The Short Rotation Period of Nereid

We determine the period, p = 11.52 \pm 0.14 h, and a light curve peak-to-peak amplitude, a = 0.029 \pm 0.003 magnitudes, of the Neptunian irregular satellite Nereid. If the light curve variation is due to albedo variations across the surface, rather than solely to the shape of Nereid variations, the rotation period would be a factor of two shorter. In either case, such a rotation period and light curve amplitude, together with Nereid's orbital period, p=360.14 days, imply that Nereid is almost certainly in a regular rotation state, rather than the chaotic rotation state suggested by Schaefer and Schaefer (1988,2000) and Dobrovolskis (1995). Assuming that Nereid is perfectly spherical, the albedo variation is 3% across the observed surface. Assuming a uniform geometric albedo, the observed cross sectional area varies by 3%. We caution that the lightcurve found in this paper only sets limits on the combination of albedo and physical irregularity and that we cannot determine the orientation of Nereid's spin axis from our data.Comment: Accepted by ApJ Letters, 11 pages (incl. 1 figure

Role of Intrinsic Muscle Atrophy in the Etiology of Claw Toe Deformity in Diabetic Neuropathy May Not Be as Straightforward as Widely Believed

Objective: Clawing of the toes in the diabetic neuropathic foot is believed to be caused by muscle imbalance resulting from intrinsic muscle atrophy. However, experimental data that supports this mechanism is lacking. The aim of this study was to evaluate this hypothesis using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Research Design and Methods: In twenty neuropathic diabetic patients, ten with claw toe deformity and ten with normally aligned toes, multiple plane images of the foot and lower leg were acquired using T1-weighted spin-echo MRI. Atrophy of the intrinsic and extrinsic muscles controlling the toes were assessed using a semi-quantitative 5-point atrophy scale. An intrinsic-to-extrinsic foot muscle imbalance score was derived from these atrophy scores and correlation coefficients were established. Results: Mean (SD) intrinsic muscle atrophy score was 3.1 (1.1) for the toe deformity group and 2.6 (1.2) for the non-deformity group (not significantly different). Intrinsic muscle atrophy score was not correlated with degree of toe deformity (r = -0.18). Muscle imbalance score was not significantly different between study groups and not correlated with degree of toe deformity (r = -0.14). Conclusions: Neither intrinsic muscle atrophy nor muscle imbalance discriminated between neuropathic patients with or without claw toe deformity. This suggests that the role of these muscle factors in claw toe development may not be primary or as straightforward as previously believed. These findings shed new light on the etiology of foot deformity in diabetes and suggest a more complex nature of development, potentially involving anatomical and physiological predisposing factor

Chiron: Evidence for historic cometary activity

The non-asteroidal brightening of (2060) Chiron, first noted by Tholen in 1988 is now ascribed to cometary activity. Photometry since 1988 has revealed a broad surge in brightness that peaked in 1989 about 1.0 mag above the brightness in the mid-1980s. The surge is evidently due to sporatic formation of dust coma, which is itself driven by the presence of extremely volatile ices at or near the surface. CN emission was recently reported. Since Chiron is now nearing perihelion, there is interest in determining whether it has exhibited anomalous brightening in the past, particularly at greater heliocentric distances. Photographic plates dating back to 1895 are known to contain images of Chiron. Using some of these archival material, the initial results are presented for a project to determine Chiron's brightness history over orbital timescales. A particularly homogeneous and high-quality set of plates taken prior to and around the time of Chiron's discovery in Oct. 1977 at the 1.2 m Oschin Schmidt telescope at Mt. Palomar Observatory were examined. Images of Chiron were identified and digitized using a PDS microdensitometer, and images of field stars around Chiron were both similarly digitized and photometrically calibrated using recently acquired B and V band CCD frames. As a result of the present work, eleven new data, including estimated errors, were added between 1969 and 1977. The implications that Chiron can be active at any heliocentric distance in its present orbit suggest that the active volatile is either N2, CH4, or CO, and that a substantial degree of mantling may have developed. Further historical data is presented, the error bars discussed, and possible mechanisms suggested for the observed activity

Inhomogeneities on the surface of 21 Lutetia, the asteroid target of the Rosetta mission

CONTEXT: In July 2010 the ESA spacecraft Rosetta will fly-by the main belt asteroid 21 Lutetia. Several observations of this asteroid have been so far performed, but its surface composition and nature are still a matter of debate. For long time Lutetia was supposed to have a metallic nature due to its high IRAS albedo. Later on it has been suggested to have a surface composition similar to primitive carbonaceous chondrite meteorites, while further observations proposed a possible genetic link with more evolved enstatite chondrite meteorites. AIMS: In order to give an important contribution in solving the conundrum of the nature of Lutetia, in November 2008 we performed visible spectroscopic observations of this asteroid at the Telescopio Nazionale Galileo (TNG, La Palma, Spain). METHODS: Thirteen visible spectra have been acquired at different rotational phases. RESULTS: We confirm the presence of a narrow spectral feature at about 0.47-0.48 micron already found by Lazzarin et al. (2009) on the spectra of Lutetia. We also find a spectral feature at about 0.6 micron, detected by Lazzarin et al. (2004) on one of their Lutetia's spectra. More importantly, our spectra exhibit different spectral slopes between 0.6 and 0.75 micron and, in particular, we found that up to 20% of the Lutetia surface could have flatter spectra. CONCLUSIONS: We detected a variation of the spectral slopes at different rotational phases that could be interpreted as possibly due to differences in the chemical/mineralogical composition, as well as to inhomogeneities of the structure of the Lutetia's surface (e.g., the presence of craters or albedo spots) in the southern hemisphere.Comment: 3 pages, 2 figures. Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics. Updated on 25 March 2010

Pixel classification for automated diabetic foot diagnosis

Worldwide, more than 180 million people suffer from diabetes mellitus. Approximately 50% of these patients will develop complications to their feet. Neuropathy, combined with poor blood supply and biomechanical changes results in a high risk for foot ulcers, which is a key problem in the diabetic foot; when these wounds become infected, this can ultimately result in lower extremity amputation, which has a serious effect on the quality of life of the patient, and causes a large economic burden on society.\ud \ud This was the motivation for a collaborate project (Vincent50) in which a photographic foot imaging device was developed. The system allows scanning of the foot soles on a daily basis which may lead to early recognition of foot problems. The goal of the present study is to determine whether pixel classification is a useful intermediate step towards automatically assessing the images of the foot soles for signs of diabetic foot disease. If successful, this approach will further relief health care professionals in assessing the foot and enable the placement of more devices in the future. \ud \ud The best agreement between automated recognition and expert diagnosis was achieved with a combination of RGB and derived features, proves that the RGB data is informative with respect to detection of ulcers. However, the automatic detection of pre-signs of ulcers and other anomalies needs more sophistication than pixel classification alone. Firstly, other physical features, such as hyperspectral data, infrared and/or textural features are expected to be more informative. Secondly, we expect to be able to boost the performance by using the context between neighboring pixels. Thirdly, an individualized and normalized classification process might help with the large variability in foot soles between individuals. \u

Spectral and Spin Measurement of Two Small and Fast-Rotating Near-Earth Asteroids

In May 2012 two asteroids made near-miss "grazing" passes at distances of a few Earth-radii: 2012 KP24 passed at nine Earth-radii and 2012 KT42 at only three Earth-radii. The latter passed inside the orbital distance of geosynchronous satellites. From spectral and imaging measurements using NASA's 3-m Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF), we deduce taxonomic, rotational, and physical properties. Their spectral characteristics are somewhat atypical among near-Earth asteroids: C-complex for 2012 KP24 and B-type for 2012 KT42, from which we interpret the albedos of both asteroids to be between 0.10 and 0.15 and effective diameters of 20+-2 and 6+-1 meters, respectively. Among B-type asteroids, the spectrum of 2012 KT42 is most similar to 3200 Phaethon and 4015 Wilson-Harrington. Not only are these among the smallest asteroids spectrally measured, we also find they are among the fastest-spinning: 2012 KP24 completes a rotation in 2.5008+-0.0006 minutes and 2012 KT42 rotates in 3.634+-0.001 minutes.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in Icaru

Pengaruh Faktor Personal Pelaku USAha, Kemampuan Penyuluh, dan Proses Pembelajaran dalam Penyuluhan terhadap Kompetensi Kewirausahaan Industri Kecil Menengah Kabupaten Magelang

The purposes of this study are to determine : 1) the influence of entrepreneurs personal factor to learning process in counseling, 2) the influence of extension officers capability to learning process in counseling, 3) the influence of learning process in counseling to the entrepreneurship competence, 4) the influence of entrepreneurs personal factor to entrepreneurship competence and 5) the influence of the extension officers capability to entrepreneurship competence. This is descriptive quantitative study. The population of the sample was all small-scale entrepreneurs at Kab. Magelang who got counseling from the Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises Department fiscal year 2013. 92 participants were randomly chosen. The instruments used in collecting data are questionnaire, interview and documentation. The data analysis was done through path analysis.The result of this study shows that 1) 19.1% entrepreneurs personal factor influenced the learning process of counseling directly, 2) 26.8% extension officers competence affected the learning process in counseling directly, 3) 5.88% learning process in counseling influenced the entrepreneurship competence directly, 4) 1.92% entrepreneurs personal factor affected the entrepreneurship competence indirectly, 5) 5.29% extension officers competence directly influenced the entrepreneurship competence

Pengaruh Bauran Pemasaran terhadap Perilaku Anggota Koperasi dalam Memakai Produk Simpanan (Studi pada Koperasi Jasa Keuangan Syariah Baitul Maal Wa Tanwil Amanah Ummah Kartasura Sukoharjo)

The objective of this research are to knows: 1) a simultaneously effect of the marketing mix on the behaviors of the members in utilizing the product of savings. 2) the effect of product on the behaviors of the members in utilizing the product of savings, 3) the effect of place partially on the behaviors of the members in utilizing the product of savings, 4) the effect of price partially on the behaviors of the members in utilizing the product of savings, 5) the effect of promotion partially on the behaviors of the members in utilizing the product of savings, 6) the effect of people partially on the behaviors of the members in utilizing the product of savings, 7) the effect of process partially on the behaviors of the members in utilizing the product of savings, 8) the effect of physical evidence partially on the behaviors of the members in utilizing the product of savings. This research used the descriptive quantitative one with the survey method. The population of the research was the members of KSKS BMT Amanah Ummah of Kartasura utilizing its product of savings. The samples of the research consisted of 80 respondents, and they were taken by using the accindental sampling technique. The data of the research were gathered through questionnaire. They were then analyzed by using multiple regression analysis, f-test, and t-test. Before the data were analyzed, the classical assumption pre-requisite tests, namely: multicolinearity test, heteroskedasticity test, and normality test had been conducted. The result of the research are: 1) there is a simultaneously effect of the marketing mix on the behaviors of the members in utilizing the product of savings (63,525>2,71), 2) product partially have a effect on the behaviors of the members in utilizing the product of savings (2,590<2,00), 3) place partially do not have a significant effect on the behaviors of the members in utilizing the product of savings (1,848<2,00), 4) price partially has effect on the behaviors of the members in utilizing the product of savings ( 2,702 >2,00), 5) promotion is partially has effect on the behaviors of the members in utilizing the product of savings (3,204>2,00), 6) people partially has effect on the behaviors of the members in utilizing the product of savings (2,787>2,00), 7) process partially has effect on the behaviors of the members in utilizing the product of savings (2,227>2,00), 8) physical evidence partially has effect on the behaviors of the members in utilizing the product of savings (1,147<2,00)