New Mexico Resonance

Background: The Permanently Shadowed Regions (PSRs) of the Moon are thought to contain water ice [1], which is a vital resource for on-site production of breathable air, potable water and rocket fuel. While the study of PSRs on the Moon is a benefit to both space exploration and scientific knowledge, observing water ice in PSRs is difficult due to the low levels of scattered sunlight or earthshine in these locations. However, scattered sunlight from crater walls and starlight in the form of Lyman-alpha photons (121 nm) both provide a faint light source in the VUV spectrum that has previously been used for passive reflectance spectroscopy in PSRs [2, 3].Godin et al. [4] explored the feasibility of using Lyman-alpha wavelengths to detect water ice on the lunar surface. A key limitation of this study was the inability of the experimental setup to simulate intimate regolith-ice mixtures due to sublimation of water ice over time, resulting in the formation of a dust lag layer at the surface of samples no matter how little dust they contained.This lag presents significant limitations to our understanding of this technology’s application in lunar environments, since water ice is likely to exist as small ice grains mixed with regolith on the surface of PSRs, rather than as surface water frost [5, 6, 7]. This study bridges the current knowledge gap by tackling the issue of rapidly sublimating water ice in laboratory-simulated ice-regolith mixtures. Building upon the work done by Godin et al., we have developed a passive thermal shroud to limit the sublimation of water ice in intimate ice-regolith mixtures.Methodology: The shroud (fig. 1) is manufactured from copper due to the material’s high thermally conductivity and capacitance. The thermal shroud sits atop a cold plate, such that it is in contact with the liquid nitrogen exchanger. This will act as a barrier to the radiative heating from the chamber walls, thereby cooling the enclosed environment containing samples of water ice-regolith mixtures to prevent ice from sublimating in the time it takes for the lunar simulator to stabilize.The passive thermal shroud consists of several parts which fit together for easy and quick assembly inside the simulation chamber. The shroud also includes cutouts which will allow for the lamp and camera components to see the sample tray.This study follows the well-established methodology employed by Godin’s experiment, using a Vacuum Ultraviolet (VUV) Camera supplied by our industry partner, Resonance Ltd., to image intimate mixtures of lunar regolith simulant and ice in linearly increasing concentrations (i.e. starting from 10% ice, 90% regolith by weight). We expect to see linear variation in brightness detected by the VUV camera as water ice concentrations in ice-regolith samples are increased.Preliminary experiments indicate that with sufficient pre-cooling of all components (i.e. experimental chamber, sample tray and shroud tiles) water ice-regolith slurries remain intact, with no visible evidence of sublimation. Pictured in Figure 1 is a slurry with 10% by weight regolith and 90% by weight water ice after reaching 6×10-4 Torr in the cryovacuum chamber and being brought back to atmospheric conditions. Ice crystals are present throughout the sample, not just at a top layer, indicating that the water ice observed is not surface frost.Figure 1: Visual image of 10% regolith and 90% water ice slurry after cycle through cryovacuum chamber and brought back to atmospheric conditions. The sample sits atop a cold plate, within the assembled copper tiles forming the thermal shroud.We succesfully captured Lyman-alpha images of the sample pictured in Figure 1 with no evidence of a dust lag layer (fig.2). The same camera settings identified by Godin et al. were used to capture the UV images, with a gain of 29dB and exposure time of 3800ms. The sample is circled in red for visibility. Further investigations comparing Lyman-alpha images of water ice-regolith slurries against pure water ice and pure regolith samples will be done to ascertain a linear increase in brightness with increasing concentrations of regolith.Figure 2: Lyman-alpha UV image of 10% regolith and 90% water ice slurry, taken at 29dB gain and 3800ms exposure time.Once the detection capability of Lyman-alpha technology is verified for intimate mixtures of lunar regolith and water ice, this project can be expanded to investigate other factors which may affect imaging with a Lyman-alpha camera. The camera system may then be used to observe more complex ice mixtures known to exist on the lunar surface (i.e. containing water ice mixed with CH4, SO2, H2S and CO2), commonly referred to as “hypervolatiles” [8].Impact: This study will validate the use of Lyman-alpha cameras for in-situ detection of water ice in permanently shadowed regions of the Moon. Such technology will further the scientific community’s understanding lunar water ice properties and pave the way for further development and optimization of ISRU techniques and prospecting of water ice in the lunar PSRs.

Heterotopic mesenteric ossification (HMO) represents a rare reactive condition characterized by abnormal bone formation within the mesentery. HMO's etiology remains enigmatic, with proposed triggers including trauma-induced metaplasia or bone fragment dislodgment from other sites during abdominal surgery. With fewer than 100 documented cases in the literature, much about this condition remains unknown. In this report, we present a notable case of HMO in a 43-year-old man with a history of severe Crohn's disease and multiple abdominal surgeries. Following a period of unresponsiveness at home, he was admitted to the intensive care unit, where he received palliative care due to a poor prognosis. An autopsy revealed mature, benign bone fragments within the mesentery, alongside severe dehydration, likely exacerbated by decreased oral intake and medication cessation related to his ostomy. Although antemortem imaging revealed HMO, it was misattributed to contrast versus calcification. This case underscores the importance of clinician awareness regarding HMO, particularly its potential implications in inflammatory bowel disease. Early recognition and interdisciplinary collaboration among radiologists, pathologists, and clinicians are paramount in optimizing patient outcomes. Further research is warranted to elucidate this intriguing pathology's pathogenesis and best management strategies.

Preclinical data strongly suggest that myocardial steatosis leads to adverse cardiac remodeling and left ventricular dysfunction. Using 1H cardiac magnetic resonance spectroscopy, similar observations have been made across the spectrum of health and disease. The purpose of this brief review is to summarize these recent observations. We provide a brief overview of the determinants of myocardial triglyceride accumulation, summarize the current evidence that myocardial steatosis contributes to cardiac dysfunction, and identify opportunities for further research.

Salmeterol and albuterol are well-known β2-adenoreceptor agonists widely used in the treatment of inflammatory respiratory diseases, such as bronchial asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Here we report the preparation of structural isomers of salmeterol and albuterol, which can be obtained from the same starting material as the corresponding β2-agonists, depending on the synthetic approach employed. Using 1D and various 2D NMR measurements, we determined that the structure of prepared isomers holds the β-aryl-β-aminoethanol moiety, in contrast to the α-aryl-β-aminoethanol moiety found in salmeterol and albuterol. We investigated the reaction of β-halohydrin and amines responsible for the formation of β-aryl-β-amino alcohol - both experimentally and using computational methods. The structure of β-halohydrin with the methyl salicylate moiety imposes the course of the reaction. The solvent plays a relevant, yet ambiguous role in the direction of the reaction, while the strength of the base influences the reaction yield and isomer ratio in a more evident way. Using computational methods, we have shown that the most probable reaction intermediate responsible for the formation of the unexpected isomer is the corresponding para-quinone methide, which can be formed due to phenol present in the methyl salicylate moiety. After successful preparation of albuterol and salmeterol isomers, we tested their inhibition potency to human acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and usual and atypical butyrylcholinesterase (BChE). Kinetic studies revealed that both isomers are low-potency reversible inhibitors of human cholinesterases.

Antioxidant oligomers and polymers have been prepared from two flavonoids, catechin and quercetin, using a new facile technique.

Abstract Polymer gel is frequently used for conformance control in fractured reservoirs, where it is injected to reside in fractures or high-permeability streaks to reduce conductivity. With successful polymer gel conformance control in place, increased pressure gradients across matrix blocks may be achieved during chasefloods, diverting water, gas or EOR chemicals into the matrix to displace oil. Knowledge of gel behavior during placement and chase floods is important, because it largely controls the success of subsequent injections. Polymer gel behavior is often studied in core floods, where differential pressure and effluents from fracture and matrix outlets give information about gel deposition during placement and flow paths during chasefloods. The work presented in this paper utilize complimentary PET-CT imaging to quantify the behavior and blocking capacity of Cr(III)-Acetate HPAM gel during chase waterflooding. In-situ imaging provides information about changes that may not be extracted from pressure measurements and material balance only, such as changes in local fluid saturations and dynamic spatial flow within the fracture and within the structure of the gel network. Polymer gel was placed in core plugs with longitudinal fractures that connected the inlet and outelt, and chase water was subsequently injected to measure the gel blocking capacity. The water phase was labelled with a positron emitting radiopharmaceutical (F-18) to visualize and quantify local flows with positron emission tomography (PET) during gel rupture and subsequent flooding. Using PET, we study gel rupture and the development of wormholes during gel erosion after rupture as a function of flow rate. A particular strength with access to dynamic, local flow patterns is the direct comparison to global measurements, such as differential pressure and production rate, to verify existing gel behavior models.

Intramolecular C–H⋯S interactions create restricted rotation of groups within di(isopropyl)dithiocarbate complexes.

The incorporation of nitrogen into hydrothermal carbon with (NH4)2SO4is shown to have a significant influence on the chemical composition and surface characteristics of hydrothermal carbon.

This study investigated the effect of creatine (CR) supplementation during cast-immobilization to preserve skeletal muscle total work, power and intramuscular phosphocreatine (PCr) kinetics during dynamic exercise. Twenty-five active individuals (24 ± 4 years,) performed wrist flexion exercise within a 1.9 Tesla superconducting magnet before and after 1 week of cast-immobilization. An incremental protocol to fatigue and two constant load (CL1 and CL2) exercise bouts were performed. While casted, participants consumed either 20 g day(-1) of CR or a placebo (PLA). (31)P magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to quantify in vivo intramuscular PCr levels. No significant group × time interaction effects were found for work or power throughout all exercise bouts. Total work was significantly reduced over time in both groups (p = 0.049) during the incremental exercise bout. Work production in CL1 tended (p = 0.073) to attenuate in the CR group, compared to PLA. No changes were observed in CL2. Baseline PCr significantly decreased with casting in PLA (PRE: 26.6 ± 6.3 vs. POST: 22.5 ± 5.6 mM kg(-1) wet muscle, p = 0.003). No change (p = 0.31) was observed in the CR group. Changes in work production were significantly correlated with changes in resting PCr in CR (r = -0.63, p = 0.021) but not PLA (r = -0.36, p = 0.26) group. Results suggest decreases in short-term endurance may be due to alternations of PCr status and/or metabolism. More research is needed to fully determine the efficacy of CR supplementation during short-term immobilization.