Organization and use of a Software/Hardware Avionics Research Program (SHARP)

The organization and use is described of the software/hardware avionics research program (SHARP) developed to duplicate the automatic portion of the STOLAND simulator system, on a general-purpose computer system (i.e., IBM 360). The program's uses are: (1) to conduct comparative evaluation studies of current and proposed airborne and ground system concepts via single run or Monte Carlo simulation techniques, and (2) to provide a software tool for efficient algorithm evaluation and development for the STOLAND avionics computer

Pathophysiology of Himalayan endemic goiter

Goiter prevalence and iodine metabolism were studied in areas of endemic goiter in the Himalayas in India and Nepal. Similar studies were also made in Ceylon. The results are compatible with the hypothesis that severe environmental deficiency of iodide is the primary factor responsible for endemic goiter in these areas. The endemicity was less severe in Ceylon than in India and Nepal. The thyroid glands of persons living in endemic areas show an interesting adaptive response to maintain internal homeostasis in the face of severe iodine deficiency. The mechanism of this adaptation was studied in thyroids of goats raised in endemic and nonendemic areas. Thyroids of goats living in an area of severe iodine deficiency showed higher MIT/DIT and T3/T4 ratios than glands of those in an area of iodine abundance. There was a higher incorporation of 131I in 27S iodoproteins in the iodide-deficient glands. A decrease in iodine concentration of the thyroid and an increase in circulating TSH levels are possibly involved in mediating this response but of the two, the former mechanism seems more likely than the latter

An evaluation of James' empirical formulae for the determination of two-phase flow characteristics in geothermal wells

One of the most economical and simple methods of determination of two-phase flow parameters in geothermal well testing is the so-called James' method [1, 2]. The method consists of the measurements of lip pressure (p), and the flow rate of water (w) by a conventional weir. The stagnation enthalpy (h{sub o}) is then determined from a plot showing h{sub o} versus w/p{sup 0.96} which is empirically determined by James [1,2]. The mass flow rate is then determined from the following empirical formula G = 11,400 p{sup 0.96}/h{sub o}{sup 1.102} where G is the total mass flow rate in lb{sub m},/sec-ft{sup 2}, p is the lip pressure in psia, and h{sub o} is the specific enthalpy in BTU/lb{sub m}. The above relation is empirically determined for discharge pressure up to 64 psia and pipe diameters up to 8 inches. For pipe diameters smaller than 0.2 inches, it has been suggested that the value of 11,400 be replaced by 12,800. In view of the widespread use of the James' method, it is important to assess its accuracy and range of applicability

ERK/MAPK Is Essential for Endogenous Neuroprotection in SCN2.2 Cells

Glutamate (Glu) is essential to central nervous system function; however excessive Glu release leads to neurodegenerative disease. Strategies to protect neurons are underdeveloped, in part due to a limited understanding of natural neuroprotective mechanisms, such as those present in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). This study tests the hypothesis that activation of ERK/MAPK provides essential protection to the SCN after exposure to excessive Glu using the SCN2.2 cells as a model.Immortalized SCN2.2 cells (derived from SCN) and GT1-7 cells (neurons from the neighboring hypothalamus) were treated with 10 mM Glu in the presence or absence of the ERK/MAPK inhibitor PD98059. Cell death was assessed by Live/Dead assay, MTS assay and TUNEL. Caspase 3 activity was also measured. Activation of MAPK family members was determined by immunoblot. Bcl2, neuritin and Bid mRNA (by quantitative-PCR) and protein levels (by immunoblot) were also measured.As expected Glu treatment increased caspase 3 activity and cell death in the GT1-7 cells, but Glu alone did not induce cell death or affect caspase 3 activity in the SCN2.2 cells. However, pretreatment with PD98059 increased caspase 3 activity and resulted in cell death after Glu treatment in SCN2.2 cells. This effect was dependent on NMDA receptor activation. Glu treatment in the SCN2.2 cells resulted in sustained activation of the anti-apoptotic pERK/MAPK, without affecting the pro-apoptotic p-p38/MAPK. In contrast, Glu exposure in GT1-7 cells caused an increase in p-p38/MAPK and a decrease in pERK/MAPK. Bcl2-protein increased in SCN2.2 cells following Glu treatment, but not in GT1-7 cells; bid mRNA and cleaved-Bid protein increased in GT1-7, but not SCN2.2 cells.Facilitation of ERK activation and inhibition of caspase activation promotes resistance to Glu excitotoxicity in SCN2.2 cells.Further research will explore ERK/MAPK as a key molecule in the prevention of neurodegenerative processes

Aggressive blood pressure control for chronic kidney disease unmasks moyamoya!

Hypertensive crises in children or adolescents are rare, but chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major risk factor for occurrence. Vesicoureteral reflux nephropathy is a common cause of pediatric renal failure and is associated with hypertension. Aggressive blood pressure (BP) control has been shown to delay progression of CKD and treatment is targeted for the 50th percentile for height when compared with a target below the 90th percentile for the general pediatric hypertensive patient. We present a case of an adolescent presenting with seizures and renal failure due to a hypertensive crisis. Hypertension was thought to be secondary to CKD as she had scarred echogenic kidneys due to known reflux nephropathy. However, aggressive BP treatment improved kidney function which is inconsistent with CKD from reflux nephropathy. Secondly, aggressive BP control caused transient neurological symptoms. Further imaging identified moyamoya disease. We present this case to highlight the consideration of moyamoya as a diagnosis in the setting of renal failure and hypertensive crisis

On finitely ambiguous B\"uchi automata

Unambiguous B\"uchi automata, i.e. B\"uchi automata allowing only one accepting run per word, are a useful restriction of B\"uchi automata that is well-suited for probabilistic model-checking. In this paper we propose a more permissive variant, namely finitely ambiguous B\"uchi automata, a generalisation where each word has at most $k$ accepting runs, for some fixed $k$. We adapt existing notions and results concerning finite and bounded ambiguity of finite automata to the setting of $\omega$-languages and present a translation from arbitrary nondeterministic B\"uchi automata with $n$ states to finitely ambiguous automata with at most $3^n$ states and at most $n$ accepting runs per word

Comparison of Piezo and Ball Copper Pressure Measurements in Closed Vessel System

A series of Closed Vessel firings are carried out at different pressure levels in the range of 0 to 1800 kg/cm/sup 2/ covering the complete pressure range of ball copper and Marl 8 crusher gauge combination. The pressure are simultaneously measured by a piezo (tourmaline) gauge and the ball copper pressures are evaluated from the Tarage table for existing standard ball copper as required by U.K. ordnance, using suitable temperature corrections. The results indicated that the agreement between the piezo and ball copper pressures is generally very good. At the pressure levels of 600,1200 and 1800 kg/cm/sup 2/, the magnitudes of percentage deviation of ball copper pressures from piezo pressures are from 0.2 to 3.4, 2.6 to 4.2 and 2.0 to 4.6 respectively. The pressure recorded by ball coppers are found to be slightly on higher side compared to piezo pressure in nearly all the measurements

Further Development of the Sextupole and Decapole Spool Corrector Magnets for the LHC

In the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) the main dipoles will be equipped with sextupole (MCS) and decapole (MCD) spool correctors to meet the very high demands of field quality required for the satisfactory operation of the machine. Each decapole corrector will in addition have an octupole insert (MCO) and the assembly of the two is designated MCDO. These correctors are needed in relatively large quantities, i.e. 2464 MCS Sextupoles and 1232 MCDO Decapole-Octupole assemblies. Half the number of the required spool correctors will be made in India through a collaboration between CERN and CAT (Centre for Advanced Technology, Indore, India), the other half will be built by European industry. The paper describes final choices concerning design, materials, production techniques, and testing so as to assure economic magnet manufacture but while maintaining a homogenous magnetic quality that results in a robust product

Molecular markers for discriminating Streptococcus pyogenes and S. dysgalactiae subspecies equisimilis

Given the increasing aetiological importance of Streptococcus dysgalactiae subspecies equisimilis in diseases which are primarily attributed to S. pyogenes, molecular markers are essential to distinguish these species and delineate their epidemiology more precisely. Many clinical microbiology laboratories rely on agglutination reactivity and biochemical tests to distinguish them. These methods have limitations which are particularly exacerbated when isolates with mixed properties are encountered. In order to provide additional distinguishing parameters that could be used to unequivocally discriminate these two common pathogens, we assess here three molecular targets: the speB gene, intergenic region upstream of the scpG gene (IRSG) and virPCR. Of these, the former two respectively gave positive and negative results for S. pyogenes, and negative and positive results for S. dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis. Thus, a concerted use of these nucleic acid-based methods is particularly helpful in epidemiological surveillance to accurately assess the relative contribution of these species to streptococcal infections and diseases