Evacuation port seal Patent

Sealing evacuation port and evacuating vacuum container such as space jacket

Development of an acute method to deliver transgenes into the brains of adult Xenopus laevis

journal articleThe central vocal pathway of the African clawed frog, Xenopus laevis, is a powerful vertebrate model to understand mechanisms underlying central pattern generation. However, fast and efficient methods of introducing exogenous genes into the neurons of adult X. laevis are currently not available. Here, we systematically tested methods of transgene delivery into adult X. laevis neurons. Although successfully used for tadpole neurons for over a decade, electroporation was not efficient in transfecting adult neurons. Similarly, adeno-associated virus (AAV) was not reliable, and lentivirus (LV) failed to function as viral vector in adult Xenopus neurons. In contrast, vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) was a fast and robust vector for adult X. laevis neurons

Speech-related gene foxp2 expression in the central vocal pathways of the African clawed frogs

PosterSociety for Neuroscience Meeting 201

Flexibility

The goal of this research was to see if there was any correlation between the time of day and a person\u27s flexibility. The students hypothesized that a person would be more flexible toward the end of the day than at the beginning of the day. Subjects had to do a sit and reach test and one part of the Berg Balance test, the reaching forward with outstretched arms test. The subjects performed these tests three times a day on four different occasions. The measurements show a general increase in flexibility throughout the day with the highest flexibility being in the evening hours. This knowledge could help people decide to schedule more intense workouts during a time of day when injury is less likely

Broad ion energy distributions in helicon wave-coupled helium plasma

Helium ion energy distributions were measured in helicon wave-coupled plasmas of the dynamics of ion implantation and sputtering of surface experiment using a retarding field energy analyzer. The shape of the energy distribution is a double-peak, characteristic of radiofrequency plasma potential modulation. The broad distribution is located within a radius of 0.8 cm, while the quartz tube of the plasma source has an inner radius of 2.2 cm. The ion energy distribution rapidly changes from a double-peak to a single peak in the radius range of 0.7-0.9 cm. The average ion energy is approximately uniform across the plasma column including the double-peak and single peak regions. The widths of the broad distribution, ΔE, in the wave-coupled mode are large compared to the time-averaged ion energy, 〈E〉. On the axis (r = 0), ΔE/ 〈E〉 ≲ 3.4, and at a radius near the edge of the plasma column (r = 2.2 cm), ΔE/ 〈E〉 ∼ 1.2. The discharge parameter space is scanned to investigate the effects of the magnetic field, input power, and chamber fill pressure on the wave-coupled mode that exhibits the sharp radial variation in the ion energy distribution.United States. Department of Energy (Award DESC00-02060)United States. Department of Energy (Award DE-FC02-99ER54512

Development of an Acute Method to Deliver Transgenes Into the Brains of Adult Xenopus laevis

The central vocal pathway of the African clawed frog, Xenopus laevis, is a powerful vertebrate model to understand mechanisms underlying central pattern generation. However, fast and efficient methods of introducing exogenous genes into the neurons of adult X. laevis are currently not available. Here, we systematically tested methods of transgene delivery into adult X. laevis neurons. Although successfully used for tadpole neurons for over a decade, electroporation was not efficient in transfecting adult neurons. Similarly, adeno-associated virus (AAV) was not reliable, and lentivirus (LV) failed to function as viral vector in adult Xenopus neurons. In contrast, vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) was a fast and robust vector for adult X. laevis neurons. Although toxic to the host cells, VSV appears to be less virulent to frog neurons than they are to mice neurons. At a single cell level, infected neurons showed normal physiological properties up to 7 days post infection and vocal circuits that included infected neurons generated normal fictive vocalizations up to 9 days post infection. The relatively long time window during which the physiology of VSV-infected neurons can be studied presents an ideal condition for the use of optogenetic tools. We showed that VSV does not gain entry into myelinated axons, but is taken up by both the soma and axon terminal; this is an attractive feature that drives transgene expression in projection neurons. Previous studies showed that VSVs can spread across synapses in anterograde or retrograde directions depending on the types of glycoprotein that are encoded. However, rVSV did not spread across synapses in the Xenopus central nervous system. The successful use of VSV as a transgene vector in amphibian brains not only allows us to exploit the full potential of the genetic tools to answer questions central to understanding central pattern generation, but also opens the door to other research programs that focus on non-genetic model organisms to address unique questions

A 14,100 cal B. P. Rocky Mountain locust cache from Winnemucca Lake, Pershing County, Nevada

The remains of approximately 1000 (MNI) Rocky Mountain locusts (Melanoplus spretus) from an archaeological cache pit in Crypt Cave, Winnemucca (dry) Lake, Nevada, date to between 14,305–14,067 calendar years before present (95.4 % confidence; 12,238 ± 18 14C yrs. B.P.). The age of this western Great Basin occupation along the shoreline of Lake Lahontan is consistent with occupation of several other Western North American terminal Pleistocene sites dating prior to 14,000 cal. B.P., including distinctive petroglyphs on the western shore of Winnemucca Lake dating as early as 14,800–13,200 cal. B.P

Möglichkeiten des Nachweises der Zuckerung von Wein über die Bestimmung von Wasserstoff-Isotopenverhältnissen

Es wird über einen Versuch berichtet, die Zuckerung von Wein mit Rübenzucker auf der Basis des Isotopenverhältnisses des Kohlenstoff-gebundenen Wasserstoffs nachzuweisen. Da der an Sauerstoff gebundene Wasserstoff austauscht, werden die Salpetersäureester der Zucker hergestellt. Die auf diese Weise erhaltenen Derivate dienen gleichzeitig zur Isolierung der Zucker aus Wein, Most und Rübensaft. Ihre Verbrennung und Umarbeitung zu H2 für die massenspektrometrische Isotopenanalyse wird beschrieben.Der mittlere δD-Wert des nicht-austauschbaren Wasserstoffs von 47 Proben Rübenzucker lag bei -119 ± 5 ‰, der von (Rest-)Zucker aus 33 Proben von ungezukkertem Most oder Wein bei -70 ±3 bzw. -67 ±6 %0; hiervon stark abweichende Werte bei ungezuckertem Most lassen sich möglicherweise auf den δD-Wert des Mostwassers zurückführen. Nachweislich hat die alkoholische Gärung praktisch keinen Einfluß auf den δD-Wert des Restzuckers.Bei gezuckerten Weinen und Mosten wurde der δD-Wert des Zuckers im erwarteten Bereich zwischen - 80 und -115 ‰ gefunden. Die Untersuchung von Handelsweinen ergab bei fast allen „Qualitätsweinen" den dort erwarteten Zuckerzusatz, die Resultate bei einigen „Spätlesen" und „Kabinettweinen" legen den Verdacht auf Zuckerung nahe. Nach dem zusätzlichen Studium noch offener Störfaktoren wird die von uns erarbeitete Methode geeignet sein, eine Zuckerung von Wein in gewissen Bereichen nachzuweisen.A possible method for the detection of added sugar in wine using hydrogen isotope determinationsA method for the detection of beet sugar additions to wine using isotope ratio measurements of the carbon-bound hydrogen atoms of sugars is reported. Because the hydroxyl hydrogen atoms in sugars readily exchange with water, a method for their removal via formation of the nitric acid esters was developed. Additionally the derivatisation served as an isolation step for the extraction of sugar from wine, must and sugar beet juice. The combustion and preparation of the samples through to H2 for the measurement of the isotope ratios by mass spectrometry is also described. For 47 beet sugar samples a mean δD value of - 119 ± 5 ‰ for the non exchangeable hydrogen atoms was found, whereas for 33 unsugared musts and wines the mean was - 70 ± 3 and -67 ± 6 %0, respectively. In the case of unsugared musts that feil outside this range, δD measurements of the water fraction could be used to provide additional information. Fermentation was found to have no effect on the δD value of the residual sugar. As would be expected, when beet sugar was added to wines and musts the δD values of the residual sugar was found in the range - 80 to - 115 ‰.The examination of a series of commercial "Qualitätswein" samples also showed the expected sugar addition, however possible additions to several "Spätlese" and "Kabinett" wines were also detected. Additional research into some of the possible sources of error is still needed, nevertheless the present reported method appears to be suitable for the detection of sugar additions to wine in most cases

A Precision Measurement of pp Elastic Scattering Cross Sections at Intermediate Energies

We have measured differential cross sections for \pp elastic scattering with internal fiber targets in the recirculating beam of the proton synchrotron COSY. Measurements were made continuously during acceleration for projectile kinetic energies between 0.23 and 2.59 GeV in the angular range $30 \leq \theta_{c.m.} \leq 90$ deg. Details of the apparatus and the data analysis are given and the resulting excitation functions and angular distributions presented. The precision of each data point is typically better than 4%, and a relative normalization uncertainty of only 2.5% within an excitation function has been reached. The impact on phase shift analysis as well as upper bounds on possible resonant contributions in lower partial waves are discussed.Comment: 23 pages 29 figure