Wright-Patterson Air Force Base

About: Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is a other organization based out in Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Laser & Mach number. The organization has 5817 authors who have published 9157 publications receiving 292559 citations. The organization is also known as: Wright-Patterson AFB & FFO.

A review of the effects of uranium and depleted uranium exposure on reproduction and fetal development.

Abstract: Depleted uranium (DU) is used in armor-penetrating munitions, military vehicle armor, and aircraft, ship and missile counterweighting/ballasting, as well as in a number of other military and commercial applications. Recent combat applications of DU alloy [i.e., Persian Gulf War (PGW) and Kosovo peacekeeping objective] resulted in human acute exposure to DU dust, vapor or aerosol, as well as chronic exposure from tissue embedding of DU shrapnel fragments. DU alloy is 99.8% 238Uranium, and emits approximately 60% of the alpha, beta, and gamma radiation found in natural uranium (4.05×10-7 Ci/g DU alloy). DU is a heavy metal that is 160% more dense than lead and can remain within the body for many years and slowly solubilize. High levels of urinary uranium have been measured in PGW veterans 10 years after exposure to DU fragments and vapors. In rats, there is strong evidence of DU accumulation in tissues including testes, bone, kidneys, and brain. In vitro tests indicate that DU alloy may be both genotoxic an...

Modulating Hippocampal Plasticity with In Vivo Brain Stimulation

Abstract: Investigations into the use of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in relieving symptoms of neurological disorders and enhancing cognitive or motor performance have exhibited promising results. However, the mechanisms by which tDCS effects brain function remain under scrutiny. We have demonstrated that in vivo tDCS in rats produced a lasting effect on hippocampal synaptic plasticity, as measured using extracellular recordings. Ex vivo preparations of hippocampal slices from rats that have been subjected to tDCS of 0.10 or 0.25 mA for 30 min followed by 30 min of recovery time displayed a robust twofold enhancement in long-term potentiation (LTP) induction accompanied by a 30% increase in paired-pulse facilitation (PPF). The magnitude of the LTP effect was greater with 0.25 mA compared with 0.10 mA stimulations, suggesting a dose-dependent relationship between tDCS intensity and its effect on synaptic plasticity. To test the persistence of these observed effects, animals were stimulated in vivo for 30 min at 0.25 mA and then allowed to return to their home cage for 24 h. Observation of the enhanced LTP induction, but not the enhanced PPF, continued 24 h after completion of 0.25 mA of tDCS. Addition of the NMDA blocker AP-5 abolished LTP in both control and stimulated rats but maintained the PPF enhancement in stimulated rats. The observation of enhanced LTP and PPF after tDCS demonstrates that non-invasive electrical stimulation is capable of modifying synaptic plasticity. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Researchers have used brain stimulation such as transcranial direct current stimulation on human subjects to alleviate symptoms of neurological disorders and enhance their performance. Here, using rats, we have investigated the potential mechanisms of how in vivo brain stimulation can produce such effect. We recorded directly on viable brain slices from rats after brain stimulation to detect lasting changes in pattern of neuronal activity. Our results showed that 30 min of brain stimulation in rats induced a robust enhancement in synaptic plasticity, a neuronal process critical for learning and memory. Understanding such molecular effects will lead to a better understanding of the mechanisms by which brain stimulation produces its effects on cognition and performance.

Intestinal in vitro and ex vivo Models to Study Host-Microbiome Interactions and Acute Stressors.

Abstract: The gut microbiome is extremely important for maintaining homeostasis with host intestinal epithelial, neuronal, and immune cells and this host-microbe interaction is critical during times of stress or disease. Environmental, nutritional, and cognitive stress are just a few factors known to influence the gut microbiota and are thought to induce microbial dysbiosis. Research on this bidirectional relationship as it pertains to health and disease is extensive and rapidly expanding in both in vivo and in vitro/ex vivo models. However, far less work has been devoted to studying effects of host-microbe interactions on acute stressors and performance, the underlying mechanisms, and the modulatory effects of different stressors on both the host and the microbiome. Additionally, the use of in vitro/ex vivo models to study the gut microbiome and human performance has not been researched extensively nor reviewed. Therefore, this review aims to examine current evidence concerning the current status of in vitro and ex vivo host models, the impact of acute stressors on gut physiology/microbiota as well as potential impacts on human performance and how we can parlay this information for DoD relevance as well as the broader scientific community. Models reviewed include widely utilized intestinal cell models from human and animal models that have been applied in the past for stress or microbiology research as well as ex vivo organ/tissue culture models and new innovative models including organ-on-a-chip and co-culture models.

Further evaluation of methods for producing desired colors on CRT monitors

Abstract: Three experiments were performed to evaluate methods for predicting the luminances and chromaticity coordinates produced by color CRT monitors, given known inputs. Linear and logarithmic versions of PLCC and PLVC, plus Berns, Motta, and Gorzynski's power function, were tested. Estimates are provided for the number of CRT measurement points needed to maximize each method's predictive accuracy. Correcting for unintended light from the monitor is shown to improve accuracy substantially for a case involving a seemingly small amount of light. Berns et al.'s characterization technique, which involves measuring the monitor's neutral point, is shown to yield the same accuracy as conventional characterization while reducing the number of measurements required, and to yield improved accuracy when correction for unintended light is needed but impractical. The accuracies of the predictive methods are compared and recommendations for their use are provided. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Col Res Appl, 25, 90–104, 2000

Covalent modification of vapour-grown carbon nanofibers via direct Friedel–Crafts acylation in polyphosphoric acid

Abstract: Electrophilic functionalization of vapour-grown carbon nanofibers (VGCNF) was accomplished via Friedel–Crafts acylation with 2,4,6-trimethylphenoxybenzoic acid in polyphosphoric acid using the improved conditions that we previously described. The progress of the reaction was conveniently monitored with FT-IR spectroscopy following the growth of the keto-carbonyl band at 1664 cm−1 associated with the product. In addition to scanning electron microscopic and UV-vis spectroscopic data, the combined results from the elemental analysis and thermogravimetric analysis further suggested that there were 3 arylcarbonyl groups covalently attached to the nanotube structure for every 100 carbon sites. Because of the presence of significant hydrogen content in the starting VGCNF, the covalent attachment of the arylcarbonyl groups most probably occurred at the sp2C–H sites.