3,353 research outputs found
Design and Development of a SNAP-8 Mercury Pump Motor Assembly
Design and performance of mercury pump motor for SNAP 8 electrical generato
Forming super-Mercuries: The role of stellar abundances
Super-Mercuries, rocky exoplanets with bulk iron mass fraction of more than
60 per cent, appear to be preferentially hosted by stars with higher iron mass
fraction than the Earth. It is unclear whether these iron-rich planets can form
in the disc, or if giant impacts are necessary. Here we investigate the
formation of super-Mercuries in their natal protoplanetary discs by taking into
account their host stars' abundances (Fe, Mg, Si, S). We employ a disc
evolution model which includes the growth, drift, evaporation and
recondensation of pebbles to compute the pebble iron mass fraction. The
recondensation of outward-drifting iron vapour near the iron evaporation front
is the key mechanism that facilitates an increase in the pebble iron mass
fraction. We also simulate the growth of planetary seeds around the iron
evaporation front using a planet formation model which includes pebble
accretion and planet migration, and compute the final composition of the
planets. Our simulations are able to reproduce the observed iron compositions
of the super-Mercuries provided that all the iron in the disc are locked in
pure Fe grains and that the disc viscosity is low. The combined effects of slow
orbital migration of planets and long retention time of iron vapour in
low-viscosity discs makes it easier to form iron-rich planets. Furthermore, we
find that decreasing the stellar Mg/Si ratio results in an increase in the iron
mass fraction of the planet due to a reduction in the abundance of Mg2SiO4,
which has a very similar condensation temperature as iron, in the disc. Our
results thus imply that super-Mercuries are more likely to form around stars
with low Mg/Si, in agreement with observational data.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in A&
Clinical use of gatifloxacin ophthalmic solution for treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis
Bacterial conjunctivitis is a common infectious disease of the eye, characterized by conjunctival hyperemia, eyelid edema, and purulent discharge. Although the prevalence and incidence are not well reported, bacterial conjunctivitis represents one of the most frequent causes of patient visits to both primary care physicians and ophthalmologists. Most cases of nongonococcal and nonchlamydial bacterial conjunctivitis are self-limiting and may resolve without intervention. There is a place for treatment, however, which allows for a shorter time to clinical and microbiological resolution which may decrease the mild morbidity, decrease health care costs of visits and potential complications, return patients back to school or the work force, and limit the potential spread of this communicable infection. Gatifloxacin ophthalmic solution is a broad spectrum 8-methoxyfluroroquinolone bactericidal antibiotic, with good activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus species, and Gram-negative pathogens. It also has a relatively good resistance profile, making it a more than adequate choice in the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis when therapy is warranted
Deep bed filter as pre-treatment to stormwater
This paper presents the results of experiments on the application of dual media and single media deep bed filters as pre-treatments to stormwater. In-line flocculation-filtration experiments were conducted with dual and single media filter. The single filter media (80 cm) consisted of either anthracite or sand, and the dual media filter consisted of sand (40 cm at the bottom) and anthracite (40 cm on top). Filtration velocities of 5 m/h, 10 m/h and 15 m/h were examined. The removal efficiency for turbidity, suspended solids and TOC was found to be 95%, 99% and 30-45% respectively at a flocculant dose of FeCl3 of 15 mg/L. The anthracite filter media showed a lower head loss development (26 cm, operated at 5 m/h filtration velocity with FeCl3 dose of 5 mg/L). The removal efficiency for nitrogen was lower than phosphorus which was relatively good (up to 50%). The removal efficiency for heavy metals such as Cd, Pb, Cr and Ni was found to be very low for all tested filtration systems because concentrations of these metals in the influent were also low. This filter can be used as a pretreatment to a membrane filter as the modified fouling index was reduced from 750 s/L2 (for stormwater) to 15 s/L2 (for filtered effluent). Detailed submerged membrane filter experiments conducted with pre-treated water showed that the membrane filter can be successfully be used as post-treatment to in-line flocculant-filter at a sustainable flux of 10 L/m2.h to remove the remaining solids and pathogens. An increase of air scouring in the membrane unit decreased the pressure development although it did not have any effect on increasing the critical flux beyond 10 L/m2.h. © 2009 Desalination Publications
Alkaloids Used as Medicines: Structural Phytochemistry Meets Biodiversity—An Update and Forward Look
Selecting candidates for drug developments using computational design and empirical rules has resulted in a broad discussion about their success. In a previous study, we had shown that a species’ abundance [as expressed by the GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility)] dataset is a core determinant for the development of a natural product into a medicine. Our overarching aim is to understand the unique requirements for natural product-based drug development. Web of Science was queried for research on alkaloids in combination with plant systematics/taxonomy. All alkaloids containing species demonstrated an average increase of 8.66 in GBIF occurrences between 2014 and 2020. Medicinal Species with alkaloids show higher abundance compared to non-medicinal alkaloids, often linked also to cultivation. Alkaloids with high biodiversity are often simple alkaloids found in multiple species with the presence of ’driver species‘ and are more likely to be included in early-stage drug development compared to ‘rare’ alkaloids. Similarly, the success of an alkaloid containing species as a food supplement (‘botanical’) is linked to its abundance. GBIF is a useful tool for assessing the druggability of a compound from a certain source species. The success of any development programme from natural sources must take sustainable sourcing into account right from the start
AVIRIS and TIMS data processing and distribution at the land processes distributed active archive center
The U.S. Government has initiated the Global Change Research program, a systematic study of the Earth as a complete system. NASA's contribution of the Global Change Research Program is the Earth Observing System (EOS), a series of orbital sensor platforms and an associated data processing and distribution system. The EOS Data and Information System (EOSDIS) is the archiving, production, and distribution system for data collected by the EOS space segment and uses a multilayer architecture for processing, archiving, and distributing EOS data. The first layer consists of the spacecraft ground stations and processing facilities that receive the raw data from the orbiting platforms and then separate the data by individual sensors. The second layer consists of Distributed Active Archive Centers (DAAC) that process, distribute, and archive the sensor data. The third layer consists of a user science processing network. The EOSDIS is being developed in a phased implementation. The initial phase, Version 0, is a prototype of the operational system. Version 0 activities are based upon existing systems and are designed to provide an EOSDIS-like capability for information management and distribution. An important science support task is the creation of simulated data sets for EOS instruments from precursor aircraft or satellite data. The Land Processes DAAC, at the EROS Data Center (EDC), is responsible for archiving and processing EOS precursor data from airborne instruments such as the Thermal Infrared Multispectral Scanner (TIMS), the Thematic Mapper Simulator (TMS), and Airborne Visible and Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS). AVIRIS, TIMS, and TMS are flown by the NASA-Ames Research Center ARC) on an ER-2. The ER-2 flies at 65000 feet and can carry up to three sensors simultaneously. Most jointly collected data sets are somewhat boresighted and roughly registered. The instrument data are being used to construct data sets that simulate the spectral and spatial characteristics of the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) instrument scheduled to be flown on the first EOS-AM spacecraft. The ASTER is designed to acquire 14 channels of land science data in the visible and near-IR (VNIR), shortwave-IR (SWIR), and thermal-IR (TIR) regions from 0.52 micron to 11.65 micron at high spatial resolutions of 15 m to 90 m. Stereo data will also be acquired in the VNIR region in a single band. The AVIRIS and TMS cover the ASTER VNIR and SWIR bands, and the TIMS covers the TIR bands. Simulated ASTER data sets have been generated over Death Valley, California, Cuprite, Nevada, and the Drum Mountains, Utah using a combination of AVIRIS, TIMS, amd TMS data, and existing digital elevation models (DEM) for the topographic information
Close-in ice lines and the super-stellar C/O ratio in discs around very low-mass stars
The origin of the elevated C/O ratios in discs around late M dwarfs compared
to discs around solar-type stars is not well understood. Here we endeavour to
reproduce the observed differences in the disc C/O ratios as a function of
stellar mass using a viscosity-driven disc evolution model and study the
corresponding atmospheric composition of planets that grow inside the water-ice
line in these discs. We carried out simulations using a coupled disc evolution
and planet formation code that includes pebble drift and evaporation. We used a
chemical partitioning model for the dust composition in the disc midplane.
Inside the water-ice line, the disc's C/O ratio initially decreases to
sub-stellar due to the inward drift and evaporation of water-ice-rich pebbles
before increasing again to super-stellar values due to the inward diffusion of
carbon-rich vapour. We show that this process is more efficient for very
low-mass stars compared to solar-type stars due to the closer-in ice lines and
shorter disc viscous timescales. In high-viscosity discs, the transition from
sub-stellar to super-stellar takes place faster due to the fast inward
advection of carbon-rich gas. Our results suggest that planets accreting their
atmospheres early (when the disc C/O is still sub-stellar) will have low
atmospheric C/O ratios, while planets that accrete their atmospheres late (when
the disc C/O has become super-stellar) can obtain high C/O ratios. Our model
predictions are consistent with observations, under the assumption that all
stars have the same metallicity and chemical composition, and that the vertical
mixing timescales in the inner disc are much shorter than the radial advection
timescales. This further strengthens the case for considering stellar
abundances alongside disc evolution in future studies that aim to link planet
(atmospheric) composition to disc composition.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&
Duchenne muscular dystrophy: Canadian paediatric neuromuscular physicians survey
Background: Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is the most common form of muscular dystrophy in childhood. Method: To assess the current care of paediatric DMD patients in Canada, a questionnaire was mailed to 17 physicians who were members of the Canadian paediatric neuromuscular group. Areas of enquiry included; 1) multidisciplinary team composition; 2) means of DMD diagnosis; 3) corticosteroid use; surveillance and management for: 4) orthopaedic, 5) respiratory and 6) cardiac complications and 7) health maintenance (nutrition & immunizations). Results: Completed surveys were returned by 14/17 (82%) of physicians. Twelve respondents followed DMD patients. All centres had multidisciplinary teams, including respirology (11/12), child neurology or physiatry (11), physiotherapy (9), occupational therapy (9) and orthopaedic surgery (7). Deflazacort 0.9mg/kg/d was used at all centres, which was continued after loss of independent ambulation (11), along with routine calcium and vitamin D supplementation (10). Night splints were prescribed at all centres. Routine surveillance studies included pulmonary function testing (11), sleep studies (10), EKG/echocardiogram (10), bone density (DEXA) scans (10), spine radiography (9), and dietician referral (4). Conclusion: Paediatric DMD patients are receiving relatively consistent care in multidisciplinary clinics across Canada, in accordance with recommended guidelines for DMD
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