Development of Fuses for Protection of Geiger-Mode Avalanche Photodiode Arrays

Current-limiting fuses composed of Ti/Al/Ni were developed for use in Geiger-mode avalanche photodiode arrays for each individual pixel in the array. The fuses were designed to burn out at ∼4.5 × 10[superscript −3] A and maintain post-burnout leakage currents less than 10[superscript −7] A at 70 V sustained for several minutes. Experimental fuse data are presented and successful incorporation of the fuses into a 256 × 64 pixel InP-based Geiger-mode avalanche photodiode array is reported

Private Food Assistance in a Small Metropolitan Area: Urban Resources and Rural Needs

Food banks and other private feeding programs have become an institutionalized component of the social welfare system in over 190 urban areas in the U.S. More recently, private food assistance has gained importance in rural areas as well. The density and capacity of agencies to serve the poor is higher in urban areas than in sparsely populated rural locales where distance and dispersal tend to be barriers to supplying and accessing donated food. Rural food distribution strategies thus must be qualitatively different than those in larger communities, because of the smaller-scale, more informal distributional system. Little is known about how urban-based nonprofit services stimulate and support food assistance in surrounding rural locales. Based on intensive interviews with food bank stafffood pan try directors, and food pantry clientele, we examine obstacles affecting the use of food pantries and the amelioration of food insecurity. We also provide an assessment of how changes in federal welfare provisions may be affecting the need for private food assistance

Integrating Glenohumeral Range of Motion with Dynamic Postural Control for Early Detection of Elbow Injury Risk in Collegiate Baseball Pitchers: A Preliminary Prospective Case Series

Introduction: Medial elbow ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) injuries are common in baseball with increased surgical incidence in pitchers. There is no consensus on which modifiable injury risk metrics or performance screening tools to use to identify at risk collegiate baseball pitchers. Current literature on UCL injury risk has focused on local passive glenohumeral rotational motion with limited forays into more global movement patterns. The aim of this study was to assess possible relationships involving UCL injuries and modifiable local and global motor control performance risk factors. Material and Methods: An observational single cohort case series involving 15 collegiate baseball pitchers aimed to elucidate disparitites in glenohumeral active and passive range of motion alongside an assessment of general movement competency and dynamic motor control performance to identify injury risk for the UCL. Preseaon baseline metrics, including the Functional Movement Screen, Upper and Lower Quarter Y Balance Test, and glenohumaral internal and external rotation active, passive, and total arc range of motion were examined. Results: The two pitchers with UCL injury demonstrated less ability to actively move into their available passive rotational range with decreased lower extremity dynamic postural control, but no difference with general movement competency. The pitcher requiring UCL surgical intervention demonstrated even greater excessive passive range compared to the other injured pitcher and a decreased ability to control base of support during the dynamic single-leg balance performance test. Discussion: Participants with UCL injuries exibited noticable deficiencies in baseline active and passive mobility, suggestive of a potential motor control deficit and a compromised ability to fully access available range of motion. Furthermore, diminished performance on the Lower Quarter Y Balance Test identified potential motor control limitations involving a decreased ability to dynamically maintain a base of support. Conclusions: This is the first study designed to identify motor control issues in the both the local shoulder region and global body movement to identify modifiable risk factors for UCL injuries in baseball pitchers. This study may begin to address the gap in the literature by combining modifiable local shoulder range of motion and global balance metrics to identify pitchers at risk for UCL injuries. It underscores the significance of comparing active and passive range of motion in tandem with dynamic postural control assessments to better evaluate the risk of injuries in baseball pitchers. This case series lays the groundwork for future randomized clinical trials to evaluate the utiliity of combining this information

Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography as a noninvasive method to assess damaged and regenerating adult zebrafish retinas.

These experiments assessed the ability of spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) to accurately represent the structural organization of the adult zebrafish retina and reveal the dynamic morphologic changes during either light-induced damage and regeneration of photoreceptors or ouabain-induced inner retinal damage. Retinas of control dark-adapted adult albino zebrafish were compared with retinas subjected to 24 hours of constant intense light and recovered for up to 8 weeks or ouabain-damaged retinas that recovered for up to 3 weeks. Images were captured and the measurements of retinal morphology were made by SD-OCT, and then compared with those obtained by histology of the same eyes. Measurements between SD-OCT and histology were very similar for the undamaged, damaged, and regenerating retinas. Axial measurements of SD-OCT also revealed vitreal morphology that was not readily visualized by histology. SD-OCT accurately represented retinal lamination and photoreceptor loss and recovery during light-induced damage and subsequent regeneration. SD-OCT was less accurate at detecting the inner nuclear layer in ouabain-damaged retinas, but accurately detected the undamaged outer nuclear layer. Thus, SD-OCT provides a noninvasive and quantitative method to assess the morphology and the extent of damage and repair in the zebrafish retina

LS Peg: A Low-Inclination SW Sextantis-Type Cataclysmic Binary with High-Velocity Balmer Emission Line Wings

We present time-resolved spectroscopy and photometry of the bright cataclysmic variable LS Peg (= S193). The Balmer lines exhibit broad, asymmetric wings Doppler-shifted by about 2000 km/s at the edges, while the HeI lines show phase-dependent absorption features strikingly similar to SW Sextantis stars, as well as emission through most of the phase. The CIII/NIII emission blend does not show any phase dependence. From velocities of Halpha emission lines, we determine an orbital period of 0.174774 +/- 0.000003 d (= 4.1946 h), which agrees with Szkody's (1995) value of approximately 4.2 hours. No stable photometric signal was found at the orbital period. A non-coherent quasi-periodic photometric signal was seen at a period of 20.7 +/- 0.3 min. The high-velocity Balmer wings most probably arise from a stream re-impact point close to the white dwarf. We present simulated spectra based on a kinematic model similar to the modified disk-overflow scenario of Hellier & Robinson (1994). The models reproduce the broad line wings, though some other details are unexplained. Using an estimate of dynamical phase based on the model, we show that the phasing of the emission- and absorption-line variations is consistent with that in (eclipsing) SW Sex stars. We therefore identify LS Peg as a low-inclination SW Sex star. Our model suggests i = 30 deg, and the observed absence of any photometric signal at the orbital frequency establishes i < 60 deg. This constraint puts a severe strain on interpretations of the SW Sex phenomenon which rely on disk structures lying slightly out of the orbital plane.Comment: 29 pages, 13 figures, to be published in PASP Feb. 199

Models of upland species’ distributions are improved by accounting for geodiversity

Context: Recent research suggests that novel geodiversity data on landforms, hydrology and surface materials can improve biodiversity models at the landscape scale by quantifying abiotic variability more effectively than commonly used measures of spatial heterogeneity. However, few studies consider whether these variables can account for, and improve our understanding of, species’ distributions.Objectives: Assess the role of geodiversity components as macro-scale controls of plant species’ distributions in a montane landscape.Methods: We used an innovative approach to quantifying a landscape, creating an ecologically meaningful geodiversity dataset that accounted for hydrology, morphometry (landforms derived from geomorphometric techniques), and soil parent material (data from expert sources). We compared models with geodiversity to those just using topographic metrics (e.g. slope and elevation) and climate data. Species distribution models (SDMs) were produced for ‘rare’ (N=76) and ‘common’ (N=505) plant species at 1 km2 resolution for the Cairngorms National Park, Scotland.Results: The addition of automatically produced landform geodiversity data and hydrological features to a basic SDM (climate, elevation, and slope) resulted in a significant improvement in model fit across all common species’ distribution models. Adding further geodiversity data on surface materials resulted in a less consistent statistical improvement, but added considerable conceptual value to many individual rare and common SDMs.Conclusions: The geodiversity data used here helped us capture the abiotic environment’s heterogeneity and allowed for explicit links between the geophysical landscape and species’ ecology. It is encouraging that relatively simple and easily produced geodiversity data have the potential to improve SDMs. Our findings have important implications for applied conservation and support the need to consider geodiversity in management

The Development and Evaluation of a Combined Infection–Rheumatology Assessment Service in Response to the Chikungunya Fever Epidemic

The chikungunya virus is an arthritogenic alphavirus. Acute infection may be followed by persistent arthralgia, often causing significant functional impairment. The 2014–2015 chikungunya fever (CHIKF) epidemic resulted in a marked increase in cases presenting to rheumatology and tropical diseases services. A combined multidisciplinary rheumatology–tropical diseases service for assessment, management, and follow-up of patients with proven CHIKF and persistent (≥ 4 weeks) arthralgia was proposed and rapidly developed at The Hospital for Tropical Diseases in London. Rapid set up of a multidisciplinary clinic in response to the epidemic was achieved. Of a total of 54 patients, 21 (38.9%) patients with CHIKF developed persistent arthralgia and were reviewed by the multidisciplinary service. A combined assessment approach enabled comprehensive multidisciplinary assessment of CHIKF, assessment of joint pathology through ultrasound, and appropriate follow-up. A combined rheumatology–tropical diseases service was successfully used to identify and assess CHIKF-associated morbidity. Future outbreaks may be approached by establishing tailored multidisciplinary clinics

Food Security of Low-Income Single Parents in East Alabama: Use of Private and Public Programs in the Age of Welfare Reform

Despite a strong economy, the use of private, nonprofit food assistance is increasing. To determine how single parenthood affects the use of both public and private food assistance, a sample of food bank clients and low-income, food-needy non-clients in East Alabama was interviewed. Overall, single-parent food-pantry clients indicated higher levels of food insecurity than other groups, but the non-clients who were not single parents also indicated high levels of need. Although 42 percent of food bank clients were single parents, results showed that married couples with children were more highly represented among the food bank clients than among food-needy individuals who do not use the pantry. Single parents were more likely than others to receive food stamp and Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) benefits, a finding that corresponds to this group\u27s lower incomes and larger family sizes