Use of thermal sieve to allow optical testing of cryogenic optical systems.
Full aperture testing of large cryogenic optical systems has been impractical due to the difficulty of operating a large collimator at cryogenic temperatures. The Thermal Sieve solves this problem by acting as a thermal barrier between an ambient temperature collimator and the cryogenic system under test. The Thermal Sieve uses a set of thermally controlled baffles with array of holes that are lined up to pass the light from the collimator without degrading the wavefront, while attenuating the thermal background by nearly 4 orders of magnitude. This paper provides the theory behind the Thermal Sieve system, evaluates the optimization for its optical and thermal performance, and presents the design and analysis for a specific system.
Updated status and capabilities for the LOTIS 6.5 meter collimator
The Large Optical Test and Integration Site (LOTIS) at Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company (LMSSC) in Sunnyvale, California was designed and constructed in order to allow advanced optical testing for systems up to a maximum aperture of up to 6.5 meters in air or vacuum over a bandwidth of 0.4 to over 5 μm with a design field of view of 1.5 milliradians. Previously reported information for the LOTIS 6.5 meter diameter Collimator was based on data collected during initial testing of this device at the University of Arizona's Steward Observatory Mirror Laboratory. This paper will report progress and new results for the LOTIS Collimator as it is re-assembled and tested during its final integration into its facility at LMSSC. In addition, we will discuss Scene Projection Technology (SPT) capabilities that can be added to provide user test capabilities meeting or exceeding many of the original specifications of the Collimator, primarily in increased optical bandwidth and field-of-view. Finally, we will describe additional optical tools (e.g., interferometers and smaller collimators) that are integral to the LOTIS facility that can provide flexible optical testing options for a wide array of users.
The Alzheimer's Disease Home Hospice Knowledge Scale: development, validity and reliability.
BACKGROUND
Several instruments are available to assess knowledge about hospice care, but none specifically address knowledge about home hospice for persons with Alzheimer's disease (AD).


AIM
To develop and validate the Alzheimer's Disease Home Hospice Knowledge Scale (AD-HHK-S).


METHODS
A total of 107 Israeli family caregivers of persons with dementia (mean age=71.2; 73% female) participated in the study.


RESULTS
The AD-HHK-S included 28 true/false items assessing 3 areas of knowledge: knowledge about hospice, knowledge about home hospice, and knowledge about home hospice for AD. Good internal reliability was found, with Cronbach alpha ranging from 0.72 to 0.85. Good face, construct and predictive validity were found.


CONCLUSIONS
The AD-HHK-S proved to be a valid and reliable tool to assess knowledge about hospice care in the area of AD. It might provide an effective tool for palliative care nurses to communicate with family caregivers of persons with AD at the end of life.