Vertebrate Footprints and Invertebrate Traces from the Cadronian(Late Eocene) of Trans-Pecos Texas

Contents: Abstract -- Introduction -- Methods -- Acknowledgments -- Systematic Paleontology -- Vertebrate Footprints -- Invertebrate Traces -- Conclusions -- Plates -- ReferencesCeratomorph remains found in Eocene and Oligocene deposits of Trans-Pecos Texas are herein described, except for the amynodonts which were described in a previous paper. Hyracodon primus, Hyracodon petersoni, and Colodon stovalli n. sp. are described from well-preserved material; Hyrachyus and Dilophodon are not so well represented. Triplopus, Caenopus, and Trigonias are questionably identified and a skull fragment is provisionally referred to Toxotherium.Texas Memorial Museu

Aeroelastic model helicopter rotor testing in the Langley TDT

Wind-tunnel testing of a properly scaled aeroelastic model helicopter rotor is considered a necessary phase in the design development of new or existing rotor systems. For this reason, extensive testing of aeroelastically scaled model rotors is done in the Transonic Dynamics Tunnel (TDT) located at the NASA Langley Research Center. A unique capability of this facility, which enables proper dynamic scaling, is the use of Freon as a test medium. A description of the TDT and a discussion of the benefits of using Freon as a test medium are presented. A description of the model test bed used, the Aeroelastic Rotor Experimental System (ARES), is also provided and examples of recent rotor tests are cited to illustrate the advantages and capabilities of aeroelastic model rotor testing in the TDT. The importance of proper dynamic scaling in identifying and solving rotorcraft aeroelastic problems, and the importance of aeroelastic testing of model rotor systems in the design of advanced rotor systems are demonstrated

An experimental study of the sensitivity of helicopter rotor blade tracking to root pitch adjustment in hover

The sensitivity of blade tracking in hover to variations in root pitch was examined for two rotor configurations. Tests were conducted using a four bladed articulated rotor mounted on the NASA-Army aeroelastic rotor experimental system (ARES). Two rotor configurations were tested: one consisting of a blade set with flexible fiberglass spars and one with stiffer (by a factor of five in flapwise and torsional stiffnesses) aluminum spars. Both blade sets were identical in planform and airfoil distribution and were untwisted. The two configurations were ballasted to the same Lock number so that a direct comparison of the tracking sensitivity to a gross change in blade stiffness could be made. Experimental results show no large differences between the two sets of blades in the sensitivity of the blade tracking to root pitch adjustments. However, a measurable reduction in intrack coning of the fiberglass spar blades with respect to the aluminum blades is noted at higher rotor thrust conditions

Effects of Pine Reproduction Cutting Systems on Soils and Understory Vegetation in Southeast Louisiana.

Soil erosion, soil chemistry, and understory vegetation were studied after four regeneration cutting methods--clearcut, seed-tree, shelterwood, and selection--were applied to mature loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) stands at two locations in southeastern Louisiana. Treatment plots were 8 ha in size, and each treatment was replicated twice at each location. Soil erosion on slopes was measured from permanent stakes located at the top, middle, and bottom on each of six slopes within each plot. Soil erosion off the slopes was determined from a small trap built across one individual drainage on each plot. Vegetation was sampled four times before and after cutting. Analysis of variance of erosion data on the slopes revealed that significant differences among treatments occurred during only three of the 16 data periods at only one of the two locations. However, these differences were very small and were not consistent among treatments nor among data periods. Although some soil movement occurred on slopes, a good cover of litter and vegetation prevented soil loss from the plots. Measurable amounts of sediment were collected only from two clearcut plots. Sediment collected from one clearcut plot was caused by erosion from a logging road and loading deck; on the other plot, erosion after logging and site preparation produced some sediment. Only exchangeable K(\u27+) and Ca(\u27++) were influenced by harvest treatments. At both locations, the K(\u27+) content was increased at the 15-30 cm depth, while calcium was significantly reduced at the 0-15 and 15-30 cm depths. The heavier the cutting, the greater the effect on the composition and amount of vegetation present after timber harvest. The variety of species and amount of cover were greatest on the clearcut, followed by the seed-tree, shelterwood, and selection plots. After harvest cutting, several new plant species became established but other species disappeared from the study plots. With proper planning and application, any of the four regeneration systems studied can be used in southeastern Louisiana with minimal effects on soil erosion or soil chemistry. Vegetation composition and cover will be altered according to the amount of overstory removed

Meaning behind measurement : self-comparisons affect responses to health related quality of life questionnaires

Purpose The subjective nature of quality of life is particularly pertinent to the domain of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) research. The extent to which participants’ responses are affected by subjective information and personal reference frames is unknown. This study investigated how an elderly population living with a chronic metabolic bone disorder evaluated self-reported quality of life. Methods Participants (n = 1,331) in a multi-centre randomised controlled trial for the treatment of Paget’s disease completed annual HRQOL questionnaires, including the SF-36, EQ-5D and HAQ. Supplementary questions were added to reveal implicit reference frames used when making HRQOL evaluations. Twenty-one participants (11 male, 10 female, aged 59–91 years) were interviewed retrospectively about their responses to the supplementary questions, using cognitive interviewing techniques and semi-structured topic guides. Results The interviews revealed that participants used complex and interconnected reference frames to promote response shift when making quality of life evaluations. The choice of reference frame often reflected external factors unrelated to individual health. Many participants also stated that they were unclear whether to report general or disease-related HRQOL. Conclusions It is important, especially in clinical trials, to provide instructions clarifying whether ‘quality of life’ refers to disease-related HRQOL. Information on selfcomparison reference frames is necessary for the interpretation of responses to questions about HRQOL.The Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Government Health Directorates, The PRISM funding bodies (the Arthritis Research Campaign, the National Association for the Relief of Paget’s disease and the Alliance for Better Bone Health)Peer reviewedAuthor final versio

Motion for Leave to File and Brief of East Tennessee Valley Landowner\u27s Association, \u3cem\u3eAmicus Curiae\u3c/em\u3e, on behalf of Respondents, \u3cem\u3eTVA v. Hill\u3c/em\u3e, No. 76-1701

Brief for the respondents in the case of Tennessee Valley Authority v. Hiram G. Hill Jr., et al., heard by the United States Supreme Court in the October Term of 1977

Pathogenetics of alveolar capillary dysplasia with misalignment of pulmonary veins.

Alveolar capillary dysplasia with misalignment of pulmonary veins (ACDMPV) is a lethal lung developmental disorder caused by heterozygous point mutations or genomic deletion copy-number variants (CNVs) of FOXF1 or its upstream enhancer involving fetal lung-expressed long noncoding RNA genes LINC01081 and LINC01082. Using custom-designed array comparative genomic hybridization, Sanger sequencing, whole exome sequencing (WES), and bioinformatic analyses, we studied 22 new unrelated families (20 postnatal and two prenatal) with clinically diagnosed ACDMPV. We describe novel deletion CNVs at the FOXF1 locus in 13 unrelated ACDMPV patients. Together with the previously reported cases, all 31 genomic deletions in 16q24.1, pathogenic for ACDMPV, for which parental origin was determined, arose de novo with 30 of them occurring on the maternally inherited chromosome 16, strongly implicating genomic imprinting of the FOXF1 locus in human lungs. Surprisingly, we have also identified four ACDMPV families with the pathogenic variants in the FOXF1 locus that arose on paternal chromosome 16. Interestingly, a combination of the severe cardiac defects, including hypoplastic left heart, and single umbilical artery were observed only in children with deletion CNVs involving FOXF1 and its upstream enhancer. Our data demonstrate that genomic imprinting at 16q24.1 plays an important role in variable ACDMPV manifestation likely through long-range regulation of FOXF1 expression, and may be also responsible for key phenotypic features of maternal uniparental disomy 16. Moreover, in one family, WES revealed a de novo missense variant in ESRP1, potentially implicating FGF signaling in the etiology of ACDMPV