Analysis of multi-sensor data, 12 September - 11 December 1968

Analysis of multi-sensor data obtained by Earth Resources Aircraft Progra

Superconductivity and magnetic order in the non-centrosymmetric Half Heusler compound ErPdBi

We report superconductivity at $T_c = 1.22$ K and magnetic order at $T_N = 1.06$ K in the semi-metallic noncentrosymmetric Half Heusler compound ErPdBi. The upper critical field, $B_{c2}$, has an unusual quasi-linear temperature variation and reaches a value of 1.6 T for $T \rightarrow 0$. Magnetic order is found below $T_c$ and is suppressed at $B{_M} \sim 2.5$ T for $T \rightarrow 0$. Since $T_c \simeq T_N$, the interaction of superconductivity and magnetism is expected to give rise to a complex ground state. Moreover, electronic structure calculations show ErPdBi has a topologically nontrivial band inversion and thus may serve as a new platform to study the interplay of topological states, superconductivity and magnetic order.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures; accepted for publication in Europhysics Letter

Fluxes of microbes, organic aerosols, dust, sea-salt Na ions, non-sea-salt Ca ions, and methanesulfonate onto Greenland and Antarctic ice

Using a spectrofluorimeter with 224-nm laser excitation and six emission bands from 300 to 420 nm to measure fluorescence intensities at 0.3-mm depth intervals in ice cores, we report results of the first comparative study of concentrations of microbial cells (using the spectrum of protein-bound tryptophan (Trp) as a proxy) and of aerosols with autofluorescence spectra different from Trp (denoted "non-Trp") as a function of depth in ice cores from West Antarctica (WAIS Divide and Siple Dome) and Greenland (GISP2). The ratio of fluxes of microbial cells onto West Antarctic (WAIS Divide) versus Greenland sites is 0.13±0.06; the ratio of non-Trp aerosols onto WAIS Divide versus Greenland sites is 0.16±0.08; and the ratio of non-sea-salt Ca<sup>2+</sup> ions (a proxy for dust grains) onto WAIS Divide versus Greenland sites is 0.06±0.03. All of these are roughly comparable to the ratio of fluxes of dust onto Antarctic versus Greenland sites (0.08±0.05). By contrast to those values, which are considerably lower than unity, the ratio of fluxes of methanesulfonate (MSA) onto Antarctic versus Greenland sites is 1.9±0.4 and the ratio of sea-salt Na<sup>2+</sup> ions onto WAIS Divide versus Greenland sites is 3.0±2. These ratios are more than an order of magnitude higher than those in the first grouping. We infer that the correlation of microbes and non-Trp aerosols with non-sea-salt Ca and dust suggests a largely terrestrial rather than marine origin. The lower fluxes of microbes, non-Trp aerosols, non-sea-salt Ca and dust onto WAIS Divide ice than onto Greenland ice may be due to the smaller areas of their source regions and less favorable wind patterns for transport onto Antarctic ice than onto Greenland ice. The correlated higher relative fluxes of MSA and marine Na onto Antarctic versus Greenland ice is consistent with the view that both originate largely on or around sea ice, with the Antarctic sea ice being far more extensive than that around Greenland

Liquid lubrication in sheet metal forming at mesoscopic scale

The lubricant entrapment and escape phenomena in metal forming are studied experimentally as well as numerically. Experiments are carried out in strip reduction of aluminium sheet applying a transparent die to study the fluid flow between mesoscopic cavities. The numerical strategy is based on a weak fluid/structure coupling involving the Finite ElementMethod and analytical calculations. It allows to quantify the final shape of the lubricant pocket

Oral salmon calcitonin reduces cartilage and bone pathology in an osteoarthritis rat model with increased subchondral bone turnover

SummaryObjectivesTraumatic osteoarthritis (OA) is possibly augmented by effects from loss of sex hormones. Salmon calcitonin is shown to reduce OA pathogenesis and bone resorption. We investigated the effects of oral salmon calcitonin treatment and ovariectomy on cartilage and bone pathology in a traumatic OA model.MethodsSix groups with 10 7-month-old female Sprague Dawley rats each were subjected to bilateral meniscectomy (MNX), ovariectomy (OVX) or Sham surgery and treated for 8 weeks with oral salmon calcitonin (CT) or vehicle (V) in the following way: (1) Sham+V; (2) MNX+V; (3) MNX+CT; (4) OVX+V; (5) MNX/OVX+V; (6) MNX/OVX+CT. Weights were recorded weekly and CTX-II was measured in serum. At termination 56 days post-surgery, the right tibia was analyzed for changes in articular cartilage thickness, extent of cartilage damage and subchondral bone changes in predefined zones, as recommended in the novel OARSI histopathology score.ResultsThe combined MNX/OVX model produced a significantly reduced cartilage thickness (P=0.033) in the outer zone (Z1) of the tibial plateau and increased calcified cartilage damage (P=0.0004) and serum CTX-II (P=0.003). Addition of OVX to MNX significantly increased the width of matrix damage at the surface (P=0.025) and 50% cartilage depth (P=0.004). Treatment with oral salmon calcitonin counteracted the loss of cartilage thickness (P=0.055), significantly reduced subchondral bone damage score (P=0.019) and reduced the type II collagen degradation (P=0.009).ConclusionsAddition of ovariectomy augmented site-specific traumatic OA pathology, which was reduced by oral salmon calcitonin treatment. Treatments for OA might ideally affect both bone and cartilage

Identification of pathological RA endotypes using blood-based biomarkers reflecting tissue metabolism. A retrospective and explorative analysis of two phase III RA studies

There is an increasing demand for accurate endotyping of patients according to their pathogenesis to allow more targeted treatment. We explore a combination of blood-based joint tissue metabolites (neoepitopes) to enable patient clustering through distinct disease profiles. We analysed data from two RA studies (LITHE (N = 574, follow-up 24 and 52 weeks), OSKIRA-1 (N = 131, follow-up 24 weeks)). Two osteoarthritis (OA) studies (SMC01 (N = 447), SMC02 (N = 81)) were included as non-RA comparators. Specific tissue-derived neoepitopes measured at baseline, included: C2M (cartilage degradation); CTX-I and PINP (bone turnover); C1M and C3M (interstitial matrix degradation); CRPM (CRP metabolite) and VICM (macrophage activity). Clustering was performed to identify putative endotypes. We identified five clusters (A-E). Clusters A and B were characterized by generally higher levels of biomarkers than other clusters, except VICM which was significantly higher in cluster B than in cluster A (p<0.001). Biomarker levels in Cluster C were all close to the median, whilst Cluster D was characterised by low levels of all biomarkers. Cluster E also had low levels of most biomarkers, but with significantly higher levels of CTX-I compared to cluster D. There was a significant difference in ΔSHP score observed at 52 weeks (p<0.05). We describe putative RA endotypes based on biomarkers reflecting joint tissue metabolism. These endotypes differ in their underlining pathogenesis, and may in the future have utility for patient treatment selection

Target Mass Monitoring and Instrumentation in the Daya Bay Antineutrino Detectors

The Daya Bay experiment measures sin^2 2{\theta}_13 using functionally identical antineutrino detectors located at distances of 300 to 2000 meters from the Daya Bay nuclear power complex. Each detector consists of three nested fluid volumes surrounded by photomultiplier tubes. These volumes are coupled to overflow tanks on top of the detector to allow for thermal expansion of the liquid. Antineutrinos are detected through the inverse beta decay reaction on the proton-rich scintillator target. A precise and continuous measurement of the detector's central target mass is achieved by monitoring the the fluid level in the overflow tanks with cameras and ultrasonic and capacitive sensors. In addition, the monitoring system records detector temperature and levelness at multiple positions. This monitoring information allows the precise determination of the detectors' effective number of target protons during data taking. We present the design, calibration, installation and in-situ tests of the Daya Bay real-time antineutrino detector monitoring sensors and readout electronics.Comment: 22 pages, 20 figures; accepted by JINST. Changes in v2: minor revisions to incorporate editorial feedback from JINS