Honeywell's Compact, Wide-angle Uv-visible Imaging Sensor

Honeywell is currently developing the Earth Reference Attitude Determination System (ERADS). ERADS determines attitude by imaging the entire Earth's limb and a ring of the adjacent star field in the 2800-3000 A band of the ultraviolet. This is achieved through the use of a highly nonconventional optical system, an intensifier tube, and a mega-element CCD array. The optics image a 30 degree region in the center of the field, and an outer region typically from 128 to 148 degrees, which can be adjusted up to 180 degrees. Because of the design employed, the illumination at the outer edge of the field is only some 15 percent below that at the center, in contrast to the drastic rolloffs encountered in conventional wide-angle sensors. The outer diameter of the sensor is only 3 in; the volume and weight of the entire system, including processor, are 1000 cc and 6 kg, respectively

Mixed Quantum/Classical Theory of Rotationally and Vibrationally Inelastic Scattering in Space-fixed and Body-fixed Reference Frames

We formulated the mixed quantum/classical theory for rotationally and vibrationally inelastic scattering process in the diatomic molecule + atom system. Two versions of theory are presented, first in the space-fixed and second in the body-fixed reference frame. First version is easy to derive and the resultant equations of motion are transparent, but the state-to-state transition matrix is complex-valued and dense. Such calculations may be computationally demanding for heavier molecules and/or higher temperatures, when the number of accessible channels becomes large. In contrast, the second version of theory requires some tedious derivations and the final equations of motion are rather complicated (not particularly intuitive). However, the state-to-state transitions are driven by real-valued sparse matrixes of much smaller size. Thus, this formulation is the method of choice from the computational point of view, while the space-fixed formulation can serve as a test of the body-fixed equations of motion, and the code. Rigorous numerical tests were carried out for a model system to ensure that all equations, matrixes, and computer codes in both formulations are correct

Mixed Quantum/Classical Calculations of Total and Differential Elastic and Rotationally Inelastic Scattering Cross Sections for Light and Heavy Reduced Masses in a Broad Range of Collision Energies

The mixed quantum/classical theory (MQCT) for rotationally inelastic scattering developed recently [A. Semenov and D. Babikov, J. Chem. Phys.139, 174108 (2013)] is benchmarked against the full quantum calculations for two molecular systems: He + H2 and Na + N2. This allows testing new method in the cases of light and reasonably heavy reduced masses, for small and large rotational quanta, in a broad range of collision energies and rotational excitations. The resultant collision cross sections vary through ten-orders of magnitude range of values. Both inelastic and elastic channels are considered, as well as differential (over scattering angle) cross sections. In many cases results of the mixed quantum/classical method are hard to distinguish from the full quantum results. In less favorable cases (light masses, larger quanta, and small collision energies) some deviations are observed but, even in the worst cases, they are within 25% or so. The method is computationally cheap and particularly accurate at higher energies, heavier masses, and larger densities of states. At these conditions MQCT represents a useful alternative to the standard full-quantum scattering theory

Low-cost, smartphone-based instant three-dimensional registration system for infant functional near-infrared spectroscopy applications

Significance: To effectively apply functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS)/diffuse optical tomography (DOT) devices, a three-dimensional (3D) model of the position of each optode on a subject’s scalp and the positions of that subject’s cranial landmarks are critical. Obtaining this information accurately in infants, who rarely stop moving, is an ongoing challenge. // Aim: We propose a smartphone-based registration system that can potentially achieve a full-head 3D scan of a 6-month-old infant instantly. // Approach: The proposed system is remotely controlled by a custom-designed Bluetooth controller. The scanned images can either be manually or automatically aligned to generate a 3D head surface model. // Results: A full-head 3D scan of a 6-month-old infant can be achieved within 2 s via this system. In testing on a realistic but static infant head model, the average Euclidean error of optode position using this device was 1.8 mm. // Conclusions: This low-cost 3D registration system therefore has the potential to permit accurate and near-instant fNIRS/DOT spatial registration

Development of a valid simulation assessment for a military dismounted assault task

The Australian Defence Force is currently developing physical standards commensurate with job demands. Vital to this development process has been the accurate profiling of common military tasks. One such task required of all dismounted combat soldiers, an offensive assault on an enemy force, was the subject of in-depth profiling. In addition to overall assault performance, potential differences among patrol roles (scout, gunner, and flank) were investigated. Three different mock assaults of 100 to 150 m were performed by three patrols comprising qualified experienced infantry soldiers. Each soldier was fitted with a heart rate monitor and wore a global positioning device. Average assault duration was 6.5 minutes and required nineteen 7-m bounds performed on a 22-seconds duty cycle at 75% heart rate reserve and a work to rest ratio 1:4. Assaults conducted in more densely vegetated terrain resulted in significantly reduced (p \u3c 0.05) bound distance, bound duration, and movement velocity. Results indicated significant performance differences (p \u3c 0.05) among patrol roles for external load carried, heart rate response, bound duration, and distance covered while movement velocity was not different (p \u3e 0.05). As a result of profiling the assault task, a valid simulation capable of assessing soldiers\u27 physical capacity to perform this task was developed

Hepatic Arterioportal Fistula: A Curable Cause of Portal Hypertension in Infancy

Hepatic arterioportal fistulae are a rare cause of portal hypertension. The case is reported of a twoyear old girl with a congenital arterioportal fistula, who presented with splenomegaly and ascites. Colour doppler ultrasound showed a large shunt between the left hepatic artery and a branch of the left portal vein, producing a reversal of flow in the main portal vein. She was treated by a formal left hemihepatectomy, which has been successful in eliminating the fistula and its consequent portal hypertension in the long term. The literature regarding arterioportal fistulae and their treatment is reviewed

Measurement of Electron Trapping in the CESR Storage Ring

The buildup of low-energy electrons has been shown to affect the performance of a wide variety of particle accelerators. Of particular concern is the persistence of the cloud between beam bunch passages, which can impose limitations on the stability of operation at high beam current. We have obtained measurements of long-lived electron clouds trapped in the field of a quadrupole magnet in a positron storage ring, with lifetimes much longer than the revolution period. Based on modeling, we estimate that about 7% of the electrons in the cloud generated by a 20-bunch train of 5.3 GeV positrons with 16-ns spacing and $1.3x10^{11}$ population survive longer than 2.3 $\mu$s in a quadrupole field of gradient 7.4 T/m. We have observed a non-monotonic dependence of the trapping effect on the bunch spacing. The effect of a witness bunch on the measured signal provides direct evidence for the existence of trapped electrons. The witness bunch is also observed to clear the cloud, demonstrating its effectiveness as a mitigation technique.Comment: 6 pages, 9 figures, 28 citation

Investigations into the mechanism of action of oestradiol-17beta

Cells proliferated from explants of immature rat Uterus when the latter were placed in a specific culture medium. Although most of the cells died after 8 or 9 days auto-radiographic studies showed that at earlier times the cello were synthesising both RNA and DNA. Therer was no detectable change in the growth pattern when oestrogen was added to the culture medium, but increased growth occurred when the hormone was administered to the rat before death. Autoradiographic localisation Of 3H oestraiol-17beta showed that in the cultured cells the hormone was spread throughout the cells, but in smeared Uterine cells taken directly from the animal there was evidence of localisation in the nucleus. This is in agreement with other workers who have found that oestradiol-17beta is preferentially bound to a nuclear fraction of uterus. This system of cell culture of uterus proved very limited, and as a result all farther, experiments on the mechanism of oestrogen action were performed in vivo on whole animals. After administration of a single, dose of oestradiol or the synthetic oestrogen diethylstilboestrol the uterine content of the following parameters beg a to increase at the following times after hormone treatment; water 2 hr.; RNA, 7 hr.; peotein, 14 hr.; DNA, 28 hr. This the order that would be expected from current ideas of protein synthesis and cell division. The type of RNA synthesised over the early period of oestrogen action was analysed by chromatography on columns of kieselguhr coated with methylated albumin, This Method, which accounts for all the species of RNA, showed ,that the ai.at6 o synthesis of ribosomal RNA and transfer RNA were increased after hormonal stimulation but DNA-like RNA was not. One interpretation of these, results is that there is no increase in messenger RNA following oestrogen stimulation, Another and perhaps more plausible interpretation is that DNA-like RNA is a precursor of another form of messenger RWA which is eluted from the column with the ribosomal RNA fraction. This would mean that all the major species of RNA were increased after hormone stimulation. The rapid turnover rate of DNA-like RNA supports this latter interpretation. The change in rate of RNA synthesis was measured by the amounts of incorporation of labelled precursors into RNA. When changes in the specific activity of the ribonucleotide pool were taken into account it was found that the rate of synthesis of RNA did not increase until 5 to 6 hr. after administration of oestradiol. This is in agreement with the increased amount of RNA in the uterus about 7 hr. after hormone administration. It was found that 1.5- 2 hr. after hormone administration there was a 5 fold Increase in the transport of labelled RNA precursors into the uterus, and that this corresponded to a large increase in water uptake into the uterus. This explains the increased incorporation of precursors into RNA at this time which other workers in the field have interpreted as increases in RNA synthesis. Two sites of action of oestradiol on the uterus have been proposed. One site is located at the periphery of the cell causing an increased transport of water and small pre-cursor molecules into the uterus at 1.5-2 hr. after hormone. administration. The other site is located in the nucleus causing an increasing RNA synthesis about 5 - 6 hr after hormone administration

Accurate Calculations of Rotationally Inelastic Scattering Cross Sections Using Mixed Quantum/Classical Theory

For computational treatment of rotationally inelastic scattering of molecules, we propose to use the mixed quantum/classical theory, MQCT. The old idea of treating translational motion classically, while quantum mechanics is used for rotational degrees of freedom, is developed to the new level and is applied to Na + N2 collisions in a broad range of energies. Comparison with full-quantum calculations shows that MQCT accurately reproduces all, even minor, features of energy dependence of cross sections, except scattering resonances at very low energies. The remarkable success of MQCT opens up wide opportunities for computational predictions of inelastic scattering cross sections at higher temperatures and/or for polyatomic molecules and heavier quenchers, which is computationally close to impossible within the full-quantum framework