Potential of Probing the Lunar Regolith using Rover-Mounted Ground Penetrating Radar: Moses Lake Dune Field Analog Study

Probing radars have been widely recognized by the science community to be an efficient tool to explore lunar subsurface providing a unique capability to address several scientific and operational issues. A wideband (200 to 1200 MHz) Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) mounted on a surface rover can provide high vertical resolution and probing depth from few tens of centimeters to few tens of meters depending on the sounding frequency and the ground conductivity. This in term can provide a better understand regolith thickness, elemental iron concentration (including ilmenite), volatile presence, structural anomalies and fracturing. All those objectives are of important significance for understanding the local geology and potential sustainable resources for future landing sites in particular exploring the thickness, structural heterogeneity and potential volatiles presence in the lunar regolith. While the operation and data collection of GPR is a straightforward case for most terrestrial surveys, it is a challenging task for remote planetary study especially on robotic platforms due to the complexity of remote operation in rough terrains and the data collection constrains imposed by the mechanical motion of the rover and limitation in data transfer. Nevertheless, Rover mounted GPR can be of great support to perform systematic subsurface surveys for a given landing site as it can provide scientific and operational support in exploring subsurface resources and sample collections which can increase the efficiency of the EVA activities for potential human crews as part of the NASA Constellation Program. In this study we attempt to explore the operational challenges and their impact on the EVA scientific return for operating a rover mounted GPR in support of potential human activity on the moon. In this first field study, we mainly focused on the ability of GPR to support subsurface sample collection and explore shallow subsurface volatiles

EMSO-ANTARES (Western Ligurian Sea) a unique observatory for sea science and particle astrophysics

Peer Reviewe

Sickle Cell Trait and Kidney Disease in People of African Ancestry With HIV

Introduction: Sickle cell trait (SCT) has been associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD) in African Americans, although evidence for its impact in Africans and people with HIV is currently lacking. We conducted a cross-sectional study investigating the association between SCT and kidney disease in people of African ancestry with HIV in the UK. Methods: The primary outcome was estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) 50 mg/mmol), and albuminuria (albumin-to-creatinine ratio >3 mg/mmol). Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate the associations between SCT and kidney disease outcomes. Results: A total of 2895 participants (mean age 48.1 [SD 10.3], 57.2% female) were included, of whom 335 (11.6%) had SCT and 352 (12.2%) had eGFR <60 ml/min per 1.73 m2. After adjusting for demographic, HIV, and kidney risk factors including APOL1 high-risk genotype status, individuals with SCT were more likely to have eGFR <60 ml/min per 1.73 m2 (odds ratio 1.62 [95% CI 1.14–2.32]), eGFR <90 ml/min per 1.73 m2 (1.50 [1.14–1.97]), and albuminuria (1.50 [1.09–2.05]). Stratified by APOL1 status, significant associations between SCT and GFR <60 ml/min per 1.73 m2, eGFR <90 ml/min per 1.73 m2, proteinuria, and albuminuria were observed for those with APOL1 low-risk genotypes. Conclusion: Our results extend previously reported associations between SCT and kidney disease to people with HIV. In people of African ancestry with HIV, these associations were largely restricted to those with APOL1 low-risk genotypes

Genetic Variants of APOL1 Are Major Determinants of Kidney Failure in People of African Ancestry With HIV

INTRODUCTION: Variants of the APOL1 gene are associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD) in people of African ancestry, although evidence for their impact in people with HIV are sparse. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study investigating the association between APOL1 renal risk alleles and kidney disease in people of African ancestry with HIV in the UK. The primary outcome was end-stage kidney disease (ESKD; estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] of 30 mg/mmol), and biopsy-proven HIV-associated nephropathy (HIVAN). Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate the associations between APOL1 high-risk genotypes (G1/G1, G1/G2, G2/G2) and kidney disease outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 2864 participants (mean age 48.1 [SD 10.3], 57.3% female) were genotyped, of whom, 354 (12.4%) had APOL1 high-risk genotypes, and 99 (3.5%) had ESKD. After adjusting for demographic, HIV, and renal risk factors, individuals with APOL1 high-risk genotypes were at increased odds of ESKD (odds ratio [OR] 10.58, 95% CI 6.22–17.99), renal impairment (OR 5.50, 95% CI 3.81–7.95), albuminuria (OR 3.34, 95% CI 2.00–5.56), and HIVAN (OR 30.16, 95% CI 12.48–72.88). An estimated 49% of ESKD was attributable to APOL1 high-risk genotypes. CONCLUSION: APOL1 high-risk genotypes were strongly associated with kidney disease in people of African ancestry with HIV and accounted for approximately half of ESKD cases in this cohort

Anomalies of noble gases and self-potential associated with fractures and fluid dynamics in a horizontal borehole, Mont Terri Underground Rock Laboratory

Before the excavation of the new gallery Ga08 in the Mont Terri Underground Rock Laboratory (Switzerland), which joined the existing gallery Ga04 in 2008, the end-face of gallery Ga04 was instrumented in 2007 to characterize the evolution of the rock mass with geochemical and geophysical methods. The noble gas content of a 12-m long horizontal borehole evidenced that desaturation processes occurred in the first 2 m, where pre-existing fractures accommodated the stress change during excavation of gallery Ga04 four years before. These first 2 m are associated with the so-called Excavation Damaged Zone (EDZ). As an inflow of pore water was observed in this borehole few weeks after its drilling, continuous self-potential (SP) measurements were performed to characterize its dynamics. After the drilling of new sub-horizontal boreholes in the end-face, strong localized variations of SP occurred. The comparison with the geological features of the rock mass suggests that these dynamic anomalies have to be associated with fluid circulation in pre-existing tectonic fractures that were primarily reactivated by the excavation of the gallery Ga04 and subsequently by the drilling operations

Anomalies of noble gases and self-potential associated with fractures and fluid dynamics in a horizontal borehole, Mont Terri Underground Rock Laboratory

Before the excavation of the new gallery Ga08 in the Mont Terri Underground Rock Laboratory (Switzerland), which joined the existing gallery Ga04 in 2008, the end-face of gallery Ga04 was instrumented in 2007 to characterize the evolution of the rock mass with geochemical and geophysical methods. The noble gas content of a 12-m long horizontal borehole evidenced that desaturation processes occurred in the first 2 m, where pre-existing fractures accommodated the stress change during excavation of gallery Ga04 four years before. These first 2 m are associated with the so-called Excavation Damaged Zone (EDZ). As an inflow of pore water was observed in this borehole few weeks after its drilling, continuous self-potential (SP) measurements were performed to characterize its dynamics. After the drilling of new sub-horizontal boreholes in the end-face, strong localized variations of SP occurred. The comparison with the geological features of the rock mass suggests that these dynamic anomalies have to be associated with fluid circulation in pre-existing tectonic fractures that were primarily reactivated by the excavation of the gallery Ga04 and subsequently by the drilling operations

EMSO-ANTARES (Western Ligurian Sea) a unique observatory for sea science and particle astrophysics

Peer Reviewe

EMSO-ANTARES (Western Ligurian Sea) a unique observatory for sea science and particle astrophysics

Peer Reviewe

Technical Design Report of the MEUST Infrastructure

MEUST (Mediterranean Eurocentre for Underwater Sciences and Technologies) is a second generation permanent submarine observatory to be deployed offshore of Toulon, France, as a follow up of the pioneering ANTARES neutrino telescope. The MEUST submarine network has a modular topology designed to connect up to 120 neutrino detection units,i.e. ten times more than ANTARES. This may allow to instrument one km3 of water for neutrino astronomy or, with a denser instrumentation, several Megatons for measurement of neutrino properties, and to deploy sensors for environmental sciences on an array of ten km. The topology and functionalities of the network comply with the specifications of the KM3NeT neutrino telescope, which plans to use MEUST as one of its 3 deployment sites, as well as with those of the environmental sensors developed for the Ligurian site of the EMSO submarine observatory network. The technical solutions developed for the MEUST infrastructure are adapted to any large deep sea detector array located within 50 km from the coast. After a brief reminder of the MEUST scientific motivation and submarine sensors, this document details the technical design of the infrastructure and summarizes the organization of the project