NASA Scientific and Technical Aerospace Reports

transduction at the cell membrane. The local synthesis of SHBG is consistent with an autocrine/paracrine role in breast cancer.
DTIC
Cancer; Globulins; Growth; Hormones; Mammary Glands; Pituitary Hormones; Proteins; Sex
20040111973 Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA
Models for Transmission and Control of Bioterroristic Epidemics
Gaver, Donald P.; Jacobs, Patricia A.; Bullock, Gregory; Simons, Robert; Jul. 2004; 22 pp.; In English; Original contains color
illustrations
Report No.(s): AD-A425373; NPS-OR-04-006; No Copyright; Avail: CASI; A03, Hardcopy
A deterministic model for control of a bioterrorist epidemic in a large nonhomogeneous population is presented. Primary
considerations in model development are the representation of a large nonhomogeneous population of individuals and the
implementation of the model for quick numerical execution. The model represents the effect of mass pre-vaccination and mass
vaccination during the epidemic. It is recognized that the vaccination can result in life threatening complications. The model
also represents the effect of tracing and quarantining as control options. The model has been implemented in Java for a
Web-based educational tool. Numerical examples (pp. 12-15) illustrate possible behavior of populations exposed to such a
disease as smallpox. Various disease controls such as vaccination and case tracing are studied.
DTIC
Infectious Diseases
20040111992 NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL, USA
Halotolerant and Resistant to High pH Hydrogenase from Haloalkaliphilic Sulfate-Reducing Bacterium Desulfonatronum
thiodismutans
Detkova, Ekaterina N.; Pikuta, Elena V.; Hoover, Richard B.; [2004]; 1 pp.; In English; International Society for Optical
Science and Technology 49th Annual Meeting (Instruments, Methods, and Missions for Astrobiology VIII), 2-6 Aug. 2004,
Denver, CO, USA; Original contains black and white illustrations; No Copyright; Avail: Other Sources; Abstract Only
Hydrogenase is the key enzyme of energetic metabolism in cells, it catalyzing the converse reaction of hydrogen oxidation
and responsible for consumption and excretion of hydrogen in bacteria. Hydrogenases are proteins containing either Nickel
and Iron, or the only Iron in theirs active center. Hydrogenases have been found in many microorganisms, such as
Methanogenic, acetogenic, nitrogen-fixing, photosynthetic and sulfate-reducing bacteria that could utilize the hydrogen as
energy source or use it as electron sink. Hydrogenases are subject for wide physiological, biochemical, physicochemical and
genetic studies due to theirs abilities produce the molecular hydrogen as alternative source of pure energy. Notwithstanding
on enough large quantity of works that deal with intracellular and extrasellular enzymes of halophilic bacteria, the data about
hydrogenases and theirs functions of salts practically are absent. The study of hydrogenase in cell-free extracts of extremely
halophilic eubacterium Acetohalobium mabaticum showed dramatic increasing activity of the enzyme at high concentrations
of NaCl and KCI (close to saturated solution). Here we present the data of free-cells extracted hydrogenase from new
haloalkaliphilic sulfate-reducing bacterium Desulfonatronum thiodismutans, which grow on highly miniralized carbonatebicarbonate
medium in salinity range 1 to 7 % and at pH 7.8 - 10.5. Studied enzyme was active in Concentration range from
0 to 4.3 M NaCl with optimum at 1.0 M NaCl. At 1.0 M NaCl the enzyme activity was increased on 20 %, but with changing
concentration from 2.1 M to 3.4 M the activity decreased and was kept on constant level. NaHCO3 inhibited hydrogenase
activity on more then 30 %. The maximum of enzyme activity was observed at pH 9.5 with limits 7.5 and 11.5 that practically
equal to pH optimum of bacterial growth. Therefore the hydrogenase of Desulfanatronum thiodismutans is tolerant to high
concentrations of sodium salts and it also resistant to high pH that make it the unique subject for different biochemical research
and detects the possibility for biotechnological application.
Author
Ph; Bacteria; Biochemistry; Microorganisms
20040121001 NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, USA
Passive Fetal Heart Monitoring System
Bryant, Timothy D., Inventor; Wynkoop, Mark W., Inventor; Holloway, Nancy M. H., Inventor; Zuckerwar, Allan J., Inventor;
June 15, 2004; 28 pp.; In English; Original contains black and white illustrations
Patent Info.: Filed 13 Feb. 2001; US-Patent-6,749,573; US-Patent-Appl-SN-784414; US-Patent-Appl-SN-182344;
NASA-Case-LAR-15602-1; No Copyright; Avail: CASI; A03, Hardcopy
A fetal heart monitoring system preferably comprising a backing plate having a generally concave front surface and a
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