Role of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs) in synaptic plasticity and neurotransmission in mammalian spinal cord.

Chronic unilateral hemisection (HX) of the adult rat spinal cord diminishes conduction through intact fibers in the ventrolateral funiculus (VLF) contralateral to HX. Intraspinal injections of Chondroitinase-ABC, known to digest chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs) in the vicinity of injury, prevented this decline of axonal conduction. This was associated with improved locomotor function. We further injected three purified CSPGs into the lateral column of the uninjured cord at T10: NG2 and neurocan, which increase in the vicinity of a spinal injury, and aggrecan, which decreases. Intraspinal injection of NG2 acutely depressed axonal conduction through the injection region in a dose dependent manner. Similar injections of saline, aggrecan, or neurocan had no significant effect. These results identify a novel acute action of CSPGs on axonal conduction in spinal cord, and suggest that antagonism of proteoglycans reverses or prevents the decline of axonal conduction, in addition to stimulating axonal growth

Plug flow and the breakdown of Bagnold scaling in cohesive granular flows

Cohesive granular media flowing down an inclined plane are studied by discrete element simulations. Previous work on cohesionless granular media demonstrated that within the steady flow regime where gravitational energy is balanced by dissipation arising from intergrain forces, the velocity profile in the flow direction scales with depth in a manner consistent with the predictions of Bagnold. Here we demonstrate that this Bagnold scaling does not hold for the analogous steady-flows in cohesive granular media. We develop a generalization of the Bagnold constitutive relation to account for our observation and speculate as to the underlying physical mechanisms responsible for the different constitutive laws for cohesive and noncohesive granular media.Comment: 8 pages, 10 figure

Measuring Humidity in Sealed Glass Encasements

A technique has been devised for measuring the relative humidity levels in the protective helium/water vapor atmosphere in which the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, and the Bill of Rights are encased behind glass panels on display at the National Archives in Washington, DC. The technique is noninvasive: it does not involve penetrating the encasements (thereby risking contamination or damage to the priceless documents) to acquire samples of the atmosphere. The technique could also be applied to similar glass encasements used to protect and display important documents and other precious objects in museums. The basic principle of the technique is straightforward: An encasement is maintained at its normal display or operating temperature (e.g., room temperature) while a portion of its glass front panel is chilled (see Figure 1) until condensed water droplets become visible on the inside of the panel. The relative humidity of the enclosed atmosphere can then be determined as a known function of the dew point, the temperature below which the droplets condense. Notwithstanding the straightforwardness of the basic principle, careful attention to detail is necessary to enable accurate determination of the dew point. In the initial application, the affected portion of the glass panel was cooled by contact with an aluminum plate that was cooled by a thermoelectric module, the exhaust heat of which was dissipated by a heat sink cooled by a fan. A thermocouple was used to measure the interior temperature of the aluminum plate, and six other thermocouples were used to measure the temperatures at six locations on the cooled outer surface of the glass panel (see Figure 2). Thermal grease was applied to the aluminum plate and the thermocouples to ensure close thermal contact. Power was supplied to the thermoelectric module in small increments, based on previous laboratory tests. A small flashlight and a magnifying glass were used to look for water droplets condensing on the inner surface of the glass. The temperature readings of the thermocouples were taken during cool-down and upon observing condensation. In determining the dew point, it was necessary to make a correction for the differences between the temperatures measured on the chilled outer surface of the glass and the temperature of the inner surface, where the condensation took place. The correction was derived from a laboratory test on a measurement setup that was nearly identical, except that the dew location on the inner surface was also instrumented with a thermocouple. The test showed that the temperature at the dew location on the inner surface of the glass panel was 0.9 C above the temperature determined from the measurements on the chilled outer surface of the panel

Astrobiology and the Human Exploration of Mars

In March 2007, the Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group (MEPAG) chartered the Human Exploration of Mars Science Analysis Group (HEM-SAG), co-chaired by J. B. Garvin and J. S. Levine and consisting of about 30 Mars scientists from the U.S. and Europe. HEM-SAG was one of a half dozen teams charted by NASA to consider the human exploration of Mars. Other teams included: Mars Entry, Descent and Landing, Human Health and Performance, Flight and Surface Systems, and Heliospheric/Astrophysics. The results of these Mars teams and the development of an architecture for the human exploration of Mars were summarized in two recent publications: Human Exploration of Mars Design Reference Architecture 5.0, NASA Special Publication-2009-566 (B. G. Drake, Editor), 100 pages, July 2009 and Human Exploration of Mars Design Reference Architecture 5.0, NASA Special Publication-2009-566 Addendum (B. G. Drake, Editor), 406 pages, July 2009. This presentation summarizes the HEM-SAG conclusions on astrobiology and the search for life on Mars by humans

Materials for engine applications above 3000 deg F: An overview

Materials for future generations of aeropropulsion systems will be required to perform at ever-increasing temperatures and have properties superior to the current state of the art. Improved engine efficiency can reduce specific fuel consumption and thus increase range and reduce operating costs. The ultimate payoff gain is expected to come when materials are developed which can perform without cooling at gas temperatures to 2200 C (4000 F). An overview is presented of materials for applications above 1650 C (3000 F), some pertinent physical property data, and the rationale used: (1) to arrive at recommendations of material systems that qualify for further investigation, and (2) to develop a proposed plan of research. From an analysis of available thermochemical data it was included that such materials systems must be composed of oxide ceramics. The required structural integrity will be achieved by developing these materials into fiber-reinforced ceramic composites

Case in Slavic

467 pagesCase in Slavic was the third and final monumental collection of articles on Slavic morphosyntax published by Slavica. This is more overtly theoretical than the earlier volumes, albeit reflecting a democratic range of theories. Exploring these three anthologies along with the quinquennial volumes of American Contributions to the International Congress of Slavists, not coincidentally also published by Slavica since 1978, offers a representative survey of American work by Slavists sensu stricto (as opposed to general linguistic theoreticians, mostly native speakers of various Slavic linguists) on more theoretical brands of Slavic linguistics