Untapped Knowledge about Water Reuse: the Roles of Direct and Indirect Educational Messaging

Water Resources Management - Public awareness of water quality concerns has increased since the Flint, MI crisis, but knowledge about water resources management remains low. Consequently,...     

Confocal scanning laser microscopy with complementary 3D image analysis allows quantitative studies of functional state of ionoregulatory cells in the nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) following salinity challenge

The development of a novel three‐dimensional image analysis technique of stacks generated by confocal laser scanning microscopy is described allowing visualization of mitochondria‐rich cells (MRCs) in the seawater‐adapted Nile tilapia in relation to their spatial location. This method permits the assessment and classification of both active and nonactive MRCs based on the distance of the top of the immunopositive cell from the epithelial surface. In addition, this technique offers the potential for informative and quantitative studies, for example, densitometric and morphometric measurements based on MRC functional state. Confocal scanning laser microscopy used with triple staining whole‐mount immunohistochemistry was used to detect integumental MRCs in the yolk‐sac larvae tail of the Nile tilapia following transfer from freshwater to elevated salinities, that is, 12.5 and 20 ppt. Mean active MRC volume was always significantly larger and displayed a greater staining intensity (GLM; P<0.05) than nonactive MRCs. Following transfer, the percentage of active MRCs was seen to increase as did MRC volume (GLM; P<0.05). Microsc. Res. Tech. 76:412–418, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Morphological and ultrastructural characterization of ionoregulatory cells in the teleost oreochromis niloticus following salinity challenge combining complementary confocal scanning laser microscopy and transmission electron microscopy using a novel prefixation immunogold labeling technique

Aspects of ionoregulatory or mitochondria‐rich cell (MRC) differentiation and adaptation in Nile tilapia yolk‐sac larvae following transfer from freshwater to elevated salinities, that is, 12.5 and 20 ppt are described. Investigations using immunohistochemistry on whole‐mount Nile tilapia larvae using anti‐ Na⁺/K⁺‐ATPase as a primary antibody and Fluoronanogold? (Nanoprobes) as a secondary immunoprobe allowed fluorescent labeling with the high resolution of confocal scanning laser microscopy combined with the detection of immunolabeled target molecules at an ultrastructural level using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It reports, for the first time, various developmental stages of MRCs within the epithelial layer of the tail of yolk‐sac larvae, corresponding to immature, developing, and mature MRCs, identifiable by their own characteristic ultrastructure and form. Following transfer to hyperosmotic salinities the density of immunogold particles and well as the intricacy of the tubular system appeared to increase. In addition, complementary confocal scanning laser microscopy allowed identification of immunopositive ramifying extensions that appeared to emanate from the basolateral portion of the cell that appeared to be correlated with the localization of subsurface tubular areas displaying immunogold labeled Na⁺/K⁺‐ATPase. This integrated approach describes a reliable and repeatable prefixation immunogold labeling technique allowing precise visualization of NaK within target cells combined with a 3D imaging that offers valuable insights into MRC dynamics at an ultrastructural level. Microsc. Res. Tech., 76:1016–1024, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Interference effects on wind loads on low-rise hip roof buildings

The Natural wind in the wind tunnel was simulated at the University of Roorkee (India) on the basis of full/model-scale comparison. For this, the Texas Tech University (TTU) building model was fabricated on a geometric scale of 1:50 and tested in the simulated wind for comparison of the pressures with full-scale values. A hip roof building model (geometric scale 1:50) of plan dimensions 280 mm×140 mm×58 mm (eave height) with 30° roof slope was selected as the test building (T.B.) so as to examine interference with a similar building as well as three similar buildings placed on the upstream side at fifteen different locations (Fig. 2). A quadrant portion of the model roof was divided into ten different zones to see the effect of interference at critical roof positions. Significant effects have been observed.     

Isssues in Developing Control Zones for International Space Operations

As the number of space‐faring nations and orbiting spacecraft increases, it is desirable to develop an international traffic‐management strategy to coordinate, monitor, and control the interactions of spacecraft in orbit. Successful strategies will facilitate cooperative missions while still supporting each nation's unique goals and objectives in space. The potential benefits of such a strategy include: reductions in future program costs and increases in mission success through the standardization of space operations and equipment; increased safety through development of a coordinated collision avoidance strategy for active spacecraft and debris; and establishing a basis for legal and economic compensation agreements. One means of implementing such a strategy is to utilize a control zones technique that assigns different types of orbital operations to specific regions of space surrounding a vehicle. This paper considers the issues associated with developing a control‐zones technique to regulate the interactions of spacecraft in proximity to a manned vehicle. It includes discussion of technical and planning issues, flight hardware and software issues, mission‐management parameters, and other constraints. It addresses manned and unmanned vehicle operations, and manual versus automated flight control. A review of the strategies utilized by the Apollo‐Soyuz Test Project and the Space Station Freedom Program is also presented.     

Using prior information to allocate significance levels for multiple endpoints

We maximize power in a replicated clinical trial involving multiple endpoints by adjusting the individual significance levels for each hypothesis, using preliminary data to obtain the optimal adjustments. The levels are constrained to control the familywise error rate. Power is defined as the expected number of significances, where expectations are taken with respect to the posterior distributions of the non-centrality parameters under non-informative priors. Sample size requirements for the replicate study are given. Intuitive principles such as downweighting insignificant variables from a preliminary study and giving primary endpoints more emphasis are justifiable within the conceptual framework.     

Future trends in antennas and propagation for the US Space Program

The future trends for antennas and propagation in space programs play a prominent role in three areas: information transfer, energy transfer, and remote-vision sensing. Associated with these applications of electromagnetic waves are propagation, scattering, and visualization and simulation. The author shows several unique characteristics, of planetary-surface and interplanetary regions, which have to be considered in developing analytical techniques and hardware. Cost-effective approaches dictate small size, weight, and power consumption, and high reliability. Increased emphasis will be placed on reducing the costs of hardware development, through the innovative use of terrestrial systems which will meet space qualifications. In the terrestrial environment, the ionosphere and atmosphere provide unique interaction with electromagnetic radiation, which must be considered in future applications. In view of the space-program requirements and the unique space environment, the fields of antennas and propagation will find great research challenges. As the limits of exploration of the universe are extended through remote observations, the importance of EM research will increase immensely. This paper explores some trends in this research, based on the anticipated progress in exploration, in device development, and in fabrication, in various parts of the electromagnetic spectrum     

Development of an optimal core steel slitting and inventory policy

The objective of this investigation is to develop an optimal slitting and inventory policy for a deterministic demand of steel over a finite planning horizon. The cost function includes the inventory carrying cost and the cost of scrap steel generated besides the usual fixed costs. The minimum of this cost function is obtained by using a combination of dynamic programming and integer linear programming which provides a practical and sound procedure. Actual data is used to determine the optimal solution for a planning horizon of ten weeks.     

The regulation and functional consequence of proinflammatory cytokine binding on human intestinal epithelial cells

Products of an activated immune system may affect cells within the immune system as well as nonlymphoid cells in the local environment. Given the immunologically activated state of the intestinal tract, it is conceivable that locally produced cytokines could regulate epithelial cell function. To assess whether epithelial cells are targets for particular cytokines, we initiated studies on the binding of a panel of proinflammatory cytokines in freshly isolated epithelial cells from normal and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients as well as in cell lines. Isolated intestinal epithelial cells (IEC) were stained with phycoerythrin-conjugated or biotinylated cytokines to determine the expression and density of receptors for IL-1beta, IL-6, granulocyte-macrophage CSF (GM-CSF), and TNF-alpha. Receptors for IL-1beta, IL-6, and GM-CSF were readily detectable in all epithelial cell preparations at levels equal to (GM-CSFR) or lower than those seen on monocytes. However TNFalpha-R were not detectable on freshly isolated IECs. Receptor density was greater in surface vs crypt epithelial cells, but no significant differences were seen between normal and IBD epithelial cells. Expression of IL-1R and IL-6R was enhanced by LPS and IFN-gamma. Functionally, IL-1beta enhanced proliferation of the IEC cell line, DLD1, whereas GM-CSF treatment of de-differentiated crypt-like DLD1 and HT29 cells resulted in enhanced expression of ICAM-1. Furthermore, TNF-alpha treatment enhanced the secretion of IL-8 and GRO-alpha in HT29 cells, but not in freshly isolated IEC cultures. The differential binding and function of proinflammatory cytokines on IEC support the hypothesis that these cytokines may be involved in normal physiological processes as well as in regulating mucosal immune responses.