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The NEID spectrograph on the WIYN 3.5-m telescope at Kitt Peak has completed its first full year of science operations and is reliably delivering sub-m/s precision radial velocity measurements. The NEID instrument control system uses the TIMS package (Bender et al. 2016), which is a client-server software system built around the twisted python software stack. During science observations, interaction with the NEID spectrograph is handled through a pair of graphical user interfaces (GUIs), written in PyQT, which wrap the underlying instrument control software and provide straightforward and reliable access to the instrument. Here, we detail the design of these interfaces and present an overview of their use for NEID operations. Observers can use the NEID GUIs to set the exposure time, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) threshold, and other relevant parameters for observations, configure the calibration bench and observing mode, track or edit observation metadata, and monitor the current state of the instrument. These GUIs facilitate automatic spectrograph configuration and target ingestion from the nightly observing queue, which improves operational efficiency and consistency across epochs. By interfacing with the NEID exposure meter, the GUIs also allow observers to monitor the progress of individual exposures and trigger the shutter on user-defined SNR thresholds. In addition, inset plots of the instantaneous and cumulative exposure meter counts as each observation progresses allow for rapid diagnosis of changing observing conditions as well as guiding failure and other emergent issues., Published in Proceedings of the SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2022; 12 pages

The NEID extreme precision radial velocity spectrometer is being commissioned at the WIYN 3.5 meter telescope, Kitt Peak National Observatory, Tucson Arizona. In order to meet the stringent 27 cm per second radial velocity precision, the light to NEID comes from an extremely stable fiber feed, called the NEID Port Adapter, equipped with fast tip-tilt correction. The WIYN telescope vibration environment and the Port Adapter tip-tilt and guiding system are key to achieving the 50 milliarcsecond-level centroiding stability required. Here we describe the servo system performance, along with vibration analysis and mitigation plans. This work would be relevant to upgrade and retrofit efforts as older observatories incorporate low-order wavefront correction to stabilize light to advanced spectrometers and imagers.

New light curves and photometric solutions of FP Lyn, FV CVn and V354 UMa are presented. It is found that these three systems are W-subtype shallow contact binaries. In addition, it is obvious that the light curves of FP Lyn and V354 UMa are asymmetric. Therefore, a hot spot was added on the primary star of FP Lyn and a dark spot was added on the secondary star of V354 UMa. At the same time, we added a third light to the photometric solution of FP Lyn for the final result. The obtained mass ratios and fill-out factors are $q=1.153$ and $f=13.4\%$ for FP Lyn, $q=1.075$ and $f=4.6\%$ for FV CVn, $q=3.623$ and $f=10.7\%$ for V354 UMa. The investigations of orbital period of these three systems indicate that the periods are variable. FP Lyn and V354 UMa were discovered existing the secular increase component with a rate of $dp/dt=4.19\times10^{-7}$ d yr$^{-1}$ and $dp/dt=7.70\times10^{-7}$ d yr$^{-1}$ respectively, which are feasibly caused by the conservative mass transfer from the less massive component to the more massive component. In addition, some variable components were discovered for FV CVn, which is a rate of $dp/dt=-1.13\times10^{-6}$ d yr$^{-1}$ accompanied by a cyclic oscillation with amplitude and period of 0.0069 days and 10.65 yr. The most likely explanation for the long-term decrease is angular momentum loss. And the existence of an additional component is the most plausible explanation for the periodic variation., Comment: 14 pages, 7 figures

The subacute spongiform encephalopathies are prion diseases characterized by acute and rapid neurodegeneration that lead to the death of the patient within months to a few years. The epidemiology of CJD is complicated and the frequency in Mexico is unknown. We aim to describe the cases of prion disease in Mexico. Consecutive patients who met the diagnostic criteria by the WHO were enrolled. We describe 26 patients with clinical manifestations, imaging and laboratory studies compatible with prion disease. The mean age at onset was 52 years old. The main clinical manifestations were cognitive alterations (69%) followed by extrapyramidal movements (50%), abnormal cerebellar function (46%), behavioral alterations (46%), myoclonus (46%), and mood depression (23%), among other features. Half of the patients progressed rapidly to a state of akinetic mutism (53%). Only 2 (7.6%) patients had a family history of a similar disease. Time interval between onset and diagnosis varied between 71 days to 24 months, with a median of 6 months. The classical bilateral basal ganglia hyperintensities were present in the very early stage of the disease. Protein 14-3-3 immuneassay in the CSF was positive in all measured cases. Bilateral basal ganglia hyperintensities was the most important early finding, while protein 14-3-3 was a late finding and the results were usually obtained after the patient was discharged. Around 1.5 cases of CJD cases per year are reported in our country. When suspected, MRI can support the diagnosis earlier than other studies.

Increased area of the substantia nigra (SN) associated to iron deposition has been proposed as a specific marker for Parkinson’s disease (PD). Echogenicity, assessed by transcranial sonography (TCS), has been used to measure such an iron deposition. On the other hand, ferroxidase activity is known to play a role in brain iron metabolism and thus could be involved in increased SN echogenicity of PD patients. The present study was conducted to search for a possible correlation between both markers: TCS of SN and plasma ferroxidase activity. Twenty-one PD patients and 13 healthy volunteers (HV) were included. Mean SN sonographic areas were 0.31 cm2 for PD patients and 0.12 cm2 for HV (P < 0.001), while plasma ferroxidase activity was reduced in PD patients (P < 0.001). Interestingly, plasma ferroxidase activity was inversely correlated with the SN size by TCS (R2 = 0.31), suggesting a relationship between the two markers.

The purpose of this study was to explore the presence of neuropsychiatric disorders in patients with neurocysticercosis (NCC).Patients with untreated NCC (n = 45) and healthy controls (n = 45) underwent psychiatric and neuropsychological assessments.The majority of patients in the NCC group (64.4%) had at least 1 psychiatric diagnosis, compared with a minority in the control group (31.1%). The frequency of neurocognitive disorders, and particularly dementia (major neurocognitive disorder), was significantly higher in the group of patients with NCC.This study confirms the relationship between NCC and cognitive disorders.

Prediction of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in patients with cavernous angiomas is not totally elucidated. The aims of our study were to determine the rate of cerebral hemorrhage, its associated factors, and the clinical outcome in patients with cavernous angiomas in a Hispanic population.We studied 133 patients with cavernous angiomas. The patients were classified into two groups depending on whether they presented an ICH. A comparative analysis of demographics and clinical data, neuroimaging characteristics, and prognosis was carried out in patients with and without hemorrhage. The hemorrhage rate (expressed as the percentage per patient per year) was also estimated.Seventy-eight patients (59%) had hemorrhage. Non-lobar location of angiomas was associated with hemorrhage [OR 4.82 (CI 95% 2.17-10.73; p=0.001)]. In contrast, factors associated with a decreased risk of hemorrhage were a family history of epilepsy [OR 0.30 (CI 95% 0.10-0.79; p=0.016)] and lobar location of the angiomas [OR 0.21 (CI 95% 0.09-0.46; p=0.001)]. The hemorrhagic rate of 1.71% per patient per year was influenced by the location. It was only 1.22% per patient per year in lobar angiomas and 2.33, 2.39, and 2.82% per patient per year for brainstem, cerebellum, and deep hemispheric angiomas, respectively.The non-lobar location of cavernous angiomas gives a higher risk of hemorrhage in our Mexican mestizo population, without the hemorrhage being related to either age or sex.

Background and Purpose— We investigated whether lacunar infarct (LI) patients with >1 lacune have different vascular risk factors, a different prognosis, and poorer functional outcome than those with a single lacune. Methods— The study included 175 first-ever LI patients. The group was divided according to the presence of multiple (n=136) or single (n=39) LI. The association of single or multiple LI with the principal vascular risk factors, leukoaraiosis, outcome, and recurrence was investigated with logistic regression models that included age, sex, and cardiac disease. Results— No significant differences were found between single and multiple LI with respect to age, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, smoking, and heavy alcohol drinking. Diabetes mellitus (odds ratio [OR], 2.43; 95% CI, 1.09 to 5.4), high levels of hematocrit (>0.47) (OR, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.04 to 1.21), and leukoaraiosis (OR, 3.58; 95% CI, 1.77 to 7.51) were significantly related to multiple but not to single LI. Stroke recurrence rate was 7.7% in patients with single LI and 24.3% in the multiple LI group (OR, 3.84; 95% CI, 1.1 to 13.3). During a median follow-up of 12 months (range, 6 to 156 months), 94% of the single LI patients and 77.2% of the multiple LI patients had favorable outcomes (Rankin Scale score 0 to 2) (OR, 5.4; 95% CI, 1.25 to 23.9). Conclusions— Diabetes mellitus, leukoaraiosis, and high levels of hematocrit are important risk factors in patients with >1 LI. The presence of multiple LI may be an important prognostic indicator not only for functional recovery but also for a higher rate of recurrence.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to explore the presence of neuropsychiatric disorders in patients with neurocysticercosis (NCC). Method: Patients with untreated NCC (n = 45) and healthy controls (n = 45) underwent psychiatric and neuropsychological assessments. Results: The majority of patients in the NCC group (64.4%) had at least 1 psychiatric diagnosis, compared with a minority in the control group (31.1%). The frequency of neurocognitive disorders, and particularly dementia (major neurocognitive disorder), was significantly higher in the group of patients with NCC. Discussion: This study confirms the relationship between NCC and cognitive disorders.

The subacute spongiform encephalopathies are prion diseases characterized by acute and rapid neurodegeneration that lead to the death of the patient within months to a few years. The epidemiology of CJD is complicated and the frequency in Mexico is unknown. We aim to describe the cases of prion disease in Mexico. Consecutive patients who met the diagnostic criteria by the WHO were enrolled. We describe 26 patients with clinical manifestations, imaging and laboratory studies compatible with prion disease. The mean age at onset was 52 years old. The main clinical manifestations were cognitive alterations (69%) followed by extrapyramidal movements (50%), abnormal cerebellar function (46%), behavioral alterations (46%), myoclonus (46%), and mood depression (23%), among other features. Half of the patients progressed rapidly to a state of akinetic mutism (53%). Only 2 (7.6%) patients had a family history of a similar disease. Time interval between onset and diagnosis varied between 71 days to 24 months, with a median of 6 months. The classical bilateral basal ganglia hyperintensities were present in the very early stage of the disease. Protein 14-3-3 immuneassay in the CSF was positive in all measured cases. Bilateral basal ganglia hyperintensities was the most important early finding, while protein 14-3-3 was a late finding and the results were usually obtained after the patient was discharged. Around 1.5 cases of CJD cases per year are reported in our country. When suspected, MRI can support the diagnosis earlier than other studies.

Approximately 290 million tires are disposed of annually in the United States (EPA 2003). Although markets now exist for about 80% of the US waste tires, it is estimated that about 27 million waste tires still need to be disposed of in landfills (RMA 2004). Waste tire rubber has been used in several applications such as highway backfill, subgrade and embankments; as drainage, landscaping, and sorptive materials; as well as in alternative methods for energy generation (Humphrey et al. 1993; Ahmed and Lovell 1993; Edil 2005). While waste tire rubber has been used to modify the mechanical properties of coarse-grained soils (Edil and Bosscher 1994; Feng and Sutter 2000; Lee et al. 1999), just a limited number of studies have addressed the stabilization of fine-grained soils with rubber (Edil and Bosscher 1994; Ahmed and Lovell 1993; Tatlisoz et al. 1997). None of these studies have tested mixtures of rubber with highly expansive clays, such as the ones widely encountered in Colorado and other western US states. In this study, the effect of adding small particles of waste tire rubber on the swelling potential of an expansive soil from Colorado was evaluated. The index properties and compaction parameters of the rubber, expansive soil, and expansive soil-rubber (ESR) mixture tested were determined. One-dimensional swell-consolidation tests were performed to assess the feasibility of using small particles of waste tire rubber as a mechanical additive to mitigate the swelling potential of the expansive soil. While the ESR mixture is more compressible than the untreated soil, both the swell percent and the swelling pressure are significantly reduced by the addition of rubber to the expansive soil.