The VST telescope control software in the ESO VLT environment

The VST (VLT Survey Telescope) is a 2.6 m Alt-Az telescope to be installed at Mount Paranal in Chile, in the European Southern Observatory (ESO) site. The VST is a wide-field imaging facility planned to supply databases for the ESO Very Large Telescope (VLT) science and carry out stand-alone observations in the UV to I spectral range. This paper will focus mainly on control software aspects, describing the VST software architecture in the context of the whole ESO VLT control concept. The general architecture and the main components of the control software will be described.Comment: 3 pages, 2 figures, ICALEPCS 2001 Conference, PSN#THAP05

Signal Detection in Older Individuals with Neurocognitive Disorder

Past research has been inconclusive when assessing older individuals and their responding on stimulus equivalence tasks. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the ability of individuals with neurocognitive disorder (NCD) to detect the presence of a stimulus when presented along with varying amounts of distracter stimuli or “noise”. In this study, two older female participants, ages 71 and 84, with NCD, were asked to participate in a computer based task designed using a visual signal detection procedure. This procedure consisted of three parts, each presented elctronically using a computer and designed to assess their ability to percieve the presense or lack of a visual stimulus, a red circle, when also presented with several distractor stimuli. It was hypothesized that the performance of older individuals would decline when presented with increased “noise” levels

Headache Intervention: A Nonpharmacologic Approach to the Treatment of Tension-Type Headaches

Headaches have long been a problem for many people with hundreds of thousands seeking medical attention for their head pain each year. Migraine and tension-type are by far the most common forms of headaches, but from a physical therapy standpoint, the literature indicates that tension-type headaches respond better from the services provided by a therapist. The objective of this literature review will be to examine the different nonpharmacologic physical therapy approaches to the treatment of tension-type headaches. The techniques to be examined will include spinal manipulation, traditional physical therapy, electro acupuncture, and biofeedback and relaxation training. Examination of the literature will offer insight as to which form of treatment is most effective

The X-ray nebula of the filled center supernova remnant 3C58 and its interaction with the environment

An \xmm observation of the plerionic supernova remnant 3C58 has allowed us to study the X-ray nebula with unprecedented detail. A spatially resolved spectral analysis with a resolution of 8\arcsec has yielded a precise determination of the relation between the spectral index and the distance from the center. We do not see any evidence for bright thermal emission from the central core. In contrast with previous ASCA and {\em Einstein} results, we derive an upper limit to the black-body 0.5-10 keV luminosity and emitting area of $1.8\times 10^{32}$ \ergsec and $1.3\times 10^{10}$ cm$^2$, respectively, ruling out emission from the hot surface of the putative neutron star and also excluding the "outer-gap" model for hot polar caps. We have performed for the first time a spectral analysis of the outer regions of the X-ray nebula, where most of the emission is still non-thermal, but where the addition of a soft (kT=0.2-0.3 keV) optically thin plasma component is required to fit the spectrum at $E<1$ keV. This component provides 6% of the whole remnant observed flux in the 0.5-10.0 keV band. We show that a Sedov interpretation is incompatible with the SN1181-3C58 association, unless there is a strong deviation from electron-ion energy equipartition, and that an origin of this thermal emission in terms of the expansion of the nebula into the ejecta core nicely fits all the radio and X-ray observations.Comment: 10 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in A&

Measuring variability in trophic status in the Lake Waco/Bosque River Watershed

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Nutrient management in rivers and streams is difficult due to the spatial and temporal variability of algal growth responses. The objectives of this project were to determine the spatial and seasonal <it>in situ </it>variability of trophic status in the Lake Waco/Bosque River watershed, determine the variability in the lotic ecosystem trophic status index (LETSI) at each site as indicators of the system's nutrient sensitivity, and determine if passive diffusion periphytometers could provide threshold algal responses to nutrient enrichment.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We used the passive diffusion periphytometer to measure <it>in-situ </it>nutrient limitation and trophic status at eight sites in five streams in the Lake Waco/Bosque River Watershed in north-central Texas from July 1997 through October 1998. The chlorophyll <it>a </it>production in the periphytometers was used as an indicator of baseline chlorophyll <it>a </it>productivity and of maximum primary productivity (MPP) in response to nutrient enrichment (nitrogen and phosphorus). We evaluated the lotic ecosystem trophic status index (LETSI) using the ratio of baseline primary productivity to MPP, and evaluated the trophic class of each site.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The rivers and streams in the Lake Waco/Bosque River Watershed exhibited varying degrees of nutrient enrichment over the 18-month sampling period. The North Bosque River at the headwaters (NB-02) located below the Stephenville, Texas wastewater treatment outfall consistently exhibited the highest degree of water quality impact due to nutrient enrichment. Sites at the outlet of the watershed (NB-04 and NB-05) were the next most enriched sites. Trophic class varied for enriched sites over seasons.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Seasonality played a significant role in the trophic class and sensitivity of each site to nutrients. Managing rivers and streams for nutrients will require methods for measuring <it>in situ </it>responses and sensitivities to nutrient enrichment. Nutrient enrichment periphytometers show significant potential for use in nutrient gradient studies.</p

Using the International Monitoring System infrasound network to study gravity waves

International audienceThe infrasound network of the International Monitoring System (IMS) has been designed for the detection of atmospheric pressure fluctuations produced in the [0.02 Hz-4 Hz] frequency range. However, the majority of the measuring chains used in this network also record pressure fluctuations at lower frequencies. The objective of this paper is to demonstrate the accuracy of IMS pressure measurements in the gravity wave band, whose period usually ranges from a few minutes to 24 hours. Application examples such as the monitoring of worldwide gravity wave time-spectra and the characterization of surface pressure fluctuations produced by atmospheric tides are presented. This study opens the way to the analysis of gravity waves using IMS data, which constitute a unique and accurate set of pressure measurements

The cooperative forest management program : suggestions for improvement

Cover title."April 1988.""Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension Work Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914 in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture ... Cooperative Extension Service, University of Missouri and Lincoln University, Columbia, Missouri.""Funding provided by Missouri Department of Conservation, Division of Forestry and University of Missouri-Columbia.