The design and evaluation of grazing incidence relay optics

X-ray astronomy, both solar and celestial, has many needs for high spatial resolution observations which have to be performed with electronic detectors. If the resolution is not to be detector limited, plate scales in excess of 25 microns arc/sec, corresponding to focal lengths greater than 5 m, are required. In situations where the physical size is restricted, the problem can be solved by the use of grazing incidence relay optics. A system was developed which employs externally polished hyperboloid-hyperboloid surfaces to be used in conjunction with a Wolter-Schwarzschild primary. The secondary is located in front of the primary focus and provides a magnification of 4, while the system has a plate scale of 28 microns arc/sec and a length of 1.9 m. The design, tolerance specification, fabrication and performance at visible and X-ray wavelengths of this optical system are described

The Genetics of Phenotypic Plasticity in Plant Defense: Trichome Production in Mimulus guttatus

This is the publisher's version, also available electronically from http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/651300#fn1.Insect herbivory is a major driving force of plant evolution. Phenotypic plasticity and developmental variation provide a means for plants to cope with variable herbivory. We characterized the genetics of developmental variation and phenotypic plasticity in trichome density, a putative defensive trait of Mimulus guttatus (yellow monkeyflower). Our results are evaluated in relation to the optimal defense theory, which provides testable predictions for plastic and developmental patterns in defense traits. We found that both developmental stage and simulated insect damage affected trichome production, but in different ways. Plants were more likely to produce at least some trichomes on later leaves than on earlier leaves, regardless of damage. Damage did not affect the average probability of producing trichomes, but it did increase the density of hairs on trichome‐positive plants. We mapped trichome quantitative trait loci (QTL) by selectively genotyping a large panel of recombinant inbred lines derived from two highly divergent populations. Several highly pleiotropic QTL influenced multiple aspects of the trichome phenotype (constitutive, developmental, and/or plastic responses). Only one of the QTL influenced trichome induction following damage. In a result that is consistent with a central prediction of optimal defense theory, the high allele at this location was from the ancestral population with low constitutive trichome production

Hydrochlorothiazide Is Superior to Isradipine for Reduction of Left Ventricular Mass: Results of a Multicenter Trial fn1fn1This study was supported by an unrestricted grant from Sandoz Pharmaceuticals, East Hanover, New Jersey.fn2fn2To discuss this article on-line, visit the ACC Home Page at http://www.acc.org/membersand click on the JACC Forum

AbstractObjectives. We sought to determine the efficacy of isradipine in reducing left ventricular (LV) mass and wall thickness in hypertensive patients.Background. LV hypertrophy on the echocardiogram is a strong predictor of cardiovascular events. Reduction of LV mass may be a desirable goal of drug therapy for hypertension. However, although thiazide diuretic drugs have been advocated as first-line therapy for hypertension, their efficacy in reducing LV mass has been questioned.Methods. Patients with mild to moderate diastolic hypertension and LV mass in excess of 1 SD of normal values were randomized to isradipine (n = 89) or hydrochlorothiazide therapy (n = 45). Evaluations were obtained at baseline, after 3 and 6 months of treatment and 2 weeks after treatment was stopped.Results. At 6 months, LV mass decreased by 43 ± 45 g (mean ± SD) with hydrochlorothiazide (p < 0.001) but only by 11 ± 48 g with isradipine (p = NS; between-group comparison, p < 0.001). Two weeks after drug therapy was stopped, LV mass remained 24 ± 41 g lower than that at baseline in the hydrochlorothiazide group (p = 0.003) but only 7 ± 50 g lower in the isradipine group (p = NS). Septal and posterior wall thicknesses were significantly and equally reduced with both isradipine and hydrochlorothiazide. Greater LV mass reduction with hydrochlorothiazide was related to a 2.8 ± 3.3-mm reduction of LV cavity size with hydrochlorothiazide but no reduction with isradipine. At 6 months of treatment, diastolic blood pressure (BP) by design was equally reduced in both treatment groups. At 3 months, systolic BP was reduced by 17 ± 15 mm Hg with isradipine and by 26 ± 15 and 25 ± 17 mm Hg at 3 and 6 months, respectively, with hydrochlorothiazide (p = 0.003, between-group comparison). However, on stepwise multivariable regression analysis, treatment selection (partial r2= 0.082, p = 0.001), change in average 24-h systolic BP (partial r2= 0.032, p = 0.029) and change in average sitting systolic BP (partial r2= 0.017, p = 0.096) were predictive of LV mass reduction.Conclusions. Despite an equivalent reduction of diastolic BP, 6 months of therapy with hydrochlorothiazide is associated with a substantial reduction of LV mass, greater than that with isradipine. The superior efficacy of hydrochlorothiazide for LV mass reduction is associated with a greater reduction of systolic BP as well as drug selection itself. These data may have important therapeutic implications

Contribution of thirdhand smoke to overall tobacco smoke exposure in pediatric patients: study protocol.

BackgroundThirdhand smoke (THS) is the persistent residue resulting from secondhand smoke (SHS) that accumulates in dust, objects, and on surfaces in homes where tobacco has been used, and is reemitted into air. Very little is known about the extent to which THS contributes to children's overall tobacco smoke exposure (OTS) levels, defined as their combined THS and SHS exposure. Even less is known about the effect of OTS and THS on children's health. This project will examine how different home smoking behaviors contribute to THS and OTS and if levels of THS are associated with respiratory illnesses in nonsmoking children.MethodsThis project leverages the experimental design from an ongoing pediatric emergency department-based tobacco cessation trial of caregivers who smoke and their children (NIHR01HD083354). At baseline and follow-up, we will collect urine and handwipe samples from children and samples of dust and air from the homes of smokers who smoke indoors, have smoking bans or who have quit smoking. These samples will be analyzed to examine to what extent THS pollution at home contributes to OTS exposure over and above SHS and to what extent THS continues to persist and contribute to OTS in homes of smokers who have quit or have smoking bans. Targeted and nontargeted chemical analyses of home dust samples will explore which types of THS pollutants are present in homes. Electronic medical record review will examine if THS and OTS levels are associated with child respiratory illness. Additionally, a repository of child and environmental samples will be created.DiscussionThe results of this study will be crucial to help close gaps in our understanding of the types, quantity, and clinical effects of OTS, THS exposure, and THS pollutants in a unique sample of tobacco smoke-exposed ill children and their homes. The potential impact of these findings is substantial, as currently the level of risk in OTS attributable to THS is unknown. This research has the potential to change how we protect children from OTS, by recognizing that SHS and THS exposure needs to be addressed separately and jointly as sources of pollution and exposure.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02531594 . Date of registration: August 24, 2015

Terahertz Magneto Optical Polarization Modulation Spectroscopy

We report the development of new terahertz techniques for rapidly measuring the complex Faraday angle in systems with broken time-reversal symmetry using the cyclotron resonance of a GaAs two-dimensional electron gas in a magnetic field as a system for demonstration of performance. We have made polarization modulation, high sensitivity (< 1 mrad) narrow band rotation measurements with a CW optically pumped molecular gas laser, and by combining the distinct advantages of terahertz (THz) time domain spectroscopy and polarization modulation techniques, we have demonstrated rapid broadband rotation measurements to < 5 mrad precision.Comment: 25 pages including 7 figures, introduces use of rotating polarizer with THz TDS for Complex Faraday Angle determinatio

Localization and Absorption of Light in 2D Composite Metal-Dielectric Films at the Percolation Threshold

We study in this paper the localization of light and the dielectric properties of thin metal-dielectric composites at the percolation threshold and around a resonant frequency where the conductivities of the two components are of the same order. In particular, the effect of the loss in metallic components are examined. To this end, such systems are modelized as random $L-C$ networks, and the local field distribution as well as the effective conductivity are determined by using two different methods for comparison: an exact resolution of Kirchoff equations, and a real space renormalization group method. The latter method is found to give the general behavior of the effective conductivity but fails to determine the local field distribution. It is also found that the localization still persists for vanishing losses. This result seems to be in agreement with the anomalous absorption observed experimentally for such systems.Comment: 14 page latex, 3 ps figures. submitte

Observation and Assignment of Silent and Higher Order Vibrations in the Infrared Transmission of C60 Crystals

We report the measurement of infrared transmission of large C60 single crystals. The spectra exhibit a very rich structure with over 180 vibrational absorptions visible in the 100 - 4000 cm-1 range. Many silent modes are observed to have become weakly IR-active. We also observe a large number of higher order combination modes. The temperature (77K - 300K) and pressure (0 - 25KBar) dependencies of these modes were measured and are presented. Careful analysis of the IR spectra in conjunction with Raman scattering data showing second order modes and neutron scattering data, allow the selection of the 46 vibrational modes C60. We are able to fit *all* of the first and second order data seen in the present IR spectra and the previously published Raman data (~300 lines total), using these 46 modes and their group theory allowed second order combinations.Comment: REVTEX v3.0 in LaTeX. 12 pages. 8 Figures by request. c60lon

Does hand involvement in systemic sclerosis limit completion of patient-reported outcome measures?

The objective of this analysis is to examine whether the severity of systemic sclerosis (SSc)-hand involvement influences patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) completion rate in a US cohort of early disease. Participants included SSc patients with less than 5 years disease duration consented and enrolled in the Collaborative, National, Quality, and Efficacy Registry (CONQUER) between June 2018 and December 2019. Participants\u27 socio-demographics, hand clinical features (severe modified Rodnan skin score, presence of small joint contractures, acro-osteolysis, calcinosis, and digital ulcers), and completion rates of seven PROMs including a Resource Use Questionnaire were analyzed. Cohort characteristics and baseline PROM completion were evaluated. Multivariable logistic regression assessed the relationship between hand limitations and PROM incompletion at several time points using generalized estimating equations. At the time of data lock, 339 CONQUER subjects had a total of 600 visits available for analysis. Calcinosis (odds ratio [OR] 6.35, confidence interval [CI] 2.41-16.73 and acro-osteolysis OR 3.88 (1.57-9.55) were significantly associated with incomplete PROM. The Resource Use Questionnaire was the PROM most commonly not completed. Increasing age was correlated with resource use questionnaire incompletion rate. Acro-osteolysis and calcinosis were associated with lower PROM completion rates in a US SSc cohort, independent of the length of the questionnaires or the modality of administration (electronic or paper). Resource Use Questionnaires are important for understanding the economic impact and burden of chronic disease; however, in this study, it had lower completion rates than PROMs devoted to clinical variables. Key points •Multiple strategies are needed to ensure optimal completion of PROM in longitudinal cohort studies. Even if patients request electronic surveys, we have found it is important to follow up incomplete surveys with paper forms provided at the time of a clinical visit. •The Resource Utilization Questionnaire was lengthy and prone to non-completion in the younger population. •Acro-osteolysis and calcinosis were associated with reduced PROM completion rates