Sixty day manned evaluation of zero gravity humidity control system

Manned evaluation of zero gravity humidity control system in potable water recovery unit for simulated spacecraft cabin

Key Findings From HSC's 2010 Site Visits: Health Care Markets Weather Economic Downturn, Brace for Health Reform

Presents findings about hospital payment rate increases, hospital-physician alignment, and insurance premiums, funding for safety-net providers, and their implications from HSC's site visits to twelve nationally representative metropolitan communities

Far-infrared observations of young clusters embedded in the R Coronae Austrinae and RHO Ophiuchi dark clouds

Multicolor far infrared maps in two nearby dark clouds, R Coronae Austrinae and rho Ophiuchi, were made in order to investigate the individual contribution of low mass stars to the energetics and dynamics of the surrounding gas and dust. Emission from cool dust associated with five low mass stars in Cr A and four in rho Oph was detected; their far infrared luminosities range from 2 far infrared luminosities L. up to 40 far infrared luminosities. When an estimate of the bolometric luminosity was possible, it was found that typically more than 50% of the star's energy was radiated longward of 20 micrometers. meaningful limits to the far infrared luminosities of an additional eleven association members in Cr A and two in rho Oph were also obtained. The dust optical depth surrounding the star R Cr A appears to be asymmetric and may control the dynamics of the surrounding molecular gas. The implications of the results for the cloud energetics and star formation efficiency in these two clouds are discussed

Rational Design of Pore Size and Functionality in a Series of Isoreticular Zwitterionic Metal-Organic Frameworks

The isoreticular expansion and functionalization of charged-polarized porosity has been systematically explored by the rational design of 11 isostructural zwitterionic metal-organic frameworks (ZW-MOFs). This extended series of general structural composition {[M3F(L1)3(L2)1.5]·guests}n was prepared by employing the solvothermal reaction of Co and Ni tetrafluoroborates with a binary ligand system composed of zwitterionic pyridinium derivatives and traditional functionalized ditopic carboxylate auxiliary ligands (HL1·Cl = 1-(4-carboxyphenyl)-4,4′-bipyridinium chloride, Hcpb·Cl; or 1-(4-carboxyphenyl-3-hydroxyphenyl)-4,4′-bipyridinium chloride, Hchpb·Cl; and H2L2 = benzene-1,4-dicarboxylic acid, H2bdc; 2-aminobenzene-1,4-dicarboxylic acid, H2abdc; 2,5-dihydroxy-1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid, H2dhbdc; biphenyl-4,4′-dicarboxylic acid, H2bpdc; or stilbene-4,4′-dicarboxylic acid, H2sdc). Single-crystal structure analyses revealed cubic crystal symmetry (I-43m, a = 31-36 Å) with a 3D pore system of significant void space (73-81%). The pore system features three types of pores being systematically tunable in size ranging from 17.4 to 18.8 Å (pore I), 8.2 to 12.8 Å (pore II), and 4.8 to 10.4 Å (pore III) by the choice of auxiliary ligands. All members of this series have noninterpenetrating structures and exhibit robust architectures, as evidenced by their permanent porosity and high thermal stability (up to 300 °C). The structural integrity and specific surface areas could be systematically optimized using supercritical CO2 exchange methods for framework activation resulting in BET surface areas ranging from 1250 to 2250 m2/g. Most interestingly, as a structural landmark, we found the pore surfaces lined with charge gradients employed by the pyridinium ligands. This key feature results in significant adsorption of carbon dioxide and methane which is attributed to polarization effects. With this contribution we pioneer the reticulation of pyridinium building blocks into extended zwitterionic networks in which specific properties can be targeted

Biosynthesis of Silver nanoparticles using Plumbago zeylanica Leaves extracts and their bio-efficacy

The present study was intended to optimize the protocol for the synthesis of silver nano particles of Plumbago zeylanica Linn. leaves extracts and evaluate their bioefficacy against six different human pathogens. The aqueous silver ions exposed to the leaves extracts and the silver nanoparticle synthesis was established by the change of colour of leaves extracts from greenish to reddish brown. The in vitro synthesised silver nanopeptides were further confirmed by using UV-Vis spectroscopy and examined their antibacterial activity against S. aureus, B. subtilis, S. pyogenes (Gram positive), K. pneumoniae, M. morganii, P. aeruginosa (Gram negative).  To find the inhibition concentrations, the antibacterial activity was performed by agar well diffusion method with five different concentrations (10 – 50 µg/ml) against six different pathogens viz., S. aureus, B. subtilis, S. pyogenes (Gram positive), K. pneumoniae, M. morganii, P. aeruginosa (Gram negative).  The zone of inhibition was directly consonance with the concentrations of P. zeylanica SNPS. 50 µl of P. zeylanica SNPs showed maximum zone of inhibition (25±0.5 mm) against K. pneumoniae, next to that, 23±0.5 mm zone of inhibition was observed against M. morganii and minimum zone of inhibition (9 ± 0.3 mm) was obtained aginst S. pyogenes. The results revealed that the AgNP’s extract of P. zeylanica showed higher zone of inhibition against Gram negative bacteria than the Gram positive bacteria

A massive warm baryonic halo in the Coma cluster

Several deep PSPC observations of the Coma cluster reveal a very large-scale halo of soft X-ray emission, substantially in excess of the well known radiation from the hot intra-cluster medium. The excess emission, previously reported in the central region of the cluster using lower-sensitivity EUVE and ROSAT data, is now evident out to a radius of 2.6 Mpc, demonstrating that the soft excess radiation from clusters is a phenomenon of cosmological significance. The X-ray spectrum at these large radii cannot be modeled non-thermally, but is consistent with the original scenario of thermal emission from warm gas at ~ 10^6 K. The mass of the warm gas is on par with that of the hot X-ray emitting plasma, and significantly more massive if the warm gas resides in low-density filamentary structures. Thus the data lend vital support to current theories of cosmic evolution, which predict that at low redshift \~30-40 % of the baryons reside in warm filaments converging at clusters of galaxies.Comment: Astrophysical Journal, in pres

PHYTOCHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF SARGASSUM POLYCYSTUM C. AGARDH AND SARGASSUM DUPLICATUM J. AGARDH

Objective: The present study was aimed to reveal the phytochemical composition of Sargassum polycystum C. Agardh and Sargassum duplicatum J. Agardh from Manapad, Thoothukudi district, Tamil Nadu, India.Methods: Seaweeds Sargassum polycystum C. Agardh and Sargassum duplicatum J. Agardh were collected from Manapad, Thoothukudi district, Tamil Nadu, India by hand picking method. The dried and powdered materials (10 g) of S. polycystum and S. duplicatum were extracted with 60 ml of solvents viz., petroleum ether, chloroform, acetone, Methanol and aqueous. The sample was kept in dark for 72 h with intermittent shaking. The different extracts were tested for steroids, terpenoids, alkaloids, phenolic compounds, saponins, tannins, flavonoids, cardiac glycosides, anthraquinone and sterol. Phytochemical screening of extracts was carried out according to the standard method. To know the extractive values and physicochemical characters of S. polycystum and S. duplicatum, the ash and fluorescence analysis was determined by standard method.Results: Among the various tested extracts, methanolic extracts of S. polycystum showed the presence of the maximum of seven metabolites out of ten metabolites examined. Next to that chloroform and acetone extracts of S. polycystum displayed the occurrence of four metabolites. Petroleum ether extract of S. polycystum demonstrated the presence of three metabolites. Aqueous extracts of S. polycystum showed the occurrence of only two metabolites. The methanolic and chloroform extracts of S. duplicatum showed their presence of maximum of five metabolites out of ten metabolites examined. Next to that acetone extract of S. duplicatum displayed four metabolites. Petroleum ether extract of S. duplicatum demonstrated the occurrence of three metabolites in the crude extracts. Aqueous extract of S. duplicatum displayed the presence of two metabolites. The characteristic fluorescent properties or colours emitted by the powdered thallus of S. polycystum and S. duplicatum before and after treating with various extracts were recorded.Conclusion: To strengthen the global scientific effort, in the present study the phyto-constituents presence in S. polycystum and S. duplicatum are documented.Â

AXAF VETA-I mirror encircled energy measurements and data reduction

The AXAF VETA-I mirror encircled energy was measured with a series of apertures and two flow gas proportional counters at five X-ray energies ranging from 0.28 to 2.3 keV. The proportional counter has a thin plastic window with an opaque wire mesh supporting grid. Depending on the counter position, this mesh can cause the X-ray transmission to vary as much as +/-9 percent, which directly translates into an error in the encircled energy. In order to correct this wire mesh effect, window scan measurements were made, in which the counter was scanned in both horizontal (Y) and vertical (Z) directions with the aperture fixed. Post VETA measurement of the VXDS setup were made to determine the exact geometry and position of the mesh grid. Computer models of the window mesh were developed to simulate the X-ray transmission based on this measurement. The window scan data were fitted to such mesh models and corrections were made. After this study, the mesh effect was well understood and the final results of the encircled energy were obtained with an uncertainty of less than 0.8 percent

Assessment and Impacts of Metal Recycling on Groundwater Quality in Ogijo, Ogun State, Nigeria

Groundwater is an essential source of water supply globally. Recently, however, the groundwater environment is being threatened due to heavy metal contamination resulting from the indiscriminate use, storage, and disposal of toxic metal elements. This study evaluates heavy metals concentrations in groundwater systems close to a metal recycling industry in Ogun State, Nigeria. In the study, thirty-six (36) water samples were collected from boreholes within the vicinity of a metal recycling industry and analysed using the atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Water samples collected had trace concentrations of iron (Fe), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), cadmium (Cd), and nickel (Ni); metal concentrations were highest in the borehole closest to the industry. Pb, Cr, and Mn concentrations were above the acceptable standards. The findings showed that the activities within metal recycling industries can potentially elevate toxic metal concentrations in groundwater water sources close to it if proper mitigation measures are not put in place