374 research outputs found
Spacelab simulation using a Lear Jet aircraft: Mission no. 4 (ASSESS program)
The fourth ASSESS Spacelab simulation mission utilizing a Lear Jet aircraft featured trained experiment operators (EOs) in place of the participating scientists, to simulate the role and functions of payload specialists in Spacelab who may conduct experiments developed by other scientists. The experiment was a broadband infrared photometer coupled to a 30-cm, open port, IR telescope. No compromises in equipment design or target selection were made to simplify operator tasks; the science goals of the mission were selected to advance the mainline research program of the principle investigator (PI). Training of the EOs was the responsibility of the PI team and consisted of laboratory sessions, on-site training during experiment integration, and integrated mission training using the aircraft as a high-fidelity simulator. The EO permission experience in these several disciplines proved adequate for normal experiment operations, but marginal for the identification and remedy of equipment malfunctions. During the mission, the PI utilized a TV communication system to assist the EOs to overcome equipment difficulties; both science and operations were successfully implemented
Shuttle spacelab simulation using a Lear jet aircraft: Mission no. 3 (ASSESS program)
The third ASSESS mission using a Lear Jet aircraft conducted to continue the study of scientific experiment operations in a simulated Spacelab environment. Prior to the mission, research planning and equipment preparation were observed and documented. A flight readiness review for the experiment was conducted. Nine of the ten scheduled flights were completed during simulation mission and all major science objectives were accomplished. The equipment was well qualified for flight and gave little trouble; telescope malfunctions occurred early in the mission and were corrected. Both real-time and post-observation data evaluation were used to assess research progress and to plan subsequent flight observations for maximum effectiveness
Modelling and filtering almost periodic signals by time-varying fourier series with application to near-infrared spectroscopy
We propose a new approach to modelling almost periodic signals and to model-based estimation of such signals from noisy observations. The signal model is based on Fourier series where both the coefficients and the fundamental frequency can continuously change over time. This signal model can be represented by a factor graph which we use to derive message passing algorithms to estimate the time-dependent model parameters from the observed samples
Cryptosporidium, Enterocytozoon, and Cyclospora Infections in Pediatric and Adult Patients with Diarrhea in Tanzania.
Cryptosporidiosis, microsporidiosis, and cyclosporiasis were studied in four groups of Tanzanian inpatients: adults with AIDS-associated diarrhea, children with chronic diarrhea (of whom 23 of 59 were positive [+] for human immunodeficiency virus [HIV]), children with acute diarrhea (of whom 15 of 55 were HIV+), and HIV control children without diarrhea. Cryptosporidium was identified in specimens from 6/86 adults, 5/59 children with chronic diarrhea (3/5, HIV+), 7/55 children with acute diarrhea (0/7, HIV+), and 0/20 control children. Among children with acute diarrhea, 7/7 with cryptosporidiosis were malnourished, compared with 10/48 without cryptosporidiosis (P < .01). Enterocytozoon was identified in specimens from 3/86 adults, 2/59 children with chronic diarrhea (1 HIV+), 0/55 children with acute diarrhea, and 4/20 control children. All four controls were underweight (P < .01). Cyclospora was identified in specimens from one adult and one child with acute diarrhea (HIV-). Thus, Cryptosporidium was the most frequent and Cyclospora the least frequent pathogen identified. Cryptosporidium and Enterocytozoon were associated with malnutrition. Asymptomatic fecal shedding of Enterocytozoon in otherwise healthy, HIV children has not been described previously
A comprehensive evaluation of colonic mucosal isolates of Sutterella wadsworthensis from inflammatory bowel disease
Peer reviewedPublisher PD
Spin-singlet dimerization in La 2RuO 5 investigated using magnetic susceptibility and specific heat measurements
The origin of spin-dimerization and concomitant spin-gap opening in the triclinic phase of poly- and single-crystalline La 2RuO 5 at unusually high temperatures was investigated using magnetic susceptibility and specific-heat measurements. From the low-temperature crystal structure the formation of antiferromagnetically coupled Ru4 + (S=1) dimers within the quasi-two-dimensional magnetic system can be deduced, resulting in a nonmagnetic singlet state. It was found that the antiferromagnetic coupling within the dimers is much stronger than the interaction with neighboring dimers. La 2RuO 5 exhibits a step-like change in the magnetic susceptibility at 161 K, indicating a first-order transition of combined magnetic and structural character. The size of the spin-gap has been estimated from the thermally activated behavior in the low-temperature dimerized phase and was found to be significantly different in the polycrystalline sample when compared to the results obtained from the single crystals. The magnetic entropy obtained from specific-heat measurements amounts to roughly 0.5Rln(3), reflecting solely the contribution of spin degrees of freedom to the entropy change during the phase transition. © 2012 American Physical Society
The molecular characterisation of Escherichia coli K1 isolated from neonatal nasogastric feeding tubes
Background: The most common cause of Gram-negative bacterial neonatal meningitis is E. coli K1. It has a mortality rate of 10–15%, and neurological sequelae in 30– 50% of cases. Infections can be attributable to nosocomial sources, however the pre-colonisation of enteral feeding tubes has not been considered as a specific risk factor. Methods: Thirty E. coli strains, which had been isolated in an earlier study, from the residual lumen liquid and biofilms of neonatal nasogastric feeding tubes were genotyped using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, and 7-loci multilocus sequence typing. Potential pathogenicity and biofilm associated traits were determined using specific PCR probes, genome analysis, and in vitro tissue culture assays. Results: The E. coli strains clustered into five pulsotypes, which were genotyped as sequence types (ST) 95, 73, 127, 394 and 2076 (Achman scheme). The extra-intestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) phylogenetic group B2 ST95 serotype O1:K1:NM strains had been isolated over a 2 week period from 11 neonates who were on different feeding regimes. The E. coli K1 ST95 strains encoded for various virulence traits associated with neonatal meningitis and extracellular matrix formation. These strains attached and invaded intestinal, and both human and rat brain cell lines, and persisted for 48 h in U937 macrophages. E. coli STs 73, 394 and 2076 also persisted in macrophages and invaded Caco-2 and human brain cells, but only ST394 invaded rat brain cells. E. coli ST127 was notable as it did not invade any cell lines. Conclusions: Routes by which E. coli K1 can be disseminated within a neonatal intensive care unit are uncertain, however the colonisation of neonatal enteral feeding tubes may be one reservoir source which could constitute a serious health risk to neonates following ingestion
On the magnetism of Ln{2/3}Cu{3}Ti{4}O{12} (Ln = lanthanide)
The magnetic and thermodynamic properties of the complete
LnCuTiO series were investigated. Here stands for
the lanthanides La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, and Yb. %Most
of the compounds were prepared as single phase polycrystalline powder %without
any traces of impurities. Marginal amounts of %impurities were
detected Gd, Er, and Tm. %Significant amounts of impurity phases were
found for Ce and Yb. All the samples investigated crystallize in the
space group with lattice constants that follow the lanthanide
contraction. The lattice constant of the Ce compound reveals the presence of
Ce leading to the composition CeCuTiO. From
magnetic susceptibility and electron-spin resonance experiments it can be
concluded that the copper ions always carry a spin and order
antiferromagnetically close to 25\,K. The Curie-Weiss temperatures can
approximately be calculated assuming a two-sublattice model corresponding to
the copper and lanthanide ions, respectively. It seems that the magnetic
moments of the heavy rare earths are weakly coupled to the copper spins, while
for the light lanthanides no such coupling was found. The moments remain
paramagnetic down to the lowest temperatures, with the exception of the Tm
compound, which indicates enhanced Van-Vleck magnetism due to a non-magnetic
singlet ground state of the crystal-field split manifold. From
specific-heat measurements we accurately determined the antiferromagnetic
ordering temperature and obtained information on the crystal-field states of
the rare-earth ions. The heat-capacity results also revealed the presence of a
small fraction of Ce in a magnetic state.Comment: 10 pages, 10 figure
Non-adiabatic small polaron hopping in the n=3 Ruddlesden-Popper compound Ca4Mn3O10
Magnetotransport properties of the compound Ca4Mn3O10 are interpreted in
terms of activated hopping of small magnetic polarons in the non-adiabatic
regime. Polarons are most likely formed around Mn3+ sites created by oxygen
substoichiometry. The application of an external field reduces the size of the
magnetic contribution to the hopping barrier and thus produces an increase in
the conductivity .We argue that the change in the effective activation energy
around TN is due to the crossover to VRH conduction as antiferromagnetic order
sets in.Comment: 29 pages, 7 figure
Small scale migration along the interoceanic highway in Madre de Dios, Peru: an exploration of community perceptions and dynamics due to migration
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