Stellar obliquities provide important clues as to the formation and migration histories of planetary systems, but measurements remain scarce for Neptune-mass planets, especially those orbiting hot stars (above the Kraft break). Here we present observations of the Rossiter-McLaughlin effect in the hot-star/hot-Neptune system WASP-195 (T_ eff=6470±100 K, vsini_⋆=10.5±1.1 km s^-1) obtained with the Keck Planet Finder and NEID spectrographs. A joint analysis of these observations, archival photometry, and archival radial velocities yields a sky-projected stellar obliquity of λ=-10±7^∘, consistent with spin-orbit alignment. This makes WASP-195 one of the few hot-star/hot-Neptune systems with a measured obliquity. Archival radial velocities from SOPHIE exclude Jupiter-mass planets within approximately 3 au at 5σ confidence. The aligned and nearly circular orbit is naturally consistent with a history of disk-driven migration, although coplanar high-eccentricity migration or Roche-lobe overflow cannot be ruled out. We also investigate why so few Neptunes around hot stars have measured obliquities. Their scarcity likely reflects a combination of the lower intrinsic occurrence of short-period Neptunes around hot stars and the difficulty of confirming planet candidates in this regime, where rapid stellar rotation broadens spectral lines and hampers conventional radial-velocity confirmation. Rapid rotation also increases the detectability of the Rossiter-McLaughlin effect, a feature that could help to widen the planet confirmation bottleneck while expanding the obliquity census of small planets around hot stars.

The angle between stellar spin axes and planetary orbits – stellar obliquity – probes the dynamics of planetary migration and evolution. The obliquities of giant planets have been extensively studied because they are the most easily measured. Smaller planets, while more difficult to measure, have the advantage of better reflecting the dynamics of planetary systems because they trigger negligible back-reactions onto the host star. This paper introduces a new observational campaign called the Small, Low-mass Oblique Planets Experiment (SLOPE) survey with the Keck Planet Finder (KPF) spectrograph, and presents four new obliquity measurements. The SLOPE survey focuses on planets smaller than Saturn across a variety of system architectures. The sky-projected obliquities of the four planets measured – TOI-1386b, TOI-480b, TOI-4596b, and TOI-1823b – are all consistent with spin-orbit alignment. We validate the planetary nature of TOI-4596b with a significant obliquity detection. Including these measurements, we conducted a statistical analysis of the obliquities of sub-Saturn size planets in different planetary system architectures. Compared to other architectures, those in compact multi-planet systems reside in orbits that appear preferentially aligned with the stellar equator with 6 sigma confidence.

The Keck Planet Finder (KPF) is a fiber-fed, high-resolution, echelle spectrometer that specializes in the discovery and characterization of exoplanets using Doppler spectroscopy. In designing KPF, the guiding principles were high throughput to promote survey speed and access to faint targets, and high stability to keep uncalibrated systematic Doppler measurement errors below 30 cm s(-1). KPF achieves optical illumination stability with a tip-tilt injection system, octagonal cross-section optical fibers, a double scrambler, and active fiber agitation. The optical bench and optics with integral mounts are made of Zerodur to provide thermo-mechanical stability. The spectrometer includes a slicer to reformat the optical input, green and red channels (445-600 nm and 600-870 nm), and achieves a resolving power of similar to 97,000. Additional subsystems include a separate, medium-resolution UV spectrometer (383-402 nm) to record the Ca II H & K lines, an exposure meter for real-time flux monitoring, a solar feed for sunlight injection, and a calibration system with a laser frequency comb and etalon for wavelength calibration. KPF was installed and commissioned at the W. M. Keck Observatory in late 2022 and early 2023 and is now in regular use for scientific observations. This paper presents an overview of the as-built KPF instrument and its subsystems, design considerations, and initial on-sky performance.

We present a compact, double-pass cross-dispersed echelle spectrograph that is tailored specifically to cover the 383 nm to 403 nm spectral range and record R∼16,000 spectra of the stellar chromospheric Ca II H and K lines. This ‘H and K’ spectrometer was developed as a subsystem of the Keck Planet Finder (KPF), which is an extremely precise optical (440 - 870 nm) radial velocity spectrograph for Keck I, scheduled for commissioning Fall 2022, with the science objective of measuring precise masses of exoplanets. The H and K spectrometer will observe simultaneously with KPF to independently track the chromospheric activity of the host stars that KPF observes, which is expected to dominate the KPF measurement floor over long timescales. The H and K Spectrometer is fiber fed from the KPF fiber injection unit with total throughput of 4-7% (top of telescope to CCD) over its operating spectral range. Here we detail the optical design trade offs, mechanical design, and first results from alignment and integration testing.

Small, surface-release dams are ubiquitous features of the landscape that typically slow water flow and decrease canopy cover through impounded reaches, potentially increasing stream temperatures. However, reported effects of small dams on water temperature are variable, likely due to differences in landscape and dam characteristics. To quantify the range of thermal effects of small dams, we deployed continuous temperature loggers for one to four years at 30 dam sites across a range of environmental settings throughout Massachusetts (USA). Most dams (67%) warmed downstream waters, with August mean temperatures 0.20–5.25 °C higher than upstream. Downstream temperatures cooled with increased distance from the dam at 68% of sites, such that the warmest temperatures were observed closest to the dam. Where there was both a significant downstream warming effect and cooling pattern (seven sites), elevated temperatures persisted for an average of 1.31 km downstream of the dam. Dams with impoundments that caused the greatest relative widening of the stream channel and those on coldwater streams had the most warming, while streams with short dams in forested watersheds cooled most quickly downstream of the dam. Flow had a homogenizing effect on water temperatures at over half of the sites, whereby summer thermal impacts were more pronounced (e.g., more warming, faster cooling rates) under periods of lower flows. Downstream warming may reduce habitat for coldwater fishes and invertebrates, particularly where dams shift coldwater/coolwater habitat to warmwater. These results suggest that dam removal may mitigate elevated stream temperatures and increase ecosystem resilience in the face of a changing climate via restoration of critical coldwater habitats.

The Keck Planet Finder (KPF) is a fiber-fed, high-resolution, high-stability spectrometer in development at the UC Berkeley Space Sciences Laboratory for the W.M. Keck Observatory. KPF is designed to characterize exoplanets via Doppler spectroscopy with a goal of a single measurement precision of 0.3 m s-1 or better, however its resolution and stability will enable a wide variety of astrophysical pursuits. Here we provide post-preliminary design review design updates for several subsystems, including: the main spectrometer, the fabrication of the Zerodur optical bench; the data reduction pipeline; fiber agitator; fiber cable design; fiber scrambler; VPH testing results and the exposure meter.

Breastfeeding MedicineVol. 14, No. S1 Clinical Aspects of Human MilkOpen AccessCreative Commons licenseSupporting Optimal Growth in Infants with Chronic Conditions: How Are We Doing and What Can We Do?Christopher SmithChristopher SmithAddress correspondence to: Christopher Smith, SRD, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Royal Alexandra Children's Hospital, BN2 5BE Brighton United Kingdom E-mail Address: chris.smith53@nhs.netDepartment of Nutrition and Dietetics, Royal Alexandra Children's Hospital, Brighton, United Kingdom.Search for more papers by this authorPublished Online:12 Apr 2019https://doi.org/10.1089/bfm.2019.0038AboutSectionsPDF/EPUB Permissions & CitationsPermissionsDownload CitationsTrack CitationsAdd to favorites Back To Publication ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail Supporting optimal growth in infants with chronic conditions has never been so important. Outcomes for many chronic conditions, such as cystic fibrosis (CF), necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), and congenital heart disease (CHD), are improving, but undernutrition remains an all too common problem. Current challenges in treating patients with chronic conditions include the prioritization of breastfeeding, identification of the most effective nutritional interventions, and the prevention or recovery of acquired growth failure.Cystic FibrosisOver the past 3 decades, the median age of survival for patients with CF has risen from ∼29 to 43 years.1 Clinical outcomes, such as weight gain, have also been steadily improving. These improvements are, in part, due to a combination of new therapies for CF and the implementation of newborn screening programs.2 The recent identification of small-molecule therapies, such as ivacaftor, that target specific mutations in the CF transmembrane conductance regulator gene is also associated with improved nutritional status, possibly due to a reduction in energy expenditure, reduced gut inflammation, and an increase in fat intake and absorption.3,4 Despite these advances, the prevalence of undernutrition remains unacceptably high in infants with CF, and improvements in weight and, in particular, length have stagnated in recent years (Fig. 1).1,2 The impact of undernutrition during infancy in CF patients has been shown to have negative long-term effects, including poorer growth, worse lung function, and more severe chest abnormalities at 12 years of age.5,6 Breastfeeding can support optimal growth in infants with CF and is associated with fewer exacerbations and reduced risk of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection.2,7,8 However, breastfeeding rates are low for infants with CF, and most of these infants receive formula as the primary source of nutrition or as a supplement to breastfeeding (Fig. 2).1 Parents may choose not to breastfeed due to the overarching urgency to improve weight and a lack of confidence that breast milk can support good growth. Stress from the diagnosis may also factor into the decision or the success of breastfeeding. Furthermore, infants requiring surgery (e.g., stoma formation) will have different nutritional needs and may experience periods of static growth. Multiple nutritional interventions may be required to support optimal growth in infants with CF, such as parenteral nutrition and specialized formulas.FIG. 1. Median WHO nutritional outcome percentiles for infants aged <24 months with CF.1 CF, cystic fibrosis. Source of data: Cystic fibrosis patients under care at CF Foundation-accredited care centers in the United States, who consented to have their data entered. Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Patient Registry 2017 Annual Data Report, Bethesda, Maryland ©2018 Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.FIG. 2. Form of feeding by age in infants with CF.1 Source of data: Cystic fibrosis patients under care at CF Foundation-accredited care centers in the United States, who consented to have their data entered. Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Patient Registry 2017 Annual Data Report, Bethesda, Maryland ©2018 Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.Necrotizing EnterocolitisNutrition also plays a crucial role in the management of NEC. Breast milk contains a variety of factors that may be protective against NEC, such as immunoglobulins, prebiotics, bioactive proteins, and growth factors. For patients requiring surgical intervention post-NEC, breast milk is preferred for enteral feeds after surgery;9 however, a recent retrospective analysis of infants aged <6 months who underwent intestinal surgery reported that infants with NEC received breast milk in only 7% of hospitalized days.10 If breast milk is not available or the patient is intolerant to standard preterm formulas, hydrolyzed formulas (e.g., semielemental and amino acid based) may be used, but there is limited evidence on which type is best for infants recovering from NEC.9,11 Feeding strategies should aim to support growth, encourage adaption, and prevent parenteral nutrition—associated liver disease, yet the perfect nutrition to support optimal growth may not always be clear. Although breast milk is recommended, breastfeeding may be very difficult due to stress, loss of confidence, and other negative psychological effects parents experience when their infant is hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).12Congenital Heart DiseaseMortality associated with CHD has been declining, yet the prevalence of growth restriction in infants and young children with CHD has remained at ∼20% since the 1960s, despite advances in research, methodology, education, and feeding strategies.13,14 Poor growth in infants with CHD can result in more frequent hospitalizations, poorer surgical outcomes, and higher rates of mortality, as well as long-term adverse effects such as cognitive impairment and persistent growth retardation.15,16 Similar to other chronic conditions, challenges in treating infants with CHD include supporting breastfeeding and appreciating the infant's limitations. Infants with cardiac conditions are unpredictable, unstable, and unique; the return to optimal growth can be long and associated with consequences.In summary, breastfeeding has a pivotal role in treating chronic diseases, yet it can be challenging due to the medical and emotional complexities associated with these conditions. Parents experience stress with diagnosis and having a child in the NICU. They also face pressures from the wider multidisciplinary team to prevent growth failure and may lose confidence in their ability to maintain or promote growth with breast milk. Furthermore, infants with chronic conditions have inherent absorption/malabsorption issues and additional nutritional requirements. Dietitians and nutritionists must work to balance these issues to support optimal growth in all of these vulnerable patient groups.Disclosure StatementC.S. has received speaker fees for lectures from Danone, Nutricia, Prolacta, and Nestle.References1. Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Patient Registry 2017 Annual Data Report. Available at https://www.cff.org/Research/Researcher-Resources/Patient-Registry/2017-Patient-Registry-Annual-Data-Report.pdf (accessed March 11, 2019). Google Scholar2. Leung DH, Heltshe SL, Borowitz D, et al. Effects of diagnosis by newborn screening for cystic fibrosis on weight and length in the first year of life. JAMA Pediatr 2017;171:546–554. Crossref, Medline, Google Scholar3. Bosch B, De Boeck K. Searching for a cure for cystic fibrosis. A 25-year quest in a nutshell. Eur J Pediatr 2016;175:1–8. Crossref, Medline, Google Scholar4. Stallings VA, Sainath N, Oberle M, et al. Energy balance and mechanisms of weight gain with ivacaftor treatment of cystic fibrosis gating mutations. J Pediatr 2018;201:229–237.e4. Crossref, Medline, Google Scholar5. Sanders DB, Fink A, Mayer-Hamblett N, et al. Early life growth trajectories in cystic fibrosis are associated with pulmonary function at age 6 years. J Pediatr 2015;167:1081.e1–1088.e1. Crossref, Google Scholar6. Sanders DB, Zhang Z, Farrell PM, et al. Early life growth patterns persist for 12 years and impact pulmonary outcomes in cystic fibrosis. J Cyst Fibros 2018;17:528–535. Crossref, Medline, Google Scholar7. Jadin SA, Wu GS, Zhang Z, et al. Growth and pulmonary outcomes during the first 2 y of life of breastfed and formula-fed infants diagnosed with cystic fibrosis through the Wisconsin Routine Newborn Screening Program. Am J Clin Nutr 2011;93:1038–1047. Crossref, Medline, Google Scholar8. Hoen AG, Li J, Moulton LA, et al. Associations between gut microbial colonization in early life and respiratory outcomes in cystic fibrosis. J Pediatr 2015;167:138–147.e1–e3. Crossref, Medline, Google Scholar9. Christian VJ, Polzin E, Welak S. Nutrition management of necrotizing enterocolitis. Nutr Clin Pract 2018;33:476–482. Crossref, Medline, Google Scholar10. Varma S, Bartlett EL, Nam L, et al. Use of breast milk and other feeding practices following gastrointestinal surgery in infants. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2019;68:264–271. Crossref, Medline, Google Scholar11. Embleton ND, Zalewski SP. How to feed a baby recovering from necrotising enterocolitis when maternal milk is not available. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed 2017;102:F543–F546. Crossref, Medline, Google Scholar12. Al Maghaireh DF, Abdullah KL, Chan CM, et al. Systematic review of qualitative studies exploring parental experiences in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. J Clin Nurs 2016;25:2745–2756. Crossref, Medline, Google Scholar13. Feldt RH, Strickler GB, Weidmann WH. Growth of children with congenital heart disease. Am J Dis Child 1969;117:573–579. Crossref, Medline, Google Scholar14. Costello CL, Gellatly M, Daniel J, et al. Growth restriction in infants and young children with congenital heart disease. Congenit Heart Dis 2015;10:447–456. Crossref, Medline, Google Scholar15. Daymont C, Neal A, Prosnitz A, et al. Growth in children with congenital heart disease. Pediatrics 2013;131:e236–e242. Crossref, Medline, Google Scholar16. Ravishankar C, Zak V, Williams IA, et al. Association of impaired linear growth and worse neurodevelopmental outcome in infants with single ventricle physiology: A report from the pediatric heart network infant single ventricle trial. J Pediatr 2013;162:250–256.e2. Crossref, Medline, Google ScholarFiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsCited byBreastfeeding in Cystic Fibrosis: A Systematic Review on Prevalence and Potential Benefits18 September 2021 | Nutrients, Vol. 13, No. 9 Volume 14Issue S1Apr 2019 Information© Christopher Smith, 2019; Published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.To cite this article:Christopher Smith.Supporting Optimal Growth in Infants with Chronic Conditions: How Are We Doing and What Can We Do?.Breastfeeding Medicine.Apr 2019.S-18-S-19.http://doi.org/10.1089/bfm.2019.0038creative commons licensePublished in Volume: 14 Issue S1: April 12, 2019Keywordschronic conditionsnutritional interventionsacquired growth failureinfant growthOpen accessThis Open Access article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons License ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.PDF download

Fractures continue to account for a large proportion of combat-related injuries. The basic tenets of irrigation, debridement, soft tissue care, and vigilant monitoring/fasciotomy for acute compartment syndrome persist. Closed management of fractures with splinting or casting is acceptable. If time and facility allow, external fixation of fractures offer many advantages over closed treatment but require knowledge, experience and skill in the safe placement of pins. The care of host nationals presents unique challenges and deployed surgeons must be flexible and resourceful in these situations.

The Keck Planet Finder (KPF) is a fiber-fed, high-resolution, high-stability spectrometer in development for the W.M. Keck Observatory. To measure Doppler shifts to 0.5 m/s or better requires some of the optics be stable to 2 nm vertically and 2 nrad in pitch angle throughout a potentially one hour long observation. One traditional approach to this thermal stability problem is to build a metal bench and then control the spectrometer thermal environment to milli-Kelvin levels. An alternative approach used by KPF is to employ a Zerodur bench of extremely low coefficient of expansion (CTE), which relaxes the thermal stability required for the spectrometer assembly. Furthermore, Zerodur optics with integral mounts are used where possible, and are placed in contact with the bench through Zerodur shims. Springs are used to preload the optics and shims within pockets machined into the Zerodur bench. We will describe how this approach has been adapted for each optic (some of which are 450 mm high with a mass of 30 kg), and how the system meets our earthquake survival requirement of 0.92 g. This mounting scheme allows us to avoid using high-CTE metals or adhesives within the optic mounting system, and therefore fully exploit the high thermal stability of the Zerodur optical bench.

The Keck Planet Finder (KPF) is a fiber-fed, high-resolution, high-stability spectrometer in development for the W.M. Keck Observatory. The instrument recently passed its preliminary design review and is currently in the detailed design phase. KPF is designed to characterize exoplanets using Doppler spectroscopy with a single measurement precision of 0.5 m s−1 or better; however, its resolution and stability will enable a wide variety of other astrophysical pursuits. KPF will have a 200 mm collimated beam diameter and a resolving power greater than 80,000. The design includes a green channel (445 nm to 600 nm) and red channel (600 nm to 870 nm). A novel design aspect of KPF is the use of a Zerodur optical bench, and Zerodur optics with integral mounts, to provide stability against thermal expansion and contraction effects.

Purpose: To develop predictive models for medical adverse outcomes during and after primary total joint replacement (TJR) using patients’ age, sex, and indicators for obesity and comorbidity Methods: We used the Alberta Hip & Knee Replacement Project (AHKRP) data that includes all primary hip and knee TJR surgery in the Alberta since 2010 to 2015. The AHKRP data contain clinical data from surgeon’s Electronic Medical Records (EMR) and operating room data linked to the Discharge Abstract Data (DAD) and physician’s claim administrative databases. Medical adverse events were defined according to a combined outcome for: medical complications during inpatient hospital stay, deep infection related to TJR surgery occurring within 90 days or any re-admission to a hospital setting within the 30 days after the TJR. Medical complications during surgery included deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, cerebrovascular accident/stroke, myocardial infarction, ileus, gastrointestinal bleeding and pneumonia. Predictors included age, sex, BMI categories and set of common comorbidities for arthritis patients. BMI categories were defined as non-obese (BMI <30 Kg/m2), obese (30≤BMI<40) and morbidly obese (BMI≥40). Common comorbidities were selected by the provincial Clinical Committee as being relevant and impactful to TJA care. These included history of renal disease, blood clot, cardiac, stroke, cancer, pulmonary disease, mental diseases, hepatitis, dementia, alcohol abuse and illicit drug use. Comorbidities were then identified from data using the International Classification of Diseases (ICD 9) codes based on validated algorithms for administrative data. The Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) method was used for the model selection in which the data was randomly divided into main (70% of the data) and validation data sets (30% of the data). The observations in the training set were used to produce a LASSO solution path, while the observations in the validation set were used to estimate the prediction error of each model on the solution path. The model that yields the smallest Average Squared Error (ASE) on the validation data is then selected. Results: 25,036 patients who had surgery between 2010 and 2015 in Alberta were included in the analysis, of whom 1,535 (6.1%) had medical events during and after the surgery. Medical events were significantly higher among morbidly obese (7.4%) compared to obese (6.2%) and non-obese patients (5.7%) (all p-values <0.05). The final comorbidities selected in the model include: history of blood clot, renal disease, cardiovascular disease, pulmonary disease and cancer (all-p-values <0.0001) (Table 1). Morbid obesity (BMI≥40) was shown to be associated with the outcome after adjusting for sex, age and comorbidities (p-value<0.0001). Area under the curve (AUC) was moderately high for predicting medical adverse events (AUC=0.73, 95% CI: 0.69–0.77). Conclusions: Medical adverse events can be predicted with relatively high accuracy when age, sex, and select set of comorbidities are taken into consideration prior to surgery. The predictive models developed in this study, once externally validated, have the potential to be used in clinical settings for identifying those who might benefit most for obesity management interventions prior to surgery.Tabled 1Table 1. Odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for predictors of medical adverse events during and after primary total replacement surgeryPredictorsOdds ratio (95% CI)p-valueBMI categories Non-obese (BMI<30)1.00– Obese (30<=BMI<40)1.12(1.00,1.26)0.8 Morbidly obese (BMI>=40)1.29(1.09,1.54)0.01Sex Female0.93 (0.83,1.04)0.2 Male1.00–Age (years)1.03 (1.02, 1.03)<0.0001Blood clot2.74(2.42,3.09)<0.0001Renal disease1.53 (1.31, 1.79)<0.0001Cardiovascular disease1.33 (1.18, 1.5)<0.0001Pulmonary disease1.96 (1.75, 2.21)<0.0001Cancer1.36(1.22, 1.52)<0.0001 Open table in a new tab

Uncontrolled hemorrhage accounts for more than 30% of trauma deaths worldwide. Current hemostatic devices focus primarily on time to hemostasis, but prevention of bacterial infection is also critical for improving survival rates. In this study, we sought to improve on current devices used for hemorrhage control by combining the large volume-filling capabilities and rapid clotting of shape memory polymer (SMP) foams with the swelling capacity of hydrogels. In addition, a hydrogel composition was selected that readily complexes with elemental iodine to impart bactericidal properties to the device. The focus of this work was to verify that the advantages of each respective material (SMP foam and hydrogel) are retained when combined in a composite device. The iodine-doped hydrogel demonstrated an 80% reduction in bacteria viability when cultured with a high bioburden of Staphylococcus aureus. Hydrogel coating of the SMP foam increased fluid uptake by 19x over the uncoated SMP foam. The composite device retained the shape memory behavior of the foam with more than 15x volume expansion after being submerged in 37 degrees C water for 15 min. Finally, the expansion force of the composite was tested to assess potential tissue damage within the wound during device expansion. Expansion forces did not exceed 0.6 N, making tissue damage during device expansion unlikely, even when the expanded device diameter is substantially larger than the target wound site. Overall, the enhanced fluid uptake and bactericidal properties of the shape memory foam composite indicate its strong potential as a hemostatic agent to treat non-compressible wounds. Statement of Significance No hemostatic device currently used in civilian and combat trauma situations satisfies all the desired criteria for an optimal hemostatic wound dressing. The research presented here sought to improve on current devices by combining the large volume-filling capabilities and rapid clotting of shape memory polymer (SMP) foams with the swelling capacity of hydrogels. In addition, a hydrogel composition was selected that readily complexes with elemental iodine to impart bactericidal properties to the device. The focus of this work was to verify that the advantages of each respective material are retained when combined into a composite device. This research opens the door to generating novel composites with a focus on both hemostasis, as well as wound healing and microbial prevention. (C) 2016 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

We present the design, implementation, and on-ground performance measurements of the Ionospheric Connection Explorer EUV spectrometer, ICON EUV, a wide field (\(17^{\circ}\times 12^{\circ}\)) extreme ultraviolet (EUV) imaging spectrograph designed to observe the lower ionosphere at tangent altitudes between 100 and 500 km. The primary targets of the spectrometer, which has a spectral range of 54–88 nm, are the Oii emission lines at 61.6 nm and 83.4 nm. Its design, using a single optical element, permits a 0.∘26Open image in new window imaging resolution perpendicular to the spectral dispersion direction with a large (\(12^{\circ} \)) acceptance parallel to the dispersion direction while providing a slit-width dominated spectral resolution of \(R\sim25\) at 58.4 nm. Pre-flight calibration shows that the instrument has met all of the science performance requirements.

The Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) is a NASA Heliophysics Explorer Mission designed to study the ionosphere. ICON will examine the Earth's upper atmosphere to better understand the relationship between Earth weather and space-weather drivers. ICON will accomplish its science objectives using a suite of 4 instruments, one of which is the Extreme Ultraviolet Spectrograph (EUV). EUV will measure daytime altitude intensity profile and spatial distribution of ionized oxygen emissions (O+ at 83.4 nm and 61.7 nm) on the limb in the thermosphere (100 to 500 km tangent altitude). EUV is a single-optic imaging spectrometer that observes in the extreme ultraviolet region of the spectrum. In this paper, we describe instrumental performance calibration measurement techniques and data analysis for EUV. Various measurements including Lyman-α scattering, instrumental and component efficiency, and field-of-view alignment verification were done in custom high-vacuum ultraviolet calibration facilities. Results from the measurements and analysis will be used to understand the instrument performance during the in-flight calibration and observations after launch.

Land users and managers require decision support tools (DSTs) that enable them to estimate losses of contaminants from land to freshwater. MitAgator is a DST that estimates losses of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), sediment, and fecal indicator bacteria (E. coli) and the cost-effectiveness of different strategies to mitigate losses so that a water quality target can be met at the least cost. Some of the algorithms present within Overseer (a standard DST used in New Zealand for N and P management) have been modified and appended to include spatial analysis in MitAgator. Outputs from MitAgator showed good (R-2 > 0.77; p < 0.001) prediction of measured N and P losses across a range of land uses, but accuracy decreased at larger (catchment) scales. Analysis for P outputs indicated that the most sensitive inputs were hydrological characteristics, followed by soil characteristics and P inputs. Although national databases are used for many of these inputs, if better local data are available, then they should be used. Furthermore, while MitAgator is easy to use by a novice, MitAgator outputs should only be interpreted in collaboration with an experienced user so that limitations concerning cost-effectiveness estimates and spatial and temporal scales are not exceeded.

Purpose: Obesity is a significant risk factor in the development and progression of osteoarthritis in weight-bearing joints. Obese people (body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater) make up the majority of hip and knee arthroplasty patients. Nevertheless, there is inconclusive evidence on the association between obesity and outcomes following elective hip or knee arthroplasty. We examined patient data in Alberta to quantify the association between obesity and inpatient adverse events. Methods: We reviewed 9,265 records of patients who had elective primary hip or knee arthroplasty by 68 orthopaedic surgeons during the period from September 2010 to April 2014 in Alberta, Canada. Patient characteristics such as age, gender, procedure type, BMI, co-morbidities and in-hospital adverse events were collected from electronic medical records, operating room information systems, the discharge abstract database, provincial clinical risk grouper data, and provincial surgical site infection surveillance data. We evaluated 12 in-hospital adverse events, which were classified as either Medical Adverse Events (myocardial infarction, pulmonary embolism (PE), deep vein thrombosis, cerebro-vascular accident, illeus, gastro-intestinal bleeding, pneumonia, and complex infection), or Mechanical Adverse Events (fracture, dislocation, fracture after insertion, and other mechanical complications). Deep incisional and organ/space infections were grouped with complex infection. We used logistic regression analyses to compare adverse events for obese (BMI ≥ 30) and non-obese patients, and risk-adjusted for age, gender, procedure type, and co-morbidities. The significance level was set at 0.05. Results: Of the 9,265 patients, 59.2% had total knee arthroplasty, 35.3% had total hip arthroplasty, 5.5% had hip resurfacing or partial knee arthroplasty, and 56.2% were obese (BMI ≥ 30). Mean age was 66.3 years, 57.7% were female, and mean baseline WOMAC score was 42.3. After controlling for age, gender, procedure type, and co-morbidities, the odds of Medical Adverse Events were 1.4 times higher for obese patients compared to non-obese patients (adjusted odds ratio [OR]=1.4, 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.1-1.9], p=0.016). The odds of complex infection were 2.7 times higher for obese patients compared to non-obese patients (adjusted OR=2.7, 95% CI [1.4-5.2], p=0.003). Among patients with no history of thromboembolic disease, the odds of PE were 1.7 times higher in the obese cohort (adjusted OR=1.7, 95% CI [1.2-2.4], p=0.007). There were no statistically significant differences between the cohorts in Mechanical Adverse Events (adjusted OR=0.9, 95% CI [0.5-1.7], p=0.742) during the hospital stay. Conclusions: Obese patients are at significantly elevated risk of inpatient Medical Adverse Events, especially PE and complex infection, but we were unable to detect increased risk of Mechanical Adverse Events. This finding, based on preliminary data in Alberta, suggests continued research is warranted to identify modifiable risk factors within the growing population of obese lower limb arthroplasty patients. The results will provide clinicians with evidence to support the development and implementation of risk-reduction protocols tailored to obese patients. These findings may also reinforce the importance of pre-surgical weight management for patients considering elective hip or knee arthroplasty.

A metrology system designed and built for the NuSTAR mission is described. The NuSTAR mission is an orbiting X-ray telescope with a 10 meter focal length. The system consists of two laser pointers mounted rigidly together with a star tracker and the X-ray optics. The focused laser beams illuminates two metrology detectors mounted rigidly with the X-ray detectors. The detectors and optics/lasers are separated by a ~10 meter deployable (and somewhat flexible) carbon fiber mast. Details about the implementation of the metrology system is discussed in this paper.