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Do medical facilities also help advance improvements in socio-economic outcomes? We focus on Veterans, a vulnerable group over the COVID-19 pandemic who have access to a comprehensive healthcare network, and the receipt of funds from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) between April and June as a source of variation. First, we find that Veterans received 3.5% more loans and 6.8% larger loans than their counterparts (p < 0.01), controlling for a wide array of zipcode characteristics. Second, we develop models to predict the number of PPP loans awarded to Veterans, finding that the inclusion of local VA medical center characteristics adds almost as much explanatory power as the industry and occupational composition in an area and even more than the education, race, and age distribution combined. Our results suggest that VA medical centers can play an important role in helping Veterans thrive even beyond addressing their direct medical needs.

Studies have shown that people suffering from food insecurity are at higher risk for infectious and noncommunicable diseases and have poorer health outcomes. No study, however, has examined the association between food insecurity and outcomes related to Ebola virus disease (EVD). We conducted a cross-sectional study in two Ebola-affected communities in Kono district, Sierra Leone, from November 2015 to September 2016. We enrolled persons who were determined to have been exposed to Ebola virus. We assessed the association of food insecurity, using an adapted version of the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale, a nine-item scale well validated across Africa, with having been diagnosed with EVD and having died of EVD, using logistic regression models with cluster-adjusted standard errors. We interviewed 326 persons who were exposed to Ebola virus; 61 (19%) were diagnosed with EVD and 45/61 (74%) died. We found high levels (87%) of food insecurity, but there was no association between food insecurity and having been diagnosed with EVD. Among EVD cases, those who were food insecure had 18.3 times the adjusted odds of death than those who were food secure (P = 0.03). This is the first study to demonstrate a potential relationship between food insecurity and having died of EVD, although larger prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings.

First-light measurements from the Canadian face of the Resolute Bay Incoherent Scatter Radar (RISR-C) were taken in August of 2015. Data were taken for roughly 25 hours on both RISR-C and the North face of the Resolute Bay radar (RISR-N) in an 11-beam World Day mode. Overall, the measurements from the RISR-C radar are of high quality and consistent with results from the RISR-N radar. During the 25-hour period analyzed in this study, the ionosphere responded to changes in orientation of the Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF). During one particular event, a change from Bz negative to positive and By positive to negative caused the anti-sunward flow to stall, and a strong dawn-to-dusk flow, with decreased electron density and increased ion temperature, replaced it in the RISR-C field-of-view. Overall, it is clear that measurements from the RISR-C radar will complement and greatly expand the scope of ionospheric polar cap measurements.

It is now recognized that Earth's upper atmosphere is experiencing a long-term cooling over the past several solar cycles. The potential impact of the cooling on societal activities is significant, but a fundamental scientific question exists regarding the drivers of the cooling. New observations and analyses provide crucial advances in our knowledge of these important processes. We investigate ionospheric ion temperature climatology and long-term trends using up-to-date large and consistent ground based datasets as measured by multiple incoherent scatter radars (ISRs). The very comprehensive view provided by these unique observations of the upper atmospheric thermal status allows us to address drivers of strong cooling previously observed by ISRs. We use observations from two high latitude sites at Sondrestrom (Invariant latitude 73.2°N) from 1990-2015, and Chatanika/Poker Flat (Invariant latitude 65.9°N) over the span of 1976-2015 (with a gap from 1983-2006). Results are compared to conditions at the mid-latitude Millstone Hill site (Invariant latitude 52.8°N) from 1968-2015. The aggregate radar observations have very comparable and consistent altitude dependence of long-term trends. In particular, the lower F region (< 275 km) exhibits dayside cooling trends that are significantly higher (-3 to -1K/year at 250 km) than anticipated from model predictions given the anthropogenic increase of greenhouse gases. Above 275 km, cooling trends continue to increase in magnitude but values are strongly dependent on magnetic latitude, suggesting the presence of significant downward influences from non-neutral atmospheric processes.

During the course of 42 years of irradiated operations in the Hot Fuel Examination Facility at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL), a hot cell window had never been replaced. Recently, slow deterioration of a window seal resulted in mineral oil leaking at a rate of over a liter per month from the window tank unit on through the protective A-slab seal and into the hot cell. A hot cell window consists of both a steel tank unit with five slabs of glass of varying thicknesses with the remaining free space filled with clear mineral oil, and a thinner protective interior A-slab of glass. The repair solution was to remove and replace the A-slab window followed by replacing the window tank unit in two distinct phases. The facility original A-slab design was a leak tight barrier and a frame that was “L” shaped with a gasket between the glass and the window flange. Problems with the gasket adhering to the glass and the window flange resulted in pulling the glass from the frame during initial installation activities. Due to the adhesion problem, the gasket was changed to a dust seal during commissioning the facility. Over time, the window tank unit mineral oil leak flowed through this dust seal. Replacing the leaking tank unit necessitated the need for a new leak tight boundary as well as provide a method to drain the accumulated oil behind the A-slab until the tank unit could be replaced. These criteria led to a new A-slab design to be installed. Initially, removal and replacement of the A-slab was performed in the main cell (hot side) to reestablish a leak tight barrier. Transfers of the windows and removal of the bolts/reinstallation of new bolts were all performed with specialized equipment designed for remote operations in a hazardous environment using remote manipulators and cranes. Removal and replacement of the window tank unit via the operating corridor (cold side) was scheduled during a facility outage to accommodate availability of contract service personnel who specialize in hot cell windows. Due to the complexity of the replacement task, approximately 30% of the personnel on site were involved in the window replacement. Engineering, facility operations and radiation control personnel were primary contributors with electricians, carpenters and the analytical laboratory personnel contributing, as well. The multi-year installation program was safely concluded allowing the facility to resume full operations with the window properly sealed.

Estimating the 3-D pose of instruments is an important part of robotic minimally invasive surgery for automation of basic procedures as well as providing safety features, such as virtual fixtures. Image-based methods of 3-D pose estimation provide a non-invasive low cost solution compared with methods that incorporate external tracking systems. In this paper, we extend our recent work in estimating rigid 3-D pose with silhouette and optical flow-based features to incorporate the articulated degrees-of-freedom (DOFs) of robotic instruments within a gradient-based optimization framework. Validation of the technique is provided with a calibrated ex-vivo study from the da Vinci Research Kit (DVRK) robotic system, where we perform quantitative analysis on the errors each DOF of our tracker. Additionally, we perform several detailed comparisons with recently published techniques that combine visual methods with kinematic data acquired from the joint encoders. Our experiments demonstrate that our method is competitively accurate while relying solely on image data.

Background. Throughout the Ebola virus disease (EVD) epidemic in West Africa, field laboratory testing for EVD has relied on complex, multi-step RT-PCR assays; an accurate, sample-to-answer RT-PCR test would reduce time to results and potentially increase access to testing. We evaluated the performance of the Cepheid GeneXpert Ebola assay on clinical venipuncture whole blood (WB) and buccal swab (BS) specimens submitted to a field biocontainment laboratory in Sierra Leone for routine EVD testing by RT-PCR (“Trombley assay”). Methods. EDTA-WB (n = 218) and BS (n = 71) specimens were tested with Xpert (targets: GP and NP genes) and Trombley (target: NP gene) assays in parallel. All WB specimens were fresh; 84 of 218 were tested in duplicate on Xpert to compare WB sampling methods (pipette versus swab). Forty-three of 71 BS specimens had been previously frozen. Results. Seven of 218 (3.2%) WB and 7 of 71 (9.9%) BS samples had invalid Xpert results and were excluded, leaving 211 WB and 64 BS samples with valid Trombley and Xpert results. For WB, 22 of 22 Trombley-positive samples were Xpert-positive [sensitivity 100% (95% CI 84.6–100)] and 181 of 189 Trombley-negative samples were Xpert-negative [specificity 95.8% (91.8–98.2)]. Seven of 8 Trombley-negative, Xpert-positive (Xpert Ct range 37.7–43.3) WB samples were confirmed to be follow-up submissions for previously Trombley-positive EVD patients, suggesting a revised Xpert specificity of 99.5% (97.1–100). For Xpert-positive WB (n = 22), Xpert NP Ct values were consistently lower than GP Ct values (mean difference 4.12, SD = 1.00); Trombley (NP) Ct values closely matched Xpert NP Ct values (mean difference 0.09, SD 1.56). Xpert results (pos/neg) for WB sampled by pipette versus swab were concordant for 78 of 79 (98.7%) WB samples, with comparable Ct values for positives. For BS, 20 of 20 Trombley-positive samples were Xpert-positive [sensitivity 100% (83.2–100)] and 44 of 44 Trombley-negative samples were Xpert-negative [specificity 100% (92.0–100)]. Conclusions. The Xpert Ebola test had excellent performance on WB and BS samples in a field laboratory setting as compared to an established RT-PCR benchmark. Future studies should evaluate feasibility and performance outside of a biocontainment laboratory setting to facilitate expanded access to testing. Disclosures. All authors: No reported disclosures.

The Poker Flat Incoherent Scatter Radar (PFISR) is the first dedicated ISR built with an electronically steerable array. This paper demonstrates the capabilities of PFISR for producing three-dimensional volumetric images of E -region ionization patterns produced by the aurora. The phase table was configured to cycle through 121 beam positions arranged in an 11 × 11 grid. A 13-baud Barker coded pulse was used, which provided ∼ 1.5 - km range resolution out to a maximum range of 250 km. Backscattered power was converted to electron density by correcting for path loss and applying the Buneman approximation assuming equal electron and ion temperatures. The results were then interpolated onto a three-dimensional cartesian grid. Volumetric images are presented at 5-min, 1-min, and 14.6-s integration times (corresponding to 960, 192, and 48 pulses-per-position, respectively) to illustrate the tradeoff between spatio-temporal resolution and data quality. At 14.6 s cadence, variability in plasma density within the volume appears to be fully resolved in space and time, a result that is supported by both observational evidence and theoretical predictions of ionospheric response times. Some potential applications of this mode for studying magnetosphere–ionosphere interactions in the auroral zone are discussed.

The recently commissioned Poker Flat Incoherent Scatter Radar (PFISR) began a continuous operation measurement program for the duration of the International Polar Year (IPY). The IPY began on 1 March 2007 and is an 18-month period of intense polar study. PFISR began its IPY campaign on 1 March 2007 and this paper describes the first 10 months of observations. The PFISR IPY science goals revolve around distinguishing between ionospheric climate and weather variability, and to determine the relative role of geomagnetic weather from the magnetosphere versus that driven from the atmosphere below. This latter goal may well be aided by the fact that the IPY period is at solar minimum, a time when major geomagnetic activity occurrence should be minimized. However, as nature would have it once the IPY observations began it was found that geomagnetic activity was a recurrent feature lasting the entire 10 months being discussed here. The PFISR IPY database will also be used as a long-term fiducial data set against which ionospheric models are to be compared. Hence, this paper provides a documentation of the contents of the database. Case studies as well as statistical studies of how the ionospheric climate and weather can be separated are presented. A particular emphasis is placed upon the F-region ion temperature observations. These appear to provide a very direct measure of geomagnetic energy input to the ionosphere–thermosphere system. Examples are shown in which 150 K F-region ion temperature increases are associated with very moderate geomagnetic disturbances in which the daily average 3-h Kp is only 2.5.

A series of experiments with the Sondrestrom incoherent scatter (IS) radar (66.99°N latitude, 50.95°W longitude) were designed to examine F region structure in the dayside auroral oval in order to search for plasma signatures from magnetospheric regions such as the cusp, boundary plasma sheet, low-latitude boundary layer, and mantle. This IS radar mode, optimized to search for ionospheric features which remain fixed in local time, was coordinated with overflights of the DMSP F-10 satellite on 2 days in September 1992. For both study days, IS radar data show persistent (∼ 7 hour), enhanced T e regions at 300 to 500 km. These enhanced T e regions evolve during periods in which relatively unstructured, laminar N e densities are observed and thus are not merely the result of a structured suppression of electron cooling. The cores of these T e enhancements were observed at latitudes and magnetic local times corresponding to DMSP satellite measurement of soft (< 100 eV) cusplike precipitation. These T e hotspots move systematically equatorward with increasing geomagnetic activity and display a sharp field-aligned equatorward edge at the location of satellite cusp detection. Unlike prior IS radar/satellite cusp investigations, no significant N e enhancements were measured coincident with T e hotspots. A simple ionospheric model is invoked to confirm that such soft cusplike precipitation does not significantly alter the magnitude of the ambient plasma density, and we argue that cusp detection based on collocated N e and T e enhancements is seldom possible. The local time persistence of the T e enhancements, beyond the typical cusp widths, suggests an association with additional dayside magnetospheric regimes such as the low-latitude boundary layer. Both latitudinal and vertical T e gradients maximize at the location of satellite cusp detection, suggesting that the heat source is a divergence of magnetospheric heat flux on freshly reconnected geomagnetic field lines.

Background: Sunflower seed contains 2S albumins that in other crops have been associated with allergenicity. The sunflower seed methionine-rich 2S albumin (SSA) may be an IgE-binding protein responsible for anaphylactic reactions in some sunflower seed-sensitive subjects. The objective was to demonstrate that SSA is an IgE-binding protein. Methods: SSA was purified and the amino-acid sequence determined. The degree of purity of SSA was evaluated by silver staining, and its IgE-binding capacity by immunoblotting with serum from a subject with a convincing clinical history of anaphylaxis to sunflower seed. Results: The amino-acid sequence confirmed that the purified protein was the mature form of the methionine-rich storage protein SSA from sunflower seed (Helianthus annuus). The SSA was specifically recognized by IgE from the serum of the sunflower seed-allergic subject. Conclusions: SSA is an IgE-binding protein, and subjects allergic to sunflower seed whose IgE binds to SSA are at risk of developing allergic reactions if they consume SSA.

An optimization-based approach is presented that determines how plant feedstocks should be allocated to storage when there are fewer storage vessels than feedstocks. It is assumed here that material from the storage vessels will be subsequently blended for processing in downstream processes. The objective of the feedstock allocation strategy is chosen to ensure maximum flexibility for downstream process operation. Given the stated objective for feedstock allocation and the physical constraints, the feedstock storage allocation problem is posed in optimization form. The solution of the resulting singular-value optimization problem is discussed in terms of semidefinite programming techniques. The ideas presented are illustrated using a crude-oil storage case study. Finally, a number of observations regarding useful extehsions to the proposed methods are presented.

The Zoological Parks Board of New South Wales has developed innovative procedures for performance measurement in key operational areas as one of a series of methodologies to improve overall organizational management. The key operational areas identified are conservation, education, research, environment, business operations and commercial aspects. Identifying the desired outcomes in these areas has made it possible to create key performance indicators. This paper describes the development of the methodology and provides examples of how it is used to improve the chances of achieving agreed outcomes.

A synthesis of 2-amino-1-hydroxyethylene-1,1-bisphosphonic acid 3 has been developed from N -phthaloylglycine via dimethyl 2-( N -phthaloylamino)acetylphosphonate 1 . The preparation of the N -methylated and N , N -dimethylated derivatives 4 and 5 has been achieved by the reaction of 3 with formic acid and formaldehyde. The synthesis of 1-amino-2-hydroxyethylene-1,1-bisphosphonic acid 9 (RR′H) and its N -methylated and N , N -dimethylated analogues has been achieved by the reaction of phosphorus trichloride and phosphorous acid with the appropriate O -benzyl protected hydroxyacetamide, followed by catalytic hydrogenolysis of the protecting group.

Monochromatic imagers located at two sites in the Canadian Arctic were operated concurrently during the poleward transit of a duskside sun-aligned polar cap arc on 19 February 1996. The arc was observed by both stations in 630.0 nm images over a 5-min period. Profiles of 630.0 nm brightness versus elevation angle were extracted from pairs of images along a great circle defined by the two ground stations. These data were then supplied as inputs to a tomographic reconstruction for the arc-related 630.0 nm volume emission rate in a vertical (latitude vs. altitude) plane: η630 (lat,z). The time evolution of η630 (lat,z) structure for this polar cap arc indicates that a modification to the electron source energy distribution and not a thermospheric process (such as neutral heating and plasma diffusion/decay) controlled the arc-related 630.0 nm emission.

This work explores the proposition that magnetic field resonances modulate the transport of particle and magnetic flux in the earth's magnetotail. Coordinated high- and low-altitude measurements during a substorm show periodic variations of magnetic field, plasma density and flow bursts in the magnetotail with frequencies that correlate well with those of magnetic field oscillations at geosynchronous altitude and pulsations measured by ground-based stations. The pulsations' frequency is in the Pc 5 range. The example presented here occurred during the substorm period of May 19–20, 1996, that was chosen as the first ISTP/GGS campaign for the ground-based and theory investigations. There appears to be a resonance between modes sustained by the near-Earth magnetic field and compressional and flapping pulsations that can be sustained by the magnetotail.

Endangered species which need special protection reflect our fundamental failure to maintain the habitats in which those species occur. In order to stem the loss of biodiversity, which is a direct result of global environmental mismanagement, improvements need to made in several areas, such as education, health, welfare and conservation. In 1968 the Zoological Parks Board of New South Wales was the first zoological institution in Australasia to establish a dedicated education facility and world class veterinary centre. Since then the major emphases have been on the development of education and research through the establishment of a Conservation Research Centre (CRC) and the Australasian Conservation Training Initiative (ACTI), and the creation of an Animal Gene Storage Resource Centre and a Marine Mammal Centre. Since the late 1980s increased emphasis has been placed on substantial programmes of in situ conservation. Effective commercial operations are the key to ensuring financial stability for long-term conservation programmes. Improved co-operation between conservation organizations and the establishment of an international conservation fund need to be addressed to ensure that complimentary in situ and ex situ programmes are effective. In the 21st century whole biotas may need to be assembled from remnant and/ or reintroduced endemic species in habitats that have been preserved or reconstructed. If zoological organizations are to continue their work to preserve biodiversity it is critical that they continue to adapt and develop, otherwise they run the risk of becoming extinct themselves (Kelly, unpubl.).

AMISR is a modular, mobile, UHF radar facility used by scientists and students from around the world to conduct studies of the upper atmosphere and to observe space weather events. SRI International, under a grant from the National Science Foundation, is leading the collaborative effort in the development and operation of AMISR. The novel modular configuration allows for relocating the radar to study upper atmospheric activity at different locations around the globe. Remote operation and electronic beam steering allow researchers to operate and position the radar beam on a pulse-to-pulse basis to accurately measure and glean new information from rapidly changing space weather events.

The Sondrestrom radar facility, funded by the NSF Upper Atmospheric Facilities Program, is operated and managed by SRI International. The facility is located on the west coast of Greenland, just north of the Arctic Circle, near 75 deg invariant magnetic latitude. The principal instrument at the facility is the incoherent scatter radar. The incoherent scatter technique allows the direct measurement of ionospheric electron number density, ion velocity, and electron and ion temperature along the radar beam. Because the radar antenna is fully steerable these parameters can be determined as functions of horizontal distance and altitude. Additional ionospheric quantities can be derived using these measured parameters. As part of the ISTP mission, the radar will measure the spatial (horizontal and altitudinal) and temporal variations of ionospheric parameters including electron density, large scale electric field. conductivity, currents, and energy input. Repetitive measurements define variations of parameters with local time, as well.

In common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) the diaphorase (DIA) allozyme variant Diap-2 105 is frequently present in plants with upright, type II plant architecture. The genetic relationship between upright plant architecture and Diap-2 105 was investigated in eight F2 populations derived from crosses between navy bean and pinto bean parental lines differing for type I, II, and III growth habit and DIA genotype. Segregation at the Diap-2 locus followed the expected 1:2:1 ratio in all eight F2 populations and when pooled across F2 populations. F2 data from 1345 individuals indicated that plant architecture and the Diap-2 locus are not linked (r=0.03, P=0.333). However, the Diap-2 105 allozyme was present in 71% of advanced navy, pinto, and great northern genotypes with type II plant architecture. Due to random drift, Diap-2 105, initially associated with type II architecture through founder effect, may be maintained in such genotypes without providing greater fitness or without being associated with a locus or linked loci governing upright plant architecture.

A synthesis of 2-amino-1-hydroxyethylene-1,1-bisphosphonic acid 3 has been developed from N -phthaloylglycine via dimethyl 2-( N -phthaloylamino)acetylphosphonate 1 . The preparation of the N -methylated and N , N -dimethylated derivatives 4 and 5 has been achieved by the reaction of 3 with formic acid and formaldehyde. The synthesis of 1-amino-2-hydroxyethylene-1,1-bisphosphonic acid 9 (RR′H) and its N -methylated and N , N -dimethylated analogues has been achieved by the reaction of phosphorus trichloride and phosphorous acid with the appropriate O -benzyl protected hydroxyacetamide, followed by catalytic hydrogenolysis of the protecting group.

[1] Using ionospheric temperature measurements made continuously by the Poker Flat Incoherent Scatter Radar (PFISR) and EISCAT Svalbard Radar (ESR) during the International Polar Year (IPY), we provide evidence for directly driven ionospheric heating associated with the solar wind corotating interaction region (CIR). Both ESR and PFISR operated almost continuously during the IPY, which began on 1 March 2007. During this period 55 CIR events occurred and when ISR observations were available during these events ionospheric heating was observed. This study is the first comprehensive observation of ionospheric heating by CIRs demonstrated through case study comparisons and statistically over the 1-year IPY period. These multiple-day heating events are present in both the auroral and polar regions. The quantitative one-to-one correlation between ACE-CIR observations and ISR-ionosphere observations leads to a database that will enable the ionospheric heating efficiency of CIR events to be determined.

Soluble and insoluble polysaccharides were derivatized with diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) and/or spin-labeled with 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (TEMPO). Polysaccharides derivatized with DTPA were prepared via cyanogen bromide activation, coupling to a diamine linker, and to DTPA anhydride. Spin-labeled polysaccharides were also prepared via cyanogen bromide activation. The extent of derivatization for dextran (18 kDa) was about 120 glucose units per DTPA, and for cellulose and starch about 15-30 units per DTPA. For spin-labeled polysaccharides, the average loading ranged from 1 nitroxide per 16 glucose units for starch to 181 for dextran (82 kDa). These derivatized paramagnetic polysaccharides were shown to be more effective relaxants than the small paramagnetic molecules alone. Both soluble and insoluble polysaccharide-linker-DTPA-Gd(III) complexes were effectively cleared from the body (rats) after oral administration. After intravenous administration, the biodistribution of dextran-linker-DTPA-Gd(III) complexes differed significantly from that of GdDTPA. Reduction of the nitroxide by ascorbic acid was retarded in the polysaccharide derivatives, particularly in starch derivatized with both nitroxide and linker-DTPA-Cu(II). These agents showed contrast enhancement in the gastrointestinal tract of rabbits.

An injection of 5 micrograms of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) into hens 8 h prior to oviposition advanced the expected time of oviposition by approximately 1 h. The plasma concentration of progesterone increased approximately 1 h earlier in GnRH-injected hens in comparison to saline-injected hens. The plasma concentration of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGFM) increased significantly (p less than 0.05) at the time of oviposition in both the GnRH- and saline-injected hens. Significantly (p less than 0.05) greater concentrations of prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha) were assayed in media containing the largest preovulatory follicles collected at oviposition than in media containing the second and fifth largest preovulatory follicles collected at the same time. No prostaglandin was detected in media containing small, nonhierarchial follicles. The concentration of PGF2 alpha in media containing granulosa cells from the largest preovulatory follicle was significantly greater (p less than 0.05) than in media containing 4 times as many theca cells. Ovine luteinizing hormone (oLH) alone or in combination with arachidonic acid had no effect on PGF2 alpha output from granulosa cells collected 6 h before oviposition, whereas A23187 caused a small stimulation of PGF2 alpha output. However, treating cells first with oLH and then with A23187 stimulated a 15- to 20-fold increase in PGF2 alpha. None of these stimuli enhanced the already high output of PGF2 alpha when added to incubations of granulosa cells collected within 5 min after oviposition. These data suggest that the granulosa cells of the largest preovulatory follicle are the major intraovarian source of prostaglandin and that production of PGF2 alpha is associated with the preovulatory surges of gonadotropins and steroid hormones preceding oviposition.

During many magnetospheric substorms, the auroral oval near midnight is observed to expand poleward in association with strong negative perturbations measured by local ground magnetometers. We show Sondrestrom and EISCAT incoherent scatter radar measurements during three such events. In each of the events, enhanced ionization produced by the precipitation moved northward by several degrees of latitude within 10–20 min. The electric fields measured during the three events were significantly different. In one event the electric field was southward everywhere within the precipitation region. In the other two events a reversal in the meridional component of the field was observed. In one case the reversal occurred within the precipitation region, while in the other case the reversal was at the poleward boundary of the precipitation. The westward electrojet that produces the negative H-perturbation in the ground magnetic field has Hall and Pedersen components to varying degrees. In one case the Hall component was eastward and the Pedersen component was westward, but the net magnetic H-deflection on the ground was negative. Simultaneous EISCAT measurements made near the dawn meridian during one of the events show that the polar cap boundary moved northward at the same time as the aurora expanded northward at Sondrestrom. Most of the differences in the electrodynamic configuration in the three events can be accounted for in terms of the location at which the measurements were made relative to the center of the auroral bulge.

Ligation of the largest preovulatory follicle (F1) or the second largest preovulatory follicle (F2) delayed terminal oviposition for at least 2 h. Ligation of the fourth or fifth largest preovulatory follicle had no effect on the time of terminal oviposition. The conclusion reached was that some factor produced by the most mature follicles in the ovarian hierarchy influenced the timing of oviposition. Since the terminal oviposition occurs independently of ovulation, the authors concluded that the influence of the F1 and F2 follicles was independent of any preovulatory endocrine changes.

[1] Polar Mesosphere Summer Echoes (PMSE) occur near the mesopause during the polar summer months. PMSE are primarily studied at VHF, however there have been some detections at higher frequencies. Here, we report on some of the first detections of PMSE with the 450 MHz (67 cm) Poker Flat Advanced Modular Incoherent Scatter Radar (PFISR). Echoes were observed with volume reflectivities (radar scattering cross section per unit volume) near 2–3 × 10−17 m−1. On 11 June 2007, PFISR was operating in a 26-beam position mode, with look directions spread over an approximately 80 by 80 km2 region at 85 km altitude with elevation angles as low as ∼50°. The measurements showed patchy (tens of kilometer) irregularity regions drifting in from the north, in addition to smaller, more localized structures. There was no evidence for strong aspect sensitivity of these UHF echoes, as PMSE was observed in all look directions with relatively uniform intensity. The observations indicate the presence of fossilized irregularities drifting with the background wind field as well as areas of developing irregularities possibly associated with the presence of active neutral air turbulence.

A thorough analysis of the question of whether we possess "free will" requires that we take into account the process of exercising that will: that is, the neural mechanisms of decision making. Much of what we know about these mechanisms indicates that decision making is greatly influenced by implicit processes that may not even reach consciousness. Moreover, there exist conditions, for example certain types of brain injury or drug addiction, in which an individual can be said to have a disorder of the will. Examples such as these demonstrate that the idea of freedom of will on which our legal system is based is not supported by the neuroscience of decision making. Using the criminal law as an example, we discuss how new discoveries in neuroscience can serve as a tool for reprioritizing our society's legal intuitions in a way that leads us to a more effective and humane system.

Fifty years ago, the first International Geophysical Year (IGY) generated a huge step function increase in observations of ionospheric variability associated with the almost continuous geomagnetic activity experienced during the largest solar maximum of the past 100 years. In turn, these observations fueled more than a decade of theoretical advancement of magnetospheric-ionospheric electrodynamics and geomagnetic storm physics. In stark contrast, the current International Polar Year (IPY; 2007–2009) is occurring during what may well turn out to be the deepest solar minimum in 100 years. Potentially, it could be a very geomagnetically quiet period, a period during which ionospheric variability will be driven by processes in the troposphere and mesosphere. Since the variability of the ionosphere-thermosphere system associated with the upward propagating planetary, tidal, and gravity waves from the lower atmosphere is expected to be independent of the solar cycle, the IPY period is an ideal time to study the interchanges between the lower and upper atmospheric regions.

[1] Highly sensitive all-sky airglow imager has been operative at Resolute Bay, Canada (74.73°N, 265.07°E; AACGM latitude 82.9°) since January 2005. We present, as a first result from the imager, an event of polar cap patches drifting anti-sunward during the southward IMF conditions. Magnitude and direction of patch drift velocities are computed with a temporal resolution of 2 min by using the newly developed patch-tracking algorithm based on 2D cross correlation analysis. It is well visualized that the patches change their moving speed and direction drastically in a short time scale (a few minutes). Speed of the patch is primally controlled by the IMF Bz. Dawn-dusk component of the patch drift velocities is well correlated with the IMF By in agreement with published By dependence of the nightside polar cap convection. However, response of the patch drift direction to the IMF By is found to be much slower (≈20 min) than that of the drift speed to the IMF Bz (almost instantaneous).

Hypotension, the commonest side-effect of spinal anaesthesia, results from sympathetic denervation. This study compared patient positioning (supine vs. decubitus) on haemodynamic variables during spinal anaesthesia.After intravenous crystalloid preloading with 5 mL kg(-1), hyperbaric bupivacaine 0.5% 2.5 mL was injected intrathecally at the L2-3 or L3-4 interspace. Patients were then randomly assigned to be positioned immediately supine and horizontal for 30 min (Group SUP, n = 12), or remained in the lateral decubitus position (fractured hip dependent) for 30 min (Group LAT, n = 14). Systolic blood pressure, mean arterial pressure, and loss of sensation of pinprick sensation were recorded prior to induction of spinal anaesthesia (baseline) and at 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120 min after intrathecal injection.In Group SUP, the percent maximum systolic blood pressure (36 +/- 13%) and percent maximum mean arterial pressure decreases (27 +/- 13%) were significantly greater (P0.05) than in Group LAT (30 +/- 8% and 23 +/- 11%, respectively). Additionally, there was a borderline significant delay in the time to maximum systolic blood pressure decrease in Group LAT (38 +/- 30 min) when compared with Group SUP (20 +/- 17 min, P = 0.06), while the total dose of ephedrine required in the SUP group (30 mg) was greater than that required in the LAT group (15 mg, P = 0.05). In Group LAT patients, the mean level of denervation on the operative side extended 2 dermatomes more cephalad than in Group SUP.Lateral positioning for spinal anaesthesia delays the onset of hypotension, while requiring smaller total doses of vasoconstrictors for blood pressure maintenance.

Particle and magnetic field observations during a magnetic conjunction Cluster 1-FAST-Søndrestrøm within the field of view of SuperDARN radars on 21 January 2001 allow us to draw a detailed, comprehensive and self-consistent picture at three heights of signatures associated with transient reconnection under a steady south-westerly IMF (clock angle ≈130°). Cluster 1 was outbound through the high altitude (~12RE) exterior northern cusp tailward of the bifurcation line (geomagnetic Bx>0) when a solar wind dynamic pressure release shifted the spacecraft into a boundary layer downstream of the cusp. The centerpiece of the investigation is a series of flow bursts observed there by the spacecraft, which were accompanied by strong field perturbations and tailward flow deflections. Analysis shows these to be Alfvén waves. We interpret these flow events as being due to a sequence of reconnected flux tubes, with field-aligned currents in the associated Alfvén waves carrying stresses to the underlying ionosphere, a view strengthened by the other observations. At the magnetic footprint of the region of Cluster flow bursts, FAST observed an ion energy-latitude disperison of the stepped cusp type, with individual cusp ion steps corresponding to individual flow bursts. Simultaneously, the SuperDARN Stokkseyri radar observed very strong poleward-moving radar auroral forms (PMRAFs) which were conjugate to the flow bursts at Cluster. FAST was traversing these PMRAFs when it observed the cusp ion steps. The Søndrestrøm radar observed pulsed ionospheric flows (PIFs) just poleward of the convection reversal boundary. As at Cluster, the flow was eastward (tailward), implying a coherent eastward (tailward) motion of the hypothesized open flux tubes. The joint Søndrestrøm and FAST observations indicate that the open/closed field line boundary was equatorward of the convection reversal boundary by ~2°. The unprecedented accuracy of the conjunction argues strongly for the validity of the interpretation of the various signatures as resulting from transient reconnection. In particular, the cusp ion steps arise on this pass from this origin, in consonance with the original pulsating cusp model. The observations point to the need of extending current ideas on the response of the ionosphere to transient reconnection. Specifically, it argues in favor of re-establishing the high-latitude boundary layer downstream of the cusp as an active site of momentum transfer.

The paper argues that there is no discrete operational level of war. Operational art is merely a function that needs to be performed. Operational art is the application of mechanical tactical means to achieve abstract strategic ends. At the core of this art is the concept of operational shock. Maneuver theory seeks ways to defeat the will of an enemy without having to destroy all his forces. Operational shock applies this thinking to the operational system of the enemy. A military operational system comprises its mission, its forces and the geographic space it influences. Operational shock aims to deprive this system of the ability to achieve its purpose and therefore enables us to move away from the need to destroy all of the enemy's fielded forces. It is therefore the core of operational art, which arose from the difficulty attendant on defeat of the nation-in-arms. The creation of operational shock is the organizing idea behind operational design and the conceptual link between tactical action and strategic results. The paper discusses some aspects of operational design that may enhance the prospects of inflicting operational shock.

Bcl-2 is an important determinant of transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder recurrence and progression as well as a factor in patient response to chemotherapy or radiotherapy. We determined Bcl-2 down-regulation after antisense oligonucleotide therapy and synergism with mitomycin C in transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.Bcl-2 protein was quantified using flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry in 4 bladder cancer cell lines, in bladder washings from 6 patients with carcinoma in situ and in 16 patient tumor samples. The synergistic effects of antisense oligonucleotides G3139 and 2009, and mitomycin C were investigated in 4 cell lines, while 2009 down-regulation was examined in 20 tumor explants in an ex vivo model.Bcl-2 protein expression was found in all 4 cell lines and in 5 of the 6 cell populations derived from patients with carcinoma in situ. Of the 16 tumors 7 were classified positive by frozen section immunohistochemistry and quantitative flow cytometry. G3139 and 2009 down-regulated Bcl-2 protein expression in all 4 cell lines and 2009 down-regulated Bcl-2 protein expression in half of the Bcl-2 positive tumor specimens. There was only evidence in 1 cell line, T24/83, that Bcl-2 protein expression down-regulation enhanced mitomycin C induced apoptotic cell death.Bcl-2 was expressed in a significant proportion of bladder tumors and in carcinoma in situ. Therefore, antisense oligonucleotides represent a viable strategy for Bcl-2 protein down-regulation. However, it may not always translate into an increased level of mitomycin C induced apoptosis in transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.

A structural, profile-based algorithm was used to identify interleukin 20 (IL-20), a novel IL-10 homolog. Chromosomal localization of IL-20 led to the discovery of an IL-10 family cytokine cluster. Overexpression of IL-20 in transgenic (TG) mice causes neonatal lethality with skin abnormalities including aberrant epidermal differentiation. Recombinant IL-20 protein stimulates a signal transduction pathway through STAT3 in a keratinocyte cell line, demonstrating a direct action of this ligand. An IL-20 receptor was identified as a heterodimer of two orphan class II cytokine receptor subunits. Both receptor subunits are expressed in skin and are dramatically upregulated in psoriatic skin. Taken together, these results demonstrate a role in epidermal function and psoriasis for IL-20, a novel cytokine identified solely by bioinformatics analysis.

To examine mitomycin-C (MMC)-induced apoptosis in an ex vivo model of superficial TCC, and relate it to the in vivo response to chemotherapy. Materials and methods Dose- and time-response curves were constructed to determine the optimal conditions for the induction of apoptosis by MMC in an ex vivo model of superficial bladder cancer. Subsequently, 41 individual tumours were exposed to MMC in the model and the effects assessed by measuring of apoptosis before and after chemotherapy. The relationships between tumour grade and stage and the intrinsic and induced apoptotic counts were determined. In tandem, in a clinical study, the relationship between in vivo response of a marker tumour to MMC and the ex vivo induction of apoptosis was determined.In the ex vivo model, apoptosis was induced at a MMC concentration of 0.5 mg/mL after an incubation time of 8 h. In 41 tumours the intrinsic apoptotic index (AI) was higher with increased grade and stage of tumour (P = 0.048). There was no correlation between the intrinsic AI and the AI after treatment with MMC (induced AI). In 21 tumours (51%) the induced AI did not increase above a predetermined response threshold and these tumours were considered resistant to MMC. Resistance to MMC was related to tumour grade (P = 0.037) with a trend for G3 pT1 tumours to be resistant to the therapy. There was a significant association between ex vivo sensitivity and in vivo marker tumour response (P = 0.02).Apoptosis is differentially induced in an ex vivo incubation model of superficial TCC by MMC and evidence suggests that this response matches that seen in vivo. The measurement of apoptosis before therapy does not predict the apoptotic response of a tumour to chemotherapy. The ability to undergo apoptosis correlates with clinical outcome.

This study was designed to assess the outcome of clam ileocystoplasty (CI) based on patients' subjective perception and objectively validated scoring systems. Quality-of-life parameters were also examined as aspects of outcome.Between 1989 and 1994, 27 patients (15 male and 12 female) underwent CI. The median age was 41 years (13-75 years). CI was performed after failed pharmacological treatment. The mean length of follow-up for this patient cohort was 18 months (range: 1-4 years).Overall cure rate was objectively assessed at 61%. Seventy-two percent of patients described a subjective improvement of symptoms, and a small number of patients (12.5%) were subjectively worse following the operation. Quality of life was improved in 75% of patients, with 12.5% showing no improvement and 12.5% being worse. Fifty-six percent of patients noted a minor degree of voiding dysfunction, whereas 25% noted moderate and 19% noted severe voiding dysfunction.CI offered improvement with satisfaction in the group of patients studied, however not all patients achieved a satisfactory outcome. The patients who were worse following the procedure were all young females with detrusor instability. Careful patient selection and pre-operative counselling may reduce the failure rate. Outcome analysis based on standardised questionnaires allows patients and surgeons to make informed decisions with realistic expectations.

The paper describes a program to import and breed black rhinoceros ex situ at Western Plains Zoo in Australia. Nine rhinoceros (7 females and 2 males) captured in 1992 in Chete National Park, Zimbabwe, were transported to Australia via Cocos Island. The veterinary treatment of the animals before and during quarantine in Zimbabwe and on Cocos (Keeling) Islands is described. Three animals died; an adult male on Cocos Islands and a juvenile male and an adult female at Western Plains Zoo, Dubbo, New South Wales. The juvenile male died as a result of trauma sustained shortly after arrival and the two adults after developing a severe hepatopathy. The group of 6 females and an additional 4 males imported from the USA in 1994 have adapted well to captivity and to the climate and environment of central west New South Wales.

Two hundred and fifty patients with 290 stones presenting to the Department of Urology were treated with the Candela MDL 2000 Laser Lithotripter. Overall stone clearance rate was 95%. The more proximal the calculus the lower the success rate. Ninety eight percent of stones in the lower ureter, 95% of mid ureteric and 91% of upper ureteric stones were cleared. The major complication was perforation which occurred in 6% of cases. This procedure is a safe and effective treatment for ureteric calculi and is associated with a low complication rate and a high clearance rate. Laser lithotripsy is the optimum ureteroscopic method of treating ureteric calculi and is complimentary to extra corporeal shock wave lithotripsy.