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Magnetically-induced forces on the inertial masses on-board LISA Pathfinder are expected to be one of the dominant contributions to the mission noise budget, accounting for up to 40%. The origin of this disturbance is the coupling of the residual magnetization and susceptibility of the test masses with the environmental magnetic field. In order to fully understand this important part of the noise model, a set of coils and magnetometers are integrated as a part of the diagnostics subsystem. During operations a sequence of magnetic excitations will be applied to precisely determine the coupling of the magnetic environment to the test mass displacement using the on-board magnetometers. Since no direct measurement of the magnetic field in the test mass position will be available, an extrapolation of the magnetic measurements to the test mass position will be carried out as a part of the data analysis activities. In this paper we show the first results on the magnetic experiments during an end-to-end LISA Pathfinder simulation, and we describe the methods under development to map the magnetic field on-board. A post-publication change was made to this article on 26 Jun 2020 to add an author.

The orbital motion of the three spacecraft that make up the eLISA Observatory constellation causes long-arm line of sight variations of approximately ± one degree over the course of a year. The baseline solution is to package the telescope, the optical bench, and the gravitational reference sensor (GRS) into an optical assembly at each end of the measurement arm, and then to articulate the assembly. An optical phase reference is exchanged between the moving optical benches with a single mode optical fiber (“backlink” fiber). An alternative solution, referred to as in-field pointing, embeds a steering mirror into the optical design, fixing the optical benches and eliminating the backlink fiber, but requiring the additional complication of a two-stage optical design for the telescope. We examine the impact of an in-field pointing design on the scattered light performance.

In the workplace mathematics and statistics are essential for communication and decision-making. Process workers at lower classifications of skill levels are likely to be confronted with statistical charts and warnings about nonconformity. Mathematics, statistics, and technology education in and for the workplace must take account of the cultural diversity which exists within and between workplaces. The design of generic mathematics, and in some cases statistics, curricula rarely reflect actual workplace practice except at a superficial level. One way of overcoming these problems is for mathematics/statistics educators to work in cooperation with industry, particularly at the local level, in a way that will encourage and support lifelong learning yet remain critical of the uses to which mathematics, statistics, and technology are put. This paper outlines some ways in which to address the challenge of making mathematics, statistics, and technology education take on real meaning within the context of the wo...

Seeks to address issues associated with lifelong learning from the perspective of teaching and curriculum practice in the areas of mathematics and technology in an Australian pharmaceutical manufacturing enterprise. Its aim is to reflect on research‐based innovative course delivery in the field specified to indicate possibilities in education for lifelong learning. Following discussion of lifelong learning, issues important to the industry will be outlined. A brief description is given of some nationally accredited curricular modules for operators in this industry. In particular, the mathematics modules were perceived by operators as discouraging and even threatening. However, it was, and is, possible to work around atomised modules such as these to operate more holistically to integrate workers’ breadth and depth of prior experience across a broadened view of curriculum in a manner that enhances rather than hinders lifelong learning.

This paper will attempt to provide a critical analysis of some of the social and political contexts of mathematics education in the adult and vocational education and training sectors with particular reference to gender issues. After a brief overview of recent policy developments and a review of papers selected from the literature on gender equity, it will then compare and contrast curricular constraints of previous and current political eras, and use some text by way of illustration to argue that vocational education and training in mathematics neither serves the interests of the individual student nor the (potential) employer, and is far removed from seriously addressing issues of gender equity.

Because of the nature of the broad theme of our working group—Education/training with industry participation—we believe that it is necessary to provide the context for our presentations and discussions.

This paper presents a quantitative assessment of the performance of the upcoming LISA Pathfinder geodesic explorer mission. The findings are based on the results of extensive ground testing and simulation campaigns using flight hardware and flight control and operations algorithms. The results show that, for the central experiment of measuring the stray differential acceleration between the LISA test masses, LISA Pathfinder will be able to verify the overall acceleration noise to within a factor two of the LISA requirement at 1 mHz and within a factor 6 at 0.1 mHz. We also discuss the key elements of the physical model of disturbances, coming from LISA Pathfinder and ground measurement, that will guarantee the LISA performance., Proceedings of the 8th LISA Symposium. To appear Class. Quantum Grav. 28 (2011)

Working with adults returning to study mathematics in order to achieve goals, such as entry to further study or employment, reveals that the tradition school mathematics education—in English-speaking countries at least—has failed to meet the needs of many. In the post-compulsory sector, traditionally autonomous higher education institutions are now competing amongst each other along with the vocational sector for student enrolments and funding, both public and private. Accompanying this has been an increasing interest and involvement in quality assurance. This chapter will draw upon the relevant quality literature together with the author’s extensive experience in adult and vocational education, also an activity theoretical foundation, to propose a framework for mathematics education that is intended to be flexible and encourage policy makers, educators, and practitioners at all levels to consider whether their mathematics curriculum and teaching effectively meets the needs of all their learners in their particular contexts.

We prospectively studied the in vivo dialytic clearance of iron after deferoxamine (DFO) administration in four stable iron-overloaded chronic hemodialysis patients by quantifying iron concentration in blood entering and leaving the dialyzer and in dialysate after infusions of DFO. No significant arteriovenous iron differences were demonstrated. The mean ratio of venous to arterial iron approached identity at 1.005. All dialysate concentrates used contained large amounts of iron (300–610 μg/dl). No changes in efferent versus afferent dialysate iron concentration could be demonstrated. We conclude (a) iron removal during dialysis with DFO was not demonstrated; (b) the dialysate concentrate tested contained large amounts of iron; (c) in view of potentially significant toxicity, and lack of demonstrable therapeutic benefit, caution in prescribing DFO chelation therapy for iron overload is recommended.

We have previously demonstrated that CD34+ cells, selected from peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPC), can be expanded in ex vivo culture and can be infused in tandem with unmanipulated PBPC with little or no toxicity. In this study, four patients (two non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), two multiple myeloma (MM)) received myeloablative conditioning prior to stem cell rescue using ex vivo expanded cells alone. The two patients with NHL received cyclophosphamide and total body irradiation (CY/TBI) and the two patients with MM, busulphan and melphalan (Bu/M). One case received an inadequate CFU-GM dose, despite expansion, and in one case the expanded cells were contaminated. No definitive conclusions may therefore be drawn concerning engraftment in these two cases. However, the other two cases received high doses of committed progenitors. Following infusion of the expanded material, all four patients failed to show sustained neutrophil engraftment and none showed evidence of platelet engraftment. Back-up, unmanipulated PBPC were therefore infused on days 14, 34, 32 and 28 and subsequently all four cases achieved satisfactory engraftment of both neutrophils and platelets. In conclusion, we feel that, CD34+ cells, expanded ex vivo using the conditions described in this report, may not provide durable engraftment following fully myeloablative conditioning.

PURPOSE The objectives of this phase I study were to assess the feasibility of using cryopreserved peripheral-blood progenitor cells (PBPC) for large-scale CD34 selection and subsequent expansion, and the safety of their use for reinfusion following chemoradiotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS For 10 patients with nonmyeloid malignancy, an aliquot from a PBPC harvest was recovered from liquid nitrogen, and CD34 selected using the Isolex system (Baxter Healthcare, Newbury, United Kingdom) and expanded for 8 days ex vivo in a medium free of animal proteins but supplemented with autologous serum, stemcell factor (SCF), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), IL-3, IL-6, and erythropoietin. RESULTS The mean increase for cell number was 21-fold, for colony-forming units-granulocyte/macrophage (CFU-GM) 139-fold, and for burst-forming units-erythroid (BFU-E) 114-fold. The expanded cells were reinfused in tandem with unmanipulated material (> or = 25 x 10(4) CFU-GM/kg). The patients did not experience any adverse effects immediately on cell infusion or within 48 hours. The 10 index patients were compared with 10 historical controls for parameters of myelosuppressive morbidity. In this small study, there were no differences in either neutrophil or platelet recovery between the patients who received expanded cells and historical controls. CONCLUSION These data demonstrate that CD34 cells can successfully be selected from cryopreserved material, expanded ex vivo on a large scale, and safely reinfused following myeloablative conditioning regimens.

The morbidity of high-dose chemotherapy has been considerably reduced by the use of autologous peripheral blood progenitor cell reinfusion. Most studies have used myeloid colony-stimulating factors after stem cell reinfusion, making it difficult to determine the relative contribution of each of these variables to the early recovery of blood cells. The financial implications of colony-stimulating factor use are an area of concern as dose intensification in chemosensitive malignancies is increasingly employed. We have studied 19 consecutive patients receiving high-dose chemotherapy with and without filgrastim (Amgen, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, G-CSF) after stem cell infusion to examine its effect on the kinetics of blood cell recovery, the complications of myelosuppression and the associated costs. Analysis of the two treatment groups reveals that administration of filgrastim 10 micrograms kg-1 day-1 following stem cell reinfusion does not further accelerate haemopoietic recovery, fails to reduce the incidence of neutropenic fever or antibiotic usage and significantly increases the cost of the procedure. The results of this study do not support the routine use of filgrastim after high-dose chemotherapy and peripheral blood stem cell reinfusion.

We report two cases of aplastic anaemia occurring in patients after exposure to the NSAID fenbufen. In each case, the patient had not been exposed to other drugs in this class, and was on no concomitant medication which has previously been associated with this complication. Failure of in vitro growth of haemopoietic progenitor cells in clonogenic assays confirmed the diagnosis of aplasia, and also confirmed that aplasia induced by this agent is not due to the presence of any humoral inhibitory factor, but to an intrinsic abnormality in the pluripotent stem cells. Aplastic anaemia is a recognized, but extremely rare, complication of exposure to NSAIDs of any chemical subtype.

Transient but profound hypogammaglobulinemia occurred during cytomegalovirus (CMV) pneumonia in a patient who developed striking declines in number of T lymphocytes. A 66-year-old, female, human immunodeficiency virus-negative patient requiring long-term hemodialysis had normal serum immunoglobulin concentrations before the onset of CMV pneumonia (IgG, 1070-1470 mg/dl; IgA, 94-102 mg/dl; IgM, 30-48 mg/dl). During the pneumonia episode, serum immunoglobulin concentrations were profoundly reduced (IgG, 440 mg/dl; IgA, 40 mg/dl; IgM, 25 mg/dl). Total lymphocytes declined from 3048/mm3 to 212/mm3 with reductions in CD4+CD45- lymphocytes (inducers of B cells) to 9% (nl, 24%-32%) and CD4+CD45+ lymphocytes (inducers of suppressor T cells) to 4% (nl, 14%-22%). CD8 lymphocytes were reduced to 5% (nl, 19%-31%). As the pneumonia resolved, serum immunoglobulin concentrations returned to normal. This is one of the few reported instances of CMV infection apparently causing hypogammaglobulinemia.

Summary. Erythrocyte ferritin is about 10 times more reactive with antibody to heart ferritin than to spleen ferritin. The concentration of erythrocyte ferritin reflects the abnormal body iron status both in iron deficiency and in idiopathic haemochromatosis. Increased concentrations in β-thalassaemia trait and primary sideroblastic anaemia may also reflect the intrinsic erythroid abnormality. Differences in the response of ‘heart-type’ and ‘spleen-type’ ferritin to changes of iron status suggest possible differences in metabolic function.

Weekly serum zinc levels during the neonatal period have been obtained in 17 preterm infants randomly assigned to a prospective feeding study. Nine neonates received a standard regimen of naso-jejunal feedings (group I) and eight matched infants received total parenteral nutrition (group II) for the first 2 wk, followed by enteral intake for the last 2 wk of the study period. No patient received supplemental zinc intake. Base-line serum zinc levels obtained before beginning feedings at 2 days of age were in the normal range and not significantly different, 121 +/- 15 and 135 +/- 8 micrograms/dl in groups I and II, respectively (mean +/- SEM). Serial serum zinc levels decreased progressively in both groups during the 4-wk study period, reaching a low of 80 +/- 7 micrograms/dl in group I and 85 +/- 10 micrograms/dl in group II. The progressive decline in serum zinc levels is postulated to be indicative of tissue depletion of zinc. Our data suggest that preterm infants fed either by short-term total parenteral nutrition or by transpyloric enteral feedings are at risk for marginal zinc deficiency states.