Optimized up-down asymmetry to drive fast intrinsic rotation in tokamaks

Breaking the up-down symmetry of the tokamak poloidal cross-section can significantly increase the spontaneous rotation due to turbulent momentum transport. In this work, we optimize the shape of flux surfaces with both tilted elongation and tilted triangularity in order to maximize this drive of intrinsic rotation. Nonlinear gyrokinetic simulations demonstrate that adding optimally-tilted triangularity can double the momentum transport of a tilted elliptical shape. This work indicates that tilting the elongation and triangularity in an ITER-like device can reduce the energy transport and drive intrinsic rotation with an Alfv\'{e}n Mach number on the order of $1\%$. This rotation is four times larger than the rotation expected in ITER and is sufficient to stabilize MHD instabilities. It is shown that this optimal shape can be created using the shaping coils of several experiments.Comment: 16 pages, 5 figure

Application of highly portable MinION nanopore sequencing technology for the monitoring of nosocomial tuberculosis infection

Referral hospitals in sub-Saharan Africa concentrate large numbers of tuberculosis (TB) and multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) patients, failed by community TB services. We have previously shown, from enhanced screening and through autopsy studies, a significant burden of missed TB infections at the University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia, with many patients dying or being discharged without treatment. With minimal TB isolation facilities and minimal political will to invest in broader screening and isolation, the risk of nosocomial transmission is likely to be extremely high. Studies from other hospitals in low burden settings and in South Africa have shown that next generation sequencing (NGS) is a very powerful tool for rapidly sequencing whole TB genomes and comparing them to confirm or rule out nosocomial transmission. The established platforms for NGS analysis, such as Illumina, are very expensive, immobile, and require regular maintenance, making them a costly inclusion on a research proposal or programmatic intervention grant in Africa. MinION nanopore sequencing has changed the NGS landscape with cheap portable sequencers, rapid simple library preparation (15min), and automated real-time analysis tools. The application of highly portable MinION nanopore sequencing technology for the monitoring of nosocomial TB infection will be discussed. Preliminary data from our pediatric pneumonia study will demonstrate the detection of TB in induced sputum from children admitted to the University Teaching Hospital

Micro-Controlled Autonomous Vehicle Group

Our purpose is to design and build an autonomous microcontrolled land vehicle. It will be able to navigate from a given starting point to a desired location avoiding obstacles in its way. The course we plan to operate in has a flat surface and no more than five static obstacles. Our design considerations are the vehicle platform, motors, type of microcontroller, obstacle avoidance sensors, navigational sensors, and basic program behavior. We chose the Handy Board to control out vehicle, which is based on the Motorola 68HC11 microcontroller. It is a universal board that will meet our interfacing requirements. Obstacles will be detected using four infrared sensors places around the front of the vehicle. Four algorithms for completing out goal are discussed. We chose to use a navigation method involving optical encoders to determine distance and direction traveled. This paper describes the design process for our rover, the reasons for the hardware we selected, and how these decisions successfully allowed us to achieve our objectives

What Online Communities Leave Out: Unlikely Friendships

Not long ago, a study was conducted to see how quickly Americans make decisions about other people regarding the potential for friendship. The answer: between two and four seconds. Posting about ­­­­­­­­the beauty of unlikely friendships from In All Things - an online journal for critical reflection on faith, culture, art, and every ordinary-yet-graced square inch of God’s creation. https://inallthings.org/what-online-communities-leave-out-unlikely-friendships