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The RITS-6 inductive voltage adder (IVA) accelerator (3.5–8.5 MeV) at Sandia National Laboratories produces highpower (TW) focused electron beams (< 3mm diameter) for flash x-ray radiography applications. The Self-Magnetic Pinch (SMP) diode utilizes a hollowed metal cathode to produce a pinched focus onto a high-Z metal anode converter. There is not a clear understanding as to the effects various contaminants such as: C, CO, H, H2O, HmCn, O2, and N2, on the anode surface or in the bulk, may have on impedance dynamics, beam stability, beam spot size, and reproducibility.

The electrothermal instability (ETI) arises whenever a current-carrying material has a resistivity that depends on temperature. When resistivity, η, increases with increasing temperature, ETI causes striations to form perpendicular to the direction of current. On pulsed-power-driven, ablating metallic loads, this process can cause sections of the target to ablate earlier than the bulk material, creating a macroscopic surface perturbation on the plasma-vacuum interface. Experiments are underway on the MAIZE 1-MA linear transformer driver at the University of Michigan to study surface perturbations produced by ETI as seeding for the Rayleigh-Taylor (MRT) instability on imploding liner [1] and accelerating foil plasmas [2]. Target foils are fabricated at the Lurie Nanofabrication Facility at UM by depositing ultrathin (200 to 500 nm) coatings of aluminum or titanium on 1.5 μm Chemplex Ultra-Polyester films. Foil thicknesses are chosen to maintain the same mass between shots, and the materials are chosen to provide substantially different values of dη/dt, which impacts the growth rate of the electrothermal instability. Targets are ablated and accelerated by driving a current of 500 to 600 kA on MAIZE, and the accelerated plasmas are imaged using a 12-frame laser imaging system. Images of these plasmas are compared to determine if initial plasma interface perturbations are measurably different on targets of different materials, with the same mass, but different ETI growth rates.

Background Pancreas disease (PD), caused by salmonid alphavirus (SAV), is an important disease affecting salmonid aquaculture. It has been speculated that Atlantic salmon post-smolts are more prone to infections in the first few weeks following seawater- transfer. After this period of seawater acclimatization, the post-smolts are more robust and better able to resist infection by pathogens. Here we describe how we established a bath immersion (BI) model for SAV subtype 3 (SAV3) in seawater. We also report how this challenge model was used to study the susceptibility of post-smolts to SAV3 infection in two groups of post-smolts two weeks or nine weeks after seawater - transfer. Methods Post-smolts, two weeks (Phase-A) or nine weeks (Phase-B) after seawater- transfer, were infected with SAV3 by BI or intramuscular injection (IM) to evaluate their susceptibility to infection. A RT-qPCR assay targeting the non-structural protein (nsP1) gene was performed to detect SAV3-RNA in blood, heart tissue and electropositive-filtered tank-water. Histopathological changes were examined by light microscope, and the presence of SAV3 antigen in pancreas tissue was confirmed using immuno-histochemistry. Results Virus shedding from the Phase-B fish injected with SAV3 (IM Phase-B) was markedly lower than that from IM Phase-A fish. A lower percentage of viraemia in Phase-B fish compared with Phase-A fish was also observed. Viral RNA in hearts from IM Phase-A fish was higher than in IM Phase-B fish at all sampling points (p

Intestinal enteroendocrine cells (IECs) secrete gut peptides in response to both nutrients and non-nutrients. Glucose and amino acids both stimulate gut peptide secretion. Our hypothesis was that the facilitative glucose transporter, GLUT2, could act as a glucose sensor and the calcium-sensing receptor, CasR, could detect amino acids in the intestine to modify gut peptide secretion. We used isolated loops of rat small intestine to study the secretion of gluco-insulinotropic peptide (GIP), glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and peptide tyrosine tyrosine (PYY) secretion stimulated by luminal perfusion of nutrients or bile acid. Inhibition of the sodium-dependent glucose cotransporter 1 (SGLT1) with phloridzin partially inhibited GIP, GLP-1 and PYY secretion by 45%, suggesting another glucose sensor might be involved in modulating peptide secretion. The response was completely abolished in the presence of the GLUT2 inhibitors phloretin or cytochalasin B. Given that GLUT2 modified gut peptide secretion stimulated by glucose, we investigated whether it was involved in the secretion of gut peptide by other gut peptide secretagogues. Phloretin completely abolished gut peptide secretion stimulated by artificial sweetener (sucralose), dipeptide (glycylsarcosine), lipid (oleoylethanolamine), short chain fatty acid (propionate) and major rat bile acid (taurocholate) indicating a fundamental position for GLUT2 in the gut peptide secretory mechanism. We investigated how GLUT2 was able to influence gut peptide secretion mediated by a diverse range of stimulators and discovered that GLUT2 affected membrane depolarisation through the closure of K+(ATP)-sensitive channels. In the absence of SGLT1 activity (or presence of phloridzin), the secretion of GIP, GLP-1 and PYY was sensitive to K+(ATP)-sensitive channel modulators tolbutamide and diazoxide. L-amino acids phenylalanine (Phe), tryptophan (Trp), asparagine (Asn), arginine (Arg) and glutamine (Gln) also stimulated GIP, GLP-1 and PYY secretion, which was completely abolished when extracellular Ca2+ was absent. The gut peptide response stimulated by the amino acids was also blocked by the CasR inhibitor Calhex 231 and augmented by the CasR agonist NPS-R568. GLUT2 and CasR regulate K- and L-cell activity in response to nutrient and non-nutrient stimuli.

The transcript levels of viral RNAs, selected T-cell marker and cytokine genes, toll like receptor (TLR) 7, and two interferon stimulated genes (ISG) were analysed in sexually immature adult Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus L.) experimentally infected with nodavirus. The expression of the T-cell markers, TLR7 and the cytokine genes was further explored in in vitro stimulated anterior kidney leucocytes (AK leucocytes) isolated from the experiment fish and from additional untreated non-injected fish. The levels of viral RNA1 and RNA2 were increasing in brain and eye at around 4 and 8weeks post injection (wpi), respectively, and still increasing at the end of the experiment, especially in eye. Immuno-positive cells and signs of vacuolisation in both brain and eye were seen at 14wpi. Increased transcript levels of TCRβ, CD4-2, CD4, CD8α, and Lck in brain and eye of the experimentally infected halibut suggested an involvement of halibut T-cells in the immune response against nodavirus. Interestingly, a similar expression pattern of TCRβ, CD4 and Lck was seen in both brain and eye. However, compared to brain that showed elevated transcript levels of TCRβ, CD4 and Lck mainly at 10 and 14wpi, the increase appeared earlier between 3 and 4wpi in the eye. Yet, an increase in the transcript level of IFNγ was seen at 10 and 14wpi in both organs. Moreover, elevated levels of TLR7, IL-1β, IL-6, ISG15 and Mx were detected in vivo. The in vitro experiments, stimulating AK leucocytes with ConA-PMA, imiquimod or nodavirus, further supported an involvement of IL-6 and IFNγ in the immune response against nodavirus and the involvement of CD8β(+) cells. Results from the present study thus indicate an importance of T-cells, IFNγ and the analysed ISGs in the immune response against nodavirus in Atlantic halibut, and would be of great help in future vaccination trials giving the possibility to monitor the immune response rather than mortality during post-vaccination challenge experiments.

A series of polymers has been synthesized via ring-opening metathesis polymerization of donor–acceptor side-chain functionalized monomers. The backbones of the polymers are based on poly(norbornene)s and/or poly(cyclooctene)s, while the side-chains consist of electron-rich 1,5-dialkoxynaphthalene and electron-deficient 1,2,4,5-benzenetetracarboxylic dianhydride (pyromellitic dianhydride). The monomers were proven to be living which allowed for the generation of controlled homopolymers and block copolymers. Side-chain functionalized alternating poly(norbornene/cyclooctene)s were generated using a Grubbs-type initiator containing an unsymmetrical N-heterocyclic carbene ligand. Using UV–vis spectroscopy, a charge-transfer band was detected in random and alternating copolymer solutions due to intramolecular interactions.

Alterations of the phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathway occur broadly in cancer via multiple mechanisms including mutation of the PIK3CA gene, loss or mutation of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), and deregulation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) complexes. The dysregulation of this pathway has been implicated in tumor initiation, cell growth and survival, invasion and angiogenesis, thus, PI3K and mTOR are promising therapeutic targets for cancer. We discovered GDC-0980, a selective, potent, orally bioavailable inhibitor of Class I PI3 kinase and mTOR kinase (TORC1/2) with excellent pharmacokinetic and pharmaceutical properties. GDC-0980 potently inhibits signal transduction downstream of both PI3K and mTOR, as measured by pharmacodynamic (PD) biomarkers, thereby acting upon two key pathway nodes to produce the strongest attainable inhibition of signaling in the pathway. Correspondingly, GDC-0980 was potent across a broad panel of cancer cell lines, with the greatest potency in breast, prostate, and lung cancers and less activity in melanoma and pancreatic cancers, consistent with KRAS and BRAF acting as resistance markers. Treatment of cancer cell lines with GDC-0980 resulted in G1 cell-cycle arrest, and in contrast to mTOR inhibitors, GDC-0980 induced apoptosis in certain cancer cell lines, including those with direct pathway activation via PI3K and PTEN. Low doses of GDC-0980 potently inhibited tumor growth in xenograft models including those with activated PI3K, loss of LKB1 or PTEN, and elicited an exposure-related decrease in PD biomarkers. These preclinical data show that GDC-0980 is a potent and effective dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor with promise for the clinic. Mol Cancer Ther; 10(12); 2426–36. ©2011 AACR.

Mouse and human somatic cells can either be reprogrammed to a pluripotent state or converted to another lineage with a combination of transcription factors suggesting that lineage commitment is a reversible process. Here we show that only one factor, the active intracellular form of Notch1, is sufficient to convert mature pigmented epidermal-derived melanocytes into functional multipotent neural crest (NC) stem-like cells. These induced NC stem cells (iNCSCs) proliferate as spheres under stem cell media conditions, re-express NC-related genes, and differentiate into multiple NC-derived mesenchymal and neuronal lineages. Moreover, iNCSCs are highly migratory and functional in vivo. These results demonstrate that mature melanocytes can be reprogrammed toward their primitive NC cell precursors through the activation of a single stem cell-related pathway. Reprogramming of melanocytes to iNCSCs may provide an alternate source of NCSCs for neuroregenerative applications.

Aim—To explore risk patterns for presumed and definite, early and late neonatal bacteremia. Methods—We studied 1106 ELGANs who survived until postnatal day 28. We defined early definite bacteremia as a positive bacterial culture in the first week and definite late bacteremia as a positive bacterial culture in week 2, 3 or 4. Bacteremia was presumed if antibiotics were given for more than 72 hours despite negative blood cultures. Results—Risk patterns did not differ much for presumed and definite bacteremia in the first postnatal month. While maternal and pregnancy characteristics were associated with early bacteremia, neonatal co-morbidities, especially NEC, were the main antecedents/correlates of late bacteremia. All four categories of bacteremia were associated with younger gestational age and lower birth weight. Infants with presumed and definite bacteremia had similar distributions of days of ventilation and oxygenation. Conclusion—Definite and presumed late bacteremia have rather similar risk patterns, while those of early and late bacteremia differ appreciably.

BACKGROUND: Evaluation of a HDR- interstitial brachytherapy plan is a challenging job. Owing to the complexities and diversity of the normalization and optimization techniques involved, a simple objective assessment of these plans is required. This can improve the radiation dose coverage of the tumour with decreased organ toxicity. AIM: To study and document the various dose volume indices and parameters required to evaluate a HDR interstitial brachytherapy plan by Volume normalization and graphical optimization using MUPIT (Martinez Universal Perineal Interstitial Template) in patients of carcinoma cervix. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Single arm, retrospective study. METHODS AND MATERIALS: 35 patients of carcinoma cervix who received EBRT and HDR brachytherapy using MUPIT, were selected. The dose prescribed was 4 Gray/Fraction in four fractions (16Gy/4) treated twice daily, at least 6 hours apart. CTV and OARs were delineated on the axial CT image set. Volume normalization and graphical optimization was done for planning. Coverage Index (CI), Dose homogeneity index (DHI), Overdose index (OI), Dose non-uniformity ratio (DNR), Conformity Index (COIN) and dose volume parameters i.e. D2cc, D1cc, D0.1cc of rectum and bladder were evaluated. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: SPSS version 16 was used. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: CI was 0.95 ± 1.84 which means 95% of the target received 100% of the prescribed dose. The mean COIN was 0.841 ± 0.06 and DHI was 0.502 ± 0.11. D2cc rectum and bladder was 3.40 ± 0.56 and 2.95 ± 0.62 respectively which was within the tolerance limit of this organs. There should be an optimum balance between these indices for improving the quality of the implant and to yield maximum clinical benefit out of it, keeping the dose to the OARs in limit. Dose optimization should be carefully monitered and an institutional protocol should be devised for the acceptability criteria of these plans.

The phosphatidylinositide 3-kinase pathway is frequently deregulated in human cancers and inhibitors offer considerable therapeutic potential. We previously described the promising tricyclic pyridofuropyrimidine lead and chemical tool compound PI-103. We now report the properties of the pharmaceutically optimized bicyclic thienopyrimidine derivatives PI-540 and PI-620 and the resulting clinical development candidate GDC-0941. All four compounds inhibited phosphatidylinositide 3-kinase p110α with IC50 ≤ 10 nmol/L. Despite some differences in isoform selectivity, these agents exhibited similar in vitro antiproliferative properties to PI-103 in a panel of human cancer cell lines, with submicromolar potency in PTEN-negative U87MG human glioblastoma cells and comparable phosphatidylinositide 3-kinase pathway modulation. PI-540 and PI-620 exhibited improvements in solubility and metabolism with high tissue distribution in mice. Both compounds gave improved antitumor efficacy over PI-103, following i.p. dosing in U87MG glioblastoma tumor xenografts in athymic mice, with treated/control values of 34% (66% inhibition) and 27% (73% inhibition) for PI-540 (50 mg/kg b.i.d.) and PI-620 (25 mg/kg b.i.d.), respectively. GDC-0941 showed comparable in vitro antitumor activity to PI-103, PI-540, and PI-620 and exhibited 78% oral bioavailability in mice, with tumor exposure above 50% antiproliferative concentrations for >8 hours following 150 mg/kg p.o. and sustained phosphatidylinositide 3-kinase pathway inhibition. These properties led to excellent dose-dependent oral antitumor activity, with daily p.o. dosing at 150 mg/kg achieving 98% and 80% growth inhibition of U87MG glioblastoma and IGROV-1 ovarian cancer xenografts, respectively. Together, these data support the development of GDC-0941 as a potent, orally bioavailable inhibitor of phosphatidylinositide 3-kinase. GDC-0941 has recently entered phase I clinical trials. [Mol Cancer Ther 2009;8(7):1725–38] [Mol Cancer Ther 2009;8(7):1725–38]

In teleost fish, the head kidney, thymus, and spleen are generally regarded as important immune organs. In this study, the ontogeny of these organs was studied in Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus), larvae at various stages of development. We observed that the kidney was present at hatching, the thymus at 33days post hatch (dph), while the spleen was the last organ to be detected at 49dph. All three lymphoid organs were morphologically well developed during late metamorphic stages. Real time RT-PCR analysis showed that IgM mRNA expression could be observed at 66dph and later, which correlates well with in situ hybridisation data showing that a few IgM positive cells could be detected in the anterior kidney and spleen from 66dph. Our data also showed that the highest levels of IgM mRNA could be detected in halibut spleen. Immunostaining using a monoclonal antibody against halibut IgM detected IgM positive cells at 94dph in both the head kidney and the spleen, which is much later than the IgM mRNA. Numerous cells expressing both IgM mRNA and protein could be detected in the spleen and anterior kidney and also to some extent in thymus specimens from adult halibut.

Purpose. The diagnosis and treatment of congenital tuberculosis are discussed. Summary. Congenital tuberculosis is rare and fatal if left untreated. If a pregnant woman with tuberculosis is not treated, infection of the fetus can occur by hematogenous spread through the umbilical cord or by aspiration or ingestion of amniotic fluid. Signs and symptoms of congenital tuberculosis may be nonspecific, which may preclude early diagnosis and treatment. Criteria for the diagnosis of congenital tuberculosis require the infant to have a tuberculous lesion, as indicated by chest radiography or granulomas, and at least one of the following should be confirmed: (1) onset during the first week of life, (2) primary hepatic tuberculosis complex or caseating hepatic granulomas, (3) infection of the placenta or maternal genital tract, or (4) exclusion of postnatal transmission by a contact investigation. Since 2001, 21 cases of congenital tuberculosis have been reported in English-language medical journals, with the age of presentation ranging from day 1 to 90. Based on findings from published case reports, congenital tuberculosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of newborns who have (1) nonresponsive, worsening pneumonia, especially in regions with high rates of tuberculosis, (2) nonspecific symptoms but have a mother diagnosed with tuberculosis, (3) high lymphocyte counts in the cerebrospinal fluid without an identified bacterial pathogen, or (4) fever and hepatosplenomegaly. Once diagnosed, it is essential to promptly begin treatment with isoniazid, rifampin, pyrazinamide, and streptomycin in order to decrease the mortality associated with the infection. Conclusion. Early diagnosis and treatment during the neonatal period are crucial in minimizing the fatality associated with congenital tuberculosis.

Fatty acid elongation was examined in the cellular slime mold, Dictyostelium discoideum. Profiling of the total fatty acid content of D. discoideum indicated that fatty acid elongation is active. Orthologs of the fatty acid elongase ELO family were identified in the D. discoideum genome and the cDNA for one, eloA, was cloned and functionally characterized by expression in yeast. EloA is a highly active ELO with strict substrate specificity for monounsaturated fatty acids, in particular 16:1(Delta9) to produce the unusual 18:1(Delta11) fatty acid. This is the first report on fatty acid elongation in a cellular slime mold.

Phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) is an important target in cancer due to the deregulation of the PI3K/ Akt signaling pathway in a wide variety of tumors. A series of thieno[3,2-d]pyrimidine derivatives were prepared and evaluated as inhibitors of PI3 kinase p110alpha. The synthesis, biological activity, and further profiling of these compounds are described. This work resulted in the discovery of 17, GDC-0941, which is a potent, selective, orally bioavailable inhibitor of PI3K and is currently being evaluated in human clinical trials for the treatment of cancer.

In this work, we describe a technique for fabricating ultrathin foils in cylindrical geometry for liner-plasma implosion experiments using sub-MA currents. Liners are formed by wrapping a 400 nm, rectangular strip of aluminum foil around a dumbbell-shaped support structure with a non-conducting center rod, so that the liner dimensions are 1 cm in height, 6.55 mm in diameter, and 400 nm in thickness. The liner-plasmas are imploded by discharging ∼600 kA with ∼200 ns rise time using a 1 MA linear transformer driver, and the resulting implosions are imaged four times per shot using laser-shadowgraphy at 532 nm. This technique enables the study of plasma implosion physics, including the magneto Rayleigh-Taylor, sausage, and kink instabilities on initially solid, imploding metallic liners with university-scale pulsed power machines.

Background Pentalogy of Cantrell is a rare syndrome, first described by Cantrell and co-workers in 1958. The syndrome is characterized by the presence of five major congenital defects involving the diaphragm, abdominal wall, the diaphragmatic pericardium, lower sternum and various congenital intra-cardiac abnormalities. The syndrome has never been reported in Tanzania, although may have been reported from other African countries. Survival rate of the complete form of pentalogy of Cantrell is as low as 20%, but recent studies have reported normal growth achieved by 6 years of age where corrective surgeries were done; showing that surgical repair early in life is essential for survival. Case presentation The African baby residing in Tanzania was referred from a district hospital on the second day of life. She was noted to have a huge omphalocele and ectopia cordis covered by a thin membrane, with bowels visible through the membrane and the cardiac impulse visible just below the epigastrium. Despite the physical anomaly, she appeared to saturate well in room air and had stable vitals. Her chest X-ray revealed the absence of the lower segments of the sternum and echocardiography showed multiple intra-cardiac defects. Based on these findings, the diagnosis of pentalogy of Cantrell was reached. On her fifth day of life, the neonate was noted to have signs of cardiac failure characterized by easy fatigability and restlessness during feeding. Cardiac failure treatment was initiated and she was discharged on parents’ request on the second week of life. Due to inadequate facilities to undertake this complex corrective surgery, arrangements were being made to refer her abroad. In the meantime, her growth and development was satisfactory until the age of 9 months, when she ran out of the medications and succumbed to death. Her parents could no longer afford transport cost to attend the monthly clinic visits, where the infant was getting free medication refill. Conclusions The case reported here highlights that in resource limited settings; poor outcome in infants with complex congenital anomalies is a function of multiple factors. However, we believe that surgery would have averted mortality in this 9-month-old female infant. We hope to be able to manage these cases better in future following the recent establishment of cardiac surgery facilities at Muhimbili National Hospital.

International audience; Single Planar Wire Arrays (SPWA) and Double Planar Wire Arrays (DPWA), which consist of one or two parallel rows of wires, respectively, have demonstrated high radiation efficiency (up to 30 kJ), compact size (1.5-3 mm), and usefulness for various applications in experiments on the high-impedance Zebra (1.9Ω, 1 MA, 100 ns). For example, DPWAs are very suitable for the new compact multi-source hohlraum concept, astrophysical applications, and as an excellent radiation source. Their implosion dynamics strongly depends on the critical load parameter, the aspect ratio Φ (width to inter-planar gap Δ) as well as on load wire material and mass. We have studied implosion dynamics and radiative properties of DPWAs at the enhanced Zebra current of 1.5-1.7 MA and have demonstrated the new regimes of implosions with asymmetric jets, no precursor formation, and very early radiation for larger sized (Δ=9 mm, Φ=0.54) and precursor formation and strong “cold” Ka emission for standard sized (Δ=6 mm, Φ=1.28) DPWAs.

Experiments are underway on the 1-MA, 100-kV MAIZE linear transformer driver (LTD) z-pinch experiment to explore the characterization and stabilization of the magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor (MRT) and electrothermal instabilities (ETI)1. Instability experiments at UM utilize 400 nm thick, planar Al foil loads and Al-backed Mylar foils. Theory has shown that axial magnetic fields and magnetic shear can reduce the growth rate of MRT2. To test effects of axial magnetic fields, pseudo-helical return current electrodes are substituted in place of planar electrodes. Instability growth is measured by sub-ps laser shadowgraphy viewing across the foil plasma, perpendicular to the current.

Experiments are underway to study the effects an axial magnetic field on the magneto Rayleigh-Taylor instability (MRT) in ablating planar foils on the 1-MA LTD at the Michigan Accelerator for Inductive Z-pinch Experiments (MAIZE) facility at the University of Michigan. In planar foil ablation experiments at UM, MRT is observed when the expanding plasma-vacuum interface decelerates as the magnetic pressure exceeds the plasma pressure during the drive current1. Theoretical investigation at UM has shown that an axial magnetic field along with magnetic shear may reduce the MRT growth rate in general2. To test this experimentally, axial magnetic fields are generated using helical return current posts. The axial field is proportional to the drive current and peaks at 13 T for 600 kA peak current. A 775 nm Ti:sapphire laser is used to shadowgraph the foil in order to study the MRT instability. Results indicate improved confinement in addition to significant anisotropy on the left and right sides of the foil when compared to experiments at UM using planar return current posts with no axial field. Recent work utilizes a new load configuration where return current plates run perpendicular to the foil current, producing an axial field that can be adjusted based on the proximity of the plates to the foil.

Viruses are threatening pathogens for fish aquaculture. Some of them are transmitted through gonad fluids or gametes as occurs with nervous necrosis virus (NNV). In order to be transmitted through the gonad, the virus should colonize and replicate inside some cell types of this tissue and avoid the subsequent immune response locally. However, whether NNV colonizes the gonad, the cell types that are infected, and how the immune response in the gonad is regulated has never been studied. We have demonstrated for the first time the presence and localization of NNV into the testis after an experimental infection in the European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax), and in the gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata), a very susceptible and an asymptomatic host fish species, respectively. Thus, we localized in the testis viral RNA in both species using in situ PCR and viral proteins in gilthead seabream by immunohistochemistry, suggesting that males might also transmit the virus. In addition, we were able to isolate infective particles from the testis of both species demonstrating that NNV colonizes and replicates into the testis of both species. Blood contamination of the tissues sampled was discarded by completely fish bleeding, furthermore the in situ PCR and immunocytochemistry techniques never showed staining in blood vessels or cells. Moreover, we also determined how the immune and reproductive functions are affected comparing the effects in the testis with those found in the brain, the main target tissue of the virus. Interestingly, NNV triggered the immune response in the European sea bass but not in the gilthead seabream testis. Regarding reproductive functions, NNV infection alters 17β-estradiol and 11-ketotestosterone production and the potential sensitivity of brain and testis to these hormones, whereas there is no disruption of testicular functions according to several reproductive parameters. Moreover, we have also studied the NNV infection of the testis in vitro to assess local responses. Our in vitro results show that the changes observed on the expression of immune and reproductive genes in the testis of both species are different to those observed upon in vivo infections in most of the cases, MINECO and FEDER (AGL2010-20801-C02-01; AGL2010-20801-C02-02; AGL2013-43588-P); Fundación Séneca (04538/GERM/06), SI

Obesity is a chronic, noncommunicable metabolic disorder resulting from an imbalance between energy intake and expenditure. The interindividual differences in disease etiology are often due to variations in eating habits, physical activity, and environmental factors. Epigenomics is the study of genome-wide epigenetic alterations that are inheritable and reversible but do not involve changes in base pair sequences. Epigenetics, being the interface between genetics and the environment, might be the only factor able to explain phenotypic differences between monozygotic twins. Such epigenetic changes are also critical for disease progression. Studies have focused on investigating the influence of nutrients and other bioactive food components on epigenetic phenomena such as histone modification, noncoding RNA expression, various chromatin remodeling factors, and DNA methylation patterns. Though the early gestational period marks the milestone in the establishment of an individual's epigenetic prints and offers the highest phenotypic plasticity, adulthood also shows evidence of nutritional influence on epigenetic regulation, leading to its personalization throughout life. Nutrients are known to have an impact on genes and to induce changes in gene expression either directly or indirectly. The downstream effects of such nutrient-induced epigenetic modification may include alterations in the susceptibility of diseases such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, atherosclerosis, and other metabolic disorders such as obesity. The field of nutritional epigenomics is elaborating the roles of nutrient and gene interplay in the etiology of many common public health problems seen as obesity. Evidence has been shown the impact of a diverse array of nutrients and environmental factors on the epigenome, leading to more personalized disease preclusion and treatment and management strategies.

Hospitals as health care organisations are involved in providing preventive, curative and rehabilitative services. They are an integral part of the medical and social structure. The hospital utilises widely divergent groups of professionals, semi-professionals and non-professionals. It represents high interdependence among services. A hospital’s success is largely dependent on the quality of work of its employees. The HR role is the most crucial in a hospital as it is more people oriented and intensive rather than equipment oriented. However, HR as a function is being appreciated and initiated in the hospital perspective only recently. The present study is an attempt to sketch the roles of doctors, nurses and patients in the health care industry by utilising certain psychometric instruments. The paper also suggests certain HR interventions that may be of use to health care professionals.

We report here the identification and an initial characterization of a novel cell cycle-regulated molecule, SCC-112. SCC-112 cDNA (6744 bp) encodes a longest open reading frame (ORF) comprised of 1297 amino acids, representing a approximately 150-kDa nuclear protein. SCC-112 mRNA and protein levels were relatively high during the G2/M phase of the cell cycle in MDA-MB 435 breast cancer cells. Transient expression of SCC-112 cDNA in COS-1 cells led to an increase in the number of cells in sub-G1 phase and enhanced activity of caspase-3, a downstream effector of apoptosis. Stable transfection of SCC-112 cDNA in MDA-MB 231 breast cancer cells also led to an increase in the number of cells in sub-G1 phase ( approximately 2-3-fold), indicative of apoptosis. The examination of the paired sets of human normal and tumor tissues revealed that the SCC-112 mRNA level was significantly high in normal breast and kidney tissues as compared to the corresponding primary tumor tissues (P0.0001; breast, n=50, and kidney, n=20). Consistent with these observations, SCC-112 protein expression (150 kDa) was high in a majority of the normal renal tissues examined as compared to the matched renal tumor tissues (67%, 1.2-fold to10-fold, n=18). Taken together, these findings suggest that the SCC-112 gene expression is likely to be associated with normal cell growth and proliferation.

The mRNA levels of hyal-1, hyal-2, LUCA3 and PH20, the 4 hyaluronidases with demonstrated endoglucosaminidase activity, were extensively profiled in normal and tumor tissues and cell lines, using dot blot analysis and quantitative PCR. In normal tissues, hyal-1, hyal-2 and LUCA3 all showed unique patterns of mRNA expression, but were generally of widespread distribution, whereas PH20 mRNA was restricted to testes. In a small set of breast tumor samples, no elevations in hyal-1, hyal-2 or LUCA3 mRNA were seen. Hyaluronidase activity measured by a novel assay or zymography was also not elevated in sera from a number of breast cancer patients, compared to sera from normal volunteers. In ex vivo xenograft tumor cell lines, however, hyal-1 or hyal-2 mRNA levels were frequently elevated, whereas LUCA3 was only infrequently elevated and PH20 not at all. Two cell lines were engineered to overexpress hyal-1: a breast cancer line (CAL51) and a prostate cancer line (PC3M). Although the in vitro properties of the hyal-1 overexpressing cell lines were indistinguishable from the parental cells, the orthotopic growth of hyal-1 expressing PC3M cells in nu/nu mice resulted in significantly increased numbers of metastases, supportive of a role for hyal-1 in extravasation and metastatic tumor formation in this model of prostate cancer.

e17006 Background: External beam radiotherapy combined with intracavitary brachytherapy is the standard of care in Carcinoma cervix. Due to its characteristics of rapid dose fall off, brachytherapy limits the toxicity to organs at risk while escalating radiation dose to target. Still, the organs near the radioactive source are at risk of considerable exposure, toxicity and post treatment morbidity. Alteration of bladder volume, alters the relative anatomy of uterus, rectum, sigmoid colon causing changes in the radiation dose to these organs. Methods: Aim:To correlate between the bladder volume and its effects on the dose received by bladder, rectum and sigmoid colon in volume based HDR brachytherapy in carcinoma cervix.30 patients (78 Intracavitary Brachytherapy applications) of Carcinoma Cervix (FIGO stage II-III) treated with EBRT followed by volume based HDR brachytherapy at our institute between July 2014 to Jan 2016 were studied. Bladder volume data was tabulated into five groups according to increasing volume of bladder. It was correlated with D2cc dose received by bladder, rectum and sigmoid colon. Results: Statistical Analysis Linear regression and correlation analysisof the HRCTV with dose to the bladder was 0.2 (.i.e HRCTV does not influence the bladder dose.) Pearson correlation of bladder volume and D2cc bladder and D2cc rectum was positive for all groups and for sigmoid D2cc was positive for group B and negative for all other groups. P value = 0.064 Conclusions: Keeping the bladder volume low (

Interactions among host, microbiota and viral pathogens are complex and poorly understood. The goal of the present study is to assess the changes in the skin microbial community of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) in response to experimental infection with salmonid alphavirus (SAV). The salmon skin microbial community was determined using 16S rDNA pyrosequencing in five different experimental groups: control, 7 days after infection with low-dose SAV, 14 days after infection with low-dose SAV, 7 days after infection with high-dose SAV, and 14 days after infection with high-dose SAV. Both infection treatment and time after infection were strong predictors of the skin microbial community composition. Skin samples from SAV3 infected fish showed an unbalanced microbiota characterized by a decreased abundance of Proteobacteria such as Oleispira sp. and increased abundances of opportunistic taxa including Flavobacteriaceae, Streptococcaceae and Tenacibaculum sp. These results demonstrate that viral infections can result in skin dysbiosis likely rendering the host more susceptible to secondary bacterial infections.

Wire z-pinch experiments at the University of Michigan are in progress to test potential spectral lines for use as a local magnetic field diagnostic in dense plasmas driven by high currents. The goal of these experiments is to determine several spectral lines that can be used to reliably characterize the magnetic field and current density profiles of high energy density plasmas. Initial feasibility experiments were performed on a compact pulser, in which 50–60 kA currents were conducted in a single wire with 400 ns risetime. A lower-inductance, higher-current pulser is currently under construction. An optical fiber collected visible light emission from the wire ablation plasma for measurement by a timegated ICCD coupled to a 0.75-m optical spectrograph. Spectra have been collected for several plasmas including W, Mo, Na, and Al. Magnetic fields of 5–6 T have been measured using Zeeman splitting.

Larval molting in Drosophila, as in other insects, is initiated by the coordinated release of the steroid hormone ecdysone, in response to neural signals, at precise stages during development. In this study we have analyzed, using genetic and molecular methods, the roles played by two major signaling pathways in the regulation of larval molting in Drosophila. Previous studies have shown that mutants for the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor gene (itpr) are larval lethals. In addition they exhibit delays in molting that can be rescued by exogenous feeding of 20-hydroxyecdysone. Here we show that mutants for adenylate cyclase (rut) synergize, during larval molting, with itpr mutant alleles, indicating that both cAMP and InsP3 signaling pathways function in this process. The two pathways act in parallel to affect molting, as judged by phenotypes obtained through expression of dominant negative and dominant active forms of protein kinase A (PKA) in tissues that normally express the InsP3 receptor. Furthermore, our studies predict the existence of feedback inhibition through protein kinase A on the InsP3 receptor by increased levels of 20-hydroxyecdysone.

Alpha-1 antichymotrypsin (ACT), a serine protease inhibitor, has been detected in several epithelial tumor cell types, but its role in response to therapy is not clear. We report here that exposure of primary head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC)-derived cells (PCI-04A) to ionizing radiation (IR) or tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) resulted in an increased level of ACT mRNA, although the induction patterns were different. IR treatment caused a transient stimulation of ACT mRNA, peaking at 3 h post-irradiation, whereas TNF-alpha-inducible ACT gene expression lasted for up to 24 h. The ACT mRNA was expressed in several epithelial and non-epithelial tumor cell types, and in different normal human tissues. In addition, when the ACT gene expression in PCI-04A cells was compared with the matched (from the same patient) metastatic HNSCC-derived cells (PCI-04B), increased steady-state level of the ACT mRNA was observed in PCI-04B cells. Taken together, these findings suggest that ACT may serve as an important marker for prognosis and therapy selection in HNSCC.

Raf-1, a cytoplasmic serine/threonine protein kinase, plays an important role in mitogen- and damage-responsive cellular signal transduction pathways. Consistent with this notion is the fact that constitutive modulation of expression and/or activity of Raf-1 protein kinase modifies cell growth, proliferation, and cell survival. Although these effects are controlled at least in part by transcriptional mechanisms, the role of Raf-1 in the regulation of specific gene expression is unclear. Differential display of mRNA was used to identify the genes differentially expressed in human head and neck squamous carcinoma cells (PCI-06A) transfected with either the antisense c-raf-1 cDNA (PCI-06A-Raf(AS)), or a portion of cDNA coding for the kinase domain of Raf-1 (PCI-06A-Raf(K)). The differentially expressed fragments were cloned and sequenced, and they were used as probes to compare the expression patterns in parent transfectants by Northern blot analysis. In addition, expression patterns of the novel genes were examined in normal tissues and cancer cell lines. Six differentially expressed cDNA fragments were identified and sequenced. Northern blot analysis revealed that four of these fragments representing human α1-antichymotrypsin (αl-ACT), mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit II (COX-II), and two as-yet unidentified cDNAs (KAS-110 and KAS-111) were relatively overexpressed in PCI-06A-Raf(AS) transfectants compared with PCI-06A-Raf(K) transfectants. The other two cDNA fragments representing human elongation factor-1α (HEF-1α) and ornithine decarboxylase antizyme (OAz) were overexpressed in PCI-06A-Raf(K) transfectants compared with PCI-06A-Raf(AS) transfectants. The KAS-110 (114 bp) and KAS-111 (202 bp) cDNAs did not show significant matches with sequences in the GenEMBL, TIGR, and HGS DNA databases, and these may represent novel genes. The KAS-110 and KAS-111 transcripts, ~0.9 kb and ~0.5 kb, were observed in most normal tissues and several cancer cell types, indicating their housekeeping function. This study reports novel components of the Raf-1 signaling pathway. α1-ACT, HEF-1α, COX-II, and OAz have been previously implicated in diverse cellular responses including transformation, energy metabolism, and cell survival. Our data suggest that expression of these genes may play a role in the Raf-1-mediated biological activity of PCI-06A cells. The KAS-110 and KAS-111 cDNAs represent unknown genes, and further investigations are necessary to determine their role in the cellular response. Identification of specific targets may provide useful markers for prognosis and therapy selection in squamous cell carcinoma.

Tumor-associated aberrant silencing of CpG island-containing genes has been correlated with increased cytosine methylation, a "closed" chromatin structure, and exclusion of transcription factor binding in the CpG island/promoter regions of affected genes. Given the lack of understanding of what constitutes a closed chromatin structure in CpG islands, however, it has been difficult to assess the relationship among cytosine methylation, chromatin structure, and inappropriate gene silencing. In this study, nuclease accessibility analysis was used to more clearly define the chromatin structure in the CpG island of the human O6-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) gene. Chromatin structure was then related to in vivo DNA-protein interactions and cytosine methylation status of the MGMT CpG island in human glioma cells varying in MGMT expression. The results of these studies indicated that the "open" chromatin structure associated with the MGMT CpG island in MGMT+ cells consisted of an approximately 250-bp transcription factor-binding, nuclease-accessible, nucleosome-free region of DNA, whose formation was associated with at least four flanking, precisely positioned nucleosome-like structures. In MGMT- cells, this precise nucleosomal array was lost and was replaced by randomly positioned nucleosomes (i.e., the closed chromatin structure), regardless of whether methylation of the CpG island was spread over the entire island or limited to regions outside the transcription factor binding region. These results suggest that CpG islands facilitate the expression of housekeeping genes by facilitating nucleosomal positioning and that the conditions that alter the formation of this array (such as perhaps methylation) may indirectly affect CpG island-containing gene expression.

Colloids with high-symmetry patches are functionalized with metal-coordination-based recognition units and assembled into larger chain architectures, demonstrating for the first time the use of metal coordination as a specific force in colloidal self-assembly. The cross-linked poly(styrene)-based patchy particles are fabricated by encapsulation of colloidal clusters following a two-stage swelling and polymerization methodology. The particle patches, containing carboxylic acid groups, are site-specifically functionalized either with a triblock copolymer (TBC), bearing primary alcohols, alkyl chains, and palladated pincer receptors, synthesized by ring-opening metathesis polymerization, or with a small molecule bearing a pyridine headgroup. Functionalizing with a TBC provides design flexibility for independently setting the range of the interaction and the recognition motif.

Summary form only given. X-pinch experiments are underway on the MAIZE Linear Transformer Driver (LTD) at the University of Michigan. The MAIZE LTD can supply 1 MA, 100 kV pulses with 100 ns risetime into a matched load. The x-pinch consists of a single 35-50 μm Al or Mo wire separated by conical electrodes, between two current return plates. The LTD is charged to +/-70 kV resulting in approximately 0.4-0.5 MA through the wire. Initial tests show multiple x-ray bursts over the length of the current pulse.The x-pinch will ultimately backlight the Magneto RayleighTaylor (MRT) instability on a planar Al foil. The foil load contains a 1 cm wide, 400 nm thick foil placed between two current return plates. Ongoing MRT experiments involve seeding the MRT instability with arrays of 30 micron holes micromachined in the foil by a 150 fs Ti:sapphire laser. Laser shadowgraphy has previously been used to image the seeded foil as well as determine the MRT growth rate.[1,2] Future plans for the x-pinch include placing it in parallel with the foil in order to more accurately image and characterize the MRT instability. Plans for a smaller 100-150 kA compact pinch driver are also in development; (see poster by YagerEliorraga at this conference).

Summary form only given. A 70kV, 100kA compact pulse generator (0.7m × 0.9m × 0.3m) has been constructed and successfully tested with a resistive load using a linear LTD-type capacitor-switch configuration. The generator consists of 6 bricks connected in parallel, where each brick contains two oppositely charged capacitors (+/-70kV, 40nF) and a low inductance L-3 spark-gap switch (93nH). The bricks are connected to the load through a parallel plate transmission line. The generator is designed to drive a hybrid x-pinch to serve as a diagnostic for planar foil ablation experiments on the 1-MA LTD at the Michigan Accelerator for Inductive Z-pinch Experiments (MAIZE) facility.[1,2] The hybrid x-pinch diagnostic consists of a 35-50μm Al or Mo wire between two conical tungsten electrodes and will be used as a backlighter in addition to the current 775nm Ti:sapphire laser. The construction of the hybrid x-pinch chamber and transmission line is currently underway. In addition, the generator may be used to create external magnetic fields for magneto Rayleigh-Taylor (MRT) experiments on the 1-MA LTD. Preliminary results of generator characterization will be presented.

Background Patient-centered decision making (PCDM) is the process of identifying clinically relevant, patient-specific circumstances and behaviors to formulate a contextually appropriate care plan. Objective To ascertain whether encounters in which PCDM occurs are followed by improved health care outcomes compared with encounters where there is inattention to patient context. Design Patients surreptitiously audio-recorded encounters with their physicians. Medical records of these encounters were then screened for "contextual red flags," such as deteriorating self-management of a chronic condition, that could reflect such underlying contextual factors as competing responsibilities or loss of social support. When a contextual factor was identified, either as a result of physician questioning or because a patient volunteered information, physicians were scored on the basis of whether they adapted the care plan to it. Setting Internal medicine clinics at 2 Veterans Affairs facilities. Participants 774 patients audio-recorded encounters with 139 resident physicians. Measurements Individualized outcome measures were based on the contextual red flag, such as improved blood pressure control in a patient presenting with hypertension and loss of medication coverage. Outcome coders were blinded to physician performance. Results Among 548 contextual red flags, 208 contextual factors were confirmed, either when physicians probed or patients volunteered information. Physician attention to contextual factors (both probing for them and addressing them in care plans) varied according to the presenting contextual red flags. Outcome data were available for 157 contextual factors, of which PCDM was found to address 96. Of these, health care outcomes improved in 68 (71%), compared with 28 (46%) of the 61 that were not addressed by PCDM (P = 0.002). Limitation The extent to which the findings can be generalized to other clinical settings is unknown. Conclusion Attention to patient needs and circumstances when planning care is associated with improved health care outcomes. Primary funding source U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Health Services Research & Development Service.

The binding constants for hexafluorophosphate, perchlorate and triflate with α- and β-cyclodextrins were quantified using calorimetry and fluorescence spectroscopy experiments in aqueous media as well as molecular orbital calculations. The association of α- and β-cyclodextrin with three commonly used counterions of large organic cations or as supporting electrolyte systems, proved to be large enough to produce significant interferences in complexation studies. In particular, the binding constant of hexafluorophosphate and β-cyclodextrin was measured to be ten times larger than the previously reported value. The enthalpies and entropies of complexation of the two receptors with the three anions under study were directly evaluated using calorimetric measurements in aqueous media. The PM3 semiempirical molecular orbital method was employed to rationalize the enhanced binding between β-cyclodexrin and hexafluorophosphate. The computed results from several energy minimizations show that inclusion comp...

Aberrant transcriptional inactivation of the non-X-linked human O-6-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) gene has been associated with loss of open chromatin structure and increases in cytosine methylation in the Sp1-binding region of the 5'-CpG island of the gene. To examine the necessity of these events for gene silencing, we have isolated and characterized a subline of human MGMT+ T98G glioma cells. The subline, T98Gs, does not express MGMT activity or MGMT mRNA, and exhibits no in vivo DNA-protein interactions at Sp1-like binding sites in the MGMT 5'-CpG island. While the MGMT CpG island is less accessible to exogenously added restriction enzymes in T98Gs nuclei than in T98G nuclei, it is similarly methylated in both T98G and T98Gs cell lines 5' and 3' to the transcription factor binding sites, and similarly unmethylated in the region encompassing the binding sites. Inappropriate transcriptional inactivation of MGMT, therefore, does not require methylation of transcription factor binding sites within the 5'-CpG island. Rather, MGMT gene silencing and transcription factor exclusion from T98Gs MGMT CpG island binding sites is most closely associated with condensed chromatin structure, which is in turn indirectly influenced by distant sites of methylation.

Implosions of planar wire arrays were performed on the Michigan Accelerator for Inductive Z-pinch Experiments, a linear transformer driver (LTD) at the University of Michigan. These experiments were characterized by lower than expected peak currents and significantly longer risetimes compared to studies performed on higher impedance machines. A circuit analysis showed that the load inductance has a significant impact on the current output due to the comparatively low impedance of the driver; the long risetimes were also attributed to high variability in LTD switch closing times. A circuit model accounting for these effects was employed to measure changes in load inductance as a function of time to determine plasma pinch timing and calculate a minimum effective current-carrying radius. These calculations showed good agreement with available shadowgraphy and x-ray diode measurements.

Introduction: Concurrent chemo-radiation is the main treatment in locally advanced cervical cancer. The change of bladder and rectum volume may lead to change in the positions of these structures and target volume during MUPIT implant which may lead to variation in dose to the organ at risk and target. Materials and Methods: Ten patients of gynecological malignancy were included. MUPIT template was positioned under anesthesia. CT scan was done for the contouring of bladder, rectum, and target and for planning purpose which generates plan (P1). CT scan was repeated before the third fraction of the treatment (CT2). The resultant plan (P2) was analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. Results: Bladder volume variations of 88.18% to -68.15% were noted. This change in volume lead to differences in the maximum dose in bladder between fractions. The maximum dose variation ranged from 62.53% to -21.49%. The rectal volume variation ranges 11.71% to -46.20% due to the rectal filling. High variation in maximum dose to the rectum were observed which might be due to rectal filling. CTV volume is increased by 19.48% while in other by 19.05% and in all other patients the volume is decreased. CTV volume maximum decreased by 30.54% which might be due to decrease in edema developed during procedure. The volume variation in CTV is in range of 19.48% to -30.54%. Conclusion: It is proposed that re-planning using repeat CT scan is required before third fraction implementation.

Experimental, theoretical and simulation research investigations are underway on the Magneto Rayleigh-Taylor instability driven by the Mega Ampere Linear Transformer Driver at the University of Michigan. Since the Linear Transformer Driver operates at 100- kV output, inductance minimization was crucial in design of the coaxial and radial magnetically insulated transmission line that transmits power to the load. Experiments ablate a 400 nm-thick, 1 cm wide, planar, aluminum foil located between two parallel-plate anodes. The initial position of the foil relative to the anodes controls the foil-plasma acceleration. Laser-micromachined, periodic hole patterns on foils are utilized to seed the wavelength of Magneto Rayleigh-Taylor growth. Sub-ns laser shadowgraphy diagnoses the instability growth at the edges of the ablation plasma. Early instability is believed to originate from the Electro-Thermal instability. Later exponential growth rates have been measured whose trends are consistent with Magneto Rayleigh Taylor theory. As expected, the fastest Magneto Rayleigh-Taylor growth rate corresponds to the largest foil-plasma acceleration. Effects of magnetic shear on Magneto Rayleigh-Taylor growth have been predicted theoretically.

Purpose The transplantation of stem cells harvested from bone marrow and cord blood for the treatment of sickle cell disease (SCD) is reviewed. Summary Current treatment options have lengthened the lifespan of patients with SCD. Hydroxyurea is the standard of care for the management of SCD, but it does not prevent serious complications in all patients. For those patients with severe disease, stem cell transplantation may be an appropriate curative option. However, less than one third of these patients find an appropriate matched related bone marrow donor. Cord blood offers a more readily available source of stem cells for transplantation. Donor morbidity is eliminated, since the cells come from banked cords, and the harvesting process is noninvasive for the donor. Another advantage of cord blood transplantation is the lower occurrence of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). One disadvantage of transplantation with cord blood includes delayed time to engraftment. Due to the mortality associated with stem cell transplantation, it may be most appropriate to reserve the procedure for patients who have a more severe course of SCD. Conclusion Although bone marrow, peripheral blood, and cord blood transplantation has been successfully performed in patients with SCD, data remain limited regarding the optimal preparative regimens, the most appropriate stem cell source, and the type of GVHD prophylaxis to be used after transplantation. More data are warranted before this treatment approach can be recommended as a standard of care for SCD.

Summary form only given. X-pinch experiments are currently underway on the Linear Transformer Driver (LTD) at the University of Michigan. The MAIZE LTD can supply 1 MA, 100 kV pulses with 100 ns risetime into a matched load. The x-pinch consists of a single wire separated by conical electrodes1, between two current return plates. The LTD was charged to +/−70 kV resulting in approximately 0.5 MA passing through a 50 µ Mo wire. During initial tests a 12.5 µ Ti filter was placed in front of the film to screen out visible emission from the wire. Laser shadowgraphy is also used to diagnose the x-pinch plasma.

Summary form only given. Recyclable transmission lines (RTL) have recently been of interest to the inertial confinement fusion and pulsed power community as a means to increase repetition rate and decrease cost per shot in Z-pinch driven inertial confinement fusion devices [1–3]. The ability to remove surface contaminants from the surface of RTLs is important to their successful operation. These contaminants, which consist of residual atmospheric gases and hydrocarbons, physically and chemically adsorb to the transmission line surfaces. Some contaminants have sufficient binding energies such that they are not desorbed even in vacuums as high as 10−6 Pa at room temperature. When a pulse is initiated, remaining contaminants are rapidly emitted through joule heating and stimulated desorption, causing local pressures to increase as high as 103 Pa [4]. These areas of local high pressure support plasma formation, which leads to breakdown and loss of power delivery capability in the transmission line. In order to satisfy the RTL concept, conditioning of the transmission lines to remove contamination prior to shot must be done quickly and in situ. A new magnetically insulated transmission line (MITL) with repetitive pulse capability is being designed and installed on the 1-MA linear transformer driver at the University of Michigan to evaluate in situ conditioning methods. This test-bed will evaluate the effect of multiple “conditioning pulses” on contaminant inventory and ability to improve MITL power flow. Preliminary findings will be presented.