Recommendations included the need to involve archivist in develop selection and appraisal policies as well as development comprehensive metadata policies that ensured that preservation metadata was also captured as required. Creation of awareness among repository administrators to expose them to the importance of adopting open file formats and standard as well as benchmarking were also proposed. The paper provides insights into universities on the relationship between selection and processing of digital resources and their long-term preservation within the IRs in Kenya

KEANEKARAGAMAN SERANGGA DALAM KAWASAN HUTAN MANGROVE DI DESA IHAMAHU

The research was carried out in the mangrove forest area of Ihamahu Village in September 2020. The study aimed to determine the distribution and level of insect diversity and the factors that influence insect diversity in the mangrove forest area. The study was carried out in an area of 500 m using the path method for insect inventory and systematic sampling for vegetation inventory with a width of 20 m and a length of 100 m with a distance between lanes of 20 m. Insect retrieval using exploratory methods using hands (hand collecting), pitfall traps, and bait traps. The results of the study found 73 insects consisting of 5 orders, 5 families with 9 species of insects, and 4 types of mangroves. The insect diversity index value is 2.1 which is classified as moderate, the abundance index value is 0.018 and the dominance index value is 0.124 which is classified as low. Factors thought to influence insect diversity are the microclimate and the availability of mangroves as a food source.Keywords: Diversity, forest, Ihamahu, insects, mangrove.AbstrakPenelitian dilaksanakan dalam kawasan hutan mangrove Desa Ihamahu pada bulan September 2020. Penelitian bertujuan untuk mengetahui penyebaran dan tingkat keanekaragaman serangga serta faktor-faktor yang mempengaruhi keanekaragaman serangga yang berada dalam kawasan hutan mangrove. Penelitian dilaksanakan pada areal seluas 500 m menggunakan metode jalur untuk inventarisasi serangga dan sistematik sampling untuk inventarisasi vegetasi dengan lebar 20 m dan panjang 100 m dengan jarak antar jalur yaitu 20 m. Pengambilan serangga menggunakan metode eksplorasi dengan menggunakan tangan (hand collecting), perangkap sumuran (pit fall trap), dan perangkap umpan (bait trap). Hasil penelitian menemukan 73 ekor serangga terdiri dari 5 ordo, 5 family dengan jumlah jenis serangga 9 jenis dengan 4 jenis mangrove. Nilai indeks keanekaragaman serangga sebesar 2.1 yang tergolong sedang, nilai indeks kelimpahan sebesar 0.018 dan nilai indeks dominansi 0.124 yang tergolong rendah. Faktor-faktor yang diduga mempengaruhi keanekaragaman serangga yakni iklim mikro dan ketersediaan mangrove sebagai sumber makanan. Kata kunci: Hutan, Ihamahu, keanekaragaman, mangrove, serangga

Anthropometric Parameters of Under-Five Years Old Children with Different Dietary Habits in Ukambani Region : A Study in Eastern Rural Kenya

The objective of this descriptive cross sectional study was to assess dietary intake and nutritional status of children under-five years in two rural sites of Eastern Kenya where the staple cereals may differ. A modified rapid, knowledge, practice and coverage (KPC) questionnaire and a 24-hr dietary recall form were used to collect the data. A total of 403 households were surveyed from four randomly selected divisions. This yielded 629 surrogate 24-hr dietary recalls of children \u3c 5 years with 314 from Mwingi district and 315 from Makueni district (49 % boys and 51 % girls). Statistical analysis was done using SPSS and SAS. Comparison of means was done using t- test and chi square was used for proportions. The 24-hr recalls were analyzed using the NDS-R 2008. Height, weight and age were used to compute the malnutrition indices (Z-scores) using EPI INFO 2000. Daily energy intake (mean ± SD) for all the children was 1056 ± 553 Kcal. Daily energy intake 1130 ± 595 Kcal in MW children was 15% higher compared to MA children (983 ± 499 Kcal, p = 0.002). Boys had a 12% higher daily energy intake than girls (p = 0.005). Grains contributed 62-68 % of total energy intake in both districts. The contribution to total energy from grains was 27 % higher in MW children (p = 0.0001). There were gender and geographical differences in diets of children in Ukambani region with the most prominent perhaps being the type and amount of cereal intake. Girls had higher malnutrition prevalence rates (height-for-age; HAZ = 51.7%, weight-for-age; WAZ = 32.1% and weight-for-height; WHZ = 4.6%) than boys (height-for-age 35.9%, weight-for-age 14.6% and weight-for-height 1.2%). Boys had more favorable mean Z score indices (HAZ = -1.33, WAZ = -0.60 and WHZ = 0.25) than girls (HAZ = -2.02, WAZ = -1.37 and WHZ = -0.10). Regardless of geographical location malnutrition in both boys and girls was related to age. Further research is needed to establish the determinants of malnutrition at household level that might be causing gender disparity in nutritional status in Ukambani region of Mwingi and Makueni

Food for the Family.

39 p