Architectural/Environmental Handbook for Extraterrestrial Design

Handbook on environmental and space utilization criteria for design of extraterrestrial manned spacecraft and shelter

Off-Duty Concepts for Long Duration Space Missions

Leisure time preferences were surveyed in three populations which are potential sources of future spacecrew candidates: test pilots, military pilots and aerospace engineers and scientists. A questionnaire designed to provide rating scale measures of preferences for various types of spacecraft recreational equipment items, leisure time activity categories, content within activity categories, and various .kinds of snack items was administered to the samples from the three populations. The results indicated that leisure time preferences in the three populations were quite similar. Representative spacecraft off-duty concepts for long duration space missions and possible engineering constraints are discussed

Vibrational and stochastic resonances in two coupled overdamped anharmonic oscillators

We study the overdamped version of two coupled anharmonic oscillators under the influence of both low- and high-frequency forces respectively and a Gaussian noise term added to one of the two state variables of the system. The dynamics of the system is first studied in the presence of both forces separately without noise. In the presence of only one of the forces, no resonance behaviour is observed, however, hysteresis happens there. Then the influence of the high-frequency force in the presence of a low-frequency, i.e. biharmonic forcing, is studied. Vibrational resonance is found to occur when the amplitude of the high-frequency force is varied. The resonance curve resembles a stochastic resonance-like curve. It is maximum at the value of $g$ at which the orbit lies in one well during one half of the drive cycle of the low-frequency force and in the other for the remaining half cycle. Vibrational resonance is characterized using the response amplitude and mean residence time. We show the occurrence of stochastic resonance behaviour in the overdamped system by replacing the high-frequency force by Gaussian noise. Similarities and differences between both types of resonance are presented.Comment: 22 pages, 13 figure

Effect of Level of Urology Training on Gleason Score and Prostate Volume Estimation Agreement between Transrectal Ultrasound Guided Biopsy and Radical Prostatectomy Specimen

Introduction Transrectal ultrasound guided prostate biopsy may be performed by operators with various levels of training. Little is known about the impact of training level on biopsy results. We evaluated the effect of training level on the accuracy of transrectal ultrasound guided prostate biopsy findings. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 500 consecutive patients who underwent transrectal ultrasound guided prostate biopsy and subsequent radical prostatectomy. Transrectal ultrasound operators were stratified based on level of training as junior, senior, chief, fellow or staff. Linear regression was performed to analyze the effect of training level on volume estimates. A weighted Kappa statistic evaluated agreement between biopsy and pathological Gleason scores while an adjusted cumulative logistic regression model analyzed the effects of training level. Results A total of 482 patients were included in the final analysis. Transrectal ultrasound guided biopsy was performed by staff in 78 (16%) patients, by fellows in 18 (4%), chief residents in 48 (10%), senior residents in 126 (26%) and junior residents in 212 (44%). There was no significant difference between transrectal ultrasound and radical prostatectomy specimen volume estimates among the training levels. Level of training was not significantly associated with pathological features, including Gleason score, primary Gleason grade, highest single Gleason grade and estimated tumor volume. Study limitations include the retrospective design and the variability among members of the same group. Conclusions Agreement between biopsy and pathological Gleason scores is high for all levels of training. Training level has no impact on prostate volume estimations or the prediction of pathological features

Genomic Classifier Augments the Role of Pathological Features in Identifying Optimal Candidates for Adjuvant Radiation Therapy in Patients With Prostate Cancer: Development and Internal Validation of a Multivariable Prognostic Model.

Purpose Despite documented oncologic benefit, use of postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy (aRT) in patients with prostate cancer is still limited in the United States. We aimed to develop and internally validate a risk-stratification tool incorporating the Decipher score, along with routinely available clinicopathologic features, to identify patients who would benefit the most from aRT. Patient and Methods Our cohort included 512 patients with prostate cancer treated with radical prostatectomy at one of four US academic centers between 1990 and 2010. All patients had ≥ pT3a disease, positive surgical margins, and/or pathologic lymph node invasion. Multivariable Cox regression analysis tested the relationship between available predictors (including Decipher score) and clinical recurrence (CR), which were then used to develop a novel risk-stratification tool. Our study adhered to the Transparent Reporting of a Multivariable Prediction Model for Individual Prognosis or Diagnosis guidelines for development of prognostic models. Results Overall, 21.9% of patients received aRT. Median follow-up in censored patients was 8.3 years. The 10-year CR rate was 4.9% vs. 17.4% in patients treated with aRT versus initial observation ( P \u3c .001). Pathologic T3b/T4 stage, Gleason score 8-10, lymph node invasion, and Decipher score \u3e 0.6 were independent predictors of CR (all P \u3c .01). The cumulative number of risk factors was 0, 1, 2, and 3 to 4 in 46.5%, 28.9%, 17.2%, and 7.4% of patients, respectively. aRT was associated with decreased CR rate in patients with two or more risk factors (10-year CR rate 10.1% in aRT v 42.1% in initial observation; P = .012), but not in those with fewer than two risk factors ( P = .18). Conclusion Using the new model to indicate aRT might reduce overtreatment, decrease unnecessary adverse effects, and reduce risk of CR in the subset of patients (approximately 25% of all patients with aggressive pathologic disease in our cohort) who benefit from this therapy

Particle-Based Simulations of Electrophoretic Deposition with Adaptive Physics Models

This work represents an extension of mesoscale particle-based modeling of electrophoretic deposition (EPD), which has relied exclusively on pairwise interparticle interactions described by Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) theory. With this standard treatment, particles continuously move and interact via excluded volume and electrostatic pair potentials under the influence of external fields throughout the EPD process. The physics imposed by DLVO theory may not be appropriate to describe all systems, considering the vast material, operational, and application space available to EPD. As such, we present three modifications to standard particle-based models, each rooted in the ability to dynamically change interparticle interactions as simulated deposition progresses. This approach allows simulations to capture charge transfer and/or irreversible adsorption based on tunable parameters. We evaluate and compare simulated deposits formed under new physical assumptions, demonstrating the range of systems that these adaptive physics models may capture.Comment: 34 pages, 10 figure

Novel rat tail discitis model using bioluminescent Staphylococcus aureus

Management of spondylodiscitis is a challenging clinical problem requiring medical and surgical treatment strategies. The purpose of this study was to establish a rat model of spondylodiscitis that utilizes bioluminescent Staphylococcus aureus, thus permitting in-vivo surveillance of infection intensity. Inocula of the bioluminescent S. aureus strain XEN36 were created in concentrations of 102 CFU/0.1 mL, 104 CFU/0.1 mL, and 106 CFU/0.1 mL. Three groups of rats were injected with the bacteria in the most proximal intervertebral tail segment. The third most proximal tail segment was injected with saline as a control. Bioluminescence was measured at baseline, 3 days, and weekly for a total of 6 weeks. Detected bioluminescence for each group peaked at day three and returned to baseline at 21 days. The average intensity was highest for the experimental group injected with the most concentrated bacterial solution (106 CFU/0.1 mL). Radiographic analysis revealed loss of intervertebral disc space and evidence of osseous bridging. Saline injected spaces exhibited no decrease in intervertebral spacing as compared to distal sites. Histologic analysis revealed neutrophilic infiltrates, destruction of the annulus fibrosus and nucleus pulposus, destruction of vertebral endplates, and osseous bridging. Saline injected discs exhibited preserved annulus fibrosus and nucleus pulposus on histology. This study demonstrates that injection of bioluminescent S. aureus into the intervertebral disc of a rat tail is a viable animal model for spondylodiscitis research. This model allows for real-time, in-vivo quantification of infection intensity, which may decrease the number of animals required for infection studies of the intervertebral disc

Antiangiogenic Effects and Therapeutic Targets of Azadirachta indica Leaf Extract in Endothelial Cells

Azadirachta indica (common name: neem) leaves have been found to possess immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic properties. The present study evaluates anti-angiogenic potential of ethanol extract of neem leaves (EENL) in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Treatment of HUVECs with EENL inhibited VEGF induced angiogenic response in vitro and in vivo. The in vitro proliferation, invasion and migration of HUVECs were suppressed with EENL. Nuclear fragmentation and abnormally small mitochondria with dilated cristae were observed in EENL treated HUVECs by transmission electron microscopy. Genome-wide mRNA expression profiling after treatment with EENL revealed differentially regulated genes. Expression changes of the genes were validated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Additionally, increase in the expression of HMOX1, ATF3 and EGR1 proteins were determined by immunoblotting. Analysis of the compounds in the EENL by mass spectrometry suggests the presence of nimbolide, 2′,3′-dehydrosalannol, 6-desacetyl nimbinene and nimolinone. We further confirmed antiproliferative activity of nimbolide and 2′,3′-dehydrosalannol in HUVECs. Our results suggest that EENL by regulating the genes involved in cellular development and cell death functions could control cell proliferation, attenuate the stimulatory effects of VEGF and exert antiangiogenic effects. EENL treatment could have a potential therapeutic role during cancer progression