Preliminary data for the 20 May 1974, simultaneous evaluation of remote sensors experiment

Several remote sensors were simultaneously used to collect data over the tidal James River from Hopewell to Norfolk, Virginia. Sensors evaluated included the Multichannel-Ocean Color Sensor, multispectral scanners, and multispectral photography. Ground truth measurements and remotely sensed data are given. Preliminary analysis indicates that suspended sediment and concentrated industrial effluent are observable from all sensors

Processing of combined domestic bath and laundry waste waters for reuse as commode flushing water

An experimental investigation of processes and system configurations for reclaiming combined bath and laundry waste waters for reuse as commode flush water was conducted. A 90-min recycle flow was effective in removing particulates and in improving other physical characteristics to the extent that the filtered water was subjectively acceptable for reuse. The addition of a charcoal filter resulted in noticeable improvements in color, turbidity, and suds elimination. Heating and chlorination of the waste waters were investigated for reducing total organism counts and eliminating coliform organisms. A temperature of 335.9 K (145 F) for 30 min and chlorine concentrations of 20 mg/l in the collection tank followed by 10 mg/l in the storage tank were determined to be adequate for this purpose. Water volume relationships and energy-use rates for the waste water reuse systems are also discussed

The chemical/physical and microbiological characteristics of typical bath and laundry waste waters

Chemical/physical and microbiological characteristics are studied of typical bath and laundry waters collected during a 12 day test in which the untreated waste waters were reused for toilet flush. Most significant changes were found for ammonia, color, methylene blue active substances, phosphates, sodium, sulfates, total organic carbon, total solids, and turbidity in comparison with tap water baseline. The mean total number of microorganisms detected in the waste waters ranged from 1 million to 10 to the 7th power cells/m1 and the mean number of possible coliforms ranged from 10 to the 5th power to 1 million. An accumulation of particulates and an objectible odor were detected in the tankage used during the 12 day reuse of the untreated waste waters. The combined bath and laundry waste waters from a family of four provided 91 percent of the toilet flush water for the same family

Potentiation of melphalan activity against a murine tumour by nitroimidazole compounds.

The activity against murine anaplastic MT tumours of the chemotherapeutic agent melphalan, either alone or in combination with one of 6 nitroimidazole compounds, was assayed using an in vivo-in vitro tumour excision assay. The melphalan alone proved cytotoxic to the tumour, whereas relatively little cytotoxicity was produced by any of the nitroimidazoles alone. When the nitroimidazole were given in combination with melphalan, dose-modifying potentiation of its cytotoxicity was observed. Maximum potentiation occurred when the nitroimidazoles were given 0--30 min before the melphalan, although some potentiation was still evident when they were given up to 2 h before or after. There was no threshold in nitroimidazole dose required to produce this potentiation, the degree of potentiation increasing with dose, albeit at a diminishing rate, to give maximum dose-modification factors of about 3. The 6 nitroimidazole compounds in order of increasing effectiveness as potentiators of melphalan activity were: METRO, Ro 05-9963, MISO, RSU 1047, Ro 03-8800 and Ro 03-8799. This order corresponds to the increasing electron affinity of these compounds. The most effective compound here, Ro 03-8799, was about twice as effective as the most widely used nitroimidazole in such studies, MISO

A spectral study of a radio-frequency plasma-generated flux of atomic oxygen

The active environment of a radio-frequency (RF) plasma generator, with and without low-pressure oxygen, has been characterized through the identification of emission lines in the spectral region from 250 to 900 nm. The environment is shown to be dependent on the partial pressure of oxygen and the power applied to the RF generator. Atomic oxygen has been found in significant amounts as well as atomic hydrogen and the molecular oxygen species O2((sup 1)Sigma). The only charged species observed was the singly charged molecular ion O2(+). With a polymer specimen in the plasma chamber, carbon monoxide was also observed. The significance of these observations with respect to previous studies using this type of generator to stimulate material degradation in space is discussed. The possibility of using these generators as atomic oxygen sources in the development of oxygen atom fluorescence sensors is explored

Theory Summary and Future Directions

Summary talk at the Lepton-Photon Symposium, Cornell University, Aug. 10-15, 1993.Comment: (Talk presented at the Lepton-Photon Symposium, Cornell University, Aug. 10-15, 1993.) 19 page

Decreasing initial telomere length in humans intergenerationally understates age-associated telomere shortening

Telomere length shortens with aging, and short telomeres have been linked to a wide variety of pathologies. Previous studies suggested a discrepancy in age-associated telomere shortening rate estimated by cross-sectional studies versus the rate measured in longitudinal studies, indicating a potential bias in cross-sectional estimates. Intergenerational changes in initial telomere length, such as that predicted by the previously described effect of a father's age at birth of his offspring (FAB), could explain the discrepancy in shortening rate measurements. We evaluated whether changes occur in initial telomere length over multiple generations in three large datasets and identified paternal birth year (PBY) as a variable that reconciles the difference between longitudinal and cross-sectional measurements. We also clarify the association between FAB and offspring telomere length, demonstrating that this effect is substantially larger than reported in the past. These results indicate the presence of a downward secular trend in telomere length at birth over generational time with potential public health implications

An Optical Study of BG Geminorum: An Ellipsoidal Binary with an Unseen Primar Star

We describe optical photometric and spectroscopic observations of the bright variable BG Geminorum. Optical photometry shows a pronounced ellipsoidal variation of the K0 I secondary, with amplitudes of ~0.5 mag at VRI and a period of 91.645 days. A deep primary eclipse is visible for wavelengths < 4400A; a shallower secondary eclipse is present at longer wavelengths. Eclipse timings and the radial velocity curve of the K0 secondary star indicate an interacting binary where a lobe-filling secondary, M_2 ~ 0.5 Msun, transfers material into a extended disk around a massive primary, M_1 ~ 4.5 Msun. The primary star is either an early B-type star or a black hole. If it did contain a black hole, BG Gem would be the longest period black hole binary known by a factor of 10, as well as the only eclipsing black hole binary system.Comment: 27 pages, includes 8 figures and 5 tables, accepted to A