Solar Site Survey for the Advanced Technology Solar Telecope. I. Analysis of the Seeing Data

The site survey for the Advanced Technology Solar Telescope concluded recently after more than two years of data gathering and analysis. Six locations, including lake, island and continental sites, were thoroughly probed for image quality and sky brightness. The present paper describes the analysis methodology employed to determine the height stratification of the atmospheric turbulence. This information is crucial because day-time seeing is often very different between the actual telescope aperture (~30 m) and the ground. Two independent inversion codes have been developed to analyze simultaneously data from a scintillometer array and a solar differential image monitor. We show here the results of applying them to a sample subset of data from May 2003, which was used for testing. Both codes retrieve a similar seeing stratification through the height range of interest. A quantitative comparison between our analysis procedure and actual in situ measurements confirms the validity of the inversions. The sample data presented in this paper reveal a qualitatively different behavior for the lake sites (dominated by high-altitude seeing) and the rest (dominated by near-ground turbulence).Comment: To appear in the Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (PASP). Note: Figures are low resolution versions due to file size limitation

Knowledge, attitudes, and barriers to carrier screening for the Ashkenazi Jewish panel: a Florida experience

The knowledge, attitudes, and barriers to Jewish genetic diseases (JGDs) and screening and their relative importance in reproductive decision-making were assessed in a population-based sample of Ashkenazi Jewish young adults in Florida. These adults attended educational screening fairs hosted by The Victor Center for the Prevention of Jewish Genetic Diseases at the University of Miami. Parametric and nonparametric tests were used as appropriate to analyze data from a single group pretest/posttest design. Four hundred twelve individuals (mean age = 24.9; 54.7 % female, 45.3 % male) completed the questionnaires. Participants' level of knowledge increased from pre- to post-intervention (81.4 vs. 91.0 %; p < 0.0001). Concern about the possibility of being a carrier of a JGD was significantly higher after an educational session (5-point Likert scale mean difference = 0.45; p < 0.0001), as was their level of concern regarding having an affected child (mean difference = 0.20; p < 0.0001). The number of participants who agreed or strongly agreed that the test results would not have any influence on their reproductive behavior was lower after the session (17.2 vs. 20.8 %; p < 0.0001). This study demonstrates that an educational carrier screening program increased knowledge and elucidated awareness of the attitudes and barriers toward JGDs and carrier screening

Three-month follow-up of Western and non-Western participants in a study on preconceptional ancestry-based carrier couple screening for cystic fibrosis and hemoglobinopathies in the Netherlands

Objective: To study psychological outcomes, knowledge, recall and understanding of test-results, satisfaction, and reproductive intentions among 97 Western and 46 non-Western participants in a unique preconceptional carrier screening study for both cystic fibrosis and hemoglobinopathies in a multiethnic population the Netherlands, in which a couple’s eligibility for cystic fibrosis and/or hemoglobinopathies testing was based on both partners’ ancestry. Methods: Questionnaires before and after pretest consultation, and 1 week and 3 months after receiving test-results. Three cystic fibrosis and seven hemoglobinopathy carriers were identified, but no carrier couples. Results: Overall, anxiety levels were low, knowledge improved after pretest consultation but decreased after 3 months. Ninety-four percent remembered their test-results. Western compared with non-Western participants had higher knowledge-scores and better understanding of test-results. None of the carriers felt less healthy, six felt relieved, and one felt disappointed. Four carriers were unaware of the residual risk of having an affected child. Participants intended to draw reproductive decisions from test-results, were satisfied, did not regret participation, and did not report major feelings of discrimination or stigmatization. Conclusions: Similar to previous studies, no major adverse psychological effects were demonstrated among the Western and non-Western participants in this study, and they would draw reproductive decisions on test-results. No arguments for rejecting a combined offer of preconceptional ancestry-based cystic fibrosis and hemoglobinopathies carrier screening were found. An extensive implementation study should be carried out, in which understanding of test-results needs further attention, to investigate whether or not this type of screening should be implemented on a large scale in the Netherlands. (aut. ref.