System for sterilizing objects

A system for producing a stream of humidified sterilizing gas for sterilizing objects such as the water systems of space vehicles and the like includes a source of sterilant gas which is fed to a mixing chamber which has inlet and outlet ports. The level of the water only partially fills the mixing chamber so as to provide an empty space adjacent the top of the chamber. A heater is provided for heating the water in the chamber so as to produce a humidified atmosphere. The sterilant gas is fed through an arcuate shaped tubular member connected to the inlet port of the mixing chamber for producing a vortex type of flow of sterilant gas into the chamber for humidification. A tubular member extends from the mixing chamber for supplying the humidified sterilant gas to the object for being sterilized. Scrubbers are provided for removing the sterilant gas after use

The association between physical activity, sleep, and quality of life in patients in bio-chemical remission from Cushing’s syndrome

Purpose: Cushing’s syndrome can negatively affect patient’s quality of life (QoL) after treatment and remission. Exposure to increased cortisol over time can result in visceral obesity, which makes this population vulnerable to cardiovascular risk factors associated with visceral obesity. Sleep disturbances are present in patients in remission from Cushing’s syndrome, impacting QoL. Moderate intensity physical activity performed 3 times a week decreases visceral obesity and improves sleep quality, therefore, engaging in physical activity after remission may improve patient’s QoL. The current study aims to explore the association between sleep quality, physical activity, and QoL in patients in remission of Cushing’s syndrome. Methods: Patients in bio-chemical remission from Cushing’s syndrome (N = 147) were recruited through the Cushing’s Support and Research Foundation. Quality of life was assessed using the Cushing Quality of Life Questionnaire (CushingQoL), sleep was assessed with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and physical activity levels were assessed with the Godin-Sheppard Leisure-Time Physical Activity Questionnaire (GSLTPAQ). Results: Sleep quality was significantly associated with both subscales of the CushingQoL (both p <.001), but physical activity was not significantly associated with either subscale. Sleep was not significantly associated with physical activity engagement in this sample. Conclusion: Results suggest that patients in remission from Cushing’s syndrome experience sleep disturbances that are significantly associated with impaired QoL. Future research should focus on ameliorating the persisting clinical features of Cushing’s syndrome that are associated with impaired QoL after bio-chemical remission to improve QoL and expedite complete functional remission

Test of LOX compatibility for asphalt and concrete runway materials

A literature survey and a telephone canvass of producers and users of LOX is reported which yielded one report of an accident resulting from a LOX spill on asphalt, one discussion of hazardous conditions, and an unreferenced mention of an incident. Laboratory tests using standard LOX impact apparatus yielded reactions with both old and new alphalt, but none with concrete. In the final test, using a larger sample of asphalt, the reaction caused extensive damage to equipment. Initial field experiments using 2-meter square asphalt slabs covered with LOX, conducted during rainy weather, achieved no reaction with plummets, and limited reaction with a blasting cap as a reaction initiator. In a final plummet-initiated test on a dry slab, a violent reaction, which appeared to have propagated over the entire slab surface, destroyed the plummet fixture and threw fragments as far as 48 meters

The Structure of Client Language and Drinking Outcomes in Project MATCH

Client language during Motivational Interviewing interventions is an important predictor of drinking outcomes, but there are inconsistencies in the literature regarding what aspects of client language are most predictive. We characterized the structure of client language by factor analyzing frequency counts of several categories of client speech. The results provide limited support for a model proposed by Miller et al. (2006) and Amrhein et al. (2003) but with some important differences. While Amrhein et al. (2003) found that only increasing strength in client commitment language predicted behavior change, the current study revealed that client language preparatory to commitment predicted drinking outcomes

Proton Lateral Broadening Distribution Comparisons Between GRNTRN, MCNPX, and Laboratory Beam Measurements

Recent developments in NASA s deterministic High charge (Z) and Energy TRaNsport (HZETRN) code have included lateral broadening of primary ion beams due to small-angle multiple Coulomb scattering, and coupling of the ion-nuclear scattering interactions with energy loss and straggling. This new version of HZETRN is based on Green function methods, called GRNTRN, and is suitable for modeling transport with both space environment and laboratory boundary conditions. Multiple scattering processes are a necessary extension to GRNTRN in order to accurately model ion beam experiments, to simulate the physical and biological-effective radiation dose, and to develop new methods and strategies for light ion radiation therapy. In this paper we compare GRNTRN simulations of proton lateral broadening distributions with beam measurements taken at Loma Linda University Proton Therapy Facility. The simulated and measured lateral broadening distributions are compared for a 250 MeV proton beam on aluminum, polyethylene, polystyrene, bone substitute, iron, and lead target materials. The GRNTRN results are also compared to simulations from the Monte Carlo MCNPX code for the same projectile-target combinations described above

Mandated data archiving greatly improves access to research data

The data underlying scientific papers should be accessible to researchers both now and in the future, but how best can we ensure that these data are available? Here we examine the effectiveness of four approaches to data archiving: no stated archiving policy, recommending (but not requiring) archiving, and two versions of mandating data deposition at acceptance. We control for differences between data types by trying to obtain data from papers that use a single, widespread population genetic analysis, STRUCTURE. At one extreme, we found that mandated data archiving policies that require the inclusion of a data availability statement in the manuscript improve the odds of finding the data online almost a thousand-fold compared to having no policy. However, archiving rates at journals with less stringent policies were only very slightly higher than those with no policy at all. At one extreme, we found that mandated data archiving policies that require the inclusion of a data availability statement in the manuscript improve the odds of finding the data online almost a thousand fold compared to having no policy. However, archiving rates at journals with less stringent policies were only very slightly higher than those with no policy at all. We also assessed the effectiveness of asking for data directly from authors and obtained over half of the requested datasets, albeit with about 8 days delay and some disagreement with authors. Given the long term benefits of data accessibility to the academic community, we believe that journal based mandatory data archiving policies and mandatory data availability statements should be more widely adopted

The Synthesis and Evaluation of Flavone and Isoflavone Chimeras of Novobiocin and Derrubone

The natural products novobiocin and derrubone have both demonstrated Hsp90 inhibition and structure–activity relationships have been established for each scaffold. Given these compounds share several key structural features, we hypothesized that incorporation of elements from each could provide insight to structural features important for Hsp90 inhibition. Thus, chimeric analogues of novobiocin and derrubone were constructed and evaluated. These studies confirmed that the functionality present at the 3-position of the isoflavone plays a critical role in determining Hsp90 inhibition and suggests that the bicyclic ring system present in both novobiocin and derrubone do not share similar modes of binding

Rheometry based on free surface velocity

This paper explores the possibility of identifying the rheology of a fluid by monitoring how the free surface velocity field is affected by a perturbation in the flow. The dam-break problem is considered which results from the release of a gate initially separating two fluid pools of different depth. The flow velocity is measured by seeding the free surface with buoyant particles and using Particle Tracking Velocimetry. In parallel, a mathematical model based on the lubrication approximation for fluids with a power-law rheology is developed. The model is validated against a similarity solution which is obtained for the spreading of a gravity current under its own weight and neglecting surface tension. Minimizing the difference between the free surface velocity fields obtained numerically and measured experimentally enables the identification of rheological parameters. The methodology is tested on ideal and noisy synthetic data sets and experimental data obtained with aqueous glycerol