Design considerations for flight test of a fault inferring nonlinear detection system algorithm for avionics sensors

The modifications to the design of a fault inferring nonlinear detection system (FINDS) algorithm to accommodate flight computer constraints and the resulting impact on the algorithm performance are summarized. An overview of the flight data-driven FINDS algorithm is presented. This is followed by a brief analysis of the effects of modifications to the algorithm on program size and execution speed. Significant improvements in estimation performance for the aircraft states and normal operating sensor biases, which have resulted from improved noise design parameters and a new steady-state wind model, are documented. The aircraft state and sensor bias estimation performances of the algorithm's extended Kalman filter are presented as a function of update frequency of the piecewise constant filter gains. The results of a new detection system strategy and failure detection performance, as a function of gain update frequency, are also presented

Handedness in fiddler crab fights

Asymmetric weapons are common in bilateral animals and, in some species, they can occur on either the left- or the right-hand side of the body (lateralization). Fiddler crabs (Uca spp, Decapoda: Ocypodidae) have an enlarged claw that is used in male–male combat over territories and in courtship displays. Males can be either right- or left-handed, and most species have a 1:1 ratio. Past studies have found little effect of handedness on fighting success, fight duration or other measures of combat. Here we show that, while handedness per se, does not affect fighting, handedness matching has a significant effect. In Uca mjoebergi, fights between different-handed males were more likely to escalate to grappling, suggesting that it is harder for the combatants to determine the winner. We suggest that the positioning of the claws during fighting creates distinct forces that result in different outcomes for same- versus different-handed fights. This can represent a strong selective pressure in populations with an uneven handedness distribution where the handedness minority will often engage in different-handed fights. We discuss these results in light of the selective forces that may act on handedness distribution in fiddler crabs

Location, Location, Location: Where You Live Determines Your Access to Abortion

Through the hypothetical, but very plausible case of Julia, we illustrate that where a woman lives in the United States impacts her access to the best abortion care. Widespread state-level restrictions on abortion care have increased in recent years and negatively impact a woman’s ability to access quality, unbiased, evidence-based care. Poor women and women of color are disproportionately affected by these restrictions. It is important as medical professionals to understand the political, not medical, motivations behind these laws so we can speak out against them

Buried Ion-Exchanged Glass Wavelengths: Burial-Depth Dependence on Waveguide Width

A detailed theoretical and experimental study of the depth dependence of buried ion-exchanged waveguides on waveguide width is reported. Modeling, which includes the effect of nonhomogeneous time-dependent electric field distribution, agrees well with our experiments showing that burial depth increases linearly with waveguide width. These results may be used in the proper design of integrated optical circuits that need waveguides of different widths at different sections, such as arrayed waveguide gratings

Optical Spectroscopy of X-Mega targets in the Carina Nebula - VI. FO 15: a new O-Type double-lined eclipsing binary

We report the discovery of a new O-type double-lined spectroscopic binary with a short orbital period of 1.4 days. We find the primary component of this binary, FO 15, to have an approximate spectral type O5.5Vz, i.e. a Zero-Age-Main-Sequence star. The secondary appears to be of spectral type O9.5V. We have performed a numerical model fit to the public ASAS photometry, which shows that FO 15 is also an eclipsing binary. We find an orbital inclination of ~ 80 deg. From a simultaneous light-curve and radial velocity solution we find the masses and radii of the two components to be 30 +/- 1 and 16 +/- 1 solar masses and 7.5 +/- 0.5 and 5.3 +/- 0.5 solar radii. These radii, and hence also the luminosities, are smaller than those of normal O-type stars, but similar to recently born ZAMS O-type stars. The absolute magnitudes derived from our analysis locate FO 15 at the same distance as Eta Carinae. From Chandra and XMM X-ray images we also find that there are two close X-ray sources, one coincident with FO 15 and another one without optical counterpart. This latter seems to be a highly variable source, presumably due to a pre-main-sequence stellar neighbour of FO 15.Comment: 11 pages, 9 figures, 3 tables. Accepted for publication in MNRAS. Higher resolution version available at http://lilen.fcaglp.unlp.edu.ar/papers2006.htm

First constraints on the magnetic field strength in extra-Galactic stars: FORS2 observations of Of?p stars in the Magellanic Clouds

Massive O-type stars play a dominant role in our Universe, but many of their properties remain poorly constrained. In the last decade magnetic fields have been detected in all Galactic members of the distinctive Of?p class, opening the door to a better knowledge of all O-type stars. With the aim of extending the study of magnetic massive stars to nearby galaxies, to better understand the role of metallicity in the formation of their magnetic fields and magnetospheres, and to broaden our knowledge of the role of magnetic fields in massive star evolution, we have carried out spectropolarimetry of five extra-Galactic Of?p stars, as well as a couple of dozen neighbouring stars. We have been able to measure magnetic fields with typical error bars from 0.2 to 1.0 kG, depending on the apparent magnitude and on weather conditions. No magnetic field has been firmly detected in any of our measurements, but we have been able to estimate upper limits to the field values of our target stars. One of our targets, 2dFS 936, exhibited an unexpected strengthening of emission lines. We confirm the unusual behaviour of BI 57, which exhibits a 787 d period with two photometric peaks and one spectroscopic maximum. The observed strengthening of the emission lines of 2dFS 936, and the lack of detection of a strong magnetic field in a star with such strong emission lines is at odd with expectations. Together with the unusual periodic behaviour of BI 57, it represents a challenge for the current models of Of?p stars. The limited precision that we obtained in our field measurements (in most cases as a consequence of poor weather) has led to field-strength upper limits that are substantially larger than those typically measured in Galactic magnetic O stars. Further higher precision observations and monitoring are clearly required.Comment: Accepted by A&

Cancer As Rubbish: Donation of tumor tissue for research.

Tissue banking (or biobanking), thought by many to be an essential form of medical research, has raised a number of ethical issues that highlight a need to understand the beliefs and values of tissue donors, including the motivations underlying consent or refusal to donate. Data from our qualitative study of the legal, social and ethical issues surrounding tumor banking in New South Wales, Australia, shows that participants’ attitudes to donation of tumor tissue for research are partially captured by theories of weak altruism and social exchange. However, we argue that the psychological rewards of value transformation described by Thompson’s rubbish theory provide additional insights into participants’ attitudes to tumor donation. We believe our data provides sufficient justification for an approach to regulation of tumor banking that is aimed at fostering a relationship based on the notions of virtuous reassignment and social exchange. Keywords Ethics; genetics; research participation; risk perceptionsUniversity of Sydney Cancer Research Fun