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At least 199 records · Page 11

Development of a Nutritional Delivery System to Feed Crew in a Pressurized Suit

The contingency scenario for an emergency cabin depressurization event may require crewmembers to subsist in a pressurized suit for up to 144 hours. This scenario requires the capability for safe nutrition delivery through a helmet feed port against a 4 psi pressure differential to enable crewmembers to maintain strength and cognition to perform critical tasks. Two nutritional delivery prototypes were developed and analyzed for compatibility with the helmet feed port interface and for operational effectiveness against the pressure differential. The bag-in-bag (BiB) prototype, designed to equalize the suit pressure with the beverage pouch and enable a crewmember to drink normally, delivered water successfully to three different subjects in suits pressurized to 4 psi. The Boa restrainer pouch, designed to provide mechanical leverage to overcome the pressure differential, did not operate sufficiently. Guidelines were developed and compiled for contingency beverages that provide macro-nutritional requirements, a minimum one-year shelf life, and compatibility with the delivery hardware. Evaluation results and food product parameters have the potential to be used to improve future prototype designs and develop complete nutritional beverages for contingency events. These feeding capabilities would have additional use on extended surface mission EVAs, where the current in-suit drinking device may be insufficient.

Glass, J. W.↗

Delivery of Colloid Micro-Newton Thrusters for the Space Technology 7 Mission

Two flight-qualified clusters of four Colloid Micro-Newton Thruster (CMNT) systems have been delivered to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). The clusters will provide precise spacecraft control for the drag-free technology demonstration mission, Space Technology 7 (ST7). The ST7 mission is sponsored by the NASA New Millennium Program and will demonstrate precision formation flying technologies for future missions such as the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission. The ST7 disturbance reduction system (DRS) will be on the ESA LISA Pathfinder spacecraft using the European gravitational reference sensor (GRS) as part of the ESA LISA Technology Package (LTP). Developed by Busek Co. Inc., with support from JPL in design and testing, the CMNT has been developed over the last six years into a flight-ready and flight-qualified microthruster system, the first of its kind. Recent flight-unit qualification tests have included vibration and thermal vacuum environmental testing, as well as performance verification and acceptance tests. All tests have been completed successfully prior to delivery to JPL. Delivery of the first flight unit occurred in February of 2008 with the second unit following in May of 2008. Since arrival at JPL, the units have successfully passed through mass distribution, magnetic, and EMI/EMC measurements and tests as part of the integration and test (I&T) activities including the integrated avionics unit (IAU). Flight software sequences have been tested and validated with the full flight DRS instrument successfully to the extent possible in ground testing, including full functional and 72 hour autonomous operations tests. Delivery of the cluster assemblies along with the IAU to ESA for integration into the LISA Pathfinder spacecraft is planned for the summer of 2008 with a planned launch and flight demonstration in late 2010.

Precision Formation Flying↗

Additive Construction with Mobile Emplacement (ACME) / Automated Construction of Expeditionary Structures (ACES) Materials Delivery System (MDS)

The purpose of the Automated Construction of Expeditionary Structures, Phase 3 (ACES 3) project is to incorporate the Liquid Goods Delivery System (LGDS) into the Dry Goods Delivery System (DGDS) structure to create an integrated and automated Materials Delivery System (MDS) for 3D printing structures with ordinary Portland cement (OPC) concrete. ACES 3 is a prototype for 3-D printing barracks for soldiers in forward bases, here on Earth. The LGDS supports ACES 3 by storing liquid materials, mixing recipe batches of liquid materials, and working with the Dry Goods Feed System (DGFS) previously developed for ACES 2, combining the materials that are eventually extruded out of the print nozzle. Automated Construction of Expeditionary Structures, Phase 3 (ACES 3) is a project led by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and supported by NASA. The equivalent 3D printing system for construction in space is designated Additive Construction with Mobile Emplacement (ACME) by NASA.

Mueller, R. P.↗

NASA X-HAB Water Delivery System

As part of the eXploration Systems and Habitation (X-HAB) Academic Innovation Challenge program of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), The Ohio State University was selected to improve the performance of NASA’s existing Vegetable Production System (VEGGIE), which is a deployable plant growth unit for International Space Station (ISS). During the academic year 2015-2016, The Ohio State University student team developed a passive water delivery system using capillary water transport principle (Jenson et al. 2016). The major design improvement made was directly connecting the water reservoir to the plant-rooting pillows using a single-interface capillary cord design. Harvestable plants were successfully grown from seeds using the single interface system. In addition, Nomex®, a fabric material composed of short nylon based fibers, was identified as the material for wicks. Finally, the water reservoir was modeled as a propellant management device (PMD) to ensure consistent and long term watering of the VEGGIE system. The PMDs are made of materials that utilize surface tension and adhesive forces to improve stability and fluid delivery. The team recommended using a sponge PMD in order to mitigate bubble obstruction, decrease system weight, and ensure reliable water delivery to the capillary interface.

Peter Ling↗

Microporous membrane for stereolithography resin delivery

A system for building a structure. The system includes a reservoir; an immiscible fluid in the reservoir; a membrane operatively connected to the reservoir; channels and delivery ports in the membrane; a microliter amount of curable resin; a delivery system for delivering the microliter amount of curable resin to channels and delivery ports in the membrane and to the reservoir in contact with the immiscible fluid in the reservoir; and an energy source adapted to deliver energy to the reservoir onto the microliter amount of curable resin for building the structure.

42 ENGINEERING↗

LBNF CMGC Delivery Method: ICE Process

The Construction Manager/General Contractor (CM/GC) delivery method is intended to benefit the design process, value engineering, risk mitigation, and schedule optimization while promoting construction and design innovation. This delivery method is particularly suited for complex projects that require significant consideration of contractor means and methods. Fermilab’s Far Site Conventional Facilities proceeded with a CM/GC delivery method to account for the unique conditions of excavating over 300,000 cubic yards of rock in tunnels and caverns that will be constructed approximately 5000-ft deep in the repurposed Homestake Mine in Lead, SD. The experiences of the Independent Cost Estimating (ICE) process are presented.

Pelletier, Douglas↗

Microporous membrane for stereolithography resin delivery

A system for building a structure. The system includes a reservoir; an immiscible fluid in the reservoir; a membrane operatively connected to the reservoir; channels and delivery ports in the membrane; a microliter amount of curable resin; a delivery system for delivering the microliter amount of curable resin to channels and delivery ports in the membrane and to the reservoir in contact with the immiscible fluid in the reservoir; and an energy source adapted to deliver energy to the reservoir onto the microliter amount of curable resin for building the structure.

Deotte, Joshua R.↗

Gene editing through microfluidic delivery

Gene editing can be performed by introducing gene-editing components into a cell by mechanical cell disruption. Related apparatus, systems, techniques, and articles are also described. The methods and systems of the invention solve the problem of intracellular delivery of gene editing components and gene editing complexes to target cells. The results described herein indicate that delivery of gene editing components, e.g., protein, ribonucleic acid (RNA), and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), by mechanical disruption of cell membranes leads to successful gene editing. Because intracellular delivery of gene editing materials is a current challenge, the methods provide a robust mechanism to engineer target cells without the use of potentially harmful viral vectors or electric fields.

Sharei, Armon R.↗

A Schottky Tune Meter for the Fermilab Mu2E Delivery Ring

The Mu2E experiment will measure the ratio of the rate of the neutrinoless, coherent conversion of muons into electrons as a measure of Charged Lepton Flavor Violation. As part of the Mu2E experiment, a proton storage ring, called the Delivery Ring, will utilize resonant extraction to slow-spill protons to the experiment. To regulate and optimize the Delivery Ring resonant extraction process, a fast tune measurement scheme will be required. This Mu2E tune meter will measure the average tune and the tune spectrum, in multiple time slices, through the entire resonant extraction cycle of nominally 43 msec. The Mu2E tune meter system utilizes vertical and horizontal 21.4 MHz Schottky detector resonant pickups, taken from the decommissioned Tevatron, high-gain amplifiers and digital down-conversion FPGA logic for its signal processing. This paper will present the design of this Schottky tune meter as well as tune measurements from the Mu2E delivery ring.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Gas delivery system for environmental transmission electron microscope

A portable, compact gas delivery system can support an environmental transmission electron microscope. Environment transmission electron microscopy provides researchers a unique capability of assessing a material's surface conditions at atomic resolution in a variety of reactive and oxidizing environments. The ability to precisely control the analysis chamber's environmental conditions over time is key to the success of a typical surface analysis. The gas delivery system provides the correct balance or pressure delivery precision, contamination control, and gas isolation.

Nogan, John Joseph↗

Impacts of Crust Properties on the Waste Feed Delivery of Hanford Tanks with Flammability Concerns - 18161

Mitigation of flammability concerns within Hanford waste tanks is essential to Safe Storage and Waste Feed Delivery sub-functions of the River Protection Project Mission. The tanks that have a higher propensity for the generation, retention, and release of flammable gas are considered Waste Group A tanks. Group A tanks include 241-SY-103, 241-AN-103, 241-AN-104, 241-AN-105, and 241-AW-101. Successful mitigation of flammability concerns in these tanks is necessary, as they are critical to the completion of the River Protection Project Mission as indicated in the Integrated Waste Feed Delivery Plan. The benchmark for examination of tank flammability issues is 241-SY-101. Studies of Tank 241-SY-101 gas release events showed that the mechanism of gas retention and release was highly dependent on the volume and configuration of a floating crust layer. Beginning in 1993, 241-SY-101 underwent water additions and mixer pump operations resulting in dissolution of the crust. These efforts mitigated the flammability concerns of the tank. A similar mitigation approach was recommended for Tank 241-SY103 and is recommended for the other Waste Group A tanks. However, this recommended mitigation will be more or less effective based on the expected thickness of the crust present in each of the Group A tanks. Considerations of flammable gas generation and release mechanisms were essential in the development of a successful mitigation strategy for Tank 241-SY-101, and will be essential in the development of future mitigation strategies. Because crust properties are difficult to measure, tank surface level trends and current temperature profiles are evaluated to understand crust properties. 241-AN-103 and 241-AW-101 are the only two tanks with a net increase in surface level, indicating a higher generation and retention of flammable gas. Additionally, these are the two tanks with the thickest crusts, which causes both a higher retention of gas and a reduced evaporation rate. Given the current temperature profile, crust thickness for 241-AW-101 was re-evaluated to be 145 cm (57 in) ± 30 cm (12 in) which is different from its historic value. This gives 241-AW-101 the thickest crust, second only to 241-SY-101 prior to mitigation. The crust thickness for 241-AN-103, however, retains its historic value of 89 cm (35 in) ± 16 cm (6 in). These crust properties suggest modifications to the mitigation strategy are needed for each tank. For example, 241-AN-103 and 241-AW-101 will require additional water to dissolve the crust layer before flammability concerns are mitigated and further operations could commence. Implementation of the modified mitigation strategies will mitigate flammability issues and help fulfill the Safe Storage and Waste Feed Delivery sub-functions of the River Protection Project Mission safely and efficiently. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Enhanced Drug Delivery by Dissolution of Amorphous Drug Encapsulated in a Water Unstable Metal–Organic Framework (MOF)

Encapsulating a drug molecule into a water-reactive metal–organic framework (MOF) leads to amorphous drug confined within the nanoscale pores. Rapid release of drug occurs upon hydrolytic decomposition of MOF in dissolution media. Application to improve dissolution and solubility for the hydrophobic small drug molecules curcumin, sulindac, and triamterene is demonstrated. The drug@MOF composites exhibit significantly enhanced dissolution and achieves high supersaturation in simulated gastric and/or phosphate buffer saline media. This combination strategy where MOF inhibits crystallization of the amorphous phase and then releases drug upon MOF irreversible structural collapse represents a novel and generalizable approach for drug delivery of poorly soluble compounds while overcoming the traditional weakness of amorphous drug delivery: physical instability of the amorphous form.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Engineering of large-pore lipid-coated mesoporous silica nanoparticles for dual cargo delivery to cancer cells

Lipid-coated mesoporous silica nanoparticles (LC-MSNs) have recently emerged as a next-generation cargo delivery nanosystem combining the unique attributes of both the organic and inorganic components. The high surface area biodegradable inorganic mesoporous silica core can accommodate multiple classes of bio-relevant cargos in large amounts, while the supported lipid bilayer coating retains the cargo and increases the stability of the nanocarrier in bio-relevant media which should promote greater bio-accumulation of LC-MSNs in cancer sites. In this paper, we report on the optimization of various sol–gel synthesis (pH, stirring speed) and post-synthesis (hydrothermal treatment) procedures to enlarge the MSN pore size and tune the surface chemistry so as to enable loading and delivery of large biomolecules. Finally, the proof of concept of the dual cargo-loaded nanocarrier has been demonstrated in immortalized cervical cancer HeLa cells using MSNs of various fine-tuned pore sizes.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Effect of glutathione-coated Mn-doped ZnS quantum dots on nutrient delivery in basil ( Ocimum basilicum ) plants

Ensuring efficient nutrient delivery while minimizing environmental impacts remains a significant challenge for modern agriculture. Nanotechnology-based fertilizers offer promising strategies to improve nutrient uptake and bioavailability in plants. This research aims to evaluate the use of Glutathione-coated Manganese-doped Zinc Sulfide quantum dots (GSH-ZnS-Mn QDs) as a potential nano fertilizer for basil (Ocimum basilicum). QDs' physicochemical properties were characterized using UV–Vis spectroscopy, photoluminescence, FTIR, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, confirming successful Mn doping and glutathione surface functionalization. Basil plants were exposed to different concentrations of GSH-ZnS-Mn QDs under soil and hydroponic conditions. Plant growth parameters, oxidative stress responses, photosynthetic pigments, and macro- and micronutrient uptake were assessed using biochemical assays and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Elemental uptake, spatial distribution, and zinc speciation were further investigated using synchrotron-based micro-X-ray fluorescence (μ-XRF) imaging and X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy. Results show that exposure to GSH-ZnS-Mn QDs resulted in a concentration-dependent increase in leaf and stem biomass, accompanied by enhanced Zn accumulation in plant tissues. Catalase activity decreased across all tested concentrations, suggesting a shift toward glutathione-dependent antioxidant pathways rather than oxidative damage. Chlorophyll levels exhibited moderate reductions at higher concentrations. The higher increase in macronutrient (K, Ca, and Mg) uptake was reported in plants exposed to 200 ppm of QDs. μ-XRF imaging indicated a selective accumulation of Zn in roots and stems, with partial translocation to leaves. XANES analyses revealed that Zn from QDs was mainly converted into organic Zn species, such as Zn-phytate, Zn-acetate, and Zn-cysteine, indicating transformation and complexation within the plant. The findings demonstrate that a glutathione coating on GSH-ZnS-Mn QDs improves biocompatibility and nutrient delivery efficiency. These results highlight the relevance of surface functionalization in regulating nanoparticle fate, transformation, and nutrient bioavailability, supporting the potential application of GSH–ZnS–Mn QDs as modern nano fertilizers.

Basil↗

Noble gas insights into early impact delivery and volcanic outgassing to Earth's atmosphere: A limited role for the continental crust

Earth's atmosphere, crust and mantle have evolved together through continuous geochemical exchange throughout Earth's history. Constraints on the transport of volatile elements and compounds between these reservoirs are crucial for understanding how Earth could have stayed habitable for extended periods of time. In this work, we present a new forward model of He, Ne and Ar in the mantle, crust and atmosphere. We explore concentrations of noble gases at the end of accretion, bulk silicate Earth K/U ratios, crustal growth scenarios, and upper mantle processing rates throughout Earth's history. We search for parameter combinations that simultaneously satisfy observational constraints on present-day mantle 4 He/ 3 He and 40 Ar/ 36 Ar (sensitive to mantle outgassing and continental crust growth, which depletes the mantle of U, Th and K), atmospheric 20 Ne/ 22 Ne (which tracks the mix of outgassed vs. delivered Ne in the atmosphere), and atmospheric 40 Ar/ 36 Ar in the past and today (sensitive to volatile delivery, mantle outgassing and crustal growth). Leveraging this intertwined set of noble gas abundances and isotopic compositions yields new constraints on initial noble gas abundances in the mantle and on the proportions of atmospheric volatiles originating from delivery by impact degassing, mantle outgassing, and degassing of the continental crust. We find that atmospheric Ar isotopic evolution is primarily sensitive to the mantle processing rate history; the atmospheric Ar isotopic record should therefore not be used to reconstruct continental crust growth, but instead provides valuable insights into mantle processing rates. Our model predicts a measurably low 20 Ne/ 22 Ne ratio of ~9.7 in Archean atmospheric samples. Most of atmospheric primordial 36 Ar was directly delivered by chondritic bodies and not transferred to the atmosphere during an intense early episode of mantle outgassing. Nitrogen delivered by impact degassing could account for the present-day atmospheric nitrogen inventory.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Potentiating Antitumor Efficacy Through Radiation and Sustained Intratumoral Delivery of Anti-CD40 and Anti-PDL1

Mounting evidence demonstrates that combining radiation therapy (RT) with immunotherapy can reduce tumor burden in a subset of patients. However, conventional systemic delivery of immunotherapeutics is often associated with significant adverse effects, which force treatment cessation. The aim of this study was to investigate a minimally invasive therapeutics delivery approach to improve clinical response while attenuating toxicity.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗

Focused Ultrasound-Mediated Blood-Brain Barrier Opening Increases Delivery and Efficacy of Etoposide for Glioblastoma Treatment

Glioblastoma (GBM) is a devastating disease. With the current treatment of surgery followed by chemoradiation, outcomes remain poor, with median survival of only 15 months and a 5-year survival rate of 6.8%. A challenge in treating GBM is the heterogeneous integrity of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which limits the bioavailability of systemic therapies to the brain. There is a growing interest in enhancing drug delivery by opening the BBB with the use of focused ultrasound (FUS). We hypothesize that an FUS-mediated BBB opening can enhance the delivery of etoposide for a therapeutic benefit in GBM.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗