Evaluation of a fluorocarbon plastic used in cryogenic valve seals

Effects of strain rate, temperature, crystallinity, and surface finish /smoothness/ on the tensile strength of a commercial chlorotrifluorethylene plastic /CTFE/ used for lipseals in very fast-acting liquid oxygen valves

Comparison of meadow-kill treatments on a corn-oats-meadow-meadow rotation in northwestern Iowa

An experiment was conducted at the Moody Research Center (formerly Moody Experimental Farm) in northwestern Iowa to examine the effects of meadow-kill on crop yields and on soil moisture in the spring. The experiment utilized a corn-oats-meadow-meadow rotation with meadow-kill treatments applied to the second-year meadow at various times of the growing season. Twenty years (1958-1977) of data were used for the analyses presented in this bulletin. Three treatments were used in the experiment. In the first, the control treatment, the second-year meadow was harvested two or three times. The plots were plowed the following spring before corn was planted. The second treatment was a short fallow” treatment, in which second-year meadow was killed with herbicides in the early fall after the second cutting of hay. The third treatment was a longer fallow treatment, with meadow killed in midsummer after the first hay cutting. Plots receiving the second and third treatments also were spring plowed

Inflammation produces catecholamine resistance in obesity via activation of PDE3B by the protein kinases IKKε and TBK1.

Obesity produces a chronic inflammatory state involving the NFκB pathway, resulting in persistent elevation of the noncanonical IκB kinases IKKε and TBK1. In this study, we report that these kinases attenuate β-adrenergic signaling in white adipose tissue. Treatment of 3T3-L1 adipocytes with specific inhibitors of these kinases restored β-adrenergic signaling and lipolysis attenuated by TNFα and Poly (I:C). Conversely, overexpression of the kinases reduced induction of Ucp1, lipolysis, cAMP levels, and phosphorylation of hormone sensitive lipase in response to isoproterenol or forskolin. Noncanonical IKKs reduce catecholamine sensitivity by phosphorylating and activating the major adipocyte phosphodiesterase PDE3B. In vivo inhibition of these kinases by treatment of obese mice with the drug amlexanox reversed obesity-induced catecholamine resistance, and restored PKA signaling in response to injection of a β-3 adrenergic agonist. These studies suggest that by reducing production of cAMP in adipocytes, IKKε and TBK1 may contribute to the repression of energy expenditure during obesity. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.01119.001

Pulmonary arteriovenous malformations in children with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia: A longitudinal study

Pulmonary arteriovenous malformations (PAVMs) often occur in children with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT). A 14-year longitudinal study of PAVMs in children with HHT was undertaken to assess the prevalence, the clinical impact, and progression of these malformations. This was a retrospective, single-center study from May 2002 to December 2016 of 129 children with HHT diagnosed using Curacao criteria and/or confirmed by genetic testing. Transthoracic contrast echocardiography (TTCE) was the primary screening modality in all patients and PAVMs were diagnosed based on Barzilai criteria. Moderately positive TTCE (Barzilai criteria ≥ 2) was confirmed with subsequent contrast chest CT. New PAVMs were diagnosed with a positive TTCE after an initial negative TTCE. Embolization of PAVMs were performed according to HHT consensus guidelines. Of 129 children with HHT, 76 (59%) were found to have PAVMs. Sixty-seven (88%) were positive for PAVMs on initial screening. Of 63 children without PAVMs on initial screening, 31 were followed for \u3e1 year. Nine of the 31 (29%) developed new PAVMs after initial negative study. Thirty-eight (50%) of the total 76 children with PAVMs had or developed lesions large enough to be treated with embolization. Nine patients with PAVMs initially too small to be treated with embolization, developed progression of disease and ultimately were treated with embolization over time. The majority, 60% (23/38), of the children with large PAVMs had no related clinical symptoms. After embolization, 21% (8/38), of patients underwent repeat interventions. Genetic diagnosis, age, and gender were not associated with risk of having PAVM nor with need for repeat interventions. Nearly 60% of children with HHT develop PAVMs. The risk for new PAVMs to develop, small PAVMs to become large, and previously embolized PAVMs to require further intervention remains throughout childhood. Thus, children with HHT require continued follow-up until adulthood

Potential Role of Concentrating Solar Power in Enabling High Renewables Scenarios in the United States

This work describes the analysis of concentrating solar power (CSP) in two studies -- The SunShot Vision Study and the Renewable Electricity Futures Study -- and the potential role of CSP in a future energy mix

Comparison of meadow-kill treatments on a corn-oats-meadow-meadow rotation in northwestern Iowa

An experiment was conducted at the Moody Research Center (formerly Moody Experimental Farm) in northwestern Iowa to examine the effects of meadow-kill on crop yields and on soil moisture in the spring. The experiment utilized a corn-oats-meadow-meadow rotation with meadow-kill treatments applied to the second-year meadow at various times of the growing season. Twenty years (1958-1977) of data were used for the analyses presented in this bulletin. Three treatments were used in the experiment. In the first, the control treatment, the second-year meadow was harvested two or three times. The plots were plowed the following spring before corn was planted. The second treatment was a "short fallow” treatment, in which second-year meadow was killed with herbicides in the early fall after the second cutting of hay. The third treatment was a longer fallow treatment, with meadow killed in midsummer after the first hay cutting. Plots receiving the second and third treatments also were spring plowed.</p

Sensitivity of Utility-Scale Solar Deployment Projections in the SunShot Vision Study to Market and Performance Assumptions

The SunShot Vision Study explored the potential growth of solar markets if solar prices decreased by about 75% from 2010 to 2020. The ReEDS model was used to simulate utility PV and CSP deployment for this present study, based on several market and performance assumptions - electricity demand, natural gas prices, coal retirements, cost and performance of non-solar renewable technologies, PV resource variability, distributed PV deployment, and solar market supply growth - in addition to the SunShot solar price projections. This study finds that utility-scale solar deployment is highly sensitive to solar prices. Other factors can have significant impacts, particularly electricity demand and natural gas prices

Sensitivity of Utility-Scale Solar Deployment Projections in the SunShot Vision Study to Market and Performance Assumptions

The SunShot Vision Study explored the potential growth of solar markets if solar prices decreased by about 75% from 2010 to 2020. The ReEDS model was used to simulate utility PV and CSP deployment for this present study, based on several market and performance assumptions - electricity demand, natural gas prices, coal retirements, cost and performance of non-solar renewable technologies, PV resource variability, distributed PV deployment, and solar market supply growth - in addition to the SunShot solar price projections. This study finds that utility-scale solar deployment is highly sensitive to solar prices. Other factors can have significant impacts, particularly electricity demand and natural gas prices

Grid Modeling for the SunShot Vision Study

This document describes the use of production cost modeling in the SunShot Vision study, including methods used to create the SunShot Vision scenarios, their implementation in the Gridview model, and assumptions regarding transmission system and operation of each generator type. It also describes challenges and limitations of modeling solar generation technologies in production cost models, and suggests methods for improving their representation in current models