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At least 1,711 records · Page 95

High Resolution Siting Suitability of Various Power Plant Technologies

Energy sector planning models determine the aggregate need for new generation, but these models are typically at the state or regional scale and are not equipped to address the wide range of location- and technology-specific issues that are increasingly a factor in power plant siting. These animations demonstrate the aggregate siting suitability of various power plant technology configurations, considering technology-specific factors that can prohibit development. The data presented is from the GRIDCERF (Geospatial Raster Input Data for Capacity Expansion Regional Feasibility) data package. GRIDCERF is a harmonized, open-source geospatial product that can be used to evaluate siting suitability for renewable and non-renewable power plants in the conterminous United States. The animations presented here demonstrate a curated selection of the full suite of technology configurations available. GRIDCERF provides the necessary inputs for models that simulate power plant siting for regional capacity expansion planning such as the Capacity Expansion Regional Feasibility (CERF) model.

Mongird, Kendall [Pacific Northwest National Labor↗

Ionizing Radiation Impairs T Cell Activation by Affecting Metabolic Reprogramming

Ionizing radiation has a variety of acute and long-lasting adverse effects on the immune system. Whereas measureable effects of radiation on immune cell cytotoxicity and population change have been well studied in human and animal models, little is known about the functional alterations of the surviving immune cells after ionizing radiation. The objective of this work was to delineate the effects of radiation on T cell function by studying the alterations of T cell receptor activation and metabolic changes in activated T cells isolated from previously irradiated animals. Using a global metabolomics profiling approach, for the first time we demonstrate that ionizing radiation impairs metabolic reprogramming of T cell activation, which leads to substantial decreases in the efficiency of key metabolic processes required for activation, such as glucose uptake, glycolysis, and energy metabolism. In-depth understanding of how radiation impacts T cell function highlighting modulation of metabolism during activation is not only a novel approach to investigate the pivotal processes in the shift of T cell homeostasis after radiation, it also may lead to new targets for therapeutic manipulation in the combination of radiotherapy and immune therapy. Given that appreciable effects were observed with as low as 10 cGy, our results also have implications for low dose environmental exposures.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗

Engineering a conserved RNA regulatory protein repurposes its biological function in vivo

PUF (PUmilio/FBF) RNA-binding proteins recognize distinct elements. In C. elegans, PUF-8 binds to an 8-nt motif and restricts proliferation in the germline. Conversely, FBF-2 recognizes a 9-nt element and promotes mitosis. To understand how motif divergence relates to biological function, we first determined a crystal structure of PUF-8. Comparison of this structure to that of FBF-2 revealed a major difference in a central repeat. We devised a modified yeast 3-hybrid screen to identify mutations that confer recognition of an 8-nt element to FBF-2. We identified several such mutants and validated structurally and biochemically their binding to 8-nt RNA elements. Using genome engineering, we generated a mutant animal with a substitution in FBF-2 that confers preferential binding to the PUF-8 element. The mutant largely rescued overproliferation in animals that spontaneously generate tumors in the absence of puf-8. This work highlights the critical role of motif length in the specification of biological function.

Bhat, Vandita D.↗

Inefficacy of mallard flight responses to approaching vehicles

Vehicle collisions with birds are financially costly and dangerous to humans and animals. To reduce collisions, it is necessary to understand how birds respond to approaching vehicles. We used simulated (i.e., animals exposed to video playback) and real vehicle approaches with mallards (Anas platyrynchos) to quantify flight behavior and probability of collision under different vehicle speeds and times of day (day vs. night). Birds exposed to simulated nighttime approaches exhibited reduced probability of attempting escape, but when escape was attempted, fled with more time before collision compared to birds exposed to simulated daytime approaches. The lower probability of flight may indicate that the visual stimulus of vehicle approaches at night (i.e., looming headlights) is perceived as less threatening than when the full vehicle is more visible during the day; alternatively, the mallard visual system might be incompatible with vehicle lighting in dark settings. Mallards approached by a real vehicle exhibited a delayed margin of safety (both flight initiation distance and time before collision decreased with speed); they are the first bird species found to exhibit this response to vehicle approach. Our findings suggest mallards are poorly equipped to adequately respond to fast-moving vehicles and demonstrate the need for continued research into methods promoting effective avian avoidance behaviors.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

The role of macrobiota in structuring microbial communities along rocky shores

Rocky shore microbial diversity presents an excellent system to test for microbial habitat specificity or generality, enabling us to decipher how common macrobiota shape microbial community structure. At two coastal locations in the northeast Pacific Ocean, we show that microbial composition was significantly different between inert surfaces, the biogenic surfaces that included rocky shore animals and an alga, and the water column plankton. While all sampled entities had a core of common OTUs, rare OTUs drove differences among biotic and abiotic substrates. For the mussel Mytilus californianus, the shell surface harbored greater alpha diversity compared to internal tissues of the gill and siphon. Strikingly, a 7-year experimental removal of this mussel from tidepools did not significantly alter the microbial community structure of microbes associated with inert surfaces when compared with unmanipulated tidepools. However, bacterial taxa associated with nitrate reduction had greater relative abundance with mussels present, suggesting an impact of increased animal-derived nitrogen on a subset of microbial metabolism. Because the presence of mussels did not affect the structure and diversity of the microbial community on adjacent inert substrates, microbes in this rocky shore environment may be predominantly affected through direct physical association with macrobiota.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Implanted telemeter for electrocardiogram and body temperature

Measuring system requiring one blocking oscillator to generate modulated pulse repetition rate is implantable in the bodies of small animals. Device has life of two years and transmission range of about three feet. EKG sensing unit also is used to sense electromyogram or electrooculogram of laboratory animals.

Barrows, W. F.↗

Effect of continuous gamma-ray exposure on performance of learned tasks and effect of subsequent fractionated exposures on blood-forming tissue

Sixteen monkeys trained to perform continuous and discrete-avoidance and fixed-ratio tasks with visual and auditory cues were performance-tested before, during, and after 10-day gamma-ray exposures totaling 0, 500, 750, and 1000 rads. Approximately 14 months after the performance-test exposures, surviving animals were exposed to 100-rad gamma-ray fractions at 56-day intervals to observe injury and recovery patterns of blood-forming tissues. The fixed-ratio, food-reward task performance showed a transient decline in all dose groups within 24 hours of the start of gamma-ray exposure, followed by recovery to normal food-consumption levels within 48 to 72 hours. Avoidance tasks were performed successfully by all groups during the 10-day exposure, but reaction times of the two higher dose-rate groups in which animals received 3 and 4 rads per hour or total doses of 750 and 1000 rads, respectively, were somewhat slower.

Spalding, J. F.↗

Lymphatic involution and early mortality in the young chicken produced by 2.2 GeV protons

Young single-comb white Leghorn cockerels were subjected to single acute doses of either 2.2 GeV protons or 250 kVp X-rays. Since young chickens exposed in the lethal range die within 48 hours of exposure, an hourly tabulation of deaths was recorded for this length of time after exposure. Animals which were exposed to sublethal doses were killed five days after exposure and their major lymphatic organs, (thymus, bursa, and spleen), removed and weighed. In the lethal range, animals exposed to 2.2 GeV protons died sooner than those receiving similar doses of X-rays, but total mortality was similar in each case at similar dose levels. The 48 hour LD sub 50 was determined to be 710 rad. Measured five days after exposure, 50% depression ED sub 50 for lymphatic organs occurred as follows: (1) thymus, 350 rad; (2) pursa, 500 rad, and (3) spleen, 450 rad. In all case R.B.E. values were not different from unity.

Montour, J. L.↗

Southwest Research Institute assistance to NASA in biomedical areas of the technology

Significant applications of aerospace technology were achieved. These applications include: a miniaturized, noninvasive system to telemeter electrocardiographic signals of heart transplant patients during their recuperative period as graded situations are introduced; and economical vital signs monitor for use in nursing homes and rehabilitation hospitals to indicate the onset of respiratory arrest; an implantable telemetry system to indicate the onset of the rejection phenomenon in animals undergoing cardiac transplants; an exceptionally accurate current proportional temperature controller for pollution studies; an automatic, atraumatic blood pressure measurement device; materials for protecting burned areas in contact with joint bender splints; a detector to signal the passage of animals by a given point during ecology studies; and special cushioning for use with below-knee amputees to protect the integrity of the skin at the stump/prosthesis interface.

Culclasure, D. F.↗

Long range radio tracking of sea turtles and polar bear: Instrumentation and preliminary results

Instrumentation developed for studies of path behavior of the green sea turtle and migration movement of polar bear is described. Preliminary results bearing on navigation ability in these species are presented. Both species operate in difficult environments, and the problems faced in the design of electronic instrumentation for these studies are not completely specified at this time. However, the critical factors yet to be understood are primarily related to the behavior of instrumented animals. The data obtained with these experimental techniques are included, first to illustrate the technique and, second to provide initial preliminary results bearing on animal navigation.

Baldwin, H. A.↗

Studies of effects of closed microbial ecology. Report of 180-day test period

Experiments were performed to determine the influence closed microbial ecologies have on modification or simplification of natural intestinal flora of ferrets in a closed environmental system. On the basis of previous tests in which certain species (Salmonella and Bacteroides) were decreased at 90 days of enclosure, a second trial was constructed for 180-day tests. In this trial there was little difference in the 8 major classes of intestinal flora between animals in the Open and Closed environmental groups except for the level of Lactobacillus. It is of extreme importance to note that when both Open and Closed groups contracted hemorrhagic gastritis, the interrelationship of this agent with other intestinal flora produced a more profound effect on animals from the Closed Group, particularly with reference to Lactobacillus levels.

Kenyon, A. J.↗

Action of acetylstrophanthidin on experimental myocardial infarction.

An experimental animal model with acute myocardial infarction of a size insufficient to produce profound heart failure or shock was used to study the effects of acute infarction on digitalis tolerance and the hemodynamic changes produced by moderate and large doses of acetylstrophanthidin. With acute myocardial infarction, digitalis toxic arrhythmias could be precipitated with significantly lower doses of digitalis than in animals without myocardial infarction. There was no precise correlation between the size of infarction and the toxic dose of glycoside. Coronary artery ligation produced a stable but relatively depressed circulatory state, as evidenced by lowered cardiac output and stroke volume and elevated systemic vascular resistance and left atrial mean pressure. When digitalis was infused, the following significant changes were observed at nontoxic doses: (1) elevation of aortic and left ventricular pressures; (2) further decline in cardiac output; and (3) decreased left atrial mean pressure.

Nola, G. T.↗

Acute changes in the central nervous system of monkeys exposed to protons.

Study of the changes occurring in simian brain exposed to protons of varied energy, given in wide dose and dose-rate ranges. Results show that inflammatory reaction and glycogen accumulation in astrocytes occurred practically in all animals. Cerebral cortical necrosis, granule cell pyknosis, and inflammatory reaction occurred at doses far lower than effective for high-energy gamma radiation given other series of monkeys at comparable dose rates. Metallic impregnation, carried out in virtually all the animals tested, revealed a wide variation in glial response even at equal doses and dose rates in the same proton energy series. Proton energy effect, dose effect, dose-time effect, and dose-rate effect were evident in the various morphological categories investigated, but inconsistencies were encountered.

Haymaker, W.↗

Satellite (IRLS) tracking of elk

The practicability of tracking free roaming animals in natural environments by satellite systems is reported. Satellite systems combine continuous tracking with simultaneous monitoring of physiological and environmental parameters through a combination of radio tracking and biotelemetric ground systems that lead to a better understanding of animal behavior and migration patterns.

Buechner, H. K.↗

A bibliography of wildlife movements and tracking systems

A bibliography is presented consisting of 1,005 references concerned with animal orientation, homing, navigation, migration, and home range movements, and the various methods of tracking and monitoring such behavior through biotelemetry, radar, and various banding and tagging techniques. A majority of the publications appeared between 1950 and 1970, although the most intensive search was made of the 1965-1970 period. A small number of older articles and books were included because they appeared to have some special or unusual value. The references have been organized in two ways. First, they are grouped in primary categories on the basis of the behavior involved such as orientation, homing, etc., and the methods of tracking. Second, within each of the resulting major areas, the items are arranged in terms of the species of animal. This sequence is maintained throughout the bibliography and in many cases represents a rank order according to the number of publications found.

Werber, M.↗

Mitotic activity in dorsal epidermis of Rana pipiens.

Study of statistically significant rhythms of mitotic division in dorsal epidermis of frogs, Rana pipiens, exposed to a 12:12 light:dark environment for 14 days. The results include the findings that (1) male animals have a primary period of 22 hr in summer and 18 hr in winter, (2) female animals have an 18 hr period, and (3) parapinealectomy and blinding abolish the rhythm.

Garcia-Arce, H.↗

Helium-cold induced hypothermia in the white rat.

Hypothermia was induced in white rats by exposing them to low ambient temperatures (about 0 C) and a gaseous atmosphere of 80% helium and 20% oxygen (helox). Biological survival, in which revival from hypothermia to normothermia is achieved, and clinical survival, in which one or more functional attributes are monitored in the hypothermic animal until it dies, are examined. The helium-cold method appears to produce a hypothermic state in the rat quite similar to that resulting from such techniques as ice water immersion or hypercapnia + hypoxia. There is a direct relationship between body weight and percent survival. Despite the fact that they require a longer period to become hypothermic, the heavier animals are better able to survive.

Musacchia, X. J.↗

A monkey metabolism pod for space-flight weightlessness studies.

The system described will permit quantitative physiological studies in adult monkeys, weighing from 8 to 14 kg, during future space flights. The system comprises a fiberglass pod containing a comfortable restraint couch for the animal. The pod is divided into upper and lower halves. When the monkey occupies the couch, a rubber belly-band forms a gas seal between the upper and lower portions of the animal. The upper-pod ventilating air stream is monitored for the partial pressures of oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and water to permit continuous metabolic gas-exchange measurements for computation of metabolic energy expediture. The lower pod is lined with ashless filter paper for excreta collection.

Pace, N.↗