Sample records for absorb cultural change

  1. Absorbance and light scattering of lenses organ cultured with glucose.

    PubMed

    Alghamdi, Ali Hendi Sahmi; Mohamed, Hasabelrasoul; Sledge, Samiyyah M; Borchman, Douglas

    2018-06-06

    Purpose/Aim: Diabetes is one of the major factors related to cataract. Our aim was to determine if the attenuation of light through glucose treated lenses was due to light scattering from structural changes or absorbance from metabolic changes. Human and rat lenses were cultured in a medium with and without 55 mM glucose for a period of five days. Absorbance and light scattering were measured using a ultraviolet spectrometer. Aldose reductase and catalase activity, RAGE, and glutathione were measured using classical assays. Almost all of the glucose related attenuation of light through the human lens was due to light scattering from structural changes. Glucose treatment caused three absorbance band to appear at 484, 540 to 644 and 657 nm in both the rat and human lens. The optimum time point for equilibration of human lenses was found to be between 2 and 3 days in organ culture. Glucose caused a more significant effect on the opacity of human lenses compared with rat lenses. Since the levels of glutathione, catalase and aldose reductase were reduced in glucose treated rat lenses compared with untreated lenses, glucose may have caused oxidative stress on the rat lens. The absorbance and light scattering of glucose treated lenses in organ culture were quantitated for the first time which could be important for future studies designed to test the efficacy of agents to ameliorate the opacity. Almost all of the glucose related attenuation of light through the human lens was due to light scattering from structural changes and not absorbance from metabolic changes. Glucose caused a more significant effect on the opacity of human lenses compared with rat lenses. The lens model employed could be used to study the efficacy of agents that potentially ameliorate lens opacity.

  2. The impact of organisational change and fiscal restraint on organisational culture.

    PubMed

    Dark, Frances; Whiteford, Harvey; Ashkanasy, Neal M; Harvey, Carol; Harris, Meredith; Crompton, David; Newman, Ellie

    2017-01-01

    Strategies to implement evidence-based practice have highlighted the bidirectional relationship of organisational change on organisational culture. The present study examined changes in perceptions of organisational culture in two community mental health services implementing cognitive therapies into routine psychosis care over 3 years. During the time of the study there were a number of shared planned and unplanned changes that the mental health services had to accommodate. One service, Metro South, had the additional challenge of embarking on a major organisational restructure. A survey of organisational culture was administered to clinical staff of each service at yearly intervals over the 3 years. At baseline assessment there was no significant difference between the two services in organisational culture. At the midpoint assessment, which was conducted at the time the Metro South restructure was operationalized, there were less positive ratings of organisational culture recorded in Metro South compared to the other service. Organisational culture returned to near-baseline levels at endpoint assessment. These findings are consistent with the literature that organisational culture is relatively robust and resilient. It is also consistent with the literature that, at any one time, a service or organisation may have a finite capacity to absorb change. Consequently this limitation needs to be taken into account in the timing and planning of major service reform where possible. The results also extend the literature, insofar as external factors with a high impact on the operation of an organisation may impact upon organisational culture albeit temporarily.

  3. Radiation dosimetry in cell biology: comparison of calculated and measured absorbed dose for a range of culture vessels and clinical beam qualities.

    PubMed

    Claridge Mackonis, Elizabeth; Hammond, Lauren; Esteves, Ana I S; Suchowerska, Natalka

    2018-02-01

    Cell culture studies are frequently used to evaluate the effects of cancer treatments such as radiotherapy, hormone therapy, chemotherapy, nanoparticle enhancement, and to determine any synergies between the treatments. To achieve valid results, the absorbed dose of each therapy needs to be well known and controlled. In this study, we aim to determine the uncertainty associated with radiation exposure in different experimental conditions. We have performed an in-depth evaluation of the absorbed dose and dose distribution that would be delivered to a cell sample when cultivated in a number of the more popular designs of culture vessels. We focus on exposure to two beam types: a kilovoltage x-ray beam and a megavoltage photon beam, both of which are routinely used to treat cancer patients in the clinical environment. Our results identify large variations of up to 16% in the absorbed dose across multi-well culture plates, which if ignored in radiobiological experiments, have the potential to lead to erroneous conclusions.

  4. Changing our culture.

    PubMed

    Benzil, Deborah L

    2014-05-01

    Today, a great challenge of our profession is to envision how we will deliver exemplary neurosurgical care in the future. To accomplish this requires anticipating how economic, political, and societal influences will affect our ability to provide the highest quality of patient care in an arena that will look increasingly different from today's world of medicine. Already, our profession is battling a relentless assault as numerous sectors implement change that impacts us and our community every day. Surviving this requires an effective strategy that will involve significant cultural change. To accomplish this, neurosurgery must take an honest look inward and then commit to being the agents of positive cultural change. Such a path will not be easy but should reap important benefits for all of neurosurgery and our patients. Several practical and proven strategies can help us to realize the rewards of changing our culture. Vital to this process is understanding that effecting behavioral change will increase the likelihood of achieving sustainable cultural change. Innovation and diversity are crucial to encourage and reward when trying to effect meaningful cultural change, while appreciating the power of a "Tipping Point" strategy will also reap significant benefits. As a profession, if we adopt these strategies and tactics we can lead our profession to proceed in improvement, and as individuals we can use the spirit that drove us into neurosurgery to become the agents of an enduring and meaningful cultural change that will benefit our patients and us.

  5. Real-Time Culture Change Improves Lean Success: Sequenced Culture Change Gets Failing Grades.

    PubMed

    Kusy, Mitchell; Diamond, Marty; Vrchota, Scott

    2015-01-01

    Success with the Lean management system is rooted in a culture of stakeholder engagement and commitment. Unfortunately, many leaders view Lean as an "add-on" tool instead of one that requires a new way of thinking and approaching culture. This article addresses the "why, how, and what" to promote a Lean culture that works. We present a five-phased approach grounded in evidence-based practices of real-time culture change. We further help healthcare leaders understand the differences between traditional "sequenced" approaches to culture change and "real-time" methods--and why these real-time practices are more sustainable and ultimately more successful than traditional culture change methods.

  6. Cultural Diversity and the Changing Culture of Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nderu-Boddington, Eulalee

    2008-01-01

    The paper will examine the change in schools brought about by cultural diversity and examines the theories that surround the topic. I will evaluate and examine ways in which schools can accommodate cultural diversity. References will be made to cultural and social changes in our schools and how education is affected by such changes. The issue of…

  7. Cultural changes in aerospace

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Strobl, Bill

    1991-01-01

    Cultural changes; people and jobs; examples of cultural changes required; advanced launch system (ALS) philosophy; ALS operability capabilities; and ALS operability in design are outlined. This presentation is represented by viewgraphs.

  8. A "recipe" for culture change? Findings from the THRIVE survey of culture change adopters.

    PubMed

    Elliot, Amy; Cohen, Lauren W; Reed, David; Nolet, Kimberly; Zimmerman, Sheryl

    2014-02-01

    Descriptions of culture change adoption are often complex and varied, creating a challenge for those seeking guidance about which of the many components of culture change to adopt and in what order and combination. To begin to address this question, members of The Research Initiative Valuing Eldercare (THRIVE) developed and distributed an online survey to 327 known culture change adopters. Of these, 164 (50%) completed the survey. Data were analyzed to identify adopted components, co-occurrence of adopted components, and differences in these across various types of nursing home models (i.e., traditional unit, household, and small house). Our findings support unique co-occurrence of components across nursing home models. Results also show that homes with more traditional environments have been able to implement certain culture change components without large capital investments required by renovations. The adoption patterns suggest that the co-occurrence of components should be considered when pursuing organizational transformations to support culture change.

  9. Darwinism and cultural change.

    PubMed

    Godfrey-Smith, Peter

    2012-08-05

    Evolutionary models of cultural change have acquired an important role in attempts to explain the course of human evolution, especially our specialization in knowledge-gathering and intelligent control of environments. In both biological and cultural change, different patterns of explanation become relevant at different 'grains' of analysis and in contexts associated with different explanatory targets. Existing treatments of the evolutionary approach to culture, both positive and negative, underestimate the importance of these distinctions. Close attention to grain of analysis motivates distinctions between three possible modes of cultural evolution, each associated with different empirical assumptions and explanatory roles.

  10. Cultural Change: The How and the Why.

    PubMed

    Varnum, Michael E W; Grossmann, Igor

    2017-11-01

    More than half a century of cross-cultural research has demonstrated group-level differences in psychological and behavioral phenomena, from values to attention to neural responses. However, cultures are not static, with several specific changes documented for cultural products, practices, and values. How and why do societies change? Here we juxtapose theory and insights from cultural evolution and social ecology. Evolutionary approaches enable an understanding of the how of cultural change, suggesting transmission mechanisms by which the contents of culture may change. Ecological approaches provide insights into the why of cultural change: They identify specific environmental pressures, which evoke shifts in psychology and thereby enable greater precision in predictions of specific cultural changes based on changes in ecological conditions. Complementary insights from the ecological and cultural evolutionary approaches can jointly clarify the process by which cultures change. We end by discussing the relevance of cultural change research for the contemporary societal shifts and by highlighting several critical challenges and future directions for the emerging field of cross-temporal research on culture and psychology.

  11. The Effect of Diagnostic Absorbed Doses from 131I on Human Thyrocytes in Vitro.

    PubMed

    Adamczewski, Zbigniew; Stasiołek, Mariusz; Karwowski, Bolesław; Dedecjus, Marek; Orszulak-Michalak, Daria; Merecz, Anna; Śliwka, Przemysław W; Puła, Bartosz; Lewiński, Andrzej

    2015-06-29

    Administration of diagnostic activities of 131I, performed in order to detect thyroid remnants after surgery and/or thyroid cancer recurrence/metastases, may lead to reduction of iodine uptake. This phenomenon is called "thyroid stunning". We estimated radiation absorbed dose-dependent changes in genetic material, in particular in sodium iodide symporter (NIS) gene promoter, and NIS protein level in human thyrocytes (HT). We used unmodified HT isolated from patients subjected to thyroidectomy exposed to 131I in culture. The different 131I activities applied were calculated to result in absorbed doses of 5, 10, and 20 Gy. According to flow cytometry analysis and comet assay, 131I did not influence the HT viability in culture. Temporary increase of 8-oxo-dG concentration in HT directly after 24 h (p < 0.05) and increase in the number of AP-sites 72 h after termination of exposition to 20 Gy dose (p < 0.0001) were observed. The signs of dose-dependent DNA damage were not associated with essential changes in the NIS expression on mRNA and protein levels. Our observation constitutes a first attempt to evaluate the effect of the absorbed dose of 131I on HT. The results have not confirmed the theory that the "thyroid stunning" reduces the NIS protein synthesis.

  12. Assessing and changing medical practice culture.

    PubMed

    Hills, Laura

    2011-01-01

    Your medical practice has an existing culture that manifests itself daily in literally hundreds of ways. Some aspects of your culture likely support your practice's growth; others may be impeding your progress. This article describes the characteristics of medical practice culture and provides numerous examples of how culture influences behavior. It describes how culture is expressed in a medical practice through objects and artifacts, language, emotions, interactions, practice management systems, and daily work habits. It offers three techniques for assessing an existing medical practice culture and a checklist for conducting culture observations. This article also provides guidelines for identifying a desired medical practice culture and explores why changing culture is so difficult. It describes five reasons employees are likely to resist culture change and provides 12 fundamental changes that will enable a practice to improve its culture. Finally, this article explores how medical practice cultures are formed and perpetuated and provides more than a dozen questions to ask employees in a culture survey.

  13. Game-Changing Innovations: How Culture Can Change the Parameters of Its Own Evolution and Induce Abrupt Cultural Shifts.

    PubMed

    Kolodny, Oren; Creanza, Nicole; Feldman, Marcus W

    2016-12-01

    One of the most puzzling features of the prehistoric record of hominid stone tools is its apparent punctuation: it consists of abrupt bursts of dramatic change that separate long periods of largely unchanging technology. Within each such period, small punctuated cultural modifications take place. Punctuation on multiple timescales and magnitudes is also found in cultural trajectories from historical times. To explain these sharp cultural bursts, researchers invoke such external factors as sudden environmental change, rapid cognitive or morphological change in the hominids that created the tools, or replacement of one species or population by another. Here we propose a dynamic model of cultural evolution that accommodates empirical observations: without invoking external factors, it gives rise to a pattern of rare, dramatic cultural bursts, interspersed by more frequent, smaller, punctuated cultural modifications. Our model includes interdependent innovation processes that occur at different rates. It also incorporates a realistic aspect of cultural evolution: cultural innovations, such as those that increase food availability or that affect cultural transmission, can change the parameters that affect cultural evolution, thereby altering the population's cultural dynamics and steady state. This steady state can be regarded as a cultural carrying capacity. These parameter-changing cultural innovations occur very rarely, but whenever one occurs, it triggers a dramatic shift towards a new cultural steady state. The smaller and more frequent punctuated cultural changes, on the other hand, are brought about by innovations that spur the invention of further, related, technology, and which occur regardless of whether the population is near its cultural steady state. Our model suggests that common interpretations of cultural shifts as evidence of biological change, for example the appearance of behaviorally modern humans, may be unwarranted.

  14. Game-Changing Innovations: How Culture Can Change the Parameters of Its Own Evolution and Induce Abrupt Cultural Shifts

    PubMed Central

    2016-01-01

    One of the most puzzling features of the prehistoric record of hominid stone tools is its apparent punctuation: it consists of abrupt bursts of dramatic change that separate long periods of largely unchanging technology. Within each such period, small punctuated cultural modifications take place. Punctuation on multiple timescales and magnitudes is also found in cultural trajectories from historical times. To explain these sharp cultural bursts, researchers invoke such external factors as sudden environmental change, rapid cognitive or morphological change in the hominids that created the tools, or replacement of one species or population by another. Here we propose a dynamic model of cultural evolution that accommodates empirical observations: without invoking external factors, it gives rise to a pattern of rare, dramatic cultural bursts, interspersed by more frequent, smaller, punctuated cultural modifications. Our model includes interdependent innovation processes that occur at different rates. It also incorporates a realistic aspect of cultural evolution: cultural innovations, such as those that increase food availability or that affect cultural transmission, can change the parameters that affect cultural evolution, thereby altering the population’s cultural dynamics and steady state. This steady state can be regarded as a cultural carrying capacity. These parameter-changing cultural innovations occur very rarely, but whenever one occurs, it triggers a dramatic shift towards a new cultural steady state. The smaller and more frequent punctuated cultural changes, on the other hand, are brought about by innovations that spur the invention of further, related, technology, and which occur regardless of whether the population is near its cultural steady state. Our model suggests that common interpretations of cultural shifts as evidence of biological change, for example the appearance of behaviorally modern humans, may be unwarranted. PMID:28036346

  15. Medicare and Medicaid Reimbursement Rates for Nursing Homes Motivate Select Culture Change Practices But Not Comprehensive Culture Change.

    PubMed

    Lepore, Michael J; Shield, Renée R; Looze, Jessica; Tyler, Denise; Mor, Vincent; Miller, Susan C

    2015-01-01

    Components of nursing home (NH) culture change include resident-centeredness, empowerment, and home likeness, but practices reflective of these components may be found in both traditional and "culture change" NHs. We use mixed methods to examine the presence of culture change practices in the context of an NH's payer sources. Qualitative data show how higher pay from Medicare versus Medicaid influences implementation of select culture change practices, and quantitative data show NHs with higher proportions of Medicare residents have significantly higher (measured) environmental culture change implementation. Findings indicate that heightened coordination of Medicare and Medicaid could influence NH implementation of reform practices.

  16. College Drinking - Changing the Culture

    MedlinePlus

    ... Out More about college alcohol policies College Drinking - Changing the Culture This is your one-stop resource for comprehensive ... Help Read More about special features College Drinking - Changing the Culture This is your one-stop resource for comprehensive ...

  17. Plumbing system shock absorbers as a source of Legionella pneumophila.

    PubMed

    Memish, Z A; Oxley, C; Contant, J; Garber, G E

    1992-12-01

    Water distribution systems have been demonstrated to be a major source of nosocomial legionellosis. We describe an outbreak in our institution in which a novel source of Legionella pneumophila was identified in the plumbing system. After an outbreak of 10 cases of legionellosis in our hospital, recommended measures including superheating of the hot water to 80 degrees C, hyperchlorination to 2 ppm, and flushing resulted in no new cases in the following 5 years. Recently, despite these control measures, three new cases occurred. Surveillance cultures of shower heads and water tanks were negative; cultures of tap water samples remained positive. This prompted a search for another reservoir. Shock absorbers installed within water pipes to decrease noise were suspected. One hundred twenty-five shock absorbers were removed and cultured. A total of 13 (10%) yielded heavy growth of L. pneumophila (serogroup 1). Since their removal, no new cases have been found and the percentage of positive results of random tap water culture has dropped from 20% to 5%. This is the first report that identifies shock absorbers as a possible reservoir for L. pneumophila. We recommend that institutions with endemic legionellosis assess the water system for possible removal of shock absorbers.

  18. Absorbed dose thresholds and absorbed dose rate limitations for studies of electron radiation effects on polyetherimides

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Long, Edward R., Jr.; Long, Sheila Ann T.; Gray, Stephanie L.; Collins, William D.

    1989-01-01

    The threshold values of total absorbed dose for causing changes in tensile properties of a polyetherimide film and the limitations of the absorbed dose rate for accelerated-exposure evaluation of the effects of electron radiation in geosynchronous orbit were studied. Total absorbed doses from 1 kGy to 100 MGy and absorbed dose rates from 0.01 MGy/hr to 100 MGy/hr were investigated, where 1 Gy equals 100 rads. Total doses less than 2.5 MGy did not significantly change the tensile properties of the film whereas doses higher than 2.5 MGy significantly reduced elongation-to-failure. There was no measurable effect of the dose rate on the tensile properties for accelerated electron exposures.

  19. The Effect of Diagnostic Absorbed Doses from 131I on Human Thyrocytes in Vitro

    PubMed Central

    Adamczewski, Zbigniew; Stasiołek, Mariusz; Karwowski, Bolesław; Dedecjus, Marek; Orszulak-Michalak, Daria; Merecz, Anna; Śliwka, Przemysław W.; Puła, Bartosz; Lewiński, Andrzej

    2015-01-01

    Background: Administration of diagnostic activities of 131I, performed in order to detect thyroid remnants after surgery and/or thyroid cancer recurrence/metastases, may lead to reduction of iodine uptake. This phenomenon is called “thyroid stunning”. We estimated radiation absorbed dose-dependent changes in genetic material, in particular in sodium iodide symporter (NIS) gene promoter, and NIS protein level in human thyrocytes (HT). Materials and Methods: We used unmodified HT isolated from patients subjected to thyroidectomy exposed to 131I in culture. The different 131I activities applied were calculated to result in absorbed doses of 5, 10, and 20 Gy. Results: According to flow cytometry analysis and comet assay, 131I did not influence the HT viability in culture. Temporary increase of 8-oxo-dG concentration in HT directly after 24 h (p < 0.05) and increase in the number of AP-sites 72 h after termination of exposition to 20 Gy dose (p < 0.0001) were observed. The signs of dose-dependent DNA damage were not associated with essential changes in the NIS expression on mRNA and protein levels. Conclusions: Our observation constitutes a first attempt to evaluate the effect of the absorbed dose of 131I on HT. The results have not confirmed the theory that the “thyroid stunning” reduces the NIS protein synthesis. PMID:26132566

  20. Medicare and Medicaid Reimbursement Rates for Nursing Homes Motivate Select Culture Change Practices But Not Comprehensive Culture Change

    PubMed Central

    LEPORE, MICHAEL J.; SHIELD, RENÉE R.; LOOZE, JESSICA; TYLER, DENISE; MOR, VINCENT; MILLER, SUSAN C.

    2016-01-01

    Components of nursing home (NH) culture change include resident-centeredness, empowerment, and home likeness, but practices reflective of these components may be found in both traditional and “culture change” NHs. We use mixed methods to examine the presence of culture change practices in the context of an NH’s payer sources. Qualitative data show how higher pay from Medicare versus Medicaid influences implementation of select culture change practices, and quantitative data show NHs with higher proportions of Medicare residents have significantly higher (measured) environmental culture change implementation. Findings indicate that heightened coordination of Medicare and Medicaid could influence NH implementation of reform practices. PMID:25941947

  1. AN ASSESSMENT OF CULTURAL VALUES AND RESIDENT-CENTERED CULTURE CHANGE IN US NURSING FACILITIES

    PubMed Central

    Banaszak-Holl, Jane; Castle, Nicholas G.; Lin, Michael; Spreitzer, Gretchen

    2012-01-01

    Background Culture Change initiatives propose to improve care by addressing the lack of managerial supports and prevalent stressful work environments in the industry; however, little is known about how Culture Change facilities differ from facilities in the industry that have not chosen to affiliate with the resident-centered care movements. Purpose To evaluate representation of organizational culture values within a random sample of U.S. nursing home facilities using the Competing Values Framework (CVF) and to determine whether organizational values are related to membership in resident-centered Culture Change initiatives. Design and Methods We collected reports of cultural values using a well-established CVF instrument in a random survey of facility administrators and directors of nursing within all states. We received responses from 57% of the facilities that were mailed the survey. Directors of nursing and administrators did not vary significantly in their reports of culture and facility measures combine their responses. Findings Nursing facilities favored market-focused cultural values on average and developmental values, key to innovation, were the least common across all nursing homes. Approximately 17% of facilities reported all cultural values were strong within their facilities. Only high developmental cultural values were linked to participation in culture change initiatives. Culture Change facilities were not different from non-Culture Change facilities in the promotion of employee focus as organizational culture, as is emphasized in group culture values. Likewise, Culture Change facilities were also not any more likely to have hierarchical or market foci than non-Culture Change facilities. Practice Implications Our results counter the argument that Culture Change facilities have a stronger internal employee focus than facilities more generally but does show that Culture Change facilities report stronger developmental cultures than non-Culture Change

  2. SEM: A Cultural Change Agent

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barnes, Bradley; Bourke, Brian

    2015-01-01

    The authors advance the concept that institutional culture is a purposeful framework by which to view SEM's utility, particularly as a cultural change agent. Through the connection of seemingly independent functions of performance and behavior, implications emerge that deepen the understanding of the influence of culture on performance outcomes…

  3. An assessment of cultural values and resident-centered culture change in U.S. nursing facilities.

    PubMed

    Banaszak-Holl, Jane; Castle, Nicholas G; Lin, Michael; Spreitzer, Gretchen

    2013-01-01

    Culture change initiatives propose to improve care by addressing the lack of managerial supports and prevalent stressful work environments in the industry; however, little is known about how culture change facilities differ from facilities in the industry that have not chosen to affiliate with the resident-centered care movements. The aim of this study was to evaluate representation of organizational culture values within a random sample of U.S. nursing home facilities using the competing values framework and to determine whether organizational values are related to membership in resident-centered culture change initiatives. We collected reports of cultural values using a well-established competing values framework instrument in a random survey of facility administrators and directors of nursing within all states. We received responses from 57% of the facilities that were mailed the survey. Directors of nursing and administrators did not differ significantly in their reports of culture and facility measures combined their responses. Nursing facilities favored market-focused cultural values on average, and developmental values, key to innovation, were the least common across all nursing homes. Approximately 17% of the facilities reported that all cultural values were strong within their facilities. Only high developmental cultural values were linked to participation in culture change initiatives. Culture change facilities were not different from non-culture change facilities in the promotion of employee focus as organizational culture, as emphasized in group culture values. Likewise, culture change facilities were also not more likely to have hierarchical or market foci than non-culture change facilities. Our results counter the argument that culture change facilities have a stronger internal employee focus than facilities more generally but do show that culture change facilities report stronger developmental cultures than non-culture change facilities, which

  4. Mechanical energy absorber

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wesselski, Clarence J. (Inventor)

    1993-01-01

    An energy absorbing system for controlling the force where a moving object engages a stationary stop and where the system utilized telescopic tubular members, energy absorbing diaphragm elements, force regulating disc springs, and a return spring to return the telescoping member to its start position after stroking is presented. The energy absorbing system has frusto-conical diaphragm elements frictionally engaging the shaft and are opposed by a force regulating set of disc springs. In principle, this force feedback mechanism serves to keep the stroking load at a reasonable level even if the friction coefficient increases greatly. This force feedback device also serves to desensitize the singular and combined effects of manufacturing tolerances, sliding surface wear, temperature changes, dynamic effects, and lubricity.

  5. Cultural dimensions of climate change impacts and adaptation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Adger, W. Neil; Barnett, Jon; Brown, Katrina; Marshall, Nadine; O'Brien, Karen

    2013-02-01

    Society's response to every dimension of global climate change is mediated by culture. We analyse new research across the social sciences to show that climate change threatens cultural dimensions of lives and livelihoods that include the material and lived aspects of culture, identity, community cohesion and sense of place. We find, furthermore, that there are important cultural dimensions to how societies respond and adapt to climate-related risks. We demonstrate how culture mediates changes in the environment and changes in societies, and we elucidate shortcomings in contemporary adaptation policy.

  6. Metamaterial Absorber Based Multifunctional Sensor Application

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ozer, Z.; Mamedov, A. M.; Ozbay, E.

    2017-02-01

    In this study metamaterial based (MA) absorber sensor, integrated with an X-band waveguide, is numerically and experimentally suggested for important application including pressure, density sensing and marble type detecting applications based on rectangular split ring resonator, sensor layer and absorber layer that measures of changing in the dielectric constant and/or the thickness of a sensor layer. Changing of physical, chemical or biological parameters in the sensor layer can be detected by measuring the resonant frequency shifting of metamaterial absorber based sensor. Suggested MA based absorber sensor can be used for medical, biological, agricultural and chemical detecting applications in microwave frequency band. We compare the simulation and experimentally obtained results from the fabricated sample which are good agreement. Simulation results show that the proposed structure can detect the changing of the refractive indexes of different materials via special resonance frequencies, thus it could be said that the MA-based sensors have high sensitivity. Additionally due to the simple and tiny structures it could be adapted to other electronic devices in different sizes.

  7. Photoreversible absorbance changes in solutions of allophycocyanin purified from Fremyella diplosiphon: Temperature dependence and quantum efficiency

    PubMed Central

    Ohad, Itzakh; Clayton, Roderick K.; Bogorad, Lawrence

    1979-01-01

    Preparations of allophycocyanin isolated from the alga Fremyella diplosiphon show light-induced optical absorbance changes that suggest the presence of a photoconvertible component [Formula: see text] similar to the algal pigments described by J. Scheibe [(1972) Science 176, 1037-1039]. At pH < 4 the allophycocyanin has an absorption maximum at 620 nm. Red illumination causes a loss of absorbance in the red, centered at 620 nm, and subsequent green illumination restores the lost absorbance. We have studied this photoconversion at temperatures between 200 K and 307 K, analyzing the results in terms of photostationary states established under red (640 nm) and green (550 nm) light. As the temperature was lowered to 260 K, the state Pr became progressively favored; the reaction Pr → Pg induced by red light was attenuated but the reaction Pg → Pr induced by green light was not. Decreasing the temperature from 260 K to 200 K had no further effect. Two distinct and simple models can account for this curious temperature dependence. By analyzing the kinetic and steady-state data, with reasonable estimates of the molar extinction coefficients of Pr and Pg, we computed quantum efficiencies greater than 15% for the photoconversion at 300 K. We deduced that a conversion of “all Pr” to “all Pg” should produce a fractional absorbance change ΔA/A at 620 nm equal to 0.1. If the chromatic adaptation response of intact F. diplosiphon shows the unusual temperature dependence reported here, the system Pr ⇌ Pg will be implicated in mediating this response. PMID:16592721

  8. Culture, Urbanism and Changing Human Biology.

    PubMed

    Schell, L M

    2014-04-03

    Anthropologists have long known that human activity driven by culture changes the environment. This is apparent in the archaeological record and through the study of the modern environment. Perhaps the largest change since the paleolithic era is the organization of human populations in cities. New environments can reshape human biology through evolution as shown by the evolution of the hominid lineage. Evolution is not the only process capable of reshaping our biology. Some changes in our human biology are adaptive and evolutionary while others are pathological. What changes in human biology may be wrought by the modern urban environment? One significant new change in the environment is the introduction of pollutants largely through urbanization. Pollutants can affect human biology in myriad ways. Evidence shows that human growth, reproduction, and cognitive functioning can be altered by some pollutants, and altered in different ways depending on the pollutant. Thus, pollutants have significance for human biologists and anthropologists generally. Further, they illustrate the bio-cultural interaction characterizing human change. Humans adapt by changing the environment, a cultural process, and then change biologically to adjust to that new environment. This ongoing, interactive process is a fundamental characteristic of human change over the millennia.

  9. Play Culture in a Changing World

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kalliala, Marjatta

    2005-01-01

    The cultural context in which children grow up has a powerful influence on the way they play. At a time of rapid change in post-industrial societies, childhood play is changing to reflect children's experiences. Adults need to understand that children have their own play culture, which might be different from that of the adults' own childhoods.…

  10. Culture, Urbanism and Changing Human Biology

    PubMed Central

    Schell, L.M.

    2014-01-01

    Anthropologists have long known that human activity driven by culture changes the environment. This is apparent in the archaeological record and through the study of the modern environment. Perhaps the largest change since the paleolithic era is the organization of human populations in cities. New environments can reshape human biology through evolution as shown by the evolution of the hominid lineage. Evolution is not the only process capable of reshaping our biology. Some changes in our human biology are adaptive and evolutionary while others are pathological. What changes in human biology may be wrought by the modern urban environment? One significant new change in the environment is the introduction of pollutants largely through urbanization. Pollutants can affect human biology in myriad ways. Evidence shows that human growth, reproduction, and cognitive functioning can be altered by some pollutants, and altered in different ways depending on the pollutant. Thus, pollutants have significance for human biologists and anthropologists generally. Further, they illustrate the bio-cultural interaction characterizing human change. Humans adapt by changing the environment, a cultural process, and then change biologically to adjust to that new environment. This ongoing, interactive process is a fundamental characteristic of human change over the millennia. PMID:25598655

  11. Changing the Culture of Fuel Efficiency: A Change in Attitude

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-05-09

    2011 September). Organizational Culture: Assessment and Transformation. Journal of Change Management, 11(3), 305-328. Bandura , A. (1986). Social ...describes that, “organizational culture is a set of basic assumptions that a group has invented, discovered or developed in learning to cope with its...change. In the first category they found the most influential factors are leadership, attraction-selection-attrition, socialization , reward systems

  12. A model for cultural change.

    PubMed

    Andrews, M M

    1998-10-01

    Using transcultural nursing administration concepts is essential for survival, growth, satisfaction, and achieving goals in the multicultural workplace. Here, a model for cultural change in diverse health care settings assesses strengths, community resources, and readiness for change.

  13. Better Absorbents for Ammonia Separation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Malmali, Mahdi; Le, Giang; Hendrickson, Jennifer

    Making ammonia from renewable wind energy at a competitive price may be possible if the conventional ammonia condenser is replaced with an ammonia absorber. Such a process change requires an ammonia selective absorbent. Supported metal halide sorbents for this separation display outstanding dynamic capacity close to their equilibrium thermodynamic limits. Alkaline earth chlorides and bromides supported on silica and zeolite Y are the most promising. MgCl 2 and CaBr 2 at 40% loading on silica show capacities of 60-70 mg NH3/gsorbent at 150 °C and 4 bar. Overall, cations with smaller atomic numbers show more affinity to ammonia; bromides holdmore » ammonia more strongly than chlorides. Different solvents and metal halide mixtures do not show significant changes in the absorption capacity. Finally, these absorbents can be incorporated into ammonia reaction-absorption syntheses to achieve faster production rates.« less

  14. Better Absorbents for Ammonia Separation

    DOE PAGES

    Malmali, Mahdi; Le, Giang; Hendrickson, Jennifer; ...

    2018-03-30

    Making ammonia from renewable wind energy at a competitive price may be possible if the conventional ammonia condenser is replaced with an ammonia absorber. Such a process change requires an ammonia selective absorbent. Supported metal halide sorbents for this separation display outstanding dynamic capacity close to their equilibrium thermodynamic limits. Alkaline earth chlorides and bromides supported on silica and zeolite Y are the most promising. MgCl 2 and CaBr 2 at 40% loading on silica show capacities of 60-70 mg NH3/gsorbent at 150 °C and 4 bar. Overall, cations with smaller atomic numbers show more affinity to ammonia; bromides holdmore » ammonia more strongly than chlorides. Different solvents and metal halide mixtures do not show significant changes in the absorption capacity. Finally, these absorbents can be incorporated into ammonia reaction-absorption syntheses to achieve faster production rates.« less

  15. Organisational culture and change: implementing person-centred care.

    PubMed

    Carlström, Eric D; Ekman, Inger

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to explore the connection between organisational cultures and the employee's resistance to change at five hospital wards in Western Sweden. Staff had experienced extensive change during a research project implementing person-centred care (PCC) for patients with chronic heart failure. Surveys were sent out to 170 nurses. The survey included two instruments--the Organisational Values Questionnaire (OVQ) and the Resistance to Change Scale (RTC). The results indicate that a culture with a dominating focus on social competence decreases "routine seeking behaviour", i.e. tendencies to uphold stable routines and a reluctance to give up old habits. The results indicate that a culture of flexibility, cohesion and trust negatively covariate with the overall need for a stable and well-defined framework. An instrument that pinpoints the conditions of a particular healthcare setting can improve the results of a change project. Managers can use instruments such as the ones used in this study to investigate and plan for change processes. Earlier studies of organisational culture and its impact on the performance of healthcare organisations have often investigated culture at the highest level of the organisation. In this study, the culture of the production units--i.e. the health workers in different hospital wards--was described. Hospital wards develop their own culture and the cultures of different wards are mirrored in the hospital.

  16. Muslim American adolescents' explanations of changing religious practices: Cultural tools in cultural contexts.

    PubMed

    Cain, Kathleen M; Schiro, Isabella N; Gregory, Wesley E; Westberg, Lindsay M; Lee, Samantha R; Boyle, Colleen D

    2017-03-01

    To examine the culturally embedded nature of religious practices, we conducted a mixed-methods study in which Muslim American adolescents described how and why their religious practices had changed in recent years (see Etengoff & Daiute, 2013, J. Adolesc. Res., 28, 690). Participants included 201 Muslim adolescents (ages 13-19) from predominantly immigrant families; all were contestants in a Muslim Inter-Scholastic Tournament regional competition. Participants completed surveys including an item regarding whether their religious practices had changed, and for those who answered affirmatively, open-ended questions about the change. Additional measures assessed ethnic identity and perceived discrimination. As hypothesized, the 60% of participants who reported a change in religious practices described this shift as a response to new contexts, people, and religious knowledge. Those who reported a change also reported higher levels of ethnic identity exploration and perceived discrimination. Overall, Muslim American adolescents' descriptions portrayed religious practices as developing through reciprocal interactions with culture. More generally, participants' descriptions point to the viability of a model in which religious practices change and in turn are changed by cultural contexts. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Religious development is viewed as taking place in relational systems with reciprocity between individuals and surrounding contexts. Variations in contexts predict variations in religious development, but mechanisms of development are not well understood. Muslim Americans, including adolescents, show high levels of religious involvement and experience unique cultural and religious contexts. Muslim American emerging adults describe their religious practices as responsive to sociocultural contexts. What does the study add? This study focuses on Muslim American adolescents, a group that has received little research attention

  17. Nursing home employee perceptions of culture change.

    PubMed

    Palmer, Jennifer A; Meterko, Mark; Zhao, Shibei; Berlowitz, Dan; Mobley, Esther; Hartmann, Christine W

    2013-07-01

    This study examined nursing home staff members' comfort levels with specific culture change scenarios and observed whether there were differences by occupation. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 218 staff members in all occupational categories at four Veterans Health Administration Community Living Centers (i.e., nursing homes). Staff indicated their comfort level using a 9-point scale (1 = not at all comfortable to 9 = extremely comfortable). The culture change scenarios were divided into three subscales: Resident Safety (5 items), Resident Experience (5 items), and Staff Experience (2 items). Overall, respondents were slightly uncomfortable with the scenarios (overall mean = 4.57). Staff reported least comfort with the Resident Safety subscale (mean = 3.63) and most comfort with the Resident Experience subscale (mean = 5.65), with significant differences within these two subscales by occupational category. Existent power differentials among staff may influence comfort levels with culture change. Assessing staff comfort with culture change may help guide implementation efforts in a strategic manner. Copyright 2013, SLACK Incorporated.

  18. Conceptualizing the Role of Culture in Political Change.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aronoff, Myron J.

    Using as a point of departure anthropologist Clifford Geertz's study of culture with special emphasis on political change, the paper develops a theoretical framework for studying the relationship between culture and political change. A major objective of this anthropological approach to the study of political culture is to help political…

  19. Who are the innovators? Nursing homes implementing culture change.

    PubMed

    Grabowski, David C; Elliot, Amy; Leitzell, Brigitt; Cohen, Lauren W; Zimmerman, Sheryl

    2014-02-01

    A key directive of the Affordable Care Act of 2010 is to transform both institutional and community-based long-term care into a more person-centered system. In the nursing home industry, the culture change movement is central to this shift in philosophy. If policymakers are to further encourage implementation of culture change, they need to better understand the factors associated with implementation. Using logistic regression (N = 16,835), we examined the extent to which resident, facility, and state characteristics relate to a nursing home being identified by experts as having implemented culture change over the period 2004 through 2011. At baseline, the 291 facilities that were later identified by experts to have implemented culture change were more often nonprofit-owned, larger in size, and had fewer Medicaid and Medicare residents. Implementers also had better baseline quality with fewer health-related survey deficiencies and greater licensed practical nurse and nurse aide staffing. States experienced greater culture change implementation when they paid a higher Medicaid per diem. To date, nursing home culture change has been implemented differentially by higher resource facilities, and nursing homes have been responsive to state policy factors when implementing culture change.

  20. Understanding Culture and Influencing Change

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-03-01

    difference to significantly change the society from a collectivist to individualist culture .42 Pakistan scores fourteen which indicates a strongly...score lower than fifty indicating a more collectivist society. This helps the strategic leader to appreciate the importance class and culture play on...Pakistan which possess strong uncertainty avoidance scores (70) and low individualistic scores (14) - and are collectivists - rules and laws are

  1. Effects of climate change on cultural resources [Chapter 12

    Treesearch

    Tom H. Flanigan; Charmaine Thompson; William G. Reed

    2018-01-01

    As with all resources on public lands, cultural resources are subject to environmental forces such as climate change. Climate change can affect cultural resources directly (e.g., heat, precipitation) or indirectly (e.g., vegetation, wildfire, flooding). Cultural resources include archaeological sites, cultural landscapes, ethnohistoric and historic structures and...

  2. Assembling and Using an LED-Based Detector to Monitor Absorbance Changes during Acid-Base Titrations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Santos, Willy G.; Cavalheiro, E´der T. G.

    2015-01-01

    A simple photometric assembly based in an LED as a light source and a photodiode as a detector is proposed in order to follow the absorbance changes as a function of the titrant volume added during the course of acid-base titrations in the presence of a suitable visual indicator. The simplicity and low cost of the electronic device allow the…

  3. Social change, cultural evolution, and human development.

    PubMed

    Greenfield, Patricia M

    2016-04-01

    Social change has accelerated globally. Greenfield's interdisciplinary and multilevel theory of social change and human development provides a unified framework for exploring implications of these changes for cultural values, learning environments/socialization processes, and human development/behavior. Data from societies where social change has occurred in place (US, China, and Mexico) and a community where it has occurred through international migration (Mexican immigrants in the US) elucidate these implications. Globally dominant sociodemographic trends are: rural to urban, agriculture to commerce, isolation to interconnectedness, less to more education, less to more technology, lesser to greater wealth, and larger to smaller families/households. These trends lead to both cultural losses (e.g., interdependence/collectivism, respect, tradition, contextualized thinking) and cultural gains (e.g., independence/individualism, equality, innovation, abstraction). Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  4. Sustaining organizational culture change in health systems.

    PubMed

    Willis, Cameron David; Saul, Jessie; Bevan, Helen; Scheirer, Mary Ann; Best, Allan; Greenhalgh, Trisha; Mannion, Russell; Cornelissen, Evelyn; Howland, David; Jenkins, Emily; Bitz, Jennifer

    2016-01-01

    The questions addressed by this review are: first, what are the guiding principles underlying efforts to stimulate sustained cultural change; second, what are the mechanisms by which these principles operate; and, finally, what are the contextual factors that influence the likelihood of these principles being effective? The paper aims to discuss these issues. The authors conducted a literature review informed by rapid realist review methodology that examined how interventions interact with contexts and mechanisms to influence the sustainability of cultural change. Reference and expert panelists assisted in refining the research questions, systematically searching published and grey literature, and helping to identify interactions between interventions, mechanisms and contexts. Six guiding principles were identified: align vision and action; make incremental changes within a comprehensive transformation strategy; foster distributed leadership; promote staff engagement; create collaborative relationships; and continuously assess and learn from change. These principles interact with contextual elements such as local power distributions, pre-existing values and beliefs and readiness to engage. Mechanisms influencing how these principles sustain cultural change include activation of a shared sense of urgency and fostering flexible levels of engagement. The principles identified in this review, along with the contexts and mechanisms that influence their effectiveness, are useful domains for policy and practice leaders to explore when grappling with cultural change. These principles are sufficiently broad to allow local flexibilities in adoption and application. This is the first study to adopt a realist approach for understanding how changes in organizational culture may be sustained. Through doing so, this review highlights the broad principles by which organizational action may be organized within enabling contextual settings.

  5. Culture and cognition in health systems change.

    PubMed

    Evans, Jenna M; Baker, G Ross; Berta, Whitney; Barnsley, Jan

    2015-01-01

    Large-scale change involves modifying not only the structures and functions of multiple organizations, but also the mindsets and behaviours of diverse stakeholders. This paper focuses on the latter: the informal, less visible, and often neglected psychological and social factors implicated in change efforts. The purpose of this paper is to differentiate between the concepts of organizational culture and mental models, to argue for the value of applying a shared mental models (SMM) framework to large-scale change, and to suggest directions for future research. The authors provide an overview of SMM theory and use it to explore the dynamic relationship between culture and cognition. The contributions and limitations of the theory to change efforts are also discussed. Culture and cognition are complementary perspectives, providing insight into two different levels of the change process. SMM theory draws attention to important questions that add value to existing perspectives on large-scale change. The authors outline these questions for future research and argue that research and practice in this domain may be best served by focusing less on the potentially narrow goal of "achieving consensus" and more on identifying, understanding, and managing cognitive convergences and divergences as part of broader research and change management programmes. Drawing from both cultural and cognitive paradigms can provide researchers with a more complete picture of the processes by which coordinated action are achieved in complex change initiatives in the healthcare domain.

  6. Changing Practices in Chinese Cultures of Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jin, Lixian; Cortazzi, Martin

    2006-01-01

    This paper analyses some changing aspects of learning and "cultures of learning" in China: these are related to meeting the needs of Chinese learners studying in higher education in the UK. We use the term "cultures of learning" to draw attention to the socio-cultural aspects of key practices, expectations and interpretations…

  7. The Molecular Effect of Diagnostic Absorbed Doses from 131I on Papillary Thyroid Cancer Cells In Vitro.

    PubMed

    Stasiołek, Mariusz; Adamczewski, Zbigniew; Śliwka, Przemysław W; Puła, Bartosz; Karwowski, Bolesław; Merecz-Sadowska, Anna; Dedecjus, Marek; Lewiński, Andrzej

    2017-06-15

    Diagnostic whole-body scan is a standard procedure in patients with thyroid cancer prior to the application of a therapeutic dose of 131 I. Unfortunately, administration of the radioisotope in a diagnostic dose may decrease further radioiodine uptake-the phenomenon called "thyroid stunning". We estimated radiation absorbed dose-dependent changes in genetic material, in particular in the sodium iodide symporter (NIS) gene promoter, and the NIS protein level in a K1 cell line derived from the metastasis of a human papillary thyroid carcinoma exposed to 131 I in culture. The different activities applied were calculated to result in absorbed doses of 5, 10 and 20 Gy. Radioiodine did not affect the expression of the NIS gene at the mRNA level, however, we observed significant changes in the NIS protein level in K1 cells. The decrease of the NIS protein level observed in the cells subjected to the lowest absorbed dose was paralleled by a significant increase in 8-oxo-dG concentrations ( p < 0.01) and followed by late activation of the DNA repair pathways. Our findings suggest that the impact of 131 I radiation on thyroid cells, in the range compared to doses absorbed during diagnostic procedures, is not linear and depends on various factors including the cellular components of thyroid pathology.

  8. Electrical tree initiation in polyethylene absorbing Penning gas

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Shimizu, N.; Tohyama, N.; Sato, H.

    1996-12-31

    Ac tree initiation voltage was examined in untreated LDPE, vacuum degassed LDPE and LDPE absorbing He gas (He gas was absorbed after vacuum degassing). The authors have already reported that vacuum degassed LDPE shows much higher tree initiation voltage than untreated one because of absence of oxygen. Therefore they expected that LDPE absorbing He shows the same property with vacuum degassed LDPE. However tree initiation voltage of LDPE absorbing He is as low as that of untreated LDPE. LDPE absorbing Ar gas shows the same tendency. He or Ar gas does not change so much impulse tree initiation voltage. LDPEmore » absorbing He was not well dyed with methylene blue after ac voltage application, which indicates that active oxidation does not occur. Low ac tree initiation voltage in LDPE absorbing He or Ar may be caused by Penning ionization in free volume.« less

  9. DIRECTIONAL CULTURAL CHANGE BY MODIFICATION AND REPLACEMENT OF MEMES

    PubMed Central

    Cardoso, Gonçalo C.; Atwell, Jonathan W.

    2017-01-01

    Evolutionary approaches to culture remain contentious. A source of contention is that cultural mutation may be substantial and, if it drives cultural change, then current evolutionary models are not adequate. But we lack studies quantifying the contribution of mutations to directional cultural change. We estimated the contribution of one type of cultural mutations—modification of memes—to directional cultural change using an amenable study system: learned birdsongs in a species that recently entered an urban habitat. Many songbirds have higher minimum song frequency in cities, to alleviate masking by low-frequency noise. We estimated that the input of meme modifications in an urban songbird population explains about half the extent of the population divergence in song frequency. This contribution of cultural mutations is large, but insufficient to explain the entire population divergence. The remaining divergence is due to selection of memes or creation of new memes. We conclude that the input of cultural mutations can be quantitatively important, unlike in genetic evolution, and that it operates together with other mechanisms of cultural evolution. For this and other traits, in which the input of cultural mutations might be important, quantitative studies of cultural mutation are necessary to calibrate realistic models of cultural evolution. PMID:20722726

  10. Culture and change blindness.

    PubMed

    Masuda, Takahiko; Nisbett, Richard E

    2006-03-04

    Research on perception and cognition suggests that whereas East Asians view the world holistically, attending to the entire field and relations among objects, Westerners view the world analytically, focusing on the attributes of salient objects. These propositions were examined in the change-blindness paradigm. Research in that paradigm finds American participants to be more sensitive to changes in focal objects than to changes in the periphery or context. We anticipated that this would be less true for East Asians and that they would be more sensitive to context changes than would Americans. We presented participants with still photos and with animated vignettes having changes in focal object information and contextual information. Compared to Americans, East Asians were more sensitive to contextual changes than to focal object changes. These results suggest that there can be cultural variation in what may seem to be basic perceptual processes. 2006 Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.

  11. Organizational Change, Leadership and Learning: Culture as Cognitive Process.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lakomski, Gabriele

    2001-01-01

    Examines the claim that it is necessary to change an organization's culture in order to bring about organizational change. Considers the purported causal relationship between the role of the leader and organizational learning and develops the notion of culture as cognitive process based on research in cultural anthropology and cognitive science.…

  12. Quality, Culture and Change

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Strydom, J. F.; Zulu, N.; Murray, L.

    2004-01-01

    Higher education in South Africa has been grappling with the issue of quality assurance since the early 1990s. This paper investigates the relationships or tensions between quality, culture and change as a result of the introduction of quality assurance systems in higher education institutions in South Africa. The imperatives for the introduction…

  13. Bench Scale Process for Low Cost CO 2 Capture Using a Phase-Changing Absorbent: Final Scientific/Technical Report

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Westendorf, Tiffany; Buddle, Stanlee; Caraher, Joel

    The objective of this project is to design and build a bench-scale process for a novel phase-changing aminosilicone-based CO 2-capture solvent. The project will establish scalability and technical and economic feasibility of using a phase-changing CO 2-capture absorbent for post-combustion capture of CO 2 from coal-fired power plants. The U.S. Department of Energy’s goal for Transformational Carbon Capture Technologies is the development of technologies available for demonstration by 2025 that can capture 90% of emitted CO 2 with at least 95% CO 2 purity for less than $40/tonne of CO 2 captured. In the first budget period of the project,more » the bench-scale phase-changing CO2 capture process was designed using data and operating experience generated under a previous project (ARPA-e project DE-AR0000084). Sizing and specification of all major unit operations was completed, including detailed process and instrumentation diagrams. The system was designed to operate over a wide range of operating conditions to allow for exploration of the effect of process variables on CO 2 capture performance. In the second budget period of the project, individual bench-scale unit operations were tested to determine the performance of each of each unit. Solids production was demonstrated in dry simulated flue gas across a wide range of absorber operating conditions, with single stage CO 2 conversion rates up to 75mol%. Desorber operation was demonstrated in batch mode, resulting in desorption performance consistent with the equilibrium isotherms for GAP-0/CO 2 reaction. Important risks associated with gas humidity impact on solids consistency and desorber temperature impact on thermal degradation were explored, and adjustments to the bench-scale process were made to address those effects. Corrosion experiments were conducted to support selection of suitable materials of construction for the major unit operations in the process. The bench scale unit operations were assembled into

  14. Changing culture in the home health setting: strategies for success.

    PubMed

    Boan, David

    2006-01-01

    Organizational culture is generally defined as the internal attributes of the staff, such as their values, beliefs, and attitudes. Although technically accurate as a definition, personal attributes defy direct intervention, leading some to question whether it is possible to change culture. It is proposed that it is possible to change the personal internal attributes that define organizational culture by changing the characteristic structures and behaviors of the organization that shape those attributes. This model, called the Quality Capability Model, creates an approach to culture change that accommodates the unique features of home health.

  15. Different Structural Changes Occur in the Blue- and Green-Absorbing Proteorhodopsin During the Primary Photoreaction†

    PubMed Central

    Amsden, Jason J.; Kralj, Joel M.; Bergo, Vladislav B.; Spudich, Elena N.; Spudich, John L.; Rothschild, Kenneth J.

    2013-01-01

    We examine the structural changes during the primary photoreaction in blue-absorbing proteorhodopsin (BPR), a light-driven retinylidene proton pump, using low-temperature FTIR difference spectroscopy. Comparison of the light induced BPR difference spectrum recorded at 80 K to that of green-absorbing proteorhodopsin (GPR) reveals that there are several differences in the BPR and GPR primary photoreactions despite the similar structure of the retinal chromophore and all-trans → 13-cis isomerization. Strong bands near 1700 cm−1 assigned previously to a change in hydrogen bonding of Asn230 in GPR are still present in BPR but in addition bands in the same region are assigned on the basis of site-directed mutagenesis to changes occurring in Gln105. In the amide II region bands are assigned on the basis of total-N15 labeling to structural changes of the protein backbone, although no such bands were previously observed for GPR. A band at 3642 cm−1 in BPR, assigned to the OH stretching mode of a water molecule on the basis of H218O substitution, appears at a different frequency than a band at 3626 cm−1 previously assigned to a water molecule in GPR. However, the substitution of Gln105 for Leu105 in BPR leads to the appearance of both bands at 3642 and 3626 cm−1 indicating the waters assigned in BPR and GPR exist in separate distinct locations and can coexist in the GPR-like Q105L mutant of BPR. These results indicate that there exist significant differences in the conformational changes occurring in these two types proteorhodopsin during the initial photoreaction despite their similar chromophores structures, which might reflect a different arrangement of water in the active site as well as substitution of a hydrophilic for hydrophobic residue at residue 105. PMID:18842006

  16. Directional cultural change by modification and replacement of memes.

    PubMed

    Cardoso, Gonçalo C; Atwell, Jonathan W

    2011-01-01

    Evolutionary approaches to culture remain contentious. A source of contention is that cultural mutation may be substantial and, if it drives cultural change, then current evolutionary models are not adequate. But we lack studies quantifying the contribution of mutations to directional cultural change. We estimated the contribution of one type of cultural mutations--modification of memes--to directional cultural change using an amenable study system: learned birdsongs in a species that recently entered an urban habitat. Many songbirds have higher minimum song frequency in cities, to alleviate masking by low-frequency noise. We estimated that the input of meme modifications in an urban songbird population explains about half the extent of the population divergence in song frequency. This contribution of cultural mutations is large, but insufficient to explain the entire population divergence. The remaining divergence is due to selection of memes or creation of new memes. We conclude that the input of cultural mutations can be quantitatively important, unlike in genetic evolution, and that it operates together with other mechanisms of cultural evolution. For this and other traits, in which the input of cultural mutations might be important, quantitative studies of cultural mutation are necessary to calibrate realistic models of cultural evolution. © 2010 The Author(s). Evolution© 2010 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

  17. Measurement of total ultrasonic power using thermal expansion and change in buoyancy of an absorbing target

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Dubey, P. K., E-mail: premkdubey@gmail.com; Kumar, Yudhisther; Gupta, Reeta

    2014-05-15

    The Radiation Force Balance (RFB) technique is well established and most widely used for the measurement of total ultrasonic power radiated by ultrasonic transducer. The technique is used as a primary standard for calibration of ultrasonic transducers with relatively fair uncertainty in the low power (below 1 W) regime. In this technique, uncertainty comparatively increases in the range of few watts wherein the effects such as thermal heating of the target, cavitations, and acoustic streaming dominate. In addition, error in the measurement of ultrasonic power is also caused due to movement of absorber at relatively high radiated force which occursmore » at high power level. In this article a new technique is proposed which does not measure the balance output during transducer energized state as done in RFB. It utilizes the change in buoyancy of the absorbing target due to local thermal heating. The linear thermal expansion of the target changes the apparent mass in water due to buoyancy change. This forms the basis for the measurement of ultrasonic power particularly in watts range. The proposed method comparatively reduces uncertainty caused by various ultrasonic effects that occur at high power such as overshoot due to momentum of target at higher radiated force. The functionality of the technique has been tested and compared with the existing internationally recommended RFB technique.« less

  18. Measurement of total ultrasonic power using thermal expansion and change in buoyancy of an absorbing target

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dubey, P. K.; Kumar, Yudhisther; Gupta, Reeta; Jain, Anshul; Gohiya, Chandrashekhar

    2014-05-01

    The Radiation Force Balance (RFB) technique is well established and most widely used for the measurement of total ultrasonic power radiated by ultrasonic transducer. The technique is used as a primary standard for calibration of ultrasonic transducers with relatively fair uncertainty in the low power (below 1 W) regime. In this technique, uncertainty comparatively increases in the range of few watts wherein the effects such as thermal heating of the target, cavitations, and acoustic streaming dominate. In addition, error in the measurement of ultrasonic power is also caused due to movement of absorber at relatively high radiated force which occurs at high power level. In this article a new technique is proposed which does not measure the balance output during transducer energized state as done in RFB. It utilizes the change in buoyancy of the absorbing target due to local thermal heating. The linear thermal expansion of the target changes the apparent mass in water due to buoyancy change. This forms the basis for the measurement of ultrasonic power particularly in watts range. The proposed method comparatively reduces uncertainty caused by various ultrasonic effects that occur at high power such as overshoot due to momentum of target at higher radiated force. The functionality of the technique has been tested and compared with the existing internationally recommended RFB technique.

  19. Not all cultural values are created equal: Cultural change in China reexamined through Google books.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Rui; Weng, Liping

    2017-06-20

    Given its major transformations in recent decades, China has figured prominently in research on cultural change. Previous research converges in showing a general trend towards individualism in contemporary China while noting that rising individualism tends to coexist with enduring collectivism. To further understand this, we tested whether perceived traditional importance of cultural values would modulate the trajectory of cultural change reflected in word usage frequencies in published books. We re-analysed Google's Chinese corpus since 1980 based on a broad sample of words associated with individualism-collectivism. We replicated the pattern of rising individualism and declining collectivism among words of modest and low perceived traditional importance. Most important, however, collectivistic words of high perceived traditional importance increased in usage frequencies with time, thus departing from the general trend towards individualism. Overall, our research underscores the role of core culture in cultural maintenance during times of rapid cultural change. © 2017 International Union of Psychological Science.

  20. Barriers and enablers to changing organizational culture in nursing homes.

    PubMed

    Scalzi, Cynthia C; Evans, Lois K; Barstow, Alan; Hostvedt, Kathryn

    2006-01-01

    To discuss the barriers and enablers of changing organizational culture in 3 nursing homes undergoing a culture change initiative, and suggest actions for program enhancement. Interview data with staff (n = 64) and families (n = 14) from 3 culture-change facilities in a larger mixed-methods pilot study were used to identify barriers and enablers. The 3 sites ranged from 120 to 139 beds and did not differ in staff characteristics. Barriers included exclusion of nurses from culture-change activities, perceived corporate emphasis on regulatory compliance and the "bottom line," and high turnover of administrators and caregivers. Enablers included a critical mass of "change champions," shared values and goals, resident/family participation, and empowerment at the facility level. Involve all levels of staff, residents, and community in culture-change activities. Align incentives and rewards with the new values. Empower individual homes to make decisions at the facility level. Work with corporate partners to enable rapid translation and implementation of recommendations based on the findings.

  1. Individual behavior, culture, and social change

    PubMed Central

    Glenn, Sigrid S.

    2004-01-01

    The principle of operant selection is examined as a prototype of cultural selection, and the role of the social environment is suggested as the critical element in the emergence of cultural phenomena. Operant contingencies are compared to cultural selection contingencies, designated as metacontingencies. Both of these types of contingency relations result in evolving lineages of recurrences that can become increasingly complex in the number and organization of their elements. In addition to its role in the recurring interlocking behavioral contingencies that constitute cultural organization, operant behavior plays another role in cultures. Although the operants of individuals are functionally independent of one another, the behavior of each person may contribute to a cumulative effect that is relevant to the well-being of many people. Similarly, the outcomes of metacontingencies may also contribute to a cumulative effect. The relation between independently evolving operant lineages, or between independently evolving cultural lineages, and their cumulative effect is identified as a macrocontingency. Macrocontingencies do not involve cultural-level selection per se. Effective cultural engineering requires identifying the macrocontingencies that produce less than desirable effects and altering the relevant operant contingencies or metacontingencies to produce change in the cumulative effects. PMID:22478424

  2. A Fluidically Tunable Metasurface Absorber for Flexible Large-Scale Wireless Ethanol Sensor Applications.

    PubMed

    Kim, Hyung Ki; Lee, Dongju; Lim, Sungjoon

    2016-08-06

    In this paper, a novel flexible tunable metasurface absorber is proposed for large-scale remote ethanol sensor applications. The proposed metasurface absorber consists of periodic split-ring-cross resonators (SRCRs) and microfluidic channels. The SRCR patterns are inkjet-printed on paper using silver nanoparticle inks. The microfluidic channels are laser-etched on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) material. The proposed absorber can detect changes in the effective permittivity for different liquids. Therefore, the absorber can be used for a remote chemical sensor by detecting changes in the resonant frequencies. The performance of the proposed absorber is demonstrated with full-wave simulation and measurement results. The experimental results show the resonant frequency increases from 8.9 GHz to 10.04 GHz when the concentration of ethanol is changed from 0% to 100%. In addition, the proposed absorber shows linear frequency shift from 20% to 80% of the different concentrations of ethanol.

  3. Folk beliefs of cultural changes in China

    PubMed Central

    Xu, Yi; Hamamura, Takeshi

    2014-01-01

    For the last several decades, Chinese society has experienced transformative changes. How are these changes understood among Chinese people? To examine this question, Part 1 in this research solicited folk beliefs of cultural change from a group of Chinese participants in an open-ended format, and the generated folk beliefs were rated by another group of participants in Part 2 to gage each belief's level of agreement. Part 3 plotted the folk beliefs retained in Part 2 using the Google Ngram Viewer in order to infer the amount of intellectual interests that each belief has received cross-temporarily. These analyses suggested a few themes in Chinese folk beliefs of cultural change (1) rising perceived importance of materialism and individualism in understanding contemporary Chinese culture and Chinese psychology relative to those of the past (2) rising perceived importance of freedom, democracy and human rights and (3) enduring perceived importance of family relations and friendship as well as patriotism. Interestingly, findings from Parts 2 and 3 diverged somewhat, illuminating possible divergence between folk beliefs and intellectual interests especially for issues related to heritage of Confucianism. PMID:25309491

  4. Acquisition streamlining: A cultural change

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Stewart, Jesse

    1992-01-01

    The topics are presented in viewgraph form and include the following: the defense systems management college, educational philosophy, the defense acquisition environment, streamlining initiatives, organizational streamlining types, defense law review, law review purpose, law review objectives, the Public Law Pilot Program, and cultural change.

  5. A Framework for Intentional Cultural Change

    PubMed Central

    Biglan, Anthony; Embry, Dennis D.

    2013-01-01

    We present a framework for a pragmatic science of cultural evolution. It is now possible for behavioral science to systematically influence the further evolution of cultural practices. As this science develops, it may become possible to prevent many of the problems affecting human wellbeing. By cultural practices, we refer to everything that humans do, above and beyond instinctual or unconditioned behaviors: not only art and literature, but also agriculture, manufacturing, recreation, war making, childrearing, science—everything. We can analyze cultural practices usefully in terms of the incidence and prevalence of individual behavior and group and organization actions. An effective science of intentional cultural evolution must guide efforts to influence the incidence and prevalence of individuals’ behaviors and the actions of groups and organizations. In this paper, we briefly sketch advances in scientific understanding of the influences on individual behavior. Then we describe principles that could guide efforts to influence groups and organizations. Finally, we discuss legitimate concerns about the use and misuse of a science for intentional cultural change. PMID:24363988

  6. Exploring the relationship between skin property and absorbent pad environment.

    PubMed

    Shigeta, Yoshie; Nakagami, Gojiro; Sanada, Hiromi; Oba, Miho; Fujikawa, Junko; Konya, Chizuko; Sugama, Junko

    2009-06-01

    The aim of this study is to identify the related factors of skin lesions found in the surrounding environment of absorbent pads by clinical investigation. Most older patients with incontinence use absorbent products, therefore causing many patients to have skin lesion in the absorbent pad area. To prevent these skin lesions from occurring, it is necessary to examine the absorbent pad environment of clinical patients since there are many contributing factors that complicate the pathophysiology in this area. A cross-sectional design was used. One hundred older Japanese patients with faecal and/or urinary incontinence using diapers and absorbent pads participated. Excluding blanchable erythema, the presence of skin lesions in the absorbent pad area was confirmed. Skin pH, hydration level and bacterial cultures were used to assess the skin property. Absorbent pad environment and patient demographics were also investigated. The overall prevalence of skin lesions was 36%. Forty percent of the skin lesions were contact dermatitis. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that only the presence of diarrhoea independently affected contact dermatitis. There was a significant relationship between contact dermatitis and the use of absorbent pads when the patient had diarrhoea. Although the factors related to skin lesions in the absorbent pad area are complexly intertwined, this study was the first to be able to determine diarrhoea as one specific factor in clinical setting. This finding suggests that the presence of diarrhoea is significantly related with contact dermatitis. Therefore, when a patient has diarrhoea, health-care professionals should immediately implement a preventative care program which includes careful skin observation and improved skin care. It is also necessary to develop a more effective absorbent pad to protect the skin of incontinent patients who suffer from the irritating effects of liquid stool.

  7. Thermally induced nonlinear optical absorption in metamaterial perfect absorbers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guddala, Sriram; Kumar, Raghwendra; Ramakrishna, S. Anantha

    2015-03-01

    A metamaterial perfect absorber consisting of a tri-layer (Al/ZnS/Al) metal-dielectric-metal system with top aluminium nano-disks was fabricated by laser-interference lithography and lift-off processing. The metamaterial absorber had peak resonant absorbance at 1090 nm and showed nonlinear absorption for 600ps laser pulses at 1064 nm wavelength. A nonlinear saturation of reflectance was measured to be dependent on the average laser power incident and not the peak laser intensity. The nonlinear behaviour is shown to arise from the heating due to the absorbed radiation and photo-thermal changes in the dielectric properties of aluminium. The metamaterial absorber is seen to be damage resistant at large laser intensities of 25 MW/cm2.

  8. Work-Life Balance and Cultural Change: A Narrative of Eligibility

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lester, Jaime

    2013-01-01

    Using Schein's (1992) framework of cultural change, this study examined two institutions of higher education that have achieved or attempted a cultural change to understand if and how to develop a culture of work-life balance for faculty and staff. The results identified a narrative of eligibility that arose from the discourse of faculty…

  9. How Are Cultural-Historical Change and Individual Cognition Related?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hatano, Giyoo

    2005-01-01

    The Geoffrey Saxe and Esmonde monograph (this issue) offers both fascinating empirical findings and intriguing theoretical insight about cultural change and individual cognition. Cultural and cognitive changes are "reciprocal processes," but how can these be related in research? One obvious way is to conduct longitudinal studies of the mutual…

  10. Control of the sidewall angle of an absorber stack using the Faraday cage system for the change of pattern printability in EUVL

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jang, Il-Yong; Huh, Sung-Min; Moon, Seong-Yong; Woo, Sang-Gyun; Lee, Jin-Kwan; Moon, Sang Heup; Cho, HanKu

    2008-10-01

    A patterned TaN substrate, which is candidate for a mask absorber in extreme ultra-violet lithography (EUVL), was etched to have inclined sidewalls by using a Faraday cage system under the condition of a 2-step process that allowed the high etch selectivity of TaN over the resist. The sidewall angle (SWA) of the patterned substrate, which was in the shape of a parallelogram after etching, could be controlled by changing the slope of a substrate holder that was placed in the Faraday cage. The performance of an EUV mask, which contained the TaN absorber of an oblique pattern over the molybdenum/silicon multi-layer, was simulated for different cases of SWA. The results indicated that the optical properties, such as the critical dimension (CD), an offset in the CD bias between horizontal and vertical patterns (H-V bias), and a shift in the image position on the wafer, could be controlled by changing the SWA of the absorber stack. The simulation result showed that the effect of the SWA on the optical properties became more significant at larger thicknesses of the absorber and smaller sizes of the target CD. Nevertheless, the contrast of the aerial images was not significantly decreased because the shadow effect caused by either sidewall of the patterned substrate cancelled with each other.

  11. Effect of culture density on biomass production and light utilization efficiency of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803.

    PubMed

    Straka, Levi; Rittmann, Bruce E

    2018-02-01

    The viability of large-scale microalgae cultivation depends on providing optimal growth conditions, for which a key operational parameter is culture density. Using Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, we conducted a series of fixed-density, steady-state experiments and one batch-growth experiment to investigate the role of culture density on biomass production and light utilization efficiency. In all cases, the fixed-density, steady-state experiments and batch-growth experiment showed good agreement. The highest biomass production rates (260 mg L -1  d -1 ) and efficiency for converting light energy to biomass (0.80 μg (μmol photons) -1 ) occurred together at a culture density near 760 mg L -1 , which approximately corresponded to the lowest culture density where almost all incident light was absorbed. The ratio of OD 680 /OD 735 increased with culture density up to the point of maximum productivity, where it plateaued (at a value of 2.4) for higher culture densities. This change in OD 680 /OD 735 indicates a photoacclimation effect that depended on culture density. Very high culture densities led to a sharp decline in efficiency of biomass production per photons absorbed, likely due to a combination of increased decay relative to growth, metabolic changes due to cell-cell interactions, and photodamage due to mixing between regions with high light intensity and zero light intensity. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  12. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) modulates CD38 expression, absorbs retinoic acid and may perturb retinoid signalling.

    PubMed

    Futrega, Kathryn; Yu, Jianshi; Jones, Jace W; Kane, Maureen A; Lott, William B; Atkinson, Kerry; Doran, Michael R

    2016-04-21

    Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is the most commonly used material in the manufacture of customized cell culture devices. While there is concern that uncured PDMS oligomers may leach into culture medium and/or hydrophobic molecules may be absorbed into PDMS structures, there is no consensus on how or if PDMS influences cell behaviour. We observed that human umbilical cord blood (CB)-derived CD34(+) cells expanded in standard culture medium on PDMS exhibit reduced CD38 surface expression, relative to cells cultured on tissue culture polystyrene (TCP). All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) induces CD38 expression, and we reasoned that this hydrophobic molecule might be absorbed by PDMS. Through a series of experiments we demonstrated that ATRA-mediated CD38 expression was attenuated when cultures were maintained on PDMS. Medium pre-incubated on PDMS for extended durations resulted in a time-dependant reduction of ATRA in the medium and increasingly attenuated CD38 expression. This indicated a time-dependent absorption of ATRA into the PDMS. To better understand how PDMS might generally influence cell behaviour, Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) was used to identify potential upstream regulators. This analysis was performed for differentially expressed genes in primary cells including CD34(+) haematopoietic progenitor cells, mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC), and keratinocytes, and cell lines including prostate cancer epithelial cells (LNCaP), breast cancer epithelial cells (MCF-7), and myeloid leukaemia cells (KG1a). IPA predicted that the most likely common upstream regulator of perturbed pathways was ATRA. We demonstrate here that ATRA is absorbed by PDMS in a time-dependent manner and results in the concomitant reduced expression of CD38 on the cell surface of CB-derived CD34(+) cells.

  13. Phase Space Exchange in Thick Wedge Absorbers

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Neuffer, David

    The problem of phase space exchange in wedge absorbers with ionization cooling is discussed. The wedge absorber exchanges transverse and longitudinal phase space by introducing a position-dependent energy loss. In this paper we note that the wedges used with ionization cooling are relatively thick, so that single wedges cause relatively large changes in beam phase space. Calculation methods adapted to such “thick wedge” cases are presented, and beam phase-space transformations through such wedges are discussed.

  14. Culture change, leadership and the grass-roots workforce.

    PubMed

    Edwards, Mark; Penlington, Clare; Kalidasan, Varadarajan; Kelly, Tony

    2014-08-01

    The NHS is arguably entering its most challenging era. It is being asked to do more for less and, in parallel, a cultural shift in response to its described weaknesses has been prescribed. The definition of culture, the form this change should take and the mechanism to achieve it are not well understood. The complexity of modern healthcare requires that we evolve our approach to the workforce and enhance our understanding of the styles of leadership that are required in order to bring about this cultural change. Identification of leaders within the workforce and dissemination of a purposeful and strategic quality improvement agenda, in part defined by the general workforce, are important components in establishing the change that the organisation currently requires. We are implementing this approach locally by identifying and developing grassroots networks linked to a portfolio of safety and quality projects. © 2014 Royal College of Physicians.

  15. Heritable Epigenomic Changes to the Maize Methylome Resulting from Tissue Culture.

    PubMed

    Han, Zhaoxue; Crisp, Peter A; Stelpflug, Scott; Kaeppler, Shawn M; Li, Qing; Springer, Nathan M

    2018-05-30

    DNA methylation can contribute to the maintenance of genome integrity and regulation of gene expression. In most situations, DNA methylation patterns are inherited quite stably. However, changes in DNA methylation can occur at some loci as a result of tissue culture resulting in somaclonal variation. To investigate heritable epigenetic changes as a consequence of tissue culture, a sequence-capture bisulfite sequencing approach was implemented to monitor context-specific DNA methylation patterns in ∼15Mb of the maize genome for a population of plants that had been regenerated from tissue culture. Plants that have been regenerated from tissue culture exhibit gains and losses of DNA methylation at a subset of genomic regions. There was evidence for a high rate of homozygous changes to DNA methylation levels that occur consistently in multiple independent tissue culture lines suggesting that some loci are either targeted or hotspots for epigenetic variation. The consistent changes inherited following tissue culture include both gains and losses of DNA methylation and can affect CG, CHG or both contexts within a region. Only a subset of the tissue culture changes observed in callus plants are observed in the primary regnerants but the majority of DNA methylation changes present in primary regenerants are passed onto offspring. This study provides insights into the susceptibility of some loci and potential mechanisms that could contribute to altered DNA methylation and epigenetic state that occur during tissue culture in plant species. Copyright © 2018, Genetics.

  16. 'Good culture, bad culture': polygyny, cultural change and structural drivers of HIV in Papua New Guinea.

    PubMed

    Shih, Patti; Worth, Heather; Travaglia, Joanne; Kelly-Hanku, Angela

    2017-09-01

    Culture is often problematised as a key structural driver of HIV transmission in Papua New Guinea. Official HIV programmes, as well as church teachings, tend to focus on customary marital practices of polygyny and bride price payments as 'harmful traditions'. This focus can oversimplify the effects of current and historical nuances of cultural, political and economic change on sexual concurrency and gender inequality. Community-based healthcare workers in Southern Highlands Province explain that customary marital practices are now highly reconfigured from their traditional forms. A recent mining boom has financially advantaged local and travelling men, who are driving an increase of sexual concurrency, transactional sex and inflation of bride price payments. Healthcare workers suggest that the erosion of important social relationships and kinship obligations by the expanding cash economy has caused an intensification of individual male power while enhancing the vulnerability of women. Yet without the means to challenge the effects of uneven economic development, healthcare workers are left to target 'culture' as the central influence on individual behaviours. A commitment to address structural inequality by political leadership and in HIV prevention programmes and a careful contextualisation of cultural change is needed.

  17. RT-LAMP assay: an alternative approach for profiling of bovine heat shock protein 70 gene in PBMC cultured model.

    PubMed

    Sengar, Gyanendra Singh; Deb, Rajib; Raja, T V; Singh, Umesh; Kant, Rajiv; Bhanuprakash, V; Alyethodi, R R; Kumar, Sushil; Verma, Preetam; Chakraborty, Soumendu; Alex, Rani; Singh, Rani

    2017-07-01

    The purpose of this study is to develop a novel Reverse Transcriptase Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) based assay for in vitro profiling of heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) in bovine peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) culture model utilizing the absorbance level of magnesium pyrophosphate-a by-product of LAMP reaction. A set of bovine Hsp70 specific RT-LAMP primers were designed to detect the differential absorbance level of magnesium pyrophosphate by-product which signifies the degree of Hsp70 amplification from cDNA of thermally induced cultured cells at different recovery periods. The study revealed significant (P < 0.05) correlation between absorbance level and the fold change of Hsp70 transcripts at different kinetic intervals of heat stress recovery in bovine PBMC cell culture models. RT-LAMP based absorbance assay can be used as an indicator to measure the degree of bovine Hsp70 transcripts produced during thermal stress and can be used as an alternative to the traditional Real time PCR assay. Developed RT-LAMP assay can be used as a cost-effective method for profiling of bovine HSP70 gene.

  18. Public Perception of Climate Change: The Importance of Knowledge and Cultural Worldviews.

    PubMed

    Shi, Jing; Visschers, Vivianne H M; Siegrist, Michael

    2015-12-01

    The importance of knowledge for lay people's climate change concerns has been questioned in recent years, as it had been suggested that cultural values are stronger predictors of concern about climate change than knowledge. Studies that simultaneously measured knowledge related to climate change and cultural values have, however, been missing. We conducted a mail survey in the German-speaking part of Switzerland (N = 1,065). Results suggested that cultural worldviews and climate-related knowledge were significantly related with people's concern about climate change. Also, cultural worldviews and climate-relevant knowledge appeared important for people's willingness to change behaviors and to accept climate change policies. In addition, different types of knowledge were found to have different impacts on people's concern about climate change, their willingness to change behaviors, and their acceptance of policies about climate change. Specifically, causal knowledge significantly increased concern about climate change and willingness to support climate-friendly policies. We therefore concluded that risk communication should focus on causal knowledge, provided this knowledge does not threaten cultural values. © 2015 Society for Risk Analysis.

  19. Social structure, infectious diseases, disasters, secularism, and cultural change in America.

    PubMed

    Grossmann, Igor; Varnum, Michael E W

    2015-03-01

    Why do cultures change? The present work examined cultural change in eight cultural-level markers, or correlates, of individualism in the United States, all of which increased over the course of the 20th century: frequency of individualist themes in books, preference for uniqueness in baby naming, frequency of single-child relative to multichild families, frequency of single-generation relative to multigeneration households, percentage of adults and percentage of older adults living alone, small family size, and divorce rates (relative to marriage rates). We tested five key hypotheses regarding cultural change in individualism-collectivism. As predicted by previous theories, changes in socioeconomic structure, pathogen prevalence, and secularism accompanied changes in individualism averaged across all measures. The relationship with changes in individualism was less robust for urbanization. Contrary to previous theories, changes in individualism were positively (as opposed to negatively) related to the frequency of disasters. Time-lagged analyses suggested that only socioeconomic structure had a robust effect on individualism; changes in socioeconomic structure preceded changes in individualism. Implications for anthropology, psychology, and sociology are discussed. © The Author(s) 2015.

  20. The Role of Cross-Cultural Absorptive Capacity in the Effectiveness of In-Country Cross-Cultural Training

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tarique, Ibraiz; Caligiuri, Paula

    2009-01-01

    Based on the theory of absorptive capacity, this study examines the following question. In the context of cross-cultural training, can the amount of previously accumulated cultural knowledge affect the ability of a trainee to absorb further learning about a new culture, thus enhancing total knowledge and presumably cross-cultural adjustment?…

  1. The Trials of Culture--Law, Conflict, and Change.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bliss, Pam, Ed.; Kaplan, Howard, Ed.

    2002-01-01

    This magazine aims to help high school teachers of civics, government, history, and law and law-related education program developers educate students about legal issues. This volume focuses on culture, law, conflict, and change. The first article, "Trying Beliefs: The Law of Cultural Orthodoxy and Dissent" (J. H. Landman), demonstrates…

  2. Alterations of pulsation absorber characteristics in experimental hydrocephalus.

    PubMed

    Park, Eun-Hyoung; Dombrowski, Stephen; Luciano, Mark; Zurakowski, David; Madsen, Joseph R

    2010-08-01

    Analysis of waveform data in previous studies suggests that the pulsatile movement of CSF may play a role in attenuating strong arterial pulsations entering the cranium, and its effectiveness in attenuating these pulsations may be altered by changes in intracranial pressure (ICP). These findings were obtained in studies performed in canines with normal anatomy of the CSF spaces. How then would pulsation absorbance respond to changes in CSF movement under obstructive conditions such as the development of hydrocephalus? In the present study, chronic obstructive hydrocephalus was induced by the injection of cyanoacrylate gel into the fourth ventricle of canines, and pulsation absorbance was compared before and after hydrocephalus induction. Five animals were evaluated with simultaneous recordings of ICP and arterial blood pressure (ABP) before and at 4 and 12 weeks after fourth ventricle obstruction by cyanoacrylate. To assess how the intracranial system responds to the arterial pulsatile component, ABP and ICP waveforms recorded in a time domain had to be analyzed in a frequency domain. In an earlier study the authors introduced a particular technique that allows characterization of the intracranial system in the frequency domain with sufficient accuracy and efficiency. This same method was used to analyze the relationship between ABP and ICP waveforms recorded during several acute states including hyperventilation as well as CSF withdrawal and infusion under conditions before and after inducing chronic obstructive hydrocephalus. Such a relationship is reflected in terms of a gain, which is a function of frequency. The cardiac pulsation absorbance (CPA) index, which is simply derived from a gain evaluated at the cardiac frequency, was used to quantitatively evaluate the changes in pulsation absorber function associated with the development of hydrocephalus within each of the animals, which did become hydrocephalic. To account for normal and hydrocephalic conditions

  3. Changing Patterns of Cultural Imperialism in a Developing Country.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Everitt, John

    Using Belize, Central America, as an example, this paper illustrates some of the changing patterns of cultural imperialism that can presently be viewed in the emerging nations of the world. Cultural imperialism is defined as the process whereby the culture of a weaker nation is dominated by that of a stronger nation. In September 1981, Belize,…

  4. Tunable broadband near-infrared absorber based on ultrathin phase-change material

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hu, Er-Tao; Gu, Tong; Guo, Shuai; Zang, Kai-Yan; Tu, Hua-Tian; Yu, Ke-Han; Wei, Wei; Zheng, Yu-Xiang; Wang, Song-You; Zhang, Rong-Jun; Lee, Young-Pak; Chen, Liang-Yao

    2017-11-01

    In this work, a tunable broadband near-infrared light absorber was designed and fabricated with a simple and lithography free approach by introducing an ultrathin phase-change material Ge2Sb2Te5 (GST) layer into the metal-dielectric multilayered film structure with the structure parameters as that: SiO2 (72.7 nm)/Ge2Sb2Te5 (6.0 nm)/SiO2 (70.2 nm)/Cu (>100.0 nm). The film structure exhibits a modulation depth of ∼72.6% and an extinction ratio of ∼8.8 dB at the wavelength of 1410 nm. The high light absorption (95%) of the proposed film structure at the wavelength of 450 nm in both of the amorphous and crystalline phase of GST, indicates that the intensity of the reflectance in the infrared region can be rapidly tuned by the blue laser pulses. The proposed planar layered film structure with layer thickness as the only controllable parameter and large reflectivity tuning range shows the potential for practical applications in near-infrared light modulation and absorption.

  5. A non-equilibrium neutral model for analysing cultural change.

    PubMed

    Kandler, Anne; Shennan, Stephen

    2013-08-07

    Neutral evolution is a frequently used model to analyse changes in frequencies of cultural variants over time. Variants are chosen to be copied according to their relative frequency and new variants are introduced by a process of random mutation. Here we present a non-equilibrium neutral model which accounts for temporally varying population sizes and mutation rates and makes it possible to analyse the cultural system under consideration at any point in time. This framework gives an indication whether observed changes in the frequency distributions of a set of cultural variants between two time points are consistent with the random copying hypothesis. We find that the likelihood of the existence of the observed assemblage at the end of the considered time period (expressed by the probability of the observed number of cultural variants present in the population during the whole period under neutral evolution) is a powerful indicator of departures from neutrality. Further, we study the effects of frequency-dependent selection on the evolutionary trajectories and present a case study of change in the decoration of pottery in early Neolithic Central Europe. Based on the framework developed we show that neutral evolution is not an adequate description of the observed changes in frequency. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Absorbent product to absorb fluids. [for collection of human wastes

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dawn, F. S.; Correale, J. V. (Inventor)

    1982-01-01

    A multi-layer absorbent product for use in contact with the skin to absorb fluids is discussed. The product utilizes a water pervious facing layer for contacting the skin, overlayed by a first fibrous wicking layer, the wicking layer preferably being of the one-way variety in which fluid or liquid is moved away from the facing layer. The product further includes a first container section defined by inner and outer layer of a water pervious wicking material between which is disposed a first absorbent mass. A second container section defined by inner and outer layers between which is disposed a second absorbent mass and a liquid impermeable/gas permeable layer. Spacesuit applications are discussed.

  7. Nursing home organizational change: the "Culture Change" movement as viewed by long-term care specialists.

    PubMed

    Miller, Susan C; Miller, Edward Alan; Jung, Hye-Young; Sterns, Samantha; Clark, Melissa; Mor, Vincent

    2010-08-01

    A decade-long grassroots movement aims to deinstitutionalize nursing home (NH) environments and individualize care. Coined "NH Culture Change" the movement is often described by its resident-centered/directed care focus. While empirical data of "culture change's" costs and benefits are limited, it is broadly viewed as beneficial and widely promoted. Still, debate abounds regarding barriers to its adoption. We used data from a Web-based survey of 1,147 long-term care specialists (including NH and other providers, consumers/advocates, state and federal government officials, university/academic, researchers/consultants, and others) to better understand factors associated with perceived barriers. Long-term care specialists view the number-one barrier to adoption differently depending on their employment, familiarity with culture change, and their underlying policy views. To promote adoption, research and broad-based educational efforts are needed to influence views and perceptions. Fundamental changes in the regulatory process together with targeted regulatory changes and payment incentives may also be needed.

  8. Performance of a new carbon dioxide absorbent, Yabashi lime® as compared to conventional carbon dioxide absorbent during sevoflurane anesthesia in dogs.

    PubMed

    Kondoh, Kei; Atiba, Ayman; Nagase, Kiyoshi; Ogawa, Shizuko; Miwa, Takashi; Katsumata, Teruya; Ueno, Hiroshi; Uzuka, Yuji

    2015-08-01

    In the present study, we compare a new carbon dioxide (CO2) absorbent, Yabashi lime(®) with a conventional CO2 absorbent, Sodasorb(®) as a control CO2 absorbent for Compound A (CA) and Carbon monoxide (CO) productions. Four dogs were anesthetized with sevoflurane. Each dog was anesthetized with four preparations, Yabashi lime(®) with high or low-flow rate of oxygen and control CO2 absorbent with high or low-flow rate. CA and CO concentrations in the anesthetic circuit, canister temperature and carbooxyhemoglobin (COHb) concentration in the blood were measured. Yabashi lime(®) did not produce CA. Control CO2 absorbent generated CA, and its concentration was significantly higher in low-flow rate than a high-flow rate. CO was generated only in low-flow rate groups, but there was no significance between Yabashi lime(®) groups and control CO2 absorbent groups. However, the CO concentration in the circuit could not be detected (≤5ppm), and no change was found in COHb level. Canister temperature was significantly higher in low-flow rate groups than high-flow rate groups. Furthermore, in low-flow rate groups, the lower layer of canister temperature in control CO2 absorbent group was significantly higher than Yabashi lime(®) group. CA and CO productions are thought to be related to the composition of CO2 absorbent, flow rate and canister temperature. Though CO concentration is equal, it might be safer to use Yabashi lime(®) with sevoflurane anesthesia in dogs than conventional CO2 absorbent at the point of CA production.

  9. Externally tuned vibration absorber

    DOEpatents

    Vincent, Ronald J.

    1987-09-22

    A vibration absorber unit or units are mounted on the exterior housing of a hydraulic drive system of the type that is powered from a pressure wave generated, e.g., by a Stirling engine. The hydraulic drive system employs a piston which is hydraulically driven to oscillate in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the hydraulic drive system. The vibration absorbers each include a spring or other resilient member having one side affixed to the housing and another side to which an absorber mass is affixed. In a preferred embodiment, a pair of vibration absorbers is employed, each absorber being formed of a pair of leaf spring assemblies, between which the absorber mass is suspended.

  10. Changing the culture of mouth care: mouth care without a battle.

    PubMed

    Zimmerman, Sheryl; Sloane, Philip D; Cohen, Lauren W; Barrick, Ann Louise

    2014-02-01

    Culture change aims to fundamentally improve care provision in a manner consistent with individual preferences. However, few studies of culture change have focused on the quality of daily care, despite the fact that system-wide efforts are important to assure the effectiveness, adoption, and sustainability of person-centered care to meet daily needs. This paper describes a new culture change practice, Mouth Care Without a Battle. The focus on mouth care is predicated on the important association between person-centered support for oral hygiene and quality of life. Mouth Care Without a Battle is a person-centered approach to quality mouth care for persons with cognitive and physical impairment. It was developed by an interdisciplinary team of clinician researchers based on literature review, consultation with experts, environmental scan of existing programs, and testing in nursing homes. Building from the success of Bathing Without a Battle, Mouth Care Without a Battle was evaluated in terms of changed care practices and outcomes, developed into a training program, and packaged for dissemination as a digital video disk (DVD) and website. The development and evaluation of Mouth Care Without a Battle demonstrate attention to the areas necessary to establish the evidence-base for culture change, to ultimately empower and support staff to provide care to achieve quality outcomes. As illustrated in this paper, it is beneficial to build the evidence base for culture change by attending to care processes and outcomes benefiting all residents, ability to implement culture change, and costs of implementation.

  11. Cultural responses to climate change during the late Holocene.

    PubMed

    deMenocal, P B

    2001-04-27

    Modern complex societies exhibit marked resilience to interannual-to- decadal droughts, but cultural responses to multidecadal-to-multicentury droughts can only be addressed by integrating detailed archaeological and paleoclimatic records. Four case studies drawn from New and Old World civilizations document societal responses to prolonged drought, including population dislocations, urban abandonment, and state collapse. Further study of past cultural adaptations to persistent climate change may provide valuable perspective on possible responses of modern societies to future climate change.

  12. Methods for absorbing neutrons

    DOEpatents

    Guillen, Donna P [Idaho Falls, ID; Longhurst, Glen R [Idaho Falls, ID; Porter, Douglas L [Idaho Falls, ID; Parry, James R [Idaho Falls, ID

    2012-07-24

    A conduction cooled neutron absorber may include a metal matrix composite that comprises a metal having a thermal neutron cross-section of at least about 50 barns and a metal having a thermal conductivity of at least about 1 W/cmK. Apparatus for providing a neutron flux having a high fast-to-thermal neutron ratio may include a source of neutrons that produces fast neutrons and thermal neutrons. A neutron absorber positioned adjacent the neutron source absorbs at least some of the thermal neutrons so that a region adjacent the neutron absorber has a fast-to-thermal neutron ratio of at least about 15. A coolant in thermal contact with the neutron absorber removes heat from the neutron absorber.

  13. Redirecting traditional professional values to support safety: changing organisational culture in health care.

    PubMed

    Carroll, J S; Quijada, M A

    2004-12-01

    Professionals in healthcare organisations who seek to enhance safety and quality in an increasingly demanding industry environment often identify culture as a barrier to change. The cultural focus on individual autonomy, for example, seems to conflict with desired norms of teamwork, problem reporting, and learning. We offer a definition and explication of why culture is important to change efforts. A cultural analysis of health care suggests professional values that can be redirected to support change. We offer examples of organisations that drew upon cultural strengths to create new ways of working and gradually shifted the culture.

  14. Redirecting traditional professional values to support safety: changing organisational culture in health care

    PubMed Central

    Carroll, J; Quijada, M

    2004-01-01

    Professionals in healthcare organisations who seek to enhance safety and quality in an increasingly demanding industry environment often identify culture as a barrier to change. The cultural focus on individual autonomy, for example, seems to conflict with desired norms of teamwork, problem reporting, and learning. We offer a definition and explication of why culture is important to change efforts. A cultural analysis of health care suggests professional values that can be redirected to support change. We offer examples of organisations that drew upon cultural strengths to create new ways of working and gradually shifted the culture. PMID:15576686

  15. Reflection and Refraction of Light in Absorbing Media

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Katsumata, Koichi; Sasaki, Shosuke

    2018-05-01

    The results of a rigorous calculation of optical phenomena in absorbing media based on Maxwell's equations are reported. In the case of an absorbing dielectric, we assume a complex dielectric constant. We find an expression for the angle of refraction as a function of the incident angle and the real and imaginary parts of the complex dielectric constant, all of which are real. The amplitudes of the reflected and transmitted waves are calculated on the same footing. These amplitudes are shown to be complex, from which we deduce the magnitude and phase change of the reflection and transmission coefficients. The same argument applies to an absorbing magnetic material if we replace the complex dielectric constant by a complex magnetic permeability.

  16. Composition for absorbing hydrogen

    DOEpatents

    Heung, L.K.; Wicks, G.G.; Enz, G.L.

    1995-05-02

    A hydrogen absorbing composition is described. The composition comprises a porous glass matrix, made by a sol-gel process, having a hydrogen-absorbing material dispersed throughout the matrix. A sol, made from tetraethyl orthosilicate, is mixed with a hydrogen-absorbing material and solidified to form a porous glass matrix with the hydrogen-absorbing material dispersed uniformly throughout the matrix. The glass matrix has pores large enough to allow gases having hydrogen to pass through the matrix, yet small enough to hold the particles dispersed within the matrix so that the hydrogen-absorbing particles are not released during repeated hydrogen absorption/desorption cycles.

  17. Composition for absorbing hydrogen

    DOEpatents

    Heung, Leung K.; Wicks, George G.; Enz, Glenn L.

    1995-01-01

    A hydrogen absorbing composition. The composition comprises a porous glass matrix, made by a sol-gel process, having a hydrogen-absorbing material dispersed throughout the matrix. A sol, made from tetraethyl orthosilicate, is mixed with a hydrogen-absorbing material and solidified to form a porous glass matrix with the hydrogen-absorbing material dispersed uniformly throughout the matrix. The glass matrix has pores large enough to allow gases having hydrogen to pass through the matrix, yet small enough to hold the particles dispersed within the matrix so that the hydrogen-absorbing particles are not released during repeated hydrogen absorption/desorption cycles.

  18. Cultural Barriers to Change in Assessment Practices in Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jenkins, Deborah Bainer

    2007-01-01

    The culture at the authors' institution raised barriers to changing from traditional assessment to portfolio assessment in the doctoral program. A Culture of Independence presented barriers of time and functional inadequacy. A Culture of Compliance raised trust, group process, and membership issues. These barriers were managed and overcome using…

  19. Shock wave absorber having apertured plate

    DOEpatents

    Shin, Y.W.; Wiedermann, A.H.; Ockert, C.E.

    1983-08-26

    The shock or energy absorber disclosed herein utilizes an apertured plate maintained under the normal level of liquid flowing in a piping system and disposed between the normal liquid flow path and a cavity pressurized with a compressible gas. The degree of openness (or porosity) of the plate is between 0.01 and 0.60. The energy level of a shock wave travelling down the piping system thus is dissipated by some of the liquid being jetted through the apertured plate toward the cavity. The cavity is large compared to the quantity of liquid jetted through the apertured plate, so there is little change in its volume. The porosity of the apertured plate influences the percentage of energy absorbed.

  20. Shock wave absorber having apertured plate

    DOEpatents

    Shin, Yong W.; Wiedermann, Arne H.; Ockert, Carl E.

    1985-01-01

    The shock or energy absorber disclosed herein utilizes an apertured plate maintained under the normal level of liquid flowing in a piping system and disposed between the normal liquid flow path and a cavity pressurized with a compressible gas. The degree of openness (or porosity) of the plate is between 0.01 and 0.60. The energy level of a shock wave travelling down the piping system thus is dissipated by some of the liquid being jetted through the apertured plate toward the cavity. The cavity is large compared to the quantity of liquid jetted through the apertured plate, so there is little change in its volume. The porosity of the apertured plate influences the percentage of energy absorbed.

  1. The changing psychology of culture from 1800 through 2000.

    PubMed

    Greenfield, Patricia M

    2013-09-01

    The Google Books Ngram Viewer allows researchers to quantify culture across centuries by searching millions of books. This tool was used to test theory-based predictions about implications of an urbanizing population for the psychology of culture. Adaptation to rural environments prioritizes social obligation and duty, giving to other people, social belonging, religion in everyday life, authority relations, and physical activity. Adaptation to urban environments requires more individualistic and materialistic values; such adaptation prioritizes choice, personal possessions, and child-centered socialization in order to foster the development of psychological mindedness and the unique self. The Google Ngram Viewer generated relative frequencies of words indexing these values from the years 1800 to 2000 in American English books. As urban populations increased and rural populations declined, word frequencies moved in the predicted directions. Books published in the United Kingdom replicated this pattern. The analysis established long-term relationships between ecological change and cultural change, as predicted by the theory of social change and human development (Greenfield, 2009).

  2. Latent Culture as a Force for Change and the Change Process in Operation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Banfield, Beryle

    The purpose of this study was to apply a theory of latent culture to describe the role of middle class black parents and students in effecting change in an elite educational organization and to use Schein's conceptual model of the Kurk Lewin paradigm of the change process (Unfreezing--Changing--Refreezing) to analyze this process over a three year…

  3. Competence-Based Teacher Education: A Change from "Didaktik" to Curriculum Culture?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pantic, Natasa; Wubbels, Theo

    2012-01-01

    This paper explores the substance of competence-driven changes in teacher education curricula by testing the possibility of using a framework distinguishing between the German pedagogical culture of "Didaktik" and the Anglo-Saxon Curriculum culture to describe the substance of these changes. Data about the perceptions of…

  4. Colorful solar selective absorber integrated with different colored units.

    PubMed

    Chen, Feiliang; Wang, Shao-Wei; Liu, Xingxing; Ji, Ruonan; Li, Zhifeng; Chen, Xiaoshuang; Chen, Yuwei; Lu, Wei

    2016-01-25

    Solar selective absorbers are the core part for solar thermal technologies such as solar water heaters, concentrated solar power, solar thermoelectric generators and solar thermophotovoltaics. Colorful solar selective absorber can provide new freedom and flexibility beyond energy performance, which will lead to wider utilization of solar technologies. In this work, we present a monolithic integration of colored solar absorber array with different colors on a single substrate based on a multilayered structure of Cu/TiN(x)O(y)/TiO(2)/Si(3)N(4)/SiO(2). A colored solar absorber array with 16 color units is demonstrated experimentally by using combinatorial deposition technique via changing the thickness of SiO(2) layer. The solar absorptivity and thermal emissivity of all the color units is higher than 92% and lower than 5.5%, respectively. The colored solar selective absorber array can have colorful appearance and designable patterns while keeping high energy performance at the same time. It is a new candidate for a number of solar applications, especially for architecture integration and military camouflage.

  5. Organizational transformation: a model for joint optimization of culture change and evidence-based design.

    PubMed

    Hamilton, D Kirk; Orr, Robin Diane; Raboin, W Ellen

    2008-01-01

    Healthcare organizations face continuous and accelerating external change and thus must be prepared to manage their own change initiatives proactively. Given that many believe that the U.S. healthcare system is broken and most healthcare organizations are dealing with pervasive problems, some organizations may choose to seek transformational change to achieve the six aims identified by the Institute of Medicine: healthcare that is safe, effective, patient-centered, timely, efficient, and equitable. Transformational change will almost certainly involve organizational culture. Culture change may be most effective when linked to other organizational change initiatives such as organizational strategy, structure, policies, procedures, and recruiting. Significant organizational change often requires accompanying facility change. There is an interdependent relationship between facility design and organizational culture. They affect each other and both impact organizational performance. Sociotechnical theory promotes joint optimization of the social (culture) and technical (facilities) aspects of an organization to achieve sustained positive change. To achieve organizational transformation and to sustain positive change, organizations must be prepared to adopt collaborative efforts in culture change and facility design. The authors propose a model for accomplishing joint optimization of culture change and evidence-based facility design.

  6. A simple laser-based device for simultaneous microbial culture and absorbance measurement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Abrevaya, X. C.; Cortón, E.; Areso, O.; Mauas, P. J. D.

    2013-07-01

    In this work we present a device specifically designed to study microbial growth with several applications related to environmental microbiology and other areas of research as astrobiology. The Automated Measuring and Cultivation device (AMC-d) enables semi-continuous absorbance measurements directly during cultivation. It can measure simultaneously up to 16 samples. Growth curves using low and fast growing microorganism were plotted, including Escherichia coli and Haloferax volcanii, a halophilic archaeon.

  7. Does the introduction of nursing home culture change practices improve quality?

    PubMed

    Miller, Susan C; Lepore, Michael; Lima, Julie C; Shield, Renee; Tyler, Denise A

    2014-09-01

    To understand whether nursing home (NH) introduction of culture change practices is associated with improved quality. NH-level panel study using multivariate fixed-effects statistical modeling to estimate the effect of culture change introduction on quality outcomes. Eight hundred twenty-four U.S. NHs with culture change practice involvement beginning between 2005 and 2010. Directors of nursing and nursing home administrators. A culture change practice score (derived from a 2009/10 national NH survey) was used to stratify NHs according to practice implementation (high (scores in the top quartile; n = 217) vs other (n = 607)). NH-level outcomes included prevalence of seven care practices and three resident outcomes, health-related and quality-of-life weighted survey deficiencies, and average number of hospitalizations per resident year. For NHs with high practice implementation, introduction of culture change was associated with a significant decrease in prevalence of restraints, tube feeding, and pressure ulcers; an increase in the proportion of residents on bladder training programs; and a small decrease in the average number of hospitalizations per resident year (coefficient -0.04, standard error (SE) 0.02, P = .06). For NHs with lower practice implementation (practice scores in lower three quartiles), introduction was associated with fewer health-related (coefficient -5.26, SE 3.05; P = .09) and quality-of-life (coefficient -0.10, SE 0.05; P = .04) survey deficiencies, although these NHs also had small statistically significant increases in the prevalence of residents with urinary tract infections and in average hospitalizations per resident year (coefficient 0.03, SE 0.01, P = .02). The introduction of NH culture change appears to result in significant improvements in some care processes and outcomes in NHs with high practice implementation. For other NHs, culture change introduction results in fewer survey deficiencies. © 2014, Copyright the

  8. European Master-Doctorate Course on "Vulnerability of Cultural Heritage to Climate Change"

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lefèvre, R.-A.

    2009-04-01

    « Vulnerability of Cultural Heritage to Climate Change », European Master-Doctorate Course, Council of Europe, Strasbourg 7-11 September 2009 The character of Cultural Heritage is closely related to the climate, and the urban landscape and the built heritage have been designed with the local climate in mind. The stability of Cultural Heritage is, therefore, closely tied to its interactions with the ground and the atmosphere. Climate Change is thus expected to have either catastrophic or subtle effects on Cultural Heritage materials and Cultural Landscapes. The major aim of the 2009 Strasbourg Course is to ensure that young European students are informed on these important problems and will be able in the future to undertake rigorous ongoing scientific monitoring of changes in conditions of Cultural Heritage. The Programme of the Course will cover the following topics: • Heritage Climatology • Principles of Mitigation and Adaptation of Cultural Heritage to Climate Change • Impact of Climate Change on building structures • Dose-Response and Damage Functions for materials in a Changing Climate • Modelling sea salts transport and deposition • Modelling wetting and drying of historic buildings • Impact of Climate Change on building materials: stone, mortar, modern glass, stained glass windows • Impact of Climate Change on organic materials • Biological impact of Climate Change on Cultural Heritage • Sea level rise models and possible application to Cultural Heritage • Past, present and future for Venice • The policies and action plans of International Organisations (Council of Europe, UNESCO, ICCROM) The Course is addressed to young people with scientific background: physicists, chemists, geologists, biologists, engineers, because of the high scientific level of the background required to follow the lectures. Teaching will be delivered in English without any simultaneous translation. The teachers belong to European Universities, National

  9. Tunable and multi-channel perfect absorber based on graphene at mid-infrared region

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Meng, HaiYu; Xue, XiongXiong; Lin, Qi; Liu, GuiDong; Zhai, Xiang; Wang, LingLing

    2018-05-01

    A tunable, multi-channel plasmonic perfect absorber based on graphene is proposed. Simulated results reveal that the resonant wavelength can be effectively tuned in many ways (by changing the Fermi energy of graphene, radius of Si, or air gap between the Si and the graphene film). Furthermore, the multi-channel perfect absorber is obtained by changing the period of the system. Specifically, a high absorption is obtained by using a multilayer Bragg mirror in place of the metallic plate. We believe that such an absorber may have potential applications for multi-channel photodetectors, frequency selection, and electromagnetic-wave energy storage.

  10. Internal absorber solar collector

    DOEpatents

    Sletten, Carlyle J.; Herskovitz, Sheldon B.; Holt, F. S.; Sletten, E. J.

    1981-01-01

    Thin solar collecting panels are described made from arrays of small rod collectors consisting of a refracting dielectric rod lens with an absorber imbedded within it and a reflecting mirror coated on the back side of the dielectric rod. Non-tracking collector panels on vertical walls or roof tops receive approximately 90% of solar radiation within an acceptance zone 60.degree. in elevation angle by 120.degree. or more in the azimuth sectors with a collector concentration ratio of approximately 3.0. Miniaturized construction of the circular dielectric rods with internal absorbers reduces the weight per area of glass, plastic and metal used in the collector panels. No external parts or insulation are needed as heat losses are low due to partial vacuum or low conductivity gas surrounding heated portions of the collector. The miniature internal absorbers are generally made of solid copper with black selective surface and the collected solar heat is extracted at the collector ends by thermal conductivity along the absorber rods. Heat is removed from end fittings by use of liquid circulants. Several alternate constructions are provided for simplifying collector panel fabrication and for preventing the thermal expansion and contraction of the heated absorber or circulant tubes from damaging vacuum seals. In a modified version of the internal absorber collector, oil with temperature dependent viscosity is pumped through a segmented absorber which is now composed of closely spaced insulated metal tubes. In this way the circulant is automatically diverted through heated portions of the absorber giving higher collector concentration ratios than theoretically possible for an unsegmented absorber.

  11. Preparing culture change agents for academic medicine in a multi-institutional consortium: the C - change learning action network.

    PubMed

    Pololi, Linda H; Krupat, Edward; Schnell, Eugene R; Kern, David E

    2013-01-01

    Research suggests an ongoing need for change in the culture of academic medicine. This article describes the structure, activities and evaluation of a culture change project: the C - Change Learning Action Network (LAN) and its impact on participants. The LAN was developed to create the experience of a culture that would prepare participants to facilitate a culture in academic medicine that would be more collaborative, inclusive, relational, and that supports the humanity and vitality of faculty. Purposefully diverse faculty, leaders, and deans from 5 US medical schools convened in 2 1/2-day meetings biannually over 4 years. LAN meetings employed experiential, cognitive, and affective learning modes; innovative dialogue strategies; and reflective practice aimed at facilitating deep dialogue, relationship formation, collaboration, authenticity, and transformative learning to help members experience the desired culture. Robust aggregated qualitative and quantitative data collected from the 5 schools were used to inform and stimulate culture-change plans. Quantitative and qualitative evaluation methods were used. Participants indicated that a safe, supportive, inclusive, collaborative culture was established in LAN and highly valued. LAN members reported a deepened understanding of organizational change, new and valued interpersonal connections, increased motivation and resilience, new skills and approaches, increased self-awareness and personal growth, emotional connection to the issues of diversity and inclusion, and application of new learnings in their work. A carefully designed multi-institutional learning community can transform the way participants experience and view institutional culture. It can motivate and prepare them to be change agents in their own institutions. Copyright © 2013 The Alliance for Continuing Education in the Health Professions, the Society for Academic Continuing Medical Education, and the Council on CME, Association for Hospital Medical

  12. Culture Matters in Successful Curriculum Change: An International Study of the Influence of National and Organizational Culture Tested With Multilevel Structural Equation Modeling.

    PubMed

    Jippes, Mariëlle; Driessen, Erik W; Broers, Nick J; Majoor, Gerard D; Gijselaers, Wim H; van der Vleuten, Cees P M

    2015-07-01

    National culture has been shown to play a role in curriculum change in medical schools, and business literature has described a similar influence of organizational culture on change processes in organizations. This study investigated the impact of both national and organizational culture on successful curriculum change in medical schools internationally. The authors tested a literature-based conceptual model using multilevel structural equation modeling. For the operationalization of national and organizational culture, the authors used Hofstede's dimensions of culture and Quinn and Spreitzer's competing values framework, respectively. To operationalize successful curriculum change, the authors used two derivates: medical schools' organizational readiness for curriculum change developed by Jippes and colleagues, and change-related behavior developed by Herscovitch and Meyer. The authors administered a questionnaire in 2012 measuring the described operationalizations to medical schools in the process of changing their curriculum. Nine hundred ninety-one of 1,073 invited staff members from 131 of 345 medical schools in 56 of 80 countries completed the questionnaire. An initial poor fit of the model improved to a reasonable fit by two suggested modifications which seemed theoretically plausible. In sum, characteristics of national culture and organizational culture, such as a certain level of risk taking, flexible policies and procedures, and strong leadership, affected successful curriculum change. National and organizational culture influence readiness for change in medical schools. Therefore, medical schools considering curriculum reform should anticipate the potential impact of national and organizational culture.

  13. Theoretical foundations guiding culture change: The work of the Partnerships in Dementia Care Alliance.

    PubMed

    Dupuis, Sherry; McAiney, Carrie A; Fortune, Darla; Ploeg, Jenny; Witt, Lorna de

    2016-01-01

    Longstanding concerns about quality care provision, specifically in the area of long-term care, have prompted calls for changing the culture of care to reflect more client-driven and relationship-centred models. Despite an increase in culture change initiatives in both Canada and the United States, there is insufficient information about the theories and approaches that guide culture change. The purpose of this paper is to describe a culture change initiative currently underway in Canada, the Partnerships in Dementia Care Alliance, and the theoretical foundations informing our work. More specifically, we describe how the theoretical and philosophical underpinnings of the Alzheimer Disease and Related Dementias framework, the authentic partnership approach, participatory action research and Appreciative Inquiry have been integrated to guide a culture change process that encourages working collaboratively, thinking and doing differently and re-imagining new possibilities for changing the culture of dementia care. © The Author(s) 2014.

  14. Theoretical foundations guiding culture change: The work of the Partnerships in Dementia Care Alliance

    PubMed Central

    Dupuis, Sherry; McAiney, Carrie A; Ploeg, Jenny; de Witt, Lorna

    2016-01-01

    Longstanding concerns about quality care provision, specifically in the area of long-term care, have prompted calls for changing the culture of care to reflect more client-driven and relationship-centred models. Despite an increase in culture change initiatives in both Canada and the United States, there is insufficient information about the theories and approaches that guide culture change. The purpose of this paper is to describe a culture change initiative currently underway in Canada, the Partnerships in Dementia Care Alliance, and the theoretical foundations informing our work. More specifically, we describe how the theoretical and philosophical underpinnings of the Alzheimer Disease and Related Dementias framework, the authentic partnership approach, participatory action research and Appreciative Inquiry have been integrated to guide a culture change process that encourages working collaboratively, thinking and doing differently and re-imagining new possibilities for changing the culture of dementia care. PMID:24419355

  15. Absorber for terahertz radiation management

    DOEpatents

    Biallas, George Herman; Apeldoorn, Cornelis; Williams, Gwyn P.; Benson, Stephen V.; Shinn, Michelle D.; Heckman, John D.

    2015-12-08

    A method and apparatus for minimizing the degradation of power in a free electron laser (FEL) generating terahertz (THz) radiation. The method includes inserting an absorber ring in the FEL beam path for absorbing any irregular THz radiation and thus minimizes the degradation of downstream optics and the resulting degradation of the FEL output power. The absorber ring includes an upstream side, a downstream side, and a plurality of wedges spaced radially around the absorber ring. The wedges form a scallop-like feature on the innermost edges of the absorber ring that acts as an apodizer, stopping diffractive focusing of the THz radiation that is not intercepted by the absorber. Spacing between the scallop-like features and the shape of the features approximates the Bartlett apodization function. The absorber ring provides a smooth intensity distribution, rather than one that is peaked on-center, thereby eliminating minor distortion downstream of the absorber.

  16. Impact of organizational change on organizational culture: implications for introducing evidence-based practice.

    PubMed

    Austin, Michael J; Claassen, Jennette

    2008-01-01

    Evidence-based practice (EBP) seeks to integrate the expertise of individual practitioners with the best available evidence within the context of the values and expectations of clients. Prior to implementing EBP, it is important to understand the significance that organizational change and organizational culture play. This article seeks to explore the literature associated with both organizational change and organizational culture. The analysis of organizational culture and change draw upon findings from both the private, for-profit sector, and the public, non-profit field. It is divided into four sections: organizational change and innovation, organizational culture, managing organizational culture and change, and finally, applying the findings to the implementation of EBP. While the audience for this analysis is managers in public and nonprofit human service organizations who are considering implementing EBP into their work environment, it is not intended to provide a "how to" guide, but rather a framework for critical thinking.

  17. Mergers and acquisitions: some implications of cultural change.

    PubMed

    Cavanaugh, S J

    1996-01-01

    A result of recent National Health Service reforms is the need to investigate, and possibly change, the culture of the professional working relationship between members of staff and their employer. This is particularly the case in situations of mergers and acquisitions where staff working from different cultural environments must work together. Mergers are becoming a feature of health service provision, perhaps this becomes most obvious with the recent moves by colleges of nursing and midwifery into the higher education sector and amalgamations of some purchasing authorities. Mergers highlight the practical issues of bringing together different organizational and work cultures to deliver a high quality service. This article discusses some aspects of the nature of organizational culture, the human impact of mergers and acquisitions and offers strategies for managing these events.

  18. Cross-cultural adjustment to the United States: the role of contextualized extraversion change

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Mengqiao; Huang, Jason L.

    2015-01-01

    Personality traits can predict how well-sojourners and expatriates adjust to new cultures, but the adjustment process remains largely unexamined. Based on recent findings that reveal personality traits predict as well as respond to life events and experiences, this research focuses on within-person change in contextualized extraversion and its predictive validity for cross-cultural adjustment in international students who newly arrived in US colleges. We proposed that the initial level as well as the rate of change in school extraversion (i.e., contextualized extraversion that reflects behavioral tendency in school settings) will predict cross-cultural adjustment, withdrawal cognitions, and school satisfaction. Latent growth modeling of three-wave longitudinal surveys of 215 new international students (54% female, Mage = 24 years) revealed that the initial level of school extraversion significantly predicted cross-cultural adjustment, (lower) withdrawal cognitions, and satisfaction, while the rate of change (increase) in school extraversion predicted cross-cultural adjustment and (lower) withdrawal cognitions. We further modeled global extraversion and cross-cultural motivation as antecedents and explored within-person change in school extraversion as a proximal factor that affects adjustment outcomes. The findings highlight the malleability of contextualized personality, and more importantly, the importance of understanding within-person change in contextualized personality in a cross-cultural adjustment context. The study points to more research that explicate the process of personality change in other contexts. PMID:26579033

  19. Cross-cultural adjustment to the United States: the role of contextualized extraversion change.

    PubMed

    Liu, Mengqiao; Huang, Jason L

    2015-01-01

    Personality traits can predict how well-sojourners and expatriates adjust to new cultures, but the adjustment process remains largely unexamined. Based on recent findings that reveal personality traits predict as well as respond to life events and experiences, this research focuses on within-person change in contextualized extraversion and its predictive validity for cross-cultural adjustment in international students who newly arrived in US colleges. We proposed that the initial level as well as the rate of change in school extraversion (i.e., contextualized extraversion that reflects behavioral tendency in school settings) will predict cross-cultural adjustment, withdrawal cognitions, and school satisfaction. Latent growth modeling of three-wave longitudinal surveys of 215 new international students (54% female, M age = 24 years) revealed that the initial level of school extraversion significantly predicted cross-cultural adjustment, (lower) withdrawal cognitions, and satisfaction, while the rate of change (increase) in school extraversion predicted cross-cultural adjustment and (lower) withdrawal cognitions. We further modeled global extraversion and cross-cultural motivation as antecedents and explored within-person change in school extraversion as a proximal factor that affects adjustment outcomes. The findings highlight the malleability of contextualized personality, and more importantly, the importance of understanding within-person change in contextualized personality in a cross-cultural adjustment context. The study points to more research that explicate the process of personality change in other contexts.

  20. Lipid-absorbing Polymers

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Marsh, H. E., Jr.; Wallace, C. J.

    1973-01-01

    The removal of bile acids and cholesterol by polymeric absorption is discussed in terms of micelle-polymer interaction. The results obtained with a polymer composed of 75 parts PEO and 25 parts PB plus curing ingredients show an absorption of 305 to 309%, based on original polymer weight. Particle size effects on absorption rate are analyzed. It is concluded that crosslinked polyethylene oxide polymers will absorb water, crosslinked polybutadiene polymers will absorb lipids; neither polymer will absorb appreciable amounts of lipids from micellar solutions of lipids in water.

  1. An evolutionary framework for cultural change: Selectionism versus communal exchange

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gabora, Liane

    2013-06-01

    Dawkins' replicator-based conception of evolution has led to widespread mis-application of selectionism across the social sciences because it does not address the paradox that necessitated the theory of natural selection in the first place: how do organisms accumulate change when traits acquired over their lifetime are obliterated? This is addressed by von Neumann's concept of a self-replicating automaton (SRA). A SRA consists of a self-assembly code that is used in two distinct ways: (1) actively deciphered during development to construct a self-similar replicant, and (2) passively copied to the replicant to ensure that it can reproduce. Information that is acquired over a lifetime is not transmitted to offspring, whereas information that is inherited during copying is transmitted. In cultural evolution there is no mechanism for discarding acquired change. Acquired change can accumulate orders of magnitude faster than, and quickly overwhelm, inherited change due to differential replication of variants in response to selection. This prohibits a selectionist but not an evolutionary framework for culture and the creative processes that fuel it. The importance non-Darwinian processes in biological evolution is increasingly recognized. Recent work on the origin of life suggests that early life evolved through a non-Darwinian process referred to as communal exchange that does not involve a self-assembly code, and that natural selection emerged from this more haphazard, ancestral evolutionary process. It is proposed that communal exchange provides an evolutionary framework for culture that enables specification of cognitive features necessary for a (real or artificial) societies to evolve culture. This is supported by a computational model of cultural evolution and a conceptual network based program for documenting material cultural history, and it is consistent with high levels of human cooperation.

  2. From Cultural Knowledge to Intercultural Communicative Competence: Changing Perspectives on the Role of Culture in Foreign Language Teaching

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Piatkowska, Katarzyna

    2015-01-01

    Approaches to the concept of culture and teaching cultural competence in a foreign language classroom have been changing over the last decades. The paper summarises, compares, contrasts and evaluates four major approaches to teaching cultural competence in foreign language teaching, that is, knowledge-based approach, contrastive approach,…

  3. Managing strategic change--strategy, culture and action.

    PubMed

    Johnson, G

    1992-02-01

    One of the major problems facing senior executives is that of effecting significant strategic change in their organizations. This paper develops a number of explanatory frameworks which address the links between the development of strategy in organizations, dimensions of corporate culture and managerial action. In considering such linkages, and by illustrating them with examples from work undertaken in companies, the paper also seeks to advance our understanding of the problems and means of managing strategic change.

  4. Broadband infrared metamaterial absorber based on anodic aluminum oxide template

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Jingfan; Qu, Shaobo; Ma, Hua; Wang, Jiafu; Yang, Shen; Pang, Yongqiang

    2018-05-01

    In this work, a broadband infrared metamaterial absorber is proposed based on trapezoid-shaped anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template. Unlike traditional metamaterial absorber constructed from metal-dielectric-metal sandwich structure, our proposed absorber is composed of trapezoid-shaped AAO template with metallic nanowires inside. The infrared absorption efficiency is numerically calculated and the mechanism analysis is given in the paper. Owing to the superposition of multiple resonances produced by the nanowires with different heights, the infrared metamatrial absorber can keep high absorption efficiency during broad working wavelength band from 3.4 μm to 6.1 μm. In addition, the resonance wavelength is associated with the height of nanowires, which indicates that the resonance wavelength can be modulated flexibly through changing the heights of nanowires. This kind of design can also be adapted to other wavelength regions.

  5. Cultural Change, Human Activity, and Cognitive Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gauvain, Mary; Munroe, Robert L.

    2012-01-01

    Differential cognitive performance across cultural contexts has been a standard result in comparative research. Here we discuss how societal changes occurring when a small-scale traditional community incorporates elements from industrialized society may contribute to cognitive development, and we illustrate this with an analysis of the cognitive…

  6. Bench-Scale Process for Low-Cost Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Capture Using a Phase-Changing Absorbent

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Westendorf, Tiffany; Caraher, Joel; Chen, Wei

    2015-03-31

    The objective of this project is to design and build a bench-scale process for a novel phase-changing aminosilicone-based CO2-capture solvent. The project will establish scalability and technical and economic feasibility of using a phase-changing CO2-capture absorbent for post-combustion capture of CO2 from coal-fired power plants with 90% capture efficiency and 95% CO2 purity at a cost of $40/tonne of CO2 captured by 2025 and a cost of <$10/tonne of CO2 captured by 2035. In the first budget period of this project, the bench-scale phase-changing CO2 capture process was designed using data and operating experience generated under a previous project (ARPA-emore » project DE-AR0000084). Sizing and specification of all major unit operations was completed, including detailed process and instrumentation diagrams. The system was designed to operate over a wide range of operating conditions to allow for exploration of the effect of process variables on CO2 capture performance.« less

  7. Nurturing Cultural Change in Care for Older People: Seeing the Cherry Tree Blossom.

    PubMed

    Snoeren, Miranda M W C; Janssen, Bienke M; Niessen, Theo J H; Abma, Tineke A

    2016-12-01

    There is a need for person-centred approaches and empowerment of staff within the residential care for older people; a movement called 'culture change'. There is however no single path for achieving culture change. With the aim of increasing understandings about cultural change processes and the promotion of cultural values and norms associated with person-centred practices, this article presents an action research project set on a unit in the Netherlands providing care for older people with dementia. The project is presented as a case study. This study examines what has contributed to the improvement of participation of older people with dementia in daily occupational and leisure activities according to practitioners. Data was collected by participant observation, interviews and focus groups. The results show that simultaneous to the improvement of the older people's involvement in daily activities a cultural transformation took place and that the care became more person-centred. Spontaneous interactions and responses rather than planned interventions, analysis and reflection contributed to this. Furthermore, it proved to be beneficial that the process of change and the facilitation of that process reflected the same values as those underlying the cultural change. It is concluded that changes arise from dynamic, interactive and non-linear processes which are complex in nature and difficult to predict and to control. Nevertheless, managers and facilitators can facilitate such change by generating movement through the introduction of small focused projects that meet the stakeholders' needs, by creating conditions for interaction and sense making, and by promoting the new desired cultural values.

  8. Implementing Culture Change in Nursing Homes: An Adaptive Leadership Framework

    PubMed Central

    Corazzini, Kirsten; Twersky, Jack; White, Heidi K.; Buhr, Gwendolen T.; McConnell, Eleanor S.; Weiner, Madeline; Colón-Emeric, Cathleen S.

    2015-01-01

    Purpose of the Study: To describe key adaptive challenges and leadership behaviors to implement culture change for person-directed care. Design and Methods: The study design was a qualitative, observational study of nursing home staff perceptions of the implementation of culture change in each of 3 nursing homes. We conducted 7 focus groups of licensed and unlicensed nursing staff, medical care providers, and administrators. Questions explored perceptions of facilitators and barriers to culture change. Using a template organizing style of analysis with immersion/crystallization, themes of barriers and facilitators were coded for adaptive challenges and leadership. Results: Six key themes emerged, including relationships, standards and expectations, motivation and vision, workload, respect of personhood, and physical environment. Within each theme, participants identified barriers that were adaptive challenges and facilitators that were examples of adaptive leadership. Commonly identified challenges were how to provide person-directed care in the context of extant rules or policies or how to develop staff motivated to provide person-directed care. Implications: Implementing culture change requires the recognition of adaptive challenges for which there are no technical solutions, but which require reframing of norms and expectations, and the development of novel and flexible solutions. Managers and administrators seeking to implement person-directed care will need to consider the role of adaptive leadership to address these adaptive challenges. PMID:24451896

  9. ETHICAL DILEMMAS IN PHYSICIAN-PATIENT RELATIONSHIP IN A MULTI-CULTURAL SOCIETY.

    PubMed

    Waitzman, Rotem

    2014-12-01

    Israel is a multicultural state that has absorbed, and is continually absorbing people of different cultures who immigrate to Israel, a situation that could create conflicts in the physician-patient relationship. In this article, I will present several cases in which diversity of culture can lead to conflict, and suggest a way of communication that can help prevent the conflicts arising from those situations.

  10. Sustaining Culture Change: Experiences in the Green House Model.

    PubMed

    Bowers, Barbara; Nolet, Kimberly; Jacobson, Nora

    2016-02-01

    To describe conditions that influence how Green House (GH) organizations are sustaining culture change principles and practices in a sample of GH skilled nursing homes. Primary data were collected at 11 skilled nursing GH organizations from 2012 to 2014. These organizations have adopted the comprehensive and prescriptive GH model of culture change. To develop an understanding of sustainability from the perspective of staff who are immersed in GH daily work, grounded theory qualitative methods were used. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews with 166 staff and observation of house meetings and daily operations. Data were analyzed using grounded dimensional analysis. Organizations varied in their ability to sustain GH principles and practices. An organization's approach to problem solving was central to sustaining the model. Key conditions influenced reinforcement or erosion of GH principles and practices. Reinforcing the GH model requires a highly skilled team of staff with the ability to frequently and collaboratively solve both mundane and complex problems in ways that are consistent with the GH model. This raises questions about the type of human resources practices and policy supports that could assist organizations in sustaining culture change. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

  11. Culture, climate change and farm-level groundwater management: An Australian case study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sanderson, Matthew R.; Curtis, Allen L.

    2016-05-01

    Cultural factors - values, beliefs, and norms - provide important insights into the environmental attitudes, risk perceptions, and behaviors of the general population. Little is known, however, about the ostensibly complex relationships linking those elements of culture to climate change risk perceptions, especially in the context of farm level decision in the ground water context. This paper addresses that gap through an analysis of survey data provided by irrigators in the Namoi catchment of Australia's Murray-Darling Basin. We use Values-Beliefs-Norms theory to construct multivariate models of the relationship between ground water irrigators' interpretations of climate change risks and their implementation of adaptive water conservation practices. Results indicate that these cultural factors are important explanations of irrigators' climate change risk perceptions, and these risk perceptions are related to adaptive ground water management strategies at the farm level. The implications of the findings are discussed for research on the culture-environment nexus and for outreach designed to encourage agricultural adaptations to climate change.

  12. Switching between the mode-locking and Q-switching modes in two-section QW lasers upon a change in the absorber properties due to the Stark effect

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Gadzhiyev, I. M., E-mail: idris.intop@mail.ru; Buyalo, M. S.; Gubenko, A. E.

    2016-06-15

    The passive Q-switching and mode-locking modes are implemented in two-section lasers with three quantum wells. It is demonstrated that raising the reverse bias on the absorbing section changes its spectral and dynamic properties and, accordingly, leads to a change from the Q-switching mode to mode-locking. The pulse-repetition frequency in the mode-locking mode is 75 GHz, with the product of the pulse duration by the spectrum bandwidth being 0.49, which is close to the theoretical limit. It is shown that, in structures with three quantum wells, strong absorption at the lasing wavelength gives rise to a photocurrent across a section ofmore » the saturable absorber, which is sufficient for compensation of the applied bias.« less

  13. Thermal tuning of infrared resonant absorbers based on hybrid gold-VO{sub 2} nanostructures

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kocer, Hasan; Department of Electrical Engineering, Turkish Military Academy, 06654 Ankara; Butun, Serkan

    2015-04-20

    Resonant absorbers based on plasmonic materials, metamaterials, and thin films enable spectrally selective absorption filters, where absorption is maximized at the resonance wavelength. By controlling the geometrical parameters of nano/microstructures and materials' refractive indices, resonant absorbers are designed to operate at wide range of wavelengths for applications including absorption filters, thermal emitters, thermophotovoltaic devices, and sensors. However, once resonant absorbers are fabricated, it is rather challenging to control and tune the spectral absorption response. Here, we propose and demonstrate thermally tunable infrared resonant absorbers using hybrid gold-vanadium dioxide (VO{sub 2}) nanostructure arrays. Absorption intensity is tuned from 90% to 20%more » and 96% to 32% using hybrid gold-VO{sub 2} nanowire and nanodisc arrays, respectively, by heating up the absorbers above the phase transition temperature of VO{sub 2} (68 °C). Phase change materials such as VO{sub 2} deliver useful means of altering optical properties as a function of temperature. Absorbers with tunable spectral response can find applications in sensor and detector applications, in which external stimulus such as heat, electrical signal, or light results in a change in the absorption spectrum and intensity.« less

  14. RAPID SOCIO-CULTURAL CHANGE AND STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH--A CROSS-CULTURAL COMPARISON.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    WINTROB, RONALD M.

    THE EFFECTS OF RAPID SOCIO-CULTURAL CHANGE AND INTER-GENERATIONAL CONFLICT OF VALUES ON THE ROLE IDENTITY OF TWO GROUPS OF ADOLESCENT STUDENTS ARE COMPARED. THE TWO GROUPS ARE LIBERIANS OF TRIBAL ORIGIN AND CREE INDIANS OF NORTH-CENTRAL QUEBEC. CLINICAL MATERIAL IS PRESENTED TO ILLUSTRATE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN IDENTITY CONFLICT AND…

  15. Using transformational change to improve organizational culture and climate in a school of nursing.

    PubMed

    Springer, Pamela J; Clark, Cynthia M; Strohfus, Pamela; Belcheir, Marcia

    2012-02-01

    A positive organizational culture and climate is closely associated with an affirming workplace and job satisfaction. Especially during a time of faculty shortages, academic leaders need to be cognizant of the culture and climate in schools of nursing. The culture of an organization affects employees, systems, and processes, and if the culture becomes problematic, transformational leadership is essential to create change. The purpose of this article is to describe an 8-year journey to change the culture and climate of a school of nursing from one of dissatisfaction and distrust to one of high employee satisfaction and trust. Kotter's model for transformational change was used to frame a longitudinal study using the Cultural and Climate Assessment Scale to transform the organizational culture and climate of a school of nursing. Copyright 2012, SLACK Incorporated.

  16. Reflection measurements of microwave absorbers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Baker, Dirk E.; van der Neut, Cornelis A.

    1988-12-01

    A swept-frequency interferometer is described for making rapid, real-time assessments of localized inhomogeneities in planar microwave absorber panels. An aperture-matched exponential horn is used to reduce residual reflections in the system to about -37 dB. This residual reflection is adequate for making comparative measurements on planar absorber panels whose reflectivities usually fall in the -15 to -25 dB range. Reflectivity measurements on a variety of planar absorber panels show that multilayer Jaumann absorbers have the greatest inhomogeneity, while honeycomb absorbers generally have excellent homogeneity within a sheet and from sheet to sheet. The test setup is also used to measure the center frequencies of resonant absorbers. With directional couplers and aperture-matched exponential horns, the technique can be easily applied in the standard 2 to 40 GHz waveguide bands.

  17. Cultural change and loss of ethnoecological knowledge among the Isthmus Zapotecs of Mexico.

    PubMed

    Saynes-Vásquez, Alfredo; Caballero, Javier; Meave, Jorge A; Chiang, Fernando

    2013-06-11

    Global changes that affect local societies may cause the loss of ecological knowledge. The process of cultural change in Zapotec communities of the Oaxacan Isthmus intensified during the first years of the 20th century due to industrial and agro-industrial modernization projects and an increase in the level of formal schooling. Based on the case of the Oaxacan Isthmus, this study assesses the relationship between cultural change and the loss of traditional ecological knowledge (TEK). Three hundred male heads of family were interviewed from three municipalities in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, Oaxaca, Mexico selected to span a wide range of cultural change. Each participant was shown herbarium specimens and photographs of a sample of 30 species drawn from a pool of 94 representing local plant diversity. Visual recognition of each species, knowledge of plant form, generic name, specific name, and local uses were scored. The sum of the five scores provided an index of global knowledge which we used as a proxy for TEK. Analysis of variance revealed differences between groups of economic activities. We collected socio-demographic data from the interviewees such as age, level of schooling, and competency in the local language. With these data we ran a principal component analysis and took the first axis as an index of cultural change, and correlated it with the scores obtained each respondent. We found statistically significant differences between groups of people with different economic activities, as well as a highly significant negative relationship between the Index of cultural change and ecological knowledge at all levels, with regression coefficients between 81.2% and 88.3%, indicating that cultural change is affecting traditional botanical knowledge. Our results shown that cultural change, as indicated by occupational activity, level of formal schooling, and competence in the indigenous language, is negatively associated with the loss of Zapotec ethnobotanical

  18. Cultural change and loss of ethnoecological knowledge among the Isthmus Zapotecs of Mexico

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Global changes that affect local societies may cause the loss of ecological knowledge. The process of cultural change in Zapotec communities of the Oaxacan Isthmus intensified during the first years of the 20th century due to industrial and agro-industrial modernization projects and an increase in the level of formal schooling. Based on the case of the Oaxacan Isthmus, this study assesses the relationship between cultural change and the loss of traditional ecological knowledge (TEK). Methods Three hundred male heads of family were interviewed from three municipalities in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, Oaxaca, Mexico selected to span a wide range of cultural change. Each participant was shown herbarium specimens and photographs of a sample of 30 species drawn from a pool of 94 representing local plant diversity. Visual recognition of each species, knowledge of plant form, generic name, specific name, and local uses were scored. The sum of the five scores provided an index of global knowledge which we used as a proxy for TEK. Analysis of variance revealed differences between groups of economic activities. We collected socio-demographic data from the interviewees such as age, level of schooling, and competency in the local language. With these data we ran a principal component analysis and took the first axis as an index of cultural change, and correlated it with the scores obtained each respondent. Results We found statistically significant differences between groups of people with different economic activities, as well as a highly significant negative relationship between the Index of cultural change and ecological knowledge at all levels, with regression coefficients between 81.2% and 88.3%, indicating that cultural change is affecting traditional botanical knowledge. Conclusions Our results shown that cultural change, as indicated by occupational activity, level of formal schooling, and competence in the indigenous language, is negatively associated with

  19. Corrosion resistant neutron absorbing coatings

    DOEpatents

    Choi, Jor-Shan [El Cerrito, CA; Farmer, Joseph C [Tracy, CA; Lee, Chuck K [Hayward, CA; Walker, Jeffrey [Gaithersburg, MD; Russell, Paige [Las Vegas, NV; Kirkwood, Jon [Saint Leonard, MD; Yang, Nancy [Lafayette, CA; Champagne, Victor [Oxford, PA

    2012-05-29

    A method of forming a corrosion resistant neutron absorbing coating comprising the steps of spray or deposition or sputtering or welding processing to form a composite material made of a spray or deposition or sputtering or welding material, and a neutron absorbing material. Also a corrosion resistant neutron absorbing coating comprising a composite material made of a spray or deposition or sputtering or welding material, and a neutron absorbing material.

  20. Corrosion resistant neutron absorbing coatings

    DOEpatents

    Choi, Jor-Shan; Farmer, Joseph C; Lee, Chuck K; Walker, Jeffrey; Russell, Paige; Kirkwood, Jon; Yang, Nancy; Champagne, Victor

    2013-11-12

    A method of forming a corrosion resistant neutron absorbing coating comprising the steps of spray or deposition or sputtering or welding processing to form a composite material made of a spray or deposition or sputtering or welding material, and a neutron absorbing material. Also a corrosion resistant neutron absorbing coating comprising a composite material made of a spray or deposition or sputtering or welding material, and a neutron absorbing material.

  1. "It was like reading a detective novel": Using PAR to work together for culture change.

    PubMed

    Fortune, Darla; McKeown, Janet; Dupuis, Sherry; de Witt, Lorna

    2015-08-01

    Participatory action research (PAR), with its focus on engagement and collaboration, is uniquely suited to enhancing culture change initiatives in dementia care. Yet, there is limited literature of its application to culture change approaches in care settings, and even less in dementia specific care contexts. To address these gaps in the literature, the purpose of this paper is to examine the complexities of a PAR project aimed at changing the culture of dementia care in two diverse dementia care settings, including a long term care (LTC) and community care setting. Drawing from data gathered throughout the PAR process, we unpack the challenges experienced by participants working together to guide culture change within their respective care settings. These challenges include: overextending selves through culture change participation; fluctuating group membership; feeling uncertainty, confusion and apprehension about the process; frustratingly slow process; and seeking diverse group representation in decision making. We also highlight the potential for appreciative inquiry (AI) to be integrated with PAR to guide a process whereby participants involved in culture change initiatives can develop strategies to mitigate challenges they experience. We view the challenges and strategies shared here as being constructive to would-be culture change agents and hope this paper will move others to consider the use of PAR when engaging in culture change initiatives. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Definition and dynamic control of a continuous chromatography process independent of cell culture titer and impurities.

    PubMed

    Chmielowski, Rebecca A; Mathiasson, Linda; Blom, Hans; Go, Daniel; Ehring, Hanno; Khan, Heera; Li, Hong; Cutler, Collette; Lacki, Karol; Tugcu, Nihal; Roush, David

    2017-12-01

    Advances in cell culture technology have enabled the production of antibody titers upwards of 30g/L. These highly productive cell culture systems can potentially lead to productivity bottlenecks in downstream purification due to lower column loadings, especially in the primary capture chromatography step. Alternative chromatography solutions to help remedy this bottleneck include the utilization of continuous processing systems such as periodic counter-current chromatography (PCC). Recent studies have provided methods to optimize and improve the design of PCC for cell culture titers up to about 3g/L. This paper defines a continuous loading strategy for PCC that is independent of cell culture background and encompasses cell culture titers up to about 31g/L. Initial experimentation showed a challenge with determining a difference in change in UV280nm signal (ie. ΔUV) between cell culture feed and monoclonal antibody (mAb) concentration. Further investigation revealed UV280nm absorbance of the cell culture feedstock without antibody was outside of the linear range of detection for a given cell pathlength. Additional experimentation showed the difference in ΔUV for various cell culture feeds can be either theoretically predicted by Beer's Law given a known absorbance of the media background and impurities or experimentally determined using various UV280nm cell pathlengths. Based on these results, a 0.35mm pathlength at UV280nm was chosen for dynamic control to overcome the background signal. The pore diffusion model showed good agreement with the experimental frontal analysis data, which resulted in definition of a ΔUV setpoint range between 20 and 70% for 3C-PCC experiments. Product quality of the elution pools was acceptable between various cell culture feeds and titers up to about 41g/L. Results indicated the following ΔUV setpoints to achieve robust dynamic control and maintain 3C-PCC yield: ∼20-45% for titers greater than 10g/L depending on UV absorbance of

  3. Implementing Culture Change in Nursing Homes: An Adaptive Leadership Framework.

    PubMed

    Corazzini, Kirsten; Twersky, Jack; White, Heidi K; Buhr, Gwendolen T; McConnell, Eleanor S; Weiner, Madeline; Colón-Emeric, Cathleen S

    2015-08-01

    To describe key adaptive challenges and leadership behaviors to implement culture change for person-directed care. The study design was a qualitative, observational study of nursing home staff perceptions of the implementation of culture change in each of 3 nursing homes. We conducted 7 focus groups of licensed and unlicensed nursing staff, medical care providers, and administrators. Questions explored perceptions of facilitators and barriers to culture change. Using a template organizing style of analysis with immersion/crystallization, themes of barriers and facilitators were coded for adaptive challenges and leadership. Six key themes emerged, including relationships, standards and expectations, motivation and vision, workload, respect of personhood, and physical environment. Within each theme, participants identified barriers that were adaptive challenges and facilitators that were examples of adaptive leadership. Commonly identified challenges were how to provide person-directed care in the context of extant rules or policies or how to develop staff motivated to provide person-directed care. Implementing culture change requires the recognition of adaptive challenges for which there are no technical solutions, but which require reframing of norms and expectations, and the development of novel and flexible solutions. Managers and administrators seeking to implement person-directed care will need to consider the role of adaptive leadership to address these adaptive challenges. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  4. Faculty Development in Context: Changing Learning Cultures in Higher Education

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Feixas, Mònica; Zellweger, Franziska

    At present, research on the effectiveness of initial training programs for novice faculty is limited, and results fail to offer apparent evidences on the impact of such programs in changing teachers' practices and, at a larger scale, teaching and learning cultures at universities. In addition to faculty development initiatives, the wider organizational context should be considered in order to foster transfer of acquired teaching competences into teaching practice. In this article, we suggest a conceptual framework that includes a description of prevailing teaching cultures in European higher education; a discussion on what we mean by faculty development and its relationship to teaching cultures; a definition of learning cultures; and a framework of the environmental factors affecting learning transfer. Among the outcomes, we expect to adapt Holtons' model to the higher education context and design a set of instruments to identify primarily environmental factors influencing the impact of faculty development. Results might show the necessity to pay greater attention to the conditions under which novice teachers teach, the importance of peer and coordinator support, and all aspects that contribute in the end to changed teaching and learning cultures in higher education.

  5. Enhancing intensity and refractive index sensing capability with infrared plasmonic perfect absorbers.

    PubMed

    Cheng, Fei; Yang, Xiaodong; Gao, Jie

    2014-06-01

    An infrared refractive index sensor based on plasmonic perfect absorbers for glucose concentration sensing is experimentally demonstrated. Utilizing substantial absorption contrast between a perfect absorber (∼98% at normal incidence) and a non-perfect absorber upon the refractive index change, a maximum value of figure of merit (FOM*) about 55 and a bulk wavelength sensitivity about 590  nm/RIU are achieved. The demonstrated sensing platform provides great potential in improving the performance of plasmonic refractive index sensors and developing future surface enhanced infrared spectroscopy.

  6. Nonimaging secondary concentrators for large rim angle parabolic troughs with tubular absorbers.

    PubMed

    Ries, H; Spirkl, W

    1996-05-01

    For parabolic trough solar collectors with tubular absorbers, we design new tailored secondary concentrators. The design is applicable for any rim angle of a parabolic reflector. With the secondary, the concentration can be increased by a factor of more than 2 with a compact secondary reflector consisting of a single piece, even for the important case of a rim angle of 90 deg. The parabolic reflector can be used without changes; the reduced absorber is still tubular but smaller than the original absorber and slightly displaced toward the primary.

  7. Revealing the nature of morphological changes in carbon nanotube-polymer saturable absorber under high-power laser irradiation.

    PubMed

    Chernysheva, Maria; Araimi, Mohammed Al; Rance, Graham A; Weston, Nicola J; Shi, Baogui; Saied, Sayah; Sullivan, John L; Marsh, Nicholas; Rozhin, Aleksey

    2018-05-10

    Composites of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and water-soluble polymers (WSP) are the focus of significant worldwide research due to a number of applications in biotechnology and photonics, particularly for ultrashort pulse generation. Despite the unique possibility of constructing non-linear optical SWNT-WSP composites with controlled optical properties, their thermal degradation threshold and limit of operational power remain unexplored. In this study, we discover the nature of the SWNT-polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) film thermal degradation and evaluate the modification of the composite properties under continuous high-power ultrashort pulse laser operation. Using high-precision optical microscopy and micro-Raman spectroscopy, we have examined SWNT-PVA films before and after continuous laser radiation exposure (up to 40 hours) with a maximum optical fluence of 2.3 mJ·cm -2 . We demonstrate that high-intensity laser radiation results in measurable changes in the composition and morphology of the SWNT-PVA film due to efficient heat transfer from SWNTs to the polymer matrix. The saturable absorber modification does not affect the laser operational performance. We anticipate our work to be a starting point for more sophisticated research aimed at the enhancement of SWNT-PVA films fabrication for their operation as reliable saturable absorbers in high-power ultrafast lasers.

  8. Pathway to Change? An Appraisal of the Australian Defence Force’s Strategy for Cultural Change

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-12-13

    November): 445-463. Schein , Edgar H . 2010. Organizational culture and leadership. 4th ed. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Sekerka, Leslie E., Justin D...academics in the field of organizational change, including Geert Hofstede and Edgar Schein : “A set of shared mental assumptions that guide interpretation...organization. In Organizational Culture and Leadership, Edgar Schein offers an equally convincing analysis of the nature of an organization’s culture. He

  9. Changing the culture of assessment: the dominance of the summative assessment paradigm.

    PubMed

    Harrison, Christopher J; Könings, Karen D; Schuwirth, Lambert W T; Wass, Valerie; van der Vleuten, Cees P M

    2017-04-28

    Despite growing evidence of the benefits of including assessment for learning strategies within programmes of assessment, practical implementation of these approaches is often problematical. Organisational culture change is often hindered by personal and collective beliefs which encourage adherence to the existing organisational paradigm. We aimed to explore how these beliefs influenced proposals to redesign a summative assessment culture in order to improve students' use of assessment-related feedback. Using the principles of participatory design, a mixed group comprising medical students, clinical teachers and senior faculty members was challenged to develop radical solutions to improve the use of post-assessment feedback. Follow-up interviews were conducted with individual members of the group to explore their personal beliefs about the proposed redesign. Data were analysed using a socio-cultural lens. Proposed changes were dominated by a shared belief in the primacy of the summative assessment paradigm, which prevented radical redesign solutions from being accepted by group members. Participants' prior assessment experiences strongly influenced proposals for change. As participants had largely only experienced a summative assessment culture, they found it difficult to conceptualise radical change in the assessment culture. Although all group members participated, students were less successful at persuading the group to adopt their ideas. Faculty members and clinical teachers often used indirect techniques to close down discussions. The strength of individual beliefs became more apparent in the follow-up interviews. Naïve epistemologies and prior personal experiences were influential in the assessment redesign but were usually not expressed explicitly in a group setting, perhaps because of cultural conventions of politeness. In order to successfully implement a change in assessment culture, firmly-held intuitive beliefs about summative assessment will need to

  10. Change in lumen eccentricity and asymmetry after treatment with Absorb bioresorbable vascular scaffolds in the ABSORB cohort B trial: a five-year serial optical coherence tomography imaging study.

    PubMed

    Suwannasom, Pannipa; Sotomi, Yohei; Asano, Taku; Koon, Jaryl Ng Chen; Tateishi, Hiroki; Zeng, Yaping; Tenekecioglu, Erhan; Wykrzykowska, Joanna J; Foin, Nicolas; de Winter, Robbert J; Ormiston, John A; Serruys, Patrick W; Onuma, Yoshinobu

    2017-04-07

    The aim of the study was to investigate long-term changes in lumen eccentricity and asymmetry at five years after implantation of the Absorb bioresorbable vascular scaffold (BVS). Out of 101 patients from the ABSORB cohort B trial, 28 patients (29 lesions) with serial optical coherence tomography (OCT) examination at four different time points (cohort B1: post-procedure, six months, two, and five years [n=13]; cohort B2: post-procedure, one, three, and five years [n=16]) were evaluated. The longitudinal variance in lumen diameter was assessed by asymmetry index (AI). An asymmetric lesion was defined as AI >0.3. The circularity of the lumen or scaffold was evaluated by the eccentricity index calculated as minimal divided by maximal luminal or scaffold diameter per cross-section. The lowest lumen eccentricity index within a scaffold segment (EIL) <0.7 was defined as an eccentric lesion. Post procedure, an eccentric lesion was observed in 72.4% and became concentric in 93.1% at five years (post EIL 0.67±0.05 vs. five-year EIL 0.80±0.10, p=0.03) with a modest reduction of the lumen area from baseline to five years by 0.75±0.32 mm2. Asymmetric lumen morphology was observed in 93.1% (n=27) post implantation and persisted until five-year follow-up. On serial OCT analyses, there was a substantial increase in the scaffold EI during the first two years (post 0.70±0.06, six months 0.76±0.08, two years 0.85±0.07); then, it remained stable whereas the lumen circularity improved further. There were no significant differences in major adverse cardiac events regarding the lumen morphology over the five-year follow-up. In patients treated with the Absorb BVS, the cross-sectional circularity improved over five years while the variance in longitudinal diameters remained. Regaining of lumen circularity is mainly caused by reshaping of the scaffold during the first two years.

  11. Counterflow absorber for an absorption refrigeration system

    DOEpatents

    Reimann, Robert C.

    1984-01-01

    An air-cooled, vertical tube absorber for an absorption refrigeration system is disclosed. Strong absorbent solution is supplied to the top of the absorber and refrigerant vapor is supplied to the bottom of the absorber to create a direct counterflow of refrigerant vapor and absorbent solution in the absorber. The refrigeration system is designed so that the volume flow rate of refrigerant vapor in the tubes of the absorber is sufficient to create a substantially direct counterflow along the entire length of each tube in the absorber. This provides several advantages for the absorber such as higher efficiency and improved heat transfer characteristics, and allows improved purging of non-condensibles from the absorber.

  12. Optical properties of solid-core photonic crystal fibers filled with nonlinear absorbers.

    PubMed

    Butler, James J; Bowcock, Alec S; Sueoka, Stacey R; Montgomery, Steven R; Flom, Steven R; Friebele, E Joseph; Wright, Barbara M; Peele, John R; Pong, Richard G S; Shirk, James S; Hu, Jonathan; Menyuk, Curtis R; Taunay, T F

    2013-09-09

    A theoretical and experimental investigation of the transmission of solid-core photonic crystal fibers (PCFs) filled with nonlinear absorbers shows a sharp change in the threshold for optical limiting and in leakage loss as the refractive index of the material in the holes approaches that of the glass matrix. Theoretical calculations of the mode profiles and leakage loss of the PCF are in agreement with experimental results and indicate that the change in limiting response is due to the interaction of the evanescent field of the guided mode with the nonlinear absorbers in the holes.

  13. Thermo-responsive gels that absorb moisture and ooze water.

    PubMed

    Matsumoto, Kazuya; Sakikawa, Nobuki; Miyata, Takashi

    2018-06-13

    The water content of thermo-responsive hydrogels can be drastically altered by small changes in temperature because their polymer chains change from hydrophilic to hydrophobic above their low critical solution temperature (LCST). In general, such smart hydrogels have been utilized in aqueous solutions or in their wet state, and no attempt has been made to determine the phase-transition behavior of the gels in their dried states. Here we demonstrate an application of the thermo-responsive behavior of an interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) gel comprising thermo-responsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) and hydrophilic sodium alginate networks in their dried states. The dried IPN gel absorbs considerable moisture from air at temperatures below its LCST and oozes the absorbed moisture as liquid water above its LCST. These phenomena provide energy exchange systems in which moisture from air can be condensed to liquid water using the controllable hydrophilic/hydrophobic properties of thermo-responsive gels with a small temperature change.

  14. Preparation and microwave absorbing properties of carbon/cobalt ferromagnetic composites.

    PubMed

    Li, Wangchang; Qiao, Xiaojing; Zhao, Hui; Wang, Shuman; Ren, Qingguo

    2013-02-01

    Carbon/cobalt ferromagnetic light composites with high performance of microwave absorbing properties were prepared by hydrothermal method using starch and hollow cobalt ferrites. It was concluded that after carbonization the spinel structure ferrites changed to Co3Fe7 alloys and the temperature of graphitization was significantly decreased for the catalytic of CoFe2O4/Co3Fe7. The increase of carbon content, and exist of CoFe2O4/Co3Fe7 heightened the microwave absorbing properties. Electromagnetic parameters were tested with 40% of the titled materials and 60% of paraffin wax composites by using HP8722ES vector network analyzer. The reflection was also simulated through transmission line theory. The microwave absorbers exhibited a maximum reflection loss -43 dB and the electromagnetic wave absorption less than -10 dB was found to exceed 3.0 GHz between 11.6 GHz and 15 GHz for an absorber thickness of 2 mm.

  15. Changing the Project Execution Culture at NASA Dryden

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Horn, Thomas J.

    2012-01-01

    Dryden has embarked on implementing Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM) philosophies and tools to reduce workforce stress and increase the centers work throughput. This effort has been under way for over one year and represents a fundamental state change in how various projects are planned and executed at the center. The implementation of CCPM philosophies and the required cultural changes represent the most difficult aspects of the implementation.

  16. Characteristic analysis of a photoexcited metamaterial perfect absorber at terahertz frequencies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bing, Pibin; Huang, Shichao; Li, Zhongyang; Yu, Zhou; Lu, Ying; Yao, Jianquan

    2017-06-01

    The absorption characteristics of a photoexcited metamaterial absorber at terahertz frequencies were analyzed in this study. Filling photosensitive semiconductor silicon into the gap between the resonator arms leads to modulation of its electromagnetic response through a pump beam which changes conductivity of silicon. Comparisons of terahertz absorbing properties which were caused by different thicknesses and dielectric constants of polyimide, cell sizes and widths of SRRs, and lengths and conductivities of the photosensitive silicon, were studied by using Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) from 0.4 THz to 1.6 THz. The results of this study will facilitate the design and preparation of terahertz modulator, filters and absorbers.

  17. An Investigation of Organizational Culture Changes and Effectiveness at Jefferson College: 1963-Present

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McCaffrey, Dena M.

    2012-01-01

    A fundamental factor in the internal dynamics of a college is its culture. Central to understanding organizational culture is to minimize the occurrence and consequences of cultural conflict and help foster the development of shared goals. Modifying organizational culture is important. Without culture change, there is little hope of enduring…

  18. The effectiveness of strategies to change organisational culture to improve healthcare performance

    PubMed Central

    Parmelli, Elena; Flodgren, Gerd; Schaafsma, Mary Ellen; Baillie, Nick; Beyer, Fiona R; Eccles, Martin P

    2014-01-01

    Background Organisational culture is an anthropological metaphor used to inform research and consultancy and to explain organisational environments. Great emphasis has been placed during the last years on the need to change organisational culture in order to pursue effective improvement of healthcare performance. However, the precise nature of organisational culture in healthcare policy often remains underspecified and the desirability and feasibility of strategies to be adopted has been called into question. Objectives To determine the effectiveness of strategies to change organisational culture in order to improve healthcare performance. To examine the effectiveness of these strategies according to different patterns of organisational culture. Search methods We searched the following electronic databases for primary studies: The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Sociological Abstracts, Web of Knowledge, PsycINFO, Business and Management, EThOS, Index to Theses, Intute, HMIC, SIGLE, and Scopus until October 2009. The Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness (DARE) was searched for related reviews. We also searched the reference lists of all papers and relevant reviews identified, and we contacted experts in the field for advice on further potential studies. Selection criteria We considered randomised controlled trials (RCTs) or well designed quasi-experimental studies, controlled clinical trials (CCTs), controlled before and after studies (CBAs) and interrupted time series analyses (ITS) meeting the quality criteria used by the Cochrane Effective Practice and Organisation of Care Group (EPOC). Studies should be set in any type of healthcare organisation in which strategies to change organisational culture in order to improve healthcare performance were applied. Our main outcomes were objective measures of professional performance and patient outcome. Data collection and analysis At least two review authors

  19. The effectiveness of strategies to change organisational culture to improve healthcare performance.

    PubMed

    Parmelli, Elena; Flodgren, Gerd; Schaafsma, Mary Ellen; Baillie, Nick; Beyer, Fiona R; Eccles, Martin P

    2011-01-19

    Organisational culture is an anthropological metaphor used to inform research and consultancy and to explain organisational environments. Great emphasis has been placed during the last years on the need to change organisational culture in order to pursue effective improvement of healthcare performance. However, the precise nature of organisational culture in healthcare policy often remains underspecified and the desirability and feasibility of strategies to be adopted has been called into question. To determine the effectiveness of strategies to change organisational culture in order to improve healthcare performance.To examine the effectiveness of these strategies according to different patterns of organisational culture. We searched the following electronic databases for primary studies: The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Sociological Abstracts, Web of Knowledge, PsycINFO, Business and Management, EThOS, Index to Theses, Intute, HMIC, SIGLE, and Scopus until October 2009. The Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness (DARE) was searched for related reviews. We also searched the reference lists of all papers and relevant reviews identified, and we contacted experts in the field for advice on further potential studies. We considered randomised controlled trials (RCTs) or well designed quasi-experimental studies, controlled clinical trials (CCTs), controlled before and after studies (CBAs) and interrupted time series analyses (ITS) meeting the quality criteria used by the Cochrane Effective Practice and Organisation of Care Group (EPOC). Studies should be set in any type of healthcare organisation in which strategies to change organisational culture in order to improve healthcare performance were applied. Our main outcomes were objective measures of professional performance and patient outcome. At least two review authors independently applied the criteria for inclusion and exclusion criteria to scan titles and

  20. The ultraviolet absorbance spectrum of coliform bacteria and its relationship to astronomy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hoyle, F.; Wickramasinghe, N. C.; Jansz, E. R.; Jayatissa, P. M.

    1983-09-01

    The ultraviolet absorbance spectrum of a mixed culture of coliform bacteria is obtained and compared to recent measurements of the extinction curve of starlight. The absorbance of the bacterial suspensions over the wavebands 3500-2000 A and 7000-3400 A are presented along with a comparison of the extinction values for the star HD 14250 with the alpha function of the coliform suspension, which is a measure of the total amount of the material in the line of sight of the star. The agreement is excellent and is just as good as the agreement obtained by Karim et al. (1983) for typtophan in isolation, supporting the contention that the tryptophan responsible for the astronomical extinction is present in the interstellar grains in protein form.

  1. Confronting the Millennium: A Team Strategy for Changing College Culture.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Parsons, Michael H.

    This paper addresses how community colleges should effect multidimensional, dynamic, and rapid change. It describes a three-stage paradigm of educational transition: (1) organizations cannot be changed by imposing an external model; (2) there is no objective reality outside an organization's culture; and (3) dynamic change is the result of…

  2. Cultural impacts to tribes from climate change influences on forests

    Treesearch

    Garrit Voggesser; Kathy Lynn; John Daigle; Frank K. Lake; Darren Ranco

    2013-01-01

    Climate change related impacts, such as increased frequency and intensity of wildfires, higher temperatures, extreme changes to ecosystem processes, forest conversion and habitat degradation are threatening tribal access to valued resources. Climate change is and will affect the quantity and quality of resources tribes depend upon to perpetuate their cultures and...

  3. Safeguarding Cultural Heritage against Climate Change and Natural Hazards through Stakeholder Involvement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    de Wit, Rosmarie; Zuvela-Aloise, Maja; Hollosi, Brigitta; Anders, Ivonne; Höfler, Angelika; Boi, Silvia; Resta, Vanni; Patrikakis, Charalampos

    2017-04-01

    Europe's cultural heritage is among the richest in the world, and draws millions of visitors to archeological sites, museums, monuments, castles, and other sites each year. The protection and conservation of European heritage is of utmost importance for our society, not only in order to preserve the European cultural identity, but also because cultural heritage is a wealth creator bringing tourism-related business opportunities on which many communities depend. However, Europe's heritage assets are extremely exposed to climate change and natural hazards, which threatens their integrity and may compromise their value. The goal of the STORM (Safeguarding Cultural Heritage through Technical and Organisational Management) project is to provide critical decision-making tools to European cultural heritage stakeholders affected by climate change and natural hazards. Here, the STORM project will be presented with a focus on climate change and natural hazard risk communication to the involved stakeholders. However, climate change communication is not a one-way process, and discussions with stakeholders are necessary to identify their specific needs. Hence, the STORM concept is tested through pilot site studies in five different countries: the Diocletian Baths in Rome, Italy; the Mellor Heritage site, Manchester, UK; the Roman Ruins of Tróia, Portugal; the Historical Centre of Rethymno on Crete, Greece and Ephesus, Izmir, Turkey. Furthermore, the past and future climatic conditions at the project's pilot sites are analysed in terms of mean state and extreme events (for example temperature and precipitation changes evident from observations and climate scenarios), which will be discussed with regard to their relevance for the local cultural heritage protection based on discussions with the stakeholders.

  4. Creating Innovative Frameworks to Spur Cultural Change at NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Samuel, Aamod; Lozano, Joel; Carte, Olivia; Robillos, Troy

    2018-01-01

    Changing the culture of an organization is a monumental task that often takes years and has no set formula. Steps can be taken, however, to spur cultural change by creating spaces and infrastructure to serve as the initial driving force. An innovation space and a bicycle sharing (bike share) program were implemented at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Armstrong Flight Research Center (AFRC) (Edwards, California) with a vision toward connecting Center personnel, fostering collaboration and innovation, retaining newer employees, promoting flexibility, and improving the culture and workplace atmosphere. This paper discusses the steps taken, challenges faced, novel culture-change-focused design elements, lessons learned, acquired metrics, and how these initiated cultural change at AFRC. For both the innovation space and the bike share program, funding was negotiated and provided through the NASA Convergent Aeronautics Solutions (CAS) project, which was seeking to improve the innovation and collaboration capabilities at each of the four NASA aeronautics Centers. Key stakeholders across AFRC from upper management, facilities, safety, engineering, and procurement were identified early in the process and were consulted and included throughout execution to ensure that any encountered roadblocks could be easily navigated. Research was then conducted by attending conferences and visiting culture-changing organizations both inside and outside United States Government agencies. Distilling the research, identifying available space, and deciding on specific design elements for the space was conducted by a subset of individuals of diverse backgrounds to enable quick, effective decision-making. Decisions were made with the intent to increase usage and diversity of users of the space; care was taken to ensure a well-crafted atmosphere that would foster the desired culture change. The allocated physical space required major structural modifications, new

  5. Changing the culture of academic medicine: the C-Change learning action network and its impact at participating medical schools.

    PubMed

    Krupat, Edward; Pololi, Linda; Schnell, Eugene R; Kern, David E

    2013-09-01

    The culture of academic medicine has been described as hierarchical, competitive, and not highly supportive of female or minority faculty. In response to this, the authors designed the Learning Action Network (LAN), which was part of the National Initiative on Gender, Culture and Leadership in Medicine (C-Change). The LAN is a five-school consortium aimed at changing the organizational culture of its constituent institutions. The authors selected LAN schools to be geographically diverse and representative of U.S. medical schools. Institutional leaders and faculty representatives from constituent schools met twice yearly for four years (2006-2010), forming a cross-institutional learning community. Through their quarterly listing of institutional activities, schools reported a wide array of actions. Most common were increased faculty development and/or mentoring, new approaches to communication, and adoption of new policies and procedures. Other categories included data collection/management, engagement of key stakeholders, education regarding gender/diversity, and new/expanded leadership positions. Through exit interviews, most participants reported feeling optimistic about maintaining the momentum of change. However, some, especially in schools with leadership changes, expressed uncertainty. Participants reported that they felt that the LAN enabled, empowered, facilitated, and/or caused the reported actions.For others who might want to work toward changing the culture of academic medicine, the authors offer several lessons learned from their experiences with C-Change. Most notably, people, structures, policies, and reward systems must be put into place to support cultural values, and broad-based support should be created in order for changes to persist when inevitable transitions in leadership occur.

  6. Self-Regulating Shock Absorber

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wesselski, Clarence J.

    1995-01-01

    Mechanical shock absorber keeps frictional damping force within tolerable limit. Its damping force does not increase with coefficient of friction between energy-absorbing components; rather, frictional damping force varies only slightly. Relatively insensitive to manufacturing variations and environmental conditions altering friction. Does not exhibit high breakaway friction and consequent sharp increase followed by sharp decrease in damping force at beginning of stroking. Damping force in absorber does not vary appreciably with speed of stroking. In addition, not vulnerable to leakage of hydraulic fluid.

  7. Analysis and measurement of electromagnetic scattering by pyramidal and wedge absorbers

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dewitt, B. T.; Burnside, Walter D.

    1986-01-01

    By modifying the reflection coefficients in the Uniform Geometrical Theory of Diffraction a solution that approximates the scattering from a dielectric wedge is found. This solution agrees closely with the exact solution of Rawlins which is only valid for a few minor cases. This modification is then applied to the corner diffraction coefficient and combined with an equivalent current and geometrical optics solutions to model scattering from pyramid and wedge absorbers. Measured results from 12 inch pyramid absorbers from 2 to 18 GHz are compared to calculations assuming the returns add incoherently and assuming the returns add coherently. The measured results tend to be between the two curves. Measured results from the 8 inch wedge absorber are also compared to calculations with the return being dominated by the wedge diffraction. The procedures for measuring and specifying absorber performance are discussed and calibration equations are derived to calculate a reflection coefficient or a reflectivity using a reference sphere. Shaping changes to the present absorber designs are introduced to improve performance based on both high and low frequency analysis. Some prototypes were built and tested.

  8. Changing cultural attitudes towards female genital cutting.

    PubMed

    Vogt, Sonja; Mohmmed Zaid, Nadia Ahmed; El Fadil Ahmed, Hilal; Fehr, Ernst; Efferson, Charles

    2016-10-27

    As globalization brings people with incompatible attitudes into contact, cultural conflicts inevitably arise. Little is known about how to mitigate conflict and about how the conflicts that occur can shape the cultural evolution of the groups involved. Female genital cutting is a prominent example. Governments and international agencies have promoted the abandonment of cutting for decades, but the practice remains widespread with associated health risks for millions of girls and women. In their efforts to end cutting, international agents have often adopted the view that cutting is locally pervasive and entrenched. This implies the need to introduce values and expectations from outside the local culture. Members of the target society may view such interventions as unwelcome intrusions, and campaigns promoting abandonment have sometimes led to backlash as they struggle to reconcile cultural tolerance with the conviction that cutting violates universal human rights. Cutting, however, is not necessarily locally pervasive and entrenched. We designed experiments on cultural change that exploited the existence of conflicting attitudes within cutting societies. We produced four entertaining movies that served as experimental treatments in two experiments in Sudan, and we developed an implicit association test to unobtrusively measure attitudes about cutting. The movies depart from the view that cutting is locally pervasive by dramatizing members of an extended family as they confront each other with divergent views about whether the family should continue cutting. The movies significantly improved attitudes towards girls who remain uncut, with one in particular having a relatively persistent effect. These results show that using entertainment to dramatize locally discordant views can provide a basis for applied cultural evolution without accentuating intercultural divisions.

  9. Optimization of sound absorbing performance for gradient multi-layer-assembled sintered fibrous absorbers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Bo; Zhang, Weiyong; Zhu, Jian

    2012-04-01

    The transfer matrix method, based on plane wave theory, of multi-layer equivalent fluid is employed to evaluate the sound absorbing properties of two-layer-assembled and three-layer-assembled sintered fibrous sheets (generally regarded as a kind of compound absorber or structures). Two objective functions which are more suitable for the optimization of sound absorption properties of multi-layer absorbers within the wider frequency ranges are developed and the optimized results of using two objective functions are also compared with each other. It is found that using the two objective functions, especially the second one, may be more helpful to exert the sound absorbing properties of absorbers at lower frequencies to the best of their abilities. Then the calculation and optimization of sound absorption properties of multi-layer-assembled structures are performed by developing a simulated annealing genetic arithmetic program and using above-mentioned objective functions. Finally, based on the optimization in this work the thoughts of the gradient design over the acoustic parameters- the porosity, the tortuosity, the viscous and thermal characteristic lengths and the thickness of each samples- of porous metals are put forth and thereby some useful design criteria upon the acoustic parameters of each layer of porous fibrous metals are given while applying the multi-layer-assembled compound absorbers in noise control engineering.

  10. Fabrication of hydrogels with elasticity changed by alkaline phosphatase for stem cell culture.

    PubMed

    Toda, Hiroyuki; Yamamoto, Masaya; Uyama, Hiroshi; Tabata, Yasuhiko

    2016-01-01

    The objective of this study is to design hydrogels whose elasticity can be changed by alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in cell culture and evaluate the effect of hydrogel elasticity on an osteogenic gene expression of cells. Hydrogels were prepared by the radical polymerization of acrylamide (AAm), N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide (BIS), and Phosmer™M containing phosphate groups (PE-PAAm hydrogels). The storage modulus of PE-PAAm hydrogels prepared was changed by the preparation conditions. When human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) were cultured on the ALP-responsive PE-PAAm hydrogels in the presence or absence of ALP, the morphology of hMSC was observed and one of the osteogenic differentiation markers, Runx2, was evaluated. By ALP addition into the culture medium, the morphology of hMSC was changed into an elongated shape without cell damage. ALP addition modified the level of Runx2 gene expression, which was influenced by the modulus of PE-PAAm hydrogels. It is concluded that the elasticity change of hydrogel substrates in cell culture had an influence on the Runx2 gene expression of hMSC. Stem cells sense the surface elasticity of culture substrates, and their differentiation fate is biologically modified by substrate properties. Most of experiments have been performed in static conditions during cell culture, while the in vivo microenvironment is dynamically changed. In this study, we established to design an enzyme-responsive hydrogel whose elasticity can be changed by alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in cell culture to mimic in vivo conditions. As a result, the cells were deformed and the gene expression level of an osteogenic maker, Runx2, was modified by ALP treatment. This is the novel report describing to demonstrate that the dynamic alteration of hydrogel substrate elasticity could modulate the osteoblastic gene expression of human MSC in vitro. Copyright © 2015 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Simulating the Effects of Cross-Generational Cultural Transmission on Language Change

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gong, Tao; Shuai, Lan

    Language evolves in a socio-cultural environment. Apart from biological evolution and individual learning, cultural transmission also casts important influence on many aspects of language evolution. In this paper, based on the lexicon-syntax coevolution model, we extend the acquisition framework in our previous work to examine the roles of three forms of cultural transmission spanning the offspring, parent, and grandparent generations in language change. These transmissions are: those between the parent and offspring generations (PO), those within the offspring generation (OO), and those between the grandparent and offspring generations (GO). The simulation results of the considered model and relevant analyses illustrate not only the necessity of PO and OO transmissions for language change, thus echoing our previous findings, but also the importance of GO transmission, a form of cross-generational cultural transmission, on preserving the mutual understandability of the communal language across generations of individuals.

  12. Shared Cultural History as a Predictor of Political and Economic Changes among Nation States.

    PubMed

    Matthews, Luke J; Passmore, Sam; Richard, Paul M; Gray, Russell D; Atkinson, Quentin D

    2016-01-01

    Political and economic risks arise from social phenomena that spread within and across countries. Regime changes, protest movements, and stock market and default shocks can have ramifications across the globe. Quantitative models have made great strides at predicting these events in recent decades but incorporate few explicitly measured cultural variables. However, in recent years cultural evolutionary theory has emerged as a major paradigm to understand the inheritance and diffusion of human cultural variation. Here, we combine these two strands of research by proposing that measures of socio-linguistic affiliation derived from language phylogenies track variation in cultural norms that influence how political and economic changes diffuse across the globe. First, we show that changes over time in a country's democratic or autocratic character correlate with simultaneous changes among their socio-linguistic affiliations more than with changes of spatially proximate countries. Second, we find that models of changes in sovereign default status favor including socio-linguistic affiliations in addition to spatial data. These findings suggest that better measurement of cultural networks could be profoundly useful to policy makers who wish to diversify commercial, social, and other forms of investment across political and economic risks on an international scale.

  13. In vitro evaluation of color change in maxillofacial elastomer through the use of an ultraviolet light absorber and a hindered amine light stabilizer.

    PubMed

    Tran, Ngoc H; Scarbecz, Mark; Gary, John J

    2004-05-01

    External prostheses composed of silicone elastomers exhibit an unwanted color change over time. This study evaluated color stability when an ultraviolet light absorber and hindered amine light stabilizer were mixed in the maxillofacial elastomer containing either organic or inorganic pigments. The materials used were an RTV silicone elastomer, 1 natural inorganic dry-earth pigment (burnt sienna) and 2 synthesized organic pigments (hansa yellow and alizarin red), ultraviolet light absorber (UVA) and hindered amine light stabilizer (HALS). Specimens (n=160) were fabricated in a custom mold and randomly assigned and exposed to weathering sites in Miami and Phoenix for approximately 3 months. Eight test groups (2 of each 4 material types with or without additives) of 10 specimens each were assigned to each site. L*, a*, b* readings were obtained before and after weathering from a spectrocolorimeter. Nonpigmented elastomers served as the control. Three-factor ANOVA was conducted to examine interaction effects between weathering sites, specimen type, and the presence of additive (alpha=.05). Overall color change (Delta E) and change in color coordinates (Delta L*, Delta a*, Delta b*) of specimen groups with and without additive were analyzed with independent sample t tests. In specimen groups with the additives (UVA and HALS), color change decreased significantly (P<.05) in burnt sienna and hansa yellow in Phoenix and in the control and hansa yellow in Miami. Additives did not affect color change in the alizarin red group. UVA and HALS were shown to be effective in retarding color change in some circumstances.

  14. Synchronous environmental and cultural change in the prehistory of the northeastern United States.

    PubMed

    Munoz, Samuel E; Gajewski, Konrad; Peros, Matthew C

    2010-12-21

    Climatic changes during the late Quaternary have resulted in substantial, often abrupt, rearrangements of terrestrial ecosystems, but the relationship between these environmental changes and prehistoric human culture and population size remains unclear. Using a database of archaeological radiocarbon dates alongside a network of paleoecological records (sedimentary pollen and charcoal) and paleoclimatic reconstructions, we show that periods of cultural and demographic change in the northeastern United States occurred at the same times as the major environmental-climatic transitions of that region. At 11.6, 8.2, 5.4, and 3.0 kyr BP (10(3) calendar years before present), changes in forest composition altered the distribution, availability, and predictability of food resources which triggered technological adjustments manifested in the archaeological record. Human population level has varied in response to these external changes in ecosystems, but the adoption of maize agriculture during the late Holocene also resulted in a substantial population increase. This study demonstrates the long-term interconnectedness of prehistoric human cultures and the ecosystems they inhabited, and provides a consolidated environmental-cultural framework from which more interdisciplinary research and discussion can develop. Moreover, it emphasizes the complex nature of human responses to environmental change in a temperate region.

  15. Photophoretic trampoline—Interaction of single airborne absorbing droplets with light

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Esseling, Michael; Rose, Patrick; Alpmann, Christina; Denz, Cornelia

    2012-09-01

    We present the light-induced manipulation of absorbing liquid droplets in air. Ink droplets from a printer cartridge are used to demonstrate that absorbing liquids—just like their solid counterparts—can interact with regions of high light intensity due to the photophoretic force. It is shown that droplets follow a quasi-ballistic trajectory after bouncing off a high intensity light sheet. We estimate the intensities necessary for this rebound of airborne droplets and change the droplet trajectories through a variation of the manipulating light field.

  16. Modeling Effects of Local Extinctions on Culture Change and Diversity in the Paleolithic

    PubMed Central

    Premo, L. S.; Kuhn, Steven L.

    2010-01-01

    The persistence of early stone tool technologies has puzzled archaeologists for decades. Cognitively based explanations, which presume either lack of ability to innovate or extreme conformism, do not account for the totality of the empirical patterns. Following recent research, this study explores the effects of demographic factors on rates of culture change and diversification. We investigate whether the appearance of stability in early Paleolithic technologies could result from frequent extinctions of local subpopulations within a persistent metapopulation. A spatially explicit agent-based model was constructed to test the influence of local extinction rate on three general cultural patterns that archaeologists might observe in the material record: total diversity, differentiation among spatially defined groups, and the rate of cumulative change. The model shows that diversity, differentiation, and the rate of cumulative cultural change would be strongly affected by local extinction rates, in some cases mimicking the results of conformist cultural transmission. The results have implications for understanding spatial and temporal patterning in ancient material culture. PMID:21179418

  17. Sound Absorbers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fuchs, H. V.; Möser, M.

    Sound absorption indicates the transformation of sound energy into heat. It is, for instance, employed to design the acoustics in rooms. The noise emitted by machinery and plants shall be reduced before arriving at a workplace; auditoria such as lecture rooms or concert halls require a certain reverberation time. Such design goals are realised by installing absorbing components at the walls with well-defined absorption characteristics, which are adjusted for corresponding demands. Sound absorbers also play an important role in acoustic capsules, ducts and screens to avoid sound immission from noise intensive environments into the neighbourhood.

  18. Absorbing Software Testing into the Scrum Method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tuomikoski, Janne; Tervonen, Ilkka

    In this paper we study, how to absorb software testing into the Scrum method. We conducted the research as an action research during the years 2007-2008 with three iterations. The result showed that testing can and even should be absorbed to the Scrum method. The testing team was merged into the Scrum teams. The teams can now deliver better working software in a shorter time, because testing keeps track of the progress of the development. Also the team spirit is higher, because the Scrum team members are committed to the same goal. The biggest change from test manager’s point of view was the organized Product Owner Team. Test manager don’t have testing team anymore, and in the future all the testing tasks have to be assigned through the Product Backlog.

  19. The advantages of absorbed-dose calibration factors.

    PubMed

    Rogers, D W

    1992-01-01

    A formalism for clinical external beam dosimetry based on use of ion chamber absorbed-dose calibration factors is outlined in the context and notation of the AAPM TG-21 protocol. It is shown that basing clinical dosimetry on absorbed-dose calibration factors ND leads to considerable simplification and reduced uncertainty in dose measurement. In keeping with a protocol which is used in Germany, a quantity kQ is defined which relates an absorbed-dose calibration factor in a beam of quality Q0 to that in a beam of quality Q. For 38 cylindrical ion chambers, two sets of values are presented for ND/NX and Ngas/ND and for kQ for photon beams with beam quality specified by the TPR20(10) ratio. One set is based on TG-21's protocol to allow the new formalism to be used while maintaining equivalence to the TG-21 protocol. To demonstrate the magnitude of the overall error in the TG-21 protocol, the other set uses corrected versions of the TG-21 equations and the more consistent physical data of the IAEA Code of Practice. Comparisons are made to procedures based on air-kerma or exposure calibration factors and it is shown that accuracy and simplicity are gained by avoiding the determination of Ngas from NX. It is also shown that the kQ approach simplifies the use of plastic phantoms in photon beams since kQ values change by less than 0.6% compared to those in water although an overall correction factor of 0.973 is needed to go from absorbed dose in water calibration factors to those in PMMA or polystyrene. Values of kQ calculated using the IAEA Code of Practice are presented but are shown to be anomalous because of the way the effective point of measurement changes for 60Co beams. In photon beams the major difference between the IAEA Code of Practice and the corrected AAPM TG-21 protocol is shown to be the Prepl correction factor. Calculated kQ curves and three parameter equations for them are presented for each wall material and are shown to represent accurately the kQ curve

  20. Effects of morphology on the radiative properties of internally mixed light absorbing carbon aerosols with different aging status.

    PubMed

    Cheng, Tianhai; Wu, Yu; Chen, Hao

    2014-06-30

    Light absorbing carbon aerosols play a substantial role in climate change through radiative forcing, which is the dominant absorber of solar radiation. Radiative properties of light absorbing carbon aerosols are strongly dependent on the morphological factors and the mixing mechanism of black carbon with other aerosol components. This study focuses on the morphological effects on the optical properties of internally mixed light absorbing carbon aerosols using the numerically exact superposition T-matrix method. Three types aerosols with different aging status such as freshly emitted BC particles, thinly coated light absorbing carbon aerosols, heavily coated light absorbing carbon aerosols are studied. Our study showed that morphological factors change with the aging of internally mixed light absorbing carbon aerosols to result in a dramatic change in their optical properties. The absorption properties of light absorbing carbon aerosols can be enhanced approximately a factor of 2 at 0.67 um, and these enhancements depend on the morphological factors. A larger shell/core diameter ratio of volume-equivalent shell-core spheres (S/C), which indicates the degree of coating, leads to stronger absorption. The enhancement of absorption properties accompanies a greater enhancement of scattering properties, which is reflected in an increase in single scattering albedo (SSA). The enhancement of single scattering albedo due to the morphological effects can reach a factor of 3.75 at 0.67 μm. The asymmetry parameter has a similar yet smaller enhancement. Moreover, the corresponding optical properties of shell-and-core model determined by using Lorenz -Mie solutions are presented for comparison. We found that the optical properties of internally mixed light absorbing carbon aerosol can differ fundamentally from those calculated for the Mie theory shell-and-core model, particularly for thinly coated light absorbing carbon aerosols. Our studies indicate that the complex morphology

  1. For Better or Worse: Contemporary Social, Cultural, and Economic Changes in Europe and Their Significance for Culture and Educational Policies.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lithman, Yngve Georg

    1986-01-01

    Maintains that western European countries are experiencing a decontextualization of traditional social life resulting in new demands on education. Topics discussed are: (1) the collapse of the working-class culture; (2) changes in identity formation; (3) emerging cultural forms and youth culture; and (4) the consequences of international…

  2. Frequency-tunable terahertz absorber with wire-based metamaterial and graphene

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xiong, Han; Jiang, Yan-Nan; Yang, Cheng; Zeng, Xiao-Ping

    2018-01-01

    We present a dynamically tunable metamaterial graphene absorber (MGA) in the terahertz regime. The unit cell of the proposed MGA consists of metal wire and graphene sheet over the grounded dielectric absorber. The MGA achieves frequency tunable characteristics via changing the chemical potential. In order to understand the absorption mechanism of this absorber, a simple equivalent circuit method has been proposed. Because the coupling between wire-based metamaterial and graphene is complicated and cannot be neglected an equivalent surface impedance was introduced and extracted for simplification. In addition to the chemical potential of graphene, the constitutive parameters of metal wire are also discussed in detail to completely understand how these factors affect the absorption properties. It is believed that this study may be useful for providing valuable guidance in the development of more advanced MGAs.

  3. Persistence and Cultural Maintenance Correlates of Change Obstruction.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McGill, Jerrie L. B.

    This dissertation suggests that persistence in concert with the force of resistance, exists within individual educators and the educational subsystem, and operates to maintain existing sociocultural structures. Anthropological explanations of the change process were examined with an indication that within the wider cultural milieu the educational…

  4. Enhancement mechanism of the additional absorbent on the absorption of the absorbing composite using a type-based mixing rule

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xu, Yonggang; Yuan, Liming; Zhang, Deyuan

    2016-04-01

    A silicone rubber composite filled with carbonyl iron particles and four different carbonous materials (carbon black, graphite, carbon fiber or multi-walled carbon nanotubes) was prepared using a two-roller mixture. The complex permittivity and permeability were measured using a vector network analyzer at the frequency of 2-18 GHz. Then a type-based mixing rule based on the dielectric absorbent and magnetic absorbent was proposed to reveal the enhancing mechanism on the permittivity and permeability. The enforcement effect lies in the decreased percolation threshold and the changing pending parameter as the carbonous materials were added. The reflection loss (RL) result showed the added carbonous materials enhanced the absorption in the lower frequency range, the RL decrement value being about 2 dB at 4-5 GHz with a thickness of 1 mm. All the added carbonous materials reinforced the shielding effectiveness (SE) of the composites. The maximum increment value of the SE was about 3.23 dB at 0.5 mm and 4.65 dB at 1 mm, respectively. The added carbonous materials could be effective additives for enforcing the absorption and shielding property of the absorbers.

  5. Overcoming resistance to culture change: nursing home administrators' use of education, training, and communication.

    PubMed

    Tyler, Denise A; Lepore, Michael; Shield, Renee R; Looze, Jessica; Miller, Susan C

    2014-01-01

    Nursing home culture change is becoming more prevalent, and research has demonstrated its benefits for nursing home residents and staff-but little is known about the role of nursing home administrators in culture change implementation. The purpose of this study was to determine what barriers nursing home administrators face in implementing culture change practices, and to identify the strategies used to overcome them. The authors conducted in-depth individual interviews with 64 administrators identified through a nationally representative survey. Results showed that a key barrier to culture change implementation reported by administrators was staff, resident, and family member resistance to change. Most nursing home administrators stressed the importance of using communication, education and training to overcome this resistance. Themes emerging around the concepts of communication and education indicate that these efforts should be ongoing, communication should be reciprocal, and that all stakeholders should be included.

  6. Overcoming Resistance to Culture Change: Nursing Home Administrators’ Use of Education, Training and Communication

    PubMed Central

    Tyler, Denise A.; Lepore, Michael; Shield, Renee R.; Looze, Jessica; Miller, Susan C.

    2014-01-01

    Nursing home culture change is becoming more prevalent and research has demonstrated its benefits for nursing home residents and staff, but little is known about the role of nursing home administrators in culture change implementation. The purpose of this study was to determine what barriers nursing home administrators faced in implementing culture change practices and to identify the strategies used to overcome these. We conducted in-depth individual interviews with 64 administrators identified through a nationally representative survey. Results showed that a key barrier to culture change implementation reported by administrators was staff, resident and family member resistance to change. Most nursing home administrators stressed the importance of using communication, education and training to overcome this resistance. Themes emerging around the concepts of communication and education indicate that these efforts should be ongoing, communication should be reciprocal, and that all stakeholders should be included. PMID:24266678

  7. Changing Classroom Practices: Resources for Literary and Cultural Studies. Refiguring English Studies.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Downing, David B., Ed.

    Offering models for what reconfigured literary and cultural studies classrooms might look like, this book suggests new directions for teachers of literary and cultural studies seeking to change their own classroom practices and curriculum designs in a time of significant cultural uncertainty. The 14 essays in the book are grounded in the…

  8. Actualizing culture change: The Promoting Excellent Alternatives in Kansas Nursing Homes (PEAK 2.0) program.

    PubMed

    Doll, Gayle A; Cornelison, Laci J; Rath, Heath; Syme, Maggie L

    2017-08-01

    Nursing homes have been challenged in their attempts to achieve deep, organizational change (i.e., culture change) aimed at providing quality of care and quality of life for nursing home residents through person-centered care. To attain deep change, 2 well-defined components must be in place: a shared understanding of (a) the what, or content goals, and (b) the how, or process of change. However, there are few examples of this at a macro or micro level in long-term care. In an effort to enact true culture change in nursing homes statewide, the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services implemented the Promoting Excellent Alternatives in Kansas Nursing Homes program. This program is a Medicaid, pay-for-performance program that formalizes the content and process of achieving culture change through person-centered care principles. This article aims to detail the content (what) and process (how) of a model macro-level program of culture change throughout the State of Kansas. Applications to the micro level (individual homes) are presented, and implications for psychologists' roles in facilitating culture change are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

  9. Impact of national context and culture on curriculum change: a case study.

    PubMed

    Jippes, Mariëlle; Driessen, Erik W; Majoor, Gerard D; Gijselaers, Wim H; Muijtjens, Arno M M; van der Vleuten, Cees P M

    2013-08-01

    Earlier studies suggested national culture to be a potential barrier to curriculum reform in medical schools. In particular, Hofstede's cultural dimension 'uncertainty avoidance' had a significant negative relationship with the implementation rate of integrated curricula. However, some schools succeeded to adopt curriculum changes despite their country's strong uncertainty avoidance. This raised the question: 'How did those schools overcome the barrier of uncertainty avoidance?' Austria offered the combination of a high uncertainty avoidance score and integrated curricula in all its medical schools. Twenty-seven key change agents in four medical universities were interviewed and transcripts analysed using thematic cross-case analysis. Initially, strict national laws and limited autonomy of schools inhibited innovation and fostered an 'excuse culture': 'It's not our fault. It is the ministry's'. A new law increasing university autonomy stimulated reforms. However, just this law would have been insufficient as many faculty still sought to avoid change. A strong need for change, supportive and continuous leadership, and visionary change agents were also deemed essential. In societies with strong uncertainty avoidance strict legislation may enforce resistance to curriculum change. In those countries opposition by faculty can be overcome if national legislation encourages change, provided additional internal factors support the change process.

  10. Radiative forcing by light-absorbing aerosols of pyrogenetic iron oxides.

    PubMed

    Ito, Akinori; Lin, Guangxing; Penner, Joyce E

    2018-05-09

    Iron (Fe) oxides in aerosols are known to absorb sun light and heat the atmosphere. However, the radiative forcing (RF) of light-absorbing aerosols of pyrogenetic Fe oxides is ignored in climate models. For the first time, we use a global chemical transport model and a radiative transfer model to estimate the RF by light-absorbing aerosols of pyrogenetic Fe oxides. The model results suggest that strongly absorbing Fe oxides (magnetite) contribute a RF that is about 10% of the RF due to black carbon (BC) over East Asia. The seasonal average of the RF due to dark Fe-rich mineral particles over East Asia (0.4-1.0 W m -2 ) is comparable to that over major biomass burning regions. This additional warming effect is amplified over polluted regions where the iron and steel industries have been recently developed. These findings may have important implications for the projection of the climate change, due to the rapid growth in energy consumption of the heavy industry in newly developing countries.

  11. Shared Cultural History as a Predictor of Political and Economic Changes among Nation States

    PubMed Central

    Matthews, Luke J.; Passmore, Sam; Richard, Paul M.; Gray, Russell D.; Atkinson, Quentin D.

    2016-01-01

    Political and economic risks arise from social phenomena that spread within and across countries. Regime changes, protest movements, and stock market and default shocks can have ramifications across the globe. Quantitative models have made great strides at predicting these events in recent decades but incorporate few explicitly measured cultural variables. However, in recent years cultural evolutionary theory has emerged as a major paradigm to understand the inheritance and diffusion of human cultural variation. Here, we combine these two strands of research by proposing that measures of socio-linguistic affiliation derived from language phylogenies track variation in cultural norms that influence how political and economic changes diffuse across the globe. First, we show that changes over time in a country’s democratic or autocratic character correlate with simultaneous changes among their socio-linguistic affiliations more than with changes of spatially proximate countries. Second, we find that models of changes in sovereign default status favor including socio-linguistic affiliations in addition to spatial data. These findings suggest that better measurement of cultural networks could be profoundly useful to policy makers who wish to diversify commercial, social, and other forms of investment across political and economic risks on an international scale. PMID:27110713

  12. Impact of the Climate Change on Cultural Heritage Sites in Cyprus

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cuca, Branka; Agapiou, Athos; Lysandrou, Vasiliki; Themistocleous, Kyriacos; Nisantzi, Argyro; Michaelides, Silas; Hadjimitsis, Diofantos G.

    2016-04-01

    Climate change is one of the main factors with a significant impact on changes of cultural heritage and landscapes. Exposed and buried archaeological remains are particularly endangered by effects of climate change processes hence it is of great importance to understand the type of risks and the degree of their impact on such assets. Some of the potential risks for cultural heritage and landscape include flooding, intense rainfall, increase in time of wetness, extreme events in temperature change, coastal flooding, drought, wind driven/transported agents (sand, rain or salt) and so forth. From the geo-science perspective, the topic of climate change and the risks it causes is of crucial importance for environmental monitoring in general and it is one of the main applications of the European program on Earth Observation Copernicus. The activities performed in CLIMA project - "Cultural Landscape risk Identification, Management and Assessment" have as one of the main tasks to combining the fields of remote sensing technologies, including the Sentinel data, and cultural heritage monitoring. Such interdisciplinary approach was undertaken in order to identify major climate change risks affecting archaeological heritage in rural areas in Cyprus and to identify the most suitable Earth Observation (EO) and ground-based methods that might be effective in the mapping, diagnostics and monitoring of such risks. This thorough analysis will support the overall design of the CLIMA platform based in EO data analysis, risk models and ground-based methods to provide integrated information for specialists in remote sensing but also to archeologists and policy makers engaged in heritage preservation and management. The case study selected for Cyprus is the awarded Nea Paphos archeological site and historical center of Paphos that is surrounding this UNSECO World Heritage site.

  13. Dynamic tuning of optical absorbers for accelerated solar-thermal energy storage.

    PubMed

    Wang, Zhongyong; Tong, Zhen; Ye, Qinxian; Hu, Hang; Nie, Xiao; Yan, Chen; Shang, Wen; Song, Chengyi; Wu, Jianbo; Wang, Jun; Bao, Hua; Tao, Peng; Deng, Tao

    2017-11-14

    Currently, solar-thermal energy storage within phase-change materials relies on adding high thermal-conductivity fillers to improve the thermal-diffusion-based charging rate, which often leads to limited enhancement of charging speed and sacrificed energy storage capacity. Here we report the exploration of a magnetically enhanced photon-transport-based charging approach, which enables the dynamic tuning of the distribution of optical absorbers dispersed within phase-change materials, to simultaneously achieve fast charging rates, large phase-change enthalpy, and high solar-thermal energy conversion efficiency. Compared with conventional thermal charging, the optical charging strategy improves the charging rate by more than 270% and triples the amount of overall stored thermal energy. This superior performance results from the distinct step-by-step photon-transport charging mechanism and the increased latent heat storage through magnetic manipulation of the dynamic distribution of optical absorbers.

  14. Is cultural change associated with eating disorders? A systematic review of the literature.

    PubMed

    Doris, Eli; Shekriladze, Ia; Javakhishvili, Nino; Jones, Roshan; Treasure, Janet; Tchanturia, Kate

    2015-06-01

    There is debate as to whether the development of an eating disorder (ED) may be triggered by acculturation to Western culture. While there is evidence to suggest that acculturation to Western culture is associated with risk of having an ED, these findings are limited, vary significantly, and are sometimes conflicting. To review the literature and empirical data on the association between ED symptoms and acculturation in the context of Western culture. A systematic search of peer-reviewed publications using a combination of the keywords "Culture", "Acculturation" and "Eating disorders" was first performed in August 2014 and updated in February 2015 with the following databases: PubMed and SCOPUS. Reference lists were also hand searched. In total, the search provided more than 50 studies. Following screening (as stated in the PRISMA guidelines) of the titles and abstracts by inclusion and exclusion criteria and quality assessment of the full text, 25 studies were identified to be appropriate for the review. Articles were examined in relation to the findings, as well as the ED and acculturation measures used. Eleven studies suggested considerable association between ED and culture change/acculturation. Six studies suggested little or no association between ED and culture change/acculturation. Eight studies did not primarily examine association, yet generated valuable insight. While there was relative consistency across studies in terms of the ED measures selected, measures of acculturation varied significantly. The majority of the evidence reviewed here suggests that there is a substantial association between culture change and ED psychopathology. However, both greater and lesser acculturation have been identified as risk factors for the development of an ED, and this varies depending on the group studied as well as how acculturation and culture change are conceptualized and measured. Further research is warranted to form cross-culturally acceptable definitions and

  15. Metal-shearing energy absorber

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fay, R. J.; Wittrock, E. P.

    1971-01-01

    Device, consisting of tongue of thin aluminum alloy strip, pull tab, slotted steel plate which serves as cutter, and steel buckle, absorbs mechanical energy when its ends are subjected to tensile loading. Device is applicable as auxiliary shock absorbing anchor for automobile and airplane safety belts.

  16. Culture growth of testate amoebae under different silicon concentrations.

    PubMed

    Wanner, Manfred; Seidl-Lampa, Barbara; Höhn, Axel; Puppe, Daniel; Meisterfeld, Ralf; Sommer, Michael

    2016-10-01

    Testate amoebae with self-secreted siliceous shell platelets ("idiosomes") play an important role in terrestrial silicon (Si) cycles. In this context, Si-dependent culture growth dynamics of idiosomic testate amoebae are of interest. Clonal cultures of idiosomic testate amoebae were analyzed under three different Si concentrations: low (50μmolL -1 ), moderate/site-specific (150μmolL -1 ) and high Si supply (500μmolL -1 ). Food (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) was provided in surplus. (i) Shell size of four different clones of idiosomic testate amoebae either decreased (Trinema galeata, Euglypha filifera cf.), increased (E. rotunda cf.), or did not change (E. rotunda) under the lowest Si concentration (50μmolSiL -1 ). (ii) Culture growth of idiosomic Euglypha rotunda was dependent on Si concentration. The more Si available in the culture medium, the earlier the entry into exponential growth phase. (iii) Culture growth of idiosomic Euglypha rotunda was dependent on origin of inoculum. Amoebae previously cultured under a moderate Si concentration revealed highest sustainability in consecutive cultures. Amoebae derived from cultures with high Si concentrations showed rapid culture growth which finished early in consecutive cultures. (iv) Si (diluted in the culture medium) was absorbed by amoebae and fixed in the amoeba shells resulting in decreased Si concentrations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  17. Strategic Culture Change: The Door to Achieving High Performance and Inclusion.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Miller, Frederick A.

    1998-01-01

    Presents diversity as a resource to create a high performing work culture that enables all employees to do their best work. Distinguishes between diversity and inclusion, describes a model for diagnosing an organization's culture, sets forth steps for implementing a organizational change, and discusses the human resource professional's role.…

  18. Changing the Culture of Alcohol Abuse on Campus: Lessons Learned from Secondhand Smoke

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Misch, Donald A.

    2010-01-01

    Alcohol abuse is the single greatest public health hazard on American college and university campuses, but the culture of abusive alcohol consumption continues to be highly resistant to change. The author argues that secondhand smoke campaigns can be used as models to change the culture of alcohol abuse on campus. He proposes the implementation of…

  19. Intrascleral outflow after deep sclerectomy with absorbable and non-absorbable implants in the rabbit eye.

    PubMed

    Kałużny, Jakub J; Grzanka, Dariusz; Wiśniewska, Halina; Niewińska, Alicja; Kałużny, Bartłomiej J; Grzanka, Alina

    2012-10-01

    The purpose of the study is an analysis of intrascleral drainage vessels formed in rabbits' eyes after non-penetrating deep sclerectomy (NPDS) with absorbable and non-absorbable implants, and comparison to eyes in which surgery was performed without implanted material. NPDS was carried out in 12 rabbits, with implantation of non-absorbable methacrylic hydrogel (N=10 eyes) or absorbable cross-linked sodium hyaluronate (N=6 eyes), or without any implant (N=8 eyes). All the animals were euthanized 1 year after surgery. Twenty-one eyeballs were prepared for light microscopy and 3 were prepared for transmission electron microscope (TEM) analysis. Aqueous humour pathways were stained with ferritin in 6 eyeballs. By light microscopy, small vessels adjacent to the areas of scarring were the most common abnormality. Vessel density was significantly higher in operated sclera compared to normal, healthy tissue, regardless of the type of implant used. The average vessel densities were 2.18±1.48 vessels/mm2 in non-implanted sclera, 2.34±1.69 vessels/mm2 in eyes with absorbable implants, and 3.64±1.78 vessels/mm2 in eyes with non-absorbable implants. Analysis of iron distribution in ferritin-injected eyes showed a positive reaction inside new aqueous draining vessels in all groups. TEM analysis showed that the ultrastructure of new vessels matched the features of the small veins. Aqueous outflow after NPDS can be achieved through the newly formed network of small intrascleral veins. Use of non-absorbable implants significantly increases vessel density in the sclera adjacent to implanted material compared to eyes in which absorbable implants or no implants were used.

  20. Antioxidative activity of lactobacilli measured by oxygen radical absorbance capacity.

    PubMed

    Saide, J A O; Gilliland, S E

    2005-04-01

    The reducing ability and antioxidative activity of some species of Lactobacillus were compared under in vitro conditions. Cultures of Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. lactis, Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Lactobacillus casei were grown at 37 degrees C in de Man, Rogosa, Sharpe (MRS) broth supplemented with 0.5% 2,3,5 triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) to evaluate reducing activity. Reduced TTC was extracted from the cultures with acetone, and the intensity of the red color measured colorimetrically at 485 nm was an indication of reducing activity. The lactobacilli varied significantly in relative ability to reduce TTC when grown in MRS broth for 15 h. The relative amounts of growth as indicated by pH values at 18 h appeared to influence the amount of reduction. Antioxidative activity was evaluated by the ability of the whole cells or the cell-free extracts from cultures to protect a protein from being attacked by free radicals. These analyses were performed using the oxygen radical absorbance capacity method. All cultures tested exhibited some degree of antioxidative activity. Among the treatments, the cell-free extracts from cells grown in MRS broth exhibited significantly higher values than did whole cells. There was no apparent relationship between the reducing and antioxidative activities of the cultures evaluated. The results from this study show that these cultures can provide a source of dietary antioxidants. Furthermore, selection of cultures that produce antioxidants as starters could provide yet another health or nutritional benefit from cultured or culture-containing dairy products.

  1. Prion Replication Elicits Cytopathic Changes in Differentiated Neurosphere Cultures

    PubMed Central

    Iwamaru, Yoshifumi; Takenouchi, Takato; Imamura, Morikazu; Shimizu, Yoshihisa; Miyazawa, Kohtaro; Mohri, Shirou; Yokoyama, Takashi

    2013-01-01

    The molecular mechanisms of prion-induced cytotoxicity remain largely obscure. Currently, only a few cell culture models have exhibited the cytopathic changes associated with prion infection. In this study, we introduced a cell culture model based on differentiated neurosphere cultures isolated from the brains of neonatal prion protein (PrP)-null mice and transgenic mice expressing murine PrP (dNP0 and dNP20 cultures). Upon exposure to mouse Chandler prions, dNP20 cultures supported the de novo formation of abnormal PrP and the resulting infectivity, as assessed by bioassays. Furthermore, this culture was susceptible to various prion strains, including mouse-adapted scrapie, bovine spongiform encephalopathy, and Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker syndrome prions. Importantly, a subset of the cells in the infected culture that was mainly composed of astrocyte lineage cells consistently displayed late-occurring, progressive signs of cytotoxicity as evidenced by morphological alterations, decreased cell viability, and increased lactate dehydrogenase release. These signs of cytotoxicity were not observed in infected dNP0 cultures, suggesting the requirement of endogenous PrP expression for prion-induced cytotoxicity. Degenerated cells positive for glial fibrillary acidic protein accumulated abnormal PrP and exhibited features of apoptotic death as assessed by active caspase-3 and terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase nick-end staining. Furthermore, caspase inhibition provided partial protection from prion-mediated cell death. These results suggest that differentiated neurosphere cultures can provide an in vitro bioassay for mouse prions and permit the study of the molecular basis for prion-induced cytotoxicity at the cellular level. PMID:23740992

  2. Advanced neutron absorber materials

    DOEpatents

    Branagan, Daniel J.; Smolik, Galen R.

    2000-01-01

    A neutron absorbing material and method utilizing rare earth elements such as gadolinium, europium and samarium to form metallic glasses and/or noble base nano/microcrystalline materials, the neutron absorbing material having a combination of superior neutron capture cross sections coupled with enhanced resistance to corrosion, oxidation and leaching.

  3. UV-visible absorbance spectroscopy as a proxy for peatland dissolved organic carbon (DOC) quantity and quality: considerations on wavelength and absorbance degradation.

    PubMed

    Peacock, Mike; Evans, Chris D; Fenner, Nathalie; Freeman, Chris; Gough, Rachel; Jones, Timothy G; Lebron, Inma

    2014-05-01

    Absorbance in the UV or visible spectrum (UV-vis) is commonly used as a proxy for DOC concentrations in waters draining upland catchments. To determine the appropriateness of different UV-vis measurements we used surface and pore water samples from two Welsh peatlands in four different experiments: (i) an assessment of single wavelength proxies (1 nm increments between 230-800 nm) for DOC concentration demonstrated that 254 nm was more accurate than 400 nm. The highest R(2) values between absorbance and DOC concentration were generated using 263 nm for one sample set (R(2) = 0.91), and 230 nm for the other three sample sets (respective R(2) values of 0.86, 0.81, and 0.93). (ii) A comparison of different DOC concentration proxies, including single wavelength proxies, a two wavelength model, a proxy using phenolic concentration, and a proxy using the area under a UV spectrum at 250-350 nm. It was found that both a single wavelength proxy (≤263 nm) and a two wavelength model performed well for both pore water and surface water. (iii) An evaluation of the E2 : E3, E2 : E4, E4 : E6 ratios, and SUVA (absorbance at 254 nm normalised to DOC concentration) as indicators of DOC quality showed that the E4 : E6 ratio was subject to extensive variation over time, and was highly correlated between surface water and pore water, suggesting that it is a useful metric to determine temporal changes in DOC quality. (iv) A repeated weekly analysis over twelve weeks showed no consistent change in UV-vis absorbance, and therefore an inferred lack of degradation of total DOC in samples that were filtered and stored in the dark at 4 °C.

  4. Has solar variability caused climate change that affected human culture?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Feynman, Joan

    If solar variability affects human culture it most likely does so by changing the climate in which the culture operates. Variations in the solar radiative input to the Earth's atmosphere have often been suggested as a cause of such climate change on time scales from decades to tens of millennia. In the last 20 years there has been enormous progress in our knowledge of the many fields of research that impinge on this problem; the history of the solar output, the effect of solar variability on the Earth's mean climate and its regional patterns, the history of the Earth's climate and the history of mankind and human culture. This new knowledge encourages revisiting the question asked in the title of this talk. Several important historical events have been reliably related to climate change including the Little Ice Age in northern Europe and the collapse of the Classical Mayan civilization in the 9th century AD. In the first section of this paper we discus these historical events and review the evidence that they were caused by changes in the solar output. Perhaps the most important event in the history of mankind was the development of agricultural societies. This began to occur almost 12,000 years ago when the climate changed from the Pleistocene to the modern climate of the Holocene. In the second section of the paper we will discuss the suggestion ( Feynman and Ruzmaikin, 2007) that climate variability was the reason agriculture developed when it did and not before.

  5. Steps Toward Understanding Rapid Culture Change in Native Rural Alaska.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Davis, Nancy Yaw

    To increase understanding of culture change in rural Alaska as it specifically pertains to selected policy-related issues outlined by the Federal-State Land Use Planning Commission staff, four general areas are addressed: traditional subsistence use and effects of changing access and availability of those activities, apparent long-range effects of…

  6. Violence Against Women in Cambodia: Towards a Culturally Responsive Theory of Change.

    PubMed

    Eisenbruch, Maurice

    2018-06-01

    Almost one in four women in Cambodia is a victim of physical, emotional or sexual violence. This article brings together two seldom connected fields: Theory of Change (ToC) and cultural responsiveness in international development. It applies these approaches to a priority in global health, which is to prevent violence against women (VAW) and, drawing on my research on the epigenesis of VAW in Cambodia, develops an argument on the need for interventions to work with tradition and culture rather than only highlight it in problematic terms. The research draws on an ethnographic study carried out in Cambodia with 102 perpetrators and survivors of emotional, physical and sexual VAW and 228 key informants from the Buddhist and healing sectors. The eight 'cultural attractors' identified in the author's prior research highlight the cultural barriers to acceptance of the current Theory of Change. ToC for VAW prevention in Cambodia seems to assume that local culture promotes VAW and that men and women must be educated to eradicate the traditional gender norms. There is a need for interventions to work with tradition and culture rather than only highlight it in problematic terms. The cultural epigenesis of VAW in Cambodia is an insight which can be used to build culturally responsive interventions and strengthen the primary prevention of VAW.

  7. Mexican-Origin Youth's Cultural Orientations and Adjustment: Changes from Early to Late Adolescence

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Updegraff, Kimberly A.; Umana-Taylor, Adriana J.; McHale, Susan M.; Wheeler, Lorey A.; Perez-Brena, Norma J.

    2012-01-01

    Drawing from developmental and cultural adaptation perspectives and using a longitudinal design, this study examined: (a) mean-level changes in Mexican-origin adolescents' cultural orientations and adjustment from early to late adolescence and (b) bidirectional associations between cultural orientations and adjustment using a cross-lag panel…

  8. Cracking the Challenge of Changing Dispositions: Changing Hearts and Minds through Stories, Narratives, and Direct Cultural Interactions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kidd, Julie K.; Sanchez, Sylvia Y.; Thorp, Eva K.

    2005-01-01

    This paper reports the findings of a study that examined changes in interns' culturally and family-responsive dispositions over the course of a 2-year early childhood teacher preparation program that prepares teachers who are willing and able to work with culturally, linguistically, and ability-diverse young children and their families.…

  9. Saccharomyces cerevisiae gene expression changes during rotating wall vessel suspension culture

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Johanson, Kelly; Allen, Patricia L.; Lewis, Fawn; Cubano, Luis A.; Hyman, Linda E.; Hammond, Timothy G.

    2002-01-01

    This study utilizes Saccharomyces cerevisiae to study genetic responses to suspension culture. The suspension culture system used in this study is the high-aspect-ratio vessel, one type of the rotating wall vessel, that provides a high rate of gas exchange necessary for rapidly dividing cells. Cells were grown in the high-aspect-ratio vessel, and DNA microarray and metabolic analyses were used to determine the resulting changes in yeast gene expression. A significant number of genes were found to be up- or downregulated by at least twofold as a result of rotational growth. By using Gibbs promoter alignment, clusters of genes were examined for promoter elements mediating these genetic changes. Candidate binding motifs similar to the Rap1p binding site and the stress-responsive element were identified in the promoter regions of differentially regulated genes. This study shows that, as in higher order organisms, S. cerevisiae changes gene expression in response to rotational culture and also provides clues for investigations into the signaling pathways involved in gravitational response.

  10. Experimental indication for band gap widening of chalcopyrite solar cell absorbers after potassium fluoride treatment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pistor, P.; Greiner, D.; Kaufmann, C. A.; Brunken, S.; Gorgoi, M.; Steigert, A.; Calvet, W.; Lauermann, I.; Klenk, R.; Unold, T.; Lux-Steiner, M.-C.

    2014-08-01

    The implementation of potassium fluoride treatments as a doping and surface modification procedure in chalcopyrite absorber preparation has recently gained much interest since it led to new record efficiencies for this kind of solar cells. In the present work, Cu(In,Ga)Se2 absorbers have been evaporated on alkali containing Mo/soda-lime glass substrates. We report on compositional and electronic changes of the Cu(In,Ga)Se2 absorber surface as a result of a post deposition treatment with KF (KF PDT). In particular, by comparing standard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and synchrotron-based hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HAXPES), we are able to confirm a strong Cu depletion in the absorbers after the KF PDT which is limited to the very near surface region. As a result of the Cu depletion, we find a change of the valence band structure and a shift of the valence band onset by approximately 0.4 eV to lower binding energies which is tentatively explained by a band gap widening as expected for Cu deficient compounds. The KF PDT increased the open circuit voltage by 60-70 mV compared to the untreated absorbers, while the fill factor deteriorated.

  11. Four cultures: new synergies for engaging society on climate change

    Treesearch

    Matthew C. Nisbet; Mark A. Hixon; Kathleen Dean Moore; Michael Nelson

    2010-01-01

    The scientific community has largely reached consensus that climate change is real, is exacerbated by human activities, and is causing detectable shifts in both living and non-living components of the biosphere. Yet, documenting and predicting the ecological, economic, social, and cultural consequences of climate change have not yet stimulated an appropriately strong...

  12. The Changing Culture of Childhood: A Perfect Storm

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Frost, Joe L.

    2007-01-01

    In this article, the author observes how a combination of interrelated elements are currently changing the face of the civilizing traditions of the U.S. education and forming a new culture of childhood. These include: (1) the standardization of education; (2) the dissolution of traditional spontaneous play; and (3) the growing specter of poverty…

  13. On the radiative effects of light-absorbing impurities on snowpack evolution

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dumont, M.; Tuzet, F.; Lafaysse, M.; Arnaud, L.; Picard, G.; Lejeune, Y.; Lamare, M.; Morin, S.; Voisin, D.; Di Mauro, B.

    2017-12-01

    The presence of light absorbing impurities in snow strongly decreases snow reflectance leading to an increase in the amount of solar energy absorbed by the snowpack. This effect is also known as impurities direct radiative effect. The change in the amount of energy absorbed by the snowpack modifies the temperature profile inside the snowpack and in turn snow metamorphism (impurities indirect radiative effects). In this work, we used the detailed snowpack model SURFEX/ISBA-Crocus with an explicit representation of snow light-absorbing impurities content (Tuzet et al., 2017) fed by medium-resolution ALADIN-Climate atmospheric model to represent dust and black carbon atmospheric deposition fluxes. The model is used at two sites: Col de Porte (medium elevation site in the French Alps) and Torgnon (high elevation site in the Italian Alps). The simulations are compared to in-situ observations and used to quantify the effects of light-absorbing impurities on snow melt rate and timing. The respective parts of the direct and indirect radiative effects of light-absorbing impurities in snow are also computed for the two sites, emphasizing the need to account for the interactions between snow metamorphism and LAI radiative properties, to accurately predict the effects of light-absorbing impurities in snow. Moreover, we describe how automated hyperspectral reflectance can be used to estimate effective impurities surface content in snow. Finally we demonstrate how these reflectances measurements either from in situ or satellite data can be used via an assimilation scheme to constrain snowpack ensemble simulations and better predict the snowpack state and evolution.

  14. Popular culture and the "new human condition": Catastrophe narratives and climate change

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bulfin, Ailise

    2017-09-01

    Striking popular culture images of burnt landscapes, tidal waves and ice-bound cities have the potential to dramatically and emotively convey the dangers of climate change. Given that a significant number of people derive a substantial proportion of their information on the threat of climate change, or the ;new human condition;, from popular culture works such as catastrophe movies, it is important that an investigation into the nature of the representations produced be embedded in the attempt to address the issue. What climate change-related messages may be encoded in popular films, television and novels, how are they being received, and what effects may they have? This article adopts the cultural studies perspective that popular culture gives us an important means by which to access the ;structures of feeling; that characterise a society at a particular historic juncture: the views held and emotional states experienced by significant amounts of people as evident in disparate forms of cultural production. It further adopts the related viewpoint that popular culture has an effect upon the society in which it is consumed, as well as reflecting that society's desires and concerns - although the nature of the effect may be difficult to quantify. From this position, the article puts forward a theory on the role of ecological catastrophe narratives in current popular culture, before going on to review existing critical work on ecologically-charged popular films and novels which attempts to assess their effects on their audiences. It also suggests areas for future research, such as the prevalent but little studied theme of natural and environmental disaster in late-Victorian science fiction writing. This latter area is of interest because it reveals the emergence of an ecological awareness or structure of feeling as early as the late-nineteenth century, and allows the relationship of this development to environmental policy making to be investigated because of the

  15. Shifting the balance of power? Culture change and identity in an English health-care setting.

    PubMed

    McDonald, Ruth

    2005-01-01

    A recurring theme in Government policy documents has been the need to change the culture of the NHS in order to deliver a service "fit for the twenty-first century". However, very little is said about what constitutes "culture" or how this culture change is to be brought about. This paper seeks to focus on an initiative aimed ostensibly at "empowering" staff in an English Primary Care Trust as a means of changing organisational culture. It presents findings from an ethnographic study which suggests that this attempt at "culture change" is aimed at manipulating the behaviour and values of individual employees and may be interpreted as a process of changing employee identity. Employees reacted in different ways to the empowerment initiative, with some resisting attempts to shape their identity and others actively engaging in projects to bring their unruly self into line with the ideal self to which they were encouraged to aspire. The challenges presented by the need to respond to conflicting Government policies created tensions between individuals and conflicts of allegiance and identity within individual members of staff. Alternative forms of self-hood did not merely replace existing identities, but interacted with them, often uncomfortably. The irony is that, whilst Government seeks to promote culture change, the frustrations created by its top-down target-driven regime acted to mitigate the transformational and reconstitutive effects of a discourse of empowerment aimed at achieving this change.

  16. Neutron absorbers and methods of forming at least a portion of a neutron absorber

    DOEpatents

    Guillen, Donna P; Porter, Douglas L; Swank, W David; Erickson, Arnold W

    2014-12-02

    Methods of forming at least a portion of a neutron absorber include combining a first material and a second material to form a compound, reducing the compound into a plurality of particles, mixing the plurality of particles with a third material, and pressing the mixture of the plurality of particles and the third material. One or more components of neutron absorbers may be formed by such methods. Neutron absorbers may include a composite material including an intermetallic compound comprising hafnium aluminide and a matrix material comprising pure aluminum.

  17. Culturally Sustaining Pedagogies: Teaching and Learning for Justice in a Changing World

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Paris, Django, Ed.; Alim, H. Samy, Ed.

    2017-01-01

    "Culturally Sustaining Pedagogies" raises fundamental questions about the purpose of schooling in changing societies. Bringing together an intergenerational group of prominent educators and researchers, this volume engages and extends the concept of culturally sustaining pedagogy (CSP)--teaching that perpetuates and fosters linguistic,…

  18. [Study of new blended chemical absorbents to absorb CO2].

    PubMed

    Wang, Jin-Lian; Fang, Meng-Xiang; Yan, Shui-Ping; Luo, Zhong-Yang; Cen, Ke-Fa

    2007-11-01

    Three kinds of blended absorbents were investigated on bench-scale experimental bench according to absorption rate and regeneration grade to select a reasonable additive concentration. The results show that, among methyldiethanolamine (MDEA) and piperazine (PZ) mixtures, comparing MDEA : PZ = 1 : 0.4 (m : m) with MDEA : PZ = 1 : 0.2 (m : m), the absorption rate is increased by about 70% at 0.2 mol x mol(-1). When regeneration lasting for 40 min, regeneration grade of blended absorbents with PZ concentration of 0.2, 0.4, and 0.8 is decreased to 83.06%, 77.77% and 76.67% respectively while 91.04% for PZ concentration of 0. MDEA : PZ = 1 : 0.4(m : m) is a suitable ratio for MDEA/PZ mixtures as absorption and regeneration properties of the blended absorbents are all improved. The aqueous blends with 10% primary amines and 2% tertiary amines could keep high CO2 absorption rate, and lower regeneration energy consumption. Adding 2% 2-Amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP) to 10% diethanolamine (DEA), the blended amine solvents have an advantage in absorption and regeneration properties over other DEA/AMP mixtures. Blended solvents, which consist of a mixture of primary amines with a small amount of tertiary amines, have the highest absorption rate among the three. And mixed absorbents of secondary amines and a small amount of sterically hindered amines have the best regeneration property. To combine absorption and regeneration properties, blends with medium activator addition to tertiary amines are competitive.

  19. Changing the Cultural Paradigm to Meet Emerging Requirements

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Robbins, William W.

    2007-01-01

    This viewgraph presentation reviews changes that are required in Space Transportation. This new transportation paradigm from the reliance on the Space Shuttle to a mixture of space transportation vehicles, i.e., the Russian Progress, vehicle, the Japanese HTV, the European ATV and other commercial orbital transportation systems, requires a new cultural paradigm. This new paradigm is outlined, and reviewed.

  20. Changing academic culture to improve undergraduate STEM education.

    PubMed

    Suchman, Erica L

    2014-12-01

    Improving undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education requires faculty with the skills, resources, and time to create active learning environments that foster student engagement. Current faculty hiring, promotion, and tenure practices at many universities do not measure, reward, nor encourage faculty pursuit of these skills. A cultural change is needed to foster improvement. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  1. Shock absorber servicing tool

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Koepler, Jack L. (Inventor); Hill, Robert L. (Inventor)

    1981-01-01

    A tool to assist in the servicing of a shock absorber wherein the shock absorber is constructed of a pair of aligned gas and liquid filled chambers. Each of the chambers is separated by a movable separator member. Maximum efficiency of the shock absorber is achieved in the locating of a precise volume of gas within the gas chamber and a precise volume of liquid within the liquid chamber. The servicing tool of this invention employs a rod which is to connect with the separator and by observation of the position of the rod with respect to the gauge body, the location of the separator is ascertained even though it is not directly observable.

  2. Multi-band microwave metamaterial absorber based on coplanar Jerusalem crosses

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Guo-Dong; Liu, Ming-Hai; Hu, Xi-Wei; Kong, Ling-Hua; Cheng, Li-Li; Chen, Zhao-Quan

    2014-01-01

    The influence of the gap on the absorption performance of the conventional split ring resonator (SRR) absorber is investigated at microwave frequencies. Our simulated results reveal that the geometry of the square SRR can be equivalent to a Jerusalem cross (JC) resonator and its corresponding metamaterial absorber (MA) is changed to a JC absorber. The JC MA exhibits an experimental absorption peak of 99.1% at 8.72 GHz, which shows an excellent agreement with our simulated results. By simply assembling several JCs with slightly different geometric parameters next to each other into a unit cell, a perfect multi-band absorption can be effectively obtained. The experimental results show that the MA has four distinct and strong absorption peaks at 8.32 GHz, 9.8 GHz, 11.52 GHz and 13.24 GHz. Finally, the multi-reflection interference theory is introduced to interpret the absorption mechanism.

  3. Relationship between staff-reported culture change and occupancy rate and organizational commitment among nursing homes in South Korea.

    PubMed

    Lee, Minhong; Choi, Jae-Sung; Lim, Jinseop; Kim, Young Sun

    2013-04-01

    This study aims to examine culture change in nursing homes in South Korea and to identify the outcomes of culture change implementation. Data were taken from survey responses from 223 top- or mid-level staff among nursing homes in South Korea that were selected through a proportionate random-stratified sampling method from four regions nationwide. Culture change in nursing homes was operationalized by five person-directed care (PDC) constructs and three organizational environment constructs, and outcome quality was indicated by changes to occupancy rate and organizational commitment. After controlling for facility characteristics, the effect of staff-reported culture change on occupancy rate and organizational commitment was analyzed through the multiple-regression method. Consistent with previous research, this study revealed positive effects of culture change for nursing homes in South Korea. The study found that staff-reported culture change correlated with occupancy rate and organizational commitment. Given that culture change variables were significantly related to occupancy rate and organizational commitment, the findings of the study provide a persuasive argument that policies and/or programs to support culture change in nursing homes should be enhanced. Management-level workers in these facilities should have the skills and knowledge to foster more PDC and a more person-directed environment.

  4. Canadian Punjabi Sikh men's experiences of lifestyle changes following myocardial infarction: cultural connections.

    PubMed

    Galdas, Paul M; Oliffe, John L; Wong, Sabrina T; Ratner, Pamela A; Johnson, Joy L; Kelly, Mary T

    2012-01-01

    To describe how culture underlies Canadian Punjabi Sikh men's experiences of adopting lifestyle changes following myocardial infarction (MI). Qualitative, interpretive design. In-depth, individual interviews were conducted with 27 Canadian Punjabi Sikh men post-MI. Data were analysed using constant comparative methods. Cultural influences were identified in Punjabi Sikh men's descriptions of their experience of adopting lifestyle changes. Actions related to self-care, rehabilitation and lifestyle change post-MI were embedded in collectivist family and community contexts. Three themes, derived from the data, were found to intertwine with these contexts; they related to food consumption, physical exercise and faith and religion. These findings highlight how collectivist ideals influence Canadian Punjabi Sikh men's adoption of lifestyle changes post-MI. The content and processes by which healthcare providers deliver heart health and rehabilitation to Canadian Punjabi Sikh men might be guided, at least in part, by the collectivist cultural practices underpinning our findings.

  5. Air-Leak Effects on Ear-Canal Acoustic Absorbance

    PubMed Central

    Rasetshwane, Daniel M.; Kopun, Judy G.; Gorga, Michael P.; Neely, Stephen T.

    2015-01-01

    Objective: Accurate ear-canal acoustic measurements, such as wideband acoustic admittance, absorbance, and otoacoustic emissions, require that the measurement probe be tightly sealed in the ear canal. Air leaks can compromise the validity of the measurements, interfere with calibrations, and increase variability. There are no established procedures for determining the presence of air leaks or criteria for what size leak would affect the accuracy of ear-canal acoustic measurements. The purpose of this study was to determine ways to quantify the effects of air leaks and to develop objective criteria to detect their presence. Design: Air leaks were simulated by modifying the foam tips that are used with the measurement probe through insertion of thin plastic tubing. To analyze the effect of air leaks, acoustic measurements were taken with both modified and unmodified foam tips in brass-tube cavities and human ear canals. Measurements were initially made in cavities to determine the range of critical leaks. Subsequently, data were collected in ears of 21 adults with normal hearing and normal middle-ear function. Four acoustic metrics were used for predicting the presence of air leaks and for quantifying these leaks: (1) low-frequency admittance phase (averaged over 0.1–0.2 kHz), (2) low-frequency absorbance, (3) the ratio of compliance volume to physical volume (CV/PV), and (4) the air-leak resonance frequency. The outcome variable in this analysis was the absorbance changeabsorbance), which was calculated in eight frequency bands. Results: The trends were similar for both the brass cavities and the ear canals. ΔAbsorbance generally increased with air-leak size and was largest for the lower frequency bands (0.1–0.2 and 0.2–0.5 kHz). Air-leak effects were observed in frequencies up to 10 kHz, but their effects above 1 kHz were unpredictable. These high-frequency air leaks were larger in brass cavities than in ear canals. Each of the four predictor variables

  6. Air-leak effects on ear-canal acoustic absorbance.

    PubMed

    Groon, Katherine A; Rasetshwane, Daniel M; Kopun, Judy G; Gorga, Michael P; Neely, Stephen T

    2015-01-01

    Accurate ear-canal acoustic measurements, such as wideband acoustic admittance, absorbance, and otoacoustic emissions, require that the measurement probe be tightly sealed in the ear canal. Air leaks can compromise the validity of the measurements, interfere with calibrations, and increase variability. There are no established procedures for determining the presence of air leaks or criteria for what size leak would affect the accuracy of ear-canal acoustic measurements. The purpose of this study was to determine ways to quantify the effects of air leaks and to develop objective criteria to detect their presence. Air leaks were simulated by modifying the foam tips that are used with the measurement probe through insertion of thin plastic tubing. To analyze the effect of air leaks, acoustic measurements were taken with both modified and unmodified foam tips in brass-tube cavities and human ear canals. Measurements were initially made in cavities to determine the range of critical leaks. Subsequently, data were collected in ears of 21 adults with normal hearing and normal middle-ear function. Four acoustic metrics were used for predicting the presence of air leaks and for quantifying these leaks: (1) low-frequency admittance phase (averaged over 0.1-0.2 kHz), (2) low-frequency absorbance, (3) the ratio of compliance volume to physical volume (CV/PV), and (4) the air-leak resonance frequency. The outcome variable in this analysis was the absorbance changeabsorbance), which was calculated in eight frequency bands. The trends were similar for both the brass cavities and the ear canals. ΔAbsorbance generally increased with air-leak size and was largest for the lower frequency bands (0.1-0.2 and 0.2-0.5 kHz). Air-leak effects were observed in frequencies up to 10 kHz, but their effects above 1 kHz were unpredictable. These high-frequency air leaks were larger in brass cavities than in ear canals. Each of the four predictor variables exhibited consistent dependence on

  7. Manipulating surface wettability and oil absorbency of diatomite depending on processing and ambient conditions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Özen, İlhan; Şimşek, Süleyman; Okyay, Gamze

    2015-03-01

    In this study, a diatomite sample, which is a natural inorganic mineral with inherently high water and oil absorption capacity, was subjected to grinding before surface modification. Afterwards, the diatomite surface was modified via facile methods using a fluorocarbon (FC) chemical and stearic acid (SA) in addition to the sol-gel fluorosilanization (FS) process. The water and oil wettability, and oil absorbency properties of the unmodified and modified diatomites were investigated in addition to diatomite characterizations such as chemical content, surface area, particle size distribution, morphology, and modification efficiency. It was revealed that the wettability was changed completely depending on the surface modification agent and the media used, while the oil absorbency property surprisingly did not change. On the other hand, the oil absorbency was worsened by the grinding process, whereas the wettability was not affected.

  8. Ocular surface culture changes in patients after septoplasty.

    PubMed

    Ozkiriş, Mahmut; Kapusuz Gencer, Zeliha; Kader, Ciğdem; Saydam, Levent

    2014-01-01

    To investigate the interrelationships between pre- and postoperative microbiological changes by taking samples from both eyes of 40 patients who underwent septoplasty due to septal deviation. Forty patients diagnosed with septal deviation who underwent a septoplasty operation under general anesthesia were enrolled in this study. The study was conducted on 40 patients who met the inclusion criteria and attended follow-up visits. One day before the operation and 48 h after the operation, cultures were taken individually from the conjunctivas and puncta of both eyes and sent to the microbiology laboratory. Patients who were candidates for nasal surgery due to their symptoms and clinical examination results were randomly selected and 40 of these completed the study. No statistically significant differences in bacterial growth were observed between the eyes before the operation (P > 0.05). There were, however, statistically significant differences between the eyes in terms of bacterial growth in the postoperative period (P < 0.05). Pathogenic bacterial cultures were grown in 47 eyes in the postoperative period, and this finding was statistically significant. In the eye cultures, the most commonly isolated pathogens were S. epidermidis, and S. aureus. Although the indicated microorganisms isolated from the patient groups were grown in cultures, there were neither clinical symptoms nor signs related to ocular infections.

  9. Enhancing Localized Evaporation through Separated Light Absorbing Centers and Scattering Centers

    PubMed Central

    Zhao, Dengwu; Duan, Haoze; Yu, Shengtao; Zhang, Yao; He, Jiaqing; Quan, Xiaojun; Tao, Peng; Shang, Wen; Wu, Jianbo; Song, Chengyi; Deng, Tao

    2015-01-01

    This report investigates the enhancement of localized evaporation via separated light absorbing particles (plasmonic absorbers) and scattering particles (polystyrene nanoparticles). Evaporation has been considered as one of the most important phase-change processes in modern industries. To improve the efficiency of evaporation, one of the most feasible methods is to localize heat at the top water layer rather than heating the bulk water. In this work, the mixture of purely light absorptive plasmonic nanostructures such as gold nanoparticles and purely scattering particles (polystyrene nanoparticles) are employed to confine the incident light at the top of the solution and convert light to heat. Different concentrations of both the light absorbing centers and the light scattering centers were evaluated and the evaporation performance can be largely enhanced with the balance between absorbing centers and scattering centers. The findings in this study not only provide a new way to improve evaporation efficiency in plasmonic particle-based solution, but also shed lights on the design of new solar-driven localized evaporation systems. PMID:26606898

  10. Cultural and social change of foreign students in Indonesia: The influence of Javanese Culture in Teaching Indonesian to Speakers of Other Languages (TISOL)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Saddhono, Kundharu

    2018-03-01

    Teaching Indonesian to Speakers of Other Languages (TISOL) program is increasingly in demand by people in various parts of the world. Foreign students learn a lot of Indonesian language in major cities in Indonesia. The purpose of this study is to explain the cultural and social changes of foreign students in Indonesia, especially in Java, which is following TISOL program. This study focused on the influence of Javanese culture on foreign students studying Indonesian in Java. Research method used is descriptive qualitative with ethnography approach. This research was conducted in TISOL program organized by in Central Java, East Java, and Yogyakarta. Sources of data used are documents and informants. The sampling technique used is purposive sampling. Purposive sampling is considered more capable to obtain complete data in the face of various realities. Data collection techniques are done by reviewing documents or records using content analysis techniques. Other techniques used are interview techniques with some students and lecturers to get data about the factors that affect the cultural and social changes of foreign students in Indonesia. Also, interviews were also conducted with teachers to request a different process in TISOL. The most common way used to improve validity in qualitative research is the triangulation technique. In this study used triangulation theory, triangulation method, and review of informants. The results show that using Javanese culture is very influential in the cultural and social changes of foreign students in Indonesia. Students become more enthusiastic and active in responding to learning in TISOL that is influenced by Javanese culture. The change comes from internal and external students. This change helps foreign students to understand Indonesian language and culture more comprehensively.

  11. MicroRNAs are absorbed in biologically meaningful amounts from nutritionally relevant doses of cow milk and affect gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, HEK-293 kidney cell cultures, and mouse livers.

    PubMed

    Baier, Scott R; Nguyen, Christopher; Xie, Fang; Wood, Jennifer R; Zempleni, Janos

    2014-10-01

    MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate genes in animals and plants and can be synthesized endogenously. In milk, miRNAs are encapsulated in exosomes, thereby conferring protection against degradation and facilitating uptake by endocytosis. The majority of bovine miRNAs have nucleotide sequences complementary to human gene transcripts, suggesting that miRNAs in milk might regulate human genes. We tested the hypotheses that humans absorb biologically meaningful amounts of miRNAs from nutritionally relevant doses of milk, milk-borne miRNAs regulate human gene expression, and mammals cannot compensate for dietary miRNA depletion by endogenous miRNA synthesis. Healthy adults (3 men, 2 women; aged 26-49 y) consumed 0.25, 0.5, and 1.0 L of milk in a randomized crossover design. Gene expression studies and milk miRNA depletion studies were conducted in human cell cultures and mice, respectively. For comparison, feeding studies with plant miRNAs from broccoli were conducted in humans. Postprandial concentration time curves suggest that meaningful amounts of miRNA (miR)-29b and miR-200c were absorbed; plasma concentrations of miR-1 did not change (negative control). The expression of runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), a known target of miR-29b, increased by 31% in blood mononuclear cells after milk consumption compared with baseline. When milk exosomes were added to cell culture media, mimicking postprandial concentrations of miR-29b and miR-200c, reporter gene activities significantly decreased by 44% and 17%, respectively, compared with vehicle controls in human embryonic kidney 293 cells. When C57BL/6J mice were fed a milk miRNA-depleted diet for 4 wk, plasma miR-29b concentrations were significantly decreased by 61% compared with miRNA-sufficient controls, i.e., endogenous synthesis did not compensate for dietary depletion. Broccoli sprout feeding studies were conducted as a control and elicited no detectable increase in Brassica-specific miRNAs. We conclude that mi

  12. Shock Absorbing System

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1982-01-01

    A lightweight, inexpensive shock-absorbing system, developed by Langley Research Center 20 years ago, is now in service as safety device for an automated railway at Duke University Medical Center. The transportation system travels at about 25 miles per hour, carrying patients, visitors, staff and cargo. At the end of each guideway of the system are "frangible," (breakable) tube "buffers." If a slowing car fails to make a complete stop at the terminal, it would bump and shatter the tubes, absorbing energy that might otherwise jolt the passengers or damage the vehicle.

  13. 2000 years of cultural adaptation to climate change in the Southwestern United States.

    PubMed

    Blinman, Eric

    2008-11-01

    Modern concerns with climate change often overlook the extensive history of both climate change and human adaptation over the millennia. While questions of human-climate system causation are important, especially to the extent that our current behavior is driving environmental change, human societies have experienced multiple climate changes in the past, independent of causation. The histories of cultural adaptation to those changes can help us understand the dynamic interaction between climate and society, expanding the possibilities for "proactive adaptation" that may be available to us today. The underlying principles of cultural adaptation are generally independent of the source of the climate change, and the lessons of the past can suggest social and economic paths that can lead toward sustainability and away from collapse.

  14. Development of a carbonaceous selective absorber for solar thermal energy collection and process for its formation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Garrison, John D.

    1989-02-01

    The main goal of the US Department of Energy supported part of this project is to develop information about controlling the complicated chemical processes involved in the formation of a carbonaceous selective absorber and learn what equipment will allow production of this absorber commercially. The work necessary to accomplish this goal is not yet complete. Formation of the carbonaceous selective absorber in the conveyor oven tried so far has been unsatisfactory, because the proper conditions for applying the carbonaceous coating in each conveyor oven fabricated, either have been difficult to obtain, or have been difficult to maintain over an extended period of time. A new conveyor oven is nearing completion which is expected to allow formation of the carbonaceous selective absorber on absorber tubes in a continuous operation over many days without the necessity of cleaning the conveyor oven or changing the thickness of the electroplated nickel catalyst to compensate for changes in the coating environment in the oven. Work under this project concerned with forming and sealing glass panels to test ideas on evacuated glass solar collector designs and production have been generally quite satisfactory. Delays in completion of the selective absorber work, has caused postponement of the fabrication of a small prototype evacuated glass solar collector panel. Preliminary cost estimates of the selective absorber and solar collector panel indicate that this collector system should be lower in cost than evacuated solar collectors now on the market.

  15. Improved efficiency of butanol production by absorbed lignocellulose fermentation.

    PubMed

    He, Qin; Chen, Hongzhang

    2013-03-01

    Alkali-treated steam-exploded corn stover (SECSAT) was used as solid substrate for acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) production by absorbed lignocellulose fermentation (ALF) using Clostridium acetobutylicum ATCC 824. The ABE concentration in ALF culture had increased by 47% compared with that in submerged culture. More surprisingly, the acetone production was promoted and ethanol production was lower in the presence of SECSAT than that in its absence. ALF was also successfully in cofermentation of glucose and xylose, although decreased fermentability with an increase in the proportion of xylose. An invariable chemical composition and dry weight of SECSAT was found in ALF. Partial simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of SECSAT using a certain amount of cellulase could not only enhance the ABE concentration by 71%, but also significantly increase the area proportion of fiber cells in SECSAT from 53% to 90%, which would be an excellent paper making material. Copyright © 2012 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Monte Carlo Simulation of Massive Absorbers for Cryogenic Calorimeters

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Brandt, D.; Asai, M.; Brink, P.L.

    There is a growing interest in cryogenic calorimeters with macroscopic absorbers for applications such as dark matter direct detection and rare event search experiments. The physics of energy transport in calorimeters with absorber masses exceeding several grams is made complex by the anisotropic nature of the absorber crystals as well as the changing mean free paths as phonons decay to progressively lower energies. We present a Monte Carlo model capable of simulating anisotropic phonon transport in cryogenic crystals. We have initiated the validation process and discuss the level of agreement between our simulation and experimental results reported in the literature,more » focusing on heat pulse propagation in germanium. The simulation framework is implemented using Geant4, a toolkit originally developed for high-energy physics Monte Carlo simulations. Geant4 has also been used for nuclear and accelerator physics, and applications in medical and space sciences. We believe that our current work may open up new avenues for applications in material science and condensed matter physics.« less

  17. Study on O2 generation and CO2 absorption capability of four co-cultured salad plants in an enclosed system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guo, Shuangsheng; Ai, Weidang; Tang, Yongkang; Cheng, Quanyong; Shen, Yunze; Qin, Lifeng; Ma, Jialu; Zhu, Jingtao; Ren, Jin

    2014-06-01

    The ability to generate O2 and absorb CO2 of several co-cultured vegetable plants in an enclosed system was studied to provide theoretical reference for the future man-plant integrated tests. Four kinds of salad plants (Lactuca sativa L. var. Dasusheng, Lactuca sativa L. var. Youmaicai, Gynura bicolor and Cichorium endivia L.) were grown in the CELSS Integration Test Platform (CITP). The environmental factors including O2 and CO2 concentration were continuously monitored on-line and the plant biomass was measured at the end of the test. The changing rules of O2 and CO2 concentration in the system were basically understood and it was found that the O2 generated by the plants could satisfy the respiratory needs of 1.75 persons by calculation. It was also found that the plants could absorb the CO2 breathed out by 2 persons when the light intensity was raised to 550 mmol m-2 s-1 PPF. The results showed that the co-cultured plants hold good compatibility and excellent O2-generating and CO2-absorbing capability. They could also supply some fresh edible vegetable for a 2-person crew.

  18. Carbon Absorber Retrofit Equipment (CARE)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Klein, Eric

    During Project DE-FE0007528, CARE (Carbon Absorber Retrofit Equipment), Neumann Systems Group (NSG) designed, installed and tested a 0.5MW NeuStream® carbon dioxide (CO 2) capture system using the patented NeuStream® absorber equipment and concentrated (6 molal) piperazine (PZ) as the solvent at Colorado Springs Utilities’ (CSU’s) Martin Drake pulverized coal (PC) power plant. The 36 month project included design, build and test phases. The 0.5MW NeuStream® CO 2 capture system was successfully tested on flue gas from both coal and natural gas combustion sources and was shown to meet project objectives. Ninety percent CO 2 removal was achieved with greater thanmore » 95% CO 2product purity. The absorbers tested support a 90% reduction in absorber volume compared to packed towers and with an absorber parasitic power of less than 1% when configured for operation with a 550MW coal plant. The preliminary techno-economic analysis (TEA) performed by the Energy and Environmental Research Center (EERC) predicted an over-the-fence cost of $25.73/tonne of CO 2 captured from a sub-critical PC plant.« less

  19. The changing psychology of culture in German-speaking countries: A Google Ngram study.

    PubMed

    Younes, Nadja; Reips, Ulf-Dietrich

    2017-05-05

    This article provides evidence for the long-term affiliation between ecological and cultural changes in German-speaking countries, based on the assumptions derived from social change and human development theory. Based on this theory, the increase in urbanisation, as a measure of ecological change, is associated with significant cultural changes of psychology. Whereas urbanisation is linked to greater individualistic values and materialistic attitudes, rural environments are strongly associated with collectivistic values like allegiance, prevalence of religion, and feelings of belonging and benevolence. Due to an increase in the German urbanisation rate over time, our study investigates whether Germany and the German-speaking countries around show the presumed changes in psychology. By using Google Books Ngram Viewer, we find that word frequencies, signifying individualistic (collectivistic) values, are positively (negatively) related to the urbanisation rate of Germany. Our results indicate that predictions about implications of an urbanising population for the psychology of culture hold true, supporting international universality of the social change and human development theory. Furthermore, we provide evidence for a predicted reversal for the time during and after World War II, reflecting Nazi propaganda and influence. © 2017 International Union of Psychological Science.

  20. Leadership and Storytelling: Promoting a Culture of Learning, Positive Change, and Community

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aidman, Barry; Long, Tanya Alyson

    2017-01-01

    Educational leaders work in increasingly complex, high pressure environments with people who have diverse backgrounds, interests, and goals. To be effective, these leaders must understand the dynamic process of creating and managing culture and change. Stories have the potential to influence culture and to help people connect, develop genuine…

  1. Experimental indication for band gap widening of chalcopyrite solar cell absorbers after potassium fluoride treatment

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Pistor, P., E-mail: paul.pistor@physik.uni-halle.de; Greiner, D.; Kaufmann, C. A.

    2014-08-11

    The implementation of potassium fluoride treatments as a doping and surface modification procedure in chalcopyrite absorber preparation has recently gained much interest since it led to new record efficiencies for this kind of solar cells. In the present work, Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} absorbers have been evaporated on alkali containing Mo/soda-lime glass substrates. We report on compositional and electronic changes of the Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} absorber surface as a result of a post deposition treatment with KF (KF PDT). In particular, by comparing standard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and synchrotron-based hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HAXPES), we are able to confirm a strong Cu depletionmore » in the absorbers after the KF PDT which is limited to the very near surface region. As a result of the Cu depletion, we find a change of the valence band structure and a shift of the valence band onset by approximately 0.4 eV to lower binding energies which is tentatively explained by a band gap widening as expected for Cu deficient compounds. The KF PDT increased the open circuit voltage by 60–70 mV compared to the untreated absorbers, while the fill factor deteriorated.« less

  2. Absorbent product and articles made therefrom

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dawn, F. S.; Correale, J. V. (Inventor)

    1982-01-01

    A multilayer absorbent product for use in contact with the skin to absorb fluids is described. The product has a water pervious facing layer for contacting the skin, and a first fibrous wicking layer overlaying the water pervious layer. A first container section is defined by inner and outer layers of a water pervious wicking material in between a first absorbent mass and a second container section defined by inner and outer layers of a water pervious wicking material between what is disposed a second absorbent mass, and a liquid impermeable/gas permeable layer overlaying the second fibrous wicking layer.

  3. Thin film absorber for a solar collector

    DOEpatents

    Wilhelm, William G.

    1985-01-01

    This invention pertains to energy absorbers for solar collectors, and more particularly to high performance thin film absorbers. The solar collectors comprising the absorber of this invention overcome several problems seen in current systems, such as excessive hardware, high cost and unreliability. In the preferred form, the apparatus features a substantially rigid planar frame with a thin film window bonded to one planar side of the frame. An absorber in accordance with the present invention is comprised of two thin film layers that are sealed perimetrically. In a preferred embodiment, thin film layers are formed from a metal/plastic laminate. The layers define a fluid-tight planar envelope of large surface area to volume through which a heat transfer fluid flows. The absorber is bonded to the other planar side of the frame. The thin film construction of the absorber assures substantially full envelope wetting and thus good efficiency. The window and absorber films stress the frame adding to the overall strength of the collector.

  4. Sweeping shunted electro-magnetic tuneable vibration absorber: Design and implementation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Turco, E.; Gardonio, P.

    2017-10-01

    This paper presents a study on the design and implementation of a time-varying shunted electro-magnetic Tuneable Vibration Absorber for broad-band vibration control of thin structures. A time-varying RL-shunt is used to harmonically vary the stiffness and damping properties of the Tuneable Vibration Absorber so that its mechanical fundamental natural frequency is continuously swept in a given broad frequency band whereas its mechanical damping is continuously adapted to maximize the vibration absorption from the hosting structure where it is mounted. The paper first recalls the tuning and positioning criteria for the case where a classical Tuneable Vibration Absorber is installed on a thin walled cylindrical structure to reduce the response of a resonating flexural mode. It then discusses the design of the time-varying shunt circuit to produce the desired stiffness and damping variations in the electro-magnetic Tuneable Vibration Absorber. Finally, it presents a numerical study on the flexural vibration and interior sound control effects produced when an array of these shunted electro-magnetic Tuneable Vibration Absorbers are mounted on a thin walled cylinder subject to a rain-on-the-roof stochastic excitation. The study shows that the array of proposed systems effectively controls the cylinder flexural response and interior noise over a broad frequency band without need of tuning and thus system identification of the structure. Therefore, the systems can be successfully used also on structures whose physical properties vary in time because of temperature changes or tensioning effects for example.

  5. Cultural change in the songs of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) from Tonga

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Eriksen, N.; Miller, L.A.; Tougaard, J.; Helweg, D.A.

    2005-01-01

    Some humpback whales migrate annually from Antarctic feeding grounds to the seas around the Tongan Islands to give birth and mate. The Tongan humpbacks are considered part of Southern Hemisphere Group V that splits during migration, some swimming to Eastern Australia and others to various Polynesian Islands. During this time long complex songs are produced. The song is thought to be a male breeding display and may serve either as an intra-sexual or an inter-sexual signal or both. It is in a constant state of change that occurs every season. Since these changes are directional they cannot be described by drift, and singers incorporate changes as they occur, thus song must be shared through cultural transmission. This investigation describes the cultural changes that occurred in 158 songs recorded from Tongan humpbacks through the 1990s. The rate of change differed within years, some themes were retained for as much as five years and others were lost after only two years. The farther apart the years the less similar are the songs, as in the humpback songs of the Northern Hemisphere. The largest number of changes seems to have occurred in the early 1990s where all themes seemed to have been lost and new ones originated. What initiates these changes remains speculative, but we assess some hypotheses in relation to humpback whale behaviour and cultural transmission in avian song. ?? Koninklijke Brill NV, 2005.

  6. Thin films with disordered nanohole patterns for solar radiation absorbers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fang, Xing; Lou, Minhan; Bao, Hua; Zhao, C. Y.

    2015-06-01

    The radiation absorption in thin films with three disordered nanohole patterns, i.e., random position, non-uniform radius, and amorphous pattern, are numerically investigated by finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations. Disorder can alter the absorption spectra and has an impact on the broadband absorption performance. Compared to random position and non-uniform radius nanoholes, amorphous pattern can induce a much better integrated absorption. The power density spectra indicate that amorphous pattern nanoholes reduce the symmetry and provide more resonance modes that are desired for the broadband absorption. The application condition for amorphous pattern nanoholes shows that they are much more appropriate in absorption enhancement for weak absorption materials. Amorphous silicon thin films with disordered nanohole patterns are applied in solar radiation absorbers. Four configurations of thin films with different nanohole patterns show that interference between layers in absorbers will change the absorption performance. Therefore, it is necessary to optimize the whole radiation absorbers although single thin film with amorphous pattern nanohole has reached optimal absorption.

  7. Solar sustained plasma/absorber conceptual design

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rodgers, R. J.; Krascella, N. L.; Kendall, J. S.

    1979-01-01

    A space power system concept was evaluated which uses concentrated solar energy to heat a working fluid to temperatures as high as 4000 K. The high temperature working fluid could be used for efficient electric power production in advanced thermal or magnetohydrodynamic conversion cycles. Energy absorber configurations utilizing particles or cesium vapor absorber material were investigaed. Results of detailed radiant heat transfer calculations indicated approximately 86 percent of the incident solar energy could be absorbed within a 12-cm-dia flowing stream of gas borne carbon particles. Calculated total energy absorption in the cesium vapor seeded absorber configuration ranged from 34 percent to 64 percent of the incident solar energy. Solar flux concentration ratios of between approximately 3000 and 10,000 will be required to sustain absorber temperatures in the range from 3000 K to 4000 K.

  8. Structured Metal Film as Perfect Absorber

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xiong, Xiang; Jiang, Shang-Chi; Peng, Ru-Wen; Wang, Mu

    2014-03-01

    With standing U-shaped resonators, fish-spear-like resonator has been designed for the first time as the building block to assemble perfect absorbers. The samples have been fabricated with two-photon polymerization process and FTIR measurement results support the effectiveness of the perfect absorber design. In such a structure the polarization-dependent resonance occurs between the tines of the spears instead of the conventional design where the resonance occurs between the metallic layers separated by a dielectric interlayer. The incident light neither transmits nor reflects back which results in unit absorbance. The power of light is trapped between the tines of spears and finally be absorbed. The whole structure is covered with a continuous metallic layer with good thermo-conductance, which provides an excellent approach to deal with heat dissipation, is enlightening in exploring metamaterial absorbers.

  9. Minimizing cross-cultural maladaptation: How minority status facilitates change in international acculturation.

    PubMed

    Volpone, Sabrina D; Marquardt, Dennis J; Casper, Wendy J; Avery, Derek R

    2018-03-01

    Culturally savvy organizations recognize that selecting and developing people who can be effective in a global workforce is important in today's business environment. Nevertheless, many companies struggle to identify and develop talent who are happy and successful working and living outside their home country. We examine 1 factor that may foster success in a host country-minority status in 1's home country-as a predictor of change in acculturation over time. Specifically, we draw on the conservation of resources model to suggest that international students who have been a member of more minority groups in their home country have unique experiences working with dissimilar others that offer advantages when acculturating to new cultures and novel situations. Then, change in host country acculturation is explored as a mechanism to explain how minority status in the home country relates to intentions to leave the host country and psychological well-being 6 months after entry. Two moderators (cultural intelligence, perceived diversity climate of the host institution) of these relationships are also examined. Results revealed that the relationship between minority status in the home country and change in host country acculturation was positive and stronger for those with higher cultural intelligence. Further, the relationship between change in host country acculturation and psychological well-being was positive when perceived diversity climate of the host institution was high, but was not significant when perceived diversity climate was low. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

  10. The impact of environment change on culture evolution in east Ancient Silk Road.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dong, G.; Liu, F.; Li, G.; Zhang, D. D.; Lee, H. F.; Chen, F.

    2017-12-01

    Ancient Silk Road played an important role in culture communication between west and east parts of the Eurasia during Bronze Age and historical period. Tens of archaic civilizations rise and fall in east parts of the Ancient Silk Road, climate change is attributed as one of the most important driving forces, while the process and mechanism for the impact of environmental change on culture evolution in the area has not been well-understood. Here we report new paleoclimate data based on multi-proxy analysis from two well-dated aeolian deposit sequences in the Hexi Corridor and Qaidam basin, where locate at the throat position of the Ancient Silk Road. Comparing with high-resolution tree rings from Qilian Mountain nearby, and archaeological evidence and historical documents, we proposed that two desertification events occurred in west Hexi Corridor between 3400-3100 BP and post 1450 AD, which induced two cultural discontinuity in that area. Climate was dry between 3400-2900 BP and wet between 2900-2000 BP in lowlands of east Qaidam basin, mismatching with the development of Nuomuhong Bronze culture in the area during 3400-2450 BP. We propose culture evolution in east Ancient Silk Road was mainly influenced by precipitation change of highlands in mountain areas,which was further influenced by large-scale vapor transport.

  11. Cultural Studies and Curricular Change.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carr, Jean Ferguson

    1990-01-01

    The renaming of literature appreciation as cultural studies marks a rethinking of what is experienced as cultural materials, going beyond reading and writing to media, popular culture, newspapers, advertising, textbooks, and advice manuals. It also marks the movement away from the study of an object to the study of criticism. (MSE)

  12. "Smart" Electromechanical Shock Absorber

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Stokes, Lebarian; Glenn, Dean C.; Carroll, Monty B.

    1989-01-01

    Shock-absorbing apparatus includes electromechanical actuator and digital feedback control circuitry rather than springs and hydraulic damping as in conventional shock absorbers. Device not subject to leakage and requires little or no maintenance. Attenuator parameters adjusted in response to sensory feedback and predictive algorithms to obtain desired damping characteristic. Device programmed to decelerate slowly approaching vehicle or other large object according to prescribed damping characteristic.

  13. Cultural change, hybridity and male homosexuality in Mexico.

    PubMed

    Carrillo, H

    1999-01-01

    This paper analyzes how contemporary perceptions of male homosexuality are being shaped in Mexico. Ethnographic analysis included four short case studies from 64 mostly middle class individuals for two years in Guadalajara City. Mexican sexual culture is often portrayed traditionally as grounded in values inherent in machismo and influenced by Catholicism. There is a contrast between these traditional interpretations of roles and sexual identities in Mexico and the identities that are being adopted by many contemporary Mexican homosexual men. The homosexual men were categorizable in terms of 1) those who dominated in the sexual relationship and who were capable of maintaining a nonstigmatized identity as regular men, 2) those who assumed a feminine role and were penetrated and who were stigmatized for their effeminate demeanor, and 3) a minority of men who assumed both roles and who were termed "anally active and passive". The study revealed that middle-class homosexuals established networks in which individuals, supported by their friends, acquired the strength to effect personal changes along with other larger cultural changes. Thus, individual actions are beginning to have a collective effect on the society at large.

  14. Ultrametric distribution of culture vectors in an extended Axelrod model of cultural dissemination.

    PubMed

    Stivala, Alex; Robins, Garry; Kashima, Yoshihisa; Kirley, Michael

    2014-05-02

    The Axelrod model of cultural diffusion is an apparently simple model that is capable of complex behaviour. A recent work used a real-world dataset of opinions as initial conditions, demonstrating the effects of the ultrametric distribution of empirical opinion vectors in promoting cultural diversity in the model. Here we quantify the degree of ultrametricity of the initial culture vectors and investigate the effect of varying degrees of ultrametricity on the absorbing state of both a simple and extended model. Unlike the simple model, ultrametricity alone is not sufficient to sustain long-term diversity in the extended Axelrod model; rather, the initial conditions must also have sufficiently large variance in intervector distances. Further, we find that a scheme for evolving synthetic opinion vectors from cultural "prototypes" shows the same behaviour as real opinion data in maintaining cultural diversity in the extended model; whereas neutral evolution of cultural vectors does not.

  15. Ultrametric distribution of culture vectors in an extended Axelrod model of cultural dissemination

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stivala, Alex; Robins, Garry; Kashima, Yoshihisa; Kirley, Michael

    2014-05-01

    The Axelrod model of cultural diffusion is an apparently simple model that is capable of complex behaviour. A recent work used a real-world dataset of opinions as initial conditions, demonstrating the effects of the ultrametric distribution of empirical opinion vectors in promoting cultural diversity in the model. Here we quantify the degree of ultrametricity of the initial culture vectors and investigate the effect of varying degrees of ultrametricity on the absorbing state of both a simple and extended model. Unlike the simple model, ultrametricity alone is not sufficient to sustain long-term diversity in the extended Axelrod model; rather, the initial conditions must also have sufficiently large variance in intervector distances. Further, we find that a scheme for evolving synthetic opinion vectors from cultural ``prototypes'' shows the same behaviour as real opinion data in maintaining cultural diversity in the extended model; whereas neutral evolution of cultural vectors does not.

  16. Modeling of thermomechanical changes of extreme-ultraviolet mask and their dependence on absorber variation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ban, Chung-Hyun; Park, Eun-Sang; Park, Jae-Hun; Oh, Hye-Keun

    2018-06-01

    Thermal and structural deformation of extreme-ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) masks during the exposure process may become important issues as these masks are subject to rigorous image placement and flatness requirements. The reflective masks used for EUVL absorb energy during exposure, and the temperature of the masks rises as a result. This can cause thermomechanical deformation that can reduce the pattern quality. The use of very thick low-thermal-expansion substrate materials (LTEMs) may reduce energy absorption, but they do not completely eliminate mask deformation. Therefore, it is necessary to predict and optimize the effects of energy transferred from the extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) light source and the resultant patterns of structured EUV masks with complex multilayers. Our study shows that heat accumulates in the masks as exposure progresses. It has been found that a higher absorber ratio (pattern density) applied to the patterning of EUV masks exacerbates the problem, especially in masks with more complex patterns.

  17. Culture Change From Tobacco Accommodation to Intolerance: Time to Connect the Dots.

    PubMed

    Livingood, William C; Allegrante, John P; Green, Lawrence W

    2016-04-01

    Broad changes in normative health behavior are critical to overcoming many of the contemporary challenges to public health. Reduction in tobacco use during the last third of the 20th century-one of the greatest improvements in public health-illustrates such change. The culture change from accommodation to intolerance of smoking is irrefutable. The role of health communication in predisposing, enabling, and reinforcing the normative social changes that ensued, however, has been less well documented with the linear, cause-and-effect methods of controlled intervention research. We examine the role of mass communication in the cultural transformation that reduced tobacco use, concluding that its influence on reduction in tobacco use follows a pathway as much through secondary transmissions within groups of people as through direct influence on individuals. © 2016 Society for Public Health Education.

  18. Population size does not explain past changes in cultural complexity.

    PubMed

    Vaesen, Krist; Collard, Mark; Cosgrove, Richard; Roebroeks, Wil

    2016-04-19

    Demography is increasingly being invoked to account for features of the archaeological record, such as the technological conservatism of the Lower and Middle Pleistocene, the Middle to Upper Paleolithic transition, and cultural loss in Holocene Tasmania. Such explanations are commonly justified in relation to population dynamic models developed by Henrich [Henrich J (2004)Am Antiq69:197-214] and Powell et al. [Powell A, et al. (2009)Science324(5932):1298-1301], which appear to demonstrate that population size is the crucial determinant of cultural complexity. Here, we show that these models fail in two important respects. First, they only support a relationship between demography and culture in implausible conditions. Second, their predictions conflict with the available archaeological and ethnographic evidence. We conclude that new theoretical and empirical research is required to identify the factors that drove the changes in cultural complexity that are documented by the archaeological record.

  19. Dynamic testing of airplane shock-absorbing struts

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Langer, P; Thome, W

    1932-01-01

    Measurement of perpendicular impacts of a landing gear with different shock-absorbing struts against the drum testing stand. Tests were made with pneumatic shock absorbers having various degrees of damping, liquid shock absorbers, steel-spring shock absorbers and rigid struts. Falling tests and rolling tests. Maximum impact and gradual reduction of the impacts in number and time in the falling tests. Maximum impact and number of weaker impacts in rolling tests.

  20. Culture and Leadership in a Public University Setting: Implications for Shared Governance and Change

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mills, Edward E.

    2014-01-01

    Noting a lack of quantitative research on perceptions of culture, leadership and change in the shared governance environment of Higher Education, this study utilized the Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument (Cameron & Quinn, 2011) to measure current (now) and preferred cultural perceptions of faculty and administrative leaders.…

  1. Optical response of strongly absorbing inhomogeneous materials: Application to paper degradation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Missori, M.; Pulci, O.; Teodonio, L.; Violante, C.; Kupchak, I.; Bagniuk, J.; Łojewska, J.; Conte, A. Mosca

    2014-02-01

    In this paper, we present a new noninvasive and nondestructive approach to recover scattering and absorption coefficients from reflectance measurements of highly absorbing and optically inhomogeneous media. Our approach is based on the Yang and Miklavcic theoretical model of light propagation through turbid media, which is a generalization of the Kubelka-Munk theory, extended to accommodate optically thick samples. We show its applications to paper, a material primarily composed of a web of fibers of cellulose, whose optical properties are strongly governed by light scattering effects. Samples studied were ancient and industrial paper sheets, aged in different conditions and highly absorbing in the ultraviolet region. The recovered experimental absorptions of cellulose fibers have been compared to theoretical ab initio quantum-mechanical computational simulations carried out within time-dependent density functional theory. In this way, for each sample, we evaluate the absolute concentration of different kinds of oxidized groups formed upon aging and acting as chromophores causing paper discoloration. We found that the relative concentration of different chromophores in cellulose fibers depends on the aging temperature endured by samples. This clearly indicates that the oxidation of cellulose follows temperature-dependent reaction pathways. Our approach has a wide range of applications for cellulose-based materials, like paper, textiles, and other manufactured products of great industrial and cultural interest, and can potentially be extended to other strongly absorbing inhomogeneous materials.

  2. A naked eye refractive index sensor with a visible multiple peak metamaterial absorber.

    PubMed

    Ma, Heli; Song, Kun; Zhou, Liang; Zhao, Xiaopeng

    2015-03-26

    We report a naked eye refractive index sensor with a visible metamaterial absorber. The visible metamaterial absorber consisting of a silver dendritic/dielectric/metal structure shows multiple absorption peaks. By incorporating a gain material (rhodamine B) into the dielectric layer, the maximal magnitude of the absorption peak can be improved by about 30%. As the metamaterial absorber is sensitive to the refractive index of glucose solutions, it can function as a sensor that quickly responds to variations of the refractive index of the liquid. Meanwhile, since the response is presented via color changes, it can be clearly observed by the naked eyes. Further experiments have confirmed that the sensor can be used repeatedly.

  3. Impedance approach to designing efficient vibration energy absorbers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bobrovnitskii, Y. I.; Morozov, K. D.; Tomilina, T. M.

    2017-03-01

    The concept introduced previously by the authors on the best sound absorber having the maximum allowable efficiency in absorbing the energy of an incident sound field has been extended to arbitrary linear elastic media and structures. Analytic relations have been found for the input impedance characteristics that the best vibrational energy absorber should have. The implementation of these relations is the basis of the proposed impedance method of designing efficient vibration and noise absorbers. We present the results of a laboratory experiment that confirms the validity of the obtained theoretical relations, and we construct the simplest best vibration absorber. We also calculate the parameters and demonstrate the efficiency of a dynamic vibration absorber as the best absorber.

  4. The Challenge of Change: Using Activity Theory to Understand a Cultural Innovation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bourke, Roseanna; McGee, Alyson

    2012-01-01

    This article explains how an inservice teacher education organisation in New Zealand embarked on a cultural innovation to challenge and build bicultural pedagogies, policies and practices. To understand the process and the impact of a three-year cultural innovation both intended and unintended changes need to be explored. Using a framework of…

  5. The effectiveness of strategies to change organisational culture to improve healthcare performance: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Parmelli, Elena; Flodgren, Gerd; Beyer, Fiona; Baillie, Nick; Schaafsma, Mary Ellen; Eccles, Martin P

    2011-04-03

    Organisational culture is an anthropological metaphor used to inform research and consultancy and to explain organisational environments. In recent years, increasing emphasis has been placed on the need to change organisational culture in order to improve healthcare performance. However, the precise function of organisational culture in healthcare policy often remains underspecified and the desirability and feasibility of strategies to be adopted have been called into question. The objective of this review was to determine the effectiveness of strategies to change organisational culture in order to improve healthcare performance. We searched the following electronic databases: The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Sociological Abstracts, Web of Knowledge, PsycINFO, Business and Management, EThOS, Index to Theses, Intute, HMIC, SIGLE, and Scopus until October 2009. The Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness (DARE) was searched for related reviews. We also searched the reference lists of all papers and relevant reviews identified, and we contacted experts in the field for advice on further potential studies. We considered randomised controlled trials (RCTs) or well designed quasi-experimental studies (controlled clinical trials (CCTs), controlled before and after studies (CBAs), and interrupted time series (ITS) analyses). Studies could be set in any type of healthcare organisation in which strategies to change organisational culture in order to improve healthcare performance were applied. Our main outcomes were objective measures of professional performance and patient outcome. The search strategy yielded 4,239 records. After the full text assessment, two CBA studies were included in the review. They both assessed the impact of interventions aimed at changing organisational culture, but one evaluated the impact on work-related and personal outcomes while the other measured clinical outcomes. Both were at high risk of

  6. The effectiveness of strategies to change organisational culture to improve healthcare performance: a systematic review

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Organisational culture is an anthropological metaphor used to inform research and consultancy and to explain organisational environments. In recent years, increasing emphasis has been placed on the need to change organisational culture in order to improve healthcare performance. However, the precise function of organisational culture in healthcare policy often remains underspecified and the desirability and feasibility of strategies to be adopted have been called into question. The objective of this review was to determine the effectiveness of strategies to change organisational culture in order to improve healthcare performance. Methods We searched the following electronic databases: The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Sociological Abstracts, Web of Knowledge, PsycINFO, Business and Management, EThOS, Index to Theses, Intute, HMIC, SIGLE, and Scopus until October 2009. The Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness (DARE) was searched for related reviews. We also searched the reference lists of all papers and relevant reviews identified, and we contacted experts in the field for advice on further potential studies. We considered randomised controlled trials (RCTs) or well designed quasi-experimental studies (controlled clinical trials (CCTs), controlled before and after studies (CBAs), and interrupted time series (ITS) analyses). Studies could be set in any type of healthcare organisation in which strategies to change organisational culture in order to improve healthcare performance were applied. Our main outcomes were objective measures of professional performance and patient outcome. Results The search strategy yielded 4,239 records. After the full text assessment, two CBA studies were included in the review. They both assessed the impact of interventions aimed at changing organisational culture, but one evaluated the impact on work-related and personal outcomes while the other measured clinical outcomes

  7. Tuning Transpiration by Interfacial Solar Absorber-Leaf Engineering.

    PubMed

    Zhuang, Shendong; Zhou, Lin; Xu, Weichao; Xu, Ning; Hu, Xiaozhen; Li, Xiuqiang; Lv, Guangxin; Zheng, Qinghui; Zhu, Shining; Wang, Zhenlin; Zhu, Jia

    2018-02-01

    Plant transpiration, a process of water movement through a plant and its evaporation from aerial parts especially leaves, consumes a large component of the total continental precipitation (≈48%) and significantly influences global water distribution and climate. To date, various chemical and/or biological explorations have been made to tune the transpiration but with uncertain environmental risks. In recent years, interfacial solar steam/vapor generation is attracting a lot of attention for achieving high energy transfer efficiency. Various optical and thermal designs at the solar absorber-water interface for potential applications in water purification, seawater desalination, and power generation appear. In this work, the concept of interfacial solar vapor generation is extended to tunable plant transpiration by showing for the first time that the transpiration efficiency can also be enhanced or suppressed through engineering the solar absorber-leaf interface. By tuning the solar absorption of membrane in direct touch with green leaf, surface temperature of green leaf will change accordingly because of photothermal effect, thus the transpiration efficiency as well as temperature and relative humidity in the surrounding environment will be tuned. This tunable transpiration by interfacial absorber-leaf engineering can open an alternative avenue to regulate local atmospheric temperature, humidity, and eventually hydrologic cycle.

  8. The Impact of a Learning Culture on Organisational Change in Regional SMEs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bamberry, Goff; Sabri-Matanagh, Saeed; Duncan, Glen

    2015-01-01

    This paper explores the impact of a learning culture on organisational change in small to medium-sized regional manufacturing enterprises following a review of the related literature, and a qualitative study of 10 manufacturing SMEs in the Riverina region of New South Wales. The research confirmed that key learning culture factors as identified in…

  9. Composite neutron absorbing coatings for nuclear criticality control

    DOEpatents

    Wright, Richard N.; Swank, W. David; Mizia, Ronald E.

    2005-07-19

    Thermal neutron absorbing composite coating materials and methods of applying such coating materials to spent nuclear fuel storage systems are provided. A composite neutron absorbing coating applied to a substrate surface includes a neutron absorbing layer overlying at least a portion of the substrate surface, and a corrosion resistant top coat layer overlying at least a portion of the neutron absorbing layer. An optional bond coat layer can be formed on the substrate surface prior to forming the neutron absorbing layer. The neutron absorbing layer can include a neutron absorbing material, such as gadolinium oxide or gadolinium phosphate, dispersed in a metal alloy matrix. The coating layers may be formed by a plasma spray process or a high velocity oxygen fuel process.

  10. Population size does not explain past changes in cultural complexity

    PubMed Central

    Vaesen, Krist; Collard, Mark; Cosgrove, Richard; Roebroeks, Wil

    2016-01-01

    Demography is increasingly being invoked to account for features of the archaeological record, such as the technological conservatism of the Lower and Middle Pleistocene, the Middle to Upper Paleolithic transition, and cultural loss in Holocene Tasmania. Such explanations are commonly justified in relation to population dynamic models developed by Henrich [Henrich J (2004) Am Antiq 69:197–214] and Powell et al. [Powell A, et al. (2009) Science 324(5932):1298–1301], which appear to demonstrate that population size is the crucial determinant of cultural complexity. Here, we show that these models fail in two important respects. First, they only support a relationship between demography and culture in implausible conditions. Second, their predictions conflict with the available archaeological and ethnographic evidence. We conclude that new theoretical and empirical research is required to identify the factors that drove the changes in cultural complexity that are documented by the archaeological record. PMID:27044082

  11. Implementing culture change in long-term dementia care settings.

    PubMed

    McGreevy, Jessica

    2016-01-06

    The approach to nursing in long-term care settings for people living with dementia continues to evolve from a traditional, task-oriented culture to one that is person-centred. Such change can be difficult to manage and may encounter considerable opposition; having an understanding of change management and leadership styles may help to make this transition easier. This article discusses the differences between task-oriented and person-centred care, theories of management, motivation and leadership styles, and focuses on those that are most appropriate for this type of change. An improved understanding of these theories will enable nurses to support others in the delivery of person-centred care.

  12. Space Evaporator Absorber Radiator (SEAR) for Thermal Storage on Manned Spacecraft

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Izenson, Michael G.; Chen, Weibo; Chepko, Ariane; Bue, Grant; Quinn, Gregory

    2015-01-01

    Future manned exploration spacecraft will need to operate in challenging thermal environments. State-of-the-art technology for active thermal control relies on sublimating water ice and venting the vapor overboard in very hot environments, and or heavy phase change material heat exchangers for thermal storage. These approaches can lead to large loss of water and a significant mass penalties for the spacecraft. This paper describes an innovative thermal control system that uses a Space Evaporator Absorber Radiator (SEAR) to control spacecraft temperatures in highly variable environments without venting water. SEAR uses heat pumping and energy storage by LiCl/water absorption to enable effective cooling during hot periods and regeneration during cool periods. The LiCl absorber technology has the potential to absorb over 800 kJ per kg of system mass, compared to phase change heat sink systems that typically achieve approx. 50 kJ/kg. This paper describes analysis models to predict performance and optimize the size of the SEAR system, estimated size and mass of key components, and an assessment of potential mass savings compared with alternative thermal management approaches. We also describe a concept design for an ISS test package to demonstrate operation of a subscale system in zero gravity.

  13. Wide band cryogenic ultra-high vacuum microwave absorber

    DOEpatents

    Campisi, I.E.

    1992-05-12

    An absorber waveguide assembly for absorbing higher order modes of microwave energy under cryogenic ultra-high vacuum conditions, that absorbs wide-band multi-mode energy. The absorber is of a special triangular shape, made from flat tiles of silicon carbide and aluminum nitride. The leading sharp end of the absorber is located in a corner of the waveguide and tapers to a larger cross-sectional area whose center is located approximately in the center of the wave guide. The absorber is relatively short, being of less height than the maximum width of the waveguide. 11 figs.

  14. Wide band cryogenic ultra-high vacuum microwave absorber

    DOEpatents

    Campisi, Isidoro E.

    1992-01-01

    An absorber wave guide assembly for absorbing higher order modes of microwave energy under cryogenic ultra-high vacuum conditions, that absorbs wide-band multi-mode energy. The absorber is of a special triangular shape, made from flat tiles of silicon carbide and aluminum nitride. The leading sharp end of the absorber is located in a corner of the wave guide and tapers to a larger cross-sectional area whose center is located approximately in the center of the wave guide. The absorber is relatively short, being of less height than the maximum width of the wave guide.

  15. Effecting IT infrastructure culture change: management by processes and metrics

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Miller, R. L.

    2001-01-01

    This talk describes the processes and metrics used by Jet Propulsion Laboratory to bring about the required IT infrastructure culture change to update and certify, as Y2K compliant, thousands of computers and millions of lines of code.

  16. Visible absorbance spectra: A basis for in situ and passive remote sensing of phytoplankton concentration and community composition

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Farmer, F. H.; Jarrett, O., Jr.; Brown, C. A., Jr.

    1983-01-01

    The concentration and composition of phytoplankton populations are measured by an optical method which can be used either in situ or remotely. This method is based upon the in vivo light absorption characteristics of phytoplankton. To provide a data base for testing assumptions relative to the proposed method, visible absorbance spectra of pure cultures of 20 marine phytoplankton were obtained under laboratory conditions. Descriptive and analytical statistics were computed for the absorbance spectra and were used to make comparisons between members of major taxonomic groups and between groups. Spectral variation between the members of the major taxonomic groups was observed to be considerably less than the spectral variation between these groups. In several cases the differences between the mean absorbance spectra of major taxonomic groups are significant enough to be detected with passive remote sensing techniques.

  17. Two-dimensional QR-coded metamaterial absorber

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sui, Sai; Ma, Hua; Wang, Jiafu; Pang, Yongqiang; Zhang, Jieqiu; Qu, Shaobo

    2016-01-01

    In this paper, the design of metamaterial absorbers is proposed based on QR coding and topology optimization. Such absorbers look like QR codes and can be recognized by decoding softwares as well as mobile phones. To verify the design, two lightweight wideband absorbers are designed, which can achieve wideband absorption above 90 % in 6.68-19.30 and 7.00-19.70 GHz, respectively. More importantly, polarization-independent absorption over 90 % can be maintained under incident angle within 55°. The QR code absorber not only can achieve wideband absorption, but also can carry information such as texts and Web sites. They are of important values in applications such identification and electromagnetic protection.

  18. Cultural change and support of waste minimization

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Boylan, M.S.

    1991-12-31

    The process of bringing a subject like pollution prevention to top of mind awareness, where designed to prevent waste becomes part of business as usual, is called cultural change. With Department of Energy orders and management waste minimization commitment statements on file, the REAL work is just beginning at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL); shaping the attitudes of 11,000+ employees. The difficulties of such a task are daunting. The 890 square mile INEL site and in-town support offices mean a huge diversity of employee jobs and waste streams; from cafeteria and auto maintenance wastes to high-level nuclear waste casks.more » INEL is pursuing a three component cultural change strategy: training, publicity, and public outreach. To meet the intent of DOE orders, all INEL employees are slated to receive pollution prevention orientation training. More technical training is given to targeted groups like purchasing and design engineering. To keep newly learned pollution prevention concepts top-of-mind, extensive site-wide publicity is being developed and conducted, culminating in the April Pollution Prevention Awareness Week coinciding with Earth Day 1992. Finally, news of INEL pollution prevention successes is shared with the public to increase their overall environmental awareness and their knowledge of INEL activities. An important added benefit is the sense of pride the program instills in INEL employees to have their successes displayed so publicly.« less

  19. Skin Health Connected to the Use of Absorbent Hygiene Products: A Review.

    PubMed

    Bender, Johanna Karlsson; Faergemann, Jan; Sköld, Maria

    2017-09-01

    Over the past 50 years, absorbent hygiene products such as baby diapers and incontinence products have become essential features of modern day life. Through innovation and enhanced technology, their design, composition and performance have been dramatically upgraded from their early forms, and they have transformed the lives of millions of people, improving their quality of life. Skin health related to the use of absorbent hygiene products has accordingly also greatly improved. Still, the wearing of absorbent hygiene products will affect the skin, and for some users the changes in microclimate, mechanical interactions and the exposure to urine and faeces may result in irritant contact dermatitis, i.e. diaper dermatitis (DD) or incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD). Babies with developing skin and the elderly with deteriorating skin functions who are the most frequent users of absorbent hygiene products are more vulnerable to the causal factors. Although irritant reactions are the most common, allergic contact dermatitis should be considered if a DD/IAD fails to improve by recommended actions. There is also a connection between IAD and pressure ulcer development of which it is important to be aware. A holistic approach of using high-quality absorbent hygiene products in combination with appropriate skin care will help maintaining good skin health.

  20. Adaptive tuned vibration absorber based on magnetorheological elastomer-shape memory alloy composite

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kumbhar, Samir B.; Chavan, S. P.; Gawade, S. S.

    2018-02-01

    Shape memory alloy (SMA) is an attractive smart material which could be used as stiffness tuning element in adaptive tuned vibration absorber (ATVA). The sharp modulus change in SMA material during phase transformation creates difficulties for smooth tuning to track forcing frequency to minimize vibrations of primary system. However, high hysteresis damping at low temperature martensitic phase degrades performance of vibration absorber. This paper deals with the study of dynamic response of system in which SMA and magnetorheological elastomer (MRE) are combined together to act as a smart spring- mass-damper system in a tuned vibration absorber. This composite is used as two way stiffness tuning element in ATVA for smooth and continuous tuning and to minimize the adverse effect at low temperature by increasing equivalent stiffness. The stiffnesses of SMA element and MRE are varied respectively by changing temperature and strength of external magnetic field. The two way stiffness tuning ability and adaptivity have been demonstrated analytically and experimentally. The experimental results show good agreement with analytical results. The proposed composite is able to shift the stiffness consequently the natural frequency of primary system as well as reduce the vibration level of primary system by substantial mount.

  1. Changes in patient safety culture after restructuring of intensive care units: Two cross-sectional studies.

    PubMed

    Vifladt, Anne; Simonsen, Bjoerg O; Lydersen, Stian; Farup, Per G

    2016-02-01

    Compare changes in registered nurses' perception of the patient safety culture in restructured and not restructured intensive care units during a four-year period. Two cross-sectional surveys were performed, in 2008/2009 (time 1) and 2012/2013 (time 2). During a period of 0-3 years after time 1, three of six hospitals merged their general and medical intensive care units (restructured). The other hospitals maintained their structure of the intensive care units (not restructured). Intensive care units in hospitals at one Norwegian hospital trust. The safety culture was measured with Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture. At times 1 and 2, 217/302 (72%) and 145/289 (50%) registered nurses participated. Restructuring was negatively associated with change in the safety culture, in particular, the dimensions of the safety culture within the unit level. The dimensions most vulnerable for restructuring were manager expectations and actions promoting safety, teamwork within hospital units and staffing. In this study, the restructuring of intensive care units was associated with a negative impact on the safety culture. When restructuring, the management should be particularly aware of changes in the safety culture dimensions manager expectations and actions promoting safety, teamwork within hospital units and staffing. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  2. Focus on Haitian and Hispanic Cultures: Strategies for Health Care Changes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blackmon, Gloria R.

    This paper discusses the adaptation of change theory to cross-cultural nursing or more specifically, the adaptation of Haitian and Hispanic mothers to American practices in the health care of pre-school children. The problems proposed are: How does one effect change in human systems? and What strategies and procedures does one apply in attempting…

  3. On the definition of absorbed dose

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Grusell, Erik

    2015-02-01

    Purpose: The quantity absorbed dose is used extensively in all areas concerning the interaction of ionizing radiation with biological organisms, as well as with matter in general. The most recent and authoritative definition of absorbed dose is given by the International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements (ICRU) in ICRU Report 85. However, that definition is incomplete. The purpose of the present work is to give a rigorous definition of absorbed dose. Methods: Absorbed dose is defined in terms of the random variable specific energy imparted. A random variable is a mathematical function, and it cannot be defined without specifying its domain of definition which is a probability space. This is not done in report 85 by the ICRU, mentioned above. Results: In the present work a definition of a suitable probability space is given, so that a rigorous definition of absorbed dose is possible. This necessarily includes the specification of the experiment which the probability space describes. In this case this is an irradiation, which is specified by the initial particles released and by the material objects which can interact with the radiation. Some consequences are discussed. Specific energy imparted is defined for a volume, and the definition of absorbed dose as a point function involves the specific energy imparted for a small mass contained in a volume surrounding the point. A possible more precise definition of this volume is suggested and discussed. Conclusions: The importance of absorbed dose motivates a proper definition, and one is given in the present work. No rigorous definition has been presented before.

  4. Culture Change from Tobacco Accommodation to Intolerance: Time to Connect the Dots

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Livingood, William C., Jr.; Allegrante, John P.; Green, Lawrence W.

    2016-01-01

    Broad changes in normative health behavior are critical to overcoming many of the contemporary challenges to public health. Reduction in tobacco use during the last third of the 20th century--one of the greatest improvements in public health--illustrates such change. The culture change from accommodation to intolerance of smoking is irrefutable.…

  5. Magnetic field effects on microwave absorbing materials

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Goldberg, Ira; Hollingsworth, Charles S.; Mckinney, Ted M.

    1991-01-01

    The objective of this program was to gather information to formulate a microwave absorber that can work in the presence of strong constant direct current (DC) magnetic fields. The program was conducted in four steps. The first step was to investigate the electrical and magnetic properties of magnetic and ferrite microwave absorbers in the presence of strong magnetic fields. This included both experimental measurements and a literature survey of properties that may be applicable to finding an appropriate absorbing material. The second step was to identify those material properties that will produce desirable absorptive properties in the presence of intense magnetic fields and determine the range of magnetic field in which the absorbers remain effective. The third step was to establish ferrite absorber designs that will produce low reflection and adequate absorption in the presence of intense inhomogeneous static magnetic fields. The fourth and final step was to prepare and test samples of such magnetic microwave absorbers if such designs seem practical.

  6. A detailed analysis of the high-resolution X-ray spectra of NGC 3516: variability of the ionized absorbers

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Huerta, E. M.; Krongold, Y.; Jimenez-Bailon, E.

    2014-09-20

    The 1.5 Seyfert galaxy NGC 3516 presents a strong time variability in X-rays. We re-analyzed the nine observations performed in 2006 October by XMM-Newton and Chandra in the 0.3 to 10 keV energy band. An acceptable model was found for the XMM-Newton data fitting the EPIC-PN and RGS spectra simultaneously; later, this model was successfully applied to the contemporary Chandra high-resolution data. The model consists of a continuum emission component (power law + blackbody) absorbed by four ionized components (warm absorbers), and 10 narrow emission lines. Three absorbing components are warm, producing features only in the soft X-ray band. Themore » fourth ionization component produces Fe XXV and Fe XXVI in the hard-energy band. We study the time response of the absorbing components to the well-detected changes in the X-ray luminosity of this source and find that the two components with the lower ionization state show clear opacity changes consistent with gas close to photoionization equilibrium. These changes are supported by the models and by differences in the spectral features among the nine observations. On the other hand, the two components with higher ionization state do not seem to respond to continuum variations. The response time of the ionized absorbers allows us to constrain their electron density and location. We find that one component (with intermediate ionization) must be located within the obscuring torus at a distance 2.7 × 10{sup 17} cm from the central engine. This outflowing component likely originated in the accretion disk. The three remaining components are at distances larger than 10{sup 16}-10{sup 17} cm. Two of the absorbing components in the soft X-rays have similar outflow velocities and locations. These components may be in pressure equilibrium, forming a multi-phase medium, if the gas has metallicity larger than the solar one (≳ 5 Z {sub ☉}). We also search for variations in the covering factor of the ionized absorbers (although

  7. Interventions for confusion and dementia. 5: Changing cultures.

    PubMed

    Woodrow, P

    Previous articles in this series (Vol 7(15): 891-94; Vol 7(17): 1018-20; Vol 7(19): 1145-49; Vol 7(20): 1247-50) have explored the promotion of quality of life for people with dementia and how this can be achieved through existing interventions. This final article moves from discussing specific interventions to cover wider issues around healthcare beliefs and values. A brief historical overview of dementia care is given, outlining the inherited structures and values. Much valuable work has been carried out by the Bradford Dementia Group, who has described changes in dementia care as moving from an 'old' to a 'new' culture. This 'new culture', offering a comprehensive person-centred approach to holistic care, is explored with reference to the work of Kitwood, who has done much to promote quality of life for people suffering from dementia.

  8. Additive manufacturing of RF absorbers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mills, Matthew S.

    The ability of additive manufacturing techniques to fabricate integrated electromagnetic absorbers tuned for specific radio frequency bands within structural composites allows for unique combinations of mechanical and electromagnetic properties. These composites and films can be used for RF shielding of sensitive electromagnetic components through in-plane and out-of-plane RF absorption. Structural composites are a common building block of many commercial platforms. These platforms may be placed in situations in which there is a need for embedded RF absorbing properties along with structural properties. Instead of adding radar absorbing treatments to the external surface of existing structures, which adds increased size, weight and cost; it could prove to be advantageous to integrate the microwave absorbing properties directly into the composite during the fabrication process. In this thesis, a method based on additive manufacturing techniques of composites structures with prescribed electromagnetic loss, within the frequency range 1 to 26GHz, is presented. This method utilizes screen printing and nScrypt micro dispensing to pattern a carbon based ink onto low loss substrates. The materials chosen for this study will be presented, and the fabrication technique that these materials went through to create RF absorbing structures will be described. The calibration methods used, the modeling of the RF structures, and the applications in which this technology can be utilized will also be presented.

  9. Independently tunable dual-band perfect absorber based on graphene at mid-infrared frequencies

    DOE PAGES

    Zhang, Yuping; Li, Tongtong; Chen, Qi; ...

    2015-12-22

    We design a dual-band absorber formed by combining two cross-shaped metallic resonators of different sizes within a super-unit-cell arranged in mirror symmetry. Simulations indicate that absorption efficiencies greater than 99% can be achieved at two different frequencies under normal incidence. We also employ a design scheme with graphene integration, which allows independent tuning of individual absorption frequencies by electrostatically changing the Fermi energy of the graphene layer. High absorbance is maintained over a wide incident angle range up to 50 degrees for both TE and TM polarizations. Thus, it enables a promising way to design electrically tunable absorbers, which maymore » contribute toward the realization of frequency selective detectors for sensing applications.« less

  10. Reducing variable frequency vibrations in a powertrain system with an adaptive tuned vibration absorber group

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gao, Pu; Xiang, Changle; Liu, Hui; Zhou, Han

    2018-07-01

    Based on a multiple degrees of freedom dynamic model of a vehicle powertrain system, natural vibration analyses and sensitivity analyses of the eigenvalues are performed to determine the key inertia for each natural vibration of a powertrain system. Then, the results are used to optimize the installation position of each adaptive tuned vibration absorber. According to the relationship between the variable frequency torque excitation and the natural vibration of a powertrain system, the entire vibration frequency band is divided into segments, and the auxiliary vibration absorber and dominant vibration absorber are determined for each sensitive frequency band. The optimum parameters of the auxiliary vibration absorber are calculated based on the optimal frequency ratio and the optimal damping ratio of the passive vibration absorber. The instantaneous change state of the natural vibrations of a powertrain system with adaptive tuned vibration absorbers is studied, and the optimized start and stop tuning frequencies of the adaptive tuned vibration absorber are obtained. These frequencies can be translated into the optimum parameters of the dominant vibration absorber. Finally, the optimal tuning scheme for the adaptive tuned vibration absorber group, which can be used to reduce the variable frequency vibrations of a powertrain system, is proposed, and corresponding numerical simulations are performed. The simulation time history signals are transformed into three-dimensional information related to time, frequency and vibration energy via the Hilbert-Huang transform (HHT). A comprehensive time-frequency analysis is then conducted to verify that the optimal tuning scheme for the adaptive tuned vibration absorber group can significantly reduce the variable frequency vibrations of a powertrain system.

  11. Culture Change in Long-Term Care: Participatory Action Research and the Role of the Resident

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shura, Robin; Siders, Rebecca A.; Dannefer, Dale

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: This study's purpose was to advance the process of culture change within long-term care (LTC) and assisted living settings by using participatory action research (PAR) to promote residents' competence and nourish the culture change process with the active engagement and leadership of residents. Design and Methods: Seven unit-specific PAR…

  12. Warm Absorber Diagnostics of AGN Dynamics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kallman, Timothy

    Warm absorbers and related phenomena are observable manifestations of outflows or winds from active galactic nuclei (AGN) that have great potential value. Understanding AGN outflows is important for explaining the mass budgets of the central accreting black hole, and also for understanding feedback and the apparent co-evolution of black holes and their host galaxies. In the X-ray band warm absorbers are observed as photoelectric absorption and resonance line scattering features in the 0.5-10 keV energy band; the UV band also shows resonance line absorption. Warm absorbers are common in low luminosity AGN and they have been extensively studied observationally. They may play an important role in AGN feedback, regulating the net accretion onto the black hole and providing mechanical energy to the surroundings. However, fundamental properties of the warm absorbers are not known: What is the mechanism which drives the outflow?; what is the gas density in the flow and the geometrical distribution of the outflow?; what is the explanation for the apparent relation between warm absorbers and the surprising quasi-relativistic 'ultrafast outflows' (UFOs)? We propose a focused set of model calculations that are aimed at synthesizing observable properties of warm absorber flows and associated quantities. These will be used to explore various scenarios for warm absorber dynamics in order to answer the questions in the previous paragraph. The guiding principle will be to examine as wide a range as possible of warm absorber driving mechanisms, geometry and other properties, but with as careful consideration as possible to physical consistency. We will build on our previous work, which was a systematic campaign for testing important class of scenarios for driving the outflows. We have developed a set of tools that are unique and well suited for dynamical calculations including radiation in this context. We also have state-of-the-art tools for generating synthetic spectra, which are

  13. 21 CFR 868.5300 - Carbon dioxide absorbent.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Carbon dioxide absorbent. 868.5300 Section 868...) MEDICAL DEVICES ANESTHESIOLOGY DEVICES Therapeutic Devices § 868.5300 Carbon dioxide absorbent. (a) Identification. A carbon dioxide absorbent is a device intended for medical purposes that consists of an...

  14. 21 CFR 868.5300 - Carbon dioxide absorbent.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Carbon dioxide absorbent. 868.5300 Section 868...) MEDICAL DEVICES ANESTHESIOLOGY DEVICES Therapeutic Devices § 868.5300 Carbon dioxide absorbent. (a) Identification. A carbon dioxide absorbent is a device intended for medical purposes that consists of an...

  15. 21 CFR 868.5300 - Carbon dioxide absorbent.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Carbon dioxide absorbent. 868.5300 Section 868...) MEDICAL DEVICES ANESTHESIOLOGY DEVICES Therapeutic Devices § 868.5300 Carbon dioxide absorbent. (a) Identification. A carbon dioxide absorbent is a device intended for medical purposes that consists of an...

  16. Frequency Tuning of Vibration Absorber Using Topology Optimization

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Harel, Swapnil Subhash

    A tuned mass absorber is a system for reducing the amplitude in one oscillator by coupling it to a second oscillator. If tuned correctly, the maximum amplitude of the first oscillator in response to a periodic driver will be lowered, and much of the vibration will be 'transferred' to the second oscillator. The tuned vibration absorber (TVA) has been utilized for vibration control purposes in many sectors of Civil/Automotive/Aerospace Engineering for many decades since its inception. Time and again we come across a situation in which a vibratory system is required to run near resonance. In the past, approaches have been made to design such auxiliary spring mass tuned absorbers for the safety of the structures. This research focuses on the development and optimization of continuously tuned mass absorbers as a substitute to the discretely tuned mass absorbers (spring- mass system). After conducting the study of structural behavior, the boundary condition and frequency to which the absorber is to be tuned are determined. The Modal analysis approach is used to determine mode shapes and frequencies. The absorber is designed and optimized using the topology optimization tool, which simultaneously designs, optimizes and tunes the absorber to the desired frequency. The tuned, optimized absorber, after post processing, is attached to the target structure. The number of the absorbers are increased to amplify bandwidth and thereby upgrade the safety of structure for a wide range of frequency. The frequency response analysis is carried out using various combinations of structure and number of absorber cell.

  17. Office Review: Managing Successful Change in an Overwork Culture

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Child, Christine; Lander, Rachel

    2008-01-01

    The increase in student numbers and the decline in the average unit of resource since the 1990s together with the changes brought about by rising student expectations are familiar circumstances to anyone working in higher education. The authors perceive this as part of the move towards a consumer culture in the public sector. This paper gives an…

  18. How does a culture of health change? Lessons from the war on cigarettes.

    PubMed

    Schudson, Michael; Baykurt, Burcu

    2016-09-01

    This paper focuses on one of the most dramatic changes in the culture of health in the U.S. since World War II: the reduction of adult cigarette smoking from close to half of the population to under 20 percent between the 1960s and the 1990s. What role does culture play in explaining this shift in smoking from socially accepted to socially stigmatized? After surveying how culture has been used to explain the decline in smoking in the fields of tobacco control and public health, we argue that existing concepts do not capture the complex transformation of smoking. We instead suggest a micro-sociological view which presumes that culture may change in response to spatially organized constraints, cajoling, and comradeship. By reviewing two major drivers of the transformation of smoking - the Surgeon General's Reports and the nonsmokers' rights movement - at this micro-sociological level, we show how culture works through social spaces and practices while institutionalizing collective or even legal pressures and constraints on behavior. This conclusion also seeks to explain the uneven adoption of non-smoking across classes, and to reflect on the utility of presuming that a uniform "culture" blankets a society. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Reflection by absorbing periodically stratified media

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lekner, John

    2014-03-01

    Existing theory gives the optical properties of a periodically stratified medium in terms of a two by two matrix. This theory is valid also for absorbing media, because the matrix remains unimodular. The main effect of absorption is that the reflection (of either polarization) becomes independent of the number of periods N, and of the substrate properties, provided N exceeds a certain value which depends on the absorption. The s and p reflections are then given by simple formulae. The stop-band structure, which gives total reflection in bands of frequency and angle of incidence in the non-absorbing case, remains influential in weakly absorbing media, causing strong variations in reflectivity. The theory is applied to the frequency dependence of the normal-incidence reflectivity of a quarter-wave stack in which the high-index and low-index layers both absorb weakly. Analytical expressions are obtained for the frequency at which the reflectivity is maximum, the maximum reflectivity, and also for the reflectivity at the band edges of the stop band of the non-absorbing stack.

  20. 21 CFR 880.5300 - Medical absorbent fiber.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Medical absorbent fiber. 880.5300 Section 880.5300...) MEDICAL DEVICES GENERAL HOSPITAL AND PERSONAL USE DEVICES General Hospital and Personal Use Therapeutic Devices § 880.5300 Medical absorbent fiber. (a) Identification. A medical absorbent fiber is a device...

  1. 21 CFR 880.5300 - Medical absorbent fiber.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Medical absorbent fiber. 880.5300 Section 880.5300...) MEDICAL DEVICES GENERAL HOSPITAL AND PERSONAL USE DEVICES General Hospital and Personal Use Therapeutic Devices § 880.5300 Medical absorbent fiber. (a) Identification. A medical absorbent fiber is a device...

  2. A generative inference framework for analysing patterns of cultural change in sparse population data with evidence for fashion trends in LBK culture.

    PubMed

    Kandler, Anne; Shennan, Stephen

    2015-12-06

    Cultural change can be quantified by temporal changes in frequency of different cultural artefacts and it is a central question to identify what underlying cultural transmission processes could have caused the observed frequency changes. Observed changes, however, often describe the dynamics in samples of the population of artefacts, whereas transmission processes act on the whole population. Here we develop a modelling framework aimed at addressing this inference problem. To do so, we firstly generate population structures from which the observed sample could have been drawn randomly and then determine theoretical samples at a later time t2 produced under the assumption that changes in frequencies are caused by a specific transmission process. Thereby we also account for the potential effect of time-averaging processes in the generation of the observed sample. Subsequent statistical comparisons (e.g. using Bayesian inference) of the theoretical and observed samples at t2 can establish which processes could have produced the observed frequency data. In this way, we infer underlying transmission processes directly from available data without any equilibrium assumption. We apply this framework to a dataset describing pottery from settlements of some of the first farmers in Europe (the LBK culture) and conclude that the observed frequency dynamic of different types of decorated pottery is consistent with age-dependent selection, a preference for 'young' pottery types which is potentially indicative of fashion trends. © 2015 The Author(s).

  3. Changing Teachers, Changing Times. Teachers' Work and Culture in the Postmodern Age. Professional Development and Practice Series.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hargreaves, Andy

    This book examines the personal, moral, cultural, and political dimensions of teaching in the context of rapid and far-reaching change within teachers' work and in the world beyond it. The chapters in Part One examine the powerful forces for change in society and how those forces are exerting pressure on existing institutions. Issues such as the…

  4. Electronic and thermally tunable infrared metamaterial absorbers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shrekenhamer, David; Miragliotta, Joseph A.; Brinkley, Matthew; Fan, Kebin; Peng, Fenglin; Montoya, John A.; Gauza, Sebastian; Wu, Shin-Tson; Padilla, Willie J.

    2016-09-01

    In this paper, we report a computational and experimental study using tunable infrared (IR) metamaterial absorbers (MMAs) to demonstrate frequency tunable (7%) and amplitude modulation (61%) designs. The dynamic tuning of each structure was achieved through the addition of an active material—liquid crystals (LC) or vanadium dioxide (VO2)-within the unit cell of the MMA architecture. In both systems, an applied stimulus (electric field or temperature) induced a dielectric change in the active material and subsequent variation in the absorption and reflection properties of the MMA in the mid- to long-wavelength region of the IR (MWIR and LWIR, respectively). These changes were observed to be reversible for both systems and dynamic in the LC-based structure.

  5. Cross-Cultural Interpretations of Changes in Early Childhood Education in the USA, Russia, and Finland

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vlasov, Janniina; Hujala, Eeva

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine changes that have taken place in centre-based early childhood education (ECE) in the USA, Russia, and Finland between 1991 and 2014. The cross-culturally conducted study aimed to identify and contrast socio-cultural differences and similarities of the perceived changes in the context of the studied…

  6. Vibration analysis on compact car shock absorber

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tan, W. H.; Cheah, J. X.; Lam, C. K.; Lim, E. A.; Chuah, H. G.; Khor, C. Y.

    2017-10-01

    Shock absorber is a part of the suspension system which provides comfort experience while driving. Resonance, a phenomenon where forced frequency is coinciding with the natural frequency has significant effect on the shock absorber itself. Thus, in this study, natural frequencies of the shock absorber in a 2 degree-of-freedom system were investigated using Wolfram Mathematica 11, CATIA, and ANSYS. Both theoretical and simulation study how will the resonance affect the car shock absorber. The parametric study on the performance of shock absorber also had been conducted. It is found that the failure tends to occur on coil sprung of the shock absorber before the body of the shock absorber is fail. From mathematical modelling, it can also be seen that higher vibration level occurred on un-sprung mass compare to spring mass. This is due to the weight of sprung mass which could stabilize as compared with the weight of un-sprung mass. Besides that, two natural frequencies had been obtained which are 1.0 Hz and 9.1 Hz for sprung mass and un-sprung mass respectively where the acceleration is recorded as maximum. In conclusion, ANSYS can be used to validate with theoretical results with complete model in order to match with mathematical modelling.

  7. 21 CFR 868.5310 - Carbon dioxide absorber.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Carbon dioxide absorber. 868.5310 Section 868.5310...) MEDICAL DEVICES ANESTHESIOLOGY DEVICES Therapeutic Devices § 868.5310 Carbon dioxide absorber. (a) Identification. A carbon dioxide absorber is a device that is intended for medical purposes and that is used in a...

  8. 21 CFR 868.5310 - Carbon dioxide absorber.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Carbon dioxide absorber. 868.5310 Section 868.5310...) MEDICAL DEVICES ANESTHESIOLOGY DEVICES Therapeutic Devices § 868.5310 Carbon dioxide absorber. (a) Identification. A carbon dioxide absorber is a device that is intended for medical purposes and that is used in a...

  9. 21 CFR 868.5310 - Carbon dioxide absorber.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Carbon dioxide absorber. 868.5310 Section 868.5310...) MEDICAL DEVICES ANESTHESIOLOGY DEVICES Therapeutic Devices § 868.5310 Carbon dioxide absorber. (a) Identification. A carbon dioxide absorber is a device that is intended for medical purposes and that is used in a...

  10. Gas compressor with side branch absorber for pulsation control

    DOEpatents

    Harris, Ralph E [San Antonio, TX; Scrivner, Christine M [San Antonio, TX; Broerman, III, Eugene L.

    2011-05-24

    A method and system for reducing pulsation in lateral piping associated with a gas compressor system. A tunable side branch absorber (TSBA) is installed on the lateral piping. A pulsation sensor is placed in the lateral piping, to measure pulsation within the piping. The sensor output signals are delivered to a controller, which controls actuators that change the acoustic dimensions of the SBA.

  11. Enhancing the informal curriculum of a medical school: a case study in organizational culture change.

    PubMed

    Cottingham, Ann H; Suchman, Anthony L; Litzelman, Debra K; Frankel, Richard M; Mossbarger, David L; Williamson, Penelope R; Baldwin, Dewitt C; Inui, Thomas S

    2008-06-01

    Calls for organizational culture change are audible in many health care discourses today, including those focused on medical education, patient safety, service quality, and translational research. In spite of many efforts, traditional "top-down" approaches to changing culture and relational patterns in organizations often disappoint. In an effort to better align our informal curriculum with our formal competency-based curriculum, Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM) initiated a school-wide culture change project using an alternative, participatory approach that built on the interests, strengths, and values of IUSM individuals and microsystems. Employing a strategy of "emergent design," we began by gathering and presenting stories of IUSM's culture at its best to foster mindfulness of positive relational patterns already present in the IUSM environment. We then tracked and supported new initiatives stimulated by dissemination of the stories. The vision of a new IUSM culture combined with the initial narrative intervention have prompted significant unanticipated shifts in ordinary activities and behavior, including a redesigned admissions process, new relational practices at faculty meetings, student-initiated publications, and modifications of major administrative projects such as department chair performance reviews and mission-based management. Students' satisfaction with their educational experience rose sharply from historical patterns, and reflective narratives describe significant changes in the work and learning environment. This case study of emergent change in a medical school's informal curriculum illustrates the efficacy of novel approaches to organizational development. Large-scale change can be promoted with an emergent, non-prescriptive strategy, an appreciative perspective, and focused and sustained attention to everyday relational patterns.

  12. PT-symmetric laser absorber

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Longhi, Stefano

    2010-09-15

    In a recent work, Y. D. Chong et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 105, 053901 (2010)] proposed the idea of a coherent perfect absorber (CPA) as the time-reversed counterpart of a laser, in which a purely incoming radiation pattern is completely absorbed by a lossy medium. The optical medium that realizes CPA is obtained by reversing the gain with absorption, and thus it generally differs from the lasing medium. Here it is shown that a laser with an optical medium that satisfies the parity-time (PT) symmetry condition {epsilon}(-r)={epsilon}*(r) for the dielectric constant behaves simultaneously as a laser oscillator (i.e., it canmore » emit outgoing coherent waves) and as a CPA (i.e., it can fully absorb incoming coherent waves with appropriate amplitudes and phases). Such a device can thus be referred to as a PT-symmetric CPA laser. The general amplification or absorption features of the PT CPA laser below lasing threshold driven by two fields are determined.« less

  13. Gold absorbing film for a composite bolometer

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dragovan, M.; Moseley, S. H.

    1984-01-01

    The principles governing the design of metal films are reviewed, with attention also given to the choice of metals. A description is then given of the characteristics of a bolometer with a gold absorbing film. It is demonstrated that gold is effective as an absorbing film for a millimeter bolometer operated at 1.5 K. At 1.5 K, gold is significantly better than bismuth since gold has a lower heat capacity for the absorbing film. At 0.3 K, gold and bismuth are both suitable. It is pointed out that at temperatures below 0.3 K, a superconducting absorbing film can have a heat capacity low enough not to dominate the heat capacity of the detector; for this reason, it may give better performance than a nonsuperconducting absorbing film.

  14. Energy absorber for the CETA

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wesselski, Clarence J.

    1994-01-01

    The energy absorber that was developed for the CETA (Crew Equipment and Translation Aid) on Space Station Freedom is a metal on metal frictional type and has a load regulating feature that prevents excessive stroking loads from occurring while in operation. This paper highlights some of the design and operating aspects and the testing of this energy absorber.

  15. Design and verification of a hybrid nonlinear MRE vibration absorber for controllable broadband performance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sun, S. S.; Yildirim, T.; Wu, Jichu; Yang, J.; Du, H.; Zhang, S. W.; Li, W. H.

    2017-09-01

    In this work, a hybrid nonlinear magnetorheological elastomer (MRE) vibration absorber has been designed, theoretically investigated and experimentally verified. The proposed nonlinear MRE absorber has the dual advantages of a nonlinear force-displacement relationship and variable stiffness technology; the purpose for coupling these two technologies is to achieve a large broadband vibration absorber with controllable capability. To achieve a nonlinear stiffness in the device, two pairs of magnets move at a rotary angle against each other, and the theoretical nonlinear force-displacement relationship has been theoretically calculated. For the experimental investigation, the effects of base excitation, variable currents applied to the device (i.e. variable stiffness of the MRE) and semi-active control have been conducted to determine the enhanced broadband performance of the designed device. It was observed the device was able to change resonance frequency with the applied current; moreover, the hybrid nonlinear MRE absorber displayed a softening-type nonlinear response with clear discontinuous bifurcations observed. Furthermore, the performance of the device under a semi-active control algorithm displayed the optimal performance in attenuating the vibration from a primary system to the absorber over a large frequency bandwidth from 4 to 12 Hz. By coupling nonlinear stiffness attributes with variable stiffness MRE technology, the performance of a vibration absorber is substantially improved.

  16. 21 CFR 868.5310 - Carbon dioxide absorber.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Carbon dioxide absorber. 868.5310 Section 868.5310 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES ANESTHESIOLOGY DEVICES Therapeutic Devices § 868.5310 Carbon dioxide absorber. (a) Identification. A carbon dioxide absorber is a devic...

  17. 21 CFR 868.5300 - Carbon dioxide absorbent.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Carbon dioxide absorbent. 868.5300 Section 868.5300 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES ANESTHESIOLOGY DEVICES Therapeutic Devices § 868.5300 Carbon dioxide absorbent. (a) Identification. A carbon dioxide absorbent is a...

  18. 21 CFR 868.5300 - Carbon dioxide absorbent.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Carbon dioxide absorbent. 868.5300 Section 868.5300 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES ANESTHESIOLOGY DEVICES Therapeutic Devices § 868.5300 Carbon dioxide absorbent. (a) Identification. A carbon dioxide absorbent is a...

  19. 21 CFR 868.5310 - Carbon dioxide absorber.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Carbon dioxide absorber. 868.5310 Section 868.5310 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES ANESTHESIOLOGY DEVICES Therapeutic Devices § 868.5310 Carbon dioxide absorber. (a) Identification. A carbon dioxide absorber is a devic...

  20. Mushroom plasmonic metamaterial infrared absorbers

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ogawa, Shinpei, E-mail: Ogawa.Shimpei@eb.MitsubishiElectric.co.jp; Fujisawa, Daisuke; Hata, Hisatoshi

    2015-01-26

    There has been a considerable amount of interest in the development of various types of electromagnetic wave absorbers for use in different wavelength ranges. In particular, infrared (IR) absorbers with wavelength selectivity can be applied to advanced uncooled IR sensors, which would be capable of identifying objects through their radiation spectrum. In the present study, mushroom plasmonic metamaterial absorbers (MPMAs) for the IR wavelength region were designed and fabricated. The MPMAs consist of a periodic array of thin metal micropatches connected to a thin metal plate with narrow silicon (Si) posts. A Si post height of 200 nm was achieved bymore » isotropic XeF{sub 2} etching of a thin Si layer sandwiched between metal plates. This fabrication procedure is relatively simple and is consistent with complementary metal oxide semiconductor technology. The absorption spectra of the fabricated MPMAs were experimentally measured. In addition, theoretical calculations of their absorption properties were conducted using rigorous coupled wave analysis. Both the calculated and measured absorbance results demonstrated that these MPMAs can realize strong selective absorption at wavelengths beyond the period of the array by varying the micropatch width. Absorbance values greater than 90% were achieved. Dual- or single-mode absorption can also be selected by varying the width of the Si posts. Pixel structures using such MPMAs could be used as high responsivity, high resolution and fast uncooled IR sensors.« less

  1. Shock absorber operates over wide range

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Creasy, W. K.; Jones, J. C.

    1965-01-01

    Piston-type hydraulic shock absorber, with a metered damping system, operates over a wide range of kinetic energy loading rates. It is used for absorbing shock and vibration on mounted machinery and heavy earth-moving equipment.

  2. Design of a nonlinear torsional vibration absorber

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tahir, Ammaar Bin

    Tuned mass dampers (TMD) utilizing linear spring mechanisms to mitigate destructive vibrations are commonly used in practice. A TMD is usually tuned for a specific resonant frequency or an operating frequency of a system. Recently, nonlinear vibration absorbers attracted attention of researchers due to some potential advantages they possess over the TMDs. The nonlinear vibration absorber, or the nonlinear energy sink (NES), has an advantage of being effective over a broad range of excitation frequencies, which makes it more suitable for systems with several resonant frequencies, or for a system with varying excitation frequency. Vibration dissipation mechanism in an NES is passive and ensures that there is no energy backflow to the primary system. In this study, an experimental setup of a rotational system has been designed for validation of the concept of nonlinear torsional vibration absorber with geometrically induced cubic stiffness nonlinearity. Dimensions of the primary system have been optimized so as to get the first natural frequency of the system to be fairly low. This was done in order to excite the dynamic system for torsional vibration response by the available motor. Experiments have been performed to obtain the modal parameters of the system. Based on the obtained modal parameters, the design optimization of the nonlinear torsional vibration absorber was carried out using an equivalent 2-DOF modal model. The optimality criterion was chosen to be maximization of energy dissipation in the nonlinear absorber attached to the equivalent 2-DOF system. The optimized design parameters of the nonlinear absorber were tested on the original 5-DOF system numerically. A comparison was made between the performance of linear and nonlinear absorbers using the numerical models. The comparison showed the superiority of the nonlinear absorber over its linear counterpart for the given set of primary system parameters as the vibration energy dissipation in the former is

  3. The double-eyelid operation in Japan: its evolution as related to cultural changes.

    PubMed

    Shirakabe, Y; Kinugasa, T; Kawata, M; Kishimoto, T; Shirakabe, T

    1985-09-01

    Of the many aspects of aesthetic surgery, the double-eyelid operation generates the most interest for Japanese surgeons, as there has been an enormous demand for it by patients who are fashion-conscious. It has been possible to locate 32 operative procedures that have been published in the Japanese literature over the past ninety years. Some of these procedures have been reviewed here in relation to the cultural and social changes which are important factors determining the extent of the demand for the operation and which correlate with various changes in surgical technique. This study chronologically describes each of the principal methods related to these social changes and also considers the influence of cultural fads and fashions.

  4. Space Evaporator Absorber Radiator (SEAR) for Thermal Storage on Manned Spacecraft

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Izenson, Michael G.; Chen, Weibo; Chepko, Ariane; Bue, Grant; Quinn, Gregory

    2014-01-01

    Future manned exploration spacecraft will need to operate in challenging thermal environments. State-of the- art technology for active thermal control relies on sublimating water ice and venting the vapor overboard in very hot environments. This approach can lead to large loss of water and a significant mass penalty for the spacecraft. This paper describes an innovative thermal control system that uses a Space Evaporator Absorber Radiator (SEAR) to control spacecraft temperatures in highly variable environments without venting water. SEAR uses heat pumping and energy storage by LiCl/water absorption to enable effective cooling during hot periods and regeneration during cool periods. The LiCl absorber technology has the potential to absorb over 800 kJ per kg of system mass, compared to phase change heat sink systems that typically achieve approx. 50 kJ/kg. The optimal system is based on a trade-off between the mass of water saved and extra power needed to regenerate the LiCl absorber. This paper describes analysis models and the predicted performance and optimize the size of the SEAR system, estimated size and mass of key components, and power requirements for regeneration. We also present a concept design for an ISS test package to demonstrate operation of a subscale system in zero gravity.

  5. The dialectical self-concept: contradiction, change, and holism in East asian cultures.

    PubMed

    Spencer-Rodgers, Julie; Boucher, Helen C; Mori, Sumi C; Lei Wang; Kaiping Peng

    2009-01-01

    Naïve dialecticism refers to a set of East Asian lay beliefs characterized by tolerance for contradiction, the expectation of change, and cognitive holism. In five studies, the authors examined the cognitive mechanisms that give rise to global self-concept inconsistency among dialectical cultures. Contradictory self-knowledge was more readily available (Study 1) and simultaneously accessible (Study 2) among East Asians (Japanese and Chinese) than among Euro-Americans. East Asians also exhibited greater change and holism in the spontaneous self-concept (Study 1) and inconsistency in their implicit self-beliefs (Study 3). Cultural differences in self-concept inconsistency were obtained when controlling for alternative explanatory variables, including self-criticism (Study 4) and self-concept certainty (Studies 2 and 3) and were fully mediated by a direct measure of dialecticism (Study 5). Naïve dialecticism provides a comprehensive theoretical framework for understanding these cultural differences and the contradictory, changeable, and holistic nature of the East Asian self-concept.

  6. The Dialectical Self-Concept: Contradiction, Change, and Holism in East Asian Cultures

    PubMed Central

    Spencer-Rodgers, Julie; Boucher, Helen C.; Mori, Sumi C.; Wang, Lei; Peng, Kaiping

    2009-01-01

    Naïve dialecticism refers to a set of East Asian lay beliefs characterized by tolerance for contradiction, the expectation of change, and cognitive holism. In five studies, the authors examined the cognitive mechanisms that give rise to global self-concept inconsistency among dialectical cultures. Contradictory self-knowledge was more readily available (Study 1) and simultaneously accessible (Study 2) among East Asians (Japanese and Chinese) than among Euro-Americans. East Asians also exhibited greater change and holism in the spontaneous self-concept (Study 1) and inconsistency in their implicit self-beliefs (Study 3). Cultural differences in self-concept inconsistency were obtained when controlling for alternative explanatory variables, including self-criticism (Study 4) and self-concept certainty (Studies 2 and 3) and were fully mediated by a direct measure of dialecticism (Study 5). Naïve dialecticism provides a comprehensive theoretical framework for understanding these cultural differences and the contradictory, changeable, and holistic nature of the East Asian self-concept. PMID:19106076

  7. Moving beyond the limits of mass transport in liquid absorbent microfilms through the implementation of surface-induced vortices

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bigham, S; Yu, DZ; Chugh, D

    2014-02-01

    The slow diffusion of an absorbate molecule into an absorbent often makes the absorption process a rate-limiting step in many applications. In cases involving an absorbate with a high heat of phase change, such as water absorption into a LiBr (lithium bromide) solution, the absorption rate is further slowed due to significant heating of the absorbent. Recently, it has been demonstrated that constraining a LiBr solution film by a hydrophobic porous structure enables manipulation of the solution flow thermohydraulic characteristics. Here, it is shown that mass transport mode in a constrained laminar solution flow can be changed from diffusive tomore » advective. This change in mode is accomplished through stretching and folding the laminar streamlines within the solution film via the implementation of micro-scale features on the flow channel surface. The process induces vortices within the solution film, which continuously bring concentrated solution from the bottom and middle of the solution channel to its interface with the vapor phase, thus leading to a significant enhancement in the absorption rate. The detailed physics of the involved transport processes is elucidated using the LBM (Lattice Boltzmann Method). Published by Elsevier Ltd.« less

  8. Cultural change and traditional ecological knowledge. An empirical analysis from the Tsimane' in the Bolivian Amazon.

    PubMed

    Reyes-García, Victoria; Paneque-Gálvez, Jaime; Luz, Ana C; Gueze, Maximilien; Macía, Manuel J; Orta-Martínez, Martí; Pino, Joan

    2014-01-01

    Among the different factors associated to change in traditional ecological knowledge, the study of the relations between cultural change and traditional ecological knowledge has received scan and inadequate scholarly attention. Using data from indigenous peoples of an Amazonian society facing increasing exposure to the mainstream Bolivian society, we analyzed the relation between traditional ecological knowledge, proxied with individual plant use knowledge (n=484), and cultural change, proxied with individual- and village-level (n=47) measures of attachment to traditional beliefs and values. We found that both the individual level of detachment to traditional values and the village level of agreement in detachment to traditional values were associated with individual levels of plant use knowledge, irrespective of other proxy measures for cultural change. Because both the individual- and the village-level variables bear statistically significant associations with plant use knowledge, our results suggest that both the individual- and the supra-individual level processes of cultural change are related to the erosion of plant use knowledge. Results from our work highlight the importance of analyzing processes that happen at intermediary social units -the village in our case study- to explain changes in traditional ecological knowledge.

  9. Cultural change and traditional ecological knowledge. An empirical analysis from the Tsimane’ in the Bolivian Amazon

    PubMed Central

    Reyes-García, Victoria; Paneque-Gálvez, Jaime; Luz, Ana C.; Gueze, Maximilien; Macía, Manuel J.; Orta-Martínez, Martí; Pino, Joan

    2016-01-01

    Among the different factors associated to change in traditional ecological knowledge, the study of the relations between cultural change and traditional ecological knowledge has received scan and inadequate scholarly attention. Using data from indigenous peoples of an Amazonian society facing increasing exposure to the mainstream Bolivian society, we analyzed the relation between traditional ecological knowledge, proxied with individual plant use knowledge (n=484), and cultural change, proxied with individual- and village-level (n=47) measures of attachment to traditional beliefs and values. We found that both the individual level of detachment to traditional values and the village level of agreement in detachment to traditional values were associated with individual levels of plant use knowledge, irrespective of other proxy measures for cultural change. Because both the individual- and the village-level variables bear statistically significant associations with plant use knowledge, our results suggest that both the individual- and the supra-individual level processes of cultural change are related to the erosion of plant use knowledge. Results from our work highlight the importance of analyzing processes that happen at intermediary social units -the village in our case study- to explain changes in traditional ecological knowledge. PMID:27642188

  10. Finding Culture Change in the Second Factor: Stability and Change in Cultural Consensus and Residual Agreement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dressler, William W.; Balieiro, Mauro C.; dos Santos, José Ernesto

    2015-01-01

    This article reports the replication after 10 years of cultural consensus analyses in four cultural domains in the city of Ribeirão Preto, Brazil. Additionally, two methods for evaluating residual agreement are applied to the data, and a new technique for evaluating how cultural knowledge is represented by residual agreement is introduced. We…

  11. Performance evaluation of CFRP-rubber shock absorbers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lamanna, Giuseppe; Sepe, Raffaele

    2014-05-01

    In the present work a numerical investigation on the energy absorbing capability of dedicated structural components made of a carbon fiber reinforced polymer and an emulsion polymerised styrene butadiene rubber is reported. The shock absorbers are devices designed to absorb large amounts of energy by sacrificing their own structural integrity. Their aim is to cushion the effects of an impact phenomenon with the intent to preserve other structures from global failure or local damaging. Another important role of shock absorbers is reducing the peak of the acceleration showed during an impact phenomenon. This effect is of considerable interest in the case of vehicles to preserve passengers' safety. Static and dynamic numerical results are compared with experimental ones in terms of mean crushing forces, energy and peak crushing. The global performance of the absorbers has been evaluated by referencing to a proposed quality index.

  12. The analysis of a state-switched absorber design concept

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Albanese, Anne-Marie; Cunefare, Kenneth

    2002-11-01

    A tuned vibration absorber (TVA) is a spring-damper-mass system used in many industries for the suppression of a specific vibration frequency, and has application for the suppression of aircraft fuselage vibration. A state-switched absorber (SSA) is similar to a TVA, except that one or more components in the SSA is able to instantaneously and discretely change properties, thus increasing the effective bandwidth of vibration suppression. In order to design a replacement SSA for the classic TVA, the SSA must operate in the appropriate frequency range, be lightweight, and compact. An optimal SSA will also have a maximal frequency range between which it can switch. This paper discusses the development of a magnetorheological (MR) silicone gel used as the SSA switching element, the shape required to maintain a magnetic flux path, and the contribution of the magnet-mass to frequency shifting. The MR gel is iron-doped silicone, cured in the presence of a magnetic field. During operation, the applied magnetic flux is modified to change the natural frequency. The applied flux requirement forces the SSA to be a small ring. The SSA is designed to operate below 100 Hz.

  13. Response of Non-Linear Shock Absorbers-Boundary Value Problem Analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rahman, M. A.; Ahmed, U.; Uddin, M. S.

    2013-08-01

    A nonlinear boundary value problem of two degrees-of-freedom (DOF) untuned vibration damper systems using nonlinear springs and dampers has been numerically studied. As far as untuned damper is concerned, sixteen different combinations of linear and nonlinear springs and dampers have been comprehensively analyzed taking into account transient terms. For different cases, a comparative study is made for response versus time for different spring and damper types at three important frequency ratios: one at r = 1, one at r > 1 and one at r <1. The response of the system is changed because of the spring and damper nonlinearities; the change is different for different cases. Accordingly, an initially stable absorber may become unstable with time and vice versa. The analysis also shows that higher nonlinearity terms make the system more unstable. Numerical simulation includes transient vibrations. Although problems are much more complicated compared to those for a tuned absorber, a comparison of the results generated by the present numerical scheme with the exact one shows quite a reasonable agreement

  14. Formative assessment as a vehicle for changing classroom practice in a specific cultural context

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Jingping

    2015-09-01

    In this commentary, I interpret Xinying Yin and Gayle Ann Buck's collaborative action research from a social-cultural perspective. Classroom implementation of formative assessment is viewed as interaction between this assessment method and the local learning culture. I first identify Yin and Buck's definition of the formative assessment, and then analyze the role of formative assessment in the change of local learning culture. Based on the practice of Yin and Buck I emphasize the significance of their "bottom up" strategy to the teachers' epistemological change. I believe that this strategy may provide practicable solutions to current Chinese educational problems as well as a means for science educators to shift toward systematic professional development.

  15. Enhancing the Informal Curriculum of a Medical School: A Case Study in Organizational Culture Change

    PubMed Central

    Suchman, Anthony L.; Litzelman, Debra K.; Frankel, Richard M.; Mossbarger, David L.; Williamson, Penelope R.; Baldwin, DeWitt C.; Inui, Thomas S.

    2008-01-01

    Background Calls for organizational culture change are audible in many health care discourses today, including those focused on medical education, patient safety, service quality, and translational research. In spite of many efforts, traditional “top–down” approaches to changing culture and relational patterns in organizations often disappoint. Objective In an effort to better align our informal curriculum with our formal competency-based curriculum, Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM) initiated a school-wide culture change project using an alternative, participatory approach that built on the interests, strengths, and values of IUSM individuals and microsystems. Approach Employing a strategy of “emergent design,” we began by gathering and presenting stories of IUSM’s culture at its best to foster mindfulness of positive relational patterns already present in the IUSM environment. We then tracked and supported new initiatives stimulated by dissemination of the stories. Results The vision of a new IUSM culture combined with the initial narrative intervention have prompted significant unanticipated shifts in ordinary activities and behavior, including a redesigned admissions process, new relational practices at faculty meetings, student-initiated publications, and modifications of major administrative projects such as department chair performance reviews and mission-based management. Students’ satisfaction with their educational experience rose sharply from historical patterns, and reflective narratives describe significant changes in the work and learning environment. Conclusions This case study of emergent change in a medical school’s informal curriculum illustrates the efficacy of novel approaches to organizational development. Large-scale change can be promoted with an emergent, non-prescriptive strategy, an appreciative perspective, and focused and sustained attention to everyday relational patterns. PMID:18389324

  16. Performance evaluation of CFRP-rubber shock absorbers

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lamanna, Giuseppe, E-mail: giuseppe.lamanna@unina2.it; Sepe, Raffaele, E-mail: giuseppe.lamanna@unina2.it

    2014-05-15

    In the present work a numerical investigation on the energy absorbing capability of dedicated structural components made of a carbon fiber reinforced polymer and an emulsion polymerised styrene butadiene rubber is reported. The shock absorbers are devices designed to absorb large amounts of energy by sacrificing their own structural integrity. Their aim is to cushion the effects of an impact phenomenon with the intent to preserve other structures from global failure or local damaging. Another important role of shock absorbers is reducing the peak of the acceleration showed during an impact phenomenon. This effect is of considerable interest in themore » case of vehicles to preserve passengers’ safety. Static and dynamic numerical results are compared with experimental ones in terms of mean crushing forces, energy and peak crushing. The global performance of the absorbers has been evaluated by referencing to a proposed quality index.« less

  17. A Flexible Metamaterial Terahertz Perfect Absorber

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, X. R.; Zheng, Y. W.; Qin, L. M.; Wei, G. C.; Qin, Z. P.; Zhang, N. G.; Liu, K.; Li, S. Z.; Wang, S. X.

    2017-12-01

    We designed a THz matematerial absorber using metallic wires (MWs) and split resonant rings (SRRs). This matematerial absorber exhibits perfect absorption which up to 96% at 4.03 THz and is capable of wrapped around objects because of flexible polyimide dielectric substrate.

  18. Determination of decay coefficients for combustors with acoustic absorbers

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mitchell, C. E.; Espander, W. R.; Baer, M. R.

    1972-01-01

    An analytical technique for the calculation of linear decay coefficients in combustors with acoustic absorbers is presented. Tuned circumferential slot acoustic absorbers were designed for the first three transverse modes of oscillation, and decay coefficients for these absorbers were found as a function of backing distance for seven different chamber configurations. The effectiveness of the absorbers for off-design values of the combustion response and acoustic mode is also investigated. Results indicate that for tuned absorbers the decay coefficient increases approximately as the cube of the backing distance. For most off-design situations the absorber still provides a damping effect. However, if an absorber designed for some higher mode of oscillation is used to damp lower mode oscillations, a driving effect is frequently found.

  19. Mexican-Origin Youth's Cultural Orientations and Adjustment: Changes from Early to Late Adolescence

    PubMed Central

    Updegraff, Kimberly A.; Umaña-Taylor, Adriana J.; McHale, Susan M.; Wheeler, Lorey A.; Perez-Brena, Norma

    2013-01-01

    Drawing from developmental and cultural adaptation perspectives and using a longitudinal design, this study examined: (a) mean-level changes in Mexican-origin adolescents’ cultural orientations and adjustment from early to late adolescence; and (b) bidirectional associations between cultural orientations and adjustment using a cross-lag panel model. Participants included 246 Mexican-origin, predominantly immigrant families that participated in home interviews and a series of nightly phone calls when target adolescents were 12 years and 18 years of age. Girls exhibited more pronounced declines in traditional gender role attitudes than did boys, and all youth declined in familism values, time spent with family, and involvement in Mexican culture. Bidirectional relations between cultural orientations and adjustment emerged, and some associations were moderated by adolescent nativity and gender. PMID:22966929

  20. Transforming Cultures of Care: A Case Study in Organizational Change

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Purvis, Karyn; Cross, David; Jones, Daren; Buff, Gary

    2012-01-01

    The authors report on a small organizational case study highlighting the dimensions of trauma-informed care, the processes of organizational change, and the growth of caregiver expertise. The article is framed by the notion of caregiving cultures, which refers to the beliefs, languages, and practices of caregivers and caregiving organizations.…

  1. Instituting Cultural Change at a Major Organization: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dulek, Ronald E.

    2015-01-01

    This article examines the development and implementation of a strategic cultural change program from a case study perspective. Initially, the article describes how the program was developed, including an explanation as to how a communication component was integrated into the program from inception. This integration helped reduce the anxiety that…

  2. Low temperature selective absorber research

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Herzenberg, S. A.; Silberglitt, R.

    1982-04-01

    Research carried out since 1979 on selective absorbers is surveyed, with particular attention given to the low-temperature coatings seen as promising for flat plate and evacuated tube applications. The most thoroughly investigated absorber is black chrome, which is highly selective and is the most durable low-temperature absorber. It is believed that other materials, because of their low cost and lower content of strategic materials, may eventually supplant black chrome. Among these candidates are chemically converted black nickel; anodically oxidized nickel, zinc, and copper composites; and nickel or other low-cost multilayer coatings. In reviewing medium and high-temperature research, black chrome, multilayer coatings and black cobalt are seen as best medium-temperature candidates. For high temperatures, an Al2O3/Pt-Al203 multilayer composite or the zirconium diboride coating is preferred.

  3. Change in Organizational Culture: The Use of Linguistic Methods in Corporate Acquisition.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bastien, David T.

    1992-01-01

    Explores the links between social identity, language use, and retention in organizational mergers and acquisitions. Finds that (1) change in culture does not happen gradually across the whole organization, but either quickly or not at all; (2) change happens by subgroups; and (3) conflict in mergers and acquisitions was between individuals rather…

  4. Unobtrusive Indicators of Cultural Change: Neckties, Girdles, Marijuana, Garbage, Magazines, and Urban Sprawl.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Felson, Marcus

    1983-01-01

    Different types of time-series data sets can be used to identify cultural change and continuity. Indicators, including musical instruments, clothing, sporting goods, drugs, garbage, telephones, and magazines, are used to study social change since World War II. (Author/RM)

  5. Competing Atmospheric and Surface-Driven Impacts of Absorbing Aerosols on the East Asian Summer Monsoon

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Persad, G.; Paynter, D.; Ming, Y.; Ramaswamy, V.

    2015-12-01

    Absorbing aerosols, by attenuating shortwave radiation within the atmosphere and reemitting it as longwave radiation, redistribute energy both vertically within the surface-atmosphere column and horizontally between polluted and unpolluted regions. East Asia has the largest concentrations of anthropogenic absorbing aerosols globally, and these, along with the region's scattering aerosols, have both reduced the amount of solar radiation reaching the Earth's surface regionally ("solar dimming") and increased shortwave absorption within the atmosphere, particularly during the peak months of the East Asian Summer Monsoon (EASM). We here analyze how atmospheric absorption and surface solar dimming compete in driving the response of EASM circulation to anthropogenic absorbing aerosols, which dominates, and why—issues of particular importance for predicting how the EASM will respond to projected changes in absorbing and scattering aerosol emissions in the future. We probe these questions in a state-of-the-art general circulation model (GCM) using a combination of realistic and idealized aerosol perturbations that allow us to analyze the relative influence of absorbing aerosols' atmospheric and surface-driven impacts on EASM circulation. In combination, our results make clear that, although absorption-driven dimming has a less detrimental effect on EASM circulation than purely scattering-driven dimming, aerosol absorption is still a net impairment to EASM strength when both its atmospheric and surface effects are considered. Because atmospheric heating is not efficiently conveyed to the surface, the surface dimming and associated cooling from even a pure absorber is sufficient to counteract its atmospheric heating, resulting in a net reduction in EASM strength. These findings elevate the current understanding of the impacts of aerosol absorption on the EASM, improving our ability to diagnose EASM responses to current and future regional changes in aerosol emissions.

  6. The CARE model of social accountability: promoting cultural change.

    PubMed

    Meili, Ryan; Ganem-Cuenca, Alejandra; Leung, Jannie Wing-sea; Zaleschuk, Donna

    2011-09-01

    On the 10th anniversary of Health Canada and the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada's publication in 2001 of Social Accountability: A Vision for Canadian Medical Schools, the authors review the progress at one Canadian medical school, the College of Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan, in developing a culture of social accountability. They review the changes that have made the medical school more socially accountable and the steps taken to make those changes possible. In response to calls for socially accountable medical schools, the College of Medicine created a Social Accountability Committee to oversee the integration of these principles into the college. The committee developed the CARE model (Clinical activity, Advocacy, Research, Education and training) as a guiding tool for social accountability initiatives toward priority health concerns and as a means of evaluation. Diverse faculty and student committees have emerged as a result and have had far-reaching impacts on the college and communities: from changes in curricula and admissions to community programming and international educational experiences. Although a systematic assessment of the CARE model is needed, early evidence shows that the most significant effects can be found in the cultural shift in the college, most notably among students. The CARE model may serve as an important example for other educational institutions in the development of health practitioners and research that is responsive to the needs of their communities.

  7. Taking action on overuse: Creating the culture for change.

    PubMed

    Parchman, Michael L; Henrikson, Nora B; Blasi, Paula R; Buist, Diana S; Penfold, Robert; Austin, Brian; Ganos, Emily H

    2017-12-01

    Unnecessary care contributes to high costs and places patients at risk of harm. While most providers support reducing low-value care, changing established practice patterns is difficult and requires active engagement in sustained behavioral, organizational, and cultural change. Here we describe an action-planning framework to engage providers in reducing overused services. The framework is informed by a comprehensive review of social science theory and literature, published reports of successful and unsuccessful efforts to reduce low-value care, and interviews with innovators of value-based care initiatives in twenty-three health care organizations across the United States. A multi-stakeholder advisory committee provided feedback on the framework and guidance on optimizing it for use in practice. The framework describes four conditions necessary for change: prioritize addressing low-value care; build a culture of trust, innovation and improvement; establish shared language and purpose; and commit resources to measurements. These conditions foster productive sense-making conversations between providers, between providers and patients, and among members of the health care team about the potential for harm from overuse and reflection on current frequency of use. Through these conversations providers, patients and team members think together as a group, learn how to coordinate individual behaviors, and jointly develop possibilities for coordinated action around specific areas of overuse. Organizational efforts to engage providers in value-based care focused on creating conditions for productive sense-making conversations that lead to change. Organizations can use this framework to enhance and strengthen provider engagement efforts to do less of what potentially harms and more of what truly helps patients. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Ultrasensitive sensing with three-dimensional terahertz metamaterial absorber

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tan, Siyu; Yan, Fengping; Wang, Wei; Zhou, Hong; Hou, Yafei

    2018-05-01

    Planar metasurfaces and metamaterial absorbers have shown great promise for label-free sensing applications at microwaves, optical and terahertz frequencies. The realization of high-quality-factor resonance in these structures is of significant interest to enhance the sensing sensitivities to detect minute frequency shifts. We propose and demonstrate in this manuscript an ultrasensitive terahertz metamaterial absorber sensor based on a three-dimensional split ring resonator absorber with a high quality factor of 60.09. The sensing performance of the proposed absorber sensor was systematically investigated through detailed numerical calculations and a maximum refractive index sensitivity of 34.40% RIU‑1 was obtained. Furthermore, the absorber sensor can maintain a high sensitivity for a wide range of incidence angles up to 60° under TM polarization incidence. These findings would improve the design flexibility of the absorber sensors and further open up new avenues to achieve ultrasensitive sensing in the terahertz regime.

  9. Method of absorbance correction in a spectroscopic heating value sensor

    DOEpatents

    Saveliev, Alexei; Jangale, Vilas Vyankatrao; Zelepouga, Sergeui; Pratapas, John

    2013-09-17

    A method and apparatus for absorbance correction in a spectroscopic heating value sensor in which a reference light intensity measurement is made on a non-absorbing reference fluid, a light intensity measurement is made on a sample fluid, and a measured light absorbance of the sample fluid is determined. A corrective light intensity measurement at a non-absorbing wavelength of the sample fluid is made on the sample fluid from which an absorbance correction factor is determined. The absorbance correction factor is then applied to the measured light absorbance of the sample fluid to arrive at a true or accurate absorbance for the sample fluid.

  10. Natural and anthropogenic drivers of cultural change on Easter Island: Review and new insights

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rull, Valentí

    2016-10-01

    Easter Island (Rapa Nui) is a remote Pacific island known for its megalithic statues, the moai, built by an ancient culture which disappearance is still debated. Theories claiming for either self-destruction (ecocide) of this ancient culture or an eventual genocide after the European contact have been the most popular. Anthropogenic drivers have been traditionally preferred as causes of this major cultural shift, whereas climatic changes have been dismissed or underrated. However, the latest findings suggest that the topic is more complex than formerly thought and demand a more holistic perspective. This paper reviews the main paleoclimatic, paleoecological, archaeological and historical evidence of the major Rapanui cultural shift leading to the end of the moai-building civilization and uses an integrated approach to analyze its timing and potential causes. The disappearance of the ancient Eastern Island culture that erected the moai was a dramatic cultural shift with significant changes in lifestyle, socio-political organization, religious performance, art and also in the geographical settlement of the cultural core of the Rapanui society. The ancient society, represented by the so called Ancient Cult (or moai cult) was centered on the Rano Raraku crater, to the east of the island, whose soft volcanic rocks (tuff) where suitable for moai carving. This society was replaced by the Birdman-Cult society, based on Rano Kao, to the westernmost end of the island. The assumed date for such shift is uncertain ranging between mid-16th and late-18th centuries. It is suggested that such geographical change, as well as the associated societal transformations, may have been the result of a combination of climatic, ecological and cultural drivers and events. The latest paleoecological reconstructions show that the Rano Raraku catchment was deforested by AD 1450 and the lake inside dried out by AD 1550 owing to an intense climatic drought. This would have caused a landscape

  11. Non-absorbed Antibiotics for IBS

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-03-16

    absorbed antibiotic rifaximin for nonconstipated irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). This effort adds to the body of literature from other, smaller studies that...have demonstrated clinical efficacy for IBS with rifaximin . Non-absorbed antibiotics have been endorsed by the American College of Gastroenterology... rifaximin 400 mg three times daily for 10 days or placebo. During the initial 2 weeks of therapy and the subsequent 10 weeks of follow-up rifaximin

  12. Changing Institutional Culture through Peer Mentoring of Women STEM Faculty

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thomas, Nicole; Bystydzienski, Jill; Desai, Anand

    2015-01-01

    Higher education institutions often use mentoring to socialize faculty members into their academic disciplines and to retain them. Mentoring can also be used to change organizational culture to meet the needs of historically marginalized faculty members. In this article we focus on peer mentoring circles for women STEM faculty at a large,…

  13. Competing Goodness: Perceptions of Person-Centered Culture Change within Human Service Agencies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Starling, Stacey Lee

    2012-01-01

    Front and center in the endeavor to "reform" health care is the appeal to change the culture of aging within provider organizations situated in the long-term care continuum. Person-centeredness is the latest philosophical overlay to aging care and supports and services. As a dominate paradigm guiding change, the movement intends to shift…

  14. Adaptive inertial shock-absorber

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Faraj, Rami; Holnicki-Szulc, Jan; Knap, Lech; Seńko, Jarosław

    2016-03-01

    This paper introduces and discusses a new concept of impact absorption by means of impact energy management and storage in dedicated rotating inertial discs. The effectiveness of the concept is demonstrated in a selected case-study involving spinning management, a recently developed novel impact-absorber. A specific control technique performed on this device is demonstrated to be the main source of significant improvement in the overall efficiency of impact damping process. The influence of various parameters on the performance of the shock-absorber is investigated. Design and manufacturing challenges and directions of further research are formulated.

  15. An Energy Absorber for the International Space Station

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wilkes, Bob; Laurence, Lora

    2000-01-01

    The energy absorber described herein is similar in size and shape to an automotive shock absorber, requiring a constant, high load to compress over the stroke, and self-resetting with a small load. The differences in these loads over the stroke represent the energy absorbed by the device, which is dissipated as friction. This paper describes the evolution of the energy absorber, presents the results of testing performed, and shows the sensitivity of this device to several key design variables.

  16. Phyllosphere Methylobacterium bacteria contain UVA-absorbing compounds.

    PubMed

    Yoshida, Shigenobu; Hiradate, Syuntaro; Koitabashi, Motoo; Kamo, Tsunashi; Tsushima, Seiya

    2017-02-01

    Microbes inhabiting the phyllosphere encounter harmful ultraviolet rays, and must develop adaptive strategies against this irradiation. In this study, we screened bacterial isolates originating from the phyllosphere of various plants which harbored absorbers of ultraviolet A (UVA), a wavelength range which is recognized as harmful to human skin. Of the 200 phyllosphere bacterial isolates we screened, methanol extracts from bacterial cells of seventeen isolates absorbed wavelengths in the range of 315-400nm. All of the UVA-absorbing strains belonged to Methylobacterium species based on 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequences, suggesting that cells of this bacterial genus contain specific UVA-absorbing compounds. When cells of a representative Methylobacterium strain were extracted using various solvents, UVA absorption was observed in the extracts obtained using several aqueous solvents, indicating that the UVA-absorbing compounds were highly polar. A compound was purified using solid columns and HPLC separation, and comparative analysis revealed that the absorption strength and spectrum of the compound were similar to those of the known UVA filter, avobenzone. The compound was also verified to be stable under UVA exposure for at least 480min. Based on these results, the UVA-absorbing compound harbored by Methylobacterium has potential to be used as a novel sunscreen ingredient. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Design of tunable ultraviolet (UV) absorbance by controlling the Agsbnd Al co-sputtering deposition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Xin-Yuan; Chen, Lei; Wang, Yaxin; Zhang, Yongjun; Yang, Jinghai; Choi, Hyun Chul; Jung, Young Mee

    2018-05-01

    Changing the structure and composition of a material can alter its properties; hence, the controlled fabrication of metal nanostructures plays a key role in a wide range of applications. In this study, the structure of Agsbnd Al ordered arrays fabricated by co-sputtering deposition onto a monolayer colloidal crystal significantly increased its ultraviolet (UV) absorbance owing to a tunable localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect. By increasing the spacing between two nanospheres and the content of aluminum, absorbance in the UV region could be changed from UVA (320-400 nm) to UVC (200-275 nm), and the LSPR peak in the visible region gradually shifted to the UV region. This provides the potential for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) in both the UV and visible regions.

  18. Survey of selective solar absorbers and their limitations

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Mattox, D.M.; Sowell, R.R.

    1980-01-01

    A number of selective absorber coating systems with high solar absorptance exist which may be used in the mid-temperature range. Some of the systems are more chemically and thermally stable than others. Unfortunately, there are large gaps in the stability data for a large number of the systems. In an inert environment, the principle degradation mechanisms are interdiffusion between the layers or phases and changes in surface morphology. These degradation mechanisms would be minimized by using refractory metals and compounds for the absorbing layer and using refractory materials or diffusion barriers for the underlayer. For use in a reactive environment,more » the choice of materials is much more restrictive since internal chemical reactions can change phase compositions and interfacial reactions can lead to loss of adhesion. For a coating process to be useful, it is necessary to determine what parameters influence the performance of the coating and the limits to these parameters. This process sensitivity has a direct influence on the production process controls necessary to produce a good product. Experience with electroplated black chrome has been rather disappointing. Electroplating should be a low cost deposition process but the extensive bath analysis and optical monitoring necessary to produce a thermally stable produce for use to 320/sup 0/C has increased cost signficantly. 49 references.« less

  19. Selective solar absorber emittance measurement at elevated temperature

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Giraud, Philémon; Braillon, Julien; Raccurt, Olivier

    2017-06-01

    Durability of solar components for CSP (Concentrated Solar Power Plant) technologies is a key point to lower cost and ensure their large deployment. These technologies concentrated the solar radiation by means of mirrors on a receiver tube where it is collected as thermal energy. The absorbers are submitted to strong environmental constraints and the degradation of their optical properties (emittance and solar absorbance) have a direct impact on performance. The characterization of a material in such condition is complicated and requires advanced apparatuses, and different measurement methods exist for the determination of the two quantities of relevance regarding an absorber, which are its emittance and its solar absorbance. The objective is to develop new optical equipment for measure the emittance of this solar absorber at elevated temperature. In this paper, we present an optical bench developed for emittance measurement on absorbers is conditions of use. Results will be shown, with a discussion of some factors of influence over this measurement and how to control them.

  20. Properties of CGM-Absorbing Galaxies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hamill, Colin; Conway, Matthew; Apala, Elizabeth; Scott, Jennifer

    2018-01-01

    We extend the results of a study of the sightlines of 45 low-redshift quasars (0.06 < z < 0.85) observed by HST/COS that lie within the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. We have used photometric data from the SDSS DR12, along with the known absorption characteristics of the intergalactic medium and circumgalactic medium, to identify the most probable galaxy matches to absorbers in the spectroscopic dataset. Here, we use photometric data and measured galaxy parameters from SDSS DR12 to examine the distributions of galaxy properties such as virial radius, morphology, and position angle among those that match to absorbers within a specific range of impact parameters. We compare those distributions to galaxies within the same impact parameter range that are not matched to any absorber in the HST/COS spectrum in order to investigate global properties of the circumgalactic medium.

  1. Understanding the Influence of Organizational Culture and Group Dynamics on Organizational Change and Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lucas, Colleen; Kline, Theresa

    2008-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between organizational culture, group dynamics, and organizational learning in the context of organizational change. Design/methodology/approach: A case study was used to examine cultural and group level factors that potentially influence groups' learning in the context of…

  2. Resistance to Organizational Cultural Change in the Military -- A JFO Case Study

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-04-02

    is seen by all members as supporting their interests.38 There are many tools to assist in formulating climate or culture change and one such tool ...an important change formulation tool , stood up a training center with excellent support and expert trainers from both services, and set a high...Endnotes 1 R. Dale Jeffery, The Soldier’s Quote Book (Houston, TX: DaVinci Publishing Group, 2000), 119. 2 Robert M. Murphy, Managing Strategic Change

  3. Splintering of tourism market: new appearing forms of cultural tourism as a consequence of changes in everyday lives.

    PubMed

    Jelincić, Daniela Angelina

    2009-03-01

    Within the concept of cultural tourism, this article defines relatively new concepts of creative and hobby tourism, which are detected as recent niche markets. Cultural tourism is a narrow specialized market, while creative and hobby tourism relate to even more specialized segments. Even these specialized forms of tourism have their market whose growth is very probable taking into account changes in everyday work as well as changes in the values of human activity in general. These changes reflect also the sector of tourism, which is obvious in the ever growing splintering of tourism market as well as of tourism forms. The article reviews theoretical concepts of cultural, creative and hobby tourism as to prepare the basis for applied tourist programmes. It looks into the history of cultural tourism as to see what changes occurred and brought it to life. Changes that have taken place in everyday lives of people and the impact of everyday free time activities on tourism are also analysed. Further splintering of the cultural tourism sector is noticed and cultural tourism sub-forms are detected by analysing some of the leading home style and creativity magazines. The article also proposes possible application of push/pull factors to creative/hobby tourism.

  4. Container and method for absorbing and reducing hydrogen concentration

    DOEpatents

    Wicks, George G.; Lee, Myung W.; Heung, Leung K.

    2001-01-01

    A method for absorbing hydrogen from an enclosed environment comprising providing a vessel; providing a hydrogen storage composition in communication with a vessel, the hydrogen storage composition further comprising a matrix defining a pore size which permits the passage of hydrogen gas while blocking the passage of gaseous poisons; placing a material within the vessel, the material evolving hydrogen gas; sealing the vessel; and absorbing the hydrogen gas released into the vessel by the hydrogen storage composition. A container for absorbing evolved hydrogen gas comprising: a vessel having an interior and adapted for receiving materials which release hydrogen gas; a hydrogen absorbing composition in communication with the interior, the composition defining a matrix surrounding a hydrogen absorber, the matrix permitting the passage of hydrogen gas while excluding gaseous poisons; wherein, when the vessel is sealed, hydrogen gas, which is released into the vessel interior, is absorbed by the hydrogen absorbing composition.

  5. A shock absorber model for structure-borne noise analyses

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Benaziz, Marouane; Nacivet, Samuel; Thouverez, Fabrice

    2015-08-01

    Shock absorbers are often responsible for undesirable structure-borne noise in cars. The early numerical prediction of this noise in the automobile development process can save time and money and yet remains a challenge for industry. In this paper, a new approach to predicting shock absorber structure-borne noise is proposed; it consists in modelling the shock absorber and including the main nonlinear phenomena responsible for discontinuities in the response. The model set forth herein features: compressible fluid behaviour, nonlinear flow rate-pressure relations, valve mechanical equations and rubber mounts. The piston, base valve and complete shock absorber model are compared with experimental results. Sensitivity of the shock absorber response is evaluated and the most important parameters are classified. The response envelope is also computed. This shock absorber model is able to accurately reproduce local nonlinear phenomena and improves our state of knowledge on potential noise sources within the shock absorber.

  6. Absorbing Aerosols Workshop, January 20-21, 2016

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Nasiri, Shaima; Williamson, Ashley; Cappa, Christopher D.

    2016-07-01

    A workshop was held at DOE Headquarters on January 20-21, 2016 during which experts within and outside DOE were brought together to identify knowledge gaps in modeling and measurement of the contribution of absorbing aerosols (AA) to radiative forcing. Absorbing aerosols refer to those aerosols that absorb light, whereby they both reduce the amount of sunlight reaching the surface (direct effect) and heat their surroundings. By doing so, they modify the vertical distribution of heat in the atmosphere and affect atmospheric thermodynamics and stability, possibly hastening cloud drop evaporation, and thereby affecting cloud amount, formation, dissipation and, ultimately, precipitation. Depositionmore » of AA on snow and ice reduces surface albedo leading to accelerated melt. The most abundant AA type is black carbon (BC), which results from combustion of fossil fuel and biofuel. The other key AA types are brown carbon (BrC), which also results from combustion of fossil fuel and biofuel, and dust (crustal material). Each of these sources may result from, and be strongly influenced by, anthropogenic activities. The properties and amounts of AA depend upon various factors, primarily fuel source and burn conditions (e.g., internal combustion engine, flaming or smoldering wildfire), vegetation type (in the case of BC and BrC), and in the case of dust, soil type and ground cover (i.e., vegetation, snow, etc.). After emission, AA undergo chemical processing in the atmosphere that affects their physical and chemical properties. Thus, attribution of sources of AA, and understanding processes AA undergo during their atmospheric lifetimes, are necessary to understand how they will behave in a changing climate.« less

  7. Ethics, Cultural Competence, and the Changing Face of America

    PubMed Central

    Chilton, Janice A.

    2012-01-01

    The population in the United States is increasingly multicultural. So, too, is the U.S. physician workforce. The combination of these diversity dynamics sets up the potential for various types of cultural conflict in the nation’s examining rooms, including the relationship between religion and medicine. To address the changing patient-physician landscape, we argue for a broad scale intervention: interdisciplinary bioethics training for physicians and other health professionals. This approach seeks to promote a common procedural expectation and language which can lead to an improved, patient-centered approach resulting in better patient-physician relationships that contribute to better health outcomes across the U.S. population. The authors illustrate their thesis and solution using a well-known case of cross-cultural dynamics taken from religion and medicine—Anne Fadiman’s The Spirit Catches You And You Fall Down. PMID:23794754

  8. Salmon and the Adaptive Capacity of Nimiipuu (Nez Perce) Culture to Cope with Change

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Colombi, Benedict J.

    2012-01-01

    Change due to natural disturbances and disasters, population growth and decline, economic crises, and environmental and climate change creates significant cultural challenges. Rapid change and the transformation it brings also involve complex relationships between sovereign tribes, resources, and the global system. This article explores how salmon…

  9. Absorbed dose in target cell nuclei and dose conversion coefficient of radon progeny in the human lung.

    PubMed

    Nikezic, D; Lau, B M F; Stevanovic, N; Yu, K N

    2006-01-01

    To calculate the absorbed dose in the human lung due to inhaled radon progeny, ICRP focussed on the layers containing the target cells, i.e., the basal and secretory cells. Such an approach did not consider details of the sensitive cells in the layers. The present work uses the microdosimetric approach and determines the absorbed alpha-particle energy in non-spherical nuclei of target cells (basal and secretory cells). The absorbed energy for alpha particles emitted by radon progeny in the human respiratory tract was calculated in basal- and secretory-cell nuclei, assuming conical and ellipsoidal forms for these cells. Distributions of specific energy for different combinations of alpha-particle sources, energies and targets are calculated and shown. The dose conversion coefficient for radon progeny is reduced for about 2mSv/WLM when conical and ellipsoidal cell nuclei are considered instead of the layers. While changes in the geometry of secretory-cell nuclei do not have significant effects on their absorbed dose, changes from spherical to conical basal-cell nuclei have significantly reduced their absorbed dose from approximately 4 to approximately 3mGy/WLM. This is expected because basal cells are situated close to the end of the range of 6MeV alpha particles. This also underlines the significance of better and more precise information on targets in the T-B tree. A further change in the dose conversion coefficient can be achieved if a different weighting scheme is adopted for the doses for the cells. The results demonstrate the necessity for better information on the target cells for more accurate dosimetry for radon progeny.

  10. Simulation, fabrication and characterization of THz metamaterial absorbers.

    PubMed

    Grant, James P; McCrindle, Iain J H; Cumming, David R S

    2012-12-27

    Metamaterials (MM), artificial materials engineered to have properties that may not be found in nature, have been widely explored since the first theoretical(1) and experimental demonstration(2) of their unique properties. MMs can provide a highly controllable electromagnetic response, and to date have been demonstrated in every technologically relevant spectral range including the optical(3), near IR(4), mid IR(5) , THz(6) , mm-wave(7) , microwave(8) and radio(9) bands. Applications include perfect lenses(10), sensors(11), telecommunications(12), invisibility cloaks(13) and filters(14,15). We have recently developed single band(16), dual band(17) and broadband(18) THz metamaterial absorber devices capable of greater than 80% absorption at the resonance peak. The concept of a MM absorber is especially important at THz frequencies where it is difficult to find strong frequency selective THz absorbers(19). In our MM absorber the THz radiation is absorbed in a thickness of ~ λ/20, overcoming the thickness limitation of traditional quarter wavelength absorbers. MM absorbers naturally lend themselves to THz detection applications, such as thermal sensors, and if integrated with suitable THz sources (e.g. QCLs), could lead to compact, highly sensitive, low cost, real time THz imaging systems.

  11. How a more detailed understanding of culture is needed before successful educational change can be made.

    PubMed

    Rosenthal, Meagen; Desselle, Shane; Holmes, Erin

    2017-09-01

    The profession of pharmacy is being afforded many important opportunities, and continues to face many challenges. To successfully address these issues schools and colleges of pharmacy must have a complete understanding of their current context, which includes culture. However, little of the work on culture in pharmacy education specifically defines what these cultures are, and equally importantly how this understanding of culture can be used to make changes, improve student learning, and ultimately develop pharmacists better prepared to improve patient outcomes. Organizational culture has been defined in a multitude of ways in the literature. Martin's three-perspectives approach, which combines integrated, differentiated, and fragmented understandings, offers one way to approach defining culture and leveraging that definition of change. Furthermore, the organizational culture profile (OCP), is one tool that can be used to identify and differentiate between Martin's three perspectives. Culture plays an important role in academic pharmacy, but before it can reach its highest potential in improving student outcomes, and faculty experience, it must be completely understood. Martin's approach and the OCP offer one way to achieve this objective. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. [Studies on minimum antibiotic concentration of cephapirin against clinically isolated strain SMK-101 of Klebsiella pneumoniae].

    PubMed

    Takahashi, M; Usui, Y; Ichiman, Y; Yoshida, K; Yonaha, T

    1985-01-01

    Using strain SMK-101 of K. pneumoniae its nephelometric absorbencies, viable cell numbers and morphological changes were studied during the time course cultured in a broth medium containing cephapirin (CEPR), and following results were obtained. After 1 to 3 hours culture in the presence of varying concentration of the antibiotic, the absorbency increased in spite of without change in the viable cell number. Morphologically, elongation and swelling of central portion of the cells were observed though differences of the degree of these findings varied depending upon the concentration of the antibiotic. At the concentration higher than 1/4 MIC, indistinct structure was shown in cytoplasm. After 6 hours culture, 3 directions of absorbence curves, ascending, descending and no change, and 2 directions of viable cell numbers, decreasing and increasing were shown. As the morphological changes of the cells, filamentation, leaking of intracellular components were shown in rather upper concentration of the antibiotic. Fission was demonstrated around the end of cells cultured in rather lower concentration of the antibiotic. After 9 hours culture, absorbency and viable cell number were parallel. In this period, structural findings of cytoplasm became clear and fission was also demonstrated by light microscope except for the cells cultured in more than 1 MIC of the antibiotic. After 24 hours culture, both absorbency and viable cell number increased again and fission was observed in the cell which showed filamentation in 1 MIC of the antibiotic.

  13. A-TEEMTM, a new molecular fingerprinting technique: simultaneous absorbance-transmission and fluorescence excitation-emission matrix method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Quatela, Alessia; Gilmore, Adam M.; Steege Gall, Karen E.; Sandros, Marinella; Csatorday, Karoly; Siemiarczuk, Alex; (Ben Yang, Boqian; Camenen, Loïc

    2018-04-01

    We investigate the new simultaneous absorbance-transmission and fluorescence excitation-emission matrix method for rapid and effective characterization of the varying components from a mixture. The absorbance-transmission and fluorescence excitation-emission matrix method uniquely facilitates correction of fluorescence inner-filter effects to yield quantitative fluorescence spectral information that is largely independent of component concentration. This is significant because it allows one to effectively monitor quantitative component changes using multivariate methods and to generate and evaluate spectral libraries. We present the use of this novel instrument in different fields: i.e. tracking changes in complex mixtures including natural water, wine as well as monitoring stability and aggregation of hormones for biotherapeutics.

  14. Countercurrent flow absorber and desorber

    DOEpatents

    Wilkinson, William H.

    1984-01-01

    Countercurrent flow absorber and desorber devices are provided for use in absorption cycle refrigeration systems and thermal boosting systems. The devices have increased residence time and surface area resulting in improved heat and mass transfer characteristics. The apparatuses may be incorporated into open cycle thermal boosting systems in which steam serves both as the refrigerant vapor which is supplied to the absorber section and as the supply of heat to drive the desorber section of the system.

  15. Countercurrent flow absorber and desorber

    DOEpatents

    Wilkinson, W.H.

    1984-10-16

    Countercurrent flow absorber and desorber devices are provided for use in absorption cycle refrigeration systems and thermal boosting systems. The devices have increased residence time and surface area resulting in improved heat and mass transfer characteristics. The apparatuses may be incorporated into open cycle thermal boosting systems in which steam serves both as the refrigerant vapor which is supplied to the absorber section and as the supply of heat to drive the desorber section of the system. 9 figs.

  16. What characterizes the work culture at a hospital unit that successfully implements change - a correlation study.

    PubMed

    André, Beate; Sjøvold, Endre

    2017-07-14

    To successfully achieve change in healthcare, a balance between technology and "people ware", the human recourses, is necessary. However, the human aspect of the change implementation process has received less attention than the technological issues. The aim was to explore the factors that characterize the work culture in a hospital unit that successfully implemented change compared with the factors that characterize the work culture of a hospital unit with unsuccessful implementation. The Systematizing Person-Group Relations method was used for gathering and analyzing data to explore what dominate the behavior in a particular work environment identifying challenges, limitations and opportunities. This method applied six different dimensions, each representing different behavior in a work culture: Synergy, Withdrawal, Opposition, Dependence, Control and Nurture. We compared two different units at the same hospital, one that successfully implemented change and one that was unsuccessful. There were significant statistical differences between healthcare personnel working at a unit that successfully implemented change contrasted with the unit with unsuccessful implementation. These significant differences were found in both the synergy and control dimensions, which are important positive qualities in a work culture. The results of this study show that healthcare personnel at a unit with a successful implementation of change have a working environment with many positive qualities. This indicates that a work environment with a high focus on goal achievement and task orientation can handle the challenges of implementing changes.

  17. From traditional to patient-centered learning: curriculum change as an intervention for changing institutional culture and promoting professionalism in undergraduate medical education.

    PubMed

    Christianson, Charles E; McBride, Rosanne B; Vari, Richard C; Olson, Linda; Wilson, H David

    2007-11-01

    The authors reframe a curriculum change from a traditional lecture-based to an integrated patient-centered approach as an intervention for changing the culture and hidden curriculum of an institution in ways that promote professionalism. Within this context, the authors articulate some of the inherent process and relational factors brought about by these curricular changes that are essential elements of this intervention process. In 1998 the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences (UNDSMHS) introduced a new preclinical patient-centered learning (PCL) curriculum for first- and second-year medical students. Case-based, small-group learning forms the critical foundation of the PCL process, and an integrated basic and clinical science didactic component supports this process. At the student level, the case-based PCL process generates innovative opportunities for professionalism education from the explicitly articulated formal content that arises naturally from the cases, but more importantly from the implicit values inherent to the PCL small-group process itself--humanism, accountability, pursuit of excellence, and altruism. Further, the organizational changes necessary for the transformation to the PCL curriculum required process changes at student, faculty, and administrative levels that have resulted in a cultural shift toward relationship centeredness within the institution. The authors describe the evolution and structure of the PCL curriculum at UNDSMHS and how this curricular transformation has served as an intervention that promotes professionalism and institutional culture change through (1) processes at the student level that present new opportunities for professionalism education, and (2) processes at student, faculty, administrative, and institutional levels that have created an institutional culture that supports, models, and promotes relationship-centered professional values.

  18. Computed a multiple band metamaterial absorber and its application based on the figure of merit value

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Chao; Sheng, Yuping; Jun, Wang

    2018-01-01

    A high performed multiple band metamaterial absorber is designed and computed through the software Ansofts HFSS 10.0, which is constituted with two kinds of separated metal particles sub-structures. The multiple band absorption property of the metamaterial absorber is based on the resonance of localized surface plasmon (LSP) modes excited near edges of metal particles. The damping constant of gold layer is optimized to obtain a near-perfect absorption rate. Four kinds of dielectric layers is computed to achieve the perfect absorption perform. The perfect absorption perform of the metamaterial absorber is enhanced through optimizing the structural parameters (R = 75 nm, w = 80 nm). Moreover, a perfect absorption band is achieved because of the plasmonic hybridization phenomenon between LSP modes. The designed metamaterial absorber shows high sensitive in the changed of the refractive index of the liquid. A liquid refractive index sensor strategy is proposed based on the computed figure of merit (FOM) value of the metamaterial absorber. High FOM values (116, 111, and 108) are achieved with three liquid (Methanol, Carbon tetrachloride, and Carbon disulfide).

  19. Highly efficient special sound absorbing solutions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ionescu, M.; Petre-Lazar, S.

    1974-01-01

    Highly efficient special sound absorbing structures with the following criteria are considered: (1) A distribution surface of the sound absorbing material greater than that of the building element on which the structure is placed; (2) The highest possible absorption coefficient in the widest possible frequency band; and (3) adaptability to different construction and aesthetic conditions.

  20. Microscopic analysis of saturable absorbers: Semiconductor saturable absorber mirrors versus graphene

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hader, J.; Moloney, J. V.; College of Optical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721

    2016-02-07

    Fully microscopic many-body calculations are used to study the influence of strong sub-picosecond pulses on the carrier distributions and corresponding optical response in saturable absorbers used for mode-locking—semiconductor (quantum well) saturable absorber mirrors (SESAMs) and single layer graphene based saturable absorber mirrors (GSAMs). Unlike in GSAMs, the saturation fluence and recovery time in SESAMs show a strong spectral dependence. While the saturation fluence in the SESAM is minimal at the excitonic bandgap, the optimal recovery time and least pulse distortion due to group delay dispersion are found for excitation higher in the first subband. For excitation near the SESAM bandgap,more » the saturation fluence is about one tenth of that in the GSAM. At energies above the bandgap, the fluences in both systems become similar. A strong dependence of the saturation fluence on the pulse width in both systems is caused by carrier relaxation during the pulse. The recovery time in graphene is found to be about two to four times faster than that in the SESAMs. The occurrence of negative differential transmission in graphene is shown to be caused by dopant related carriers. In SESAMs, a negative differential transmission is found when exciting below the excitonic resonance where excitation induced dephasing leads to an enhancement of the absorption. Comparisons of the simulation data to the experiment show a very good quantitative agreement.« less

  1. Tunable metamaterial dual-band terahertz absorber

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Luo, C. Y.; Li, Z. Z.; Guo, Z. H.; Yue, J.; Luo, Q.; Yao, G.; Ji, J.; Rao, Y. K.; Li, R. K.; Li, D.; Wang, H. X.; Yao, J. Q.; Ling, F. R.

    2015-11-01

    We report a design of a temperature controlled tunable dual band terahertz absorber. The compact single unit cell consists of two nested closed square ring resonators and a layer metallic separated by a substrate strontium titanate (STO) dielectric layer. It is found that the absorber has two distinctive absorption peaks at frequencies 0.096 THz and 0.137 THz, whose peaks are attained 97% and 75%. Cooling the absorber from 400 K to 250 K causes about 25% and 27% shift compared to the resonance frequency of room temperature, when we cooling the temperature to 150 K, we could attained both the two tunabilities exceeding 53%. The frequency tunability is owing to the variation of the dielectric constant of the low-temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) substrate. The mechanism of the dual band absorber is attributed to the overlapping of dual resonance frequencies, and could be demonstrated by the distributions of the electric field. The method opens up avenues for designing tunable terahertz devices in detection, imaging, and stealth technology.

  2. Higher Education as a Change Agent for Sustainability in Different Cultures and Contexts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stephens, Jennie C.; Hernandez, Maria E.; Roman, Mikael; Graham, Amanda C.; Scholz, Roland W.

    2008-01-01

    Purpose :The goal of this paper is to enhance consideration for the potential for institutions of higher education throughout the world, in different cultures and contexts, to be change agents for sustainability. As society faces unprecedented and increasingly urgent challenges associated with accelerating environmental change, resource scarcity,…

  3. Driving and sustaining culture change in Olympic sport performance teams: a first exploration and grounded theory.

    PubMed

    Cruickshank, Andrew; Collins, Dave; Minten, Sue

    2014-02-01

    Stimulated by growing interest in the organizational and performance leadership components of Olympic success, sport psychology researchers have identified performance director-led culture change as a process of particular theoretical and applied significance. To build on initial work in this area and develop practically meaningful understanding, a pragmatic research philosophy and grounded theory methodology were engaged to uncover culture change best practice from the perspective of newly appointed performance directors. Delivered in complex and contested settings, results revealed that the optimal change process consisted of an initial evaluation, planning, and impact phase adjoined to the immediate and enduring management of a multidirectional perception- and power-based social system. As the first inquiry of its kind, these findings provide a foundation for the continued theoretical development of culture change in Olympic sport performance teams and a first model on which applied practice can be based.

  4. Resilience and Adaptation of Cultural Heritage to Climate Change; International Workshop in Ravello (Italy) 18-19 May 2017

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lefèvre, Roger-Alexandre

    2017-04-01

    Cultural Heritage is the core of civilization and mankind and contributes substantially to quality of life. Its preservation for its historical value and aesthetics, for its conservation and transmission, must be one of the paramount preoccupations of each citizen and institution. It is therefore fundamental to guard against a major evolution of our planet that is increasing and harmful for all the materials: climate imbalance. The tangible Cultural Heritage, often in an urban environment, is threatened both by extreme climate events, relatively short but recurrent, and by slow, insidious and continuous ones, often in relationship with pollution. The main climate factor at global scale - a general increase of mean temperatures leading to sea level rise - will have direct and indirect consequences on Cultural Heritage. The other climate threats (rain, relative humidity, solar radiation, drought, wind, floods…) and pollution (by gases and particles) will have specific effects on materials of Cultural Heritage, both outdoors (façades of monuments, historical centres of cities, open-air statues, cultural landscapes…) and indoors (museums, libraries, reserves, collections…). Since the 1st International Workshop on « Climate Change and Cultural Heritage » held at the European University Centre for Cultural Heritage in Ravello in May 2009, three important events appeared: • The publication in 2014 of the 5th IPCC Assessment Report. For the first time the Cultural Heritage was cited in an IPCC Report. • The holding in 2015 in Paris of the COP21. Some round-tables were organised during this conference concerning the Cultural Heritage. • The holding the same year in Paris of the International Scientific Conference "Our Common Future under Climate Change" in the frame and ahead of the COP21. Cultural Heritage was the topic of a special session at this important conference. During the last decade, the European scientific community was focused on the Threats and

  5. Shock-Absorbent Ball-Screw Mechanism

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hirr, Otto A., Jr.; Meneely, R. W.

    1986-01-01

    Actuator containing two ball screws in series employs Belleville springs to reduce impact loads, thereby increasing life expectancy. New application of springs increases reliability of equipment in which ball screws commonly used. Set of three springs within lower screw of ball-screw mechanism absorbs impacts that result when parts reach their upper and lower limits of movement. Mechanism designed with Belleville springs as shock-absorbing elements because springs have good energy-to-volume ratio and easily stacked to attain any stiffness and travel.

  6. Differential impact of five coronary devices on plaque size: insights from the ABSORB and SPIRIT trials.

    PubMed

    García-García, Héctor M; Serruys, Patrick W; Campos, Carlos M; Onuma, Yoshinobu

    2014-08-20

    Coronary plaque size modification, by either local (device) or systemic treatments, has been the target for many years. From ABSORB Cohort A (Absorb BVS 1.0), ABSORB Cohort B (Absorb BVS 1.1), SPIRIT FIRST (Multi-Link Vision vs. Xience V) & SPIRIT II (Xience V vs. Taxus), we calculated the total plaque area (vessel minus lumen area - thus it comprises both compartments - the plaque behind struts and the neointima.) changes by IVUS. A total of 313 patients were included. Comparison-at-6-month follow-up: All devices induced an increase in the total plaque area. The largest increase occurred with Vision and Taxus stents as compared to other devices [Absorb BVS (1.0 and 1.1) and Xience V], (p=0.0002). Comparison-at-2-year follow-up: Absorb BVS 1.1 had a larger increase from post procedure in total plaque compared to Absorb BVS 1.0, Xience V and Taxus (p=0.0499). However, in Absorb BVS 1.1 total plaque showed a reduction of 2.2% from 1 to 3 years. Specifically, the total plaque in the sequential cohorts of Absorb BVS 1.1 increased 16.2% from baseline to 2 years (Cohort B1) while at 3 years this increase is only 5% compared to baseline (Cohort B2). Local devices affect coronary plaque size differently and it depends on the platform (metallic vs. polymeric) and on whether it is a bare - or drug eluting stent. Coronary scaffolds appear to be a promising alternative to metallic stents since they allow plaque regression at long-term follow-up. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. The significance of 'facilitator as a change agent'--organisational learning culture in aged care home settings.

    PubMed

    Grealish, Laurie; Henderson, Amanda; Quero, Fritz; Phillips, Roslyn; Surawski, May

    2015-04-01

    To explore the impact of an educational programme focused on social behaviours and relationships on organisational learning culture in the residential aged care context. The number of aged care homes will continue to rise as the frail older elderly live longer, requiring more formal care and support. As with other small- to medium-sized health services, aged care homes are faced with the challenge of continuous development of the workforce and depend upon registered nurses to lead staff development. A mixed-method evaluation research design was used to determine the impact of an educational programme focused on social aspects of learning on organisational learning culture. One hundred and fifty-nine (pre) and 143 (post) participants from three aged care homes completed the Clinical Learning Organisational Culture survey, and three participant-researcher registered nurse clinical educators provided regular journal entries for review. While each site received the same educational programme over a six-month period, the change in organisational learning culture at each site was notably different. Two aged care homes had significant improvements in affiliation, one in accomplishment and one in recognition. The educators' journals differed in the types of learning observed and interventions undertaken, with Eucalyptus focused on organisational change, Grevillea focused on group (student) change and the Wattle focused on individual or situational change. Clinical educator activities appear to have a significant effect on organisational learning culture, with a focus on the organisational level having the greatest positive effect on learning culture and on individual or situational level having a limited effect. Clinical educator facilitation that is focused on organisational rather than individual interests may offer a key to improving organisational learning culture. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  8. Changing Intergroup Relations with Mainland Chinese: An Analysis of Changes in Hong Kong Movies as a Popular Cultural Discourse

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fong, Emily Tsz Yan

    2010-01-01

    Hong Kong popular culture played an important role in the construction and consolidation of Hong Kong identity long before the handover to China. In the past few years leading up to the 10th anniversary of the handover, both Hong Kong and China have undergone numerous changes which seem to be changing their relations. Whilst Hong Kong people had…

  9. UDOF direct improvement by modulating mask absorber thickness

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yu, Tuan-Yen; Lio, En Chuan; Chen, Po Tsang; Wei, Chih I.; Chen, Yi Ting; Peng, Ming Chun; Chou, William; Yu, Chun Chi

    2016-10-01

    As the process generation migrate to advanced and smaller dimension or pitch, the mask and resist 3D effects will impact the lithography focus common window severely because of both individual depth-of-focus (iDOF) range decrease and center mismatch. Furthermore, some chemical or thermal factors, such as PEB (Post Exposure Bake) also worsen the usable depth-of-focus (uDOF) performance. So the mismatch of thru-pitch iDOF center should be considered as a lithography process integration issue, and more complicated to partition the 3D effects induced by optical or chemical factors. In order to reduce the impact of 3D effects induced by both optical and chemical issues, and improve iDOF center mismatch, we would like to propose a mask absorber thickness offset approach, which is directly to compensate the iDOF center bias by adjusting mask absorber thickness, for iso, semi-iso or dense characteristics in line, space or via patterns to enlarge common process window, i.e uDOF, which intends to provide similar application as Flexwave[1] (ASML trademark). By the way, since mask absorber thickness offset approach is similar to focus tuning or change on wafer lithography process, it could be acted as the process tuning method of photoresist (PR) profile optimization locally, PR scum improvement in specific patterns or to modulate etching bias to meet process integration request. For mass production consideration, and available material, current att-PSM blank, quartz, MoSi with chrome layer as hard-mask in reticle process, will be implemented in this experiment, i.e. chrome will be kept remaining above partial thru-pitch patterns, and act as the absorber thickness bias in different patterns. And then, from the best focus offset of thru-pitch patterns, the iDOF center shifts could be directly corrected and to enlarge uDOF by increasing the overlap of iDOF. Finally, some negative tone development (NTD) result in line patterns will be demonstrated as well.

  10. Change in enzyme production by gradually drying culture substrate during solid-state fermentation.

    PubMed

    Ito, Kazunari; Gomi, Katsuya; Kariyama, Masahiro; Miyake, Tsuyoshi

    2015-06-01

    The influence of drying the culture substrate during solid-state fermentation on enzyme production was investigated using a non-airflow box. The drying caused a significant increase in enzyme production, while the mycelium content decreased slightly. This suggests that changes in the water content in the substrate during culture affect enzyme production in fungi. Copyright © 2014 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. About sound mufflers sound-absorbing panels aircraft engine

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dudarev, A. S.; Bulbovich, R. V.; Svirshchev, V. I.

    2016-10-01

    The article provides a formula for calculating the frequency of sound absorbed panel with a perforated wall. And although the sound absorbing structure is a set of resonators Helmholtz, not individual resonators should be considered in acoustic calculations, and all the perforated wall panel. The analysis, showing how the parameters affect the size and sound-absorbing structures in the absorption rate.

  12. Absorber arc mitigation during CHI on NSTX

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mueller, D.; Bell, M. G.; Roquemore, A. L.; Raman, R.; Nelson, B. A.; Jarboe, T. R.

    2009-11-01

    A method of non-inductive startup, referred to as transient coaxial helicity injection (CHI), was successfully developed on the Helicity Injected Torus (HIT-II) experiment and employed on the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX). This technique has produced 160 kA of plasma current on closed flux surfaces. Over 100 kA of the CHI current has been coupled to inductively driven current ramp-up. In transient CHI, a voltage is applied across the insulating gap separating the inner and outer vacuum vessel and gas is introduced at the lower gap (the injector). The resulting current in the injector follows the helical magnetic field connecting the electrodes, forms a toroidal current and expands into the vacuum vessel. At higher CHI current, the poloidal field due to the plasma can connect the inner and outer vessels at the insulating gap at the top (called the absorber) of NSTX and lower the impedance there. This results in arcs in the absorber which are a source of impurities and which reduce the desired current in the injector. Two coils installed in the absorber will be used to reduce the magnetic field across the absorber gap and mitigate the absorber arcs.

  13. Creating a fair and just culture: one institution's pat toward organizational change.

    PubMed

    Connor, Maureen; Duncombe, Deborah; Barclay, Emily; Bartel, Sylvia; Borden, Charles; Gross, Elizabeth; Miller, Carol; Ponte, Patricia Reid

    2007-10-01

    Health care organizations have begun to move toward a nonpunitive, or "blame-free," process when analyzing medical errors and near misses. The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's (Boston) "Principles of a Fair and Just Culture," define for staff and managers behavioral expectations when an error occurs. The principles focus not just on patient safety but on a culture of safety and transparency in all the organization's functional areas, including nonclinical departments such as information services, administration, and research. Introducing the principles is a gradual process, one that requires continual education and discussion among staff at all levels and a commitment to examining and changing many of the systems, policies, and procedures that guide the organization's work. A survey conducted in January 2007 revealed that the clinical areas had sustained higher-than-average scores and that the nonclinical areas showed improvement. Changing a long-standing culture of blame, control, and disrespect to one that embraces principles of fairness and justice and standards of respectful behavior is a major undertaking. Educating and involving clinical and administrative leaders, who work directly with staff and play a pivotal role in translating the principles into practice, is especially important.

  14. Drift as a mechanism for cultural change: an example from baby names.

    PubMed Central

    Hahn, Matthew W; Bentley, R Alexander

    2003-01-01

    In the social sciences, there is currently no consensus on the mechanism by which cultural elements come and go in human society. For elements that are value-neutral, an appropriate null model may be one of random copying between individuals in the population. We show that the frequency distributions of baby names used in the United States in each decade of the twentieth century, for both males and females, obey a power law that is maintained over 100 years even though the population is growing, names are being introduced and lost every decade and large changes in the frequencies of specific names are common. We show that these distributions are satisfactorily explained by a simple process in which individuals randomly copy names from each other, a process that is analogous to the infinite-allele model of population genetics with random genetic drift. By its simplicity, this model provides a powerful null hypothesis for cultural change. It further explains why a few elements inevitably become highly popular, even if they have no intrinsic superiority over alternatives. Random copying could potentially explain power law distributions in other cultural realms, including the links on the World Wide Web. PMID:12952655

  15. Innovative energy absorbing devices based on composite tubes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tiwari, Chandrashekhar

    Analytical and experimental study of innovative load limiting and energy absorbing devices are presented here. The devices are based on composite tubes and can be categorized in to two groups based upon the energy absorbing mechanisms exhibited by them, namely: foam crushing and foam fracturing. The device based on foam crushing as the energy absorbing mechanism is composed of light weight elastic-plastic foam filling inside an angle ply composite tube. The tube is tailored to have a high Poisson’s ratio (>20). Upon being loaded the device experiences large transverse contraction resulting in rapid decrease in diameter. At a certain axial load the foam core begins to crush and energy is dissipated. This device is termed as crush tube device. The device based upon foam shear fracture as the energy absorbing mechanism involves an elastic-plastic core foam in annulus of two concentric extension-twist coupled composite tubes with opposite angles of fibers. The core foam is bonded to the inner and outer tube walls. Upon being loaded axially, the tubes twist in opposite directions and fracture the core foam in out of plane shear and thus dissipate the energy stored. The device is termed as sandwich core device (SCD). The devices exhibit variations in force-displacement characteristics with changes in design and material parameters, resulting in wide range of energy absorption capabilities. A flexible matrix composite system was selected, which was composed of high stiffness carbon fibers as reinforcements in relatively low stiffness polyurethane matrix, based upon large strain to failure capabilities and large beneficial elastic couplings. Linear and non-linear analytical models were developed encapsulating large deformation theory of the laminated composite shells (using non-linear strain energy formulation) to the fracture mechanics of core foam and elastic-plastic deformation theory of the foam filling. The non-linear model is capable of including material and

  16. Commentary: Outreach, Engagement, and the Changing Culture of the University--1998

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Byrne, John V.

    2016-01-01

    In this commentary, author John Byrne reflects on his 1998 "Journal of Public Service & Outreach" article, "Outreach, Engagement, and the Changing Culture of the University" reprinted in this 20th anniversary issue of "Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement." Byrne's 1998 article was a call to modify…

  17. Metasurface Broadband Solar Absorber

    PubMed Central

    Azad, Abul K.; Kort-Kamp, Wilton J. M.; Sykora, Milan; Weisse-Bernstein, Nina R.; Luk, Ting S.; Taylor, Antoinette J.; Dalvit, Diego A. R.; Chen, Hou-Tong

    2016-01-01

    We demonstrate a broadband, polarization independent, wide-angle absorber based on a metallic metasurface architecture, which accomplishes greater than 90% absorptance in the visible and near-infrared range of the solar spectrum, and exhibits low absorptivity (emissivity) at mid- and far-infrared wavelengths. The complex unit cell of the metasurface solar absorber consists of eight pairs of gold nano-resonators that are separated from a gold ground plane by a thin silicon dioxide spacer. Our experimental measurements reveal high-performance absorption over a wide range of incidence angles for both s- and p-polarizations. We also investigate numerically the frequency-dependent field and current distributions to elucidate how the absorption occurs within the metasurface structure. PMID:26828999

  18. Metasurface Broadband Solar Absorber.

    PubMed

    Azad, Abul K; Kort-Kamp, Wilton J M; Sykora, Milan; Weisse-Bernstein, Nina R; Luk, Ting S; Taylor, Antoinette J; Dalvit, Diego A R; Chen, Hou-Tong

    2016-02-01

    We demonstrate a broadband, polarization independent, wide-angle absorber based on a metallic metasurface architecture, which accomplishes greater than 90% absorptance in the visible and near-infrared range of the solar spectrum, and exhibits low absorptivity (emissivity) at mid- and far-infrared wavelengths. The complex unit cell of the metasurface solar absorber consists of eight pairs of gold nano-resonators that are separated from a gold ground plane by a thin silicon dioxide spacer. Our experimental measurements reveal high-performance absorption over a wide range of incidence angles for both s- and p-polarizations. We also investigate numerically the frequency-dependent field and current distributions to elucidate how the absorption occurs within the metasurface structure.

  19. Climate change underlies global demographic, genetic, and cultural transitions in pre-Columbian southern Peru.

    PubMed

    Fehren-Schmitz, Lars; Haak, Wolfgang; Mächtle, Bertil; Masch, Florian; Llamas, Bastien; Cagigao, Elsa Tomasto; Sossna, Volker; Schittek, Karsten; Isla Cuadrado, Johny; Eitel, Bernhard; Reindel, Markus

    2014-07-01

    Several archaeological studies in the Central Andes have pointed at the temporal coincidence of climatic fluctuations (both long- and short-term) and episodes of cultural transition and changes of socioeconomic structures throughout the pre-Columbian period. Although most scholars explain the connection between environmental and cultural changes by the impact of climatic alterations on the capacities of the ecosystems inhabited by pre-Columbian cultures, direct evidence for assumed demographic consequences is missing so far. In this study, we address directly the impact of climatic changes on the spatial population dynamics of the Central Andes. We use a large dataset of pre-Columbian mitochondrial DNA sequences from the northern Rio Grande de Nasca drainage (RGND) in southern Peru, dating from ∼840 BC to 1450 AD. Alternative demographic scenarios are tested using Bayesian serial coalescent simulations in an approximate Bayesian computational framework. Our results indicate migrations from the lower coastal valleys of southern Peru into the Andean highlands coincident with increasing climate variability at the end of the Nasca culture at ∼640 AD. We also find support for a back-migration from the highlands to the coast coincident with droughts in the southeastern Andean highlands and improvement of climatic conditions on the coast after the decline of the Wari and Tiwanaku empires (∼1200 AD), leading to a genetic homogenization in the RGND and probably southern Peru as a whole.

  20. Development of a conductivity-based photothermal absorbance detection microchip using polyelectrolytic gel electrodes.

    PubMed

    Chun, Honggu; Dennis, Patty J; Ferguson Welch, Erin R; Alarie, Jean Pierre; Jorgenson, James W; Ramsey, J Michael

    2017-11-10

    The development and application of polyelectrolytic gel electrodes (PGEs) for a microfluidic photothermal absorbance detection system is described. The PGEs are used to measure changes in conductivity based on heat generation by analytes absorbing light and changing the solution viscosity. The PGEs are suitable for direct contact conductivity measurements since they do not degrade with exposure to high electric fields. Both a 2-electrode system with DC voltages and a 3-electrode system with AC voltages were investigated. Experimental factors including excitation voltage, excitation frequency, laser modulation frequency, laser power, and path length were tested. The limits of detection for the 3-electrode and 2-electrode systems are 500nM and 0.55nM for DABSYL-tagged glucosamine, respectively. In addition, an electrokinetic separation of a potassium, DABSYL-tagged glucosamine, Rhodamine 6G, and Rhodamine B mixture was demonstrated. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Properties of a magnetorheological semi-active vibration absorber

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Albanese, Anne-Marie; Cunefare, Kenneth A.

    2003-07-01

    A tuned vibration absorber (TVA) is a spring-damper-mass system used in many industries for the suppression of a specific vibration frequency. A state-switched absorber (SSA) is similar to a TVA, except that one or more components in the SSA is able to instantaneously and discretely change properties, thus increasing the effective bandwidth of vibration suppression. The components responsible for bandwidth increase are called switching elements. In order to design a replacement SSA for the classic TVA, the SSA must operate in the appropriate frequency range, be lightweight and compact. An optimal SSA will also have a maximal frequency range that it can switch between. This paper discusses the development of a magnetorheological (MR) silicone gel used as the SSA switching element, the SSA geometry selected to maintain a magnetic flux path, and the contribution of the magnet-mass to frequency shifting. The MR gel is iron-doped silicone, cured in the presence of a magnetic field. During operation, the applied magnetic flux is modified to change the natural frequency. Since a flux path through the switching element is required, a steel flux path was incorporated as part of the SSA design. The SSA is desgined to operate below 100 Hz. An MR elastometer with 35% iron by volume yielded the most tunable results, where the minimum natural frequency was found to be 45 Hz, and the natural frequency was tunable up to 183 Hz.

  2. Phenotypic Changes Exhibited by E. coli Cultured in Space.

    PubMed

    Zea, Luis; Larsen, Michael; Estante, Frederico; Qvortrup, Klaus; Moeller, Ralf; Dias de Oliveira, Sílvia; Stodieck, Louis; Klaus, David

    2017-01-01

    Bacteria will accompany humans in our exploration of space, making it of importance to study their adaptation to the microgravity environment. To investigate potential phenotypic changes for bacteria grown in space, Escherichia coli was cultured onboard the International Space Station with matched controls on Earth. Samples were challenged with different concentrations of gentamicin sulfate to study the role of drug concentration on the dependent variables in the space environment. Analyses included assessments of final cell count, cell size, cell envelope thickness, cell ultrastructure, and culture morphology. A 13-fold increase in final cell count was observed in space with respect to the ground controls and the space flight cells were able to grow in the presence of normally inhibitory levels of gentamicin sulfate. Contrast light microscopy and focused ion beam/scanning electron microscopy showed that, on average, cells in space were 37% of the volume of their matched controls, which may alter the rate of molecule-cell interactions in a diffusion-limited mass transport regime as is expected to occur in microgravity. TEM imagery showed an increase in cell envelope thickness of between 25 and 43% in space with respect to the Earth control group. Outer membrane vesicles were observed on the spaceflight samples, but not on the Earth cultures. While E. coli suspension cultures on Earth were homogenously distributed throughout the liquid medium, in space they tended to form a cluster, leaving the surrounding medium visibly clear of cells. This cell aggregation behavior may be associated with enhanced biofilm formation observed in other spaceflight experiments.

  3. Phenotypic Changes Exhibited by E. coli Cultured in Space

    PubMed Central

    Zea, Luis; Larsen, Michael; Estante, Frederico; Qvortrup, Klaus; Moeller, Ralf; Dias de Oliveira, Sílvia; Stodieck, Louis; Klaus, David

    2017-01-01

    Bacteria will accompany humans in our exploration of space, making it of importance to study their adaptation to the microgravity environment. To investigate potential phenotypic changes for bacteria grown in space, Escherichia coli was cultured onboard the International Space Station with matched controls on Earth. Samples were challenged with different concentrations of gentamicin sulfate to study the role of drug concentration on the dependent variables in the space environment. Analyses included assessments of final cell count, cell size, cell envelope thickness, cell ultrastructure, and culture morphology. A 13-fold increase in final cell count was observed in space with respect to the ground controls and the space flight cells were able to grow in the presence of normally inhibitory levels of gentamicin sulfate. Contrast light microscopy and focused ion beam/scanning electron microscopy showed that, on average, cells in space were 37% of the volume of their matched controls, which may alter the rate of molecule–cell interactions in a diffusion-limited mass transport regime as is expected to occur in microgravity. TEM imagery showed an increase in cell envelope thickness of between 25 and 43% in space with respect to the Earth control group. Outer membrane vesicles were observed on the spaceflight samples, but not on the Earth cultures. While E. coli suspension cultures on Earth were homogenously distributed throughout the liquid medium, in space they tended to form a cluster, leaving the surrounding medium visibly clear of cells. This cell aggregation behavior may be associated with enhanced biofilm formation observed in other spaceflight experiments. PMID:28894439

  4. Optimal active vibration absorber: Design and experimental results

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lee-Glauser, Gina; Juang, Jer-Nan; Sulla, Jeffrey L.

    1992-01-01

    An optimal active vibration absorber can provide guaranteed closed-loop stability and control for large flexible space structures with collocated sensors/actuators. The active vibration absorber is a second-order dynamic system which is designed to suppress any unwanted structural vibration. This can be designed with minimum knowledge of the controlled system. Two methods for optimizing the active vibration absorber parameters are illustrated: minimum resonant amplitude and frequency matched active controllers. The Controls-Structures Interaction Phase-1 Evolutionary Model at NASA LaRC is used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the active vibration absorber for vibration suppression. Performance is compared numerically and experimentally using acceleration feedback.

  5. Culture moderates changes in linguistic self-presentation and detail provision when deceiving others

    PubMed Central

    Larner, Samuel; Conchie, Stacey M.; Menacere, Tarek

    2017-01-01

    Change in our language when deceiving is attributable to differences in the affective and cognitive experience of lying compared to truth telling, yet these experiences are also subject to substantial individual differences. On the basis of previous evidence of cultural differences in self-construal and remembering, we predicted and found evidence for cultural differences in the extent to which truths and lies contained self (versus other) references and perceptual (versus social) details. Participants (N = 320) of Black African, South Asian, White European and White British ethnicity completed a catch-the-liar task in which they provided genuine and fabricated statements about either their past experiences or an opinion and counter-opinion. Across the four groups we observed a trend for using more/fewer first-person pronouns and fewer/more third-person pronouns when lying, and a trend for including more/fewer perceptual details and fewer/more social details when lying. Contrary to predicted cultural differences in emotion expression, all participants showed more positive affect and less negative affect when lying. Our findings show that liars deceive in ways that are congruent with their cultural values and norms, and that this may result in opposing changes in behaviour. PMID:28680668

  6. Dental enamel irradiated with infrared diode laser and photo-absorbing cream: part 2--EDX study.

    PubMed

    de Sant'Anna, Giselle Rodrigues; dos Santos, Edson Aparecido Pereira; Soares, Luís Eduardo Silva; do Espírito Santo, Ana Maria; Martin, Airton Abrahão; Duarte, Danilo Antônio; Pacheco-Soares, Cristina; Brugnera, Aldo

    2009-10-01

    The effects of laser-induced compositional changes on the enamel were investigated by energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (micro-EDX). After cariogenic challenge, we administered treatment of low-level infrared diode laser and a photo-absorbing cream (used to intensify the superficial light absorption). Dental caries is considered the most prevalent oral disease. A simple and noninvasive caries preventive regimen is treating tooth enamel with a laser, either alone or in combination with fluoride, which reduces enamel solubility and dissolution rates. High power lasers are still not widely used in private practice. Low-power near-infrared lasers may be an alternative approach. Energy-dispersive micro-EDX is a versatile and nondestructive spectroscopic technique that allows for a qualitative and quantitative elemental analysis of inorganic enamel components, such as calcium and phosphorus. Twenty-four extracted or exfoliated caries-free deciduous molars were divided into six groups: 1) control group (CTR-no treatment); 2) infrared laser treatment (L) (lambda = 810 nm, 100 mW/cm(2), 90 sec, 4.47 J/cm(2), 9 J); 3) infrared laser irradiation and photo-absorbing agent (CL); 4) photo-absorbing agent alone (C); 5) infrared laser irradiation and fluoridated photo-absorbing agent (FCL); and 6) fluoridated photo-absorbing agent alone (FC). Samples were analyzed using micro-EDX after two sets of treatments and pH cycling cariogenic challenges. The CL group showed statistically significant increases in calcium and phosphorus (wt%) compared with the CTR group. The Ca/P ratio was similar in the FCL and CTR groups. There was a significant laser-induced reduction compared with the CTR group, and there was a possible modification of the organic balance content in enamel treated with laser and cream. micro-EDX may be able to detect compositional changes in mineral phases of lased enamel under cariogenic challenge. Our results suggest that with a combined laser and photo-absorbing

  7. Strain Gage Measurements of Aft Nacelle Shock Absorbers.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    ENGINE NACELLES, SHOCK ABSORBERS ), (* SHOCK ABSORBERS , STRESSES), SURFACE TO SURFACE MISSILES, LAUNCHING, STRAIN GAGES, COMPRESSIVE PROPERTIES, CALIBRATION, STRAIN(MECHANICS), FAILURE, GROUND SUPPORT EQUIPMENT.

  8. How to change organisational culture: Action research in a South African public sector primary care facility.

    PubMed

    Mash, Robert; De Sa, Angela; Christodoulou, Maria

    2016-08-31

    Organisational culture is a key factor in both patient and staff experience of the healthcare services. Patient satisfaction, staff engagement and performance are related to this experience. The department of health in the Western Cape espouses a values-based culture characterised by caring, competence, accountability, integrity, responsiveness and respect. However, transformation of the existing culture is required to achieve this vision. To explore how to transform the organisational culture in line with the desired values. Retreat Community Health Centre, Cape Town, South Africa. Participatory action research with the leadership engaged with action and reflection over a period of 18 months. Change in the organisational culture was measured at baseline and after 18 months by means of a cultural values assessment (CVA) survey. The three key leaders at the health centre also completed a 360-degree leadership values assessment (LVA) and had 6 months of coaching. Cultural entropy was reduced from 33 to 13% indicating significant transformation of organisational culture. The key driver of this transformation was change in the leadership style and functioning. Retreat health centre shifted from a culture that emphasised hierarchy, authority, command and control to one that established a greater sense of cohesion, shared vision, open communication, appreciation, respect, fairness and accountability. Transformation of organisational culture was possible through a participatory process that focused on the leadership style, communication and building relationships by means of CVA and feedback, 360-degree LVA, feedback and coaching and action learning in a co-operative inquiry group.

  9. Shock Absorbing Helmets

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1978-01-01

    This paper presents a description of helmets used by football players that offer three times the shock-absorbing capacity of earlier types. An interior padding for the helmets, composed of Temper Foam, first used by NASA's Ames Research Center in the design of aircraft seats is described.

  10. Radiative forcing and rapid adjustment of absorbing aerosols in the Pearl River Delta Region of China

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Z.; Yim, S. H. L.; Lau, G.

    2016-12-01

    Part of organic carbon defined as brown carbon (BrC) has been found to absorb solar radiation, especially in near-ultraviolet and blue bands, but their radiation impact is far less understood than black carbon (BC). Rapid adjustment thought to occur within a few weeks, induced by aerosol radiative effect and thereby alter cloud cover or other climate components. These effects are particularly pronounced for absorbing aerosols. The data gathered is from an online coupled model, WRF-Chem. A two-simulation test is conducted from July 8 to July 15. The baseline simulation doesn't account for aerosol-radiation interactions, whereas the sensitivity run includes it. The differences between these two simulations represent total effects of the aerosol instantaneous radiative forcing and subsequent rapid adjustment. In Figure 1, without cloud effect (clear sky), at the top of atmosphere (TOA), the SW radiation changes are negative in the PRD region, representing an overall cooling effect of aerosols. However, in the atmosphere (ATM), aerosols heat the atmosphere by absorbing incoming solar radiation with an average of 2.4 W/m2 (Table 1). After including rapid adjustment (all sky), the radiation change pattern becomes significantly different, especially at TOA and surface (SFC). This may be caused by cloud cover change due to rapid adjustment. The magnitude of SW radiation changes for all sky at all levels is smaller than that for clear sky. This result suggests the rapid adjustment counteracts the instantaneous radiative forcing of aerosols. At TOA, the cooling effect of the aerosol is 74% lower for all sky compared with clear sky, highlighting an overall warming effect of rapid adjustment in the PRD region. Aerosol-induced changes (W/m2) TOA ATM SFC Clear Sky -9.2 2.4 -11.6 All Sky -2.4 1.9 -4.3 Table 1. Aerosol-induced averaged changes in shortwave radiation due to aerosol-radiation interactions in the Pearl River Delta. The test shows the rapid adjustment of aerosols

  11. How do we Remain Us in a Time of Change: Culture and Knowledge Management at NASA

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Linde, Charlotte

    2003-01-01

    This viewgraph representation presents an overview of findings of a NASA agency-wide Knowledge Management Team considering culture and knowledge management issues at the agency. Specific issues identified by the team include: (1) NASA must move from being a knowledge hoarding culture to a knowledge sharing culture; (2) NASA must move from being center focused to being Agency focused; (3) NASA must capture the knowledge of a departing workforce. Topics considered include: what must NASA know to remain NASA, what were previous forms of knowledge reproduction and how has technological innovations changed these systems, and what changes in funding and relationships between contractors and NASA affected knowledge reproduction.

  12. Damage tolerant light absorbing material

    DOEpatents

    Lauf, Robert J.; Hamby, Jr., Clyde; Akerman, M. Alfred; Seals, Roland D.

    1993-01-01

    A light absorbing article comprised of a composite of carbon-bonded carbon fibers, prepared by: blending carbon fibers with a carbonizable organic powder to form a mixture; dispersing the mixture into an aqueous slurry; vacuum molding the aqueous slurry to form a green article; drying and curing the green article to form a cured article; and, carbonizing the cured article at a temperature of at least about 1000.degree. C. to form a carbon-bonded carbon fiber light absorbing composite article having a bulk density less than 1 g/cm.sup.3.

  13. Damage tolerant light absorbing material

    DOEpatents

    Lauf, R.J.; Hamby, C. Jr.; Akerman, M.A.; Seals, R.D.

    1993-09-07

    A light absorbing article comprised of a composite of carbon-bonded carbon fibers, is prepared by: blending carbon fibers with a carbonizable organic powder to form a mixture; dispersing the mixture into an aqueous slurry; vacuum molding the aqueous slurry to form a green article; drying and curing the green article to form a cured article; and, carbonizing the cured article at a temperature of at least about 1000 C to form a carbon-bonded carbon fiber light absorbing composite article having a bulk density less than 1 g/cm[sup 3]. 9 figures.

  14. Methods for applying microchannels to separate methane using liquid absorbents, especially ionic liquid absorbents from a mixture comprising methane and nitrogen

    DOEpatents

    Tonkovich, Anna Lee Y [Dublin, OH; Litt, Robert D [Westerville, OH; Dongming, Qiu [Dublin, OH; Silva, Laura J [Plain City, OH; Lamont, Micheal Jay [Plain City, OH; Fanelli, Maddalena [Plain City, OH; Simmons, Wayne W [Plain city, OH; Perry, Steven [Galloway, OH

    2011-10-04

    Methods of using microchannel separation systems including absorbents to improve thermal efficiency and reduce parasitic power loss. Energy is typically added to desorb methane and then energy or heat is removed to absorb methane using a working solution. The working solution or absorbent may comprise an ionic liquid, or other fluids that demonstrate a difference in affinity between methane and nitrogen in a solution.

  15. Insight into unusual impurity absorbability of GeO(2) in GeO(2)∕Ge stacks.

    PubMed

    Ogawa, Shingo; Suda, Taichi; Yamamoto, Takashi; Kutsuki, Katsuhiro; Hideshima, Iori; Hosoi, Takuji; Shimura, Takayoshi; Watanabe, Heiji

    2011-10-03

    Adsorbed species and its diffusion behaviors in GeO(2)∕Ge stacks, which are future alternative metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) materials, have been investigated using various physical analyses. We clarified that GeO(2) rapidly absorbs moisture in air just after its exposure. After the absorbed moisture in GeO(2) reaches a certain limit, the GeO(2) starts to absorb some organic molecules, which is accompanied by a structural change in GeO(2) to form a partial carbonate or hydroxide. We also found that the hydrogen distribution in GeO(2) shows intrinsic characteristics, indicative of different diffusion behaviors at the surface and at the GeO(2)∕Ge interface. Because the impurity absorbability of GeO(2) has a great influence on the electrical properties in Ge-MOS devices, these results provide valuable information in realizing high quality GeO(2)∕Ge stacks for the actual use of Ge-MOS technologies.

  16. Science as a Vocation in the 1990s: The Changing Organizational Culture of Academic Science.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hackett, Edward J.

    1990-01-01

    There is increased dependence of academic science on external resources with attendant consequences for academic culture. This article suggests a framework for analyzing such changes, viewing culture as a set of axes of variation and drawing upon organizational theory, particularly resource dependence and institutional perspectives, to explain why…

  17. Coming of Age in Africa: Continuity and Change. Through African Eyes: Cultures in Change, Unit I.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clark, Leon E., Ed.

    This book, first in a series of six dealing with African culture and intended for secondary level students, deals with tradition and change in Africa. All of the selections in this volume were written by Africans and come from a variety of sources including autobiographies, novels, and poems. The basic purpose of the book is to capture some of the…

  18. Gravitational stress-induced changes in the phosphoproteom of Arabidopsis thaliana cell cultures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hampp, Ruediger; Hausmann, Niklas; Neef, Maren; Schuetz, Wolfgang; Madlung, Johannes; Fladerer, Claudia; Nordheim, Alfred; Costa, Alex; Barjaktarovic, Zarko

    Callus cell cultures of Arabidopsis thaliana respond to changes in gravitational field strengths by changes in protein expression. Using ESI-MS/MS for proteins with differential abundance after separation by 2D-PAGE, 28 spots which changed reproducibly and significantly (P¡0.05) in amount after 2h of hypergravity (18 up-, 10 down-regulated) could be identified. The corre-sponding proteins were largely involved in stress responses, including detoxification of reactive oxygen species (ROS; Barjaktaroviá et al., J. Exptl. Bot. 58:4357 (2007)). In the present study, c we extended these investigations to phosphorylated proteins. For this purpose, callus cell cul-tures of Arabidopsis thaliana were exposed to hypergravity (8 g) and simulated weightlessness (random positioning; RP) for up to 30 min, a period of time which yielded most reliable data. First changes, however, were visible as early as 10 min after start of treatment. Out of the protein spots altered in phosphorylation, we were able to identify 24 from those responding to random positioning and 12 which responded to 8 g. The respective proteins are involved in scavenging and detoxification of ROS (32Most recent data obtained from parabolic flights indicate that exposure times to g of as little as 20 s are sufficient to alter the phosphorylation of proteins pattern. This is accompanied by changes in the cellular Ca2+ and H2O2 contents.

  19. HS 1603+3820 and its Warm Absorber

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nikołajuk, M.; Różańska, A.; Czerny, B.; Dobrzycki, A.

    2009-07-01

    We use photoionization codes CLOUDY and TITAN to obtain physical conditions in the absorbing medium close to the nucleus of a distant quasar (z = 2.54) HS 1603+3820. We found that the total column density of this Warm Absorber is 2 x 1022 cm-2. Due to the softness of the quasars spectrum the modelling allowed us also to determine uniquely the volume hydrogen density of this warm gas (n = 1010 cm-3) which combined with the other quasar parameters leads to a distance determination to the Warm Absorber from the central source which is ~ 1.5 x 1016 cm.

  20. Design of a Conceptual Bumper Energy Absorber Coupling Pedestrian Safety and Low-Speed Impact Requirements

    PubMed Central

    Mo, Fuhao; Zhao, Siqi; Yu, Chuanhui; Duan, Shuyong

    2018-01-01

    The car front bumper system needs to meet the requirements of both pedestrian safety and low-speed impact which are somewhat contradicting. This study aims to design a new kind of modular self-adaptive energy absorber of the front bumper system which can balance the two performances. The X-shaped energy-absorbing structure was proposed which can enhance the energy absorption capacity during impact by changing its deformation mode based on the amount of external collision energy. Then, finite element simulations with a realistic vehicle bumper system are performed to demonstrate its crashworthiness in comparison with the traditional foam energy absorber, which presents a significant improvement of the two performances. Furthermore, the structural parameters of the X-shaped energy-absorbing structure including thickness (t u), side arc radius (R), and clamping boost beam thickness (t b) are analyzed using a full factorial method, and a multiobjective optimization is implemented regarding evaluation indexes of both pedestrian safety and low-speed impact. The optimal parameters are then verified, and the feasibility of the optimal results is confirmed. In conclusion, the new X-shaped energy absorber can meet both pedestrian safety and low-speed impact requirements well by altering the main deformation modes according to different impact energy levels. PMID:29581728

  1. Design of a Conceptual Bumper Energy Absorber Coupling Pedestrian Safety and Low-Speed Impact Requirements.

    PubMed

    Mo, Fuhao; Zhao, Siqi; Yu, Chuanhui; Xiao, Zhi; Duan, Shuyong

    2018-01-01

    The car front bumper system needs to meet the requirements of both pedestrian safety and low-speed impact which are somewhat contradicting. This study aims to design a new kind of modular self-adaptive energy absorber of the front bumper system which can balance the two performances. The X-shaped energy-absorbing structure was proposed which can enhance the energy absorption capacity during impact by changing its deformation mode based on the amount of external collision energy. Then, finite element simulations with a realistic vehicle bumper system are performed to demonstrate its crashworthiness in comparison with the traditional foam energy absorber, which presents a significant improvement of the two performances. Furthermore, the structural parameters of the X-shaped energy-absorbing structure including thickness ( t u ), side arc radius ( R ), and clamping boost beam thickness ( t b ) are analyzed using a full factorial method, and a multiobjective optimization is implemented regarding evaluation indexes of both pedestrian safety and low-speed impact. The optimal parameters are then verified, and the feasibility of the optimal results is confirmed. In conclusion, the new X-shaped energy absorber can meet both pedestrian safety and low-speed impact requirements well by altering the main deformation modes according to different impact energy levels.

  2. Identifying the perfect absorption of metamaterial absorbers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Duan, G.; Schalch, J.; Zhao, X.; Zhang, J.; Averitt, R. D.; Zhang, X.

    2018-01-01

    We present a detailed analysis of the conditions that result in unity absorption in metamaterial absorbers to guide the design and optimization of this important class of functional electromagnetic composites. Multilayer absorbers consisting of a metamaterial layer, dielectric spacer, and ground plane are specifically considered. Using interference theory, the dielectric spacer thickness and resonant frequency for unity absorption can be numerically determined from the functional dependence of the relative phase shift of the total reflection. Further, using transmission line theory in combination with interference theory we obtain analytical expressions for the unity absorption resonance frequency and corresponding spacer layer thickness in terms of the bare resonant frequency of the metamaterial layer and metallic and dielectric losses within the absorber structure. These simple expressions reveal a redshift of the unity absorption frequency with increasing loss that, in turn, necessitates an increase in the thickness of the dielectric spacer. The results of our analysis are experimentally confirmed by performing reflection-based terahertz time-domain spectroscopy on fabricated absorber structures covering a range of dielectric spacer thicknesses with careful control of the loss accomplished through water absorption in a semiporous polyimide dielectric spacer. Our findings can be widely applied to guide the design and optimization of the metamaterial absorbers and sensors.

  3. Translatory shock absorber for attitude sensors

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Vonpragenau, G. L.; Morgan, I. T., Jr.; Kirby, C. A. (Inventor)

    1976-01-01

    A translatory shock absorber is provided for mounting an attitude sensor thereon for isolating a sensor from translatory vibrations. The translatory shock absorber includes a hollow block structure formed as one piece to form a parallelogram. The absorber block structure includes a movable top plate for supporting the attitude sensor and a fixed base plate with opposed side plates interposed between. At the junctions of the side plates, and the base and top plates, there are provided grooves which act as flexible hinges for attenuating translatory vibrations. A damping material is supported on a pedestal which is carried on the base plate between the side plates thereof. The top of the damping material rests against the bottom surface of the top plate for eliminating the resonant peaks of vibration.

  4. A wideband absorber for television studios

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Baird, M. D. M.

    The acoustic treatment in BBC television has taken various forms to date, all of which have been relatively expensive, some of which provide inadequate absorption. An investigation has been conducted into the possibilities of producing a new type of wideband absorber which would be more economic, also taking installation time into account, than earlier designs. This Report describes the absorption coefficient measurements made on various combinations of materials, from which a wideband sound absorber has been developed. The absorber works efficiently between 50 Hz and 10 kHz, is simple and easy to construct using readily available materials, and is fire resistant. The design lends itself, if necessary, to on-site fine tuning, and savings in the region of 50 percent can be achieved in terms of cost and space with respect to previous designs.

  5. Metasurface Broadband Solar Absorber

    DOE PAGES

    Azad, Abul K.; Kort-Kamp, Wilton J. M.; Sykora, Milan; ...

    2016-02-01

    Here, we demonstrate a broadband, polarization independent, wide-angle absorber based on a metallic metasurface architecture, which accomplishes greater than 90% absorptance in the visible and near-infrared range of the solar spectrum, and exhibits low absorptivity (emissivity) at mid- and far-infrared wavelengths. The complex unit cell of the metasurface solar absorber consists of eight pairs of gold nano-resonators that are separated from a gold ground plane by a thin silicon dioxide spacer. Moreover, our experimental measurements reveal high-performance absorption over a wide range of incidence angles for both s- and p-polarizations. We also investigate numerically the frequency-dependent field and current distributionsmore » to elucidate how the absorption occurs within the metasurface structure.« less

  6. G-index: A new metric to describe dynamic refractive index effects in HPLC absorbance detection.

    PubMed

    Kraiczek, Karsten G; Rozing, Gerard P; Zengerle, Roland

    2018-09-01

    High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with a solvent gradient and absorbance detection is one of the most widely used methods in analytical chemistry. The observed absorbance baseline is affected by the changes in the refractive index (RI) of the mobile phase. Near the limited of detection, this complicates peak quantitation. The general aspects of these RI-induced apparent absorbance effects are discussed. Two different detectors with fundamentally different optics and flow cell concepts, a variable-wavelength detector equipped with a conventional flow cell and a diode-array detector equipped with a liquid core waveguide flow cell, are compared with respect to their RI behavior. A simple method to separate static - partly unavoidable - RI effects from dynamic RI effects is presented. It is shown that the dynamic RI behavior of an absorbance detector can be well described using a single, relatively easy-to-determine metric called the G-index. The G-index is typically in the order of a few seconds and its sign depends on the optical flow cell concept. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Freeze-Dried Carbon Nanotube Aerogels for High-Frequency Absorber Applications.

    PubMed

    Anoshkin, Ilya V; Campion, James; Lioubtchenko, Dmitri V; Oberhammer, Joachim

    2018-06-13

    A novel technique for millimeter wave absorber material embedded in a metal waveguide is proposed. The absorber material is a highly porous carbon nanotube (CNT) aerogel prepared by a freeze-drying technique. CNT aerogel structures are shown to be good absorbers with a low reflection coefficient, less than -12 dB at 95 GHz. The reflection coefficient of the novel absorber is 3-4 times lower than that of commercial absorbers with identical geometry. Samples prepared by freeze-drying at -25 °C demonstrate resonance behavior, while those prepared at liquid nitrogen temperature (-196 °C) exhibit a significant decrease in reflection coefficient, with no resonant behavior. CNT absorbers of identical volume based on wet-phase drying preparation show significantly worse performance than the CNT aerogel absorbers prepared by freeze-drying. Treatment of the freeze-dried CNT aerogel with n- and p-dopants (monoethanolamine and iodine vapors, respectively) shows remarkable improvement in the performance of the waveguide embedded absorbers, reducing the reflection coefficient by 2 dB across the band.

  8. Lidar remote sensing of laser-induced incandescence on light absorbing particles in the atmosphere.

    PubMed

    Miffre, Alain; Anselmo, Christophe; Geffroy, Sylvain; Fréjafon, Emeric; Rairoux, Patrick

    2015-02-09

    Carbon aerosol is now recognized as a major uncertainty on climate change and public health, and specific instruments are required to address the time and space evolution of this aerosol, which efficiently absorbs light. In this paper, we report an experiment, based on coupling lidar remote sensing with Laser-Induced-Incandescence (LII), which allows, in agreement with Planck's law, to retrieve the vertical profile of very low thermal radiation emitted by light-absorbing particles in an urban atmosphere over several hundred meters altitude. Accordingly, we set the LII-lidar formalism and equation and addressed the main features of LII-lidar in the atmosphere by numerically simulating the LII-lidar signal. We believe atmospheric LII-lidar to be a promising tool for radiative transfer, especially when combined with elastic backscattering lidar, as it may then allow a remote partitioning between strong/less light absorbing carbon aerosols.

  9. Chirp-Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions and Middle Ear Absorbance for Monitoring Ototoxicity in Cystic Fibrosis Patients.

    PubMed

    Garinis, Angela C; Keefe, Douglas H; Hunter, Lisa L; Fitzpatrick, Denis F; Putterman, Daniel B; McMillan, Garnett P; Gold, Jeffrey A; Feeney, M Patrick

    The goal of this study was to investigate the use of transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs) and middle ear absorbance measurements to monitor auditory function in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) receiving ototoxic medications. TEOAEs were elicited with a chirp stimulus using an extended bandwidth (0.71 to 8 kHz) to measure cochlear function at higher frequencies than traditional TEOAEs. Absorbance over a wide bandwidth (0.25 to 8 kHz) provides information on middle ear function. The combination of these time-efficient measurements has the potential to identify early signs of ototoxic hearing loss. A longitudinal study design was used to monitor the hearing of 91 patients with CF (median age = 25 years; age range = 15 to 63 years) who received known ototoxic medications (e.g., tobramycin) to prevent or treat bacterial lung infections. Results were compared to 37 normally hearing young adults (median age = 32.5 years; age range = 18 to 65 years) without a history of CF or similar treatments. Clinical testing included 226-Hz tympanometry, pure-tone air-conduction threshold testing from 0.25 to 16 kHz and bone conduction from 0.25 to 4 kHz. Experimental testing included wideband absorbance at ambient and tympanometric peak pressure and TEOAEs in three stimulus conditions: at ambient pressure and at tympanometric peak pressure using a chirp stimulus with constant incident pressure level across frequency and at ambient pressure using a chirp stimulus with constant absorbed sound power across frequency. At the initial visit, behavioral audiometric results indicated that 76 of the 157 ears (48%) from patients with CF had normal hearing, whereas 81 of these ears (52%) had sensorineural hearing loss for at least one frequency. Seven ears from four patients had a confirmed behavioral change in hearing threshold for ≥3 visits during study participation. Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses demonstrated that all three TEOAE conditions were

  10. Conceptualizing the Research Culture in Postgraduate Medical Education: Implications for Leading Culture Change.

    PubMed

    O'Brien, Jennifer M

    2015-12-01

    By recognizing symbols of research culture in postgraduate medical education, educators and trainees can gain a deeper understanding of the existing culture and mechanisms for its transformation. First, I identify symbolic manifestations of the research culture through a case narrative of a single anesthesia residency program, and I offer a visual conceptualization of the research culture. In the second part, I theorize the application of Senge's (1994) disciplines of a learning organization and discuss leverage for enhancing research culture. This narrative account is offered to inform the work of enhancing the broader research culture in postgraduate medical education.

  11. Changes on protein expression associated with salinity tolerance in Brassica cell cultures.

    PubMed

    Martín, J P; Elavummoottil, O C; Moreno, M L

    1993-09-01

    The synthesis of proteins from salt-tolerant Brassica oleracea L. var. botrytis L. subvar. cauliflora (Gars.) DC. (cauliflower) cell cultures is modified in relation to controls in several features. There are nine newly induced polypeptides in tolerant cultures (absent in control conditions). Some of them are only present under low salt levels (85 mM NaCl). Another group seems to be representative of moderate and high salt levels (170 and 255 mM NaCl), and a third group is present in all the salt conditions tested. On the other hand, the synthesis of most of the polypeptides present in control conditions is modified in salt-tolerant cultures by increasing, decreasing or stopping their synthesis in any of the tested conditions. The relationship between these changes in Brassica and other plant systems is discussed.

  12. 21 CFR 880.6025 - Absorbent tipped applicator.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... stick. The device is used to apply medications to, or to take specimens from, a patient. (b...) MEDICAL DEVICES GENERAL HOSPITAL AND PERSONAL USE DEVICES General Hospital and Personal Use Miscellaneous Devices § 880.6025 Absorbent tipped applicator. (a) Identification. An absorbent tipped applicator is a...

  13. Wideband Aural Acoustic Absorbance Predicts Conductive Hearing Loss in Children

    PubMed Central

    Keefe, Douglas H.; Sanford, Chris A.; Ellison, John C.; Fitzpatrick, Denis F.; Gorga, Michael P.

    2013-01-01

    Objective This study tested the hypothesis that wideband aural absorbance predicts conductive hearing loss (CHL) in children medically classified as having otitis media with effusion. Design Absorbance was measured in the ear canal over frequencies from 0.25 to 8 kHz at ambient pressure or as a swept tympanogram. CHL was defined using criterion air-bone gaps of 20, 25 and 30 dB at octaves from 0.25 to 4 kHz. A likelihood-ratio predictor of CHL was constructed across frequency for ambient absorbance and across frequency and pressure for absorbance tympanometry. Performance was evaluated at individual frequencies and for any frequency at which a CHL was present. Study Sample Absorbance and conventional 226-Hz tympanograms were measured in children of age 3 to 8 years with CHL and with normal hearing. Results Absorbance was smaller at frequencies above 0.7 kHz in the CHL group than the control group. Based on the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, wideband absorbance in ambient and tympanometric tests were significantly better predictors of CHL than tympanometric width, the best 226-Hz predictor. Accuracies of ambient and tympanometric wideband absorbance did not differ. Conclusions Absorbance accurately predicted CHL in children and was more accurate than conventional 226-Hz tympanometry. PMID:23072655

  14. Magneto-rheological fluid shock absorbers for HMMWV

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gordaninejad, Faramarz; Kelso, Shawn P.

    2000-04-01

    This paper presents the development and evaluation of a controllable, semi-active magneto-rheological fluid (MRF) shock absorber for a High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV). The University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) MRF damper is tailored for structures and ground vehicles that undergo a wide range of dynamic loading. It also has the capability for unique rebound and compression characteristics. The new MRF shock absorber emulates the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) shock absorber behavior in passive mode, and provides a wide controllable damping force range. A theoretical study is performed to evaluate the UNR MRF shock absorber. The Bingham plastic theory is employed to model the nonlinear behavior of the MR fluid. A fluid-mechanics-based theoretical model along with a three-dimensional finite element electromagnetic analysis is utilized to predict the MRF damper performance. The theoretical results are compared with experimental data and are demonstrated to be in excellent agreement.

  15. Design of a magnetorheological automotive shock absorber

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lindler, Jason E.; Dimock, Glen A.; Wereley, Norman M.

    2000-06-01

    Double adjustable shock absorbers allow for independent adjustment of the yield force and post-yield damping in the force versus velocity response. To emulate the performance of a conventional double adjustable shock absorber, a magnetorheological (MR) automotive shock absorber was designed and fabricated at the University of Maryland. Located in the piston head, an applied magnetic field between the core and flux return increases the force required for a given piston rod velocity. Between the core and flux return, two different shaped gaps meet the controllable performance requirements of a double adjustable shock. A uniform gap between the core and the flux return primarily adjusts the yield force of the shock absorber, while a non-uniform gap allows for control of the post-yield damping. Force measurements from sinusoidal displacement cycles, recorded on a mechanical damper dynamometer, validate the performance of uniform and non- uniform gaps for adjustment of the yield force and post-yield damping, respectively.

  16. Climate change underlies global demographic, genetic, and cultural transitions in pre-Columbian southern Peru

    PubMed Central

    Fehren-Schmitz, Lars; Haak, Wolfgang; Mächtle, Bertil; Masch, Florian; Llamas, Bastien; Tomasto Cagigao, Elsa; Sossna, Volker; Schittek, Karsten; Isla Cuadrado, Johny; Eitel, Bernhard; Reindel, Markus

    2014-01-01

    Several archaeological studies in the Central Andes have pointed at the temporal coincidence of climatic fluctuations (both long- and short-term) and episodes of cultural transition and changes of socioeconomic structures throughout the pre-Columbian period. Although most scholars explain the connection between environmental and cultural changes by the impact of climatic alterations on the capacities of the ecosystems inhabited by pre-Columbian cultures, direct evidence for assumed demographic consequences is missing so far. In this study, we address directly the impact of climatic changes on the spatial population dynamics of the Central Andes. We use a large dataset of pre-Columbian mitochondrial DNA sequences from the northern Rio Grande de Nasca drainage (RGND) in southern Peru, dating from ∼840 BC to 1450 AD. Alternative demographic scenarios are tested using Bayesian serial coalescent simulations in an approximate Bayesian computational framework. Our results indicate migrations from the lower coastal valleys of southern Peru into the Andean highlands coincident with increasing climate variability at the end of the Nasca culture at ∼640 AD. We also find support for a back-migration from the highlands to the coast coincident with droughts in the southeastern Andean highlands and improvement of climatic conditions on the coast after the decline of the Wari and Tiwanaku empires (∼1200 AD), leading to a genetic homogenization in the RGND and probably southern Peru as a whole. PMID:24979787

  17. Doxycycline supplementation allows for the culture of human ESCs/iPSCs with media changes at 3-day intervals.

    PubMed

    Chang, Mi-Yoon; Oh, Boram; Rhee, Yong-Hee; Lee, Sang-Hun

    2015-11-01

    Culturing human embryonic stem and induced pluripotent stem cells (hESCs/iPSCs) is one of the most costly and labor-intensive tissue cultures, as media containing expensive factors/cytokines should be changed every day to maintain and propagate undifferentiated hESCs/iPSCs in vitro. We recently reported that doxycycline, an anti-bacterial agent, had dramatic effects on hESC/iPSC survival and promoted self-renewal. In this study, we extended the effects of doxycycline to a more practical issue to save cost and labor in hESC/iPSC cultures. Regardless of cultured cell conditions, hESCs/iPSCs in doxycycline-supplemented media were viable and proliferating for at least 3 days without media change, while none or few viable cells were detected in the absence of doxycycline in the same conditions. Thus, hESCs/iPSCs supplemented with doxycycline can be cultured for a long period of time with media changes at 3-day intervals without altering their self-renewal and pluripotent properties, indicating that doxycycline supplementation can reduce the frequency of media changes and the amount of media required by 1/3. These findings strongly encourage the use of doxycycline to save cost and labor in culturing hESCs/iPSCs. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. The HI Environment of Nearby Lyman-alpha Absorbers

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    VanGorkom, J. H.; Carilli, C. L.; Stocke, John T.; Perlman, Eric S.; Shull, J. Michael

    1996-01-01

    We present the results of a VLA and WSRT search for H I emission from the vicinity of seven nearby clouds, which were observed in Ly-alpha absorption with HST toward Mrk 335, Mrk 501, and PKS 2155-304. Around the absorbers, we searched a volume of 4O' x 40' x 1000 km/s; for one of the absorbers we probed a velocity range of only 600 km/s. The H I mass sensitivity (5 sigma) very close to the lines of sight varies from 5 x 10(exp 6) solar mass at best to 5 x 10(exp 8) solar mass at worst. We detected H I emission in the vicinity of four out of seven absorbers. The closest galaxy we find to the absorbers is a small dwarf galaxy at a projected distance of 68 h(exp -1) kpc from the sight line toward Mrk 335. This optically uncataloged galaxy has the same velocity (V = 1970 km/s) as one of the absorbers, is fainter than the SMC, and has an H I mass of only 4 x 10(exp 7) solar mass. We found a somewhat more luminous galaxy at exactly the velocity (V = 5100 km/s) of one of the absorbers toward PKS 2155-304 at a projected distance of 230 h(exp -1) kpc from the sight line. Two other, stronger absorbers toward PKS 2155-304 at V approx. 17,000 km/s appear to be associated with a loose group of three bright spiral galaxies, at projected distances of 300 to 600 h(exp -1) kpc. These results support the conclusions emerging from optical searches that most nearby Ly-alpha forest clouds trace the large-scale structures outlined by the optically luminous galaxies, although this is still based on small-number statistics. We do not find any evidence from the H I distribution or kinematics that there is a physical association between an absorber and its closest galaxy. While the absorbing clouds are at the systemic velocity of the galaxies, the H I extent of the galaxies is fairly typical, and at least an order of magnitude smaller than the projected distance to the sight line at which the absorbers are seen. On the other hand, we also do not find evidence against such a connection. In

  19. Plasma Membrane Permeabilization by 60- and 600-ns Electric Pulses Is Determined by the Absorbed Dose

    PubMed Central

    Ibey, Bennett L.; Xiao, Shu; Schoenbach, Karl H.; Murphy, Michael R.; Pakhomov, Andrei G.

    2008-01-01

    We explored how the effect of plasma membrane permeabilization by nanosecond-duration electric pulses (nsEP) depends on the physical characteristics of exposure. The resting membrane resistance (Rm) and membrane potential (MP) were measured in cultured GH3 and CHO cells by conventional whole-cell patch-clamp technique. Intact cells were exposed to a single nsEP (60 or 600 ns duration, 0-22 kV/cm), followed by patch-clamp measurements after a 2-3 min delay. Consistent with earlier findings, nsEP caused long-lasting Rm decrease, accompanied by the loss of MP. The threshold for these effects was about 6 kV/cm for 60 ns pulses, and about 1 kV/cm for 600 ns pulses. Further analysis established that it was neither pulse duration nor the E-field amplitude per se, but the absorbed dose that determined the magnitude of the biological effect. In other words, exposure to nsEP at either pulse duration caused equal effects if the absorbed doses were equal. The threshold absorbed dose to produce plasma membrane effects in either GH3 or CHO cells at either pulse duration was found to be at or below 10 mJ/g. Despite being determined by the dose, the nsEP effect clearly is not thermal, as the maximum heating at the threshold dose is less than 0.01 °C. The use of the absorbed dose as a universal exposure metric may help to compare and quantify nsEP sensitivity of different cell types and of cells in different physiological conditions. The absorbed dose may also prove to be a more useful metric than the incident E-field in determining safety limits for high peak, lowaverage power EMF emissions. PMID:18839412

  20. Woodland restoration in Scotland: ecology, history, culture, economics, politics and change.

    PubMed

    Hobbs, Richard

    2009-07-01

    In the latter half of the 20th century, native pine woodlands in Scotland were restricted to small remnant areas within which there was little regeneration. These woodlands are important from a conservation perspective and are habitat for numerous species of conservation concern. Recent developments have seen a large increase in interest in woodland restoration and a dramatic increase in regeneration and woodland spread. The proximate factor enabling this regeneration is a reduction in grazing pressure from sheep and, particularly, deer. However, this has only been possible as a result of a complex interplay between ecological, political and socio-economic factors. We are currently seeing the decline of land management practices instituted 150-200 years ago, changes in land ownership patterns, cultural revival, and changes in societal perceptions of the Scottish landscape. These all feed into the current move to return large areas of the Scottish Highlands to tree cover. I emphasize the need to consider restoration in a multidisciplinary framework which accounts not just for the ecology involved but also the historical and cultural context.

  1. How to change organisational culture: Action research in a South African public sector primary care facility

    PubMed Central

    De Sa, Angela; Christodoulou, Maria

    2016-01-01

    Background Organisational culture is a key factor in both patient and staff experience of the healthcare services. Patient satisfaction, staff engagement and performance are related to this experience. The department of health in the Western Cape espouses a values-based culture characterised by caring, competence, accountability, integrity, responsiveness and respect. However, transformation of the existing culture is required to achieve this vision. Aim To explore how to transform the organisational culture in line with the desired values. Setting Retreat Community Health Centre, Cape Town, South Africa. Methods Participatory action research with the leadership engaged with action and reflection over a period of 18 months. Change in the organisational culture was measured at baseline and after 18 months by means of a cultural values assessment (CVA) survey. The three key leaders at the health centre also completed a 360-degree leadership values assessment (LVA) and had 6 months of coaching. Results Cultural entropy was reduced from 33 to 13% indicating significant transformation of organisational culture. The key driver of this transformation was change in the leadership style and functioning. Retreat health centre shifted from a culture that emphasised hierarchy, authority, command and control to one that established a greater sense of cohesion, shared vision, open communication, appreciation, respect, fairness and accountability. Conclusion Transformation of organisational culture was possible through a participatory process that focused on the leadership style, communication and building relationships by means of CVA and feedback, 360-degree LVA, feedback and coaching and action learning in a co-operative inquiry group. PMID:27608671

  2. Energy-Absorbing, Lightweight Wheels

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Waydo, Peter

    2003-01-01

    Improved energy-absorbing wheels are under development for use on special-purpose vehicles that must traverse rough terrain under conditions (e.g., extreme cold) in which rubber pneumatic tires would fail. The designs of these wheels differ from those of prior non-pneumatic energy-absorbing wheels in ways that result in lighter weights and more effective reduction of stresses generated by ground/wheel contact forces. These wheels could be made of metals and/or composite materials to withstand the expected extreme operating conditions. As shown in the figure, a wheel according to this concept would include an isogrid tire connected to a hub via spring rods. The isogrid tire would be a stiff, lightweight structure typically made of aluminum. The isogrid aspect of the structure would both impart stiffness and act as a traction surface. The hub would be a thin-walled body of revolution having a simple or compound conical or other shape chosen for structural efficiency. The spring rods would absorb energy and partially isolate the hub and the supported vehicle from impact loads. The general spring-rod configuration shown in the figure was chosen because it would distribute contact and impact loads nearly evenly around the periphery of the hub, thereby helping to protect the hub against damage that would otherwise be caused by large loads concentrated onto small portions of the hub.

  3. [Study on absorbing volatile oil with mesoporous carbon].

    PubMed

    Yan, Hong-mei; Jia, Xiao-bin; Zhang, Zhen-hai; Sun, E; Yang Nan

    2014-11-01

    Clove oil and turmeric oil were absorbed by mesoporous carbon. The absorption ratio of mesoporous carbon to volatile oil was optimized with the eugenol yield and curcumol yield as criteria Curing powder was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and differential scanning calorietry (DSC). The effects of mesoporous carbon on dissolution in vitro and thermal stability of active components were studied. They reached high adsorption rate when the absorption ratio of mesoporous carbon to volatile oil was 1:1. When volatile oil was absorbed, dissolution rate of active components had a little improvement and their thermal stability improved after volatile oil was absorbed by the loss rate decreasing more than 50%. Absorbing herbal volatile oil with mesoporous carbon deserves further studying.

  4. The Culture of Teaching: Stability and Change.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ost, David H.

    1989-01-01

    The author establishes an operational concept of the culture of teaching. He argues that educational research overrates the importance of specific behaviors by ignoring the patterns and origins of the rules governing the culture. A model is presented to account for the evolution of the teaching culture. (CH)

  5. Innovative Anti Crash Absorber for a Crashworthy Landing Gear

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guida, Michele; Marulo, Francesco; Montesarchio, Bruno; Bruno, Massimiliano

    2014-06-01

    This paper defines an innovative concept to anti-crash absorber in composite material to be integrated on the landing gear as an energy-absorbing device in crash conditions to absorb the impact energy. A composite cylinder tube in carbon fiber material is installed coaxially to the shock absorber cylinder and, in an emergency landing gear condition, collapses in order to enhance the energy absorption performance of the landing system. This mechanism has been developed as an alternative solution to a high-pressure chamber installed on the Agusta A129 CBT helicopter, which can be considered dangerous when the helicopter operates in hard and/or crash landing. The characteristics of the anti-crash device are presented and the structural layout of a crashworthy landing gear adopting the developed additional energy absorbing stage is outlined. Experimental and numerical results relevant to the material characterization and the force peaks evaluation of the system development are reported. The anti-crash prototype was designed, analysed, optimized, made and finally the potential performances of a landing gear with the additional anti-crash absorber system are tested by drop test and then correlated with a similar test without the anti-crash system, showing that appreciable energy absorbing capabilities and efficiencies can be obtained in crash conditions.

  6. Diesel NO{sub x} reduction by plasma-regenerated absorbent beds

    DOEpatents

    Wallman, P.H.; Vogtlin, G.E.

    1998-02-10

    Reduction of NO{sub x} from diesel engine exhaust by use of plasma-regenerated absorbent beds is described. This involves a process for the reduction of NO{sub x} and particulates from diesel engines by first absorbing NO{sub x} onto a solid absorbent bed that simultaneously acts as a physical trap for the particulate matter, and second regenerating said solid absorbent by pulsed plasma decomposition of absorbed NO{sub x} followed by air oxidation of trapped particulate matter. The absorbent bed may utilize all metal oxides, but the capacity and the kinetics of absorption and desorption vary between different materials, and thus the composition of the absorbent bed is preferably a material which enables the combination of NO{sub x} absorption capability with catalytic activity for oxidation of hydrocarbons. Thus, naturally occurring or synthetically prepared materials may be utilized, particularly those having NO{sub x} absorption properties up to temperatures around 400 C which is in the area of diesel engine exhaust temperatures. 1 fig.

  7. A measurement tool to assess culture change regarding patient safety in hospital obstetrical units.

    PubMed

    Kenneth Milne, J; Bendaly, Nicole; Bendaly, Leslie; Worsley, Jill; FitzGerald, John; Nisker, Jeff

    2010-06-01

    Clinical error in acute care hospitals can only be addressed by developing a culture of safety. We sought to develop a cultural assessment survey (CAS) to assess patient safety culture change in obstetrical units. Interview prompts and a preliminary questionnaire were developed through a literature review of patient safety and "high reliability organizations," followed by interviews with members of the Managing Obstetrical Risk Efficiently (MOREOB) Program of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada. Three hundred preliminary questionnaires were mailed, and 21 interviews and 9 focus groups were conducted with the staff of 11 hospital sites participating in the program. To pilot test the CAS, 350 surveys were mailed to staff in participating hospitals, and interviews were conducted with seven nurses and five physicians who had completed the survey. Reliability analysis was conducted on four units that completed the CAS prior to and following the implementation of the first MOREOB module. Nineteen values and 105 behaviours, practices, and perceptions relating to patient safety were identified and included in the preliminary questionnaire, of which 143 of 300 (47.4%) were returned. Among the 220 cultural assessment surveys returned (62.9%), six cultural scales emerged: (1) patient safety as everyone's priority; (2) teamwork; (3) valuing individuals; (4) open communication; (5) learning; and (6) empowering individuals. The reliability analysis found all six scales to have internal reliability (Cronbach alpha), ranging from 0.72 (open communication) to 0.84 (valuing individuals). The CAS developed for this study may enable obstetrical units to assess change in patient safety culture.

  8. The expression of genes involved in myometrial contractility changes during ex situ culture of pregnant human uterine smooth muscle tissue.

    PubMed

    Ilicic, Marina; Butler, Trent; Zakar, Tamas; Paul, Jonathan W

    2017-01-01

    Ex situ analyses of human myometrial tissue has been used to investigate the regulation of uterine quiescence and transition to a contractile phenotype. Following concerns about the validity of cultured primary cells, we examined whether myometrial tissue undergoes culture-induced changes ex situ that may affect the validity of in vitro models. To determine whether human myometrial tissue undergoes culture-induced changes ex situ in Estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1), Prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2) and Oxytocin receptor (OXTR) expression. Additionally, to determine whether culture conditions approaching the in vivo environment influence the expression of these key genes. Term non-laboring human myometrial tissues were cultured in the presence of specific treatments, including; serum supplementation, progesterone and estrogen, cAMP, PMA, stretch or NF-κB inhibitors. ESR1, PTGS2 and OXTR mRNA abundance after 48 h culture was determined using quantitative RT-PCR. Myometrial tissue in culture exhibited culture-induced up-regulation of ESR1 and PTGS2 and down-regulation of OXTR mRNA expression. Progesterone prevented culture-induced increase in ESR1 expression. Estrogen further up-regulated PTGS2 expression. Stretch had no direct effect, but blocked the effects of progesterone and estrogen on ESR1 and PTGS2 expression. cAMP had no effect whereas PMA further up-regulated PTGS2 expression and prevented decline of OXTR expression. Human myometrial tissue in culture undergoes culture-induced gene expression changes consistent with transition toward a laboring phenotype. Changes in ESR1, PTGS2 and OXTR expression could not be controlled simultaneously. Until optimal culture conditions are determined, results of in vitro experiments with myometrial tissues should be interpreted with caution.

  9. Design of triple-band polarization controlled terahertz metamaterial absorber

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Ben-Xin; Xie, Qin; Dong, Guangxi; Huang, Wei-Qing

    2018-02-01

    A kind of triple-band polarization tunable terahertz absorber based on a metallic mirror and a metallic patch structure with two indentations spaced by an insulating medium layer is presented. Results prove that three near-perfect absorption peaks with average absorption coefficients of 98.25% are achieved when the polarization angle is equal to zero, and their absorptivities gradually decrease (and even disappear) by increasing the angle of polarization. When the polarization angle is increased to 90°, three new resonance modes with average absorption rates of 96.59% can be obtained. The field distributions are given to reveal the mechanisms of the triple-band absorption and the polarization tunable characteristics. Moreover, by introducing photosensitive silicon materials (its conductivity can be changed by the pump beam) in the indentations of the patch structure, the number of resonance peaks of the device can be actively tuned from triple-band to dual-band. The presented absorbers have potential applications, such as controlling thermal emissivity, and detection of polarization direction of the incident waves.

  10. Wideband-Switchable Metamaterial Absorber Using Injected Liquid Metal.

    PubMed

    Kim, Hyung Ki; Lee, Dongju; Lim, Sungjoon

    2016-08-22

    Metamaterial absorbers can provide good solutions for radar-cross-section (RCS) reduction. In spite of their attractive features of thinness, lightness, and low cost, resonant metamaterial absorbers have a drawback of narrow bandwidth. For practical radar applications, wideband absorbers are necessary. In this paper, we propose a wideband-switchable metamaterial absorber using liquid metal. In order to reduce RCS both for X-band and C-band, the switchable Jerusalem cross (JC) resonator is introduced. The JC resonator consists of slotted circular rings, chip resistors, and microfluidic channels. The JC resonator is etched on a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB), and the microfluidic channels are laser-etched on a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) material. The proposed absorber can switch the absorption frequency band by injecting a liquid metal alloy into the channels. The performance of the absorber was demonstrated through full-wave simulation and through measurements employing prototypes. The experimental results showed absorption ratios of over 90% from 7.43 GHz to 14.34 GHz, and from 5.62 GHz to 7.3 GHz, with empty channels and liquid metal-filled channels, respectively. Therefore, the absorption band was successfully switched between the C-band (4-8 GHz) and the X-band (8-12 GHz) by injecting liquid metal eutectic gallium indium alloy (EGaIn) into the channels.

  11. Wideband-Switchable Metamaterial Absorber Using Injected Liquid Metal

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, Hyung Ki; Lee, Dongju; Lim, Sungjoon

    2016-08-01

    Metamaterial absorbers can provide good solutions for radar-cross-section (RCS) reduction. In spite of their attractive features of thinness, lightness, and low cost, resonant metamaterial absorbers have a drawback of narrow bandwidth. For practical radar applications, wideband absorbers are necessary. In this paper, we propose a wideband-switchable metamaterial absorber using liquid metal. In order to reduce RCS both for X-band and C-band, the switchable Jerusalem cross (JC) resonator is introduced. The JC resonator consists of slotted circular rings, chip resistors, and microfluidic channels. The JC resonator is etched on a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB), and the microfluidic channels are laser-etched on a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) material. The proposed absorber can switch the absorption frequency band by injecting a liquid metal alloy into the channels. The performance of the absorber was demonstrated through full-wave simulation and through measurements employing prototypes. The experimental results showed absorption ratios of over 90% from 7.43 GHz to 14.34 GHz, and from 5.62 GHz to 7.3 GHz, with empty channels and liquid metal-filled channels, respectively. Therefore, the absorption band was successfully switched between the C-band (4-8 GHz) and the X-band (8-12 GHz) by injecting liquid metal eutectic gallium indium alloy (EGaIn) into the channels.

  12. Absorber Materials for Transition-Edge Sensor X-ray Microcalorimeters

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Brown, Ari-David; Bandler, Simon; Brekosky, Regis; Chervenak, James; Figueroa-Feliciano, Enectali; Finkbeiner, Fred; Sadleir, Jack; Iyomoto, Naoko; Kelley, Richard; Kilbourne, Caroline; hide

    2007-01-01

    Arrays of superconducting transition-edge sensors (TES) can provide high spatial and energy resolution necessary for x-ray astronomy. High quantum efficiency and uniformity of response can be achieved with a suitable absorber material, in which absorber x-ray stopping power, heat capacity, and thermal conductivity are relevant parameters. Here we compare these parameters for bismuth and gold. We have fabricated electroplated gold, electroplated gold/electroplated bismuth, and evaporated gold/evaporated bismuth 8x8 absorber arrays and find that a correlation exists between the residual resistance ratio (RRR) and thin film microstructure. This finding indicates that we can tailor absorber material conductivity via microstructure alteration, so as to permit absorber thermalization on timescales suitable for high energy resolution x-ray microcalorimetry. We show that by incorporating absorbers possessing large grain size, including electroplated gold and electroplated gold/electroplated bismuth, into our current Mo/Au TES, devices with tunable heat capacity and energy resolution of 2.3 eV (gold) and 2.1 eV (gold/bismuth) FWHM at 6 keV have been fabricated.

  13. Comparison of artificial absorbing boundaries for acoustic wave equation modelling

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gao, Yingjie; Song, Hanjie; Zhang, Jinhai; Yao, Zhenxing

    2017-12-01

    Absorbing boundary conditions are necessary in numerical simulation for reducing the artificial reflections from model boundaries. In this paper, we overview the most important and typical absorbing boundary conditions developed throughout history. We first derive the wave equations of similar methods in unified forms; then, we compare their absorbing performance via theoretical analyses and numerical experiments. The Higdon boundary condition is shown to be the best one among the three main absorbing boundary conditions that are based on a one-way wave equation. The Clayton and Engquist boundary is a special case of the Higdon boundary but has difficulty in dealing with the corner points in implementaion. The Reynolds boundary does not have this problem but its absorbing performance is the poorest among these three methods. The sponge boundary has difficulties in determining the optimal parameters in advance and too many layers are required to achieve a good enough absorbing performance. The hybrid absorbing boundary condition (hybrid ABC) has a better absorbing performance than the Higdon boundary does; however, it is still less efficient for absorbing nearly grazing waves since it is based on the one-way wave equation. In contrast, the perfectly matched layer (PML) can perform much better using a few layers. For example, the 10-layer PML would perform well for absorbing most reflected waves except the nearly grazing incident waves. The 20-layer PML is suggested for most practical applications. For nearly grazing incident waves, convolutional PML shows superiority over the PML when the source is close to the boundary for large-scale models. The Higdon boundary and hybrid ABC are preferred when the computational cost is high and high-level absorbing performance is not required, such as migration and migration velocity analyses, since they are not as sensitive to the amplitude errors as the full waveform inversion.

  14. Experimental and simulated study of a composite structure metamaterial absorber

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Shengyong; Ai, Xiaochuan; Wu, Ronghua; Chen, Jiajun

    2017-11-01

    In this paper, a high performance metamaterial absorber is designed and experimental studied. Measured results indicate that a perfect absorption band and a short-wavelength absorption peak are achieved in the near-infrared spectrum. Current strength distributions reveal that the absorption band is excited by the cavity resonance. And electric field distributions show that the short-wavelength absorption peak is excited by the horizontal coupled of localized surface plasmon (LSP) modes near hole edges. On the one hand, the absorption property of the measured metamaterial absorber can be enhanced through optimizing the structural parameters (a, w, and H). On the other hand, the absorption property is sensitive to the change of refractive index of environmental medias. A sensing scheme is proposed for refractive index detecting based on the figure of merit (FOM) value. Measured results indicate that the proposed sensing scheme can achieve high FOM value with different environmental medias (water, glucose solution).

  15. Absorbing the shock: helping communities when change erupts.

    Treesearch

    Sally Duncan

    2001-01-01

    Changing natural resource policies and new ecosystem management strategies affect the people of the Pacific Northwest. But in what context are these changes happening? How can we measure them? And how are they related to economic and community development activities?When the Northwest Forest Plan was implemented, it included the Northwest Economic Adjustment...

  16. Professional Development of Preschool Teachers and Changing the Culture of the Institution of Early Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vujicic, Lidija; Camber Tambolaš, Akvilina

    2017-01-01

    The culture of institutions of early education is a strong network of customs, rules, norms and behaviours that affect the daily life and work of all its individuals. Consequently, the professional development of preschool teachers is not only an individual process of professional advancement, but also a process that changes the culture of the…

  17. Changing cultural landscape in post-productivism of rice field in Nyuh Kuning Village Bali

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Maulidi, C.; Wulandari, L. D.

    2017-06-01

    Natural landscape in developing countries is facing a challenge due to economic growth, a cultural shift, and population dynamics. Farm land where is close to urban areas tending to be converted into more economically valuable spaces. Watershed Pakerisan listed as World Heritage of UNESCO, rich of cultural value on its landscape, especially the Subak, a traditional irrigation system, has a close relationship to the philosophy of Hindu-Bali culture. Nyuh Kuning, a village (local terms is Banjar) located adjacent to the Pakerisan Watershed, and has a spatial pattern in synergic ally connected with tradition, culture, and their religion. Rice field not only for economical but also its place to worship the Goddess (Dewi Sri). Rice Field in Nyuh Kuning declined significantly along past 10 years. The changing landscape of Nyuh Kuning traced through serial of aerial photographs from 2005 until 2015. Along with the broad decline of rice field, villager’s attachment on their cultural space is also changing. An economic motive pronounces a winner in the bargaining between the motives of economic value and cultural value in the Nyuh Kuning. Villagers revealed arguments that necessities nowadays prosecute high consumption, both for household and for education. Therefore conversion of rice fields to become more economical is understandable among communities. Villagers rent the rice fields to foreigners (migrants), and then foreigners take rice-fields as personal assets, not for the villagers (ritual activities and the cultural traditions) any longer. In theoritical term, villager’s emotional bond to the cultural landscape in post—productivism of rice field, is weakened. Wawedangan Desa and its complex cultural values are not part of their identity anymore. However, place dependence become the reason why the shifting place attachment is happening. Functional economic bond is mentioned as place dependence dominats in villager’s attachment. Certainly it’s not a

  18. Effect of UV-B radiation on UV absorbing compounds and pigments of moss and lichen of Schirmacher oasis region, East Antarctica.

    PubMed

    Singh, J; Gautam, S; Bhushan Pant, A

    2012-12-22

    The survival of Antarctic flora under ozone depletion depends on their ability to acclimate against increasing UV—B radiation by employing photo protective mechanisms either by avoiding or repairing UV—B damage. A fifteen days experiment was designed to study moss (Bryum argenteum) and lichen (Umbilicaria aprina) under natural UV—B exposure and under UV filter frames at the Maitri region of Schirmacher oasis, East Antarctica. Changes in UV absorbing compounds, phenolics, carotenoids and chlorophyll content were studied for continuous fifteen days and significant changes were observed in the UV exposed plants of B. argenteum and U. aprina. The change in the UV absorbing compounds was more significant in B. argenteum (P<0.0001) than U. aprina (P<0.0002). The change in phenolic contents and total carotenoid content was significant (P<0.0001) in both B. argenteum and lichen U. aprina indicating that the increase in UV absorbing compounds, phenolic contents and total carotenoid content act as a protective mechanism against the deleterious effect of UV—B radiations.

  19. Science and Mathematics Faculty Responses to a Policy-Based Initiative: Change Processes, Self-Efficacy Beliefs, and Department Culture

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ellett, Chad D.; Demir, Kadir; Monsaas, Judith

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine change processes, self-efficacy beliefs, and department culture and the roles these elements play in faculty engagement in working in K-12 schools. The development of three new web-based measures of faculty perceptions of change processes, self-efficacy beliefs, and department culture are described. The…

  20. Relationship between Staff-Reported Culture Change and Occupancy Rate and Organizational Commitment among Nursing Homes in South Korea

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Minhong; Choi, Jae-Sung; Lim, Jinseop; Kim, Young Sun

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: This study aims to examine culture change in nursing homes in South Korea and to identify the outcomes of culture change implementation. Design and Methods: Data were taken from survey responses from 223 top- or mid-level staff among nursing homes in South Korea that were selected through a proportionate random-stratified sampling method…

  1. Cultural implications of late Holocene climate change in the Cuenca Oriental, Mexico.

    PubMed

    Bhattacharya, Tripti; Byrne, Roger; Böhnel, Harald; Wogau, Kurt; Kienel, Ulrike; Ingram, B Lynn; Zimmerman, Susan

    2015-02-10

    There is currently no consensus on the importance of climate change in Mesoamerican prehistory. Some invoke drought as a causal factor in major cultural transitions, including the abandonment of many sites at 900 CE, while others conclude that cultural factors were more important. This lack of agreement reflects the fact that the history of climate change in many regions of Mesoamerica is poorly understood. We present paleolimnological evidence suggesting that climate change was important in the abandonment of Cantona between 900 CE and 1050 CE. At its peak, Cantona was one of the largest cities in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica, with a population of 90,000 inhabitants. The site is located in the Cuenca Oriental, a semiarid basin east of Mexico City. We developed a subcentennial reconstruction of regional climate from a nearby maar lake, Aljojuca. The modern climatology of the region suggests that sediments record changes in summer monsoonal precipitation. Elemental geochemistry (X-ray fluorescence) and δ(18)O from authigenic calcite indicate a centennial-scale arid interval between 500 CE and 1150 CE, overlaid on a long-term drying trend. Comparison of this record to Cantona's chronology suggests that both the city's peak population and its abandonment occurred during this arid period. The human response to climate change most likely resulted from the interplay of environmental and political factors. During earlier periods of Cantona's history, increasing aridity and political unrest may have actually increased the city's importance. However, by 1050 CE, this extended arid period, possibly combined with regional political change, contributed to the city's abandonment.

  2. Changing the system by changing the workforce: employing consumers to increase access, cultural diversity, and engagement.

    PubMed

    Wenz-Gross, Melodie; Irsfeld, Toni DuBrino; Twomey, Tammy; Perez, Ana; Thompson, Judith; Wally, Martha; Colleton, Barbara; Kroell, Christine; McKeown, Steven K; Metz, Peter

    2012-06-01

    Services to families have traditionally been delivered in a medical model. This presents challenges including workforce shortages, lack of cultural diversity, lack of training in strength-based work, and difficulty in successfully engaging and retaining families in the therapy process. The system of care (SOC) effort has worked to establish formal roles for caregivers in SOC to improve services. This paper provides an example of one community's efforts to change the SOC by expanding the roles available to caregivers in creating systems change. It describes the model developed by Communities of Care (CoC), a SOC in Central Massachusetts, and its evolution over a 10 year period. First person accounts by system partners, caregivers hired into professional roles as well as a family receiving services, demonstrate how hiring caregivers at all levels can change systems and change lives, not only for those being served but for the caregiver/professionals doing the work. It also demonstrates, however, that change at the system level is incremental, takes time, and can be fleeting unless an ongoing effort is made to support and sustain those changes.

  3. Method of absorbing UF.sub.6 from gaseous mixtures in alkamine absorbents

    DOEpatents

    Lafferty, Robert H.; Smiley, Seymour H.; Radimer, Kenneth J.

    1976-04-06

    A method of recovering uranium hexafluoride from gaseous mixtures employing as an absorbent a liquid composition at least one of the components of which is chosen from the group consisting of ethanolamine, diethanolamine, and 3-methyl-3-amino-propane-diol-1,2.

  4. The complexity of implementing culture change practices in nursing homes.

    PubMed

    Sterns, Samantha; Miller, Susan C; Allen, Susan

    2010-09-01

    The culture change (CC) movement aims to transform the traditional nursing home (NH) that is institutional in design with hierarchical management structure into a homelike environment that empowers residents and frontline staff. This study examines differences in adoption of CC practices according to a NH's self-reported extent of CC implementation and its duration of CC adoption. Furthermore, it examines differences in adoption by whether a CC practice is considered less versus more complex, using complexity theory as the theoretical framework for this classification. Using data from a 2007 Commonwealth-funded study, we analyzed a national sample of 291 US nursing homes that identified as being "for the most part" or "completely" CC facilities for "1 to 3 years" or "3+ years." Also, using a complexity theory framework, we ranked 16 practices commonly associated with CC as low, moderately, or highly complex based on level of agreement needed to actuate the process (number of parties involved) and the certainty of intended outcomes. We then examined the prevalence of CC-associated practices in relation to their complexity and the extent and duration of a NH's CC adoption. We found practices ranked as less complex were implemented more frequently in NHs with both shorter and longer durations of CC adoption. However, more complex CC practices were more prevalent among NHs reporting "complete" adoption for 3+ years versus 1 to 3 years. This was not observed in NHs reporting having CC "for the most part." Less complex practices may be more economical and easier to implement. These early successes may result in sufficient momentum so that more complex change can follow. A nursing home that more completely embraces the culture change movement may be more likely to attempt these complex changes. Copyright 2010 American Medical Directors Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Self-Alining End Supports for Energy Absorber

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Alfaro-Bou, E.; Eichelberger, C. P.; Fasanella, E.

    1986-01-01

    Simple devices stabilize axially-loaded compressive members. Energyabsorbing column held by two end supports, which stabilize column and tolerate misalinement. Column absorbs excess load by collapsing lengthwise. Self-alining supports small, lightweight, and almost maintenance-free. Their use eliminates alinement problem, opening up more applications and providing higher reliability for compressively-loaded energy absorbers.

  6. An Absorbing Look at Terry-Cloth Towels

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moyer, Richard; Everett, Susan

    2010-01-01

    This article describes a lesson where students explore the absorbency of several towels with different weaves and weights. The lesson follows the 5E learning-cycle model and incorporates engineering in the sense of product testing with a focus on the relationship between the weave of a towel and its absorbency. The National Science Education…

  7. A Wedge Absorber Experiment at MICE

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Neuffer, David; Mohayai, Tanaz; Rogers, Chris

    2017-05-01

    Emittance exchange mediated by wedge absorbers is required for longitudinal ionization cooling and for final transverse emittance minimization for a muon collider. A wedge absorber within the MICE beam line could serve as a demonstration of the type of emittance exchange needed for 6-D cooling, including the configurations needed for muon colliders, as well as configurations for low-energy muon sources. Parameters for this test are explored in simulation and possible experimental configurations with simulated results are presented.

  8. The series-elastic shock absorber: tendons attenuate muscle power during eccentric actions.

    PubMed

    Roberts, Thomas J; Azizi, Emanuel

    2010-08-01

    Elastic tendons can act as muscle power amplifiers or energy-conserving springs during locomotion. We used an in situ muscle-tendon preparation to examine the mechanical function of tendons during lengthening contractions, when muscles absorb energy. Force, length, and power were measured in the lateral gastrocnemius muscle of wild turkeys. Sonomicrometry was used to measure muscle fascicle length independently from muscle-tendon unit (MTU) length, as measured by a muscle lever system (servomotor). A series of ramp stretches of varying velocities was applied to the MTU in fully activated muscles. Fascicle length changes were decoupled from length changes imposed on the MTU by the servomotor. Under most conditions, muscle fascicles shortened on average, while the MTU lengthened. Energy input to the MTU during the fastest lengthenings was -54.4 J/kg, while estimated work input to the muscle fascicles during this period was only -11.24 J/kg. This discrepancy indicates that energy was first absorbed by elastic elements, then released to do work on muscle fascicles after the lengthening phase of the contraction. The temporary storage of energy by elastic elements also resulted in a significant attenuation of power input to the muscle fascicles. At the fastest lengthening rates, peak instantaneous power input to the MTU reached -2,143.9 W/kg, while peak power input to the fascicles was only -557.6 W/kg. These results demonstrate that tendons may act as mechanical buffers by limiting peak muscle forces, lengthening rates, and power inputs during energy-absorbing contractions.

  9. The series-elastic shock absorber: tendons attenuate muscle power during eccentric actions

    PubMed Central

    Azizi, Emanuel

    2010-01-01

    Elastic tendons can act as muscle power amplifiers or energy-conserving springs during locomotion. We used an in situ muscle-tendon preparation to examine the mechanical function of tendons during lengthening contractions, when muscles absorb energy. Force, length, and power were measured in the lateral gastrocnemius muscle of wild turkeys. Sonomicrometry was used to measure muscle fascicle length independently from muscle-tendon unit (MTU) length, as measured by a muscle lever system (servomotor). A series of ramp stretches of varying velocities was applied to the MTU in fully activated muscles. Fascicle length changes were decoupled from length changes imposed on the MTU by the servomotor. Under most conditions, muscle fascicles shortened on average, while the MTU lengthened. Energy input to the MTU during the fastest lengthenings was −54.4 J/kg, while estimated work input to the muscle fascicles during this period was only −11.24 J/kg. This discrepancy indicates that energy was first absorbed by elastic elements, then released to do work on muscle fascicles after the lengthening phase of the contraction. The temporary storage of energy by elastic elements also resulted in a significant attenuation of power input to the muscle fascicles. At the fastest lengthening rates, peak instantaneous power input to the MTU reached −2,143.9 W/kg, while peak power input to the fascicles was only −557.6 W/kg. These results demonstrate that tendons may act as mechanical buffers by limiting peak muscle forces, lengthening rates, and power inputs during energy-absorbing contractions. PMID:20507964

  10. Individualism and collectivism: cultural orientation in locus of control and moral attribution under conditions of social change.

    PubMed

    Santiago, Jose H; Tarantino, Santo J

    2002-12-01

    This study examined the validity of the view that the constructs of individualism and collectivism are coherent cultural manifestations necessarily reflected in an individual's attribution patterns. It was hypothesized that the attribution patterns of locus of control and moral accountability would show divergent individualistic and collectivistic influences in a culture during change from a collectivist culture to an individualist culture. 98 university students from the United States and Puerto Rico were administered the Singelis Individualism-Collectivism Scale, Rotter's Locus of Control Scale, and Miller and Luthar's justice-related moral accountability vignettes. Contrary to expectation, the Puerto Rican sample scored less external in locus of control than the United States sample. No cultural differences in moral accountability were found. No strong correlations were found among the variables at the individual level of analysis. Accounting for these results included the lack of representativeness of the samples, the independence of relation between variables at different levels of analysis, and social change.

  11. Nursing Home Organizational Change: The “Culture Change” Movement as Viewed by Long-Term Care Specialists

    PubMed Central

    Miller, Susan C.; Miller, Edward Alan; Jung, Hye-Young; Sterns, Samantha; Clark, Melissa; Mor, Vincent

    2017-01-01

    A decade-long grassroots movement aims to deinstitutionalize nursing home (NH) environments and individualize care. Coined “NH Culture Change” the movement is often described by its resident-centered/directed care focus. While empirical data of “culture change’s” costs and benefits are limited, it is broadly viewed as beneficial and widely promoted. Still, debate abounds regarding barriers to its adoption. We used data from a Web-based survey of 1,147 long-term care specialists (including NH and other providers, consumers/advocates, state and federal government officials, university/academic, researchers/consultants, and others) to better understand factors associated with perceived barriers. Long-term care specialists view the number-one barrier to adoption differently depending on their employment, familiarity with culture change, and their underlying policy views. To promote adoption, research and broad-based educational efforts are needed to influence views and perceptions. Fundamental changes in the regulatory process together with targeted regulatory changes and payment incentives may also be needed. PMID:20435790

  12. Perfect narrow band absorber for sensing applications.

    PubMed

    Luo, Shiwen; Zhao, Jun; Zuo, Duluo; Wang, Xinbing

    2016-05-02

    We design and numerically investigate a perfect narrow band absorber based on a metal-metal-dielectric-metal structure which consists of periodic metallic nanoribbon arrays. The absorber presents an ultra narrow absorption band of 1.11 nm with a nearly perfect absorption of over 99.9% in the infrared region. For oblique incidence, the absorber shows an absorption more than 95% for a wide range of incident angles from 0 to 50°. Structure parameters to the influence of the performance are investigated. The structure shows high sensing performance with a high sensitivity of 1170 nm/RIU and a large figure of merit of 1054. The proposed structure has great potential as a biosensor.

  13. Fabrication of CIS Absorber Layers with Different Thicknesses Using A Non-Vacuum Spray Coating Method.

    PubMed

    Diao, Chien-Chen; Kuo, Hsin-Hui; Tzou, Wen-Cheng; Chen, Yen-Lin; Yang, Cheng-Fu

    2014-01-03

    In this study, a new thin-film deposition process, spray coating method (SPM), was investigated to deposit the high-densified CuInSe₂ absorber layers. The spray coating method developed in this study was a non-vacuum process, based on dispersed nano-scale CuInSe₂ precursor and could offer a simple, inexpensive, and alternative formation technology for CuInSe₂ absorber layers. After spraying on Mo/glass substrates, the CuInSe₂ thin films were annealed at 550 °C by changing the annealing time from 5 min to 30 min in a selenization furnace, using N₂ as atmosphere. When the CuInSe₂ thin films were annealed, without extra Se or H₂Se gas used as the compensation source during the annealing process. The aim of this project was to investigate the influence of annealing time on the densification and crystallization of the CuInSe₂ absorber layers to optimize the quality for cost effective solar cell production. The thickness of the CuInSe₂ absorber layers could be controlled as the volume of used dispersed CuInSe₂-isopropyl alcohol solution was controlled. In this work, X-ray diffraction patterns, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and Hall parameter measurements were performed in order to verify the quality of the CuInSe₂ absorber layers obtained by the Spray Coating Method.

  14. FLUX-TRAP REACTOR WITH ABSORBER IN THE CENTER

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ergen, W.K.

    1958-03-01

    An idealized flux-trap reactor is modified by the insertion of absorber. It is shown that, for appreciable absorption, a flux depression results, and the remaining flux is proportional to the diffusion constant D times the center flux in the nonabsorption case. This factor D just cancels the factor 1/D in the expression for this center flux so that the flux in the case with absorber is independent of D. In the case with absorber the advantage of Be and BeO largely disappears. (auth)

  15. Triplet-triplet energy transfer from a UV-A absorber butylmethoxydibenzoylmethane to UV-B absorbers.

    PubMed

    Kikuchi, Azusa; Oguchi-Fujiyama, Nozomi; Miyazawa, Kazuyuki; Yagi, Mikio

    2014-01-01

    The phosphorescence decay of a UV-A absorber, 4-tert-butyl-4'-methoxydibenzolymethane (BMDBM) has been observed following a 355 nm laser excitation in the absence and presence of UV-B absorbers, 2-ethylhexyl 4-methoxycinnamate (octyl methoxycinnamate, OMC) and octocrylene (OCR) in ethanol at 77 K. The lifetime of the lowest excited triplet (T1) state of BMDBM is significantly reduced in the presence of OMC and OCR. The observed quenching of BMDBM triplet by OMC and OCR suggests that the intermolecular triplet-triplet energy transfer occurs from BMDBM to OMC and OCR. The T1 state of OCR is nonphosphorescent or very weakly phosphorescent. However, we have shown that the energy level of the T1 state of OCR is lower than that of the enol form of BMDBM. Our methodology of energy-donor phosphorescence decay measurements can be applied to the study of the triplet-triplet energy transfer between UV absorbers even if the energy acceptor is nonphosphorescent. In addition, the delayed fluorescence of BMDBM due to triplet-triplet annihilation was observed in the BMDBM-OMC and BMDBM-OCR mixtures in ethanol at 77 K. Delayed fluorescence is one of the deactivation processes of the excited states of BMDBM under our experimental conditions. © 2013 The American Society of Photobiology.

  16. Bench Scale Process for Low Cost CO 2 Capture Using a PhaseChanging Absorbent: Techno-Economic Analysis Topical Report

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Miebach, Barbara; McDuffie, Dwayne; Spiry, Irina

    The objective of this project is to design and build a bench-scale process for a novel phase-changing CO 2 capture solvent. The project will establish scalability and technical and economic feasibility of using a phase-changing CO 2 capture absorbent for post-combustion capture of CO 2 from coal-fired power plants with 90% capture efficiency and 95% CO 2 purity at a cost of $40/tonne of CO 2 captured by 2025 and a cost of <$10/tonne of CO 2 captured by 2035. This report presents system and economic analysis for a process that uses a phase changing aminosilicone solvent to remove COmore » 2 from pulverized coal (PC) power plant flue gas. The aminosilicone solvent is a pure 1,3-bis(3-aminopropyl)-1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisiloxane (GAP-0). Performance of the phase-changing aminosilicone technology is compared to that of a conventional carbon capture system using aqueous monoethanolamine (MEA). This analysis demonstrates that the aminosilicone process has significant advantages relative to an MEA-based system. The first-year CO 2 removal cost for the phase-changing CO 2 capture process is $52.1/tonne, compared to $66.4/tonne for the aqueous amine process. The phase-changing CO 2 capture process is less costly than MEA because of advantageous solvent properties that include higher working capacity, lower corrosivity, lower vapor pressure, and lower heat capacity. The phase-changing aminosilicone process has approximately 32% lower equipment capital cost compared to that of the aqueous amine process. However, this solvent is susceptible to thermal degradation at CSTR desorber operating temperatures, which could add as much as $88/tonne to the CO 2 capture cost associated with solvent makeup. Future work is focused on mitigating this critical risk by developing an advanced low-temperature desorber that can deliver comparable desorption performance and significantly reduced thermal degradation rate.« less

  17. Unglazed transpired solar collector having a low thermal-conductance absorber

    DOEpatents

    Christensen, Craig B.; Kutscher, Charles F.; Gawlik, Keith M.

    1997-01-01

    An unglazed transpired solar collector using solar radiation to heat incoming air for distribution, comprising an unglazed absorber formed of low thermal-conductance material having a front surface for receiving the solar radiation and openings in the unglazed absorber for passage of the incoming air such that the incoming air is heated as it passes towards the front surface of the absorber and the heated air passes through the openings in the absorber for distribution.

  18. Physically absorbable reagents-collectors in elementary flotation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    S.A. Kondrat'ev; I.G. Bochkarev

    2007-09-15

    Based on the reviewed researches held at the Institute of Mining, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, the effect of physically absorbable reagents-collectors on formation of a flotation complex and its stability in turbulent pulp flows in flotation machines of basic types is considered. The basic requirements for physically absorbable reagents-collectors at different flotation stages are established.

  19. Exchanging Ohmic Losses in Metamaterial Absorbers with Useful Optical Absorption for Photovoltaics

    PubMed Central

    Vora, Ankit; Gwamuri, Jephias; Pala, Nezih; Kulkarni, Anand; Pearce, Joshua M.; Güney, Durdu Ö.

    2014-01-01

    Using metamaterial absorbers, we have shown that metallic layers in the absorbers do not necessarily constitute undesired resistive heating problem for photovoltaics. Tailoring the geometric skin depth of metals and employing the natural bulk absorbance characteristics of the semiconductors in those absorbers can enable the exchange of undesired resistive losses with the useful optical absorbance in the active semiconductors. Thus, Ohmic loss dominated metamaterial absorbers can be converted into photovoltaic near-perfect absorbers with the advantage of harvesting the full potential of light management offered by the metamaterial absorbers. Based on experimental permittivity data for indium gallium nitride, we have shown that between 75%–95% absorbance can be achieved in the semiconductor layers of the converted metamaterial absorbers. Besides other metamaterial and plasmonic devices, our results may also apply to photodectors and other metal or semiconductor based optical devices where resistive losses and power consumption are important pertaining to the device performance. PMID:24811322

  20. Inferring Absorbing Organic Carbon Content from AERONET Data

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Arola, A.; Schuster, G.; Myhre, G.; Kazadzis, S.; Dey, S.; Tripathi, S. N.

    2011-01-01

    Black carbon, light-absorbing organic carbon (often called brown carbon) and mineral dust are the major light-absorbing aerosols. Currently the sources and formation of brown carbon aerosol in particular are not well understood. In this study we estimated globally the amount of light absorbing organic carbon and black carbon from AERONET measurements. We find that the columnar absorbing organic carbon (brown carbon) levels in biomass burning regions of South-America and Africa are relatively high (about 15-20 magnesium per square meters during biomass burning season), while the concentrations are significantly lower in urban areas in US and Europe. However, we estimated significant absorbing organic carbon amounts from the data of megacities of newly industrialized countries, particularly in India and China, showing also clear seasonality with peak values up to 30-35 magnesium per square meters during the coldest season, likely caused by the coal and biofuel burning used for heating. We also compared our retrievals with the modeled organic carbon by global Oslo CTM for several sites. Model values are higher in biomass burning regions than AERONET-based retrievals, while opposite is true in urban areas in India and China.

  1. Study on the characteristics of magneto-sensitive electromagnetic wave-absorbing properties of magnetorheological elastomers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yu, Miao; Yang, Pingan; Fu, Jie; Liu, Shuzhi; Qi, Song

    2016-08-01

    Magnetorheological (MR) materials are a class of materials whose mechanical and electrical properties can be reversible controlled by the magnetic field. In this study, we pioneered research on the effect of a uniform magnetic field with different strengths and directions on the microwave-absorbing properties of magnetorheological elastomers (MREs), in which the ferromagnetic particles are flower-like carbonyl iron powders (CIPs) prepared by an in situ reduction method. The electromagnetic (EM) absorbing properties of the composites have been analyzed by vector network analysis with the coaxial reflection/transmission technique. Under the magnetic field, the columnar or chainlike structures were formed, which allows EM waves to penetrate. Meanwhile, stronger Debye dipolar relaxation and attenuation constant have been obtained when changing the direction of the applied magnetic field. Compared with untreated MREs, not only have the minimum reflection loss (RL) and the effective absorption bandwidth (below -20 dB) greatly increased, the frequencies of the absorbing peaks shift about 15%. This suggests that MREs are a magnetic-field-sensitive electromagnetic wave-absorbing material and have great potential in applications such as in anti-radar camouflage, due to the fact that radar can continuously conduct detection at many electromagnetic frequencies, while the MR materials can adjust the microwave-absorption peak according to the radar frequency.

  2. Automated Absorber Attachment for X-ray Microcalorimeter Arrays

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Moseley, S.; Allen, Christine; Kilbourne, Caroline; Miller, Timothy M.; Costen, Nick; Schulte, Eric; Moseley, Samuel J.

    2007-01-01

    Our goal is to develop a method for the automated attachment of large numbers of absorber tiles to large format detector arrays. This development includes the fabrication of high quality, closely spaced HgTe absorber tiles that are properly positioned for pick-and-place by our FC150 flip chip bonder. The FC150 also transfers the appropriate minute amount of epoxy to the detectors for permanent attachment of the absorbers. The success of this development will replace an arduous, risky and highly manual task with a reliable, high-precision automated process.

  3. Development of a chicken enterocyte culture to study its functional physiology

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    We developed a method to culture chicken intestinal enterocytes, the cells that absorb and form protective barriers against enteric bacteria, to study their functional physiologies. Using intestinal villi, harvested from day old broiler chicks, the enterocytes were isolated by sequential digestion ...

  4. Unglazed transpired solar collector having a low thermal-conductance absorber

    DOEpatents

    Christensen, C.B.; Kutscher, C.F.; Gawlik, K.M.

    1997-12-02

    An unglazed transpired solar collector using solar radiation to heat incoming air for distribution, comprises an unglazed absorber formed of low thermal-conductance material having a front surface for receiving the solar radiation and openings in the unglazed absorber for passage of the incoming air such that the incoming air is heated as it passes towards the front surface of the absorber and the heated air passes through the openings in the absorber for distribution. 3 figs.

  5. Development of a Photothermal Absorbance Detector for Use with Microfluidic Devices

    PubMed Central

    Dennis, Patty J.; Ferguson Welch, Erin R.; Alarie, Jean Pierre; Ramsey, J. Michael; Jorgenson, James W.

    2010-01-01

    The development of a photothermal absorbance detector for use with microfluidic devices is described. Unlike thermooptical techniques that rely on measuring refractive index changes, the solution viscosity is probed by continuously monitoring solution conductivity. Platinum electrodes microfabricated on a quartz substrate and bonded to a substrate containing the microchannels enable contact conductivity measurements. The effects of excitation frequency and voltage, electrode spacing, laser power, and laser modulation (chopping) frequency were evaluated experimentally. In the current configuration a limit of detection of 5 nM for DABSYL-tagged glucosamine was obtained using long injections (to give flat-topped peaks). This corresponds to an absorbance of 4.4 × 10−7 AU. Separation and detection of DABSYL-tagged glycine, proline, and tryptophan is also shown to demonstrate the feasibility of the method. In addition, simulations were used to investigate the applicability of the technique to small volume platforms. PMID:20411923

  6. The Dubai Community Psychiatric Survey: II. Development of the Socio-cultural Change Questionnaire.

    PubMed

    Bebbington, P; Ghubash, R; Hamdi, E

    1993-04-01

    The Dubai Community Psychiatric Survey was carried out to assess the effect of very rapid social change on the mental health of women in Dubai, one of the United Arab Emirates. In order to measure social change at an individual level, we developed a questionnaire covering behaviour and attitudes in a wide range of situations, the Socio-cultural Change Questionnaire (ScCQ). In this paper we give an account of the considerations that determined the form of the ScCQ, its structural characteristics, and its validity.

  7. The influence of structural and institutional change on teaching and culture in clinical settings: an exploratory study.

    PubMed

    Goldie, J; Dowie, A; Goldie, Anne; Cotton, Phil; Morrison, Jill

    2015-02-01

    Learning in clinical settings is a function of activity, context and culture. Glasgow University's Medical School has undergone significant curricular change in recent years. This has coincided with change to National Health Service consultants' contracts, the introduction of the European Working Time Directive and the Modernising Medical Careers training initiative. We wished to explore teachers' and students' perspectives on the effects of change on our clinical teachers' capacity for teaching and on medical culture. A qualitative approach using individual interviews with educational supervisors and focus groups with senior clinical students was used. Data were analysed using a "framework" technique. Curricular change has led to shorter clinical attachments in the senior clinical rotation, which combined with more centralised teaching have had adverse effects on both formal and informal teaching during attachments. Consultants' NHS contract changes the implementation of the European Working Time Directive and changes to postgraduate training have adversely affected consultants' teaching capacity, which has had a detrimental effect on their relationships with students. Medical culture has also changed as a result of these and other societal influences. The apprenticeship model was still felt to be relevant in clinical settings. This has to be balanced against the need for systematic teaching. Structural and institutional change affects learning. Faculty needs to be aware of the socio-historical context of their institutions.

  8. Coexistence effect of UVA absorbers to increase their solubility and stability of supersaturation.

    PubMed

    Endo, M; Mukawa, T; Sato, N; Maezawa, D; Ohtsu, Y; Kuroda, A; Wakabayashi, M; Asakura, K

    2014-12-01

    Sunscreens containing UVA absorbers in high concentrations are expected to be developed, since recent studies have suggested the possibility of involvement of UVA ray in skin cancer and early skin aging. Solubility and stability of supersaturation of UVA absorbers in UVB absorber were determined in the absence and the presence of cosmetic oil. Coexistence effect of UVA absorbers was analyzed to dissolve them in high concentrations. Two UVA absorbers, diethylamino hydroxybenzoyl hexyl benzoate (DHHB) and butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane (BMDM), a UVB absorber, 2-ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate (EHMC), and a cosmetic oil, 2-ethylhexyl ester of oligomer of hydroxystearic acid (EH-O-HSA), were used. Their solutions were prepared at 80°C and cooled to 5°C. The solid DHHB and/or BMDM were added to it, and the time evolution of concentrations of the UVA absorbers in the solution phase was monitored. At the saturation in the absence of EH-O-HSA at 5°C, weight ratio of DHHB and BMDM to EHMC was 0.39/1.00 and 0.22/1.00, respectively. Addition of EH-O-HSA slightly changed the solubility of DHHB and BMDM. When the weight ratio of EH-O-HSA to EHMC was 0.20/1.00, weight ratio of DHHB and BMDM to EHMC was 0.35/1.00 and 0.25/1.00, respectively at the saturation at 5°C. In the presence of EH-O-HSA, a strong coexistence effect of DHHB and BMDM was found on their solubility. A thermodynamically stable saturated solution at 5°C having the composition that DHHB: BMDM: EHMC: EH-O-HSA = 0.47: 0.46: 1.00: 0.20 was obtained by the simultaneous addition of solid DHHB and BMDM into the initial solution. The solution type composite having the highest concentrations of DHHB and BMDM prepared in this study exhibited critical wavelength at 368 nm that was just below the border for sunscreens being qualified as 'Broad Spectrum' protection under the new rule launched by US FDA. © 2014 Society of Cosmetic Scientists and the Société Française de Cosmétologie.

  9. Neutron Absorbing Alloys

    DOEpatents

    Mizia, Ronald E.; Shaber, Eric L.; DuPont, John N.; Robino, Charles V.; Williams, David B.

    2004-05-04

    The present invention is drawn to new classes of advanced neutron absorbing structural materials for use in spent nuclear fuel applications requiring structural strength, weldability, and long term corrosion resistance. Particularly, an austenitic stainless steel alloy containing gadolinium and less than 5% of a ferrite content is disclosed. Additionally, a nickel-based alloy containing gadolinium and greater than 50% nickel is also disclosed.

  10. Cultural implications of late Holocene climate change in the Cuenca Oriental, Mexico

    PubMed Central

    Bhattacharya, Tripti; Byrne, Roger; Böhnel, Harald; Wogau, Kurt; Kienel, Ulrike; Ingram, B. Lynn; Zimmerman, Susan

    2015-01-01

    There is currently no consensus on the importance of climate change in Mesoamerican prehistory. Some invoke drought as a causal factor in major cultural transitions, including the abandonment of many sites at 900 CE, while others conclude that cultural factors were more important. This lack of agreement reflects the fact that the history of climate change in many regions of Mesoamerica is poorly understood. We present paleolimnological evidence suggesting that climate change was important in the abandonment of Cantona between 900 CE and 1050 CE. At its peak, Cantona was one of the largest cities in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica, with a population of 90,000 inhabitants. The site is located in the Cuenca Oriental, a semiarid basin east of Mexico City. We developed a subcentennial reconstruction of regional climate from a nearby maar lake, Aljojuca. The modern climatology of the region suggests that sediments record changes in summer monsoonal precipitation. Elemental geochemistry (X-ray fluorescence) and δ18O from authigenic calcite indicate a centennial-scale arid interval between 500 CE and 1150 CE, overlaid on a long-term drying trend. Comparison of this record to Cantona’s chronology suggests that both the city’s peak population and its abandonment occurred during this arid period. The human response to climate change most likely resulted from the interplay of environmental and political factors. During earlier periods of Cantona’s history, increasing aridity and political unrest may have actually increased the city’s importance. However, by 1050 CE, this extended arid period, possibly combined with regional political change, contributed to the city’s abandonment. PMID:25624470

  11. "Where Is _______?": Culture and the Process of Change in the Development of Inclusive Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McMaster, Christopher

    2015-01-01

    The modern school is a multi-layered and complex institution. For inclusive values and practices to embed in educational systems the nature of school culture and the change process must be considered. Qualitative data was gathered during a year-long ethnographic study of inclusive change in a co-educational high school. This paper applies a model…

  12. Vertical-plane pendulum absorbers for minimizing helicopter vibratory loads

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Amer, K. B.; Neff, J. R.

    1974-01-01

    The use of pendulum dynamic absorbers mounted on the blade root and operating in the vertical plane to minimize helicopter vibratory loads was discussed. A qualitative description was given of the concept of the dynamic absorbers and some results of analytical studies showing the degree of reduction in vibratory loads attainable are presented. Operational experience of vertical plane dynamic absorbers on the OH-6A helicopter is also discussed.

  13. Absorbing boundary conditions for second-order hyperbolic equations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jiang, Hong; Wong, Yau Shu

    1989-01-01

    A uniform approach to construct absorbing artificial boundary conditions for second-order linear hyperbolic equations is proposed. The nonlocal boundary condition is given by a pseudodifferential operator that annihilates travelling waves. It is obtained through the dispersion relation of the differential equation by requiring that the initial-boundary value problem admits the wave solutions travelling in one direction only. Local approximation of this global boundary condition yields an nth-order differential operator. It is shown that the best approximations must be in the canonical forms which can be factorized into first-order operators. These boundary conditions are perfectly absorbing for wave packets propagating at certain group velocities. A hierarchy of absorbing boundary conditions is derived for transonic small perturbation equations of unsteady flows. These examples illustrate that the absorbing boundary conditions are easy to derive, and the effectiveness is demonstrated by the numerical experiments.

  14. Design of broadband absorber using 2-D materials for thermo-photovoltaic cell application

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Agarwal, Sajal; Prajapati, Y. K.

    2018-04-01

    Present study is done to analyze a nano absorber for thermo-photovoltaic cell application. Optical absorbance of two-dimensional materials is exploited to achieve high absorbance. It is found that few alternating layers of graphene/transition metal dichalcogenide provide high absorbance of electromagnetic wave in visible as well as near infrared region. Four transition metal dichalcogenides are considered and found that most of these provide perfect absorbance for almost full considered wavelength range i.e. 200-1000 nm. Demonstrated results confirm the extended operating region and improved absorbance of the proposed absorber in comparison to the existing absorbers made of different materials. Further, absorber performance is improved by using thin layers of gold and chromium. Simple geometry of the proposed absorber also ensures easy fabrication.

  15. Integrated tuned vibration absorbers: a theoretical study.

    PubMed

    Gardonio, Paolo; Zilletti, Michele

    2013-11-01

    This article presents a simulation study on two integrated tuned vibration absorbers (TVAs) designed to control the global flexural vibration of lightly damped thin structures subject to broad frequency band disturbances. The first one consists of a single axial switching TVA composed by a seismic mass mounted on variable axial spring and damper elements so that the characteristic damping and natural frequency of the absorber can be switched iteratively to control the resonant response of three flexural modes of the hosting structure. The second one consists of a single three-axes TVA composed by a seismic mass mounted on axial and rotational springs and dampers, which are arranged in such a way that the suspended mass is characterized by uncoupled heave and pitch-rolling vibrations. In this case the three damping and natural frequency parameters of the absorber are tuned separately to control three flexural modes of the hosting structure. The simulation study shows that the proposed single-unit absorbers produce, respectively, 5.3 and 8.7 dB reductions of the global flexural vibration of a rectangular plate between 20 and 120 Hz.

  16. Wave Absorber with Fine Weatherability for Improving ETC Environment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Miura, Yu; Matsumoto, Kouta; Okada, Osamu; Hashimoto, Osamu

    Wave absorber of rubber sheet containing natural rubber and EPDM is designed, fabricated and measured for improving ETC environment. As a result, proposed absorption material has fine weatherability and wave absorption satisfied with ETC standard can be realized theoretically before and after the weatherability test if the thickness of absorber is fabricated at the ranging from 2.26mm to 2.52mm. Moreover, absorber sheet sample based on theoretical values is fabricated and are measured. As a result, 20dB or more is also confirmed at the incident angle ranging from 5 to 55 degrees experimentally. Therefore, the wave absorber with fine weatherability being satisfied with ETC standard can be realized.

  17. Environmental, depositional and cultural changes in the upper Pleistocene and early Holocene; the Cinglera del Capello Sequence (Capellades, Spain)

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Vaquero, Manuel; Allué, Ethel; Bischoff, James L.; Burjachs, Francesc; Vallverdú, Josep

    2013-01-01

    The correlation between environmental and cultural changes is one of the primary archeological and paleoanthropological research topics. Analysis of ice and marine cores has yielded a high-resolution record of millennial-scale changes during the Late Pleistocene and Holocene eras. However, cultural changes are documented in low-resolution continental deposits; thus, their correlation with the millennial-scale climatic sequence is often difficult. In this paper, we present a rare occurrence in which a thick archeological sequence is associated with a high-resolution environmental record. The Cinglera del Capello is a tufa-draped cliff located in the northeastern Iberian Peninsula, 50 km west of Barcelona. This cliff harbors several rock-shelters with Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene deposits. Together, the deposits of four rock-shelters span from 7000 to 70,000 years ago and provide a high-resolution record of the environmental and human dynamics during this timespan. This record allows the correlation of the cultural and environmental changes. The multiproxy approach to the Cinglera evidence indicates that the main cultural stages of the Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene (Middle Paleolithic, Upper Paleolithic and Mesolithic) are associated with significant changes in the environmental and depositional contexts.

  18. The effect of poorly absorbed solute on intestinal absorption.

    PubMed

    Menzies, I S; Jenkins, A P; Heduan, E; Catt, S D; Segal, M B; Creamer, B

    1990-12-01

    To determine the effects of poorly absorbed solute on intestinal absorption, the urinary recovery of ingested lactulose, L-rhamnose, D-xylose, and 3-O-methyl-D-glucose was measured after simultaneous ingestion of various 'loads' of mannitol given in iso-osmolar solution. Mannitol reduced intestinal uptake of the poorly absorbed test sugars, lactulose and L-rhamnose; uptake of D-xylose and 3-O-methyl-D-glucose, which are absorbed by carrier-mediated transport largely from the jejunum, was less affected. The dose-response effect of mannitol on the absorption of L-rhamnose was approximately exponential; doses of 5, 10, and 20 g mannitol reduced the average urinary excretion of L-rhamnose by 34.7%, 51.7%, and 61.2%, respectively. In this respect, an osmotically equivalent load of lactulose, ingested as 'solute', was approximately twice as effective as mannitol in reducing L-rhamnose absorption, probably because lactulose is more poorly absorbed than mannitol (less than 1.0% versus 32-41%). Ingestion of other poorly absorbed solutes such as raffinose, sorbitol, xylitol, magnesium sulphate, and sodium sulphate also significantly depressed the absorption of L-rhamnose; in contrast, more efficiently absorbed solutes, such as sodium chloride, glucose, glycerol, and urea had little effect.

  19. Design and Development of Variable-Load Energy Absorbers

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1981-06-16

    Three concepts were developed and/or tested: a wire - bending mechanism, a tube-constricting mechanism, and a hydraulic energy absorber. Preliminary full...scale working models of the wire - bending mechanism and the tube-constricting mechanisms were built and tested. The hydraulic energy absorber was

  20. Shock-absorbing caster wheel is simple and compact

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kindley, R. J.

    1968-01-01

    Compact shock-absorbing caster wheel mitigates or absorbs shock by a compressible tire which deforms into a cavity between its inner edge and the wheel hub. A tee-shaped annular ring embedded in the tire distributes loads more uniformly throughout both wheel and tire.