Experimental investigations of low-energy (4 to 40 eV) collisions of O(-)(P2) ions and O(P3) atoms with surfaces

Using a newly-developed, magnetically confined source, low-energy, ground state oxygen negative ions and neutral atoms are generated. The energy range is variable, and atom and neutrals have been generated at energies varying from 2 eV to 40 eV and higher. It was found that the interaction of these low-energy species with a solid magnesium fluoride target leads to optical emissions in the (at least) visible and infrared regions of the spectrum. Researchers describe y details of the photodetachment source, and present spectra of the neutral and ion glows in the wavelength range 250 to 850 nm (for O(-)) and 600 to 850 nm (for O), and discuss the variability of the emissions for incident energies between 4 and 40 eV

Religion and Language as Cultural Carriers and Barriers in Mathematics Education--Revisited

Here we revisit a paper which examined two theses regarding the roles of religion and language of instruction in mathematics education. The first thesis states that if values of mathematics education are incompatible with the value system of the mother culture, then mathematics will be ``appended\u27\u27 to the culture as a ``technology\u27\u27 rather than assimilated as a ``mode of thinking\u27\u27. The second thesis states that as soon as mathematics is applied in problems and situations, the language of instruction and learning becomes a cultural carrier in terms of behaviors, social relations, habits, and values. In the original paper, the first thesis was examined in the context of Islamic-Arab culture, while the second thesis was developed in the context of Lebanon. Here the original paper is first presented in its complete form, with some minor modifications. Next I offer some reflections on the relevance of these two theses today

Evaporation of high speed sporadic meteors

International audienceRecent measurements conducted at the Arecibo Observatory report high-speed sporadic meteors having velocities near 50 km/s. The results seem to indicate a bimodal velocity distribution in the sporadic meteors (maxima at ~20 km/s and ~50 km/s). The particles have a maximum mass of ~1 ?g. This paper will present an analysis of the ablation of 1 ?g meteoroids having velocities of 20, 30, 50, and 70 km/s. The calculations show that there is fractionation even for the fast meteoroids, the effect being particularly noticeable for the 1 ?g sporadic particles, and less so for the heavier particles. The relevance of the calculations to the radar observations of the sporadic meteors will be discussed

Modifikasi Dan Uji Performansi Alat Pengering Hybrid (Surya-biomassa) Tipe Rak

This study aimed to modify biomass furnaces source of heat energy from the combustion of biomass, study thermal energy generated from combination of solar and biomass energy, and determine efficiency of furnaces and efficiency of total system of a rack type hybrid (solar-biomass) dryer. Method used in this research was experimental method. Used fuel was coconut shell charcoal and used tools include iron plate, blower, pipe, grinding and welding tools, thermometer, anemometer, lux meter, data logger and analytical balance. Observed parameters were temperature, air humidity, sun radiation, velocity and flow rate of hot air towards the drying chamber, drying period, energy loss and energy produced inside the furnace. Modification made by adding drawer shaped biomass furnace with 0.65 m length, 0.65 m wide and 0.25 m height. The furnace was equipped with a chimney and blower. Results from the test performance showed that this tool yield total heat loss of 18,173.15 KJ at the upright furnace wall. Whereas heat loss at furnace floor was 4380.899 KJ. Energy consumption was 151,602.064 for solar energy and 48,399.4 KJ for biomass energy, with total drying energy generated by solar energy and biomass i.e. 200,001 KJ. Efficiency value of the drying system was 19% with 30% furnace efficiency. Keywords: Hybrid dryer, heat loss, biomass furnace

Gaseous optical contamination of the spacecraft environment: A review

Interactions between the ambient atmosphere and orbiting spacecraft, sounding rockets, and suborbital vehicles, and with their effluents, give rise to optical (extreme UV to LWIR) foreground radiation which constitutes noise that raises the detection threshold for terrestrial and celestial radiations, as well as military targets. Researchers review the current information on the on-orbit optical contamination. Its source species are created in interaction processes that can be grouped into three categories: (1) Reactions in the gas phase between the ambient atmosphere and desorbates and exhaust; (2) Reactions catalyzed by exposed ram surfaces, which occur spontaneously even in the absence of active material releases from the vehicles; and (3) Erosive excitative reactions with exposed bulk (organic) materials, which have recently been identified in the laboratory though not as yet observed on spacecraft. Researchers also assess the effect of optical pumping by earthshine and sunlight of both reaction products and effluents

NanoUPLC-MSE proteomic data assessment of soybean seeds using the Uniprot database.

Background: Recombinant DNA technology has been extensively employed to generate a variety of products from genetically modified organisms (GMOs) over the last decade, and the development of technologies capable of analyzing these products is crucial to understanding gene expression patterns. Liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry is a powerful tool for analyzing protein contents and possible expression modifications in GMOs. Specifically, the NanoUPLC-MSE technique provides rapid protein analyses of complex mixtures with supported steps for high sample throughput, identification and quantization using low sample quantities with outstanding repeatability. Here, we present an assessment of the peptide and protein identification and quantification of soybean seed EMBRAPA BR16 cultivar contents using NanoUPLC-MSE and provide a comparison to the theoretical tryptic digestion of soybean sequences from Uniprot database. Results: The NanoUPLC-MSE peptide analysis resulted in 3,400 identified peptides, 58% of which were identified to have no miscleavages. The experiment revealed that 13% of the peptides underwent in-source fragmentation, and 82% of the peptides were identified with a mass measurement accuracy of less than 5 ppm. More than 75% of the identified proteins have at least 10 matched peptides, 88% of the identified proteins have greater than 30% of coverage, and 87% of the identified proteins occur in all four replicates. 78% of the identified proteins correspond to all glycinin and betaconglycinin chains. The theoretical Uniprot peptide database has 723,749 entries, and 548,336 peptides have molecular weights of greater than 500 Da. Seed proteins represent 0.86% of the protein database entries. At the peptide level, trypsin-digested seed proteins represent only 0.3% of the theoretical Uniprot peptide database. A total of 22% of all database peptides have a pI value of less than 5, and 25% of them have a pI value between 5 and 8. Based on the detection range of typical NanoUPLC-MSE experiments, i.e., 500 to 5000 Da, 64 proteins will not be identified. Conclusions: NanoUPLC-MSE experiments provide good protein coverage within a peptide error of 5 ppm and a wide MW detection range from 500 to 5000 Da. A second digestion enzyme should be used depending on the tissue or proteins to be analyzed. In the case of seed tissue, trypsin protein digestion results offer good databank coverage. The Uniprot database has many duplicate entries that may result in false protein homolog associations when using NanoUPLC-MSE analysis. The proteomic profile of the EMBRAPA BR-16 seed lacks certain described proteins relative to the profiles of transgenic soybeans reported in other works

The placental cholinergic system: localization to the cytotrophoblast and modulation of nitric oxide

BACKGROUND: The human placenta, a non-neuronal tissue, contains an active cholinergic system comprised of acetylcholine (ACh), choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), acetylcholinesterase (AChE), and high affinity muscarinic receptors. The cell(s) of origin of placental ACh and its role in trophoblast function has not been defined. These studies were performed to define the cellular location of ACh synthesis (ChAT) in the human placenta and to begin studying its functional role. RESULTS: Using immunohistochemical techniques, ChAT was observed primarily within the cytotrophoblasts of preterm placentae as well as some mesenchymal elements. Similar intense immunostaining of the cytotrophoblast was observed for endothelium-derived nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) suggesting that ACh may interact with nitric oxide (NO)-dependent signaling pathways. The ability of carbamylcholine (CCh), an ACh analogue, to stimulate a rise in intracellular Ca(++ )and NO production in trophoblasts was therefore tested using the BeWo(b30 )choriocarcinoma cell as a model system. First, CCh significantly increased intracellular calcium as assessed by fluorescence microscopy. We then examined the ability of CCh to stimulate NO production by measuring total nitrite/nitrate production in conditioned media using chemiluminescence-based analysis. CCh, alone, had no effect on NO production. However, CCh increased measurable NO approximately 100% in the presence of 10 nM estradiol. This stimulatory effect was inhibited by 1 (micro)M scopolamine suggesting mediation via muscarinic receptors. Estradiol, alone, had no effect on total NO or eNOS protein or mRNA. CONCLUSION: These data demonstrate that placental ChAT localizes to the cytotrophoblast and some mesenchymal cells in human placenta. It further suggests that ACh acts via muscarinic receptors on the trophoblast cell membrane to modulate NO in an estrogen-dependent manner