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Introduction DeRidder's burst stimulation design has become a key spinal cord stimulation (SCS) waveform because it reduces the intensity of pain as well as its associated emotional distress. The brain pathways underlying these outcomes may also allow for the effects of stimulation to carry over after stimulation is turned off, making it amenable to intermittent application. Here, the utility of intermittently cycled burst was evaluated using data from two large real-world prospective studies (TRIUMPH, REALITY). Materials and methods Subjects used intermittent dosing in a 1:3 ratio (30 sec on, 90 sec off; N = 100) in TRIUMPH and 1:12 ratio in REALITY (30-sec on, 360-sec off; N = 95) for six months. Pain intensity (0-10 numeric rating scale), pain-related emotions on the pain catastrophizing scale (PCS), and physical function on PROMIS questionnaires were compared with preimplant baseline ratings and by group. Results In both groups, mean pain intensity decreased by nearly 50% relative to baseline, PCS scores significantly decreased, and physical function improved. Importantly, no differences between the 1:3 and 1:12 groups were identified. A high proportion, 80% and 77% of the 1:3 and 1:12 groups, respectively, were considered responders on a multiple measures. No adverse events were associated with intermittent stimulation. Discussion Intermittent cycling of burst SCS lowers the overall electric charge delivered to the spinal cord and preserves battery consumption, without compromising pain relief and associated symptoms.

Background: Chronic pain patients implanted with a neurostimulation device typically require follow-up and device programming visits to address changes in symptoms or treatment. Follow-up visits require access to specialty care and necessitate patients to take time off work, commute long distances, arrange for travel, and/or work with a caregiver's schedule. Telemedicine was adopted for some patient management as a result of the Sars-Cov-2 pandemic; however, remote optimization for neuromodulation still required an in-person visit to adjust device parameters. An FDA-approved digital platform enables remote programming of an implanted neuromodulation device using a real-time audio-video link from the clinical programmer to the patient controller. The Remote Optimization, Adjustment, and Measurement for Chronic Pain Therapy (ROAM-CPT) is a multi-center, prospective study that is currently underway to access the effectiveness of the teleprogramming system in fulfilling patients' clinical demands. Methods: This pilot study surveyed 16 patients to determine the ability of the teleprogramming platform to provide a rapid solution safely and effectively for patient's chronic pain. Data were collected using a questionnaire that asked 6 clinician-centric questions and 5 patient-centric questions. Results: 4/4 surveyed physicians were able to address patients' needs. 16/16 surveyed patients reported a quick resolution to pain and 15/16 did not require additional follow-up. Data curated from this pilot study show that the teleprogramming application greatly improves patient care, is preferred by both clinicians and patients with minimal disruptions to patients' everyday lives. Conclusion: Teleprogramming provides real-time virtual programming capabilities and optimizes patients' therapy. Perspective: This article describes remote device programming and analysis as an alternative to in-person programming/treatment sessions for neuromodulation patients. This remote option gives patients access to timely and clinically appropriate device management when in-person care may not be available.

AimsThe COVID-19 pandemic has triggered transformative change in how clinicians interact with their patients. There has been a shift away from face-to-face toward virtual consultations. However, the evidence to support this change in practice is unclear. The aim of this study was to systematically review the evidence base for virtual consultations for orthopaedics.Materials and MethodsTwo independent reviewers performed a literature search based on PRISMA guidelines, utilizing the MEDLINE, EMBASE and Scopus databases. Only studies reporting outcomes following the use of telemedicine for diagnosis, consultation, rehabilitation, and follow-up were included. Outcomes analyzed were: 1) Patient and clinician satisfaction, 2) Clinical outcome measures, and 3) Cost analysis of traditional vs teleconsultation.ResultsA total of 41 studies were included. Fifteen studies compared clinical outcomes of telemedicine against a matched traditional cohort. Of these 15 studies, two demonstrated non-inferiority, nine showed no statistically significant difference and four found telemedicine to be superior. Eleven studies recorded patient reported outcomes, which demonstrated high patient satisfaction. Nine studies reported decreased costs when telemedicine was compared to traditional care. The remaining 6 studies had varied aims and methodologies that didn't fit well with any of these sub-headings.ConclusionWhile the available evidence is limited, the studies assessed in this systematic review show that telemedicine can deliver high quality healthcare with good clinical outcomes and high patient satisfaction in a cost effective manner. Further studies are required to validate telemedicine for specific trauma and orthopaedic diagnoses.

IntroductionSince it became available in the mid-2010s, dorsal root ganglion (DRG) stimulation has become part of the armamentarium to treat chronic pain. To date, one randomized controlled trial, and several studies of moderate sample size and various etiologies have been published on this topic. We conducted a pooled analysis to investigate the generalizability of individual studies and to identify differences in outcome between chronic pain etiologic subgroups and/or pain location.Materials and MethodsOne prospective, randomized comparative trial and six prospective, single-arm, observational studies were identified that met pre-defined acceptance criteria. Pain scores and patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures were weighted by study sample sizes and pooled. Safety data are reported in aggregate form.ResultsOur analysis included 217 patients with a permanent implant at 12-month follow-up. Analysis of pooled data showed an overall weighted mean pain score of 3.4, with 63% of patients reporting >= 50% pain relief. Effectiveness sub-analyses in CRPS-I, causalgia, and back pain resulted in a mean reduction in pain intensity of 4.9, 4.6, and 3.9 points, respectively. Our pooled analysis showed a pain score for primary affected region ranging from 1.7 (groin) to 3.0 (buttocks) and responder rates of 80% for foot and groin, 75% for leg, and 70% for back. A substantial improvement in all PROs was observed at 12months. The most commonly reported procedural or device complications were pain at the IPG pocket site, lead fracture, lead migration, and infection.ConclusionsDRG stimulation is an effective and safe therapy for various etiologies of chronic pain.

Remote sensing of methane fluxes has been highlighted as one of the measurement goals of the NASA 2017 Earth Science Decadal Survey. Measuring methane from space and airborne platforms with an active (laser) remote sensing instrument presents several technology and measurement challenges that need to be met in order to provide accurate and precise data. The instrument must be able to make continuous measurements day and night, over all seasons and at all latitudes. It must have a high signal-to-noise ratio and must be relatively immune to biases from aerosol/cloud scattering, spectroscopic and meteorological data uncertainties, and other systematic errors. In this paper, we will discuss the technology challenges, options and tradeoffs to measure methane from space and airborne platforms.

Europa is a high-priority astrobiology target due to the presence of liquid water, carbon-rich materials, and energy sources that may support complex chemistry and the emergence of biological activity. The CORALS (Characterization of Ocean Residues And Life Signatures) instrument—a transformative mass spectrometer that comprises a solid-state UV laser source, custom ion transfer optics, and a high performance Orbitrap™ mass analyzer—is capable of comprehensive analyses of planetary materials that can provide important context for the origin and evolution of potential biosignatures and geologic icy matrices on Europa. The CORALS laser source, ion inlet system, and mass analyzer constitute a highly versatile and low SWaP (Size: 11,000 cm3; Weight: 8.0 kg; and Power: 41 W peak) mass spectrometer. Here we report on the design of the CORALS engineering test unit (ETU), which will be qualified for spaceflight via random vibration testing and exposure to dry heat microbial reduction, and test results from the two pathfinding prototypes that have informed the development of the ETU. The demonstrated analytical performance of the CORALS instrument supports the wide range of science goals and planetary targets this spectrometer can access, highlighting the instrument's multidimensional strengths in the search for life signatures on Europa or elsewhere in the Solar System.

Objectives To establish the occurrence of increased plasma ammonia concentration after L-asparaginase (L-asp) administration in dogs with high-grade lymphoma or leukemia; to identify risk factors for the development of hyperammonemia after L-asp administration; and to determine occurrence of adverse events related to hyperammonemia. Design Prospective case controlled study of sequentially enrolled dogs between May 2011 and March 2012. Setting A university veterinary teaching hospital. Animals Twenty-seven dogs with high-grade lymphoma or leukemia. Interventions All dogs received L-asp intramuscularly at a median dose of 400 IU/kg. Measurements and main results Plasma ammonia concentrations were measured at baseline, 16 hours, and 48 hours after L-asp therapy. Clinicopathological abnormalities were assessed to determine risk factors for the development of hyperammonemia. Adverse events following L-asp were recorded. Median plasma ammonia concentrations at baseline, 16 hours, and 48 hours were 26 μmol/L (44 μg/dL), 98 μmol/L (166.9 μg/dL), and 67 μmol/L (114 μg/dL), respectively. Median plasma ammonia concentrations at 16 and 48 hours after administration were significantly increased compared to baseline. Six dogs had adverse events following L-asp administration. No significant clinical signs were noted that could clearly be attributed to hyperammonemia. No risk factors for developing hyperammonemia were identified; however, there was a positive correlation between the development of hyperammonemia at 16- and 48-hour time points. Conclusions Subclinical hyperammonemia in dogs with lymphoma or leukemia after L-asp administration appears to be common. No risk factors were identified for the development of hyperammonemia after L-asp treatment, and severe adverse events were rare.

Background Human experimental pain models provide an important translational link between pre‐clinical models and clinical pain. Using topical capsaicin and continuous heat application, the novel capsaicin/heat ongoing pain (CHOP) model induces long‐lasting experimental pain of which the perceived intensity can be individually adjusted. Methods In the CHOP model, capsaicin or control cream is applied to a 10 × 10 cm skin area and a heating pad is applied over the area after cream removal. Two experiments in healthy participants were performed for model characterization. In Experiment 1, a constant temperature was applied for 60 min; in Experiment 2, temperature was adjusted to maintain a constant perceived intensity for 60 min. Results Experiment 1: across participants, constant temperature induced initial habituation followed by an increase in sensation back to baseline. Cluster analysis revealed that half the participants sensitized to the constant temperature, while the other half did not. The degree of sensitization was related to the baseline pain unpleasantness, relative to pain intensity. Experiment 2: constant perceived intensity was achieved in the painful and a non‐painful control condition. The two conditions did not differ regarding possibly confounding variables, including blood pressure, heart rate, inflammation or physiological stress as measured by surrogate markers. Secondary allodynia and hyperalgesia were reported more following painful compared to control stimulation. Sensitizers as determined in Experiment 1 were also more pain sensitive in Experiment 2. Conclusion The CHOP model reproduces some aspects of clinical pain, such as longer duration, sensitization, secondary allodynia and hyperalgesia. Significance Here we demonstrate a novel pain model that can be applied for up to an hour without tissue damage. The CHOP model allows for investigation of primary and secondary hyperalgesia as well as top‐down influences on sensitization, thereby providing an experimental model that can be used to assess clinically‐oriented questions.

Mass spectrometers represent progressive analytical platforms for future in situ lander missions to explore the surface chemistry of planetary bodies. Europa (as an astrobiology objective) and the Moon (an extension of the terrestrial system) are two primary targets for future NASA missions to search for extraterrestrial life and potentially habitable environments beyond Earth, further our understanding of the timing and formation of the Solar System, and identify potentially viable economic resources such as water and/or valuable metal assets. The CORALS (Characterization of Ocean Residues And Life Signatures) and CRATER (Characterization of Regolith And Trace Economic Resources) instruments are laser-based Orbitrap™ mass spectrometers currently under development for prospective lander missions to Europa and the Moon, respectively. We report on the advancement of two compact, robust, and high technology readiness level (TRL) ultraviolet (UV) solid state lasers that serve as the sampling and ionization sources of these two investigations.

Objective The pain Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) score became standard when pain was introduced as the fifth vital sign in the 1990s. Although plagued with issues, it remains the basis for primary outcome measures in clinical trials for chronic pain therapies. Multidimensional composite scoring that considers all aspects of the chronic pain experience may provide a more meaningful response measure. Herein we propose a multidimensional responder index. Materials and methods Data were extracted from an ongoing prospective, multicenter study on DeRidder Burst spinal cord stimulation (B-SCS) for chronic back and/or leg pain (NCT03082261). The analysis cohort consisted of subjects who completed the NRS, Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D), and eight-item Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Physical Function preoperatively and at 12 months after implant. Results A principal component analysis showed that each of the four measures contributed equally to the variance in the data set, confirming that pain score should not be used alone. Subjects who failed to respond on NRS responded on both PCS and EQ-5D. Eighty-one percent of subjects responded on at least two measures. The responder algorithm yielded an 84% success rate at both 6- and 12-month time points. Conclusions Our study suggests that therapeutic response, similar to the chronic pain experience, is multidimensional. Careful consideration should be made to incorporate composite endpoints in future SCS clinical trials.

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center is developing a master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) laser transmitter for the ESA-led Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission. Taking advantage of our space laser experience and the emerging telecom laser technology, we are developing a full laser system for the LISA mission. Our research effort has included both master oscillator (MO) and power amplifier (PA) developments, and their environmental testing and reliability for space flight. Our current baseline for the MO is a low-mass, compact micro non-planar ring oscillator (m- NPRO) laser. The amplifier uses a robust mechanical design based on fiber components. We have performed laser system noise tests by amplitude- and frequency-stabilizing the PA output. We will describe our progress and plans to demonstrate a TRL 6 laser system, which is an essential step toward qualifying lasers for space applications, by 2021.

The global and regional quantification of methane fluxes and identification of its sources and sinks has been highlighted as one of the goals of the NASA 2017 Earth Science Decadal Survey. Detecting methane from space and airborne platforms with an active (laser) remote sensing instrument presents several unique technology and measurement challenges. The instrument must have a single frequency, narrow-linewidth light source, and photon-sensitive detector at the right spectral region to make continuous measurements from orbit, day and night, all seasons and at all latitudes. It must have a high signal to noise ratio and must be relatively immune to biases from aerosol/cloud scattering, spectroscopic and meteorological data uncertainties, and instrument systematic errors. At Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), in collaboration with industry, we have developed an airborne instrument to measure methane. Our instrument is a nadir-viewing lidar that uses Integrated Path Differential Absorption (IPDA), to measure methane near 1.65 μm. We sample the absorption line using multiple wavelengths from a narrow linewidth laser source and a sensitive photodetector. This measurement approach provides maximum information content about the CH4 column, and minimizes biases in the XCH4 retrieval. In this paper, we will review our progress to date and discuss the technology challenges, options and tradeoffs to measure methane from space and airborne platforms.

A highly stable and long-lifetime laser system is a key component of the space-based Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission, which is designed to detect gravitational waves from various astronomical sources. We are developing such laser system at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). Our baseline architecture for the LISA laser consists of a low-power, low-noise small Nd:YAG non-planar ring oscillator (micro NPRO) followed by a diodepumped Yb-fiber amplifier with ~2 W output. In this paper, we will describe our progress to date and plans to demonstrate a technology readiness level (TRL) 6 LISA laser system.

NASA-Goddard is developing a high-fidelity space-based remote sensor for atmospheric CO2. We report on a the instrument architecture and performance and the technology developments for a low earth orbiting instrument.

This study describes the analytical performance of the QuantideX qPCR BCR-ABL IS Kit, the first Food and Drug Administration–cleared assay designed to monitor breakpoint cluster region–Abelson tyrosine-protein kinase 1 (BCR-ABL1) fusion transcripts isolated from peripheral blood specimens from patients with chronic myeloid leukemia. This multiplex real-time quantitative RT-PCR assay amplifies both e13a2 and e14a2 Major BCR-ABL1 transcripts and the reference target ABL1. The test results are provided in international scale (IS) values by incorporating armored RNA-based calibrators that have defined IS values tied directly to the World Health Organization BCR-ABL1 Primary Reference Materials, without the necessity of determining and maintaining conversion factors. For each batch run, the integrated interpretive software evaluates run and specimen quality control metrics (including a sufficient amount of ABL1 control transcripts to ensure a minimal limit of detection) and calculates both molecular response (MR) and %IS values for each specimen. The test has a limit of detection of MR4.7 (0.002%IS) and a linear range from MR0.3 (50%IS) to MR4.7 (0.002%IS) for both Major transcripts. Single-site and multisite precision studies demonstrated a maximum SD of 0.13 MR (30% CV within the assay range between MR0.7 and MR3.7). The performance of this BCR-ABL1 monitoring test meets all of the clinical guideline recommendations for sensitivity and IS reporting for the management of chronic myeloid leukemia patients.

NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center has been developing lidar to remotely measure CO 2 and CH4 in the Earth's atmosphere. We have advanced the tunable laser technology to enable high-fidelity measurements from space. In this paper, we will report on the progress of a fiber-based, 1.57-micron wavelength, laser transmitter that has demonstrated the optical performance required for a low earth orbiting instrument. The Laser transmitter has been packaged and is undergoing environmental testing to demonstrate its technology readiness for space.

The high average power from pulsed good quality mode laser emitting at fundamental wavelength of 1066.3 nm is needed for obtaining of high-fidelity pulsed radiation with wavelength centered at 589.15 nm for spaceborne Na Doppler resonance fluorescence LIDAR. The conversion of radiation from 1066.3 nm to 589.15 nm can be achieved through one stage of Raman lasing and subsequent frequency doubling using qualified nonlinear crystals. Although efficient scaling of average power at 1064 nm using a-cut Nd:YVO4 to multiple of 10W was demonstrated for more than a decade ago, the efficient demonstration of 1066 nm power scaling from single Watt level to 10W level of average power is yet to be done. Multiple publications with a-cut Nd:YVO4 laser host with fundamental emission wavelength at 1064 nm showed good conversion efficiencies to both 1176 nm and to 588 nm using intracavity Raman lasing and frequency doubling. We experimentally demonstrated efficient lasing at 1066 nm with output average power in excess of 15W using single c-cut Nd:YV04 crystal end-pumped with 888 nm diode pump laser. The achieved optical-to-optical efficiency of converting absorbed 888 nm pump to 1066 nm with short linear test cavity and output coupler of 84% was in excess of 32% while maximum reached optical-to-optical slope efficiency 50%. We discuss challenges of efficient 1066 nm generation and overall electro-optical efficiencies reachable for potential spaceborne LIDAR Sodium transmitter laser.

High resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometers (TOFMSs) have broad potential application in space exploration. We propose a novel femtosecond electron ionization (EI) source which, when coupled to a compact TOFMS, could improve mass resolution of miniature instruments by orders of magnitude, enabling effective isobar identification in volatile and planetary atmospheres. The ionization source is an ultrashort pulsed electron gun triggered by a femtosecond UV laser. In addition, the ultrafast laser technology may also be used for other analytical capabilities like laser desorption/ionization on solid samples, therefore future developments may offer a novel compact instrument package for both atmosphere and surface analysis. Here, we show a series of advances toward this goal, including efficient (5%) generation of 105 fs UV pulses, production of electron bunches of up to 32 fC pC via UV photoemission, and calculations for an ultrafast EI source.

NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center has been developing lidar to remotely measure CO2 and CH4 in the Earth’s atmosphere. The ultimate goal is to make space-based satellite measurements with global coverage. We are working on maturing the technology readiness of a fiber-based, 1.57-micron wavelength laser transmitter designed for use in atmospheric CO2 remote-sensing. To this end, we are building a ruggedized prototype to demonstrate the required power and performance and survive the required environment. We are building a fiber-based master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) laser transmitter architecture. The laser is a wavelength-locked, single frequency, externally modulated DBR operating at 1.57-micron followed by erbium-doped fiber amplifiers. The last amplifier stage is a polarization-maintaining, very-large-mode-area fiber with ~1000 μm2 effective area pumped by a Raman fiber laser. The optical output is single-frequency, one microsecond pulses with >450 μJ pulse energy, 7.5 KHz repetition rate, single spatial mode, and < 20 dB polarization extinction.

We are developing a Q-switched narrow linewidth intra-cavity Raman laser for a space based sodium lidar application. A novel Raman laser injection seeding scheme is proposed and is experimentally verified. A Q-switched, diode pumped, c-cut Nd:YVO4 laser has been designed to emit a fundamental wavelength at 1066.6 nm. This fundamental wavelength is used as the pump in an intra-cavity Raman conversion in a Gd0.2Y0.8VO4 composite material. By tuning the temperature of the crystal, we tuned the Raman shifting to the desired sodium absorption line. A diode end pumped, T-shaped laser cavity has been built for experimental investigation. The fundamental pump laser cavity is a twisted mode cavity to eliminate the spatial hole burning for effective injection seeding. The Raman laser cavity is a linear standing wave cavity because Raman gain medium does not suffer spatial hole burning as traditional laser gain medium. The linewidth and temporal profile of the Raman laser is experimentally investigated with narrow and broadband fundamental pump emission. We have, for the first time, demonstrated an injection seeded, high peak power, narrow linewidth intra-cavity Raman laser for potential use in a sodium resonance fluorescence lidar.

We propose a nadir-pointing space-based Na Doppler resonance fluorescence LIDAR on board of the International Space Station (ISS). The science instrument goal is temperature and vertical wind measurements of the Earth Mesosphere Lower Thermosphere (MLT) 75-115 km region using atomic sodium as a tracer. Our instrument concept uses a high-energy laser transmitter at 589 nm and highly sensitive photon counting detectors that permit range-resolved atmospheric-sodium-temperature profiles. The atmospheric temperature is deduced from the linewidth of the resonant fluorescence from the atomic sodium vapor D2 line as measured by our tunable laser. We are pursuing high power laser architectures that permit limited day time sodium lidar observations with the help of a narrow bandpass etalon filter. We discuss technology, prototypes, risks and trades for two 589 nm wavelength laser architectures: 1) Raman laser 2) Sum Frequency Generation. Laser-induced saturation of atomic sodium in the MLT region affects both sodium density and temperature measurements. We discuss the saturation impact on the laser parameters, laser architecture and instrument trades. Off-nadir pointing from the ISS causes Doppler shifts that effect the sodium spectroscopy. We discuss laser wavelength locking, tuning and spectroscopic-line sampling strategy.

NASA is developing a highly stable, robust and reliable master oscillator power amplifier laser transmitter. We will discuss our technology development and progress on a spaceborne laser transmitter for the LISA mission.

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center has been developing an integrated path differential absorption (IPDA)lidar instrument concept to measure the column concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO 2 )from space. We will discuss the development effort of a space-qualified, single frequency, fiber-based master oscillator power amplifier with >450 μJ pulse energy, 7.5 kHz repetition rate, single spatial mode, and > 20 dB polarization extinction.

NASA GSFC is developing a space-based sodium resonance fluorescence lidar for the International Space Station (ISS). We discuss the technology, prototypes, risks and trades for two laser architectures - Raman laser and sum frequency generation.

There is increasing interest in models that integrate behavioral health services into primary care. For patients with severe mental illness, a population with disproportionate morbidity and mortality, little is known about the impact of such models on primary care clinic utilization and provider panels. We performed a retrospective cohort pilot study examining visit patterns for 1,105 patients with severe mental illness (SMI), overall and by provider, before and after the implementation of a primary care behavioral health model which had a ramp up period from 5/06-8/07. We used 2003-2012 electronic health record data from two clinics of a Federally Qualified Health Center and conducted interrupted time series and chi-square analyses. During the intervention period there was a significant increase in the proportion of visits per month to the clinic for patient with SMI relative to overall visits (0.27; 95% CI 0.22-0.32). After the intervention period, this rate declined (-0.23; -0.19-0.28) but remained above the pre-intervention period. After integration of behavioral health into our primary care clinics, there was a sharp increase in the number of patients with severe mental illness, suggesting patient willingness to explore receiving care under this model. Clinics looking to adopt the model should be mindful of potential changes in patient subpopulations and proactively manage this transition.

We present a laser technology development with space flight heritage to generate laser wavelengths in the near- to midinfrared (NIR to MIR) for space lidar applications. Integrating an optical parametric crystal to the LOLA (Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter) laser transmitter design affords selective laser wavelengths from NIR to MIR that are not easily obtainable from traditional diode pumped solid-state lasers. By replacing the output coupler of the LOLA laser with a properly designed parametric crystal, we successfully demonstrated a monolithic intra-cavity optical parametric oscillator (iOPO) laser based on all high technology readiness level (TRL) subsystems and components. Several desired wavelengths have been generated including 2.1 µm, 2.7 μm and 3.4 μm. This laser can also be used in trace-gas remote sensing, as many molecules possess their unique vibrational transitions in NIR to MIR wavelength region, as well as in time-of-flight mass spectrometer where desorption of samples using MIR laser wavelengths have been successfully demonstrated

We present modeling and performance of a solid, fused silica, 3-mirror Fabry–Perot-type etalon. 3-mirror etalons have been known for decades to have superior theoretical performance but for the first time we demonstrate an etalon with sufficient quality to realize the benefits of the more complex design. 3-mirror etalons have better passband shape and higher contrast ratio enabling significantly improved wavelength separation. We show the optical cavity design and construction of the new etalon and show >95% peak transmission, improved passband shape and 20 dB better out-of-band rejection than a similar 2-mirror etalon.

We are developing a multi-wavelength laser for the two-step laser time-of-flight mass-spectrometer (L2MS). The L2MS is designed to detect hydrocarbons in organically-doped analog minerals, including cryogenic Ocean World-relevant ices and mixtures for future astrobiology missions.

This study examined the influence of exercise environment and gender on post-exercise mood and exertion. College student participants (55 females, 49 males) were instructed to pedal a stationary bike at a moderate pace for 20 minutes. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three laboratory conditions: (1) exercising in front of a mirror and posters showing ideal fit body types (i.e., celebrity male and female personal trainers), (2) exercising in front of a mirror only, or (3) a control condition in which participants exercised without a mirror or posters. The Activation-Deactivation Adjective Check List (AD-ACL), measuring exercise-induced mood states, was administered both before and after exercise. Average bike speed throughout the exercise session measured exertion. Mirrors and posters of ideally fit celebrities did interact with gender on post-exercise tension in that women felt most tense after exercising in front of the mirror and posters while men were most tense after exercising in front of the mirror only. Exercise exertion was also impacted by experimental condition such that participants rode significantly faster in the mirror and posters condition. There was no significant interaction of gender and condition on exercise exertion, but women pedaled fastest in the mirror and poster condition relative to the other conditions. Results suggest that exercise exertion and tension reduction are partially a by-product of gender and exercise environment.

Future astrobiology missions will focus on planets with significant astrochemical or potential astrobiological features, such as small, primitive bodies and the icy moons of the outer planets that may host diverse organic compounds. We have made significant progress in the laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry area with advancement in the two-step laser tandem mass spectrometer (L2MS) instrument to deconvolve complex organic signatures. In this paper we will describe our development effort on a new laser architecture for the L2MS instrument. The laser provides two discrete mid-infrared and ultraviolet wavelengths on a single laser bench with a straightforward path toward space deployment.

In this study of ethical ideology and religiosity, 1,255 physicians from Canada, China, Ireland, India, Japan and Thailand participated. Forsyth's (1980) Ethical Position Questionnaire and Rohrbaugh and Jessor's (J Pers 43:136-155, 1975) Religiosity Measure were used as the survey instruments. The results demonstrated that physicians from India, Thailand and China reported significantly higher rates of idealism than physicians from Canada and Japan. India, Thailand and China also scored significantly higher than Ireland. Physicians from Japan and India reported significantly higher rates of relativism than physicians from Canada, Ireland, Thailand and China. Physicians from China also reported higher rates of relativism than physicians from Canada, Ireland and Thailand. Overall, religiosity was positively associated with idealism and negatively associated with relativism. This study is the first to explore the differences between ethical ideology and religiosity among physicians in an international setting as well as the relationship between these two constructs. Both religiosity and ethical ideology are extremely generalized, and the extent to which they may impact the actual professional behaviour of physicians is unknown. This paper sets up a point of departure for future research that could investigate the extent to which physicians actually employ their religious and/or ethical orientation to solve ambiguous medical decisions.