The Plasma Interaction Experiment (PIX) description and test program

The plasma interaction experiment (PIX) is a battery powered preprogrammed auxiliary payload on the LANDSAT-C launch. This experiment is part of a larger program to investigate space plasma interactions with spacecraft surfaces and components. The varying plasma densities encountered during available telemetry coverage periods are deemed sufficient to determine first order interactions between the space plasma environment and the biased experimental surfaces. The specific objectives of the PIX flight experiment are to measure the plasma coupling current and the negative voltage breakdown characteristics of a solar array segment and a gold plated steel disk. Measurements will be made over a range of surface voltages up to plus or minus kilovolt. The orbital environment will provide a range of plasma densities. The experimental surfaces will be voltage biased in a preprogrammed step sequence to optimize the data returned for each plasma region and for the available telemetry coverage

Demonstration of the Zero-Crossing Phasemeter with a LISA Test-bed Interferometer

The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) is being designed to detect and study in detail gravitational waves from sources throughout the Universe such as massive black hole binaries. The conceptual formulation of the LISA space-borne gravitational wave detector is now well developed. The interferometric measurements between the sciencecraft remain one of the most important technological and scientific design areas for the mission. Our work has concentrated on developing the interferometric technologies to create a LISA-like optical signal and to measure the phase of that signal using commercially available instruments. One of the most important goals of this research is to demonstrate the LISA phase timing and phase reconstruction for a LISA-like fringe signal, in the case of a high fringe rate and a low signal level. We present current results of a test-bed interferometer designed to produce an optical LISA-like fringe signal previously discussed in the literature.Comment: find minor corrections in the CQG versio

Emergency Management

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Racial and Socioeconomic Disparities in Melanoma Incidence Rates in Georgia: 2000-2011

Background: The objective of this research was to investigate melanoma incidence rates and health outcomes in Georgia over time and by race, socio-economic status (SES), and gender. Methods: Age-adjusted melanoma incidence rates were obtained from the Georgia Comprehensive Cancer Registry SEER*Stat Database (2000-2011). To compare incidence rates across counties, and public health districts and by race, SES and gender, maps were generated using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). A cluster analysis was performed by use of SaTScan, and maps were created to visualize clusters of melanoma cases. Results: In Georgia, from 2000-2011, age-adjusted incidence rates for melanoma were higher among Whites than Blacks (28.0 vs. 1.1 per 100,000 population). For both races, high rates were found to be associated with high SES. For Whites, high rates were concentrated in urban areas relative to Blacks in rural areas. Clusters of melanoma incident cases were found mainly in the north central region of Georgia. Conclusions: For Georgia, results for map comparisons are consistent with previous research findings that higher melanoma incidence rates are associated with high SES for Whites and, to a lesser extent, for Blacks. Melanoma interventions in Georgia should focus on urban White and rural Black at-risk populations, especially those with high SES

Early parenting intervention: Family risk and first-time parenting related to intervention effectiveness

The effects of cumulative risk and parity on the effectiveness of a home based parenting intervention were tested in a randomized controlled trial with 237 families with 1- to 3-year-old children screened for high levels of externalizing behavior. The intervention was aimed at enhancing positive parenting and decreasing externalizing behaviors. The results showed that cumulative risk was not associated with either change in child externalizing behaviors or change in positive parenting. When intervention effectiveness was compared for primiparas (i.e., first-time mothers) versus multiparas (i.e., mothers with more than one child), we found that intervention mothers of first-born children displayed an increase in their use of positive discipline strategies as compared to first-time mothers in the control group, whereas a similar effect for multiparas was absent. Among multiparas we found an intervention effect on sensitivity, with control group mothers showing an increase in sensitivity, whereas the intervention group showed a constant level of sensitivity over time. These results suggest that parity may be a moderator of intervention effectiveness. Implications for investigating moderators of intervention effectiveness are discussed. © 2007 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

Comparative review of human and canine osteosarcoma: morphology, epidemiology, prognosis, treatment and genetics

Osteosarcoma (OSA) is a rare cancer in people. However OSA incidence rates in dogs are 27 times higher than in people. Prognosis in both species is poor, with five year osteosarcoma survival rates in people not having improved in decades. For dogs, one year survival rates are only around ~45%. Improved and novel treatment regimens are urgently required to improve survival in both humans and dogs with OSA. Utilising information from genetic studies could assist in this in both species, with the higher incidence rates in dogs contributing to the dog population being a good model of human disease. This review compares the clinical characteristics, gross morphology and histopathology, aetiology, epidemiology, and genetics of canine and human osteosarcoma. Finally, the current position of canine osteosarcoma genetic research is discussed and areas for additional work within the canine population are identified

Autoimmune gastrointestinal complications in patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: case series and literature review

The association of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with gastrointestinal autoimmune diseases is rare, but has been described in the literature, mostly as case reports. However, some of these diseases may be very severe, thus a correct and early diagnosis with appropriate management are fundamental. We have analysed our data from the SLE patient cohort at University College Hospital London, established in 1978, identifying those patients with an associated autoimmune gastrointestinal disease. We have also undertaken a review of the literature describing the major autoimmune gastrointestinal pathologies which may be coincident with SLE, focusing on the incidence, clinical and laboratory (particularly antibody) findings, common aetiopathogenesis and complications

Relationship of thromboxane generation to the aggregation of platelets from humans: Effects of eicosapentaenoic acid

A non-linear relationship between the percent aggregation of human platelets and the amount of TXB2 generated requires investigators to use caution when using the data to assess antiplatelet regimens. The relationship approximates a hyperbola with a roughly linear relationship from 0 to 70% aggregation and 0 to 50 ng TXB2 per ml of platelet-rich plasma. Above these values, the amount of TXB2 produced may increase up to 500 ng per ml of platelet-rich plasma with no clear relationship to the observed platelet function of aggregation. Also, appreciable inhibition of TXB2 formation can occur at high TXB2 levels with no detectable decrease in aggregation. Thus, assessment of antiplatelet regimens using TXB2 formation alone are unlikely to be interpretable without reference to this non-linear property of platelet function. We applied this concept when evaluating a study of forty subjects with dietary supplements of 1.8 g or 2.7 g of ethyl eicosapentaenoate (20:5n-3) for four weeks. There was a moderate,but statistically significant decrease in average values for the percent aggregation (60+/-15 to 45+/-30) and thromboxane production (51+/-30 to 33+/-31 ng/ml) the differences in mean values were slight relative to the overall standard deviations, reductions of platelet function were clearly evident in 31 of 40 subjects when paired results were examined relative to the recognized hyperbolic relationship.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/25520/1/0000061.pd

Flight with lift modulation inside a planetary atmosphere

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/76287/1/AIAA-7461-486.pd