Cnemidophorus hyperythrus

Number of Pages: 6Integrative BiologyGeological Science

Impact of climate change and bioenergy on nutrition

Food security has deteriorated since 1995 and reductions in child malnutrition are proceeding too slowly to meet the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) target for halving hunger by 2015. Three major challenges threaten to drastically complicate efforts to overcome food insecurity and malnutrition: climate change, the growing use of food crops as a source of fuel and soaring food prices. Food security has four dimensions: food availability, access to food, stability of supply and access and safe and healthy food utilization. It is a key factor in good nutrition, along with health, sanitation and care practices. Globally, one billion people are currently without access to safe water and over 2 billion lack adequate sanitation facilities. Present global food supplies are more than adequate to provide everyone with all the needed calories, if the food were equally distributed. But over 820 million people in developing countries have calorie-deficient diets; over 60 percent live in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.Climate change, Bioenergy, Nutrition, food security, Food prices, Sustainable development,

Corrosion-protective coatings from electrically conducting polymers

In a joint effort between NASA Kennedy and LANL, electrically conductive polymer coatings were developed as corrosion protective coatings for metal surfaces. At NASA Kennedy, the launch environment consist of marine, severe solar, and intermittent high acid and/or elevated temperature conditions. Electrically conductive polymer coatings were developed which impart corrosion resistance to mild steel when exposed to saline and acidic environments. Such coatings also seem to promote corrosion resistance in areas of mild steel where scratches exist in the protective coating. Such coatings appear promising for many commercial applications

Robotic Planetary Drill Tests

Several proposed or planned planetary science missions to Mars and other Solar System bodies over the next decade require subsurface access by drilling. This paper discusses the problems of remote robotic drilling, an automation and control architecture based loosely on observed human behaviors in drilling on Earth, and an overview of robotic drilling field test results using this architecture since 2005. Both rotary-drag and rotary-percussive drills are targeted. A hybrid diagnostic approach incorporates heuristics, model-based reasoning and vibration monitoring with neural nets. Ongoing work leads to flight-ready drilling software

False-negative upper extremity ultrasound in the initial evaluation of patients with suspected subclavian vein thrombosis due to thoracic outlet syndrome (Paget-Schroetter syndrome)

OBJECTIVE: To assess the utilization and consequences of upper extremity Duplex ultrasound in the initial diagnostic evaluation of patients with suspected subclavian vein (SCV) thrombosis and venous thoracic outlet syndrome (VTOS). METHODS: A retrospective single-center review was conducted for patients that underwent primary surgical treatment for VTOS between 2008 and 2017, in whom an upper extremity ultrasound had been performed as the initial diagnostic test (n = 214). Clinical and treatment characteristics were compared between patients with positive and false-negative ultrasound studies. RESULTS: There were 122 men (57%) and 92 women (43%) that had presented with spontaneous idiopathic arm swelling, including 28 (13%) with proven pulmonary embolism, at a mean age of 30.7 ± 0.8 years (range 14-69). Upper extremity ultrasound had been performed 23.8 ± 12.2 days after the onset of symptoms, with confirmation of axillary-SCV thrombosis in 169 patients (79%) and negative results in 45 (21%). Of the false-negative ultrasound study reports, only 8 (18%) acknowledged limitations in visualizing the central SCV. Definitive diagnostic imaging (DDI) had been obtained by upper extremity venography in 175 (82%), computed tomography angiography in 24 (11%), and magnetic resonance angiography in 15 (7%), with 142 (66%) undergoing catheter-directed axillary-SCV thrombolysis. The mean interval between initial ultrasound and DDI was 48.9 ± 14.2 days with no significant difference between groups, but patients with a positive ultrasound were more likely to have DDI within 48 hours than those with a false-negative ultrasound (44% vs 24%; P = .02). At the time of surgical treatment, the SCV was widely patent following paraclavicular decompression and external venolysis alone in 74 patients (35%). Patch angioplasty was performed for focal SCV stenosis in 76 (36%) and bypass graft reconstruction for long-segment axillary-SCV occlusion in 63 (29%). Patients with false-negative initial ultrasound studies were significantly more likely to require SCV bypass reconstruction than those with a positive ultrasound (44% vs 25%; P = .02). CONCLUSIONS: Duplex ultrasound has significant limitations in the initial evaluation of patients with suspected SCV thrombosis, with false-negative results in 21% of patients with proven VTOS. This is rarely acknowledged in ultrasound reports, but false-negative ultrasound studies have the potential to delay definitive imaging, thrombolysis, and further treatment for VTOS. Initial false-negative ultrasound results are associated with progressive thrombus extension and a more frequent need for SCV bypass reconstruction at the time of surgical treatment

On the Conditions for Neutron-Rich Gamma-Ray Burst Outflows

We calculate the structure and neutron content of neutrino-heated MHD winds driven from the surface of newly-formed magnetars (``proto-magnetars'') and from the midplane of hyper-accreting disks, two of the possible central engines for gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) and hyper-energetic supernovae (SNe). Both the surface of proto-magnetars and the midplane of neutrino-cooled accretion flows (NDAFs) are electron degenerate and neutron-rich (neutron-to-proton ratio n/p >> 1). If this substantial free neutron excess is preserved to large radii in ultra-relativistic outflows, several important observational consequences may result. Weak interaction processes, however, can drive n/p to ~1 in the nondegenerate regions that obtain just above the surfaces of NDAFs and proto-magnetars. Our calculations show that mildly relativistic neutron-rich outflows from NDAFs are possible in the presence of a strong poloidal magnetic field. However, we find that neutron-rich winds possess a minimum mass-loss rate that likely precludes simultaneously neutron-rich and ultra-relativistic (Lorentz factor > 100) NDAF winds accompanying a substantial accretion power. In contrast, proto-magnetars are capable of producing neutron-rich long-duration GRB outflows ~10-30 seconds following core bounce for sub-millisecond rotation periods; such outflows would, however, accompany only extremely energetic events, in which the GRB + SN energy budget exceeds ~ 4e52 ergs. Neutron-rich highly relativistic outflows may also be produced during some short-duration GRBs by geometrically thick accretion disks formed from compact object mergers. The implications for r-process nucleosynthesis, optical transients due to non-relativistic neutron-rich winds, and Nickel production in proto-magnetar and NDAF winds are also briefly discussed.Comment: 24 pages, 7 figures, submitted to Ap

Controlled Release Characteristics of Aqueous PEO‐PPO‐PEO Micelles With Added Malachite Green, Erythrosin, and Cisplatin Determined by UV–Visible Spectroscopy

Dynamic diffusion experiments were performed on aqueous polymeric micelles mixed with malachite green (0.05% mass v−1), erythrosin (0.1% mass v−1), and cisplatin (0.1% mass v−1) to gauge release from sequestered structures using ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy. The additives were formulated with 20% mass v−1 aqueous solutions of polyethylene oxide‐polypropylene oxide‐polyethylene oxide, PEO‐PPO‐PEO (F127). Each additive was tested neat at room temperature, neat at 40 °C, and formulated with F127 at room temperature, and 40 °C. After constructing calibration curves, the dynamic release for each ternary additive and corresponding diffusion coefficients were calculated. Results show that F127 retards permeation at room temperature. In general, the neat additives at 40 °C showed the highest permeability for both malachite green and erythrosin. Malachite green released almost 90% of the dye by 60 min of permeation. When formulated with F127 at 40 °C, sizeable release was still noted, but with an induction period of 10–30 min to register release. The behavior with cisplatin was more complicated as the first 5 h of permeation resulted in a burst delivery with cisplatin (6% total release with cisplatin‐F127‐RT compared to 4% total release cisplatin‐RT) but with overall lower release. The higher fluence at elevated temperature is attributed to reducing the blocking effect of the amphiphiles on the walls of the dialysis tubing as they are directed to form colloidal gels. There is also likely a correlation between higher temperature and higher overall permeability if the membrane pores also expand with temperature.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/142528/1/jsde12001.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/142528/2/jsde12001_am.pd

Data related to cyclic deformation and fatigue behavior of direct laser deposited Ti–6Al–4V with and without heat treatment

AbstractData is presented describing the strain-controlled, fully-reversed uniaxial cyclic deformation and fatigue behavior of Ti–6Al–4V specimens additively manufactured via Laser Engineered Net Shaping (LENS) – a Direct Laser Deposition (DLD) process. The data was collected by performing multiple fatigue tests on specimens with various microstructural states/conditions, i.e. in their ‘as-built’, annealed (below the beta transus temperature), or heat treated (above the beta transus temperature) condition. Such data aids in characterizing the mechanical integrity and fatigue resistance of DLD parts. Data presented herein also allows for elucidating the strong microstructure coupling of the fatigue behavior of DLD Ti–6Al–4V, as the data trends were found to vary with material condition (i.e. as-built, annealed or heat treated) [1]. This data is of interest to the additive manufacturing and fatigue scientific communities, as well as the aerospace and biomedical industries, since additively-manufactured parts cannot be reliably deployed for public use, until their mechanical properties are understood with high certainty

Using 360-Degree Video for Immersive Learner Engagement

A 360-degree video is a powerful tool that can bring learners into environments that would otherwise be inaccessible. These videos are simultaneously recorded in all directions, allowing the viewer to control viewing direction. Viewers can experience these videos on a computer, smartphone, or tablet or with a virtual reality headset. Camera and software equipment needed to produce 360-degree videos is affordable, allowing Extension educators to produce their own videos. This article addresses the practical aspects of producing 360-degree-video content that can be shared online or in a classroom setting