Design of a simulation environment for laboratory management by robot organizations

This paper describes the basic concepts needed for a simulation environment capable of supporting the design of robot organizations for managing chemical, or similar, laboratories on the planned U.S. Space Station. The environment should facilitate a thorough study of the problems to be encountered in assigning the responsibility of managing a non-life-critical, but mission valuable, process to an organized group of robots. In the first phase of the work, we seek to employ the simulation environment to develop robot cognitive systems and strategies for effective multi-robot management of chemical experiments. Later phases will explore human-robot interaction and development of robot autonomy

Applicability and Utility of the Astromaterials X-Ray Computed Tomography Laboratory at Johnson Space Center

The Astromaterials Acquisition and Curation Office at NASAs Johnson Space Center is responsible for curating all of NASAs astromaterial sample collections (i.e. Apollo samples, Luna Samples, Antarctic Meteorites, Cosmic Dust Particles, Microparticle Impact Collection, Genesis solar wind atoms, Stardust comet Wild-2 particles, Stardust interstellar particles, and Hayabusa asteroid Itokawa particles) [1-3]. To assist in sample curation and distribution, JSC Curation has recently installed an X-ray computed tomography (XCT) scanner to visualize and characterize samples in 3D. [3] describes the instrumental set-up and the utility of XCT to astromaterials curation. Here we describe some of the current and future projects and illustrate the usefulness of XCT in studying astromaterials

Diffuse flow environments within basalt- and sediment-based hydrothermal vent ecosystems harbor specialized microbial communities

Hydrothermal vents differ both in surface input and subsurface geochemistry. The effects of these differences on their microbial communities are not clear. Here, we investigated both alpha and beta diversity of diffuse flow-associated microbial communities emanating from vents at a basalt-based hydrothermal system along the East Pacific Rise (EPR) and a sediment-based hydrothermal system, Guaymas Basin. Both Bacteria and Archaea were targeted using high throughput 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing analyses. A unique aspect of this study was the use of a universal set of 16S rRNA gene primers to characterize total and diffuse flow-specific microbial communities from varied deep-sea hydrothermal environments. Both surrounding seawater and diffuse flow water samples contained large numbers of Marine Group I (MGI) Thaumarchaea and Gammaproteobacteria taxa previously observed in deep-sea systems. However, these taxa were geographically distinct and segregated according to type of spreading center. Diffuse flow microbial community profiles were highly differentiated. In particular, EPR dominant diffuse flow taxa were most closely associated with chemolithoautotrophs, and off axis water was dominated by heterotrophic-related taxa, whereas the opposite was true for Guaymas Basin. The diversity and richness of diffuse flow-specific microbial communities were strongly correlated to the relative abundance of Epsilonproteobacteria, proximity to macrofauna, and hydrothermal system type. Archaeal diversity was higher than or equivalent to bacterial diversity in about one third of the samples. Most diffuse flow-specific communities were dominated by OTUs associated with Epsilonproteobacteria, but many of the Guaymas Basin diffuse flow samples were dominated by either OTUs within the Planctomycetes or hyperthermophilic Archaea. This study emphasizes the unique microbial communities associated with geochemically and geographically distinct hydrothermal diffuse flow environments

The use of sonic gear to chart locations of natural bars in lower Chesapeake Bay.

An underwater microphone has been developed to detect shell material on the bottom. The system is simple to use and easily constructed. It consists of a microphone encased in a PVC tube and suspended from an A-frame which is towed over the bottom. It is being used along with other methods to chart oyster bottoms in Virginia

The Opera Instrument: An Advanced Curation Development for Mars Sample Return Organic Contamination Monitoring

Mars Sample Return (MSR) requires strict organic contamination control (CC) and contamination knowledge (CK) as outlined by the Mars 2020 Organic Contamination Panel (OCP). This includes a need to monitor surficial organic contamination to a ng/sq. cm sensitivity level. Archiving and maintaining this degree of surface cleanliness may be difficult but has been achieved. MSR's CK effort will be very important because all returned samples will be studied thoroughly and in minute detail. Consequently, accurate CK must be collected and characterized to best interpret scientific results from the returned samples. The CK data are not only required to make accurate measurements and interpretations for carbon-depleted martian samples, but also to strengthen the validity of science investigations performed on the samples. The Opera instrument prototype is intended to fulfill a CC/CK role in the assembly, cleaning, and overall contamination history of hardware used in the MSR effort, from initial hardware assembly through post-flight sample curation. Opera is intended to monitor particulate and organic contamination using quartz crystal microbalances (QCMs), in a self-contained portable package that is cleanroom-compliant. The Opera prototype is in initial development capable of approximately 100 ng/sq. cm organic contamination sensitivity, with additional development planned to achieve 1 ng/sq. cm. The Opera prototype was funded by the 2017 NASA Johnson Space Center Innovation Charge Account (ICA), which provides funding for small, short-term projects

Habitat Characteristics of Black Crappie Nest Sites in an Illinois Impoundment

Ten nest colonies of black crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus were visually located and verified by angling in Campus Lake, a small urban impoundment in southern Illinois. Habitat characteristics were measured at these nest sites and compared to habitat measurements obtained from 45 unused sites. Seven habitat characteristics (substrate firmness, temperature, dissolved oxygen, distance to deep water [3.8-m depth contour], substrate type, vegetation height, and vegetation density) were significantly different between nest sites and unused sites. Although temperature and dissolved oxygen were significantly different between nest sites and unused sites, all values were within the suitable range for black crappie spawning to occur. Black crappies selected nest sites close to deep water with firm substrates and low vegetation height and density. Our results present insight on habitat characteristics of black crappie spawning locations in a small urban impoundment. Interestingly, we located several black crappie nesting colonies with more than 10 individual nests in close proximity to one another; colonial nesting by black crappies has not previously been reported in the literature. Furthermore, we suggest that degree of shoreline modification and other anthropogenic influences in and adjacent to Campus Lake did not affect black crappie nest site selection. Black crappie nest sites in Campus Lake were always located near deep water (3.8 m), in low-density, short vegetation, and on firm clay or sand substrate; because nest site selection can influence earlylife survival and recruitment of black crappie, the availability of these habitat characteristics may regulate black crappie population demographics in Campus Lake. Efforts to limit sediment inputs will be important for maintaining suitable black crappie spawning habitat in Campus Lake and other small impoundments

Racial Disparities in Head and Neck Cancers in an Urban Hospital

Introduction: Head and neck cancer incidence rates are higher for white residents in Philadelphia, while related mortality rates are highest for black residents. It is unclear how risk factors like HPV and smoking contribute to these disparities. The goal of this study is to determine which factors are associated with head and neck cancers in a diverse patient population from a Philadelphia hospital. Methods: Cancer registry data from Thomas Jefferson University was used to obtain records from 922 head and neck cancer patients. One patient of other race was excluded. Twenty in-situ cancer cases were excluded. Chi-square tests were used to examine categorical variables. Logistic and Cox regression models were designed to examine associations with advanced disease and time to mortality. Results: Our sample included 901 patients (769 white, 96 black, 36 Asian). Positive HPV status was most prevalent for white patients (p\u3c 0.0001). Oral cancers were most common among Asians (p\u3c.0001). In univariate analysis, black patients were most likely to die from their cancer. In multivariate analysis, time to death was shorter for current smokers (HR=1.95, CI=1.311-2.901) and former smokers (HR=2.94, CI=1.949-4.387). Positive HPV status was protective (HR=0.34, CI=.244-.481). No significant race effects were observed in multivariate analysis. Conclusions: Results suggest that race is not independently associated with head and neck cancer associated mortality. These results also suggest that some risk factors for head and neck cancer and outcomes may be modified by educational and behavioral interventions

Evaluation of Technologies to Complement/Replace Mass Spectrometers in the Tritium Facilities

The primary goal of this work is to determine the suitability of the Infraran sensor for use in the Palladium Membrane Reactor. This application presents a challenge for the sensor, since the process temperature exceeds its designed operating range. We have demonstrated that large baseline offsets, comparable to the sensor response to the analyte, are obtained if cool air is blown across the sensor. We have also shown that there is a strong environmental component to the noise. However, the current arrangement does not utilize a reference detector. The strong correlation between the CO and H{sub 2}O sensor responses to environmental changes indicate that a reference detector can greatly reduce the environmental sensitivity. In fact, incorporation of a reference detector is essential for the sensor to work in this application. We have also shown that the two sensor responses are adequately independent. Still, there are several small corrections which must to be made to the sensor response to accommodate chemical and physical effects. Interactions between the two analytes will alter the relationship between number density and pressure. Temperature and pressure broadening will alter the relationship between absorbance and number density. The individual effects are small--on the order of a few percent or less--but cumulatively significant. Still, corrections may be made if temperature and total pressure are independently measured and incorporated into a post-analysis routine. Such corrections are easily programmed and automated and do not represent a significant burden for installation. The measurements and simulations described above indicate that with appropriate corrections, the Infraran sensor can approach the 1-1.5% measurement accuracy required for effective PMR process control. It is also worth noting that the Infraran may be suitable for other gas sensing applications, especially those that do not need to be made in a high-temperature environment. Any gas with an infrared absorption (methane, ammonia, etc.) may be detected so long as an appropriate bandpass filter can be manufactured. Note that homonuclear diatomic molecules (hydrogen and its isotopes, nitrogen, oxygen) do not have infrared absorptions. We have shown that the sensor response may be adequately predicted using commercially available software. Measurement of trace concentrations is limited by the broad spectral bandpass, since the total signal includes non-absorbed frequencies. However, cells with longer pathlengths can be designed to address this problem