Prototype Detector for Ultrahigh Energy Neutrino Detection

Necessary technical experience is being gained from successful construction and deployment of current prototype detectors to search for UHE neutrinos in Antarctica, Lake Baikal in Russia, and the Mediterranean. The prototype detectors have also the important central purpose of determining whether or not UHE neutrinos do in fact exist in nature by observation of at least a few UHE neutrino-induced leptons with properties that are not consistent with expected backgrounds. We discuss here the criteria for a prototype detector to accomplish that purpose in a convincing way even if the UHE neutrino flux is substantially lower than predicted at present.Comment: 18 pages, 8 figures, submitted to Astroparticle Physic

Analog Particle Production Model for General Classes of Taub-NUT Black Holes

We derive a correspondence between the Hawking radiation spectra emitted from general classes of Taub-NUT black holes with that induced by the relativistic motion of an accelerated Dirichlet boundary condition (i.e.\ a perfectly reflecting mirror) in (1+1)-dimensional flat spacetime. We demonstrate that the particle and energy spectra is thermal at late-times and that particle production is suppressed by the NUT parameter. We also compute the radiation spectrum in the rotating, electrically charged (Kerr-Newman) Taub-NUT scenario, and the extremal case, showing explicitly how these parameters affect the outgoing particle and energy fluxes.Comment: 9+3 pages, 14 figure

Evolution of the Cluster Mass and Correlation Functions in LCDM Cosmology

The evolution of the cluster mass function and the cluster correlation function from z = 0 to z = 3 are determined using 10^6 clusters obtained from high-resolution simulations of the current best-fit LCDM cosmology (\Omega_m = 0.27, \sigma_8 = 0.84, h = 0.7). The results provide predictions for comparisons with future observations of high redshift clusters. A comparison of the predicted mass function of low redshift clusters with observations from early Sloan Digital Sky Survey data, and the predicted abundance of massive distant clusters with observational results, favor a slightly larger amplitude of mass fluctuations (\sigma_8 = 0.9) and lower density parameter (\Omega_m = 0.2); these values are consistent within 1-\sigma with the current observational and model uncertainties. The cluster correlation function strength increases with redshift for a given mass limit; the clusters were more strongly correlated in the past, due to their increasing bias with redshift - the bias reaches b = 100 at z = 2 for M > 5 x 10^13 h^-1 M_sun. The richness-dependent cluster correlation function, represented by the correlation scale versus cluster mean separation relation, R0-d, is generally consistent with observations. This relation can be approximated as R_0 = 1.7 d^0.6 h^-1 Mpc for d = 20 - 60 h^-1 Mpc. The R0-d relation exhibits surprisingly little evolution with redshift for z < 2; this can provide a new test of the current LCDM model when compared with future observations of high redshift clusters.Comment: 20 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in Ap

The Revised TESS Input Catalog and Candidate Target List

We describe the catalogs assembled and the algorithms used to populate the revised TESS Input Catalog (TIC), based on the incorporation of the Gaia second data release. We also describe a revised ranking system for prioritizing stars for 2-minute cadence observations, and assemble a revised Candidate Target List (CTL) using that ranking. The TIC is available on the Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes (MAST) server, and an enhanced CTL is available through the Filtergraph data visualization portal system at the URL http://filtergraph.vanderbilt.edu/tess_ctl.Comment: 30 pages, 16 figures, submitted to AAS Journals; provided to the community in advance of publication in conjunction with public release of the TIC/CTL on 28 May 201

Northern SPIRIT Consortium - Canadian Collaboration through Student-Led CubeSat Constellation

The Northern Space Program for Innovative Research and Integrated Training (Northern SPIRIT) is a unique collaboration of three Canadian post-secondary institutions that will design, build, and operate a constellation of three CubeSats. The consortium, beginning in 2017, comprises Yukon University, Aurora College, and the University of Alberta (U of A). The partnership will develop three CubeSats: YukonSat (2U), AuroraSat (2U) and Ex-Alta 2 (3U) which will be launched into Low Earth Orbit in 2022. Northern SPIRIT strives to use space technology development to inspire motivated youth across Canada to engage in student-led collaboration and hands-on education, research, training, and to amplify Northern Canadian voices. Supported by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) through the Canadian CubeSat Project (CCP), Northern SPIRIT will help further the CSAs goal of making space more accessible throughout Canada. The constellation mission will support a range of educational payloads dedicated to the expansion of STEM, arts, and language outreach opportunities. They also introduce passionate k-12 students to hands-on experiences with space mission concepts such as operations, coding, and data analytics. AuroraSat’s mission objective is educational outreach directed at sharing Northern art, languages, and history. Northern Images Mission will host a screen and an imager which will capture artwork created by Northern Artists backdropped by the Earth’s horizon. Northern Voices Mission will broadcast Northern Canadian stories of the space and sky, read by students, on amateur radio bands from all three satellites. Finally, the Northern Games Mission will transmit partial messages (focusing on Northern history) from the three satellites in select geographic zones, requiring global cooperation between amateur radio operators to decode a whole message. YukonSat will provide the novel opportunity to expand the capacity of highly qualified space science personnel in the Yukon, while furthering space science engagement and education of the public. The satellite’s payload will host a robotic arm, an OLED screen, camera, and a sensor array for attitude determination. The robotic arm allows freedom to point remote sensing equipment without using the spacecraft attitude determination and control system. The OLED screen and camera will display and photograph student-made Northern art with the Earth and space in the background. Ex-Alta 2 will host a multispectral imaging payload with the mission objective to study wildfires. A secondary science objective on all three satellites is space weather monitoring using a Digital Fluxgate Magnetometer that was designed and built at the U of A. In addition to this inter-institutional coordination, the U of A-designed 3U bus has been adapted into a 2U version to be used on the other two satellites in the constellation. The partnership amongst the three institutions supports collaboration in remote communities across Provincial & Territorial borders, advancing Canada’s contribution to the space industry and showcasing the exciting possibilities for interdisciplinary, national partnership. Extending across Canada, the consortium strives to inspire and enable passionate students to celebrate the Canadian voice and pursue opportunities in the space industry. In partnership with the CSA, Northern SPIRIT is a frontrunner in the exciting upward trend of the democratization of space

Multiple marker abundance profiling:combining selected reaction monitoring and data-dependent acquisition for rapid estimation of organelle abundance in subcellular samples

Measuring changes in protein or organelle abundance in the cell is an essential, but challenging aspect of cell biology. Frequently-used methods for determining organelle abundance typically rely on detection of a very few marker proteins, so are unsatisfactory. In silico estimates of protein abundances from publicly available protein spectra can provide useful standard abundance values but contain only data from tissue proteomes, and are not coupled to organelle localization data. A new protein abundance score, the normalized protein abundance scale (NPAS), expands on the number of scored proteins and the scoring accuracy of lower-abundance proteins in Arabidopsis. NPAS was combined with subcellular protein localization data, facilitating quantitative estimations of organelle abundance during routine experimental procedures. A suite of targeted proteomics markers for subcellular compartment markers was developed, enabling independent verification of in silico estimates for relative organelle abundance. Estimation of relative organelle abundance was found to be reproducible and consistent over a range of tissues and growth conditions. In silico abundance estimations and localization data have been combined into an online tool, multiple marker abundance profiling, available in the SUBA4 toolbox (http://suba.live)

Mechanism of injury and special considerations as predictive of serious injury: A systematic review.

Objectives: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention\u27s field triage guidelines (FTG) are routinely used by emergency medical services personnel for triaging injured patients. The most recent (2011) FTG contains physiologic, anatomic, mechanism, and special consideration steps. Our objective was to systematically review the criteria in the mechanism and special consideration steps that might be predictive of serious injury or need for a trauma center. Methods: We conducted a systematic review of the predictive utility of mechanism and special consideration criteria for predicting serious injury. A research librarian searched in Ovid Medline, EMBASE, and the Cochrane databases for studies published between January 2011 and February 2021. Eligible studies were identified using a priori inclusion and exclusion criteria. Studies were excluded if they lacked an outcome for serious injury, such as measures of resource use, injury severity scores, mortality, or composite measures using a combination of outcomes. Given the heterogeneity in populations, measures, and outcomes, results were synthesized qualitatively focusing on positive likelihood ratios (LR+) whenever these could be calculated from presented data or adjusted odds ratios (aOR

Associations Among Stress, Anxiety, Depression, and Emotional Intelligence Among Veterinary Medicine Students

Background: Veterinary students are faced with immense pressures and rigors during school. These pressures have contributed to elevated levels of stress, anxiety, and depression (SAD) among veterinary students relative to the general population. One proposed concept to help students combat SAD is that of emotional intelligence (EI). We explored the relationship between EI and SAD among veterinary students at a college in the Southeast United States. Methods: A crosssectional study design was implemented among a convenience sample of 182 veterinary medical students. The survey instrument contained 56 items that elicited information about students’ demographics, perceived stress, anxiety, and depression, and emotional intelligence levels. Data analysis included univariate statistics, Pearson’s correlations, and multiple regression and independent samples t‐tests. Results: The study revealed a statistically significant, negative correlation between EI levels and stress, anxiety, and depression. Additionally, a statistically significant, positive correlation was found between stress and anxiety as well as both stress and anxiety and depression. Multiple linear regression showed that EI was a statistically significant predictor of stress (b = −0.239, p \u3c 0.001), anxiety (b = −0.044, p \u3c 0.001), and depression (b = −0.063, p \u3c 0.001), after controlling for sociodemographic variables. Students’ t‐test results revealed a statistically significant mean difference in EI scores among students screening positive versus negative for depression, with students screening negative having a mean EI score of 10.81 points higher than students who screened positive for depression. Conclusion: There is a scientifically supported need for interventions in veterinary school to integrate EI into the veterinary medical curriculum and consider the EI levels of veterinary student candidates