Pupil-plane imager for scintillometry over long horizontal paths

A pupil plane imaging (PPI) system has been designed and implemented to measure scintillation induced by atmospheric turbulence and to estimate key parameters of atmospheric turbulence. A high-speed, high-resolution camera images the pupil of a telescope. The process of estimating normalized intensity variance and the underlying rationale is discussed. Experimental results are presented for data taken at North Oscura Peak in southern New Mexico from light originating at Salinas Peak or an aircraft, over near-horizontal paths of approximately 50 km. Strong scintillation is often observed. The results are compared to those of other instruments operating in parallel, and systematic and random errors are discussed. The primary goal is to accurately estimate scintillation strength using PPI in order to assess adaptive optics performance as a function of such scintillation.

Systemic lupus erythematosus. How to manage this chronic, complicated disorder

Systemic lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune disease of unknown cause characterized by exacerbations and remissions. Disease manifestations are diverse, but the most common symptoms are fatigue, fever, weight loss, skin rash, arthritis or arthralgias, and anemia. Clinical findings and measurement of antibody titers are the most common diagnostic criteria. Individualized therapy with corticosteroids, immunosuppressives, or antimalarial agents and careful monitoring of disease activity are essential.

Liquid excimers: lasing Xe(2) and Kr(2) in liquid argon

By pumping a small cryogenic cell with a 40-nsec, 1-MeV e-beam pulse, we have excited lasing in dilute mixtures of xenon or krypton in liquid argon. The lasing occurred at 175 nm for the excimer Xe(2) and at 147 nm for Kr(2).

Lasing XeO in liquid argon

We have lased XeO at 547 nm with xenon and N(2)O concentrations of tens of parts in 10(6) in liquid argon. The solution was pumped with a short-pulse 1-MeV e beam. The resulting gain was at least 23% per centimeter.

Levels of potassium in the vitreous humour after death

Levels of vitreous potassium were studied in 135 routine post-mortem cases. A rise in the potassium level was found but it could not be correlated with sufficient consistency with the post-mortem interval to make this an accurate method of estimating the time of death.