Cosmic ray oriented performance studies for the JEM-EUSO first level trigger

JEM-EUSO is a space mission designed to investigate Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays and Neutrinos (E > 5 ⋅ 1019 eV) from the International Space Station (ISS). Looking down from above its wide angle telescope is able to observe their air showers and collect such data from a very wide area. Highly specific trigger algorithms are needed to drastically reduce the data load in the presence of both atmospheric and human activity related background light, yet retain the rare cosmic ray events recorded in the telescope. We report the performance in offline testing of the first level trigger algorithm on data from JEM-EUSO prototypes and laboratory measurements observing different light sources: data taken during a high altitude balloon flight over Canada, laser pulses observed from the ground traversing the real atmosphere, and model landscapes reproducing realistic aspect ratios and light conditions as would be seen from the ISS itself. The first level trigger logic successfully kept the trigger rate within the permissible bounds when challenged with artificially produced as well as naturally encountered night sky background fluctuations and while retaining events with general air-shower characteristics

Am J Hematol

To the Editor: Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a specific form of thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) characterized by thrombocytopenia, erythrocyte fragmentation, and widespread microvascular thrombi responsible for multi-organ failure of variable severity [1]. Surprisingly, while a profound thrombocytopenia is a typical feature of the disease, severe hemorrhage is a rare cause of mortality. Nevertheless, in case of severe bleeding or when an invasive procedure is needed (i.e., catheter insertion, spinal puncture), platelets transfusion may be required, although sudden clinical deteriorations and fatalities suggestive of a worsening of TTP within few hours after a platelet transfusion were reported [2,3]. To date, controversies remain on the effect of platelet transfusions during TTP [4–6]. In light of the uncertain risk of platelet transfusions in TTP and the lack of recently published data, we retrospectively reviewed admission data of all TTP patients with a severe acquired ADAMTS13 deficiency (\textless10% of activity in normal plasma) enrolled in the French TMA Reference Centre registry, in order to better assess the risk of platelet transfusions at the acute phase of TTP. ..

Meta-Analysis and Functional Validation of Nutritional Requirements of Solventogenic Clostridia Growing under Butanol Stress Conditions and Coutilization of d-Glucose and d-Xylose ▿

Recent advances in systems biology, omics, and computational studies allow us to carry out data mining for improving biofuel production bioprocesses. Of particular interest are bioprocesses that center on microbial capabilities to biotransform both the hexose and pentose fractions present in crop residues. This called for a systematic exploration of the components of the media to obtain higher-density cultures and more-productive fermentation operations than are currently found. By using a meta-analysis approach of the transcriptional responses to butanol stress, we identified the nutritional requirements of solvent-tolerant strain Clostridium beijerinckii SA-1 (ATCC 35702). The nutritional requirements identified were later validated using the chemostat pulse-and-shift technique. C. beijerinckii SA-1 was cultivated in a two-stage single-feed-stream continuous production system to test the proposed validated medium formulation, and the coutilization of d-glucose and d-xylose was evaluated by taking advantage of the well-known ability of solventogenic clostridia to utilize a large variety of carbon sources such as mono-, oligo-, and polysaccharides containing pentose and hexose sugars. Our results indicated that C. beijerinckii SA-1 was able to coferment hexose/pentose sugar mixtures in the absence of a glucose repression effect. In addition, our analysis suggests that the solvent and acid resistance mechanisms found in this strain are differentially regulated compared to strain NRRL B-527 and are outlined as the basis of the analysis toward optimizing butanol production