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At least 217 records · Page 12

Effect of Electrical Stimulation on Beta-Adrenergic Receptor Population and Coupling Efficiency in Chicken and Rat Skeleton Muscle Cell Cultures

Expression of the beta-adrenergic receptor (bAR) and its coupling to cyclic AMP (cAMP) synthesis are important components of the signaling system that controls muscle atrophy and hypertrophy, and the goal of this study was to determine if electrical stimulation in a pattern simulating slow muscle contraction would alter the bAR response in primary cultures of avian and mammalian skeletal muscle cells. Specifically, chicken skeletal muscle cells and rat skeletal muscle cells that had been grown for seven days in culture were subjected to electrical stimulation for an additional two days at a pulse frequency of 0.5 pulses/sec and a pulse duration of 200 msec. In chicken skeletal muscle cells, the bAR population was not significantly affected by electrical stimulation; however, the ability of these cells to synthesize cyclic AMP was reduced by approximately one-half. Thus, in chicken muscle cells an enhanced level of contraction reduced the coupling efficiency of bAR for cyclic AMP production by approximately 55% compared to controls. In contrast, the bAR population in rat muscle cells was increased by approximately 25% by electrical stimulation, and the ability of these cells to synthesize cyclic AMP was also increased by almost two-fold. Thus, in rat muscle cells an enhanced level of contraction increased the coupling efficiency of bAR for cyclic AMP production by approximately 50% compared to controls. The basal levels of intracellular cyclic AMP in both rat muscle cells and chicken muscle cells were not affected by electrical stimulation.

Young, Ronald B.↗

Efficient Quenching of Population Trapping in Excited Yb(+)

We report on a study to determine the efficiency of various buffer gases in quenching the population trapping states of laser-excited ytterbium ions. The ions were confined in an rf-dc hybrid trap, and their (2)S(.5) left and right arrow (2)P(3/2) transition was excited with 329-nm laser light. Buffer gases used include H2, N2, CO2, Ar, and He at several different pressure regimes. We have identified N2 to be highly efficient in quenching the population of the trapping states and thus be the most suitable buffer gas to use with ytterbium for the development of a trapped-ion microwave frequency standard.

Seidel, D. J.↗

Unique Aeolian Transport Mechanisms on Mars: Respective Roles of Percussive and Repercussive Grain Populations in the Sediment Load

Experiments show that when sand-size grains impact a sediment surface with energy levels commensurate for Mars, small craters are formed by the ejection of several hundred grains from the bed. The experiments were conducted with a modified crossbow in which a sand-impelling sabot replaced the bolt-firing mechanism. Individual grains of sand could be fired at loose sand targets to observe ballistic effects unhindered by aerodynamic mobilization of the bed. Impact trajectories simulated the saltation process on dune surfaces. Impact craters were not elongated despite glancing (15 deg.) bed impact; the craters were very close to being circular. High-speed photography showed them to grow in both diameter and depth after the impactor had ricochetted from the crater site. The delayed response of the bed was "explosive" in nature, and created a miniature ejecta curtain spreading upward and outward for many centimeters for impact of 100-300 um-diameter grains into similar material. This behavior is explained by deposition of elastic energy in the bed by the "percussive" grain. Impact creates a subsurface stress regime or "quasi-Boussinesq" compression field. Elastic recovery of the bed occurs by dilatancy; shear stresses suddenly convert the grains to open packing and they consequently become forcefully ejected from the site. Random jostling of the grains causes radial homogenization of stress vectors and a resulting circular crater. A stress model based on repercussive bed dilatancy and interparticle adhesive forces (for smaller grains) predicts, to first order, the observed crater volumes for various impact conditions. On earth, only a few grains are mobilized by a percussive saltating grain; some grains are "knudged" along the ground, and some are partly expelled on short trajectories. These motions constitute reptation transport. On Mars, saltation and reptation become indistinct: secondary or "repercussive" trajectories have sufficient vertical impulse to create a dense saltation population of many tens or hundreds of grains for each single high-speed saltation percussion of the bed. Impact cascading will lead to near-surface distortion of the boundary layer, and choked flow formed by a dense "slurry" of sand, with the majority of grains mobilized by repercussive forces rather than by aerodynamic lift. This proceeds until a fully-matured transport layer imposes self-limitations as grain-population density constrains the free-path motion of individial grains.

Marshall, John R.↗

Unique Aeolian Transport Mechanisms on Mars: Respective Roles of Percussive and Repercussive Grain Populations in the Sediment Load

Experiments show that when sand-size grains impact a sediment surface with energy levels commensurate for Mars, small craters are formed by the ejection of several hundred grains from the bed. The experiments were conducted with a modified crossbow in which a sand-impelling sabot replaced the bolt-firing mechanism. Individual grains of sand could be fired at loose sand targets to observe ballistic effects unhindered by aerodynamic mobilization of the bed. Impact trajectories simulated the saltation process on dune surfaces. Impact craters were not elongated despite glancing (15 deg.) bed impact; the craters were very close to being circular. High-speed photography showed them to grow in both diameter and depth after the impactor had ricochetted from the crater site. The delayed response of the bed was "explosive" in nature, and created a miniature ejecta curtain spreading upward and outward for many centimeters for impact of 100-300 micron-diameter grains into similar material. This behavior is explained by deposition of elastic energy in the bed by the "percussive" grain. Impact creates a subsurface stress regime or "quasi-Boussinesq" compression field. Elastic recovery of the bed occurs by dilatancy; shear stresses suddenly convert the grains to open packing and they consequently become forcefully ejected from the site. Random jostling of the grains causes radial homogenization of stress vectors and a resulting circular crater. A stress model based on repercussive bed dilatancy and interparticle adhesive forces (for smaller grains) predicts, to first order, the observed crater volumes for various impact conditions. On earth, only a few grains are mobilized by a percussive saltating grain; some grains are "knudged" along the ground, and some are partly expelled on short trajectories. These motions constitute reptation transport. On Mars, saltation and reptation become indistinct: secondary or "repercussive" trajectories have sufficient vertical impulse to create a dense saltation population of many tens or hundreds of grains for each single high-speed saltation percussion of the bed. Impact cascading will lead to near-surface distortion of the boundary layer, and choked flow formed by a dense "slurry" of sand, with the majority of grains mobilized by repercussive forces rather than by aerodynamic lift. This proceeds until a fully-matured transport layer imposes self- limitations as grain-population density constrains the free-path motion of individual grains.

Marshall, John R.↗

Effect of Electrical Stimulation on Beta-Adrenergic Receptor Population and Cyclic AMP Production in Chicken and Rat Skeletal Muscle Cell Cultures

Expression of the beta-adrenergic receptor (PAR) and its coupling to Adenosine 3'5' Cyclic Monophosphate (cAMP) synthesis are important components of the signaling system that controls muscle atrophy and hypertrophy and the goal of this study was to determine if electrical stimulation in a pattern simulating slow muscle contraction would alter the PAR response in primary cultures of avian and mammalian skeletal muscle cells. Specifically chicken skeletal muscle cells and rat skeletal muscle cells that had been grown for 7 d in culture, were subjected to electrical stimulation for an additional 2 d at a pulse frequency of 0.5 pulses/sec and a pulse duration of 200 msec. In chicken skeletal muscle cells, the PAR population was not significantly affected by electrical stimulation; however, the ability, of these cells to synthesize cyclic AMP was reduced by approximately one-half. In contrast, the PAR population in rat muscle cells was increased slightly but not significantly by electrical stimulation, and the ability of these cells to synthesize cyclic AMP was increased by almost twofold. The basal levels of intracellular cyclic AMP in neither rat muscle cells nor chicken muscle cells were affected by electrical stimulation.

Young, Ronald B.↗

Modeling Grade IV Gas Emboli using a Limited Failure Population Model with Random Effects

Venous gas emboli (VGE) (gas bubbles in venous blood) are associated with an increased risk of decompression sickness (DCS) in hypobaric environments. A high grade of VGE can be a precursor to serious DCS. In this paper, we model time to Grade IV VGE considering a subset of individuals assumed to be immune from experiencing VGE. Our data contain monitoring test results from subjects undergoing up to 13 denitrogenation test procedures prior to exposure to a hypobaric environment. The onset time of Grade IV VGE is recorded as contained within certain time intervals. We fit a parametric (lognormal) mixture survival model to the interval-and right-censored data to account for the possibility of a subset of "cured" individuals who are immune to the event. Our model contains random subject effects to account for correlations between repeated measurements on a single individual. Model assessments and cross-validation indicate that this limited failure population mixture model is an improvement over a model that does not account for the potential of a fraction of cured individuals. We also evaluated some alternative mixture models. Predictions from the best fitted mixture model indicate that the actual process is reasonably approximated by a limited failure population model.

Thompson, Laura A.↗

Physical Characterization of the Near-Earth Object Population

This program seeks to address the fundamental question: What are the relationships between asteroids, comets, and meteorites? To answer this question, we are studying the population of asteroids near the Earth which likely contain both asteroids and extinct comets and which is the immediate source for meteorites. An analysis of new and existing visible wavelength spectral data for more than 100 (Near-Earth Objects) NEOs, and Keck albedo data for more than 20 NEOs is underway. New asteroid-meteorite links are being found, the NEO population and hazard is being characterized, and the extinct comet component is being constrained. These results are contained within the following publication work during the current period: 1 book, 2 book chapters, 1 published paper, 2 papers submitted, 2 papers in preparation, 1 Ph. D. thesis in preparation, and 7 meeting abstracts/presentations.

Binzel, Richard P.↗

Estimating the Average Diameter of a Population of Spheres from Observed Diameters of Random Two-Dimensional Sections

Size distributions of chondrules, volcanic fire-fountain or impact glass spherules, or of immiscible globules in silicate melts (e.g., in basaltic mesostasis, agglutinitic glass, impact melt sheets) are imperfectly known because the spherical objects are usually so strongly embedded in the bulk samples that they are nearly impossible to separate. Hence, measurements are confined to two-dimensional sections, e.g. polished thin sections that are commonly examined under reflected light optical or backscattered electron microscopy. Three kinds of approaches exist in the geologic literature for estimating the mean real diameter of a population of 3D spheres from 2D observations: (1) a stereological approach with complicated calculations; (2) an empirical approach in which independent 3D size measurements of a population of spheres separated from their parent sample and their 2D cross sectional diameters in thin sections have produced an array of somewhat contested conversion equations; and (3) measuring pairs of 2D diameters of upper and lower surfaces of cross sections each sphere in thin sections using transmitted light microscopy. We describe an entirely probabilistic approach and propose a simple factor of 4/x (approximately equal to 1.27) to convert the 2D mean size to 3D mean size.

Kong, Maiying↗

Burst Populations and Detector Sensitivity

The F(sub T) (peak bolometric photon flux) vs. E(sub p) (peak energy) plane is a powerful tool to compare the burst populations detected by different detectors. Detector sensitivity curves in this plane demonstrate which burst populations the detectors will detect. For example, future CZT-based detectors will show the largest increase in sensitivity for soft bursts, and will be particularly well- suited to study X-ray rich bursts and X-ray Flashes. Identical bursts at different redshifts describe a track in the F(sub T)-E(sub p) plane.

Band, David L.↗

The Role of Beam Geometry in Population Statistics and Pulse Profiles of Radio and Gamma-ray Pulsars

We present results of a pulsar population synthesis study that incorporates a number of recent developments and some significant improvements over our previous study. We have included the results of the Parkes multi-beam pulsar survey in our select group of nine radio surveys, doubling our sample of radio pulsars. More realistic geometries for the radio and gamma-ray beams are included in our Monte Carlo computer code that simulates the characteristics of the Galactic population of radio and gamma-ray pulsars. We adopted with some modifications the radio beam geometry of Arzoumanian, Chernoff & Cordes (2002). For the gamma-ray beam, we have assumed the slot gap geometry described in the work of Muslimov & Harding (2003). To account for the shape of the distribution of radio pulsars in the P(dot) - P diagram, we continue to find that decay of the magnetic field on a timescale of 2.8 Myr is needed. With all nine surveys, our model predicts that EGRET should have seen 7 radio-quiet (below the sensitivity of these radio surveys) and 19 radio-loud gamma-ray pulsars. AGILE (nominal sensitivity map) is expected to detect 13 radio-quiet and 37 radio-loud gamma-ray pulsars, while GLAST, with greater sensitivity is expected to detect 276 radio-quiet and 344 radio-loud gamma-ray pulsars. When the Parkes multi-beam pulsar survey is excluded, the ratio of radio-loud to radio-quiet gamma-ray pulsars decreases, especially for GLAST. The decrease for EGRET is 45%, implying that some fraction of EGRET unidentified sources are radio-loud gamma-ray pulsars. In the radio geometry adopted, short period pulsars are core dominated. Unlike the EGRET gamma-ray pulsars, our model predicts that when two gamma-ray peaks appear in the pulse profile, a dominant radio core peak appears in between the gamma-ray peaks. Our findings suggest that further improvements are required in describing both the radio and gamma-ray geometries.

Gonthier, Peter L.↗

FUSE Cycle 3 Program CO22: Chromospheric Activity in Population II Giants

One of the mysteries of Population II giants is that they still show chromospheric emission despite their great age. The global dynamo which was active during their main-sequence lifetimes is expected to become extremely weak through magnetic rotational braking. The nature of the observed emission is not understood; although acoustic shock waves might provide the heating, acoustic waves are not predicted to drive the observed mass loss - which in turn requires the dissipation of magneto-hydrodynamic waves. This program was designed to search for the faint stellar H Ly(beta) emission wings and the fluorescent Fe II and H2 emission from one of the brightest, metal poor, Population II stars. These FUSE diagnostics, when combined with existing UV and optical spectra, help determine the major radiative cooling channels for the chromosphere. This observation was to complement that previously planned for the mildly metal deficient giant alpha Boo (K2 III). However, a Boo has yet to be observed with FUSE.

Harper, Graham M.↗

Genetic models in applied physiology: selected contribution: effects of spaceflight on immunity in the C57BL/6 mouse. I. Immune population distributions

There are several aspects of the spaceflight environment that may lead to changes in immunity: mission-related psychological stress, radiation, and changes in gravity. On December 5, 2001, the space shuttle Endeavor launched for a 12-day mission to examine these effects on C57BL/6 mice for the first time. On their return, assays were performed on the spleen, blood, and bone marrow. In response to flight, there were no significant differences in the general circulating leukocyte proportions. In contrast, there was an increase in splenic lymphocyte percentages, with a corresponding decrease in granulocytes. There was an overall shift in splenic lymphocytes away from T cells toward B cells, and a decrease in the CD4-to-CD8 ratios due to a decrease in T helpers. In contrast, there were proportional increases in bone marrow T cells, with decreases in B cells. Although the blast percentage and count were decreased in flight mice, the CD34(+) population was increased. The data were more consistent with a shift in bone marrow populations rather than a response to changes in the periphery. Many of the results are similar to those using other models. Clearly, spaceflight can influence immune parameters ranging from hematopoiesis to mature leukocyte mechanisms.

Non-NASA Center↗

Arthromitus (Bacillus cereus) symbionts in the cockroach Blaberus giganteus: dietary influences on bacterial development and population density

The filamentous spore-forming bacterium Arthromitus, discovered in termites, millipedes, sow bugs and other soil-dwelling arthropods by Leidy (1850), is the intestinal stage of Bacillus cereus. We extend the range of Arthromitus habitats to include the hindgut of Blaberus giganteus, the large tropical American cockroach. The occurrence and morphology of the intestinal form of the bacillus were compared in individual cockroaches (n=24) placed on four different diet regimes: diurnally maintained insects fed (1) dog food, (2) soy protein only, (3)purified cellulose only, and (4) a dog food-fed group maintained in continuous darkness. Food quality exerted strong influence on population densities and developmental stages of the filamentous bacterium and on fecal pellet composition. The most dramatic rise in Arthromitus populations, defined as the spore-forming filament intestinal stage, occurred in adult cockroaches kept in the dark on a dog food diet. Limited intake of cellulose or protein alone reduced both the frequency of Arthromitus filaments and the rate of weight gain of the insects. Spores isolated from termites, sow bugs, cockroaches and moths, grown on various hard surfaces display a branching mobility and resistance to antibiotics characteristic to group I Bacilli whose members include B. cereus, B. circulans, B. alvei and B. macerans. DNA isolated from pure cultures of these bacilli taken from the guts of Blaberus giganteus (cockroach), Junonia coenia (moth), Porcellio scaber (sow bug) and Cryptotermes brevis (termite) and subjected to Southern hybridization with a 23S-5S B. subtilis ribosomal sequence probe verified that they are indistinguishable from laboratory strains of Bacillus cereus.

NASA Discipline Exobiology↗

Dose and dose rate effects of whole-body proton irradiation on leukocyte populations and lymphoid organs: part I

The goal of part I of this study was to evaluate the effects of whole-body proton irradiation on lymphoid organs and specific leukocyte populations. C57BL/6 mice were exposed to the entry region of the proton Bragg curve to total doses of 0.5 gray (Gy), 1.5 Gy, and 3.0 Gy, each delivered at a low dose rate (LDR) of 1 cGy/min and high dose rate (HDR) of 80 cGy/min. Non-irradiated and 3 Gy HDR gamma-irradiated groups were included as controls. At 4 days post-irradiation, highly significant radiation dose-dependent reductions were observed in the mass of both lymphoid organs and the numbers of leukocytes and T (CD3(+)), T helper (CD3(+)/CD4(+)), T cytotoxic (CD3(+)/CD8(+)), and B (CD19(+)) cells in both blood and spleen. A less pronounced dose effect was noted for natural killer (NK1.1(+) NK) cells in spleen. Monocyte, but not granulocyte, counts in blood were highly dose-dependent. The numbers for each population generally tended to be lower with HDR than with LDR radiation; a significant dose rate effect was found in the percentages of T and B cells, monocytes, and granulocytes and in CD4(+):CD8(+) ratios. These data indicate that mononuclear cell response to the entry region of the proton Bragg curve is highly dependent upon the total dose and that dose rate effects are evident with some cell types. Results from gamma- and proton-irradiated groups (both at 3 Gy HDR) were similar, although proton-irradiation gave consistently lower values in some measurements.

Non-NASA Center↗

Chromospheric Activity in Population II Giants

One of the mysteries of Population II giants is that they still show chromospheric emission despite their great age. The global dynamo which was active during their main-sequence lifetimes is expected to become extremely weak through magnetic rotational braking. The nature of the observed emission is not understood; although acoustic shock waves might provide the heating, acoustic waves are not predicted to drive the observed mass loss - which in turn requires the dissipation of magneto-hydrodynamic waves. This program was designed to search for the faint stellar H Ly beta emission wings and the fluorescent Fe II and H2 emission from one of the brightest, metal poor, Population II stars. These FUSE diagnostics, when combined with existing UV and optical spectra, help determine the major radiative cooling channels for the chromosphere. This observation was to complement that previously planned for the mildly metal deficient giant alpha Boo (K2 III). However, alpha Boo has yet to be observed with FUSE.

Harper, Graham M.↗

Effect of electrical stimulation on beta-adrenergic receptor population and cyclic amp production in chicken and rat skeletal muscle cell cultures

Expression of the beta-adrenergic receptor (betaAR) and its coupling to cyclic AMP (cAMP) synthesis are important components of the signaling system that controls muscle atrophy and hypertrophy, and the goal of this study was to determine if electrical stimulation in a pattern simulating slow muscle contraction would alter the betaAR response in primary cultures of avian and mammalian skeletal muscle cells. Specifically, chicken skeletal muscle cells and rat skeletal muscle cells that had been grown for 7 d in culture were subjected to electrical stimulation for an additional 2 d at a pulse frequency of 0.5 pulses/sec and a pulse duration of 200 msec. In chicken skeletal muscle cells, the betaAR population was not significantly affected by electrical stimulation; however, the ability of these cells to synthesize cyclic AMP was reduced by approximately one-half. In contrast, the betaAR population in rat muscle cells was increased slightly but not significantly by electrical stimulation, and the ability of these cells to synthesize cyclic AMP was increased by almost twofold. The basal levels of intracellular cyclic AMP in neither rat muscle cells nor chicken muscle cells were affected by electrical stimulation.

Muscle, Skeletal/cytology↗

Cosmic Infrared Background and Early Stellar Populations

Cosmic infrared background (CIB) contains information about galaxy luminosities over the entire history of the Universe and can be a powerful diagnostic of the early populations otherwise inaccessible to telescopic studies. Its measurements are very difficult because of the strong IR foregrounds from the Solar system and the Galaxy. Nevertheless, substantial recent progress in measuring the CIB and its structure has been made. The measurements now allow to set significant constraints on early galaxy evolution and, perhaps, even detect the elusive Population III era. We discuss briefly the theory behind the CIB, review the latest measurements of the CIB and its structure, and discuss their implications for detecting and/or constraining the first stars and their epochs.

Kashlinsky, A.↗

Variations in the Peak Position of the 6.2 micron Interstellar Emission Feature: A Tracer of N in the Interstellar Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Population

This paper presents the results of an investigation of the molecular characteristics that underlie the observed peak position and profile of the nominal 6.2 micron interstellar emission band generally attributed to the CC stretching vibrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). It begins with a summary of recent experimental and theoretical studies ofthe spectroscopic properties of large (>30 carbon atoms) PAH cations as they relate to this aspect of the astrophysical problem. It then continues with an examination of the spectroscopic properties of a number of PAH variants within the context of the interstellar 6.2 micron emission, beginning with a class of compounds known as polycyclic aromatic nitrogen heterocycles (PANHs; PAHs with one or more nitrogen atoms substituted into their carbon skeleton). In this regard, we summarize the results of recent relevant experimental studies involving a limited set of small PANHs and their cations and then report the results of a comprehensive computational study that extends that work to larger PANH cations including many nitrogen-substituted variants of coronene(+) (C24H12(+)), ovalene(+) (C32H14(+)), circumcoronene(+) (C54H18(+)), and circum-circumcoronene(+) (C96H24(+)). Finally, we report the results of more focused computational studies of selected representatives from a number of other classes of PAH variants that share one or more of the key attributes of the PANH species studied. These alternative classes of PAH variants include (1) oxygen- and silicon-substituted PAH cations; (2) PAH-metal ion complexes (metallocenes) involving the cosmically abundant elements magnesium and iron; and (3) large, asymmetric PAH cations. Overall, the studies reported here demonstrate that increasing PAH size alone is insuEcient to account for the position of the shortest wavelength interstellar 6.2 micron emission bands, as had been suggested by earlier studies. On the other hand, this work reveals that substitution of one or more nitrogen atoms within the interior of the carbon skeleton of a PAH cation induces a significant blueshift in the position of the dominant CC stretching feature of these compounds that is suf6cient to account for the position of the interstellar bands. Subsequent studies of the effects of substitution by other heteroatoms (O and Si), metal ion complexation (Fe(+), Mg(+), and Mg(2+)), and molecular symmetry variation-all of which fail to reproduce the blueshift observed in the PANH cations-indicate that N appears to be unique in its ability to accommodate the position of the interstellar 6.2 micron bands while simultaneously satisfying the other constraints of the astrophysical problem. This result implies that the peak position of the interstellar feature near 6.2 micron traces the degree of nitrogen substitution in the population, that most of the PAHs responsible for the interstellar IR emission features incorporate nitrogen within their aromatic networks, and that a lower limit of 1%-2% of the cosmic nitrogen is sequestered within the interstellar PAH population. Finally, in view of the ubiquity and abundance of interstellar PAHs and the permanent dipoles and distinctive electronic structures of these nitrogen-substituted variants, this work impacts a wide range of observational phenomena outside of the infrared region of the spectrum including the forest of unidentified molecular rotational features and the anomalous Galactic foreground emission in the microwave, and the diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs) and other structure in the interstellar extinction curve in the ulhviolet/visible. These astrophysical ramifications are discussed, and the dipole moments and rotational constants are tabulated to facilitate further investigations of the astrophysical role of nitrogen-substituted aromatic compounds.

Hudgins, Douglas M.↗