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At least 991 records · Page 55

Quantitation of chlorpromazine-bound calmodulin during chlorpromazine inhibition of gravitropism

The regulatory protein, calmodulin (CaM), controls the activity of a plasma membrane localized ATPase in plants which serves to pump calcium out of cells. Recent data are consistent with the hypothesis that activation of this pump is one of the early steps necessary for gravitropism. Chlorpromazine (CPZ), a CaM antagonist, reversibly inhibits gravitropism in oat coleoptiles at concentrations which permit normal growth rates. C-14-labeled CPZ was used to photo-affinity label endogenous CaM in vivo to learn whether the drug is actually binding to some portion of endogenous CaM when it inhibits gravitropism. Under conditions in which CPZ inhibits gravitropism for over an hour, at least 11% of the CaM in gravitropically stimulated coleoptiles is bound to CPZ. In a given CPZ experiment the degree of inhibition of gravitropism correlates well with the amount of CaM bound to CPZ.

Roux, S. J.↗

Rodent CNS neuron development: Timing of cell birth and death

Data obtained from a staged series of single paired injections of tritiated thymidine to pregnant Wistar rats or C57B16/j mice on selected embryonic days and several postnatal times are reported. All injected specimens were allowed to come to term, each litter culled to six pups and specimens were sacrificed on PN28, with fixation and embedding for paraffin and plastic embedding. The results are derived from serial paraffin sections of PN28 animals exposed to autoradiographic processing and plotted with respect to heavily labelled cell nuclei present in the selected brain stem nuclei and sensory ganglia. Counts from each time sample/structure are totalled and the percentage of cells in the total labelled population/structure represented by each injection time interval plotted.

Keefe, J. R.↗

An evaluation of the directed flow graph methodology

The applicability of the Directed Graph Methodology (DGM) to the design and analysis of special purpose image and signal processing hardware was evaluated. A special purpose image processing system was designed and described using DGM. The design, suitable for very large scale integration (VLSI) implements a region labeling technique. Two computer chips were designed, both using metal-nitride-oxide-silicon (MNOS) technology, as well as a functional system utilizing those chips to perform real time region labeling. The system is described in terms of DGM primitives. As it is currently implemented, DGM is inappropriate for describing synchronous, tightly coupled, special purpose systems. The nature of the DGM formalism lends itself more readily to modeling networks of general purpose processors.

Snyder, W. E.↗

Application of a U.S.-based analysis approach to Argentina crop identification

A generic, U.S.-based analysis approach was evaluated with respect to corn and soybean identification in Argentina. Using crop separability expectations derived from the analysis of Argentina ancillary data and U.S. spectral data, the approach was applied to Argentina spectral data by an expert analyst. Eight classes were detected and labeled independent of ground data. A high correspondence between the labels and limited ground data was achieved. It was concluded that an approach of this type could be applied to Argentina without major difficulty.

Odenweller, J. B.↗

SSG-4 - An automated spring small grains proportion estimator

In connection with an implementation of the classification procedures employed in the Large Area Crop Inventory Experiment (LACIE), a human analyst had to provide labeled samples. The present investigation is concerned with an automated proportion estimation procedure which has been derived from the early field-labeling procedures used in LACIE. This procedure was developed for the U.S./Canada Spring Small Grains Pilot Experiment. It is demonstrated that the considered spatial/color-based proportion estimation procedure provides the agricultural remote-sensing community with the basic tools to develop unbiased and highly efficient procedures for obtaining crop area estimates at the end of the season.

Dennis, T. B.↗

Inhibition of cortical and trabecular bone formation in the long bones of immobilized monkeys

Tetracycline derivatives are administered on three separate occasions to label the sites of bone formation. Determinations are made of the tetracycline-labeling frequency and mineral apposition rate of osteons and trabecular bone surfaces in the humerus and femur. The inhibition of bone formation induced by immobilization is found to be more pronounced in trabecular bone. The immobilized monkeys exhibit a moderate, but statistically nonsignificant, reduction in the percentage of osteons forming bone. Conversely, the dramatic decline in the percentage of trabecular surfaces undergoing bone formation in the monkeys is found to be highly significant. The diminished rate of mineral apposition in osteons is seen as suggesting that osteoblastic activity is impaired in cortical bone during immobilization.

Wronski, T. J.↗

The temporal response of bone to unloading

Rats were suspended by their tails with the forelimbs bearing the weight load to simulate the weightlessness of space flight. Growth in bone mass ceased by 1 week in the hindlimbs and lumbar vertebrae in growing rats, while growth in the forelimbs and cervical vertebrae remained unaffected. The effects of selective skeletal unloading on bone formation during 2 weeks of suspension was investigated using radio iostope incorporation (with Ca-45 and H-3 proline) and histomorphometry (with tetracycline labeling). The results of these studies were confirmed by histomorphometric measurements of bone formation using triple tetracycline labeling. This model of simulated weightlessness results in an initial inhibition of bone formation in the unloaded bones. This temporary cessation of bone formation is followed in the accretion of bone mass, which then resumes at a normal rate by 14 days, despite continued skeletal unloading. This cycle of inhibition and resumption of bone formation has profound implication for understanding bone dynamics durng space flight, immobilization, or bed rest and offers an opportunity to study the hormonal and mechanical factors that regulate bone formation.

Globus, R. K.↗

Measurement of Human Blood and Plasma Volumes

Report reviews techniques for measuring blood-plasma volume in humans. Common technique of using radioactive iodine isotope to label plasma albumin involves unwarranted risks from low-level radiation. Report emphasizes techniques using Evans-blue-dye (T-1824) labeling of albumin, hematocrit or hemoglobin/hematocrit measurements, or blood densitometry. In Evans-blue-dye technique, plasma volume determined from decrease in dye concentration occurring after small amount of dye solution injected into circulatory system. Subjection of Evans blue dye to test for carcinogenicity gave negative results.

Greenleaf, J. E.↗

Origin and evolution of osmoregulatory mechanisms in blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) as a function of metabolic and structural complexity: Reflections of Precambrian paleobiology

Major accomplishments underlying the basic understanding of cyanobacterial resistance to salt tolerance and osmotic stress were made. The methodology proposed included: the tracing of the pathways of formation of osmoregulatory solutes by traditional methods involving C-14 labelled substrates; gas chromatography; amino acid analysis; X-ray analysis using scanning transmission electron microscopy; and most importantly, C-13 labelled substrates, followed by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. It was found that the cyanobacteria employ a diversity of organic, osmoregulatory solutes. Osmoregulatory solutes were found to serve four functions: adjustment of water activity, noninhibition of enzymes; lowering of K sub m of enzymes to allow functioning at normal levels when the intracellular salt accumulates, and extending the pH optimum of enzymes as intracellular pH rises due to proton-potassium ion pump action during osmoregulation. Differences in osmoregulatory solutes may, but are not always, be attributed to differences in nutritional capabilities. The mechanism of osmoregulation and concomitant salt tolerance in halophilic cyanobacteria was elucidated. The activities of betaine and S-Adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase are discussed.

Yopp, John H.↗

Rare isotope studies involving catalytic oxidation of CO over platinum-tin oxide

Results of studies utilizing normal and rare oxygen isotopes in the catalytic oxidation of carbon monoxide over a platinum-tin oxide catalyst substrate are presented. Chemisorption of labeled carbon monoxide on the catalyst followed by thermal desorption yielded a carbon dioxide product with an oxygen-18 composition consistent with the formation of a carbonate-like intermediate in the chemisorption process. The efficacy of a method developed for the oxygen-18 labeling of the platinum-tin oxide catalyst surface for use in closed cycle pulsed care isotope carbon dioxide lasers is demonstrated for the equivalent of 10 to the 6th power pulses at 10 pulses per second.

Upchurch, Billy T.↗

Isoelectric focusing of dansylated amino acids in immobilized pH gradients

The 21 free amino acids commonly encountered in proteins have been transformed into 'carrier ampholyte' species by reacting their primary amino groups with dansyl chloride. These derivatives can thus be focused in an immobilized pH gradient covering the pH interval 3.1 to 4.1, except for arginine, which still retains a pI of 8.8. Due to their inherent fluorescence, the dansyl derivatives are revealed in UV light, with a sensitivity of the order of 2-4 ng/sq mm. All nearest neighbors are separated except for the following couples: Asn-Gln, Gly-Thr, Val-Ile and Cys-Cys2, with a resolving power, in a Delta(pI) scale, of the order of 0.0018 pH units. Except for a few cases (notably the aromatic amino acids), the order of pI values is well correlated with the pK values of carboxyl groups, suggesting that the latter are not altered by dansylation. From the set of pK(COOH)-pI values of the different amino acids, the pK of the tertiary amino group in the dansyl label has been calculated to be 5.11 + or - 0.06. Knowing the pK of the amino-dansyl and the pI of the excess, free dansyl label (pI = 3.34), a pK of 1.57 is derived for its sulfonic acid group.

Bianchi-Bosisio, Adriana↗

Nitrogen transformations following tropical forest felling and burning on a volcanic soil

Nitrogen transformations and loss were measured following forest clearing in a relatively fertile tropical forest site. Nitrogen mineralization, nitrification, and amounts of ammonium and nitrate increased substantially in surface soils during the 6 mo following burning, then returned to background levels. The nitrogen content of microbial biomass declined to half its original value 6 mo after clearing and remained low in the cleared sites. Plant uptake of nitrogen was substantial on cleared plots (50 g/sq m), but it accounted for only 18 percent of N-15 label added to field plots. MIcrobial immobilization of N-15 was small relative to that in a cleared temperate site, and measurements of denitrification potentials suggested that relatively little mineralized nitrogen was lost to the atmosphere. Substantial amounts of nitrogen (40-70 g/sq m) were retained as exchangeably bound nitrate deep in the soils of a cleared plot on which revegetation was prevented; this process accounted for 12 percent of the N-15 label added to field plots.

Matson, Pamela A.↗

A review of the supply of liquid propellants and other fluids in support of the Space Shuttle Program

In this study, over twenty significant liquid propellants and other fluids were reviewed as to their supply in support of the Space Shuttle Program (SSP), primarily at KSC. The uniqueness of most of the products, either by their application or production characteristics, present a variety of supply issues to contend with. Each, however, is critical to the success of the SSP. It becomes necessary to formulate, and maintain, a logistic approach to assure a continued availability of each product. For convenience, two categories were established. One, labeled limited-availability, represents those products wherein they are single sourced, have production restrictions and/or there has been a history of supply problems. The other, labeled universally-available, is characteristic of those having several sources and/or having little, if any, historical supply problems. This last category was not examined in depth. Through concepts of establishing stockpile inventories, multiple supply contracts, or other arrangements, the supply of liquid propellants and other fluids can be assured.

Churchwell, Stacy E.↗

Chemical model for Viking biology experiments - Implications for the composition of the Martian regolith

The labelled-release and the gas-exchange experiments of the 1976 Mars Viking biology experiment program detected, respectively, C-14 labelled gases and O2 gas. A chemical model is proposed here for these experiments in which the reactants are an inorganic nitrate salt which has been partly photolyzed by ultraviolet light and a sparingly soluble metal carbonate such as calcite. The model reproduces the main effects seen, indicating that nitrates are present in the Martian regolith as well as calcite (or some other carbonate with similar solubility).

Plumb, Robert C.↗

Modeling and control system design and analysis tools for flexible structures

Described here are Boeing software tools used for the development of control laws of flexible structures. The Boeing Company has developed a software tool called Modern Control Software Package (MPAC). MPAC provides the environment necessary for linear model development, analysis, and controller design for large models of flexible structures. There are two features of MPAC which are particularly appropriate for use with large models: (1) numerical accuracy and (2) label-driven nature. With the first feature MPAC uses double precision arithmetic for all numerical operations and relies on EISPAC and LINPACK for the numerical foundation. With the second feature, all MPAC model inputs, outputs, and states are referenced by user-defined labels. This feature allows model modification while maintaining the same state, input, and output names. In addition, there is no need for the user to keep track of a model variable's matrix row and colunm locations. There is a wide range of model manipulation, analysis, and design features within the numerically robust and flexible environment provided by MPAC. Models can be built or modified using either state space or transfer function representations. Existing models can be combined via parallel, series, and feedback connections; and loops of a closed-loop model may be broken for analysis.

Anissipour, Amir A.↗

Surrogate oracles, generalized dependency and simpler models

Software reliability models require the sequence of interfailure times from the debugging process as input. It was previously illustrated that using data from replicated debugging could greatly improve reliability predictions. However, inexpensive replication of the debugging process requires the existence of a cheap, fast error detector. Laboratory experiments can be designed around a gold version which is used as an oracle or around an n-version error detector. Unfortunately, software developers can not be expected to have an oracle or to bear the expense of n-versions. A generic technique is being investigated for approximating replicated data by using the partially debugged software as a difference detector. It is believed that the failure rate of each fault has significant dependence on the presence or absence of other faults. Thus, in order to discuss a failure rate for a known fault, the presence or absence of each of the other known faults needs to be specified. Also, in simpler models which use shorter input sequences without sacrificing accuracy are of interest. In fact, a possible gain in performance is conjectured. To investigate these propositions, NASA computers running LIC (RTI) versions are used to generate data. This data will be used to label the debugging graph associated with each version. These labeled graphs will be used to test the utility of a surrogate oracle, to analyze the dependent nature of fault failure rates and to explore the feasibility of reliability models which use the data of only the most recent failures.

Wilson, Larry↗

Cyclic AMP-receptor proteins in heart muscle of rats flown on Cosmos 1887

The cellular compartmentalization of the cyclic AMP-receptor proteins in heart ventricular tissue obtained from rats flown on the Cosmos 1887 is determined. Photoaffinity labeling of soluble and particular cell fractions with a (32P)-8-azido analog of cyclic AMP is followed by electrophoretic separation of the proteins and by autoradiographic identification of the labeled isoforms of cAPK R subunits. It is shown that RII in the particulate subcellular fraction was significantly decreased in heart cells from rats in the flight group when compared to controls. Protein banding patterns in both the cytoplasmic fraction and in a fraction enriched in chromatin-bound proteins exhibited some variability in tissues of individual animals, but showed no changes that could be directly attributed to flight conditions. No significant change was apparent in the distribution of RI or RII cyclic AMP binding in the soluble fractions. It is inferred that the cardiac cell integrity or its protein content is not compromised under flight conditions.

Mednieks, Maija I.↗

The effect of on/off indicator design on state confusion, preference, and response time performance, executive summary

Investigated are five designs of software-based ON/OFF indicators in a hypothetical Space Station Power System monitoring task. The hardware equivalent of the indicators used in the present study is the traditional indicator light that illuminates an ON label or an OFF label. Coding methods used to represent the active state were reverse video, color, frame, check, or reverse video with check. Display background color was also varied. Subjects made judgments concerning the state of indicators that resulted in very low error rates and high percentages of agreement across indicator designs. Response time measures for each of the five indicator designs did not differ significantly, although subjects reported that color was the best communicator. The impact of these results on indicator design is discussed.

Donner, Kimberly A.↗