Comparison of femoral blood gases and muscle near-infrared spectroscopy at exercise onset in humans

We hypothesized that near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) measures of hemoglobin and/or myoglobin O2 saturation (IR-SO2) in the vascular bed of exercising muscle would parallel changes in femoral venous O2 saturation (SfvO2) at the onset of leg-kicking exercise in humans. Six healthy subjects performed transitions from rest to 48 +/- 3 (SE)-W two-legged kicking exercise while breathing 14, 21, or 70% inspired O2. IR-SO2 was measured over the vastus lateralis muscle continuously during all tests, and femoral venous and radial artery blood samples were drawn simultaneously during rest and during 5 min of exercise. In all gas-breathing conditions, there was a rapid decrease in both IR-SO2 and SfvO2 at the onset of moderate-intensity leg-kicking exercise. Although SfvO2 remained at low levels throughout exercise, IR-SO2 increased significantly after the first minute of exercise in both normoxia and hyperoxia. Contrary to the hypothesis, these data show that NIRS does not provide a reliable estimate of hemoglobin and/or O2 saturation as reflected by direct femoral vein sampling.     

Abnormalities of retinal metabolism in diabetes or experimental galactosemia. VI. Comparison of retinal and cerebral cortex metabolism, and effects of antioxidant therapy

Metabolic abnormalities observed in retina and in cerebral cortex were compared in diabetic rats and experimentally galactosemic rats. Diabetes or experimental galactosemia of 2 months duration significantly increased oxidative stress in retina, as shown by elevation of retinal thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and subnormal activities of antioxidant defense enzymes, but had no such effect in the cerebral cortex. Activities of sodium potassium adenosine triphosphatase [(Na,K)-ATPase] and calcium ATPase became subnormal in retina as well as in cerebral cortex. In contrast, protein kinase C (PKC) activity was elevated in retina but not in cerebral cortex in the same hyperglycemic rats. Dietary supplementation with an antioxidant mixture (containing ascorbic acid, Trolox, alpha-tocopherol acetate, N-acetyl cysteine, beta-carotene, and selenium) prevented the diabetes-induced and galactosemia-induced elevation of retinal oxidative stress, the elevation of retinal PKC activity and the decrease of retinal ATPases. In cerebral cortex, administration of the antioxidant diet also prevented the diabetes-induced decreases in (Na,K)-ATPase and calcium ATPases, but had no effect on TBARS and activities of PKC and antioxidant-defense enzymes. The results indicate that retina and cerebral cortex differ distinctly in their response to elevation of tissue hexose, and that cerebral cortex is more resistant than retina to diabetes-induced oxidative stress. The greater resistance to oxidative stress in cerebral cortex, as compared to retina, is consistent with the resistance of cerebral cortex to microvascular disease in diabetes, and with a hypothesis that oxidative stress contributes to microvascular disease in diabetes. Dietary supplementation with these antioxidants offers a means to inhibit multiple hyperglycemia-induced retinal metabolic abnormalities.     

Synthesis of Ga-doped Ge-based apatites: Effect of dopant and cell symmetry on oxide ion conductivity

Apatite-type rare earth silicates/germanates are attracting significant interest as a new class of oxide ion conductors. For the germanates, La_9.33+x(GeO₄)₆O_2+3x/2, it has been shown that, depending on composition, the cell can be either hexagonal or triclinic, with evidence for reduced low temperature conductivities for the latter, attributed to increased defect trapping in this lower symmetry cell. In this paper the effect of Ga doping on the cell symmetry and conductivity is reported, with the observation of triclinic cells across the series La₁₀(GeO₄)_6−x(GaO₄)_xO_3−x/2. Through co-doping with Y on the La site, i.e. La₈Y₂(GeO₄)_6−x(GaO₄)_xO_3−x/2, it is shown that hexagonal cells are obtained, and the dependence of the conductivity on oxygen content/Ga content is discussed. In particular it is shown that the stabilisation of the hexagonal cell through Y doping enhances the low temperature conductivity.     

An experimental stationary quadrotor with variable DOF

Unmanned air vehicles (UAV) and especially quadrotors have drawn great attention in recent years because of their maneuverability, ease of design and control. Most of the works concentrate mostly on control; yet, design and communication are also some sub-topics. In this research, a stationary, four rotor air vehicle with limited/controlled degree of freedom is constructed so that various control algorithms and their changing effects with varying vehicle dynamics can be studied on the ground for safety purposes. Ascending/descending, pitch/yaw/roll motions can be limited/controlled by setting the vehicle’s degree of freedom mechanically, resulting better net observability of the control algorithms on the vehicle’s dynamic performance. Design, in terms of mechanics, mechatronics and software is presented and the usability of the system is shown. Parallel self tuning fuzzy PD + PD control is applied to the system for preliminary studies and results are discussed. Inspite of the sensor noise, satisfactory pitch/roll/yaw control is achieved.     

The rotating wall machine: a device to study ideal and resistive magnetohydrodynamic stability under variable boundary conditions

The rotating wall machine, a basic plasma physics experimental facility, has been constructed to study the role of electromagnetic boundary conditions on current-driven ideal and resistive magnetohydrodynamic instabilities, including differentially rotating conducting walls. The device, a screw pinch magnetic geometry with line-tied ends, is described. The plasma is generated by an array of 19 plasma guns that not only produce high density plasmas but can also be independently biased to allow spatial and temporal control of the current profile. The design and mechanical performance of the rotating wall as well as diagnostic capabilities and internal probes are discussed. Measurements from typical quiescent discharges show the plasma to be high β (≤p>2μ(0)/B(z)(2)), flowing, and well collimated. Internal probe measurements show that the plasma current profile can be controlled by the plasma gun array.     

Wide-field Fizeau imaging telescope: experimental results

A nine-aperture, wide-field Fizeau imaging telescope has been built at the Lockheed-Martin Advanced Technology Center. The telescope consists of nine, 125 mm diameter collector telescopes coherently phased and combined to form a diffraction-limited image with a resolution that is consistent with the 610 mm diameter of the telescope. The phased field of view of the array is 1 murad. The measured rms wavefront error is 0.08 waves rms at 635 nm. The telescope is actively controlled to correct for tilt and phasing errors. The control sensing technique is the method known as phase diversity, which extracts wavefront information from a pair of focused and defocused images. The optical design of the telescope and typical performance results are described.