84 research outputs found
Ground collision avoidance systems on United States Air Force aircraft
Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management, 1995.Includes bibliographical references (p. 91-92).This thesis examines a specific type of USAF aircraft mishaps - Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) mishaps. The thesis presents data on CFIT mishaps, causes, and efforts to reduce CFIT mishaps through the development and adoption of Ground Collision Avoidance Systems (GCAS) or similar designs - Ground Proximity Warning Systems (GPWS). GPWS exist today on some USAF aircraft, but many times these systems are inadequate (as evidenced by the continued occurrence of CFIT mishaps). Both ongoing and future initiatives by the USAF to adopt and develop better GPWS/GCAS systems were studied. An analysis was performed which studied the cost to the USAF (and the U.S. taxpayer) as a result of CFIT mishaps, and compared with an analysis of the cost to develop and implement improved GPWS/GCAS systems. The results show conclusively that installing GCAS/GPWS on a majority of USAF aircraft is cost effective. Technology exist today which could improve existing GPWS performance, and although efforts to improve GPWS are moving forward, some resistance does exist. Possible reasons for resistance of GCAS/GPWS adoption were studied and several recommendations were made on how to improve the adoption of these systems within the USAF.by Jan W. Scofield.S.M
Letter from Lydia Ely [et al.] to John Muir, 1897 Dec 10.
Milwaukee, Dec. & [10?], 1897.Mr, John Muir,Bear Sir:-Upon the inclosed water-marked and engraved slip you are requested to write your autograph and profession, and return the same in the accompanying envelope. This autograph will be one among about one thousand names of persons eminent in the National, State and Municipal government of this country, and of men and women of foremost rank in the professions, in affairs, and in the fine arts; these, bound together in one grand volume, will be sold for the benefit of the Soldiers\u27 Monument of Milwaukee.A bronze group, already accepted, is now being executed in Rome by Sculptor John Saverino Conway. Twenty thousand dollars (10,000), this volume of autographs to which we are asking you to contribute will be sold.Thus far over five hundred names of statesmen, diplomates and high officials have been given; more than one hundred of the most distinguished musicians and dramatists have kindly responded, and unsolicited have added musical notations, sentiments or quotations, thus contributing to make the volume unique and priceless. The Scientific division is just reached, and you are invited to be on this honorable roll. A remark in pen or pencil, or the name of your work which is most distinguishing, or best known, or anything you are willing to add, will be greatly appreciated and materially aid in the sale of the book.Please give your autograph and profession if you do not add anything thereto. The book will be distinguished and every name conspicuous in its department. It will be offered to the world for sale; already proposals for its purchase are made.Thanking you in advance.Very respectfully,(Signed) LYDIA ELY.(Signed) E. SCOFIELD,Governor of Wisconsin.(Signed) W. Q. RAUSCHENBERGER,Mayor of Milwaukee.0237
Furanodiene alters mitochondrial function in doxorubicin-resistant MCF-7 human breast cancer cells in an AMPK-dependent manner
Furanodiene is a bioactive sesquiterpene isolated from the spice-producing Curcuma wenyujin plant (Y. H. Chen and C. Ling) (C. wenyujin), which is a commonly prescribed herb used in clinical cancer therapy by modern practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine. Previously, we have shown that furanodiene inhibits breast cancer cell growth both in vitro and in vivo, however, the mechanism for this effect is not yet known. In this study, therefore, we asked (1) whether cultured breast cancer cells made resistant to the chemotherapeutic agent doxorubicin (DOX) via serial selection protocols are susceptible to furanodiene\u27s anticancer effect, and (2) whether AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), which is a regulator of cellular energy homeostasis in eukaryotic cells, participates in this effect. We show here (1) that doxorubicin-resistant MCF-7 (MCF-7/DOXR) cells treated with furanodiene exhibit altered mitochondrial function and reduced levels of ATP, resulting in apoptotic cell death, and (2) that AMPK is central to this effect. In these cells, furanodiene (as opposed to doxorubicin) noticeably affects the phosphorylation of AMPK and AMPK pathway intermediates, ACLY and GSK-3β, suggesting that furanodiene reduces mitochondrial function and cellular ATP levels by way of AMPK activation. Finally, we find that the cell permeable agent and AMPK inhibitor compound C (CC), abolishes furanodiene-induced anticancer activity in these MCF-7/DOXR cells, with regard to cell growth inhibition and AMPK activation; in contrast, AICAR (5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-β-4-ribofuranoside, acadesine), an AMPK activator, augments furanodiene-induced anticancer activity. Furthermore, specific knockdown of AMPK in MCF-7/DOXR cells protects these cells from furanodiene-induced cell death. Taken together, these findings suggest that AMPK and its pathway intermediates are promising therapeutic targets for treating chemoresistant breast cancer, and that furanodiene may be an important chemical agent incorporated in next-generation chemotherapy protocols
1957 Ruby Yearbook
A digitized copy of the 1957 Ruby, the Ursinus College yearbook.https://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/ruby/1060/thumbnail.jp
Electron and proton radiation effects on band structure and carrier dynamics in MBE and MOCVD grown III-V test structures
As part of a continuing study on radiation effects in photovoltaic materials, we exposed a series of AlGaAs/GaAs double heterostructures grown by molecular beam epitaxy and metalorganic chemical vapor deposition to electron and proton radiation. The active regions of the test articles were doped either unintentionally, p -type or n -type. Steady state and time resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy were used to characterize changes to the band structure and carrier dynamics. The effect of electron radiation on low temperature photoluminescence spectra and on room temperature carrier lifetime varied with dopant type and density. Steady-state photoluminescence reveals distinct effects from electron and proton exposures
EST Analysis of Ostreococcus lucimarinus, the Most Compact Eukaryotic Genome, Shows an Excess of Introns in Highly Expressed Genes
Background: The genome of the pico-eukaryotic (bacterial-sized) prasinophyte green alga Ostreococcus lucimarinus has one of the highest gene densities known in eukaryotes, yet it contains many introns. Phylogenetic studies suggest this unusually compact genome (13.2 Mb) is an evolutionarily derived state among prasinophytes. The presence of introns in the highly reduced O. lucimarinus genome appears to be in opposition to simple explanations of genome evolution based on unidirectional tendencies, either neutral or selective. Therefore, patterns of intron retention in this species can potentially provide insights into the forces governing intron evolution. Methodology/Principal Findings: Here we studied intron features and levels of expression in O. lucimarinus using expressed sequence tags (ESTs) to annotate the current genome assembly. ESTs were assembled into unigene clusters that were mapped back to the O. lucimarinus Build 2.0 assembly using BLAST and the level of gene expression was inferred from the number of ESTs in each cluster. We find a positive correlation between expression levels and both intron number (R = +0.0893, p =,0.0005) and intron density (number of introns/kb of CDS; R = +0.0753, p =,0.005). Conclusions/Significance: In a species with a genome that has been recently subjected to a great reduction of non-coding DNA, these results imply the existence of selective/functional roles for introns that are principally detectable in highly expressed genes. In these cases, introns are likely maintained by balancing the selective forces favoring their maintenanc
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