Products from NASA's In-Space Propulsion Technology Program Applicable to Low-Cost Planetary Missions

Since September 2001 NASA s In-Space Propulsion Technology (ISPT) program has been developing technologies for lowering the cost of planetary science missions. Recently completed is the high-temperature Advanced Material Bipropellant Rocket (AMBR) engine providing higher performance for lower cost. Two other cost saving technologies nearing completion are the NEXT ion thruster and the Aerocapture technology project. Also under development are several technologies for low cost sample return missions. These include a low cost Hall effect thruster (HIVHAC) which will be completed in 2011, light weight propellant tanks, and a Multi-Mission Earth Entry Vehicle (MMEEV). This paper will discuss the status of the technology development, the cost savings or performance benefits, and applicability of these in-space propulsion technologies to NASA s future Discovery, and New Frontiers missions, as well as their relevance for sample return missions

Electrostatic design and beam transport for a folded tandem electrostatic quadrupole accelerator facility for accelerator-based boron neutron capture therapy

Within the frame of an ongoing project to develop a folded Tandem-Electrostatic-Quadrupole (TESQ) accelerator facility for Accelerator-Based Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (AB-BNCT), we discuss here the electrostatic design of the machine, including the accelerator tubes with electrostatic quadrupoles and the simulations for the transport and acceleration of a high intensity beam.Fil: Thatar Vento, Vladimir. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica; ArgentinaFil: Bergueiro, Javier R.. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica; ArgentinaFil: Cartelli, Daniel Enrique. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica; ArgentinaFil: Valda Ochoa, Alejandro Aníbal. Universidad Nacional de San Martín; Argentina. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica; ArgentinaFil: Kreiner, Andres Juan. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Escuela de Ciencia y Tecnología; Argentin

Planetary Science Technology Infusion Study: Findings and Recommendations Status

The Planetary Science Division (PSD) within the National Aeronautics and Space Administrations (NASA) Science Mission Directorate (SMD) at NASA Headquarters sought to understand how to better realize a scientific return on spacecraft system technology investments currently being funded. In order to achieve this objective, a team at NASA Glenn Research Center was tasked with surveying the science and mission communities to collect their insight on technology infusion and additionally sought inputs from industry, universities, and other organizations involved with proposing for future PSD missions. This survey was undertaken by issuing a Request for Information (RFI) activity that requested input from the proposing community on present technology infusion efforts. The Technology Infusion Study was initiated in March 2013 with the release of the RFI request. The evaluation team compiled and assessed this input in order to provide PSD with recommendations on how to effectively infuse new spacecraft systems technologies that it develops into future competed missions enabling increased scientific discoveries, lower mission cost, or both. This team is comprised of personnel from the Radioisotope Power Systems (RPS) Program and the In-Space Propulsion Technology (ISPT) Program staff.The RFI survey covered two aspects of technology infusion: 1) General Insight, including: their assessment of barriers to technology infusion as related to infusion approach; technology readiness; information and documentation products; communication; integration considerations; interaction with technology development areas; cost-capped mission areas; risk considerations; system level impacts and implementation; and mission pull. 2) Specific technologies from the most recent PSD Announcements of Opportunities (AOs): The Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator (ASRG), aerocapture and aeroshell hardware technologies, the NASA Evolutionary Xenon Thruster (NEXT) ion propulsion system, and the Advanced Materials Bi-propellant Rocket (AMBR) engine.This report will present the teams Findings from the RFI inputs and the recommendations that arose from these findings. Methodologies on the findings and recommendations development are discussed

Comparing Targeted vs. Untargeted MS2 Data-Dependent Acquisition for Peak Annotation in LC-MS Metabolomics

One of the most widely used strategies for metabolite annotation in untargeted LCMS is based on the analysis of MSn spectra acquired using data-dependent acquisition (DDA), where precursor ions are sequentially selected from MS scans based on user-selected criteria. However, the number of MSn spectra that can be acquired during a chromatogram is limited and a trade-off between analytical speed, sensitivity and coverage must be ensured. In this research, we compare four different strategies for automated MS2 DDA, which can be easily implemented in the frame of standard QA/QC workflows for untargeted LC-MS. These strategies consist of (i) DDA in the MS working range; (ii) iterated DDA split into several m/z intervals; (iii) dynamic iterated DDA of (pre)selected potentially informative features; and (iv) dynamic iterated DDA of (pre)annotated metabolic features using a reference database. Their performance was assessed using the analysis of human milk samples as model example by comparing the percentage of LC-MS features selected as the precursor ion for MS2, the number, and class of annotated features, the speed and confidence of feature annotation, and the number of LC runs required

Prana Mindfulness Studio

El presente trabajo de investigación se desarrolla con la finalidad de implementar sesiones de mindfulness a nivel corporativo enfocado en el Top y Middle Management, una alternativa diferente que sea operativa y económicamente factible. La motivación para desarrollar este proyecto se da por las actuales tendencias sobre el cuidado de la salud física y emocional a través de la gestión del estrés (Euromonitor, 2019) debido a los cambios en el entorno laboral y personal. Por ello, el uso de la metodología utilizada está basado en el Modelo Canvas considerando los puntos más importantes de forma visual. Dicha información fue validada a través de entrevistas a profundidad por expertos en recursos humanos, lo cual permitió reconfirmar el público objetivo con interés en el bienestar físico y emocional. Además, la empresa contará con una oficina administrativa en el distrito de Miraflores Por otro lado, en la evaluación económica del plan de negocio se obtiene una rentabilidad de s/57 512.32. Los resultados muestran una inversión inicial de s/. 103 490 de los cuales 50% es capital propio y 50% será financiado. Considerando un escenario esperado con la venta anual de 80 paquetes y la asistencia de 5 personas promedio por prácticas de 5 sesiones por programa, se alcanzaría una utilidad neta anual de s/. 74 810.65 en el primer año. Considerando los distintos escenarios sólo en el pesimista se obtiene una TIR de 51%, en el optimista de 131% y la TIRE de 43.77%. Los flujos económicos se reflejan positivamente a partir del primer año siendo en el año 2021 de s/.74 810.65, alcanzando los s/. 60 269.10 al 2022 y s/. 66 247.67 al 2023. Respecto al flujo financiero se registra s/. 54 515.45 en el año 2021 y llegando a s/.43 378.64 al 2023.This research work is developed with the implementation of implementing mindfulness sessions at a corporate level focused on Top and Middle Management, a different alternative that is operative and economically factible. The motivation to develop this project is given by current trends in physical and emotional health care through stress management (Euromonitor, 2019) due to changes in the work and personal environment. However, the use of the methodology used is based on the Canvas Model determined the most important points of the visual form. Such information was validated through in-depth interviews by human resources experts and meditation experts, which confirmed the target audience with an interest in physical and emotional well-being. In addition, the company has an administrative office in the Miraflores district. On the other hand, in the economic evaluation of the business plan, a return of s / 57 512.32 is obtained. The results found an initial investment of s /. 103 490 of which 50% is own capital and 50% will be financed. Considering an expected scenario with the annual sale of 80 packages annual and the attendance of 5 average people for practices of 5 sessions per program, obtain an annual net profit of s /. 74 810.65 in the first year. Considering the different aspects only in the pessimistic one obtains TIR of 51%, in the optimistic obtains131% and the TIRE obtains of 43.77%. The economic flows show positively from the first year, being in 2021 of s/.74 810.65, reaching s/. 60 269.10 to 2022 and s/. 66 247.67 to 2023. Regarding financial flow, s/. 54 515.45 in the year 2021 and reaching s/ .43 378.64 by 2023.Trabajo de investigació

Pathogenic variants in the human m(6)A reader YTHDC2 are associated with primary ovarian insufficiency

Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) affects 1% of women and carries significant medical and psychosocial sequelae. Approximately 10% of POI has a defined genetic cause, with most implicated genes relating to biological processes involved in early fetal ovary development and function. Recently, Ythdc2, an RNA helicase and N6-methyladenosine reader, has emerged as a regulator of meiosis in mice. Here, we describe homozygous pathogenic variants in YTHDC2 in 3 women with early-onset POI from 2 families: C. 2567C>G, p.P856R in the helicase-associated (HA2) domain and c.1129G>T, p.E377*. We demonstrated that YTHDC2 is expressed in the developing human fetal ovary and is upregulated in meiotic germ cells, together with related meiosisassociated factors. The p.P856R variant resulted in a less flexible protein that likely disrupted downstream conformational kinetics of the HA2 domain, whereas the p.E377*variant truncated the helicase core. Taken together, our results reveal that YTHDC2 is a key regulator of meiosis in humans and pathogenic variants within this gene are associated with POI

Assessing the carcinogenic potential of low-dose exposures to chemical mixtures in the environment: the challenge ahead.

Lifestyle factors are responsible for a considerable portion of cancer incidence worldwide, but credible estimates from the World Health Organization and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) suggest that the fraction of cancers attributable to toxic environmental exposures is between 7% and 19%. To explore the hypothesis that low-dose exposures to mixtures of chemicals in the environment may be combining to contribute to environmental carcinogenesis, we reviewed 11 hallmark phenotypes of cancer, multiple priority target sites for disruption in each area and prototypical chemical disruptors for all targets, this included dose-response characterizations, evidence of low-dose effects and cross-hallmark effects for all targets and chemicals. In total, 85 examples of chemicals were reviewed for actions on key pathways/mechanisms related to carcinogenesis. Only 15% (13/85) were found to have evidence of a dose-response threshold, whereas 59% (50/85) exerted low-dose effects. No dose-response information was found for the remaining 26% (22/85). Our analysis suggests that the cumulative effects of individual (non-carcinogenic) chemicals acting on different pathways, and a variety of related systems, organs, tissues and cells could plausibly conspire to produce carcinogenic synergies. Additional basic research on carcinogenesis and research focused on low-dose effects of chemical mixtures needs to be rigorously pursued before the merits of this hypothesis can be further advanced. However, the structure of the World Health Organization International Programme on Chemical Safety 'Mode of Action' framework should be revisited as it has inherent weaknesses that are not fully aligned with our current understanding of cancer biology

Phase 1 Trial of Adalimumab in Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS): II. Report of the FONT (Novel Therapies for Resistant FSGS) Study Group

Patients with primary focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) resistant to current treatment regimens are at high risk of progression to end stage kidney disease. Antifibrotic agents, such as tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) antagonists, are a promising strategy to slow or halt the decline in renal function, based on preclinical and clinical data

A cell atlas of human thymic development defines T cell repertoire formation.

The thymus provides a nurturing environment for the differentiation and selection of T cells, a process orchestrated by their interaction with multiple thymic cell types. We used single-cell RNA sequencing to create a cell census of the human thymus across the life span and to reconstruct T cell differentiation trajectories and T cell receptor (TCR) recombination kinetics. Using this approach, we identified and located in situ CD8αα+ T cell populations, thymic fibroblast subtypes, and activated dendritic cell states. In addition, we reveal a bias in TCR recombination and selection, which is attributed to genomic position and the kinetics of lineage commitment. Taken together, our data provide a comprehensive atlas of the human thymus across the life span with new insights into human T cell development