Second generation Robo-AO instruments and systems

The prototype Robo-AO system at the Palomar Observatory 1.5-m telescope is the world's first fully automated laser adaptive optics instrument. Scientific operations commenced in June 2012 and more than 12,000 observations have since been performed at the ~0.12" visible-light diffraction limit. Two new infrared cameras providing high-speed tip-tilt sensing and a 2' field-of-view will be integrated in 2014. In addition to a Robo-AO clone for the 2-m IGO and the natural guide star variant KAPAO at the 1-m Table Mountain telescope, a second generation of facility-class Robo-AO systems are in development for the 2.2-m University of Hawai'i and 3-m IRTF telescopes which will provide higher Strehl ratios, sharper imaging, ~0.07", and correction to {\lambda} = 400 nm.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures, 3 table

Genetic and environmental influences on sleep quality in middle‐aged men: a twin study

Poor sleep quality is a risk factor for a number of cognitive and physiological age-related disorders. Identifying factors underlying sleep quality are important in understanding the etiology of these age-related health disorders. We investigated the extent to which genes and the environment contribute to subjective sleep quality in middle-aged male twins using the classical twin design. We used the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index to measure sleep quality in 1218 middle-aged twin men from the Vietnam Era Twin Study of Aging (mean age = 55.4 years; range 51-60; 339 monozygotic twin pairs, 257 dizygotic twin pairs, 26 unpaired twins). The mean PSQI global score was 5.6 [SD = 3.6; range 0-20]. Based on univariate twin models, 34% of variability in the global PSQI score was due to additive genetic effects (heritability) and 66% was attributed to individual-specific environmental factors. Common environment did not contribute to the variability. Similarly, the heritability of poor sleep-a dichotomous measure based on the cut-off of global PSQI>5-was 31%, with no contribution of the common environment. Heritability of six of the seven PSQI component scores (subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, habitual sleep efficiency, sleep disturbances, and daytime dysfunction) ranged from 0.15 to 0.31, whereas no genetic influences contributed to the use of sleeping medication. Additive genetic influences contribute to approximately one-third of the variability of global subjective sleep quality. Our results in middle-aged men constitute a first step towards examination of the genetic relationship between sleep and other facets of aging.Accepted manuscrip

Assessment of Ventilation Management Training Workshops

To achieve optimum swine performance, producer understanding of environmental control systems in mechanically or naturally ventilated facilities is extremely important. A ventilation workshop: “Managing Your Unseen Employee: The Ventilation System” was established. The primary objective of the training was to give swine producers and managers enough quality information so they could go back to their operations and properly assess their own ventilation systems and make appropriate adjustments as needed. The training workshops were established to be a multi-state and multi-disciplinary effort between South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa and Minnesota universities. Ag engineers and animal scientists from each state participated in developing the workshop materials and delivery of the program. Four basic needs emerged that would enhance program delivery. These needs included basic environmental factors and their effects on pigs, ventilation system design principles, trouble-shooting ventilation problems, and hands-on demonstrations of instrumentation and ventilation equipment. A 1.8 m by 2.4 m by 2.4 m mobile ventilation room was used for the hands-on training. The mobile ventilation room was equipped with two variable-speed, 30-centimeter fans and one 30-cm, single-speed fan; a four-stage controller; and three types of air inlets. From 2002 to 2007, over 1000 people producing over 20 million pigs participated in more than 60 workshops. The backgrounds of participants included managers, feed consultants, extension educators, and veterinarians. Key points gained by producers included proper ventilation settings, trouble-shooting techniques, temperature control, and the effects of static pressure on airflow

Single-stranded nucleic acid elasticity arises from internal electrostatic tension

Charged, flexible polymers, such as single-stranded nucleic acids (ssNAs), are ubiquitous in biology and technology. Quantitative description of their solution conformation has remained elusive due to the competing effects of polymer configurational freedom and salt-screened electrostatic repulsion between monomers. We investigate this by measuring the elastic response of single ssNA molecules over a range of salt concentrations. The data are well described by a model, inspired by a mean-field approach, in which intrapolymer electrostatic repulsion creates a salt-dependent internal tension whose interplay with the external force determines the elasticity. The internal tension can be related to the polymer’s charge spacing; thus, our results show how mesoscopic polymer conformation emerges from microscopic structure

Electric Propulsion Research and Development at NASA

Electric propulsion (EP) is an important technology for NASA. It has played a major role on three missions, that is Deep Space 1, Dawn and Space Technology 7, and it is planned for use on many more. The ion propulsion system for the ongoing Dawn mission has achieved several notable accomplishments, including providing a total velocity change (delta-V) of over 11 km/s to the spacecraft. As a result of these successes, solar electric propulsion (SEP) is now broadly recognized as an essential technology for both robotic and human exploration. NASA is currently conducting many projects focused on research and development of EP for a variety of applications. All three of NASA's mission directorates that deal directly with space exploration are actively engaged in supporting work in this area. This paper describes these projects in more detail, including the specific engineering activities being conducted at NASA's main centers for EP technology development, namely Glenn Research Center (GRC) and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)

Inhibition of NAADP signalling on reperfusion protects the heart by preventing lethal calcium oscillations via two-pore channel 1 and opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore

Aims In the heart, a period of ischaemia followed by reperfusion evokes powerful cytosolic Ca2+ oscillations that can cause lethal cell injury. These signals represent attractive cardioprotective targets, but the underlying mechanisms of genesis are ill-defined. Here, we investigated the role of the second messenger nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NAADP), which is known in several cell types to induce Ca2+ oscillations that initiate from acidic stores such as lysosomes, likely via two-pore channels (TPCs, TPC1 and 2). Methods and results An NAADP antagonist called Ned-K was developed by rational design based on a previously existing scaffold. Ned-K suppressed Ca2+ oscillations and dramatically protected cardiomyocytes from cell death in vitro after ischaemia and reoxygenation, preventing opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore. Ned-K profoundly decreased infarct size in mice in vivo. Transgenic mice lacking the endo-lysosomal TPC1 were also protected from injury. Conclusion NAADP signalling plays a major role in reperfusion-induced cell death and represents a potent pathway for protection against reperfusion injury

Cost-Driven Design of a Large Scale X-Plane

A conceptual design process focused on the development of a low-cost, large scale X-plane was developed as part of an internal research and development effort. One of the concepts considered for this process was the double-bubble configuration recently developed as an advanced single-aisle class commercial transport similar in size to a Boeing 737-800 or Airbus A320. The study objective was to reduce the contractor cost from contract award to first test flight to less than $100 million, and having the first flight within three years of contract award. Methods and strategies for reduced cost are discussed

Sonography of Fat Necrosis Involving the Extremity and Torso With Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Histologic Correlation

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/135699/1/jum200827121751.pd