Crummer/Suntrust Portfolio: Analysis and Recommendations [2010]

The team believes that a market-weighted portfolio is the most appropriate strategy for the Crummer/ SunTrust Endowment in the coming year. This is not the time for a more aggressive position because there still are monsters in the market’s closet capable of sending us back into the abyss. This economic and market outlook explains their reasoning

Diurnal and Seasonal Solar Induced Chlorophyll Fluorescence and Photosynthesis in a Boreal Scots Pine Canopy

Solar induced chlorophyll fluorescence has been shown to be increasingly an useful proxy for the estimation of gross primary productivity (GPP), at a range of spatial scales. Here, we explore the seasonality in a continuous time series of canopy solar induced fluorescence (hereafter SiF) and its relation to canopy gross primary production (GPP), canopy light use efficiency (LUE), and direct estimates of leaf level photochemical efficiency in an evergreen canopy. SiF was calculated using infilling in two bands from the incoming and reflected radiance using a pair of Ocean Optics USB2000+ spectrometers operated in a dual field of view mode, sampling at a 30 min time step using custom written automated software, from early spring through until autumn in 2011. The optical system was mounted on a tower of 18 m height adjacent to an eddy covariance system, to observe a boreal forest ecosystem dominated by Scots pine. (Pinus sylvestris) A Walz MONITORING-PAM, multi fluorimeter system, was simultaneously mounted within the canopy adjacent to the footprint sampled by the optical system. Following correction of the SiF data for O2 and structural effects, SiF, SiF yield, LUE, the photochemicsl reflectance index (PRI), and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) exhibited a seasonal pattern that followed GPP sampled by the eddy covariance system. Due to the complexities of solar azimuth and zenith angle (SZA) over the season on the SiF signal, correlations between SiF, SiF yield, GPP, and LUE were assessed on SZ

Influence of laser polarization on collective electron dynamics in ultraintense laser-foil interactions

The collective response of electrons in an ultrathin foil target irradiated by an ultraintense laser pulse is investigated experimentally and via 3D particle-in-cell simulations. It is shown that if the target is sufficiently thin that the laser induces significant radiation pressure, but not thin enough to become relativistically transparent to the laser light, the resulting relativistic electron beam is elliptical, with the major axis of the ellipse directed along the laser polarization axis. When the target thickness is decreased such that it becomes relativistically transparent early in the interaction with the laser pulse, diffraction of the transmitted laser light occurs through a so called 'relativistic plasma aperture', inducing structure in the spatial-intensity profile of the beam of energetic electrons. It is shown that the electron beam profile can be modified by variation of the target thickness and degree of ellipticity in the laser polarization

Towards optical polarization control of laser-driven proton acceleration in foils undergoing relativistic transparency

Control of the collective response of plasma particles to intense laser light is intrinsic to relativistic optics, the development of compact laser-driven particle and radiation sources, as well as investigations of some laboratory astrophysics phenomena. We recently demonstrated that a relativistic plasma aperture produced in an ultra-thin foil at the focus of intense laser radiation can induce diffraction, enabling polarization-based control of the collective motion of plasma electrons. Here we show that under these conditions the electron dynamics are mapped into the beam of protons accelerated via strong charge-separation-induced electrostatic fields. It is demonstrated experimentally and numerically via 3D particle-in-cell simulations that the degree of ellipticity of the laser polarization strongly influences the spatial-intensity distribution of the beam of multi-MeV protons. The influence on both sheath accelerated and radiation pressure accelerated protons is investigated. This approach opens up new routes to control laser-driven ion sources

Effectiveness of a smartphone app in increasing physical activity amongst male adults: a randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Smartphones are ideal for promoting physical activity in those with little intrinsic motivation for exercise. This study tested three hypotheses: H1 - receipt of social feedback generates higher step-counts than receipt of no feedback; H2 - receipt of social feedback generates higher step-counts than only receiving feedback on one's own walking; H3 - receipt of feedback on one's own walking generates higher step-counts than no feedback (H3). METHODS: A parallel group randomised controlled trial measured the impact of feedback on steps-counts. Healthy male participants (n = 165) aged 18-40 were given phones pre-installed with an app that recorded steps continuously, without the need for user activation. Participants carried these with them as their main phones for a two-week run-in and six-week trial. Randomisation was to three groups: no feedback (control); personal feedback on step-counts; group feedback comparing step-counts against those taken by others in their group. The primary outcome measure, steps per day, was assessed using longitudinal multilevel regression analysis. Control variables included attitude to physical activity and perceived barriers to physical activity. RESULTS: Fifty-five participants were allocated to each group; 152 completed the study and were included in the analysis: n = 49, no feedback; n = 53, individual feedback; n = 50, individual and social feedback. The study provided support for H1 and H3 but not H2. Receipt of either form of feedback explained 7.7 % of between-subject variability in step-count (F = 6.626, p < 0.0005). Compared to the control, the expected step-count for the individual feedback group was 60 % higher (effect on log step-count = 0.474, 95 % CI = 0.166-0.782) and that for the social feedback group, 69 % higher (effect on log step-count = 0.526, 95 % CI = 0.212-0.840). The difference between the two feedback groups (individual vs social feedback) was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Always-on smartphone apps that provide step-counts can increase physical activity in young to early-middle-aged men but the provision of social feedback has no apparent incremental impact. This approach may be particularly suitable for inactive people with low levels of physical activity; it should now be tested with this population

Dual Radiance Standards Can Minimise Calibration Uncertainty in the SWIR Region

The benefit of using integrating spheres to generate a highly uniform radiance or luminance sources for the calibration of sensors and cameras has been well documented and is established practice by many calibration laboratories and instrument manufacturers. However, the spectral radiance in the absorption features of the SWIR region of an integrating sphere source are generally not characterised with sufficient detail for hyper-spectral calibration across these features resulting in large uncertainties. In addition the spectral width and depth of these features is dependent on the specification of the national or traceable laboratory’s instrumentation and may differ significantly from the hyperspectral camera. Generating a radiance source form an irradiance standard and reflectance panel produces has a more predictable spectrum with shallower features in the SWIR region. By combining the two calibration techniques the uncertainty in SWIR region can be reduced whilst maintaining the uniformity attributes of an integrating spheres source

Correlation Study of Specfic Gravity Between IRIS, iCHEM100 Automated Urinalysis Systems

Urine specific gravity is used to measure the solute concentration and inversely the hydration status of the patient. Most specific gravity (SG) measurements are done using dipstick strips. These strips are currently analyzed using automated systems such as the IRIS and the iCHEM100. Though the instruments are essentially the same, there is always variability in the instruments that must be assessed before measurements can be reported out to physicians. The IRIS is the instrument of choice at Spectrum Health; however when urine samples are of low volume the iCHEM 100 must be used. The purpose of this study is therefore to demonstrate that the iCHEM100 has comparable results to the IRIS automated urine system when reading urine dipsticks. Through the analysis of 100 random urine specimens less than 48hrs old we intend to show that the iCHEM 100 a valid platform for urine SG measurements

Calibration of Chaff: Cubesat Hyperspectral Application for Farming

CubeSats are currently gaining significant traction in Earth Observation, with increasingly advanced instrumentation such as hyperspectral imaging. However, the challenges of bringing such instrumentation to CubeSats are great; the platform suffers from severe physical, operational and budgetary constraints. Adopting a holistic design methodology may hold the key to allowing science-grade Earth Observation to be achieved from a CubeSat. Presented here is CHAFF (CubeSat Hyperspectral Application For Farming), a low-cost hyperspectral imager prototype, capable of taking 1024 spectral bands between 460 nm - 820 nm. CHAFF has been constructed using commercial off-the-shelf optics, in order to produce a design commensurate with the typical resources of a university CubeSat mission. CHAFF has been calibrated at the National Physical Laboratory, in order to assess the performance of the COTS optics. An impressive spectral resolution of 3.46 nm at 546 nm has been achieved, and 74.95% of CHAFF's pixels exhibit a linearity deviation of < 2%

A Pilot Study Evaluating the Feasibility of Monitoring Oral Anticoagulant Therapy with Point-of-Care Testing in a Community Pharmacy

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the quality of oral anticoagulant monitoring by means of point-of-care testing in a community pharmacy, performed under the supervision of staff in a specialized hospital oral anticoagulation clinic.Methods: Participants consisted of patients receiving long-term warfarin therapy who were expected to require treatment for at least 3 months and who were patients of the hospital anticoagulation clinic or customers of the designated community pharmacy. The primary endpoint was the proportion of time for which international normalized ratio (INR) was within the expanded therapeutic range (within 0.2 INR units above or below the target therapeutic range) for 2 groups: patients who were managed through the community pharmacy and historical controls, whose treatment had been managed through oral anticoagulation clinics. Rates of thromboembolic and major hemorrhagic events and of patient satisfaction in the 2 groups were determined.Results: Nineteen patients were enrolled in this study and had their warfarin therapy managed by community pharmacists. The INR level was within the expanded therapeutic range 84% of the time (95% confidence interval [CI] 75% to 93%) for these patients and 82% of the time (95% CI 78% to 85%) for the historical controls managed through oral anticoagulation clinics (p = 0.58). No thromboembolic or bleeding events occurred in any of the 19 study participants. There was no difference between the groups in responses on patient satisfaction questionnaires.Conclusions: Community pharmacists using point-of-care testing under the supervision of staff in a hospital oral anticoagulation clinic provided warfarin management that was similar to warfarin management for historical controls attending oral anticoagulation clinics. The development of satellite anticoagulation clinics in community pharmacies may lead to a more individualized approach to therapy and eliminate the inconvenience of INR testing in hospital laboratories. Further studies of longer duration are required to determine whether community pharmacy management improves patient outcomes and is cost-effective.RÉSUMÉ Objectif : Évaluer la qualité de la surveillance de l’anticoagulothérapie orale dans une pharmacie communautaire au moyen d’épreuves effectuées au point d’intervention et sous la supervision du personnel de la clinique d’anticoagulothérapie orale d’un hôpital.Méthodes : Les participants étaient des patients soit de la clinique d’anticoagulothérapie de l’hôpital, soit des clients de la pharmacie communautaire désignée et devaient recevoir un traitement prolongé à la warfarine d’une durée d’au moins trois mois. Le critère d’évaluation primaire était le nombre de fois, exprimé en pourcentage, où le rapport international normalisé (RIN) était à l’intérieur des limites de l’écart thérapeutique élargi (RIN supérieur ou inférieur de 0,2 unité à l’écart thérapeutique visé) dans deux groupes : un groupe de patients qui ont été pris en charge par la pharmacie communautaire et un groupe témoin historique dont le traitement avait été pris en charge par des cliniques d’anticoagulothérapie orale. On a déterminé les taux de thromboembolie et d’hémorragies graves ainsi que la satisfaction des patients dans les deux groupes.Résultats : Dix-neuf patients, dont l’anticoagulothérapie a été prise en charge par des pharmaciens communautaires, ont participé à cette étude. Le RIN de ces patients était à l’intérieur de l’écart thérapeutique élargi 84 % du temps (intervalle de confiance [IC] à 95 % de 75 % à 93 %), alors que chez les patients du groupe témoin historique pris en charge par le personnel de cliniques d’anticoagulothérapie orale, il l’était 82 % du temps (IC à 95 % de 78 % à 85 %) (p = 0,58). Aucune thromboembolie ni hémorragie n’est survenue chez aucun des 19 participants à l’étude. On n’a observé aucune différence dans les réponses aux questions sur la satisfaction entre les deux groupes.Conclusions : La prise en charge du traitement à la warfarine par des pharmaciens communautaires ayant recours aux épreuves au point d’intervention sous la supervision du personnel de la clinique d’anticoagulothérapie orale d’un hôpital était équivalente à la prise en charge de ce traitement par des cliniques d’anticoagulothérapie orale. La mise en place de cliniques d’anticoagulothérapie satellites dans des pharmacies communautaires pourrait contribuer à personnaliser davantage le traitement et à éliminer les visites incommodes dans les laboratoires des hôpitaux pour la détermination du RIN. D’autres études à plus long terme sont nécessaires afin de déterminer si la prise en charge par les pharmacies communautaires améliore les résultats thérapeutiques et est efficiente