ABSOLUTE DISTANCE MEASUREMENTS USING TWO-MODE LASER TELEMETRY

A novel laser ranging method is described that uses a two-mode laser source, and detection of the phase of the return beam. The design eliminates the cyclic error usually associated with phase measurements and provides unambiguous, absolute distance determination. Measurements of an 8m path are obtained at a beat frequency of 13 GHz. We analyse the 1µm stability of the data obtained with this preliminary implementation, and expect that an improved version will allow accuracies well below 1 µm, for the kilometer-scale distances involved in satellite formation flight

Estimated Prevalence and Living Circumstances of Parents with Intellectual Disability In Australia from Selected National Surveys

Analysis of SDAC 2009 data identified an estimated 0.41% of Australian parents had intellectual disability. This equates to an estimated 17,000 parents with intellectual disability residing in private dwellings in Australia. Analysis of GSS 2010 data revealed that, compared with non-disabled parents and also compared with parents with other disabilities, parents with intellectual disability were significantly more likely to: -be in a jobless household -be in households in the lowest three deciles of equivalised weekly income -be on government pensions as the main source of personal income -have ever been without a permanent place to live -have ever stayed in a shelter, squatted in an abandoned building and/or slept rough -have less frequent contact with family and friends -have negative or mixed feelings about life -have poorer self-assessed healthCentre for Disability Research and Polic

A coherent optical link through the turbulent atmosphere

We describe the realization of a 5 km free space coherent optical link through the turbulent atmosphere between a telescope and a ground target. We present the phase noise of the link, limited mainly by atmospheric turbulence and mechanical vibrations of the telescope and the target. We discuss the implications of our results for applications, with particular emphasis on optical Doppler ranging to satellites and long distance frequency transfer.Comment: version 2, modified following comments from colleagues and reviewer

How long do you think? Unresponsive dying patients in a specialist palliative care service: a consecutive cohort study.

Predicting length of time to death once the person is unresponsive and deemed to be dying remains uncertain. Knowing approximately how many hours or days dying loved ones have left is crucial for families and clinicians to guide decision-making and plan end-of-life care. To determine the length of time between becoming unresponsive and death, and whether age, gender, diagnosis or location-of-care predicted length of time to death. Retrospective cohort study. Time from allocation of an Australia-modified Karnofsky Performance Status (AKPS) 10 to death was analysed using descriptive narrative. Interval-censored survival analysis was used to determine the duration of patient's final phase of life, taking into account variation across age, gender, diagnosis and location of death. A total of 786 patients, 18 years of age or over, who received specialist palliative care: as hospice in-patients, in the community and in aged care homes, between January 1st and October 31st, 2022. The time to death after a change to AKPS 10 is 2 days (n = 382; mean = 2.1; median = 1). Having adjusted for age, cancer, gender, the standard deviation of AKPS for the 7-day period prior to death, the likelihood of death within 2 days is 47%, with 84% of patients dying within 4 days. This study provides valuable new knowledge to support clinicians' confidence when responding to the 'how long' question and can inform decision-making at end-of-life. Further research using the AKPS could provide greater certainty for answering 'how long' questions across the illness trajectory

Liver triacylglycerol content and gestational diabetes: effects of moderate energy restriction

Aims/hypothesis Women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) have raised liver triacylglycerol. Restriction of energy intake in type 2 diabetes can normalise glucose control and liver triacylglycerol concentration but it is not known whether similar benefits could be achieved in GDM. The aim of this work was to examine liver triacylglycerol accumulation in women with GDM and the effect of modest energy restriction. Methods Sixteen women with GDM followed a 4 week diet (5 MJ [1200 kcal]/day). Liver triacylglycerol, before and after diet and postpartum, was measured by magnetic resonance. Insulin secretion and sensitivity were assessed before and after diet. Twenty-six women who underwent standard antenatal care for GDM (matched for age, BMI, parity and ethnicity) were used as a comparator group. Results Fourteen women, who completed the study, achieved a weight loss of 1.6 ± 1.7 kg over the 4 week dietary period. Mean weight change was −0.4 kg/week in the study group vs +0.3 kg/week in the comparator group (p = 0.002). Liver triacylglycerol level was normal but decreased following diet (3.7% [interquartile range, IQR 1.2–6.1%] vs 1.8% [IQR 0.7–3.1%], p = 0.004). There was no change in insulin sensitivity or production. Insulin was required in six comparator women vs none in the study group (eight vs two required metformin). Blood glucose control was similar for both groups. The hypo-energetic diet was well accepted. Conclusions/interpretation Liver triacylglycerol in women with GDM was not elevated, unlike observations in non-pregnant women with a history of GDM. A 4 week hypo-energetic diet resulted in weight loss, reduced liver triacylglycerol and minimised pharmacotherapy. The underlying pathophysiology of glucose metabolism appeared unchanged

Changes in Cardiovascular Disease Burden in China after Release of the 2011 Chinese Guidelines for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention: A Bayesian Causal Impact Analysis

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effects of the 2011 Chinese Society of Cardiology guidelines (2011 CSC guidelines) on the overall and subtype specific cardiovascular disease (CVD) burden in China. Methods: We conducted a Bayesian causal impact analysis to investigate changes in the burden of CVD overall and 13 subcategories, before and after release of the 2011 CSC guidelines, by using publicly available data during 1990–2019. Results: The 2011 CSC guidelines were associated with moderate declines in CVD mortality (5.7%; equivalent to 161 per 100,000) and DALYs (2.9%; 1429 per 100,000), but small increases in incidence and prevalence, with an approximately 1-year lagged effect. Similar impact patterns were observed for ischemic stroke, cardiomyopathy and myocarditis, and aortic aneurysm. Release of the 2011 CSC guidelines increased intracerebral hemorrhage incidence, but sharply decreased rheumatic, ischemic, and non-rheumatic valvular heart disease mortality and DALY rates. The burden of other CVD subcategories was unchanged. Health worker numbers, population size, disposable income, hospital admission rates, and crude death rates were critical contributors to CVD burden beyond the 2011 CSC guidelines. Conclusion: The 2011 CSC guidelines decreased the burden of CVD and several subcategories. However, efforts to enhance health promotion and strengthen healthcare remain urgently needed in China

Gene Expression Signature-Based Screening Identifies New Broadly Effective Influenza A Antivirals

Classical antiviral therapies target viral proteins and are consequently subject to resistance. To counteract this limitation, alternative strategies have been developed that target cellular factors. We hypothesized that such an approach could also be useful to identify broad-spectrum antivirals. The influenza A virus was used as a model for its viral diversity and because of the need to develop therapies against unpredictable viruses as recently underlined by the H1N1 pandemic. We proposed to identify a gene-expression signature associated with infection by different influenza A virus subtypes which would allow the identification of potential antiviral drugs with a broad anti-influenza spectrum of activity. We analyzed the cellular gene expression response to infection with five different human and avian influenza A virus strains and identified 300 genes as differentially expressed between infected and non-infected samples. The most 20 dysregulated genes were used to screen the connectivity map, a database of drug-associated gene expression profiles. Candidate antivirals were then identified by their inverse correlation to the query signature. We hypothesized that such molecules would induce an unfavorable cellular environment for influenza virus replication. Eight potential antivirals including ribavirin were identified and their effects were tested in vitro on five influenza A strains. Six of the molecules inhibited influenza viral growth. The new pandemic H1N1 virus, which was not used to define the gene expression signature of infection, was inhibited by five out of the eight identified molecules, demonstrating that this strategy could contribute to identifying new broad anti-influenza agents acting on cellular gene expression. The identified infection signature genes, the expression of which are modified upon infection, could encode cellular proteins involved in the viral life cycle. This is the first study showing that gene expression-based screening can be used to identify antivirals. Such an approach could accelerate drug discovery and be extended to other pathogens

Application of analogy learning in softball batting: Comparing novice and intermediate players.

Thisfield-based study developed and implemented analogy instructions for softballbatting, and examined batting performance outcomes. A focus-group discussioninvolving a coach and a number of team captains of a collegiate-level softball teamidentified the typical instructions used for batting (i.e., explicit) and developed ananalogy instruction that combined these rules in 1 biomechanical metaphor (i.e.,swing your bat like you are breaking a tree in front of you with an axe). A total of40 collegiate-level club players (20 novices and 20 intermediates) were assigned toeither an analogy learning or an explicit learning group and took part in 6 trainingsessions. Batting performance was assessed using a standardized criteria-basedrating scale in single-task pretest and posttest, and a dual-task test after training.The findings show that the novice, but not the intermediate players, displayedsignificant improvements in batting performance after training. Novices who re-ceived the analogy instruction displayed stable batting performance in the dual-tasktest, but novices who received explicit instructions, and intermediate players whoreceived the analogy instruction, displayed batting performance decrements. Thefindings suggest that the benefits of analogy instructions are evident only innovices; learners’ previous experiences must, therefore, be carefully consideredwhen developing coaching programs

Something new in Combarelles I (Les Eyzies-de-Tayac, Dordogne, France)

Située au cœur de la vallée de la Vézère, la grotte des Combarelles I (Les Eyzies-de-Tayac, Dordogne, France) est connue pour les gravures souvent enchevêtrées qui se déploient de part et d’autre d’un long et unique couloir. Les études conduites jusqu’à présent ont permis de souligner la diversité des thèmes figurés et l’organisation du dispositif pariétal. La principale technique d’expression est la gravure. Des représentations dessinées ou peintes en noir et en rouge sont également connues. Cependant, elles ont toujours été perçues comme des éléments secondaires et anecdotiques du décor. Mettant à profit des moyens d’analyses innovants, notamment par le biais des traitements colorimétriques de l’image, nous avons débuté une nouvelle étude du corpus peint de la cavité. Nous présentons ici les premiers résultats de nos observations, l’inventaire établi en 2014 ainsi qu’un exemple concret d’application : un cheval réalisé selon une technique mixte (gravure/peinture) dans la partie profonde de la cavité.Situated in the valley of the Vézère, the cave of Combarelles I (Les Eyzies-de-Tayac, Dordogne, France) is known for its tangled engravings which are organized on both sides of the walls of a long corridor. Studies conducted until now emphasized the diversity of figurative themes expressed throughout a relative organization of the dispositive. Engravings are the main expression technique. The presence of black and red drawings or paintings is also known. Curiously, it has never been seen as an important element of the ornementation.Taking advantage of new technological medium of analysis, including colorimetric processing of the pictures, we began a new study on the painted corpus of the cavity. We are here presenting the first results of the inventory realized in 2014 and a concrete application example: a horse made of a mixed technique (drawing/engraving), in the deepest part of the cavity