Initial test results on bolometers for the Planck high frequency instrument

We summarize the fabrication, flight qualification, and dark performance of bolometers completed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory for the High Frequency Instrument (HFI) of the joint ESA/NASA Herschel/Planck mission to be launched in 2009. The HFI is a multicolor focal plane which consists of 52 bolometers operated at 100 mK. Each bolometer is mounted to a feedhorn-filter assembly which defines one of six frequency bands centered between 100-857 GHz. Four detectors in each of five bands from 143-857 GHz are coupled to both linear polarizations and thus measure the total intensity. In addition, eight detectors in each of four bands (100, 143, 217, and 353 GHz) couple only to a single linear polarization and thus provide measurements of the Stokes parameters, Q and U, as well as the total intensity. The measured noise equivalent power (NEP) of all detectors is at or below the background limit for the telescope and time constants are a few ms, short enough to resolve point sources as the 5 to 9 arc min beams move across the sky at 1 rpm

Contributors to the December Issue/Notes

Notes by Warren A. Deahl, W. J. Rafferty, Timothy M. Green, Bernard F. Grainey, and Jerome Gold

Contributors to the December Issue/Notes

Notes by Warren A. Deahl, W. J. Rafferty, Timothy M. Green, Bernard F. Grainey, and Jerome Gold

NCLB technology and a rural school: A case study

The requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) have presented special challenges and opportunities for rural schools (Reeves, 2003). Researchers have suggested that one way rural schools may be able to overcome these challenges is through an increase in the level of technology integration in their school (Collins & Dewees, 2001). This case study reports on one school’s attempt to use grant resources funded through NCLB to integrate specific instructional technologies to facilitate increased student achievement. Through interviews and observations, the roles, attitudes, and difficulties of teachers and administrators in implementing a technology initiative in a rural middle school were observed, examined and discussed. Emerging themes included issues related to teacher ownership of the technology, teacher feelings of power and participation, differing goals of teachers and administrators, technical difficulties, school wide support, and changes in school culture

NCLB Technology and a Rural School: A Case Study

The requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) have presented special challenges and opportunities for rural schools (Reeves, 2003). Researchers have suggested that one way rural schools may be able to overcome these challenges is through an increase in the level of technology integration in their school (Collins & Dewees, 2001). This case study reports on one school’s attempt to use grant resources funded through NCLB to integrate specific instructional technologies to facilitate increased student achievement. Through interviews and observations, the roles, attitudes, and difficulties of teachers and administrators in implementing a technology initiative in a rural middle school were observed, examined and discussed. Emerging themes included issues related to teacher ownership of the technology, teacher feelings of power and participation, differing goals of teachers and administrators, technical difficulties, school wide support, and changes in school culture

Can Reproductive Health Voucher Programs Improve Quality of Postnatal Care? A Quasi-Experimental Evaluation of Kenya’s Safe Motherhood Voucher Scheme

This study tests the group-level causal relationship between the expansion of Kenya’s Safe Motherhood voucher program and changes in quality of postnatal care (PNC) provided at voucher-contracted facilities. We compare facilities accredited since program inception in 2006 (phase I) and facilities accredited since 2010-2011 (phase II) relative to comparable non-voucher facilities. PNC quality is assessed using observed clinical content processes, as well as client-reported outcome measures. Two-tailed unpaired t-tests are used to identify differences in mean process quality scores and client-reported outcome measures, comparing changes between intervention and comparison groups at the 2010 and 2012 data collection periods. Difference-in-differences analysis is used to estimate the reproductive health (RH) voucher program’s causal effect on quality of care by exploiting group-level differences between voucher-accredited and non-accredited facilities in 2010 and 2012. Participation in the voucher scheme since 2006 significantly improves overall quality of postnatal care by 39% (p=0.02), where quality is defined as the observable processes or components of service provision that occur during a PNC consultation. Program participation since phase I is estimated to improve the quality of observed maternal postnatal care by 86% (p=0.02), with the largest quality improvements in counselling on family planning methods (IRR 5.0; p=0.01) and return to fertility (IRR 2.6; p=0.01). Despite improvements in maternal aspects of PNC, we find a high proportion of mothers who seek PNC are not being checked by any provider after delivery. Additional strategies will be necessary to standardize provision of packaged postnatal interventions to both mother and new-born. This study addresses an important gap in the existing RH literature by using a strong evaluation design to assess RH voucher program effectiveness on quality improvement

Who Is In Charge, and Who Should Be? The Disciplinary Role of the Commander in Military Justice Systems

BackgroundStandard therapy for newly diagnosed glioblastoma is radiotherapy plus temozolomide. In this phase 3 study, we evaluated the effect of the addition of bevacizumab to radiotherapy-temozolomide for the treatment of newly diagnosed glioblastoma. MethodsWe randomly assigned patients with supratentorial glioblastoma to receive intravenous bevacizumab (10 mg per kilogram of body weight every 2 weeks) or placebo, plus radiotherapy (2 Gy 5 days a week; maximum, 60 Gy) and oral temozolomide (75 mg per square meter of body-surface area per day) for 6 weeks. After a 28-day treatment break, maintenance bevacizumab (10 mg per kilogram intravenously every 2 weeks) or placebo, plus temozolomide (150 to 200 mg per square meter per day for 5 days), was continued for six 4-week cycles, followed by bevacizumab monotherapy (15 mg per kilogram intravenously every 3 weeks) or placebo until the disease progressed or unacceptable toxic effects developed. The coprimary end points were investigator-assessed progression-free survival and overall survival. ResultsA total of 458 patients were assigned to the bevacizumab group, and 463 patients to the placebo group. The median progression-free survival was longer in the bevacizumab group than in the placebo group (10.6 months vs. 6.2 months; stratified hazard ratio for progression or death, 0.64; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.55 to 0.74; P<0.001). The benefit with respect to progression-free survival was observed across subgroups. Overall survival did not differ significantly between groups (stratified hazard ratio for death, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.76 to 1.02; P=0.10). The respective overall survival rates with bevacizumab and placebo were 72.4% and 66.3% at 1 year (P=0.049) and 33.9% and 30.1% at 2 years (P=0.24). Baseline health-related quality of life and performance status were maintained longer in the bevacizumab group, and the glucocorticoid requirement was lower. More patients in the bevacizumab group than in the placebo group had grade 3 or higher adverse events (66.8% vs. 51.3%) and grade 3 or higher adverse events often associated with bevacizumab (32.5% vs. 15.8%). ConclusionsThe addition of bevacizumab to radiotherapy-temozolomide did not improve survival in patients with glioblastoma. Improved progression-free survival and maintenance of baseline quality of life and performance status were observed with bevacizumab; however, the rate of adverse events was higher with bevacizumab than with placebo.

Statistical results from the Virginia Tech propagation experiment using the Olympus 12, 20, and 30 GHz satellite beacons

Virginia Tech has performed a comprehensive propagation experiment using the Olympus satellite beacons at 12.5, 19.77, and 29.66 GHz (which we refer to as 12, 20, and 30 GHz). Four receive terminals were designed and constructed, one terminal at each frequency plus a portable one with 20 and 30 GHz receivers for microscale and scintillation studies. Total power radiometers were included in each terminal in order to set the clear air reference level for each beacon and also to predict path attenuation. More details on the equipment and the experiment design are found elsewhere. Statistical results for one year of data collection were analyzed. In addition, the following studies were performed: a microdiversity experiment in which two closely spaced 20 GHz receivers were used; a comparison of total power and Dicke switched radiometer measurements, frequency scaling of scintillations, and adaptive power control algorithm development. Statistical results are reported