Mitochondrial Membrane Permeability Inhibitors in Acute Myocardial Infarction Still Awaiting Translation

Despite therapeutic advances, acute myocardial infarction (AMI) remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. One potential limitation of the current treatment paradigm is the lack of effective therapies to optimize reperfusion after ischemia and prevent reperfusion-mediated injury. Experimental studies indicate that this process accounts for up to 50% of the final infarct size, lending it importance as a potential target for cardioprotection. However, multiple therapeutic approaches have shown potential in pre-clinical and early phase trials but a paucity of clear clinical benefit when expanded to larger studies. Here we explore this history of trials and errors of the studies of cyclosporine A and other mitochondrial membrane permeability inhibitors, agents that appeared to have a promising pre-clinical record yet provided disappointing results in phase III clinical trials

Development of fuel cell electrodes, Electrode improvement and life testing, tasks 1 and 3 Final report, 30 Jun. 1966 - 30 Apr. 1968

Volt-ampere characteristics improvement and life testing of electrodes for hydrogen oxygen fuel cell

A Checkout Language for Future Space Vehicles

To support an increased emphasis on automated checkout of future space vehicles, a procedureoriented computer language is required. This language needs to be more user-oriented and needs to have a more complete set of capabilities than existing languages. Such a language, named TOTAL, was developed under contract to NASAKSC. This paper presents an overall view of the language in terms of its major characteristics as derived from the basic design objectives

Multi-Scan Correlation to Separate Radar Tracks from False Alarms

An algorithm and computer software have been developed to filter out clutter in radar displays in order to clarify real tracks. Detections are generally declared valid when found to be part of a reasonable pattern of three or four detections in an eight scan history. The filtering process reduces the number of spurious reports by several orders of magnitude, providing significant improvement in distinguishing ships from waves and other sources of undesired radar reflections. The algorithm is being incorporated into radar system hardware in order to improve tracking of ships as signals are received. The method also shows promise for air tracking

Bat Mortality at Ontario Wind Farms Quantified and Compared Using Four Candidate Estimator Equations

Wind farm development is expanding globally. While wind energy is a low-cost option for new electricity supply, the impacts to wildlife populations, including bats (Chiroptera), are of ecological concern. To quantify these impacts, scientists have developed estimator equations to estimate bat mortality, which vary in assumptions related to correction factors. We compared the results of 4 estimators applied to post-construction monitoring data from Ontario, Canada, wind farms to evaluate the effects of field methods and correction factors on estimator consistency. To conduct our study, we obtained data from 21 wind farms between 2011 and 2017 for a total of 26 wind farm survey years, because some wind farms supplied fatality monitoring data in \u3e1 year, to estimate mortality. The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry estimator (OMNRF) tended to be highest, while the Huso, Schoenfeld-Erickson, and GenEst estimators produced similar results. Huso and Schoenfeld-Erickson estimates tended to fall within 95% confidence intervals for GenEst, while OMNRF estimates tended to be higher than the upper confidence interval for GenEst. The results from the OMNRF estimator were consistent with the other candidates when carcass persistence times were \u3e6.5 days but inconsistent when carcass persistence times were shorter. Our results demonstrated the degree to which mortality estimates can vary among estimators and highlight the need for a consistent estimator in comparative studies. We recommend GenEst for such studies, as this estimator can incorporate more inputs with flexibility to reflect site-specific field conditions and produces highly consistent results. Conversely, the OMNRF estimator produced consistently higher estimates than the other candidate estimators, and assumptions related to carcass persistence were regularly violated. We recommend that these limitations be acknowledged when interpreting results from this estimator and that its use be reconsidered when assumptions related to carcass persistence are not met

Professionalism and the Millbank Tendency: The Political Sociology of New Labour's employees

This article analyses party employees, one of the most under-researched subjects in the study of British political parties. We draw on a blend of quantitative and qualitative data in order to shed light on the social and political profiles of Labour Party staff, and on the question of their professionalisation. The latter theme is developed through a model derived from the sociology of professions. While a relatively limited proportion of party employees conform to the pure ideal-type of professionalism, a considerably greater number manifest enough of the core characteristics of specialisation, commitment, mobility, autonomy and self-regulation to be reasonably described as 'professionals in pursuit of political outcomes'

Carbonate-hosted methanotrophy represents an unrecognized methane sink in the deep sea

The atmospheric flux of methane from the oceans is largely mitigated through microbially mediated sulphate-coupled methane oxidation, resulting in the precipitation of authigenic carbonates. Deep-sea carbonates are common around active and palaeo-methane seepage, and have primarily been viewed as passive recorders of methane oxidation; their role as active and unique microbial habitats capable of continued methane consumption has not been examined. Here we show that seep-associated carbonates harbour active microbial communities, serving as dynamic methane sinks. Microbial aggregate abundance within the carbonate interior exceeds that of seep sediments, and molecular diversity surveys reveal methanotrophic communities within protolithic nodules and well-lithified carbonate pavements. Aggregations of microbial cells within the carbonate matrix actively oxidize methane as indicated by stable isotope FISH–nanoSIMS experiments and ^(14)CH_4 radiotracer rate measurements. Carbonate-hosted methanotrophy extends the known ecological niche of these important methane consumers and represents a previously unrecognized methane sink that warrants consideration in global methane budgets

Development of Silicon-Modified 48 Wt. % U-Al Alloys for Aluminum Plate-Type Fuel Elements

The casting procedures, mechanical working characteristics, composite fuel plate fabrication, and fuel element assembly methods for a nominal 48 wt.% U- 3 wt.% Si -AP alloy are examined. It was found that localized clad thinning, resulting from dogboning'' of the fuel alloy, is essentially eliminated in composite Plates when this alloy is used in combination with 5154 Al frames and 1100 Al covers. However, fuel component dimensions are difficult to maintain within commonly accepted tolersnces in the brazing prccess because of the marked differences in the thermal expansion of the fuel alloy and the containment materials. The mechanical properties, irradiation studies, corrosfon testing, pneumatic pressure testing, and chemical reprocessing of the Si-modified alloy are also discussed. (auth

Destruction of long-range antiferromagnetic order by hole doping

We study the renormalization of the staggered magnetization of a two-dimensional antiferromagnet as a function of hole doping, in the framework of the t-J model. It is shown that the motion of holes generates decay of spin waves into ''particle-hole'' pairs, which causes the destruction of the long-range magnetic order at a small hole concentration. This effect is mainly determined by the coherent motion of holes. The value obtained for the critical hole concentration, of a few percent, is consistent with experimental data for the doped copper oxide high-Tc superconductors.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figure

Development of high-temperature ferromagnetism in SnO2 and paramagnetism in SnO by Fe doping

We report the development of room-temperature ferromagnetism in chemically synthesized powder samples of Sn1−xFexO2 (0.005≤ x ≤0.05) and paramagnetic behavior in an identically synthesized set of Sn1−xFexO. The ferromagnetic Sn0.99Fe0.01O2 showed a Curie temperature TC=850 K, which is among the highest reported for transition-metal-doped semiconductor oxides. With increasing Fe doping, the lattice parameters of SnO2 decreased and the saturation magnetization increased, suggesting a strong structure-magnetic property relationship. When the Sn0.95Fe0.05O2 was prepared at different temperatures between 200 and 900 °C, systematic changes in the magnetic properties were observed. Combined Mössbauer spectroscopy and magnetometry measurements showed a ferromagnetic behavior in Sn0.95Fe0.05O2 samples prepared at and above 350°C, but the ferromagnetic component decreased gradually as preparation temperature approached 600 °C. All Sn0.95Fe0.05O2 samples prepared above 600 °C were paramagnetic. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, magnetometry, and particle induced x-ray emission studies showed that the Fe dopants diffuse towards the surface of the particles in samples prepared at higher temperatures, gradually destroying the ferromagnetism. Mössbauer studies showed that the magnetically ordered Fe3+ spins observed in the Sn0.95Fe0.05O2 sample prepared at 350 °C is only ~24% of the uniformly incorporated Fe3+. No evidence of any iron oxide impurity phases were detected in Sn1−xFexO2 or Sn1−xFexO, suggesting that the emerging magnetic interactions in these systems are most likely related to the properties of the host systems SnO2 and SnO, and their oxygen stoichiometry