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The increasing use of gasoline direct injection (GDI) engines coupled with the implementation of new particulate matter (PM) and particle number (PN) emissions regulations requires new emissions control strategies. Gasoline particulate filters (GPFs) present one approach to reduce particle emissions. Although primarily composed of combustible material which may be removed through oxidation, particle also contains incombustible components or ash. Over the service life of the filter the accumulation of ash causes an increase in exhaust backpressure, and limits the useful life of the GPF. This study utilized an accelerated aging system to generate elevated ash levels by injecting lubricant oil with the gasoline fuel into a burner system. GPFs were aged to a series of levels representing filter life up to 150,000 miles (240,000 km). The impact of ash on the filter pressure drop and on its sensitivity to soot accumulation was investigated at specific ash levels.

A novel microarray-based approach to simultaneous detection, quantitation, and identification of multiple microorganisms found in water and air supplies is presented. The rapid DNA/RNA probe-based approach avoids time consuming cell cultivation procedures by utilizing the inherent amplification property of rRNA combined with highly sensitive proximal CCD detection. Specifically, optimal DNA probes for simultaneously capturing Escherichia coli and Vibrio proteolyticus were arrayed in a 4 x 4 matrix using a novel microarray printer capable of depositing hundreds of probes within a single well (1cm2) of a conventional 96 well microtiter plate. Following hybridization of a 16S rRNA microorganism mixture to the DNA microarray, detection, imaging, quantitation and identification was performed within seconds employing the complimentary PC-based proximal CCD detector/imager.

Compression in the head-neck complex often causes fractures of the first cervical vertebra (C1). The type of fracture often determines whether the injury is stable or unstable, which significantly affects the ultimate injury severity. The often unstable bursting fracture of C1 is thought to be caused by a transformation of axial compressive forces into lateral bursting forces by the wedge-shaped lateral masses. The purpose of this study was to measure the orientation of the joint surfaces of C1 to determine whether this symmetry exists. An additional goal was to determine whether the orientation of the joint surfaces varied significantly with location on the surface. Direct measurements of surface coordinates were taken from 40 dried vertebrae. The angles of two areas on each of the four joint surfaces of the lateral masses of C1 were then calculated. The resulting angles agreed with previous investigations of upper cervical vertebral anatomy.

The National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI), established in 1997, is a twelve-university consortium dedicated to research that will impact mankind's next exploratory steps. The NSBRI's Education and Public Outreach Program (EPOP), is supporting NASA's education mission to, “Inspire the next generations…as only NASA can,” through a comprehensive Kindergarten through post-doctoral education program. The goals of the EPOP are to: communicate space exploration biology to schools; support undergraduate and graduate space-based courses and degrees; fund postdoctoral fellows to pursue space life sciences research; and engage national and international audiences to promote understanding of how space exploration benefits people on Earth. NSBRI EPOP presents its accomplishments as an educational strategy for supporting science education reform, workforce development, and public outreach.