bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Managing the operations of the TSU 2‐m Automatic Spectroscopic Telescope
Authors: Eaton J. A. , Williamson M. H.
Published: October 2004

Tennessee State University has built and is now operating a completely automatic 2‐m telescope for highdispersion spectroscopy. This system consists of an alt‐azimuth f/8 Cassegrain telescope, housed in an enclosure with a roll‐off roof, coupled to a white‐pupil echelle spectrograph through a fiber‐optic cable. We discuss managing this facility over the Internet with emphasis on 1) the configuration of the control system, 2) logging, 3) troubleshooting and quality control, 4) updating the target lists, and 5) archiving and handling the data. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
The STELLA robotic observatory
Authors: Strassmeier K. G. , Granzer T. , Weber M. , Woche M. , Andersen M. I. , Bartus J. , Bauer S.‐M. , Dionies F. , Popow E. , Fechner T. , Hildebrandt G. , Washuettl A. , Ritter A. , Schwope A. , Staude A. , Paschke J. , Stolz P. A. , Serre‐Ricart M. , De La Rosa T. , Arnay R.
Published: October 2004

STELLA is a robotic observatory with two fully automatic telescopes (STELLA‐I and STELLA‐II) located at the Teide Observatory in Tenerife, Spain. Not only the telescopes are automatic but also the entire observatory, no human presence is needed for observing ‐ not even in remote control. STELLA‐I supports a high‐resolution, fiber‐fed and benchmounted echelle spectrograph and a wide‐field CCD imaging photometer while STELLA‐II feeds a similar but wide‐band imaging photometer and a testbed for prototype adaptive optics for robotic telescopes. The first telescope is scheduled for first light in November 2004, the second telescope for March 2005. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
MAGNUM project: four years of operation of the fully automated observatory
Authors: Kobayashi Y. , Yoshii Y. , Minezaki T.
Published: October 2004

We present an overview of the MAGNUM (Multicolor Active Galactic Nuclei Monitoring) project and its current status. The MAGNUM project is designed to carry out long‐term monitoring observations of many AGN in the optical and near‐infrared wavelength regions. For this purpose, we built a 2 m automated telescope as well as a multicolor imaging photometer (MIP)(Kobayashi et al. 1998b). The telescope is located near the Haleakala summit, at a height of 3050 m, within the area of the University of Hawaii's Haleakala Observatory on the Hawaiian Island of Maui. We have been continuously carrying out observations since early 2001 when the preliminary observations were commenced. We have realized a fully automated operation that is suitable for relatively simple and stable observations over a period of several years. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
The Multi‐frequency Robotic facility REM: first results
Authors: Covino S. , Zerbi F. M. , Chincarini G. , Rodonó M. , Tosti G. , Antonelli L. A. , Conconi P. , Cutispoto G. , Molinari E. , Nicastro L. , Palazzi Burderi E. , Campana S. , Crimi G. , Danzinger J. , D'Avanzo P. , Di Paola A. , Di Stefano E. , Fernandez‐Soto A. , Filiatre P. , Fiore F. , Fugazza D. , Gentile G. , Goldoni P. , Israel G. , Jordan B. , Lorenzetti D. , Mc Breen B. , Martinetti E. , Mazzoleni R. , Masetti N. , Melandri A. , Messina S. , Meurs E. , Monfardini A. , Nucciarelli G. , Paul J. , Pian E. , Rol E. , Saracco P. , Sardone S. , Stefanon M. , Stella L. , Tagliaferri L. , Testa V. , Vergani S. , Vitali F. , Ward P. , Zaccardo A.
Published: October 2004

The REM Observatory, recently installed and commissioned at la Silla Observatory Chile, is the first moderate aperture robotic telescope able to cover simultaneously the visible‐NIR (0.45‐2.3 microns) wavelength range. Due to its very fast pointing and its full robotization REM is conceived for fast transients observation. The high throughput Infrared Camera (REMIR) and the Visible imaging spectrograph (ROSS), simultaneously fed by a dichroic, allow to collect high S/N data in an unprecedented large spectral range on a telescope of this size. The REMobservatory is an example of a versatile and agile facility necessary complement to large telescopes in fields in which rapid response and/or target pre‐screening are necessary. This paper describes the principal Characteristics and operation modes of the REM observatory and gives on overview of the preliminary results obtained during the commissioning phase. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
RAPTOR: Closed‐Loop monitoring of the night sky and the earliest optical detection of GRB 021211
Authors: Vestrand W.T. , Borozdin K. , Casperson D. J. , Fenimore E. , Galassi M. , McGowan K. , Starr D. , White R. R. , Wozniak P. , Wren J.
Published: October 2004

Laboratory. RAPTOR is a fully autonomous robotic system that is designed to identify and make follow‐up observations of optical transients with durations as short as one minute. The RAPTOR design is based on Biomimicry of Human Vision. The sky monitor is composed of two identical arrays of telescopes, separated by 38 kilometers, which stereoscopically monitor a field of about 1300 square‐degrees for transients. Both monitoring arrays are carried on rapidly slewing mounts and are composed of an ensemble of wide‐field telescopes clustered around a more powerful narrow‐field telescope called the “fovea” telescope. All telescopes are coupled to real‐time analysis pipelines that identify candidate transients and relay the information to a central decision unit that filters the candidates to find real celestial transients and command a response. When a celestial transient is found, the system can point the fovea telescopes to any position on the sky within five seconds and begin follow‐up observations. RAPTOR also responds to Gamma Ray Burst (GRB) alerts generated by GRB monitoring spacecraft. Here we present RAPTOR observations of GRB 021211 that constitute the earliest detection of optical emission from that event and are the second fastest achieved for any GRB. The detection of bright optical emission from GRB021211, a burst with modest gamma‐ray fluence, indicates that prompt optical emission, detectable with small robotic telescopes, is more common than previously thought. Further, the very fast decline of the optical afterglow from GRB 021211 suggests that some so‐called “optically dark” GRBs were not detected only because of the slow response of the follow‐up telescopes. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
The All Sky Automated Survey
Authors: Pojmański G.
Published: October 2004

The All Sky Automated Survey is a low cost project, the ultimate goal of which is detection and investigation of any kind of the photometric variability present all over the sky. The current system consists of 4 instruments covering 36x36, 9x9 (2 units) and 2x2 degrees, equipped with 2Kx2K CCDs, V,R,I standard filters and custom made automated mounts. All are working in Las Campanas Observatory, Chile in fully automated mode. In the ASAS‐3 phase of the project we have been taking data at a rate of 1 measurement per 1‐3 days for all available objects brighter than V=14, located south of δ = +28 deg. So far over 2 TB of images has been collected and analyzed, leading to a photometric light curve catalog of over 10 million sources. A preliminary search for variability revealed over 40,000 bright, variable sources (over 75 % were not previously known). Direct access to the data is available over the Internet: http://www.astrouw.edu.pl/∼gp/asas. At present the ASAS Alert System is being tested. Events, like outbursts of CV's or Novae, eclipses etc. are reported within a few minutes after first detection. Due to large number of artifacts in these data raw events require verification, which can take up to 24 hours. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
ROTAT at OHP
Authors: Niedworok S.
Published: October 2004

ROTAT at OHP is a remote observatory of the Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics of the University of Tübingen at the Observatoire de Haute Provènce. Targeted on educational purposes, it permits the user to accomplish observations in real time via the internet. In this paper we give an overview of the software architecture used to control the various facilities at the remote site, as well as a short introduction to a simple workflow language for astronomical observations used at our robotic telescope in Tübingen. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
The Robotically Controlled Telescope (RCT) at KPNO
Authors: Gelderman R. , Carini M.T. , Davis D. R. , Everett M. E. , Guinan E. F. , Howell S. B. , Marchenko S. V. , Mattox J. R. , McGruder C. H. , Walter D. K.
Published: October 2004

The 1.3‐m telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory was originally commissioned in 1964 as the “Remotely Controlled Telescope”, a pioneering project in unattended, remote observing. Forty years of technological advances later, the 1.3‐m has been refurbished, automated and reborn as the “Robotically Controlled Telescope”. The RCT is used to pursue a variety of research programs which incorporate techniques to achieve extremely high precision photometric monitoring of stars and AGN, as well as to search for transits of extrasolar planets. Since spring of 2003 the RCT has been controlled through pre‐scheduled scripts, without interactive human control, to collect imaging data. The work on automation of the observatory system is continuing, with the ultimate goal being that the computer will control the telescope through semiintelligent software to make observations as efficiently as a well‐trained human astronomer. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Status of SuperWASP I (La Palma)
Authors: Street R.A. , Christian D. J. , Clarkson W. I. , Collier Cameron A. , Evans N. , Fitzsimmons A. , Haswell C. A. , Hellier C. , Hodgkin S. T. , Horne K. , Kane S. R. , Keenan F. P. , Lister T. A. , Norton A. J. , Pollacco D. , Ryans R. , Skillen I. , West R. G. , Wheatley P. J.
Published: October 2004

SuperWASP is an ultra‐wide field (over 300 sq. degrees) photometric survey project designed to monitor stars between 7 – 15 mag to high precision and with high cadence over long (≥2 months) timescales. The primary science goal of this project is the detection of exoplanetary transits, as well as NEOs and optical transients. The resulting photometric catalogue will be made public via a web‐based interface. The SuperWASP instrument consists of an array of cameras each with a 7.8° × 7.8° field of view, guided by a robotic fork mount and sited in a fibreglass enclosure at the Observatorio de Roque de los Muchachos (ORM), La Palma, Canary Islands. In this progress report, we describe the specifications of the instrument, its semi‐automated operation and pipeline data reduction. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
The Virgin Islands robotic telescope
Authors: Neff J. E.
Published: October 2004

The Etelman Observatory of the University of the Virgin Islands is the southernmost and easternmost optical observatory in the United States. The observatory is located at an elevation of 420 meters on the island of St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. The site has exceptionally good seeing (frequently better than 1 arc‐second), dark skies, and the ability to reach deep into the southern hemisphere and to plug the northern‐hemisphere longitude gap between the US and Europe. Astronomers at the College of Charleston, South Carolina State University, and the University of the Virgin Islands have formed a consortium to refurbish the facility, conduct detailed site surveys, purchase a 0.5‐meter telescope and instrumentation, and operate the facility robotically. The telescope, instrumentation, and dome have all been installed, and we are remotely obtaining commissioning observations. Our operations mode (manual, remote‐controlled, or fully robotic) will simultaneously support our research, participation in multi‐site campaigns, and the educational and outreach missions of our institutions. Further details are available at http://astro.uvi.edu/. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
HST experience in data management
Authors: Albrecht R.
Published: October 2004

The data generated by the Hubble Space Telescope pose a series of special requirements for the analysis process. The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) is being operated in a semi‐autonomous, pre‐programmed manner, executing a queue of observing requests. Calibration is being done “institutionally”, i.e. not in response to individual observing programs, but in the same manner for all users. Data products are being generated for the observers, and they are ingested in the HST science data archives, to make them available for further exploitation through the Virtual Observatory. Added value products can be generated by combining data from different programs. Interactive analysis tools are being supplied to support users in the optimum exploitation of the data. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
STARE operations experience and its data quality control
Authors: Alonso R. , Deeg H. J. , Brown T. M. , Belmonte J. A.
Published: October 2004

The STARE instrument was the first to detect the transits of an extrasolar planet in 1999. To date it has performed one of the longest running searches for transits, being in nearly continous operations since July 2001 at Teide Observatory, Tenerife. We describe the instrumental setup and the scheme that is used for data acquisition, handling and analysis. To this end, we first review the conditions under which we obtained data suggestive of transits, and we then follow a chain of verification and follow‐up measures, progressing from fairly simple ones of low cost and effort towards more involved ones, which may be needed to positively verify the existence of a true planetary transit. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Pipeline and data flow for the INAF‐Capodimonte guaranteed observing time at VLT Survey Telescope
Authors: Grado A. , Capaccioli M. , Silvotti R. , Pavlov M. , Getman F. , Volpicelli A. , Alcala' J. M. , Radovich M. , Puddu E. , Capasso G. , Busarello G. , Cappellaro E. , Marconi M. , Longo G.
Published: October 2004

VST is the acronym for VLT Survey Telescope, a 2.6 m wide‐field (WF) imaging telescope conceived and built by the INAF‐Capodimonte Astronomical Observatory in Naples (INAF‐OAC) chiefly to serve the ESO VLT at the Cerro Paranal Observatory. The VST will be equipped with a 16 K × 16K mosaic camera built by the European consortium OmegaCam. The system shall cover a corrected field of view of 1 square degree with a pixel scale of 0.21 arcsec. The expected average data rate will be about 150 GB per night; a flood of data implying suitable HW/SW facilities. ESO, operating the telescope at Paranal, will reserve about 20% of the VST observing time to INAF‐OAC in return for the procurement of the instrument. The INAF‐OAC core program planned for this time includes a galactic and an extragalactic survey, a SN search campaign, and an extended monitoring of the minor bodies of the Solar System. In this paper we describe the data flow, the data model, and the features of the processing system under development. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Automated analysis of stellar spectra
Authors: Allende Prieto C.
Published: October 2004

Classical model‐atmosphere analyses of stellar spectra usually begin by measuring equivalent widths, and then proceed into a loop in which 1) model spectra are calculated for a set of abundances and atmospheric parameters, and 2) observed and computed spectra are compared and corrections to the abundances and parameters are inferred. Automated techniques have been developed to automate the measurement of equivalent widths, and some or all parts in the analysis loop. However, in order to tackle the massive datasets provided by the new spectroscopic surveys with dedicated telescopes, it is necessary to make some radical changes. It is argued that future analyses of stellar spectra should abandon the use of equivalent widths, and rely on tables of synthetic spectra that can be either interpolated extremely fast in minimum‐distance optimization methods or used for training genetic algorithms. Examples of ongoing projects involving high‐dispersion stellar spectra for a small sample and low‐dispersion spectra for a sample of tens of thousands of stars are described. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Solar system observations by remote observing technique: useful experience for robotic telescope strategies
Authors: Birlan M. , Barucci A. , Thuillot W.
Published: October 2004

Remote observations between Paris Observatory and Mauna Kea (Hawaii) have been started two years ago. Nowadays ten runs have been already conducted from the remote observing center located in Meudon. The main topics of our investigations were devoted to physical studies of minor planets (Binzel et al. 2004, Birlan et al. 2004) and to spectral investigations of planetary atmospheres. Our experience attained its maturity and the acquired feed‐backs allow us to discern between the advantages and difficulties of this observing technique. The main purpose of this paper is to share the remote observing experience and to valorize it in the frame of robotic telescope concept. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
New results from BEST: the search for planetary transits
Authors: Rauer H. , Erikson A. , Voss H. , Titz R. , Hatzes A. P. , Eislöffel J. , Guenther E.
Published: October 2004

The Berlin Exoplanet Search Telescope (BEST) is a small‐aperture, wide‐field telescope dedicated to the search of photometric transits of close‐in Jupiter‐sized exoplanets. Regular observations of several fields have been performed from 2001 to 2003 at Thüringer Landessternwarte Tautenburg, Germany. Planetary transit candidates have been found and followed further with radial velocity measurements. In addition, a substantial number of variable stars have been detected. During the second half of 2004 the system will be relocated to southern France and perform variability characterization of the target fields of the COROT space mission. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Robotic telescopes on the Antarctic plateau
Authors: Ashley M. C. B. , Burton M. G. , Lawrence J. S. , Storey J. W. V.
Published: October 2004

The high plateau that covers half of the continent of Antarctica contains the best astronomical observing sites on Earth. The infrared sky background is low, the precipitable water vapour is low, the sub‐millimetre sky opacity is low, the winds are low, the atmosphere is exceedingly clear and stable, it never rains, there is no dust, it is geological stable, and the seeing at some sites, notably Dome C, is superb. The turbulence profile in the atmosphere is beneficial for adaptive optics, with fewer actuators and fewer deformable mirrors being required, and with significant correction being possible at visible wavelengths. For projects that require continuous monitoring, e.g., planet detection through micro‐lensing, a single robotic telescope in Antarctica can replace a network of 4–6 telescopes placed around the world at mid‐latitude sites. For many projects requiring large apertures, a given size telescope in Antarctica will outperform a telescope of 2–3 times the aperture at a mid‐latitude site. We review what is known about the site conditions, and outline some of the issues involved with designing robotic telescopes to work in Antarctica. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Anti‐solar differential rotation
Authors: Kitchatinov L. L. , Rüdiger G.
Published: October 2004

The differential rotation of anti‐solar type detected by observations for several stars may result from a fast meridional flow. The sufficiently intensive meridional circulation may be caused by large‐scale thermal inhomogeneities or, perhaps, by tidal forcing from a companion star. First results of simulations of the anti‐solar rotation of a giant star with magnetically induced thermal inhomogeneities are presented. Perspectives for observational check of the theory are discussed. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Asteroseismology with robotic telescopes
Authors: Handler G.
Published: October 2004

Asteroseismology explores the interior of pulsating stars by analysing their normal mode spectrum. The detection of a sufficient number of pulsation modes for seismic modelling of main sequence variables requires large quantities of highprecision time resolved photometry. Robotic telescopes have become an asset for asteroseismology because of their stable instrumentation, cost‐ and time‐efficient operation and the potentially large amounts of observing time available.We illustrate these points by presenting selected results on several types of pulsating variables, such as δ Scuti stars (main sequence and pre‐main sequence), γ Doradus stars, rapidly oscillating Ap stars and β Cephei stars, thereby briefly reviewing recent success stories of asteroseismic studies of main sequence stars. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Astrometric reference stars: from UCAC to URAT
Authors: Zacharias N.
Published: October 2004

Currently available astrometric catalogs will be reviewed, and instrumentation and observational issues discussed, particularly systematic errors and their control. The U.S. Naval Observatory (USNO) CCD Astrograph Catalog (UCAC) is an all‐sky astrometric survey to 16th magnitude. It was observed with a semi‐automated telescope on a low budget. The second data release (July 2003) contains positions, proper motions, and photometry for over 48 million stars; the final release is expected in 2006. Design studies have been performed for a new 0.9‐meter aperture USNO Robotic Astrometric Telescope (URAT) with a single chip (≥100 Mpixel), 3 degree FOV and circular symmetric pupil. Its operation is envisioned to be fully automatic, generating stellar positions on the 5 to 10 mas level to at least 18th magnitude with a limiting magnitude of about 20 to 21. These reference stars, being on an inertial system (linked to quasars), will be very beneficial for LSST, PanSTARRS and other projects. With a few years of observing, absolute trigonometric parallaxes (5‐20 mas, depending on magnitude) could be obtained for all stars accessible by URAT from an initially southern hemisphere location. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Adaptive optics for robotic telescopes
Authors: von der Lühe O.
Published: October 2004

Adaptive optics is a technology which compensates dynamical optical aberrations in an astronomical telescope. The technique has matured during the past decade and exists today at any large observatory. Adaptive optics improve the spatial resolution, ideally to the diffraction limit, and concentrate the source's flux, increasing the sensitivity. Both properties can be relevant to science programs with robotic telescopes. The hardware for adaptive optics becomes more readily available at lower costs, and there are many research groups working on their development. We review the current status of adaptive optics and discuss its relevance to robotic telescopes. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
A robotic reflective Schmidt telescope for Dome C
Authors: Strassmeier K. G. , Andersen M. I. , Steinbach M.
Published: October 2004

This paper lays out a wide‐field robotic Schmidt telescope (RST) for the Antarctic site Dome C. The telescope is based on 80/120 cm reflective Schmidt optics, built originally for a space project, and a mosaic of four 7.5 k × 7.5 k 8‐μm thinned CCDs from the PEPSI/LBT wafer run. The telescope's total field of view (FOV) would be 5° circular (minimum 3° × 3° square) with a plate scale of 0.7 arcsec per pixel. Limiting magnitude is expected to be V = 21.5 mag in 60 sec for a field of 9 square degrees. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
A prototype for the PASS Permanent All Sky Survey
Authors: Deeg H. J. , Alonso R. , Belmonte J. A. , Horne K. , Alsubai K. , Cameron A. , Doyle L. R.
Published: October 2004

A prototype system for the Permanent All Sky Survey (PASS) project is presented. PASS is a continuous photometric survey of the entire celestial sphere with a high temporal resolution. Its major objectives are the detection of all giant‐planet transits (with periods up to some weeks) across stars up to mag 10.5, and to deliver continuously photometry that is useful for the study of any variable stars. The prototype is based on CCD cameras with short focal length optics on a fixed mount. A small dome to house it at Teide Observatory, Tenerife, is currently being constructed. A placement at the antarctic Dome C is also being considered. The prototype will be used for a feasibility study of PASS, to define the best observing strategies, and to perform a detailed characterization of the capabilities and scope of the survey. Afterwards, a first partial sky surveying will be started with it. That first survey may be able to detect transiting planets during its first few hundred hours of operation. It will also deliver a data set around which software modules dealing with the various scientific objectives of PASS will be developed. The PASS project is still in its early phase and teams interested in specific scientific objectives, in providing technical expertise, or in participating with own observations are invited to collaborate. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
IBVS and the data from robotic observatories
Authors: Holl A.
Published: October 2004

Automatic telescopes and surveys dump stellar variability data at ever increasing rates.We discuss what the Information Bulletin on Variable Stars (Comm. 27 & 42 of the IAU) can do with this data and to what extent Virtual Observatory techniques could be applied.We introduce IBVS DataService, the figure database and the photometric sequence visualization project. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Super‐LOTIS (Livermore Optical Transient Imaging System)
Authors: Pérez‐Ramírez D. , Park H. S. , Williams G. G.
Published: October 2004

The 0.6‐m Super‐LOTIS telescope is a fully robotic system dedicated to the search for prompt optical emission from gamma‐ray bursts (GRBs). The telescope began routine operations from its Steward Observatory site atop Kitt Peak (KPNO) in April 2000. This system is capable of responding to the Gamma‐ray burst Coordinate Network (GCN) triggers within seconds. Together with LOTIS, these systems have been monitoring the GCN real‐time data for automatic HETE2 GRB triggers. We will summarize the current capabilities of the system and present recent scientific results. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
A gamma‐ray burst rapid‐response observatory in the US Virgin Islands
Authors: Giblin T. W. , Neff J. E. , Hakkila J. , Davis K. , Hartmann D.
Published: October 2004

Np Abstract
The dust distribution in the central region of AGNs: New results from the MAGNUM telescope
Authors: Yoshii Y. , Kobayashi Y. , Minezaki T.
Published: October 2004

The Multicolor Active Galactic Nuclei Monitoring (MAGNUM) 2‐meter dedicated telescope was commissioned in early 2001 in the University of Hawaii's Lure Observatory in the Haleakala Observatories, and several tens of AGNs have been monitored since then in the optical and near‐infrared wave‐bands simultaneously. As the initial results from the MAGNUM telescope, the most intense monitoring observations yet made for two Seyfert 1 galaxies such as NGC 4151 and 5548 are presented. A delayed response of light variations in the V (0.55μm) band to those in the K(2.2μm) band was detected for each galaxy, and the lag time was measured by a cross‐correlation analysis. The measured lag time is interpreted as the light‐travel time from the central energy source to the surrounding dust torus. Compared with lag measurements of the broad emission lines in the literature, our results for such dust reverberation indicate that the broad emission‐line region is well within the inner hole of the dust torus. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
HPLC determination of four active saponins from Panax notoginseng in rat serum and its application to pharmacokinetic studies
Authors: Li Lie , Sheng Yuxin , Zhang Jinlan , Wang Chuanshe , Guo Dean
Published: October 2004

Four main active saponins (ginsenosides Rg1, Rb1, Rd and notoginsenoside R1) in Panax notoginseng in rat serum after oral and intravenous administration of total saponins of P. notoginseng (PNS) to rats were determined using a simple and sensitive high‐performance chromatographic method. The serum samples were pretreated with solid‐phase extraction before analysis. The calibration curves for the four saponins were linear in the given concentration ranges. The intra‐day and inter‐day assay coefﬁcients in serum were less than 10.0% and the recoveries of the method were higher than 80.0% in the high, middle and low concentrations. This method was applied to study the pharmacokinetics following oral and intravenous administration of PNS. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Self‐Assembly of Human Serum Albumin (HSA) and l‐α‐Dimyristoylphosphatidic Acid (DMPA) Microcapsules for Controlled Drug Release
Authors: An Zhihua , Lu Gang , Möhwald Helmuth , Li Junbai
Published: October 2004

Human serum albumin (HSA) and l‐α‐dimyristoylphosphatidic acid (DMPA) were applied as a pair to encapsulate ibuprofen microcrystals by means of a technique based on the layer‐by‐layer (LbL) assembly of oppositely charged species, for the purpose of controlling drug release. The successful adsorption of HSA and DMPA multilayers onto ibuprofen crystals was confirmed by optical microscopy. The drug release process, in a solution of pH 7.4, was monitored by optical microscopy and UV spectroscopy. The results revealed that the rate of release of ibuprofen from HSA/DMPA microcapsules decreased as the capsule wall thickness and drug crystal size increased, indicating that the permeability of the microcapsules can be controlled by simply varying the number of HSA/DMPA deposition cycles.
Validation of the postoperative nomogram for 12‐year sarcoma‐specific mortality
Authors: Eilber Fritz C. , Brennan Murray F. , Eilber Frederick R. , Dry Sarah M. , Singer Samuel , Kattan Michael W.
Published: October 2004

BACKGROUND

On the basis of a prospectively followed cohort of adult patients with primary soft tissue sarcoma (STS) who were treated at Memorial Sloan‐Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC; New York, NY), a nomogram for predicting sarcoma‐specific mortality was developed. Although this nomogram was found to be accurate by internal validation tests, it had not been validated in an external patient cohort, and thus its universal applicability remained unproven.

METHODS

Between 1975 and 2002, 1167 adult patients (age ≥ 16 years) underwent treatment for primary STS at the University of California–Los Angeles (UCLA; Los Angeles, CA). All patients treated with an ifosfamide‐based chemotherapy protocol (n = 238) were excluded from the current analysis. The remaining 929 patients constituted the population on which the validation study was performed. The nomogram validation process comprised two activities. First, the extent of discrimination was quantified using the concordance index. Second, the level of calibration was assessed by grouping patients with respect to their nomogram‐predicted mortality probabilities and then comparing group means with observed Kaplan–Meier estimates of disease‐specific survival.

RESULTS

With median follow‐up intervals of 48 months for all patients and 60 months for surviving patients, the 5‐year and 10‐year disease‐specific survival rates were 77% (95% confidence interval [CI], 74–80%) and 71% (95% CI, 67–75%), respectively. Application of the nomogram to the UCLA data set yielded a concordance index of 0.76, and the observed correspondence between predicted and actual outcomes suggested a high level of calibration.

CONCLUSIONS

In the current study, the MSKCC Sarcoma Nomogram was found to provide accurate survival predictions when it was applied to an external cohort of patients who were treated at UCLA. Cancer 2004. © 2004 American Cancer Society.
Phase I clinical trial of fixed–dose rate infusional gemcitabine and dacarbazine in the treatment of advanced soft tissue sarcoma, with assessment of gemcitabine triphosphate accumulation
Authors: Buesa José M. , Losa Raquel , Fernández Aida , Sierra Marta , Esteban Emilio , Díaz Ángela , López‐Pousa Antonio , Fra Joaquín
Published: October 2004

BACKGROUND

In the current study, the authors set out to determine the dose‐limiting toxicity (DLT) and maximum tolerated dose (MTD) associated with a combination of gemcitabine and dacarbazine (DTIC) in patients with advanced soft tissue sarcoma (ASTS), to obtain preliminary information on the activity of this combination, and to explore possible pharmacodynamic interactions between gemcitabine and DTIC.

METHODS

Every 2 weeks, 22 patients with refractory ASTS received fixed–dose rate gemcitabine (10 mg/m2/min) at escalating doses, which ranged from 800 mg/m2 to 2160 mg/m2, plus 500 mg/m2 DTIC. Plasma concentrations of gemcitabine and 2′,2′‐difluorodeoxyuridine, along with gemcitabine triphosphate (dFdCTP) levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), were evaluated during the course of treatment.

RESULTS

Grade 3 elevation of transaminase and γ‐glutamyltransferase levels represented the DLT associated with the administration of 2160 mg/m2 gemcitabine plus 500 mg/m2 DTIC. This side effect was reversible, rather than cumulative, and did not exceed Grade 3 in its severity. The doses recommended for use in subsequent Phase II studies are 1800 mg/m2 gemcitabine (administered over the course of 3 hours) and 500 mg/m2 DTIC. Hematologic toxicity was moderate, and nonhematologic side effects that did not exceed Grade 2 in severity included the following: asthenia (75% of patients), fever (59%), nausea (52%), stomatitis (48%), anorexia (44%), emesis (40%), flulike syndrome (37%), and erythematous rash (26%). Alopecia was common. Intracellular dFdCTP levels, which were evaluated in 6 patients, reached a mean maximum value of 209 pmol per 106 cells (standard deviation, 59 pmol per 106 cells) at the conclusion of gemcitabine administration. DTIC had a limited effect on the elimination of dFdCTP from PBMCs. Objective responses were observed in 5 of the 19 patients who were evaluable for treatment efficacy.

CONCLUSIONS

The combination of gemcitabine and DTIC possesses an acceptable toxicity profile and may warrant further investigation in patients with ASTS. Cancer 2004. © 2004 American Cancer Society.
Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation among patients with leukemia of all ages in Texas
Authors: Hwang Jessica P. , Lam Tony P. , Cohen Deborah S. , Donato Michele L. , Geraci Jane M.
Published: October 2004

BACKGROUND

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is an effective but expensive medical procedure to which some ethnic minorities, the elderly, and those without insurance have been shown to have limited access. The purpose of the current study was to determine whether socioeconomic factors were associated with HSCT usage rates in patients with leukemia.

METHODS

The authors identified 6574 patients with acute lymphocytic leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, acute myelogenous leukeima, chronic myelogenous leukemia, or other leukemias from the 1999 Texas Hospital Inpatient Discharge Public Use Data File. Of these patients, 1604 received an autologous or allogeneic HSCT. The authors assessed patients' ethnicity, payer status, age, gender, and comorbid medical conditions. Logistic regression was used to control for patient characteristics and to evaluate associations among payer status, ethnicity, and HSCT use. P ≤ 0.05 indicated statistical significance.

RESULTS

Patients who self‐paid had the highest rate of HSCT use in all age groups (32%; P ≤ 0.01) and in the adult group (36%; P = 0.11). Elderly patients with Medicare had a low rate of HSCT use (17%; P = 0.13). Logistic regression showed no statistically significant associations between payer status or ethnicity and HSCT use. However, elderly women were significantly less likely to undergo HSCT than elderly men (odds ratio, 0.34; P ≤ 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

The lack of statistically significant differences in HSCT use among adult patients with leukemia was surprising because previous studies had shown differences in HSCT by ethnicity and insurance. Cancer 2004. © 2004 American Cancer Society.
Neoadjuvant etoposide, ifosfamide, and cisplatin for the treatment of olfactory neuroblastoma
Authors: Kim Dong‐Wan , Jo Yo‐Han , Kim Jee Hyun , Wu Hong‐Gyun , Rhee Chae Seo , Lee Chol Hee , Kim Tae‐You , Heo Dae Seog , Bang Yung‐Jue , Kim Noe Kyeong
Published: October 2004

BACKGROUND

The optimal chemotherapy regimen for the treatment of olfactory neuroblastoma has not been clearly defined. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy with the combination of etoposide, ifosfamide, and cisplatin (VIP) for patients with olfactory neuroblastoma.

METHODS

Eleven consecutive patients with newly diagnosed olfactory neuroblastoma were treated with etoposide (75 mg/m2), ifosfamide (1000 mg/m2), and cisplatin (20 mg/m2) all administered intravenously on Days 1–5. Cycles were repeated every 21 days. Patients were excluded from analysis if they had previously received surgery or radiotherapy.

RESULTS

Nine patients achieved objective responses (objective response rate, 82%; 95% confidence interval, 52–95%), which included 2 complete responses and 7 partial responses. The major side effect was hematologic toxicity, with Grade 3/4 neutropenia observed after the receipt of 37% of all cycles and febrile neutropenia observed after the receipt of 2 cycles. All toxic events were reversible, and no chemotherapy‐related deaths were documented. The median survival period was 18 months (range, 3–45 months).

CONCLUSIONS

Neoadjuvant VIP chemotherapy was active in the treatment of olfactory neuroblastoma. Cancer 2004. © 2005 American Cancer Society.
Quality of life impact of three different doses of suramin in patients with metastatic hormone‐refractory prostate carcinoma
Authors: Ahles Tim A. , Herndon James E. , Small Eric J. , Vogelzang Nicholas J. , Kornblith Alice B. , Ratain Mark J. , Stadler Walter , Palchak David , Marshall M. Ernest , Wilding George , Petrylak Daniel , Holland Jimmie C.
Published: October 2004

BACKGROUND

Research has suggested that men with hormone‐refractory prostate carcinoma have a lower quality of life (QOL) compared with men who have hormone‐sensitive prostate carcinoma and that quality of life (QOL) steadily declines over the last year of life for men with prostate carcinoma. The primary purpose of the current study was to evaluate whether there was evidence of palliative effects associated with suramin at any of the three doses administered in the original clinical trial.

METHODS

Patients with histologically confirmed advanced hormone‐refractory adenocarcinoma of the prostate were randomized to receive suramin at a low dose (n = 129; median age, 69 years), an intermediate dose (n = 129; median age, 71 years), or a high dose (n = 127; median age, 70 years) as part of the Intergroup 0159/Cancer and Leukemia Group B 9480 trial. Patients completed a battery of assessment tools, including the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACT)—Prostate, the Center for Epidemiological Studies—Depression Scale (CES—D), the Brief Pain Inventory, and an opioid medication log, at baseline, on Day 1 of the sixth week of active therapy, during the second week after treatment termination, and 3 months after administration of the final suramin dose.

RESULTS

Patients who received low‐dose suramin reported improvement in QOL (FACT—General: P < 0.01; FACT—Treatment Outcome Index: P < 0.01) and decreased levels of depression (CES—D: P < 0.0006) during treatment compared with patients in the intermediate‐ and high‐dose arms. After treatment, all groups experienced equal decreases in FACT and CES—D scores.

CONCLUSIONS

The pattern of results suggests that the lowest dose of suramin administered had a palliative effect in terms of improvement in QOL and decreased levels of depression and that this effect was lost once suramin was discontinued. Cancer 2004. © 2004 American Cancer Society.
Intraductal biopsy for diagnosis and treatment of intraductal lesions of the breast
Authors: Matsunaga Tadaharu , Kawakami Yoko , Namba Kiyoshi , Fujii Masahiko
Published: October 2004

BACKGROUND

Bloody nipple discharge is a significant clue in the detection of ductal carcinoma of the breast. In the past, pathologic diagnoses were obtained exclusively via excision, but recently developed mammoscopic techniques have been found to yield valuable information relating to the diagnosis of intraductal lesions.

METHODS

Mammary duct endoscopy (i.e., mammoscopy) was performed a combined total of 407 times for 295 patients who experienced nipple discharge. Intraductal breast biopsy (IDBB) under mammoscopic observation was performed in 193 intraductal papillomas (from a total of 107 patients) and 30 ductal carcinomas (from a total of 27 patients); IDBB was performed a combined total of 36 times in the 27 patients who had breast carcinoma and yielded 21 diagnostic specimens (58.3%). In addition, the therapeutic value of IDBB was assessed in 70 patients with intraductal papilloma who had undergone more than 3 years of follow‐up; these 70 patients harbored a combined total of 75 intraductal papillomas.

RESULTS

IDBB correctly identified the presence of carcinoma in 9 of 27 patients (33.3%); 7 other lesions (25.9%) were placed in the suspected carcinoma (i.e., atypical papillary lesion) category, and 5 (18.5%) were identified as intraductal papillomas. Using IDBB, it was difficult to collect diagnostic specimens from patients with breast carcinoma, because of the location and weak tissue cohesiveness of these lesions compared with intraductal papillomas. The 193 intraductal biopsies performed on intraductal papillomas yielded only 20 specimens that were insufficient for diagnosis. IDBB exhibited therapeutic efficacy in 54 of 70 patients with intraductal papilloma (77.6%) who had more than 3 years of clinical follow‐up. Therapeutic results tended to be less favorable for patients who had intraductal lesions in multiple duct lobular units.

CONCLUSIONS

Mammoscopy can contribute not only to the diagnosis of cases of nipple discharge but also to the treatment of intraductal papilloma. Cancer 2004. © 2004 American Cancer Society.
Measuring circulating neuroblastoma cells by quantitative reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction analysis
Authors: Cheung Irene Y. , Sahota Arvind , Cheung Nai‐Kong V.
Published: October 2004

BACKGROUND

Histologic examination of bone marrow (BM) is an accepted clinical standard for the detection of metastatic neuroblastoma (NB). Circulating tumor cells in peripheral blood (PB) derive from depots other than BM, and its measurement may provide additional information in the management of patients with NB.

METHODS

One hundred twenty patients with Stage 4 NB were evaluated for tumor cell content in PB by quantitative reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR) analysis of GD2 synthase mRNA with a sensitivity of 1 NB cell in 106 normal cells. These findings were correlated with qRT‐PCR analysis of their simultaneously sampled BM aspirates and 5 standard modalities of disease detection (histology, computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging, bone scan, metaiodobenzylguanidine scan, and urinary homovanillic acid/vanillylmandelic acid levels).

RESULTS

Detection of GD2 synthase transcript was found in 62 patients: Eleven patients had positive (+) samples in their BM and PB (BM+PB+), 38 patients had BM+PB‐negative (BM+PB−) specimens, and 13 patients had BM−PB+ samples. BM+PB+ paired samples had the highest transcript levels. When the extent of disease was scored (from 0 to 5) according to the number of positive disease detection modalities, the magnitude of the transcript level correlated with disease score. Ninety‐one percent of patients with BM+PB+ samples had evidence of disease in ≥ 3 modalities, whereas 97% of patients with BM−PB− samples and 100% of patients with BM−PB+ samples had low disease scores ≤ 2. Marker positivity in BM correlated with disease score. Patients who had positive marker in BM or PB had higher rates of relapse and death compared with patients who had negative marker. Kaplan–Meier analysis demonstrated a significantly greater risk of death for patients who had BM+PB+ specimens compared with patients who had BM−PB− samples (P = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

BM monitoring should continue to be an integral part of disease follow‐up for patients with Stage 4 NB. PB monitoring to complement tumor surveillance in the BM can be informative. Cancer 2004. © 2004 American Cancer Society.
Atmospheric Organic Aerosol Production by Heterogeneous Acid‐Catalyzed Reactions
Authors: Jang Myoseon , Czoschke Nadine M. , Northcross Amanda L.
Published: October 2004

Exploratory evidence from our laboratories shows that acidic surfaces on atmospheric aerosols lead to very real and potentially multifold increases in secondary organic aerosol (SOA) mass and build‐up of stabilized nonvolatile organic matter as particles age. One possible explanation for these heterogeneous processes are the acid‐catalyzed (e.g., H2SO4and HNO3) reactions of atmospheric multifunctional organic species (e.g., multifunctional carbonyl compounds) that are accommodated onto the particle phase from the gas phase. Volatile organic hydrocarbons (VOCs) from biogenic sources (e.g., terpenoids) and anthropogenic sources (aromatics) are significant precursors for multifunctional organic species. The sulfur content of fossil fuels, which is released into the atmosphere as SO2, results in the formation of secondary inorganic acidic aerosols or indigenous acidic soot particles (e.g., diesel soot). The predominance of SOAs contributing to PM 2.5 (particulate matter, that is, 2.5μm or smaller than 2.5μm), and the prevalence of sulfur in fossil fuels suggests that interactions between these sources could be considerable. This study outlines a systematic approach for exploring the fundamental chemistry of these particle‐phase heterogeneous reactions. If acid‐catalyzed heterogeneous reactions of SOA products are included in next‐generation models, the predicted SOA formation will be much greater and have a much larger impact on climate‐forcing effects than we now predict. The combined study of both organic and inorganic acids will also enable greater understanding of the adverse health effects in biological pulmonary organs exposed to particles.
Computational estimation of the triacylglycerol composition of vegetable fats from gas and liquid chromatography data
Authors: van Vliet Martin H. , van Kempen Geert M. P.
Published: October 2004

A mathematical framework was described and discussed that relates the triacylglycerol (TAG) distribution to measurements results. This model is valid for any analytical technique for which an unambiguous relation between the TAGs and the experimental data exists. The framework can be employed to estimate the TAG distribution based on any subset of these analytical techniques. Furthermore future techniques can be incorporated, eventually enabling the computation of the exact TAG distribution.

In current practice the relation from measurement values to the TAG distribution is believed to be described byColeman's theory. However some natural fats and fractions of fats are known to be non‐adherent toColeman's theory. For both palm stearin and palm kernel oil this notion is tested and confirmed. For these fats a different approach is needed to be able to estimate the TAG distribution.

Within the framework three different approaches for making an estimation of the TAG distribution based on measured data are described, discussed and compared withColeman's results: a least squares approach, a genetic algorithm (GA) approach and an expectation maximisation (EM) approach. The results presented demonstrate that the estimated TAG distributions from the GA and EM algorithm are significantly better thanColeman's estimate and the least squares approach. Overall the EM algorithm is favoured because of its consistency.