A General Method for Automatic Computation of Equilibrium Compositions and Theoretical Rocket Performance of Propellants

A general computer program for chemical equilibrium and rocket performance calculations was written for the IBM 650 computer with 2000 words of drum storage, 60 words of high-speed core storage, indexing registers, and floating point attachments. The program is capable of carrying out combustion and isentropic expansion calculations on a chemical system that may include as many as 10 different chemical elements, 30 reaction products, and 25 pressure ratios. In addition to the equilibrium composition, temperature, and pressure, the program calculates specific impulse, specific impulse in vacuum, characteristic velocity, thrust coefficient, area ratio, molecular weight, Mach number, specific heat, isentropic exponent, enthalpy, entropy, and several thermodynamic first derivatives

Lessons being learned between the Covid-19 pandemic and radiological emergencies: report from experts’ discussions

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available on open access from IOP Publishing via the DOI in this recordIn order to examine what lessons radiological emergency management may offer to the Covid-19 pandemic management and vice versa, a series of three online webinars were conducted with leading experts, scholars and practitioners from a wide range of disciplines essential for emergency management and long-term risk governance. The first webinar debated the lessons we are learning from the Covid-19 pandemic for radiological risk communication, the second explored issues around longer-term outcomes of a crisis and how to balance these with short-term actions whilst the third focused on the key challenges of the 'transition phase', using learning from Chernobyl (1986) and Fukushima Daichii (2011) accidents. This paper reviews the discussion and provides valuable lessons for the radiation protection community. Results of the discussion indicated that: i) non-radiological and non-epidemiological consequences of emergencies, e.g. psychological (mental health), societal and economic, should not be underestimated; ii) multidisciplinary expertise is imperative for communication efforts and for effective emergency management, including decision-making in the application of protective measures; iii) stakeholder engagement, including the involvement of the potentially affected population, should be encouraged from an early stage and iv) trust is increased if policy-makers and main science agencies show a unified voice

The B cell-specific nuclear factor OTF-2 positively regulates transcription of the human class II transplantation gene, DRA

The promoter of the major histocompatibility class II gene DRA contains an octamer element (ATTTGCAT) that is required for efficient DRA expression in B cells. Several DNA-binding proteins are known to bind this sequence. The best characterized are the B cell-specific OTF-2 and the ubiquitous OTF-1. This report directly demonstrates that OTF-2 but not OTF-1 regulates the DRA gene. In vitro transcription analysis using protein fractions enriched for the octamer-binding protein OTF-2 demonstrate a positive functional role for OTF-2 in DRA gene transcription. In contrast, OTF-1-enriched protein fractions did not affect DRA gene transcription although it functionally enhanced the transcription of another gene. Recombinant OTF-2 protein produced by in vitro transcription/translation could also enhance DRA gene transcription in vitro. In vivo transient transfection studies utilizing an OTF-2 expression vector resulted in similar findings: that OTF-2 protein enhanced DRA gene transcription, and that this effect requires an intact octamer element. Together these results constitute the first direct evidence of a positive role for the lymphoid-specific octamer-binding factor in DRA gene transcription

A new paradigm based on agents applied to free-hand sketch recognition

Important advances in natural calligraphic interfaces for CAD (Computer Aided Design) applications are being achieved, enabling the development of CAS (Computer Aided Sketching) devices that allow facing up to the conceptual design phase of a product. Recognizers play an important role in this field, allowing the interpretation of the user’s intention, but they still present some important lacks. This paper proposes a new recognition paradigm using an agent-based architecture that does not depend on the drawing sequence and takes context information into account to help decisions. Another improvement is the absence of operation modes, that is, no button is needed to distinguish geometry from symbols or gestures, and also “interspersing” and “overtracing” are accomplishedThe Spanish Ministry of Science and Education and the FEDER Funds, through the CUESKETCH project (Ref. DPI2007-66755-C02-01), partially supported this work.Fernández Pacheco, D.; Albert Gil, FE.; Aleixos Borrás, MN.; Conesa Pastor, J. (2012). A new paradigm based on agents applied to free-hand sketch recognition. Expert Systems with Applications. 39(8):7181-7195. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eswa.2012.01.063S7181719539

Can luteal regression be reversed?

The corpus luteum is an endocrine gland whose limited lifespan is hormonally programmed. This debate article summarizes findings of our research group that challenge the principle that the end of function of the corpus luteum or luteal regression, once triggered, cannot be reversed. Overturning luteal regression by pharmacological manipulations may be of critical significance in designing strategies to improve fertility efficacy

Receptor-Mediated Gonadotropin Action in Ovary

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/65826/1/j.1432-1033.1979.tb12873.x.pd

Deciphering lipid structures based on platform-independent decision rule sets

We developed decision rule sets for Lipid Data Analyzer (LDA; http://genome.tugraz.at/lda2), enabling automated and reliable annotation of lipid species and their molecular structures in high-throughput data from chromatography-coupled tandem mass spectrometry. Platform independence was proven in various mass spectrometric experiments, comprising low- and high-resolution instruments and several collision energies. We propose that this independence and the capability to identify novel lipid molecular species render current state-of-the-art lipid libraries now obsolete

Biological versus chronological ovarian age:implications for assisted reproductive technology

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Women have been able to delay childbearing since effective contraception became available in the 1960s. However, fertility decreases with increasing maternal age. A slow but steady decrease in fertility is observed in women aged between 30 and 35 years, which is followed by an accelerated decline among women aged over 35 years. A combination of delayed childbearing and reduced fecundity with increasing age has resulted in an increased number and proportion of women of greater than or equal to 35 years of age seeking assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Literature searches supplemented with the authors' knowledge.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Despite major advances in medical technology, there is currently no ART treatment strategy that can fully compensate for the natural decline in fertility with increasing female age. Although chronological age is the most important predictor of ovarian response to follicle-stimulating hormone, the rate of reproductive ageing and ovarian sensitivity to gonadotrophins varies considerably among individuals. Both environmental and genetic factors contribute to depletion of the ovarian oocyte pool and reduction in oocyte quality. Thus, biological and chronological ovarian age are not always equivalent. Furthermore, biological age is more important than chronological age in predicting the outcome of ART. As older patients present increasingly for ART treatment, it will become more important to critically assess prognosis, counsel appropriately and optimize treatment strategies. Several genetic markers and biomarkers (such as anti-Müllerian hormone and the antral follicle count) are emerging that can identify women with accelerated biological ovarian ageing. Potential strategies for improving ovarian response include the use of luteinizing hormone (LH) and growth hormone (GH). When endogenous LH levels are heavily suppressed by gonadotrophin-releasing hormone analogues, LH supplementation may help to optimize treatment outcomes for women with biologically older ovaries. Exogenous GH may improve oocyte development and counteract the age-related decline of oocyte quality. The effects of GH may be mediated by insulin-like growth factor-I, which works synergistically with follicle-stimulating hormone on granulosa and theca cells.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Patients with biologically older ovaries may benefit from a tailored approach based on individual patient characteristics. Among the most promising adjuvant therapies for improving ART outcomes in women of advanced reproductive age are the administration of exogenous LH or GH.</p