Microlens Parallax Measurements with a Warm Spitzer

Because Spitzer is an Earth-trailing orbit, losing about 0.1 AU/yr, it is excellently located to perform microlens parallax observations toward the Magellanic Clouds (LMC/SMC) and the Galactic bulge. These yield the so-called ``projected velocity'' of the lens, which can distinguish statistically among different populations. A few such measurements toward the LMC/SMC would reveal the nature of the lenses being detected in this direction (dark halo objects, or ordinary LMC/SMC stars). Cool Spitzer has already made one such measurement of a (rare) bright red-clump source, but warm (presumably less oversubscribed) Spitzer could devote the extra time required to obtain microlens parallaxes for the more common, but fainter, turnoff sources. Warm Spitzer could observe bulge microlenses for 38 days per year, which would permit up to 24 microlens parallaxes per year. This would yield interesting information on the disk mass function, particularly old brown dwarfs, which at present are inaccessible by other techniques. Target-of-Opportunity (TOO) observations should be divided into RTOO/DTOO, i.e., ``regular'' and ``disruptive'' TOOs, as pioneered by the Space Interferometry Mission (SIM). LMC/SMC parallax measurements would be DTOO, but bulge measurements would be RTOO, i.e., they could be scheduled in advance, without knowing exactly which star was to be observed.Comment: 6 pages + 1 Figure, To be presented at The Warm Spitzer Mission Workshop, 4-5 June 2007, Pasaden

Retrospective Evaluation of Clinical Experience With Intravenous Ascorbic Acid in Patients With Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Intravenous ascorbic acid (IV AA) has been used extensively in cancer patients throughout the United States. Currently, there are limited data on the safety and clinical effects of IV AA. The purpose of this study was to expand the current literature using a retrospective analysis of adverse events and symptomatic changes of IV AA in a large sample of cancer patients. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective chart review of all patients receiving IV AA for cancer at the Thomas Jefferson University Hospital over a 7-year period. We assessed all reports of adverse events, laboratory findings, and hospital or emergency department admissions. We also reviewed quality-of-life data, including fatigue, nausea, pain, appetite, and mood. RESULTS: There were 86 patients who received a total of 3034 doses of IV AA ranging from 50 to 150g. In all, 32 patients received only ascorbic acid as part of their cancer management (1197 doses), whereas 54 patients received ascorbic acid in conjunction with chemotherapy (1837 doses). The most common adverse events related to ascorbic acid were temporary nausea and discomfort at the injection site. All events reported in the ascorbic acid alone group were associated with less than 3% of the total number of infusions. Patients, overall, reported improvements in fatigue, pain, and mood while receiving ascorbic acid. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this retrospective analysis support the growing evidence that IV AA is generally safe and well tolerated in patients with cancer, and may be useful in symptom management and improving quality of life

Hydrometeor development in cold clouds in FIRE

The role of cirrus clouds, particularly in weather and climate processes, has been increasingly investigated. Numerical models have demonstrated the importance of the solar reflectivity and infrared radiation of cirrus clouds in the Earth's radiation budget and climate. These properties depend upon the cloud microphysical characteristics, density, and altitude and hence justify investigation. The results reported were obtained from cold clouds (-20 to -46 C) in the mid to upper troposphere during ten flights of the NCAR King Air as part of the First ISCCP Research Experiment (FIRE) in Wisconsin

Lidar and aircraft studies of deep Cirrus systems from the 1986 FIRE IFO

Several NCAR King Air flight missions were conducted during the Wisconsin FIRE IFO experiment in support of the University of Utah polarization lidar observations of deep cirrus cloud systems at the Wausau ground site. Data collected from four cirrus systems are included in this analysis, including those of 22 and 28 October, and 1 and 2 November. Lidar data were generally obtained at 2 min intervals in the zenith direction over observation periods that ranged from approximately 4 to 10 h, bracketing the aircraft missions. The data were processed to yield height-time (HTI) displays of lidar linear depolarization ratio sigma and relative range-normalized return power P. King Air operations consisted of a combination of rapid profiling and Lagrangian spiral descents and stacked racetrack patterns in the vicinity of the field site. From the spiral descents are constructed vertical profiles of ice particle concentration N(sub i) and ice mass content IWC derived from PMS 2-D probe imagery and, when detected, FSSP cloud droplet concentration N(sub W) and liquid water content, LWC. Aircraft flight leg data are presented for the vertical velocity W and the same ice and water cloud content parameters. In addition, aerosol particle concentrations obtained with the ASAS probe are examined, and photographs of ice particles collected in-situ on oil-coated slides are presented to illustrate ice particle habit

A 45-year-old Female with an Atypical Presentation of Pharyngitis

Introduction: Emergency physicians are trained to treat a variety of ailments in the emergency department (ED), some of which are emergent, while others are not. A common complaint seen in the ED is a sore throat. While most sore throats are easily diagnosed and treated, less common causes are often not considered in the differential diagnoses. Therefore, the purpose of this case study was to present an atypical case of sore throat and discuss differential diagnoses.Case Presentation: The patient was a 45-year-old female who presented to the ED with a three-day history of sore throat that was exacerbated by eating and drinking. The patient was not on any prescription medications, but tried over-the-counter medications for the sore throat without any improvement in symptoms. Review of systems was positive for sore throat, fevers, and chills. Physical examination of her oropharynx revealed mildly dry mucous membranes with confluent plaques and white patchy ulcerative appearance involving the tongue, tonsils, hard palate, and soft palate. Rapid streptococcal antigen, mononucleosis spot test, and KOH test were performed and found to be negative.Discussion: After initial testing was negative, a follow-up complete blood count with differential and complete metabolic profile were ordered. The patient was found to have decreased lymphocytes and platelets. Based upon those results, a diagnosis was made in the ED, the patient was started on medication, and further laboratory workup was ordered to confirm the diagnosis. ED providers should consider non-infectious as well as infectious causes for a sore throat, as this might lead to a diagnosis of an underlying condition

Obesity and the food environment: income and ethnicity differences among people with diabetes: the Diabetes Study of Northern California (DISTANCE).

ObjectiveIt is unknown whether any association between neighborhood food environment and obesity varies according to individual income and/or race/ethnicity. The objectives of this study were to test whether there was an association between food environments and obesity among adults with diabetes and whether this relationship differed according to individual income or race/ethnicity.Research design and methodsSubjects (n = 16,057) were participants in the Diabetes Study of Northern California survey. Kernel density estimation was used to create a food environment score for each individual's residence address that reflected the mix of healthful and unhealthful food vendors nearby. Logistic regression models estimated the association between the modeled food environment and obesity, controlling for confounders, and testing for interactions between food environment and race/ethnicity and income.ResultsThe authors found that more healthful food environments were associated with lower obesity in the highest income groups (incomes 301-600% and >600% of U.S. poverty line) among whites, Latinos, and Asians. The association was negative, but smaller and not statistically significant, among high-income blacks. On the contrary, a more healthful food environment was associated with higher obesity among participants in the lowest-income group (<100% poverty threshold), which was statistically significant for black participants in this income category.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that the availability of healthful food environments may have different health implications when financial resources are severely constrained

Socio-demographic correlates, HIV/AIDS related cofactors, and measures of same-sex sexual behaviour among Northern Thai male soldiers

We use data from an anonymous self-administered 1991 survey of military personnel in northern Thailand to estimate overall levels of and socio-demographic differentials in same-sex sexual behaviour in this population. Additionally, we examine the relationship between sexual experience with another male and a variety of outcomes relevant to HIV prevention and policy. Overall, 16.3 per cent of the sexually active soldiers report ever having had anal or oral sex with other males. Same-sex sexual behaviour in this sample is positively associated with several indicators of higher socio-economic status. All of the men who report having had sex with other men report having had vaginal intercourse with females as well. Comparison of our estimate of same-sex sexual behaviour with those obtained from two similar samples drawn in 1991 suggests that the lower estimates observed in the other two studies are largely due to differences in data collection methods. Regarding the HIV/AIDS-related outcomes we examined, men who have had sex with other men are significantly more likely than those who have not to have ever injected drugs, to personally know someone with HIV/AIDS, to have had sex with a female prostitute in the last six months, and to have had a sexually transmitted disease in the last six months. In this sample, men who have had sex with other men are also less knowledgeable about HIV/AIDS than are men who have not. These results are discussed in terms of their implications for HIV-prevention policy in Thailand