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To study topical lidocaine for office-based laryngeal procedures recording onset, duration, and subjective experience of topical anesthesia.Nine healthy volunteers were anesthetized with 4 % lidocaine endoscopically. Laryngeal sensitivity prior to and during anesthesia was recorded until normal sensation returned measured by air-puff sensory testing. Subjective experience of the process was recorded.Questionnaires regarding subjective experience were completed prior to, during, and after anesthesia. Laryngeal sensitivity via air-pulse trigger of the laryngeal adductor reflex (LAR) prior to and after 3 mL shower of 4 % lidocaine was recorded at 30 second intervals until the larynx was insensate with no LAR at 10 mmHg. Time to anesthesia was recorded and post-endoscopy questionnaire was given. Upon subjective change in sensation, sensitivity via air-pulse trigger of the LAR was recorded until baseline sensation returned. A post-anesthesia questionnaire recorded the subjective experience.Average time to full anesthesia was 110 s (±31.2). Subjective return of sensation was noted at 10 min (±2.5), however time to return to normal LAR was 22 min (±5.8). Based on three standard deviations, 99.7 % of the population will be anesthetized at 3.4 min, report subjective change at 18.2 min and regain full sensation at 40 min.Office-based laryngeal procedures should be performed at least 2 min following topical 4 % lidocaine with a window for manipulation of at least 16 min. Oral intake should be delayed for over 45 min to ensure complete return of sensation. The laryngeal shower of lidocaine is subjectively tolerated.2C Outcomes Research.

Background Smoking remains a leading cause of preventable death and illness. Internet interventions for smoking cessation have the potential to significantly impact public health, given their broad reach and proven effectiveness. Given the dose-response association between engagement and behavior change, identifying strategies to promote engagement is a priority across digital health interventions. Text messaging is a proven smoking cessation treatment modality and a powerful strategy to increase intervention engagement in other areas of health, but it has not been tested as an engagement strategy for a digital cessation intervention. Objective This study examined the impact of 4 experimental text message design factors on adult smokers’ engagement with an internet smoking cessation program. Methods We conducted a 2×2×2×2 full factorial screening experiment wherein 864 participants were randomized to 1 of 16 experimental conditions after registering with a free internet smoking cessation program and enrolling in its automated text message program. Experimental factors were personalization (on/off), integration between the web and text message platforms (on/off), dynamic tailoring of intervention content based on user engagement (on/off), and message intensity (tapered vs abrupt drop-off). Primary outcomes were 3-month measures of engagement (ie, page views, time on site, and return visits to the website) as well as use of 6 interactive features of the internet program. All metrics were automatically tracked; there were no missing data. Results Main effects were detected for integration and dynamic tailoring. Integration significantly increased interactive feature use by participants, whereas dynamic tailoring increased the number of features used and page views. No main effects were found for message intensity or personalization alone, although several synergistic interactions with other experimental features were observed. Synergistic effects, when all experimental factors were active, resulted in the highest rates of interactive feature use and the greatest proportion of participants at high levels of engagement. Measured in terms of standardized mean differences (SMDs), effects on interactive feature use were highest for Build Support System (SMD 0.56; 95% CI 0.27 to 0.81), Choose Quit Smoking Aid (SMD 0.38; 95% CI 0.10 to 0.66), and Track Smoking Triggers (SMD 0.33; 95% CI 0.05 to 0.61). Among the engagement metrics, the largest effects were on overall feature utilization (SMD 0.33; 95% CI 0.06 to 0.59) and time on site (SMD 0.29; 95% CI 0.01 to 0.57). As no SMD >0.30 was observed for main effects on any outcome, results suggest that for some outcomes, the combined intervention was stronger than individual factors alone. Conclusions This factorial experiment demonstrates the effectiveness of text messaging as a strategy to increase engagement with an internet smoking cessation intervention, resulting in greater overall intervention dose and greater exposure to the core components of tobacco dependence treatment that can promote abstinence. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02585206; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02585206. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) RR2-10.1136/bmjopen-2015-010687

Free piston Stirling convertors offer increased efficiency over radioisotope thermoelectric generators at the potential expense of increased risk to reliability and robustness. Steps in reducing that risk are system studies that integrate Stirling convertors into a generator. System integration of a Stirling convertor into a generator requires trade studies and in depth system analysis of a variety of subsystems. Subsystems focused upon here are the GPHS to convertor heating mechanism, convertor and system level heat rejection system, and the overall physical/mechanical configuration. An overview of several system design options and rationale for the down selection of the final configuration are presented. Included in the analysis is several off-nominal conditions and effects of failed convertors upon the system. Initial simulations showed a system efficiency of 21% and specific power of 3.9 W/kg, updated higher fidelity models and details indicate a system efficiency of 23% and a specific power of 3.0 W/kg for the reference condition are possible.

Semi-natural habitats (SNH) support biodiversity and associated ecosystem services on farmland, thereby contributing to sustainable agriculture. However, little is known about the specific suitability of different types of SNH as overwintering habitat for predatory arthropods, despite the crucial role of such knowledge for conservation biological control. We used ground photoeclectors to sample spiders in 65 habitats comprising crop fields and four major SNH types (herbaceous areal, herbaceous linear, woody areal, woody linear) across two study regions in Switzerland and Germany to identify the most important overwintering habitats for spiders. Spider emergence started in February and over half of the individuals of the most common spiders had already emerged by late April. SNH supported on average 146% higher species richness and 194% higher densities of spiders than crop fields. Woody and herbaceous SNH supported distinct spider communities, with individual species exhibiting marked preferences for either woody or herbaceous SNH. Habitat shape (areal or linear) had no significant effects on spider overwintering. Woody SNH hosted more species, whereas herbaceous SNH had higher densities of agrobiont species (i.e. species known to reach high densities in crops in the growing season). Given the higher number of overwintering agrobionts in herbaceous SNH, this habitat type has potential to promote pest control by spill-over of spiders into nearby crops early in the season. In contrast, woody SNH seem to be more important for the conservation of diverse spider communities that are highly distinct from those inhabiting open land. Hence, creating and preserving a variety of SNH is key to provide suitable overwintering sites for species in agricultural landscapes.

Semi-natural habitats (SNH) maintain high levels of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning within agroecosystems. While management recommendations for SNH to promote biodiversity and optimize natural pest control, have mostly focused on improving food resources for predators, overwintering conditions have hitherto received less attention. The success of conservation biological control is often hampered by a lack of knowledge on how different habitats and their associated traits drive the overwintering of both, crop pests and their natural enemies. Moreover, there are concerns that SNH may act as reservoirs for crop pests. We investigated the overwintering of pollen beetles (Meligethes spp.) and their predators (predatory ground beetles) across 40 habitats of all major types of SNH as well as 8 winter oilseed rape (WOSR) fields, to identify the importance of type and key traits of habitats. Overwintering of pollen beetles was higher in WOSR fields (7 individuals per 0.25 m2) and forest edges (4) compared to flower strips (2) or forest interiors (1). Similarly, overwintering of predatory ground beetles was higher in forest edges and WOSR fields (11 and 10 individuals, respectively) than in flower strips, meadows or hedgerows (4, 4 and 2 individuals). The predator-prey ratio (number of predatory ground beetles / number of pollen beetles) was higher in forest edges than in flower strips, meadows or hedgerows, and intermediate in WOSR fields. Pollen beetle numbers were negatively associated with increasing litter cover and positively with increasing bare soil, while predatory ground beetles were positively associated with soil bulk density and bare soil cover. The proportion of SNH at the landscape level (1 km radius) did not affect overwintering pollen beetles, predatory ground beetles or predator-prey ratio. We conclude that WOSR fields, rather than SNH are the major overwintering habitat and source of spring colonisation of WOSR by pollen beetles. Forest edges promote predatory ground beetles rather than pollen beetle populations according to their disproportionally high value of overwintering individuals. Agri-environmental measures to promote predatory ground beetles rather than pollen beetles should promote overwintering habitats with compact soils and high litter cover.

Free piston Stirling convertor based generators present a significant advantage over traditional radioisotope power systems (radioisotope thermoelectric generators), which is conversion efficiency. Several configurations are considered ranging from 50 We to 500 We. Current dynamic systems have yet to prove themselves with respect to reliability. Therefore, a significant portion of the analysis focuses on reliability of the configurations. As dynamic convertor reliability has yet to be determined generator reliability studies are relative to convertor reliability. Reliability studies include the system controller, individual convertor controllers, and convertor redundancy. In addition to reliability: power, thermal efficiency, conversion efficiency, and weight are considered. Investigated configurations show system level efficiencies as high as 24% are possible.

High-resolution Airborne Wide-band Camera (HAWC[Formula: see text]) is the facility far-infrared imager and polarimeter for SOFIA, NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy. It is designed to cover the portion of the infrared spectrum that is completely inaccessible to ground-based observatories and which is essential for studies of astronomical sources with temperatures between tens and hundreds of degrees Kelvin. Its ability to make polarimetric measurements of aligned dust grains provides a unique new capability for studying interstellar magnetic fields. HAWC[Formula: see text] began commissioning flights in April 2016 and was accepted as a facility instrument in early 2018. In this paper, we describe the instrument, its operational procedures, and its performance on the observatory.

BACKGROUND Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable death and disease in the United States. Smoking prevalence is higher in rural areas than in metropolitan areas, due partly to differences in access to cessation treatment. With internet use at 89% of all US adults, digital approaches could increase use of cessation treatment and reduce smoking. OBJECTIVE We investigated the extent to which smokers from rural areas use a digital cessation resource. We compared the geographic distribution of registered users of a free Web-based smoking cessation program with the geographic distribution of US smokers. METHODS We mapped user-provided ZIP codes to Rural-Urban Continuum Codes. A total of 59,050 of 118,574 users (49.80%) provided valid ZIP codes from 2013 to 2017. We used US National Survey of Drug Use and Health data from 2013 to 2017 to compare the geographic distribution of our sample of Web-based cessation users with the geographic distribution of US smokers. Reach ratios and 95% confidence intervals quantified the extent to which rural smokers’ representation in the sample was proportionate to their representation in the national smoking population. Reach ratios less than 1 indicate underrepresentation. RESULTS Smokers from rural areas were significantly underrepresented in 2013 (reach ratio 0.89, 95% CI 0.87-0.91) and 2014 (reach ratio 0.89, 95% CI 0.86-0.92), proportionally represented in 2015 (reach ratio 1.08, 95% CI 1.02-1.14) and 2016 (reach ratio 1.03, 95% CI 0.94-1.14), and proportionally overrepresented in 2017 (reach ratio 1.16, 95% CI 1.12-1.21). Smokers from Large Metro areas were proportionally represented in 2013 and 2014 but underrepresented in 2015 (reach ratio 0.97, 95% CI 0.94-1.00), 2016 (reach ratio 0.89, 95% CI 0.85-0.94), and 2017 (reach ratio 0.89, 95% CI 0.86-0.91). CONCLUSIONS Results suggest that smokers from rural areas are more than proportionally reached by a long-standing digital cessation intervention. The underrepresentation of smokers from Large Metro areas warrants further study.

Objectives/Hypothesis The purpose of this study is to examine the range of vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) gain on rotary chair (RC) testing in subjects without ear and vestibular problems stratified by age and gender. Study Design Prospective cross-sectional study. Methods One hundred subjects ranging in age from 6 to 78 years underwent RC testing. VOR gains at frequencies ranging from 0.01 to 0.64 Hz were recorded. The PROC MIXED procedure in SAS was used to analyze differences in VOR gain between gender and the following age groups: group 1 (6–12 years), group 2 (13–17 years), group 3 (18–30 years), group 4 (31–50 years), and group 5 (>50 years). Results Twenty subjects were recruited for each of the five groups. Group 1 showed the highest average VOR gain compared to all other age groups (P

DAVINCI is one of five Discovery-class missions selected by NASA in October 2015 for Phase A studies. Launching in November 2021 and arriving at Venus in June of 2023, DAVINCI would be the first U.S. entry probe to target Venus' atmosphere in 45 years. DAVINCI is designed to study the chemical and isotopic composition of a complete cross-section of Venus' atmosphere at a level of detail that has not been possible on earlier missions and to image the surface at optical wavelengths and process-relevant scales.

During September–November 2014, the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) was notified of five New York state residents who had tested seropositive for Coxiella burnetii, the causative agent of Q fever. All five patients had symptoms compatible with Q fever (e.g., fever, fatigue, chills, and headache) and a history of travel to Germany to receive a medical treatment called "live cell therapy" (sometimes called "fresh cell therapy") in May 2014. Live cell therapy is the practice of injecting processed cells from organs or fetuses of nonhuman animals (e.g., sheep) into human recipients. It is advertised to treat a variety of health conditions. This practice is unavailable in the United States; however, persons can travel to foreign locations to receive injections. Local health departments interviewed the patients, and NYSDOH notified CDC and posted a report on CDC’s Epidemic Information Exchange to solicit additional cases. Clinical and exposure information for each patient was reported to the Robert Koch Institute in Germany, which forwarded the information to local health authorities. A Canada resident who also received live cell therapy in May 2014 was diagnosed with Q fever in July 2014. Clinicians should be aware of health risks, such as Q fever and other zoonotic diseases, among patients with a history of receiving treatment with live cell therapy products.

The design of a versatile dual-telescope thermal-infrared radiometer spanning the spectral wavelength range 8–200 µm, in five spectral pass bands, for outer planet fly-by missions is described. The dual-telescope design switches between a narrow-field-of-view and a wide-field-of-view to provide optimal spatial resolution images within a range of spacecraft encounters to the target. The switchable dual-field-of-view system uses an optical configuration based on the axial rotation of a source-select mirror along the optical axis. The optical design, spectral performance, radiometric accuracy, and retrieval estimates of the instrument are discussed. This is followed by an assessment of the surface coverage performance at various spatial resolutions by using the planned NASA Europa Mission 13-F7 fly-by trajectories as a case study.

The Hera Saturn entry probe mission is proposed as an M--class mission led by ESA with a contribution from NASA. It consists of one atmospheric probe to be sent into the atmosphere of Saturn, and a Carrier-Relay spacecraft. In this concept, the Hera probe is composed of ESA and NASA elements, and the Carrier-Relay Spacecraft is delivered by ESA. The probe is powered by batteries, and the Carrier-Relay Spacecraft is powered by solar panels and batteries. We anticipate two major subsystems to be supplied by the United States, either by direct procurement by ESA or by contribution from NASA: the solar electric power system (including solar arrays and the power management and distribution system), and the probe entry system (including the thermal protection shield and aeroshell). Hera is designed to perform in situ measurements of the chemical and isotopic compositions as well as the dynamics of Saturn's atmosphere using a single probe, with the goal of improving our understanding of the origin, formation, and evolution of Saturn, the giant planets and their satellite systems, with extrapolation to extrasolar planets. Hera's aim is to probe well into the cloud-forming region of the troposphere, below the region accessible to remote sensing, to the locations where certain cosmogenically abundant species are expected to be well mixed. By leading to an improved understanding of the processes by which giant planets formed, including the composition and properties of the local solar nebula at the time and location of giant planet formation, Hera will extend the legacy of the Galileo and Cassini missions by further addressing the creation, formation, and chemical, dynamical, and thermal evolution of the giant planets, the entire solar system including Earth and the other terrestrial planets, and formation of other planetary systems., Comment: Accepted for publication in Planetary and Space Science

The purpose of this study is to examine the range of vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) gain on rotary chair (RC) testing in subjects without ear and vestibular problems stratified by age and gender.Prospective cross-sectional study.One hundred subjects ranging in age from 6 to 78 years underwent RC testing. VOR gains at frequencies ranging from 0.01 to 0.64 Hz were recorded. The PROC MIXED procedure in SAS was used to analyze differences in VOR gain between gender and the following age groups: group 1 (6-12 years), group 2 (13-17 years), group 3 (18-30 years), group 4 (31-50 years), and group 5 (50 years).Twenty subjects were recruited for each of the five groups. Group 1 showed the highest average VOR gain compared to all other age groups (P .05). There was an inverse correlation between VOR gain and age (P .05). The lowest frequency (0.01 Hz) had the highest correlation between VOR gain and age (r = -0.425; P .0001).Our study demonstrates VOR gain differences with age, especially in the preadolescent and geriatric groups. The current manufacturer-provided normative data do not serve as an accurate reference, especially for these two age groups. A larger population of all age groups should be compared to the current RC manufacturer normative values to ensure that they accurately reflect the true normative data.2.

Access to the chemical constituents, and dynamics of the atmosphere and surface of Venus has long been a primary goal and challenge of robotic exploration.

Key science and exploration objectives of lunar robotic precursor missions can be achieved with the Lunar Explorer (LEx) low-cost, robotic surface mission concept described herein. Selected elements of the LEx concept can also be used to create a lunar surface sample return mission that we have called Boomerang.

The Single Aperture Far-InfraRed (SAFIR) Observatory's science goals are driven by the fact that the earliest stages of almost all phenomena in the universe are shrouded in absorption by and emission from cool dust and gas that emits strongly in the far-infrared and submillimeter. Over the past several years, there has been an increasing recognition of the critical importance of this spectral region to addressing fundamental astrophysical problems, ranging from cosmological questions to understanding how our own Solar System came into being. The development of large, far-infrared telescopes in space has become more feasible with the combination of developments for the James Webb Space Telescope and of enabling breakthroughs in detector technology. We have developed a preliminary but comprehensive mission concept for SAFIR, as a 10 m-class far-infrared and submillimeter observatory that would begin development later in this decade to meet the needs outlined above. Its operating temperature (, 36 pages

"To take the next step in exploring this important part of the spectrum [30-300μm], the committee recommends the Single Aperture Far-Infrared Observatory (SAFIR)." - Astronomy and Astrophysics in the New Millennium, 2001 . In response to this recommendation, we have undertaken a study of the enabling technologies for a large single aperture far-infrared telescope such as SAFIR. A broad list of science investigations was produced and used to generate an explicit list of science requirements, from which top-level engineering requirements were derived. From these requirements, we developed a conceptual design for the SAFIR observatory based on NGST's current designs. A detailed analysis has been made of the changes and technologies necessary to produce SAFIR. Crucial technologies requiring innovation include lightweight deployable optics, cryogenic cooling of optical elements and instruments, and large arrays of sensitive detectors. Cryogen-free refrigeration technologies are necessary for SAFIR's long mission lifetime, and will have to provide significant (~100mW) cooling power at 4K to cool the mirrors while providing very low temperatures (~50mK) for detector arrays. The detector arrays require wide wavelength coverage, thousands of continuum elements, and compatibility with broadband and spectroscopic instruments.

The High resolution Airborne Wideband Camera (HAWC) and the Submillimeter High Angular Resolution Camera II (SHARC II) will use almost identical versions of an ion-implanted silicon bolometer array developed at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). The GSFC "Pop-Up" Detectors (PUD's) use a unique folding technique to enable a 12 × 32-element close-packed array of bolometers with a filling factor greater than 95 percent. A kinematic Kevlar suspension system isolates the 200 mK bolometers from the helium bath temperature, and GSFC - developed silicon bridge chips make electrical connection to the bolometers, while maintaining thermal isolation. The JFET preamps operate at 120 K. Providing good thermal heat sinking for these, and keeping their conduction and radiation from reaching the nearby bolometers, is one of the principal design challenges encountered. Another interesting challenge is the preparation of the silicon bolometers. They are manufactured in 32-element, planar rows using Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) semiconductor etching techniques, and then cut and folded onto a ceramic bar. Optical alignment using specialized jigs ensures their uniformity and correct placement. The rows are then stacked to create the 12 × 32-element array. Engineering results from the first light run of SHARC II at the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory (CSO) are presented.

Background The best choice of graft tissue for use in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction has been the subject of debate. Hypothesis: Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with patellar tendon autograft leads to greater knee stability than reconstruction with hamstring tendon autograft. Study Design Metaanalysis. Methods A Medline search identified articles published from January 1966 to May 2000 describing arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with either patellar tendon or hamstring tendon autograft and with a minimum patient follow-up of 24 months. Results There were 1348 patients in the patellar tendon group (21 studies) and 628 patients in the hamstring tendon group (13 studies). The rate of graft failure in the patellar tendon group was significantly lower (1.9% versus 4.9%) and a significantly higher proportion of patients in the patellar tendon group had a side-to-side difference of less than 3 mm on KT-1000 arthrometer testing than in the hamstring tendon group (79% versus 73.8%). There was a higher rate of manipulation under anesthesia or lysis of adhesions (6.3% versus 3.3%) and of anterior knee pain in the patellar tendon group (17.4% versus 11.5%) and a higher incidence of hardware removal in the hamstring tendon group (5.5% versus 3.1%). Conclusions Patellar tendon autografts had a significantly lower rate of graft failure and resulted in better static knee stability and increased patient satisfaction compared with hamstring tendon autografts. However, patellar tendon autograft reconstructions resulted in an increased rate of anterior knee pain.

Area-wide measurements of low frequency wind turbine noise were conducted in residential areas adjacent to two different wind turbine facilities in Southern California. The residential measurement location distances ranged from 615 m to 9 km from wind turbines. Additional measurements were also conducted at distances as close as 125 m from the wind turbines. To obtain the residential measurement data, simultaneous digital recordings were made inside and outside residences using microphones designed to achieve a linear response down to 0.07 Hz. The outdoor measurements were conducted with a ground board and two windscreens. The recorded data at residences were analyzed using a cross-spectral technique to minimize the effects of wind acting on the microphone. The data clearly show the presence of infrasound at the blade passage frequency of the wind turbines as well as at the associated harmonics. The primary range of interest is frequencies between 0 and 10 Hz. The residential data in some instances indicate higher levels of infrasound indoors compared to outdoors, indicating a potential amplification of very low frequency sound energy by the residential structure. Representative infrasound data for both facilities are presented and discussed.

A windscreen enables noise measurements to be made as accurately as possible under typical field conditions. Measuring wind turbine noise presents a greater level of difficulty than normal. For there to be wind turbine noise, there needs to be wind for the turbines to operate. Greater wind turbine noise is generally associated with higher wind speeds. Multiple windscreens have been found to significantly reduce artificial wind noise in the range of hearing of 20 to 20 kHz, but cannot reduce the very low frequency pressure fluctuations associated with the movement of air during gusts of wind or in the case of interior measurements fluctuations due to wind pressurizing the building. Wind turbines have been demonstrated by others to produce infrasound in the range of 0.5 to 10 Hz. Measuring infrasound in the presence of local wind is a challenge, since finding a less windy time is not an option. Area-wide measurements of wind turbine noise were conducted at two wind turbine facilities. In analyzing the recorded data, a cross-spectral method was used to reduce the transient effects of local wind in the infrasound range. The technique for doing this is presented and its effect on the data is discussed.

Spartan Lite is a proposed series of very low-cost spacecraft missions which offer potential flight opportunities for pointed solar experiments. Early versions will be launched as Space Shuttle attached payloads with the capability of being released for free flight. They would not be recovered, allowing useful lifetimes of six months to one year. An expendable launch vehicle option will be added later. The spacecraft is 3-axis stabilized with a cylindrical instrument cavity 100 cm long and 36 cm in diameter. If approved, the program would provide multiple launch opportunities during the upcoming solar maximum. A conceptual instrument design for a solar pointed mission on Spartan Lite is shown and discussed. The Extreme-Ultraviolet Normal Incidence Spectrograph will observe the solar spectrum between 290 and 466 A with high spatial and spectral resolutions. The large bandpass is due to the compact design, fitting two optical systems into the instrument cavity, each observing a different, but overlapping, wavelength range.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

We describe the engineering design and operational concept for a series of three complementary top mounted balloon- borne experiments to measure the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation anisotropy, culminating in a two week circumpolar flight from McMurdo Station, Antarctica. Each experiment is designed to provide a maximum science return in addition to acting as a pathfinder to the successor flights of top- mounted balloon-borne experiments. The experiment program, named TopHat, will involve the launch and operation of the first far-infrared and microwave telescope flown entirely from the top of a 28 million cubic foot balloon. It utilizes a two axis gimbal pointing system, a one meter Cassegrain optical system with a chopping secondary mirror, and a 3He evaporation cryostat designed to maintain a bolometer detector temperature of 0.25 K for 30 days without cycling. The series of flights will begin with an engineering test flight scheduled for launch in July 1996 from Palestine, Texas, followed by a pointing experiment to be flown from Ft. Sumner, New Mexico in April 1997. A spinning experiment will be launched from Ft. Sumner in April 1998 and Antarctica in December 1998.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.