The Thermal Environment of the Fiber Glass Dome for the New Solar Telescope at Big Bear Solar Observatory

The New Solar Telescope (NST) is a 1.6-meter off-axis Gregory-type telescope with an equatorial mount and an open optical support structure. To mitigate the temperature fluctuations along the exposed optical path, the effects of local/dome-related seeing have to be minimized. To accomplish this, NST will be housed in a 5/8-sphere fiberglass dome that is outfitted with 14 active vents evenly spaced around its perimeter. The 14 vents house louvers that open and close independently of one another to regulate and direct the passage of air through the dome. In January 2006, 16 thermal probes were installed throughout the dome and the temperature distribution was measured. The measurements confirmed the existence of a strong thermal gradient on the order of 5 degree Celsius inside the dome. In December 2006, a second set of temperature measurements were made using different louver configurations. In this study, we present the results of these measurements along with their integration into the thermal control system (ThCS) and the overall telescope control system (TCS).Comment: 12 pages, 11 figures, submitted to SPIE Optics+Photonics, San Diego, U.S.A., 26-30 August 2007, Conference: Solar Physics and Space Weather Instrumentation II, Proceedings of SPIE Volume 6689, Paper #2

Architektur, Kybernetik und die Gesetze der Schönheit

Wissenschaftliches Kolloquium vom 24. bis 26. Juni 1986 in Weimar an der Hochschule für Architektur und Bauwesen zum Thema: 'Der wissenschaftlich-technische Fortschritt und die sozial-kulturellen Funktionen von Architektur und industrieller Formgestaltung in unserer Epoche

A Programmable Magnetic Field Mass Spectrometer with On-Line Data Processing

A single focusing, 30.48 cm radius, 60° sector magnet mass spectrometer was constructed with symmetric conjugate foci calculated from fringe field data and corresponding to a beam deflection of 68°. Experimental and calculated optical characteristics agree well. A rotating coil probe and a rate coil are employed as field sensors for a nulling device and for field scanning. The magnetic field can be set to 27 values corresponding to the center of spectral lines and zero lines on both sides of each peak. The automatic scanning consists of: (1) rapid field change between adjacent field values (~500 G/sec); (2) locking in at the preset field values (~0.3 sec); (3) remaining in a channel for a preset time during which the ion beam current is integrated and the data digitized. Repeated arbitrary excursions between channels do not cause effective field variations of more than |DeltaB/B| = 2×10^–5. For 0.2 mm source and 0.64 mm collector slit settings, a typical peak at mass 88 is flat for 2.7 G to 0.01% at a 14 kV accelerating potential. Data consist of channel intensity, scale factors, and internally provided clock time; data signals drive a typewriter and tape punch. A cyclic scan of five isotopes including background requires 35 sec. A segment of data (~10 cycles) is processed by the computer and the results returned to the operator

Morbihan disease: A diagnostic dilemma: two cases with successful resolution

Morbihan syndrome is a rare entity characterized by persistent erythema and solid edema of upper two-thirds of the face. Although its etiology is poorly understood, it is known to have a wide differential diagnosis and is frequently under-recognized.1–3 We report two such cases of Morbihan syndrome in patients that responded well to treatment with a combination of 2.5% hydrocortisone cream, brimonidine 0.33% topical gel, metronidazole gel and 100 mg doxycycline twice daily. This report emphasizes the necessity of biopsy for clinical correlation in cases of chronic facial edema. It also serves to highlight a potential association of Morbihan syndrome to diabetes mellitus through recently discovered pathophysiology of diabetes on the lymphatic system. It underscores the effectiveness of our therapeutic regimen in the context of other treatment regimen effectiveness. Finally, it highlights novel advances into the diagnosis and treatment of the disease.OA publication support through Carolina Consortium agreement with Sag

Decay rates of faecal indicator bacteria from sewage and ovine faeces in brackish and freshwater microcosms with contrasting suspended particulate matter concentrations

AbstractTo safeguard human health, legislative measures require the monitoring of faecal indicator bacteria (FIB) concentrations in recreational and shellfish waters. Consequently, numerous studies have focussed on FIB survival in the water column and more recently in estuarine sediments. However, there is a paucity of information regarding the influence of contrasting suspended particulate matter (SPM) concentrations on the survival of FIB in the water column of estuaries. Here, microcosms containing freshwater or brackish water with low, high and extreme SPM concentrations were inoculated with sewage and ovine faeces and the decay rate of Escherichia coli, coliforms and enterococci were determined by enumeration over five consecutive days. E. coli derived from ovine faeces proliferated and persisted at high levels in both freshwater and brackish microcosms (no decay), whereas ovine enterococci demonstrated a net decay over the duration of the experiment. Furthermore, SPM concentration had a significant effect on the decay rates of both E. coli and enterococci from ovine faeces in brackish microcosms, but decay rate was greater at low SPM concentrations for E. coli, whereas the opposite was observed for enterococci, whose decay rates increased as SPM concentration increased. E. coli, enterococci and coliforms derived from wastewater demonstrated a net decay in both freshwater and brackish microcosms, with contrasting effects of SPM concentration on decay rate. In addition, some FIB groups demonstrated contrasting responses (decay or proliferation) in the first 24h following inoculation into freshwater versus brackish microcosms. Overall, SPM concentrations influenced the proliferation and decay rates of FIB in brackish waters, but had minimal influence in freshwater. These results demonstrate that the survival rates of FIB in aquatic environments are system specific, species and source dependent, and influenced by SPM concentration. This study has important implications for catchment-based risk assessments and source apportionment of FIB pollution in aquatic environments

Management of health risks associated with oysters harvested from a norovirus contaminated area, Ireland, February–March 2010

Copyright © 2010 B. Doré et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Peer reviewed.Oysters from a harvesting area responsible for outbreaks of gastroenteritis were relaid at a clean seawater site and subsequently depurated in tanks of purified seawater at elevated temperatures. This combined treatment reduced norovirus levels to those detected prior to the outbreak. On the basis of norovirus monitoring the sale of treated oysters was permitted although the harvest area remained closed for direct sale of oysters. No reports of illness have been associated with the consumption of treated oysters

Field-Reassortment of Bluetongue Virus Illustrates Plasticity of Virus Associated Phenotypic Traits in the Arthropod Vector and Mammalian Host In Vivo

Reassortment between virus strains can lead to major shifts in the transmission parameters and virulence of segmented RNA viruses, with consequences for spread, persistence, and impact. The ability of these pathogens to adapt rapidly to their environment through this mechanism presents a major challenge in defining the conditions under which emergence can occur

The interaction of human microbial pathogens, particulate material and nutrients in estuarine environments and their impacts on recreational and shellfish waters

Anthropogenic activities have increased the load of faecal bacteria, pathogenic viruses and nutrients in rivers, estuaries and coastal areas through point and diffuse sources such as sewage discharges and agricultural runoff. These areas are used by humans for both commercial and recreational activities and are therefore protected by a range of European Directives. If water quality declines in these zones, significant economic losses can occur. Identifying the sources of pollution, however, is notoriously difficult due to the ephemeral nature of discharges, their diffuse source, and uncertainties associated with transport and transformation of the pollutants through the freshwater–marine interface. Further, significant interaction between nutrients, microorganisms and particulates can occur in the water column making prediction of the fate and potential infectivity of human pathogenic organisms difficult to ascertain. This interaction is most prevalent in estuarine environments due to the formation of flocs (suspended sediment) at the marine-freshwater interface. A range of physical, chemical and biological processes can induce the co-flocculation of microorganisms, organic matter and mineral particles resulting in pathogenic organisms becoming potentially protected from a range of biotic (e.g. predation) and abiotic stresses (e.g. UV, salinity). These flocs contain and retain macro- and micro- nutrients allowing the potential survival, growth and transfer of pathogenic organisms to commercially sensitive areas (e.g. beaches, shellfish harvesting waters). The flocs can either be transported directly to the coastal environment or can become deposited in the estuary forming cohesive sediments where pathogens can survive for long periods. Especially in response to storms, these sediments can be subsequently remobilised releasing pulses of potential pathogenic organisms back into the water column leading to contamination of marine waters long after the initial contamination event occurred. Further work, however, is still required to understand and predict the potential human infectivity of pathogenic organisms alongside the better design of early warning systems and surveillance measures for risk assessment purposes

Characterisation of norovirus contamination in an Irish shellfishery using real-time RT-qPCR and sequencing analysis

Copyright © 2012 Rajko-Nenow et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Peer reviewedNorovirus (NoV) is the single most important agent of foodborne viral gastroenteritis worldwide. Bivalve shellfish, such as oysters, grown in areas contaminated with human faecal waste may become contaminated with human pathogens including NoV. A study was undertaken to investigate NoV contamination in oysters (Crassostrea gigas) from a shellfishery over a 24 month period from October 2007 to September 2009. Oyster samples were collected monthly from a commercial shellfish harvest area classified as category B under EU regulations, but that had had been closed for commercial harvesting due to its previous association with NoV outbreaks. Real-time reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to determine the concentration of human NoV genogroups I and II (GI and GII) in monthly samples. Total NoV (GI and GII) concentrations in NoV positive oysters ranged from 97 to 20,080 genome copies g− 1 of digestive tissue and displayed a strong seasonal trend with greater concentrations occurring during the winter months. While NoV GII concentrations detected in oysters during both years were similar, NoV GI concentrations were significantly greater in oysters during the winter of 2008/09 than during the winter of 2007/08. To examine the NoV genotypes present in oyster samples, sequence analysis of nested RT-PCR products was undertaken. Although NoV GII.4 is responsible for the vast majority of reports of outbreaks in the community, multiple NoV genotypes were identified in oysters during this study: GI.4, GI.3, GI.2, GII.4, GII.b, GII.2, GII.12, and GII.e. NoV GI.4 was the most frequently detected genotype throughout the study period and was detected in 88.9% of positive samples, this was followed by GII.4 (43.7%) and GII.b (37.5%). This data demonstrates the diversity of NoV genotypes that can be present in sewage contaminated shellfish and that a disproportionate number of non-NoV GII.4 genotypes can be found in environmental samples compared to the number of recorded human infections associated with non-NoV GII.4 genotypes