Sample records for accelerator control middle

  1. Penicillin treatment accelerates middle ear inflammation in experimental pneumococcal otitis media.

    PubMed Central

    Kawana, M; Kawana, C; Giebink, G S

    1992-01-01

    Most Streptococcus pneumoniae strains are killed by very low concentrations of penicillin and other beta-lactam antibiotics, yet middle ear inflammation and effusion persist for days to weeks after treatment in most cases of pneumococcal otitis media. To study the effect of beta-lactam antibiotic treatment on pneumococci and the middle ear inflammatory response during pneumococcal otitis media, we measured concentrations of pneumococci, inflammatory cells, and lysozyme in middle ear fluid (MEF) by using the chinchilla model. Procaine penicillin G given intramuscularly 12 and 36 h after inoculation of pneumococci into the middle ear caused a significant acceleration in the MEF inflammatory cell concentration compared with that in untreated controls, with a significant peak in the inflammatory cell concentration 24 h after pneumococcal inoculation. The lysozyme concentration in MEF also increased more rapidly in treated than in control animals. Viable pneumococci were not detected in MEF after the second dose of penicillin, but the total pneumococcal cell concentration remained unchanged for at least 45 days. Therefore, penicillin treatment accelerated middle ear inflammation while killing pneumococci, but treatment did not accelerate clearance of the nonviable pneumococcal cells from MEF. Further studies will need to define the contribution of these responses to acute and chronic tissue injury. PMID:1563782

  2. Accelerated Middle Schools. What Works Clearinghouse Intervention Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    What Works Clearinghouse, 2008

    2008-01-01

    Accelerated middle schools are self-contained academic programs designed to help middle school students who are behind grade level catch up with their age peers. If these students begin high school with other students their age, the hope is that they will be more likely to stay in school and graduate. The programs serve students who are one to two…

  3. Kuss Middle School: Expanding Time to Accelerate School Improvement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Massachusetts 2020, 2012

    2012-01-01

    In 2004, Kuss Middle School became the first school declared "Chronically Underperforming" by the state of Massachusetts. But by 2010, Kuss had transformed itself into a model for schools around the country seeking a comprehensive turnaround strategy. Kuss is using increased learning time as the primary catalyst to accelerate learning,…

  4. [Linear accelerator-based stereotactic radiation treatment of patients with medial middle fossa meningiomas].

    PubMed

    Golanov, A V; Cherekaev, V A; Serova, N K; Pronin, I N; Gorlachev, G E; Kotel'nikova, T M; Podoprigora, A E; Kudriavtseva, P A; Galkin, M V

    2010-01-01

    Medial middle fossa meningiomas are challenging for neurosurgical treatment. Invasion of cranial nerves and vessels leads to high risk of complications after removal of such meningiomas. Currently methods of conformal stereotactic radiation treatment are applied wider and wider for the discussed lesions. During a 3.5-year period 80 patients with medial middle fossa meningiomas were treated in Burdenko Moscow Neurosurgical Institute using linear accelerator "Novalis". In 31 case radiation treatment was preceded by surgical resection. In majority of patients symptoms included cranial nerve dysfunction: oculomotor disturbances in 62.5%, trigeminal impairment--in 37.5%, visual deficit--in 43.8%, facial nerve palsy--in 1.25%. 74 patients underwent radiotherapy with classical fractioning, 2--in hypofractionated mode and 4 received radiosurgery. In cases of classical fractioning mean marginal dose reached 46.3 Gy during 28-33 fractions, in hypofractioning (7 fractions)--31.5 Gy, in radiosurgery--16.25 Gy. Mean follow-up period was 18.4 months (6-42 months). Control of tumor growth was achieved in 97.5% of cases (78 patients): in 42 (52.5%) lesion shrinked, in 36 (45%) stabilization was observed. Clinical examination revealed improvement of visual function in 15 patients (18%) and deterioration in 2 (2.5%). No new neuropathies were found. Stereotactic radiation treatment is the method of choice for medial anterior and middle fossa meningiomas due to effective control of tumor progression and minimal rate of complications.

  5. Taking Stock and Creating a Vision: A Middle School Community Takes the First Steps toward Creating an Accelerated School.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McBride, Ron E.; Stuessy, Carol

    1996-01-01

    Accelerated schools strive to bring at-risk students into the educational mainstream and perform at grade level through acceleration rather than remediation. Describes four steps to initiate the accelerated process and how a Texas middle school involved all members of the school community in implementing the first two steps, taking stock and…

  6. Accelerating gradient improvement using shape-tailor laser front in radiation pressure acceleration progress

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, W. P.; Shen, B. F.; Xu, Z. Z.

    2017-05-01

    The accelerating gradient of a proton beam is crucial for stable radiation pressure acceleration (RPA) because the multi-dimensional instabilities increase γ times slower in the relativistic region. In this paper, a shape-tailored laser is proposed to significantly accelerate the ions in a controllable high accelerating gradient. In this method, the fastest ions initially rest in the middle of the foil are controlled to catch the compressed electron layer at the end of the hole-boring stage, thus the light-sail stage can start as soon as possible. Then the compressed electron layer is accelerated tightly together with the fastest ions by the shaped laser intensity, which further increases the accelerating gradient in the light-sail stage. Such tailored pulse may be beneficial for the RPA driven by the 10-fs 10 petawatt laser in the future.

  7. Recruiting and Retaining African American Students for Gifted Education and Accelerated Programs in Middle School: A Qualitative Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Roberson, Ivory S.

    2017-01-01

    Recruiting and retaining African American students in middle school gifted education continues to be challenging in American schools. African American students continue to be underrepresented in middle school gifted education and accelerated programs, even when they qualify to be gifted education participants. The case study that follows focuses…

  8. Accelerating the development of formal thinking in middle and high school students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Adey, Philip; Shayer, Michael

    In an attempt to accelerate the development of formal operations in average young adolescents, intervention lessons relating to all formal schemata were designed in the context of school science courses. Over a period of two years, up to 30 intervention lessons were given by science teachers to their classes in eight schools. Boys who started the program aged 12+ showed a pre-posttest effect size on Piagetian tests of 0.89 SD compared with control classes. In terms of British norms for the development of operational thinking this was a mean change from the 51st to the 74th percentile. Neither the middle school students nor the 12+ girls showed greater gain than the controls. Gains were shown by girls in one 11+ class and in the two 11+ laboratory classes. In the laboratory school students given intervention lessons by the researchers maintained their gains over controls in formal operations at a delayed posttest one year after cessation of the program. There was no effect on tests of science achievement during the intervention. It was argued that the interventions needed to be accompanied by in-service training designed to enable teachers to change their teaching style in line with their students' increased operational thinking capacity.

  9. Middle School Math Acceleration and Equitable Access to Eighth-Grade Algebra: Evidence from the Wake County Public School System

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dougherty, Shaun M.; Goodman, Joshua S.; Hill, Darryl V.; Litke, Erica G.; Page, Lindsay C.

    2015-01-01

    Taking algebra by eighth grade is considered an important milestone on the pathway to college readiness. We highlight a collaboration to investigate one district's effort to increase middle school algebra course-taking. In 2010, the Wake County Public Schools began assigning middle school students to accelerated math and eighth-grade algebra based…

  10. Torque-based optimal acceleration control for electric vehicle

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lu, Dongbin; Ouyang, Minggao

    2014-03-01

    The existing research of the acceleration control mainly focuses on an optimization of the velocity trajectory with respect to a criterion formulation that weights acceleration time and fuel consumption. The minimum-fuel acceleration problem in conventional vehicle has been solved by Pontryagin's maximum principle and dynamic programming algorithm, respectively. The acceleration control with minimum energy consumption for battery electric vehicle(EV) has not been reported. In this paper, the permanent magnet synchronous motor(PMSM) is controlled by the field oriented control(FOC) method and the electric drive system for the EV(including the PMSM, the inverter and the battery) is modeled to favor over a detailed consumption map. The analytical algorithm is proposed to analyze the optimal acceleration control and the optimal torque versus speed curve in the acceleration process is obtained. Considering the acceleration time, a penalty function is introduced to realize a fast vehicle speed tracking. The optimal acceleration control is also addressed with dynamic programming(DP). This method can solve the optimal acceleration problem with precise time constraint, but it consumes a large amount of computation time. The EV used in simulation and experiment is a four-wheel hub motor drive electric vehicle. The simulation and experimental results show that the required battery energy has little difference between the acceleration control solved by analytical algorithm and that solved by DP, and is greatly reduced comparing with the constant pedal opening acceleration. The proposed analytical and DP algorithms can minimize the energy consumption in EV's acceleration process and the analytical algorithm is easy to be implemented in real-time control.

  11. APPARATUS FOR CONTROL OF HIGH-ENERGY ACCELERATORS

    DOEpatents

    Heard, H.G.

    1961-10-24

    A particle beam positioning control for a synchrotron or the like is described. The control includes means for selectively impressing a sinusoidal perturbation upon the rising voltage utilized to sweep the frequency of the f-m oscillator which is conventionally coupled to the accelerating electrode of a synchrotron. The perturbation produces a variation in the normal rate of change of frequency of the accelerating voltage applied to the accelerating electrode, resulting in an expansion or contraction of the particle beam orbit diameter during the perturbation. The beam may thus be controlled such that a portion strikes a target positioned close to the expanded or contracted orbit diameter and returns to the original orbit for further acceleration to the final energy. (AEC)

  12. Neural Networks for Modeling and Control of Particle Accelerators

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Edelen, A. L.; Biedron, S. G.; Chase, B. E.; Edstrom, D.; Milton, S. V.; Stabile, P.

    2016-04-01

    Particle accelerators are host to myriad nonlinear and complex physical phenomena. They often involve a multitude of interacting systems, are subject to tight performance demands, and should be able to run for extended periods of time with minimal interruptions. Often times, traditional control techniques cannot fully meet these requirements. One promising avenue is to introduce machine learning and sophisticated control techniques inspired by artificial intelligence, particularly in light of recent theoretical and practical advances in these fields. Within machine learning and artificial intelligence, neural networks are particularly well-suited to modeling, control, and diagnostic analysis of complex, nonlinear, and time-varying systems, as well as systems with large parameter spaces. Consequently, the use of neural network-based modeling and control techniques could be of significant benefit to particle accelerators. For the same reasons, particle accelerators are also ideal test-beds for these techniques. Many early attempts to apply neural networks to particle accelerators yielded mixed results due to the relative immaturity of the technology for such tasks. The purpose of this paper is to re-introduce neural networks to the particle accelerator community and report on some work in neural network control that is being conducted as part of a dedicated collaboration between Fermilab and Colorado State University (CSU). We describe some of the challenges of particle accelerator control, highlight recent advances in neural network techniques, discuss some promising avenues for incorporating neural networks into particle accelerator control systems, and describe a neural network-based control system that is being developed for resonance control of an RF electron gun at the Fermilab Accelerator Science and Technology (FAST) facility, including initial experimental results from a benchmark controller.

  13. Controllability in Multi-Stage Laser Ion Acceleration

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kawata, S.; Kamiyama, D.; Ohtake, Y.; Barada, D.; Ma, Y. Y.; Kong, Q.; Wang, P. X.; Gu, Y. J.; Li, X. F.; Yu, Q.

    2015-11-01

    The present paper shows a concept for a future laser ion accelerator, which should have an ion source, ion collimators, ion beam bunchers and ion post acceleration devices. Based on the laser ion accelerator components, the ion particle energy and the ion energy spectrum are controlled, and a future compact laser ion accelerator would be designed for ion cancer therapy or for ion material treatment. In this study each component is designed to control the ion beam quality. The energy efficiency from the laser to ions is improved by using a solid target with a fine sub-wavelength structure or a near-critical density gas plasma. The ion beam collimation is performed by holes behind the solid target or a multi-layered solid target. The control of the ion energy spectrum and the ion particle energy, and the ion beam bunching are successfully realized by a multi-stage laser-target interaction. A combination of each component provides a high controllability of the ion beam quality to meet variable requirements in various purposes in the laser ion accelerator. The work was partly supported by MEXT, JSPS, ASHULA project/ ILE, Osaka University, CORE (Center for Optical Research and Education, Utsunomiya University, Japan), Fudan University and CDI (Creative Dept. for Innovation) in CCRD, Utsunomiya University.

  14. Neural Networks for Modeling and Control of Particle Accelerators

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

    Edelen, A. L.; Biedron, S. G.; Chase, B. E.

    Myriad nonlinear and complex physical phenomena are host to particle accelerators. They often involve a multitude of interacting systems, are subject to tight performance demands, and should be able to run for extended periods of time with minimal interruptions. Often times, traditional control techniques cannot fully meet these requirements. One promising avenue is to introduce machine learning and sophisticated control techniques inspired by artificial intelligence, particularly in light of recent theoretical and practical advances in these fields. Within machine learning and artificial intelligence, neural networks are particularly well-suited to modeling, control, and diagnostic analysis of complex, nonlinear, and time-varying systems,more » as well as systems with large parameter spaces. Consequently, the use of neural network-based modeling and control techniques could be of significant benefit to particle accelerators. For the same reasons, particle accelerators are also ideal test-beds for these techniques. Moreover, many early attempts to apply neural networks to particle accelerators yielded mixed results due to the relative immaturity of the technology for such tasks. For the purpose of this paper is to re-introduce neural networks to the particle accelerator community and report on some work in neural network control that is being conducted as part of a dedicated collaboration between Fermilab and Colorado State University (CSU). We also describe some of the challenges of particle accelerator control, highlight recent advances in neural network techniques, discuss some promising avenues for incorporating neural networks into particle accelerator control systems, and describe a neural network-based control system that is being developed for resonance control of an RF electron gun at the Fermilab Accelerator Science and Technology (FAST) facility, including initial experimental results from a benchmark controller.« less

  15. Neural Networks for Modeling and Control of Particle Accelerators

    DOE PAGES

    Edelen, A. L.; Biedron, S. G.; Chase, B. E.; ...

    2016-04-01

    Myriad nonlinear and complex physical phenomena are host to particle accelerators. They often involve a multitude of interacting systems, are subject to tight performance demands, and should be able to run for extended periods of time with minimal interruptions. Often times, traditional control techniques cannot fully meet these requirements. One promising avenue is to introduce machine learning and sophisticated control techniques inspired by artificial intelligence, particularly in light of recent theoretical and practical advances in these fields. Within machine learning and artificial intelligence, neural networks are particularly well-suited to modeling, control, and diagnostic analysis of complex, nonlinear, and time-varying systems,more » as well as systems with large parameter spaces. Consequently, the use of neural network-based modeling and control techniques could be of significant benefit to particle accelerators. For the same reasons, particle accelerators are also ideal test-beds for these techniques. Moreover, many early attempts to apply neural networks to particle accelerators yielded mixed results due to the relative immaturity of the technology for such tasks. For the purpose of this paper is to re-introduce neural networks to the particle accelerator community and report on some work in neural network control that is being conducted as part of a dedicated collaboration between Fermilab and Colorado State University (CSU). We also describe some of the challenges of particle accelerator control, highlight recent advances in neural network techniques, discuss some promising avenues for incorporating neural networks into particle accelerator control systems, and describe a neural network-based control system that is being developed for resonance control of an RF electron gun at the Fermilab Accelerator Science and Technology (FAST) facility, including initial experimental results from a benchmark controller.« less

  16. 40 CFR 81.120 - Middle Tennessee Intrastate Air Quality Control Region.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... Quality Control Region. 81.120 Section 81.120 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... Air Quality Control Regions § 81.120 Middle Tennessee Intrastate Air Quality Control Region. The Middle Tennessee Intrastate Air Quality Control Region consists of the territorial area encompassed by...

  17. Neuromuscular Control of Rapid Linear Accelerations in Fish

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-06-22

    2014 30-Apr-2015 Approved for Public Release; Distribution Unlimited Final Report: Neuromuscular Control of Rapid Linear Accelerations in Fish The...it does not display a currently valid OMB control number. PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR FORM TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS. Tufts University Research... Control of Rapid Linear Accelerations in Fish Report Title In this project, we measured muscle activity, body movements, and flow patterns during linear

  18. Acceleration-Augmented LQG Control of an Active Magnetic Bearing

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Feeley, Joseph J.

    1993-01-01

    A linear-quadratic-gaussian (LQG) regulator controller design for an acceleration-augmented active magnetic bearing (AMB) is outlined. Acceleration augmentation is a key feature in providing improved dynamic performance of the controller. The optimal control formulation provides a convenient method of trading-off fast transient response and force attenuation as control objectives.

  19. Application accelerator system having bunch control

    DOEpatents

    Wang, Dunxiong; Krafft, Geoffrey Arthur

    1999-01-01

    An application accelerator system for monitoring the gain of a free electron laser. Coherent Synchrotron Radiation (CSR) detection techniques are used with a bunch length monitor for ultra short, picosec to several tens of femtosec, electron bunches. The monitor employs an application accelerator, a coherent radiation production device, an optical or beam chopping device, an infrared radiation collection device, a narrow-banding filter, an infrared detection device, and a control.

  20. A Mixed Method Study of the Effectiveness of the Accelerated Reader Program on Middle School Students' Reading Achievement and Motivation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Huang, SuHua

    2012-01-01

    The mixed-method explanatory research design was employed to investigate the effectiveness of the Accelerated Reader (AR) program on middle school students' reading achievement and motivation. A total of 211 sixth to eighth-grade students provided quantitative data by completing an AR Survey. Thirty of the 211 students were randomly selected to…

  1. Application accelerator system having bunch control

    DOEpatents

    Wang, D.; Krafft, G.A.

    1999-06-22

    An application accelerator system for monitoring the gain of a free electron laser is disclosed. Coherent Synchrotron Radiation (CSR) detection techniques are used with a bunch length monitor for ultra short, picosec to several tens of femtosec, electron bunches. The monitor employs an application accelerator, a coherent radiation production device, an optical or beam chopping device, an infrared radiation collection device, a narrow-banding filter, an infrared detection device, and a control. 1 fig.

  2. Control Infrastructure for a Pulsed Ion Accelerator

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Persaud, A.; Regis, M. J.; Stettler, M. W.; Vytla, V. K.

    2016-10-01

    We report on updates to the accelerator controls for the Neutralized Drift Compression Experiment II, a pulsed induction-type accelerator for heavy ions. The control infrastructure is built around a LabVIEW interface combined with an Apache Cassandra backend for data archiving. Recent upgrades added the storing and retrieving of device settings into the database, as well as ZeroMQ as a message broker that replaces LabVIEW's shared variables. Converting to ZeroMQ also allows easy access via other programming languages, such as Python.

  3. Control Infrastructure for a Pulsed Ion Accelerator

    DOE PAGES

    Persaud, A.; Regis, M. J.; Stettler, M. W.; ...

    2016-07-27

    We report on updates to the accelerator controls for the Neutralized Drift Compression Experiment II, a pulsed induction-type accelerator for heavy ions. The control infrastructure is built around a LabVIEW interface combined with an Apache Cassandra backend for data archiving. Recent upgrades added the storing and retrieving of device settings into the database, as well as ZeroMQ as a message broker that replaces LabVIEW's shared variables. Converting to ZeroMQ also allows easy access via other programming languages, such as Python.

  4. Adaptive control for accelerators

    DOEpatents

    Eaton, Lawrie E.; Jachim, Stephen P.; Natter, Eckard F.

    1991-01-01

    An adaptive feedforward control loop is provided to stabilize accelerator beam loading of the radio frequency field in an accelerator cavity during successive pulses of the beam into the cavity. A digital signal processor enables an adaptive algorithm to generate a feedforward error correcting signal functionally determined by the feedback error obtained by a beam pulse loading the cavity after the previous correcting signal was applied to the cavity. Each cavity feedforward correcting signal is successively stored in the digital processor and modified by the feedback error resulting from its application to generate the next feedforward error correcting signal. A feedforward error correcting signal is generated by the digital processor in advance of the beam pulse to enable a composite correcting signal and the beam pulse to arrive concurrently at the cavity.

  5. Accelerator controls at CERN: Some converging trends

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kuiper, B.

    1990-08-01

    CERN's growing services to the high-energy physics community using frozen resources has led to the implementation of "Technical Boards", mandated to assist the management by making recommendations for rationalizations in various technological domains. The Board on Process Control and Electronics for Accelerators, TEBOCO, has emphasized four main lines which might yield economy in resources. First, a common architecture for accelerator controls has been agreed between the three accelerator divisions. Second, a common hardware/software kit has been defined, from which the large majority of future process interfacing may be composed. A support service for this kit is an essential part of the plan. Third, high-level protocols have been developed for standardizing access to process devices. They derive from agreed standard models of the devices and involve a standard control message. This should ease application development and mobility of equipment. Fourth, a common software engineering methodology and a commercial package of application development tools have been adopted. Some rationalization in the field of the man-machine interface and in matters of synchronization is also under way.

  6. Kinematics and Dynamics of Motion Control Based on Acceleration Control

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ohishi, Kiyoshi; Ohba, Yuzuru; Katsura, Seiichiro

    The first IEEE International Workshop on Advanced Motion Control was held in 1990 pointed out the importance of physical interpretation of motion control. The software servoing technology is now common in machine tools, robotics, and mechatronics. It has been intensively developed for the numerical control (NC) machines. Recently, motion control in unknown environment will be more and more important. Conventional motion control is not always suitable due to the lack of adaptive capability to the environment. A more sophisticated ability in motion control is necessary for compliant contact with environment. Acceleration control is the key technology of motion control in unknown environment. The acceleration control can make a motion system to be a zero control stiffness system without losing the robustness. Furthermore, a realization of multi-degree-of-freedom motion is necessary for future human assistance. A human assistant motion will require various control stiffness corresponding to the task. The review paper focuses on the modal coordinate system to integrate the various control stiffness in the virtual axes. A bilateral teleoperation is a good candidate to consider the future human assistant motion and integration of decentralized systems. Thus the paper reviews and discusses the bilateral teleoperation from the control stiffness and the modal control design points of view.

  7. PARTICLE ACCELERATOR AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE TEMPERATURE THEREOF

    DOEpatents

    Neal, R.B.; Gallagher, W.J.

    1960-10-11

    A method and means for controlling the temperature of a particle accelerator and more particularly to the maintenance of a constant and uniform temperature throughout a particle accelerator is offered. The novel feature of the invention resides in the provision of two individual heating applications to the accelerator structure. The first heating application provided is substantially a duplication of the accelerator heat created from energization, this first application being employed only when the accelerator is de-energized thereby maintaining the accelerator temperature constant with regard to time whether the accelerator is energized or not. The second heating application provided is designed to add to either the first application or energization heat in a manner to create the same uniform temperature throughout all portions of the accelerator.

  8. Acceleration and torque feedback for robotic control - Experimental results

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mclnroy, John E.; Saridis, George N.

    1990-01-01

    Gross motion control of robotic manipulators typically requires significant on-line computations to compensate for nonlinear dynamics due to gravity, Coriolis, centripetal, and friction nonlinearities. One controller proposed by Luo and Saridis avoids these computations by feeding back joint acceleration and torque. This study implements the controller on a Puma 600 robotic manipulator. Joint acceleration measurement is obtained by measuring linear accelerations of each joint, and deriving a computationally efficient transformation from the linear measurements to the angular accelerations. Torque feedback is obtained by using the previous torque sent to the joints. The implementation has stability problems on the Puma 600 due to the extremely high gains inherent in the feedback structure. Since these high gains excite frequency modes in the Puma 600, the algorithm is modified to decrease the gain inherent in the feedback structure. The resulting compensator is stable and insensitive to high frequency unmodeled dynamics. Moreover, a second compensator is proposed which uses acceleration and torque feedback, but still allows nonlinear terms to be fed forward. Thus, by feeding the increment in the easily calculated gravity terms forward, improved responses are obtained. Both proposed compensators are implemented, and the real time results are compared to those obtained with the computed torque algorithm.

  9. BIOCONAID System (Bionic Control of Acceleration Induced Dimming). Final Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rogers, Dana B.; And Others

    The system described represents a new technique for enhancing the fidelity of flight simulators during high acceleration maneuvers. This technique forces the simulator pilot into active participation and energy expenditure similar to the aircraft pilot undergoing actual accelerations. The Bionic Control of Acceleration Induced Dimming (BIOCONAID)…

  10. Model-based Acceleration Control of Turbofan Engines with a Hammerstein-Wiener Representation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Jiqiang; Ye, Zhifeng; Hu, Zhongzhi; Wu, Xin; Dimirovsky, Georgi; Yue, Hong

    2017-05-01

    Acceleration control of turbofan engines is conventionally designed through either schedule-based or acceleration-based approach. With the widespread acceptance of model-based design in aviation industry, it becomes necessary to investigate the issues associated with model-based design for acceleration control. In this paper, the challenges for implementing model-based acceleration control are explained; a novel Hammerstein-Wiener representation of engine models is introduced; based on the Hammerstein-Wiener model, a nonlinear generalized minimum variance type of optimal control law is derived; the feature of the proposed approach is that it does not require the inversion operation that usually upsets those nonlinear control techniques. The effectiveness of the proposed control design method is validated through a detailed numerical study.

  11. Laser wakefield accelerated electron beam monitoring and control

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

    Koga, J. K.; Mori, M.; Kotaki, H.

    2016-03-25

    We will discuss our participation in the ImPACT project, which has as one of its goals the development of an ultra-compact electron accelerator using lasers (< 1 GeV, < 10   m) and the generation of an x-ray beam from the accelerated electrons. Within this context we will discuss our investigation into electron beam monitoring and control. Since laser accelerated electrons will be used for x-ray beam generation combined with an undulator, we will present investigation into the possibilities of the improvement of electron beam emittance through cooling.

  12. ACCELERATOR TARGET POSITIONER AND CONTROL CIRCUIT THEREFOR

    DOEpatents

    Stone, K.F.; Force, R.J.; Olson, W.W.; Cagle, D.S.

    1959-12-15

    An apparatus is described for inserting and retracting a target material with respect to the internal beam of a charged particle accelerator and to circuitry for controlling the timing and motion of the target placement. Two drive coils are mounted on the shaft of a target holder arm and disposed within the accelerator magnetic field with one coil at right angles to the other. Control circuitry alternately connects each coil to a current source and to a varying shorting resistance whereby the coils interchangeably produce driving and braking forces which swing the target arm within a ninety degree arc. The target is thus moved into the beam and away from it at high speeds and is brought to rest after each movement without whiplash or vibration.

  13. A New Concept of Controller for Accelerators' Magnet Power Supplies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Visintini, Roberto; Cleva, Stefano; Cautero, Marco; Ciesla, Tomasz

    2016-04-01

    The complexity of a particle accelerator implies the remote control of very large numbers of devices, with many different typologies, either distributed along the accelerator or concentrated in locations, often far away from each other. Local and global control systems handle the devices through dedicated communication channels and interfaces. Each controlled device is practically a “smart node” performing a specific task. In addition, very often, those tasks are managed in real-time mode. The performances required to the control interface has an influence on the cost of the distributed nodes as well as on their hardware and software implementation. In large facilities (e.g. CERN) the “smart nodes” derive from specific in-house developments. Alternatively, it is possible to find on the market commercial devices, whose performances (and prices) are spread over a broad range, and spanning from proprietary design (customizable to the user's needs) to open source/design. In this paper, we will describe some applications of smart nodes in the particle accelerators field, with special focus on the power supplies for magnets. In modern accelerators, in fact, magnets and their associated power supplies constitute systems distributed along the accelerator itself, and strongly interfaced with the remote control system as well as with more specific (and often more demanding) orbit/trajectory feedback systems. We will give examples of actual systems, installed and operational on two light sources, Elettra and FERMI, located in the Elettra Research Center in Trieste, Italy.

  14. An "Elective Replacement" Approach to Providing Extra Help in Math: The Talent Development Middle Schools' Computer- and Team-Assisted Mathematics Acceleration (CATAMA) Program.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mac Iver, Douglas J.; Balfanz, Robert; Plank, Stephan B.

    1999-01-01

    Two studies evaluated the Computer- and Team-Assisted Mathematics Acceleration course (CATAMA) in Talent Development Middle Schools. The first study compared growth in math achievement for 96 seventh-graders (48 of whom participated in CATAMA and 48 of whom did not); the second study gathered data from interviews with, and observations of, CATAMA…

  15. Low Level RF Control for the PIP-II Accelerator

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

    Edelen, J. P.; Chase, B. E.; Cullerton, E.

    The PIP-II accelerator is a proposed upgrade to the Fermilab accelerator complex that will replace the existing, 400 MeV room temperature LINAC with an 800 MeV superconducting LINAC. Part of this upgrade includes a new injection scheme into the booster that levies tight requirements on the LLRF control system for the cavities. In this paper we discuss the challenges of the PIP-II accelerator and the present status of the LLRF system for this project.

  16. FPGA-accelerated adaptive optics wavefront control

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mauch, S.; Reger, J.; Reinlein, C.; Appelfelder, M.; Goy, M.; Beckert, E.; Tünnermann, A.

    2014-03-01

    The speed of real-time adaptive optical systems is primarily restricted by the data processing hardware and computational aspects. Furthermore, the application of mirror layouts with increasing numbers of actuators reduces the bandwidth (speed) of the system and, thus, the number of applicable control algorithms. This burden turns out a key-impediment for deformable mirrors with continuous mirror surface and highly coupled actuator influence functions. In this regard, specialized hardware is necessary for high performance real-time control applications. Our approach to overcome this challenge is an adaptive optics system based on a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor (SHWFS) with a CameraLink interface. The data processing is based on a high performance Intel Core i7 Quadcore hard real-time Linux system. Employing a Xilinx Kintex-7 FPGA, an own developed PCie card is outlined in order to accelerate the analysis of a Shack-Hartmann Wavefront Sensor. A recently developed real-time capable spot detection algorithm evaluates the wavefront. The main features of the presented system are the reduction of latency and the acceleration of computation For example, matrix multiplications which in general are of complexity O(n3 are accelerated by using the DSP48 slices of the field-programmable gate array (FPGA) as well as a novel hardware implementation of the SHWFS algorithm. Further benefits are the Streaming SIMD Extensions (SSE) which intensively use the parallelization capability of the processor for further reducing the latency and increasing the bandwidth of the closed-loop. Due to this approach, up to 64 actuators of a deformable mirror can be handled and controlled without noticeable restriction from computational burdens.

  17. Neuro-fuzzy control of structures using acceleration feedback

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schurter, Kyle C.; Roschke, Paul N.

    2001-08-01

    This paper described a new approach for the reduction of environmentally induced vibration in constructed facilities by way of a neuro-fuzzy technique. The new control technique is presented and tested in a numerical study that involves two types of building models. The energy of each building is dissipated through magnetorheological (MR) dampers whose damping properties are continuously updated by a fuzzy controller. This semi-active control scheme relies on the development of a correlation between the accelerations of the building (controller input) and the voltage applied to the MR damper (controller output). This correlation forms the basis for the development of an intelligent neuro-fuzzy control strategy. To establish a context for assessing the effectiveness of the semi-active control scheme, responses to earthquake excitation are compared with passive strategies that have similar authority for control. According to numerical simulation, MR dampers are less effective control mechanisms than passive dampers with respect to a single degree of freedom (DOF) building model. On the other hand, MR dampers are predicted to be superior when used with multiple DOF structures for reduction of lateral acceleration.

  18. Object-oriented design for accelerator control

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

    Stok, P.D.V. van der; Berk, F. van den; Deckers, R.

    1994-02-01

    An object-oriented design for the distributed computer control system of the accelerator ring EUTERPE is presented. Because of the experimental nature of the ring, flexibility is of the utmost importance. The object-oriented principles have contributed considerably to the flexibility of the design incorporating multiple views, multi-level access and distributed surveillance.

  19. Knowledge engineering for PACES, the particle accelerator control expert system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lind, P. C.; Poehlman, W. F. S.; Stark, J. W.; Cousins, T.

    1992-04-01

    The KN-3000 used at Defense Research Establishment Ottawa is a Van de Graaff particle accelerator employed primarily to produce monoenergetic neutrons for calibrating radiation detectors. To provide training and assistance for new operators, it was decided to develop an expert system for accelerator operation. Knowledge engineering aspects of the expert system are reviewed. Two important issues are involved: the need to encapsulate expert knowledge into the system in a form that facilitates automatic accelerator operation and to partition the system so that time-consuming inferencing is minimized in favor of faster, more algorithmic control. It is seen that accelerator control will require fast, narrowminded decision making for rapid fine tuning, but slower and broader reasoning for machine startup, shutdown, fault diagnosis, and correction. It is also important to render the knowledge base in a form conducive to operator training. A promising form of the expert system involves a hybrid system in which high level reasoning is performed on the host machine that interacts with the user, while an embedded controller employs neural networks for fast but limited adjustment of accelerator performance. This partitioning of duty facilitates a hierarchical chain of command yielding an effective mixture of speed and reasoning ability.

  20. Methods of Phase and Power Control in Magnetron Transmitters for Superconducting Accelerators

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

    Kazadevich, G.; Johnson, R.; Neubauer, M.

    Various methods of phase and power control in magnetron RF sources of superconducting accelerators intended for ADS-class projects were recently developed and studied with conventional 2.45 GHz, 1 kW, CW magnetrons operating in pulsed and CW regimes. Magnetron transmitters excited by a resonant (injection-locking) phasemodulated signal can provide phase and power control with the rates required for precise stabilization of phase and amplitude of the accelerating field in Superconducting RF (SRF) cavities of the intensity-frontier accelerators. An innovative technique that can significantly increase the magnetron transmitter efficiency at the widerange power control required for superconducting accelerators was developed and verifiedmore » with the 2.45 GHz magnetrons operating in CW and pulsed regimes. High efficiency magnetron transmitters of this type can significantly reduce the capital and operation costs of the ADSclass accelerator projects.« less

  1. Effects of Mathematics Acceleration on Middle School Student Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boysworth, Sylvia Elaine

    2010-01-01

    The researcher's purpose in the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an Accelerated Mathematics Program (AMPS) for sixth and seventh grades, using the accelerative practice of curriculum telescoping in a rural school district in North Carolina. The mathematics achievement of students served in the locally developed Accelerated Mathematics…

  2. ISHN Ion Source Control System. First Steps Toward an EPICS Based ESS-Bilbao Accelerator Control System

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Eguiraun, M.; Jugo, J.; Arredondo, I.; del Campo, M.; Feuchtwanger, J.; Etxebarria, V.; Bermejo, F. J.

    2013-04-01

    ISHN (Ion Source Hydrogen Negative) consists of a Penning type ion source in operation at ESS-Bilbao facilities. From the control point of view, this source is representative of the first steps and decisions taken towards the general control architecture of the whole accelerator to be built. The ISHN main control system is based on a PXI architecture, under a real-time controller which is programmed using LabVIEW. This system, with additional elements, is connected to the general control system. The whole system is based on EPICS for the control network, and the modularization of the communication layers of the accelerator plays an important role in the proposed control architecture.

  3. Acceleration constraints in modeling and control of nonholonomic systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bajodah, Abdulrahman H.

    2003-10-01

    Acceleration constraints are used to enhance modeling techniques for dynamical systems. In particular, Kane's equations of motion subjected to bilateral constraints, unilateral constraints, and servo-constraints are modified by utilizing acceleration constraints for the purpose of simplifying the equations and increasing their applicability. The tangential properties of Kane's method provide relationships between the holonomic and the nonholonomic partial velocities, and hence allow one to describe nonholonomic generalized active and inertia forces in terms of their holonomic counterparts, i.e., those which correspond to the system without constraints. Therefore, based on the modeling process objectives, the holonomic and the nonholonomic vector entities in Kane's approach are used interchangeably to model holonomic and nonholonomic systems. When the holonomic partial velocities are used to model nonholonomic systems, the resulting models are full-order (also called nonminimal or unreduced) and separated in accelerations. As a consequence, they are readily integrable and can be used for generic system analysis. Other related topics are constraint forces, numerical stability of the nonminimal equations of motion, and numerical constraint stabilization. Two types of unilateral constraints considered are impulsive and friction constraints. Impulsive constraints are modeled by means of a continuous-in-velocities and impulse-momentum approaches. In controlled motion, the acceleration form of constraints is utilized with the Moore-Penrose generalized inverse of the corresponding constraint matrix to solve for the inverse dynamics of servo-constraints, and for the redundancy resolution of overactuated manipulators. If control variables are involved in the algebraic constraint equations, then these tools are used to modify the controlled equations of motion in order to facilitate control system design. An illustrative example of spacecraft stabilization is presented.

  4. Research on Acceleration Compensation Strategy of Electric Vehicle Based on Fuzzy Control Theory

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhu, Tianjun; Li, Bin; Zong, Changfu; Wei, Zhicheng

    2017-09-01

    Nowadays, the driving technology of electric vehicle is developing rapidly. There are many kinds of methods in driving performance control technology. The paper studies the acceleration performance of electric vehicle. Under the premise of energy management, an acceleration power compensation method by fuzzy control theory based on driver intention recognition is proposed, which can meet the driver’s subjective feelings better. It avoids the problem that the pedal opening and power output are single correspondence when the traditional vehicle accelerates. Through the simulation test, this method can significantly improve the performance of acceleration and output torque smoothly in non-emergency acceleration to ensure vehicle comfortable and stable.

  5. The Talent Development Middle School. An Elective Replacement Approach to Providing Extra Help in Math--The CATAMA Program (Computer- and Team-Assisted Mathematics Acceleration). Report No. 21.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mac Iver, Douglas J.; Balfanz, Robert; Plank, Stephen B.

    In Talent Development Middle Schools, students needing extra help in mathematics participate in the Computer- and Team-Assisted Mathematics Acceleration (CATAMA) course. CATAMA is an innovative combination of computer-assisted instruction and structured cooperative learning that students receive in addition to their regular math course for about…

  6. A randomized controlled trial of a middle meatal silastic stent for reducing adhesions and middle turbinate lateralization following endoscopic sinus surgery.

    PubMed

    Chan, Chun L; Elmiyeh, Behrad; Woods, Charmaine; Ullah, Shahid; Gunawardena, Indunil; Carney, A Simon; Ooi, Eng H

    2015-06-01

    Endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) is indicated for patients with recalcitrant chronic rhinosinusitis symptoms. However, surgical revision can be required because of adhesion formation and middle turbinate lateralization. We investigate the efficacy of a middle meatal silastic stent in reducing these complications after ESS. Thirty-six patients were randomized to receive a silastic stent in the middle meatus unilaterally after ESS. The surgeon was blinded to the side receiving the stent until completion of the ESS. The contralateral side, with no stent, was the control side. Patients completed a 7-day, postoperative, visual analog scale symptom diary and were blinded to the stent side until its removal at the first postoperative visit. Patients were followed up after 2, 8, and 24 weeks. Endoscopic video of the sinus cavities were recorded at all visits and 2 blinded, independent ear/nose/throat (ENT) surgeons assessed the videos using a modified Lund-Kennedy scoring system. Thirty-five of 36 patients completed 6-months' follow-up. Middle turbinate lateralization was observed in 13 sides without a stent vs 1 side with a stent. There was a significant reduction in adhesions at weeks 2 and 8 (p < 0.001) and crusting (p < 0.01) in the stent side compared to control. Video scores at 6 months after surgery for stent and control sides remained unchanged from the 8-week visit. There was no difference between sides for symptom scores, edema, or nasal discharge. Middle meatal silastic stents are well tolerated by patients and effective in reducing middle turbinate lateralization, adhesions, and crusting postoperatively in ESS. © 2015 ARS-AAOA, LLC.

  7. Lessons learned on the Ground Test Accelerator control system

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

    Kozubal, A.J.; Weiss, R.E.

    1994-09-01

    When we initiated the control system design for the Ground Test Accelerator (GTA), we envisioned a system that would be flexible enough to handle the changing requirements of an experimental project. This control system would use a developers` toolkit to reduce the cost and time to develop applications for GTA, and through the use of open standards, the system would accommodate unforeseen requirements as they arose. Furthermore, we would attempt to demonstrate on GTA a level of automation far beyond that achieved by existing accelerator control systems. How well did we achieve these goals? What were the stumbling blocks tomore » deploying the control system, and what assumptions did we make about requirements that turned out to be incorrect? In this paper we look at the process of developing a control system that evolved into what is now the ``Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System`` (EPICS). Also, we assess the impact of this system on the GTA project, as well as the impact of GTA on EPICS. The lessons learned on GTA will be valuable for future projects.« less

  8. The Fermilab Accelerator control system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bogert, Dixon

    1986-06-01

    With the advent of the Tevatron, considerable upgrades have been made to the controls of all the Fermilab Accelerators. The current system is based on making as large an amount of data as possible available to many operators or end-users. Specifically there are about 100 000 separate readings, settings, and status and control registers in the various machines, all of which can be accessed by seventeen consoles, some in the Main Control Room and others distributed throughout the complex. A "Host" computer network of approximately eighteen PDP-11/34's, seven PDP-11/44's, and three VAX-11/785's supports a distributed data acquisition system including Lockheed MAC-16's left from the original Main Ring and Booster instrumentation and upwards of 1000 Z80, Z8002, and M68000 microprocessors in dozens of configurations. Interaction of the various parts of the system is via a central data base stored on the disk of one of the VAXes. The primary computer-hardware communication is via CAMAC for the new Tevatron and Antiproton Source; certain subsystems, among them vacuum, refrigeration, and quench protection, reside in the distributed microprocessors and communicate via GAS, an in-house protocol. An important hardware feature is an accurate clock system making a large number of encoded "events" in the accelerator supercycle available for both hardware modules and computers. System software features include the ability to save the current state of the machine or any subsystem and later restore it or compare it with the state at another time, a general logging facility to keep track of specific variables over long periods of time, detection of "exception conditions" and the posting of alarms, and a central filesharing capability in which files on VAX disks are available for access by any of the "Host" processors.

  9. Plug-in module acceleration feedback control for fast steering mirror-based beam stabilization systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Deng, Chao; Ren, Wei; Mao, Yao; Ren, Ge

    2017-08-01

    A plug-in module acceleration feedback control (Plug-In AFC) strategy based on the disturbance observer (DOB) principle is proposed for charge-coupled device (CCD)-based fast steering mirror (FSM) stabilization systems. In classical FSM tracking systems, dual-loop control (DLC), including velocity feedback and position feedback, is usually utilized to enhance the closed-loop performance. Due to the mechanical resonance of the system and CCD time delay, the closed-loop bandwidth is severely restricted. To solve this problem, cascade acceleration feedback control (AFC), which is a kind of high-precision robust control method, is introduced to strengthen the disturbance rejection property. However, in practical applications, it is difficult to realize an integral algorithm in an acceleration controller to compensate for the quadratic differential contained in the FSM acceleration model, resulting in a challenging controller design and a limited improvement. To optimize the acceleration feedback framework in the FSM system, different from the cascade AFC, the accelerometers are used to construct DOB to compensate for the platform vibrations directly. The acceleration nested loop can be plugged into the velocity loop without changing the system stability, and the controller design is quite simple. A series of comparative experimental results demonstrate that the disturbance rejection property of the CCD-based FSM can be effectively improved by the proposed approach.

  10. Brain sparing effect in growth-restricted fetuses is associated with decreased cardiac acceleration and deceleration capacities: a case-control study.

    PubMed

    Stampalija, T; Casati, D; Monasta, L; Sassi, R; Rivolta, M W; Muggiasca, M L; Bauer, A; Ferrazzi, E

    2016-11-01

    Phase rectified signal averaging (PRSA) is a new method of fetal heart rate variability (fHRV) analysis that quantifies the average acceleration (AC) and deceleration capacity (DC) of the heart. The aim of this study was to evaluate AC and DC of fHR [recorded by trans-abdominal fetal electrocardiogram (ta-fECG)] in relation to Doppler velocimetry characteristics of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). Prospective case-control study. Single third referral centre. IUGR (n = 66) between 25 and 40 gestational weeks and uncomplicated pregnancies (n = 79). In IUGR the nearest ta-fECG monitoring to delivery was used for PRSA analysis and Doppler velocimetry parameters obtained within 48 hours. AC and DC were computed at s = T = 9. The relation was evaluated between either AC or DC and Doppler velocimetry parameters adjusting for gestational age at monitoring, as well as the association between either AC or DC and IUGR with or without brain sparing. In IUGRs there was a significant association between either AC and DC and middle cerebral artery pulsatility index (PI; P = 0.01; P = 0.005), but the same was not true for uterine or umbilical artery PI (P > 0.05). Both IUGR fetuses with and without brain sparing had lower AC and DC than controls, but this association was stronger for IUGRs with brain sparing. Our study observed for the first time that AC and DC at PRSA analysis are associated with middle cerebral artery PI, but not with uterine or umbilical artery PI, and that there is a significant decrease of AC and DC in association with brain sparing in IUGR fetuses from 25 weeks of gestation to term. Brain sparing in IUGR fetuses is associated with decreased acceleration and deceleration capacities of the heart. © 2015 Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

  11. Accelerated middle Miocene exhumation of the Talesh Mountains constrained by U-Th/He thermochronometry: Evidence for the Arabia-Eurasia collision in the NW Iranian Plateau

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Madanipour, Saeed; Ehlers, Todd A.; Yassaghi, Ali; Enkelmann, Eva

    2017-08-01

    The Talesh Mountains at the NW margin of the Iranian Plateau curve around the southwestern corner of the South Caspian Block and developed in response to the collision of the Arabian-Eurasian Plates. The timing, rates, and regional changes in late Cenozoic deformation of the Talesh Mountains are not fully understood. In this study, we integrate 23 new apatite and zircon bedrock U-Th/He ages and structurally restored geologic cross sections with previously published detrital apatite fission track data to reconstruct the deformation history of the Talesh Mountains. Our results reveal that slow rock exhumation initiated during the late Oligocene ( 27-23 Ma) and then accelerated in the middle Miocene ( 12 Ma). These events resulted in the present-day high-elevation and curved geometry of the mountains. The spatial and temporal distribution of cooling ages suggest that the Oligocene bending of the Talesh Mountains was earlier than in the eastern Alborz, Kopeh Dagh, and central Alborz Mountains that initiated during the late Cenozoic. Late Oligocene and middle Miocene deformation episodes recorded in the Talesh Mountains can be related to the collisional phases of the Arabian and Eurasian Plates. The lower rate of exhumation recorded in the Talesh Mountains occurred during the initial soft collision of the Arabian-Eurasian Plates in the late Oligocene. The accelerated exhumation that occurred during final collision since the middle Miocene resulted from collision of the harder continental margin.

  12. Wideband Motion Control by Position and Acceleration Input Based Disturbance Observer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Irie, Kouhei; Katsura, Seiichiro; Ohishi, Kiyoshi

    The disturbance observer can observe and suppress the disturbance torque within its bandwidth. Recent motion systems begin to spread in the society and they are required to have ability to contact with unknown environment. Such a haptic motion requires much wider bandwidth. However, since the conventional disturbance observer attains the acceleration response by the second order derivative of position response, the bandwidth is limited due to the derivative noise. This paper proposes a novel structure of a disturbance observer. The proposed disturbance observer uses an acceleration sensor for enlargement of bandwidth. Generally, the bandwidth of an acceleration sensor is from 1Hz to more than 1kHz. To cover DC range, the conventional position sensor based disturbance observer is integrated. Thus, the performance of the proposed Position and Acceleration input based disturbance observer (PADO) is superior to the conventional one. The PADO is applied to position control (infinity stiffness) and force control (zero stiffness). The numerical and experimental results show viability of the proposed method.

  13. Trunk acceleration for neuroprosthetic control of standing: a pilot study.

    PubMed

    Nataraj, Raviraj; Audu, Musa L; Kirsch, Robert F; Triolo, Ronald J

    2012-02-01

    This pilot study investigated the potential of using trunk acceleration feedback control of center of pressure (COP) against postural disturbances with a standing neuroprosthesis following paralysis. Artificial neural networks (ANNs) were trained to use three-dimensional trunk acceleration as input to predict changes in COP for able-bodied subjects undergoing perturbations during bipedal stance. Correlation coefficients between ANN predictions and actual COP ranged from 0.67 to 0.77. An ANN trained across all subject-normalized data was used to drive feedback control of ankle muscle excitation levels for a computer model representing a standing neuroprosthesis user. Feedback control reduced average upper-body loading during perturbation onset and recovery by 42% and peak loading by 29% compared with optimal, constant excitation.

  14. Differences in grip force control between young and late middle-aged adults.

    PubMed

    Zheng, Lianrong; Li, Kunyang; Wang, Qian; Chen, Wenhui; Song, Rong; Liu, Guanzheng

    2017-09-01

    Grip force control is a crucial function for human to guarantee the quality of life. To examine the effects of age on grip force control, 10 young adults and 11 late middle-aged adults participated in visually guided tracking tasks using different target force levels (25, 50, and 75% of the subject's maximal grip force). Multiple measures were used to evaluate the tracking performance during force rising phase and force maintenance phase. The measurements include the rise time, fuzzy entropy, mean force percentage, coefficient of variation, and target deviation ratio. The results show that the maximal grip force was significantly lower in the late middle-aged adults than in the young adults. The time of rising phase was systematically longer among late middle-aged adults. The fuzzy entropy is a useful indicator for quantitating the force variability of the grip force signal at higher force levels. These results suggest that the late middle-aged adults applied a compensatory strategy that allow allows for sufficient time to reach the required grip force and reduce the impact of the early and subtle degenerative changes in hand motor function.

  15. Measurement of performance using acceleration control and pulse control in simulated spacecraft docking operations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Brody, Adam R.; Ellis, Stephen R.

    1992-01-01

    Nine commercial airline pilots served as test subjects in a study to compare acceleration control with pulse control in simulated spacecraft maneuvers. Simulated remote dockings of an orbital maneuvering vehicle (OMV) to a space station were initiated from 50, 100, and 150 meters along the station's -V-bar (minus velocity vector). All unsuccessful missions were reflown. Five way mixed analysis of variance (ANOVA) with one between factor, first mode, and four within factors (mode, bloch, range, and trial) were performed on the data. Recorded performance measures included mission duration and fuel consumption along each of the three coordinate axes. Mission duration was lower with pulse mode, while delta V (fuel consumption) was lower with acceleration mode. Subjects used more fuel to travel faster with pulse mode than with acceleration mode. Mission duration, delta V, X delta V, Y delta V., and Z delta V all increased with range. Subjects commanded the OMV to 'fly' at faster rates from further distances. These higher average velocities were paid for with increased fuel consumption. Asymmetrical transfer was found in that the mode transitions could not be predicted solely from the mission duration main effect. More testing is advised to understand the manual control aspects of spaceflight maneuvers better.

  16. Trunk Acceleration for Neuroprosthetic Control of Standing – a Pilot Study

    PubMed Central

    Audu, Musa L.; Kirsch, Robert F.; Triolo, Ronald J.

    2013-01-01

    This pilot study investigated the potential of using trunk acceleration feedback control of center of pressure (COP) against postural disturbances with a standing neuroprosthesis following paralysis. Artificial neural networks (ANNs) were trained to use three-dimensional trunk acceleration as input to predict changes in COP for able-bodied subjects undergoing perturbations during bipedal stance. Correlation coefficients between ANN predictions and actual COP ranged from 0.67 to 0.77. An ANN trained across all subject-normalized data was used to drive feedback control of ankle muscle excitation levels for a computer model representing a standing neuroprosthesis user. Feedback control reduced average upper-body loading during perturbation onset and recovery by 42% and peak loading by 29% compared to optimal, constant excitation. PMID:21975251

  17. Protecting Accelerator Control Systems in the Face of Sophisticated Cyber Attacks

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

    Hartman, Steven M

    2012-01-01

    Cyber security for industrial control systems has received significant attention in the past two years. The news coverage of the Stuxnet attack, believed to be targeted at the control system for a uranium enrichment plant, brought the issue to the attention of news media and policy makers. This has led to increased scrutiny of control systems for critical infrastructure such as power generation and distribution, and industrial systems such as chemical plants and petroleum refineries. The past two years have also seen targeted network attacks aimed at corporate and government entities including US Department of Energy National Laboratories. Both ofmore » these developments have potential repercussions for the control systems of particle accelerators. The need to balance risks from potential attacks with the operational needs of an accelerator present a unique challenge for the system architecture and access model.« less

  18. Controlled Microwave Heating Accelerates Rolling Circle Amplification

    PubMed Central

    Yoshimura, Takeo; Suzuki, Takamasa; Mineki, Shigeru; Ohuchi, Shokichi

    2015-01-01

    Rolling circle amplification (RCA) generates single-stranded DNAs or RNA, and the diverse applications of this isothermal technique range from the sensitive detection of nucleic acids to analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms. Microwave chemistry is widely applied to increase reaction rate as well as product yield and purity. The objectives of the present research were to apply microwave heating to RCA and indicate factors that contribute to the microwave selective heating effect. The microwave reaction temperature was strictly controlled using a microwave applicator optimized for enzymatic-scale reactions. Here, we showed that microwave-assisted RCA reactions catalyzed by either of the four thermostable DNA polymerases were accelerated over 4-folds compared with conventional RCA. Furthermore, the temperatures of the individual buffer components were specifically influenced by microwave heating. We concluded that microwave heating accelerated isothermal RCA of DNA because of the differential heating mechanisms of microwaves on the temperatures of reaction components, although the overall reaction temperatures were the same. PMID:26348227

  19. Controlled Microwave Heating Accelerates Rolling Circle Amplification.

    PubMed

    Yoshimura, Takeo; Suzuki, Takamasa; Mineki, Shigeru; Ohuchi, Shokichi

    2015-01-01

    Rolling circle amplification (RCA) generates single-stranded DNAs or RNA, and the diverse applications of this isothermal technique range from the sensitive detection of nucleic acids to analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms. Microwave chemistry is widely applied to increase reaction rate as well as product yield and purity. The objectives of the present research were to apply microwave heating to RCA and indicate factors that contribute to the microwave selective heating effect. The microwave reaction temperature was strictly controlled using a microwave applicator optimized for enzymatic-scale reactions. Here, we showed that microwave-assisted RCA reactions catalyzed by either of the four thermostable DNA polymerases were accelerated over 4-folds compared with conventional RCA. Furthermore, the temperatures of the individual buffer components were specifically influenced by microwave heating. We concluded that microwave heating accelerated isothermal RCA of DNA because of the differential heating mechanisms of microwaves on the temperatures of reaction components, although the overall reaction temperatures were the same.

  20. Accelerated spike resampling for accurate multiple testing controls.

    PubMed

    Harrison, Matthew T

    2013-02-01

    Controlling for multiple hypothesis tests using standard spike resampling techniques often requires prohibitive amounts of computation. Importance sampling techniques can be used to accelerate the computation. The general theory is presented, along with specific examples for testing differences across conditions using permutation tests and for testing pairwise synchrony and precise lagged-correlation between many simultaneously recorded spike trains using interval jitter.

  1. Adaptive Insecure Attachment and Resource Control Strategies during Middle Childhood

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chen, Bin-Bin; Chang, Lei

    2012-01-01

    By integrating the life history theory of attachment with resource control theory, the current study examines the hypothesis that insecure attachment styles reorganized in middle childhood are alternative adaptive strategies used to prepare for upcoming competition with the peer group. A sample of 654 children in the second through seventh grades…

  2. Extending Student Learning Opportunities in a 6-8 Middle School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Waggoner, Christine; Cline, Lisa

    2006-01-01

    In 2004, South Charlotte Middle School (SCMS), Charlotte, North Carolina, was named "A School to Watch" by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform. One of the program components cited as highly successful by the visiting committee representing the Forum was the provision of an enrichment period called the ninth block. Ninth…

  3. Indicators of Middle School Implementation: How Do Kentucky's Schools to Watch Measure Up?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cook, Christopher M.; Faulkner, Shawn A.; Kinne, Lenore J.

    2009-01-01

    High-performing middle schools are a critical link in the educational continuum. In an effort to stimulate the sluggish reform efforts of middle schools, the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform established the Schools to Watch recognition program. Using responses of school personnel to a statewide survey, this study examined the…

  4. Systems and methods for cylindrical hall thrusters with independently controllable ionization and acceleration stages

    DOEpatents

    Diamant, Kevin David; Raitses, Yevgeny; Fisch, Nathaniel Joseph

    2014-05-13

    Systems and methods may be provided for cylindrical Hall thrusters with independently controllable ionization and acceleration stages. The systems and methods may include a cylindrical channel having a center axial direction, a gas inlet for directing ionizable gas to an ionization section of the cylindrical channel, an ionization device that ionizes at least a portion of the ionizable gas within the ionization section to generate ionized gas, and an acceleration device distinct from the ionization device. The acceleration device may provide an axial electric field for an acceleration section of the cylindrical channel to accelerate the ionized gas through the acceleration section, where the axial electric field has an axial direction in relation to the center axial direction. The ionization section and the acceleration section of the cylindrical channel may be substantially non-overlapping.

  5. Asynchronous data change notification between database server and accelerator controls system

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

    Fu, W.; Morris, J.; Nemesure, S.

    2011-10-10

    Database data change notification (DCN) is a commonly used feature. Not all database management systems (DBMS) provide an explicit DCN mechanism. Even for those DBMS's which support DCN (such as Oracle and MS SQL server), some server side and/or client side programming may be required to make the DCN system work. This makes the setup of DCN between database server and interested clients tedious and time consuming. In accelerator control systems, there are many well established software client/server architectures (such as CDEV, EPICS, and ADO) that can be used to implement data reflection servers that transfer data asynchronously to anymore » client using the standard SET/GET API. This paper describes a method for using such a data reflection server to set up asynchronous DCN (ADCN) between a DBMS and clients. This method works well for all DBMS systems which provide database trigger functionality. Asynchronous data change notification (ADCN) between database server and clients can be realized by combining the use of a database trigger mechanism, which is supported by major DBMS systems, with server processes that use client/server software architectures that are familiar in the accelerator controls community (such as EPICS, CDEV or ADO). This approach makes the ADCN system easy to set up and integrate into an accelerator controls system. Several ADCN systems have been set up and used in the RHIC-AGS controls system.« less

  6. Electron acceleration by surface plasma waves in double metal surface structure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, C. S.; Kumar, Gagan; Singh, D. B.; Tripathi, V. K.

    2007-12-01

    Two parallel metal sheets, separated by a vacuum region, support a surface plasma wave whose amplitude is maximum on the two parallel interfaces and minimum in the middle. This mode can be excited by a laser using a glass prism. An electron beam launched into the middle region experiences a longitudinal ponderomotive force due to the surface plasma wave and gets accelerated to velocities of the order of phase velocity of the surface wave. The scheme is viable to achieve beams of tens of keV energy. In the case of a surface plasma wave excited on a single metal-vacuum interface, the field gradient normal to the interface pushes the electrons away from the high field region, limiting the acceleration process. The acceleration energy thus achieved is in agreement with the experimental observations.

  7. Implementation of the beamline controls at the Florence accelerator laboratory

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Carraresi, L.; Mirto, F. A.

    2008-05-01

    The new Tandetron accelerator in Florence, with many different beamlines, has required a new organization of all the control signals of the used equipment (slow control). We present our solution, which allows us the control of all the employed instruments simultaneously from a number of different workplaces. All of our equipment has been designed to be Ethernet based and this is the key to accomplish two very important requirements: simultaneous remote control from many computers and electrical isolation to achieve a lower noise level. The control of the instruments requires only one Ethernet network and no particular interfaces or drivers on the computers.

  8. Controlling Behaviors in Middle School Youth's Dating Relationships: Reactions and Help-Seeking Behaviors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Elias-Lambert, Nada; Black, Beverly M.; Chigbu, Kingsley U.

    2014-01-01

    This exploratory study examined middle school students' (N = 380) help-seeking behaviors and other reactions to controlling behaviors in their dating relationships. Over three-fourths of the participants perpetrated and were victimized by controlling behaviors in their dating relationships. Youth used emotional/verbal and dominance/isolation forms…

  9. 49 CFR 571.124 - Standard No. 124; Accelerator control systems.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... and injuries resulting from engine overspeed caused by malfunctions in the accelerator control system. S3. Application. This standard applies to passenger cars, multi-purpose passenger vehicles, trucks... components, except the fuel metering device, that regulate engine speed in direct response to movement of the...

  10. Accelerating Mathematics Achievement Using Heterogeneous Grouping

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burris, Carol Corbett; Heubert, Jay P.; Levin, Henry M.

    2006-01-01

    This longitudinal study examined the effects of providing an accelerated mathematics curriculum in heterogeneously grouped middle school classes in a diverse suburban school district. A quasi-experimental cohort design was used to evaluate subsequent completion of advanced high school math courses as well as academic achievement. Results showed…

  11. Resolved motion rate and resolved acceleration servo-control of wheeled mobile robots

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

    Muir, P.F.; Neuman, C.P.; Carnegie-Mellon Univ., Pittsburgh, PA

    1989-01-01

    Accurate motion control of wheeled mobile robots (WMRs) is required for their application to autonomous, semi-autonomous and teleoperated tasks. The similarities between WMRs and stationary manipulators suggest that current, successful, model-based manipulator control algorithms may be applied to WMRs. Special characteristics of WMRs including higher-pairs, closed-chains, friction and unactuated and unsensed joints require innovative modeling methodologies. The WMR modeling challenge has been recently overcome, thus enabling the application of manipulator control algorithms to WMRs. This realization lays the foundation for significant technology transfer from manipulator control to WMR control. We apply two Cartesian-space manipulator control algorithms: resolved motion rate (kinematics-based)more » and resolved acceleration (dynamics-based) control to WMR servo-control. We evaluate simulation studies of two exemplary WMRs: Uranus (a three degree-of-freedom WMR constructed at Carnegie Mellon University), and Bicsun-Bicas (a two degree-of-freedom WMR being constructed at Sandia National Laboratories) under the control of these algorithms. Although resolved motion rate servo-control is adequate for the control of Uranus, resolved acceleration servo-control is required for the control of the mechanically simpler Bicsun-Bicas because it exhibits more dynamic coupling and nonlinearities. Successful accurate motion control of these WMRs in simulation is driving current experimental research studies. 18 refs., 7 figs., 5 tabs.« less

  12. Do Children with Better Inhibitory Control Donate More? Differentiating between Early and Middle Childhood and Cool and Hot Inhibitory Control.

    PubMed

    Hao, Jian

    2017-01-01

    Inhibitory control may play an important part in prosocial behavior, such as donating behavior. However, it is not clear at what developmental stage inhibitory control becomes associated with donating behavior and which aspects of inhibitory control are related to donating behavior during development in early to middle childhood. The present study aimed to clarify these issues with two experiments. In Experiment 1, 103 3- to 5-year-old preschoolers completed cool (Stroop-like) and hot (delay of gratification) inhibitory control tasks and a donating task. The results indicated that there were no relationships between cool or hot inhibitory control and donating behavior in the whole group and each age group of the preschoolers. In Experiment 2, 140 elementary school children in Grades 2, 4, and 6 completed cool (Stroop-like) and hot (delay of gratification) inhibitory control tasks and a donating task. The results showed that inhibitory control was positively associated with donating behavior in the whole group. Cool and hot inhibitory control respectively predicted donating behavior in the second and sixth graders. Therefore, the present study reveals that donating behavior increasingly relies on specific inhibitory control, i.e., hot inhibitory control as children grow in middle childhood.

  13. Is Africa a 'Graveyard' for Linear Accelerators?

    PubMed

    Reichenvater, H; Matias, L Dos S

    2016-12-01

    Linear accelerator downtimes are common and problematic in many African countries and may jeopardise the outcome of affected radiation treatments. The predicted increase in cancer incidence and prevalence on the African continent will require, inter alia, improved response with regard to a reduction in linear accelerator downtimes. Here we discuss the problems associated with the maintenance and repair of linear accelerators and propose alternative solutions relevant for local conditions in African countries. The paper is based on about four decades of experience in capacity building, installing, commissioning, calibrating, servicing and repairing linear accelerators in Africa, where about 40% of the low and middle income countries in the world are geographically located. Linear accelerators can successfully be operated, maintained and repaired in African countries provided proper maintenance and repair plans are put in place and executed. Copyright © 2016 The Royal College of Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Accelerated dissolution testing for controlled release microspheres using the flow-through dissolution apparatus.

    PubMed

    Collier, Jarrod W; Thakare, Mohan; Garner, Solomon T; Israel, Bridg'ette; Ahmed, Hisham; Granade, Saundra; Strong, Deborah L; Price, James C; Capomacchia, A C

    2009-01-01

    Theophylline controlled release capsules (THEO-24 CR) were used as a model system to evaluate accelerated dissolution tests for process and quality control and formulation development of controlled release formulations. Dissolution test acceleration was provided by increasing temperature, pH, flow rate, or adding surfactant. Electron microscope studies on the theophylline microspheres subsequent to each experiment showed that at pH values of 6.6 and 7.6 the microspheres remained intact, but at pH 8.6 they showed deterioration. As temperature was increased from 37-57 degrees C, no change in microsphere integrity was noted. Increased flow rate also showed no detrimental effect on integrity. The effect of increased temperature was determined to be the statistically significant variable.

  15. A remote control console for the HHIRF 25-MV Tandem Accelerator

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

    Hasanul Basher, A.M.

    The CAMAC-based control system for the 25-MV Tandem Accelerator at HHIRF uses two Perkin-Elmer, 32-bit minicomputers: a message-switching computer and a supervisory computer. Two operator consoles are located on one of the six serial highways. Operator control is provided by means of a console CRT, trackball, assignable shaft encoders, and meters. The message-switching computer transmits and receives control information on the serial highways. At present, the CRT pages with updated parameters can be displayed and parameters can be controlled only from the two existing consoles, one in the Tandem control room and the other in the ORIC control room. Itmore » has become necessary to expand the control capability to several other locations in the building. With the expansion of control and monitoring capability of accelerator parameters to other locations, the operators will be able to control and observe the result of the control action at the same time. This capability will be useful in the new Radioactive Ion Beam project of the division. Since the new control console will be PC-based, the existing page format will be changed. The PC will be communicating with the Perkin-Elmer through RS-232 with the aid of a communication protocol. Hardware configuration has been established, a software program that reads the pages from the shared memory, and a communication protocol have been developed. The following sections present the implementation strategy, work completed, future action plans, and the functional details of the communication protocol.« less

  16. Weight-Control Practices Reported by Students in a Maine Middle School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Majka, Alan

    2011-01-01

    Extension professionals who work with youth are often faced with issues of body weight, diet and/or body image. How we handle these topics has the potential to either help or harm. The goal of the study reported here was to explore the prevalence and types of weight-control methods practiced by middle school students. The majority of students…

  17. Accelerator diagnosis and control by Neural Nets

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

    Spencer, J.E.

    1989-01-01

    Neural Nets (NN) have been described as a solution looking for a problem. In the last conference, Artificial Intelligence (AI) was considered in the accelerator context. While good for local surveillance and control, its use for large complex systems (LCS) was much more restricted. By contrast, NN provide a good metaphor for LCS. It can be argued that they are logically equivalent to multi-loop feedback/forward control of faulty systems, and therefore provide an ideal adaptive control system. Thus, where AI may be good for maintaining a 'golden orbit,' NN should be good for obtaining it via a quantitative approach tomore » 'look and adjust' methods like operator tweaking which use pattern recognition to deal with hardware and software limitations, inaccuracies or errors as well as imprecise knowledge or understanding of effects like annealing and hysteresis. Further, insights from NN allow one to define feasibility conditions for LCS in terms of design constraints and tolerances. Hardware and software implications are discussed and several LCS of current interest are compared and contrasted. 15 refs., 5 figs.« less

  18. Decay-Accelerating Factor Mitigates Controlled Hemorrhage-Instigated Intestinal and Lung Tissue Damage and Hyperkalemia in Swine

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-07-01

    Decay-Accelerating Factor Mitigates Controlled Hemorrhage- Instigated Intestinal and Lung Tissue Damage and Hyperkalemia in Swine Jurandir J. Dalle...DAF treatment improved hemorrhage- induced hyperkalemia . The protective effects of DAF appear to be related to its ability to reduce tissue complement...Decay-accelerating factor mitigates controlled hemorrhage-instigated intestinal and lung tissue damage and hyperkalemia in swine 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER

  19. Genetic Relations between Effortful and Attentional Control and Symptoms of Psychopathology in Middle Childhood

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lemery-Chalfant, Kathryn; Doelger, Lisa; Goldsmith, H. Hill

    2008-01-01

    Elucidating the genetic and environmental aetiology of effortful control (mother and father reports at two time points), attentional control (observer reports), and their associations with internalizing and externalizing symptoms (mother and father reports) is the central focus of this paper. With a sample of twins in middle childhood…

  20. Controlled Electron Injection into Plasma Accelerators and SpaceCharge Estimates

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

    Fubiani, Gwenael G.J.

    2005-09-01

    Plasma based accelerators are capable of producing electron sources which are ultra-compact (a few microns) and high energies (up to hundreds of MeVs) in much shorter distances than conventional accelerators. This is due to the large longitudinal electric field that can be excited without the limitation of breakdown as in RF structures.The characteristic scale length of the accelerating field is the plasma wavelength and for typical densities ranging from 10 18 - 10 19 cm -3, the accelerating fields and scale length can hence be on the order of 10-100GV/m and 10-40 μm, respectively. The production of quasimonoenergetic beams wasmore » recently obtained in a regime relying on self-trapping of background plasma electrons, using a single laser pulse for wakefield generation. In this dissertation, we study the controlled injection via the beating of two lasers (the pump laser pulse creating the plasma wave and a second beam being propagated in opposite direction) which induce a localized injection of background plasma electrons. The aim of this dissertation is to describe in detail the physics of optical injection using two lasers, the characteristics of the electron beams produced (the micrometer scale plasma wavelength can result in femtosecond and even attosecond bunches) as well as a concise estimate of the effects of space charge on the dynamics of an ultra-dense electron bunch with a large energy spread.« less

  1. Controlled hypotension for middle ear surgery: a comparison between remifentanil and magnesium sulphate.

    PubMed

    Ryu, J-H; Sohn, I-S; Do, S-H

    2009-10-01

    This prospective, randomized study was designed to compare remifentanil and magnesium sulphate during middle ear surgery in terms of postoperative pain and other complications. Eighty patients undergoing middle ear surgery were enrolled in the study. Patients were randomized into two groups of 40 to receive remifentanil (Group R) or magnesium sulphate (Group M) infusion. Propofol 2 mg kg(-1) was administered to induce anaesthesia, which was maintained using sevoflurane. Group R received a continuous infusion of remifentanil titrated between 3 and 4 ng ml(-1) using target-controlled infusion, whereas Group M received an i.v. magnesium sulphate bolus of 50 mg kg(-1) followed by a 15 mg kg(-1) h(-1) continuous infusion to maintain a mean arterial pressure (MAP) between 60 and 70 mm Hg. Haemodynamic variables, surgical conditions, postoperative pain, and adverse effects, such as postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) and shivering, were recorded. Controlled hypotension was well maintained in both groups. MAP and heart rate were higher in Group R than in Group M after operation. Surgical conditions were not different between the two groups. Postoperative pain scores were significantly lower in Group M than in Group R (P<0.05). Seventeen patients in Group R (43%) and seven patients in Group M (18%) developed PONV (P=0.01). Both magnesium sulphate and remifentanil when combined with sevoflurane provided adequate controlled hypotension and proper surgical conditions for middle ear surgery. However, patients administered magnesium sulphate had a more favourable postoperative course with better analgesia and less shivering and PONV.

  2. Comparing joint kinematics and center of mass acceleration as feedback for control of standing balance by functional neuromuscular stimulation.

    PubMed

    Nataraj, Raviraj; Audu, Musa L; Triolo, Ronald J

    2012-05-06

    The purpose of this study was to determine the comparative effectiveness of feedback control systems for maintaining standing balance based on joint kinematics or total body center of mass (COM) acceleration, and assess their clinical practicality for standing neuroprostheses after spinal cord injury (SCI). In simulation, controller performance was measured according to the upper extremity effort required to stabilize a three-dimensional model of bipedal standing against a variety of postural disturbances. Three cases were investigated: proportional-derivative control based on joint kinematics alone, COM acceleration feedback alone, and combined joint kinematics and COM acceleration feedback. Additionally, pilot data was collected during external perturbations of an individual with SCI standing with functional neuromuscular stimulation (FNS), and the resulting joint kinematics and COM acceleration data was analyzed. Compared to the baseline case of maximal constant muscle excitations, the three control systems reduced the mean upper extremity loading by 51%, 43% and 56%, respectively against external force-pulse perturbations. Controller robustness was defined as the degradation in performance with increasing levels of input errors expected with clinical deployment of sensor-based feedback. At error levels typical for body-mounted inertial sensors, performance degradation due to sensor noise and placement were negligible. However, at typical tracking error levels, performance could degrade as much as 86% for joint kinematics feedback and 35% for COM acceleration feedback. Pilot data indicated that COM acceleration could be estimated with a few well-placed sensors and efficiently captures information related to movement synergies observed during perturbed bipedal standing following SCI. Overall, COM acceleration feedback may be a more feasible solution for control of standing with FNS given its superior robustness and small number of inputs required.

  3. Cherenkov Radiation Control via Self-accelerating Wave-packets.

    PubMed

    Hu, Yi; Li, Zhili; Wetzel, Benjamin; Morandotti, Roberto; Chen, Zhigang; Xu, Jingjun

    2017-08-18

    Cherenkov radiation is a ubiquitous phenomenon in nature. It describes electromagnetic radiation from a charged particle moving in a medium with a uniform velocity larger than the phase velocity of light in the same medium. Such a picture is typically adopted in the investigation of traditional Cherenkov radiation as well as its counterparts in different branches of physics, including nonlinear optics, spintronics and plasmonics. In these cases, the radiation emitted spreads along a "cone", making it impractical for most applications. Here, we employ a self-accelerating optical pump wave-packet to demonstrate controlled shaping of one type of generalized Cherenkov radiation - dispersive waves in optical fibers. We show that, by tuning the parameters of the wave-packet, the emitted waves can be judiciously compressed and focused at desired locations, paving the way to such control in any physical system.

  4. Comparing joint kinematics and center of mass acceleration as feedback for control of standing balance by functional neuromuscular stimulation

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background The purpose of this study was to determine the comparative effectiveness of feedback control systems for maintaining standing balance based on joint kinematics or total body center of mass (COM) acceleration, and assess their clinical practicality for standing neuroprostheses after spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods In simulation, controller performance was measured according to the upper extremity effort required to stabilize a three-dimensional model of bipedal standing against a variety of postural disturbances. Three cases were investigated: proportional-derivative control based on joint kinematics alone, COM acceleration feedback alone, and combined joint kinematics and COM acceleration feedback. Additionally, pilot data was collected during external perturbations of an individual with SCI standing with functional neuromuscular stimulation (FNS), and the resulting joint kinematics and COM acceleration data was analyzed. Results Compared to the baseline case of maximal constant muscle excitations, the three control systems reduced the mean upper extremity loading by 51%, 43% and 56%, respectively against external force-pulse perturbations. Controller robustness was defined as the degradation in performance with increasing levels of input errors expected with clinical deployment of sensor-based feedback. At error levels typical for body-mounted inertial sensors, performance degradation due to sensor noise and placement were negligible. However, at typical tracking error levels, performance could degrade as much as 86% for joint kinematics feedback and 35% for COM acceleration feedback. Pilot data indicated that COM acceleration could be estimated with a few well-placed sensors and efficiently captures information related to movement synergies observed during perturbed bipedal standing following SCI. Conclusions Overall, COM acceleration feedback may be a more feasible solution for control of standing with FNS given its superior robustness and small

  5. Simultaneous Multislice Echo Planar Imaging With Blipped Controlled Aliasing in Parallel Imaging Results in Higher Acceleration: A Promising Technique for Accelerated Diffusion Tensor Imaging of Skeletal Muscle.

    PubMed

    Filli, Lukas; Piccirelli, Marco; Kenkel, David; Guggenberger, Roman; Andreisek, Gustav; Beck, Thomas; Runge, Val M; Boss, Andreas

    2015-07-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of accelerated diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) of skeletal muscle using echo planar imaging (EPI) applying simultaneous multislice excitation with a blipped controlled aliasing in parallel imaging results in higher acceleration unaliasing technique. After federal ethics board approval, the lower leg muscles of 8 healthy volunteers (mean [SD] age, 29.4 [2.9] years) were examined in a clinical 3-T magnetic resonance scanner using a 15-channel knee coil. The EPI was performed at a b value of 500 s/mm2 without slice acceleration (conventional DTI) as well as with 2-fold and 3-fold acceleration. Fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) were measured in all 3 acquisitions. Fiber tracking performance was compared between the acquisitions regarding the number of tracks, average track length, and anatomical precision using multivariate analysis of variance and Mann-Whitney U tests. Acquisition time was 7:24 minutes for conventional DTI, 3:53 minutes for 2-fold acceleration, and 2:38 minutes for 3-fold acceleration. Overall FA and MD values ranged from 0.220 to 0.378 and 1.595 to 1.829 mm2/s, respectively. Two-fold acceleration yielded similar FA and MD values (P ≥ 0.901) and similar fiber tracking performance compared with conventional DTI. Three-fold acceleration resulted in comparable MD (P = 0.199) but higher FA values (P = 0.006) and significantly impaired fiber tracking in the soleus and tibialis anterior muscles (number of tracks, P < 0.001; anatomical precision, P ≤ 0.005). Simultaneous multislice EPI with blipped controlled aliasing in parallel imaging results in higher acceleration can remarkably reduce acquisition time in DTI of skeletal muscle with similar image quality and quantification accuracy of diffusion parameters. This may increase the clinical applicability of muscle anisotropy measurements.

  6. Proceedings of: 2005 Particle Acceleration Confence

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

    Henderson, Stuart

    2006-01-01

    The 21st Particle Accelerator Conference, PAC05, took place at the Knoxville Convention Center (KCC) from Monday through Friday, May 16-20, 2005. Sponsored by the American Physical Society (APS), the Institute of Electrics and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) with its subdivision of Nuclear and Plasma Sciences Society (NPSS), the conference was hosted by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) Project and Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (JLab). The conference was chaired by Norbert Holtkamp, and the Local Organizing Committee was made up of staff from the ORNL SNS Project under the chairmanship of Stuart Henderson. The conference welcomedmore » over 1400 delegates from the United States, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, South America and from as far away as Australia. Almost 1400 papers where processed during the conference and will be published on the Joint Accelerator Conferences Website (JACoW) page.« less

  7. Development of a remote control console for the HHIRF 25-MV tandem accelerator

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

    Hasanul Basher, A.M.

    1991-09-01

    The CAMAC-based control system for the 25-MV Tandem Accelerator at HHIRF uses two Perkin-Elmer, 32-bit minicomputers: a message-switching computer and a supervisory computer. Two operator consoles are located on one of the six serial highways. Operator control is provided by means of a console CRT, trackball, assignable shaft encoders and meters. The message-switching computer transmits and receives control information on the serial highways. At present, the CRT pages with updated parameters can be displayed and parameters can be controlled only from the two existing consoles, one in the Tandem control room and the other in the ORIC control room. Itmore » has become necessary to expand the control capability to several other locations in the building. With the expansion of control and monitoring capability of accelerator parameters to other locations, the operators will be able to control and observe the result of the control action at the same time. Since the new control console will be PC-based, the existing page format will be changed. The PC will be communicating with the Perkin-Elmer through RS-232 and a communication software package. Hardware configuration has been established, a communication software program that reads the pages from the shared memory has been developed. In this paper, we present the implementation strategy, works completed, existing and new page format, future action plans, explanation of pages and use of related global variables, a sample session, and flowcharts.« less

  8. Laser driven ion accelerator

    DOEpatents

    Tajima, Toshiki

    2006-04-18

    A system and method of accelerating ions in an accelerator to optimize the energy produced by a light source. Several parameters may be controlled in constructing a target used in the accelerator system to adjust performance of the accelerator system. These parameters include the material, thickness, geometry and surface of the target.

  9. Untangling the Effect of Head Acceleration on Brain Responses to Blast Waves

    PubMed Central

    Mao, Haojie; Unnikrishnan, Ginu; Rakesh, Vineet; Reifman, Jaques

    2015-01-01

    Multiple injury-causing mechanisms, such as wave propagation, skull flexure, cavitation, and head acceleration, have been proposed to explain blast-induced traumatic brain injury (bTBI). An accurate, quantitative description of the individual contribution of each of these mechanisms may be necessary to develop preventive strategies against bTBI. However, to date, despite numerous experimental and computational studies of bTBI, this question remains elusive. In this study, using a two-dimensional (2D) rat head model, we quantified the contribution of head acceleration to the biomechanical response of brain tissues when exposed to blast waves in a shock tube. We compared brain pressure at the coup, middle, and contre-coup regions between a 2D rat head model capable of simulating all mechanisms (i.e., the all-effects model) and an acceleration-only model. From our simulations, we determined that head acceleration contributed 36–45% of the maximum brain pressure at the coup region, had a negligible effect on the pressure at the middle region, and was responsible for the low pressure at the contre-coup region. Our findings also demonstrate that the current practice of measuring rat brain pressures close to the center of the brain would record only two-thirds of the maximum pressure observed at the coup region. Therefore, to accurately capture the effects of acceleration in experiments, we recommend placing a pressure sensor near the coup region, especially when investigating the acceleration mechanism using different experimental setups. PMID:26458125

  10. Improved transmission of electrostatic accelerator in a wide range of terminal voltages by controlling the focal strength of entrance acceleration tube

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lobanov, Nikolai R.; Tunningley, Thomas; Linardakis, Peter

    2018-04-01

    Tandem electrostatic accelerators often require the flexibility to operate at a variety of terminal voltages to accommodate various user requirements. However, the ion beam transmission will only be optimal for a limited range of terminal voltages. This paper describes the operational performance of a novel focusing system that expands the range of terminal voltages for optimal transmission. This is accomplished by controlling the gradient of the entrance of the low-energy tube, providing an additional focusing element. In this specific case it is achieved by applying up to 150 kV to the fifth electrode of the first unit of the accelerator tube. Numerical simulations and beam transmission tests have been performed to confirm the effectiveness of the lens. An analytical expression has been derived describing its focal properties. These tests demonstrate that the entrance lens control eliminates the need to short out sections of the tube for operation at low terminal voltage.

  11. Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS)

    MedlinePlus

    Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus; MERS-CoV; Novel coronavirus; nCoV ... for Disease Control and Prevention website. Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS): Frequently asked questions and answers. www. ...

  12. 1985 Particle Accelerator Conference: Accelerator Engineering and Technology, 11th, Vancouver, Canada, May 13-16, 1985, Proceedings

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Strathdee, A.

    1985-10-01

    The topics discussed are related to high-energy accelerators and colliders, particle sources and electrostatic accelerators, controls, instrumentation and feedback, beam dynamics, low- and intermediate-energy circular accelerators and rings, RF and other acceleration systems, beam injection, extraction and transport, operations and safety, linear accelerators, applications of accelerators, radiation sources, superconducting supercolliders, new acceleration techniques, superconducting components, cryogenics, and vacuum. Accelerator and storage ring control systems are considered along with linear and nonlinear orbit theory, transverse and longitudinal instabilities and cures, beam cooling, injection and extraction orbit theory, high current dynamics, general beam dynamics, and medical and radioisotope applications. Attention is given to superconducting RF structures, magnet technology, superconducting magnets, and physics opportunities with relativistic heavy ion accelerators.

  13. Active control of an innovative seat suspension system with acceleration measurement based friction estimation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ning, Donghong; Sun, Shuaishuai; Li, Hongyi; Du, Haiping; Li, Weihua

    2016-12-01

    In this paper, an innovative active seat suspension system for vehicles is presented. This seat suspension prototype is built with two low cost actuators each of which has one rotary motor and one gear reducer. A H∞ controller with friction compensation is designed for the seat suspension control system where the friction is estimated and compensated based on the measurement of seat acceleration. This principal aim of this research was to control the low frequency vibration transferred or amplified by the vehicle (chassis) suspension, and to maintain the passivity of the seat suspension at high frequency (isolation vibration) while taking into consideration the trade-off between the active seat suspension cost and its high frequency performance. Sinusoidal excitations of 1-4.5 Hz were applied to test the active seat suspension both when controlled and when uncontrolled and this is compared with a well-tuned passive heavy duty vehicle seat suspension. The results indicate the effectiveness of the proposed control algorithm within the tested frequencies. Further tests were conducted using the excitations generated from a quarter-car model under bump and random road profiles. The bump road tests indicate the controlled active seat suspension has good transient response performance. The Power Spectral Density (PSD) method and ISO 2631-1 standards were applied to analyse the seat suspension's acceleration under random road conditions. Although some low magnitude and high frequency noise will inevitably be introduced by the active system, the weighted-frequency Root Mean Square (RMS) acceleration shows that this may not have a large effect on ride comfort. In fact, the ride comfort is improved from being an 'a little uncomfortable' to a 'not uncomfortable' level when compared with the well-tuned passive seat suspension. This low cost active seat suspension design and the proposed controller with the easily measured feedback signals are very practical for real

  14. Optical control of hard X-ray polarization by electron injection in a laser wakefield accelerator

    PubMed Central

    Schnell, Michael; Sävert, Alexander; Uschmann, Ingo; Reuter, Maria; Nicolai, Maria; Kämpfer, Tino; Landgraf, Björn; Jäckel, Oliver; Jansen, Oliver; Pukhov, Alexander; Kaluza, Malte Christoph; Spielmann, Christian

    2013-01-01

    Laser-plasma particle accelerators could provide more compact sources of high-energy radiation than conventional accelerators. Moreover, because they deliver radiation in femtosecond pulses, they could improve the time resolution of X-ray absorption techniques. Here we show that we can measure and control the polarization of ultra-short, broad-band keV photon pulses emitted from a laser-plasma-based betatron source. The electron trajectories and hence the polarization of the emitted X-rays are experimentally controlled by the pulse-front tilt of the driving laser pulses. Particle-in-cell simulations show that an asymmetric plasma wave can be driven by a tilted pulse front and a non-symmetric intensity distribution of the focal spot. Both lead to a notable off-axis electron injection followed by collective electron–betatron oscillations. We expect that our method for an all-optical steering is not only useful for plasma-based X-ray sources but also has significance for future laser-based particle accelerators. PMID:24026068

  15. Economical launching and accelerating control strategy for a single-shaft parallel hybrid electric bus

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Chao; Song, Jian; Li, Liang; Li, Shengbo; Cao, Dongpu

    2016-08-01

    This paper presents an economical launching and accelerating mode, including four ordered phases: pure electrical driving, clutch engagement and engine start-up, engine active charging, and engine driving, which can be fit for the alternating conditions and improve the fuel economy of hybrid electric bus (HEB) during typical city-bus driving scenarios. By utilizing the fast response feature of electric motor (EM), an adaptive controller for EM is designed to realize the power demand during the pure electrical driving mode, the engine starting mode and the engine active charging mode. Concurrently, the smoothness issue induced by the sequential mode transitions is solved with a coordinated control logic for engine, EM and clutch. Simulation and experimental results show that the proposed launching and accelerating mode and its control methods are effective in improving the fuel economy and ensure the drivability during the fast transition between the operation modes of HEB.

  16. Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS)

    MedlinePlus

    ... Controls Cancel Submit Search The CDC Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) Note: Javascript is disabled or is ... Recommend on Facebook Tweet Share Compartir Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is viral respiratory illness that was ...

  17. Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Infection Control and Prevention Guideline for Healthcare Facilities.

    PubMed

    Kim, Jin Yong; Song, Joon Young; Yoon, Young Kyung; Choi, Seong-Ho; Song, Young Goo; Kim, Sung-Ran; Son, Hee-Jung; Jeong, Sun-Young; Choi, Jung-Hwa; Kim, Kyung Mi; Yoon, Hee Jung; Choi, Jun Yong; Kim, Tae Hyong; Choi, Young Hwa; Kim, Hong Bin; Yoon, Ji Hyun; Lee, Jacob; Eom, Joong Sik; Lee, Sang-Oh; Oh, Won Sup; Choi, Jung-Hyun; Yoo, Jin-Hong; Kim, Woo Joo; Cheong, Hee Jin

    2015-12-01

    Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is an acute viral respiratory illness with high mortality caused by a new strain of betacoronavirus (MERS-CoV). Since the report of the first patient in Saudi Arabia in 2012, large-scale outbreaks through hospital-acquired infection and inter-hospital transmission have been reported. Most of the patients reported in South Korea were also infected in hospital settings. Therefore, to eliminate the spread of MERS-CoV, infection prevention and control measures should be implemented with rigor. The present guideline has been drafted on the basis of the experiences of infection control in the South Korean hospitals involved in the recent MERS outbreak and on domestic and international infection prevention and control guidelines. To ensure efficient MERS-CoV infection prevention and control, care should be taken to provide comprehensive infection control measures including contact control, hand hygiene, personal protective equipment, disinfection, and environmental cleaning.

  18. 75 FR 57385 - Internal Control Over Financial Reporting in Exchange Act Periodic Reports of Non-Accelerated Filers

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-09-21

    ... attestation report of its registered public accounting firm on internal control over financial reporting in... definition of either an ``accelerated filer'' or a ``large accelerated filer'' under Exchange Act Rule 12b-2..., for both definitions, the issuer needs to have been subject to reporting requirements for at least...

  19. Development of an automatic frequency control system for an X-band (=9300 MHz) RF electron linear accelerator

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cha, Sungsu; Kim, Yujong; Lee, Byung Cheol; Park, Hyung Dal; Lee, Seung Hyun; Buaphad, Pikad

    2017-05-01

    KAERI is developing a 6 MeV X-band radio frequency (RF) electron linear accelerator for medical purposes. The proposed X-band accelerator consists of an e-gun, an accelerating structure, two solenoid magnets, two steering magnets, a magnetron, a modulator, and an automatic frequency control (AFC) system. The accelerating structure of the component consists of oxygen-free high-conductivity copper (OFHC). Therefore, the ambient temperature changes the volume, and the resonance frequency of the accelerating structure also changes. If the RF frequency of a 9300 MHz magnetron and the resonance frequency of the accelerating structure do not match, it can degrade the performance. That is, it will decrease the output power, lower the beam current, decrease the X-ray dose rate, increase the reflection power, and result in unstable operation of the accelerator. Accelerator operation should be possible at any time during all four seasons. To prevent humans from being exposed to radiation when it is operated, the accelerator should also be operable through remote monitoring and remote control. Therefore, the AFC system is designed to meet these requirements; it is configured based on the concept of a phase-locked loop (PLL) model, which includes an RF section, an intermediate frequency (IF) [1-3] section, and a local oscillator (LO) section. Some resonance frequency controllers use a DC motor, chain, and potentiometer to store the position and tune the frequency [4,5]. Our AFC system uses a step motor to tune the RF frequency of the magnetron. The maximum tuning turn number of our magnetron frequency tuning shaft is ten. Since the RF frequency of our magnetron is 9300±25 MHz, it gives 5 MHz (∵±25 MHz/10 turns → 50 MHz/10 turns =5 MHz/turn) frequency tuning per turn. The rotation angle of our step motor is 0.72° per step and the total step number per one rotation is 360°/0.72°=500 steps. Therefore, the tuning range per step is 10 kHz/step (=5 MHz per turn/500 steps per

  20. Prospects for laser-driven ion acceleration through controlled displacement of electrons by standing waves

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Magnusson, J.; Mackenroth, F.; Marklund, M.; Gonoskov, A.

    2018-05-01

    During the interaction of intense femtosecond laser pulses with various targets, the natural mechanisms of laser energy transformation inherently lack temporal control and thus commonly do not provide opportunities for a controlled generation of a well-collimated, high-charge beam of ions with a given energy of particular interest. In an effort to alleviate this problem, it was recently proposed that the ions can be dragged by an electron bunch trapped in a controllably moving potential well formed by laser radiation. Such standing-wave acceleration (SWA) can be achieved through reflection of a chirped laser pulse from a mirror, which has been formulated as the concept of chirped-standing-wave acceleration (CSWA). Here, we analyse general feasibility aspects of the SWA approach and demonstrate its reasonable robustness against field structure imperfections, such as those caused by misalignment, ellipticity, and limited contrast. Using this, we also identify prospects and limitations of the CSWA concept.

  1. Slip Ratio Estimation and Regenerative Brake Control for Decelerating Electric Vehicles without Detection of Vehicle Velocity and Acceleration

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Suzuki, Toru; Fujimoto, Hiroshi

    In slip ratio control systems, it is necessary to detect the vehicle velocity in order to obtain the slip ratio. However, it is very difficult to measure this velocity directly. We have proposed slip ratio estimation and control methods that do not require the vehicle velocity with acceleration. In this paper, the slip ratio estimation and control methods are proposed without detecting the vehicle velocity and acceleration when it is decelerating. We carried out simulations and experiments by using an electric vehicle to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.

  2. Prediction of force and acceleration control spectra for Space Shuttle orbiter sidewall-mounted payloads

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hipol, Philip J.

    1990-01-01

    The development of force and acceleration control spectra for vibration testing of Space Shuttle (STS) orbiter sidewall-mounted payloads requiresreliable estimates of the sidewall apparent weight and free (i.e. unloaded) vibration during lift-off. The feasibility of analytically predicting these quantities has been investigated through the development and analysis of a finite element model of the STS cargo bay. Analytical predictions of the sidewall apparent weight were compared with apparent weight measurements made on OV-101, and analytical predictions of the sidewall free vibration response during lift-off were compared with flight measurements obtained from STS-3 and STS-4. These analysis suggest that the cargo bay finite element model has potential application for the estimation of force and acceleration control spectra for STS sidewall-mounted payloads.

  3. Design and Flight Tests of an Adaptive Control System Employing Normal-Acceleration Command

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    McNeill, Water E.; McLean, John D.; Hegarty, Daniel M.; Heinle, Donovan R.

    1961-01-01

    An adaptive control system employing normal-acceleration command has been designed with the aid of an analog computer and has been flight tested. The design of the system was based on the concept of using a mathematical model in combination with a high gain and a limiter. The study was undertaken to investigate the application of a system of this type to the task of maintaining nearly constant dynamic longitudinal response of a piloted airplane over the flight envelope without relying on air data measurements for gain adjustment. The range of flight conditions investigated was between Mach numbers of 0.36 and 1.15 and altitudes of 10,000 and 40,000 feet. The final adaptive system configuration was derived from analog computer tests, in which the physical airplane control system and much of the control circuitry were included in the loop. The method employed to generate the feedback signals resulted in a model whose characteristics varied somewhat with changes in flight condition. Flight results showed that the system limited the variation in longitudinal natural frequency of the adaptive airplane to about half that of the basic airplane and that, for the subsonic cases, the damping ratio was maintained between 0.56 and 0.69. The system also automatically compensated for the transonic trim change. Objectionable features of the system were an exaggerated sensitivity of pitch attitude to gust disturbances, abnormally large pitch attitude response for a given pilot input at low speeds, and an initial delay in normal-acceleration response to pilot control at all flight conditions. The adaptive system chatter of +/-0.05 to +/-0.10 of elevon at about 9 cycles per second (resulting in a maximum airplane normal-acceleration response of from +/-0.025 g to +/- 0.035 g) was considered by the pilots to be mildly objectionable but tolerable.

  4. Controlling laser driven protons acceleration using a deformable mirror at a high repetition rate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Noaman-ul-Haq, M.; Sokollik, T.; Ahmed, H.; Braenzel, J.; Ehrentraut, L.; Mirzaie, M.; Yu, L.-L.; Sheng, Z. M.; Chen, L. M.; Schnürer, M.; Zhang, J.

    2018-03-01

    We present results from a proof-of-principle experiment to optimize laser driven protons acceleration by directly feeding back its spectral information to a deformable mirror (DM) controlled by evolutionary algorithms (EAs). By irradiating a stable high-repetition rate tape driven target with ultra-intense pulses of intensities ∼1020 W/ cm2, we optimize the maximum energy of the accelerated protons with a stability of less than ∼5% fluctuations near optimum value. Moreover, due to spatio-temporal development of the sheath field, modulations in the spectrum are also observed. Particularly, a prominent narrow peak is observed with a spread of ∼15% (FWHM) at low energy part of the spectrum. These results are helpful to develop high repetition rate optimization techniques required for laser-driven ion accelerators.

  5. Self-Concept and Drug Addiction: A Controlled Study of White, Middle-Socioeconomic Status Addicts.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lindblad, Richard A.

    This study investigated the questions of whether addicts have more negative self-attitudes than their matched controls, and if they do, whether the constructs of self theory are able to explain the differences. Subjects were selected from white middle socioeconomic status (WMSES) narcotic addicts being treated under the Narcotic Addict…

  6. Control of quasi-monoenergetic electron beams from laser-plasma accelerators with adjustable shock density profile

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tsai, Hai-En; Swanson, Kelly K.; Barber, Sam K.; Lehe, Remi; Mao, Hann-Shin; Mittelberger, Daniel E.; Steinke, Sven; Nakamura, Kei; van Tilborg, Jeroen; Schroeder, Carl; Esarey, Eric; Geddes, Cameron G. R.; Leemans, Wim

    2018-04-01

    The injection physics in a shock-induced density down-ramp injector was characterized, demonstrating precise control of a laser-plasma accelerator (LPA). Using a jet-blade assembly, experiments systematically varied the shock injector profile, including shock angle, shock position, up-ramp width, and acceleration length. Our work demonstrates that beam energy, energy spread, and pointing can be controlled by adjusting these parameters. As a result, an electron beam that was highly tunable from 25 to 300 MeV with 8% energy spread (ΔEFWHM/E), 1.5 mrad divergence, and 0.35 mrad pointing fluctuation was produced. Particle-in-cell simulation characterized how variation in the shock angle and up-ramp width impacted the injection process. This highly controllable LPA represents a suitable, compact electron beam source for LPA applications such as Thomson sources and free-electron lasers.

  7. Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Infection Control and Prevention Guideline for Healthcare Facilities

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Jin Yong; Song, Joon Young; Yoon, Young Kyung; Choi, Seong-Ho; Song, Young Goo; Kim, Sung-Ran; Son, Hee-Jung; Jeong, Sun-Young; Choi, Jung-Hwa; Kim, Kyung Mi; Yoon, Hee Jung; Choi, Jun Yong; Kim, Tae Hyong; Choi, Young Hwa; Kim, Hong Bin; Yoon, Ji Hyun; Lee, Jacob; Eom, Joong Sik; Lee, Sang-Oh; Oh, Won Sup; Choi, Jung-Hyun; Yoo, Jin-Hong; Kim, Woo Joo

    2015-01-01

    Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is an acute viral respiratory illness with high mortality caused by a new strain of betacoronavirus (MERS-CoV). Since the report of the first patient in Saudi Arabia in 2012, large-scale outbreaks through hospital-acquired infection and inter-hospital transmission have been reported. Most of the patients reported in South Korea were also infected in hospital settings. Therefore, to eliminate the spread of MERS-CoV, infection prevention and control measures should be implemented with rigor. The present guideline has been drafted on the basis of the experiences of infection control in the South Korean hospitals involved in the recent MERS outbreak and on domestic and international infection prevention and control guidelines. To ensure efficient MERS-CoV infection prevention and control, care should be taken to provide comprehensive infection control measures including contact control, hand hygiene, personal protective equipment, disinfection, and environmental cleaning. PMID:26788414

  8. Linking Implementation Process to Intervention Outcomes in a Middle School Obesity Prevention Curriculum, "Choice, Control and Change"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gray, Heewon Lee; Contento, Isobel R.; Koch, Pamela A.

    2015-01-01

    This study investigates the link between process evaluation components and the outcomes of a school-based nutrition curriculum intervention, "Choice, Control and Change". Ten New York City public middle schools were recruited and randomly assigned into intervention or control condition. The curriculum was to improve sixth to seventh…

  9. Promoting a Positive Middle School Transition: A Randomized-Controlled Treatment Study Examining Self-Concept and Self-Esteem.

    PubMed

    Coelho, Vitor Alexandre; Marchante, Marta; Jimerson, Shane R

    2017-03-01

    The middle school transition is a salient developmental experience impacting adolescents around the world. This study employed a randomized-controlled treatment design, with randomization at the school level, to investigate the impact of a school adjustment program for middle school transition and potential gender differences. Participants included 1147 students (M age  = 9.62; SD = 0.30, 45.7 % girls), who were assessed at four time points during the transition, regarding five dimensions of self-concept (academic, social, emotional, physical and family) and self-esteem. Parallel growth curves were employed to analyze the evolution of self-concept. Following the transition to middle school, students reported lower levels of self-concept (academic, emotional and physical) and self-esteem, while participation in the intervention led to increases in self-esteem and gains in social self-concept. No gender differences were found. These results provide preliminary evidence supporting such interventions in early middle school transitions.

  10. Extended analytical formulas for the perturbed Keplerian motion under a constant control acceleration

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zuiani, Federico; Vasile, Massimiliano

    2015-03-01

    This paper presents a set of analytical formulae for the perturbed Keplerian motion of a spacecraft under the effect of a constant control acceleration. The proposed set of formulae can treat control accelerations that are fixed in either a rotating or inertial reference frame. Moreover, the contribution of the zonal harmonic is included in the analytical formulae. It will be shown that the proposed analytical theory allows for the fast computation of long, multi-revolution spirals while maintaining good accuracy. The combined effect of different perturbations and of the shadow regions due to solar eclipse is also included. Furthermore, a simplified control parameterisation is introduced to optimise thrusting patterns with two thrust arcs and two cost arcs per revolution. This simple parameterisation is shown to ensure enough flexibility to describe complex low thrust spirals. The accuracy and speed of the proposed analytical formulae are compared against a full numerical integration with different integration schemes. An averaging technique is then proposed as an application of the analytical formulae. Finally, the paper presents an example of design of an optimal low-thrust spiral to transfer a spacecraft from an elliptical to a circular orbit around the Earth.

  11. North Carolina Partnership for Accelerated Schools Review of the 1996-97 School Year. Profiles in School Change.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    North Carolina State Dept. of Public Instruction, Raleigh.

    The North Carolina Partnership for Accelerated Schools was created to contribute to North Carolina's efforts to reform its educational system. Nine schools (seven elementary schools and two middle schools) that are in this partnership are profiled. The schools profiled were at various stages of implementing the Accelerated School process and had…

  12. Control of quasi-monoenergetic electron beams from laser-plasma accelerators with adjustable shock density profile

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

    Tsai, Hai-En; Swanson, Kelly K.; Barber, Sam K.

    The injection physics in a shock-induced density down-ramp injector was characterized, demonstrating precise control of a laser-plasma accelerator (LPA). Using a jet-blade assembly, experiments systematically v aried the shock injector profile, including shock angle, shock position, up-ramp width, and acceleration length. Our work demonstrates that beam energy, energy spread, and pointing can be controlled by adjusting these parameters. As a result, an electron beam that was highly tunable from 25 to 300 MeV with 8% energy spread (ΔE FWHM/E), 1.5 mrad divergence, and 0.35 mrad pointing fluctuation was produced. Particle-in-cell simulation characterized how variation in the shock angle and up-rampmore » width impacted the injection process. This highly controllable LPA represents a suitable, compact electron beam source for LPA applications such as Thomson sources and free-electron lasers.« less

  13. Control of quasi-monoenergetic electron beams from laser-plasma accelerators with adjustable shock density profile

    DOE PAGES

    Tsai, Hai-En; Swanson, Kelly K.; Barber, Sam K.; ...

    2018-04-13

    The injection physics in a shock-induced density down-ramp injector was characterized, demonstrating precise control of a laser-plasma accelerator (LPA). Using a jet-blade assembly, experiments systematically v aried the shock injector profile, including shock angle, shock position, up-ramp width, and acceleration length. Our work demonstrates that beam energy, energy spread, and pointing can be controlled by adjusting these parameters. As a result, an electron beam that was highly tunable from 25 to 300 MeV with 8% energy spread (ΔE FWHM/E), 1.5 mrad divergence, and 0.35 mrad pointing fluctuation was produced. Particle-in-cell simulation characterized how variation in the shock angle and up-rampmore » width impacted the injection process. This highly controllable LPA represents a suitable, compact electron beam source for LPA applications such as Thomson sources and free-electron lasers.« less

  14. Investigating the feasibility of temperature-controlled accelerated drug release testing for an intravaginal ring.

    PubMed

    Externbrink, Anna; Clark, Meredith R; Friend, David R; Klein, Sandra

    2013-11-01

    The objective of the present study was to investigate if temperature can be utilized to accelerate drug release from Nuvaring®, a reservoir type intravaginal ring based on polyethylene vinyl acetate copolymer that releases a constant dose of contraceptive steroids over a duration of 3 weeks. The reciprocating holder apparatus (USP 7) was utilized to determine real-time and accelerated etonogestrel release from ring segments. It was demonstrated that drug release increased with increasing temperature which can be attributed to enhanced drug diffusion. An Arrhenius relationship of the zero-order release constants was established, indicating that temperature is a valid parameter to accelerate drug release from this dosage form and that the release mechanism is maintained under these accelerated test conditions. Accelerated release tests are particularly useful for routine quality control to assist during batch release of extended release formulations that typically release the active over several weeks, months or even years, since they can increase the product shelf life. The accelerated method should therefore be able to discriminate between formulations with different release characteristics that can result from normal manufacturing variance. In the case of Nuvaring®, it is well known that the process parameters during the extrusion process strongly influence the polymeric structure. These changes in the polymeric structure can affect the permeability which, in turn, is reflected in the release properties. Results from this study indicate that changes in the polymeric structure can lead to a different temperature dependence of the release rate, and as a consequence, the accelerated method can become less sensitive to detect changes in the release properties. When the accelerated method is utilized during batch release, it is therefore important to take this possible restriction into account and to evaluate the accelerated method with samples from non

  15. Accelerators (4/5)

    ScienceCinema

    Metral, Elias

    2017-12-09

    1a) Introduction and motivation 1b) History and accelerator types 2) Transverse beam dynamics 3a) Longitudinal beam dynamics 3b) Figure of merit of a synchrotron/collider 3c) Beam control 4) Main limiting factors 5) Technical challenges Prerequisite knowledge: Previous knowledge of accelerators is not required.

  16. Accelerators (5/5)

    ScienceCinema

    None

    2018-05-16

    1a) Introduction and motivation; 1b) History and accelerator types; 2) Transverse beam dynamics; 3a) Longitudinal beam dynamics; 3b) Figure of merit of a synchrotron/collider; 3c) Beam control; 4) Main limiting factors; 5) Technical challenges Prerequisite knowledge: Previous knowledge of accelerators is not required.

  17. Inflammatory bowel disease in children of middle eastern descent.

    PubMed

    Naidoo, Christina Mai Ying; Leach, Steven T; Day, Andrew S; Lemberg, Daniel A

    2014-01-01

    Increasing rates of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are now seen in populations where it was once uncommon. The pattern of IBD in children of Middle Eastern descent in Australia has never been reported. This study aimed to investigate the burden of IBD in children of Middle Eastern descent at the Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick (SCHR). The SCHR IBD database was used to identify patients of self-reported Middle Eastern ethnicity diagnosed between 1987 and 2011. Demographic, diagnosis, and management data was collected for all Middle Eastern children and an age and gender matched non-Middle Eastern IBD control group. Twenty-four patients of Middle Eastern descent were identified. Middle Eastern Crohn's disease patients had higher disease activity at diagnosis, higher use of thiopurines, and less restricted colonic disease than controls. Although there were limitations with this dataset, we estimated a higher prevalence of IBD in Middle Eastern children and they had a different disease phenotype and behavior compared to the control group, with less disease restricted to the colon and likely a more active disease course.

  18. Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Children of Middle Eastern Descent

    PubMed Central

    Naidoo, Christina Mai Ying; Leach, Steven T.; Day, Andrew S.; Lemberg, Daniel A.

    2014-01-01

    Increasing rates of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are now seen in populations where it was once uncommon. The pattern of IBD in children of Middle Eastern descent in Australia has never been reported. This study aimed to investigate the burden of IBD in children of Middle Eastern descent at the Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick (SCHR). The SCHR IBD database was used to identify patients of self-reported Middle Eastern ethnicity diagnosed between 1987 and 2011. Demographic, diagnosis, and management data was collected for all Middle Eastern children and an age and gender matched non-Middle Eastern IBD control group. Twenty-four patients of Middle Eastern descent were identified. Middle Eastern Crohn's disease patients had higher disease activity at diagnosis, higher use of thiopurines, and less restricted colonic disease than controls. Although there were limitations with this dataset, we estimated a higher prevalence of IBD in Middle Eastern children and they had a different disease phenotype and behavior compared to the control group, with less disease restricted to the colon and likely a more active disease course. PMID:24987422

  19. EDITORIAL: Laser and plasma accelerators Laser and plasma accelerators

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bingham, Robert

    2009-02-01

    by Chen et al where the driver, instead of being a laser, is a whistler wave known as the magnetowave plasma accelerator. The application to electron--positron plasmas that are found around pulsars is studied in the paper by Shukla, and to muon acceleration by Peano et al. Electron wakefield experiments are now concentrating on control and optimisation of high-quality beams that can be used as drivers for novel radiation sources. Studies by Thomas et al show that filamentation has a deleterious effect on the production of high quality mono-energetic electron beams and is caused by non-optimal choice of focusing geometry and/or electron density. It is crucial to match the focusing with the right plasma parameters and new types of plasma channels are being developed, such as the magnetically controlled plasma waveguide reported by Froula et al. The magnetic field provides a pressure profile shaping the channel to match the guiding conditions of the incident laser, resulting in predicted electron energies of 3GeV. In the forced laser-wakefield experiment Fang et al show that pump depletion reduces or inhibits the acceleration of electrons. One of the earlier laser acceleration concepts known as the beat wave may be revived due to the work by Kalmykov et al who report on all-optical control of nonlinear focusing of laser beams, allowing for stable propagation over several Rayleigh lengths with pre-injected electrons accelerated beyond 100 MeV. With the increasing number of petawatt lasers, attention is being focused on different acceleration regimes such as stochastic acceleration by counterpropagating laser pulses, the relativistic mirror, or the snow-plough effect leading to single-step acceleration reported by Mendonca. During wakefield acceleration the leading edge of the pulse undergoes frequency downshifting and head erosion as the laser energy is transferred to the wake while the trailing edge of the laser pulse undergoes frequency up-shift. This is commonly known

  20. Inhibitory control and moral emotions: relations to reparation in early and middle childhood.

    PubMed

    Colasante, Tyler; Zuffianò, Antonio; Bae, Na Young; Malti, Tina

    2014-01-01

    This study examined links between inhibitory control, moral emotions (sympathy and guilt), and reparative behavior in an ethnically diverse sample of 4- and 8-year-olds (N = 162). Caregivers reported their children's reparative behavior, inhibitory control, and moral emotions through a questionnaire, and children reported their guilt feelings in response to a series of vignettes depicting moral transgressions. A hypothesized meditation model was tested with inhibitory control relating to reparative behavior through sympathy and guilt. In support of this model, results revealed that high levels of inhibitory control were associated with high levels of reparative behavior through high levels of sympathy and guilt. However, the mediation of inhibitory control to reparation through guilt was significant for 4-year-olds only. Results are discussed in relation to the temperamental, regulatory, and affective-moral precursors of reparative behavior in early and middle childhood.

  1. Resonant interaction of the electron beam with a synchronous wave in controlled magnetrons for high-current superconducting accelerators

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

    Kazakevich, G.; Johnson, R.; Lebedev, V.

    A simplified analytical model of the resonant interaction of the beam of Larmor electrons drifting in the crossed constant fields of a magnetron with a synchronous wave providing a phase grouping of the drifting charge was developed to optimize the parameters of an rf resonant injected signal driving the magnetrons for management of phase and power of rf sources with a rate required for superconducting high-current accelerators. The model, which considers the impact of the rf resonant signal injected into the magnetron on the operation of the injection-locked tube, substantiates the recently developed method of fast power control of magnetronsmore » in the range up to 10 dB at the highest generation efficiency, with low noise, precise stability of the carrier frequency, and the possibility of wideband phase control. Experiments with continuous wave 2.45 GHz, 1 kW microwave oven magnetrons have verified the correspondence of the behavior of these tubes to the analytical model. A proof of the principle of the novel method of power control in magnetrons, based on the developed model, was demonstrated in the experiments. The method is attractive for high-current superconducting rf accelerators. This study also discusses vector methods of power control with the rates required for superconducting accelerators, the impact of the rf resonant signal injected into the magnetron on the rate of phase control of the injection-locked tubes, and a conceptual scheme of the magnetron transmitter with highest efficiency for high-current accelerators.« less

  2. Resonant interaction of the electron beam with a synchronous wave in controlled magnetrons for high-current superconducting accelerators

    DOE PAGES

    Kazakevich, G.; Johnson, R.; Lebedev, V.; ...

    2018-06-14

    A simplified analytical model of the resonant interaction of the beam of Larmor electrons drifting in the crossed constant fields of a magnetron with a synchronous wave providing a phase grouping of the drifting charge was developed to optimize the parameters of an rf resonant injected signal driving the magnetrons for management of phase and power of rf sources with a rate required for superconducting high-current accelerators. The model, which considers the impact of the rf resonant signal injected into the magnetron on the operation of the injection-locked tube, substantiates the recently developed method of fast power control of magnetronsmore » in the range up to 10 dB at the highest generation efficiency, with low noise, precise stability of the carrier frequency, and the possibility of wideband phase control. Experiments with continuous wave 2.45 GHz, 1 kW microwave oven magnetrons have verified the correspondence of the behavior of these tubes to the analytical model. A proof of the principle of the novel method of power control in magnetrons, based on the developed model, was demonstrated in the experiments. The method is attractive for high-current superconducting rf accelerators. This study also discusses vector methods of power control with the rates required for superconducting accelerators, the impact of the rf resonant signal injected into the magnetron on the rate of phase control of the injection-locked tubes, and a conceptual scheme of the magnetron transmitter with highest efficiency for high-current accelerators.« less

  3. Controlling Continuous-Variable Quantum Key Distribution with Entanglement in the Middle Using Tunable Linear Optics Cloning Machines

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wu, Xiao Dong; Chen, Feng; Wu, Xiang Hua; Guo, Ying

    2017-02-01

    Continuous-variable quantum key distribution (CVQKD) can provide detection efficiency, as compared to discrete-variable quantum key distribution (DVQKD). In this paper, we demonstrate a controllable CVQKD with the entangled source in the middle, contrast to the traditional point-to-point CVQKD where the entanglement source is usually created by one honest party and the Gaussian noise added on the reference partner of the reconciliation is uncontrollable. In order to harmonize the additive noise that originates in the middle to resist the effect of malicious eavesdropper, we propose a controllable CVQKD protocol by performing a tunable linear optics cloning machine (LOCM) at one participant's side, say Alice. Simulation results show that we can achieve the optimal secret key rates by selecting the parameters of the tuned LOCM in the derived regions.

  4. Increasing evidence for the efficacy of tobacco control mass media communication programming in low- and middle-income countries.

    PubMed

    Mullin, Sandra; Prasad, Vinayak; Kaur, Jagdish; Turk, Tahir

    2011-08-01

    Antitobacco mass media campaigns have had good success at changing knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors with respect to smoking in high-income countries provided they are sustained. Mass media campaigns should be a critical component of tobacco control programs in low- and lower-middle-income countries. Mounting evidence shows that graphic campaigns and those that evoke negative emotions run over long periods of time have achieved the most influence. These types of campaigns are now being implemented in low- and middle-income countries. The authors provide 3 case studies of first-ever graphic warning mass media campaigns in China, India, and Russia, 3 priority high-burden countries in the global Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use. In each of these countries, message testing of core messages provided confidence in messages, and evaluations demonstrated message uptake. The authors argue that given the initial success of these campaigns, governments in low- and middle-income countries should consider resourcing and sustaining these interventions as key components of their tobacco control strategies and programs.

  5. Acceleration control system for semi-active in-car crib with joint application of regular and inverted pendulum mechanisms

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kawashima, T.

    2016-09-01

    To reduce the risk of injury to an infant in an in-car crib (or in a child safety bed) collision shock during a car crash, it is necessary to maintain a constant force acting on the crib below a certain allowable value. To realize this objective, we propose a semi-active in-car crib system with the joint application of regular and inverted pendulum mechanisms. The arms of the proposed crib system support the crib like a pendulum while the pendulum system itself is supported like an inverted pendulum by the arms. In addition, the friction torque of each arm is controlled using a brake mechanism that enables the proposed in-car crib to decrease the acceleration of the crib gradually and maintain it around the target value. This system not only reduces the impulsive force but also transfers the force to the infant's back using a spin control system, i.e., the impulse force acts is made to act perpendicularly on the crib. The spin control system was developed in our previous work. This work focuses on the acceleration control system. A semi-active control law with acceleration feedback is introduced, and the effectiveness of the system is demonstrated using numerical simulation and model experiment.

  6. Implementation Science in Cancer Prevention and Control: A framework for research and programs in low and middle-income countries

    PubMed Central

    Sanchez, Michael A.; Rimer, Barbara K.; Samet, Jonathan M.; Glasgow, Russell E.

    2014-01-01

    Implementation Science is a set of tools, principles and methodologies that can be used to bring scientific evidence into action, improve health care quality and delivery and improve public health. As the burden of cancer increases in low- and middle-income countries, it is important to plan cancer control programs that are both evidence-based and delivered in ways that are feasible, cost-effective, contextually appropriate and sustainable. This review presents a framework for using implementation science for cancer control planning and implementation and discusses potential areas of focus for research and programs in low and middle-income countries interested in integrating research into practice and policy. PMID:25178984

  7. Controlled Acceleration and Inhibition of Bergman Cyclization by Metal Chlorides

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Warner, Benjamin P.; Millar, Susan P.; Broene, Richard D.; Buchwald, Stephen L.

    1995-08-01

    The Bergman cyclization has been the subject of renewed interest with the discovery of naturally occurring enediyne-based antitumor agents that cleave DNA by means of an aromatic diradical. These natural substrates have a means to trigger this cycloaromatization process. Control of this reaction by substrate modification would allow aromatic diradicals to be generated selectively. In the studies presented here it is disclosed that the Bergman cyclization of 1,2-bis(diphenyl phosphinoethynyl)benzene was accelerated by a factor of >30,000 by the addition of palladium(II) chloride or platinum(II) chloride and was inhibited by the addition of mercury(II) chloride.

  8. Evaluation of the Accelerated Reader Program in Chesapeake, VA, Public Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chase, Elaine; Goodin, Penny; Nichols, W. Randolph

    2010-01-01

    The Accelerated Reader program from Renaissance Learning Inc. is a popular program implemented in elementary and middle schools across the country that encourages students to read and monitors their progress in the program. Despite its widespread use and popularity, there have been some questions about the program's effectiveness at increasing…

  9. First Steps Toward Incorporating Image Based Diagnostics Into Particle Accelerator Control Systems Using Convolutional Neural Networks

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

    Edelen, A. L.; Biedron, S. G.; Milton, S. V.

    At present, a variety of image-based diagnostics are used in particle accelerator systems. Often times, these are viewed by a human operator who then makes appropriate adjustments to the machine. Given recent advances in using convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for image processing, it should be possible to use image diagnostics directly in control routines (NN-based or otherwise). This is especially appealing for non-intercepting diagnostics that could run continuously during beam operation. Here, we show results of a first step toward implementing such a controller: our trained CNN can predict multiple simulated downstream beam parameters at the Fermilab Accelerator Science andmore » Technology (FAST) facility's low energy beamline using simulated virtual cathode laser images, gun phases, and solenoid strengths.« less

  10. Substance Use and Delinquency among Middle School Girls in Foster Care: A Three-Year Follow-Up of a Randomized Controlled Trial

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kim, Hyoun K.; Leve, Leslie D.

    2011-01-01

    Objective: The present study evaluated the efficacy of the Middle School Success intervention (MSS) for reducing substance use and delinquency among girls in foster care, using a randomized controlled trial design. The program was designed to fill a service gap during the summer prior to the middle school transition and to prevent delinquency,…

  11. Acceleration characteristics of human ocular accommodation.

    PubMed

    Bharadwaj, Shrikant R; Schor, Clifton M

    2005-01-01

    Position and velocity of accommodation are known to increase with stimulus magnitude, however, little is known about acceleration properties. We investigated three acceleration properties: peak acceleration, time-to-peak acceleration and total duration of acceleration to step changes in defocus. Peak velocity and total duration of acceleration increased with response magnitude. Peak acceleration and time-to-peak acceleration remained independent of response magnitude. Independent first-order and second-order dynamic components of accommodation demonstrate that neural control of accommodation has an initial open-loop component that is independent of response magnitude and a closed-loop component that increases with response magnitude.

  12. Accelerated Reader[R]: What Are the Lasting Effects on the Reading Habits of Middle School Students Exposed to Accelerated Reader[R] in Elementary Grades?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pavonetti, Linda M.; Brimmer, Kathryn M.; Cipielewski, James F.

    Promoted by effective advertising and disseminated by word of mouth, many schools have adopted Accelerated Reader[R] as a supplementary reading program or as their primary reading program. Accelerated Reader[R]'s philosophy is that by using the system, students are motivated to read more and better books. A study investigated whether seventh grade…

  13. Innovative Approaches to Hypertension Control in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

    PubMed Central

    Vedanthan, Rajesh; Bernabe-Ortiz, Antonio; Herasme, Omarys I.; Joshi, Rohina; Lopez-Jaramillo, Patricio; Thrift, Amanda G.; Webster, Jacqui; Webster, Ruth; Yeates, Karen; Gyamfi, Joyce; Ieremia, Merina; Johnson, Claire; Kamano, Jemima H.; Lazo-Porras, Maria; Limbani, Felix; Liu, Peter; McCready, Tara; Miranda, J. Jaime; Mohan, Sailesh; Ogedegbe, Olugbenga; Oldenburg, Brian; Ovbiagele, Bruce; Owolabi, Mayowa; Peiris, David; Ponce-Lucero, Vilarmina; Praveen, Devarsetty; Pillay, Arti; Schwalm, Jon-David; Tobe, Sheldon W.; Trieu, Kathy; Yusoff, Khalid; Fuster, Valentin

    2016-01-01

    Elevated blood pressure, a major risk factor for ischemic heart disease, heart failure, and stroke, is the leading global risk for mortality. Despite global efforts to combat hypertension, it continues to exert a significant health and economic burden on low- and middle-income country (LMIC) populations, thereby triggering the need to address the problem by way of novel approaches. The Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases has funded 15 research projects related to hypertension control in low-resource settings worldwide. These research projects have developed and evaluated several important innovative approaches to hypertension control, including: community engagement, salt reduction, salt substitution, task redistribution, mHealth, and fixed-dose combination therapies. In this paper, we briefly review the rationale for each of these innovative approaches, as well as summarize the experience of some of the research teams in these respective areas. Where relevant, we also draw upon the wider literature to illustrate how these approaches to hypertension control are being implemented in LMICs. The studies outlined in this report demonstrate innovative and practical methods of implementing for improving hypertension control in diverse environments and contexts worldwide. PMID:27886793

  14. Achieving Optimal Quantum Acceleration of Frequency Estimation Using Adaptive Coherent Control.

    PubMed

    Naghiloo, M; Jordan, A N; Murch, K W

    2017-11-03

    Precision measurements of frequency are critical to accurate time keeping and are fundamentally limited by quantum measurement uncertainties. While for time-independent quantum Hamiltonians the uncertainty of any parameter scales at best as 1/T, where T is the duration of the experiment, recent theoretical works have predicted that explicitly time-dependent Hamiltonians can yield a 1/T^{2} scaling of the uncertainty for an oscillation frequency. This quantum acceleration in precision requires coherent control, which is generally adaptive. We experimentally realize this quantum improvement in frequency sensitivity with superconducting circuits, using a single transmon qubit. With optimal control pulses, the theoretically ideal frequency precision scaling is reached for times shorter than the decoherence time. This result demonstrates a fundamental quantum advantage for frequency estimation.

  15. Accelerator Technology Division annual report, FY 1989

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

    Not Available

    1990-06-01

    This paper discusses: accelerator physics and special projects; experiments and injectors; magnetic optics and beam diagnostics; accelerator design and engineering; radio-frequency technology; accelerator theory and simulation; free-electron laser technology; accelerator controls and automation; and high power microwave sources and effects.

  16. Beam control in the ETA-II linear induction accelerator

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

    Chen, Yu-Jiuan

    1992-08-21

    Corkscrew beam motion is caused by chromatic aberration and misalignment of a focusing system. We have taken some measures to control the corkscrew motion on the ETA-11 induction accelerator. To minimize chromatic aberration, we have developed an energy compensation scheme which reduces energy sweep and differential phase advance within a beam pulse. To minimize the misalignment errors, we have developed a time-independent steering algorithm which minimizes the observed corkscrew amplitude averaged over the beam pulse. The steering algorithm can be used even if the monitor spacing is much greater than the system`s cyclotron wavelength and the corkscrew motion caused bymore » a given misaligned magnet is fully developed, i.e., the relative phase advance is greater than 27{pi}.« less

  17. Beam control in the ETA-II linear induction accelerator

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

    Chen, Yu-Jiuan.

    1992-08-21

    Corkscrew beam motion is caused by chromatic aberration and misalignment of a focusing system. We have taken some measures to control the corkscrew motion on the ETA-11 induction accelerator. To minimize chromatic aberration, we have developed an energy compensation scheme which reduces energy sweep and differential phase advance within a beam pulse. To minimize the misalignment errors, we have developed a time-independent steering algorithm which minimizes the observed corkscrew amplitude averaged over the beam pulse. The steering algorithm can be used even if the monitor spacing is much greater than the system's cyclotron wavelength and the corkscrew motion caused bymore » a given misaligned magnet is fully developed, i.e., the relative phase advance is greater than 27[pi].« less

  18. Control of quasi-monoenergetic electron beams from laser-plasma accelerators by adjusting shock density profile

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tsai, Hai-En; Swanson, Kelly K.; Lehe, Remi; Barber, Sam K.; Isono, Fumika; Otero, Jorge G.; Liu, Xinyao; Mao, Hann-Shin; Steinke, Sven; Tilborg, Jeroen Van; Geddes, Cameron G. R.; Leemans, Wim

    2017-10-01

    High-level control of a laser-plasma accelerator (LPA) using a shock injector was demonstrated by systematically varying the shock injector profile, including the shock angle, up-ramp width and shock position. Particle-in-cell (PIC) simulation explored how variations in the shock profile impacted the injection process and confirmed results obtained through acceleration experiments. These results establish that, by adjusting shock position, up-ramp, and angle, beam energy, energy spread, and pointing can be controlled. As a result, e-beam were highly tunable from 25 to 300 MeV with <8% energy spread, 1.5 mrad divergence and <1 mrad pointing fluctuation. This highly controllable LPA represents an ideal and compact beam source for the ongoing MeV Thomson photon experiments. Set-up and initial experimental design on a newly constructed one hundred TW laser system will be presented. This work is supported by the US DOE under Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231, and by the US DOE National Nuclear Security Administration, Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation R&D (NA22).

  19. Flow acceleration structure of Aurelia aurita: implications on propulsion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, Jin-Tae; Piper, Matthew; Chamorro, Leonardo P.

    2017-11-01

    The jetting and paddling mechanisms used by Aurelia aurita jellyfish allows for one of the most efficient propulsion among other metazoans. Characterization of the induced flow acceleration is critical to uncover distinctive patterns. We found four acceleration structures using 3D measurements of body and flow dynamics in Lagrangian frame of reference. Two intense structures occur near the bell margin and are generated by paddling; the other two around the center of the jellyfish and half magnitude are a result of jetting. Their interaction leads to the maximum flow velocity in the middle of the relaxation, where relatively straight flow trajectories occur. The jellyfish achieves an efficient relaxation by generating flow deceleration with minor body deceleration.

  20. Optically controlled laser-plasma electron accelerator for compact gamma-ray sources

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kalmykov, S. Y.; Davoine, X.; Ghebregziabher, I.; Shadwick, B. A.

    2018-02-01

    Generating quasi-monochromatic, femtosecond γ-ray pulses via Thomson scattering (TS) demands exceptional electron beam (e-beam) quality, such as percent-scale energy spread and five-dimensional brightness over 1016 A m-2. We show that near-GeV e-beams with these metrics can be accelerated in a cavity of electron density, driven with an incoherent stack of Joule-scale laser pulses through a mm-size, dense plasma (n 0 ˜ 1019 cm-3). Changing the time delay, frequency difference, and energy ratio of the stack components controls the e-beam phase space on the femtosecond scale, while the modest energy of the optical driver helps afford kHz-scale repetition rate at manageable average power. Blue-shifting one stack component by a considerable fraction of the carrier frequency makes the stack immune to self-compression. This, in turn, minimizes uncontrolled variation in the cavity shape, suppressing continuous injection of ambient plasma electrons, preserving a single, ultra-bright electron bunch. In addition, weak focusing of the trailing component of the stack induces periodic injection, generating, in a single shot, a train of bunches with controllable energy spacing and femtosecond synchronization. These designer e-beams, inaccessible to conventional acceleration methods, generate, via TS, gigawatt γ-ray pulses (or multi-color pulse trains) with the mean energy in the range of interest for nuclear photonics (4-16 MeV), containing over 106 photons within a microsteradian-scale observation cone.

  1. Early Predictors of Middle School Fraction Knowledge

    PubMed Central

    Bailey, Drew H.; Siegler, Robert S.; Geary, David C.

    2014-01-01

    Recent findings that earlier fraction knowledge predicts later mathematics achievement raise the question of what predicts later fraction knowledge. Analyses of longitudinal data indicated that whole number magnitude knowledge in first grade predicted knowledge of fraction magnitudes in middle school, controlling for whole number arithmetic proficiency, domain general cognitive abilities, parental income and education, race, and gender. Similarly, knowledge of whole number arithmetic in first grade predicted knowledge of fraction arithmetic in middle school, controlling for whole number magnitude knowledge in first grade and the other control variables. In contrast, neither type of early whole number knowledge uniquely predicted middle school reading achievement. We discuss the implications of these findings for theories of numerical development and for improving mathematics learning. PMID:24576209

  2. Acceleration feedback of a current-following synchronized control algorithm for telescope elevation axis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tang, Tao; Zhang, Tong; Du, Jun-Feng; Ren, Ge; Tian, Jing

    2016-11-01

    This paper proposes a dual-motor configuration to enhance closed-loop performance of a telescope control system. Two identical motors are mounted on each side of a U-type frame to drive the telescope elevation axis instead of a single motor drive, which is usually used in a classical design. This new configuration and mechanism can reduce the motor to half the size used in the former design, and it also provides some other advantages. A master-slave current control mode is employed to synchronize the two motors. Acceleration feedback control is utilized to further enhance the servo performance. Extensive experiments are used to validate the effectiveness of the proposed control algorithm in synchronization, disturbance attenuation and low-velocity tracking.

  3. Effects of stretching on menopausal and depressive symptoms in middle-aged women: a randomized controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Kai, Yuko; Nagamatsu, Toshiya; Kitabatake, Yoshinori; Sensui, Hiroomi

    2016-08-01

    Exercise may help alleviate menopausal and depressive symptoms in middle-aged women, but sufficient evidence does not currently exist to fully support this theory. Whereas frequent moderate- to vigorous-intensity exercise may be associated with the risk of menopausal hot flashes, light-intensity exercise, such as stretching, is not likely to increase the occurrence of hot flashes. Little is, however, known about the effects of light-intensity exercise on menopausal and depressive symptoms. We examined the effects of a 3-week stretching program on the menopausal and depressive symptoms in middle-aged, Japanese women. Forty Japanese women, aged 40 to 61 years, were recruited (mean age, 51.1 ± 7.3 y). The participants were randomly assigned to either a stretching or a control group. The stretching group (n = 20) participated in a 3-week intervention program that involved 10 minutes of daily stretching, just before bedtime. The control group (n = 20) was assigned to a waiting list. Menopausal symptoms were evaluated using the Simplified Menopausal Index, which measures vasomotor, psychological, and somatic symptoms. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Self-Rating Depression Scale. The compliance rate was 75.8% during the 3-week intervention program. The total Simplified Menopausal Index scores, including the vasomotor, psychological, and somatic symptoms, and the Self-Rating Depression Scale scores significantly decreased in the stretching group compared with that in the control group. No adverse events, including increased hot flashes, were reported by the participants during the study period. These findings suggest that 10 minutes of stretching before bedtime decreases menopausal and depressive symptoms in middle-aged, Japanese women.

  4. Effects of stretching on menopausal and depressive symptoms in middle-aged women: a randomized controlled trial

    PubMed Central

    Kai, Yuko; Nagamatsu, Toshiya; Kitabatake, Yoshinori; Sensui, Hiroomi

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Objective: Exercise may help alleviate menopausal and depressive symptoms in middle-aged women, but sufficient evidence does not currently exist to fully support this theory. Whereas frequent moderate- to vigorous-intensity exercise may be associated with the risk of menopausal hot flashes, light-intensity exercise, such as stretching, is not likely to increase the occurrence of hot flashes. Little is, however, known about the effects of light-intensity exercise on menopausal and depressive symptoms. We examined the effects of a 3-week stretching program on the menopausal and depressive symptoms in middle-aged, Japanese women. Methods: Forty Japanese women, aged 40 to 61 years, were recruited (mean age, 51.1 ± 7.3 y). The participants were randomly assigned to either a stretching or a control group. The stretching group (n = 20) participated in a 3-week intervention program that involved 10 minutes of daily stretching, just before bedtime. The control group (n = 20) was assigned to a waiting list. Menopausal symptoms were evaluated using the Simplified Menopausal Index, which measures vasomotor, psychological, and somatic symptoms. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Self-Rating Depression Scale. Results: The compliance rate was 75.8% during the 3-week intervention program. The total Simplified Menopausal Index scores, including the vasomotor, psychological, and somatic symptoms, and the Self-Rating Depression Scale scores significantly decreased in the stretching group compared with that in the control group. No adverse events, including increased hot flashes, were reported by the participants during the study period. Conclusions: These findings suggest that 10 minutes of stretching before bedtime decreases menopausal and depressive symptoms in middle-aged, Japanese women. PMID:27300113

  5. Towards Attosecond High-Energy Electron Bunches: Controlling Self-Injection in Laser-Wakefield Accelerators Through Plasma-Density Modulation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tooley, M. P.; Ersfeld, B.; Yoffe, S. R.; Noble, A.; Brunetti, E.; Sheng, Z. M.; Islam, M. R.; Jaroszynski, D. A.

    2017-07-01

    Self-injection in a laser-plasma wakefield accelerator is usually achieved by increasing the laser intensity until the threshold for injection is exceeded. Alternatively, the velocity of the bubble accelerating structure can be controlled using plasma density ramps, reducing the electron velocity required for injection. We present a model describing self-injection in the short-bunch regime for arbitrary changes in the plasma density. We derive the threshold condition for injection due to a plasma density gradient, which is confirmed using particle-in-cell simulations that demonstrate injection of subfemtosecond bunches. It is shown that the bunch charge, bunch length, and separation of bunches in a bunch train can be controlled by tailoring the plasma density profile.

  6. Control of acceleration during sudden ankle supination in people with unstable ankles.

    PubMed

    Vaes, P; Van Gheluwe, B; Duquet, W

    2001-12-01

    Comparative study of differences in functional control during ankle supination in the standing position in matched stable and unstable ankles (ex post facto design). To document acceleration and deceleration during ankle supination in the standing position and to determine differences in control of supination perturbation between stable and unstable ankles. Repetitive ankle sprain can be explained by mechanical instability only in a minority of cases. Exercise therapy for ankle instability is based on clinical experience. Joint stability has not yet been measured in dynamic situations that are similar to the situations leading to a traumatic sprain. The process of motor control during accelerating ankle supination has not been adequately addressed in the literature. Patients with complaints of ankle instability (16 unstable ankles) and nonimpaired controls (18 stable ankles) were examined (N = 17 subjects, 10 women and 7 men). The average age was 23.7 +/- 5.0 years (range, 20-41 y). Control of supination speed was studied during 50 degrees of ankle supination in the standing position using accelerometry (total supination time and deceleration times) and electromyography (latency time). Timing of motor response was estimated by measuring electromechanical delay. The presence of an early, sudden, and presumably passive slowdown of ankle supination in the standing position was observed. Peroneal muscle motor response was detected before the end of the supination. Unstable ankles showed significantly shorter total supination time (109.3 ms versus 124.1 ms) and significantly longer latency time (58.9 ms versus 47.7 ms). Functional control in unstable ankles is less efficient in decelerating the ankle during the supination test procedures used in our study. Our conclusions are based on significantly faster total supination and significantly slower electromyogram response in unstable ankles. The results support the hypothesis that both decelerating the total supination

  7. Dusty-Plasma Particle Accelerator

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Foster, John E.

    2005-01-01

    initiation of a low-current, high-voltage cathode spot. Plasma pressure associated with the cathode spot as well as the large voltage drop at the cathode spot accelerates the charged particles toward the substrate. The ultimate kinetic energy attained by particles exiting the particle holder depends in part on the magnitude of the cathode spot sheath potential difference, which is proportional to the magnitude of the voltage pulse, and the on the electric charge on the dust. The magnitude of the voltage pulse can be controlled directly, whereas the particle s electric charge can be controlled indirectly by controlling the operating parameters of the plasma apparatus.

  8. Spark ignition timing control system for internal combustion engine with feature of suppression of jerking during engine acceleration

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

    Tomisawa, N.

    1989-07-04

    This patent describes a spark ignition timing control system for an internal combustion engine, it comprises: sensor means monitoring preselected parameters for producing a sensor signal; first means for deriving a spark ignition timing on the basis of data contained in the sensor signal; second means for detecting an engine acceleration demand for producing an accelerating condition indicative signal; and third means, responsive to the accelerating condition indicative signal, for modifying the spark ignition timing derived by the first means after expiration of a first predetermined period of time of occurence of the accelerating condition indicative signal, in such amore » manner that the spark ignition timing is advanced and retarded for suppressing cycle-to-cycle fluctuation of engine speed and for smoothly increasing engine speed.« less

  9. Middle Years. For Middle Level Educators.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hechinger, Fred M.; And Others

    1992-01-01

    This supplement offers 10 articles focusing on middle school education. Topics include remembering adolescence, resources and teaching tips, active middle school students, adolescent development, challenges in middle school education, integrated studies, planning middle school special events, a writing-science-consumerism miniunit on popcorn,…

  10. Learning Leadership Skills in Middle School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bowman, Richard F.

    2013-01-01

    For middle school students, the essence of 21st-century leadership development is being "in influence" versus being "in control." A core student leadership skill involves listening intently to others, framing others' concerns, and advancing the other person's interests. Creating contexts in which middle school…

  11. NOVEL TECHNIQUE OF POWER CONTROL IN MAGNETRON TRANSMITTERS FOR INTENSE ACCELERATORS

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

    Kazakevich, G.; Johnson, R.; Neubauer, M.

    A novel concept of a high-power magnetron transmitter allowing dynamic phase and power control at the frequency of locking signal is proposed. The transmitter compensating parasitic phase and amplitude modulations inherent in Superconducting RF (SRF) cavities within closed feedback loops is intended for powering of the intensity-frontier superconducting accelerators. The con- cept uses magnetrons driven by a sufficient resonant (in- jection-locking) signal and fed by the voltage which can be below the threshold of self-excitation. This provides an extended range of power control in a single magnetron at highest efficiency minimizing the cost of RF power unit and the operationmore » cost. Proof-of-principle of the proposed concept demonstrated in pulsed and CW regimes with 2.45 GHz, 1kW magnetrons is discussed here. A conceptual scheme of the high-power transmitter allowing the dynamic wide-band phase and y power controls is presented and discussed.« less

  12. Fermilab proton accelerator complex status and improvement plans

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

    Shiltsev, Vladimir

    2017-05-30

    Fermilab carries out an extensive program of accelerator-based high energy particle physics research at the Intensity Frontier that relies on the operation of 8 GeV and 120 GeV proton beamlines for a n umber of fixed target experiments. Routine operation with a world-record 700kW of average 120 GeV beam power on the neutrino target was achieved in 2017 as the result of the Proton Improvement Plan (PIP) upgrade. There are plans to further increase the power to 900 – 1000 kW. The next major upgrade of the FNAL accelerator complex, called PIP-II, is under development. It aims at 1.2MW beammore » power on target at the start of the LBNF/DUNE experiment in the middle of the next decade and assumes replacement of the existing 40-years old 400 MeV normal-conducting Linac with a modern 800 MeV superconducting RF linear accelerator. There are several concepts to further double the beam power to >2.4MW after replacement of the existing 8 GeV Booster synchrotron. In this article we discuss current performance of the Fermilab proton accelerator complex, the upgrade plans for the next two decades and the accelerator R&D program to address cost and performance risks for these upgrades.« less

  13. Guided Investigations in Middle School Math

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schroth, Stephen T.; Helfer, Jason A.

    2008-01-01

    Gifted middle school mathematics students often exhibit boundless energy, a desire to exert some degree of control over their learning, and an ability to think logically and abstractly in ways that astound their parents and teachers. Middle school math curriculum that combines guided investigations of real-life problems with product-based…

  14. Development of Acceleration Sensor and Acceleration Evaluation System for Super-Low-Range Frequencies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Asano, Shogo; Matsumoto, Hideki

    2001-05-01

    This paper describes the development process for acceleration sensors used on automobiles and an acceleration evaluation system designed specifically for acceleration at super-low-range frequencies. The features of the newly developed sensor are as follows. 1) Original piezo-bimorph design based on a disc-center-fixed structure achieves pyroeffect cancelling and stabilization of sensor characteristics and enables the detection of the acceleration of 0.0009 G at the super-low-range-frequency of 0.03 Hz. 2) The addition of a self-diagnostic function utilizing the characteristics of piezoceramics enables constant monitoring of sensor failure. The frequency range of acceleration for accurate vehicle motion control is considered to be from DC to about 50 Hz. However, the measurement of acceleration in the super-low-range frequency near DC has been difficult because of mechanical and electrical noise interruption. This has delayed the development of the acceleration sensor for automotive use. We have succeeded in the development of an acceleration evaluation system for super-low-range frequencies from 0.015 Hz to 2 Hz with detection of the acceleration range from 0.0002 G (0.2 gal) to 1 G, as well as the development of a piezoelectric-type acceleration sensor for automotive use.

  15. Accelerated Intermittent Theta Burst Stimulation for Suicide Risk in Therapy-Resistant Depressed Patients: A Randomized, Sham-Controlled Trial.

    PubMed

    Desmyter, Stefanie; Duprat, Romain; Baeken, Chris; Van Autreve, Sara; Audenaert, Kurt; van Heeringen, Kees

    2016-01-01

    Objectives: We aimed to examine the effects and safety of accelerated intermittent Theta Burst Stimulation (iTBS) on suicide risk in a group of treatment-resistant unipolar depressed patients, using an extensive suicide assessment scale. Methods: In 50 therapy-resistant, antidepressant-free depressed patients, an intensive protocol of accelerated iTBS was applied over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in a randomized, sham-controlled crossover design. Patients received 20 iTBS sessions over 4 days. Suicide risk was assessed using the Beck Scale of Suicide ideation (BSI). Results: The iTBS protocol was safe and well tolerated. We observed a significant decrease of the BSI score over time, unrelated to active or sham stimulation and unrelated to depression-response. No worsening of suicidal ideation was observed. The effects of accelerated iTBS on mood and depression severity are reported in Duprat et al. (2016). The decrease in suicide risk lasted up to 1 month after baseline, even in depression non-responders. Conclusions: This accelerated iTBS protocol was safe. The observed significant decrease in suicide risk was unrelated to active or sham stimulation and unrelated to depression response. Further sham-controlled research in suicidal depressed patients is necessary. (Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT01832805).

  16. Adaptive control of turbulence intensity is accelerated by frugal flow sampling.

    PubMed

    Quinn, Daniel B; van Halder, Yous; Lentink, David

    2017-11-01

    The aerodynamic performance of vehicles and animals, as well as the productivity of turbines and energy harvesters, depends on the turbulence intensity of the incoming flow. Previous studies have pointed at the potential benefits of active closed-loop turbulence control. However, it is unclear what the minimal sensory and algorithmic requirements are for realizing this control. Here we show that very low-bandwidth anemometers record sufficient information for an adaptive control algorithm to converge quickly. Our online Newton-Raphson algorithm tunes the turbulence in a recirculating wind tunnel by taking readings from an anemometer in the test section. After starting at 9% turbulence intensity, the algorithm converges on values ranging from 10% to 45% in less than 12 iterations within 1% accuracy. By down-sampling our measurements, we show that very-low-bandwidth anemometers record sufficient information for convergence. Furthermore, down-sampling accelerates convergence by smoothing gradients in turbulence intensity. Our results explain why low-bandwidth anemometers in engineering and mechanoreceptors in biology may be sufficient for adaptive control of turbulence intensity. Finally, our analysis suggests that, if certain turbulent eddy sizes are more important to control than others, frugal adaptive control schemes can be particularly computationally effective for improving performance. © 2017 The Author(s).

  17. Control of target-normal-sheath-accelerated protons from a guiding cone

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

    Zou, D. B.; Institut für Theoretische Physik I, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf 40225; Zhuo, H. B., E-mail: hongbin.zhuo@gmail.com

    2015-06-15

    It is demonstrated through particle-in-cell simulations that target-normal-sheath-accelerated protons can be well controlled by using a guiding cone. Compared to a conventional planar target, both the collimation and number density of proton beams are substantially improved, giving a high-quality proton beam which maintained for a longer distance without degradation. The effect is attributed to the radial electric field resulting from the charge due to the hot target electrons propagating along the cone surface. This electric field can effectively suppress the spatial spread of the protons after the expansion of the hot electrons.

  18. Acceleration Modes and Transitions in Pulsed Plasma Accelerators

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Polzin, Kurt A.; Greve, Christine M.

    2018-01-01

    accelerators was developed by Cheng, et al. The Coaxial High ENerGy (CHENG) thruster operated on the 10-microseconds timescales of pulsed plasma thrusters, but claimed high thrust density, high efficiency and low electrode erosion rates, which are more consistent with the deflagration mode of acceleration. Separate work on gas-fed pulsed plasma thrusters (PPTs) by Ziemer, et al. identified two separate regimes of performance. The regime at higher mass bits (termed Mode I in that work) possessed relatively constant thrust efficiency (ratio of jet kinetic energy to input electrical energy) as a function of mass bit. In the second regime at very low mass bits (termed Mode II), the efficiency increased with decreasing mass bit. Work by Poehlmann et al. and by Sitaraman and Raja sought to understand the performance of the CHENG thruster and the Mode I / Mode II performance in PPTs by modeling the acceleration using the Hugoniot Relation, with the detonation and deflagration modes representing two distinct sets of solutions to the relevant conservation laws. These works studied the proposal that, depending upon the values of the various controllable parameters, the accelerator would operate in either the detonation or deflagration mode. In the present work, we propose a variation on the explanation for the differences in performance between the various pulsed plasma accelerators. Instead of treating the accelerator as if it were only operating in one mode or the other during a pulse, we model the initial stage of the discharge in all cases as an accelerating current sheet (detonation mode). If the current sheet reaches the exit of the accelerator before the discharge is completed, the acceleration mode transitions to the deflagration mode type found in the quasi-steady MPD thrusters. This modeling method is used to demonstrate that standard gas-fed pulsed plasma accelerators, the CHENG thruster, and the quasi-steady MPD accelerator are variations of the same device, with the overall

  19. Fos-defined activity in rat brainstem following centripetal acceleration.

    PubMed

    Kaufman, G D; Anderson, J H; Beitz, A J

    1992-11-01

    To identify rat brainstem nuclei involved in the initial, short-term response to a change in gravito-inertial force, adult Long-Evans rats were rotated in the horizontal plane for 90 min in complete darkness after they were eccentrically positioned off the axis of rotation (off-axis) causing a centripetal acceleration of 2 g. Neural activation was defined by the brainstem distribution of the c-fos primary response gene protein, Fos, using immunohistochemistry. The Fos labeling in off-axis animals was compared with that of control animals who were rotated on the axis of rotation (on-axis) with no centripetal acceleration, or who were restrained but not rotated. In the off-axis animals there was a significant labeling of neurons: in the inferior, medial, and y-group subnuclei of the vestibular complex; in subnuclei of the inferior olive, especially the dorsomedial cell column; in midbrain nuclei, including the interstitial nucleus of Cajal, nucleus of Darkschewitsch, Edinger-Westphal nucleus, and dorsolateral periaqueductal gray; in autonomic centers including the solitary nucleus, area postrema, and locus coeruleus; and in reticular nuclei including the lateral reticular nucleus and the lateral parabrachial nucleus. Also, there was greater Fos expression in the dorsomedial cell column, the principal inferior olive subnuclei, inferior vestibular nucleus, the dorsolateral central gray, and the locus coeruleus in animals who had their heads restrained compared to animals whose heads were not restrained. As one control, the vestibular neuroepithelium was destroyed by injecting sodium arsanilate into the middle ear, bilaterally. This resulted in a complete lack of Fos labeling in the vestibular nuclei and the inferior olive, and a significant reduction in labeling in other nuclei in the off-axis condition, indicating that these nuclei have a significant labyrinth-sensitive component to their Fos labeling. The data indicate that several novel brainstem regions, including

  20. Accelerated Electron-Beam Formation with a High Capture Coefficient in a Parallel Coupled Accelerating Structure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chernousov, Yu. D.; Shebolaev, I. V.; Ikryanov, I. M.

    2018-01-01

    An electron beam with a high (close to 100%) coefficient of electron capture into the regime of acceleration has been obtained in a linear electron accelerator based on a parallel coupled slow-wave structure, electron gun with microwave-controlled injection current, and permanent-magnet beam-focusing system. The high capture coefficient was due to the properties of the accelerating structure, beam-focusing system, and electron-injection system. Main characteristics of the proposed systems are presented.

  1. Political economy of tobacco control in low-income and middle-income countries: lessons from Thailand and Zimbabwe. Global Analysis Project Team.

    PubMed Central

    Chantornvong, S.; Collin, J.; Dodgson, R.; Lee, K.; McCargo, D.; Seddon, D.; Vaughan, P.; Woelk, G.

    2000-01-01

    Crucial to the success of the proposed Framework Convention on Tobacco Control will be an understanding of the political and economic context for tobacco control policies, particularly in low-income and middle-income countries. Policy studies in Thailand and Zimbabwe employed the analytical perspective of political economy and a research strategy that used political mapping, a technique for characterizing and evaluating the political environment surrounding a policy issue, and stakeholder analysis, which seeks to identify key actors and to determine their capacity to shape policy outcomes. These policy studies clearly revealed how tobacco control in low-income and middle-income countries is also being shaped by developments in the global and regional political economy. Hence efforts to strengthen national control policies need to be set within the context of globalization and the international context. Besides the transnational tobacco companies, international tobacco groups and foreign governments, international agencies and nongovernmental organizations are also playing influential roles. It cannot be assumed, therefore, that the tobacco control strategies being implemented in industrialized countries will be just as effective and appropriate when implemented in developing countries. There is an urgent need to expand the number of such tobacco policy studies, particularly in low-income and middle-income countries. Comprehensive guidelines for tobacco policy analysis and research are required to support this process, as is a broader international strategy to coordinate further tobacco policy research studies at country, regional and global levels. PMID:10994265

  2. Space Acceleration Measurement System (SAMS)/Orbital Acceleration Research Experiment (OARE)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hakimzadeh, Roshanak

    1998-01-01

    The Life and Microgravity Spacelab (LMS) payload flew on the Orbiter Columbia on mission STS-78 from June 20th to July 7th, 1996. The LMS payload on STS-78 was dedicated to life sciences and microgravity experiments. Two accelerometer systems managed by the NASA Lewis Research Center (LERC) flew to support these experiments, namely the Orbital Acceleration Research Experiment (OARE) and the Space Acceleration Measurements System (SAMS). In addition, the Microgravity Measurement Assembly (NOAA), managed by the European Space Research and Technology Center (ESA/ESTEC), and sponsored by NASA, collected acceleration data in support of the experiments on-board the LMS mission. OARE downlinked real-time quasi-steady acceleration data, which was provided to the investigators. The SAMS recorded higher frequency data on-board for post-mission analysis. The MMA downlinked real-time quasi-steady as well as higher frequency acceleration data, which was provided to the investigators. The Principal Investigator Microgravity Services (PIMS) project at NASA LERC supports principal investigators of microgravity experiments as they evaluate the effects of varying acceleration levels on their experiments. A summary report was prepared by PIMS to furnish interested experiment investigators with a guide to evaluate the acceleration environment during STS-78, and as a means of identifying areas which require further study. The summary report provides an overview of the STS-78 mission, describes the accelerometer systems flown on this mission, discusses some specific analyses of the accelerometer data in relation to the various activities which occurred during the mission, and presents plots resulting from these analyses as a snapshot of the environment during the mission. Numerous activities occurred during the STS-78 mission that are of interest to the low-gravity community. Specific activities of interest during this mission were crew exercise, radiator deployment, Vernier Reaction

  3. Effect of controlled exercise on middle gluteal muscle fibre composition in Thoroughbred foals.

    PubMed

    Eto, D; Yamano, S; Kasashima, Y; Sugiura, T; Nasu, T; Tokuriki, M; Miyata, H

    2003-11-01

    Most racehorses are trained regularly from about age 18 months; therefore, little information is available on the effect of training in Thoroughbred foals. Well-controlled exercise could improve muscle potential ability for endurance running. Thoroughbred foals at age 2 months were separated into control and training (treadmill exercise) groups and samples obtained from the middle gluteal muscle at 2 and 12 months post partum. Muscle fibre compositions were determined by histochemical and electrophoretical techniques and succinic dehydrogenase (SDH) activity was analysed in each fibre type. All fibre types were hypertrophied with growth and type I and IIA fibres were significantly larger in the training than the control group at age 12 months. A significant increase of SDH activity was found in type IIX muscle fibres in the training group. Training in young Thoroughbred horses can facilitate muscle fibre hypertrophy and increase the oxidative capacity of type IIX fibres, which could potentially enhance stamina at high speeds. To apply this result to practical training, further studies are needed to determine more effective and safe intensities of controlled exercise.

  4. On the longitudinal distribution of electric field in the acceleration zones of plasma accelerators and thrusters with closed electron drift

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, V. P.

    2017-04-01

    The long-term experience in controlling the electric field distribution in the discharge gaps of plasma accelerators and thrusters with closed electron drift and the key ideas determining the concepts of these devices and tendencies of their development are analyzed. It is shown that an electrostatic mechanism of ion acceleration in plasma by an uncompensated space charge of the cloud of magnetized electrons "kept" to the magnetic field takes place in the acceleration zones and that the electric field distribution can be controlled by varying the magnetic field in the discharge gap. The role played by the space charge makes the mechanism of ion acceleration in this type of thrusters is fundamentally different from the acceleration mechanism operating in purely electrostatic thrusters.

  5. Bilateral priming accelerates recovery of upper limb function after stroke: a randomized controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Stinear, Cathy M; Petoe, Matthew A; Anwar, Samir; Barber, Peter Alan; Byblow, Winston D

    2014-01-01

    The ability to live independently after stroke depends on the recovery of upper limb function. We hypothesized that bilateral priming with active-passive movements before upper limb physiotherapy would promote rebalancing of corticomotor excitability and would accelerate upper limb recovery at the subacute stage. A single-center randomized controlled trial of bilateral priming was conducted with 57 patients randomized at the subacute stage after first-ever ischemic stroke. The PRIMED group made device-assisted mirror symmetrical bimanual movements before upper limb physiotherapy, every weekday for 4 weeks. The CONTROL group was given intermittent cutaneous electric stimulation of the paretic forearm before physiotherapy. Assessments were made at baseline, 6, 12, and 26 weeks. The primary end point was the proportion of patients who reached their plateau for upper limb function at 12 weeks, measured with the Action Research Arm Test. Odds ratios indicated that PRIMED participants were 3× more likely than controls to reach their recovery plateau by 12 weeks. Intention-to-treat and per-protocol analyses showed a greater proportion of PRIMED participants achieved their plateau by 12 weeks (intention to treat, χ2=4.25; P=0.039 and per protocol, χ2=3.99; P=0.046). ANOVA of per-protocol data showed PRIMED participants had greater rebalancing of corticomotor excitability than controls at 12 and 26 weeks and interhemispheric inhibition at 26 weeks (all P<0.05). Bilateral priming accelerated recovery of upper limb function in the initial weeks after stroke. URL: http://www.anzctr.org.au. Unique identifier: ANZCTR1260900046822.

  6. Alteration of swing leg work and power during human accelerated sprinting

    PubMed Central

    Matsubayashi, Takeo; Matsuo, Akifumi; Zushi, Koji

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT This study investigated changes in lower-extremity joint work and power during the swing phase in a maximal accelerated sprinting. Twelve male sprinters performed 60 m maximal sprints while motion data was recorded. Lower-extremity joint work and power during the swing phase of each stride for both legs were calculated. Positive hip and negative knee work (≈4.3 and ≈−2.9 J kg−1) and mean power (≈13.4 and ≈−8.7 W kg−1) during the entire swing phase stabilized or decreased after the 26.2±1.1 (9.69±0.25 m s−1) or 34.3±1.5 m mark (9.97±0.26 m s−1) during the acceleration phase. In contrast, the hip negative work and mean power during the early swing phase (≈7-fold and ≈3.7-fold increase in total), as well as the knee negative work and power during the terminal swing phase (≈1.85-fold and ≈2-fold increase in total), increased until maximal speed. Moreover, only the magnitudes of increases in negative work and mean power at hip and knee joints during the swing phase were positively associated with the increment of running speed from the middle of acceleration phase. These findings indicate that the roles of energy generation and absorption at the hip and knee joints shift around the middle of the acceleration phase as energy generation and absorption at the hip during the late swing phase and at the knee during early swing phase are generally maintained or decreased, and negative work and power at hip during the early swing phase and at knee during the terminal swing phase may be responsible for increasing running speed when approaching maximal speed. PMID:28396485

  7. The Effects of Math Acceleration in Middle School at the High School Level

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dossenbach, Chris Payton

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this mixed-methods capstone is to investigate the effectiveness of the math acceleration initiative that began in the studied school district in 2009 and the impact the initiative has had on mathematics enrollment at the high school level. This research project followed cohorts of students during the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 school…

  8. Training for improved neuro-muscular control of balance in middle aged females.

    PubMed

    Anderson, Gregory S; Deluigi, Fabio; Belli, Guido; Tentoni, Claudio; Gaetz, Michael B

    2016-01-01

    This study examined improvements in static balance and muscle electromyographic (EMG) activity following a four week progressive training program in 16 middle aged females (mean age = 46.9 ± 8.7 yrs; height 161.1 ± 6.0 cm; weight 65.4 ± 11.2 kg). Participants trained 3 times per week for 4 weeks, for 50 min per session, progressing base of support, stability, vision, resistance and torque in each of six basic exercises. Pre and post training measures of balance included feet together standing, a tandem stance and a one-leg stand (unsupported leg in the saggital plane) performed with the eyes closed, and a Stork Stand (unsupported leg in the frontal plane) with both eyes open and closed. In each position postural deviations were tallied for each individual while muscle recruitment was determined using root mean squared (RMS) EMG activity for the soleus, biceps femoris, erector spinae, rectus abdominis and internal oblique muscles of the dominant foot side. Balance scores were significantly improved post training in both the Balance Error Score System (p < 0.05) and stork stand positions (p < 0.01). Muscle activity was reduced post-training in all muscles in each condition except the soleus in the tandem position, although not all significantly. Reduced biceps femoris activity suggest that improved core stability allowed participants to move from a hip to an ankle postural control strategy through improved coordination of muscles involved in balance and reduced body sway. The core muscles were able to control body position with less activity post training suggesting improved muscle coordination and efficiency. These results suggest that short term progressive floor to BOSU™ balance training can improve standing balance in middle aged women. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Sterilization and birth control in the shadow of eugenics: married, middle-class women in Alberta, 1930-1960s.

    PubMed

    Dyck, Erika

    2014-01-01

    The history of eugenic sterilization connotes draconian images of coerced and involuntary procedures robbing men and women of their reproductive health. While eugenics programs often fit this characterization, there is another, smaller, and less obvious legacy of eugenics that arguably contributed to a more empowering image of reproductive health. Sexual sterilization surgeries as a form of contraception began to gather momentum alongside eugenics programs in the middle of the 20th century and experiences among prairie women serve as an illustrative example. Alberta maintained its eugenics program from 1929 to 1972 and engaged in thousands of eugenic sterilizations, but by the 1940s middle-class married women pressured their Albertan physicians to provide them with sterilization surgeries to control fertility, as a matter of choice. The multiple meanings and motivations behind this surgery introduced a moral quandary for physicians, which encourages medical historians to revisit the history of eugenics and its relationship to the contemporaneous birth control movement.

  10. Development of Velocity Guidance Assistance System by Haptic Accelerator Pedal Reaction Force Control

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yin, Feilong; Hayashi, Ryuzo; Raksincharoensak, Pongsathorn; Nagai, Masao

    This research proposes a haptic velocity guidance assistance system for realizing eco-driving as well as enhancing traffic capacity by cooperating with ITS (Intelligent Transportation Systems). The proposed guidance system generates the desired accelerator pedal (abbreviated as pedal) stroke with respect to the desired velocity obtained from ITS considering vehicle dynamics, and provides the desired pedal stroke to the driver via a haptic pedal whose reaction force is controllable and guides the driver in order to trace the desired velocity in real time. The main purpose of this paper is to discuss the feasibility of the haptic velocity guidance. A haptic velocity guidance system for research is developed on the Driving Simulator of TUAT (DS), by attaching a low-inertia, low-friction motor to the pedal, which does not change the original characteristics of the original pedal when it is not operated, implementing an algorithm regarding the desired pedal stroke calculation and the reaction force controller. The haptic guidance maneuver is designed based on human pedal stepping experiments. A simple velocity profile with acceleration, deceleration and cruising is synthesized according to naturalistic driving for testing the proposed system. The experiment result of 9 drivers shows that the haptic guidance provides high accuracy and quick response in velocity tracking. These results prove that the haptic guidance is a promising velocity guidance method from the viewpoint of HMI (Human Machine Interface).

  11. Cognitive Remediation in Middle-Aged or Older Inpatients with Chronic Schizophrenia: A Randomized Controlled Trial in Korea.

    PubMed

    Choi, Kee-Hong; Kang, Jinsook; Kim, Sun-Min; Lee, Seung-Hwan; Park, Seon-Cheol; Lee, Won-Hye; Choi, Sun; Park, Kiho; Hwang, Tae-Yeon

    2017-01-01

    Background: Accumulating evidence indicates that cognitive remediation (CR) is effective for improving various cognitive deficits in adult patients with schizophrenia. Although reports of brain plasticity in older adults and the service needs for chronic patients with schizophrenia are increasing, very few randomized controlled trials of CR have been conducted in middle-aged or older inpatients with chronic schizophrenia. We investigated the efficacy of individualized CR on the cognitive impairments of middle-aged or older inpatients with chronic schizophrenia within the context of comprehensive psychiatric rehabilitation (PR) by comparing the results obtained with PR only and treatment as usual (TAU). Method: Fifty-seven middle-aged and older individuals with chronic schizophrenia and mild to moderate cognitive deficits were enrolled. Thirty-eight who were undergoing PR were randomly assigned to CR + PR ( N = 19) or PR-only ( N = 19) groups. Nineteen participants who were undergoing TAU without CR or PR were evaluated pre- and post-treatment. Results: CR was easily provided and well received (drop-out rates = 5.3%) by middle-aged or older psychiatric inpatients. Compared to the PR-Only or TAU patients, patients in the CR + PR group showed greater improvement in executive functioning. Compared to TAU patients, CR + PR and PR-only patients showed greater improvement in logical memory. More patients in the CR + PR group improved clinically significantly in executive functioning and logical memory, compared with the PR-only and TAU patients. Conclusions: These results suggested that CR improved some cognitive deficits in middle-aged or older inpatients with chronic schizophrenia and that it was effective as an adjunctive treatment to the usual PR services provided in inpatient settings. Clinical Registration: KCT0002609.

  12. Virtual gap dielectric wall accelerator

    DOEpatents

    Caporaso, George James; Chen, Yu-Jiuan; Nelson, Scott; Sullivan, Jim; Hawkins, Steven A

    2013-11-05

    A virtual, moving accelerating gap is formed along an insulating tube in a dielectric wall accelerator (DWA) by locally controlling the conductivity of the tube. Localized voltage concentration is thus achieved by sequential activation of a variable resistive tube or stalk down the axis of an inductive voltage adder, producing a "virtual" traveling wave along the tube. The tube conductivity can be controlled at a desired location, which can be moved at a desired rate, by light illumination, or by photoconductive switches, or by other means. As a result, an impressed voltage along the tube appears predominantly over a local region, the virtual gap. By making the length of the tube large in comparison to the virtual gap length, the effective gain of the accelerator can be made very large.

  13. Uncoupling VOR and vestibuloautonomic retention to Coriolis acceleration training in student pilots and control subjects.

    PubMed

    Wang, Linjie; Cao, Yi; Tan, Cheng; Zhao, Qi; He, Siyang; Niu, Dongbin; Tang, Guohua; Zou, Peng; Xing, Lei

    2017-01-01

    Explore the different vestibular physiologic response retention patterns after Coriolis acceleration training in student pilots and extend the results for use with Chinese astronauts in the future. Twelve healthy control male subjects were screened from males familiar with vestibular training and who physically resembled the astronauts. Fourteen student pilots were selected from 23 participants by rotational vestibular function tests. All subjects were exposed to five-day continuous or intermittent Coriolis acceleration training. Subjective motion sickness (MS) symptom scores, electrocardiography, electrogastrography (EGG), post-rotatory nystagmus and renin-angiotensin system responses were measured before, during and after rotational vestibular function tests at different times after vestibular training. Subjects could tolerate 10 min or 15 min of vestibular with mild MS symptoms. Retention of vestibular autonomic responses (retention of MS symptom scores, heart rate variability, power density of EGG, variations in levels of arginine vasopressin) were approximately 1 week for control subjects and approximately 5 weeks for student pilots. Decreases in slow-phase velocity of post-rotatory nystagmus were maintained for 14 weeks for control subjects and 9 weeks for student pilots. Retention of the vestibulo-autonomic reaction after vestibular training was different for control subjects and student pilots. All parameters related to autonomic responses could be maintained at low levels after vestibular training for approximately 1 week for control subjects and approximately 5 weeks for student pilots. Uncoupling patterns between post-rotatory nystagmus and the vestibulo-autonomic reaction may be helpful in the design of clinical rehabilitation plans for balance-disorder patients and for exploration of artificial gravity in future space missions.

  14. Implementing complex innovations: factors influencing middle manager support.

    PubMed

    Chuang, Emmeline; Jason, Kendra; Morgan, Jennifer Craft

    2011-01-01

    Middle manager resistance is often described as a major challenge for upper-level administrators seeking to implement complex innovations such as evidence-based protocols or new skills training. However, factors influencing middle manager support for innovation implementation are currently understudied in the U.S. health care literature. This article examined the factors that influence middle managers' support for and participation in the implementation of work-based learning, a complex innovation adopted by health care organizations to improve the jobs, educational pathways, skills, and/or credentials of their frontline workers. We conducted semistructured interviews and focus groups with 92 middle managers in 17 health care organizations. Questions focused on understanding middle managers' support for work-based learning as a complex innovation, facilitators and barriers to the implementation process, and the systems changes needed to support the implementation of this innovation. Factors that emerged as influential to middle manager support were similar to those found in broader models of innovation implementation within the health care literature. However, our findings extend previous research by developing an understanding about how middle managers perceived these constructs and by identifying specific strategies for how to influence middle manager support for the innovation implementation process. These findings were generally consistent across different types of health care organizations. Study findings suggest that middle manager support was highest when managers felt the innovation fit their workplace needs and priorities and when they had more discretion and control over how it was implemented. Leaders seeking to implement innovations should consider the interplay between middle managers' control and discretion, their narrow focus on the performance of their own departments or units, and the dedication of staff and other resources for empowering their

  15. Vibration acceleration promotes bone formation in rodent models

    PubMed Central

    Uchida, Ryohei; Nakata, Ken; Kawano, Fuminori; Yonetani, Yasukazu; Ogasawara, Issei; Nakai, Naoya; Mae, Tatsuo; Matsuo, Tomohiko; Tachibana, Yuta; Yokoi, Hiroyuki; Yoshikawa, Hideki

    2017-01-01

    All living tissues and cells on Earth are subject to gravitational acceleration, but no reports have verified whether acceleration mode influences bone formation and healing. Therefore, this study was to compare the effects of two acceleration modes, vibration and constant (centrifugal) accelerations, on bone formation and healing in the trunk using BMP 2-induced ectopic bone formation (EBF) mouse model and a rib fracture healing (RFH) rat model. Additionally, we tried to verify the difference in mechanism of effect on bone formation by accelerations between these two models. Three groups (low- and high-magnitude vibration and control-VA groups) were evaluated in the vibration acceleration study, and two groups (centrifuge acceleration and control-CA groups) were used in the constant acceleration study. In each model, the intervention was applied for ten minutes per day from three days after surgery for eleven days (EBF model) or nine days (RFH model). All animals were sacrificed the day after the intervention ended. In the EBF model, ectopic bone was evaluated by macroscopic and histological observations, wet weight, radiography and microfocus computed tomography (micro-CT). In the RFH model, whole fracture-repaired ribs were excised with removal of soft tissue, and evaluated radiologically and histologically. Ectopic bones in the low-magnitude group (EBF model) had significantly greater wet weight and were significantly larger (macroscopically and radiographically) than those in the other two groups, whereas the size and wet weight of ectopic bones in the centrifuge acceleration group showed no significant difference compared those in control-CA group. All ectopic bones showed calcified trabeculae and maturated bone marrow. Micro-CT showed that bone volume (BV) in the low-magnitude group of EBF model was significantly higher than those in the other two groups (3.1±1.2mm3 v.s. 1.8±1.2mm3 in high-magnitude group and 1.3±0.9mm3 in control-VA group), but BV in the

  16. Vibration acceleration promotes bone formation in rodent models.

    PubMed

    Uchida, Ryohei; Nakata, Ken; Kawano, Fuminori; Yonetani, Yasukazu; Ogasawara, Issei; Nakai, Naoya; Mae, Tatsuo; Matsuo, Tomohiko; Tachibana, Yuta; Yokoi, Hiroyuki; Yoshikawa, Hideki

    2017-01-01

    All living tissues and cells on Earth are subject to gravitational acceleration, but no reports have verified whether acceleration mode influences bone formation and healing. Therefore, this study was to compare the effects of two acceleration modes, vibration and constant (centrifugal) accelerations, on bone formation and healing in the trunk using BMP 2-induced ectopic bone formation (EBF) mouse model and a rib fracture healing (RFH) rat model. Additionally, we tried to verify the difference in mechanism of effect on bone formation by accelerations between these two models. Three groups (low- and high-magnitude vibration and control-VA groups) were evaluated in the vibration acceleration study, and two groups (centrifuge acceleration and control-CA groups) were used in the constant acceleration study. In each model, the intervention was applied for ten minutes per day from three days after surgery for eleven days (EBF model) or nine days (RFH model). All animals were sacrificed the day after the intervention ended. In the EBF model, ectopic bone was evaluated by macroscopic and histological observations, wet weight, radiography and microfocus computed tomography (micro-CT). In the RFH model, whole fracture-repaired ribs were excised with removal of soft tissue, and evaluated radiologically and histologically. Ectopic bones in the low-magnitude group (EBF model) had significantly greater wet weight and were significantly larger (macroscopically and radiographically) than those in the other two groups, whereas the size and wet weight of ectopic bones in the centrifuge acceleration group showed no significant difference compared those in control-CA group. All ectopic bones showed calcified trabeculae and maturated bone marrow. Micro-CT showed that bone volume (BV) in the low-magnitude group of EBF model was significantly higher than those in the other two groups (3.1±1.2mm3 v.s. 1.8±1.2mm3 in high-magnitude group and 1.3±0.9mm3 in control-VA group), but BV in the

  17. Quality control methods for linear accelerator radiation and mechanical axes alignment.

    PubMed

    Létourneau, Daniel; Keller, Harald; Becker, Nathan; Amin, Md Nurul; Norrlinger, Bernhard; Jaffray, David A

    2018-06-01

    The delivery accuracy of highly conformal dose distributions generated using intensity modulation and collimator, gantry, and couch degrees of freedom is directly affected by the quality of the alignment between the radiation beam and the mechanical axes of a linear accelerator. For this purpose, quality control (QC) guidelines recommend a tolerance of ±1 mm for the coincidence of the radiation and mechanical isocenters. Traditional QC methods for assessment of radiation and mechanical axes alignment (based on pointer alignment) are time consuming and complex tasks that provide limited accuracy. In this work, an automated test suite based on an analytical model of the linear accelerator motions was developed to streamline the QC of radiation and mechanical axes alignment. The proposed method used the automated analysis of megavoltage images of two simple task-specific phantoms acquired at different linear accelerator settings to determine the coincidence of the radiation and mechanical isocenters. The sensitivity and accuracy of the test suite were validated by introducing actual misalignments on a linear accelerator between the radiation axis and the mechanical axes using both beam steering and mechanical adjustments of the gantry and couch. The validation demonstrated that the new QC method can detect sub-millimeter misalignment between the radiation axis and the three mechanical axes of rotation. A displacement of the radiation source of 0.2 mm using beam steering parameters was easily detectable with the proposed collimator rotation axis test. Mechanical misalignments of the gantry and couch rotation axes of the same magnitude (0.2 mm) were also detectable using the new gantry and couch rotation axis tests. For the couch rotation axis, the phantom and test design allow detection of both translational and tilt misalignments with the radiation beam axis. For the collimator rotation axis, the test can isolate the misalignment between the beam radiation axis

  18. Accelerant-related burns and drug abuse: Challenging combination.

    PubMed

    Leung, Leslie T F; Papp, Anthony

    2018-05-01

    Accelerants are flammable substances that may cause explosion when added to existing fires. The relationships between drug abuse and accelerant-related burns are not well elucidated in the literature. Of these burns, a portion is related to drug manufacturing, which have been shown to be associated with increased burn complications. 1) To evaluate the demographics and clinical outcomes of accelerant-related burns in a Provincial Burn Centre. 2) To compare the clinical outcomes with a control group of non-accelerant related burns. 3) To analyze a subgroup of patients with history of drug abuse and drug manufacturing. Retrospective case control study. Patient data associated with accelerant-related burns from 2009 to 2014 were obtained from the British Columbia Burn Registry. These patients were compared with a control group of non-accelerant related burns. Clinical outcomes that were evaluated include inhalational injury, ICU length of stay, ventilator support, surgeries needed, and burn complications. Chi-square test was used to evaluate categorical data and Student's t-test was used to evaluate mean quantitative data with the p value set at 0.05. A logistic regression model was used to evaluate factors affecting burn complications. Accelerant-related burns represented 28.2% of all burn admissions (N=532) from 2009 to 2014. The accelerant group had higher percentage of patients with history of drug abuse and was associated with higher TBSA burns, ventilator support, ICU stay and pneumonia rates compared to the non-accelerant group. Within the accelerant group, there was no difference in clinical outcomes amongst people with or without history of drug abuse. Four cases were associated with methamphetamine manufacturing, all of which underwent ICU stay and ventilator support. Accelerant-related burns cause significant burden to the burn center. A significant proportion of these patients have history of drug abuse. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights

  19. Controlling protein molecular dynamics: How to accelerate folding while preserving the native state

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jensen, Christian H.; Nerukh, Dmitry; Glen, Robert C.

    2008-12-01

    The dynamics of peptides and proteins generated by classical molecular dynamics (MD) is described by using a Markov model. The model is built by clustering the trajectory into conformational states and estimating transition probabilities between the states. Assuming that it is possible to influence the dynamics of the system by varying simulation parameters, we show how to use the Markov model to determine the parameter values that preserve the folded state of the protein and at the same time, reduce the folding time in the simulation. We investigate this by applying the method to two systems. The first system is an imaginary peptide described by given transition probabilities with a total folding time of 1μs. We find that only small changes in the transition probabilities are needed to accelerate (or decelerate) the folding. This implies that folding times for slowly folding peptides and proteins calculated using MD cannot be meaningfully compared to experimental results. The second system is a four residue peptide valine-proline-alanine-leucine in water. We control the dynamics of the transitions by varying the temperature and the atom masses. The simulation results show that it is possible to find the combinations of parameter values that accelerate the dynamics and at the same time preserve the native state of the peptide. A method for accelerating larger systems without performing simulations for the whole folding process is outlined.

  20. GOTHIC: Gravitational oct-tree code accelerated by hierarchical time step controlling

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Miki, Yohei; Umemura, Masayuki

    2017-04-01

    The tree method is a widely implemented algorithm for collisionless N-body simulations in astrophysics well suited for GPU(s). Adopting hierarchical time stepping can accelerate N-body simulations; however, it is infrequently implemented and its potential remains untested in GPU implementations. We have developed a Gravitational Oct-Tree code accelerated by HIerarchical time step Controlling named GOTHIC, which adopts both the tree method and the hierarchical time step. The code adopts some adaptive optimizations by monitoring the execution time of each function on-the-fly and minimizes the time-to-solution by balancing the measured time of multiple functions. Results of performance measurements with realistic particle distribution performed on NVIDIA Tesla M2090, K20X, and GeForce GTX TITAN X, which are representative GPUs of the Fermi, Kepler, and Maxwell generation of GPUs, show that the hierarchical time step achieves a speedup by a factor of around 3-5 times compared to the shared time step. The measured elapsed time per step of GOTHIC is 0.30 s or 0.44 s on GTX TITAN X when the particle distribution represents the Andromeda galaxy or the NFW sphere, respectively, with 224 = 16,777,216 particles. The averaged performance of the code corresponds to 10-30% of the theoretical single precision peak performance of the GPU.

  1. Acceleration modules in linear induction accelerators

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Shao-Heng; Deng, Jian-Jun

    2014-05-01

    The Linear Induction Accelerator (LIA) is a unique type of accelerator that is capable of accelerating kilo-Ampere charged particle current to tens of MeV energy. The present development of LIA in MHz bursting mode and the successful application into a synchrotron have broadened LIA's usage scope. Although the transformer model is widely used to explain the acceleration mechanism of LIAs, it is not appropriate to consider the induction electric field as the field which accelerates charged particles for many modern LIAs. We have examined the transition of the magnetic cores' functions during the LIA acceleration modules' evolution, distinguished transformer type and transmission line type LIA acceleration modules, and re-considered several related issues based on transmission line type LIA acceleration module. This clarified understanding should help in the further development and design of LIA acceleration modules.

  2. Cognitive Training Sustainably Improves Executive Functioning in Middle-Aged Industry Workers Assessed by Task Switching: A Randomized Controlled ERP Study

    PubMed Central

    Gajewski, Patrick D.; Freude, Gabriele; Falkenstein, Michael

    2017-01-01

    Recently, we reported results of a cross-sectional study investigating executive functions in dependence of aging and type of work. That study showed deficits in performance and electrophysiological activity in middle-aged workers with long-term repetitive and unchallenging work. Based on these findings, we conducted a longitudinal study that aimed at ameliorating these cognitive deficits by means of a trainer-guided cognitive training (CT) in 57 further middle-aged workers with repetitive type of work from the same factory. This study was designed as a randomized controlled trail with pre- (t1), post- (t2), and a 3-month follow-up (t3) measure. The waiting control group was trained between t2 and t3. The training lasted 3 months (20 sessions) and was evaluated with the same task switching paradigm used in the previous cross-sectional study. The CT improved performance in accuracy at the behavioral level and affected the electrophysiological correlates of retrieval of stimulus-response sets (P2), response selection (N2), and error detection (Ne), thus unveiling the neuronal background of the behavioral effects. The same training effects were observed in the waiting control group after CT at t3. Moreover, at t3, most of the behavioral and electrophysiological training-induced changes were found stable. Hence, CT appears to be an important intervention for compensating cognitive deficits in executive functions in middle-aged employees with cognitively unchallenging work. PMID:28275347

  3. The Spallation Neutron Source accelerator system design

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Henderson, S.; Abraham, W.; Aleksandrov, A.; Allen, C.; Alonso, J.; Anderson, D.; Arenius, D.; Arthur, T.; Assadi, S.; Ayers, J.; Bach, P.; Badea, V.; Battle, R.; Beebe-Wang, J.; Bergmann, B.; Bernardin, J.; Bhatia, T.; Billen, J.; Birke, T.; Bjorklund, E.; Blaskiewicz, M.; Blind, B.; Blokland, W.; Bookwalter, V.; Borovina, D.; Bowling, S.; Bradley, J.; Brantley, C.; Brennan, J.; Brodowski, J.; Brown, S.; Brown, R.; Bruce, D.; Bultman, N.; Cameron, P.; Campisi, I.; Casagrande, F.; Catalan-Lasheras, N.; Champion, M.; Champion, M.; Chen, Z.; Cheng, D.; Cho, Y.; Christensen, K.; Chu, C.; Cleaves, J.; Connolly, R.; Cote, T.; Cousineau, S.; Crandall, K.; Creel, J.; Crofford, M.; Cull, P.; Cutler, R.; Dabney, R.; Dalesio, L.; Daly, E.; Damm, R.; Danilov, V.; Davino, D.; Davis, K.; Dawson, C.; Day, L.; Deibele, C.; Delayen, J.; DeLong, J.; Demello, A.; DeVan, W.; Digennaro, R.; Dixon, K.; Dodson, G.; Doleans, M.; Doolittle, L.; Doss, J.; Drury, M.; Elliot, T.; Ellis, S.; Error, J.; Fazekas, J.; Fedotov, A.; Feng, P.; Fischer, J.; Fox, W.; Fuja, R.; Funk, W.; Galambos, J.; Ganni, V.; Garnett, R.; Geng, X.; Gentzlinger, R.; Giannella, M.; Gibson, P.; Gillis, R.; Gioia, J.; Gordon, J.; Gough, R.; Greer, J.; Gregory, W.; Gribble, R.; Grice, W.; Gurd, D.; Gurd, P.; Guthrie, A.; Hahn, H.; Hardek, T.; Hardekopf, R.; Harrison, J.; Hatfield, D.; He, P.; Hechler, M.; Heistermann, F.; Helus, S.; Hiatt, T.; Hicks, S.; Hill, J.; Hill, J.; Hoff, L.; Hoff, M.; Hogan, J.; Holding, M.; Holik, P.; Holmes, J.; Holtkamp, N.; Hovater, C.; Howell, M.; Hseuh, H.; Huhn, A.; Hunter, T.; Ilg, T.; Jackson, J.; Jain, A.; Jason, A.; Jeon, D.; Johnson, G.; Jones, A.; Joseph, S.; Justice, A.; Kang, Y.; Kasemir, K.; Keller, R.; Kersevan, R.; Kerstiens, D.; Kesselman, M.; Kim, S.; Kneisel, P.; Kravchuk, L.; Kuneli, T.; Kurennoy, S.; Kustom, R.; Kwon, S.; Ladd, P.; Lambiase, R.; Lee, Y. Y.; Leitner, M.; Leung, K.-N.; Lewis, S.; Liaw, C.; Lionberger, C.; Lo, C. C.; Long, C.; Ludewig, H.; Ludvig, J.; Luft, P.; Lynch, M.; Ma, H.; MacGill, R.; Macha, K.; Madre, B.; Mahler, G.; Mahoney, K.; Maines, J.; Mammosser, J.; Mann, T.; Marneris, I.; Marroquin, P.; Martineau, R.; Matsumoto, K.; McCarthy, M.; McChesney, C.; McGahern, W.; McGehee, P.; Meng, W.; Merz, B.; Meyer, R.; Meyer, R.; Miller, B.; Mitchell, R.; Mize, J.; Monroy, M.; Munro, J.; Murdoch, G.; Musson, J.; Nath, S.; Nelson, R.; Nelson, R.; O`Hara, J.; Olsen, D.; Oren, W.; Oshatz, D.; Owens, T.; Pai, C.; Papaphilippou, I.; Patterson, N.; Patterson, J.; Pearson, C.; Pelaia, T.; Pieck, M.; Piller, C.; Plawski, T.; Plum, M.; Pogge, J.; Power, J.; Powers, T.; Preble, J.; Prokop, M.; Pruyn, J.; Purcell, D.; Rank, J.; Raparia, D.; Ratti, A.; Reass, W.; Reece, K.; Rees, D.; Regan, A.; Regis, M.; Reijonen, J.; Rej, D.; Richards, D.; Richied, D.; Rode, C.; Rodriguez, W.; Rodriguez, M.; Rohlev, A.; Rose, C.; Roseberry, T.; Rowton, L.; Roybal, W.; Rust, K.; Salazer, G.; Sandberg, J.; Saunders, J.; Schenkel, T.; Schneider, W.; Schrage, D.; Schubert, J.; Severino, F.; Shafer, R.; Shea, T.; Shishlo, A.; Shoaee, H.; Sibley, C.; Sims, J.; Smee, S.; Smith, J.; Smith, K.; Spitz, R.; Staples, J.; Stein, P.; Stettler, M.; Stirbet, M.; Stockli, M.; Stone, W.; Stout, D.; Stovall, J.; Strelo, W.; Strong, H.; Sundelin, R.; Syversrud, D.; Szajbler, M.; Takeda, H.; Tallerico, P.; Tang, J.; Tanke, E.; Tepikian, S.; Thomae, R.; Thompson, D.; Thomson, D.; Thuot, M.; Treml, C.; Tsoupas, N.; Tuozzolo, J.; Tuzel, W.; Vassioutchenko, A.; Virostek, S.; Wallig, J.; Wanderer, P.; Wang, Y.; Wang, J. G.; Wangler, T.; Warren, D.; Wei, J.; Weiss, D.; Welton, R.; Weng, J.; Weng, W.-T.; Wezensky, M.; White, M.; Whitlatch, T.; Williams, D.; Williams, E.; Wilson, K.; Wiseman, M.; Wood, R.; Wright, P.; Wu, A.; Ybarrolaza, N.; Young, K.; Young, L.; Yourd, R.; Zachoszcz, A.; Zaltsman, A.; Zhang, S.; Zhang, W.; Zhang, Y.; Zhukov, A.

    2014-11-01

    The Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) was designed and constructed by a collaboration of six U.S. Department of Energy national laboratories. The SNS accelerator system consists of a 1 GeV linear accelerator and an accumulator ring providing 1.4 MW of proton beam power in microsecond-long beam pulses to a liquid mercury target for neutron production. The accelerator complex consists of a front-end negative hydrogen-ion injector system, an 87 MeV drift tube linear accelerator, a 186 MeV side-coupled linear accelerator, a 1 GeV superconducting linear accelerator, a 248-m circumference accumulator ring and associated beam transport lines. The accelerator complex is supported by ~100 high-power RF power systems, a 2 K cryogenic plant, ~400 DC and pulsed power supply systems, ~400 beam diagnostic devices and a distributed control system handling ~100,000 I/O signals. The beam dynamics design of the SNS accelerator is presented, as is the engineering design of the major accelerator subsystems.

  4. Relativistically Induced Transparency Acceleration (RITA) - laser-plasma accelerated quasi-monoenergetic GeV ion-beams with existing lasers?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sahai, Aakash A.

    2013-10-01

    Laser-plasma ion accelerators have the potential to produce beams with unprecedented characteristics of ultra-short bunch lengths (100s of fs) and high bunch-charge (1010 particles) over acceleration length of about 100 microns. However, creating and controlling mono-energetic bunches while accelerating to high-energies has been a challenge. If high-energy mono-energetic beams can be demonstrated with minimal post-processing, laser (ω0)-plasma (ωpe) ion accelerators may be used in a wide-range of applications such as cancer hadron-therapy, medical isotope production, neutron generation, radiography and high-energy density science. Here we demonstrate using analysis and simulations that using relativistic intensity laser-pulses and heavy-ion (Mi ×me) targets doped with a proton (or light-ion) species (mp ×me) of trace density (at least an order of magnitude below the cold critical density) we can scale up the energy of quasi-mono-energetically accelerated proton (or light-ion) beams while controlling their energy, charge and energy spectrum. This is achieved by controlling the laser propagation into an overdense (ω0 <ωpeγ = 1) increasing plasma density gradient by incrementally inducing relativistic electron quiver and thereby rendering them transparent to the laser while the heavy-ions are immobile. Ions do not directly interact with ultra-short laser that is much shorter in duration than their characteristic time-scale (τp <<√{mp} /ω0 <<√{Mi} /ω0). For a rising laser intensity envelope, increasing relativistic quiver controls laser propagation beyond the cold critical density. For increasing plasma density (ωpe2 (x)), laser penetrates into higher density and is shielded, stopped and reflected where ωpe2 (x) / γ (x , t) =ω02 . In addition to the laser quivering the electrons, it also ponderomotively drives (Fp 1/γ∇za2) them forward longitudinally, creating a constriction of snowplowed e-s. The resulting longitudinal e--displacement from

  5. FAST/Polar Conjunction Study of Field-Aligned Auroral Acceleration and Corresponding Magnetotail Drivers

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Schriver, D.; Ashour-Abdalla, M.; Strangeway, R. J.; Richard, R. L.; Klezting, C.; Dotan, Y.; Wygant, J.

    2002-01-01

    The discrete aurora results when energized electrons bombard the Earth's atmosphere at high latitudes. This paper examines the physical processes that can cause field-aligned acceleration of plasma particles in the auroral region. A data and theoretical study has been carried out to examine the acceleration mechanisms that operate in the auroral zone and to identity the magnetospheric drivers of these acceleration mechanisms. The observations used in the study were collected by the Fast Auroral SnapshoT (FAST) and Polar satellites when the two satellites were in approximate magnetic conjunction in the auroral region. During these events FAST was in the middle of the auroral zone and Polar was above the auroral zone in the near-Earth plasma sheet. Polar data was used to determine the conditions in the magnetotail at the time field-aligned acceleration was measured by FAST in the auroral zone. For each of the magnetotail drivers identified in the data study, the physics of field-aligned acceleration in the auroral region was examined using existing theoretical efforts and a long-system particle-in-cell simulation to model the magnetically connected region between the two satellites.

  6. Morphology of the Corneal Limbus Following Standard and Accelerated Corneal Collagen Cross-Linking (9 mW/cm2) for Keratoconus.

    PubMed

    Uçakhan, Ömür Ö; Bayraktutar, Betül

    2017-01-01

    To evaluate the morphological features of the corneal limbus as measured by in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) following standard and accelerated corneal collagen cross-linking (CXL) for keratoconus. Patients with progressive keratoconus scheduled to undergo standard CXL (group 1; 31 patients, 3 mW/cm, 370 nm, 30 minutes), or accelerated CXL (group 2; 20 patients, 9 mW/cm, 370 nm, 10 minutes) in the worse eye were included in this prospective study. Thirty eyes of 30 age-matched patients served as controls (group 3). All patient eyes underwent IVCM scanning of the central cornea and the inferior limbal area at baseline and 1, 3, and 6 months after CXL. After CXL, epithelial regrowth was complete by day 4 in both groups 1 and 2. There were no statistically significant differences between the baseline mean central corneal wing or basal cell density, limbus-palisade middle or basal cell densities of groups 1, 2, or 3. At postoperative months 1, 3, and 6, there were no statistically significant differences in either central or limbus-palisade epithelial cell densities or diameters in keratoconic eyes that underwent standard or accelerated CXL (P > 0.05). The morphology of the limbal cells was preserved as well. The morphology of limbus structures seems to be preserved following standard and accelerated CXL in short-term follow-up, as measured using IVCM.

  7. Improving particle beam acceleration in plasmas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    C. de Sousa, M.; L. Caldas, I.

    2018-04-01

    The dynamics of wave-particle interactions in magnetized plasmas restricts the wave amplitude to moderate values for particle beam acceleration from rest energy. We analyze how a perturbing invariant robust barrier modifies the phase space of the system and enlarges the wave amplitude interval for particle acceleration. For low values of the wave amplitude, the acceleration becomes effective for particles with initial energy close to the rest energy. For higher values of the wave amplitude, the robust barrier controls chaos in the system and restores the acceleration process. We also determine the best position for the perturbing barrier in phase space in order to increase the final energy of the particles.

  8. Political economy analysis for tobacco control in low- and middle-income countries.

    PubMed

    Bump, Jesse B; Reich, Michael R

    2013-03-01

    Tobacco is already the world's leading cause of preventable death, claiming over 5 million lives annually, and this toll is rising. Even though effective tobacco control policies are well researched and widely disseminated, they remain largely unimplemented in most low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). For the most part, control attempts by advocates and government regulators have been frustrated by transnational tobacco companies (TTCs) and their supporters. One reason tobacco is so difficult to control is that its political economy has yet to be adequately understood and addressed. We conducted a review of the literature on tobacco control in LMICs using the databases PubMed, EconLit, PsychInfo and AGRICOLA. Among the over 2500 papers and reports we identified, very few explicitly applied political economy analysis to tobacco control in an LMIC setting. The vast majority of papers characterized important aspects of the tobacco epidemic, including who smokes, the effects of smoking on health, the effectiveness of advertising bans, and the activities of TTCs and their allies. But the political and economic dynamics of policy adoption and implementation were not discussed in any but a handful of papers. To help control advocates better understand and manage the process of policy implementation, we identify how political economy analysis would differ from the traditional public health approaches that dominate the literature. We focus on five important problem areas: information problems and the risks of smoking; the roles of domestic producers; multinational corporations and trade disputes in consumption; smuggling; the barriers to raising taxes and establishing spatial restrictions on smoking; and incentive conflicts between government branches. We conclude by discussing the political economy of tobacco and its implications for control strategies.

  9. Gas-filled capillaries for plasma-based accelerators

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Filippi, F.; Anania, M. P.; Brentegani, E.; Biagioni, A.; Cianchi, A.; Chiadroni, E.; Ferrario, M.; Pompili, R.; Romeo, S.; Zigler, A.

    2017-07-01

    Plasma Wakefield Accelerators are based on the excitation of large amplitude plasma waves excited by either a laser or a particle driver beam. The amplitude of the waves, as well as their spatial dimensions and the consequent accelerating gradient depend strongly on the background electron density along the path of the accelerated particles. The process needs stable and reliable plasma sources, whose density profile must be controlled and properly engineered to ensure the appropriate accelerating mechanism. Plasma confinement inside gas filled capillaries have been studied in the past since this technique allows to control the evolution of the plasma, ensuring a stable and repeatable plasma density distribution during the interaction with the drivers. Moreover, in a gas filled capillary plasma can be pre-ionized by a current discharge to avoid ionization losses. Different capillary geometries have been studied to allow the proper temporal and spatial evolution of the plasma along the acceleration length. Results of this analysis obtained by varying the length and the number of gas inlets will be presented.

  10. Normotension, prehypertension, and hypertension in urban middle-class subjects in India: prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control.

    PubMed

    Gupta, Rajeev; Deedwania, Prakash C; Achari, Vijay; Bhansali, Anil; Gupta, Bal Kishan; Gupta, Arvind; Mahanta, Tulika G; Asirvatham, Arthur J; Gupta, Sunil; Maheshwari, Anuj; Saboo, Banshi; Jali, Mallikarjuna V; Singh, Jitendra; Guptha, Soneil; Sharma, Krishna Kumar

    2013-01-01

    We conducted a multisite study to determine the prevalence and determinants of normotension, prehypertension, and hypertension, and awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension among urban middle-class subjects in India. We evaluated 6,106 middle-class urban subjects (men 3,371; women, 2,735; response rate, 62%) in 11 cities for sociodemographic and biological factors. The subjects were classified as having normotension (BP < 120/80), prehypertension (BP 120-139/80-89), and hypertension (documented or BP ≥ 140/90). The prevalence of other cardiovascular risk factors was determined and associations evaluated through logistic regression analysis. The age-adjusted prevalences in men and women of normotension were 26.7% and 39.1%, of prehypertension 40.2% and 30.1%, and of hypertension 32.5% and 30.4%, respectively. The prevalence of normotension declined with age whereas that of hypertension increased (P-trend < 0.01). A significant association of normotension was found with younger age, low dietary fat intake, lower use of tobacco, and low obesity (P < 0.05). The prevalence of hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome was higher in the groups with prehypertension and hypertension than in the group with normotension (age-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) 2.0-5.0, P < 0.001). The prevalences in men and women, respectively, of two or more risk factors were 11.1% and 6.4% in the group with normotension, 25.1% and 23.3% in the group with prehypertension, and 38.3% and 39.1% in the group with hypertension (P < 0.01). Awareness of hypertension in the study population was in 55.3%; 36.5% of the hypertensive group were receiving treatment for hypertension, and 28.2% of this group had a controlled BP (< 140/90 mm Hg). The study found a low prevalence of normotension and high prevalence of hypertension in middle-class urban Asian Indians. Significant associations of hypertension were found with age, dietary fat, consumption of fruits and vegetables, smoking, and

  11. Middle East respiratory syndrome: knowledge to date.

    PubMed

    Alsolamy, Sami

    2015-06-01

    To provide a conceptual and clinical review of Middle East respiratory syndrome. Peer-reviewed articles were identified through searches of PubMed using the terms "Middle East respiratory syndrome," "coronavirus respiratory illness in Saudi Arabia," and "novel (beta) coronavirus and human coronavirus Erasmus Medical Center". In addition, articles were searched on the websites of the World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention using the terms "Middle East respiratory syndrome" and "novel coronavirus in Middle East." The reference lists of these articles and relevant review articles were also reviewed. Final references were selected for inclusion in the review on the basis of their relevance. The emerging Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus causes severe pulmonary disease with multiorgan involvement and a high fatality rate. Within months after its emergence, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus was reported in several countries worldwide in people who had traveled from the Middle East. Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus is considered a zoonotic virus that has crossed the species barrier to humans, but the pathogenesis and the routes of transmission are not completely understood. There is currently no recommended treatment for Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, although supportive treatment has played an important role. This syndrome has raised global public health concerns about the dissemination of an emerging infectious disease and highlights the need for a coordinated global response to contain such a disease threat.

  12. Role of Private Enterprise in Cancer Control in Low to Middle Income Countries

    PubMed Central

    Mahoney, Martin; Okoye, Ifeoma; Ejiogu, Kenneth; George, Saby; Dy, Grace; Jimoh, Mutiu; Salako, Omolola; Ilegbune, Oge; Chugani, Bindiya; Ezeome, Emmanuel; Popoola, Abiodun O.; Michalek, Arthur M.

    2016-01-01

    Background. About 65% of cancer deaths globally occur in low to middle income countries (LMICs) where prioritization and allocation of resources to cancer care are often quite poor. In the absence of governmental focus on this problem, public-private partnerships may be an avenue to provide effective cancer control. Methods. This manuscript highlights the establishment of a nongovernmental organization (NGO) to stimulate the development of partnerships between oncology professionals, private enterprise, and academic institutions, both locally and internationally. Examples of capacity building, grant support, establishment of collaborative networks, and the development of a facility to provide clinical care are highlighted. Results. Collaborations were established between oncology professionals at academic institutions in the US and Nigeria. Cancer control workshops were conducted in Nigeria with grant support from the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC). A monthly tumor board conference was established at LASUTH in Lagos, and further capacity building is underway with grant support from the United States NCI. An outpatient, privately funded oncology clinic in Lagos has been launched. Conclusion. In LMICs, effective partnership between public and private institutions can lead to tangible strides in cancer control. The use of creative healthcare financing models can also support positive change. PMID:28070189

  13. Accelerator system and method of accelerating particles

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wirz, Richard E. (Inventor)

    2010-01-01

    An accelerator system and method that utilize dust as the primary mass flux for generating thrust are provided. The accelerator system can include an accelerator capable of operating in a self-neutralizing mode and having a discharge chamber and at least one ionizer capable of charging dust particles. The system can also include a dust particle feeder that is capable of introducing the dust particles into the accelerator. By applying a pulsed positive and negative charge voltage to the accelerator, the charged dust particles can be accelerated thereby generating thrust and neutralizing the accelerator system.

  14. Robust control of accelerators

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Joel, W.; Johnson, D.; Chaouki, Abdallah T.

    1991-07-01

    The problem of controlling the variations in the rf power system can be effectively cast as an application of modern control theory. Two components of this theory are obtaining a model and a feedback structure. The model inaccuracies influence the choice of a particular controller structure. Because of the modelling uncertainty, one has to design either a variable, adaptive controller or a fixed, robust controller to achieve the desired objective. The adaptive control scheme usually results in very complex hardware; and, therefore, shall not be pursued in this research. In contrast, the robust control method leads to simpler hardware. However, robust control requires a more accurate mathematical model of the physical process than is required by adaptive control. Our research at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and the University of New Mexico (UNM) has led to the development and implementation of a new robust rf power feedback system. In this article, we report on our research progress. In section 1, the robust control problem for the rf power system and the philosophy adopted for the beginning phase of our research is presented. In section 2, the results of our proof-of-principle experiments are presented. In section 3, we describe the actual controller configuration that is used in LANL FEL physics experiments. The novelty of our approach is that the control hardware is implemented directly in rf. without demodulating, compensating, and then remodulating.

  15. Effects of online cone-beam computed tomography with active breath control in determining planning target volume during accelerated partial breast irradiation.

    PubMed

    Li, Y; Zhong, R; Wang, X; Ai, P; Henderson, F; Chen, N; Luo, F

    2017-04-01

    To test if active breath control during cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) could improve planning target volume during accelerated partial breast radiotherapy for breast cancer. Patients who were more than 40 years old, underwent breast-conserving dissection and planned for accelerated partial breast irradiation, and with postoperative staging limited to T1-2 N0 M0, or postoperative staging T2 lesion no larger than 3cm with a negative surgical margin greater than 2mm were enrolled. Patients with lobular carcinoma or extensive ductal carcinoma in situ were excluded. CBCT images were obtained pre-correction, post-correction and post-treatment. Set-up errors were recorded at left-right, anterior-posterior and superior-inferior directions. The differences between these CBCT images, as well as calculated radiation doses, were compared between patients with active breath control or free breathing. Forty patients were enrolled, among them 25 had active breath control. A total of 836 CBCT images were obtained for analysis. CBCT significantly reduced planning target volume. However, active breath control did not show significant benefit in decreasing planning target volume margin and the doses of organ-at-risk when compared to free breathing. CBCT, but not active breath control, could reduce planning target volume during accelerated partial breast irradiation. Copyright © 2017 Société française de radiothérapie oncologique (SFRO). Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

  16. Accelerating dewetting on deformable substrates by adding a liquid underlayer.

    PubMed

    Xu, Lin; Reiter, Günter; Shi, Tongfei; An, Lijia

    2010-05-18

    We investigated the dependence of the dewetting velocity of a thin, low-viscosity polystyrene (PS) top film on a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) double layer consisting of a low-viscosity underlayer of thickness h(L) coated with a high-viscosity middle layer of thickness h(M). The addition of the liquid underlayer generated complex nonmonotonic behavior of the dewetting velocity as a function of increasing h(M). In particular, we observed an acceleration of dewetting for an intermediate range of h(M). This phenomenon has been interpreted by a combination deformation of the middle elastic layer and a concurrent change in the contact angle. On one hand, deformation led to the formation of a trench that dissipated energy during its movement through the liquid underlayer and thus caused a slowing down of dewetting. However, with an increase in the thickness of the elastic middle layer, the size of the trench decreased and its influence on the dewetting velocity also decreased. On the other hand, the deformation of the elastic layer also led to an increase in the contact angle. This increase in the driving capillary forces caused an increase in the dewetting velocity.

  17. The Effects of Diagnosis, Remediation and Locus of Control on Achievement, Retention, and Attitudes of Middle School Science Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Saunders, Ramona L.; Yeany, Russell H.

    Reported is a study designed to determine the effects of diagnostic testing followed by prescribed remediation on the immediate and retained science achievement of middle school students, and to determine if effects of treatment were consistent across students' race and locus of control (LOC) levels. Three intact seventh-grade science classes were…

  18. Acceleration feedback improves balancing against reflex delay

    PubMed Central

    Insperger, Tamás; Milton, John; Stépán, Gábor

    2013-01-01

    A model for human postural balance is considered in which the time-delayed feedback depends on position, velocity and acceleration (proportional–derivative–acceleration (PDA) feedback). It is shown that a PDA controller is equivalent to a predictive controller, in which the prediction is based on the most recent information of the state, but the control input is not involved into the prediction. A PDA controller is superior to the corresponding proportional–derivative controller in the sense that the PDA controller can stabilize systems with approximately 40 per cent larger feedback delays. The addition of a sensory dead zone to account for the finite thresholds for detection by sensory receptors results in highly intermittent, complex oscillations that are a typical feature of human postural sway. PMID:23173196

  19. Interstellar gas in the middle-aged SNRs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yoshiike, Satoshi; Fukuda, Tatsuya; Sano, Hidetoshi; Fukui, Yasuo

    2017-01-01

    An analysis of neutral interstellar gas in the γ-ray middle-aged supernova remnants (SNRs) is presented. We carried out multi-line CO observations of 12CO(J = 1-0) and 12CO(J = 2-1) toward three middle-aged SNRs, W44, IC 443 and W28, with the NANTEN2 telescope. For all three SNRs, we identified the shocked molecular gas which has high-velocity wing emission and the high 12CO J = 2-1/1-0 line intensity ratio of greater than 1. The distribution of these shocked gas has the good correlation with that of GeV-TeV γ-rays, which indicates these γ-rays originate from hadronic process and the interaction between SNR shock and clouds plays an major role in the cosmic-ray acceleration for these SNRs. By combining CO results with archive H I data, we derived the amount of total interstellar protons responsible for the γ-rays. Every SNRs have the averaged proton densities ranged from a few hundred to less than 103 cm-3 and we estimated the total cosmic-ray proton energy to be ˜ 1048-1049 erg as lower limits.

  20. Variable-energy drift-tube linear accelerator

    DOEpatents

    Swenson, Donald A.; Boyd, Jr., Thomas J.; Potter, James M.; Stovall, James E.

    1984-01-01

    A linear accelerator system includes a plurality of post-coupled drift-tubes wherein each post coupler is bistably positionable to either of two positions which result in different field distributions. With binary control over a plurality of post couplers, a significant accumlative effect in the resulting field distribution is achieved yielding a variable-energy drift-tube linear accelerator.

  1. Variable-energy drift-tube linear accelerator

    DOEpatents

    Swenson, D.A.; Boyd, T.J. Jr.; Potter, J.M.; Stovall, J.E.

    A linear accelerator system includes a plurality of post-coupled drift-tubes wherein each post coupler is bistably positionable to either of two positions which result in different field distributions. With binary control over a plurality of post couplers, a significant accumlative effect in the resulting field distribution is achieved yielding a variable-energy drift-tube linear accelerator.

  2. Paths from socioemotional behavior in middle childhood to personality in middle adulthood.

    PubMed

    Pulkkinen, Lea; Kokko, Katja; Rantanen, Johanna

    2012-09-01

    Continuity in individual differences from socioemotional behavior in middle childhood to personality characteristics in middle adulthood was examined on the assumption that they share certain temperament-related elements. Socioemotional characteristics were measured using teacher ratings at ages 8 (N = 369; 53% males) and 14 (95% of the initial sample). Personality was assessed at age 42 (63% of the initial sample; 50% males) using a shortened version of the NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI); the Karolinska Scales of Personality (KSP); and the Adult Temperament Questionnaire (ATQ). Three models were tested using structural equation modeling. The results confirmed paths (a) from behavioral activity to adult Extraversion and Openness (NEO-PI), sociability (KSP), and surgency (ATQ); (b) from well-controlled behavior to adult conformity (KSP) and Conscientiousness (NEO-PI); and (c) from negative emotionality to adult aggression (KSP). The paths were significant only for one gender, and more frequently for males than for females. The significant male paths from behavioral activity to all indicators of adult activity and from well-controlled behavior to adult conformity started at age 8, whereas significant female paths from behavioral activity to adult sociability and from well-controlled behavior to adult Conscientiousness started at age 14. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved.

  3. Controlled injection using a channel pinch in a plasma-channel-guided laser wakefield accelerator

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Jiaqi; Zhang, Zhijun; Liu, Jiansheng; Li, Wentao; Wang, Wentao; Yu, Changhai; Qi, Rong; Qin, Zhiyong; Fang, Ming; Wu, Ying; Feng, Ke; Ke, Lintong; Wang, Cheng; Li, Ruxin

    2018-06-01

    Plasma-channel-guided laser plasma accelerators make it possible to drive high-brilliance compact radiation sources and have high-energy physics applications. Achieving tunable internal injection of the electron beam (e beam) inside the plasma channel, which realizes a tunable radiation source, is a challenging method to extend such applications. In this paper, we propose the use of a channel pinch, which is designed as an initial reduction followed by an expansion of the channel radius along the plasma channel, to achieve internal controlled off-axis e beam injection in a channel-guided laser plasma accelerator. The off-axis injection is triggered by bubble deformation in the expansion region. The dynamics of the plasma wake is explored, and the trapping threshold is found to be reduced radially in the channel pinch. Simulation results show that the channel pinch not only triggers injection process localized at the pinch but also modulates the parameters of the e beam by adjusting its density profile, which can additionally accommodate a tunable radiation source via betatron oscillation.

  4. Distracted driving in elderly and middle-aged drivers.

    PubMed

    Thompson, Kelsey R; Johnson, Amy M; Emerson, Jamie L; Dawson, Jeffrey D; Boer, Erwin R; Rizzo, Matthew

    2012-03-01

    Automobile driving is a safety-critical real-world example of multitasking. A variety of roadway and in-vehicle distracter tasks create information processing loads that compete for the neural resources needed to drive safely. Drivers with mind and brain aging may be particularly susceptible to distraction due to waning cognitive resources and control over attention. This study examined distracted driving performance in an instrumented vehicle (IV) in 86 elderly (mean=72.5 years, SD=5.0 years) and 51 middle-aged drivers (mean=53.7 years, SD=9.3 year) under a concurrent auditory-verbal processing load created by the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task (PASAT). Compared to baseline (no-task) driving performance, distraction was associated with reduced steering control in both groups, with middle-aged drivers showing a greater increase in steering variability. The elderly drove slower and showed decreased speed variability during distraction compared to middle-aged drivers. They also tended to "freeze up", spending significantly more time holding the gas pedal steady, another tactic that may mitigate time pressured integration and control of information, thereby freeing mental resources to maintain situation awareness. While 39% of elderly and 43% of middle-aged drivers committed significantly more driving safety errors during distraction, 28% and 18%, respectively, actually improved, compatible with allocation of attention resources to safety critical tasks under a cognitive load. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Distracted Driving in Elderly and Middle-Aged Drivers

    PubMed Central

    Thompson, Kelsey R.; Johnson, Amy M.; Emerson, Jamie L.; Dawson, Jeffrey D.; Boer, Erwin R.

    2011-01-01

    Automobile driving is a safety-critical real-world example of multitasking. A variety of roadway and in-vehicle distracter tasks create information processing loads that compete for the neural resources needed to drive safely. Drivers with mind and brain aging may be particularly susceptible to distraction due to waning cognitive resources and control over attention. This study examined distracted driving performance in an instrumented vehicle (IV) in 86 elderly (mean = 72.5 years, SD = 5.0 years) and 51 middle-aged drivers (mean = 53.7 years, SD = 9.3 year) under a concurrent auditory-verbal processing load created by the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task (PASAT). Compared to baseline (no-task) driving performance, distraction was associated with reduced steering control in both groups, with middle-aged drivers showing a greater increase in steering variability. The elderly drove slower and showed decreased speed variability during distraction compared to middle-aged drivers. They also tended to “freeze up”, spending significantly more time holding the gas pedal steady, another tactic that may mitigate time pressured integration and control of information, thereby freeing mental resources to maintain situation awareness. While 39% of elderly and 43% of middle-aged drivers committed significantly more driving safety errors during distraction, 28% and 18%, respectively, actually improved, compatible with allocation of attention resources to safety critical tasks under a cognitive load. PMID:22269561

  6. Synthesis of an optoelectronic system for tracking (OEST) the information track of the optical record carrier based on the acceleration control principle

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zalogin, Stanislav M.; Zalogin, M. S.

    1997-02-01

    The problem for construction of control algorithm in OEST the information track of the optical record carrier the realization of which is based on the use of accelerations is considered. Such control algorithms render the designed system the properties of adaptability, feeble sensitivity to the system parameter change and the action of disturbing forces what gives known advantages to information carriers with such system under operation in hard climate conditions as well as at maladjustment, workpieces wear and change of friction in the system. In the paper are investigated dynamic characteristics of a closed OEST, it is shown, that the designed stable system with given quality indices is a high-precision one. The validated recommendations as to design of control algorithms parameters are confirmed by results of mathematical simulation of controlled processes. The proposed methods for OEST synthesis on the basis of the control acceleration principle can be recommended for the use at industrial production of optical information record carriers.

  7. Sinking during earthquakes: Critical acceleration criteria control drained soil liquefaction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Clément, C.; Toussaint, R.; Stojanova, M.; Aharonov, E.

    2018-02-01

    This article focuses on liquefaction of saturated granular soils, triggered by earthquakes. Liquefaction is defined here as the transition from a rigid state, in which the granular soil layer supports structures placed on its surface, to a fluidlike state, in which structures placed initially on the surface sink to their isostatic depth within the granular layer. We suggest a simple theoretical model for soil liquefaction and show that buoyancy caused by the presence of water inside a granular medium has a dramatic influence on the stability of an intruder resting at the surface of the medium. We confirm this hypothesis by comparison with laboratory experiments and discrete-element numerical simulations. The external excitation representing ground motion during earthquakes is simulated via horizontal sinusoidal oscillations of controlled frequency and amplitude. In the experiments, we use particles only slightly denser than water, which as predicted theoretically increases the effect of liquefaction and allows clear depth-of-sinking measurements. In the simulations, a micromechanical model simulates grains using molecular dynamics with friction between neighbors. The effect of the fluid is captured by taking into account buoyancy effects on the grains when they are immersed. We show that the motion of an intruder inside a granular medium is mainly dependent on the peak acceleration of the ground motion and establish a phase diagram for the conditions under which liquefaction happens, depending on the soil bulk density, friction properties, presence of water, and peak acceleration of the imposed large-scale soil vibrations. We establish that in liquefaction conditions, most cases relax toward an equilibrium position following an exponential in time. We also show that the equilibrium position itself, for most liquefaction regimes, corresponds to the isostatic equilibrium of the intruder inside a medium of effective density. The characteristic time to relaxation is

  8. Sinking during earthquakes: Critical acceleration criteria control drained soil liquefaction.

    PubMed

    Clément, C; Toussaint, R; Stojanova, M; Aharonov, E

    2018-02-01

    This article focuses on liquefaction of saturated granular soils, triggered by earthquakes. Liquefaction is defined here as the transition from a rigid state, in which the granular soil layer supports structures placed on its surface, to a fluidlike state, in which structures placed initially on the surface sink to their isostatic depth within the granular layer. We suggest a simple theoretical model for soil liquefaction and show that buoyancy caused by the presence of water inside a granular medium has a dramatic influence on the stability of an intruder resting at the surface of the medium. We confirm this hypothesis by comparison with laboratory experiments and discrete-element numerical simulations. The external excitation representing ground motion during earthquakes is simulated via horizontal sinusoidal oscillations of controlled frequency and amplitude. In the experiments, we use particles only slightly denser than water, which as predicted theoretically increases the effect of liquefaction and allows clear depth-of-sinking measurements. In the simulations, a micromechanical model simulates grains using molecular dynamics with friction between neighbors. The effect of the fluid is captured by taking into account buoyancy effects on the grains when they are immersed. We show that the motion of an intruder inside a granular medium is mainly dependent on the peak acceleration of the ground motion and establish a phase diagram for the conditions under which liquefaction happens, depending on the soil bulk density, friction properties, presence of water, and peak acceleration of the imposed large-scale soil vibrations. We establish that in liquefaction conditions, most cases relax toward an equilibrium position following an exponential in time. We also show that the equilibrium position itself, for most liquefaction regimes, corresponds to the isostatic equilibrium of the intruder inside a medium of effective density. The characteristic time to relaxation is

  9. Major factors controlling fracture development in the Middle Permian Lucaogou Formation tight oil reservoir, Junggar Basin, NW China

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Chen; Zhu, Deyu; Luo, Qun; Liu, Luofu; Liu, Dongdong; Yan, Lin; Zhang, Yunzhao

    2017-09-01

    Natural fractures in seven wells from the Middle Permian Lucaogou Formation in the Junggar Basin were evaluated in light of regional structural evolution, tight reservoir geochemistry (including TOC and mineral composition), carbon and oxygen isotopes of calcite-filled fractures, and acoustic emission (AE). Factors controlling the development of natural fractures were analyzed using qualitative and/or semi-quantitative techniques, with results showing that tectonic factors are the primary control on fracture development in the Middle Permian Lucaogou Formation of the Junggar Basin. Analyses of calcite, dolomite, and TOC show positive correlations with the number of fractures, while deltaic lithofacies appear to be the most favorable for fracture development. Mineral content was found to be a major control on tectonic fracture development, while TOC content and sedimentary facies mainly control bedding fractures. Carbon and oxygen isotopes vary greatly in calcite-filled fractures (δ13C ranges from 0.87‰ to 7.98‰, while δ18O ranges from -12.63‰ to -5.65‰), indicating that fracture development increases with intensified tectonic activity or enhanced diagenetic alteration. By analyzing the cross-cutting relationships of fractures in core, as well as four Kaiser Effect points in the acoustic emission curve, we observed four stages of tectonic fracture development. First-stage fractures are extensional, and were generated in the late Triassic, with calcite fracture fills formed between 36.51 °C and 56.89 °C. Second-stage fractures are shear fractures caused by extrusion stress from the southwest to the northeast, generated by the rapid uplift of the Tianshan in the Middle and Late Jurassic; calcite fracture fills formed between 62.91 °C and 69.88 °C. Third-stage fractures are NNW-trending shear fractures that resulted from north-south extrusion and thrusting in a foreland depression along the front of the Early Cretaceous Bogda Mountains. Calcite fracture

  10. Systems analysis of a low-acceleration research facility

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Martin, Gary L.; Ferebee, Melvin J., Jr.; Wright, Robert L.

    1988-01-01

    The Low-Acceleration Research Facility (LARF), an unmanned free-flier that is boosted from low-earth orbit to a desired altitude using an orbital transfer vehicle is discussed. Design techniques used to minimize acceleration-causing disturbances and to create an ultra-quiet workshop are discussed, focusing on residual acceleration induced by the environment, the spacecraft and experiments. The selection and integration of critical subsystems, such as electrical power and thermal control, that enable the LARf to accomodate sub-microgravity levels for extended periods of time are presented, including a discussion of the Low-Acceleration Module, which will supply the payload with 25.0 kW of power, and up to 11.8 kW in the low-power mode. Also, the data management, communications, guidance, navigation and control, and structural features of supporting subsystems are examined.

  11. Optical coherence tomography for imaging the middle and inner ears: A technical review

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ramier, Antoine; Rosowski, John J.; Yun, Seok-Hyun

    2018-05-01

    Optical coherence tomography (OCT), a minimally-invasive, high-speed, high resolution imaging modality, is becoming increasingly popular in the field of hearing research and otology. This review describes the history and state of the art of OCT for applications to understanding the mechanics of hearing and visualizing pathologies in the middle and inner ears. We will also discuss some of the recent developments that may accelerate the adoption of OCT to this field.

  12. Enhancing Personal Agency and Competence in Eating and Moving: Formative Evaluation of a Middle School Curriculum--Choice, Control, and Change

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Contento, Isobel R.; Koch, Pamela A.; Lee, Heewon; Sauberli, Wendy; Calabrese-Barton, Angela

    2007-01-01

    The purpose of this formative evaluation was to examine the impact of an innovative inquiry-based science education curriculum for middle school students, called Choice, Control, and Change, that is designed to foster healthful eating and physical activity and a healthy weight through enhancing agency and competence. The 24-session curriculum…

  13. Accelerator radiocarbon dating of evidence for prehistoric horticulture in Illinois

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Conard, N.; Asch, D.L.; Asch, N.B.; Elmore, D.; Gove, H.; Rubin, M.; Brown, J.A.; Wiant, M.D.; Farnsworth, K.B.; Cook, T.G.

    1984-01-01

    With the development of direct detection radiocarbon dating, which uses an accelerator as part of a highly selective mass spectrometer, it is now possible to determine the age of milligram samples of organic materials1-5. One application of accelerator dating is in evaluating scanty, sometimes controversial evidence for early horticulture throughout the world. We have now used the technique to date small samples of carbonized, cultivated plant remains from archaeological sites in Illinois. The results, reported here, establish (1) that squash was introduced by 7,000 yr ago, 2,500 yr before eastern North American records previously reported; (2) that horticulture involving indigenous plants had begun by 4,000 BP in eastern North America with domestication of Iva annua, a small-seeded annual; (3) that anomalous discoveries of Archaic period maize represent contaminants; and (4) that introduction of maize by initial Middle Woodland times (~2,000 BP) is questionable.

  14. Long-pulse beam acceleration of MeV-class H(-) ion beams for ITER NB accelerator.

    PubMed

    Umeda, N; Kashiwagi, M; Taniguchi, M; Tobari, H; Watanabe, K; Dairaku, M; Yamanaka, H; Inoue, T; Kojima, A; Hanada, M

    2014-02-01

    In order to realize neutral beam systems in International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor whose target is to produce a 1 MeV, 200 A/m(2) during 3600 s D(-) ion beam, the electrostatic five-stages negative ion accelerator so-called "MeV accelerator" has been developed at Japan Atomic Energy Agency. To extend pulse length, heat load of the acceleration grids was reduced by controlling the ion beam trajectory. Namely, the beam deflection due to the residual magnetic field of filter magnet was suppressed with the newly developed extractor with a 0.5 mm off-set aperture displacement. The new extractor improved the deflection angle from 6 mrad to 1 mrad, resulting in the reduction of direct interception of negative ions from 23% to 15% of the total acceleration power, respectively. As a result, the pulse length of 130 A/m(2), 881 keV H(-) ion beam has been successfully extended from a previous value of 0.4 s to 8.7 s. This is the first long pulse negative ion beam acceleration over 100 MW/m(2).

  15. Susceptibility of materials processing experiments to low-level accelerations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Naumann, R. J.

    1981-01-01

    The types of material processing experiments being considered for shuttle can be grouped into four categories: (1) contained solidification experiment; (2) quasicontainerless experiments; (3) containerless experiments; and (4) fluids experiments. Low level steady acceleration, compensated and uncompensated transient accelerations, and rotation induced flow factors that must be considered in the acceleration environment of a space vehicle whose importance depends on the type of experiment being performed. Some control of these factors may be exercised by the location and orientation of the experiment relative to shuttle and by the orbit vehicle attitude chosen for mission. The effects of the various residual accelerations can have serious consequence to the control of the experiment and must be factored into the design and operation of the apparatus.

  16. Pros and Cons of the Acceleration Scheme (NF-IDS)

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

    Bogacz, Alex; Bogacz, Slawomir

    The overall goal of the acceleration systems: large acceptance acceleration to 25 GeV and beam shaping can be accomplished by various fixed field accelerators at different stages. They involve three superconducting linacs: a single pass linear Pre-accelerator followed by a pair of multi-pass Recirculating Linear Accelerators (RLA) and finally a nonâ scaling FFAG ring. The present baseline acceleration scenario has been optimized to take maximum advantage of appropriate acceleration scheme at a given stage. Pros and cons of various stages are discussed here in detail. The solenoid based Pre-accelerator offers very large acceptance and facilitates correction of energy gain acrossmore » the bunch and significant longitudinal compression trough induced synchrotron motion. However, far off-crest acceleration reduces the effective acceleration gradient and adds complexity through the requirement of individual RF phase control for each cavity. Close proximity of strong solenoids and superc« less

  17. MIDDLE GORGE POWER PLANT, OWENS RIVER STREAM FLOWING OVER TAIL ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    MIDDLE GORGE POWER PLANT, OWENS RIVER STREAM FLOWING OVER TAIL RACE OF POWER PLANT AND PENSTOCK HEADGATE TO LOWER GORGE CONTROL PLANT. A MINIMAL FLOW OF RIVER WATER IS REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN FISH LIFE - Los Angeles Aqueduct, Middle Gorge Power Plant, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, CA

  18. Optimizing laser-driven proton acceleration from overdense targets

    PubMed Central

    Stockem Novo, A.; Kaluza, M. C.; Fonseca, R. A.; Silva, L. O.

    2016-01-01

    We demonstrate how to tune the main ion acceleration mechanism in laser-plasma interactions to collisionless shock acceleration, thus achieving control over the final ion beam properties (e. g. maximum energy, divergence, number of accelerated ions). We investigate this technique with three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations and illustrate a possible experimental realisation. The setup consists of an isolated solid density target, which is preheated by a first laser pulse to initiate target expansion, and a second one to trigger acceleration. The timing between the two laser pulses allows to access all ion acceleration regimes, ranging from target normal sheath acceleration, to hole boring and collisionless shock acceleration. We further demonstrate that the most energetic ions are produced by collisionless shock acceleration, if the target density is near-critical, ne ≈ 0.5 ncr. A scaling of the laser power shows that 100 MeV protons may be achieved in the PW range. PMID:27435449

  19. FCTC followed by accelerated implementation of tobacco advertising bans.

    PubMed

    Hiilamo, Heikki; Glantz, Stanton

    2017-07-01

    We sought to evaluate changes in countries' enacting advertising bans after the effect of ratifying the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). We compared adoption of advertising bans on five areas (TV and radio, print media, billboards, point-of-sale, sponsorship) in countries that did versus did not ratify the FCTC, accounting for years since the ratification of the Convention. On average, passage of complete advertising bans accelerated after FCTC ratification. The development was strongest among lower middle-income countries. Lack of state capacity was associated with lower likelihood of countries implementing complete advertising bans. Implementation of complete advertising bans slowed after 2007. Implementation of FCTC Article 13 was followed by increased progress towards complete advertising bans, but progress is incomplete, especially among low-income countries. Low-income countries need comprehensive support to implement FCTC as part of a broad effort to reinvigorate progress on global implementation of the FCTC. Enforcing complete bans requires constant monitoring and attacking of tobacco industry efforts to circumvent them. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  20. World Pendulum--A Distributed Remotely Controlled Laboratory (RCL) to Measure the Earth's Gravitational Acceleration Depending on Geographical Latitude

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Grober, S.; Vetter, M.; Eckert, B.; Jodl, H.-J.

    2007-01-01

    We suggest that different string pendulums are positioned at different locations on Earth and measure at each place the gravitational acceleration (accuracy [delta]g is approximately equal to 0.01 m s[superscript -2]). Each pendulum can be remotely controlled via the internet by a computer located somewhere on Earth. The theoretical part describes…

  1. TU-FG-201-09: Predicting Accelerator Dysfunction

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

    Able, C; Nguyen, C; Baydush, A

    Purpose: To develop an integrated statistical process control (SPC) framework using digital performance and component data accumulated within the accelerator system that can detect dysfunction prior to unscheduled downtime. Methods: Seven digital accelerators were monitored for twelve to 18 months. The accelerators were operated in a ‘run to failure mode’ with the individual institutions determining when service would be initiated. Institutions were required to submit detailed service reports. Trajectory and text log files resulting from a robust daily VMAT QA delivery were decoded and evaluated using Individual and Moving Range (I/MR) control charts. The SPC evaluation was presented in amore » customized dashboard interface that allows the user to review 525 monitored parameters (480 MLC parameters). Chart limits were calculated using a hybrid technique that includes the standard SPC 3σ limits and an empirical factor based on the parameter/system specification. The individual (I) grand mean values and control limit ranges of the I/MR charts of all accelerators were compared using statistical (ranked analysis of variance (ANOVA)) and graphical analyses to determine consistency of operating parameters. Results: When an alarm or warning was directly connected to field service, process control charts predicted dysfunction consistently on beam generation related parameters (BGP)– RF Driver Voltage, Gun Grid Voltage, and Forward Power (W); beam uniformity parameters – angle and position steering coil currents; and Gantry position accuracy parameter: cross correlation max-value. Control charts for individual MLC – cross correlation max-value/position detected 50% to 60% of MLCs serviced prior to dysfunction or failure. In general, non-random changes were detected 5 to 80 days prior to a service intervention. The ANOVA comparison of BGP determined that each accelerator parameter operated at a distinct value. Conclusion: The SPC framework shows promise. Long

  2. Comparison of real-life accidental falls in older people with experimental falls in middle-aged test subjects.

    PubMed

    Kangas, M; Vikman, I; Nyberg, L; Korpelainen, R; Lindblom, J; Jämsä, T

    2012-03-01

    Falling is a common accident among older people. Automatic fall detectors are one method of improving security. However, in most cases, fall detectors are designed and tested with data from experimental falls in younger people. This study is one of the first to provide fall-related acceleration data obtained from real-life falls. Wireless sensors were used to collect acceleration data during a six-month test period in older people. Data from five events representing forward falls, a sideways fall, a backwards fall, and a fall out of bed were collected and compared with experimental falls performed by middle-aged test subjects. The signals from real-life falls had similar features to those from intentional falls. Real-life forward, sideways and backward falls all showed a pre impact phase and an impact phase that were in keeping with the model that was based on experimental falls. In addition, the fall out of bed had a similar acceleration profile as the experimental falls of the same type. However, there were differences in the parameters that were used for the detection of the fall phases. The beginning of the fall was detected in all of the real-life falls starting from a standing posture, whereas the high pre impact velocity was not. In some real-life falls, multiple impacts suggested protective actions. In conclusion, this study demonstrated similarities between real-life falls of older people and experimental falls of middle-aged subjects. However, some fall characteristics detected from experimental falls were not detectable in acceleration signals from corresponding heterogeneous real-life falls. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Ferroelectric Based High Power Components for L-Band Accelerator Applications

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

    Kanareykin, Alex; Jing, Chunguang; Kostin, Roman

    2018-01-16

    We are developing a new electronic device to control the power in particle accelerators. The key technology is a new nanostructured material developed by Euclid that changes its properties with an applied electric field. Both superconducting and conventional accelerating structures require fast electronic control of the input rf power. A fast controllable phase shifter would allow for example the control of the rf power delivered to multiple accelerating cavities from a single power amplifier. Nonlinear ferroelectric microwave components can control the tuning or the input power coupling for rf cavities. Applying a bias voltage across a nonlinear ferroelectric changes itsmore » permittivity. This effect can be used to cause a phase change of a propagating rf signal or change the resonant frequency of a cavity. The key is the development of a low loss highly tunable ferroelectric material.« less

  4. Solar Energetic Particle Events and CME Accelerations in the Low Corona: MLSO Observations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    St Cyr, O. C.; Kahler, S. W.; Richardson, I. G.; Cane, H. V.; Xie, H.; Burkepile, J.

    2016-12-01

    The low solar corona (< 2.5 Rs) is the region in which maximum coronal mass ejection (CME) acceleration occurs and where Type II radio observations suggest that shock formation occurs (Mäkelä et al., 2015). It is therefore a key region for investigations of solar energetic particle (SEP) acceleration by CME-driven shocks. Observations very low in the corona are necessary to detect the rapid CME accelerations leading to shock formation and to assess the speeds of CMEs through the middle corona. However, these observations cannot be made by space borne coronagraphs in which CME trajectories above the occulting disk are usually characterized by a single (constant) speed: e.g., 80% of the speeds in the compilation of SMM CMEs (Burkepile and St. Cyr, 1993) and SOHO LASCO CMEs (St. Cyr et al., 2000). The Mk3/Mk4/K-Cor coronameters at the Mauna Loa Solar Observatory are able to measure the initial accelerations of CMEs low in the corona (i.e., < 2 Rs). We examine a subset of CMEs that were associated with SEP events between 1980-present. The subset is based on the CME launch occurring between 16 UT - 01 UT - the MLSO observing window. In most cases, the CME accelerations are significantly larger than those measured by spaceborne coronagraphs (e.g., SMM, Solwind, LASCO, SECCHI). We will present the preliminary results of a comparison of the SEP parameters with initial CME accelerations in the MLSO coronagraph field of view.

  5. Thyroid Hormone Receptors Control Developmental Maturation of the Middle Ear and the Size of the Ossicular Bones

    PubMed Central

    Cordas, Emily A.; Ng, Lily; Hernandez, Arturo; Kaneshige, Masahiro; Cheng, Sheue-Yann

    2012-01-01

    Thyroid hormone is critical for auditory development and has well-known actions in the inner ear. However, less is known of thyroid hormone functions in the middle ear, which contains the ossicles (malleus, incus, stapes) that relay mechanical sound vibrations from the outer ear to the inner ear. During the later stages of middle ear development, prior to the onset of hearing, middle ear cavitation occurs, involving clearance of mesenchyme from the middle ear cavity while the immature cartilaginous ossicles attain appropriate size and ossify. Using in situ hybridization, we detected expression of Thra and Thrb genes encoding thyroid hormone receptors α1 and β (TRα1 and TRβ, respectively) in the immature ossicles, surrounding mesenchyme and tympanic membrane in the mouse. Thra+/PV mice that express a dominant-negative TRα1 protein exhibited deafness with elevated auditory thresholds and a range of middle ear abnormalities including chronic persistence of mesenchyme in the middle ear into adulthood, markedly enlarged ossicles, and delayed ossification of the ossicles. Congenitally hypothyroid Tshr−/− mice and TR-deficient Thra1−/−;Thrb−/− mice displayed similar abnormalities. These findings demonstrate that middle ear maturation is TR dependent and suggest that the middle ear is a sensitive target for thyroid hormone in development. PMID:22253431

  6. Analysis of quality control data of eight modern radiotherapy linear accelerators: the short- and long-term behaviours of the outputs and the reproducibility of quality control measurements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kapanen, Mika; Tenhunen, Mikko; Hämäläinen, Tuomo; Sipilä, Petri; Parkkinen, Ritva; Järvinen, Hannu

    2006-07-01

    Quality control (QC) data of radiotherapy linear accelerators, collected by Helsinki University Central Hospital between the years 2000 and 2004, were analysed. The goal was to provide information for the evaluation and elaboration of QC of accelerator outputs and to propose a method for QC data analysis. Short- and long-term drifts in outputs were quantified by fitting empirical mathematical models to the QC measurements. Normally, long-term drifts were well (<=1%) modelled by either a straight line or a single-exponential function. A drift of 2% occurred in 18 ± 12 months. The shortest drift times of only 2-3 months were observed for some new accelerators just after the commissioning but they stabilized during the first 2-3 years. The short-term reproducibility and the long-term stability of local constancy checks, carried out with a sealed plane parallel ion chamber, were also estimated by fitting empirical models to the QC measurements. The reproducibility was 0.2-0.5% depending on the positioning practice of a device. Long-term instabilities of about 0.3%/month were observed for some checking devices. The reproducibility of local absorbed dose measurements was estimated to be about 0.5%. The proposed empirical model fitting of QC data facilitates the recognition of erroneous QC measurements and abnormal output behaviour, caused by malfunctions, offering a tool to improve dose control.

  7. [Effects of a dance therapy programme on quality of life, sleep and blood pressure in middle-aged women: A randomised controlled trial].

    PubMed

    Serrano-Guzmán, María; Valenza-Peña, Carmen M; Serrano-Guzmán, Carmen; Aguilar-Ferrándiz, Encarnación; Valenza-Demet, Gerald; Villaverde-Gutiérrez, Carmen

    2016-10-21

    Evidence suggests that dance therapy may have positive effects in areas such as cardiovascular parameters and sleep. The aim of the present study is to explore whether a dance therapy programme improves sleep and blood pressure in a population of middle-aged pre-hypertensive and hypertensive women. A randomised controlled trial was conducted, in which participants were assigned to one of 2 groups: standard care (with usual activities and medication) or dance therapy (in which the participants followed a dance therapy programme, in addition to their medication). The intervention was an 8-week, 3-times-per-week, progressive and specific group dance-training programme. The dance steps were specifically designed to improve balance by shifting the body and relocating the centre of gravity. The main measures obtained were blood pressure, sleep quality and quality of life, measured by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the European Quality of Life Questionnaire. Sixty-seven pre-hypertensive and hypertensive middle-aged women were randomised to either an intervention group (n=35) or a control group (n=32) after baseline testing. The intervention group reported a significant improvement in blood pressure values (P<.01), as well as in sleep quality (P<.05) and quality of life (P<.001), compared to the control group. The dance therapy programme improved blood pressure, sleep and quality of life in pre-hypertensive and hypertensive middle-aged women, and constitutes an interesting basis for larger-scale research. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  8. Middle Eastern rhinoplasty.

    PubMed

    Azizzadeh, Babak; Mashkevich, Grigoriy

    2010-02-01

    The ethnic appearance of the Middle Eastern nose is defined by several unique visual features, particularly a high radix, wide overprojecting dorsum, and an amorphous hanging nasal tip. These external characteristics reflect distinct structural properties of the osseo-cartilaginous nasal framework and skin-soft tissue envelope in patients of Middle Eastern extraction. The goal, and the ultimate challenge, of rhinoplasty on Middle Eastern patients is to achieve balanced aesthetic refinement, while avoiding surgical westernization. Detailed understanding of the ethnic visual harmony in a Middle Eastern nose greatly assists in preserving native nasal-facial relationships during rhinoplasty on Middle Eastern patients. Esthetic alteration of a Middle Eastern nose follows a different set of goals and principles compared with rhinoplasties on white or other ethnic patients. This article highlights the inherent nasal features of the Middle Eastern nose and reviews pertinent concepts of rhinoplasty on Middle Eastern patients. Essential considerations in the process spanning the consultation and surgery are reviewed. Reliable operative techniques that achieve a successful aesthetic outcome are discussed in detail. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. The effect of continuous positive airway pressure on middle ear pressure.

    PubMed

    Sivri, Bekir; Sezen, Ozan Seymen; Akbulut, Sevtap; Coskuner, Temel

    2013-05-01

    To investigate the effect of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) on middle ear pressure in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). Prospective clinical case-control study. Seventy-eight patients with moderate and severe OSAS (the mean apnea-hypopnea indexes were 22.70 ± 3.59 and 48.59 ± 12.50, respectively) using CPAP (study group) and 60 patients with no sleep apnea syndrome (control group) were included in the study. Forty-two of the patients were female and 96 were male. The mean age in the study group was 47.38 ± 6.23, whereas it was 46.10 ± 11.96 in the control group (P > .05). The middle ear pressure of all study subjects was evaluated with tympanometry at the beginning of the study and 6 months later. Tympanometric measurements of both groups were compared. Furthermore, the same data for the study group were also evaluated according to CPAP pressure levels. The middle ear peak pressure values of the patients in the study group were significantly increased from -63.04 ± 55.82 daPa to -39.6 ± 27.72 daPa after 6 months (P < .01). The middle ear pressure in the control group was found to be -13.26 ± 22.60 daPa at the beginning of the study and -13.60 ± 38.82 daPa after 6 months (P > .05). The mean middle ear pressure level was significantly higher in patients using CPAP at 12 to 14 cm H2 O pressure than in those using CPAP at 8 to 10 cm H2 O pressure (P < .05). There was a significant increase in the middle ear pressure of patients using CPAP regularly for 6 months. This increase was proportional to the pressure level of the CPAP device. 3b. Copyright © 2013 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

  10. The Impact of Classroom Physical Activity Breaks on Middle School Students' Health-Related Fitness: An Xbox One Kinetic Delivered 4-Week Randomized Controlled Trial

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yli-Piipari, S.; Layne, T.; McCollins, T.; Knox, T.

    2016-01-01

    The aim of the study was to examine the effect of a 4-week classroom physical activity break intervention on middle school students' health-related physical fitness. The study was a randomized controlled trial with students assigned to the experiment and control conditions. A convenience sample comprised 94 adolescents (experiment group n = 52;…

  11. A compact control system to achieve stable voltage and low jitter trigger for repetitive intense electron-beam accelerator based on resonant charging

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Qiu, Yongfeng; Liu, Jinliang; Yang, Jianhua; Cheng, Xinbing; Yang, Xiao

    2017-08-01

    A compact control system based on Delphi and Field Programmable Gate Array(FPGA) is developed for a repetitive intense electron-beam accelerator(IEBA), whose output power is 10GW and pulse duration is 160ns. The system uses both hardware and software solutions. It comprises a host computer, a communication module and a main control unit. A device independent applications programming interface, devised using Delphi, is installed on the host computer. Stability theory of voltage in repetitive mode is analyzed and a detailed overview of the hardware and software configuration is presented. High voltage experiment showed that the control system fulfilled the requests of remote operation and data-acquisition. The control system based on a time-sequence control method is used to keep constant of the voltage of the primary capacitor in every shot, which ensured the stable and reliable operation of the electron beam accelerator in the repetitive mode during the experiment. Compared with the former control system based on Labview and PIC micro-controller developed in our laboratory, the present one is more compact, and with higher precision in the time dimension. It is particularly useful for automatic control of IEBA in the high power microwave effects research experiments where pulse-to-pulse reproducibility is required.

  12. Evaluation of the Xeon phi processor as a technology for the acceleration of real-time control in high-order adaptive optics systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Barr, David; Basden, Alastair; Dipper, Nigel; Schwartz, Noah; Vick, Andy; Schnetler, Hermine

    2014-08-01

    We present wavefront reconstruction acceleration of high-order AO systems using an Intel Xeon Phi processor. The Xeon Phi is a coprocessor providing many integrated cores and designed for accelerating compute intensive, numerical codes. Unlike other accelerator technologies, it allows virtually unchanged C/C++ to be recompiled to run on the Xeon Phi, giving the potential of making development, upgrade and maintenance faster and less complex. We benchmark the Xeon Phi in the context of AO real-time control by running a matrix vector multiply (MVM) algorithm. We investigate variability in execution time and demonstrate a substantial speed-up in loop frequency. We examine the integration of a Xeon Phi into an existing RTC system and show that performance improvements can be achieved with limited development effort.

  13. The impact of antibiotics on growth in children in low and middle income countries: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

    PubMed Central

    Gough, Ethan K; Moodie, Erica E M; Prendergast, Andrew J; Johnson, Sarasa M A; Humphrey, Jean H; Stoltzfus, Rebecca J; Walker, A Sarah; Trehan, Indi; Gibb, Diana M; Goto, Rie; Tahan, Soraia; de Morais, Mauro Batista

    2014-01-01

    Objectives To determine whether antibiotic treatment leads to improvements in growth in prepubertal children in low and middle income countries, to determine the magnitude of improvements in growth, and to identify moderators of this treatment effect. Design Systematic review and meta-analysis. Data sources Medline, Embase, Scopus, the Cochrane central register of controlled trials, and Web of Science. Study selection Randomised controlled trials conducted in low or middle income countries in which an orally administered antibacterial agent was allocated by randomisation or minimisation and growth was measured as an outcome. Participants aged 1 month to 12 years were included. Control was placebo or non-antimicrobial intervention. Results Data were pooled from 10 randomised controlled trials representing 4316 children, across a variety of antibiotics, indications for treatment, treatment regimens, and countries. In random effects models, antibiotic use increased height by 0.04 cm/month (95% confidence interval 0.00 to 0.07) and weight by 23.8 g/month (95% confidence interval 4.3 to 43.3). After adjusting for age, effects on height were larger in younger populations and effects on weight were larger in African studies compared with other regions. Conclusion Antibiotics have a growth promoting effect in prepubertal children in low and middle income countries. This effect was more pronounced for ponderal than for linear growth. The antibiotic growth promoting effect may be mediated by treatment of clinical or subclinical infections or possibly by modulation of the intestinal microbiota. Better definition of the mechanisms underlying this effect will be important to inform optimal and safe approaches to achieving healthy growth in vulnerable populations. PMID:24735883

  14. First muon acceleration using a radio-frequency accelerator

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bae, S.; Choi, H.; Choi, S.; Fukao, Y.; Futatsukawa, K.; Hasegawa, K.; Iijima, T.; Iinuma, H.; Ishida, K.; Kawamura, N.; Kim, B.; Kitamura, R.; Ko, H. S.; Kondo, Y.; Li, S.; Mibe, T.; Miyake, Y.; Morishita, T.; Nakazawa, Y.; Otani, M.; Razuvaev, G. P.; Saito, N.; Shimomura, K.; Sue, Y.; Won, E.; Yamazaki, T.

    2018-05-01

    Muons have been accelerated by using a radio-frequency accelerator for the first time. Negative muonium atoms (Mu- ), which are bound states of positive muons (μ+) and two electrons, are generated from μ+'s through the electron capture process in an aluminum degrader. The generated Mu- 's are initially electrostatically accelerated and injected into a radio-frequency quadrupole linac (RFQ). In the RFQ, the Mu- 's are accelerated to 89 keV. The accelerated Mu- 's are identified by momentum measurement and time of flight. This compact muon linac opens the door to various muon accelerator applications including particle physics measurements and the construction of a transmission muon microscope.

  15. EuCARD2: enhanced accelerator research and development in Europe

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Romaniuk, Ryszard S.

    2013-10-01

    Accelerator science and technology is one of a key enablers of the developments in the particle physic, photon physics and also applications in medicine and industry. EuCARD2 is an European research project which will be realized during 2013-2017 inside the EC FP7 framework. The project concerns the development and coordination of European Accelerator Research and Development. The project is particularly important, to a number of domestic laboratories, due to some plans to build large accelerator infrastructure in Poland. Large accelerator infrastructure of fundamental and applied research character stimulates around it the development and industrial applications as well as biomedical of advanced accelerators, material research and engineering, cryo-technology, mechatronics, robotics, and in particular electronics - like networked measurement and control systems, sensors, computer systems, automation and control systems. The paper presents a digest of the European project EuCARD2 which is Enhanced European Coordination for Accelerator Research and Development. The paper presents a digest of the research results and assumptions in the domain of accelerator science and technology in Europe, shown during the final fourth annual meeting of the EuCARD - European Coordination of Accelerator R&D, and the kick-off meeting of the EuCARD2. There are debated a few basic groups of accelerator systems components like: measurement - control networks of large geometrical extent, multichannel systems for large amounts of metrological data acquisition, precision photonic networks of reference time, frequency and phase distribution, high field magnets, superconducting cavities, novel beam collimators, etc. The paper bases on the following materials: Internet and Intranet documents combined with EuCARD2, Description of Work FP7 EuCARD-2 DoW-312453, 2013-02-13, and discussions and preparatory materials worked on by Eucard-2 initiators.

  16. Comparison of packing material in an animal model of middle ear trauma.

    PubMed

    Perez, Enrique; Hachem, Ralph Abi; Carlton, Daniel; Bueno, Isabel; Vernon, Stephen; Van De Water, Thomas R; Angeli, Simon I

    2016-01-01

    To compare the performance of absorbable gelatin sponge (AGS) with polyurethane foam (PUF) as middle ear packing material after mucosal trauma. Using a randomized, controlled and blinded study design fifteen guinea pigs underwent middle ear surgery with mucosal trauma performed on both ears. One ear was packed with either PUF or AGS while the contralateral ear remained untreated and used as non-packed paired controls. Auditory brainstem response (ABR) thresholds were measured pre-operatively and repeated at 1, 2, and 6weeks postoperatively. Histological analysis of middle ear mucosa was done in each group to evaluate the inflammatory reaction and wound healing. Another eighteen animals underwent middle ear wounding and packing in one ear while the contralateral ear was left undisturbed as control. Twelve guinea pigs were euthanized at 2weeks postoperatively, and six were euthanized at 3days post-operatively. Mucosal samples were collected for analysis of TGF-β1 levels by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. ABR recordings demonstrate that threshold level changes from baseline were minor in PUF packed and control ears. Threshold levels were higher in the AGS packed ears compared with both control and PUF packed ears for low frequency stimuli. Histological analysis showed persistence of packing material at 6weeks postoperatively, inflammation, granulation tissue formation, foreign body reaction and neo-osteogenesis in both AGS and PUF groups. TGF-β1 protein levels did not differ between groups. PUF and AGS packing cause inflammation and neo-osteogenesis in the middle ear following wounding of the mucosa and packing. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Ultra-accelerated natural sunlight exposure testing

    DOEpatents

    Jorgensen, Gary J.; Bingham, Carl; Goggin, Rita; Lewandowski, Allan A.; Netter, Judy C.

    2000-06-13

    Process and apparatus for providing ultra accelerated natural sunlight exposure testing of samples under controlled weathering without introducing unrealistic failure mechanisms in exposed materials and without breaking reciprocity relationships between flux exposure levels and cumulative dose that includes multiple concurrent levels of temperature and relative humidity at high levels of natural sunlight comprising: a) concentrating solar flux uniformly; b) directing the controlled uniform sunlight onto sample materials in a chamber enclosing multiple concurrent levels of temperature and relative humidity to allow the sample materials to be subjected to accelerated irradiance exposure factors for a sufficient period of time in days to provide a corresponding time of about at least a years worth of representative weathering of the sample materials.

  18. PARTICLE ACCELERATOR

    DOEpatents

    Teng, L.C.

    1960-01-19

    ABS>A combination of two accelerators, a cyclotron and a ring-shaped accelerator which has a portion disposed tangentially to the cyclotron, is described. Means are provided to transfer particles from the cyclotron to the ring accelerator including a magnetic deflector within the cyclotron, a magnetic shield between the ring accelerator and the cyclotron, and a magnetic inflector within the ring accelerator.

  19. Compact Torus Acceleration and Injection Experiment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fukumoto, Naoyuki; Fujiwara, Makoto; Nagata, Masayoshi; Uyama, Tadao; Oda, Yasushi; Azuma, Kingo

    1996-11-01

    The spheromak-type compact torus (CT) acceleration and injection experiment has been carried out using the Himeji Institute of Technology Compact Torus Injector (HIT-CTI). We explore the possibility of refueling, density control, current drive, and edge electric field control of tokamak plasma by means of CT injection. In last September the new HIT-CTI was built up to achieve higher speed (Vct>200 km/s) and higher density CT plasmoid by improving the capacitor bank system and eliminating the impurity and neutral particles. At initial formation discharge tests the gun for formation and compression successfully produced a CT plasmoid and injected it between electrodes for acceleration. (Initial velocity Vct.ini. 32 km/s, Bct 1 kG, Rct=5.5 cm). The formation capacitor bank will be upgraded to two 36 mF capacitors operating at 20 kV (14.4 kJ). The acceleration capacitor bank will be also upgraded to two 36 mF capacitors operating at 20 kV (14.4 kJ). The HIT-CTI will be optimized to obtain suitable CT parameters after acceleration (Bct>5 kG, Lct 20 cm, Vct>200 km/s). In the respect of CT parameter measurement magnetic probes and a He-Ne laser interferometer will be employed in order to measure the CT magnetic field, velocity, density, and length. CT acceleration experimental data on the HIT-CTI and the plan of CT injection experiment on the JFT-2M tokamak (JAERI) will be presented at the meeting.

  20. Parents’ Views on Engaging Families of Middle School Students in Obesity Prevention and Control in a Multiethnic Population

    PubMed Central

    Chung, Paul. J.; Thompson, Lindsey R.; Elijah, Jacinta; Lamb, Sheila; Garcia, Vanessa P.; Bastani, Roshan

    2014-01-01

    Introduction Overweight and obesity remain significant public health risks for youth in the United States, particularly among racial/ethnic minority groups. Efforts at obesity prevention and control have targeted youth and family members in diverse settings. Although involving parents in obesity prevention programs for youth may improve the potential of these programs, less is known about parents’ preferred methods of engagement, especially among racial/ethnic minority parents and parents whose primary language is not English. In this qualitative study, parents of middle-school–aged children were asked how best to engage their children in obesity prevention and control efforts. Methods We recruited 38 parents whose children attended Los Angeles middle schools to participate in focus groups. Two English-language focus groups with 14 parents of different racial/ethnic backgrounds and 2 Spanish language groups with 24 Latino parents were conducted from 2010 through 2011. We analyzed focus group transcripts by using content analysis using inductive and deductive techniques. Results Findings from focus groups confirmed that parents want to help their children avoid obesity but feel constrained in their ability to take action. Participants identified an overarching desire to become better parents as a potential incentive to engage in obesity prevention efforts. Parents advocated for family-focused approaches in obesity prevention programs, including family sports leagues and cooking classes. Most findings were consistent between language groups, but parents in the Spanish language groups cited language-related barriers. Conclusion The development and testing of simple programs that are sustainable, community-based, and family-focused may empower families to address obesity prevention and control. PMID:24698532

  1. Alcohol taxes' contribution to prices in high and middle-income countries: Data from the International Alcohol Control Study.

    PubMed

    Wall, Martin; Casswell, Sally; Callinan, Sarah; Chaiyasong, Surasak; Viet Cuong, Pham; Gray-Phillip, Gaile; Parry, Charles

    2017-11-22

    Taxation is increasingly being used as an effective means of influencing behaviour in relation to harmful products. In this paper we use data from six participating countries of the International Alcohol Control Study to examine and evaluate their comparative prices and tax regimes. We calculate taxes and prices for three high-income and three middle-income countries. The data are drawn from the International Alcohol Control survey and from the Alcohol Environment Protocol. Tax systems are described and then the rates of tax on key products presented. Comparisons are made using the Purchasing Power Parity rates. The price and purchase data from each country's International Alcohol Control survey is then used to calculate the mean percentage of retail price paid in tax weighted by actual consumption. Both ad valorem and specific per unit of alcohol taxation systems are represented among the six countries. The prices differ widely between countries even though presented in terms of Purchasing Power Parity. The percentage of tax in the final price also varies widely but is much lower than the 75% set by the World Health Organization as a goal for tobacco tax. There is considerable variation in tax systems and prices across countries. There is scope to increase taxation and this analysis provides comparable data, including the percentage of tax in final price, from some middle and high-income countries for consideration in policy discussion. © 2017 The Authors Drug and Alcohol Review published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

  2. Parents' views on engaging families of middle school students in obesity prevention and control in a multiethnic population.

    PubMed

    Cowgill, Burton O; Chung, Paul J; Thompson, Lindsey R; Elijah, Jacinta; Lamb, Sheila; Garcia, Vanessa P; Bastani, Roshan

    2014-04-04

    Overweight and obesity remain significant public health risks for youth in the United States, particularly among racial/ethnic minority groups. Efforts at obesity prevention and control have targeted youth and family members in diverse settings. Although involving parents in obesity prevention programs for youth may improve the potential of these programs, less is known about parents' preferred methods of engagement, especially among racial/ethnic minority parents and parents whose primary language is not English. In this qualitative study, parents of middle-school-aged children were asked how best to engage their children in obesity prevention and control efforts. We recruited 38 parents whose children attended Los Angeles middle schools to participate in focus groups. Two English-language focus groups with 14 parents of different racial/ethnic backgrounds and 2 Spanish language groups with 24 Latino parents were conducted from 2010 through 2011. We analyzed focus group transcripts by using content analysis using inductive and deductive techniques. Findings from focus groups confirmed that parents want to help their children avoid obesity but feel constrained in their ability to take action. Participants identified an overarching desire to become better parents as a potential incentive to engage in obesity prevention efforts. Parents advocated for family-focused approaches in obesity prevention programs, including family sports leagues and cooking classes. Most findings were consistent between language groups, but parents in the Spanish language groups cited language-related barriers. The development and testing of simple programs that are sustainable, community-based, and family-focused may empower families to address obesity prevention and control.

  3. Dillard Drive Middle & Elementary School, Raleigh, North Carolina.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Design Cost Data, 2001

    2001-01-01

    Presents design features of the Dillard Drive Middle & Elementary School (North Carolina) that incorporates daylighting in the majority of the classrooms, the gymnasium, dining room, and media center. The design also uses advanced lighting controls, fiber optic networking, automatic environmental controls, and an energy management system that…

  4. BIOCONAID System (Bionic Control of Acceleration Induced Dimming).

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1981-07-01

    Howard, P. , "The Physiology of Positive Acceleration," Chapter 23 in A Textbook of Aviation Physiology, Edited by J. A. Gilles, Pergamon Press...of the Carotid Sinus Baroreceptor Process in a Dog ," IEEE Trans. Biomed. Engineering, BME , Vol. 22, No. 3, pp. 502-507, 1975. 16. Leverett, S. D...Electromyogram, ’ IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering. Vol. BME -24, No. 5, pp. 417-424, 1977. 26. Stoll, Alice M., "Human Tolerance to Positive G as

  5. World pendulum—a distributed remotely controlled laboratory (RCL) to measure the Earth's gravitational acceleration depending on geographical latitude

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gröber, S.; Vetter, M.; Eckert, B.; Jodl, H.-J.

    2007-05-01

    We suggest that different string pendulums are positioned at different locations on Earth and measure at each place the gravitational acceleration (accuracy Δg ~ 0.01 m s-2). Each pendulum can be remotely controlled via the internet by a computer located somewhere on Earth. The theoretical part describes the physical origin of this phenomenon g(phiv), that the Earth's effective gravitational acceleration g depends on the angle of latitude phiv. Then, we present all necessary formula to deduce g(phiv) from oscillations of a string pendulum. The technical part explains tips and tricks to realize such an apparatus to measure all necessary values with sufficient accuracy. In addition, we justify the precise dimensions of a physical pendulum such that the formula for a mathematical pendulum is applicable to determine g(phiv) without introducing errors. To conclude, we describe the internet version—the string pendulum as a remotely controlled laboratory. The teaching relevance and educational value will be discussed in detail at the end of this paper including global experimenting, using the internet and communication techniques in teaching and new ways of teaching and learning methods.

  6. Task control and cognitive abilities of self and spouse in collaboration in middle-aged and older couples.

    PubMed

    Berg, Cynthia A; Smith, Timothy W; Ko, Kelly J; Beveridge, Ryan M; Story, Nathan; Henry, Nancy J M; Florsheim, Paul; Pearce, Gale; Uchino, Bert N; Skinner, Michelle A; Glazer, Kelly

    2007-09-01

    Collaborative problem solving may be used by older couples to optimize cognitive functioning, with some suggestion that older couples exhibit greater collaborative expertise. The study explored age differences in 2 aspects of collaborative expertise: spouses' knowledge of their own and their spouse's cognitive abilities and the ability to fit task control to these cognitive abilities. The participants were 300 middle-aged and older couples who completed a hypothetical errand task. The interactions were coded for control asserted by husbands and wives. Fluid intelligence was assessed, and spouses rated their own and their spouse's cognitive abilities. The results revealed no age differences in couple expertise, either in the ability to predict their own and their spouse's cognitive abilities or in the ability to fit task control to abilities. However, gender differences were found. Women fit task control to their own and their spouse's cognitive abilities; men only fit task control to their spouse's cognitive abilities. For women only, the fit between control and abilities was associated with better performance. The results indicate no age differences in couple expertise but point to gender as a factor in optimal collaboration. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2007 APA, all rights reserved).

  7. A magnetorheological haptic cue accelerator for manual transmission vehicles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Han, Young-Min; Noh, Kyung-Wook; Lee, Yang-Sub; Choi, Seung-Bok

    2010-07-01

    This paper proposes a new haptic cue function for manual transmission vehicles to achieve optimal gear shifting. This function is implemented on the accelerator pedal by utilizing a magnetorheological (MR) brake mechanism. By combining the haptic cue function with the accelerator pedal, the proposed haptic cue device can transmit the optimal moment of gear shifting for manual transmission to a driver without requiring the driver's visual attention. As a first step to achieve this goal, a MR fluid-based haptic device is devised to enable rotary motion of the accelerator pedal. Taking into account spatial limitations, the design parameters are optimally determined using finite element analysis to maximize the relative control torque. The proposed haptic cue device is then manufactured and its field-dependent torque and time response are experimentally evaluated. Then the manufactured MR haptic cue device is integrated with the accelerator pedal. A simple virtual vehicle emulating the operation of the engine of a passenger vehicle is constructed and put into communication with the haptic cue device. A feed-forward torque control algorithm for the haptic cue is formulated and control performances are experimentally evaluated and presented in the time domain.

  8. Education and risk for acute myocardial infarction in 52 high, middle and low-income countries: INTERHEART case-control study.

    PubMed

    Rosengren, A; Subramanian, S V; Islam, S; Chow, C K; Avezum, A; Kazmi, K; Sliwa, K; Zubaid, M; Rangarajan, S; Yusuf, S

    2009-12-01

    To determine the effect of education and other measures of socioeconomic status (SES) on risk of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in patients and controls from countries with diverse economic circumstances (high, middle, and low income countries). Case-control study. 52 countries from all inhabited regions of the world. 12242 cases and 14622 controls. First non-fatal AMI. SES was measured using education, family income, possessions in the household and occupation. Low levels of education (< or =8 years) were more common in cases compared to controls (45.0% and 38.1%; p<0.0001). The odds ratio (OR) for low education adjusted for age, sex and region was 1.56 (95% confidence interval 1.47 to 1.66). After further adjustment for psychosocial, lifestyle, other factors and mutually for other socioeconomic factors, the OR associated with education < or =8 years was 1.31 (1.20 to 1.44) (p<0.0001). Modifiable lifestyle factors (smoking, exercise, consumption of vegetables and fruits, alcohol and abdominal obesity) explained about half of the socioeconomic gradient. Family income, numbers of possessions and non-professional occupation were only weakly or not at all independently related to AMI. In high-income countries (World Bank Classification), the risk factor adjusted OR associated with low education was 1.61 (1.33 to 1.94), whereas it was substantially lower in low-income and middle-income countries: 1.25 (1.14 to 1.37) (p for interaction 0.045). Of the SES measures we studied, low education was the marker most consistently associated with increased risk for AMI globally, most markedly in high-income countries.

  9. Accelerator boom hones China's engineering expertise

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Normile, Dennis

    2018-02-01

    In raising the curtain on the China Spallation Neutron Source, China has joined just four other nations in having mastered the technology of accelerating and controlling beams of protons. The $277 million facility, set to open to users this spring in Dongguan, is expected to yield big dividends in materials science, chemistry, and biology. More world class machines are on the way, as China this year starts construction on four other major accelerator facilities. The building boom is prompting a scramble to find enough engineers and technicians to finish the projects. But if they all come off as planned, the facilities would position China to tackle the next global megaproject: a giant accelerator that would pick up where Europe's Large Hadron Collider leaves off.

  10. Listening to Their Voices: Middle Schoolers' Perspectives of Life in Middle School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Steinberg, Mary Anne; McCray, Erica D.

    2012-01-01

    This article examines middle schoolers' perspectives on their lives in middle school. Fifteen middle school students from three middle schools in the Southeast region of the United States participated in a basic qualitative study using focus groups at their schools where they were asked the central question, "If you could change one thing at…

  11. Eight Truths for Middle Managers in Lean Times.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lewis, David W.

    1991-01-01

    Suggests strategies to help middle managers in libraries cope with difficult financial times. Highlights include resource allocations; the importance of change to prevent a decline in quality and to demonstrate some degree of control; the need to control both financial and staff resources; and providing vision for the future. (LRW)

  12. Covariant Uniform Acceleration

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Friedman, Yaakov; Scarr, Tzvi

    2013-04-01

    We derive a 4D covariant Relativistic Dynamics Equation. This equation canonically extends the 3D relativistic dynamics equation , where F is the 3D force and p = m0γv is the 3D relativistic momentum. The standard 4D equation is only partially covariant. To achieve full Lorentz covariance, we replace the four-force F by a rank 2 antisymmetric tensor acting on the four-velocity. By taking this tensor to be constant, we obtain a covariant definition of uniformly accelerated motion. This solves a problem of Einstein and Planck. We compute explicit solutions for uniformly accelerated motion. The solutions are divided into four Lorentz-invariant types: null, linear, rotational, and general. For null acceleration, the worldline is cubic in the time. Linear acceleration covariantly extends 1D hyperbolic motion, while rotational acceleration covariantly extends pure rotational motion. We use Generalized Fermi-Walker transport to construct a uniformly accelerated family of inertial frames which are instantaneously comoving to a uniformly accelerated observer. We explain the connection between our approach and that of Mashhoon. We show that our solutions of uniformly accelerated motion have constant acceleration in the comoving frame. Assuming the Weak Hypothesis of Locality, we obtain local spacetime transformations from a uniformly accelerated frame K' to an inertial frame K. The spacetime transformations between two uniformly accelerated frames with the same acceleration are Lorentz. We compute the metric at an arbitrary point of a uniformly accelerated frame. We obtain velocity and acceleration transformations from a uniformly accelerated system K' to an inertial frame K. We introduce the 4D velocity, an adaptation of Horwitz and Piron s notion of "off-shell." We derive the general formula for the time dilation between accelerated clocks. We obtain a formula for the angular velocity of a uniformly accelerated object. Every rest point of K' is uniformly accelerated, and

  13. Analyzing radial acceleration with a smartphone acceleration sensor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vogt, Patrik; Kuhn, Jochen

    2013-03-01

    This paper continues the sequence of experiments using the acceleration sensor of smartphones (for description of the function and the use of the acceleration sensor, see Ref. 1) within this column, in this case for analyzing the radial acceleration.

  14. Enhancing personal agency and competence in eating and moving: formative evaluation of a middle school curriculum--Choice, Control, and Change.

    PubMed

    Contento, Isobel R; Koch, Pamela A; Lee, Heewon; Sauberli, Wendy; Calabrese-Barton, Angela

    2007-01-01

    The purpose of this formative evaluation was to examine the impact of an innovative inquiry-based science education curriculum for middle school students, called Choice, Control, and Change, that is designed to foster healthful eating and physical activity and a healthy weight through enhancing agency and competence. The 24-session curriculum helps students develop understandings about the interactions between biology, personal behavior, and the environment and personal agency through cognitive self-regulation skills in navigating today's complex food system and sedentary environment. An extended theory of planned behavior served as the design framework. The study used a pretest-posttest evaluation design involving 278 middle school students in 19 science classes within 5 schools. Based on paired t tests, students significantly improved on several curriculum-specific eating and physical activity behaviors: they decreased several sedentary activities and increased their frequencies of fruit and vegetable intake. They decreased the frequency of sweetened beverages, packaged snacks, and eating at a fast-food restaurant, and ate and drank smaller portions of some items. Their outcome beliefs and overall self-efficacy, but not their attitudes, became more positive. A strategy based on fostering personal agency, cognitive self-regulation, and competence can be effective in increasing healthful eating and physical activity behaviors in middle school children and should be explored further.

  15. Accelerating the introduction of rotavirus immunization in Indonesia.

    PubMed

    Suwantika, Auliya A; Zakiyah, Neily; Lestari, Keri; Postma, Maarten J

    2014-04-01

    The introduction of the rotavirus vaccine in Indonesia is currently in its infancy. Delay in its development might be caused by factors related to the perceived value of the vaccine, health system characteristics and policy considerations. Other factors, which may also interfere with optimizing the introduction, are financial barriers because Indonesia is a lower-middle-income country. Creating fiscal space to finance new immunization programs, such as for the rotavirus immunization, is very important to ensure the sustainability of new programs so that such programs would be financed over the long term and not endanger the sustainability of the Indonesian government's financial position. This article provides an illustration of the various steps needed to accelerate the introduction of the rotavirus immunization.

  16. Design of an electromagnetic accelerator for turbulent hydrodynamic mix studies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Susoeff, A. R.; Hawke, R. S.; Morrison, J. J.; Dimonte, G.; Remington, B. A.

    1993-12-01

    An electromagnetic accelerator in the form of a linear electric motor (LEM) has been designed to achieve controlled acceleration profiles of a carriage containing hydrodynamically unstable fluids for the investigation of the development of turbulent mix. The Rayleigh-Taylor instability is investigated by accelerating two dissimilar density fluids using the LEM to achieve a wide variety of acceleration and deceleration profiles. The acceleration profiles are achieved by independent control of rail and augmentation currents. A variety of acceleration-time profiles are possible including: (1) constant, (2) impulsive and (3) shaped. The LEM and support structure are a robust design in order to withstand high loads with deflections and to mitigate operational vibration. Vibration of the carriage during acceleration could create artifacts in the data which would interfere with the intended study of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability. The design allows clear access for diagnostic techniques such as laser induced fluorescence radiography, shadowgraphs and particle imaging velocimetry. Electromagnetic modeling codes were used to optimize the rail and augmentation coil positions within the support structure framework. Results of contemporary studies for non-arcing sliding contact of solid armatures are used for the design of the driving armature and the dynamic electromagnetic braking system. A 0.6MJ electrolytic capacitor bank is used for energy storage to drive the LEM. This report will discuss a LEM design which will accelerate masses of up to 3kg to a maximum of about 3000g(sub o), where g(sub o) is accelerated due to gravity.

  17. SAMS Acceleration Measurements on MIR

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Moskowitz, Milton E.; Hrovat, Kenneth; Finkelstein, Robert; Reckart, Timothy

    1997-01-01

    During NASA Increment 3 (September 1996 to January 1997), about 5 gigabytes of acceleration data were collected by the Space Acceleration Measurement System (SAMS) onboard the Russian Space Station, Mir. The data were recorded on 11 optical disks and were returned to Earth on STS-81. During this time, SAMS data were collected in the Priroda module to support the following experiments: the Mir Structural Dynamics Experiment (MiSDE) and Binary Colloidal Alloy Tests (BCAT). This report points out some of the salient features of the microgravity environment to which these experiments were exposed. Also documented are mission events of interest such as the docked phase of STS-81 operations, a Progress engine burn, attitude control thruster operation, and crew exercise. Also included are a description of the Mir module orientations, and the panel notations within the modules. This report presents an overview of the SAMS acceleration measurements recorded by 10 Hz and 100 Hz sensor heads. Variations in the acceleration environment caused by unique activities such as crew exercise and life-support fans are presented. The analyses included herein complement those presented in previous mission summary reports published by the Principal Investigator Microgravity Services (PIMS) group.

  18. Community Petascale Project for Accelerator Science and Simulation: Advancing Computational Science for Future Accelerators and Accelerator Technologies

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

    Spentzouris, P.; /Fermilab; Cary, J.

    The design and performance optimization of particle accelerators are essential for the success of the DOE scientific program in the next decade. Particle accelerators are very complex systems whose accurate description involves a large number of degrees of freedom and requires the inclusion of many physics processes. Building on the success of the SciDAC-1 Accelerator Science and Technology project, the SciDAC-2 Community Petascale Project for Accelerator Science and Simulation (ComPASS) is developing a comprehensive set of interoperable components for beam dynamics, electromagnetics, electron cooling, and laser/plasma acceleration modelling. ComPASS is providing accelerator scientists the tools required to enable the necessarymore » accelerator simulation paradigm shift from high-fidelity single physics process modeling (covered under SciDAC1) to high-fidelity multiphysics modeling. Our computational frameworks have been used to model the behavior of a large number of accelerators and accelerator R&D experiments, assisting both their design and performance optimization. As parallel computational applications, the ComPASS codes have been shown to make effective use of thousands of processors. ComPASS is in the first year of executing its plan to develop the next-generation HPC accelerator modeling tools. ComPASS aims to develop an integrated simulation environment that will utilize existing and new accelerator physics modules with petascale capabilities, by employing modern computing and solver technologies. The ComPASS vision is to deliver to accelerator scientists a virtual accelerator and virtual prototyping modeling environment, with the necessary multiphysics, multiscale capabilities. The plan for this development includes delivering accelerator modeling applications appropriate for each stage of the ComPASS software evolution. Such applications are already being used to address challenging problems in accelerator design and optimization. The Com

  19. A randomized, controlled trial to teach middle school children to recognize stroke and call 911: the kids identifying and defeating stroke project.

    PubMed

    Morgenstern, Lewis B; Gonzales, Nicole R; Maddox, Katherine E; Brown, Devin L; Karim, Asha P; Espinosa, Nina; Moyé, Lemuel A; Pary, Jennifer K; Grotta, James C; Lisabeth, Lynda D; Conley, Kathleen M

    2007-11-01

    Underutilization of acute stroke therapy is driven by delay to hospital arrival. We present the primary results of a pilot, randomized, controlled trial to encourage calling 911 for witnessed stroke among middle school children and their parents. This project occurred in Corpus Christi, an urban Texas community of 325,000. Three intervention and 3 control schools were randomly selected. The intervention contained 12 hours of classroom instruction divided among sixth, seventh, and eighth grades. Parents were educated indirectly through homework assignments. Two-sample t tests were used to compare pretest and posttest responses. Domain 1 test questions involved stroke pathophysiology. Intervention students improved from 29% to 34% correct; control students changed from 28% to 25%. Domain 2 test questions involved stroke symptom knowledge. Intervention school students changed from 28% correct to 43%; control school students answered 25% correctly on the pretest and 29% on the posttest. Domain 3 test questions involved what to do for witnessed stroke. Intervention school students answered 36% of questions correctly on the pretest and 54% correctly on the posttest, whereas control students changed from 32% correct to 34%. A comparison of change in the mean proportion correct over time between intervention and control students was P<0.001 for each of the 3 individual domains. A poor parental response rate impaired the ability to assess parental improvement. A scientific, theory-based, educational intervention can potentially improve intent to call 911 for stroke among middle school children. A different mechanism is needed to effectively diffuse the curriculum to parents.

  20. Update on Middle Ear Barotrauma after Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy—Insights on Pathophysiology

    PubMed Central

    Lima, Marco Antônio Rios; Farage, Luciano; Cury, Maria Cristina Lancia; Bahamad, Fayez

    2014-01-01

    Introduction Middle ear barotrauma is the most common side effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Knowledge and understanding of its pathophysiology are crucial for an accurate diagnosis and proper decision making about treatment and prevention. Objective Describe up-to-date information on pathophysiology of middle ear barotrauma after hyperbaric oxygen therapy considering the physiology of pressure variation of the middle ear. Data Synthesis Middle ear barotrauma occurs especially during the compression phase of hyperbaric oxygen therapy. The hyperoxic environment in hyperbaric oxygen therapy leads to ventilatory dysfunction of the eustachian tube, especially in monoplace chambers, where the patients are pressurized with 100% O2, favoring middle ear barotrauma. Conclusion The eustachian tube, the tympanic cavity, and mastoid work together in a neural controlled feedback system in which various mechanisms concur for middle ear pressure regulation. PMID:25992091

  1. Summary Report of Mission Acceleration Measurements for STS-73, Launched October 20, 1995

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rogers, Melissa J. B.; DeLombard, Richard

    1996-01-01

    The microgravity environment of the Space Shuttle Columbia was measured during the STS-73 mission using accelerometers from five different instruments: the Orbital Acceleration Research Experiment, the Space Acceleration Measurement System, the Three-dimensional Microgravity Accelerometer, the Microgravity Measuring Device, and Suppression of Transient Accelerations by Levitation Evaluation System. The Microgravity Analysis Workstation quasi-steady environment calculation and comparison of this calculation with Orbital Acceleration Research Experiment data was used to assess how appropriate a planned attitude was expected to be for one Crystal Growth Facility experiment sample. The microgravity environment related to several different Orbiter, crew, and experiment operations is presented and interpreted in this report. Data are examined to show the effects of vernier reaction control system jet firings for Orbiter attitude control. This is compared to examples of data when no thrusters were firing, when the primary reaction control system jets were used for attitude control, and when single vernier jets were fired for test purposes. In general, vernier jets, when used for attitude control, cause accelerations in the 3 x 10(exp -4) g to 7 x 10(exp -4) g range. Primary jets used in this manner cause accelerations in the 0.01 to 0.025 g range. Other significant disturbance sources characterized are water dump operations, with Y(sub b) axis acceleration deviations of about 1 x 10(exp -6) g; payload bay door opening motion, with Y(sub o) and Z(sub o) axis accelerations of frequency 0.4 Hz; and probable Glovebox fan operations with notable frequency components at 20, 38, 43, 48, and 53 Hz. The STS-73 microgravity environment is comparable to the environments measured on earlier microgravity science missions.

  2. Action-perception dissociation in response to target acceleration.

    PubMed

    Dubrowski, Adam; Carnahan, Heather

    2002-05-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate whether information about the acceleration characteristics of a moving target can be used for both action and perception. Also of interest was whether prior movement experience altered perceptual judgements. Participants manually intercepted targets moving with various acceleration, velocity and movement time characteristics. They also made perceptual judgements about the acceleration characteristics of these targets either with or without prior manual interception experience. Results showed that while aiming kinematics were sensitive to the acceleration characteristics of the target, participants were only able to perceptually discriminate the velocity characteristics of target motion, even after performing interceptive actions to the same targets. These results are discussed in terms of a two channel (action-perception) model of visuomotor control.

  3. Accelerators, Beams And Physical Review Special Topics - Accelerators And Beams

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

    Siemann, R.H.; /SLAC

    Accelerator science and technology have evolved as accelerators became larger and important to a broad range of science. Physical Review Special Topics - Accelerators and Beams was established to serve the accelerator community as a timely, widely circulated, international journal covering the full breadth of accelerators and beams. The history of the journal and the innovations associated with it are reviewed.

  4. Controllable robust laser driven ion acceleration from near-critical density relativistic self-transparent plasma

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Bin; Meyer-Ter-Vehn, Juergen; Ruhl, Hartmut

    2017-10-01

    We introduce an alternative approach for laser driven self-injected high quality ion acceleration. We call it ion wave breaking acceleration. It operates in relativistic self-transparent plasma for ultra-intense ultra-short laser pulses. Laser propagating in a transparent plasma excites an electron wave as well as an ion wave. When the ion wave breaks, a fraction of ions is self-injected into the positive part of the laser driven wake. This leads to a superior ion pulse with peaked energy spectra; in particular in realistic three-dimensional geometry, the injection occurs localized close to the laser axis producing highly directed bunches. A theory is developed to investigate the ion wave breaking dynamics. Three dimensional Particle-in-Cell simulations with pure-gaussian laser pulses and pre-expanded near-critical density plasma targets have been done to verify the theoretical results. It is shown that hundreds of MeV, easily controllable and manipulable, micron-scale size, highly collimated and quasi-mono-energetic ion beams can be produced by using ultra-intense ultra-short laser pulses with total laser energies less than 10 Joules. Such ion beams may find important applications in tumour therapy. B. Liu acknowledges support from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. B. Liu and H. Ruhl acknowledge supports from the Gauss Centre for Supercomputing (GCS), and the Cluster-of-Excellence Munich Centre for Advanced Photonics (MAP).

  5. Commnity Petascale Project for Accelerator Science And Simulation: Advancing Computational Science for Future Accelerators And Accelerator Technologies

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

    Spentzouris, Panagiotis; /Fermilab; Cary, John

    The design and performance optimization of particle accelerators are essential for the success of the DOE scientific program in the next decade. Particle accelerators are very complex systems whose accurate description involves a large number of degrees of freedom and requires the inclusion of many physics processes. Building on the success of the SciDAC-1 Accelerator Science and Technology project, the SciDAC-2 Community Petascale Project for Accelerator Science and Simulation (ComPASS) is developing a comprehensive set of interoperable components for beam dynamics, electromagnetics, electron cooling, and laser/plasma acceleration modelling. ComPASS is providing accelerator scientists the tools required to enable the necessarymore » accelerator simulation paradigm shift from high-fidelity single physics process modeling (covered under SciDAC1) to high-fidelity multiphysics modeling. Our computational frameworks have been used to model the behavior of a large number of accelerators and accelerator R&D experiments, assisting both their design and performance optimization. As parallel computational applications, the ComPASS codes have been shown to make effective use of thousands of processors.« less

  6. Rapid electron beam accelerator (REBA-tron)

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

    Kapetanakos, C.A.; Sprangle, P.A.; Dialetis, D.

    1986-03-05

    This invention comprises a particle accelerator with a toroidal vacuum chamber, an injector for injecting a charged-paticle beam into the chamber and an exit port to extract the accelerated particle beam. A toroidal magnetic field to confine the beam in the chamber is generated by a set of coils with their axis along the minor axis of the chamber and by two twisted wires that carry current in the same direction wrapped around the chamber. The two twisted wires also generate a torsatron magnetic field that controls the minor radius of the beam. A time-varying magnetic field is generated bymore » two concentric cylindrical plates surrounding the chamber. A convoluted transmission line generates a localized electric field in the chamber to accelerate the beam.« less

  7. Cost/Benefit considerations for recent saltcedar control, Middle Pecos River, New Mexico.

    PubMed

    Barz, Dave; Watson, Richard P; Kanney, Joseph F; Roberts, Jesse D; Groeneveld, David P

    2009-02-01

    Major benefits were weighed against major costs associated with recent saltcedar control efforts along the Middle Pecos River, New Mexico. The area of study was restricted to both sides of the channel and excluded tributaries along the 370 km between Sumner and Brantley dams. Direct costs (helicopter spraying, dead tree removal, and revegetation) within the study area were estimated to be $2.2 million but possibly rising to $6.4 million with the adoption of an aggressive revegetation program. Indirect costs associated with increased potential for erosion and reservoir sedimentation would raise the costs due to increased evaporation from more extensive shallows in the Pecos River as it enters Brantley Reservoir. Actions such as dredging are unlikely given the conservative amount of sediment calculated (about 1% of the reservoir pool). The potential for water salvage was identified as the only tangible benefit likely to be realized under the current control strategy. Estimates of evapotranspiration (ET) using Landsat TM data allowed estimation of potential water salvage as the difference in ET before and after treatment, an amount totaling 7.41 million m(3) (6010 acre-ft) per year. Previous saltcedar control efforts of roughly the same magnitude found that salvaged ET recharged groundwater and no additional flows were realized within the river. Thus, the value of this recharge is probably less than the lowest value quoted for actual in-channel flow, and estimated to be <$63,000 per year. Though couched in terms of costs and benefits, this paper is focused on what can be considered the key trade-off under a complete eradication strategy: water salvage vs. erosion and sedimentation. It differs from previous efforts by focusing on evaluating the impacts of actual control efforts within a specific system. Total costs (direct plus potential indirect) far outweighed benefits in this simple comparison and are expected to be ongoing. Problems induced by saltcedar control may

  8. Physiological Effects of Acceleration Observed During a Centrifuge Study of Pilot Performance

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Smedal, Harald A.; Creer, Brent Y.; Wingrove, Rodney C.

    1960-01-01

    An investigation was conducted by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Ames Research Center, and the Naval Air Development Center, Aviation Medical Acceleration Laboratory, to study the effects of acceleration on pilot performance and to obtain some meaningful data for use in establishing tolerance to acceleration levels. The flight simulator used in the study was the Johnsville centrifuge operated as a closed loop system. The pilot was required to perform a control task in various sustained acceleration fields typical of those that Might be encountered by a pilot flying an entry vehicle in which he is seated in a forward-facing position. A special restraint system was developed and designed to increase the pilot's tolerance to these accelerations. The results of this study demonstrated that a well-trained subject, such as a test pilot, can adequately carry out a control task during moderately high accelerations for prolonged periods of time. The maximum levels of acceleration tolerated were approximately 6 times that of gravity for approximately 6 minutes, and varied slightly with the acceleration direction. The tolerance runs were in each case terminated by the subject. In all but two instances, the cause was extreme fatigue. On two occasions the subject terminated the run when he "grayed out." Although there were subjective and objective findings involving the visual and cardiovascular systems, the respiratory system yielded the more critical limiting factors. It would appear that these limiting factors were less severe during the "eyeballs-out" accelerations when compared with the "eyeballs-in" accelerations. These findings are explained on the basis of the influence that the inertial forces of acceleration have on the mechanics of respiration. A condensed version of this report was presented at the Annual Meeting of the Aerospace Medical Association, Miami Beach, May 5-11, 1960, in a paper entitled "Ability of Pilots to Perform a Control Task in

  9. Risk factors for falls with severe fracture in elderly people living in a middle-income country: a case control study.

    PubMed

    Coutinho, Evandro S F; Fletcher, Astrid; Bloch, Katia V; Rodrigues, Laura C

    2008-08-26

    Fracture after falling has been identified as an important problem in public health. Most studies of risk factors for fractures due to falls have been carried out in developed countries, although the size of the elderly population is increasing fast in middle income countries. The objective of this paper is to identify risk factors for fall related to severe fractures in those aged 60 or more in a middle-income country. A case-control study was carried out in Rio de Janeiro-Brazil based general hospitals between 2002-2003. Two hundred-fifty hospitalised cases of fracture were matched with 250 community controls by sex, age group and living area. Data were collected for socio-demographic variables, health status and drugs used before the fall. A conditional logistic regression model was fitted to identify variables associated with the risk of fall related severe fracture. Low body mass index, cognitive impairment, stroke and lack of urine control were associated with increased risk of severe fall related fractures. Benzodiazepines and muscle relaxants were also related to an increased risk of severe fractures while moderate use of alcohol was associated with reduced risk. Although the association between benzodiazepines and fractures due to fall has been consistently demonstrated for old people, this has not been the case for muscle relaxant drugs. The decision to prescribe muscle relaxants for elderly people should take into account the risk of severe fracture associated with these drugs.

  10. Comparison of trunk acceleration ratios during stair negotiation in old-old females.

    PubMed

    Shin, Sun-Shil; Yoo, Won-Gyu

    2016-06-01

    [Purpose] This study compared trunk acceleration ratios in old-old adult females during stair negotiation. [Subjects and Methods] Twelve old-old adult females who could walk independently volunteered for this study. This study measured gait time and trunk acceleration ratios using an accelerometer during ascending and descending stairs [Results] The trunk acceleration ratio when descending stairs was significantly higher than that when ascending stairs. [Conclusion] These findings suggest that old-old females have greater deterioration of upper trunk control function for descending than for ascending stairs, regardless of task time. In addition, the trunk acceleration ratio during stair negotiation is a useful clinical marker to predict function and balance control ability in old-old females.

  11. Controlling cardiovascular diseases in low and middle income countries by placing proof in pragmatism

    PubMed Central

    Owolabi, Mayowa; Miranda, Jaime J; Yaria, Joseph; Ovbiagele, Bruce

    2016-01-01

    Low and middle income countries (LMICs) bear a huge, disproportionate and growing burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) which constitutes a threat to development. Efforts to tackle the global burden of CVD must therefore emphasise effective control in LMICs by addressing the challenge of scarce resources and lack of pragmatic guidelines for CVD prevention, treatment and rehabilitation. To address these gaps, in this analysis article, we present an implementation cycle for developing, contextualising, communicating and evaluating CVD recommendations for LMICs. This includes a translatability scale to rank the potential ease of implementing recommendations, prescriptions for engaging stakeholders in implementing the recommendations (stakeholders such as providers and physicians, patients and the populace, policymakers and payers) and strategies for enhancing feedback. This approach can help LMICs combat CVD despite limited resources, and can stimulate new implementation science hypotheses, research, evidence and impact. PMID:27840737

  12. The association of the metalloproteinase-3 gene promoter polymorphisms and the middle cerebral artery stenosis.

    PubMed

    Fu, Chunli; Xing, Yingqi; Song, Xiaonan

    2011-04-01

    To investigate the association of single nucleotide polymorphism in the matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP3) gene promoter with the susceptibility to the middle cerebral artery stenosis. A case-control study was performed by determining the genotype of MMP3 gene promoter region using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism in 119 patients with middle cerebral artery stenosis documented by transcranial Doppler compared to 92 control patients. The frequencies of 5A and 6A alleles in MMP3 promoter region were 16.0 and 84.0% respectively in case group compared to 15.8 and 84.2% in control group with no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). No significant difference was also observed in the distribution of genotypes 5A/5A,5A/6A, and 6A/6A between middle cerebral artery stenosis and control groups. Compared to 5A/5A + 5A/6A genotypes,the 6A/6A genotype did not significantly modify the risk of developing the middle cerebral artery stenosis. The MMP3-1171 dupA promoter polymorphisms are not valuable markers of susceptibility of the middle cerebral artery stenosis in this sample of population studied.

  13. Development of wide area environment accelerator operation and diagnostics method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Uchiyama, Akito; Furukawa, Kazuro

    2015-08-01

    Remote operation and diagnostic systems for particle accelerators have been developed for beam operation and maintenance in various situations. Even though fully remote experiments are not necessary, the remote diagnosis and maintenance of the accelerator is required. Considering remote-operation operator interfaces (OPIs), the use of standard protocols such as the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) is advantageous, because system-dependent protocols are unnecessary between the remote client and the on-site server. Here, we have developed a client system based on WebSocket, which is a new protocol provided by the Internet Engineering Task Force for Web-based systems, as a next-generation Web-based OPI using the Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System Channel Access protocol. As a result of this implementation, WebSocket-based client systems have become available for remote operation. Also, as regards practical application, the remote operation of an accelerator via a wide area network (WAN) faces a number of challenges, e.g., the accelerator has both experimental device and radiation generator characteristics. Any error in remote control system operation could result in an immediate breakdown. Therefore, we propose the implementation of an operator intervention system for remote accelerator diagnostics and support that can obviate any differences between the local control room and remote locations. Here, remote-operation Web-based OPIs, which resolve security issues, are developed.

  14. Medial Meniscus Root Tear in the Middle Aged Patient: A Case Based Review

    PubMed Central

    Carreau, Joseph H.

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Biomechanical studies have shown that medial meniscal root tears result in meniscal extrusion and increased tibiofemoral joint contact pressures, which can accelerate the progression of arthritis. Repair is generally recommended for acute injuries in the young, active patient population. The far more common presentation however, is a subacute root tear with medial meniscal extrusion in a middle aged patient. Coexisting arthritis is common in this population and complicates decision making. Treatment should be based on the severity of the underlying arthritis. In cases of early or minimal arthritis, root repair is ideal to improve symptoms and restore meniscal function. In patients with moderate or severe medial compartment arthritis, medial unloader bracing or injections can be tried initially. When non-operative treatment fails, high tibial osteotomy or arthroplasty is recommended. Long term clinical studies are needed to determine the natural history of medial meniscal root tears in middle aged patients and the best surgical option. PMID:28852346

  15. Fermilab | Tevatron | Accelerator

    Science.gov Websites

    Leading accelerator technology Accelerator complex Illinois Accelerator Research Center Fermilab temperature. They were used to transfer particles from one part of the Fermilab accelerator complex to another center ring of Fermilab's accelerator complex. Before the Tevatron shut down, it had three primary

  16. EuCARD 2010: European coordination of accelerator research and development

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Romaniuk, Ryszard S.

    2010-09-01

    Accelerators are basic tools of the experimental physics of elementary particles, nuclear physics, light sources of the fourth generation. They are also used in myriad other applications in research, industry and medicine. For example, there are intensely developed transmutation techniques for nuclear waste from nuclear power and atomic industries. The European Union invests in the development of accelerator infrastructures inside the framework programs to build the European Research Area. The aim is to build new accelerator research infrastructures, develop the existing ones, and generally make the infrastructures more available to competent users. The paper summarizes the first year of activities of the EU FP7 Project Capacities EuCARD -European Coordination of Accelerator R&D. EuCARD is a common venture of 37 European Accelerator Laboratories, Institutes, Universities and Industrial Partners involved in accelerator sciences and technologies. The project, initiated by ESGARD, is an Integrating Activity co-funded by the European Commission under Framework Program 7 - Capacities for a duration of four years, starting April 1st, 2009. Several teams from this country participate actively in this project. The contribution from Polish research teams concerns: photonic and electronic measurement - control systems, RF-gun co-design, thin-film superconducting technology, superconducting transport infrastructures, photon and particle beam measurements and control.

  17. A review of dietary selenium intake and selenium status in Europe and the Middle East.

    PubMed

    Stoffaneller, Rita; Morse, Nancy L

    2015-02-27

    This is a systematic review of existing data on dietary selenium (Se) intake and status for various population groups in Europe (including the United Kingdom (UK)) and the Middle East. It includes English language systematic reviews, meta-analyses, randomised controlled trials, cohort studies, cross-sectional and case-control studies obtained through PUBMED searches from January, 2002, to November, 2014, for European data and from 1990 to November 2014, for Middle Eastern data. Reports were selected if they included data on Se intake and status. The search identified 19 European/UK studies and 15 investigations in the Middle East that reported Se intake and Se concentration in water and/or food and 48 European/UK studies and 44 investigations in the Middle East reporting Se status. Suboptimal Se status was reported to be widespread throughout Europe, the UK and the Middle East, and these results agreed with previous reports highlighting the problem. Eastern European countries had lower Se intake than Western European countries. Middle Eastern studies provided varying results, possibly due to varying food habits and imports in different regions and within differing socioeconomic groups. In conclusion, Se intake and status is suboptimal in European and Middle Eastern countries, with less consistency in the Middle East.

  18. A Review of Dietary Selenium Intake and Selenium Status in Europe and the Middle East

    PubMed Central

    Stoffaneller, Rita; Morse, Nancy L.

    2015-01-01

    This is a systematic review of existing data on dietary selenium (Se) intake and status for various population groups in Europe (including the United Kingdom (UK)) and the Middle East. It includes English language systematic reviews, meta-analyses, randomised controlled trials, cohort studies, cross-sectional and case-control studies obtained through PUBMED searches from January, 2002, to November, 2014, for European data and from 1990 to November 2014, for Middle Eastern data. Reports were selected if they included data on Se intake and status. The search identified 19 European/UK studies and 15 investigations in the Middle East that reported Se intake and Se concentration in water and/or food and 48 European/UK studies and 44 investigations in the Middle East reporting Se status. Suboptimal Se status was reported to be widespread throughout Europe, the UK and the Middle East, and these results agreed with previous reports highlighting the problem. Eastern European countries had lower Se intake than Western European countries. Middle Eastern studies provided varying results, possibly due to varying food habits and imports in different regions and within differing socioeconomic groups. In conclusion, Se intake and status is suboptimal in European and Middle Eastern countries, with less consistency in the Middle East. PMID:25734564

  19. The Middle-Aged Marathon Runner

    PubMed Central

    Valentine, Anthony S.

    1982-01-01

    Middle-aged runners form an appreciable number of those engaged in marathon running. They tend to have above average intelligence, high socioeconomic status, and better levels of aerobic fitness than sedentary members of the same age group. “Too much too soon” is the commonest cause of injury. Training before a marathon should last 18 months to two years. Middle-aged runners tend to experience fewer injuries than other marathoners. However, relatively minor complaints will be disastrous to them if they have to stop running. Injuries can occur from lack of warm up exercises, environmental factors such as weather, poor street lighting, carbon monoxide from car exhausts, etc. Some contraindications to marathon running are: poorly controlled diabetes, recent acute pulmonary disease, active rheumatoid arthritis, and recent cardiac conditions. Finishing a marathon involves both agony and ecstasy. PMID:21286102

  20. Longitudinal linkages between sibling relationships and adjustment from middle childhood through adolescence.

    PubMed

    Kim, Ji-Yeon; McHale, Susan M; Crouter, Ann C; Osgood, D Wayne

    2007-07-01

    The links between changes in sibling conflict and intimacy and changes in perceived peer social competence and depression symptoms were examined from middle childhood through adolescence. Participants were mothers, fathers and first- and second-born siblings from 197 White, working/middle class, two-parent families. Peer competence peaked in early adolescence and then declined; depression symptoms were high in middle childhood and, for girls, in middle adolescence. Controlling for parent-offspring relationships and sibling and parent adjustment, increases in sibling conflict were linked to increases in depression symptoms, and increases in sibling intimacy were linked to increases in peer competence and, for girls, decreases in depression symptoms. Copyright 2007 APA.

  1. [Hearing the impact of MP3 on a survey of middle school students].

    PubMed

    Xu, Zhan; Li, Zonghua; Chen, Yang; He, Ya; Chunyu, Xiujie; Wang, Fangyuan; Zhang, Pengzhi; Gao, Lei; Qiu, Shuping; Liu, Shunli; Qiao, Li; Qiu, Jianhua

    2011-02-01

    To understand the usage of MP3 and effects on hearing of middle school students in Xi'an, and discuss controlling strategies. Stratified random cluster sampling method was used in the 1567 middle school students in Xi'an through questionnaire survey, ear examination and hearing examination, data were analysed by the SPSS13.0 statistical software. 1) The rate of holding MP3 in the middle school students was 85.2%. Average daily use time was (1.41 +/- 1.11) h. 2) The noise group of pure tone hearing threshold was significantly higher compared with the control group (P<0.01), and increased the detection rate of hearing loss with the increasing use of MP3. 3) The detection rate of symptoms increased with the increasing use of MP3. The usage of MP3 can harm hearing in middle school students, which can result in neurasthenic syndrome.

  2. Controls on Middle Pennsylvanian peat-forming floras in the Eastern United States

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

    Eble, C.F.

    1992-01-01

    Middle Pennsylvanian strata in the Central Appalachian Basin contain numerous coal beds that provide an opportunity to study changes in coal-spore floras on an intra- and inter-bed scale. Vertical spore abundance patterns within individual coal beds record the ecological dynamics, both biologic and edaphic, of peat-forming systems in this interval. Coal palynofloras of this interval show a stratigraphic change in composition. Early to Middle Pennsylvanian spore floras are largely dominated by Lycospora. Species of Densosporites, a small lycopsid genus, Granulatisporites, a fern/pteridosperm( )-allied genus, and Laevigatosporites, a calamite-related genus, commonly displace Lycospora vertically within these beds, reflecting patterns of ecologicalmore » succession. Spore floras from stratigraphically younger coal beds in this sequence exhibit similar intra-bed spore variation, but contain increased percentages of tree-fern spores, and tend to be more florally heterogeneous overall. Areas of clastic deposition within the swamps are also marked by changes in spore composition. These changes in coal palynology are paralleled by stratigraphic changes in coal appearance and associated strata composition. The proportion of dull'' coal lithotypes, frequency of clastic partings, and amount of coarse clastics in the enclosing strata all increase toward the top of this sequence. Climate may have been more important in determining the floral composition of Early through mid-Middle Pennsylvanian peat swamps, whereas climate, tectonics, and eustasy interacted to determine sediment volume and type in this interval.« less

  3. Piezoelectric particle accelerator

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

    Kemp, Mark A.; Jongewaard, Erik N.; Haase, Andrew A.

    2017-08-29

    A particle accelerator is provided that includes a piezoelectric accelerator element, where the piezoelectric accelerator element includes a hollow cylindrical shape, and an input transducer, where the input transducer is disposed to provide an input signal to the piezoelectric accelerator element, where the input signal induces a mechanical excitation of the piezoelectric accelerator element, where the mechanical excitation is capable of generating a piezoelectric electric field proximal to an axis of the cylindrical shape, where the piezoelectric accelerator is configured to accelerate a charged particle longitudinally along the axis of the cylindrical shape according to the piezoelectric electric field.

  4. A mass filter based on an accelerating traveling wave.

    PubMed

    Wiedenbeck, Michael; Kasemset, Bodin; Kasper, Manfred

    2008-01-01

    We describe a novel mass filtering concept based on the acceleration of a pulsed ion beam through a stack of electrostatic plates. A precisely controlled traveling wave generated within such an ion guide will induce a mass-selective ion acceleration, with mass separation ultimately accomplished via a simple energy-filtering system. Crucial for successful filtering is that the velocity with which the traveling wave passes through the ion guide must be dynamically controlled in order to accommodate the acceleration of the target ion species. Mass selection is determined by the velocity and acceleration with which the wave traverses the ion guide, whereby the target species will acquire a higher kinetic energy than all other lighter as well as heaver species. Finite element simulations of this design demonstrate that for small masses a mass resolution M/DeltaM approximately 1000 can be achieved within an electrode stack containing as few as 20 plates. Some of the possible advantages and drawbacks which distinguish this concept from established mass spectrometric technologies are discussed.

  5. Early Predictors of Middle School Fraction Knowledge

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bailey, Drew H.; Siegler, Robert S.; Geary, David C.

    2014-01-01

    Recent findings that earlier fraction knowledge predicts later mathematics achievement raise the question of what predicts later fraction knowledge. Analyses of longitudinal data indicated that whole number magnitude knowledge in first grade predicted knowledge of fraction magnitudes in middle school, controlling for whole number arithmetic…

  6. [Class III surgical patients facilitated by accelerated osteogenic orthodontic treatment].

    PubMed

    Wu, Jia-qi; Xu, Li; Liang, Cheng; Zou, Wei; Bai, Yun-yang; Jiang, Jiu-hui

    2013-10-01

    To evaluate the treatment time and the anterior and posterior teeth movement pattern as closing extraction space for the Class III surgical patients facilitated by accelerated osteogenic orthodontic treatment. There were 10 skeletal Class III patients in accelerated osteogenic orthodontic group (AOO) and 10 patients in control group. Upper first premolars were extracted in all patients. After leveling and alignment (T2), corticotomy was performed in the area of maxillary anterior teeth to accelerate space closing.Study models of upper dentition were taken before orthodontic treatment (T1) and after space closing (T3). All the casts were laser scanned, and the distances of the movement of incisors and molars were digitally measured. The distances of tooth movement in two groups were recorded and analyzed. The alignment time between two groups was not statistically significant. The treatment time in AOO group from T2 to T3 was less than that in the control group (less than 9.1 ± 4.1 months). The treatment time in AOO group from T1 to T3 was less than that in the control group (less than 6.3 ± 4.8 months), and the differences were significant (P < 0.01). Average distances of upper incisor movement (D1) in AOO group and control group were (2.89 ± 1.48) and (3.10 ± 0.95) mm, respectively. Average distances of upper first molar movement (D2) in AOO group and control group were (2.17 ± 1.13) and (2.45 ± 1.04) mm, respectively.No statistically significant difference was found between the two groups (P > 0.05). Accelerated osteogenic orthodontic treatment could accelerate space closing in Class III surgical patients and shorten preoperative orthodontic time. There were no influence on the movement pattern of anterior and posterior teeth during pre-surgical orthodontic treatment.

  7. Sectoral output, energy use, and CO2 emission in middle-income countries.

    PubMed

    Sohag, Kazi; Al Mamun, Md; Uddin, Gazi Salah; Ahmed, Ali M

    2017-04-01

    Middle-income countries are currently undergoing massive structural changes towards more industrialized economies. In this paper, we carefully examine the impact of these transformations on the environmental quality of middle-income countries. Specifically, we examine the role of sector value addition to GDP on CO 2 emission nexus for middle-income economies controlling for the effects of population growth, energy use, and trade openness. Using recently developed panel methods that consider cross-sectional dependence and allow for heterogeneous slope coefficients, we show that energy use and growth of industrial and service sectors positively explain CO 2 emissions in middle-income economies. We also find that population growth is insignificantly associated with CO 2 emission. Hence, our paper provides a solid ground for developing a sustainable and pro-growth policy for middle-income countries.

  8. Renewing the Middle School: The Early Success of Middle School Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    George, Paul S.

    2009-01-01

    Renewing the Middle School is a special three-part series in which the author, an eminent scholar in the field of middle grades education, offers his view on the status of middle grades education and its prospects for the future. In this part of the series, he responds strongly to some of the criticism that has been aimed at American public…

  9. Predictors of Vascular Cognitive Impairment Poststroke in a Middle Eastern (Bahrain) Cohort: A Proposed Case-Control Comparison.

    PubMed

    Donnellan, Claire; Al Banna, Mona; Redha, Noor; Al Jishi, Adel; Al Sharoqi, Isa; Taha, Safa; Bakhiet, Moiz; Abdulla, Fatema; Walsh, Patrick

    2016-11-28

    Poststroke dementia and cognitive impairment are associated with poor long-term outcomes after stroke. The contribution of genetic factors such as the presence of apolipoprotein (ApoE) ɛ4 allele and its association with cognitive impairment poststroke remains inconclusive, particularly in Middle Eastern regions. The aim of this study is to examine all correlates and potential predictors of cognitive impairment including self-awareness and regulation deficits in stroke patients and compare these functions with healthy older adults from a Middle Eastern population. A prospective stroke sample of 200 patients (case group) and 100 healthy aging individuals (control group) will be recruited from the largest medical complex in Bahrain. A neuropsychological battery of cognitive assessments (global, executive, and metacognition) will be conducted on all participants. Participants will be categorized into 4 subgroups (nonvascular cognitive impairment, vascular cognitive impairment with no dementia, vascular dementia, and mixed dementia) using standardized cognitive assessment scores and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, dementia criteria. Biomarkers will include ApoE genotype, soluble form of receptor for advanced glycation end products, neprilysin, beta-secretase 1, biochemistry, and hematology measurements. The primary study outcome is to determine early risk factors for cognitive impairment after stroke in a Bahraini cohort. The study has received full ethical approval from the Bahrain Ministry of Health and from the affiliated university. With increasing stroke incidence rates in the Middle East, this research study will provide useful biological and epidemiological data for future development and planning of health policies and guidelines for stroke care within the Gulf region. ©Claire Donnellan, Mona Al Banna, Noor Redha, Adel Al Jishi, Isa Al Sharoqi, Safa Taha, Moiz Bakhiet, Fatema Abdulla, Patrick Walsh. Originally

  10. Source-to-accelerator quadrupole matching section for a compact linear accelerator

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Seidl, P. A.; Persaud, A.; Ghiorso, W.; Ji, Q.; Waldron, W. L.; Lal, A.; Vinayakumar, K. B.; Schenkel, T.

    2018-05-01

    Recently, we presented a new approach for a compact radio-frequency (RF) accelerator structure and demonstrated the functionality of the individual components: acceleration units and focusing elements. In this paper, we combine these units to form a working accelerator structure: a matching section between the ion source extraction grids and the RF-acceleration unit and electrostatic focusing quadrupoles between successive acceleration units. The matching section consists of six electrostatic quadrupoles (ESQs) fabricated using 3D-printing techniques. The matching section enables us to capture more beam current and to match the beam envelope to conditions for stable transport in an acceleration lattice. We present data from an integrated accelerator consisting of the source, matching section, and an ESQ doublet sandwiched between two RF-acceleration units.

  11. Anatomical brain difference of subthreshold depression in young and middle-aged individuals.

    PubMed

    Li, Jing; Wang, Zengjian; Hwang, JiWon; Zhao, Bingcong; Yang, Xinjing; Xin, Suicheng; Wang, Yu; Jiang, Huili; Shi, Peng; Zhang, Ye; Wang, Xu; Lang, Courtney; Park, Joel; Bao, Tuya; Kong, Jian

    2017-01-01

    Subthreshold depression (StD) is associated with substantial functional impairments due to depressive symptoms that do not fully meet the diagnosis of major depressive disorder (MDD). Its high incidence in the general population and debilitating symptoms has recently put it at the forefront of mood disorder research. In this study we investigated common volumetric brain changes in both young and middle-aged StD patients. Two cohorts of StD patients, young and middle-aged, ( n  = 57) and matched controls ( n  = 76) underwent voxel-based morphometry (VBM). VBM analysis found that: 1) compared with healthy controls, StD patients showed decreased gray matter volume (GMV) in the bilateral globus pallidus and precentral gyrus, as well as increased GMV in the left thalamus and right rostral anterior cingulate cortex/medial prefrontal cortex; 2) there is a significant association between Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale scores and the bilateral globus pallidus (negative) and left thalamus (positive); 3) there is no interaction between age (young vs. middle-age) and group (StD vs. controls). Our findings indicate significant VBM brain changes in both young and middle-aged individuals with StD. Individuals with StD, regardless of age, may share common neural characteristics.

  12. Availability of alcohol: Location, time and ease of purchase in high- and middle-income countries: Data from the International Alcohol Control study.

    PubMed

    Gray-Phillip, Gaile; Huckle, Taisia; Callinan, Sarah; Parry, Charles D H; Chaiyasong, Surasak; Cuong, Pham Viet; Mackintosh, Anne-Marie; Meier, Petra; Kazantseva, Elena; Piazza, Marina; Parker, Karl; Casswell, Sally

    2018-03-26

    Cross-country studies on alcohol purchasing and access are rare. We examined where and when people access alcohol to understand patterns of availability across a range of middle- and high-income countries. Surveys of drinkers in the International Alcohol Control study in high-income countries (Australia, England, Scotland, New Zealand and St Kitts and Nevis) and middle-income countries (Mongolia, South Africa, Peru, Thailand and Vietnam) were analysed. Measures were: location of purchase from on-premise and take-away outlets, proportion of alcohol consumed on-premise versus take-away outlets, hours of purchase, access among underage drinkers and time to access alcohol. On-premise purchasing was prevalent in the high-income countries. However, the vast majority of alcohol consumed in all countries, except St Kitts and Nevis (high-income), was take-away. Percentages of drinkers purchasing from different types of on-premise and take-away outlets varied between countries. Late purchasing was common in Peru and less common in Thailand and Vietnam. Alcohol was easily accessed by drinkers in all countries, including underage drinkers in the middle-income countries. In nine out of 10 countries the vast majority of alcohol consumed was take-away. Alcohol was readily available and relatively easy for underage drinkers to access, particularly in the middle-income countries. Research is needed to assess the harms associated with take-away consumption including late at night. Attention is needed to address the easy access by underage drinkers in the middle-income countries which has been less of a focus than in high-income countries. © 2018 The Authors Drug and Alcohol Review published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

  13. The vector of the tobacco epidemic: tobacco industry practices in low and middle-income countries.

    PubMed

    Lee, Sungkyu; Ling, Pamela M; Glantz, Stanton A

    2012-03-01

    To understand transnational tobacco companies' (TTCs) practices in low and middle-income countries which serve to block tobacco-control policies and promote tobacco use. Systematic review of published research on tobacco industry activities to promote tobacco use and oppose tobacco-control policies in low and middle-income countries. TTCs' strategies used in low and middle-income countries followed four main themes-economic activity; marketing/promotion; political activity; and deceptive/manipulative activity. Economic activity, including foreign investment and smuggling, was used to enter new markets. Political activities included lobbying, offering voluntary self-regulatory codes, and mounting corporate social responsibility campaigns. Deceptive activities included manipulation of science and use of third-party allies to oppose smoke-free policies, delay other tobacco-control policies, and maintain support of policymakers and the public for a pro-tobacco industry policy environment. TTCs used tactics for marketing, advertising, and promoting their brands that were tailored to specific market environments. These activities included direct and indirect tactis, targeting particular populations, and introducing new tobacco products designed to limit marketing restrictions and taxes, maintain the social acceptability of tobacco use, and counter tobacco-control efforts. TTCs have used similar strategies in high-income countries as these being described in low and middle-income countries. As required by FCTC Article 5.3, to counter tobacco industry pressures and to implement effective tobacco-control policies, governments and health professionals in low and middle-income countries should fully understand TTCs practices and counter them.

  14. Accelerated Gray and White Matter Deterioration With Age in Schizophrenia.

    PubMed

    Cropley, Vanessa L; Klauser, Paul; Lenroot, Rhoshel K; Bruggemann, Jason; Sundram, Suresh; Bousman, Chad; Pereira, Avril; Di Biase, Maria A; Weickert, Thomas W; Weickert, Cynthia Shannon; Pantelis, Christos; Zalesky, Andrew

    2017-03-01

    Although brain changes in schizophrenia have been proposed to mirror those found with advancing age, the trajectory of gray matter and white matter changes during the disease course remains unclear. The authors sought to measure whether these changes in individuals with schizophrenia remain stable, are accelerated, or are diminished with age. Gray matter volume and fractional anisotropy were mapped in 326 individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and in 197 healthy comparison subjects aged 20-65 years. Polynomial regression was used to model the influence of age on gray matter volume and fractional anisotropy at a whole-brain and voxel level. Between-group differences in gray matter volume and fractional anisotropy were regionally localized across the lifespan using permutation testing and cluster-based inference. Significant loss of gray matter volume was evident in schizophrenia, progressively worsening with age to a maximal loss of 8% in the seventh decade of life. The inferred rate of gray matter volume loss was significantly accelerated in schizophrenia up to middle age and plateaued thereafter. In contrast, significant reductions in fractional anisotropy emerged in schizophrenia only after age 35, and the rate of fractional anisotropy deterioration with age was constant and best modeled with a straight line. The slope of this line was 60% steeper in schizophrenia relative to comparison subjects, indicating a significantly faster rate of white matter deterioration with age. The rates of reduction of gray matter volume and fractional anisotropy were significantly faster in males than in females, but an interaction between sex and diagnosis was not evident. The findings suggest that schizophrenia is characterized by an initial, rapid rate of gray matter loss that slows in middle life, followed by the emergence of a deficit in white matter that progressively worsens with age at a constant rate.

  15. Radially dependent angular acceleration of twisted light.

    PubMed

    Webster, Jason; Rosales-Guzmán, Carmelo; Forbes, Andrew

    2017-02-15

    While photons travel in a straight line at constant velocity in free space, the intensity profile of structured light may be tailored for acceleration in any degree of freedom. Here we propose a simple approach to control the angular acceleration of light. Using Laguerre-Gaussian modes as our twisted beams carrying orbital angular momentum, we show that superpositions of opposite handedness result in a radially dependent angular acceleration as they pass through a focus (waist plane). Due to conservation of orbital angular momentum, we find that propagation dynamics are complex despite the free-space medium: the outer part of the beam (rings) rotates in an opposite direction to the inner part (petals), and while the outer part accelerates, the inner part decelerates. We outline the concepts theoretically and confirm them experimentally. Such exotic structured light beams are topical due to their many applications, for instance in optical trapping and tweezing, metrology, and fundamental studies in optics.

  16. Testing of a Plasmadynamic Hypervelocity Dust Accelerator

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ticos, Catalin M.; Wang, Zhehui; Dorf, Leonid A.; Wurden, G. A.

    2006-10-01

    A plasmadynamic accelerator for microparticles (or dust grains) has been designed, built and tested at Los Alamos National laboratory. The dust grains are expected to be accelerated to hypervelocities on the order of 1-30 km/s, depending on their size. The key components of the plasmadynamic accelerator are a coaxial plasma gun operated at 10 kV, a dust dispenser activated by a piezoelectric transducer, and power and remote-control systems. The coaxial plasma gun produces a high density (10^18 cm-3) and low temperature (˜ 1 eV) plasma in deuterium ejected by J x B forces, which provides drag on the dust particles in its path. Carbon dust particles will be used, with diameters from 1 to 50 μm. The plasma parameters produced in the coaxial gun are presented and their implication to dust acceleration is discussed. High speed dust will be injected in the National Spherical Torus Experiment to measure the pitch angle of magnetic field lines.

  17. Automatic and Controlled Semantic Retrieval: TMS Reveals Distinct Contributions of Posterior Middle Temporal Gyrus and Angular Gyrus

    PubMed Central

    Davey, James; Cornelissen, Piers L.; Thompson, Hannah E.; Sonkusare, Saurabh; Hallam, Glyn; Smallwood, Jonathan

    2015-01-01

    Semantic retrieval involves both (1) automatic spreading activation between highly related concepts and (2) executive control processes that tailor this activation to suit the current context or goals. Two structures in left temporoparietal cortex, angular gyrus (AG) and posterior middle temporal gyrus (pMTG), are thought to be crucial to semantic retrieval and are often recruited together during semantic tasks; however, they show strikingly different patterns of functional connectivity at rest (coupling with the “default mode network” and “frontoparietal control system,” respectively). Here, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was used to establish a causal yet dissociable role for these sites in semantic cognition in human volunteers. TMS to AG disrupted thematic judgments particularly when the link between probe and target was strong (e.g., a picture of an Alsatian with a bone), and impaired the identification of objects at a specific but not a superordinate level (for the verbal label “Alsatian” not “animal”). In contrast, TMS to pMTG disrupted thematic judgments for weak but not strong associations (e.g., a picture of an Alsatian with razor wire), and impaired identity matching for both superordinate and specific-level labels. Thus, stimulation to AG interfered with the automatic retrieval of specific concepts from the semantic store while stimulation of pMTG impaired semantic cognition when there was a requirement to flexibly shape conceptual activation in line with the task requirements. These results demonstrate that AG and pMTG make a dissociable contribution to automatic and controlled aspects of semantic retrieval. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT We demonstrate a novel functional dissociation between the angular gyrus (AG) and posterior middle temporal gyrus (pMTG) in conceptual processing. These sites are often coactivated during neuroimaging studies using semantic tasks, but their individual contributions are unclear. Using transcranial

  18. Maintained Individual Data Distributed Likelihood Estimation (MIDDLE)

    PubMed Central

    Boker, Steven M.; Brick, Timothy R.; Pritikin, Joshua N.; Wang, Yang; von Oertzen, Timo; Brown, Donald; Lach, John; Estabrook, Ryne; Hunter, Michael D.; Maes, Hermine H.; Neale, Michael C.

    2015-01-01

    Maintained Individual Data Distributed Likelihood Estimation (MIDDLE) is a novel paradigm for research in the behavioral, social, and health sciences. The MIDDLE approach is based on the seemingly-impossible idea that data can be privately maintained by participants and never revealed to researchers, while still enabling statistical models to be fit and scientific hypotheses tested. MIDDLE rests on the assumption that participant data should belong to, be controlled by, and remain in the possession of the participants themselves. Distributed likelihood estimation refers to fitting statistical models by sending an objective function and vector of parameters to each participants’ personal device (e.g., smartphone, tablet, computer), where the likelihood of that individual’s data is calculated locally. Only the likelihood value is returned to the central optimizer. The optimizer aggregates likelihood values from responding participants and chooses new vectors of parameters until the model converges. A MIDDLE study provides significantly greater privacy for participants, automatic management of opt-in and opt-out consent, lower cost for the researcher and funding institute, and faster determination of results. Furthermore, if a participant opts into several studies simultaneously and opts into data sharing, these studies automatically have access to individual-level longitudinal data linked across all studies. PMID:26717128

  19. Racial sexual mixing and factors associated with condom use among Middle Eastern-Canadians.

    PubMed

    Schoueri, Nour; Bullock, Sandra L; Dubin, Joel A

    2010-02-01

    Interracial relationships in Canada have increased over the years. However, little research has focused on comparing STI/HIV risk and condom use between those in intra- and interracial relationships, specifically among Middle Eastern-Canadians. A web-based survey was administered to Middle Eastern-Canadians. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess factors associated with consistent condom use. Analyses were stratified by partner's race (Middle Eastern or non-Middle Eastern). The analysis sub-sample consisted of 92 participants. Factors associated with consistent condom use varied between the stratified groups. Among those with Middle Eastern partners, attitude towards marriage and the family and control in the relationship were associated with condom use. Among participants with non-Middle Eastern partners, acculturation and HIV knowledge were found to be associated with condom use. Factors associated with condom use varied between Middle Eastern-Canadians in intra- and interracial relationships. These differences illustrate the need for tailored interventions aimed at increasing condom use among this racial group.

  20. Can Accelerators Accelerate Learning?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Santos, A. C. F.; Fonseca, P.; Coelho, L. F. S.

    2009-03-01

    The 'Young Talented' education program developed by the Brazilian State Funding Agency (FAPERJ) [1] makes it possible for high-schools students from public high schools to perform activities in scientific laboratories. In the Atomic and Molecular Physics Laboratory at Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), the students are confronted with modern research tools like the 1.7 MV ion accelerator. Being a user-friendly machine, the accelerator is easily manageable by the students, who can perform simple hands-on activities, stimulating interest in physics, and getting the students close to modern laboratory techniques.

  1. Martial arts training attenuates arterial stiffness in middle aged adults.

    PubMed

    Douris, Peter C; Ingenito, Teresa; Piccirillo, Barbara; Herbst, Meredith; Petrizzo, John; Cherian, Vincen; McCutchan, Christopher; Burke, Caitlin; Stamatinos, George; Jung, Min-Kyung

    2013-09-01

    Arterial stiffness increases with age and is related to an increased risk of coronary artery disease. Poor trunk flexibility has been shown to be associated with arterial stiffness in middle-aged subjects. The purpose of our research study was to measure arterial stiffness and flexibility in healthy middle-aged martial artists compared to age and gender matched healthy sedentary controls. Ten martial artists (54.0 ± 2.0 years), who practice Soo Bahk Do (SBD), a Korean martial art, and ten sedentary subjects (54.7 ± 1.8 years) for a total of twenty subjects took part in this cross-sectional study. Arterial stiffness was assessed in all subjects using pulse wave velocity (PWV), a recognized index of arterial stiffness. Flexibility of the trunk and hamstring were also measured. The independent variables were the martial artists and matched sedentary controls. The dependent variables were PWV and flexibility. There were significant differences, between the SBD practitioners and sedentary controls, in PWV (P = 0.004), in trunk flexibility (P= 0.002), and in hamstring length (P= 0.003). The middle-aged martial artists were more flexible in their trunk and hamstrings and had less arterial stiffness compared to the healthy sedentary controls. The flexibility component of martial art training or flexibility exercises in general may be considered as a possible intervention to reduce the effects of aging on arterial stiffness.

  2. Improved Magnetron Stability and Reduced Noise in Efficient Transmitters for Superconducting Accelerators

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

    Kazakevich, G.; Johnson, R.; Lebedev, V.

    State of the art high-current superconducting accelerators require efficient RF sources with a fast dynamic phase and power control. This allows for compensation of the phase and amplitude deviations of the accelerating voltage in the Superconducting RF (SRF) cavities caused by microphonics, etc. Efficient magnetron transmitters with fast phase and power control are attractive RF sources for this application. They are more cost effective than traditional RF sources such as klystrons, IOTs and solid-state amplifiers used with large scale accelerator projects. However, unlike traditional RF sources, controlled magnetrons operate as forced oscillators. Study of the impact of the controlling signalmore » on magnetron stability, noise and efficiency is therefore important. This paper discusses experiments with 2.45 GHz, 1 kW tubes and verifies our analytical model which is based on the charge drift approximation.« less

  3. EDITORIAL: Laser and Plasma Accelerators Workshop, Kardamyli, Greece, 2009 Laser and Plasma Accelerators Workshop, Kardamyli, Greece, 2009

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bingham, Bob; Muggli, Patric

    2011-01-01

    The Laser and Plasma Accelerators Workshop 2009 was part of a very successful series of international workshops which were conceived at the 1985 Laser Acceleration of Particles Workshop in Malibu, California. Since its inception, the workshop has been held in Asia and in Europe (Kardamyli, Kyoto, Presqu'ile de Giens, Portovenere, Taipei and the Azores). The purpose of the workshops is to bring together the most recent results in laser wakefield acceleration, plasma wakefield acceleration, laser-driven ion acceleration, and radiation generation produced by plasma-based accelerator beams. The 2009 workshop was held on 22-26 June in Kardamyli, Greece, and brought together over 80 participants. (http://cfp.ist.utl.pt/lpaw09/). The workshop involved five main themes: • Laser plasma electron acceleration (experiment/theory/simulation) • Computational methods • Plasma wakefield acceleration (experiment/theory/simulation) • Laser-driven ion acceleration • Radiation generation and application. All of these themes are covered in this special issue of Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion. The topic and application of plasma accelerators is one of the success stories in plasma physics, with laser wakefield acceleration of mono-energetic electrons to GeV energies, of ions to hundreds of MeV, and electron-beam-driven wakefield acceleration to 85 GeV. The accelerating electric field in the wake is of the order 1 GeV cm-1, or an accelerating gradient 1000 times greater than in conventional accelerators, possibly leading to an accelerator 1000 times smaller (and much more affordable) for the same energy. At the same time, the electron beams generated by laser wakefield accelerators have very good emittance with a correspondingly good energy spread of about a few percent. They also have the unique feature in being ultra-short in the femtosecond scale. This makes them attractive for a variety of applications, ranging from material science to ultra-fast time

  4. Harmonic ratcheting for fast acceleration

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cook, N.; Brennan, J. M.; Peggs, S.

    2014-04-01

    A major challenge in the design of rf cavities for the acceleration of medium-energy charged ions is the need to rapidly sweep the radio frequency over a large range. From low-power medical synchrotrons to high-power accelerator driven subcritical reactor systems, and from fixed focus alternating gradient accelerators to rapid cycling synchrotrons, there is a strong need for more efficient, and faster, acceleration of protons and light ions in the semirelativistic range of hundreds of MeV/u. A conventional way to achieve a large, rapid frequency sweep (perhaps over a range of a factor of 6) is to use custom-designed ferrite-loaded cavities. Ferrite rings enable the precise tuning of the resonant frequency of a cavity, through the control of the incremental permeability that is possible by introducing a pseudoconstant azimuthal magnetic field. However, rapid changes over large permeability ranges incur anomalous behavior such as the "Q-loss" and "f-dot" loss phenomena that limit performance while requiring high bias currents. Notwithstanding the incomplete understanding of these phenomena, they can be ameliorated by introducing a "harmonic ratcheting" acceleration scheme in which two or more rf cavities take turns accelerating the beam—one turns on when the other turns off, at different harmonics—so that the radio frequency can be constrained to remain in a smaller range. Harmonic ratcheting also has straightforward performance advantages, depending on the particular parameter set at hand. In some typical cases it is possible to halve the length of the cavities, or to double the effective gap voltage, or to double the repetition rate. This paper discusses and quantifies the advantages of harmonic ratcheting in general. Simulation results for the particular case of a rapid cycling medical synchrotron ratcheting from harmonic number 9 to 2 show that stability and performance criteria are met even when realistic engineering details are taken into consideration.

  5. A Novel Method for Vertical Acceleration Noise Suppression of a Thrust-Vectored VTOL UAV.

    PubMed

    Li, Huanyu; Wu, Linfeng; Li, Yingjie; Li, Chunwen; Li, Hangyu

    2016-12-02

    Acceleration is of great importance in motion control for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), especially during the takeoff and landing stages. However, the measured acceleration is inevitably polluted by severe noise. Therefore, a proper noise suppression procedure is required. This paper presents a novel method to reduce the noise in the measured vertical acceleration for a thrust-vectored tail-sitter vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) UAV. In the new procedure, a Kalman filter is first applied to estimate the UAV mass by using the information in the vertical thrust and measured acceleration. The UAV mass is then used to compute an estimate of UAV vertical acceleration. The estimated acceleration is finally fused with the measured acceleration to obtain the minimum variance estimate of vertical acceleration. By doing this, the new approach incorporates the thrust information into the acceleration estimate. The method is applied to the data measured in a VTOL UAV takeoff experiment. Two other denoising approaches developed by former researchers are also tested for comparison. The results demonstrate that the new method is able to suppress the acceleration noise substantially. It also maintains the real-time performance in the final estimated acceleration, which is not seen in the former denoising approaches. The acceleration treated with the new method can be readily used in the motion control applications for UAVs to achieve improved accuracy.

  6. A Novel Method for Vertical Acceleration Noise Suppression of a Thrust-Vectored VTOL UAV

    PubMed Central

    Li, Huanyu; Wu, Linfeng; Li, Yingjie; Li, Chunwen; Li, Hangyu

    2016-01-01

    Acceleration is of great importance in motion control for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), especially during the takeoff and landing stages. However, the measured acceleration is inevitably polluted by severe noise. Therefore, a proper noise suppression procedure is required. This paper presents a novel method to reduce the noise in the measured vertical acceleration for a thrust-vectored tail-sitter vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) UAV. In the new procedure, a Kalman filter is first applied to estimate the UAV mass by using the information in the vertical thrust and measured acceleration. The UAV mass is then used to compute an estimate of UAV vertical acceleration. The estimated acceleration is finally fused with the measured acceleration to obtain the minimum variance estimate of vertical acceleration. By doing this, the new approach incorporates the thrust information into the acceleration estimate. The method is applied to the data measured in a VTOL UAV takeoff experiment. Two other denoising approaches developed by former researchers are also tested for comparison. The results demonstrate that the new method is able to suppress the acceleration noise substantially. It also maintains the real-time performance in the final estimated acceleration, which is not seen in the former denoising approaches. The acceleration treated with the new method can be readily used in the motion control applications for UAVs to achieve improved accuracy. PMID:27918422

  7. Accelerations in Flight

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Doolittle, J H

    1925-01-01

    This work on accelerometry was done at McCook Field for the purpose of continuing the work done by other investigators and obtaining the accelerations which occur when a high-speed pursuit airplane is subjected to the more common maneuvers. The accelerations obtained in suddenly pulling out of a dive with well-balanced elevators are shown to be within 3 or 4 per cent of the theoretically possible accelerations. The maximum acceleration which a pilot can withstand depends upon the length of time the acceleration is continued. It is shown that he experiences no difficulty under the instantaneous accelerations as high as 7.8 G., but when under accelerations in excess of 4.5 G., continued for several seconds, he quickly loses his faculties.

  8. Developmental Characteristics of Middle Schoolers and Middle School Organization.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thornburg, Hershel D.

    The extent to which the middle school becomes a true educational alternative is directly related to the ability of middle school educators and researchers to identify and investigate the developmental needs and learning capacities of students. Three important developmental characteristics of early adolescents are a high need for peer friendships,…

  9. Encoding-related brain activity and accelerated forgetting in transient epileptic amnesia.

    PubMed

    Atherton, Kathryn E; Filippini, Nicola; Zeman, Adam Z J; Nobre, Anna C; Butler, Christopher R

    2018-05-17

    The accelerated forgetting of newly learned information is common amongst patients with epilepsy and, in particular, in the syndrome of transient epileptic amnesia (TEA). However, the neural mechanisms underlying accelerated forgetting are poorly understood. It has been hypothesised that interictal epileptiform activity during longer retention intervals disrupts normally established memory traces. Here, we tested a distinct hypothesis-that accelerated forgetting relates to the abnormal encoding of memories. We studied a group of 15 patients with TEA together with matched, healthy control subjects. Despite normal performance on standard anterograde memory tasks, patients showed accelerated forgetting of a word list over one week. We used a subsequent memory paradigm to compare encoding-related brain activity in patients and controls. Participants studied a series of visually presented scenes whilst undergoing functional MRI scanning. Recognition memory for these scenes was then probed outside the scanner after delays of 45 min and of 4 days. Patients showed poorer memory for the scenes compared with controls. In the patients but not the controls, subsequently forgotten stimuli were associated with reduced hippocampal activation at encoding. Furthermore, patients demonstrated reduced deactivation of posteromedial cortex regions upon viewing subsequently remembered stimuli as compared to subsequently forgotten ones. These data suggest that abnormal encoding-related activity in key memory areas of the brain contributes to accelerated forgetting in TEA. We propose that abnormally encoded memory traces may be particularly vulnerable to interference from subsequently encountered material and hence be forgotten more rapidly. Our results shed light on the mechanisms underlying memory impairment in epilepsy, and offer support to the proposal that accelerated forgetting may be a useful marker of subtle dysfunction in memory-related brain systems. Copyright © 2018 The

  10. Investigation of a broadband duct noise control system inspired by the middle ear mechanism

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Chunqi; Huang, Lixi

    2012-08-01

    A new duct noise control device is introduced based on the mechanism of human middle ear which functions as a compact, broadband impedance transformer between the air motion in the outer ear and the liquid motion in the inner ear. The system consists of two rigid endplates, simulating the tympanic membrane and the stapes footplate, and they are connected by a single rigid rod, simulating the overall action of the ossicular chain. These three pieces are placed in a side-branch cavity, and the whole device is called an ossicular silencer. A specific configuration is investigated numerically with a two-dimensional finite element model. Results show that broadband noise attenuation can be achieved in the very low frequency regime. Typically, two or more resonance peaks are found and the transmission loss between two neighbouring peaks is maintained at a high level. The cavity length is found to be the most crucial parameter that determines the effective frequency range of the ossicular silencer. The total cavity volume, which is a major controlling factor in most existing noise control devices, becomes less influential. The fluid medium in the enclosed cavity mainly acts like an added mass, while its stiffness effect is negligible. Simplified plane wave analysis is also conducted to reveal the mechanisms of the system resonances. The first resonance is identified as of the mass-spring system with mass contributions from both fluid and the plates, while the second one is of the Herschel-Quincke (HQ) tube resonance.

  11. WWC Review of the Report “Improving Reading Comprehension and Social Studies Knowledge in Middle School.” What Works Clearinghouse Single Study Review

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    What Works Clearinghouse, 2013

    2013-01-01

    The study reviewed in this paper examined the effects of the instructional practice “Promoting Acceleration of Comprehension and Content Through Text” (“PACT”), an approach that aims to improve social studies content knowledge and reading comprehension. This study took place in two middle schools in a near-urban district in Texas. Study authors…

  12. Association of microRNA 146 with middle ear hyperplasia in pediatric otitis media.

    PubMed

    Samuels, Tina L; Yan, Justin; Khampang, Pawjai; MacKinnon, Alexander; Hong, Wenzhou; Johnston, Nikki; Kerschner, Joseph E

    2016-09-01

    Toll-like receptor signaling activated by bacterial otitis media pathogens in the middle ear has been shown to play a key role in OM susceptibility, pathogenesis and recovery. Recent studies implicate microRNA 146 (miR-146) in regulation of inflammation via negative feedback of toll-like receptor signaling (TLR) in a wide variety of tissues, however its involvement in otitis media is unknown. Human middle ear epithelial cells were stimulated with proinflammatory cytokines, interleukin 1 beta or tumor necrosis factor alpha, for two to twenty-four hours. Middle ear biopsies were collected from children with otitis media with effusion (n = 20), recurrent otitis media (n = 9), and control subjects undergoing cochlear implantation (n = 10). miR-146a, miR-146b expression was assayed by quantitative PCR (qPCR). Expression of miR-146 targets involved in TLR signaling, IRAK1 and TRAF6, was assayed by qPCR in middle ear biopsies. Middle ear biopsies were cryosectioned and epithelial thickness measured by a certified pathologist. Proinflammatory cytokines induced expression of miR-146 in middle ear epithelial cells in vitro. Middle ear miR-146a and miR-146b expression was elevated in otitis media patients relative to control subjects and correlated with middle ear epithelial thickness. A trend towards inverse correlation was observed between miR-146 and TRAF6 expression in the clinical population. This report is the first to assess miRNA expression in a clinical population with OM. Findings herein suggest miR-146 may play a role in OM. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Chronic fatigue syndrome in Chinese middle-school students.

    PubMed

    Shi, Jieyao; Shen, Jie; Xie, Jian; Zhi, Jianming; Xu, Yong

    2018-01-01

    The objective of the present study was to determine the prevalence of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and its associated factors in middle-school students in Suzhou, China. From September 2010 to January 2011, across-sectional study was conducted in junior- and senior middle-school students aged 10 to 18 years using a battery of confidential questionnaires. Our results indicate that 18,139 completed the questionnaires effectively, of whom 163 (0.9%) met the definition of CFS, with senior high-school students and male students predominating. The prevalence of CFS in the middle-school students increased steadily with age. The main symptoms of CFS in these students included being afraid of going to school, despondency, and irritability in addition to those specified in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Our study shows that CFS is prevalent among Chinese teenagers, and requiring proper intervention and treatment.

  14. Hypertension among older adults in low- and middle-income countries: prevalence, awareness and control

    PubMed Central

    Lloyd-Sherlock, Peter; Beard, John; Minicuci, Nadia; Ebrahim, Shah; Chatterji, Somnath

    2014-01-01

    Background This study uses data from the World Health Organization’s Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health (SAGE) to examine patterns of hypertension prevalence, awareness, treatment and control for people aged 50 years and over in China, Ghana, India, Mexico, the Russian Federation and South Africa. Methods The SAGE sample comprises of 35 125 people aged 50 years and older, selected randomly. Hypertension was defined as ≥140 mmHg (systolic blood pressure) or ≥90 mmHg (diastolic blood pressure) or by currently taking antihypertensives. Control of hypertension was defined as blood pressure below 140/90 mmHg on treatment. A person was defined as aware if he/she was hypertensive and self-reported the condition. Results Prevalence rates in all countries are broadly comparable to those of developed countries (52.9%; range 32.3% in India to 77.9% in South Africa). Hypertension was associated with overweight/obesity and was more common in women, those in the lowest wealth quintile and in heavy alcohol consumers. Awareness was found to be low for all countries, albeit with substantial national variations (48.3%; range 23.3% in Ghana to 72.1% in the Russian Federation). This was also the case for control (10.2%; range 4.1% in Ghana to 14.1% India) and treatment efficacy (26.3%; range 17.4% in the Russian Federation to 55.2% in India). Awareness was associated with increasing age, being female and being overweight or obese. Effective control of hypertension was more likely in older people, women and in the richest quintile. Obesity was associated with poorer control. Conclusions The high rates of hypertension in low- and middle-income countries are striking. Levels of treatment and control are inadequate despite half those sampled being aware of their condition. Since cardiovascular disease is by far the largest cause of years of life lost in these settings, these findings emphasize the need for new approaches towards control of this major risk factor. PMID:24505082

  15. Hypertension among older adults in low- and middle-income countries: prevalence, awareness and control.

    PubMed

    Lloyd-Sherlock, Peter; Beard, John; Minicuci, Nadia; Ebrahim, Shah; Chatterji, Somnath

    2014-02-01

    This study uses data from the World Health Organization's Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health (SAGE) to examine patterns of hypertension prevalence, awareness, treatment and control for people aged 50 years and over in China, Ghana, India, Mexico, the Russian Federation and South Africa. The SAGE sample comprises of 35 125 people aged 50 years and older, selected randomly. Hypertension was defined as ≥140 mmHg (systolic blood pressure) or ≥90 mmHg (diastolic blood pressure) or by currently taking antihypertensives. Control of hypertension was defined as blood pressure below 140/90 mmHg on treatment. A person was defined as aware if he/she was hypertensive and self-reported the condition. Prevalence rates in all countries are broadly comparable to those of developed countries (52.9%; range 32.3% in India to 77.9% in South Africa). Hypertension was associated with overweight/obesity and was more common in women, those in the lowest wealth quintile and in heavy alcohol consumers. Awareness was found to be low for all countries, albeit with substantial national variations (48.3%; range 23.3% in Ghana to 72.1% in the Russian Federation). This was also the case for control (10.2%; range 4.1% in Ghana to 14.1% India) and treatment efficacy (26.3%; range 17.4% in the Russian Federation to 55.2% in India). Awareness was associated with increasing age, being female and being overweight or obese. Effective control of hypertension was more likely in older people, women and in the richest quintile. Obesity was associated with poorer control. The high rates of hypertension in low- and middle-income countries are striking. Levels of treatment and control are inadequate despite half those sampled being aware of their condition. Since cardiovascular disease is by far the largest cause of years of life lost in these settings, these findings emphasize the need for new approaches towards control of this major risk factor.

  16. The Middle Atmosphere Program: A special project for the Antarctic Middle Atmosphere (AMA)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hirasawa, T.

    1982-01-01

    Areas of concern are: dynamics, structure, and atmospheric composition of the middle atmosphere in Antarctica; particle precipitation and interaction of the middle atmosphere with the lower ionosphere; atmospheric pollution; and the difference between the northern and southern polar middle atmosphere.

  17. Development of the integrated control system for the microwave ion source of the PEFP 100-MeV proton accelerator

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Song, Young-Gi; Seol, Kyung-Tae; Jang, Ji-Ho; Kwon, Hyeok-Jung; Cho, Yong-Sub

    2012-07-01

    The Proton Engineering Frontier Project (PEFP) 20-MeV proton linear accelerator is currently operating at the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI). The ion source of the 100-MeV proton linac needs at least a 100-hour operation time. To meet the goal, we have developed a microwave ion source that uses no filament. For the ion source, a remote control system has been developed by using experimental physics and the industrial control system (EPICS) software framework. The control system consists of a versa module europa (VME) and EPICS-based embedded applications running on a VxWorks real-time operating system. The main purpose of the control system is to control and monitor the operational variables of the components remotely and to protect operators from radiation exposure and the components from critical problems during beam extraction. We successfully performed the operation test of the control system to confirm the degree of safety during the hardware performance.

  18. Transitions between subclasses of bullying and victimization when entering middle school.

    PubMed

    Williford, Anne; Boulton, Aaron J; Jenson, Jeffrey M

    2014-01-01

    We examined the effects of depressive symptoms, antisocial attitudes, and perspective-taking empathy on patterns of bullying and victimization during the transition from late elementary (4th grade to 5th grade) to middle school (6th grade) among 1,077 students who participated in the Youth Matters (YM) bullying prevention trial. Latent transition analysis was used to establish classes of bullying, victimization, bully-victimization, and uninvolvement. The intervention had a positive impact on children as they moved from elementary to middle school. More students in the YM group transitioned from the involved statuses to the uninvolved status than students in the control group during the move to middle school. Elementary school bullies with higher levels of depressive symptoms were less likely than other students to move to an uninvolved status in the first year of middle school. Students who held greater antisocial attitudes were more likely to be a member of the bully-victim status than the uninvolved status during the move to middle school. Perspective-taking empathy, however, was not a significant predictor of status change during the transition to middle school. Implications for school-based prevention programs during the move to middle school are noted. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  19. Ion acceleration via TNSA near and beyond the relativistic transparency limit

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schumacher, Douglass; Poole, Patrick; Cochran, Ginevra; Willis, Christopher

    2017-10-01

    Ultra-intense laser-based ion acceleration can proceed via several mechanisms whose fundamental operation and interplay with each other are still not well understood. The details of Relativistically Induced Transparency (RIT) and its impact on ultra-thin target acceleration are of interest for fundamental studies and to progress toward applications requiring controlled, high energy secondary radiation, e.g. hadron cancer therapy. Liquid crystal film targets formed in-situ with thickness control between 10 nm and > 50 μm uniquely allow study of how ion acceleration varies with target thickness. Several recent studies have investigated Target Normal Sheath Acceleration (TNSA) down to the thickness at which RIT occurs, with a wide range of laser conditions (energy, pulse duration, and contrast), using various ion and optical diagnostics to ascertain acceleration mechanisms and quality. Observation of target-normal directed ion acceleration enhancement at the RIT thickness onset will be discussed, including analysis of ion spatial and spectral features as well as particle-in-cell simulations investigating the underlying physical processes. This material is based upon work supported by the AFOSR under Award Number FA9550-14-1-0085, by the NNSA under DE-NA0003107, and by computing time from the Ohio Supercomputer Center.

  20. Beyond injection: Trojan horse underdense photocathode plasma wakefield acceleration

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

    Hidding, B.; Rosenzweig, J. B.; Xi, Y.

    2012-12-21

    An overview on the underlying principles of the hybrid plasma wakefield acceleration scheme dubbed 'Trojan Horse' acceleration is given. The concept is based on laser-controlled release of electrons directly into a particle-beam-driven plasma blowout, paving the way for controlled, shapeable electron bunches with ultralow emittance and ultrahigh brightness. Combining the virtues of a low-ionization-threshold underdense photocathode with the GV/m-scale electric fields of a practically dephasing-free beam-driven plasma blowout, this constitutes a 4th generation electron acceleration scheme. It is applicable as a beam brightness transformer for electron bunches from LWFA and PWFA systems alike. At FACET, the proof-of-concept experiment 'E-210: Trojanmore » Horse Plasma Wakefield Acceleration' has recently been approved and is in preparation. At the same time, various LWFA facilities are currently considered to host experiments aiming at stabilizing and boosting the electron bunch output quality via a trojan horse afterburner stage. Since normalized emittance and brightness can be improved by many orders of magnitude, the scheme is an ideal candidate for light sources such as free-electron-lasers and those based on Thomson scattering and betatron radiation alike.« less

  1. Figure-of-eight bandage versus arm sling for treating middle-third clavicle fractures in adults: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Lenza, Mario; Taniguchi, Luiz Fabiano Presente; Ferretti, Mario

    2016-05-04

    Fracture of the clavicle is common, accounting for 2.6 to 4.0 % of all fractures, with an overall incidence of 36.5 to 64 per 100,000 per year. Around 80 % of clavicle fractures occur in the middle third of the clavicle. Randomised controlled trials comparing treatment interventions have failed to indicate the best therapeutic practices for these fractures. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effects (benefits and harms) of two commonly-used conservative interventions: the figure-of-eight bandage versus the arm sling as treatments of middle-third clavicle fractures. This project has been designed as a single-centre, two-arm randomised controlled trial that will compare two interventions: figure-of-eight bandage versus the arm sling. We propose to recruit 110 adults, aged 18 years or older, with an acute (less than 10 days since injury) middle-third clavicle fracture. The primary outcomes to be evaluated will be function and/or disability measured by the Disability of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) questionnaire. In order to assess the secondary outcomes, the Modified University of California at Los Angeles (modified - UCLA) Shoulder Rating Scale will be used. The occurrence of pain (Visual Analogue Scale for pain (VAS)), treatment failure, adverse events and the ability to return to previous activities will also be recorded and evaluated as secondary outcomes. the primary outcome DASH score and the secondary outcomes - modified UCLA and VAS scores - will be analysed graphically. We will apply generalised mixed models with the intervention groups (two levels), and time-point assessments (seven levels) as fixed effects and patients as a random effect. According to the current literature there is very limited evidence from two small trials regarding the effectiveness of different methods of conservative interventions for treating clavicle fractures. This is the first randomised controlled trial comparing the figure-of-eight bandage versus the arm

  2. The vector of the tobacco epidemic: tobacco industry practices in low and middle-income countries

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Sungkyu; Ling, Pamela M.; Glantz, Stanton A.

    2012-01-01

    Purpose To understand transnational tobacco companiesr’ (TTCs) practices in low and middle-income countries which serve to block tobacco-control policies and promote tobacco use. Methods Systematic review of published research on tobacco industry activities to promote tobacco use and oppose tobacco-control policies in low and middle-income countries. Results TTCs’ strategies used in low and middle-income countries followed four main themes—economic activity; marketing/promotion; political activity; and deceptive/manipulative activity. Economic activity, including foreign investment and smuggling, was used to enter new markets. Political activities included lobbying, offering voluntary self-regulatory codes, and mounting corporate social responsibility campaigns. Deceptive activities included manipulation of science and use of third-party allies to oppose smoke-free policies, delay other tobacco-control policies, and maintain support of policymakers and the public for a pro-tobacco industry policy environment. TTCs used tactics for marketing, advertising, and promoting their brands that were tailored to specific market environments. These activities included direct and indirect tactis, targeting particular populations, and introducing new tobacco products designed to limit marketing restrictions and taxes, maintain the social acceptability of tobacco use, and counter tobacco-control efforts. Conclusions TTCs have used similar strategies in high-income countries as these being described in low and middle-income countries. As required by FCTC Article 5.3, to counter tobacco industry pressures and to implement effective tobacco-control policies, governments and health professionals in low and middle-income countries should fully understand TTCs practices and counter them. PMID:22370696

  3. Exceedance statistics of accelerations resulting from thruster firings on the Apollo-Soyuz mission

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fichtl, G. H.; Holland, R. L.

    1981-01-01

    Spacecraft acceleration resulting from firings of vernier control system thrusters is an important consideration in the design, planning, execution and post-flight analysis of laboratory experiments in space. In particular, scientists and technologists involved with the development of experiments to be performed in space in many instances required statistical information on the magnitude and rate of occurrence of spacecraft accelerations. Typically, these accelerations are stochastic in nature, so that it is useful to characterize these accelerations in statistical terms. Statistics of spacecraft accelerations are summarized.

  4. Dense plasma focus (DPF) accelerated non radio isotopic radiological source

    DOEpatents

    Rusnak, Brian; Tang, Vincent

    2017-01-31

    A non-radio-isotopic radiological source using a dense plasma focus (DPF) to produce an intense z-pinch plasma from a gas, such as helium, and which accelerates charged particles, such as generated from the gas or injected from an external source, into a target positioned along an acceleration axis and of a type known to emit ionizing radiation when impinged by the type of accelerated charged particles. In a preferred embodiment, helium gas is used to produce a DPF-accelerated He2+ ion beam to a beryllium target, to produce neutron emission having a similar energy spectrum as a radio-isotopic AmBe neutron source. Furthermore, multiple DPFs may be stacked to provide staged acceleration of charged particles for enhancing energy, tunability, and control of the source.

  5. Evaluation of piezocision and laser-assisted flapless corticotomy in the acceleration of canine retraction: a randomized controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Alfawal, Alaa M H; Hajeer, Mohammad Y; Ajaj, Mowaffak A; Hamadah, Omar; Brad, Bassel

    2018-02-17

    To evaluate the effectiveness of two minimally invasive surgical procedures in the acceleration of canine retraction: piezocision and laser-assisted flapless corticotomy (LAFC). Trial design: A single-centre randomized controlled trial with a compound design (two-arm parallel-group design and a split-mouth design for each arm). 36 Class II division I patients (12 males, 24 females; age range: 15 to 27 years) requiring first upper premolars extraction followed by canine retraction. piezocision group (PG; n = 18) and laser-assisted flapless corticotomy group (LG; n = 18). A split-mouth design was applied for each group where the flapless surgical intervention was randomly allocated to one side and the other side served as a control side. the rate of canine retraction (primary outcome), anchorage loss and canine rotation, which were assessed at 1, 2, 3 and 4 months following the onset of canine retraction. Also the duration of canine retraction was recorded. Random sequence: Computer-generated random numbers. Allocation concealment: sequentially numbered, opaque, sealed envelopes. Blinding: Single blinded (outcomes' assessor). Seventeen patients in each group were enrolled in the statistical analysis. The rate of canine retraction was significantly greater in the experimental side than in the control side in both groups by two-fold in the first month and 1.5-fold in the second month (p < 0.001). Also the overall canine retraction duration was significantly reduced in the experimental side as compared with control side in both groups about 25% (p ≤ 0.001). There were no significant differences between the experimental and the control sides regarding loss of anchorage and upper canine rotation in both groups (p > 0.05). There were no significant differences between the two flapless techniques regarding the studied variables during all evaluation times (p > 0.05). Piezocision and laser-assisted flapless corticotomy appeared to be effective

  6. Compact Plasma Accelerator

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Foster, John E.

    2004-01-01

    A plasma accelerator has been conceived for both material-processing and spacecraft-propulsion applications. This accelerator generates and accelerates ions within a very small volume. Because of its compactness, this accelerator could be nearly ideal for primary or station-keeping propulsion for spacecraft having masses between 1 and 20 kg. Because this accelerator is designed to generate beams of ions having energies between 50 and 200 eV, it could also be used for surface modification or activation of thin films.

  7. Microelectromechanical acceleration-sensing apparatus

    DOEpatents

    Lee, Robb M [Albuquerque, NM; Shul, Randy J [Albuquerque, NM; Polosky, Marc A [Albuquerque, NM; Hoke, Darren A [Albuquerque, NM; Vernon, George E [Rio Rancho, NM

    2006-12-12

    An acceleration-sensing apparatus is disclosed which includes a moveable shuttle (i.e. a suspended mass) and a latch for capturing and holding the shuttle when an acceleration event is sensed above a predetermined threshold level. The acceleration-sensing apparatus provides a switch closure upon sensing the acceleration event and remains latched in place thereafter. Examples of the acceleration-sensing apparatus are provided which are responsive to an acceleration component in a single direction (i.e. a single-sided device) or to two oppositely-directed acceleration components (i.e. a dual-sided device). A two-stage acceleration-sensing apparatus is also disclosed which can sense two acceleration events separated in time. The acceleration-sensing apparatus of the present invention has applications, for example, in an automotive airbag deployment system.

  8. Roles of autolysin and pneumolysin in middle ear inflammation caused by a type 3 Streptococcus pneumoniae strain in the chinchilla otitis media model.

    PubMed Central

    Sato, K; Quartey, M K; Liebeler, C L; Le, C T; Giebink, G S

    1996-01-01

    Streptococcus pneumoniae cell wall and pneumolysin are important contributors to pneumococcal pathogenicity in some animal models. To further explore these factors in middle ear inflammation caused by pneumococci, penicillin-induced inflammatory acceleration was studied by using three closely related pneumococcal strains: a wild-type 3 strain (WT3), its pneumolysin-negative derivative (P-1), and into autolysin-negative derivative (A-1). Both middle ears of chinchillas were inoculated with one of the three pneumococcal strains. During the first 12 h, all three strains grew in vivo at the same rate, and all three strains induced similar inflammatory cell responses in middle ear fluid (MEF). Procaine penicillin G was given as 12 h to one-half of the animals in each group, and all treated chinchillas had sterile MEF at 24 h. Penicillin significantly accelerated MEF inflammatory cell influx into WT3-and P-1-infected ears at 18 and 24 h in comparison with the rate for penicillin-treated A-1-infected ears. Inflammatory cell influx was slightly, but not significantly, greater after treatment of WT3 infection than after treatment of P-1 infection. Interleukin (IL)-1beta and IL-6, but not IL-8, concentrations in MEF at 24 h reflected the penicillin effect on MEF inflammatory cells; however, differences between treatment groups were not significant. Results suggest that pneumococcal otitis media pathogenesis is triggered principally by the inflammatory effects of intact and lytic cell wall products in the middle ear, with at most a modes additional pneumolysin effect. Investigation strategies that limit the release of these products or neutralize them warrant further investigation. PMID:8606070

  9. Accelerator infrastructure in Europe: EuCARD 2011

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Romaniuk, Ryszard S.

    2011-10-01

    The paper presents a digest of the research results in the domain of accelerator science and technology in Europe, shown during the annual meeting of the EuCARD - European Coordination of Accelerator Research and Development. The conference concerns building of the research infrastructure, including in this advanced photonic and electronic systems for servicing large high energy physics experiments. There are debated a few basic groups of such systems like: measurement - control networks of large geometrical extent, multichannel systems for large amounts of metrological data acquisition, precision photonic networks of reference time, frequency and phase distribution.

  10. SHORT ACCELERATION TIMES FROM SUPERDIFFUSIVE SHOCK ACCELERATION IN THE HELIOSPHERE

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

    Perri, S.; Zimbardo, G., E-mail: silvia.perri@fis.unical.it

    2015-12-10

    The analysis of time profiles of particles accelerated at interplanetary shocks allows particle transport properties to be inferred. The frequently observed power-law decay upstream, indeed, implies a superdiffusive particle transport when the level of magnetic field variance does not change as the time interval from the shock front increases. In this context, a superdiffusive shock acceleration (SSA) theory has been developed, allowing us to make predictions of the acceleration times. In this work we estimate for a number of interplanetary shocks, including the solar wind termination shock, the acceleration times for energetic protons in the framework of SSA and wemore » compare the results with the acceleration times predicted by standard diffusive shock acceleration. The acceleration times due to SSA are found to be much shorter than in the classical model, and also shorter than the interplanetary shock lifetimes. This decrease of the acceleration times is due to the scale-free nature of the particle displacements in the framework of superdiffusion. Indeed, very long displacements are possible, increasing the probability for particles far from the front of the shock to return, and short displacements have a high probability of occurrence, increasing the chances for particles close to the front to cross the shock many times.« less

  11. Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility

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

    Grames, Joseph; Higinbotham, Douglas; Montgomery, Hugh

    The Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (Jefferson Lab) in Newport News, Virginia, USA, is one of ten national laboratories under the aegis of the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). It is managed and operated by Jefferson Science Associates, LLC. The primary facility at Jefferson Lab is the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility (CEBAF) as shown in an aerial photograph in Figure 1. Jefferson Lab was created in 1984 as CEBAF and started operations for physics in 1995. The accelerator uses superconducting radio-frequency (srf) techniques to generate high-quality beams of electrons with high-intensity, well-controlled polarization. Themore » technology has enabled ancillary facilities to be created. The CEBAF facility is used by an international user community of more than 1200 physicists for a program of exploration and study of nuclear, hadronic matter, the strong interaction and quantum chromodynamics. Additionally, the exceptional quality of the beams facilitates studies of the fundamental symmetries of nature, which complement those of atomic physics on the one hand and of high-energy particle physics on the other. The facility is in the midst of a project to double the energy of the facility and to enhance and expand its experimental facilities. Studies are also pursued with a Free-Electron Laser produced by an energy-recovering linear accelerator.« less

  12. Effects of Fibers on Color and Translucency Changes of Bulk-Fill and Anterior Composites after Accelerated Aging

    PubMed Central

    Güven, Mehmet Esad

    2018-01-01

    The aim of this study was to determine the effects of glass and polyethylene fibers on the color and translucency change of bulk-fill and anterior composites before and after artificial accelerated aging (AAA). Two types of teflon molds were used to fabricate samples which were 13 mm in diameter and, respectively, 2 mm and 4 mm in height. Polyethylene fiber (PF) and glass fiber (GF) were incorporated in the middle of the composite samples. Color and translucency changes of each composite were evaluated before and after AAA with spectrophotometer. ANOVA and Tukey's HSD post hoc statistical analysis were used at a significance level of 0.05. Before AAA (for anterior composites), there were no significant differences in L* and b* parameters among the three groups (p > 0.05); there were no significant differences in L* parameter between PF and GF groups or in TP between GF and control groups (p > 0.05) (for bulk-fill composites). After AAA, there were no significant differences in L* parameter between GF and control groups, in a* parameter between PF and control groups, in b* parameter among all groups, or in TP parameter between GF and control groups (p > 0.05). Fiber reinforcement led to color and TP change in both anterior and bulk-fill resin composites. PMID:29850499

  13. Accelerated in-vitro release testing methods for extended-release parenteral dosage forms.

    PubMed

    Shen, Jie; Burgess, Diane J

    2012-07-01

    This review highlights current methods and strategies for accelerated in-vitro drug release testing of extended-release parenteral dosage forms such as polymeric microparticulate systems, lipid microparticulate systems, in-situ depot-forming systems and implants. Extended-release parenteral dosage forms are typically designed to maintain the effective drug concentration over periods of weeks, months or even years. Consequently, 'real-time' in-vitro release tests for these dosage forms are often run over a long time period. Accelerated in-vitro release methods can provide rapid evaluation and therefore are desirable for quality control purposes. To this end, different accelerated in-vitro release methods using United States Pharmacopeia (USP) apparatus have been developed. Different mechanisms of accelerating drug release from extended-release parenteral dosage forms, along with the accelerated in-vitro release testing methods currently employed are discussed. Accelerated in-vitro release testing methods with good discriminatory ability are critical for quality control of extended-release parenteral products. Methods that can be used in the development of in-vitro-in-vivo correlation (IVIVC) are desirable; however, for complex parenteral products this may not always be achievable. © 2012 The Authors. JPP © 2012 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

  14. Accelerated in vitro release testing methods for extended release parenteral dosage forms

    PubMed Central

    Shen, Jie; Burgess, Diane J.

    2012-01-01

    Objectives This review highlights current methods and strategies for accelerated in vitro drug release testing of extended release parenteral dosage forms such as polymeric microparticulate systems, lipid microparticulate systems, in situ depot-forming systems, and implants. Key findings Extended release parenteral dosage forms are typically designed to maintain the effective drug concentration over periods of weeks, months or even years. Consequently, “real-time” in vitro release tests for these dosage forms are often run over a long time period. Accelerated in vitro release methods can provide rapid evaluation and therefore are desirable for quality control purposes. To this end, different accelerated in vitro release methods using United States Pharmacopoeia (USP) apparatus have been developed. Different mechanisms of accelerating drug release from extended release parenteral dosage forms, along with the accelerated in vitro release testing methods currently employed are discussed. Conclusions Accelerated in vitro release testing methods with good discriminatory ability are critical for quality control of extended release parenteral products. Methods that can be used in the development of in vitro-in vivo correlation (IVIVC) are desirable, however for complex parenteral products this may not always be achievable. PMID:22686344

  15. 805 MHz Beta = 0.47 Elliptical Accelerating Structure R & D

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

    S. Bricker; C. Compton; W. Hartung

    2008-09-22

    A 6-cell 805 MHz superconducting cavity for acceleration in the velocity range of about 0.4 to 0.53 times the speed of light was designed. After single-cell prototyping, three 6-cell niobium cavities were fabricated. In vertical RF tests of the 6-cell cavities, the measured quality factors (Q{sub 0}) were between 7 {center_dot} 10{sup 9} and 1.4 {center_dot} 10{sup 10} at the design field (accelerating gradient of 8 to 10 MV/m). A rectangular cryomodule was designed to house 4 cavities per cryomodule. The 4-cavity cryomodule could be used for acceleration of ions in a linear accelerator, with focusing elements between the cryomodules.more » A prototype cryomodule was fabricated to test 2 cavities under realistic operating conditions. Two of the 6-cell cavities were equipped with helium tanks, tuners, and input coupler and installed into the cryomodule. The prototype cryomodule was used to verify alignment, electromagnetic performance, frequency tuning, cryogenic performance, low-level RF control, and control of microphonics.« less

  16. [Evaluation on the effects of education regarding road safety among middle school students].

    PubMed

    Jin, Hui-Qing; Li, Ying-Chun; Zhang, Shu-Lin; Yu, Wan-Sheng

    2009-08-01

    To evaluate the intervention effects for road traffic accident prevention among middle school students through understanding their knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) on road safety. Students in Grade 1 and Grade 2 from 7 junior and senior middle schools in Ji'nan city were selected as intervention group and students from a middle school in Hefei city served as control group. Education was provided to the intervention group and all the middle school students in Ji'nan city. Changes of KAP on road safety were measured for both groups during the follow-up period, and comparison on KAP for the two groups was carried statistically. The mean scores of road safety knowledge for intervention group improved significantly during the follow-up period (from 0.9 - 3.8), while these indices did not change much in the control group (from 0 - 0.2). Negative attitude on road safety was found in both groups, but less in the intervention group. More students started to admit that middle school students themselves should be responsible for most of the RTAs. Per week frequency of violating traffic rules did not improve, however during the follow-up period on both groups as still 75% to 80% of the students violating the traffic rules less than 2 times per week. Although three kinds and one kind of traffic rules violation seemed to have improved in the intervention group and in the control group, there were still two and three other kinds turned worse in the intervention and in the control group, respectively. Program on road safety education significantly improved the relative knowledge for middle school student and it exerted positive effects in road safety attitude to some extent. However, no significant effect was found in the improvement on their behavior. Education on road safety should be carried out in the early stage of childhood with newer and more effective intervention approaches.

  17. Explaining English Middle Sentences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Park, Kabyong

    2009-01-01

    The current paper attempts to account for the formation of English middle sentences. Discussing a set of previous analyses on the construction under investigation we show, following the assumptions of Oosten(1986) and Iwata(1999), that English middle constructions should be divided into two types: generic middle constructions and non-generic…

  18. Epidemiology of maternal depression, risk factors, and child outcomes in low-income and middle-income countries

    PubMed Central

    Gelaye, Bizu; Rondon, Marta; Araya, Ricardo; Williams, Michelle A.

    2016-01-01

    Maternal depression, a non-psychotic depressive episode of mild to major severity, is one of the major contributors of pregnancy-related morbidity and mortality. Maternal depression (antepartum or post partum) has been linked to negative health-related behaviours and adverse outcomes, including psychological and developmental disturbances in infants, children, and adolescents. Despite its enormous burden, maternal depression in low-income and middle-income countries remains under-recognised and undertreated. In this Series paper, we systematically review studies that focus on the epidemiology of perinatal depression (ie, during antepartum and post-partum periods) among women residing in low-income and middle-income countries. We also summarise evidence for the association of perinatal depression with infant and childhood outcomes. This review is intended to summarise fi ndings from the existing literature, identify important knowledge gaps, and set the research agenda for creating new generalisable knowledge pertinent to increasing our understanding of the prevalence, determinants, and infant and childhood health outcomes associated with perinatal depression. This review is also intended to set the stage for subsequent work aimed at reinforcing and accelerating investments toward providing services to manage maternal depression in low-income and middle-income countries. PMID:27650773

  19. MABE multibeam accelerator

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

    Hasti, D.E.; Ramirez, J.J.; Coleman, P.D.

    1985-01-01

    The Megamp Accelerator and Beam Experiment (MABE) was the technology development testbed for the multiple beam, linear induction accelerator approach for Hermes III, a new 20 MeV, 0.8 MA, 40 ns accelerator being developed at Sandia for gamma-ray simulation. Experimental studies of a high-current, single-beam accelerator (8 MeV, 80 kA), and a nine-beam injector (1.4 MeV, 25 kA/beam) have been completed, and experiments on a nine-beam linear induction accelerator are in progress. A two-beam linear induction accelerator is designed and will be built as a gamma-ray simulator to be used in parallel with Hermes III. The MABE pulsed power systemmore » and accelerator for the multiple beam experiments is described. Results from these experiments and the two-beam design are discussed. 11 refs., 6 figs.« less

  20. Middle School Risk Behavior 1995 Survey Results.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    North Carolina State Dept. of Public Instruction, Raleigh. Div. of Accountability Services/Research.

    The Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) Middle School Questionnaire, produced by the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was administered for the first time in North Carolina in 1995. The survey monitored high-priority health-risk behaviors, including: (1) weapons and violence; (2) suicide-related behaviors; (3) vehicle safety; (4)…

  1. Caring Relationships: Perspectives from Middle School Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alder, Nora I.; Moulton, Margaret R.

    1998-01-01

    A year-long interpretive study, framed by the theory of symbolic interactionism, examined the meanings of care to middle school students. Five themes emerged: care as control, equality, forgiveness, concern, and good teaching. Findings indicated not only some agreement between students and teachers on meanings and symbolic acts of care, but also…

  2. Particle Accelerator Focus Automation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lopes, José; Rocha, Jorge; Redondo, Luís; Cruz, João

    2017-08-01

    The Laboratório de Aceleradores e Tecnologias de Radiação (LATR) at the Campus Tecnológico e Nuclear, of Instituto Superior Técnico (IST) has a horizontal electrostatic particle accelerator based on the Van de Graaff machine which is used for research in the area of material characterization. This machine produces alfa (He+) and proton (H+) beams of some μA currents up to 2 MeV/q energies. Beam focusing is obtained using a cylindrical lens of the Einzel type, assembled near the high voltage terminal. This paper describes the developed system that automatically focuses the ion beam, using a personal computer running the LabVIEW software, a multifunction input/output board and signal conditioning circuits. The focusing procedure consists of a scanning method to find the lens bias voltage which maximizes the beam current measured on a beam stopper target, which is used as feedback for the scanning cycle. This system, as part of a wider start up and shut down automation system built for this particle accelerator, brings great advantages to the operation of the accelerator by turning it faster and easier to operate, requiring less human presence, and adding the possibility of total remote control in safe conditions.

  3. Probing electron acceleration and x-ray emission in laser-plasma accelerators

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

    Thaury, C.; Ta Phuoc, K.; Corde, S.

    2013-06-15

    While laser-plasma accelerators have demonstrated a strong potential in the acceleration of electrons up to giga-electronvolt energies, few experimental tools for studying the acceleration physics have been developed. In this paper, we demonstrate a method for probing the acceleration process. A second laser beam, propagating perpendicular to the main beam, is focused on the gas jet few nanosecond before the main beam creates the accelerating plasma wave. This second beam is intense enough to ionize the gas and form a density depletion, which will locally inhibit the acceleration. The position of the density depletion is scanned along the interaction lengthmore » to probe the electron injection and acceleration, and the betatron X-ray emission. To illustrate the potential of the method, the variation of the injection position with the plasma density is studied.« less

  4. Exceedance statistics of accelerations resulting from thruster firings on the Apollo-Soyuz mission

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fichtl, G. H.; Holland, R. L.

    1983-01-01

    Spacecraft acceleration resulting from firings of vernier control system thrusters is an important consideration in the design, planning, execution and post-flight analysis of laboratory experiments in space. In particular, scientists and technologists involved with the development of experiments to be performed in space in many instances required statistical information on the magnitude and rate of occurrence of spacecraft accelerations. Typically, these accelerations are stochastic in nature, so that it is useful to characterize these accelerations in statistical terms. Statistics of spacecraft accelerations are summarized. Previously announced in STAR as N82-12127

  5. Astrophysical particle acceleration mechanisms in colliding magnetized laser-produced plasmas

    DOE PAGES

    Fox, W.; Park, J.; Deng, W.; ...

    2017-08-11

    Significant particle energization is observed to occur in numerous astrophysical environments, and in the standard models, this acceleration occurs alongside energy conversion processes including collisionless shocks or magnetic reconnection. Recent platforms for laboratory experiments using magnetized laser-produced plasmas have opened opportunities to study these particle acceleration processes in the laboratory. Through fully kinetic particle-in-cell simulations, we investigate acceleration mechanisms in experiments with colliding magnetized laser-produced plasmas, with geometry and parameters matched to recent high-Mach number reconnection experiments with externally controlled magnetic fields. 2-D simulations demonstrate significant particle acceleration with three phases of energization: first, a “direct” Fermi acceleration driven bymore » approaching magnetized plumes; second, x-line acceleration during magnetic reconnection of anti-parallel fields; and finally, an additional Fermi energization of particles trapped in contracting and relaxing magnetic islands produced by reconnection. Furthermore, the relative effectiveness of these mechanisms depends on plasma and magnetic field parameters of the experiments.« less

  6. Investigation of acceleration characteristics of a single-spool turbojet engine

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Oppenheimer, Frank L; Pack, George J

    1953-01-01

    Operation of a single-spool turbojet engine with constant exhaust-nozzle area was investigated at one flight condition. Data were obtained by subjecting the engine to approximate-step changes in fuel flow, and the information necessary to show the relations of acceleration to the sensed engine variables was obtained. These data show that maximum acceleration occurred prior to stall and surge. In the low end of the engine-speed range the margin was appreciable; in the high-speed end the margin was smaller but had not been completely defined by these data. Data involving acceleration as a function of speed, fuel flow, turbine-discharge temperature, compressor-discharge pressure, and thrust have been presented and an effort has been made to show how a basic control system could be improved by addition of an override in which the acceleration characteristic is used not only to prevent the engine from entering the surge region but also to obtain acceleration along the maximum acceleration line during throttle bursts.

  7. [Impact of self-efficacy on behaviors of contacting infested water among middle school students in Hubei Province].

    PubMed

    Min-Jin, Peng; Han, Xiao; Jin, Shen; Meng-Ting, Gao; Shi-Yue, Li; Hong, Yan

    2016-01-20

    To explore the impact of self-efficacy on the behavior of contacting schistosome cercarial infested water among middle school students. In the transmission control area and endemic control area of the schistosomiasis endemic regions in Hubei Province, a total of 3 204 middle school students were selected through the stratified cluster random sampling method and investigated by questionnaires. The incidence rates of contacting infested water with Oncomelania hupensis snails during the past 3 and 12 months among the middle school students were 11.4% (364/3 204) and 14.8% (474/3 204) respectively, while those of contacting indefinite infested water during the past 3 and 12 months were 23.8% (762/3 204) and 28.0% (898/3 204) respectively. The awareness rate of schistosomiasis prevention and control knowledge was 82.1% (2 631/3 204). There were "knowledge-practice separation"in the prevention and control of schistosomiasis among the middle school students. The correlation analysis and Logistic regression analysis showed that the self-efficacy of schistosomiasis protective behavior of middle school students was a protective factor for contacting with infested water, with the adjusted odds ratio values of 0.882, 0.886, 0.914 and 0.927. Self-efficacy of schistosomiasis protective behavior is a protective factor for contacting with infested water among middle school students, and improving their self-efficacy may be an effective strategy to settle the problem of"knowledge-practice separation".

  8. Implementation Science to Accelerate Clean Cooking for Public Health

    PubMed Central

    Rosenthal, Joshua; Balakrishnan, Kalpana; Bruce, Nigel; Chambers, David; Graham, Jay; Jack, Darby; Kline, Lydia; Masera, Omar; Mehta, Sumi; Mercado, Ilse Ruiz; Neta, Gila; Pattanayak, Subhrendu; Puzzolo, Elisa; Petach, Helen; Punturieri, Antonello; Rubinstein, Adolfo; Sage, Michael; Sturke, Rachel; Shankar, Anita; Sherr, Kenny; Smith, Kirk; Yadama, Gautam

    2017-01-01

    Summary: Clean cooking has emerged as a major concern for global health and development because of the enormous burden of disease caused by traditional cookstoves and fires. The World Health Organization has developed new indoor air quality guidelines that few homes will be able to achieve without replacing traditional methods with modern clean cooking technologies, including fuels and stoves. However, decades of experience with improved stove programs indicate that the challenge of modernizing cooking in impoverished communities includes a complex, multi-sectoral set of problems that require implementation research. The National Institutes of Health, in partnership with several government agencies and the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves, has launched the Clean Cooking Implementation Science Network that aims to address this issue. In this article, our focus is on building a knowledge base to accelerate scale-up and sustained use of the cleanest technologies in low- and middle-income countries. Implementation science provides a variety of analytical and planning tools to enhance effectiveness of clinical and public health interventions. These tools are being integrated with a growing body of knowledge and new research projects to yield new methods, consensus tools, and an evidence base to accelerate improvements in health promised by the renewed agenda of clean cooking. PMID:28055947

  9. Attachment in Middle Childhood: Associations with Information Processing

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zimmermann, Peter; Iwanski, Alexandra

    2015-01-01

    Attachment theory suggests that internal working models of self and significant others influence adjustment during development by controlling information processing and self-regulation. We provide a conceptual overview on possible mechanisms linking attachment and information processing and review the current literature in middle childhood.…

  10. Fluid Physics Under a Stochastic Acceleration Field

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Vinals, Jorge

    2001-01-01

    The research summarized in this report has involved a combined theoretical and computational study of fluid flow that results from the random acceleration environment present onboard space orbiters, also known as g-jitter. We have focused on a statistical description of the observed g-jitter, on the flows that such an acceleration field can induce in a number of experimental configurations of interest, and on extending previously developed methodology to boundary layer flows. Narrow band noise has been shown to describe many of the features of acceleration data collected during space missions. The scale of baroclinically induced flows when the driving acceleration is random is not given by the Rayleigh number. Spatially uniform g-jitter induces additional hydrodynamic forces among suspended particles in incompressible fluids. Stochastic modulation of the control parameter shifts the location of the onset of an oscillatory instability. Random vibration of solid boundaries leads to separation of boundary layers. Steady streaming ahead of a modulated solid-melt interface enhances solute transport, and modifies the stability boundaries of a planar front.

  11. Reducing child conduct problems and promoting social skills in a middle-income country: cluster randomised controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Baker-Henningham, Helen; Scott, Stephen; Jones, Kelvyn; Walker, Susan

    2012-08-01

    There is an urgent need for effective, affordable interventions to prevent child mental health problems in low- and middle-income countries. To determine the effects of a universal pre-school-based intervention on child conduct problems and social skills at school and at home. In a cluster randomised design, 24 community pre-schools in inner-city areas of Kingston, Jamaica, were randomly assigned to receive the Incredible Years Teacher Training intervention (n = 12) or to a control group (n = 12). Three children from each class with the highest levels of teacher-reported conduct problems were selected for evaluation, giving 225 children aged 3-6 years. The primary outcome was observed child behaviour at school. Secondary outcomes were child behaviour by parent and teacher report, child attendance and parents' attitude to school. The study is registered as ISRCTN35476268. Children in intervention schools showed significantly reduced conduct problems (effect size (ES) = 0.42) and increased friendship skills (ES = 0.74) through observation, significant reductions to teacher-reported (ES = 0.47) and parent-reported (ES = 0.22) behaviour difficulties and increases in teacher-reported social skills (ES = 0.59) and child attendance (ES = 0.30). Benefits to parents' attitude to school were not significant. A low-cost, school-based intervention in a middle-income country substantially reduces child conduct problems and increases child social skills at home and at school.

  12. Control of end-tidal PCO2 reduces middle cerebral artery blood velocity variability: implications for physiological neuroimaging.

    PubMed

    Harris, Ashley D; Ide, Kojiro; Poulin, Marc J; Frayne, Richard

    2006-02-15

    Breath-by-breath variability of the end-tidal partial pressure of CO2 (Pet(CO2)) has been shown to be associated with cerebral blood flow (CBF) fluctuations. These fluctuations can impact neuroimaging techniques that depend on cerebrovascular blood flow. We hypothesized that controlling Pet(CO2) would reduce CBF variability. Dynamic end-tidal forcing was used to control Pet(CO2) at 1.5 mm Hg above the resting level and to hold the end-tidal partial pressure of oxygen (Pet(O2)) at the resting level. Peak blood velocity in the middle cerebral artery (MCA) was measured by transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD) as an index of CBF. Blood velocity parameters and timing features were determined on each waveform and the variance of these parameters was compared between Normal (air breathing) and Forcing (end-tidal gas control) sessions. The variability of all velocity parameters was significantly reduced in the Forcing session. In particular, the variability of the average velocity over the cardiac cycle was decreased by 18.2% (P < 0.001). For the most part, the variability of the timing parameters was unchanged. Thus, we conclude that controlling Pet(CO2) is effective in reducing CBF variability, which would have important implications for physiologic neuroimaging.

  13. Martial Arts Training Attenuates Arterial Stiffness in Middle Aged Adults

    PubMed Central

    Douris, Peter C.; Ingenito, Teresa; Piccirillo, Barbara; Herbst, Meredith; Petrizzo, John; Cherian, Vincen; McCutchan, Christopher; Burke, Caitlin; Stamatinos, George; Jung, Min-Kyung

    2013-01-01

    Purpose Arterial stiffness increases with age and is related to an increased risk of coronary artery disease. Poor trunk flexibility has been shown to be associated with arterial stiffness in middle-aged subjects. The purpose of our research study was to measure arterial stiffness and flexibility in healthy middle-aged martial artists compared to age and gender matched healthy sedentary controls. Methods Ten martial artists (54.0 ± 2.0 years), who practice Soo Bahk Do (SBD), a Korean martial art, and ten sedentary subjects (54.7 ± 1.8 years) for a total of twenty subjects took part in this cross-sectional study. Arterial stiffness was assessed in all subjects using pulse wave velocity (PWV), a recognized index of arterial stiffness. Flexibility of the trunk and hamstring were also measured. The independent variables were the martial artists and matched sedentary controls. The dependent variables were PWV and flexibility. Results There were significant differences, between the SBD practitioners and sedentary controls, in PWV (P = 0.004), in trunk flexibility (P= 0.002), and in hamstring length (P= 0.003). Conclusion The middle-aged martial artists were more flexible in their trunk and hamstrings and had less arterial stiffness compared to the healthy sedentary controls. The flexibility component of martial art training or flexibility exercises in general may be considered as a possible intervention to reduce the effects of aging on arterial stiffness. PMID:24427479

  14. In the Beginning of the Middle: Curriculum Considerations for Middle School General Music

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Giebelhausen, Robin

    2015-01-01

    Middle school general music is an experience that numerous music educators feel underprepared to teach. Because many undergraduate programs spend little time on this teaching scenario and because the challenges of middle school general music are different from those of elementary general music or middle school ensembles, teachers often lack the…

  15. Social-emotional characteristics of gifted accelerated and non-accelerated students in the Netherlands.

    PubMed

    Hoogeveen, Lianne; van Hell, Janet G; Verhoeven, Ludo

    2012-12-01

    In the studies of acceleration conducted so far a multidimensional perspective has largely been neglected. No attempt has been made to relate social-emotional characteristics of accelerated versus non-accelerated students in perspective of environmental factors. In this study, social-emotional characteristics of accelerated gifted students in the Netherlands were examined in relation to personal and environmental factors. Self-concept and social contacts of accelerated (n = 148) and non-accelerated (n = 55) gifted students, aged 4 to 27 (M = 11.22, SD = 4.27) were measured. Self-concept and social contacts of accelerated and non-accelerated gifted students were measured using a questionnaire and a diary, and parents of these students evaluated their behavioural characteristics. Gender and birth order were studied as personal factors and grade, classroom, teachers' gender, teaching experience, and the quality of parent-school contact as environmental factors. The results showed minimal differences in the social-emotional characteristics of accelerated and non-accelerated gifted students. The few differences we found favoured the accelerated students. We also found that multiple grade skipping does not have negative effects on social-emotional characteristics, and that long-term effects of acceleration tend to be positive. As regards the possible modulation of personal and environmental factors, we merely found an impact of such factors in the non-accelerated group. The results of this study strongly suggest that social-emotional characteristics of accelerated gifted students and non-accelerated gifted students are largely similar. These results thus do not support worries expressed by teachers about the acceleration of gifted students. Our findings parallel the outcomes of earlier studies in the United States and Germany in that we observed that acceleration does not harm gifted students, not even in the case of multiple grade skipping. On the contrary, there is a

  16. Through Middle Eastern Eyes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pearson, Robert P.; Clark, Leon E., Ed.

    This book, intended for use with secondary and college students, presents a Middle Eastern view of the Middle East and the world. Most of the material in the book has been written by Middle Easterners, and it comes from a variety of sources including autobiographies, fiction, poetry, newspaper and magazine articles, letters, diaries,…

  17. Electron heating and acceleration during magnetic reconnection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dahlin, Joel

    2017-10-01

    Magnetic reconnection is thought to be an important driver of energetic particles in a variety of astrophysical phenomena such as solar flares and magnetospheric storms. However, the observed fraction of energy imparted to a nonthermal component can vary widely in different regimes. We use kinetic particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations to demonstrate the important role of the non-reversing (guide) field in controlling the efficiency of electron acceleration in collisionless reconnection. In reconnection where the guide field is smaller than the reconnecting component, the dominant electron accelerator is a Fermi-type mechanism that preferentially energizes the most energetic particles. In strong guide field reconnection, the field-line contraction that drives the Fermi mechanism becomes weak. Instead, parallel electric fields are primarily responsible for driving electron heating but are ineffective in driving the energetic component of the spectrum. Three-dimensional simulations reveal that the stochastic magnetic field that develops during 3D guide field reconnection plays a vital role in particle acceleration and transport. The reconnection outflows that drive Fermi acceleration also expel accelerating particles from energization regions. In 2D reconnection, electrons are trapped in island cores and acceleration ceases, whereas in 3D the stochastic magnetic field enables energetic electrons to leak out of islands and freely sample regions of energy release. A finite guide field is required to break initial 2D symmetry and facilitate escape from island structures. We show that reconnection with a guide field comparable to the reconnecting field generates the greatest number of energetic electrons, a regime where both (a) the Fermi mechanism is an efficient driver and (b) energetic electrons may freely access acceleration sites. These results have important implications for electron acceleration in solar flares and reconnection-driven dissipation in turbulence.

  18. Middle atmospheric electrodynamics

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kelley, M. C.

    1983-01-01

    A review is presented of the advances made during the last few years with respect to the study of the electrodynamics in the earth's middle atmosphere. In a report of the experimental work conducted, attention is given to large middle atmospheric electric fields, the downward coupling of high altitude processes into the middle atmosphere, and upward coupling of tropospheric processes into the middle atmosphere. It is pointed out that new developments in tethered balloons and superpressure balloons should greatly increase the measurement duration of earth-ionospheric potential measurements and of stratospheric electric field measurements in the next few years. Theoretical work considered provides an excellent starting point for study of upward coupling of transient and dc electric fields. Hays and Roble (1979) were the first to construct a model which included orographic features as well as the classical thunderstorm generator.

  19. Newjack: Teaching in a Failing Middle School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sipe, Peter

    2004-01-01

    In this article, Peter Sipe compares his first year as a middle school teacher in Brooklyn, New York, to that of a rookie corrections officer at Sing Sing prison. Sipe explores what he considers to be disturbing similarities in these experiences, namely, a preoccupation with control, immersion in an adversarial social dynamic, and the prevalence…

  20. Substance Use and Delinquency Among Middle School Girls in Foster Care: A Three-Year Follow-up of a Randomized Controlled Trial

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Hyoun K.; Leve, Leslie D.

    2011-01-01

    Objective The present study evaluated the efficacy of the Middle School Success intervention (MSS) for reducing substance use and delinquency among girls in foster care, using a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design. The program was designed to fill a service gap during the summer prior to the middle school transition and to prevent delinquency, substance use, and related problems. Method One hundred girls in foster care and their caregivers were randomly assigned either to the intervention (n = 48) or to a regular foster care control (n = 52) condition. The girls completed a baseline (T1) assessment and follow-up assessments at 6 months (T2), 12 months (T3), 24 months (T4), and 36 months (T5) postbaseline. Caregivers participated in assessments from T1 through T4. This study is a follow up to Smith et al. (2011)’s study, which examined immediate outcomes at T2. Results Girls in the intervention condition showed significantly lower levels of substance use than did girls in the control condition at 36-months postbaseline. The group difference was only marginally significant for delinquency. Further analyses indicated significant indirect effects of the intervention through increased prosocial behaviors which led to decreased internalizing and externalizing symptoms and then to lower levels of substance use. The direct effect of the intervention on substance use remained significant in the presence of the indirect effects. For delinquency, the intervention had positive effects mainly through increased prosocial skills. Conclusions Findings highlight the importance of providing preventive intervention services for early adolescent girls in foster care. PMID:22004305

  1. Observations of the Middle School Environment: The Context for Student Behavior beyond the Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rusby, Julie C.; Crowley, Ryann; Sprague, Jeffrey; Biglan, Anthony

    2011-01-01

    This article describes the use of an observation system to measure middle school staff practices, environment characteristics, and student behavior in the school common areas. Data were collected at baseline from 18 middle schools participating in a randomized controlled trial of school-wide Positive Behavior Support. The observations were…

  2. Text Messaging for Exercise Promotion in Older Adults From an Upper-Middle-Income Country: Randomized Controlled Trial

    PubMed Central

    Khoo, Selina; Morris, Tony

    2016-01-01

    Background Mobile technology to promote exercise is effective; however, most evidence is from studies of younger groups in high-income countries. Investigating if short message service (SMS) texting can affect exercise participation in older adults from an upper-middle-income country is important considering the proliferation of mobile phones in developing regions and the increased interest of older adults in using mobile phones. Objective The main objective was to examine the short- and long-term effects of SMS text messaging on exercise frequency in older adults. Secondary objectives were to investigate how SMS text messages impact study participants’ exercise frequency and the effects of the intervention on secondary outcomes. Methods The Malaysian Physical Activity for Health Study (myPAtHS) was a 24-week, 2-arm, parallel randomized controlled trial conducted in urban Malaysia. Participants were recruited via health talks in resident associations and religious facilities. Older Malaysians (aged 55-70 years) who used mobile phones and did not exercise regularly were eligible to participate in the study. Participants randomly allocated to the SMS texting arm received an exercise booklet and 5 weekly SMS text messages over 12 weeks. The content of the SMS text messages was derived from effective behavior change techniques. The non-SMS texting arm participants received only the exercise booklet. Home visits were conducted to collect outcome data: (1) exercise frequency at 12 and 24 weeks, (2) secondary outcome data (exercise self-efficacy, physical activity–related energy expenditure, sitting time, body mass index, grip and leg strength) at baseline and at 12 and 24 weeks. Intention-to-treat procedures were applied for data analysis. Semistructured interviews focusing primarily on the SMS text messages and their impact on exercise frequency were conducted at weeks 12 and 24. Results In total, 43 participants were randomized into the SMS texting arm (n=22) and

  3. Text Messaging for Exercise Promotion in Older Adults From an Upper-Middle-Income Country: Randomized Controlled Trial.

    PubMed

    Müller, Andre Matthias; Khoo, Selina; Morris, Tony

    2016-01-07

    Mobile technology to promote exercise is effective; however, most evidence is from studies of younger groups in high-income countries. Investigating if short message service (SMS) texting can affect exercise participation in older adults from an upper-middle-income country is important considering the proliferation of mobile phones in developing regions and the increased interest of older adults in using mobile phones. The main objective was to examine the short- and long-term effects of SMS text messaging on exercise frequency in older adults. Secondary objectives were to investigate how SMS text messages impact study participants' exercise frequency and the effects of the intervention on secondary outcomes. The Malaysian Physical Activity for Health Study (myPAtHS) was a 24-week, 2-arm, parallel randomized controlled trial conducted in urban Malaysia. Participants were recruited via health talks in resident associations and religious facilities. Older Malaysians (aged 55-70 years) who used mobile phones and did not exercise regularly were eligible to participate in the study. Participants randomly allocated to the SMS texting arm received an exercise booklet and 5 weekly SMS text messages over 12 weeks. The content of the SMS text messages was derived from effective behavior change techniques. The non-SMS texting arm participants received only the exercise booklet. Home visits were conducted to collect outcome data: (1) exercise frequency at 12 and 24 weeks, (2) secondary outcome data (exercise self-efficacy, physical activity-related energy expenditure, sitting time, body mass index, grip and leg strength) at baseline and at 12 and 24 weeks. Intention-to-treat procedures were applied for data analysis. Semistructured interviews focusing primarily on the SMS text messages and their impact on exercise frequency were conducted at weeks 12 and 24. In total, 43 participants were randomized into the SMS texting arm (n=22) and the non-SMS texting arm (n=21). Study

  4. Brucellosis in low-income and middle-income countries

    PubMed Central

    Rubach, Matthew P.; Halliday, Jo E.B.; Cleaveland, Sarah; Crump, John A.

    2014-01-01

    Purpose of review Human brucellosis is a neglected, underrecognized infection of widespread geographic distribution. It causes acute febrile illness and a potentially debilitating chronic infection in humans, and livestock infection has substantial socioeconomic impact. This review describes new information regarding the epidemiology of brucellosis in the developing world and advances in diagnosis and treatment. Recent findings The highest recorded incidence of human brucellosis occurs in the Middle East and Central Asia. Fever etiology studies demonstrate brucellosis as a cause of undifferentiated febrile illness in the developing world. Brucellosis is a rare cause of fever among returning travelers, but is more common among travelers returning from the Middle East and North Africa. Sensitive and specific rapid diagnostic tests appropriate for resource-limited settings have been validated. Randomized controlled trials demonstrate that optimal treatment for human brucellosis consists of doxycycline and an aminoglycoside. Decreasing the burden of human brucellosis requires control of animal brucellosis, but evidence to inform the design of control programs in the developing world is needed. Summary Brucellosis causes substantial morbidity in human and animal populations. While improvements in diagnostic options for resource-limited settings and stronger evidence for optimal therapy should enhance identification and treatment of human brucellosis, prevention of human disease through control in animals remains paramount. PMID:23963260

  5. Accelerated epigenetic aging in Werner syndrome.

    PubMed

    Maierhofer, Anna; Flunkert, Julia; Oshima, Junko; Martin, George M; Haaf, Thomas; Horvath, Steve

    2017-04-01

    Individuals suffering from Werner syndrome (WS) exhibit many clinical signs of accelerated aging. While the underlying constitutional mutation leads to accelerated rates of DNA damage, it is not yet known whether WS is also associated with an increased epigenetic age according to a DNA methylation based biomarker of aging (the "Epigenetic Clock"). Using whole blood methylation data from 18 WS cases and 18 age matched controls, we find that WS is associated with increased extrinsic epigenetic age acceleration (p=0.0072) and intrinsic epigenetic age acceleration (p=0.04), the latter of which is independent of age-related changes in the composition of peripheral blood cells. A multivariate model analysis reveals that WS is associated with an increase in DNA methylation age (on average 6.4 years, p=0.011) even after adjusting for chronological age, gender, and blood cell counts. Further, WS might be associated with a reduction in naïve CD8+ T cells (p=0.025) according to imputed measures of blood cell counts. Overall, this study shows that WS is associated with an increased epigenetic age of blood cells which is independent of changes in blood cell composition. The extent to which this alteration is a cause or effect of WS disease phenotypes remains unknown.

  6. Semiconductor acceleration sensor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ueyanagi, Katsumichi; Kobayashi, Mitsuo; Goto, Tomoaki

    1996-09-01

    This paper reports a practical semiconductor acceleration sensor especially suited for automotive air bag systems. The acceleration sensor includes four beams arranged in a swastika structure. Two piezoresistors are formed on each beam. These eight piezoresistors constitute a Wheatstone bridge. The swastika structure of the sensing elements, an upper glass plate and a lower glass plate exhibit the squeeze film effect which enhances air dumping, by which the constituent silicon is prevented from breakdown. The present acceleration sensor has the following features. The acceleration force component perpendicular to the sensing direction can be cancelled. The cross-axis sensitivity is less than 3 percent. And, the erroneous offset caused by the differences between the thermal expansion coefficients of the constituent materials can be canceled. The high aspect ratio configuration realized by plasma etching facilitates reducing the dimensions and improving the sensitivity of the acceleration sensor. The present acceleration sensor is 3.9 mm by 3.9 mm in area and 1.2 mm in thickness. The present acceleration sensor can measure from -50 to +50 G with sensitivity of 0.275 mV/G and with non-linearity of less than 1 percent. The acceleration sensor withstands shock of 3000 G.

  7. Control of tunable, monoenergetic laser-plasma-accelerated electron beams using a shock-induced density downramp injector

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

    Swanson, K. K.; Tsai, H. -E.; Barber, S. K.

    Control of the properties of laser-plasma-accelerated electron beams that were injected along a shock-induced density downramp through precision tailoring of the density profile was demonstrated using a 1.8 J, 45 fs laser interacting with a mm-scale gas jet. The effects on the beam spatial profile, steering, and absolute energy spread of the density region before the shock and tilt of the shock were investigated experimentally and with particle-in-cell simulations. By adjusting these density parameters, the electron beam quality was controlled and improved while the energy (30-180 MeV) and energy spread (2-11 MeV) were independently tuned. Simple models that are inmore » good agreement with the experimental results are proposed to explain these relationships, advancing the understanding of downramp injection. In conclusion, this technique allows for high-quality electron beams with percent-level energy spread to be tailored based on the application.« less

  8. Control of tunable, monoenergetic laser-plasma-accelerated electron beams using a shock-induced density downramp injector

    DOE PAGES

    Swanson, K. K.; Tsai, H. -E.; Barber, S. K.; ...

    2017-05-30

    Control of the properties of laser-plasma-accelerated electron beams that were injected along a shock-induced density downramp through precision tailoring of the density profile was demonstrated using a 1.8 J, 45 fs laser interacting with a mm-scale gas jet. The effects on the beam spatial profile, steering, and absolute energy spread of the density region before the shock and tilt of the shock were investigated experimentally and with particle-in-cell simulations. By adjusting these density parameters, the electron beam quality was controlled and improved while the energy (30-180 MeV) and energy spread (2-11 MeV) were independently tuned. Simple models that are inmore » good agreement with the experimental results are proposed to explain these relationships, advancing the understanding of downramp injection. In conclusion, this technique allows for high-quality electron beams with percent-level energy spread to be tailored based on the application.« less

  9. Academic Achievement and Transcendental Meditation: A Study with At-Risk Urban Middle School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nidich, Sanford; Mjasiri, Shujaa; Nidich, Randi; Rainforth, Maxwell; Grant, James; Valosek, Laurent; Chang, Walter; Zigler, Ronald L.

    2011-01-01

    The middle school level is of particular concern to educators because of poor standardized test performance. This study evaluated change in academic achievement in public middle school students practicing the Transcendental Meditation[R] program compared to controls. A total of 189 students who were below proficiency level at baseline in English…

  10. Generating clock signals for a cycle accurate, cycle reproducible FPGA based hardware accelerator

    DOEpatents

    Asaad, Sameth W.; Kapur, Mohit

    2016-01-05

    A method, system and computer program product are disclosed for generating clock signals for a cycle accurate FPGA based hardware accelerator used to simulate operations of a device-under-test (DUT). In one embodiment, the DUT includes multiple device clocks generating multiple device clock signals at multiple frequencies and at a defined frequency ratio; and the FPG hardware accelerator includes multiple accelerator clocks generating multiple accelerator clock signals to operate the FPGA hardware accelerator to simulate the operations of the DUT. In one embodiment, operations of the DUT are mapped to the FPGA hardware accelerator, and the accelerator clock signals are generated at multiple frequencies and at the defined frequency ratio of the frequencies of the multiple device clocks, to maintain cycle accuracy between the DUT and the FPGA hardware accelerator. In an embodiment, the FPGA hardware accelerator may be used to control the frequencies of the multiple device clocks.

  11. Social Relationships and Salivary Telomere Length Among Middle-Aged and Older African American and White Adults.

    PubMed

    Lincoln, Karen D; Lloyd, Donald A; Nguyen, Ann W

    2017-05-09

    A common mechanism underlying premature morbidity may be accelerated biological aging as reflected by salivary telomere length (STL). This study examined the extent to which social relationships, both positive and negative, can be protective or confer risk relative to biological aging. Data from the Health and Retirement Study and multiple regression were used to examine cross-sectional associations between STL, self-reported social support, and negative interaction (e.g., conflict, criticism) with family in a nationally representative sample of African American and non-Hispanic White middle-aged and older adults (N = 4,080). Social support from family was associated with shorter STL. Negative interaction with family had no main effect on STL but interactions characterized by high social support and more frequent negative interactions were associated with longer STL. Negative interaction with family was negatively associated with STL for African Americans and Whites but the magnitude of the effect was greater for African Americans. Study findings highlight the role of social relationships in physiological deterioration among middle-aged and older adults and identify a potential mechanism whereby race is linked to accelerated biological aging. Findings highlight the importance of considering positive and negative aspects of social relationships to understand the consequences of social connections for cellular aging in diverse populations. © The Author 2017. 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.

  12. Summary Report of Mission Acceleration Measurements for STS-78. Launched June 20, 1996

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hakimzadeh, Roshanak; Hrovat, Kenneth; McPherson, Kevin M.; Moskowitz, Milton E.; Rogers, Melissa J. B.

    1997-01-01

    The microgravity environment of the Space Shuttle Columbia was measured during the STS-78 mission using accelerometers from three different instruments: the Orbital Acceleration Research Experiment, the Space Acceleration Measurement System and the Microgravity Measurement Assembly. The quasi-steady environment was also calculated in near real-time during the mission by the Microgravity Analysis Workstation. The Orbital Acceleration Research Experiment provided investigators with real-time quasi-steady acceleration measurements. The Space Acceleration Measurement System recorded higher frequency data on-board for post-mission analysis. The Microgravity Measurement Assembly provided investigators with real-time quasi-steady and higher frequency acceleration measurements. The Microgravity Analysis Workstation provided calculation of the quasi-steady environment. This calculation was presented to the science teams in real-time during the mission. The microgravity environment related to several different Orbiter, crew and experiment operations is presented and interpreted in this report. A radiator deploy, the Flight Control System checkout, and a vernier reaction control system reboost demonstration had minimal effects on the acceleration environment, with excitation of frequencies in the 0.01 to 10 Hz range. Flash Evaporator System venting had no noticeable effect on the environment while supply and waste water dumps caused excursions of 2 x lO(exp -6) to 4 x 10(exp -6) g in the Y(sub b) and Z(sub b) directions. Crew sleep and ergometer exercise periods can be clearly seen in the acceleration data, as expected. Accelerations related to the two Life Science Laboratory Equipment Refrigerator/Freezers were apparent in the data as are accelerations caused by the Johnson Space Center Projects Centrifuge. As on previous microgravity missions, several signals are present in the acceleration data for which a source has not been identified. The causes of these accelerations

  13. Production of isometric forces during sustained acceleration.

    PubMed

    Sand, D P; Girgenrath, M; Bock, O; Pongratz, H

    2003-06-01

    The operation of high-performance aircraft requires pilots to apply finely graded forces on controls. Since they are often exposed to high levels of acceleration in flight, we investigated to what extent this ability is degraded in such an environment. Twelve healthy non-pilot volunteers were seated in the gondola of a centrifuge and their performance was tested at normal gravity (1 G) and while exposed to sustained forces of 1.5 G and 3 G oriented from head to foot (+Gz). Using an isometric joystick, they attempted to produce force vectors with specific lengths and directions commanded in random order by a visual display. Acceleration had substantial effects on the magnitude of produced force. Compared with 1 G, maximum produced force was about 2 N higher at 1.5 G and about 10 N higher at 3 G. The size of this effect was constant across the different magnitudes, but varied with the direction of the prescribed force. Acceleration degrades control of force production. This finding may indicate that the motor system misinterprets the unusual gravitoinertial environment and/or that proprioceptive feedback is degraded due to increased muscle tone. The production of excessive isometric force could affect the safe operation of high-performance aircraft.

  14. The Middle East population puzzle.

    PubMed

    Omran, A R; Roudi, F

    1993-07-01

    An overview is provided of Middle Eastern countries on the following topics; population change, epidemiological transition theory and 4 patterns of transition in the middle East, transition in causes of death, infant mortality declines, war mortality, fertility, family planning, age and sex composition, ethnicity, educational status, urbanization, labor force, international labor migration, refugees, Jewish immigration, families, marriage patterns, and future growth. The Middle East is geographically defined as Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Gaza and the West Bank, Iran, Turkey, and Israel. The Middle East's population grew very little until 1990 when the population was 43 million. Population was about doubled in the mid-1950s at 80 million. Rapid growth occurred after 1950 with declines in mortality due to widespread disease control and sanitation efforts. Countries are grouped in the following ways: persistent high fertility and declining mortality with low to medium socioeconomic conditions (Jordan, Oman, Syria, Yemen, and the West Bank and Gaza), declining fertility and mortality in intermediate socioeconomic development (Egypt, Lebanon, Turkey, and Iran), high fertility and declining mortality in high socioeconomic conditions (Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates), and low fertility and mortality in average socioeconomic conditions (Israel). As birth and death rates decline, there is an accompanying shift from communicable diseases to degenerative diseases and increases in life expectancy; this pattern is reflected in the available data from Egypt, Kuwait, and Israel. High infant and child mortality tends to remain a problem throughout the Middle East, with the exception of Israel and the Gulf States. War casualties are undetermined, yet have not impeded the fastest growing population growth rate in the world. The average fertility is 5 births

  15. Tobacco control funding for low-income and middle-income countries in a time of economic hardship.

    PubMed

    Stoklosa, Michal; Ross, Hana

    2014-11-01

    To assess how levels of tobacco control funding for low-income and middle-income countries (LMIC) changed following the 2008-2009 global economic downturn. In order to estimate the amount of tobacco control funding in LMICs, we created an integrated database of Development Assistance to Control Tobacco (DACT). This database includes data on funding from bilateral and multilateral donors, non-governmental organisations, private foundations and the corporate sector. The database contains information on 1389 disbursements awarded by 30 entities between 2000 and 2012. DACT declined only marginally from US$68.8 million (US$0.016 per adult) in 2009 to US$68.2 million (US$0.016 per adult) in 2011, but deviated significantly from its 2000 to 2009 trend. The sources of funding remain highly concentrated, with nearly a half of the money coming from the Bloomberg Initiative and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2011. The relative importance of institutional and research grants has declined. Our findings are consistent with the patterns in general levels of development assistance for health: after a decade of rapid growth, funding for tobacco control activities in LMICs has levelled off. Just as the tobacco control community is beginning to envision the endgame for tobacco, the funding remains erratic, inadequate, and highly vulnerable due to its level of concentration. Innovative financing mechanisms might help to increase the funding pool. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  16. Signature energetic analysis of accelerate electron beam after first acceleration station by accelerating stand of Joint Institute for Nuclear Research

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sledneva, A. S.; Kobets, V. V.

    2017-06-01

    The linear electron accelerator based on the LINAC - 800 accelerator imported from the Netherland is created at Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in the framework of the project on creation of the Testbed with an electron beam of a linear accelerator with an energy up to 250 MV. Currently two accelerator stations with a 60 MV energy of a beam are put in operation and the work is to put the beam through accelerating section of the third accelerator station. The electron beam with an energy of 23 MeV is used for testing the crystals (BaF2, CsI (native), and LYSO) in order to explore the opportunity to use them in particle detectors in experiments: Muon g-2, Mu2e, Comet, whose preparation requires a detailed study of the detectors properties such as their irradiation by the accelerator beams.

  17. Experimental study for the reproduction of sudden unintended acceleration incidents.

    PubMed

    Park, Sungji; Choi, Youngsuk; Choi, Woongchul

    2016-10-01

    A few cases of the sudden unintended acceleration have been reported over the last few years [1-11] and some of them seemed to be somewhat related to an electronic throttle control (ETC) system [11,12]. In this experimental study, efforts were made to reproduce the cases of sudden unintended acceleration possibly related to the ETC. Typically, an ETC of the engine is managed based on signals from airflow sensor, throttle position sensor and acceleration pedal sensor. With this typical sensor configuration in mind, these sensor signals were checked for noise levels. However, none of them showed any clear relationship with the sudden unintended acceleration mainly due to the robustness of the ETC logic software. As an alternative approach, supply voltage to an engine control unit (ECU) was tempered intentionally to observe any clues for the incidents. The observed results with the supply voltage drop and fluctuation tests were rather astonishing. The throttle valve position went all the way up to 100% for around one second when the battery voltage plunged down to 7V periodically despite that the acceleration pedal position was kept steady. As an effort to confirm the case, multiple tries were made systematically on a chassis dynamometer as well as on the test road. In this paper, detailed procedures and findings are reported accordingly. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. The Effects of Participation in an Accelerated Academic Math Course on the Academic Performance of Middle School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pond, Jeff G.

    2017-01-01

    Acceleration refers to placing students in advanced courses to meet their individual learning ability. The problem of focus in this study was that the increased placement of students in advanced courses was often associated with negative impacts, including a lack of readiness, as well as emotional and social immaturity. As such, the purpose of…

  19. FERMILAB ACCELERATOR R&D PROGRAM TOWARDS INTENSITY FRONTIER ACCELERATORS : STATUS AND PROGRESS

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

    Shiltsev, Vladimir

    2016-11-15

    The 2014 P5 report indicated the accelerator-based neutrino and rare decay physics research as a centrepiece of the US domestic HEP program at Fermilab. Operation, upgrade and development of the accelerators for the near- term and longer-term particle physics program at the Intensity Frontier face formidable challenges. Here we discuss key elements of the accelerator physics and technology R&D program toward future multi-MW proton accelerators and present its status and progress. INTENSITY FRONTIER ACCELERATORS

  20. KGFR as a possible therapeutic target in middle ear cholesteatoma.

    PubMed

    Yamamoto-Fukuda, Tomomi; Akiyama, Naotaro; Shibata, Yasuaki; Takahashi, Haruo; Ikeda, Tohru; Kohno, Michiaki; Koji, Takehiko

    2014-11-01

    We demonstrated that repression of keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) receptor (KGFR) could be a potentially useful strategy in the conservative treatment of middle ear cholesteatoma. Recently, the use of a selective inhibitor of the KGFR, SU5402, in an in vitro experiment resulted in the inhibition of the differentiation and proliferation of epithelial cells through KGF secretion by fibroblasts isolated from the cholesteatoma. In this study, we investigated the effects of the KGFR inhibitor during middle ear cholesteatoma formation in vivo. Based on the role of KGF in the development of cholesteatoma, Flag-hKGF cDNA driven by CMV14 promoter was transfected through electroporation into the external auditory canal of rats five times on every fourth day. Ears transfected with empty vector were used as controls. KGFR selective inhibitor (SU5402) or MEK inhibitor (PD0325901) was administered in the right ear of five rats after vector transfection. In the control, 2% DMSO in PBS was administered in the other ears after vector transfection. The use of a selective KGFR inhibitor, SU5402, completely prevented middle ear cholesteatoma formation in the rats.

  1. Integrating GIS in the Middle School Curriculum: Impacts on Diverse Students' Standardized Test Scores

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goldstein, Donna; Alibrandi, Marsha

    2013-01-01

    This case study conducted with 1,425 middle school students in Palm Beach County, Florida, included a treatment group receiving GIS instruction (256) and a control group without GIS instruction (1,169). Quantitative analyses on standardized test scores indicated that inclusion of GIS in middle school curriculum had a significant effect on student…

  2. Availability and affordability of blood pressure-lowering medicines and the effect on blood pressure control in high-income, middle-income, and low-income countries: an analysis of the PURE study data.

    PubMed

    Attaei, Marjan W; Khatib, Rasha; McKee, Martin; Lear, Scott; Dagenais, Gilles; Igumbor, Ehimario U; AlHabib, Khalid F; Kaur, Manmeet; Kruger, Lanthe; Teo, Koon; Lanas, Fernando; Yusoff, Khalid; Oguz, Aytekin; Gupta, Rajeev; Yusufali, Afzalhussein M; Bahonar, Ahmad; Kutty, Raman; Rosengren, Annika; Mohan, Viswanathan; Avezum, Alvaro; Yusuf, Rita; Szuba, Andrzej; Rangarajan, Sumathy; Chow, Clara; Yusuf, Salim

    2017-09-01

    Hypertension is considered the most important risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, but its control is poor worldwide. We aimed to assess the availability and affordability of blood pressure-lowering medicines, and the association with use of these medicines and blood pressure control in countries at varying levels of economic development. We analysed the availability, costs, and affordability of blood pressure-lowering medicines with data recorded from 626 communities in 20 countries participating in the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiological (PURE) study. Medicines were considered available if they were present in the local pharmacy when surveyed, and affordable if their combined cost was less than 20% of the households' capacity to pay. We related information about availability and affordability to use of these medicines and blood pressure control with multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression models, and compared results for high-income, upper-middle-income, lower-middle-income, and low-income countries. Data for India are presented separately because it has a large generic pharmaceutical industry and a higher availability of medicines than other countries at the same economic level. The availability of two or more classes of blood pressure-lowering drugs was lower in low-income and middle-income countries (except for India) than in high-income countries. The proportion of communities with four drug classes available was 94% in high-income countries (108 of 115 communities), 76% in India (68 of 90), 71% in upper-middle-income countries (90 of 126), 47% in lower-middle-income countries (107 of 227), and 13% in low-income countries (nine of 68). The proportion of households unable to afford two blood pressure-lowering medicines was 31% in low-income countries (1069 of 3479 households), 9% in middle-income countries (5602 of 65 471), and less than 1% in high-income countries (44 of 10 880). Participants with known hypertension in communities that had

  3. Toward a Middle-Range Theory of Weight Management.

    PubMed

    Pickett, Stephanie; Peters, Rosalind M; Jarosz, Patricia A

    2014-07-01

    The authors of this paper present the middle-range theory of weight management that focuses on cultural, environmental, and psychosocial factors that influence behaviors needed for weight control. The theory of weight management was developed deductively from Orem's theory of self-care, a constituent theory within the broader self-care deficit nursing theory and from research literature. Linkages between the conceptual and middle-range theory concepts are illustrated using a substruction model. The development of the theory of weight management serves to build nursing science by integrating extant nursing theory and empirical knowledge. This theory may help predict weight management in populations at risk for obesity-related disorders. © The Author(s) 2014.

  4. Youth Risk Behavior Survey of Middle School Students Attending Bureau Funded Schools, 1997.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shaughnessy, Lana; Everett, Sherry; Ranslow, Steve

    This report presents findings from a spring 1997 survey of all middle-school students (grades 6-8) enrolled in schools funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). The Centers for Disease Control Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) was completed by 6,990 students in 115 of the 122 BIA-funded middle schools; the overall response rate was 74 percent.…

  5. Acceleration environment of payloads while being handled by the Shuttle Remote Manipulator System

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Turnbull, J. F.

    1983-01-01

    Described in this paper is the method used in the Draper Remote Manipulator System (RMS) Simulation to compute linear accelerations at the point on the SPAS01 payload where its accelerometers are mounted. Simulated accelerometer output for representative on-orbit activities is presented. The objectives of post-flight analysis of SPAS01 data are discussed. Finally, the point is made that designers of acceleration-dependent payloads may have an interest in the capability of simulating the acceleration environment of payloads while under the control of the overall Payload Deployment and retrieval System (PDRS) that includes the Orbiter and its attitude control system as well as the Remote Manipulator Arm.

  6. Evaluation of a commercial system for CAMAC-based control of the Chalk River Laboratories tandem-accelerator-superconducting-cyclotron complexcomplex

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

    Greiner, B.F.; Caswell, D.J.; Slater, W.R.

    1992-04-01

    This paper discusses the control system of the Tandem Accelerator Superconducting Cyclotron (TASCC) of AECL Research at its Chalk River Laboratories which is presently based on a PDP-11 computer and the IAS operating system. The estimated expense of a custom conversion of the system to a current, equivalent operating system is prohibitive. The authors have evaluated a commercial control package from VISTA Control Systems based on VAX microcomputers and the VMS operating system. Vsystem offers a modern, graphical operator interface, an extensive software toolkit for configuration of the system and a multi-feature data-logging capability, all of which far surpass themore » functionality of the present control system. However, the implementation of some familiar, practical features that TASCC operators find to be essential has proven to be challenging. The assessment of Vsystem, which is described in terms of presently perceived strengths and weaknesses, is, on balance, very positive.« less

  7. Fluid Physics in a Fluctuating Acceleration Environment

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Thomson, J. Ross; Drolet, Francois; Vinals, Jorge

    1996-01-01

    We summarize several aspects of an ongoing investigation of the effects that stochastic residual accelerations (g-jitter) onboard spacecraft can have on experiments conducted in a microgravity environment. The residual acceleration field is modeled as a narrow band noise, characterized by three independent parameters: intensity (g(exp 2)), dominant angular frequency Omega, and characteristic correlation time tau. Realistic values for these parameters are obtained from an analysis of acceleration data corresponding to the SL-J mission, as recorded by the SAMS instruments. We then use the model to address the random motion of a solid particle suspended in an incompressible fluid subjected to such random accelerations. As an extension, the effect of jitter on coarsening of a solid-liquid mixture is briefly discussed, and corrections to diffusion controlled coarsening evaluated. We conclude that jitter will not be significant in the experiment 'Coarsening of solid-liquid mixtures' to be conducted in microgravity. Finally, modifications to the location of onset of instability in systems driven by a random force are discussed by extending the standard reduction to the center manifold to the stochastic case. Results pertaining to time-modulated oscillatory convection are briefly discussed.

  8. A seat cushion to provide realistic acceleration cues for aircraft simulators

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ashworth, B. R.

    1976-01-01

    A seat cushion to provide acceleration cues for aircraft simulator pilots was built, performance tested, and evaluated. The four cell seat, using a thin air cushion with highly responsive pressure control, attempts to reproduce the same events which occur in an aircraft seat under acceleration loading. The pressure controller provides seat cushion responses which are considered adequate for current high performance aircraft simulations. The initial tests of the seat cushions have resulted in excellent pilot opinion of the cushion's ability to provide realistic and useful cues to the simulator pilot.

  9. Activation of NLRP3 inflammasome in human middle ear cholesteatoma and chronic otitis media.

    PubMed

    Kariya, Shin; Okano, Mitsuhiro; Zhao, Pengfei; Kataoka, Yuko; Yoshinobu, Junko; Maeda, Yukihide; Ishihara, Hisashi; Higaki, Takaya; Nishizaki, Kazunori

    2016-01-01

    The nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome plays an important role in the pathogenesis of middle ear diseases. Modulation of inflammasome-mediated inflammation may be a novel therapeutic strategy for cholesteatoma and chronic otitis media. NLRP3 inflammasome is a critical molecule mediating interleukin (IL)-1β responses. However, the expression of NLRP3 in the pathogenesis of cholesteatoma and chronic otitis media has not been fully examined. This study sought to assess the expression of NLRP3, ASC (apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain and a pyrin domain), and caspase-1 in middle ear tissues in patients with cholesteatoma or chronic otitis media. Middle ear tissue samples were obtained from patients with cholesteatoma or chronic otitis media. Control middle ear samples were collected during cochlear implant surgery of patients without middle ear inflammation. The expression of NLRP3, ASC, and caspase-1 were examined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay and immunohistochemical study. The levels of mRNA of NLRP3, ASC, and caspase-1 were significantly elevated in cholesteatoma and chronic otitis media as compared with that of normal controls. The proteins of NLRP3, ASC, and caspase-1 were observed in infiltrating inflammatory cells in cholesteatoma and chronic otitis media.

  10. Illinois Accelerator Research Center

    DOE PAGES

    Kroc, Thomas K.; Cooper, Charlie A.

    2017-10-26

    The Illinois Accelerator Research Center (IARC) hosts a new accelerator development program at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. IARC provides access to Fermi's state-of-the-art facilities and technologies for research, development and industrialization of particle accelerator technology. In addition to facilitating access to available existing Fermi infrastructure, the IARC Campus has a dedicated 36,000 ft2 heavy assembly building (HAB) with all the infrastructure needed to develop, commission and operate new accelerators. Connected to the HAB is a 47,000 ft Office, Technology and Engineering (OTE) building, paid for by the state, that has office, meeting, and light technical space. The OTE building, whichmore » contains the Accelerator Physics Center, and nearby Accelerator and Technical divisions provide IARC collaborators with unique access to world class expertise in a wide array of accelerator technologies. Finally, at IARC scientists and engineers from Fermilab and academia work side by side with industrial partners to develop breakthroughs in accelerator science and translate them into applications for the nation's health, wealth and security.« less

  11. Illinois Accelerator Research Center

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

    Kroc, Thomas K.; Cooper, Charlie A.

    The Illinois Accelerator Research Center (IARC) hosts a new accelerator development program at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. IARC provides access to Fermi's state-of-the-art facilities and technologies for research, development and industrialization of particle accelerator technology. In addition to facilitating access to available existing Fermi infrastructure, the IARC Campus has a dedicated 36,000 ft2 heavy assembly building (HAB) with all the infrastructure needed to develop, commission and operate new accelerators. Connected to the HAB is a 47,000 ft Office, Technology and Engineering (OTE) building, paid for by the state, that has office, meeting, and light technical space. The OTE building, whichmore » contains the Accelerator Physics Center, and nearby Accelerator and Technical divisions provide IARC collaborators with unique access to world class expertise in a wide array of accelerator technologies. Finally, at IARC scientists and engineers from Fermilab and academia work side by side with industrial partners to develop breakthroughs in accelerator science and translate them into applications for the nation's health, wealth and security.« less

  12. Illinois Accelerator Research Center

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kroc, Thomas K.; Cooper, Charlie A.

    The Illinois Accelerator Research Center (IARC) hosts a new accelerator development program at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. IARC provides access to Fermi's state-of-the-art facilities and technologies for research, development and industrialization of particle accelerator technology. In addition to facilitating access to available existing Fermi infrastructure, the IARC Campus has a dedicated 36,000 ft2 Heavy Assembly Building (HAB) with all the infrastructure needed to develop, commission and operate new accelerators. Connected to the HAB is a 47,000 ft2 Office, Technology and Engineering (OTE) building, paid for by the state, that has office, meeting, and light technical space. The OTE building, which contains the Accelerator Physics Center, and nearby Accelerator and Technical divisions provide IARC collaborators with unique access to world class expertise in a wide array of accelerator technologies. At IARC scientists and engineers from Fermilab and academia work side by side with industrial partners to develop breakthroughs in accelerator science and translate them into applications for the nation's health, wealth and security.

  13. A mobile phone enabled health promotion program for middle-aged males.

    PubMed

    Ding, H; Karunanithi, M; Duncan, M; Ireland, D; Noakes, M; Hooker, C

    2013-01-01

    The prevalence of chronic diseases among middle aged males outweigh their female counterparts in developed countries. To prevent this, delivery of health promotion programs targeting lifestyle modifications of physical activity and nutrition in middle-aged males has been essential, but often difficult. ManUp health promotion program was a recent initiative that uses current advances in information and communication technology (ICT) to reach the middle-aged males. One of the key components of the ICT approach was the development of smartphone application to enable middle-aged men to uptake the program with their own mobile phone. The smart phone application was aimed at providing varied level of challenges towards physical activity and healthy eating behavior, with interactive and motivational feedback SMS messages. The ManUp program was recently implemented and trialed in a randomized control trial in Gladstone and Rockhampton, Queens. This paper describes the components of the smart phone application integrated within the ManUp health promotion program.

  14. Estimation of outer-middle ear transmission using DPOAEs and fractional-order modeling of human middle ear

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Naghibolhosseini, Maryam

    Our ability to hear depends primarily on sound waves traveling through the outer and middle ear toward the inner ear. Hence, the characteristics of the outer and middle ear affect sound transmission to/from the inner ear. The role of the middle and outer ear in sound transmission is particularly important for otoacoustic emissions (OAEs), which are sound signals generated in a healthy cochlea, and recorded by a sensitive microphone placed in the ear canal. OAEs are used to evaluate the health and function of the cochlea; however, they are also affected by outer and middle ear characteristics. To better assess cochlear health using OAEs, it is critical to quantify the impact of the outer and middle ear on sound transmission. The reported research introduces a noninvasive approach to estimate outer-middle ear transmission using distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs). In addition, the role of the outer and middle ear on sound transmission was investigated by developing a physical/mathematical model, which employed fractional-order lumped elements to include the viscoelastic characteristics of biological tissues. Impedance estimations from wideband refectance measurements were used for parameter fitting of the model. The model was validated comparing its estimates of the outer-middle ear sound transmission with those given by DPOAEs. The outer-middle ear transmission by the model was defined as the sum of forward and reverse outer-middle ear transmissions. To estimate the reverse transmission by the model, the probe-microphone impedance was calculated through estimating the Thevenin-equivalent circuit of the probe-microphone. The Thevenin-equivalent circuit was calculated using measurements in a number of test cavities. Such modeling enhances our understanding of the roles of different parts of the outer and middle ear and how they work together to determine their function. In addition, the model would be potentially helpful in diagnosing pathologies of

  15. Multistage coupling of independent laser-plasma accelerators

    DOE PAGES

    Steinke, S.; van Tilborg, J.; Benedetti, C.; ...

    2016-02-01

    Laser-plasma accelerators (LPAs) are capable of accelerating charged particles to very high energies in very compact structures. In theory, therefore, they offer advantages over conventional, large-scale particle accelerators. However, the energy gain in a single-stage LPA can be limited by laser diffraction, dephasing, electron-beam loading and laser-energy depletion. The problem of laser diffraction can be addressed by using laser-pulse guiding and preformed plasma waveguides to maintain the required laser intensity over distances of many Rayleigh lengths; dephasing can be mitigated by longitudinal tailoring of the plasma density; and beam loading can be controlled by proper shaping of the electron beam.more » To increase the beam energy further, it is necessary to tackle the problem of the depletion of laser energy, by sequencing the accelerator into stages, each powered by a separate laser pulse. In this work, we present results from an experiment that demonstrates such staging. Two LPA stages were coupled over a short distance (as is needed to preserve the average acceleration gradient) by a plasma mirror. Stable electron beams from a first LPA were focused to a twenty-micrometre radius-by a discharge capillary-based active plasma lens-into a second LPA, such that the beams interacted with the wakefield excited by a separate laser. Staged acceleration by the wakefield of the second stage is detected via an energy gain of 100 megaelectronvolts for a subset of the electron beam. Changing the arrival time of the electron beam with respect to the second-stage laser pulse allowed us to reconstruct the temporal wakefield structure and to determine the plasma density. Our results indicate that the fundamental limitation to energy gain presented by laser depletion can be overcome by using staged acceleration, suggesting a way of reaching the electron energies required for collider applications.« less

  16. Instructor Middle Years. September 1993.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Miller, Robin; And Others

    1993-01-01

    This "Instructor" Supplement on middle school education, presents articles on new research and materials, adolescent development, reasons for teaching middle school, moving toward a middle school curriculum, peer teaching, multimedia software, murder mysteries, ancient China, geometry, teamwork, descriptive writing, literature, problem solving,…

  17. Middle Ear Infections (For Parents)

    MedlinePlus

    ... Staying Safe Videos for Educators Search English Español Middle Ear Infections KidsHealth / For Parents / Middle Ear Infections What's ... en español Infecciones del oído medio What Are Middle Ear Infections? Ear infections happen when viruses or bacteria ...

  18. Accelerated test design

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mcdermott, P. P.

    1980-01-01

    The design of an accelerated life test program for electric batteries is discussed. A number of observations and suggestions on the procedures and objectives for conducting an accelerated life test program are presented. Equations based on nonlinear regression analysis for predicting the accelerated life test parameters are discussed.

  19. Nonlinear dynamics of autonomous vehicles with limits on acceleration

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Davis, L. C.

    2014-07-01

    The stability of autonomous vehicle platoons with limits on acceleration and deceleration is determined. If the leading-vehicle acceleration remains within the limits, all vehicles in the platoon remain within the limits when the relative-velocity feedback coefficient is equal to the headway time constant [k=1/h]. Furthermore, if the sensitivity α>1/h, no collisions occur. String stability for small perturbations is assumed and the initial condition is taken as the equilibrium state. Other values of k and α that give stability with no collisions are found from simulations. For vehicles with non-negligible mechanical response, simulations indicate that the acceleration-feedback-control gain might have to be dynamically adjusted to obtain optimal performance as the response time changes with engine speed. Stability is demonstrated for some perturbations that cause initial acceleration or deceleration greater than the limits, yet do not cause collisions.

  20. Accelerated quantum control using superadiabatic dynamics in a solid-state lambda system

    DOE PAGES

    Zhou, Brian B.; Baksic, Alexandre; Ribeiro, Hugo; ...

    2016-11-28

    Adiabatic evolutions find widespread utility in applications to quantum state engineering1 , geometric quantum computation2 , and quantum simulation3 . Although offering desirable robustness to experimental imperfections, adiabatic techniques are susceptible to decoherence during their long operation time. A recent strategy termed ‘shortcuts to adiabaticity’ 4–10 (STA) aims to circumvent this trade-off by designing fast dynamics to reproduce the results of infinitely slow, adiabatic processes. Here, as a realization of this strategy, we implement ‘superadiabatic’ transitionless driving11 (SATD) to speed up stimulated Raman adiabatic passage1,12–15 (STIRAP) in a solid-state lambda (Λ) system. Utilizing optical transitions to a dissipative excited statemore » in the nitrogen vacancy (NV) center in diamond, we demonstrate the accelerated performance of different shortcut trajectories for population transfer and for the transfer and initialization of coherent superpositions. We reveal that SATD protocols exhibit robustness to dissipation and experimental uncertainty, and can be optimized when these effects are present. These results motivate STA as a promising tool for controlling open quantum systems comprising individual or hybrid nanomechanical, superconducting, and photonic elements in the solid state12–17.« less

  1. Plasma inverse transition acceleration

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

    Xie, Ming

    It can be proved fundamentally from the reciprocity theorem with which the electromagnetism is endowed that corresponding to each spontaneous process of radiation by a charged particle there is an inverse process which defines a unique acceleration mechanism, from Cherenkov radiation to inverse Cherenkov acceleration (ICA) [1], from Smith-Purcell radiation to inverse Smith-Purcell acceleration (ISPA) [2], and from undulator radiation to inverse undulator acceleration (IUA) [3]. There is no exception. Yet, for nearly 30 years after each of the aforementioned inverse processes has been clarified for laser acceleration, inverse transition acceleration (ITA), despite speculation [4], has remained the least understood,more » and above all, no practical implementation of ITA has been found, until now. Unlike all its counterparts in which phase synchronism is established one way or the other such that a particle can continuously gain energy from an acceleration wave, the ITA to be discussed here, termed plasma inverse transition acceleration (PITA), operates under fundamentally different principle. As a result, the discovery of PITA has been delayed for decades, waiting for a conceptual breakthrough in accelerator physics: the principle of alternating gradient acceleration [5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]. In fact, PITA was invented [7, 8] as one of several realizations of the new principle.« less

  2. Multipactor Physics, Acceleration, and Breakdown in Dielectric-Loaded Accelerating Structures

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

    Fischer, Richard P.; Gold, Steven H.

    2016-07-01

    The objective of this 3-year program is to study the physics issues associated with rf acceleration in dielectric-loaded accelerating (DLA) structures, with a focus on the key issue of multipactor loading, which has been found to cause very significant rf power loss in DLA structures whenever the rf pulsewidth exceeds the multipactor risetime (~10 ns). The experiments are carried out in the X-band magnicon laboratory at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) in collaboration with Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) and Euclid Techlabs LLC, who develop the test structures with support from the DoE SBIR program. There are two main elements inmore » the research program: (1) high-power tests of DLA structures using the magnicon output (20 MW @11.4 GHz), and (2) tests of electron acceleration in DLA structures using relativistic electrons from a compact X-band accelerator. The work during this period has focused on a study of the use of an axial magnetic field to suppress multipactor in DLA structures, with several new high power tests carried out at NRL, and on preparation of the accelerator for the electron acceleration experiments.« less

  3. Middle-Upper Triassic and Middle Jurassic tetrapod track assemblages of southern Tunisia, Sahara Platform

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Niedźwiedzki, Grzegorz; Soussi, Mohamed; Boukhalfa, Kamel; Gierliński, Gerard D.

    2017-05-01

    Three tetrapod track assemblages from the early-middle Mesozoic of southern Tunisia are reported. The strata exposed at the Tejra 2 clay-pit near the Medenine and Rehach site, located in the vicinity of Kirchaou, contain the first tetrapod tracks found in the Triassic of Tunisia. The Middle Jurassic (early Aalenian) dinosaur tracks are reported from the Mestaoua plain near Tataouine. In the Middle Triassic outcrop of the Tejra 2 clay-pit, tridactyl tracks of small and medium-sized dinosauromorphs, were discovered. These tracks represent the oldest evidence of dinosaur-lineage elements in the Triassic deposits of Tunisia. Similar tracks have been described from the Middle Triassic of Argentina, France and Morocco. An isolated set of the manus and pes of a quadrupedal tetrapod discovered in Late Triassic Rehach tracksite is referred to a therapsid tracemaker. The Middle Jurassic deposits of the Mestaoua plain reveal small and large tridactyl theropod dinosaur tracks (Theropoda track indet. A-C). Based on comparison with the abundant record of Triassic tetrapod ichnofossils from Europe and North America, the ichnofauna described here indicates the presence of a therapsid-dinosauromorph ichnoassociation (without typical Chirotheriidae tracks) in the Middle and Late Triassic, which sheds light on the dispersal of the Middle-Upper Triassic tetrapod ichnofaunas in this part of Gondwana. The reported Middle Jurassic ichnofauna show close similarities to dinosaur track assemblages from the Lower and Middle Jurassic of northwestern Africa, North America, Europe and also southeastern Asia. Sedimentological and lithostratigraphic data of each new tracksite have been defined on published data and new observations. Taken together, these discoveries present a tantalizing window into the evolutionary history of tetrapods from the Triassic and Jurassic of southern Tunisia. Given the limited early Mesozoic tetrapod record from the region, these discoveries are of both temporal and

  4. Dynamics of electron injection in a laser-wakefield accelerator

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xu, J.; Buck, A.; Chou, S.-W.; Schmid, K.; Shen, B.; Tajima, T.; Kaluza, M. C.; Veisz, L.

    2017-08-01

    The detailed temporal evolution of the laser-wakefield acceleration process with controlled injection, producing reproducible high-quality electron bunches, has been investigated. The localized injection of electrons into the wakefield has been realized in a simple way—called shock-front injection—utilizing a sharp drop in plasma density. Both experimental and numerical results reveal the electron injection and acceleration process as well as the electron bunch's temporal properties. The possibility to visualize the plasma wave gives invaluable spatially resolved information about the local background electron density, which in turn allows for an efficient suppression of electron self-injection before the controlled process of injection at the sharp density jump. Upper limits for the electron bunch duration of 6.6 fs FWHM, or 2.8 fs (r.m.s.) were found. These results indicate that shock-front injection not only provides stable and tunable, but also few-femtosecond short electron pulses for applications such as ultrashort radiation sources, time-resolved electron diffraction or for the seeding of further acceleration stages.

  5. Induction linear accelerators

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Birx, Daniel

    1992-03-01

    Among the family of particle accelerators, the Induction Linear Accelerator is the best suited for the acceleration of high current electron beams. Because the electromagnetic radiation used to accelerate the electron beam is not stored in the cavities but is supplied by transmission lines during the beam pulse it is possible to utilize very low Q (typically<10) structures and very large beam pipes. This combination increases the beam breakup limited maximum currents to of order kiloamperes. The micropulse lengths of these machines are measured in 10's of nanoseconds and duty factors as high as 10-4 have been achieved. Until recently the major problem with these machines has been associated with the pulse power drive. Beam currents of kiloamperes and accelerating potentials of megavolts require peak power drives of gigawatts since no energy is stored in the structure. The marriage of liner accelerator technology and nonlinear magnetic compressors has produced some unique capabilities. It now appears possible to produce electron beams with average currents measured in amperes, peak currents in kiloamperes and gradients exceeding 1 MeV/meter, with power efficiencies approaching 50%. The nonlinear magnetic compression technology has replaced the spark gap drivers used on earlier accelerators with state-of-the-art all-solid-state SCR commutated compression chains. The reliability of these machines is now approaching 1010 shot MTBF. In the following paper we will briefly review the historical development of induction linear accelerators and then discuss the design considerations.

  6. Sleep habits in middle-aged, non-hospitalized men and women with schizophrenia: a comparison with healthy controls.

    PubMed

    Poulin, Julie; Chouinard, Sylvie; Pampoulova, Tania; Lecomte, Yves; Stip, Emmanuel; Godbout, Roger

    2010-10-30

    Patients with schizophrenia may have sleep disorders even when clinically stable under antipsychotic treatments. To better understand this issue, we measured sleep characteristics between 1999 and 2003 in 150 outpatients diagnosed with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition (DSM-IV) schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and 80 healthy controls using a sleep habits questionnaire. Comparisons between both groups were performed and multiple comparisons were Bonferroni corrected. Compared to healthy controls, patients with schizophrenia reported significantly increased sleep latency, time in bed, total sleep time and frequency of naps during weekdays and weekends along with normal sleep efficiency, sleep satisfaction, and feeling of restfulness in the morning. In conclusion, sleep-onset insomnia is a major, enduring disorder in middle-aged, non-hospitalized patients with schizophrenia that are otherwise clinically stable under antipsychotic and adjuvant medications. Noteworthy, these patients do not complain of sleep-maintenance insomnia but report increased sleep propensity and normal sleep satisfaction. These results may reflect circadian disturbances in schizophrenia, but objective laboratory investigations are needed to confirm subjective sleep reports. Copyright © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. The application of artificial intelligent techniques to accelerator operations at McMaster University

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Poehlman, W. F. S.; Garland, Wm. J.; Stark, J. W.

    1993-06-01

    In an era of downsizing and a limited pool of skilled accelerator personnel from which to draw replacements for an aging workforce, the impetus to integrate intelligent computer automation into the accelerator operator's repertoire is strong. However, successful deployment of an "Operator's Companion" is not trivial. Both graphical and human factors need to be recognized as critical areas that require extra care when formulating the Companion. They include interactive graphical user's interface that mimics, for the operator, familiar accelerator controls; knowledge of acquisition phases during development must acknowledge the expert's mental model of machine operation; and automated operations must be seen as improvements to the operator's environment rather than threats of ultimate replacement. Experiences with the PACES Accelerator Operator Companion developed at two sites over the past three years are related and graphical examples are given. The scale of the work involves multi-computer control of various start-up/shutdown and tuning procedures for Model FN and KN Van de Graaff accelerators. The response from licensing agencies has been encouraging.

  8. Enhanced dielectric-wall linear accelerator

    DOEpatents

    Sampayan, Stephen E.; Caporaso, George J.; Kirbie, Hugh C.

    1998-01-01

    A dielectric-wall linear accelerator is enhanced by a high-voltage, fast e-time switch that includes a pair of electrodes between which are laminated alternating layers of isolated conductors and insulators. A high voltage is placed between the electrodes sufficient to stress the voltage breakdown of the insulator on command. A light trigger, such as a laser, is focused along at least one line along the edge surface of the laminated alternating layers of isolated conductors and insulators extending between the electrodes. The laser is energized to initiate a surface breakdown by a fluence of photons, thus causing the electrical switch to close very promptly. Such insulators and lasers are incorporated in a dielectric wall linear accelerator with Blumlein modules, and phasing is controlled by adjusting the length of fiber optic cables that carry the laser light to the insulator surface.

  9. ION ACCELERATOR

    DOEpatents

    Bell, J.S.

    1959-09-15

    An arrangement for the drift tubes in a linear accelerator is described whereby each drift tube acts to shield the particles from the influence of the accelerating field and focuses the particles passing through the tube. In one embodiment the drift tube is splii longitudinally into quadrants supported along the axis of the accelerator by webs from a yoke, the quadrants. webs, and yoke being of magnetic material. A magnetic focusing action is produced by energizing a winding on each web to set up a magnetic field between adjacent quadrants. In the other embodiment the quadrants are electrically insulated from each other and have opposite polarity voltages on adjacent quadrants to provide an electric focusing fleld for the particles, with the quadrants spaced sufficienily close enough to shield the particles within the tube from the accelerating electric field.

  10. Schooling in Times of Acceleration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Buddeberg, Magdalena; Hornberg, Sabine

    2017-01-01

    Modern societies are characterised by forms of acceleration, which influence social processes. Sociologist Hartmut Rosa has systematised temporal structures by focusing on three categories of social acceleration: technical acceleration, acceleration of social change, and acceleration of the pace of life. All three processes of acceleration are…

  11. Epidemiology of maternal depression, risk factors, and child outcomes in low-income and middle-income countries.

    PubMed

    Gelaye, Bizu; Rondon, Marta B; Araya, Ricardo; Williams, Michelle A

    2016-10-01

    Maternal depression, a non-psychotic depressive episode of mild to major severity, is one of the major contributors of pregnancy-related morbidity and mortality. Maternal depression (antepartum or post partum) has been linked to negative health-related behaviours and adverse outcomes, including psychological and developmental disturbances in infants, children, and adolescents. Despite its enormous burden, maternal depression in low-income and middle-income countries remains under-recognised and undertreated. In this Series paper, we systematically review studies that focus on the epidemiology of perinatal depression (ie, during antepartum and post-partum periods) among women residing in low-income and middle-income countries. We also summarise evidence for the association of perinatal depression with infant and childhood outcomes. This review is intended to summarise findings from the existing literature, identify important knowledge gaps, and set the research agenda for creating new generalisable knowledge pertinent to increasing our understanding of the prevalence, determinants, and infant and childhood health outcomes associated with perinatal depression. This review is also intended to set the stage for subsequent work aimed at reinforcing and accelerating investments toward providing services to manage maternal depression in low-income and middle-income countries. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. ACCELERATION AND THE GIFTED.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    GIBSON, ARTHUR R.; STEPHANS, THOMAS M.

    ACCELERATION OF PUPILS AND SUBJECTS IS CONSIDERED A MEANS OF EDUCATING THE ACADEMICALLY GIFTED STUDENT. FIVE INTRODUCTORY ARTICLES PROVIDE A FRAMEWORK FOR THINKING ABOUT ACCELERATION. FIVE PROJECT REPORTS OF ACCELERATED PROGRAMS IN OHIO ARE INCLUDED. ACCELERATION IS NOW BEING REGARDED MORE FAVORABLY THAN FORMERLY, BECAUSE METHODS HAVE BEEN…

  13. Middle Childhood Attachment Strategies: validation of an observational measure.

    PubMed

    Brumariu, Laura E; Giuseppone, Kathryn R; Kerns, Kathryn A; Van de Walle, Magali; Bureau, Jean-François; Bosmans, Guy; Lyons-Ruth, Karlen

    2018-02-05

    The purpose of this study was to assess behavioral manifestations of attachment in middle childhood, and to evaluate their relations with key theoretical correlates. The sample consisted of 87 children (aged 10-12 years) and their mothers. Dyads participated in an 8-min videotaped discussion of a conflict in their relationships, later scored with the Middle Childhood Attachment Strategies Coding System (MCAS) for key features of all child attachment patterns described in previous literature (secure, ambivalent, avoidant, disorganized-disoriented, caregiving/role-confused, hostile/punitive). To assess validity, relations among MCAS dimensions and other measures of attachment, parenting, and psychological adjustment were evaluated. Results provide preliminary evidence for the psychometric properties of the MCAS in that its behaviorally assessed patterns were associated with theoretically relevant constructs, including maternal warmth/acceptance and psychological control, and children's social competence, depression, and behavioral problems. The MCAS opens new grounds for expanding our understanding of attachment and its outcomes in middle childhood.

  14. Polygenic Risk, Appetite Traits, and Weight Gain in Middle Childhood

    PubMed Central

    Steinsbekk, Silje; Belsky, Daniel; Guzey, Ismail Cuneyt; Wardle, Jane; Wichstrøm, Lars

    2018-01-01

    IMPORTANCE Genome-wide association studies have identified genetic risks for obesity. These genetic risks influence development of obesity partly by accelerating weight gain in childhood. Research is needed to identify mechanisms to inform intervention. Cross-sectional studies suggest appetite traits as a candidate mechanism. Longitudinal studies are needed to test whether appetite traits mediate genetic influences on children’s weight gain. OBJECTIVE To test whether genetic risk for obesity predicts accelerated weight gain in middle childhood (ages 4–8 years) and whether genetic association with accelerated weight gain is mediated by appetite traits. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Longitudinal study of a representative birth cohort at the Trondheim Early Secure Study, Trondheim, Norway, enrolled at age 4 years during 2007 to 2008, with follow-ups at ages 6 and 8 years. Participants were sampled from all children born in 2003 or 2004 who attended regular community health checkups for 4-year-olds (97.2%attendance; 82.0%consent rate, n = 2475). Nine hundred ninety-five children participated at age 4 years, 795 at age 6 years, and 699 at age 8 years. Analyses included 652 children with genotype, adiposity, and appetite data. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Outcomes were body mass index and body-fat phenotypes measured from anthropometry (ages 4, 6, and 8 years) and bioelectrical impedance (ages 6 and 8 years). Genetic risk for obesity was measured using a genetic risk score composed of 32 single-nucleotide polymorphisms previously discovered in genome-wide association studies of adult body mass index. Appetite traits were measured at age 6 years with the Children’s Eating Behavior Questionnaire. RESULTS Of the 652 genotyped child participants, 323 (49.5%) were female, 58 (8.9%) were overweight, and 1 (0.2%) was obese. Children at higher genetic risk for obesity had higher baseline body mass index and fat mass compared with lower genetic risk peers, and they gained

  15. Middle School Advisement.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ball, Tricia

    Designed for those teaching an advisement program to middle school students, this book provides a year-long program with suggestions for many activities geared to middle school students. The text is divided into the traditional four-quarter school year but can be adapted to any school year configuration. The activities are designed so that the…

  16. Middle School Handbook.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Finks, Harry

    The middle school provides a planned transition from childhood to young adulthood: it moves a student from the protective nurture of elementary school to the more depersonalized high school setting gradually, sensitively, and by design. Composed of the ideas from middle school education that each of the educators who choose this wonderful level of…

  17. A label-free colorimetric sensor for Pb2+ detection based on the acceleration of gold leaching by graphene oxide.

    PubMed

    Shi, Xinhao; Gu, Wei; Zhang, Cuiling; Zhao, Longyun; Peng, Weidong; Xian, Yuezhong

    2015-03-14

    In this work, we developed a novel, label-free, colorimetric sensor for Pb(2+) detection based on the acceleration of gold leaching by graphene oxide (GO) at room temperature. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) can be dissolved in a thiosulfate (S2O3(2-)) aqueous environment in the presence of oxygen; however, the leaching rate is very slow due to the high activation energy (27.99 kJ mol(-1)). In order to enhance the reaction rate, some accelerators should be added. In comparison with the traditional accelerators (metal ions or middle ligands), we found that GO could efficiently accelerate the gold leaching reaction. Kinetic data demonstrate that the dissolution rate of gold in the Pb(2+)-S2O3(2-)-GO system is 5 times faster than that without GO at room temperature. In addition, the effects of surface modification and the nanoparticle size on the etching of AuNPs were investigated. Based on the GO-accelerated concentration-dependent colour changes of AuNPs, a colorimetric sensor for Pb(2+) detection was developed with a linear range from 0.1 to 20 μM and the limit of detection (LOD) was evaluated to be 0.05 μM. This colorimetric assay is simple, low-cost, label-free, and has numerous potential applications in the field of environmental chemistry.

  18. Acceleration: It's Elementary

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Willis, Mariam

    2012-01-01

    Acceleration is one tool for providing high-ability students the opportunity to learn something new every day. Some people talk about acceleration as taking a student out of step. In actuality, what one is doing is putting a student in step with the right curriculum. Whole-grade acceleration, also called grade-skipping, usually happens between…

  19. Lower Arm Muscle Activation during Indirect-Localized Vibration: The Influence of Skill Levels When Applying Different Acceleration Loads.

    PubMed

    Padulo, Johnny; Di Giminiani, Riccardo; Dello Iacono, Antonio; Zagatto, Alessandro M; Migliaccio, Gian M; Grgantov, Zoran; Ardigò, Luca P

    2016-01-01

    We investigated the electromyographic response to synchronous indirect-localized vibration interventions in international and national table tennis players. Twenty-six male table tennis players, in a standing position, underwent firstly an upper arms maximal voluntary contraction and thereafter two different 30-s vibration interventions in random order: high acceleration load (peak acceleration = 12.8 g, frequency = 40 Hz; peak-to-peak displacement = 4.0 mm), and low acceleration load (peak acceleration = 7.2 g, frequency = 30 Hz, peak-to-peak displacement = 4.0 mm). Surface electromyography root mean square from brachioradialis, extensor digitorum, flexor carpi radialis, and flexor digitorum superficialis recorded during the two vibration interventions was normalized to the maximal voluntary contraction recording. Normalized surface electromyography root mean square was higher in international table tennis players with respect to national ones in all the interactions between muscles and vibration conditions (P < 0.05), with the exception of flexor carpi radialis (at low acceleration load, P > 0.05). The difference in normalized surface electromyography root mean square between international table tennis players and national ones increased in all the muscles with high acceleration load (P < 0.05), with the exception of flexor digitorum superficialis (P > 0.05). The muscle activation during indirect-localized vibration seems to be both skill level and muscle dependent. These results can optimize the training intervention in table tennis players when applying indirect-localized vibration to lower arm muscles. Future investigations should discriminate between middle- and long-term adaptations in response to specific vibration loads.

  20. Lower Arm Muscle Activation during Indirect-Localized Vibration: The Influence of Skill Levels When Applying Different Acceleration Loads

    PubMed Central

    Padulo, Johnny; Di Giminiani, Riccardo; Dello Iacono, Antonio; Zagatto, Alessandro M.; Migliaccio, Gian M.; Grgantov, Zoran; Ardigò, Luca P.

    2016-01-01

    We investigated the electromyographic response to synchronous indirect-localized vibration interventions in international and national table tennis players. Twenty-six male table tennis players, in a standing position, underwent firstly an upper arms maximal voluntary contraction and thereafter two different 30-s vibration interventions in random order: high acceleration load (peak acceleration = 12.8 g, frequency = 40 Hz; peak-to-peak displacement = 4.0 mm), and low acceleration load (peak acceleration = 7.2 g, frequency = 30 Hz, peak-to-peak displacement = 4.0 mm). Surface electromyography root mean square from brachioradialis, extensor digitorum, flexor carpi radialis, and flexor digitorum superficialis recorded during the two vibration interventions was normalized to the maximal voluntary contraction recording. Normalized surface electromyography root mean square was higher in international table tennis players with respect to national ones in all the interactions between muscles and vibration conditions (P < 0.05), with the exception of flexor carpi radialis (at low acceleration load, P > 0.05). The difference in normalized surface electromyography root mean square between international table tennis players and national ones increased in all the muscles with high acceleration load (P < 0.05), with the exception of flexor digitorum superficialis (P > 0.05). The muscle activation during indirect-localized vibration seems to be both skill level and muscle dependent. These results can optimize the training intervention in table tennis players when applying indirect-localized vibration to lower arm muscles. Future investigations should discriminate between middle- and long-term adaptations in response to specific vibration loads. PMID:27378948

  1. Ohio's Middle Childhood Licensure Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    White, Paula M.; Ross, Diane; Miller, Jennifer; Dever, Robin; Jones, Karen A.

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe middle level prepared teachers' perceptions of their practices after completing an Ohio Middle Childhood: Grades 4-9 teacher education program. Using the National Middle School Association/National Council of Accreditation of Teacher Education Initial Level Teacher Preparation Standards (2001)…

  2. Apparatus and method for the acceleration of projectiles to hypervelocities

    DOEpatents

    Hertzberg, Abraham; Bruckner, Adam P.; Bogdanoff, David W.

    1990-01-01

    A projectile is initially accelerated to a supersonic velocity and then injected into a launch tube filled with a gaseous propellant. The projectile outer surface and launch tube inner surface form a ramjet having a diffuser, a combustion chamber and a nozzle. A catalytic coated flame holder projecting from the projectile ignites the gaseous propellant in the combustion chamber thereby accelerating the projectile in a subsonic combustion mode zone. The projectile then enters an overdriven detonation wave launch tube zone wherein further projectile acceleration is achieved by a formed, controlled overdriven detonation wave capable of igniting the gaseous propellant in the combustion chamber. Ultrahigh velocity projectile accelerations are achieved in a launch tube layered detonation zone having an inner sleeve filled with hydrogen gas. An explosive, which is disposed in the annular zone between the inner sleeve and the launch tube, explodes responsive to an impinging shock wave emanating from the diffuser of the accelerating projectile thereby forcing the inner sleeve inward and imparting an acceleration to the projectile. For applications wherein solid or liquid high explosives are employed, the explosion thereof forces the inner sleeve inward, forming a throat behind the projectile. This throat chokes flow behind, thereby imparting an acceleration to the projectile.

  3. Terahertz-driven linear electron acceleration

    PubMed Central

    Nanni, Emilio A.; Huang, Wenqian R.; Hong, Kyung-Han; Ravi, Koustuban; Fallahi, Arya; Moriena, Gustavo; Dwayne Miller, R. J.; Kärtner, Franz X.

    2015-01-01

    The cost, size and availability of electron accelerators are dominated by the achievable accelerating gradient. Conventional high-brightness radio-frequency accelerating structures operate with 30–50 MeV m−1 gradients. Electron accelerators driven with optical or infrared sources have demonstrated accelerating gradients orders of magnitude above that achievable with conventional radio-frequency structures. However, laser-driven wakefield accelerators require intense femtosecond sources and direct laser-driven accelerators suffer from low bunch charge, sub-micron tolerances and sub-femtosecond timing requirements due to the short wavelength of operation. Here we demonstrate linear acceleration of electrons with keV energy gain using optically generated terahertz pulses. Terahertz-driven accelerating structures enable high-gradient electron/proton accelerators with simple accelerating structures, high repetition rates and significant charge per bunch. These ultra-compact terahertz accelerators with extremely short electron bunches hold great potential to have a transformative impact for free electron lasers, linear colliders, ultrafast electron diffraction, X-ray science and medical therapy with X-rays and electron beams. PMID:26439410

  4. Terahertz-driven linear electron acceleration

    DOE PAGES

    Nanni, Emilio A.; Huang, Wenqian R.; Hong, Kyung-Han; ...

    2015-10-06

    The cost, size and availability of electron accelerators are dominated by the achievable accelerating gradient. Conventional high-brightness radio-frequency accelerating structures operate with 30–50 MeVm -1 gradients. Electron accelerators driven with optical or infrared sources have demonstrated accelerating gradients orders of magnitude above that achievable with conventional radio-frequency structures. However, laser-driven wakefield accelerators require intense femtosecond sources and direct laser-driven accelerators suffer from low bunch charge, sub-micron tolerances and sub-femtosecond timing requirements due to the short wavelength of operation. Here we demonstrate linear acceleration of electrons with keV energy gain using optically generated terahertz pulses. Terahertz-driven accelerating structures enable high-gradient electron/protonmore » accelerators with simple accelerating structures, high repetition rates and significant charge per bunch. As a result, these ultra-compact terahertz accelerators with extremely short electron bunches hold great potential to have a transformative impact for free electron lasers, linear colliders, ultrafast electron diffraction, X-ray science and medical therapy with X-rays and electron beams.« less

  5. High brightness electron accelerator

    DOEpatents

    Sheffield, Richard L.; Carlsten, Bruce E.; Young, Lloyd M.

    1994-01-01

    A compact high brightness linear accelerator is provided for use, e.g., in a free electron laser. The accelerator has a first plurality of acclerating cavities having end walls with four coupling slots for accelerating electrons to high velocities in the absence of quadrupole fields. A second plurality of cavities receives the high velocity electrons for further acceleration, where each of the second cavities has end walls with two coupling slots for acceleration in the absence of dipole fields. The accelerator also includes a first cavity with an extended length to provide for phase matching the electron beam along the accelerating cavities. A solenoid is provided about the photocathode that emits the electons, where the solenoid is configured to provide a substantially uniform magnetic field over the photocathode surface to minimize emittance of the electons as the electrons enter the first cavity.

  6. Field Emission in Superconducting Accelerators: Instrumented Measurements for Its Understanding and Mitigation

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

    Geng, Rongli; Freyberger, Arne P.; Legg, Robert A.

    Several new accelerator projects are adopting superconducting accelerator technology. When accelerating cavities maintain high RF gradients, field emission, the emission of electrons from cavity walls, can occur and may impact operational cavity gradient, radiological environment via activated components, and reliability. In this talk, we will discuss instrumented measurements of field emission from the two 1.1 GeV superconducting continuous wave (CW) linacs in CEBAF. The goal is to improve the understanding of field emission sources originating from cryomodule production, installation and operation. Such basic knowledge is needed in guiding field emission control, mitigation, and reduction toward high gradient and reliable operationmore » of superconducting accelerators.« less

  7. Acceleration of a trailing positron bunch in a plasma wakefield accelerator

    DOE PAGES

    Doche, A.; Beekman, C.; Corde, S.; ...

    2017-10-27

    High gradients of energy gain and high energy efficiency are necessary parameters for compact, cost-efficient and high-energy particle colliders. Plasma Wakefield Accelerators (PWFA) offer both, making them attractive candidates for next-generation colliders. Here in these devices, a charge-density plasma wave is excited by an ultra-relativistic bunch of charged particles (the drive bunch). The energy in the wave can be extracted by a second bunch (the trailing bunch), as this bunch propagates in the wake of the drive bunch. While a trailing electron bunch was accelerated in a plasma with more than a gigaelectronvolt of energy gain, accelerating a trailing positronmore » bunch in a plasma is much more challenging as the plasma response can be asymmetric for positrons and electrons. We report the demonstration of the energy gain by a distinct trailing positron bunch in a plasma wakefield accelerator, spanning nonlinear to quasi-linear regimes, and unveil the beam loading process underlying the accelerator energy efficiency. A positron bunch is used to drive the plasma wake in the experiment, though the quasi-linear wake structure could as easily be formed by an electron bunch or a laser driver. Finally, the results thus mark the first acceleration of a distinct positron bunch in plasma-based particle accelerators.« less

  8. Acceleration of a trailing positron bunch in a plasma wakefield accelerator

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

    Doche, A.; Beekman, C.; Corde, S.

    High gradients of energy gain and high energy efficiency are necessary parameters for compact, cost-efficient and high-energy particle colliders. Plasma Wakefield Accelerators (PWFA) offer both, making them attractive candidates for next-generation colliders. Here in these devices, a charge-density plasma wave is excited by an ultra-relativistic bunch of charged particles (the drive bunch). The energy in the wave can be extracted by a second bunch (the trailing bunch), as this bunch propagates in the wake of the drive bunch. While a trailing electron bunch was accelerated in a plasma with more than a gigaelectronvolt of energy gain, accelerating a trailing positronmore » bunch in a plasma is much more challenging as the plasma response can be asymmetric for positrons and electrons. We report the demonstration of the energy gain by a distinct trailing positron bunch in a plasma wakefield accelerator, spanning nonlinear to quasi-linear regimes, and unveil the beam loading process underlying the accelerator energy efficiency. A positron bunch is used to drive the plasma wake in the experiment, though the quasi-linear wake structure could as easily be formed by an electron bunch or a laser driver. Finally, the results thus mark the first acceleration of a distinct positron bunch in plasma-based particle accelerators.« less

  9. The effect of continuous positive airway pressure on middle ear pressure.

    PubMed

    Lin, Fred Y; Gurgel, Richard K; Popelka, Gerald R; Capasso, Robson

    2012-03-01

    While continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is commonly used for obstructive sleep apnea treatment, its effect on middle ear pressure is unknown. The purpose of this study was to measure the effect of CPAP on middle ear pressure and describe the correlation between CPAP levels and middle ear pressures. Retrospective review of normal tympanometry values and a prospective cohort evaluation of subjects' tympanometric values while using CPAP at distinct pressure levels. A total of 3,066 tympanograms were evaluated to determine the normal range of middle ear pressures. Ten subjects with no known history of eustachian tube dysfunction or obstructive sleep apnea had standard tympanometry measurements while wearing a CPAP device. Measurements were taken at baseline and with CPAP air pressures of 0, 5, 10, and 15 cm H(2)O. The percentage of normal control patients with middle ear pressures above 40 daPa was 0.03%. In the study population, prior to a swallowing maneuver to open the eustachian tube, average middle ear pressures were 21.67 daPa, 22.63 daPa, 20.42, daPa, and 21.58 daPa with CPAP pressures of 0, 5, 10, and 15 cm H(2) 0, respectively. After swallowing, average middle ear air pressures were 18.83 daPa, 46.75 daPa, 82.17 daPa, and 129.17 daPa with CPAP pressures of 0, 5, 10, and 15 cm H(2)0, respectively. The postswallow Pearson correlation coefficient correlating CPAP and middle ear pressures was 0.783 (P < 0.001). Middle ear air pressure is directly proportional to CPAP air pressure in subjects with normal eustachian tube function. Middle ear pressure reaches supraphysiologic levels at even minimal CPAP levels. Although further investigation is necessary, there may be otologic implications for patients who are chronically CPAP dependent. These findings may also influence the perioperative practice of otologic and skull base surgeons. Copyright © 2011 The American Laryngological, Rhinological, and Otological Society, Inc.

  10. Accelerator-based BNCT.

    PubMed

    Kreiner, A J; Baldo, M; Bergueiro, J R; Cartelli, D; Castell, W; Thatar Vento, V; Gomez Asoia, J; Mercuri, D; Padulo, J; Suarez Sandin, J C; Erhardt, J; Kesque, J M; Valda, A A; Debray, M E; Somacal, H R; Igarzabal, M; Minsky, D M; Herrera, M S; Capoulat, M E; Gonzalez, S J; del Grosso, M F; Gagetti, L; Suarez Anzorena, M; Gun, M; Carranza, O

    2014-06-01

    The activity in accelerator development for accelerator-based BNCT (AB-BNCT) both worldwide and in Argentina is described. Projects in Russia, UK, Italy, Japan, Israel, and Argentina to develop AB-BNCT around different types of accelerators are briefly presented. In particular, the present status and recent progress of the Argentine project will be reviewed. The topics will cover: intense ion sources, accelerator tubes, transport of intense beams, beam diagnostics, the (9)Be(d,n) reaction as a possible neutron source, Beam Shaping Assemblies (BSA), a treatment room, and treatment planning in realistic cases. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Control of Laser Plasma Based Accelerators up to 1 GeV

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

    Nakamura, Kei

    2007-12-01

    This dissertation documents the development of a broadband electron spectrometer (ESM) for GeV class Laser Wakefield Accelerators (LWFA), the production of high quality GeV electron beams (e-beams) for the first time in a LWFA by using a capillary discharge guide (CDG), and a statistical analysis of CDG-LWFAs. An ESM specialized for CDG-LWFAs with an unprecedented wide momentum acceptance, from 0.01 to 1.1 GeV in a single shot, has been developed. Simultaneous measurement of e-beam spectra and output laser properties as well as a large angular acceptance (> ± 10 mrad) were realized by employing a slitless scheme. A scintillating screenmore » (LANEX Fast back, LANEX-FB)--camera system allowed faster than 1 Hz operation and evaluation of the spatial properties of e-beams. The design provided sufficient resolution for the whole range of the ESM (below 5% for beams with 2 mrad divergence). The calibration between light yield from LANEX-FB and total charge, and a study on the electron energy dependence (0.071 to 1.23 GeV) of LANEX-FB were performed at the Advanced light source (ALS), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). Using this calibration data, the developed ESM provided a charge measurement as well. The production of high quality electron beams up to 1 GeV from a centimeter-scale accelerator was demonstrated. The experiment used a 310 μm diameter gas-filled capillary discharge waveguide that channeled relativistically-intense laser pulses (42 TW, 4.5 x 10 18 W/cm 2) over 3.3 centimeters of sufficiently low density (≃ 4.3 x 10 18/cm 3) plasma. Also demonstrated was stable self-injection and acceleration at a beam energy of ≃ 0.5 GeV by using a 225 μm diameter capillary. Relativistically-intense laser pulses (12 TW, 1.3 x 10 18W/cm 2) were guided over 3.3 centimeters of low density (≃ 3.5 x 10 18/cm 3) plasma in this experiment. A statistical analysis of the CDG-LWFAs performance was carried out. By taking advantage of the high repetition rate

  12. All joint moments significantly contribute to trunk angular acceleration

    PubMed Central

    Nott, Cameron R.; Zajac, Felix E.; Neptune, Richard R.; Kautz, Steven A.

    2010-01-01

    Computationally advanced biomechanical analyses of gait demonstrate the often counter intuitive roles of joint moments on various aspects of gait such as propulsion, swing initiation, and balance. Each joint moment can produce linear and angular acceleration of all body segments (including those on which the moment does not directly act) due to the dynamic coupling inherent in the interconnected musculoskeletal system. This study presents the quantitative relationships between individual joint moments and trunk control with respect to balance during gait to show that the ankle, knee, and hip joint moments all affect the angular acceleration of the trunk. We show that trunk angular acceleration is affected by all the joints in the leg with varying degrees of dependence during the gait cycle. Furthermore, it is shown that inter-planar coupling exists and a two dimensional analysis of trunk balance neglects important out-of-plane joint moments that affect trunk angular acceleration. PMID:20646711

  13. Design of a Microwave Assisted Discharge Inductive Plasma Accelerator

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hallock, Ashley K.; Polzin, Kurt A.

    2010-01-01

    A new plasma accelerator concept that employs electrodeless plasma preionization and pulsed inductive acceleration is presented. Preionization is achieved through an electron cyclotron resonance discharge that produces a weakly-ionized plasma at the face of a conical theta pinch-shaped inductive coil. The presence of the preionized plasma allows for current sheet formation at lower discharge voltages than those found in other pulsed inductive accelerators. The location of an electron cyclotron resonance discharge can be controlled through the design of the applied magnetic field in the thruster. A finite-element model of the magnetic field was used as a design tool, allowing for the implementation of an arrangement of permanent magnets that yields a small volume of preionized propellant at the coil face. This allows for current sheet formation at the face of the inductive coil, minimizing the initial inductance of the pulse circuit and maximizing the potential efficiency of the new accelerator.

  14. Diet-induced obesity accelerates acute lymphoblastic leukemia progression in two murine models.

    PubMed

    Yun, Jason P; Behan, James W; Heisterkamp, Nora; Butturini, Anna; Klemm, Lars; Ji, Lingyun; Groffen, John; Müschen, Markus; Mittelman, Steven D

    2010-10-01

    Obesity is associated with an increased incidence of many cancers, including leukemia, although it is unknown whether leukemia incidence is increased directly by obesity or rather by associated genetic, lifestyle, health, or socioeconomic factors. We developed animal models of obesity and leukemia to test whether obesity could directly accelerate acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) using BCR/ABL transgenic and AKR/J mice weaned onto a high-fat diet. Mice were observed until development of progressive ALL. Although obese and control BCR/ABL mice had similar median survival, older obese mice had accelerated ALL onset, implying a time-dependent effect of obesity on ALL. Obese AKR mice developed ALL significantly earlier than controls. The effect of obesity was not explained by WBC count, thymus/spleen weight, or ALL phenotype. However, obese AKR mice had higher leptin, insulin, and interleukin-6 levels than controls, and these obesity-related hormones all have potential roles in leukemia pathogenesis. In conclusion, obesity directly accelerates presentation of ALL, likely by increasing the risk of an early event in leukemogenesis. This is the first study to show that obesity can directly accelerate the progression of ALL. Thus, the observed associations between obesity and leukemia incidence are likely to be directly related to biological effects of obesity. ©2010 AACR.

  15. Accelerator science and technology in Europe: EuCARD 2012

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Romaniuk, Ryszard S.

    2012-05-01

    Accelerator science and technology is one of a key enablers of the developments in the particle physic, photon physics and also applications in medicine and industry. The paper presents a digest of the research results in the domain of accelerator science and technology in Europe, shown during the third annual meeting of the EuCARD - European Coordination of Accelerator Research and Development. The conference concerns building of the research infrastructure, including in this advanced photonic and electronic systems for servicing large high energy physics experiments. There are debated a few basic groups of such systems like: measurement - control networks of large geometrical extent, multichannel systems for large amounts of metrological data acquisition, precision photonic networks of reference time, frequency and phase distribution.

  16. Cybermaterials: materials by design and accelerated insertion of materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xiong, Wei; Olson, Gregory B.

    2016-02-01

    Cybermaterials innovation entails an integration of Materials by Design and accelerated insertion of materials (AIM), which transfers studio ideation into industrial manufacturing. By assembling a hierarchical architecture of integrated computational materials design (ICMD) based on materials genomic fundamental databases, the ICMD mechanistic design models accelerate innovation. We here review progress in the development of linkage models of the process-structure-property-performance paradigm, as well as related design accelerating tools. Extending the materials development capability based on phase-level structural control requires more fundamental investment at the level of the Materials Genome, with focus on improving applicable parametric design models and constructing high-quality databases. Future opportunities in materials genomic research serving both Materials by Design and AIM are addressed.

  17. Mechanism of Isoflavone Aglycone's Effect on Cognitive Performance of Senescence-Accelerated Mice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yang, Hong; Jin, Guifang; Ren, Dongdong; Luo, Sijing; Zhou, Tianhong

    2011-01-01

    This study investigated the effect of isoflavone aglycone (IA) on the learning and memory performance of senescence-accelerated mice, and explored its neural protective mechanism. Results showed that SAM-P/8 senescence-accelerated mice treated with IA performed significantly better in the Y-maze cognitive test than the no treatment control (P less…

  18. AT2 DS II - Accelerator System Design (Part II) - CCC Video Conference

    ScienceCinema

    None

    2017-12-09

    Discussion Session - Accelerator System Design (Part II) Tutors: C. Darve, J. Weisend II, Ph. Lebrun, A. Dabrowski, U. Raich Video Conference with the CERN Control Center. Experts in the field of Accelerator science will be available to answer the students questions. This session will link the CCC and SA (using Codec VC).

  19. The Accelerated Schools Movement: Expansion and Support through Accelerated Schools Centers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brunner, Ilse; And Others

    From 1987 to 1995, the Accelerated Schools Project moved from a two-school pilot project to a national movement of over 700 schools in 35 states. This paper examines how the Accelerated Schools Centers have helped the expansion of the accelerated schools movement by recruiting and supporting schools in their regions, and how their institutional…

  20. Prenatal evaluation of the middle ear and diagnosis of middle ear hypoplasia using MRI.

    PubMed

    Katorza, Eldad; Nahama-Allouche, Catherine; Castaigne, Vanina; Gonzales, Marie; Galliani, Eva; Marlin, Sandrine; Jouannic, Jean-Marie; Rosenblatt, Jonathan; le Pointe, Hubert Ducou; Garel, Catherine

    2011-05-01

    Analysis of the middle ear with fetal MRI has not been previously reported. To show the contribution of fetal MRI to middle ear imaging. The tympanic cavity was evaluated in 108 fetal cerebral MRI examinations (facial and/or cerebral malformation excluded) and in two cases, one of Treacher Collins syndrome (case 1) and the other of oculo-auriculo-vertebral (OUV) spectrum (case 2) with middle ear hypoplasia identified by MRI at 27 and 36 weeks' gestation, respectively. In all 108 fetuses (mean gestational age 32.5 weeks), the tympanic cavity and T2 hypointensity related to the ossicles were well visualised on both sides. Case 1 had micro/retrognathia and bilateral external ear deformity and case 2 had retrognathism with a left low-set and deformed ear. MRI made it possible to recognize the marked hypoplasia of the tympanic cavity, which was bilateral in case 1 and unilateral in case 2. Both syndromes are characterized by craniofacial abnormalities including middle ear hypoplasia, which cannot be diagnosed with US. The middle ear cavity can be visualized with fetal MRI. We emphasize the use of this imaging modality in the diagnosis of middle ear hypoplasia.

  1. How do tympanic-membrane perforations affect human middle-ear sound transmission?

    PubMed

    Voss, S E; Rosowski, J J; Merchant, S N; Peake, W T

    2001-01-01

    Although tympanic-membrane (TM) perforations are common sequelae of middle-ear disease, the hearing losses they cause have not been accurately determined, largely because additional pathological conditions occur in these ears. Our measurements of acoustic transmission before and after making controlled perforations in cadaver ears show that perforations cause frequency-dependent loss that: (1) is largest at low frequencies; (2) increases as perforation size increases; and (3) does not depend on perforation location. The dominant loss mechanism is the reduction in sound-pressure difference across the TM. Measurements of middle-ear air-space sound pressures show that transmission via direct acoustic stimulation of the oval and round windows is generally negligible. A quantitative model predicts the influence of middle-ear air-space volume on loss; with larger volumes, loss is smaller.

  2. Integrating the history of science into a middle school science curriculum

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huybrechts, Jeanne Marie

    This study examined the effect of incorporating the history of science into a middle school physical science curriculum on student attitudes toward science and the work of scientists. While there is wide support for including some science history in middle school science lessons within both the science and science-education communities, there is little curriculum designed to meet that objective. A series of five lessons was written specifically for the study. Each lesson included a brief biography of a scientist whose work was of historical significance, and a set of directions for duplicating one or more of the experiments done by that scientist. A thirty-question, Likert scale survey of the attitudes of middle school students toward science and the work of scientists was also written for this study. The survey was administered to two groups of students in a single middle school: One group---the experimental group---subsequently used the science history curriculum; the second (control) group did not. The same attitude survey was readministered to both groups of students after study of the science-history curriculum was completed. The results of the study indicate that there was no statistically significant difference between the pretest and posttest scores of either the experimental or control group students. Further analysis was done to determine whether there were differences between the pretest and posttest scores of boys and girls, or between "regular" or "honors" students. In both cases no statistically significant difference was found.

  3. Application of Fuzzy-Logic Controller and Neural Networks Controller in Gas Turbine Speed Control and Overheating Control and Surge Control on Transient Performance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Torghabeh, A. A.; Tousi, A. M.

    2007-08-01

    This paper presents Fuzzy Logic and Neural Networks approach to Gas Turbine Fuel schedules. Modeling of non-linear system using feed forward artificial Neural Networks using data generated by a simulated gas turbine program is introduced. Two artificial Neural Networks are used , depicting the non-linear relationship between gas generator speed and fuel flow, and turbine inlet temperature and fuel flow respectively . Off-line fast simulations are used for engine controller design for turbojet engine based on repeated simulation. The Mamdani and Sugeno models are used to expression the Fuzzy system . The linguistic Fuzzy rules and membership functions are presents and a Fuzzy controller will be proposed to provide an Open-Loop control for the gas turbine engine during acceleration and deceleration . MATLAB Simulink was used to apply the Fuzzy Logic and Neural Networks analysis. Both systems were able to approximate functions characterizing the acceleration and deceleration schedules . Surge and Flame-out avoidance during acceleration and deceleration phases are then checked . Turbine Inlet Temperature also checked and controls by Neural Networks controller. This Fuzzy Logic and Neural Network Controllers output results are validated and evaluated by GSP software . The validation results are used to evaluate the generalization ability of these artificial Neural Networks and Fuzzy Logic controllers.

  4. Intense laser-driven ion beams in the relativistic-transparency regime: acceleration, control and applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fernandez, Juan C.

    2016-10-01

    Laser-plasma interactions in the novel regime of relativistically-induced transparency have been harnessed to generate efficiently intense ion beams with average energies exceeding 10 MeV/nucleon (>100 MeV for protons) at ``table-top'' scales. We have discovered and utilized a self-organizing scheme that exploits persisting self-generated plasma electric ( 0.1 TV/m) and magnetic ( 104 Tesla) fields to reduce the ion-energy (Ei) spread after the laser exits the plasma, thus separating acceleration from spread reduction. In this way we routinely generate aluminum and carbon beams with narrow spectral peaks at Ei up to 310 MeV and 220 MeV, respectively, with high efficiency ( 5%). The experimental demonstration has been done at the LANL Trident laser with 0.12 PW, high-contrast, 0.65 ps Gaussian laser pulses irradiating planar foils up to 250 nm thick. In this regime, Ei scales empirically with laser intensity (I) as I 1 / 2. Our progress is enabled by high-fidelity, massive computer simulations of the experiments. This work advances next-generation compact accelerators suitable for new applications. E . g ., a carbon beam with Ei 400 MeV and 10% energy spread is suitable for fast ignition (FI) of compressed DT. The observed scaling suggests that is feasible with existing target fabrication and PW-laser technologies, using a sub-ps laser pulse with I 2.5 ×1021 W/cm2. These beams have been used on Trident to generate warm-dense matter at solid-densities, enabling us to investigate its equation of state and mixing of heterogeneous interfaces purely by plasma effects distinct from hydrodynamics. They also drive an intense neutron-beam source with great promise for important applications such as active interrogation of shielded nuclear materials. Considerations on controlling ion-beam divergence for their increased utility are discussed. Funded by the LANL LDRD program.

  5. Visceral predictors of cardiovascular deconditioning in late middle-aged men

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Goldwater, D. J.; De Roshia, C.; Natelson, B. H.; Levin, B. E.

    1985-01-01

    A number of visceral and behavioral factors connected with cardiovascular deconditioning were investigated, in order to identify a method for predicting the degree of orthostatic intolerance to spaceflight in several late-middle-aged men (55-65 years). Preliminary measurements were made of: mean arterial blood pressure plasma cortisol levels; and norepinephrine levels. Measurements of core temperature; plasma epinephrine level and subjective arousal from sleep were also obtained. Pairwise correlations were found for each of the variables and the time-to-blackout due centrifugal acceleration of up to +3 Gz. It is shown that the men with relatively low resting blood pressure were at greater risk of developing the clinical signs of cardiovascular deconditioning than were the men with higher basal blood pressure. Some applications of the experimental results to the development of selection criteria for Shuttle crews are discussed.

  6. Systems and methods for the magnetic insulation of accelerator electrodes in electrostatic accelerators

    DOEpatents

    Grisham, Larry R

    2013-12-17

    The present invention provides systems and methods for the magnetic insulation of accelerator electrodes in electrostatic accelerators. Advantageously, the systems and methods of the present invention improve the practically obtainable performance of these electrostatic accelerators by addressing, among other things, voltage holding problems and conditioning issues. The problems and issues are addressed by flowing electric currents along these accelerator electrodes to produce magnetic fields that envelope the accelerator electrodes and their support structures, so as to prevent very low energy electrons from leaving the surfaces of the accelerator electrodes and subsequently picking up energy from the surrounding electric field. In various applications, this magnetic insulation must only produce modest gains in voltage holding capability to represent a significant achievement.

  7. Enhanced dielectric-wall linear accelerator

    DOEpatents

    Sampayan, S.E.; Caporaso, G.J.; Kirbie, H.C.

    1998-09-22

    A dielectric-wall linear accelerator is enhanced by a high-voltage, fast e-time switch that includes a pair of electrodes between which are laminated alternating layers of isolated conductors and insulators. A high voltage is placed between the electrodes sufficient to stress the voltage breakdown of the insulator on command. A light trigger, such as a laser, is focused along at least one line along the edge surface of the laminated alternating layers of isolated conductors and insulators extending between the electrodes. The laser is energized to initiate a surface breakdown by a fluence of photons, thus causing the electrical switch to close very promptly. Such insulators and lasers are incorporated in a dielectric wall linear accelerator with Blumlein modules, and phasing is controlled by adjusting the length of fiber optic cables that carry the laser light to the insulator surface. 6 figs.

  8. A TE-mode accelerator

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Takeuchi, S.; Sakai, K.; Matsumoto, M.; Sugihara, R.

    1987-04-01

    An accelerator is proposed in which a TE-mode wave is used to drive charged particles in contrast to the usual linear accelerators in which longitudinal electric fields or TM-mode waves are supposed to be utilized. The principle of the acceleration is based on the V(p) x B acceleration of a dynamo force acceleration, in which a charged particle trapped in a transverse wave feels a constant electric field (Faraday induction field) and subsequently is accelerated when an appropriate magnetic field is externally applied in the direction perpendicular to the wave propagation. A pair of dielectric plates is used to produce a slow TE mode. The conditions of the particle trapping the stabilization of the particle orbit are discussed.

  9. Uniformly accelerated black holes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Letelier, Patricio S.; Oliveira, Samuel R.

    2001-09-01

    The static and stationary C metric are examined in a generic framework and their interpretations studied in some detail, especially those with two event horizons, one for the black hole and another for the acceleration. We find that (i) the spacetime of an accelerated static black hole is plagued by either conical singularities or a lack of smoothness and compactness of the black hole horizon, (ii) by using standard black hole thermodynamics we show that accelerated black holes have a higher Hawking temperature than Unruh temperature of the accelerated frame, and (iii) the usual upper bound on the product of the mass and acceleration parameters (<1/27) is just a coordinate artifact. The main results are extended to accelerated rotating black holes with no significant changes.

  10. Coilgun Acceleration Model Containing Interactions Between Multiple Coils

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Liu, Connie; Polzin, Kurt; Martin, Adam

    2017-01-01

    Electromagnetic (EM) accelerators have the potential to fill a performance range not currently being met by conventional chemical and electric propulsion systems by providing a specific impulse of 600-1000 seconds and a thrust-to-power ratio greater than 200 mN/kW. A propulsion system based on EM acceleration of small projectiles has the traditional advantages of using a pulsed system, including precise control over a range of thrust and power levels as well as rapid response and repetition rates. Furthermore, EM accelerators have lower power requirements than conventional electric propulsion systems since no plasma creation is necessary. A coilgun is a specific type of EM device where a high-current pulse through a coil of wire interacts with a conductive projectile via an induced magnetic field to accelerate the projectile. There are no physical or electrical connections to the projectile, which leads to less system degradation and a longer life expectancy. Multi-staging a coilgun by adding multiple turns on a single coil or on the projectile increases the inductance, thus permitting acceleration of the projectile to higher velocities. Previously, a simplified problem of modeling an inductively-coupled, single-coil coilgun using a circuit-based analysis coupled to the one-dimensional momentum equation through Lenz's law was solved; however, the analysis was only conducted on uncoupled coils. The problem is significantly more complicated when multiple, independently-powered coils simultaneously operate and interact with each other and the projectile through induced magnetic fields. This paper presents a multi-coil model developed with the magnetostatic finite element solver QuickField. In the model, mutual inductance values between pairs of conductors were found by first computing the magnetic field energy for different cases where individual coils or multiple coils carry current, then integrating over the entire finite element domain for each case, and finally

  11. Optics measurement and correction during acceleration with beta-squeeze in RHIC

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

    Liu, C.; Marusic, A.; Minty, M.

    2015-05-03

    In the past, beam optics correction at RHIC has only taken place at injection and at final energy, with interpolation of corrections partially into the acceleration cycle. Recent measurements of the beam optics during acceleration and squeeze have evidenced significant beta-beats that, if corrected, could minimize undesirable emittance dilutions and maximize the spin polarization of polarized proton beams by avoiding the high-order multipole fields sampled by particles within the bunch. We recently demonstrated successful beam optics corrections during acceleration at RHIC. We verified conclusively the superior control of the beam realized via these corrections

  12. Accelerated Reader.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Education Commission of the States, Denver, CO.

    This paper provides an overview of Accelerated Reader, a system of computerized testing and record-keeping that supplements the regular classroom reading program. Accelerated Reader's primary goal is to increase literature-based reading practice. The program offers a computer-aided reading comprehension and management program intended to motivate…

  13. Rescuing Middle School Astronomy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mayo, L. A.; Janney, D.

    2010-12-01

    There is a crisis in education at the middle school level (Spellings, 2006). Recent studies point to large disparities in middle school performance in schools with high minority populations. The largest disparities exist in areas of math and science. Astronomy has a universal appeal for K-12 students but is rarely taught at the middle school level. When it is taught at all it is usually taught in isolation with few references in other classes such as other sciences (e.g. physics, biology, and chemistry), math, history, geography, music, art, or English. The problem is greatest in our most challenged school districts. With scores in reading and math below national averages in these schools and with most state achievement tests ignoring subjects like astronomy, there is little room in the school day to teach about the world outside our atmosphere. Add to this the exceedingly minimal training and education in astronomy that most middle school teachers have and it is a rare school that includes any astronomy teaching at all. In this presentation, we show how to develop and offer an astronomy education training program for middle school teachers encompassing a wide range of educational disciplines that are frequently taught at the middle school level. The prototype for this program was developed and launched in two of the most challenged and diverse school systems in the country; D.C. Public Schools, and Montgomery County (MD) Public Schools.

  14. Accelerated tooth eruption in children with diabetes mellitus.

    PubMed

    Lal, Shantanu; Cheng, Bin; Kaplan, Selma; Softness, Barney; Greenberg, Ellen; Goland, Robin S; Lalla, Evanthia; Lamster, Ira B

    2008-05-01

    The objective of this study was to evaluate tooth eruption in 6- to 14-year-old children with diabetes mellitus. Tooth eruption status was assessed for 270 children with diabetes and 320 control children without diabetes. Data on important diabetes-related variables were collected. Analyses were performed using logistic regression models. Children with diabetes exhibited accelerated tooth eruption in the late mixed dentition period (10-14 years of age) compared to healthy children. For both case patients and control subjects the odds of a tooth being in an advanced eruptive stage were significantly higher among girls than boys. There was also a trend associating gingival inflammation with expedited tooth eruption in both groups. No association was found between the odds of a tooth being in an advanced stage of eruption and hemoglobin A(1c) or duration of diabetes. Patients with higher body mass index percentile demonstrated statistically higher odds for accelerated tooth eruption, but the association was not clinically significant. Children with diabetes exhibit accelerated tooth eruption. Future studies need to ascertain the role of such aberrations in dental development and complications such as malocclusion, impaired oral hygiene, and periodontal disease. The standards of care for children with diabetes should include screening and referral programs aimed at oral health promotion and disease prevention.

  15. The Effect of Online Collaborative Learning on Middle School Student Science Literacy and Sense of Community

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wendt, Jillian Leigh

    2013-01-01

    This study examines the effects of online collaborative learning on middle school students' science literacy and sense of community. A quantitative, quasi-experimental pretest/posttest control group design was used. Following IRB approval and district superintendent approval, students at a public middle school in central Virginia completed a…

  16. Manuka honey protects middle-aged rats from oxidative damage

    PubMed Central

    Jubri, Zakiah; Rahim, Noor Baitee Abdul; Aan, Goon Jo

    2013-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the effect of manuka honey on the oxidative status of middle-aged rats. METHOD: Twenty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into young (2 months) and middle-aged (9 months) groups. They were further divided into two groups each, which were either fed with plain water (control) or supplemented with 2.5 g/kg body weight of manuka honey for 30 days. The DNA damage level was determined via the comet assay, the plasma malondialdehyde level was determined using high performance liquid chromatography, and the antioxidant enzyme activities (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase) were determined spectrophotometrically in the erythrocytes and liver. The antioxidant activities were measured using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and ferric reducing/antioxidant power assays, and the total phenolic content of the manuka was analyzed using UV spectrophotometry and the Folin-Ciocalteu method, respectively. RESULTS: Supplementation with manuka honey reduced the level of DNA damage, the malondialdehyde level and the glutathione peroxidase activity in the liver of both the young and middle-aged groups. However, the glutathione peroxidase activity was increased in the erythrocytes of middle-aged rats given manuka honey supplementation. The catalase activity was reduced in the liver and erythrocytes of both young and middle-aged rats given supplementation. Manuka honey was found to have antioxidant activity and to have a high total phenolic content. These findings showed a strong correlation between the total phenolic content and antioxidant activity. CONCLUSIONS: Manuka honey reduces oxidative damage in young and middle-aged rats; this effect could be mediated through the modulation of its antioxidant enzyme activities and its high total phenolic content. Manuka honey can be used as an alternative supplement at an early age to improve the oxidative status. PMID:24270958

  17. Manuka honey protects middle-aged rats from oxidative damage.

    PubMed

    Jubri, Zakiah; Rahim, Noor Baitee Abdul; Aan, Goon Jo

    2013-11-01

    This study aimed to determine the effect of manuka honey on the oxidative status of middle-aged rats. Twenty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into young (2 months) and middle-aged (9 months) groups. They were further divided into two groups each, which were either fed with plain water (control) or supplemented with 2.5 g/kg body weight of manuka honey for 30 days. The DNA damage level was determined via the comet assay, the plasma malondialdehyde level was determined using high performance liquid chromatography, and the antioxidant enzyme activities (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase) were determined spectrophotometrically in the erythrocytes and liver. The antioxidant activities were measured using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and ferric reducing/antioxidant power assays, and the total phenolic content of the manuka was analyzed using UV spectrophotometry and the Folin-Ciocalteu method, respectively. Supplementation with manuka honey reduced the level of DNA damage, the malondialdehyde level and the glutathione peroxidase activity in the liver of both the young and middle-aged groups. However, the glutathione peroxidase activity was increased in the erythrocytes of middle-aged rats given manuka honey supplementation. The catalase activity was reduced in the liver and erythrocytes of both young and middle-aged rats given supplementation. Manuka honey was found to have antioxidant activity and to have a high total phenolic content. These findings showed a strong correlation between the total phenolic content and antioxidant activity. Manuka honey reduces oxidative damage in young and middle-aged rats; this effect could be mediated through the modulation of its antioxidant enzyme activities and its high total phenolic content. Manuka honey can be used as an alternative supplement at an early age to improve the oxidative status.

  18. Alternative education programmes and middle school dropout in Honduras

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Marshall, Jeffery H.; Aguilar, Claudia R.; Alas, Mario; Castellanos, Renán Rápalo; Castro, Levi; Enamorado, Ramón; Fonseca, Esther

    2014-05-01

    Honduras has made steady progress in expanding post-primary school coverage in recent years, but many rural communities still do not provide a middle (lower secondary) school. As a result, Honduras has implemented a number of middle school alternative programmes designed to meet the needs of at-risk populations throughout the country. This article analyses dropout in three of the four main alternative lower secondary school programmes in Honduras over a three-year period for a cohort of roughly 5,500 students. The results show that these programmes are indeed reaching a vulnerable population in the country, but dropout rates are generally very high - upwards of 50 per cent in some cases - between Grades 7 and 9. Furthermore, even in the control school comparison samples made up of formal lower secondary schools, about 25 per cent of children leave school between Grades 7 and 9. The authors' analysis includes propensity score matching (PSM) methods that make more focused comparisons between students in alternative programmes and control samples. These results show that dropout rates in alternative programmes are not much different than in control schools, and only significant in one programme comparison, when taking into account family background characteristics like socioeconomic status (SES). Multivariate analysis within alternative programme samples finds that attrition is lower in those learning centres which have adopted key features of formal schools, such as university-educated teachers. The results highlight the tremendous variation in the alternative middle school sector in terms of programme features, school quality and student outcomes, as well as the challenges of expanding this sector to meet the growing demand for lower secondary schooling in Honduras.

  19. Mid South Middle Start: Studies of Three Middle Start Schools in the Mid South Delta

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rose, Lea Williams; Cheney, Nancy

    2005-01-01

    These three case studies highlight the implementation and impact of Mid South Middle Start by: (1) contributing toward an in-depth understanding of what it means to be a school implementing Middle Start; (2) describing a holistic portrait of the schools' participation in Mid South Middle Start; and (3) assisting the Academy for Educational…

  20. Repetitive nanosecond electron accelerators type URT-1 for radiation technology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sokovnin, S. Yu.; Balezin, M. E.

    2018-03-01

    The electron accelerator URT-1М-300 for mobile installation was created for radiation disinfecting to correct drawbacks that were found the URT-1M electron accelerator operation (the accelerating voltage up to 1 МV, repetition rate up to 300 pps, electron beam size 400 × 100 mm, the pulse width about 100 ns). Accelerator configuration was changed that allowed to reduce significantly by 20% tank volume with oil where is placed the system of formation high-voltage pulses, thus the average power of the accelerator is increased by 6 times at the expense of increase in pulses repetition rate. Was created the system of the computerized monitoring parameters (output parameters and thermal mode) and remote control of the accelerator (charge voltage, pulse repetition rate), its elements and auxiliary systems (heat of the thyratron, vacuum system), the remote control panel is connected to the installation by the fiber-optical channel, what lightens the work for service personnel. For generating an electron beam up to 400 mm wide there are used metal- ceramic] and metal-dielectric cold cathodes of several emission elements (plates) with a non-uniform distribution of the electron beam current density on the output foil ± 15%. It was found that emission drop of both type of cathodes, during the operation at the high repetition rate (100 pps) is substantial at the beginning of the process, and then proceeds rather slowly that allows for continuous operation up to 40 h. Experiments showed that linear dependence of the voltage and a signal from the pin-diode remains within the range of the charge voltage 45-65 kV. Thus, voltage increases from 690 to 950 kV, and the signal from the pin-diode - from (2,8-4,6)*104 Gy/s. It allows to select electron energy quite precisely with consideration of the radiation technology requirements.

  1. Amps particle accelerator definition study

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sellen, J. M., Jr.

    1975-01-01

    The Particle Accelerator System of the AMPS (Atmospheric, Magnetospheric, and Plasmas in Space) payload is a series of charged particle accelerators to be flown with the Space Transportation System Shuttle on Spacelab missions. In the configuration presented, the total particle accelerator system consists of an energetic electron beam, an energetic ion accelerator, and both low voltage and high voltage plasma acceleration devices. The Orbiter is illustrated with such a particle accelerator system.

  2. Radical Acceleration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gross, Miraca U. M.; Van Vliet, Helen E.

    2005-01-01

    Research has found that teachers' objections to accelerating gifted students are mainly based on a fear that acceleration will lead to social or emotional damage. Ironically, it is the academic and emotional maturity which characterizes intellectually gifted students, coupled with their high levels of academic achievement, which makes them such…

  3. Trains of electron micro-bunches in plasma wake-field acceleration

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lécz, Zsolt; Andreev, Alexander; Konoplev, Ivan; Seryi, Andrei; Smith, Jonathan

    2018-07-01

    Plasma-based charged particle accelerators have been intensively investigated in the past three decades due to their capability to open up new horizons in accelerator science and particle physics yielding electric field accelerating gradient more than three orders of magnitudes higher than in conventional devices. At the current stage the most advanced and reliable mechanism for accelerating electrons is based on the propagation of an intense laser pulse or a relativistic electron beam in a low density gaseous target. In this paper we concentrate on the electron beam-driven plasma wake-field acceleration and demonstrate using 3D PiC simulations that a train of electron micro-bunches with ∼10 fs period can be generated behind the driving beam propagating in a density down-ramp. We will discuss the conditions and properties of the micro-bunches generated aiming at understanding and study of multi-bunch mechanism of injection. It is show that the periodicity and duration of micro-bunches can be controlled by adjusting the plasma density gradient and driving beam charge.

  4. Observation of acceleration and deceleration in gigaelectron-volt-per-metre gradient dielectric wakefield accelerators

    DOE PAGES

    O’Shea, B. D.; Andonian, G.; Barber, S. K.; ...

    2016-09-14

    There is urgent need to develop new acceleration techniques capable of exceeding gigaelectron-volt-per-metre (GeV m –1) gradients in order to enable future generations of both light sources and high-energy physics experiments. To address this need, short wavelength accelerators based on wakefields, where an intense relativistic electron beam radiates the demanded fields directly into the accelerator structure or medium, are currently under intense investigation. One such wakefield based accelerator, the dielectric wakefield accelerator, uses a dielectric lined-waveguide to support a wakefield used for acceleration. Here we show gradients of 1.347±0.020 GeV m –1 using a dielectric wakefield accelerator of 15 cmmore » length, with sub-millimetre transverse aperture, by measuring changes of the kinetic state of relativistic electron beams. We follow this measurement by demonstrating accelerating gradients of 320±17 MeV m –1. As a result, both measurements improve on previous measurements by and order of magnitude and show promise for dielectric wakefield accelerators as sources of high-energy electrons.« less

  5. Observation of acceleration and deceleration in gigaelectron-volt-per-metre gradient dielectric wakefield accelerators

    PubMed Central

    O'Shea, B. D.; Andonian, G.; Barber, S. K.; Fitzmorris, K. L.; Hakimi, S.; Harrison, J.; Hoang, P. D.; Hogan, M. J.; Naranjo, B.; Williams, O. B.; Yakimenko, V.; Rosenzweig, J. B.

    2016-01-01

    There is urgent need to develop new acceleration techniques capable of exceeding gigaelectron-volt-per-metre (GeV m−1) gradients in order to enable future generations of both light sources and high-energy physics experiments. To address this need, short wavelength accelerators based on wakefields, where an intense relativistic electron beam radiates the demanded fields directly into the accelerator structure or medium, are currently under intense investigation. One such wakefield based accelerator, the dielectric wakefield accelerator, uses a dielectric lined-waveguide to support a wakefield used for acceleration. Here we show gradients of 1.347±0.020 GeV m−1 using a dielectric wakefield accelerator of 15 cm length, with sub-millimetre transverse aperture, by measuring changes of the kinetic state of relativistic electron beams. We follow this measurement by demonstrating accelerating gradients of 320±17 MeV m−1. Both measurements improve on previous measurements by and order of magnitude and show promise for dielectric wakefield accelerators as sources of high-energy electrons. PMID:27624348

  6. Staging of RF-accelerating Units in a MEMS-based Ion Accelerator

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Persaud, A.; Seidl, P. A.; Ji, Q.; Feinberg, E.; Waldron, W. L.; Schenkel, T.; Ardanuc, S.; Vinayakumar, K. B.; Lal, A.

    Multiple Electrostatic Quadrupole Array Linear Accelerators (MEQALACs) provide an opportunity to realize compact radio- frequency (RF) accelerator structures that can deliver very high beam currents. MEQALACs have been previously realized with acceleration gap distances and beam aperture sizes of the order of centimeters. Through advances in Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) fabrication, MEQALACs can now be scaled down to the sub-millimeter regime and batch processed on wafer substrates. In this paper we show first results from using three RF stages in a compact MEMS-based ion accelerator. The results presented show proof-of-concept with accelerator structures formed from printed circuit boards using a 3 × 3 beamlet arrangement and noble gas ions at 10 keV. We present a simple model to describe the measured results. We also discuss some of the scaling behaviour of a compact MEQALAC. The MEMS-based approach enables a low-cost, highly versatile accelerator covering a wide range of currents (10 μA to 100 mA) and beam energies (100 keV to several MeV). Applications include ion-beam analysis, mass spectrometry, materials processing, and at very high beam powers, plasma heating.

  7. Staging of RF-accelerating Units in a MEMS-based Ion Accelerator

    DOE PAGES

    Persaud, A.; Seidl, P. A.; Ji, Q.; ...

    2017-10-26

    Multiple Electrostatic Quadrupole Array Linear Accelerators (MEQALACs) provide an opportunity to realize compact radio- frequency (RF) accelerator structures that can deliver very high beam currents. MEQALACs have been previously realized with acceleration gap distances and beam aperture sizes of the order of centimeters. Through advances in Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) fabrication, MEQALACs can now be scaled down to the sub-millimeter regime and batch processed on wafer substrates. In this paper we show first results from using three RF stages in a compact MEMS-based ion accelerator. The results presented show proof-of-concept with accelerator structures formed from printed circuit boards using a 3more » × 3 beamlet arrangement and noble gas ions at 10 keV. We present a simple model to describe the measured results. We also discuss some of the scaling behaviour of a compact MEQALAC. The MEMS-based approach enables a low-cost, highly versatile accelerator covering a wide range of currents (10 μA to 100 mA) and beam energies (100 keV to several MeV). Applications include ion-beam analysis, mass spectrometry, materials processing, and at very high beam powers, plasma heating.« less

  8. Staging of RF-accelerating Units in a MEMS-based Ion Accelerator

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

    Persaud, A.; Seidl, P. A.; Ji, Q.

    Multiple Electrostatic Quadrupole Array Linear Accelerators (MEQALACs) provide an opportunity to realize compact radio- frequency (RF) accelerator structures that can deliver very high beam currents. MEQALACs have been previously realized with acceleration gap distances and beam aperture sizes of the order of centimeters. Through advances in Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) fabrication, MEQALACs can now be scaled down to the sub-millimeter regime and batch processed on wafer substrates. In this paper we show first results from using three RF stages in a compact MEMS-based ion accelerator. The results presented show proof-of-concept with accelerator structures formed from printed circuit boards using a 3more » × 3 beamlet arrangement and noble gas ions at 10 keV. We present a simple model to describe the measured results. We also discuss some of the scaling behaviour of a compact MEQALAC. The MEMS-based approach enables a low-cost, highly versatile accelerator covering a wide range of currents (10 μA to 100 mA) and beam energies (100 keV to several MeV). Applications include ion-beam analysis, mass spectrometry, materials processing, and at very high beam powers, plasma heating.« less

  9. Proposal for an Accelerator R&D User Facility at Fermilab's Advanced Superconducting Test Accelerator (ASTA)

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

    Church, M.; Edwards, H.; Harms, E.

    2013-10-01

    Fermilab is the nation’s particle physics laboratory, supported by the DOE Office of High Energy Physics (OHEP). Fermilab is a world leader in accelerators, with a demonstrated track-record— spanning four decades—of excellence in accelerator science and technology. We describe the significant opportunity to complete, in a highly leveraged manner, a unique accelerator research facility that supports the broad strategic goals in accelerator science and technology within the OHEP. While the US accelerator-based HEP program is oriented toward the Intensity Frontier, which requires modern superconducting linear accelerators and advanced highintensity storage rings, there are no accelerator test facilities that support themore » accelerator science of the Intensity Frontier. Further, nearly all proposed future accelerators for Discovery Science will rely on superconducting radiofrequency (SRF) acceleration, yet there are no dedicated test facilities to study SRF capabilities for beam acceleration and manipulation in prototypic conditions. Finally, there are a wide range of experiments and research programs beyond particle physics that require the unique beam parameters that will only be available at Fermilab’s Advanced Superconducting Test Accelerator (ASTA). To address these needs we submit this proposal for an Accelerator R&D User Facility at ASTA. The ASTA program is based on the capability provided by an SRF linac (which provides electron beams from 50 MeV to nearly 1 GeV) and a small storage ring (with the ability to store either electrons or protons) to enable a broad range of beam-based experiments to study fundamental limitations to beam intensity and to develop transformative approaches to particle-beam generation, acceleration and manipulation which cannot be done elsewhere. It will also establish a unique resource for R&D towards Energy Frontier facilities and a test-bed for SRF accelerators and high brightness beam applications in support of the

  10. Diffusive shock acceleration - Acceleration rate, magnetic-field direction and the diffusion limit

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jokipii, J. R.

    1992-01-01

    This paper reviews the concept of diffusive shock acceleration, showing that the acceleration of charged particles at a collisionless shock is a straightforward consequence of the standard cosmic-ray transport equation, provided that one treats the discontinuity at the shock correctly. This is true for arbitrary direction of the upstream magnetic field. Within this framework, it is shown that acceleration at perpendicular or quasi-perpendicular shocks is generally much faster than for parallel shocks. Paradoxically, it follows also that, for a simple scattering law, the acceleration is faster for less scattering or larger mean free path. Obviously, the mean free path can not become too large or the diffusion limit becomes inapplicable. Gradient and curvature drifts caused by the magnetic-field change at the shock play a major role in the acceleration process in most cases. Recent observations of the charge state of the anomalous component are shown to require the faster acceleration at the quasi-perpendicular solar-wind termination shock.

  11. Development of a 20 MeV Dielectric-Loaded Test Accelerator

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gold, Steven H.; Kinkead, Allen K.; Gai, Wei; Power, John G.; Konecny, Richard; Jing, Chunguang; Long, Jidong; Tantawi, Sami G.; Nantista, Christopher D.; Bruce, Ralph W.; Fliflet, Arne W.; Lombardi, Marcie; Lewis, David

    2006-11-01

    This paper presents a progress report on a joint project by the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) and Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), in collaboration with the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC), to develop a dielectric-loaded test accelerator in the magnicon facility at NRL. The accelerator will be powered by an experimental 11.424-GHz magnicon amplifier that presently produces 25 MW of output power in a ˜250-ns pulse at up to 10 Hz. The accelerator will include a 5-MeV electron injector originally developed at the Tsinghua University in Beijing, China, and can incorporate DLA structures up to 0.5 m in length. The DLA structures are being developed by ANL, and shorter test structures fabricated from a variety of dielectric materials have undergone testing at NRL at gradients up to ˜8 MV/m. SLAC has developed components to distribute the power from the two magnicon output arms to the injector and to the DLA accelerating structure with separate control of the power ratio and relative phase. RWBruce Associates, Inc., working with NRL, has investigated means to join short ceramic sections into a continuous accelerator tube by a brazing process using an intense 83-GHz beam. The installation and testing of the first dielectric-loaded test accelerator, including injector, DLA test structure, and spectrometer, should take place within the next year.

  12. Minimizing Head Acceleration in Soccer: A Review of the Literature.

    PubMed

    Caccese, Jaclyn B; Kaminski, Thomas W

    2016-11-01

    Physicians and healthcare professionals are often asked for recommendations on how to keep athletes safe during contact sports such as soccer. With an increase in concussion awareness and concern about repetitive subconcussion, many parents and athletes are interested in mitigating head acceleration in soccer, so we conducted a literature review on factors that affect head acceleration in soccer. We searched electronic databases and reference lists to find studies using the keywords 'soccer' OR 'football' AND 'head acceleration'. Because of a lack of current research in soccer heading biomechanics, this review was limited to 18 original research studies. Low head-neck segment mass predisposes athletes to high head acceleration, but head-neck-torso alignment during heading and follow-through after contact can be used to decrease head acceleration. Additionally, improvements in symmetric neck flexor and extensor strength and neuromuscular neck stiffness can decrease head acceleration. Head-to-head impacts and unanticipated ball contacts result in the highest head acceleration. Ball contacts at high velocity may also be dangerous. The risk of concussive impacts may be lessened through the use of headgear, but headgear may also cause athletes to play more recklessly because they feel a sense of increased security. Young, but physically capable, athletes should be taught proper heading technique in a controlled setting, using a carefully planned progression of the skill.

  13. Static and dynamic parasitic magnetizations and their control in superconducting accelerator dipoles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Collings, E. W.; Sumption, M. D.

    2001-05-01

    Long dipole magnets guide the particle beams in synchrotron-type high energy accelerators. In principal Cu-wound DC-excited dipoles could be designed to deliver a very uniform transverse bore field, i.e. with small or negligible harmonic (multipolar) distortion. But if the Cu is replaced by (a) superconducting strand that is (b) wound into a Rutherford cable carrying a time-varying transport current, extra magnetizations present within the windings cause distortions of the otherwise uniform field. The static (persistent-current) strand magnetization can be reduced by reducing the filament diameter, and the residue compensated or corrected by strategically placed active or passive components. The cable’s interstrand coupling currents can be controlled by increasing the interstrand contact resistance by: adjusting the level of native oxidation of the strand, coating it, or by inserting a ribbon-like core into the cable itself. Methods of locally compensating the magnetization of NbTi and Nb 3Sn strand and cable are discussed, progress in coupling-current suppression through the use of coatings and cores is reviewed, and a method of simultaneously reducing both the static and dynamic magnetizations of a NbTi cable by means of a thin Ni core is suggested.

  14. Association of Being Bullied in School with Suicide Ideation and Planning among Rural Middle School Adolescents

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bhatta, Madhav P.; Shakya, Sunita; Jefferis, Eric

    2014-01-01

    Background: This study examined the association of ever being bullied in school with suicide ideation (ever thinking about killing oneself) and ever seriously making a plan to kill oneself (suicide planning) among rural middle school adolescents. Methods: Using the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Middle School Youth Risk Behavior…

  15. 40 CFR 1065.630 - Local acceleration of gravity.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 33 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Local acceleration of gravity. 1065.630 Section 1065.630 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR POLLUTION CONTROLS ENGINE-TESTING PROCEDURES Calculations and Data Requirements § 1065.630 Local...

  16. Effective cues for accelerating young drivers' time to transfer control following a period of conditional automation.

    PubMed

    Wright, Timothy J; Agrawal, Ravi; Samuel, Siby; Wang, Yuhua; Zilberstein, Shlomo; Fisher, Donald L

    2018-07-01

    During conditional automated driving, a transition from the automated driving suite to manual control requires the driver to take over control at a moment's notice. Thus, it is critical that a driver be made situationally aware as quickly as possible in those conditions where he or she may not be paying full attention. Recent research suggests that specific cues about upcoming hazards (e.g., "crosswalk ahead") can increase the drivers' situation awareness during these safety-critical take-over situations when compared with a general cue ("take over control"). The current study examines whether this increased situation awareness which occurs as a result of more specific cues translates into improved hazard mitigation performance within the same limited time window. Fifty-seven drivers were randomly assigned to one of five between-subjects conditions (one control condition and four experimental auditory cue conditions) that varied in the specificity of information provided about an upcoming hazard. The four experimental conditions included a period of conditional automated driving where the driver was engaged in a driving-irrelevant task and looked away from the forward roadway prior to a take-over request. Drivers in the fifth condition had no cue and drove manually throughout. The same six simulator scenarios were used in all five conditions to evaluate how well the driver mitigated a hazard. The average velocity, standard deviation of velocity, and average absolute acceleration were recorded along with the glance behaviors of drivers. In general, during the 4s prior to a latent hazard (following the alerting cues in the automated driving conditions), the more likely a driver was to glance towards a latent hazard, the more likely the driver was to reduce his or her speed. Moreover, analyses focusing solely on hazard mitigation behavior revealed patterns that mirrored the glance behavior results. Specifically, drivers that were presented with cues that described the

  17. Relational Aggression in Middle Childhood: Predictors and Adolescent Outcomes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Spieker, Susan J.; Campbell, Susan B.; Vandergrift, Nathan; Pierce, Kim M.; Cauffman, Elizabeth; Susman, Elizabeth J.; Roisman, Glenn I.

    2012-01-01

    This study examined gender differences in the level and developmental course of relational aggression in middle childhood, as well as early predictors and outcomes of relational aggression, after controlling for concurrent physical aggression. Relational (RAgg) and Physical aggression (PAgg) scores for 558 boys and 545 girls at the ages of eight…

  18. Stuck in the Middle: How and Why Middle Schools Harm Student Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rockoff, Jonah E.; Lockwood, Benjamin B.

    2010-01-01

    Could middle schools be bad for student learning? Could something as simple as changing the grade configuration of schools improve academic outcomes? That's what some educators have come to believe. States and school districts across the country are reevaluating the practice of educating young adolescents in stand-alone middle schools, which…

  19. Implementing Low-Cost, Community-Based Exercise Programs for Middle-Aged and Older Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: What Are the Benefits for Glycemic Control and Cardiovascular Risk?

    PubMed

    Mendes, Romeu; Sousa, Nelson; Reis, Victor Machado; Themudo-Barata, Jose Luis

    2017-09-13

    The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of a long-term, community-based, combined exercise program developed with low-cost exercise strategies on glycemic control and cardiovascular risk factors in middle-aged and older patients with type 2 diabetes. Participants ( n = 124; 63.25 ± 7.20 years old) engaged in either a 9-month supervised exercise program ( n = 39; consisting of combined aerobic, resistance, agility/balance, and flexibility exercise; three sessions per week; 70 min per session) or a control group ( n = 85) who maintained their usual care. Glycemic control, lipid profile, blood pressure, anthropometric profile, and the 10-year risk of coronary artery disease were assessed before and after the 9-month intervention. A significant time * group interaction effect ( p < 0.001) was identified in the values of the glycated hemoglobin, fasting plasma glucose, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, body mass index, waist circumference, and the 10-year risk of coronary artery disease. A long-term, community-based, combined exercise program developed with low-cost exercise strategies was effective in inducing significant benefits on glycemic control, lipid profile, blood pressure, anthropometric profile, and the 10-year risk of coronary artery disease in middle-aged and older patients with type 2 diabetes. Clinical Trial Identification Number: ISRCTN09240628.

  20. Implementing Low-Cost, Community-Based Exercise Programs for Middle-Aged and Older Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: What Are the Benefits for Glycemic Control and Cardiovascular Risk?

    PubMed Central

    Reis, Victor Machado; Themudo-Barata, Jose Luis

    2017-01-01

    Background: The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of a long-term, community-based, combined exercise program developed with low-cost exercise strategies on glycemic control and cardiovascular risk factors in middle-aged and older patients with type 2 diabetes. Methods: Participants (n = 124; 63.25 ± 7.20 years old) engaged in either a 9-month supervised exercise program (n = 39; consisting of combined aerobic, resistance, agility/balance, and flexibility exercise; three sessions per week; 70 min per session) or a control group (n = 85) who maintained their usual care. Glycemic control, lipid profile, blood pressure, anthropometric profile, and the 10-year risk of coronary artery disease were assessed before and after the 9-month intervention. Results: A significant time * group interaction effect (p < 0.001) was identified in the values of the glycated hemoglobin, fasting plasma glucose, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, body mass index, waist circumference, and the 10-year risk of coronary artery disease. Conclusions: A long-term, community-based, combined exercise program developed with low-cost exercise strategies was effective in inducing significant benefits on glycemic control, lipid profile, blood pressure, anthropometric profile, and the 10-year risk of coronary artery disease in middle-aged and older patients with type 2 diabetes. Clinical Trial Identification Number: ISRCTN09240628. PMID:28902144

  1. Linking implementation process to intervention outcomes in a middle school obesity prevention curriculum, ‘Choice, Control and Change’

    PubMed Central

    Gray, Heewon Lee; Contento, Isobel R.; Koch, Pamela A.

    2015-01-01

    This study investigates the link between process evaluation components and the outcomes of a school-based nutrition curriculum intervention, ‘Choice, Control and Change’. Ten New York City public middle schools were recruited and randomly assigned into intervention or control condition. The curriculum was to improve sixth to seventh grade students’ energy balance related behaviors, based on social cognitive and self-determination theories, and implemented during the 2006–2007 school year (n = 1136). Behaviors and psychosocial variables were measured by self-reported questionnaires. Process components were evaluated with classroom observations, teacher interviews, and a student questionnaire. Using ‘Teacher Implementation’ (dose delivered) and ‘Student Reception’ (dose received) process data; intervention group was further categorized into medium- and high-implementation groups. Analysis of covariance revealed that, compared with control group, only high-implementation group showed significant improvement in students’ behavior and psychosocial outcomes. Hierarchical linear models showed that ‘Teacher Implementation’ and ‘Student Reception’ significantly predicted students’ sweetened beverage outcomes (P < 0.05). ‘Student Satisfaction’ was also greater when these implementation components were higher, and significantly associated with behavior and psychosocial outcomes (P < 0.05). Implementation process influenced the effectiveness of the ‘Choice, Control and Change’ intervention study. It is important to take into account the process components when interpreting the results of such research. PMID:25700557

  2. Plasma Wakefield Acceleration and FACET - Facilities for Accelerator Science and Experimental Test Beams at SLAC

    ScienceCinema

    Seryi, Andrei

    2017-12-22

    Plasma wakefield acceleration is one of the most promising approaches to advancing accelerator technology. This approach offers a potential 1,000-fold or more increase in acceleration over a given distance, compared to existing accelerators.  FACET, enabled by the Recovery Act funds, will study plasma acceleration, using short, intense pulses of electrons and positrons. In this lecture, the physics of plasma acceleration and features of FACET will be presented.  

  3. Structure and function of the mammalian middle ear. I: Large middle ears in small desert mammals.

    PubMed

    Mason, Matthew J

    2016-02-01

    Many species of small desert mammals are known to have expanded auditory bullae. The ears of gerbils and heteromyids have been well described, but much less is known about the middle ear anatomy of other desert mammals. In this study, the middle ears of three gerbils (Meriones, Desmodillus and Gerbillurus), two jerboas (Jaculus) and two sengis (elephant-shrews: Macroscelides and Elephantulus) were examined and compared, using micro-computed tomography and light microscopy. Middle ear cavity expansion has occurred in members of all three groups, apparently in association with an essentially 'freely mobile' ossicular morphology and the development of bony tubes for the middle ear arteries. Cavity expansion can occur in different ways, resulting in different subcavity patterns even between different species of gerbils. Having enlarged middle ear cavities aids low-frequency audition, and several adaptive advantages of low-frequency hearing to small desert mammals have been proposed. However, while Macroscelides was found here to have middle ear cavities so large that together they exceed brain volume, the bullae of Elephantulus are considerably smaller. Why middle ear cavities are enlarged in some desert species but not others remains unclear, but it may relate to microhabitat. © 2015 Anatomical Society.

  4. In praise of middle managers.

    PubMed

    Huy, Q N

    2001-09-01

    Middle managers have often been cast as dinosaurs. Has-beens. Mediocre managers and intermediaries who defend the status quo instead of supporting others' attempts to change organizations for the better. An INSEAD professor has examined this interesting breed of manager--in particular, middle managers' roles during periods of radical organizational change. His findings will surprise many. Middle managers, it turns out, make valuable contributions to the realization of radical change at companies--contributions that go largely unrecognized by most senior executives. Quy Nguyen Huy says these contributions occur in four major areas. First, middle managers often have good entrepreneurial ideas that they are able and willing to realize--if only they can get a hearing. Second, they're far better than most senior executives at leveraging the informal networks at companies that make substantive, lasting change. Because they've worked their way up the corporate ladder, middle managers' networks run deep. Third, they stay attuned to employees' emotional needs during organizational change, thereby maintaining the transformation's momentum. And finally, they manage the tension between continuity and change--they keep the organization from falling into extreme inertia or extreme chaos. The author examines each of these strengths, citing real-world examples culled from his research. Of course, not every middle manager in an organization is a paragon of entrepreneurial vigor and energy, Huy acknowledges. But cavalierly dismissing the roles that middle managers play--and carelessly reducing their ranks--will drastically diminish senior managers' chances of realizing radical change at their companies. Indeed, middle managers may be the most effective allies of corner office executives when it's time to make major changes in businesses.

  5. A middle man approach to knowledge acquisition in expert systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jordan, Janice A.; Lin, Min-Jin; Mayer, Richard J.; Sterle, Mark E.

    1990-01-01

    The Weed Control Advisor (WCA) is a robust expert system that has been successfully implemented on an IBM AT class microcomputer in CLIPS. The goal of the WCA was to demonstrate the feasibility of providing an economical, efficient, user friendly system through which Texas rice producers could obtain expert level knowledge regarding herbicide application for weed control. During the development phase of the WCA, an improved knowledge acquisition method which we call the Middle Man Approach (MMA) was applied to facilitate the communication process between the domain experts and the knowledge engineer. The MMA served to circumvent the problems associated with the more traditional forms of knowledge acquisition by placing the Middle Man, a semi-expert in the problem domain with some computer expertise, at the site of system development. The middle man was able to contribute to system development in two major ways. First, the Middle Man had experience working in rice production and could assume many of the responsibilities normally performed by the domain experts such as explaining the background of the problem domain and determining the important relations. Second, the Middle Man was familiar with computers and worked closely with the system developers to update the rules after the domain experts reviewed the prototype, contribute to the help menus and explanation portions of the expert system, conduct the testing that is required to insure that the expert system gives the expected results answer questions in a timely way, help the knowledge engineer structure the domain knowledge into a useable form, and provide insight into the end user's profile which helped in the development of the simple user friendly interface. The final results were not only that both time expended and costs were greatly reduced by using the MMA, but the quality of the system was improved. This papa will introduce the WCA system and then discuss traditional knowledge acquisition along with

  6. Disintegrated care: the Achilles heel of international health policies in low and middle-income countries

    PubMed Central

    Unger, Jean-Pierre; De Paepe, Pierre; Ghilbert, Patricia; Soors, Werner; Green, Andrew

    2006-01-01

    Abstract Purpose To review the evidence basis of international aid and health policy. Context of case Current international aid policy is largely neoliberal in its promotion of commoditization and privatisation. We review this policy's responsibility for the lack of effectiveness in disease control and poor access to care in low and middle-income countries. Data sources National policies, international programmes and pilot experiments are examined in both scientific and grey literature. Conclusions and discussion We document how health care privatisation has led to the pool of patients being cut off from public disease control interventions—causing health care disintegration—which in turn resulted in substandard performance of disease control. Privatisation of health care also resulted in poor access. Our analysis consists of three steps. Pilot local contracting-out experiments are scrutinized; national health care records of Colombia and Chile, two countries having adopted contracting-out as a basis for health care delivery, are critically examined against Costa Rica; and specific failure mechanisms of the policy in low and middle-income countries are explored. We conclude by arguing that the negative impact of neoliberal health policy on disease control and health care in low and middle-income countries justifies an alternative aid policy to improve both disease control and health care. PMID:17006553

  7. Electron beam accelerator with magnetic pulse compression and accelerator switching

    DOEpatents

    Birx, Daniel L.; Reginato, Louis L.

    1988-01-01

    An electron beam accelerator comprising an electron beam generator-injector to produce a focused beam of .gtoreq.0.1 MeV energy electrons; a plurality of substantially identical, aligned accelerator modules to sequentially receive and increase the kinetic energies of the beam electrons by about 0.1-1 MeV per module. Each accelerator module includes a pulse-forming network that delivers a voltage pulse to the module of substantially .gtoreq.0.1-1 MeV maximum energy over a time duration of .ltoreq.1 .mu.sec.

  8. Electron beam accelerator with magnetic pulse compression and accelerator switching

    DOEpatents

    Birx, Daniel L.; Reginato, Louis L.

    1987-01-01

    An electron beam accelerator comprising an electron beam generator-injector to produce a focused beam of .gtoreq.0.1 MeV energy electrons; a plurality of substantially identical, aligned accelerator modules to sequentially receive and increase the kinetic energies of the beam electrons by about 0.1-1 MeV per module. Each accelerator module includes a pulse-forming network that delivers a voltage pulse to the module of substantially 0.1-1 MeV maximum energy over a time duration of .ltoreq.1 .mu.sec.

  9. Particle acceleration

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Vlahos, L.; Machado, M. E.; Ramaty, R.; Murphy, R. J.; Alissandrakis, C.; Bai, T.; Batchelor, D.; Benz, A. O.; Chupp, E.; Ellison, D.

    1986-01-01

    Data is compiled from Solar Maximum Mission and Hinothori satellites, particle detectors in several satellites, ground based instruments, and balloon flights in order to answer fundamental questions relating to: (1) the requirements for the coronal magnetic field structure in the vicinity of the energization source; (2) the height (above the photosphere) of the energization source; (3) the time of energization; (4) transistion between coronal heating and flares; (5) evidence for purely thermal, purely nonthermal and hybrid type flares; (6) the time characteristics of the energization source; (7) whether every flare accelerates protons; (8) the location of the interaction site of the ions and relativistic electrons; (9) the energy spectra for ions and relativistic electrons; (10) the relationship between particles at the Sun and interplanetary space; (11) evidence for more than one acceleration mechanism; (12) whether there is single mechanism that will accelerate particles to all energies and also heat the plasma; and (13) how fast the existing mechanisms accelerate electrons up to several MeV and ions to 1 GeV.

  10. ACCELERATION INTEGRATOR

    DOEpatents

    Pope, K.E.

    1958-01-01

    This patent relates to an improved acceleration integrator and more particularly to apparatus of this nature which is gyrostabilized. The device may be used to sense the attainment by an airborne vehicle of a predetermined velocitv or distance along a given vector path. In its broad aspects, the acceleration integrator utilizes a magnetized element rotatable driven by a synchronous motor and having a cylin drical flux gap and a restrained eddy- current drag cap deposed to move into the gap. The angular velocity imparted to the rotatable cap shaft is transmitted in a positive manner to the magnetized element through a servo feedback loop. The resultant angular velocity of tae cap is proportional to the acceleration of the housing in this manner and means may be used to measure the velocity and operate switches at a pre-set magnitude. To make the above-described dcvice sensitive to acceleration in only one direction the magnetized element forms the spinning inertia element of a free gyroscope, and the outer housing functions as a gimbal of a gyroscope.

  11. Accelerated radiation damping for increased spin equilibrium (ARISE): a new method for controlling the recovery of longitudinal magnetization.

    PubMed

    Huang, Susie Y; Witzel, Thomas; Wald, Lawrence L

    2008-11-01

    Control of the longitudinal magnetization in fast gradient-echo (GRE) sequences is an important factor in enabling the high efficiency of balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP) sequences. We introduce a new method for accelerating the return of the longitudinal magnetization to the +z-axis that is independent of externally applied RF pulses and shows improved off-resonance performance. The accelerated radiation damping for increased spin equilibrium (ARISE) method uses an external feedback circuit to strengthen the radiation damping (RD) field. The enhanced RD field rotates the magnetization back to the +z-axis at a rate faster than T(1) relaxation. The method is characterized in GRE phantom imaging at 3T as a function of feedback gain, phase, and duration, and compared with results from numerical simulations of the Bloch equations incorporating RD. A short period of feedback (10 ms) during a refocused interval of a crushed GRE sequence allowed greater than 99% recovery of the longitudinal magnetization when very little T(2) relaxation had time to occur. An appropriate application might be to improve navigated sequences. Unlike conventional flip-back schemes, the ARISE "flip-back" is generated by the spins themselves, thereby offering a potentially useful building block for enhancing GRE sequences.

  12. Joint kinematics and kinetics of overground accelerated running versus running on an accelerated treadmill

    PubMed Central

    Van Caekenberghe, Ine; Segers, Veerle; Aerts, Peter; Willems, Patrick; De Clercq, Dirk

    2013-01-01

    Literature shows that running on an accelerated motorized treadmill is mechanically different from accelerated running overground. Overground, the subject has to enlarge the net anterior–posterior force impulse proportional to acceleration in order to overcome linear whole body inertia, whereas on a treadmill, this force impulse remains zero, regardless of belt acceleration. Therefore, it can be expected that changes in kinematics and joint kinetics of the human body also are proportional to acceleration overground, whereas no changes according to belt acceleration are expected on a treadmill. This study documents kinematics and joint kinetics of accelerated running overground and running on an accelerated motorized treadmill belt for 10 young healthy subjects. When accelerating overground, ground reaction forces are characterized by less braking and more propulsion, generating a more forward-oriented ground reaction force vector and a more forwardly inclined body compared with steady-state running. This change in body orientation as such is partly responsible for the changed force direction. Besides this, more pronounced hip and knee flexion at initial contact, a larger hip extension velocity, smaller knee flexion velocity and smaller initial plantarflexion velocity are associated with less braking. A larger knee extension and plantarflexion velocity result in larger propulsion. Altogether, during stance, joint moments are not significantly influenced by acceleration overground. Therefore, we suggest that the overall behaviour of the musculoskeletal system (in terms of kinematics and joint moments) during acceleration at a certain speed remains essentially identical to steady-state running at the same speed, yet acting in a different orientation. However, because acceleration implies extra mechanical work to increase the running speed, muscular effort done (in terms of power output) must be larger. This is confirmed by larger joint power generation at the level

  13. The impact of glucose ingestion and gluco-regulatory control on cognitive performance: a comparison of younger and middle aged adults.

    PubMed

    Meikle, Andrew; Riby, Leigh M; Stollery, Brian

    2004-12-01

    A great deal of research has been devoted to the issue of whether the ingestion of a glucose containing drink facilitates cognitive performance. However, it remains unclear exactly how age and individual differences in gluco-regulatory control mediate a boost in cognitive functioning. The present study investigates these issues further. A repeated measures (25 g vs 50 g glucose vs placebo) counterbalanced, double-blind design was used with 25 younger and middle-aged adults. A battery of memory and non-memory tasks was administered; including tests of episodic and semantic memory, attention and visuospatial functioning. Glucose ingestion largely facilitated performance on tasks with a memory component. Notably, task demands and age (young vs middle-aged) contributed to the magnitude of memory enhancement. This finding suggests an age- and load-specific benefit of glucose intake. In addition, evidence suggests greater facilitation in individuals with good glucose regulation. These data are discussed in relation to the idea that glucose specifically affects neural mechanisms supporting memory functioning (i.e. the hippocampus), which are known to decline in ageing. Importantly, the present investigation adds to the growing body of literature showing the utility of glucose supplementation as memory enhancers. 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  14. Acceleration and Performance Modeling Workshop, Washington, DC, 14-17 May 79,

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1979-12-01

    disturbance of the muscular systems, perhaps changes in spindle fiber output, and changes in the perceived weight of the muscle because of the acceleration...at this point either. The output models which are determining performance are essentially tied to muscular systems, through manual control (hand and...feet), and through speech, another muscular output. In normal activities the pilot, who senses changes in the visual system, the acceleration vector

  15. Analysis of Movement Acceleration of Down's Syndrome Teenagers Playing Computer Games.

    PubMed

    Carrogi-Vianna, Daniela; Lopes, Paulo Batista; Cymrot, Raquel; Hengles Almeida, Jefferson Jesus; Yazaki, Marcos Lomonaco; Blascovi-Assis, Silvana Maria

    2017-12-01

    This study aimed to evaluate movement acceleration characteristics in adolescents with Down syndrome (DS) and typical development (TD), while playing bowling and golf videogames on the Nintendo ® Wii™. The sample comprised 21 adolescents diagnosed with DS and 33 with TD of both sexes, between 10 and 14 years of age. The arm swing accelerations of the dominant upper limb were collected as measures during the bowling and the golf games. The first valid measurement, verified by the software readings, recorded at the start of each of the games, was used in the analysis. In the bowling game, the groups presented significant statistical differences, with the maximum (M) peaks of acceleration for the Male Control Group (MCG) (M = 70.37) and Female Control Group (FCG) (M = 70.51) when compared with Male Down Syndrome Group (MDSG) (M = 45.33) and Female Down Syndrome Group (FDSG) (M = 37.24). In the golf game the groups also presented significant statistical differences, the only difference being that the maximum peaks of acceleration for both male groups were superior compared with the female groups, MCG (M = 74.80) and FCG (M = 56.80), as well as in MDSG (M = 45.12) and in FDSG (M = 30.52). It was possible to use accelerometry to evaluate the movement acceleration characteristics of teenagers diagnosed with DS during virtual bowling and golf games played on the Nintendo Wii console.

  16. Electron beam accelerator with magnetic pulse compression and accelerator switching

    DOEpatents

    Birx, D.L.; Reginato, L.L.

    1984-03-22

    An electron beam accelerator is described comprising an electron beam generator-injector to produce a focused beam of greater than or equal to .1 MeV energy electrons; a plurality of substantially identical, aligned accelerator modules to sequentially receive and increase the kinetic energies of the beam electron by about .1-1 MeV per module. Each accelerator module includes a pulse-forming network that delivers a voltage pulse to the module of substantially .1-1 MeV maximum energy over a time duration of less than or equal to 1 ..mu..sec.

  17. Epidemiology and public health policy of tobacco use and cardiovascular disorders in low- and middle-income countries.

    PubMed

    Saleheen, Danish; Zhao, Wei; Rasheed, Asif

    2014-09-01

    All forms of tobacco lead to an increased risk of cardiovascular disorders. During the past few decades, the number of people who consume tobacco has increased worldwide because of an overall increase in the global population. It is estimated that close to 80% of the >1.3 billion people who smoke tobacco in the world are in low- and middle-income countries. Smokeless forms of tobacco are also widely consumed in low- and middle-income countries, including chewable and snuffed forms. Lack of targeted and effective strategies to control tobacco consumption contributes to a large burden of cardiovascular disorders in low- and middle-income countries, where cardiovascular disorders have become the leading cause of morbidity and mortality. In this review, we evaluate the epidemiology of tobacco use in low- and middle-income countries and assess the public health policies needed to control tobacco use in such regions for the prevention of cardiovascular disorders and other tobacco-related morbidities and mortality. © 2014 American Heart Association, Inc.

  18. Traveling wave linear accelerator with RF power flow outside of accelerating cavities

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

    Dolgashev, Valery A.

    A high power RF traveling wave accelerator structure includes a symmetric RF feed, an input matching cell coupled to the symmetric RF feed, a sequence of regular accelerating cavities coupled to the input matching cell at an input beam pipe end of the sequence, one or more waveguides parallel to and coupled to the sequence of regular accelerating cavities, an output matching cell coupled to the sequence of regular accelerating cavities at an output beam pipe end of the sequence, and output waveguide circuit or RF loads coupled to the output matching cell. Each of the regular accelerating cavities hasmore » a nose cone that cuts off field propagating into the beam pipe and therefore all power flows in a traveling wave along the structure in the waveguide.« less

  19. Development of bipolar-pulse accelerator for intense pulsed ion beam acceleration

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Masugata, Katsumi; Shimizu, Yuichro; Fujioka, Yuhki; Kitamura, Iwao; Tanoue, Hisao; Arai, Kazuo

    2004-12-01

    To improve the purity of intense pulsed ion beams, a new type of pulsed ion beam accelerator named "bipolar pulse accelerator" was proposed. To confirm the principle of the accelerator a prototype of the experimental system was developed. The system utilizes By type magnetically insulated acceleration gap and operated with single polar negative pulse. A coaxial gas puff plasma gun was used as an ion source, which was placed inside the grounded anode. Source plasma (nitrogen) of current density ≈25 A/cm2, duration ≈1.5 μs was injected into the acceleration gap by the plasma gun. The ions were successfully accelerated from the grounded anode to the drift tube by applying negative pulse of voltage 240 kV, duration 100 ns to the drift tube. Pulsed ion beam of current density ≈40 A/cm2, duration ≈50 ns was obtained at 41 mm downstream from the anode surface. To evaluate the irradiation effect of the ion beam to solid material, an amorphous silicon thin film of thickness ≈500 nm was used as the target, which was deposited on the glass substrate. The film was found to be poly-crystallized after 4-shots of the pulsed nitrogen ion beam irradiation.

  20. Compact particle accelerator

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

    Elizondo-Decanini, Juan M.

    2017-08-29

    A compact particle accelerator having an input portion configured to receive power to produce particles for acceleration, where the input portion includes a switch, is provided. In a general embodiment, a vacuum tube receives particles produced from the input portion at a first end, and a plurality of wafer stacks are positioned serially along the vacuum tube. Each of the plurality of wafer stacks include a dielectric and metal-oxide pair, wherein each of the plurality of wafer stacks further accelerate the particles in the vacuum tube. A beam shaper coupled to a second end of the vacuum tube shapes themore » particles accelerated by the plurality of wafer stacks into a beam and an output portion outputs the beam.« less