Feasibility investigation of integrated optics Fourier transform devices

The possibility of producing an integrated optics data processing device based upon Fourier transformations or other parallel processing techniques, and the ways in which such techniques may be used to upgrade the performance of present and projected NASA systems were investigated. Activities toward this goal include; (1) production of near-diffraction-limited geodesic lenses in glass waveguides; (2) development of grinding and polishing techniques for the production of geodesic lenses in LiNbO3 waveguides; (3) development of a characterization technique for waveguide lenses; and (4) development of a theory for corrected aspheric geodesic lenses. A holographic subtraction system was devised which should be capable of rapid on-board preprocessing of a large number of parallel data channels. The principle involved is validated in three demonstrations

An investigation for the development of an integrated optical data preprocessor

The successful fabrication and demonstration of an integrated optical circuit designed to perform a parallel processing operation by utilizing holographic subtraction to simultaneously compare N analog signal voltages with N predetermined reference voltages is summarized. The device alleviates transmission, storage and processing loads of satellite data systems by performing, at the sensor site, some preprocessing of data taken by remote sensors. Major accomplishments in the fabrication of integrated optics components include: (1) fabrication of the first LiNbO3 waveguide geodesic lens; (2) development of techniques for polishing TIR mirrors on LiNbO3 waveguides; (3) fabrication of high efficiency metal-over-photoresist gratings for waveguide beam splitters; (4) demonstration of high S/N holographic subtraction using waveguide holograms; and (5) development of alignment techniques for fabrication of integrated optics circuits. Important developments made in integrated optics are the discovery and suggested use of holographic self-subtraction in LiNbO3, development of a mathematical description of the operating modes of the preprocessor, and the development of theories for diffraction efficiency and beam quality of two dimensional beam defined gratings

Final design proposal: Delta Group-Nood Rider 821(tm)

The Nood Rider 821 (trademark) twin-engine, prop passenger aircraft is described. It is argued that the aircraft is very economical to operate and maintain, offering competitive advantages in the air travel marketplace. The aircraft was designed to operate in 'Aeroworld', a fictional world where the passengers are ping pong balls and the distances between cites are on the order of thousands of feet

The malleability of stigmatizing attitudes: Combining imagined social contact with implicit attitude feedback

© 2016, Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. Research is reported that examines whether imagined social contact combined with implicit attitude feedback may be an effective intervention for inducing changes in attitudes toward mental ill health. The Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure (IRAP) captured participants’ implicit attitudes toward individuals with a mental illness and provided a measure of attitude bias. Forty-eight participants (17 male, 95.8% White British) were randomly assigned to one of four experimental conditions: (1) Imagined social contact with implicit attitude feedback, (2) imagined social contact without feedback, (3) control with feedback, and (4) control without feedback. This resulted in a data set detailing 12,288 implicit responses, with each participant completing 256 IRAP trials. Participants then completed an attitude change assessment 24 hours later. Results revealed that imagined social contact was successful in changing implicit attitudes, with the addition of implicit attitude feedback further strengthening participants’ positive attitudes toward mental ill health. Explicit attitudes remained unaffected. These findings are the first to highlight the practical importance of combining imagined social contact with implicit attitude feedback to improve attitudes toward out-groups who are stigmatized

State-of-the-art barium examination in opportunistic esophagitis

This report presents a comparison of state-of-the-art esophagography and endoscopy in the diagnosis of pathologically proven esophagitis. The modern multiphasic esophagogram is shown to have a sensitivity of 92% for the detection of opportunistic esophagitis in the immunocompromised patient. State-of-the-art esophagography provides a sensitive and inexpensive method for investigating patients in whom opportunistic esophagitis is suspected and for monitoring their response to therapy.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/44397/1/10620_2005_Article_BF01296517.pd

Blood Interferon Signatures Putatively Link Lack of Protection Conferred by the RTS,S Recombinant Malaria Vaccine to an Antigen-specific IgE Response

Malaria remains a major cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Progress has been made in recent years with the development of vaccines that could pave the way towards protection of hundreds of millions of exposed individuals. Here we used a modular repertoire approach to re-analyze a publically available microarray blood transcriptome dataset monitoring the response to malaria vaccination. We report the seminal identification of interferon signatures in the blood of subjects on days 1, 3 and 14 following administration of the third dose of the RTS,S recombinant malaria vaccine. These signatures at day 1 correlate with protection, and at days 3 and 14 to susceptibility to subsequent challenge of study subjects with live parasites. In addition we putatively link the decreased abundance of interferon-inducible transcripts observed at days 3 and 14 post-vaccination with the elicitation of an antigen-specific IgE response in a subset of vaccine recipients that failed to be protected by the RTS,S vaccine. Furthermore, profiling of antigen-specific levels of IgE in a Mozambican cohort of malaria-exposed children vaccinated with RTS,S identified an association between elevated baseline IgE levels and subsequent development of naturally acquired malaria infection during follow up. Taken together these findings warrant further investigation of the role of antigen-specific IgE in conferring susceptibility to malaria infection

Determinations of Levels of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 RNA in Plasma: Reassessment of Parameters Affecting Assay Outcome

Appropriate interpretation of HIV-1 RNA levels requires an understanding of differences in test results due to multiple factors, which include assay and biological variation as well as specimen-handling conditions. Multiple investigations with diverse patient populations and assays have suggested that the contributions of technical and biological variations to RNA levels were quite consistent and predictable and in the range of 0.3 to 0.6 log10 RNA copies/ml. To date, all of the studies that have assessed variations in the levels of HIV-1 RNA measured have been limited primarily to isolates of the B clade; thus, what is lacking is knowledge of the degree to which the clade subtype influences assay variation and whether the biological variation observed with the clade B subtype is consistent for other clades. The major finding from the workshop was the unexpected stability of the HIV-1 RNA collected and stored under a variety of specimen handling conditions. HIV-1 RNA was shown to be relatively stable in whole blood, plasma, and serum, with the greatest stability being in plasma. Separated plasma was found to have stable titers even after storage at room temperature for 24 to 48 h and repeated freeze-thaw cycles. Within the constraints of the studies described here, the potential differences in RNA levels due to various specimen- handling conditions were not large (10 to 20% due to the anticoagulant type used in the collection tube [30 to 80% if serum rather than plasma is used], 10 to 30% due to time at RT prior to processing within 24 h, 30 to 80% due to the use of a storage temperature of -20 or -80°C). Thus, the anticipated RNA levels for nonideally collected and processed plasma specimens may be only about 130% (0.11 log10) less than those for plasma specimens collected and processed ideally (assuming that these differences are additive). This 130% difference is relatively small compared to the potential total average standard deviation of up to about 400% or 0.6 log10 RNA copies/ml due to intra- and interassay (both 0.1 to 0.2 log10) and biological (0.1 to 0.2 log10) RNA copies/ml factors. On the basis of these findings, workshop participants concluded that retrospective studies, including those which have used sera or heparinized samples, should show biological comparability to studies performed under ideal conditions, and thus both retrospective and prospective studies are useful in providing an understanding of the role of HIV-1 RNA levels in blood in transmission and disease progression. However, for prospectively designed studies, workshop participants recommended that blood for quantitative HIV-1 RNA testing ideally be collected in tubes containing EDTA, processed within 6 h of collection (but up to 24 h is still acceptable), and then stored at -80°C until assayed. Novel methodological approaches which could be useful in diagnosing and quantitating viral load in developing countries were also described, i.e., the use of DPSs, or in other body fluids such as cervical-vaginal secretions, i.e., sno-strip wicks. Finally, workshop participants determined what laboratory evaluations, including assays of HIV-1 RNA levels, with blood samples should be a priority in pediatric cohort studies while acknowledging that this ultimately depends on the study question being asked. Recommendations concerning specimen handling were then developed for international and domestic studies that use assays for detection of HIV-1 RNA. The findings reported herein underscore the continued need for the exchange of information among investigation and industry with the aim of elucidating the technological parameters that influence the assays used to evaluate HIV-1 disease and therapeutic interventions. Only by understanding the factors that affect assay outcome can we appropriately discern their value and use in clinical studies and for patient management

Recommendations for Enhancing Psychosocial Support of NICU Parents through Staff Education and Support

Providing psychosocial support to parents whose infants are hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) can improve parents’ functioning as well as their relationships with their babies. Yet, few NICUs offer staff education that teaches optimal methods of communication with parents in distress. Limited staff education in how to best provide psychosocial support to families is one factor that may render those who work in the NICU at risk for burnout, compassion fatigue and secondary traumatic stress syndrome. Staff who develop burnout may have further reduced ability to provide effective support to parents and babies. Recommendations for providing NICU staff with education and support are discussed. The goal is to deliver care that exemplifies the belief that providing psychosocial care and support to the family is equal in importance to providing medical care and developmental support to the baby