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At least 145 records · Page 8

Autoclave treatment of the classical scrapie agent US No. 13-7 and experimental inoculation to susceptible VRQ/ARQ sheep via the oral route results in decreased transmission efficiency

Scrapie, a prion disease of sheep, is highly resistant to conventional deactivation. Numerous methods to deactivate scrapie have been tested in laboratory animal models, and adequate autoclave treatment can reduce or remove the infectivity of some classical scrapie strains depending on the heating parameters used. In this study, we autoclaved brain homogenate from a sheep with US scrapie strain 13–7 for 30 minutes at 121°C. Genetically susceptible VRQ/ARQ sheep were orally inoculated with 3 grams of the autoclaved brain homogenate. For comparison, a second group of sheep was inoculated with a non-autoclaved brain homogenate. Rectal biopsies were used to assess antemortem scrapie disease progression throughout the study. Five out of ten (5/10) sheep that received autoclaved inoculum ultimately developed scrapie after an experimental endpoint of 72 months. These sheep had a mean incubation period of 26.99 months. Two out of five (2/5) positive sheep had detectable PrP Sc in antemortem rectal biopsies, and two (2/5) other sheep had PrP Sc in postmortem rectal tissue. A single sheep (1/5) was positive for scrapie in the CNS, small intestine, and retropharyngeal lymph node but had negative rectal tissue. All of the sheep (10/10) that received non-autoclaved inoculum developed scrapie with a mean incubation period of 20.2 months and had positive rectal biopsies at the earliest timepoint (14.7 months post-inoculation). These results demonstrate that sheep are orally susceptible to US derived classical scrapie strain 13–7 after autoclave treatment at 121°C for 30 minutes. Differences in incubation periods and time interval to first positive rectal biopsies indicate a partial reduction in infectivity titers for the autoclaved inoculum group.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

The Susceptibility of Juvenile American Shad to Rapid Decompression and Fluid Shear Exposure Associated with Simulated Hydroturbine Passage

Throughout many areas of their native range, American shad (Alosa sapidissima) and other Alosine populations are in decline. Though several conditions have influenced these declines, hydropower facilities have had significant negative effects on American shad populations. Hydropower facilities expose ocean-migrating American shad to physical stressors during passage through hydropower facilities, including strike, rapid decompression, and fluid shear. In this laboratory-based study, juvenile American shad were exposed separately to rapid decompression and fluid shear to determine their susceptibility to these stressors and develop dose–response models. These dose–response relationships can help guide the development and/or operation of hydropower turbines and facilities to reduce the negative effects to American shad. Relative to other species, juvenile American shad have a high susceptibility to both rapid decompression and fluid shear. Reducing or preventing exposure to these stressors at hydropower facilities may be a potential method to assist in the effort to restore American shad populations.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗

The diurnal susceptibility of subtropical clouds to aerosols

The diurnal susceptibility of clouds and their radiative properties to aerosols is examined during their Lagrangian transition from subtropical stratocumulus to shallow cumulus regimes. Using large-eddy simulations, we analyze the six-day evolution of an air mass along a 3800 km observed trajectory from the coast of Peru toward the equator. Pristine and polluted scenarios are simulated with forcing imposed from weather reanalysis. The polluted scenario exhibits stronger diurnal variations in cloud water, cloud fraction, and albedo, with enhanced nighttime entrainment and suppressed precipitation. The overall response of cloud properties and outgoing shortwave radiation to droplet number concentration follows a distinct diurnal pattern: strong positive cloud adjustments dominate at night and in the morning, while weak negative adjustments prevail in the afternoon. This cycle is driven by the competition between precipitation suppression, which enhances cloud water and coverage, and entrainment drying, which depletes them. In polluted conditions, enhanced entrainment leads to a deeper and more decoupled boundary layer that cannot be sustained by surface fluxes in the afternoon, resulting in negative cloud adjustments. The enhanced entrainment rate under polluted conditions is caused by the reduced sedimentation of cloud and precipitation water from the entrainment zone. While the Twomey effect dominates the diurnal average albedo response, the diurnal variation in the competing cloud adjustments lead to a near-neutral net susceptibility in the afternoon, highlighting the critical role of diurnally varying processes in aerosol-cloud interactions.

Geosciences↗

Effect of sleep-wake reversal and sleep deprivation on the circadian rhythm of oxygen toxicity seizure susceptibility.

Albino Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed in a previously O2 flushed, CO2 free chamber. The exposure began with attainment of 60 psi (gauge) and the end point was the first generalized oxygen toxicity seizure. Animals were exposed to reversal diurnal conditions since weanlings until their sleep-wake cycles had completely reversed, and then divided into four groups of 20 based on the time of day exposed. The time of exposure to oxygen at high pressure prior to seizure was now significantly longer in the group exposed from 1900 to 2000 hr and a reversal of the circadian rhythm of oxygen toxicity seizure susceptibility was noted. Animals maintained on normal diurnal conditions were deprived of sleep on the day of exposure for the 12 hours prior to exposure at 1900 hr, while controls were allowed to sleep. There was no significant differences in the time prior to seizure between the deprived animals and the controls with an n = 40. Thus the inherent threshold in susceptibility to high-pressure oxygen seizures seems not to be a function of sleep itself, but of some biochemical/physiologic event which manifests a circadian rhythm.

Dexter, J. D.↗

A rapid method for the determination of microbial susceptibility using the firefly luciferase assay for adenosine triphosphate (ATP)

Luciferase assay for adenosine triphosphate (ATP) was optimized for pure bacteria in broth in order to evaluate if changes in bacterial ATP content could be used as a rapid measure of antibiotic effect on microorganisms. Broth cultures of log phase bacteria were incubated at 310 K (37 C) for 2.5 hours at antimicrobial concentrations which resulted in the best discrimination between sensitive and resistant strains. Eighty-seven strains of 11 bacterial species were studied for their susceptibility to 12 commonly used antimicrobial agents: ampicillin, Penicillin G, nafcillin, carbenicillin, cephalothin, tetracycline, erythromycin, clindamycin, gentamicin, nitrofurantoin, colistin, and chloramplenicol. The major advantage of the ATP system over existing methods of rapid microbial susceptibility testing is that the assay can be made specific for bacterial ATP.

Vellend, H.↗

The frequency dependence of the viscous component of the magnetic susceptibility of lunar rock and soil samples

The susceptibility of two lunar samples (a soil and a low metamorphic grade breccia) has been measured in a weak field - 0.001 Oe - and as a function of frequency from 0.032 to 1.0 Hz. The measurements were made using a superconducting magnetometer. The results show that the susceptibility decreases linearly with the log of frequency. This observation is in agreement with a theoretical model for viscous decay based on the Neel theory of single-domain and superparamagnetic grains. The relation derived agrees with a model in which there is a uniform distribution of relaxation times.

Hanneken, J. W.↗

Susceptibility to hot corrosion of four nickel-base superalloys, NASA-TRW VIA, B-1900, 713C and IN-738

The susceptibility to hot corrosion of four nickel-base, cast superalloys has been studied at 900 and 1000 C. The test consisted of coating alloy samples with known amounts of Na2SO4 and oxidizing the coated samples isothermally in 1 atmosphere of slowly flowing oxygen, the weight-gain being monitored on a sensitive recording microbalance. Susceptibility to hot corrosion decreased in the order of decreasing molybdenum content of the alloys. Preoxidation of samples before hot-corrosion testing markedly increased the induction period observed prior to the inception of hot corrosion for all alloys tested. X-ray diffraction analyses of the oxide scales were made. All samples that underwent hot corrosion showed the presence of a (Ni,Co)MoO4 layer near the alloy-oxide interface. Several specimens displayed resistance to hot corrosion and these showed NaTaO3 as a prominent feature in their oxide scale. Our results may be interpreted as indicating that molybdenum in an alloy is detrimental, with respect to hot corrosion, while tantalum is beneficial.

Stearns, C. A.↗

Determination of antimicrobial susceptibilities on infected urines without isolation

A method is described for the quick determination of the susceptibilities of various unidentified bacteria contained in an aqueous physiological fluid sample, particularly urine, to one or more antibiotics. A bacterial adenosine triphosphate (ATP) assay is carried out after the elimination of non-bacterial ATP to determine whether an infection exists. If an infection does exist, a portion of the sample is further processed, including subjecting parts of the portion to one or more antibiotics. Growth of the bacteria in the parts are determined, again by an ATP assay, to determine whether the unidentified bacteria in the sample are susceptible to the antibiotic or antibiotics under test.

Picciolo, G. L.↗

Rotation at 30 RPM about the Z axis after 6 hours in the 10-deg head-down position - Effect on susceptibility to motion sickness

Intraindividual differences in susceptibility to motion sickness were measured in 14 subjects for two conditions of rotation at 30 rpm in the 10-deg head-down position. In one condition, subjects were in the 10-deg head-down position for 6 h prior to the onset of rotation; in the other condition, the delay was only 15 min. In both conditions, there were changes in vital capacity, indicating a redistribution of movable body fluids. Subjects tended to be less susceptible to motion sickness when they were recumbent for 6 h prior to rotation. These results are counterevidence for the hypothesis that shifts of body fluid are responsible in large part for the motion sickness elicited in orbital space flight.

Graybiel, A.↗

Some influences of vision on susceptibility to motion sickness

Two experiments were performed to evaluate the influence of vision on susceptibility to motion sickness during exposure to constant patterns of vestibular stimulation. The motion profile involved accelerating subjects at 20 deg/sec per sec to 300 deg/sec, maintaining them at that constant velocity for 30 sec, and decelerating them to a rapid stop in about 1.5 sec. The number of stops tolerated by a subject before reaching the motion sickness endpoint served as his score. In Experiment 1, subjects were tested twice with their eyes open and twice with their eyes blindfolded. They tolerated fewer sudden stops when permitted sight of the experimental chamber. In Experiment 2, the effect of having the eyes open or closed at different stages of the motion profile was evaluated. Having the eyes open during any stage of the test was more stressful than having the eyes closed, but this was especially true during the sudden stops. The findings are discussed in terms of their general implications for understanding (1) situations in which vision alone elicits symptoms of motion sickness, and (2) situations involving vestibular stimulation where vision heightens susceptibility.

Lackner, J. R.↗

Motion sickness susceptibility during rotation at 30 rpm in free-fall parabolic flight

To make comparisons with experimental motion sickness susceptibility in Skylab missions, subjects were tested during free fall in parabolic flight and in ground-based simulation tests. They were rotated at 30 rpm in a rotating litter chair (RLC) with head fixed, head swiveling left-to-right, or with 90 degree forward and return head and body movements. Stressful accelerations similar to those in the Skylab RLC were generated only in the tests aloft, where subjects who made 'forward and return' movements (generating cross-coupled angular accelerations) were substantially more prone to motion sickness than those with either head fixed or head swiveling left-to-right. However, with head swiveling, susceptibility was slightly higher in the laboratory than aloft.

Graybiel, A.↗

Toward the assessment of the susceptibility of a digital system to lightning upset

Accomplishments and directions for further research aimed at developing methods for assessing a candidate design of an avionic computer with respect to susceptability to lightning upset are reported. Emphasis is on fault tolerant computers. Both lightning stress and shielding are covered in a review of the electromagnetic environment. Stress characterization, system characterization, upset detection, and positive and negative design features are considered. A first cut theory of comparing candidate designs is presented including tests of comparative susceptability as well as its analysis and simulation. An approach to lightning induced transient fault effects is included.

Tront, J. G.↗

The relative stress-corrosion-cracking susceptibility of candidate aluminum-lithium alloys for aerospace applications

Stress corrosion tests of Al-Li-Cu powder metallurgy alloys are described. Alloys investigated were Al-2.6% Li-1.4% and Al-2.6% Li-1.4% Cu-1.6% Mg. The base properties of the alloys were characterized. Process, heat treatment, and size/orientational effects on the tensile and fracture behavior were investigated. Metallurgical and electrochemical conditions are identified which provide reproducible and controlled parameters for stress corrosion evaluation. Preliminary stress corrosion test results are reported. Both Al-Li-Cu alloys appear more susceptible to stress corrosion crack initiation than 7075-T6 aluminum, with the magnesium bearing alloy being the most susceptible. Tests to determine the threshold stress intensity for the base and magnesium bearing alloys are underway. Twelve each, bolt loaded DCB type specimens are under test (120 days) and limited crack growth in these precracked specimens has been observed. General corrosion in the aqueous sodium chloride environment is thought to be obscuring results through crack tip blunting.

Pizzo, P. P.↗

Susceptibility of symmetric structures to nonlinear torsional coupling

The susceptibility to induced torsional response of symmetric building structures with nonliner resisting elements was investigated. Stability curves show the effect of the arrangement of the load resisting elements on induced torsional coupling in these nonliner but other wise symmetric structures. Universal upper and lower bound instability curves are also derived; these identify the susceptibility to torsional coupling of symmetric structures with different stiffness arrangements but which have equal mass and total lateral stiffness, and which are intended to model alternative structural strategies for lateral load resistance.

Pekau, O. A.↗

Upset susceptibility study employing circuit analysis and digital simulation

This paper describes an approach to predicting the susceptibility of digital systems to signal disturbances. Electrical disturbances on a digital system's input and output lines can be induced by activities and conditions including static electricity, lightning discharge, Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) and Electromagnetic Pulsation (EMP). The electrical signal disturbances employed for the susceptibility study were limited to nondestructive levels, i.e., the system does not sustain partial or total physical damage and reset and/or reload will bring the system to an operational status. The front-end transition from the electrical disturbances to the equivalent digital signals was accomplished by computer-aided circuit analysis. The Super-Sceptre (system for circuit evaluation of transient radiation effects) Program was used. Gate models were developed according to manufacturers' performance specifications and parameters resulting from construction processes characteristic of the technology. Digital simulation at the gate and functional level was employed to determine the impact of the abnormal signals on system performance and to study the propagation characteristics of these signals through the system architecture. Example results are included for an Intel 8080 processor configuration.

Carreno, V. A.↗

Motion sickness susceptibility related to ACTH, ADH and TSH

The hypothesis that endogenous levels of certain hormones might be indicative of an individual's susceptibility to stressful motion is tested in a comparison of subjects classified as less prone to motion sickness with those of higher susceptibility. The levels of ACTH and vasopressin measured before exposure to stressful motion were twice as high in the less-suceptible group. No significant differences were noted in the levels of angiotensin, aldosterone, or TSH. The differences between the two groups were greater for a given hormone than for any of the changes induced by exposure to stressful motion.

Kohl, R. L.↗

Upset susceptibility study employing circuit analysis and digital simulation

An approach to predict the susceptibility of digital systems to signal disturbances is described. Electrical disturbances on a digital system's input and output lines can be induced by activities and conditions including static electricity, lightning discharge, electromagnetic interference (EMI), and electromagnetic pulsation (EMP). The electrical signal disturbances employed for the susceptibility study were limited to nondestructive levels, i.e., the system does not sustain partial or total physical damage and reset and/or reload brings the system to an operational status. The front-end transition from the electrical disturbances to the equivalent digital signals was accomplished by computer-aided circuit analysis. The super-sceptre (system for circuit evaluation of transient radiation effects) programs was used. Gate models were developed according to manufacturers' performance specifications and parameters resulting from construction processes characteristic of the technology. Digital simulation at the gate and functional level was employed to determine the impact of the abnormal signals on system performance and to study the propagation characteristics of these signals through the system architecture. Example results are included for an Intel 8080 processor configuration.

Carreno, V. A.↗

An estimation of continental crust magnetization and susceptibility from Magsat data for the conterminous United States

The Magsat-derived magnetic anomaly field over the United States was inverted to magnetization in a seismically determined variable-thickness lower crust. The results are quite similar to those obtained from a previous inversion of POGO data. The average magnetization is 3.45 + or - 1.0 A/m, which gives a bulk magnetic susceptibility of 8.7 + or - 2.4 x 10 to the -2nd (SI units) for the lower crustal layer consistent with a mafic composition. These values are also consistent with previous estimates of lower crustal magnetization from aeromagnetic data and with laboratory measurements of mafic rock susceptibilities.

Schnetzler, C. C.↗