United States Department of the Army

About: United States Department of the Army is a government organization based out in Arlington, Virginia, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Poison control & Population. The organization has 32668 authors who have published 42453 publications receiving 947075 citations. The organization is also known as: DA & U.S. Department of the Army.

Judd–Ofelt analysis of the Er3+(4f11) absorption intensities in phosphate glass: Er3+, Yb3+

Abstract: A spectroscopic Judd–Ofelt investigation has been performed on Er3+ in the doubly doped phosphate glass:Er3+, Yb3+ in order to assess its potential as a laser system. The standard Judd–Ofelt model was applied to the room-temperature absorption intensities of Er3+(4f11) transitions to determine the intensity parameters: Ω2=6.28×10−20 cm2, Ω4=1.03×10−20 cm2, and Ω6=1.39×10−20 cm2 in the phosphate glass host. The intensity parameters are used to determine the radiative decay rates (emission probabilities of transitions) and branching ratios of the Er3+ transitions from the excited-state J manifolds to the lower-lying J′ manifolds. The radiative lifetimes of these excited states are determined from the radiative decay rates. The predicted decay rates and radiative lifetimes are compared to those of Er3+ transitions in other glass hosts. The quantum efficiency of the eye-safe laser transition 4I13/2→4I15/2 (1.54 μm) of Er3+ is approximately 80% in the phosphate glass host.

Microstrip to dielectric waveguide transition

Abstract: A microstrip to dielectric waveguide transition is provided comprising a gth of rectangular dielectric waveguide which has one end tapered in such a manner that the height of the waveguide top surface above the waveguide bottom surface decreases linearly from full height to zero height at the tapered end of the length of waveguide. The bottom surface of the waveguide length is mounted on the top surface of a planar microstrip dielectric substrate having an electrically conductive metallic ground plane on the bottom substrate surface and a length of microstrip conductor on the top substrate surface aligned with the waveguide length and abutting the tapered end of the waveguide length. A second length of microstrip conductor is mounted on the tapered portion and part of the untapered portion of the top surface of the waveguide length and is electrically connected to the first microstrip conductor at the tapered end of the waveguide length. The dielectric constant of the microstrip substrate should be no greater than the dielectric constant of the dielectric waveguide length and preferably should be much less.

An Investigation of a Major Outbreak of Rift Valley Fever in Kenya: 2006–2007

Abstract: An outbreak of Rift Valley fever (RVF) occurred in Kenya during November 2006 through March 2007. We characterized the magnitude of the outbreak through disease surveillance and serosurveys, and investigated contributing factors to enhance strategies for forecasting to prevent or minimize the impact of future outbreaks. Of 700 suspected cases, 392 met probable or confirmed case definitions; demographic data were available for 340 (87%), including 90 (26.4%) deaths. Male cases were more likely to die than females, Case Fatality Rate Ratio 1.8 (95% Confidence Interval [CI] 1.3-3.8). Serosurveys suggested an attack rate up to 13% of residents in heavily affected areas. Genetic sequencing showed high homology among viruses from this and earlier RVF outbreaks. Case areas were more likely than non-case areas to have soil types that retain surface moisture. The outbreak had a devastatingly high case-fatality rate for hospitalized patients. However, there were up to 180,000 infected mildly ill or asymptomatic people within highly affected areas. Soil type data may add specificity to climate-based forecasting models for RVF.

Prevalent, protective, and convergent IgG recognition of SARS-CoV-2 non-RBD spike epitopes.

Abstract: The molecular composition and binding epitopes of the immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies that circulate in blood plasma after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection are unknown. Proteomic deconvolution of the IgG repertoire to the spike glycoprotein in convalescent subjects revealed that the response is directed predominantly (>80%) against epitopes residing outside the receptor binding domain (RBD). In one subject, just four IgG lineages accounted for 93.5% of the response, including an amino (N)-terminal domain (NTD)-directed antibody that was protective against lethal viral challenge. Genetic, structural, and functional characterization of a multidonor class of "public" antibodies revealed an NTD epitope that is recurrently mutated among emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern. These data show that "public" NTD-directed and other non-RBD plasma antibodies are prevalent and have implications for SARS-CoV-2 protection and antibody escape.