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Supported by institutional funding at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyber (UTHCT)., Rationale: The clinical features and outcome of macrolide-resistant Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) lung disease are not known. Objectives: Characterize patients, treatment, and isolates in macrolide-resistant MAC lung disease. Methods: Retrospective chart review, susceptibility testing, molecular fingerprinting, and DNA sequence analyses of resistant MAC isolates. Measurements and main results: We identified 51 patients over a 15-yr period with clarithromycin-resistant MAC (minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC)>or=32 microg/ml) lung disease at a single referral center. Twenty-four (47%) patients had nodular disease with bronchiectasis and 27 (53%) had upper lobe cavitary disease. Most patients (77%) had M. intracellulare. Sequencing of the 23S r-RNA gene showed 49 of 51 isolates (96%) with the expected mutation in adenine 2058 or 2059. Risk factors for resistance included macrolide monotherapy or combination with a quinolone only (39/51 or 76%). Macrolide resistance developed in 12 of 303 (4.0%) patients started on the American Thoracic Society-recommended two companion drugs, with no risk difference in clarithromycin versus azithromycin and daily versus intermittent therapy. Sputum conversion with macrolide-resistant MAC occurred in 11 of 14 (79%) patients who received more than 6 mo of injectable aminoglycoside therapy and lung resection, compared with 2 of 37 (5%) who did not. The 1-yr mortality in patients who remained culture positive was 34% (13/38) compared with 0% (0/13) of patients who became culture negative (converted). Conclusions: Macrolide resistance rarely occurs in patients also receiving ethambutol and a rifamycin. Macrolide-resistant MAC lung disease requires aggressive drug and surgical therapy for cure., Depto. de Sanidad Animal, Fac. de Veterinaria, TRUE, pub

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Attention to environmental sources of Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection is a vital component of disease prevention and control. We investigated MAC colonization of household plumbing in suburban Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. We used variable-number tandemrepeat genotyping and whole-genome sequencing with core genome single-nucleotide variant analysis to compare M. avium from household plumbing biofilms with M. avium isolates from patient respiratory specimens. M. avium was recovered from 30 (81.1%) of 37 households, including 19 (90.5%) of 21 M. avium patient households. For 11 (52.4%) of 21 patients with M. avium disease, isolates recovered from their respiratory and household samples were of the same genotype. Within the same community, 18 (85.7%) of 21 M. avium respiratory isolates genotypically matched household plumbing isolates. Six predominant genotypes were recovered across multiple households and respiratory specimens. M. avium colonizing municipal water and household plumbing may be a substantial source of MAC pulmonary infection.

Attention to environmental sources of Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection is a vital component of disease prevention and control. We investigated MAC colonization of household plumbing in suburban Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. We used variable-number tandemrepeat genotyping and whole-genome sequencing with core genome single-nucleotide variant analysis to compare M. avium from household plumbing biofilms with M. avium isolates from patient respiratory specimens. M. avium was recovered from 30 (81.1%) of 37 households, including 19 (90.5%) of 21 M. avium patient households. For 11 (52.4%) of 21 patients with M. avium disease, isolates recovered from their respiratory and household samples were of the same genotype. Within the same community, 18 (85.7%) of 21 M. avium respiratory isolates genotypically matched household plumbing isolates. Six predominant genotypes were recovered across multiple households and respiratory specimens. M. avium colonizing municipal water and household plumbing may be a substantial source of MAC pulmonary infection.

Objectives: This multi-center study’s aim was to assess the performance of two commercially-available matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) systems in identifying a challenge collection of clinically-relevant nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). Methods: NTM clinical isolates (N=244) belonging to 23 species/subspecies were identified by gene sequencing and analyzed using the Bruker Biotyper with Mycobacterial Library v5.0.0 and the bioMérieux VITEK MS with v3.0 database. Results: Using the Bruker or bioMérieux systems, 92% or 95% of NTM strains, respectively, were identified at least to the complex/group level; 62% and 57%, respectively, were identified to the highest taxonomic level. Differentiation between members of the M. abscessus, M. fortuitum, M. mucogenicum, M. avium, and M. terrae complexes/groups was problematic for both systems, as was identification of M. chelonae for the Bruker system. Conclusions: Both systems identified most NTM isolates to the group/complex level, and many to the highest taxonomic level. Performance was comparable.

Los sistemas de computaci on de altas prestaciones se componen de una simple m aquina, de un cl uster o de recursos cloud que requieren una reescritura total del c odigo para tratar estos entornos como una plataforma de computaci on homog enea, incluso cuando estos sistemas est an compuestos t picamente de elementos de computaci on heterog eneos. Estos sistemas agregados dependen de un software de gesti on cuidadosamente controlado, complejo y distribuido, o de unidades de control hardware. El desarrollo de sistemas para la computaci on de altas prestaciones nos muestra que la diferencia entre hardware y software es bastante difusa. El incremento de la demanda de prestaciones va acompa~nado de una creciente necesidad de explotar todos los elementos de computaci on que son CPUs, GPUs, as como otros sistemas multicore en chip. Los sistemas de computaci on m as populares est an basados en procesadores multicore con coherencia en la cache. Las herramientas convencionales usadas para el software concurrente y paralelo para dichos sistemas multicore est an basados en abstracciones de bloqueo y monitorizaci on, desarrolladas para dise~nar sistemas operativos, no siendo adecuadas para los desarrolladores de aplicaciones paralelas. En vez de componer varios elementos que asemejan a CPUs est andar, una mejor estrategia desde el punto de vista de la latencia y el consumo de energ a, ser a usar una colecci on variada de elementos de proceso optimizados para realizar diferentes tipos de c alculos y comunicaci on. Estos sistemas combinados son conocidos como arquitecturas de sistemas heterog eneos. Los desarrolladores se apoyan en pragmas de nidos por el lenguaje de programaci on, librer as de comunicaci on entre procesos, directivas de compilaci on, y directivas de carga-enlazado para controlar la ejecuci on de programas en el procesador apropiado, mediante unos ciclos de optimizaci on que permiten reducir la latencia..., High performance computing systems are constructed from single system, cluster, or cloud resources that require writing software to treat these resources as a homogeneous compute platform although these systems are typically composed of heterogeneous computing elements. These aggregated systems depend on carefully controlled, complex, distributed management software or hardware control units. System development for high performing computing systems shows that the distinction between hardware and software is blurred. With increasing performance expectations there is an increasing need to exploit all computing elements (CE) that are CPUs, GPUs, and other multicore systems on chip (SoC). Mainstream computing architectures are based on cache-coherent multicore processors and conventional tools used for concurrent and parallel software for such multicore systems are largely based on lock and monitor abstractions developed for writing operating systems, which are not the right tools for parallel application developers. Rather than composing many elements that look like regular CPUs, a better approach, from a latency and energy-consumption perspective, is to use a diverse collection of processing elements working in concert and \tuned" to perform di erent types of computation and communication. These combined systems are produced as heterogeneous system architectures (HSA). As such, developers rely on source language pragmas, inter-process communication libraries, compiler directives, and link-loader directives to control programs executed on the appropriate computational processor performing empirical, manual tuning cycles for system for latency reduction...

The effectiveness of a statistical machine translation system (SMT) is very dependent upon the amount of parallel corpus used in the training phase. For low-resource language pairs there are not enough parallel corpora to build an accurate SMT. In this paper, a novel approach is presented to extract bilingual Persian-Italian parallel sentences from a non-parallel (comparable) corpus. In this study, English is used as the pivot language to compute the matching scores between source and target sentences and candidate selection phase. Additionally, a new monolingual sentence similarity metric, Normalized Google Distance (NGD) is proposed to improve the matching process. Moreover, some extensions of the baseline system are applied to improve the quality of extracted sentences measured with BLEU. Experimental results show that using the new pivot based extraction can increase the quality of bilingual corpus significantly and consequently improves the performance of the Persian-Italian SMT system., Comment: 30 pages, Accepted to be published in "Applications of Comparable Corpora", Berlin: Language Science Press

Many real life problems that can be modeled as Constraint Satisfaction Problems (CSPs) come from uncertain and dynamic environments, so the original solution found might become invalid after changes. Here, we study the problem of finding robust solutions for CSPs under the assumptions that domains are significantly ordered and that changes take the form of restrictions or relaxations at the borders of the solution space of the CSPs.

Los sistemas de computaci on de altas prestaciones se componen de una simple m aquina, de un cl uster o de recursos cloud que requieren una reescritura total del c odigo para tratar estos entornos como una plataforma de computaci on homog enea, incluso cuando estos sistemas est an compuestos t picamente de elementos de computaci on heterog eneos. Estos sistemas agregados dependen de un software de gesti on cuidadosamente controlado, complejo y distribuido, o de unidades de control hardware. El desarrollo de sistemas para la computaci on de altas prestaciones nos muestra que la diferencia entre hardware y software es bastante difusa. El incremento de la demanda de prestaciones va acompa~nado de una creciente necesidad de explotar todos los elementos de computaci on que son CPUs, GPUs, as como otros sistemas multicore en chip. Los sistemas de computaci on m as populares est an basados en procesadores multicore con coherencia en la cache. Las herramientas convencionales usadas para el software concurrente y paralelo para dichos sistemas multicore est an basados en abstracciones de bloqueo y monitorizaci on, desarrolladas para dise~nar sistemas operativos, no siendo adecuadas para los desarrolladores de aplicaciones paralelas. En vez de componer varios elementos que asemejan a CPUs est andar, una mejor estrategia desde el punto de vista de la latencia y el consumo de energ a, ser a usar una colecci on variada de elementos de proceso optimizados para realizar diferentes tipos de c alculos y comunicaci on. Estos sistemas combinados son conocidos como arquitecturas de sistemas heterog eneos. Los desarrolladores se apoyan en pragmas de nidos por el lenguaje de programaci on, librer as de comunicaci on entre procesos, directivas de compilaci on, y directivas de carga-enlazado para controlar la ejecuci on de programas en el procesador apropiado, mediante unos ciclos de optimizaci on que permiten reducir la latencia...

A major unresolved issue in the cloning of mammals by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) is the mechanism by which the process fails after embryos are transferred to the uterus of recipients before or during the implantation window. We investigated this problem by using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to compare the transcriptomes in cattle conceptuses produced by SCNT and artificial insemination (AI) at day (d) 18 (preimplantation) and d 34 (postimplantation) of gestation. In addition, endometrium was profiled to identify the communication pathways that might be affected by the presence of a cloned conceptus, ultimately leading to mortality before or during the implantation window. At d 18, the effects on the transcriptome associated with SCNT were massive, involving more than 5,000 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Among them are 121 genes that have embryonic lethal phenotypes in mice, cause defects in trophoblast and placental development, and/or affect conceptus survival in mice. In endometria at d 18, <0.4% of expressed genes were affected by the presence of a cloned conceptus, whereas at d 34, ∼36% and <0.7% of genes were differentially expressed in intercaruncular and caruncular tissues, respectively. Functional analysis of DEGs in placental and endometrial tissues suggests a major disruption of signaling between the cloned conceptus and the endometrium, particularly the intercaruncular tissue. Our results support a "bottleneck" model for cloned conceptus survival during the periimplantation period determined by gene expression levels in extraembryonic tissues and the endometrial response to altered signaling from clones.

Lung disease caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) is an emerging infectious disease of global significance. Epidemiologic studies have shown the Hawaiian Islands have the highest prevalence of NTM lung infections in the United States. However, potential environmental reservoirs and species diversity have not been characterized. In this cross-sectional study, we describe molecular and phylogenetic comparisons of NTM isolated from 172 household plumbing biofilms and soil samples from 62 non-patient households and 15 respiratory specimens. Although non-uniform geographic sampling and availability of patient information were limitations, Mycobacterium chimaera was found to be the dominant species in both environmental and respiratory specimens. In contrast to previous studies from the continental U.S., no Mycobacterium avium was identified. Mycobacterium intracellulare was found only in respiratory specimens and a soil sample. We conclude that Hawai'i's household water sources contain a unique composition of Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), increasing our appreciation of NTM organisms of pulmonary importance in tropical environments.

This work compares object replacement and object presentation as causes of avoidance (new object reaction or neophobia). The movements of wild black rats, Rattus rattus, living in an automated plus maze were recorded (1) after replacing a familiar object (in a familiar place) with a series of novel objects, (2) after presenting a novel object in a familiar place where there had been no object. Replacing one object by another did not delay entry to the maze arm containing it. In contrast, the presence of a new object in a previously empty arm did increase the latency of the first approach (new object reaction), although after the first entry, the rate of visiting the arms and the time spent in them, which are measures of subsequent approach, were unaffected. Hence, this form of neophobic behavior was evoked only by the presence of a new object where none had been before. Differences with earlier reports can be resolved in most cases when attention is paid to the difference between presentation and replacement.

[EN] Many real life problems that can be solved by constraint programming, come from uncertain and dynamic environments. Because of the dynamism, the original problem may change over time, and thus the solution found for the original problem may become invalid. For this reason, dealing with such problems has become an important issue in the fields of constraint programming. In some cases, there is extant knowledge about the uncertain and dynamic environment. In other cases, this information is fragmentary or unknown. In this paper, we extend the concept of robustness and stability for Constraint Satisfaction Problems (CSPs) with ordered domains, where only limited assumptions need to be made as to possible changes. We present a search algorithm that searches for both robust and stable solutions for CSPs of this nature. It is well-known that meeting both criteria simultaneously is a desirable objective for constraint solving in uncertain and dynamic environments. We also present compelling evidence that our search algorithm outperforms other general-purpose algorithms for dynamic CSPs using random instances and benchmarks derived from real life problems.

A cloud-based Mobile Computing Applications Platform (MCAP) for enhanced situational awareness and mobile command and control for first responders is introduced. MCAP is a cloud-enabled platform for defining, developing, and deploying apps on smartphones, tablets, and in-vehicle computers. Unique differentiators of the approach include the use of COTS technologies for mobile computing and wireless networking to create a low-cost and sustainable program. A platform architecture that exposes a set of reusable mobile core services that fosters an eco-system of partners to develop feature-rich and innovative apps is discussed. Core services provide support for location, user profile, notification, authentication, content management, and device management. A public-private collaboration and governance model, an essential element for a healthy eco-system, is outlined. The current status of the MCAP program is presented, including experiences from user trials with several Michigan National Guard units.

Recent studies have shown that respiratory isolates from pulmonary disease patients and household water/biofilm isolates of Mycobacterium avium could be matched by DNA fingerprinting. To determine if this is true for Mycobacterium intracellulare, household water sources for 36 patients with Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) lung disease were evaluated. MAC household water isolates from three published studies that included 37 additional MAC respiratory disease patients were also evaluated. Species identification was done initially using nonsequencing methods with confirmation by internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and/or partial 16S rRNA gene sequencing. M. intracellulare was identified by nonsequencing methods in 54 respiratory cultures and 41 household water/biofilm samples. By ITS sequencing, 49 (90.7%) respiratory isolates were M. intracellulare and 4 (7.4%) were Mycobacterium chimaera. In contrast, 30 (73%) household water samples were M. chimaera, 8 (20%) were other MAC X species (i.e., isolates positive with a MAC probe but negative with species-specific M. avium and M. intracellulare probes), and 3 (7%) were M. avium; none were M. intracellulare. In comparison, M. avium was recovered from 141 water/biofilm samples. These results indicate that M. intracellulare lung disease in the United States is acquired from environmental sources other than household water. Nonsequencing methods for identification of nontuberculous mycobacteria (including those of the MAC) might fail to distinguish closely related species (such as M. intracellulare and M. chimaera). This is the first report of M. chimaera recovery from household water. The study underscores the importance of taxonomy and distinguishing the many species and subspecies of the MAC.

Recent studies have shown that respiratory isolates from pulmonary disease patients and household water/biofilm isolates of Mycobacterium avium could be matched by DNA fingerprinting. To determine if this is true for Mycobacterium intracellulare, household water sources for 36 patients with Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) lung disease were evaluated. MAC household water isolates from three published studies that included 37 additional MAC respiratory disease patients were also evaluated. Species identification was done initially using nonsequencing methods with confirmation by internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and/or partial 16S rRNA gene sequencing. M. intracellulare was identified by nonsequencing methods in 54 respiratory cultures and 41 household water/biofilm samples. By ITS sequencing, 49 (90.7%) respiratory isolates were M. intracellulare and 4 (7.4%) were Mycobacterium chimaera. In contrast, 30 (73%) household water samples were M. chimaera, 8 (20%) were other MAC X species (i.e., isolates positive with a MAC probe but negative with species-specific M. avium and M. intracellulare probes), and 3 (7%) were M. avium; none were M. intracellulare. In comparison, M. avium was recovered from 141 water/biofilm samples. These results indicate that M. intracellulare lung disease in the United States is acquired from environmental sources other than household water. Nonsequencing methods for identification of nontuberculous mycobacteria (including those of the MAC) might fail to distinguish closely related species (such as M. intracellulare and M. chimaera). This is the first report of M. chimaera recovery from household water. The study underscores the importance of taxonomy and distinguishing the many species and subspecies of the MAC.

Constraint programming is a paradigm wherein relations between variables are stated in the form of constraints. Many real life problems come from uncertain and dynamic environments, where the initial constraints and domains may change during its execution. Thus, the solution found for the problem may become invalid. The search forrobustsolutions for constraint satisfaction problems (CSPs) has become an important issue in the ¿eld of constraint programming. In some cases, there exists knowledge about the uncertain and dynamic environment. In other cases, this information is unknown or hard to obtain. In this paper, we consider CSPs with discrete and ordered domains where changes only involve restrictions or expansions of domains or constraints. To this end, we model CSPs as weighted CSPs (WCSPs) by assigning weights to each valid tuple of the problem constraints and domains. The weight of each valid tuple is based on its distance from the borders of the space of valid tuples in the corresponding constraint/domain. This distance is estimated by a new concept introduced in this paper: coverings. Thus, the best solution for the modeled WCSP can be considered as a most robust solution for the original CSP according to these assumptions

Strain comparison is important to population genetics and to evaluate relapses in patients with Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) lung disease, but the "gold standard" of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) is time-consuming and complex. We used variable-number tandem repeats (VNTR) for fingerprinting of respiratory isolates of M. intracellulare from patients with underlying bronchiectasis, to establish a nonsequence-based database for population analysis. Different genotypes identified by PFGE underwent species identification using a 16S rRNA gene multiplex PCR. Genotypes of M. intracellulare were confirmed by internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) sequencing and characterized using seven VNTR primers. The pattern of VNTR amplicon sizes and repeat number defined each specific VNTR type. Forty-two VNTR types were identified among 84 genotypes. PFGE revealed most isolates with the same VNTR type to be clonal or exhibit similar grouping of bands. Repetitive sequence-based PCR (rep-PCR) showed minimal pattern diversity between VNTR types compared to PFGE. Fingerprinting of relapse isolates from 31 treated patients using VNTR combined with 16S multiplex PCR unambiguously and reliably distinguished different genotypes from the same patient, with results comparable to those of PFGE. VNTR for strain comparison is easier and faster than PFGE, is as accurate as PFGE, and does not require sequencing. Starting with a collection of 167 M. intracellulare isolates, VNTR distinguished M. intracellulare into 42 clonal groups. Comparison of isolates from different geographic areas, habitats, and clinical settings is now possible.

Symptoms of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) often persist despite treatment. Because nontuberculous nnycobacteria (NTM) are resistant to commonly used antimicrobial drugs and are found in drinking water that patients may use for sinus irrigation, we investigated whether some CRS patients were infected with NTM in New York, New York, USA, during 2001-2011. Two approaches were chosen: 1) records of NTM-infected CRS patients were reviewed to identify common features of infection and Mycobacterium species; 2) samples from plumbing in households of 8 NTM-infected patients were cultured for NTM presence. In 3 households sampled, M. avium sharing rep-PCR and pulsed field gel electrophoresis fingerprints identified M. avium isolates clonally related to the patients' isolates. We conclude that patients with treatment-resistant CRS may be infected with NTM and should have cultures performed for NTM so appropriate therapy can be instituted. In addition, the results suggest that CRS patients can be infected by NTM in their household plumbing.

http://archive.org/details/theuseofmeteorol1094521112

http://archive.org/details/aneffectofturbul1094519767

Strain comparison is important to population genetics and to evaluate relapses in patients with Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) lung disease, but the "gold standard" of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) is time-consuming and complex. We used variable-number tandem repeats (VNTR) for fingerprinting of respiratory isolates of M. intracellulare from patients with underlying bronchiectasis, to establish a nonsequence-based database for population analysis. Different genotypes identified by PFGE underwent species identification using a 16S rRNA gene multiplex PCR. Genotypes of M. intracellulare were confirmed by internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) sequencing and characterized using seven VNTR primers. The pattern of VNTR amplicon sizes and repeat number defined each specific VNTR type. Forty-two VNTR types were identified among 84 genotypes. PFGE revealed most isolates with the same VNTR type to be clonal or exhibit similar grouping of bands. Repetitive sequence-based PCR (rep-PCR) showed minimal pattern diversity between VNTR types compared to PFGE. Fingerprinting of relapse isolates from 31 treated patients using VNTR combined with 16S multiplex PCR unambiguously and reliably distinguished different genotypes from the same patient, with results comparable to those of PFGE. VNTR for strain comparison is easier and faster than PFGE, is as accurate as PFGE, and does not require sequencing. Starting with a collection of 167 M. intracellulare isolates, VNTR distinguished M. intracellulare into 42 clonal groups. Comparison of isolates from different geographic areas, habitats, and clinical settings is now possible.

Symptoms of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) often persist despite treatment. Because nontuberculous nnycobacteria (NTM) are resistant to commonly used antimicrobial drugs and are found in drinking water that patients may use for sinus irrigation, we investigated whether some CRS patients were infected with NTM in New York, New York, USA, during 2001-2011. Two approaches were chosen: 1) records of NTM-infected CRS patients were reviewed to identify common features of infection and Mycobacterium species; 2) samples from plumbing in households of 8 NTM-infected patients were cultured for NTM presence. In 3 households sampled, M. avium sharing rep-PCR and pulsed field gel electrophoresis fingerprints identified M. avium isolates clonally related to the patients' isolates. We conclude that patients with treatment-resistant CRS may be infected with NTM and should have cultures performed for NTM so appropriate therapy can be instituted. In addition, the results suggest that CRS patients can be infected by NTM in their household plumbing.

An LC resonator (117; 122) for a voltage controlled oscillator (13; 116) has an inductive transmission line 31; 51), and input and output ports (33 a-b; 53 a-b) connected to the transmission line, wherein the transmission line is grounded (G) in at least one end portion thereof. The inductive transmission line has a plurality of connection ports (P) that are capable of being connected to each other or to ground in order to tune the resonance frequency of the LC resonator from one frequency band to another. Further, a trimming capacitor (C) may be interconnected in the transmission line in order to further tune the resonance frequency of the LC resonator. Preferably, the LC resonator is formed as a microstrip or strip line structure in essentially a C or S shape on a laminate substrate (101-103)., QC 20160413

Coaxial plasma accelerators have been the subject of experimental and theoretical analysis since the 1950s. Theories have evolved that predict subsets of the measured data. This work separates coaxial plasma accelerator research into two broad categories classified by the ratio of accelerator discharge current to input gas flow rate. Devices that operate with this ratio above a particular threshold are called "starved" and the acceleration process is termed "“deflagration". Devices that operate below the threshold are called “over-fed" and the plasma undergoes a compressive energy conversion process termed "detonation". Over-fed (detonation) plasma accelerators add energy to the plasma through plasma heating and compression. The plasma exhaust velocity is limited to the magneto-sonic velocity which is nearly identical to the plasma Alfven velocity. Measured energy conversion efficiencies for detonation plasma accelerators have been typically less than 10%. Starved (deflagration) plasma accelerators add energy to the plasma by increasing the plasma kinetic energy. Thus, the plasma exhaust velocities measured in the deflagration accelerator exceed the plasma Alfven velocity by two orders of magnitude. Measured energy conversion efficiencies for the deflagration mode exceed 40%. Two additional sub-categories have been defined. The first is based on the number of acceleration stages. A single stage device processes neutral gas into the accelerated plasma. Multi-stage devices first ionize the neutral gas and then accelerate it to the final velocity. Finally, plasma accelerators with coaxial electrodes are classified by the interval in which the electrical energy is transformed into plasma energy. A new theory was developed to explain the deflagration plasma accelerator operation by examining the failures of previous magneto-hydro-dynamic based theories. The new theoretical treatment was used to develop a computer simulation of the deflagration plasma accelerator process.

NOTE: Text or symbols not renderable in plain ASCII are indicated by [...]. Abstract is included in .pdf document. A two-dimensional investigation was undertaken in the California Institute of Technology Merrill Wind Tunnel to determine the effectiveness of using a 15% slat on a 10% double wedge airfoil. The investigation was conducted in three phases: force polars, pressure tests, and tuft pattern studies. All phases were conducted at a dynamic pressure of 40 lb/ft[superscript 2], equivalent to a Reynolds number of 0.78 x 10[superscript 6]. The high lift characteristics of the double wedge airfoil with the slat were found to be aerodynamically superior to those of the basic wedge section and the wedge equipped with a plain nose flap. Extension of the leading edge slat caused increases in maximum lift coefficients and in the angle of attack required for maximum lift. The following increments were measured. […]. The nose deflection produced larger […] max increments than the slot variations below nose angles of 25° but for 25° and larger angles the slot variations caused the major improvements in […]. The slot prevented occurrence of buffeting caused by upper surface intermittent or oscillatory separation experienced with the plain nose flap. In all of the cases tested with the slat extended, the stall was more gradual than for the basic section. The stall for the optimum slot conditions was the result of trailing edge separation moving forward over the upper surface of the airfoil.

NOTE: Text or symbols not renderable in plain ASCII are indicated by [...]. Abstract is included in .pdf document. A two-dimensional investigation was undertaken in the California Institute of Technology Merrill Wind Tunnel to determine the effectiveness of using a 15% slat on a 10% double wedge airfoil. The investigation was conducted in three phases: force polars, pressure tests, and tuft pattern studies. All phases were conducted at a dynamic pressure of 40 lb/ft[superscript 2], equivalent to a Reynolds number of 0.78 x 10[superscript 6]. The high lift characteristics of the double wedge airfoil with the slat were found to be aerodynamically superior to those of the basic wedge section and the wedge equipped with a plain nose flap. Extension of the leading edge slat caused increases in maximum lift coefficients and in the angle of attack required for maximum lift. The following increments were measured. […]. The nose deflection produced larger […] max increments than the slot variations below nose angles of 25° but for 25° and larger angles the slot variations caused the major improvements in […]. The slot prevented occurrence of buffeting caused by upper surface intermittent or oscillatory separation experienced with the plain nose flap. In all of the cases tested with the slat extended, the stall was more gradual than for the basic section. The stall for the optimum slot conditions was the result of trailing edge separation moving forward over the upper surface of the airfoil.

This work proved the feasibility of an interferometric, high pressure sensor. A pressure measurement system based on a birefringent, compact, Fabry- Perot etalon was selected and designed. The temperature response of the reflectivity of the etalon was calibrated; a 1 C change in temperature was equivalent to a 1000 psi pressure change. Efficient coupling of the key components was demonstrated using a monolithic, single-frequency, diode-pumped ring laser (developed at Lightwave Electronics Corp. based on Stanford University research), a single-mode optical fiber, and a sapphire etalon. Successful experimental results demonstrated that an optical pressure transducer can be made that has the properties of compactness, wide pressure range, immunity to electro-magnetic interference, and low cost. Keywords: Pressure measurement, Fiber optics, Lasers, Etalon.

This research program has dealt with the development of efficient and compact sources of visible laser light based on the nonlinear optical conversion of the outputs of diode pumped solid state lasers. Intracavity frequency doubling, frequency doubling of continuous wave single frequency nonplanar ring Nd:YAG lasers in external resonant cavities and single pass doubling of diode pumped Q-switched lasers were studied. Nonlinear materials including lithium diffused lithium niobate, magnesium oxide doped lithium niobate and potassium titanyl phosphate were examined. We obtained 45 mW of cw green light from an monolithic externally resonant cavity constructed of MgO:MiNbO3 pumped by a 200 mW single frequency Nd:YAG laser. This doubler was electro-optically locked into resonance with the laser oscillator and maintained at phasematching temperature by a miniature platinum hybrid heater-sensor element and control circuit. Peak powers LiNbO3 over 200 mW in the green were measured with this doubling device when pumped by a single frequency pulsed 500 mW source.

In this thesis, an effect of turbulent gas flow on the glow discharge-to-arc transition is investigated. This is accomplished by solving the continuity equation for charged particles by two different numerical processes. They are a linearized solution and a non-linear numerical solution. The numerical results using an axi-symmetric cylindrical geometry show the charge particle density profile with respect to radial distance, time and diffusion coefficient. The effective increase in the diffusion coefficient between laminar and turbulent gas flow causes the charge density profile to expand more radially outward. This reduces the charge density within the original streamer volume tube causing a reduction in the conductivity of the streamer. This reduction in conductivity may possibly lead to a delay in the development of a breakdown streamer. As a result, the gas may be raised to higher current levels before breakdown occurs.

Accurate charting of marine fog distribution is made difficult because of the sparseness of transient-ship observations. The meteorological satellite offers the possibility of improving fog diagnosis by specifying areas (vice a discrete number of points) of marine fog. The study explores the feasibility of using meteorological satellite data, visual and/or infrared, as means of discerning the presence of marine fog. Transient-ship and satellite data from a summer-season period in 1973, eastern North Pacific Ocean, served as data base. A qualitative comparison is made between NOAA-2 satellite imagery and verifying marine fog, as determined from the synoptic-time ship data; qualitative guidelines for diagnosing the presence of marine fog from the visual and infrared imagery were formulated. A quantitative determination of the presence of marine fog, using visual and infrared NOAA-2 digital satellite data, is presented, from which a technique is developed for objectively diagnosing regions of marine fog.

An indexing device includes an adapter conforming to the contours of the test model body with a cavity for housing a ring gear which has internal teeth segments in two diametrically opposed quadrants and is rigidly attached to the adapter. A movable fin with an aerodynamic surface includes a cylindrical hub welded to the base portion thereof. The hub is provided with a central shaft extension which engages a close fitting opening in the adapter and with two curved slots to accept clamping fasteners that thread into tapped holes in the adapter. A spur gear, modified to mesh with the modified ring gear on the adapter, is bolted on the under surface of the hub concentric with the shaft extension. (Author), Supersedes PAT-APPL-017 626-79, AD-D006 045.

Current economic conditions in agriculture and environmental concerns over ground water pollution have producers seeking more efficient methods of crop production. Agriculture has also become very dependent upon fossil fuels for inputs such as nitrogen fertilizer and irrigation water application. A field experiment was initiated in 1982, at Mead, NE, to examine the effects of manure and increasing levels of N, P, K, and micronutrients on grain yield, return over variable costs (ROVC), and energy input of a corn(Zea mays L.)-soybean(Glycine max L.)-wheat(Triticum aestivum L.) rotation (CSW) versus continuous corn (CC). Rotation corn (RC) grain yields were 20 percent higher than CC at optimum N-rate. Fertilizer N and P increased corn and wheat yields, respectively, but soybean yields were unaffected by fertilizer nutrients. Corn and wheat grain protein content were related to the rate of N applied. Residual NO$\sb3$-N levels were low regardless of previous crop where no N was applied, when 320 lb N a$\sp{-1}$ was applied to corn, residual levels ranged from 91 to 491 lb a$\sp{-1}$. Continuous corn ROVC was slightly lower than ROVC for CSW, however, the variability of ROVC was less for CSW than CC indicating that a measure of risk avoidance could be attained by growing a rotation of crops. Energy input requirements for CC, RC, soybean, and wheat were 3183, 3271, 1123, and 763 Mcal a$\sp{-1}$ respectively. Nitrogen fertilizer (33%) and irrigation (28%) accounted for the greatest use of energy for corn production. Analysis of costs of production showed that CC was more affected by energy price increases than CSW. Growing corn in a rotation provides yield advantages and also reduces the variability of income from year to year. Soil test levels of nutrients were increased by seven years of manure or fertilizer addition, but crop yields were not influenced by the increase. The sufficiency concept for fertilizer recommendations represents the best management approach to acco

A general method is presented for the determination of aerodynamic characteristics of fan-in-wing configurations by means of incompressible potential-flow theory. The method is applicable to wings, flapped or unflapped, and to a wide variety of other potential-flow boundary-value problems. Arbitrary wing and inlet geometry, fan inflow distribution, thrust vectoring, angle of attack, angle of yaw, and flight speeds from hover through transition can be treated. The theoretical model is completely three dimensional, with no linearization of boundary conditions. The calculated results include pressure distributions, lift, induced drag and side force, pitching moment, rolling moment and yawing moment. The numerical potential-flow solution is obtained with source and vortex distributions on the boundary surfaces. The representation is composed of small, constant-strength source sheet panels distributed over the exterior wing surfaces, internal vortex filaments which emanate from the wing trailing edge to provide circulation and to produce the trailing vortex sheet, and a vortex lattice across the fan face and along the periphery of the fan efflux. Source and vortex strengths are obtained by satisfying boundary conditions at discrete points on the boundary surfaces. Velocities and surface pressures are calculated from the induced effects of the source and vortex distributions. Internal fan loads, based on pressure and momentum relations across the fan and an assumed fan exit flow distribution, are added to integrated wing surface pressures to determine total forces and moments on a fan-in-wing configuration. The method was programmed for use with a high- speed digital computer., Task no. 1F125901A14234. See also Volume 2, AD667981.

The electronically tunable acousto-optic filter is studied with regard to its application for the electronic tuning of dye lasers. A Brewster angle CaMoO4 filter was constructed, evaluated, and used to tune a flashlamp pumped dye laser. A total electronic tuning range of 6800 to 4735 was achieved. The electronically tuned dye laser was used to construct the first electronically tuned optical parametric oscillations. At fixed temperature, the oscillator was tunable from 0.9 micron to 1.15 microns and from 1.3 microns to 1.7 microns. Both the electronically tuned dye laser and optical parametric oscillator performed as well or better than comparable mechanically or thermally tuned devices. A brief portion of this report gives results of a theoretical study of an electronically tunable CaMoO4 filter for use in the near infrared portion of the spectrum. (Author)

Letter from D. Cragg to Z. K. Matthews, 1959. Accompanied by copy of a letter from R. Wallace to D. Cragg, 2 type written pages, 1 online resource (2 pages)

This dissertation explores the reception of French Enlightenment thought and the reaction to French revolutionary events in late colonial and early independent Spanish America between 1790 and 1812, focusing on New Granada, Peru and Venezuela. The years leading up to the historical and political processes known as Spanish American Independence witnessed radical transformations; during this period accepted wisdom was questioned, new discoveries were made and questions of political rights were open to debate. This dissertation, through a close reading of the contemporary periodical press and early discourses of Simon Bolivar, assesses the dissemination of the French Enlightenment and news of the 'Age of Revolution' in colonial society. The initial rejection of Revolutionary events is examined in the Papel Periodico de Bogota, whilst the Mercurio Peruano charts scientific discovery through the 1790s. Following the Napoleonic invasion of the Iberian peninsula, 1808, the Gazeta de Caracas is studied to demonstrate the change in attitudes and cautious desire for autonomy. Finally, the early writings of Simon Bolivar are used to assess the compatibility and appropriation of Enlightenment thought and revolutionary models within colonial society. It will be shown that a public sphere did exist amongst a small, but highly educated, colonial elite in the 1790s, and that French Enlightenment ideas had been transmitted to Spanish America and were in circulation. However, the arrival of the Enlightenment and news of Revolution in the Spanish colonies was partial and fragmented; some parts were strongly rejected whilst others were embraced. A detailed, logical development is recorded in the periodical press. Following the events of 1808, heightened Creole discontent and the acceptance of the principles of 1789 are shown to propel the Independence movement forward.