Infusion of select leukemia-reactive TCR Vbeta+ T cells provides graft-versus-leukemia responses with minimization of graft-versus-host disease following murine hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

AbstractT-cell receptor (TCR) Vbeta-expression analysis by complementarity-determining region 3 (CDR3)-size spectratyping can identify the reactive populations in an immunologic response. This analysis was used in this study to characterize the Vbeta responses of C57BL/6 (B6) CD4+ and CD8+ T cells directed to either alloantigen (against [B6xDBA/2]F1; anti-H2d) or the syngeneic myeloid leukemia MMB3.19. Vbeta families exhibiting reactivity to the leukemia cells were then enriched for and administered in both syngeneic and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) models to assess in vivo graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) potential. In syngeneic transplants, enrichment for pools of selected Vbeta families (Vbeta7, -11, and -13) of T cells or for a single Vbeta family (Vbeta7) of CD4+ T cells conveyed a beneficial GVL response to the recipients. Furthermore, in the haploidentical allogeneic model, both Vbeta6,7-enriched donor B6 T cells and Vbeta7-enriched CD4+ T cells exhibited significant GVL responses with concomitant minimization of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) development compared with equal numbers of unfractionated T cells. These results suggest that CDR3-size spectratype analysis of and subsequent selection from donor T-cell repertoires can be an effective approach to separate GVL and GVHD potential following allogeneic HSCT.Biol Blood Marrow Transplant 2001;7(4):187-96

A Miniaturized Cassegrainian Concentrator Solar Array for High Power Space Applications.

A miniaturized Cassegrainian concentrator (MCC) solar array system concept is under preliminary development for the space station or for other large spacecraft/space platform mission applications that may require power at the 100 kilowatt level or higher. The concept has many of the physical attributes of planar rigid-panel solar arrays and does not require unusual deployment or thermal management methods or auxiliaries. Furthermore, it promises both lower initial cost and lower life cycle cost than state-of-the-art lightweight planar flexible blanket solar arrays. The paper briefly describes the MCC concept and presents the results of a life cycle cost comparison analysis that shows that solar array area (rather than weight) is the key cost parameter at the lowest candidate space station basing altitudes. With smaller area than its planar array counterpart, the MCC array offers a 20 to 30 percent reduction in life cycle cost

Hypercube technology

The JPL designed MARKIII hypercube supercomputer has been in application service since June 1988 and has had successful application to a broad problem set including electromagnetic scattering, discrete event simulation, plasma transport, matrix algorithms, neural network simulation, image processing, and graphics. Currently, problems that are not homogeneous are being attempted, and, through this involvement with real world applications, the software is evolving to handle the heterogeneous class problems efficiently

Rapid Oscillations in Cataclysmic Variables. XV. HT Camelopardalis (= RX J0757.0+6306)

We present photometry and spectroscopy of HT Camelopardalis, a recently discovered X-ray-bright cataclysmic variable. The spectrum shows bright lines of H, He I, and He II, all moving with a period of 0.059712(1) d, which we interpret as the orbital period. The star's brightness varies with a strict period of 515.0592(2) s, and a mean full amplitude of 0.11 mag. These properties qualify it as a /bona fide/ DQ Herculis star (intermediate polar) -- in which the magnetism of the rapidly rotating white dwarf channels accretion flow to the surface. Normally at V=17.8, the star shows rare and very brief outbursts to V=12-13. We observed one in December 2001, and found that the 515 s pulse amplitude had increased by a factor of ~100 (in flux units). A transient orbital signal may also have appeared.Comment: PDF, 19 pages, 3 tables, 6 figures; accepted, in press, to appear June 2002, PASP; more info at http://cba.phys.columbia.edu

High Thrust-to-Power Annular Engine Technology

Gridded ion engines have the highest efficiency and total impulse of any mature electric propulsion technology, and have been successfully implemented for primary propulsion in both geocentric and heliocentric environments with excellent ground/in-space correlation of performance. However, they have not been optimized to maximize thrust-to-power, an important parameter for Earth orbit transfer applications. This publication discusses technology development work intended to maximize this parameter. These activities include investigating the capabilities of a non-conventional design approach, the annular engine, which has the potential of exceeding the thrust-to-power of other EP technologies. This publication discusses the status of this work, including the fabrication and initial tests of a large-area annular engine. This work is being conducted in collaboration among NASA Glenn Research Center, The Aerospace Corporation, and the University of Michigan

Validation of Annual Growth-Zone Formation in Gray Triggerfish Balistes capriscus Dorsal Spines, Fin Rays, and Vertebrae

The goal of this study was to validate annual growth-zone formation in the gray triggerfish Balistes capriscus dorsal spines, fin rays, and vertebrae. Adult gray triggerfish (n = 4) were chemically marked by injecting with 50 mg of oxytetracycline (OTC) per kilogram body mass and reared in a 2,300-liter aquaculture tank. Fish were exposed to ambient light and water temperature mimicked bottom temperatures observed at an approximately 30-m depth in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Fish died after 262 d and their first dorsal spines, pectoral fin rays, and vertebrae were extracted and sectioned. One translucent zone formed distal to the OTC mark in all hardpart types during the study period. Additional fin rays and vertebrae with corresponding dorsal spines were sampled from fish (n = 27 and 59, respectively) during fishery-independent surveys to compare translucent zone counts between hardparts. There was a significant difference between translucent zone counts between fin ray and dorsal spine sections (tdf = 1,25 = 23.15, P = 0.004). Fin ray counts on average were one zone greater than dorsal spine counts. Translucent zone counts in vertebrae were similar to those counted in dorsal spines with no significant difference between structures (tdf = 1,57 = 1.90, P = 0.062). The percentage of dorsal spines with translucent margins increased in winter months, peaking in February, and dropped to the lowest values in summer. The combined results of this study validate annual translucent zone formation in gray triggerfish hardparts, with dorsal spines being the preferred ageing structure for production ageing

A Comparison of Reef Fish Assemblages on the East and West Sides of Central Eleuthera, Bahamas

Eleuthera is a long, narrow crescent-shaped Atlantic margin island on the eastern extremity of the Great Bahama Bank in the central Bahamas. It is 144 km long and less than 5 km at its greatest width. Fringing reefs with substantial vertical relief (to 5 m in depths of 6 m) are found approximately 500 m offshore on the eastern side of the island facing the Atlantic Ocean. The western side of the island has stretches of rock cliffs and large fallen boulders providing substrate with similar vertical relief. No open passes exist between the two sides of the island and thus no direct larval transport from one side to the other appears possible. We compared post-settlement fish assemblages and larval supply on either side of central Eleuthera near Governor’s Harbour quarterly from July 2003 until July 2004. Twelve point-counts were performed at two replicate sites on both sides of the island to census juveniles and adults. Abundance, as well as average, maximum and minimum lengths of species present were recorded. Three light traps were moored at each of the same sites 40-50 m from the reef for three to five nights around the new moon to examine larval supply. Fish collected in the light traps were preserved and transported to the lab. They were identified, enumerated, and standard length was measured. Preliminary analyses of point-count and light trap data indicate dissimilar assemblage structure between the two sides of the island, with significantly greater fish abundance and species richness on the eastern side

The interaction between maternal immune activation and alpha 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor in regulating behaviors in the offspring

Mutation of human chromosome 15q13.3 increases the risk for autism and schizophrenia. One of the noteworthy genes in 15q13.3 is CHRNA7, which encodes the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alpha 7 subunit (α7nAChR) associated with schizophrenia in clinical studies and rodent models. This study investigates the role of α7nAChR in maternal immune activation (MIA) mice model, a murine model of environmental risk factor for autism and schizophrenia. We provided choline, a selective α7nAChR agonist among its several developmental roles, in the diet of C57BL/6N wild-type dams throughout the gestation and lactation period and induced MIA at mid-gestation. The adult offspring behavior and gene expression profile in the maternal splenic-placenta-fetal brain axis at mid-gestation were investigated. We found that choline supplementation prevented several MIA behavioral abnormalities in the wild-type offspring. Pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) and Chrna7 gene expression in the wild-type fetal brain were elevated by poly(I:C) injection and were suppressed by gestational choline supplementation. We further investigated the gene expression level of IL-6 in Chrna7 mutant mice. We found that the basal level of IL-6 was higher in Chrna7 mutant fetal brain, which suggests that α7nAChR may serve an anti-inflammatory role in the fetal brain during development. Lastly, we induced MIA in Chrna7+/− offspring. The Chrna7+/− offspring were more vulnerable to MIA, with increased behavioral abnormalities. Our study shows that α7nAChR modulates inflammatory response affecting the fetal brain and demonstrates its effects on offspring behavior development after maternal infection

Zee electrical interconnect

An interconnect, having some length, that reliably connects two conductors separated by the length of the interconnect when the connection is made but in which one length if unstressed would change relative to the other in operation. The interconnect comprises a base element an intermediate element and a top element. Each element is rectangular and formed of a conducting material and has opposed ends. The elements are arranged in a generally Z-shape with the base element having one end adapted to be connected to one conductor. The top element has one end adapted to be connected to another conductor and the intermediate element has its ends disposed against the other end of the base and the top element. Brazes mechanically and electrically interconnect the intermediate element to the base and the top elements proximate the corresponding ends of the elements. When the respective ends of the base and the top elements are connected to the conductors, an electrical connection is formed therebetween, and when the conductors are relatively moved or the interconnect elements change length the elements accommodate the changes and the associated compression and tension forces in such a way that the interconnect does not mechanically fatigue