Predictors for achieving adequate protein and energy intake in nursing home rehabilitation patients.

PubMed

van Zwienen-Pot, J I; Visser, M; Kruizenga, H M

2018-07-01

Adequate energy and protein intake could be essential for contributing significantly to the rehabilitations process. Data on the actual nutritional intake of older nursing home rehabilitation patients have not yet been investigated. To investigate the nutritional intake and predictors for achieving protein and energy requirements on the 14th day of admission in nursing home rehabilitation patients. Fifty-nine patients aged 65+ years newly admitted to nursing home rehabilitation wards were included. Data on potential variables were collected on admission. On the fourteenth day nutritional intake was assessed. Intake was considered 'adequate' if patients had achieved ≥ 1.2 g of protein/kg bodyweight and ≥ 85% of their energy needs according to Harris and Benedict + 30%. Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to select predictors for adequate intake. Protein and energy intake was assessed in 79 patients [67% female, mean age 82 ± (SD) 8 years, BMI 25 ± 6 kg/m 2 ]. Mean energy intake was 1677 kcal (± 433) and mean protein intake was 68 g (± 20). Fourteen patients (18%) achieved an adequate protein and energy intake. Predictors for adequate intake were use of sip/tube feeding (OR = 7.7; 95% CI = 1.35-44.21), BMI (0.68; 0.53-0.87) and nausea (8.59; 1.42-52.01). Only 18% of older nursing home rehabilitation patients had an adequate protein and energy intake at 14 days after admission. Patients with higher BMI were less likely, while those using sip/tube feeding or feeling nauseous were more likely to achieve an adequate protein and energy intake.

Reviving lithium cobalt oxide-based lithium secondary batteries-toward a higher energy density.

PubMed

Wang, Longlong; Chen, Bingbing; Ma, Jun; Cui, Guanglei; Chen, Liquan

2018-06-29

By breaking through the energy density limits step-by-step, the use of lithium cobalt oxide-based Li-ion batteries (LCO-based LIBs) has led to the unprecedented success of consumer electronics over the past 27 years. Recently, strong demands for the quick renewal of the properties of electronic products every so often have resulted in smarter, larger screened, more lightweight devices with longer standby times that have pushed the energy density of LCO-based LIBs nearly to their limit. As a result, with the aim of achieving a higher energy density and lifting the upper cut-off voltage of LCO above 4.45 V (vs. Li/Li+), the development of LCO-based all-solid-state lithium batteries (ASSLBs) with a Li metal anode and LCO-based full cells with high-performance anodes have become urgent scientific and technological requirements. This review summarizes the key challenges of synthesizing LCO-based LBs with a higher energy density from the perspectives of structure and interface stability, and gives an account of effective modification strategies in view of the electrodes, liquid electrolytes, binders, separators, solid electrolytes and LCO-based full cells. The improvement mechanisms of these modification strategies and the controversy over them are also analyzed critically. Moreover, some perspectives regarding the remaining challenges for LCO-based LBs towards a higher energy density and possible future research focuses are also presented.

Parental Encouragement in Relation to Academic Achievement of Higher Secondary School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawrence, A. S. Arul; Barathi, C.

2016-01-01

Parental Encouragement refers to the general process undertaken by the parents to initiative and directs the behaviour of the children towards high academic achievement. The present study aims to probe the relationship between Parental Encouragement and Academic Achievement of Higher Secondary School Students. Survey method was employed and the…

Alternative Formats to Achieve More Efficient Energy Codes for Commercial Buildings

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

Conover, David R.; Rosenberg, Michael I.; Halverson, Mark A.

2013-01-26

This paper identifies and examines several formats or structures that could be used to create the next generation of more efficient energy codes and standards for commercial buildings. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Building Energy Codes Program (BECP) to provide technical support to the development of ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1. While the majority of PNNL’s ASHRAE Standard 90.1 support focuses on developing and evaluating new requirements, a portion of its work involves consideration of the format of energy standards. In its current working plan, the ASHRAE 90.1 committee has approved an energy goalmore » of 50% improvement in Standard 90.1-2013 relative to Standard 90.1-2004, and will likely be considering higher improvement targets for future versions of the standard. To cost-effectively achieve the 50% goal in manner that can gain stakeholder consensus, formats other than prescriptive must be considered. Alternative formats that include reducing the reliance on prescriptive requirements may make it easier to achieve these aggressive efficiency levels in new codes and standards. The focus on energy code and standard formats is meant to explore approaches to presenting the criteria that will foster compliance, enhance verification, and stimulate innovation while saving energy in buildings. New formats may also make it easier for building designers and owners to design and build the levels of efficiency called for in the new codes and standards. This paper examines a number of potential formats and structures, including prescriptive, performance-based (with sub-formats of performance equivalency and performance targets), capacity constraint-based, and outcome-based. The paper also discusses the pros and cons of each format from the viewpoint of code users and of code enforcers.« less

EPA Recognizes Holcim for Achieving 2015 ENERGY STAR Certification

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

(02/24/16 - ATLANTA ) -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today that Holcim in Holly Hill, South Carolina, is among 70 manufacturing plants to have achieved Energy Star certification for their superior energy performance in 201

Comparing Episodes of Mathematics Teaching for Higher Achievers in England and Germany

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelly, Peter; Kotthoff, Hans-Georg

2016-01-01

To illustrate similarities and differences in lower secondary level mathematics teaching with higher achievers and thereby explore privileging processes, we contrast a teaching episode in Baden-Württemberg, Germany with one in South West England. These have been selected from a larger study as typical within each region for higher achieving…

Soy Mujer!: A Case Study for Understanding Latina Achievement in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stephens, Elizabeth

2012-01-01

Latinas are one of fastest growing segments of the population in the United States, which clearly shows a need to better understand and support education for Latinas within higher education. This study sought to understand the process for and experience of Latinas' academic achievement within higher education. The study focused particularly on the…

Barriers to Blacks' Educational Achievement in Higher Education: A Statistical and Conceptual Review.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lang, Marvel

1992-01-01

Examines trends in the educational achievement of African Americans at secondary and postsecondary levels using data from various national surveys. Barriers to educational achievement are described, and intervention strategies for improving African-American success in higher education are reviewed. Increasing minority participation will require…

10 CFR 435.7 - Water used to achieve energy efficiency. [Reserved

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 10 Energy 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Water used to achieve energy efficiency. [Reserved] 435.7 Section 435.7 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY ENERGY CONSERVATION ENERGY EFFICIENCY STANDARDS FOR NEW FEDERAL LOW-RISE RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS Mandatory Energy Efficiency Standards for Federal Low-Rise Residential...

10 CFR 435.7 - Water used to achieve energy efficiency. [Reserved

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 10 Energy 3 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Water used to achieve energy efficiency. [Reserved] 435.7 Section 435.7 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY ENERGY CONSERVATION ENERGY EFFICIENCY STANDARDS FOR NEW FEDERAL LOW-RISE RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS Mandatory Energy Efficiency Standards for Federal Low-Rise Residential...

10 CFR 435.7 - Water used to achieve energy efficiency. [Reserved

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 10 Energy 3 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Water used to achieve energy efficiency. [Reserved] 435.7 Section 435.7 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY ENERGY CONSERVATION ENERGY EFFICIENCY STANDARDS FOR NEW FEDERAL LOW-RISE RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS Mandatory Energy Efficiency Standards for Federal Low-Rise Residential...

10 CFR 435.7 - Water used to achieve energy efficiency. [Reserved

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Water used to achieve energy efficiency. [Reserved] 435.7 Section 435.7 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY ENERGY CONSERVATION ENERGY EFFICIENCY STANDARDS FOR NEW FEDERAL LOW-RISE RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS Mandatory Energy Efficiency Standards for Federal Low-Rise Residential...

Inspection applications with higher electron beam energies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Norman, D. R.; Jones, J. L.; Yoon, W. Y.; Haskell, K. J.; Sterbentz, J. W.; Zabriskie, J. M.; Hunt, A. W.; Harmon, F.; Kinlaw, M. T.

2005-12-01

The Idaho National Laboratory has developed prototype shielded nuclear material detection systems based on pulsed photonuclear assessment (PPA) techniques for the inspection of cargo containers. During this work, increased nuclear material detection capabilities have been demonstrated at higher electron beam energies than those allowed by federal regulations for cargo inspection. This paper gives a general overview of a nuclear material detection system, the PPA technique and discusses the benefits of using these higher energies. This paper also includes a summary of the numerical and test results from LINAC operations up to 24 MeV and discusses some of the federal energy limitations associated with cargo inspection.

Chronic sleep reduction is associated with academic achievement and study concentration in higher education students.

PubMed

van der Heijden, Kristiaan B; Vermeulen, Marije C M; Donjacour, Claire E H M; Gordijn, Marijke C M; Hamburger, Hans L; Meijer, Anne M; van Rijn, Karin J; Vlak, Monique; Weysen, Tim

2018-04-01

Inadequate sleep impairs cognitive function and has been associated with worse academic achievement in higher education students; however, studies that control for relevant background factors and include knowledge on sleep hygiene are scarce. This study examined the association of chronic sleep reduction (i.e. symptoms of chronic sleep reduction such as shortness of sleep, sleepiness and irritation), subjective sleep quality and sleep hygiene knowledge with academic achievement (grades and study credits) and study concentration among 1378 higher education students (71% female, mean age 21.73 years, SD = 3.22) in the Netherlands. Demographic, health, lifestyle and study behaviour characteristics were included as covariates in hierarchical regression analyses. After controlling for significant covariates, only chronic sleep reduction remained a significant predictor of lower grades (last exam, average in current academic year). Better sleep quality and sleep hygiene knowledge were associated with better academic achievement, but significance was lost after controlling for covariates, except for a remaining positive association between sleep hygiene beliefs and grades in the current academic year. Moreover, better sleep quality and lower scores on chronic sleep reduction were associated with better study concentration after controlling for significant covariates. To conclude, chronic sleep reduction is associated with academic achievement and study concentration in higher education students. Inadequate sleep hygiene knowledge is moderately associated with worse academic achievement. Future research should investigate whether sleep hygiene interventions improve academic achievement in students of higher education. © 2017 European Sleep Research Society.

12 New England Organizations Honored for Outstanding Achievements in Energy Efficiency

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) are honoring 12 New England businesses and organizations for their commitment to saving energy, saving money, and protecting the environment through superior energy efficiency achievements.

Achieving Energy Efficiency in Accordance with Bioclimatic Architecture Principles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bajcinovci, Bujar; Jerliu, Florina

2016-12-01

By using our natural resources, and through inefficient use of energy, we produce much waste that can be recycled as a useful resource, which further contributes to climate change. This study aims to address energy effective bioclimatic architecture principles, by which we can achieve a potential energy savings, estimated at thirty-three per cent, mainly through environmentally affordable reconstruction, resulting in low negative impact on the environment. The study presented in this paper investigated the Ulpiana neighbourhood of Prishtina City, focusing on urban design challenges, energy efficiency and air pollution issues. The research methods consist of empirical observations through the urban spatial area using a comparative method, in order to receive clearer data and information research is conducted within Ulpiana's urban blocks, shapes of architectural structures, with the objective focusing on bioclimatic features in terms of the morphology and microclimate of Ulpiana. Energy supply plays a key role in the economic development of any country, hence, bioclimatic design principles for sustainable architecture and energy efficiency, present an evolutive integrated strategy for achieving efficiency and healthier conditions for Kosovar communities. Conceptual findings indicate that with the integrated design strategy: energy efficiency, and passive bioclimatic principles will result in a bond of complex interrelation between nature, architecture, and community. The aim of this study is to promote structured organized actions to be taken in Prishtina, and Kosovo, which will result in improved energy efficiency in all sectors, and particularly in the residential housing sector.

Explaining Achievement in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jansen, Ellen P. W. A.; Bruinsma, Marjon

2005-01-01

This research project investigated the relationship between students' pre-entry characteristics, perceptions of the learning environment, reported work discipline, the use of deep information processing strategies, and academic achievement. Ability measured by grade-point average in pre-university education was the most important predictor of…

Columbia, Missouri: Using Energy Data to Reduce Emissions and Achieve Low-Income Household Energy Savings (City Energy: From Data to Decisions)

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

Office of Strategic Programs, Strategic Priorities and Impact Analysis Team

This fact sheet "Columbia, Missouri: Using Energy Data to Reduce Emissions and Achieve Low-Income Household Energy Savings" explains how the City of Columbia used data from the U.S. Department of Energy's Cities Leading through Energy Analysis and Planning (Cities-LEAP) and the State and Local Energy Data (SLED) programs to inform its city energy planning. It is one of ten fact sheets in the "City Energy: From Data to Decisions" series.

American Indians and Alaska Natives in Higher Education: Promoting Access and Achievement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pavel, D. Michael

This chapter draws on an extensive literature review to examine factors that influence the access and achievement of American Indians and Alaska Natives in higher education. American Indians are less likely to attend college than other U.S. ethnic groups. This underrepresentation is partly due to precollege attributes: low scores on college…

Validity of Assessment and Recognition of Non-Formal and Informal Learning Achievements in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaminskiene, Lina; Stasiunaitiene, Egle

2013-01-01

The article identifies the validity of assessment of non-formal and informal learning achievements (NILA) as one of the key factors for encouraging further development of the process of assessing and recognising non-formal and informal learning achievements in higher education. The authors analyse why the recognition of non-formal and informal…

Virtual Laboratories to Achieve Higher-Order Learning in Fluid Mechanics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ward, A. S.; Gooseff, M. N.; Toto, R.

2009-12-01

Bloom’s higher-order cognitive skills (analysis, evaluation, and synthesis) are recognized as necessary in engineering education, yet these are difficult to achieve in traditional lecture formats. Laboratory components supplement traditional lectures in an effort to emphasize active learning and provide higher-order challenges, but these laboratories are often subject to the constraints of (a) increasing student enrollment, (b) limited funding for operational, maintenance, and instructional expenses and (c) increasing demands on undergraduate student credit requirements. Here, we present results from a pilot project implementing virtual (or online) laboratory experiences as an alternative to a traditional laboratory experience in Fluid Mechanics, a required third year course. Students and faculty were surveyed to identify the topics that were most difficult, and virtual laboratory and design components developed to supplement lecture material. Each laboratory includes a traditional lab component, requiring student analysis and evaluation. The lab concludes with a design exercise, which imposes additional problem constraints and allows students to apply their laboratory observations to a real-world situation.

Development of weightage for criteria affecting in retrofitting of existing building in Higher Learning Institution with clean energy initiatives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Izie Adiana Abidin, Nur; Aminuddin, Eeydzah; Zakaria, Rozana; Mazzuana Shamsuddin, Siti; Sahamir, Shaza Rina; Shahzaib, Jam; Nafis Abas, Darul

2018-04-01

Campus university building is the Higher Learning Institution (HLI) involves complex activities and operations, conserving the energy has become paramount important. There are several efforts taken by universities to improve its current energy use such as policy development, education, and adaption of energy conservation solution through retrofitting. This paper aims to highlight the importance of the criteria affecting in retrofitting of existing buildings with clean energy in order to achieve zero energy balance in buildings. The focus is given to the development of criteria for solar photovoltaic (solar PV), wind turbines and small-scale hydropower. A questionnaire survey was employed and distributed to the green building expert practitioner. Factor Analysis, Factor Score, and Weightage Factor were adapted as a method of analysis in order to produce the final result with weightage output for prioritization and ranking of the relevant criteria. The result performed assists to provide the stakeholders an overview of the important criteria that should be considered especially during the decision making to retrofit the existing buildings with clean energy resources. The criteria developed are also to establish a structured decision-making process and to ensure the selection of the decision or alternatives achieve the desired outcome.

Achievable rate maximization for decode-and-forward MIMO-OFDM networks with an energy harvesting relay.

PubMed

Du, Guanyao; Yu, Jianjun

2016-01-01

This paper investigates the system achievable rate for the multiple-input multiple-output orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (MIMO-OFDM) system with an energy harvesting (EH) relay. Firstly we propose two protocols, time switching-based decode-and-forward relaying (TSDFR) and a flexible power splitting-based DF relaying (PSDFR) protocol by considering two practical receiver architectures, to enable the simultaneous information processing and energy harvesting at the relay. In PSDFR protocol, we introduce a temporal parameter to describe the time division pattern between the two phases which makes the protocol more flexible and general. In order to explore the system performance limit, we discuss the system achievable rate theoretically and formulate two optimization problems for the proposed protocols to maximize the system achievable rate. Since the problems are non-convex and difficult to solve, we first analyze them theoretically and get some explicit results, then design an augmented Lagrangian penalty function (ALPF) based algorithm for them. Numerical results are provided to validate the accuracy of our analytical results and the effectiveness of the proposed ALPF algorithm. It is shown that, PSDFR outperforms TSDFR to achieve higher achievable rate in such a MIMO-OFDM relaying system. Besides, we also investigate the impacts of the relay location, the number of antennas and the number of subcarriers on the system performance. Specifically, it is shown that, the relay position greatly affects the system performance of both protocols, and relatively worse achievable rate is achieved when the relay is placed in the middle of the source and the destination. This is different from the MIMO-OFDM DF relaying system without EH. Moreover, the optimal factor which indicates the time division pattern between the two phases in the PSDFR protocol is always above 0.8, which means that, the common division of the total transmission time into two equal phases in

Stalking Higher Energy Conformers on the Potential Energy Surface of Charged Species.

PubMed

Brites, Vincent; Cimas, Alvaro; Spezia, Riccardo; Sieffert, Nicolas; Lisy, James M; Gaigeot, Marie-Pierre

2015-03-10

Combined theoretical DFT-MD and RRKM methodologies and experimental spectroscopic infrared predissociation (IRPD) strategies to map potential energy surfaces (PES) of complex ionic clusters are presented, providing lowest and high energy conformers, thresholds to isomerization, and cluster formation pathways. We believe this association not only represents a significant advance in the field of mapping minima and transition states on the PES but also directly measures dynamical pathways for the formation of structural conformers and isomers. Pathways are unraveled over picosecond (DFT-MD) and microsecond (RRKM) time scales while changing the amount of internal energy is experimentally achieved by changing the loss channel for the IRPD measurements, thus directly probing different kinetic and isomerization pathways. Demonstration is provided for Li(+)(H2O)3,4 ionic clusters. Nonstatistical formation of these ionic clusters by both direct and cascade processes, involving isomerization processes that can lead to trapping of high energy conformers along the paths due to evaporative cooling, has been unraveled.

Method of achieving the controlled release of thermonuclear energy

DOEpatents

Brueckner, Keith A.

1986-01-01

A method of achieving the controlled release of thermonuclear energy by illuminating a minute, solid density, hollow shell of a mixture of material such as deuterium and tritium with a high intensity, uniformly converging laser wave to effect an extremely rapid build-up of energy in inwardly traveling shock waves to implode the shell creating thermonuclear conditions causing a reaction of deuterons and tritons and a resultant high energy thermonuclear burn. Utilizing the resulting energy as a thermal source and to breed tritium or plutonium. The invention also contemplates a laser source wherein the flux level is increased with time to reduce the initial shock heating of fuel and provide maximum compression after implosion; and, in addition, computations and an equation are provided to enable the selection of a design having a high degree of stability and a dependable fusion performance by establishing a proper relationship between the laser energy input and the size and character of the selected material for the fusion capsule.

Time-varying higher order spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boashash, Boualem; O'Shea, Peter

1991-12-01

A general solution for the problem of time-frequency signal representation of nonlinear FM signals is provided, based on a generalization of the Wigner-Ville distribution. The Wigner- Ville distribution (WVD) is a second order time-frequency representation. That is, it is able to give ideal energy concentration for quadratic phase signals and its ensemble average is a second order time-varying spectrum. The same holds for Cohen's class of time-frequency distributions, which are smoothed versions of the WVD. The WVD may be extended so as to achieve ideal energy concentration for higher order phase laws, and such that the expectation is a time-varying higher order spectrum. The usefulness of these generalized Wigner-Ville distributions (GWVD) is twofold. Firstly, because they achieve ideal energy concentration for polynomial phase signals, they may be used for optimal instantaneous frequency estimation. Second, they are useful for discriminating between nonstationary processes of differing higher order moments. In the same way that the WVD is generalized, we generalize Cohen's class of TFDs by defining a class of generalized time-frequency distributions (GTFDs) obtained by a two dimensional smoothing of the GWVD. Another results derived from this approach is a method based on higher order spectra which allows the separation of cross-terms and auto- terms in the WVD.

Is Equal Access to Higher Education in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa Achievable by 2030?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ilie, Sonia; Rose, Pauline

2016-01-01

Higher education is back in the spotlight, with post-2015 sustainable development goals emphasising equality of access. In this paper, we highlight the long distance still to travel to achieve the goal of equal access to higher education for all, with a focus on poorer countries which tend to have lower levels of enrolment in higher education.…

Daily energy balance in growth hormone receptor/binding protein (GHR -/-) gene-disrupted mice is achieved through an increase in dark-phase energy efficiency.

PubMed

Longo, Kenneth A; Berryman, Darlene E; Kelder, Bruce; Charoenthongtrakul, Soratree; Distefano, Peter S; Geddes, Brad J; Kopchick, John J

2010-02-01

The goal of this study was to examine factors that contribute to energy balance in female GHR -/- mice. We measured energy intake, energy expenditure (EE), fuel utilization, body mass (M(b)) changes and physical activity in 17month-old female GHR -/- mice and their age-matched wild type littermates. The GHR -/- mice were smaller, consumed more food per unit M(b), had greater EE per unit M(b) and had an increase in 24-h EE/M(b) that was similar to the increase in their surface-area-to-volume ratio. Locomotor activity (LMA) was reduced in the GHR -/- mice, but the energetic cost associated with their LMA was greater than in wild type controls. Furthermore, M(b) and LMA were independent explanatory covariates of most of the variance in EE, and when adjusted for M(b) and LMA, the GHR -/- mice had higher EE during both the light and dark phases of the daily cycle. Respiratory quotient was lower in GHR -/- mice during the light phase, which indicated a greater utilization of lipid relative to carbohydrate in these mice. Additionally, GHR -/- mice had higher ratios of caloric intake to EE at several intervals during the dark phase, and this effect was greater and more sustained in the final 3h of the dark phase. Therefore, we conclude that GHR -/- mice are able to overcome the substantial energetic challenges of dwarfism through several mechanisms that promote stable M(b). Relative to wild type mice, the GHR -/- mice consumed more calories per unit M(b), which offset the disproportionate increase in their daily energy expenditure. While GHR -/- mice oxidized a greater proportion of lipid during the light phase in order to meet their energy requirements, they achieved greater energy efficiency and storage during the dark phase through a combination of higher energy consumption and lower LMA. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Differences in Achievement Motivation and Academic and Social Self-Concept in Gifted Students of Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sierra, María Dolores Valadez; Cuervo, Angel Alberto Valdés; Amezaga, Teodoro Rafael Wendlandt; Sánchez, Ana Carolina Reyes; Guzmán, Rogelio Zambrano; Agraz, Juan Pedro Navarro

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study is to identify groups of gifted university students that differ in their self-concept and achievement motivation. For this, 80 students who achieved scores of the 95th percentile or higher in the Raven's Progressive Matrices test were selected. Two groups were identified in terms of their social self-concept and the…

Daily energy balance in growth hormone receptor/binding protein (GHR−/−) gene-disrupted mice is achieved through an increase in dark-phase energy efficiency

PubMed Central

Longo, Kenneth A.; Berryman, Darlene E.; Kelder, Bruce; Charoenthongtrakul, Soratree; DiStefano, Peter S.; Geddes, Brad J.; Kopchick, John

2009-01-01

The goal of this study was to examine factors that contribute to energy balance in female GHR −/− mice. We measured energy intake, energy expenditure (EE), fuel utilization, body mass (Mb) changes and physical activity in 17 month-old female GHR −/− mice and their age-matched wild type littermates. The GHR −/− mice were smaller, consumed more food per unit Mb, had greater EE per unit Mb and had an increase in 24-h EE/Mb that was similar to the increase in their surface-area-to-volume ratio. Locomotor activity (LMA) was reduced in the GHR −/− mice, but the energetic cost associated with their LMA was greater than in wild type controls. Furthermore, Mb and LMA were independent explanatory covariates of most of the variance in EE, and when adjusted for Mb and LMA, the GHR −/− mice had higher EE during both the light and dark phases of the daily cycle. Respiratory quotient was lower in GHR −/− mice during the light phase, which indicated a greater utilization of lipid relative to carbohydrate in these mice. Additionally, GHR −/− mice had higher ratios of caloric intake to EE at several intervals during the dark phase, and this effect was greater and more sustained in the final three hours of the dark phase. Therefore, we conclude that GHR −/− mice are able to overcome the substantial energetic challenges of dwarfism through several mechanisms that promote stable Mb. Relative to wild type mice, the GHR −/− mice consumed more calories per unit Mb, which offset the disproportionate increase in their daily energy expenditure. While GHR −/− mice oxidized a greater proportion of lipid during the light phase in order to meet their energy requirements, they achieved greater energy efficiency and storage during the dark phase through a combination of higher energy consumption and lower LMA. PMID:19747867

Achieving Quality Learning in Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nightingale, Peggy; O'Neil, Mike

This volume on quality learning in higher education discusses issues of good practice particularly action learning and Total Quality Management (TQM)-type strategies and illustrates them with seven case studies in Australia and the United Kingdom. Chapter 1 discusses issues and problems in defining quality in higher education. Chapter 2 looks at…

Energy Management in Higher Education: Value for Money Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scottish Higher Education Funding Council, Edinburgh.

This Value for Money project provides an update of the 1996 "Energy Management Study in the Higher Education Sector: National Report." It reviews the management arrangement for utilities in the higher education (HE) sector, and it identifies key actions and future issues that must be addressed by HE institutions in developing a strategic…

Emotional, Social, Educational Adjustment of Higher Secondary School Students in Relation to Academic Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sekar, J. Master Arul; Lawrence, A.S. Arul

2016-01-01

The present study aims to investigate whether there is any significant relationship between adjustment and academic achievement of higher secondary school students. In this survey study, the investigators used stratified random sampling technique for selecting the sample from the population. The stratification was done on the basis of gender and…

An Analysis of Factors Influencing the Achievement of Higher Education by Chief Fire Officers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ditch, Robert L.

2012-01-01

The leadership of the United States Fire Service (FS) believes that higher education increases the professionalism of FS members. The research problem at the research site, which is a multisite fire department located in southeastern United States, was the lack of research-based findings on the factors influencing the achievement of higher…

Achieving 50% Energy Savings in Office Buildings, Advanced Energy Design Guides: Office Buildings (Brochure)

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

Not Available

2014-09-01

This fact sheet summarizes recommendations for designing new office buildings that result in 50% less energy use than conventional designs meeting minimum code requirements. The recommendations are drawn from the Advanced Energy Design Guide for Small to Medium Office Buildings, an ASHRAE publication that provides comprehensive recommendations for designing low-energy-use office buildings with gross floor areas up to 100,000 ft2 (see sidebar). Designed as a stand-alone document, this fact sheet provides key principles and a set of prescriptive design recommendations appropriate for smaller office buildings with insufficient budgets to fully implement best practices for integrated design and optimized performance. Themore » recommendations have undergone a thorough analysis and review process through ASHRAE, and have been deemed the best combination of measures to achieve 50% savings in the greatest number of office buildings.« less

Pathways to achieve universal household access to modern energy by 2030

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pachauri, Shonali; van Ruijven, Bas J.; Nagai, Yu; Riahi, Keywan; van Vuuren, Detlef P.; Brew-Hammond, Abeeku; Nakicenovic, Nebojsa

2013-06-01

A lack of access to modern energy impacts health and welfare and impedes development for billions of people. Growing concern about these impacts has mobilized the international community to set new targets for universal modern energy access. However, analyses exploring pathways to achieve these targets and quantifying the potential costs and benefits are limited. Here, we use two modelling frameworks to analyse investments and consequences of achieving total rural electrification and universal access to clean-combusting cooking fuels and stoves by 2030. Our analysis indicates that these targets can be achieved with additional investment of US200565-86 billion per year until 2030 combined with dedicated policies. Only a combination of policies that lowers costs for modern cooking fuels and stoves, along with more rapid electrification, can enable the realization of these goals. Our results demonstrate the critical importance of accounting for varying demands and affordability across heterogeneous household groups in both analysis and policy setting. While the investments required are significant, improved access to modern cooking fuels alone can avert between 0.6 and 1.8 million premature deaths annually in 2030 and enhance wellbeing substantially.

Energy conversion in isothermal nonlinear irreversible processes - struggling for higher efficiency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ebeling, W.; Feistel, R.

2017-06-01

First we discuss some early work of Ulrike Feudel on structure formation in nonlinear reactions including ions and the efficiency of the conversion of chemical into electrical energy. Then we give some survey about isothermal energy conversion from chemical to higher forms of energy like mechanical, electrical and ecological energy. Isothermal means here that there are no temperature gradients within the model systems. We consider examples of energy conversion in several natural processes and in some devices like fuel cells. Further, as an example, we study analytically the dynamics and efficiency of a simple "active circuit" converting chemical into electrical energy and driving currents which is roughly modeling fuel cells. Finally we investigate an analogous ecological system of Lotka-Volterra type consisting of an "active species" consuming some passive "chemical food". We show analytically for both these models that the efficiency increases with the load, reaches values higher then 50 percent in a narrow regime of optimal load and goes beyond some maximal load abruptly to zero.

Achieving 50% Energy Savings in New Schools, Advanced Energy Design Guides: K-12 Schools (Brochure)

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

Not Available

This fact sheet summarizes recommendations for designing elementary, middle, and high school buildings that will result in 50% less energy use than conventional new schools built to minimum code requirements. The recommendations are drawn from the Advanced Energy Design Guide for K-12 School Buildings, an ASHRAE publication that provides comprehensive recommendations for designing low-energy-use school buildings (see sidebar). Designed as a stand-alone document, this fact sheet provides key principles and a set of prescriptive design recommendations appropriate for smaller schools with insufficient budgets to fully implement best practices for integrated design and optimized performance. The recommendations have undergone a thoroughmore » analysis and review process through ASHRAE, and have been deemed the best combination of measures to achieve 50% savings in the greatest number of schools.« less

Investigating the Relationships between Approaches to Learning, Learner Identities and Academic Achievement in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herrmann, K. J.; Bager-Elsborg, A.; McCune, V.

2017-01-01

This paper considers relationships between approaches to learning, learner identities, self-efficacy beliefs and academic achievement in higher education. In addition to already established survey instruments, a new scale, "subject area affinity," was developed. The scale explores the extent to which students identify with their area of…

The Untold Stories of Former Teen Mothers Who Have Achieved a Master's Degree or Higher

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benitez, Tanya

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to shed light on former teen mothers who have "beaten the odds" by achieving a master's degree or higher. It sought to reveal and understand what the external and internal factors are which lead to these women pursing higher education. Methodology: The methodology of this study is a case study which…

Strategies for achieving healthy energy balance among African Americans in the Mississippi Delta.

PubMed

Parham, Groesbeck P; Scarinci, Isabel C

2007-10-01

Low-income African Americans who live in rural areas of the Deep South are particularly vulnerable to diseases associated with unhealthy energy imbalance. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has suggested various physical activity strategies to achieve healthy energy balance. Our objective was to conduct formal, open-ended discussions with low-income African Americans in the Mississippi Delta to determine 1) their dietary habits and physical activity levels, 2) their attitudes toward CDC's suggested physical activity strategies, and 3) their suggestions on how to achieve CDC's strategies within their own environment. A qualitative method (focus groups) was used to conduct the study during 2005. Prestudy meetings were held with African American lay health workers to formulate a focus group topic guide, establish inclusion criteria for focus group participants, select meeting sites and times, and determine group segmentation guidelines. Focus groups were divided into two phases. All discussions and focus group meetings were held in community centers within African American neighborhoods in the Mississippi Delta and were led by trained African American moderators. Phase I focus groups identified the following themes: overeating, low self-esteem, low income, lack of physical exercise, unhealthy methods of food preparation, a poor working definition of healthy energy balance, and superficial knowledge of strategies for achieving healthy energy balance. Phase 2 focus groups identified a preference for social support-based strategies for increasing physical activity levels. Energy balance strategies targeting low-income, rural African Americans in the Deep South may be more effective if they emphasize social interaction at the community and family levels and incorporate the concept of community volunteerism.

SU-F-T-85: Energy Modulated Electron Postmastectomy Unreconstructed (PU) Chest Wall (CW) Irradiation Technique to Achieve Heart Sparing

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

Hong, L; Ballangrud, A; Mechalakos, J

Purpose: For left-sided PU patients requiring CW and nodal irradiation, sometimes partial wide tangents (PWT) are not feasible due to abnormal chest wall contour or heart position close to the anterior chest wall or unusual wide excision scar. We developed an energy modulated electron chest wall irradiation technique that will achieve heart sparing. Methods: Ten left-sided PU patients were selected for this dosimetry study. If PWT were used, the amount of the ipsilateral lung would be ranged 3.4 to 4.4 cm, and the amount of heart would be ranged 1.3 to 3.8 cm. We used electron paired fields that matchedmore » on the skin to achieve dose conformity to the chest wall. The enface electron fields were designed at extended SSD from a single isocenter and gantry angle with different energy beams using different cutout. Lower energy was used in the central chest wall part and higher energy was used in the periphery of the chest wall. Bolus was used for the electron fields to ensure adequate skin dose coverage. The electron fields were matched to the photon supra-clavicle field in the superior region. Daily field junctions were used to feather the match lines between all the fields. Target volumes and normal tissues were drawn according to institutional protocols. Prescription dose was 2Gy per fraction for a total 50Gy. Dose calculations were done with Eclipse EMC-11031 for Electron and AAA-11031 for photons. Results: Six patients were planned using 6/9MeV, three using 9/12MeV and one 6/12MeV. Target volumes achieved adequate coverage. For heart, V30Gy, V20Gy and Mean Dose were 0.6%±0.6%, 2.7%±1.7%, and 3.0Gy±0.8Gy respectively. For ipsilateral lung, V50Gy, V20Gy, V10Gy and V5Gy were 0.9%±1.1%, 34.3%±5.1%, 51.6%±6.3% and 64.1%±7.5% respectively. Conclusion: For left-sided PU patients with unusual anatomy, energy modulated electron CW irradiation technique can achieve heart sparing with acceptable lung dose.« less

Obesity-Related Eating Behaviors Are Associated with Higher Food Energy Density and Higher Consumption of Sugary and Alcoholic Beverages: A Cross-Sectional Study

PubMed Central

Muñoz-Pareja, Maritza; Guallar-Castillón, Pilar; Mesas, Arthur E.; López-García, Esther; Rodríguez-Artalejo, Fernando

2013-01-01

Objectives Obesity-related eating behaviors (OREB) are associated with higher energy intake. Total energy intake can be decomposed into the following constituents: food portion size, food energy density, the number of eating occasions, and the energy intake from energy-rich beverages. To our knowledge this is the first study to examine the association between the OREB and these energy components. Methods Data were taken from a cross-sectional study conducted in 2008–2010 among 11,546 individuals representative of the Spanish population aged ≥18 years. Information was obtained on the following 8 self-reported OREB: not planning how much to eat before sitting down, eating precooked/canned food or snacks bought at vending machines or at fast-food restaurants, not choosing low-energy foods, not removing visible fat from meat or skin from chicken, and eating while watching TV. Usual diet was assessed with a validated diet history. Analyses were performed with linear regression with adjustment for main confounders. Results Compared to individuals with ≤1 OREB, those with ≥5 OREB had a higher food energy density (β 0.10; 95% CI 0.08, 0.12 kcal/g/day; p-trend<0.001) and a higher consumption of sugary drinks (β 7; 95% CI −7, 20 ml/day; p-trend<0.05) and of alcoholic beverages (β 24; 95% CI 10, 38 ml/day; p-trend<0.001). Specifically, a higher number of OREB was associated with higher intake of dairy products and red meat, and with lower consumption of fresh fruit, oily fish and white meat. No association was found between the number of OREB and food portion size or the number of eating occasions. Conclusions OREB were associated with higher food energy density and higher consumption of sugary and alcoholic beverages. Avoiding OREB may prove difficult because they are firmly socially rooted, but these results may nevertheless serve to palliate the undesirable effects of OREB by reducing the associated energy intake. PMID:24204756

Obesity-related eating behaviors are associated with higher food energy density and higher consumption of sugary and alcoholic beverages: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Muñoz-Pareja, Maritza; Guallar-Castillón, Pilar; Mesas, Arthur E; López-García, Esther; Rodríguez-Artalejo, Fernando

2013-01-01

Obesity-related eating behaviors (OREB) are associated with higher energy intake. Total energy intake can be decomposed into the following constituents: food portion size, food energy density, the number of eating occasions, and the energy intake from energy-rich beverages. To our knowledge this is the first study to examine the association between the OREB and these energy components. Data were taken from a cross-sectional study conducted in 2008-2010 among 11,546 individuals representative of the Spanish population aged ≥ 18 years. Information was obtained on the following 8 self-reported OREB: not planning how much to eat before sitting down, eating precooked/canned food or snacks bought at vending machines or at fast-food restaurants, not choosing low-energy foods, not removing visible fat from meat or skin from chicken, and eating while watching TV. Usual diet was assessed with a validated diet history. Analyses were performed with linear regression with adjustment for main confounders. Compared to individuals with ≤ 1 OREB, those with ≥ 5 OREB had a higher food energy density (β 0.10; 95% CI 0.08, 0.12 kcal/g/day; p-trend<0.001) and a higher consumption of sugary drinks (β 7; 95% CI -7, 20 ml/day; p-trend<0.05) and of alcoholic beverages (β 24; 95% CI 10, 38 ml/day; p-trend<0.001). Specifically, a higher number of OREB was associated with higher intake of dairy products and red meat, and with lower consumption of fresh fruit, oily fish and white meat. No association was found between the number of OREB and food portion size or the number of eating occasions. OREB were associated with higher food energy density and higher consumption of sugary and alcoholic beverages. Avoiding OREB may prove difficult because they are firmly socially rooted, but these results may nevertheless serve to palliate the undesirable effects of OREB by reducing the associated energy intake.

The Interplay between Reflective Thinking, Critical Thinking, Self-Monitoring, and Academic Achievement in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ghanizadeh, Afsaneh

2017-01-01

The present study assessed the associations among higher-order thinking skills (reflective thinking, critical thinking) and self-monitoring that contribute to academic achievement among university students. The sample consisted of 196 Iranian university students (mean age = 22.05, SD = 3.06; 112 females; 75 males) who were administered three…

Technology's Effect on Achievement in Higher Education: A Stage I Meta-Analysis of Classroom Applications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmid, Richard F.; Bernard, Robert M.; Borokhovski, Eugene; Tamim, Rana; Abrami, Philip C.; Wade, C. Anne; Surkes, Michael A.; Lowerison, Gretchen

2009-01-01

This paper reports the findings of a Stage I meta-analysis exploring the achievement effects of computer-based technology use in higher education classrooms (non-distance education). An extensive literature search revealed more than 6,000 potentially relevant primary empirical studies. Analysis of a representative sample of 231 studies (k = 310)…

Engineering the Pores of Biomass-Derived Carbon: Insights for Achieving Ultrahigh Stability at High Power in High-Energy Supercapacitors.

PubMed

Thangavel, Ranjith; Kaliyappan, Karthikeyan; Ramasamy, Hari Vignesh; Sun, Xueliang; Lee, Yun-Sung

2017-07-10

Electrochemical supercapacitors with high energy density are promising devices due to their simple construction and long-term cycling performance. The development of a supercapacitor based on electrical double-layer charge storage with high energy density that can preserve its cyclability at higher power presents an ongoing challenge. Herein, we provide insights to achieve a high energy density at high power with an ultrahigh stability in an electrical double-layer capacitor (EDLC) system by using carbon from a biomass precursor (cinnamon sticks) in a sodium ion-based organic electrolyte. Herein, we investigated the dependence of EDLC performance on structural, textural, and functional properties of porous carbon engineered by using various activation agents. The results demonstrate that the performance of EDLCs is not only dependent on their textural properties but also on their structural features and surface functionalities, as is evident from the electrochemical studies. The electrochemical results are highly promising and revealed that the porous carbon with poor textural properties has great potential to deliver high capacitance and outstanding stability over 300 000 cycles compared with porous carbon with good textural properties. A very low capacitance degradation of around 0.066 % per 1000 cycles, along with high energy density (≈71 Wh kg -1 ) and high power density, have been achieved. These results offer a new platform for the application of low-surface-area biomass-derived carbons in the design of highly stable high-energy supercapacitors. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Commercial Buildings Partnerships - Overview of Higher education projects

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

Parrish, Kristen; Robinson, Alastair; Regnier, Cindy

2013-02-01

The Commercial Building Partnership (CBP), a public/private, cost-shared program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), paired selected commercial building owners and operators with representatives of DOE, its national laboratories, and private-sector technical experts. These teams explored energy-saving measures across building systems – including some considered too costly or technologically challenging – and used advanced energy modeling to achieve peak whole-building performance. Modeling results were then included in new construction or retrofit designs to achieve significant energy reductions. CBP design goals aimed to achieve 50 percent energy savings compared to ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2004 for new construction, while retrofits aremore » designed to consume at least 30 percent less energy than either Standard 90.1-2004 or current consumption. After construction and commissioning of the project, laboratory staff continued to work with partners to collect and analyze data for verification of the actual energy reduction. CBP projects represent diverse building types in commercial real estate, including lodging, grocery, retail, higher education, office, and warehouse/storage facilities. Partners also commit to replicating low-energy technologies and strategies from their CBP projects throughout their building portfolios. As a result of CBP projects, five sector overviews (Lodging, Food Sales, General Merchandise, Higher Education, Offices) were created to capture successful strategies and recommended energy efficiency measures that could broadly be applied across these sectors. These overviews are supplemented with individual case studies providing specific details on the decision criteria, modeling results, and lessons learned on specific projects. Sector overviews and CBP case studies will also be updated to reflect verified data and replication strategies as they become available.« less

Energy Management Needs; A Project to Develop Solutions for Higher Education's Energy Problems in the 1980's.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coldren, Sharon L.; Mitchell, Cecilia

Current patterns of energy management within higher education institutions and energy-related information and services that are needed by senior administrators and others to develop and improve energy management and planning on campus were studied. The findings and recommendations will be used to help develop a new research and action program for…

Supplementing an energy adequate, higher protein diet with protein does not enhance fat-free mass restoration after short-term severe negative energy balance.

PubMed

Berryman, C E; Sepowitz, J J; McClung, H L; Lieberman, H R; Farina, E K; McClung, J P; Ferrando, A A; Pasiakos, S M

2017-06-01

Negative energy balance during military operations can be severe and result in significant reductions in fat-free mass (FFM). Consuming supplemental high-quality protein following such military operations may accelerate restoration of FFM. Body composition (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) and whole body protein turnover (single-pool [ 15 N]alanine method) were determined before (PRE) and after 7 days (POST) of severe negative energy balance during military training in 63 male US Marines (means ± SD, 25 ± 3 yr, 84 ± 9 kg). After POST measures were collected, volunteers were randomized to receive higher protein (HIGH: 1,103 kcal/day, 133 g protein/day), moderate protein (MOD: 974 kcal/day, 84 g protein/day), or carbohydrate-based low protein control (CON: 1,042 kcal/day, 7 g protein/day) supplements, in addition to a self-selected, ad libitum diet, for the 27-day intervention (REFED). Measurements were repeated POST-REFED. POST total body mass (TBM; -5.8 ± 1.0 kg, -7.0%), FFM (-3.1 ± 1.6 kg, -4.7%), and net protein balance (-1.7 ± 1.1 g protein·kg -1 ·day -1 ) were lower and proteolysis (1.1 ± 1.9 g protein·kg -1 ·day -1 ) was higher compared with PRE ( P < 0.05). Self-selected, ad libitum dietary intake during REFED was similar between groups (3,507 ± 730 kcal/day, 2.0 ± 0.5 g protein·kg -1 ·day -1 ). However, diets differed by protein intake due to supplementation (CON: 2.0 ± 0.4, MOD: 3.2 ± 0.7, and HIGH: 3.5 ± 0.7 g·kg -1 ·day -1 ; P < 0.05) but not total energy (4,498 ± 725 kcal/day). All volunteers, independent of group assignment, achieved positive net protein balance (0.4 ± 1.0 g protein·kg -1 ·day -1 ) and gained TBM (5.9 ± 1.7 kg, 7.8%) and FFM (3.6 ± 1.8 kg, 5.7%) POST-REFED compared with POST ( P < 0.05). Supplementing ad libitum, energy-adequate, higher protein diets with additional protein may not be necessary to restore FFM after short-term severe negative energy balance. NEW & NOTEWORTHY This article demonstrates 1 ) the

Higher Education Counts: Achieving Results, 2011. Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Connecticut Department of Higher Education (NJ1), 2011

2011-01-01

This report, issued by the Connecticut Department of Higher Education, reports on trends in higher education for the year 2011. Six goals are presented, each with at least two indicators. Each indicator is broken down into the following subsections: About This Indicator; Highlights; and In the Future. Most indicators also include statistical…

Evaluation of Roadmap to Achieve Energy Delivery Systems Cybersecurity

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

Chavez, Adrian R.

The Department of Energy/Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability (DOE/OE) Cybersecurity for Energy Delivery Systems (CEDS) program is currently evaluating the Roadmap to Achieve Energy Delivery Systems Cybersecurity document that sets a vision and outlines a set of milestones. The milestones are divided into five strategic focus areas that include: 1. Build a Culture of Security; 2. Assess and Monitor Risk; 3. Develop and Implement New Protective Measures to Reduce Risk; 4. Manage Incidents; and 5. Sustain Security Improvements. The most current version of the roadmap was last updated in September of 2016. Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) has beenmore » tasked with revisiting the roadmap to update the current state of energy delivery systems cybersecurity protections. SNL is currently working with previous and current partners to provide feedback on which of the roadmap milestones have been met and to identify any preexisting or new gaps that are not addressed by the roadmap. The specific focus areas SNL was asked to evaluate are: 1. Develop and Implement New Protective Measures to Reduce Risk and 2. Sustain Security Improvements. SNL has formed an Industry Advisory Board (IAB) to assist in answering these questions. The IAB consists of previous partners on past CEDS funded efforts as well as new collaborators that have unique insights into the current state of cybersecurity within energy delivery systems. The IAB includes asset owners, utilities and vendors of control systems. SNL will continue to maintain regular communications with the IAB to provide various perspectives on potential future updates to further improve the breadth of cybersecurity coverage of the roadmap.« less

Students' Commitment, Engagement and Locus of Control as Predictor of Academic Achievement at Higher Education Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sarwar, Muhammad; Ashrafi, Ghulam Muhammad

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to analyze Students' Commitment, Engagement and Locus of Control as predictors of Academic Achievement at Higher Education Level. We used analytical model and conclusive research approach to conduct study and survey method for data collection. We selected 369 students using multistage sampling technique from three…

Energy Efficiency of Higher Education Buildings: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soares, Nelson; Pereira, Luísa Dias; Ferreira, João; Conceição, Pedro; da Silva, Patrícia Pereira

2015-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to propose an energy efficiency plan (with technical and behavioural improvement measures) for a Portuguese higher education building--the Teaching Building of the Faculty of Economics of the University of Coimbra (FEUC). Design/methodology/approach: The study was developed in the context of both the "Green…

Carrots and Sticks: A Comprehensive Business Model for the Successful Achievement of Energy Efficiency Resource Standards Environmental Energy Technologies DivisionMarch 2011

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

Satchwell, Andrew; Cappers, Peter; Goldman, Charles

2011-03-22

Energy efficiency resource standards (EERS) are a prominent strategy to potentially achieve rapid and aggressive energy savings goals in the U.S. As of December 2010, twenty-six U.S. states had some form of an EERS with savings goals applicable to energy efficiency (EE) programs paid for by utility customers. The European Union has initiated a similar type of savings goal, the Energy End-use Efficiency and Energy Services Directive, where it is being implemented in some countries through direct partnership with regulated electric utilities. U.S. utilities face significant financial disincentives under traditional regulation which affects the interest of shareholders and managers inmore » aggressively pursuing cost-effective energy efficiency. Regulators are considering some combination of mandated goals ('sticks') and alternative utility business model components ('carrots' such as performance incentives) to align the utility's business and financial interests with state and federal energy efficiency public policy goals. European countries that have directed their utilities to administer EE programs have generally relied on non-binding mandates and targets; in the U.S., most state regulators have increasingly viewed 'carrots' as a necessary condition for successful achievement of energy efficiency goals and targets. In this paper, we analyze the financial impacts of an EERS on a large electric utility in the State of Arizona using a pro-forma utility financial model, including impacts on utility earnings, customer bills and rates. We demonstrate how a viable business model can be designed to improve the business case while retaining sizable ratepayer benefits. Quantifying these concerns and identifying ways they can be addressed are crucial steps in gaining the support of major stakeholder groups - lessons that can apply to other countries looking to significantly increase savings targets that can be achieved from their own utility-administered EE programs.« less

Effects of the Higher Order Thinking Skills Program on At-Risk Young Adolescents' Self-Concept, Reading Achievement, and Thinking Skills.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eisenman, Gordon; Payne, Beverly D.

1997-01-01

Contrasted effects of Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) program to those of Chapter 1 programs on fourth and fifth graders' reading achievement, self-concept, and higher-order thinking skills. Found that HOTS is more effective in raising self-concept and some higher-order thinking skills in fifth grade and after two years of treatment, with…

Energy in higher-dimensional spacetimes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barzegar, Hamed; Chruściel, Piotr T.; Hörzinger, Michael

2017-12-01

We derive expressions for the total Hamiltonian energy of gravitating systems in higher-dimensional theories in terms of the Riemann tensor, allowing a cosmological constant Λ ∈R . Our analysis covers asymptotically anti-de Sitter spacetimes, asymptotically flat spacetimes, as well as Kaluza-Klein asymptotically flat spacetimes. We show that the Komar mass equals the Arnowitt-Deser-Misner (ADM) mass in stationary asymptotically flat spacetimes in all dimensions, generalizing the four-dimensional result of Beig, and that this is no longer true with Kaluza-Klein asymptotics. We show that the Hamiltonian mass does not necessarily coincide with the ADM mass in Kaluza-Klein asymptotically flat spacetimes, and that the Witten positivity argument provides a lower bound for the Hamiltonian mass—and not for the ADM mass—in terms of the electric charge. We illustrate our results on the five-dimensional Rasheed metrics, which we study in some detail, pointing out restrictions that arise from the requirement of regularity, which have gone seemingly unnoticed so far in the literature.

EEC energy costs seen higher than U. S. [Need for policy imperative

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

Zahn, P.

1977-02-21

Europe's dependence on imported oil, depletion of North Sea oil after 1990, and the relation of economic growth to energy costs combine to make a comprehensive energy policy for Europe imperative. Dr. Guido Brunner, the new commissioner of energy affairs for the Common Market (EEC) sees a widening gap in energy costs compared to all major industrial competitors except Japan unless a policy is developed. Present Common Market policies, which rely on individual countries to pursue programs of conserving, storing, and converting fuels, suffer from differing political and economic interpretations of the energy problem. There is no unified policy tomore » reduce dependence on imports and achieve the goal of producing 13 percent of electricity needs by nuclear energy in 1985. Brunner's appointment was generally well received because of his liberal views and low profile, but there is little optimism that he will be able to accomplish his goal of a comprehensive EEC policy. (DCK)« less

Achievement and Expectations of Immigrant, Second Generation, and Non-Immigrant Black Students in U.S. Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hudley, Cynthia

2016-01-01

Research on academic achievement contrasting Black immigrant, second generation, and non-immigrant students as distinct groups is surprisingly sparse in the higher education literature. This study examined Black immigrant and second generation undergraduates from Africa and the Caribbean and non-immigrant Black American undergraduates, using the…

The Effects of Learning Strategies on Mathematical Literacy: A Comparison between Lower and Higher Achieving Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Magen-Nagar, Noga

2016-01-01

The purpose of the current study is to explore the effects of learning strategies on Mathematical Literacy (ML) of students in higher and lower achieving countries. To address this issue, the study utilizes PISA2002 data to conduct a multi-level analysis (HLM) of Hong Kong and Israel students. In PISA2002, Israel was rated 31st in Mathematics,…

The Effects of Social Identification and Organizational Identification on Student Commitment, Achievement and Satisfaction in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilkins, Stephen; Butt, Muhammad Mohsin; Kratochvil, Daniel; Balakrishnan, Melodena Stephens

2016-01-01

The purpose of this research is to investigate the effects of social and organizational identifications on student commitment, achievement and satisfaction in higher education. The sample comprised 437 students enrolled in an undergraduate or postgraduate programme in business or management. A model was developed and tested using structural…

Motivation, Cognitive Processing and Achievement in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bruinsma, Marjon

2004-01-01

This study investigated the question of whether a student's expectancy, values and negative affect influenced their deep information processing approach and achievement at the end of the first and second academic year. Five hundred and sixty-five first-year students completed a self-report questionnaire on three different occasions. The…

Management Strategies for Sustainability Education, Planning, Design, Energy Conservation in California Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petratos, Panagiotis; Damaskou, Evangelia

2015-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe and analyze the effects of campus sustainability planning to annual campus energy inflows and outflows in California higher education. The paper also offers a preliminary statistical analysis for the evaluation of impact factors on energy outflows and a link between energy outflows and building…

Leveraging People-Related Maturity Issues for Achieving Higher Maturity and Capability Levels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buglione, Luigi

During the past 20 years Maturity Models (MM) become a buzzword in the ICT world. Since the initial Crosby's idea in 1979, plenty of models have been created in the Software & Systems Engineering domains, addressing various perspectives. By analyzing the content of the Process Reference Models (PRM) in many of them, it can be noticed that people-related issues have little weight in the appraisals of the capabilities of organizations while in practice they are considered as significant contributors in traditional process and organizational performance appraisals, as stressed instead in well-known Performance Management models such as MBQA, EFQM and BSC. This paper proposes some ways for leveraging people-related maturity issues merging HR practices from several types of maturity models into the organizational Business Process Model (BPM) in order to achieve higher organizational maturity and capability levels.

Accreditation of Viet Nam's Higher Education: Achievements and Challenges after a Dozen Years of Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nguyen, Huu Cuong; Evers, Colin; Marshall, Stephen

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the development of Viet Nam's approach to higher education quality assurance during the past dozen years since its establishment, focusing on the achievements and challenges. Design/methodology/approach: This is a desktop analysis study. The paper analyses the policies and practices related to…

Water and energy link in the cities of the future - achieving net zero carbon and pollution emissions footprint.

PubMed

Novotny, V

2011-01-01

This article discusses the link between water conservation, reclamation, reuse and energy use as related to the goal of achieving the net zero carbon emission footprint in future sustainable cities. It defines sustainable ecocities and outlines quantitatively steps towards the reduction of energy use due to water and used water flows, management and limits in linear and closed loop water/stormwater/wastewater management systems. The three phase water energy nexus diagram may have a minimum inflection point beyond which reduction of water demand may not result in a reduction of energy and carbon emissions. Hence, water conservation is the best alternative solution to water shortages and minimizing the carbon footprint. A marginal water/energy chart is developed and proposed to assist planners in developing future ecocities and retrofitting older communities to achieve sustainability.

Achieving Land, Energy, and Environmental Compatibility: Utility-Scale Solar Energy Potential and Land-Use in California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoffacker, M. K.; Hernandez, R. R.; Field, C. B.

2013-12-01

Solar energy is an archetype renewable energy technology with great potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions when substituted for carbon-intensive energy. Utility-scale solar energy (USSE; i.e., > 1 MW) necessitates large quantities of space making the efficient use of land for USSE development critical to realizing its full potential. However, studies elucidating the interaction between land-use and utility-scale solar energy (USSE) are limited. In this study, we assessed 1) the theoretical and technical potential of terrestrial-based USSE systems, and 2) land-use and land-cover change impacts from actual USSE installations (> 20 MW; planned, under construction, operating), using California as a case study due to its early adoption of renewable energy systems, unique constraints on land availability, immense energy demand, and vast natural resources. We used topo-climatic (e.g., slope, irradiance), infrastructural (e.g., proximity to transmission lines), and ecological constraints (e.g., threatened and endangered species) to determine highly favorable, favorable, and unfavorable locations for USSE and to assess its technical potential. We found that the theoretical potential of photovoltaic (PV) and concentrating solar power (CSP) in California is 26,097 and 29,422 kWh/m2/day, respectively. We identified over 150 planned, under construction, and operating USSE installations in California, ranging in size from 20 to 1,000 MW. Currently, 29% are located on shrub- and scrublands, 23% on cultivated crop land, 13% on pasture/hay areas, 11% on grassland/herbaceous and developed open space, and 7% in the built environment. Understanding current land-use decisions of USSE systems and assessing its future potential can be instructive for achieving land, energy, and environmental compatibility, especially for other global regions that share similar resource demands and limitations.

Development of a low-cost biogas filtration system to achieve higher-power efficient AC generator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mojica, Edison E.; Ardaniel, Ar-Ar S.; Leguid, Jeanlou G.; Loyola, Andrea T.

2018-02-01

The paper focuses on the development of a low-cost biogas filtration system for alternating current generator to achieve higher efficiency in terms of power production. A raw biogas energy comprises of 57% combustible element and 43% non-combustible elements containing carbon dioxide (36%), water vapor (5%), hydrogen sulfide (0.5%), nitrogen (1%), oxygen (0 - 2%), and ammonia (0 - 1%). The filtration system composes of six stages: stage 1 is the water scrubber filter intended to remove the carbon dioxide and traces of hydrogen sulfide; stage 2 is the silica gel filter intended to reduce the water vapor; stage 3 is the iron sponge filter intended to remove the remaining hydrogen sulfide; stage 4 is the sodium hydroxide solution filter intended to remove the elemental sulfur formed during the interaction of the hydrogen sulfide and the iron sponge and for further removal of carbon dioxide; stage 5 is the silica gel filter intended to further eliminate the water vapor gained in stage 4; and, stage 6 is the activated carbon filter intended to remove the carbon dioxide. The filtration system was able to lower the non-combustible elements by 72% and thus, increasing the combustible element by 54.38%. The unfiltered biogas is capable of generating 16.3 kW while the filtered biogas is capable of generating 18.6 kW. The increased in methane concentration resulted to 14.11% increase in the power output. The outcome resulted to better engine performance in the generation of electricity.

Achieving increased bandwidth for 4 degree of freedom self-tuning energy harvester

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Staaf, L. G. H.; Smith, A. D.; Köhler, E.; Lundgren, P.; Folkow, P. D.; Enoksson, P.

2018-04-01

The frequency response of a self-tuning energy harvester composed of two piezoelectric cantilevers connected by a middle beam with a sliding mass is investigated. Measurements show that incorporation of a free-sliding mass increases the bandwidth. Using an analytical model, the system is explained through close investigation of the resonance modes. Resonance mode behavior further suggests that, by breaking the symmetry of the system, even broader bandwidths are achievable.

Holographic dark energy in higher derivative gravity with time varying model parameter c2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borah, B.; Ansari, M.

2015-01-01

Purpose of this paper is to study holographic dark energy in higher derivative gravity assuming the model parameter c2 as a slowly time varying function. Since dark energy emerges as combined effect of linear as well as non-linear terms of curvature, therefore it is important to see holographic dark energy at higher derivative gravity, where action contains both linear as well as non-linear terms of Ricci curvature R. We consider non-interacting scenario of the holographic dark energy with dark matter in spatially flat universe and obtain evolution of the equation of state parameter. Also, we determine deceleration parameter as well as the evolution of dark energy density to explain expansion of the universe. Further, we investigate validity of generalized second law of thermodynamics in this scenario. Finally, we find out a cosmological application of our work by evaluating a relation for the equation of state of holographic dark energy for low red-shifts containing c2 correction.

Effect of lower-energy, higher-fiber diets on pigs divergently selected for residual feed intake when fed higher-energy, lower-fiber diets.

PubMed

Mauch, E D; Young, J M; Serão, N V L; Hsu, W L; Patience, J F; Kerr, B J; Weber, T E; Gabler, N K; Dekkers, J C M

2018-04-14

Residual feed intake (RFI) is the difference between observed and predicted feed intake of an animal, based on growth and maintenance requirements. In Yorkshire pigs, divergent selection for increased (Low RFI) and decreased (High RFI) RFI was carried out over 10 generations (G) while feeding a corn- and soybean-meal-based, higher-energy, lower-fiber (HELF) diet. In G8 to G10, representing 4 replicates, barrows and gilts (n = 649) of the RFI lines were fed the HELF diet and a diet incorporating coproducts that were lower in energy and higher in dietary fiber (LEHF). The diets differed in ME, 3.32 vs. 2.87 Mcal/kg, and in neutral detergent fiber (NDF), 9.4% vs. 25.9%, respectively. The impact of the LEHF diet on 1) performance and growth, 2) diet digestibility, 3) genetic parameter estimates, and 4) responses to selection for RFI, when fed the HELF, was assessed. In general, the LEHF diet reduced the performance of both lines. When fed the HELF diet, the Low RFI pigs had lower (P < 0.05) ADFI (-12%), energy intake (-12%), ADG (-6%), and backfat depth (-12%); similar (P > 0.05) loin muscle area (LMA; +5%); and greater (P < 0.05) feed efficiency (i.e., 8% higher G:F and 7% lower RFI) than the High RFI line. These patterns of line differences were still present under the LEHF diet but differences for ADFI (-11%), energy intake (-10%), G:F (+2%), and RFI (-6%) were reduced compared to the HELF diet. Apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of the HELF and LEHF diets was assessed using 116 barrows and gilts from G8. When fed the HELF diet, ATTD of DM, GE, N, and NDF were similar between lines (P ≥ 0.27), but when fed the LEHF diet, the Low RFI pigs had greater digestibility (7%, 7%, 10%, and 32%) than the High RFI line (P ≤ 0.04). To measure responses to selection for RFI and estimate genetic parameters, data from all 10 generations were used (HELF; n = 2,310; LEHF, n = 317). Heritability estimates of performance traits ranged from 0.19 to 0.63, and genetic

Analog self-powered harvester achieving switching pause control to increase harvested energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Makihara, Kanjuro; Asahina, Kei

2017-05-01

In this paper, we propose a self-powered analog controller circuit to increase the efficiency of electrical energy harvesting from vibrational energy using piezoelectric materials. Although the existing synchronized switch harvesting on inductor (SSHI) method is designed to produce efficient harvesting, its switching operation generates a vibration-suppression effect that reduces the harvested levels of electrical energy. To solve this problem, the authors proposed—in a previous paper—a switching method that takes this vibration-suppression effect into account. This method temporarily pauses the switching operation, allowing the recovery of the mechanical displacement and, therefore, of the piezoelectric voltage. In this paper, we propose a self-powered analog circuit to implement this switching control method. Self-powered vibration harvesting is achieved in this study by attaching a newly designed circuit to an existing analog controller for SSHI. This circuit aims to effectively implement the aforementioned new switching control strategy, where switching is paused in some vibration peaks, in order to allow motion recovery and a consequent increase in the harvested energy. Harvesting experiments performed using the proposed circuit reveal that the proposed method can increase the energy stored in the storage capacitor by a factor of 8.5 relative to the conventional SSHI circuit. This proposed technique is useful to increase the harvested energy especially for piezoelectric systems having large coupling factor.

WWC Review of the Report "Staying on Track: Testing Higher Achievement's Long-Term Impact on Academic Outcomes and High School Choice." What Works Clearinghouse Single Study Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

What Works Clearinghouse, 2014

2014-01-01

This study of 952 fifth and sixth graders in Washington, DC, and Alexandria, Virginia, found that students who were offered the "Higher Achievement" program had higher test scores in mathematical problem solving and were more likely to be admitted to and attend private competitive high schools. "Higher Achievement" is a…

Fast‐Rate Capable Electrode Material with Higher Energy Density than LiFePO4: 4.2V LiVPO4F Synthesized by Scalable Single‐Step Solid‐State Reaction

PubMed Central

Kim, Minkyung; Lee, Seongsu

2015-01-01

Use of compounds that contain fluorine (F) as electrode materials in lithium ion batteries has been considered, but synthesizing single‐phase samples of these compounds is a difficult task. Here, it is demonstrated that a simple scalable single‐step solid‐state process with additional fluorine source can obtain highly pure LiVPO4F. The resulting material with submicron particles achieves very high rate capability ≈100 mAh g−1 at 60 C‐rate (1‐min discharge) and even at 200 C‐rate (18 s discharge). It retains superior capacity, ≈120 mAh g−1 at 10 C charge/10 C discharge rate (6‐min) for 500 cycles with >95% retention efficiency. Furthermore, LiVPO4F shows low polarization even at high rates leading to higher operating potential >3.45 V (≈3.6 V at 60 C‐rate), so it achieves high energy density. It is demonstrated for the first time that highly pure LiVPO4F can achieve high power capability comparable to LiFePO4 and much higher energy density (≈521 Wh g−1 at 20 C‐rate) than LiFePO4 even without nanostructured particles. LiVPO4F can be a real substitute of LiFePO4. PMID:27774395

Fast-Rate Capable Electrode Material with Higher Energy Density than LiFePO4: 4.2V LiVPO4F Synthesized by Scalable Single-Step Solid-State Reaction.

PubMed

Kim, Minkyung; Lee, Seongsu; Kang, Byoungwoo

2016-03-01

Use of compounds that contain fluorine (F) as electrode materials in lithium ion batteries has been considered, but synthesizing single-phase samples of these compounds is a difficult task. Here, it is demonstrated that a simple scalable single-step solid-state process with additional fluorine source can obtain highly pure LiVPO 4 F. The resulting material with submicron particles achieves very high rate capability ≈100 mAh g -1 at 60 C-rate (1-min discharge) and even at 200 C-rate (18 s discharge). It retains superior capacity, ≈120 mAh g -1 at 10 C charge/10 C discharge rate (6-min) for 500 cycles with >95% retention efficiency. Furthermore, LiVPO 4 F shows low polarization even at high rates leading to higher operating potential >3.45 V (≈3.6 V at 60 C-rate), so it achieves high energy density. It is demonstrated for the first time that highly pure LiVPO 4 F can achieve high power capability comparable to LiFePO 4 and much higher energy density (≈521 Wh g -1 at 20 C-rate) than LiFePO 4 even without nanostructured particles. LiVPO 4 F can be a real substitute of LiFePO 4.

Setting Goals and Achieving Aggressing Energy Savings

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-11-30

Path to a Low Energy Building Typical 90.1 Compliant Building National Renewable Energy Laboratory Innovation for Our...flow 1 2 The Path to a Low Energy Building National Renewable Energy Laboratory Innovation for Our Energy Future 0 0% 100...to a Low Energy Building National Renewable Energy Laboratory Innovation for Our Energy Future 0 0% 100% Source Energy

Atomically thick bismuth selenide freestanding single layers achieving enhanced thermoelectric energy harvesting.

PubMed

Sun, Yongfu; Cheng, Hao; Gao, Shan; Liu, Qinghua; Sun, Zhihu; Xiao, Chong; Wu, Changzheng; Wei, Shiqiang; Xie, Yi

2012-12-19

Thermoelectric materials can realize significant energy savings by generating electricity from untapped waste heat. However, the coupling of the thermoelectric parameters unfortunately limits their efficiency and practical applications. Here, a single-layer-based (SLB) composite fabricated from atomically thick single layers was proposed to optimize the thermoelectric parameters fully. Freestanding five-atom-thick Bi(2)Se(3) single layers were first synthesized via a scalable interaction/exfoliation strategy. As revealed by X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy and first-principles calculations, surface distortion gives them excellent structural stability and a much increased density of states, resulting in a 2-fold higher electrical conductivity relative to the bulk material. Also, the surface disorder and numerous interfaces in the Bi(2)Se(3) SLB composite allow for effective phonon scattering and decreased thermal conductivity, while the 2D electron gas and energy filtering effect increase the Seebeck coefficient, resulting in an 8-fold higher figure of merit (ZT) relative to the bulk material. This work develops a facile strategy for synthesizing atomically thick single layers and demonstrates their superior ability to optimize the thermoelectric energy harvesting.

A higher-complex carbohydrate diet in gestational diabetes mellitus achieves glucose targets and lowers postprandial lipids: a randomized crossover study.

PubMed

Hernandez, Teri L; Van Pelt, Rachael E; Anderson, Molly A; Daniels, Linda J; West, Nancy A; Donahoo, William T; Friedman, Jacob E; Barbour, Linda A

2014-01-01

The conventional diet approach to gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) advocates carbohydrate restriction, resulting in higher fat (HF), also a substrate for fetal fat accretion and associated with maternal insulin resistance. Consequently, there is no consensus about the ideal GDM diet. We hypothesized that, compared with a conventional, lower-carbohydrate/HF diet (40% carbohydrate/45% fat/15% protein), consumption of a higher-complex carbohydrate (HCC)/lower-fat (LF) Choosing Healthy Options in Carbohydrate Energy (CHOICE) diet (60/25/15%) would result in 24-h glucose area under the curve (AUC) profiles within therapeutic targets and lower postprandial lipids. Using a randomized, crossover design, we provided 16 GDM women (BMI 34 ± 1 kg/m2) with two 3-day isocaloric diets at 31 ± 0.5 weeks (washout between diets) and performed continuous glucose monitoring. On day 4 of each diet, we determined postprandial (5 h) glucose, insulin, triglycerides (TGs), and free fatty acids (FFAs) following a controlled breakfast meal. There were no between-diet differences for fasting or mean nocturnal glucose, but 24-h AUC was slightly higher (∼6%) on the HCC/LF CHOICE diet (P = 0.02). The continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS) revealed modestly higher 1- and 2-h postprandial glucose on CHOICE (1 h, 115 ± 2 vs. 107 ± 3 mg/dL, P ≤ 0.01; 2 h, 106 ± 3 vs. 97 ± 3 mg/dL, P = 0.001) but well below current targets. After breakfast, 5-h glucose and insulin AUCs were slightly higher (P < 0.05), TG AUC was no different, but the FFA AUC was significantly lower (∼19%; P ≤ 0.01) on the CHOICE diet. This highly controlled study randomizing isocaloric diets and using a CGMS is the first to show that liberalizing complex carbohydrates and reducing fat still achieved glycemia below current treatment targets and lower postprandial FFAs. This diet strategy may have important implications for preventing macrosomia.

Energy Costs and Energy Conservation Programs in Colleges and Universities: 1972-73, 1974-75. Higher Education Panel Reports, Number 31.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Atelsek, Frank J.; Gomberg, Irene L.

A survey was initiated at the request of the U.S. Office of Education and the Energy Task Force to: (1) measure the increase in energy expenditures since the OPEC oil embargo of 1973-74; (2) assess changes in energy consumption over a two-year period; and (3) examine some of the specific conservation practices of higher education institutions.…

Improvements to the nuclear model code GNASH for cross section calculations at higher energies

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

Young, P.G.; Chadwick, M.B.

1994-05-01

The nuclear model code GNASH, which in the past has been used predominantly for incident particle energies below 20 MeV, has been modified extensively for calculations at higher energies. The model extensions and improvements are described in this paper, and their significance is illustrated by comparing calculations with experimental data for incident energies up to 160 MeV.

Higher mortgages, lower energy bills: The real economics of buying an energy-efficient home

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

Mills, E.

1987-02-01

To measure the actual costs and benefits of buying an energy- efficient home, it is necessary to employ a cash-flow model that accounts for mortgage interest and other charges associated with the incremental costs of conservation measures. The ability to make payments gradually over the term of a mortgage, energy savings, and tax benefits contribute to increased cost effectiveness. Conversely, financial benefits are reduced by interest payments, insurance, taxes, and various fees linked to the (higher) sale price of an energy-efficient home. Accounting for these factors can yield a strikingly different picture from those given by commonly used ''engineering'' indicators,more » such as simple payback time, internal rate of return, or net present value (NPV), which are based solely on incremental costs and energy savings. This analysis uses actual energy savings data and incremental construction costs to evaluate the mortgage cash flow for 79 of the 144 energy-efficient homes constructed in Minnesota under the Energy-Efficient Housing Demonstration Program (EEHDP) initiated in 1980 by the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency. Using typical lending terms and fees, we find that the mean mortgage-NPV derived from the homeowners' real cash flow (including construction and financing costs) is 20% lower than the standard engineering-NPV of the conservation investment: $7981 versus $9810. For eight homes, the mortgage-NPV becomes negative once we account for the various mortgage-related effects. Sensitivities to interest rates, down payment, loan term, and marginal tax rate are included to illustrate the often large impact of alternative assumptions about these parameters. The most dramatic effect occurs when the loan term is reduced from 30 to 15 years and the mortgage NPV falls to -$925. We also evaluate the favorable Federal Home Administration (FHA) terms actually applied to the EEHDP homes. 8 refs., 4 figs., 3 tabs.« less

Higher energy: is it necessary, is it worth the cost for radiation oncology?

PubMed

Das, I J; Kase, K R

1992-01-01

The physical characteristics of the interactions of megavoltage photons and electrons with matter provide distinct advantages, relative to low-energy (orthovoltage) x rays, that lead to better radiation dose distributions in patients. Use of these high-energy radiations has resulted in better patient care, which has been reflected in improved radiation treatment outcome in recent years. But, as the desire for higher energy radiation beams increases, it becomes important to determine whether the physical characteristics that make megavoltage beams beneficial continue to provide a net advantage. It is demonstrated that, in fact, there is an energy range from 4 to 15 MV for photons and 4 to 20 MeV for electrons that is optimally suited for the treatment of cancer in humans. Radiation beams that exceed these maximum energies were found to add no advantage. This is because the costs (price of unit, installation, maintenance, shielding for neutron and photons) are not justified by either improved physical characteristics of the radiation (penetration, skin sparing, dose distribution) or treatment outcome. In fact, for photon beams some physical characteristics result in less desirable dose distributions, less accurate dosimetry, and increased safety problems as the energy increases for example, increasingly diffuse beam edges, loss of electron equilibrium, uncertainty in dose perturbations at interfaces, increased neutron contamination, and potential for higher personnel dose. The special features that make electron beams useful at lower energies, for example, skin sparing and small penetration, are lost at high energies. These physical factors are analyzed together with the economic factors related to radiation therapy patient care using megavoltage beams.

More physically active and leaner adolescents have higher energy intake.

PubMed

Cuenca-García, Magdalena; Ortega, Francisco B; Ruiz, Jonatan R; Labayen, Idoia; Moreno, Luis A; Patterson, Emma; Vicente-Rodríguez, Germán; González-Gross, Marcela; Marcos, Ascensión; Polito, Angela; Manios, Yannis; Beghin, Laurent; Huybrechts, Inge; Wästlund, Acki; Hurtig-Wennlöf, Anita; Hagströmer, Maria; Molnár, Dénes; Widhalm, Kurt; Kafatos, Anthony; De Henauw, Stefaan; Castillo, Manuel J; Gutin, Bernard; Sjöström, Michael

2014-01-01

To test whether youths who engage in vigorous physical activity are more likely to have lean bodies while ingesting relatively large amounts of energy. For this purpose, we studied the associations of both physical activity and adiposity with energy intake in adolescents. The study subjects were adolescents who participated in 1 of 2 cross-sectional studies, the Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence (HELENA) study (n = 1450; mean age, 14.6 years) or the European Youth Heart Study (EYHS; n = 321; mean age, 15.6 years). Physical activity was measured by accelerometry, and energy intake was measured by 24-hour recall. In the HELENA study, body composition was assessed by 2 or more of the following methods: skinfold thickness, bioelectrical impedance analysis, plus dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry or air-displacement plethysmography in a subsample. In the EYHS, body composition was assessed by skinfold thickness. Fat mass was inversely associated with energy intake in both studies and using 4 different measurement methods (P ≤ .006). Overall, fat-free mass was positively associated with energy intake in both studies, yet the results were not consistent across measurement methods in the HELENA study. Vigorous physical activity in the HELENA study (P < .05) and moderate physical activity in the EYHS (P < .01) were positively associated with energy intake. Overall, results remained unchanged after adjustment for potential confounding factors, after mutual adjustment among the main exposures (physical activity and fat mass), and after the elimination of obese subjects, who might tend to underreport energy intake, from the analyses. Our data are consistent with the hypothesis that more physically active and leaner adolescents have higher energy intake than less active adolescents with larger amounts of fat mass. Copyright © 2014 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Energy neutral protocol based on hierarchical routing techniques for energy harvesting wireless sensor network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muhammad, Umar B.; Ezugwu, Absalom E.; Ofem, Paulinus O.; Rajamäki, Jyri; Aderemi, Adewumi O.

2017-06-01

Recently, researchers in the field of wireless sensor networks have resorted to energy harvesting techniques that allows energy to be harvested from the ambient environment to power sensor nodes. Using such Energy harvesting techniques together with proper routing protocols, an Energy Neutral state can be achieved so that sensor nodes can run perpetually. In this paper, we propose an Energy Neutral LEACH routing protocol which is an extension to the traditional LEACH protocol. The goal of the proposed protocol is to use Gateway node in each cluster so as to reduce the data transmission ranges of cluster head nodes. Simulation results show that the proposed routing protocol achieves a higher throughput and ensure the energy neutral status of the entire network.

Academic Self-Concept, Achievement Goals, and Achievement: Is Their Relation the Same for Academic Achievers and Underachievers?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Preckel, Franzis; Brunner, Martin

2015-01-01

This longitudinal study investigated the contribution of achievement goals and academic self-concept for the prediction of unexpected academic achievement (i.e., achievement that is higher or lower than expected with respect to students' cognitive ability) in general and when comparing groups of extreme over- and underachievers. Our sample…

Parental Level of Education: Associations with Psychological Well-Being, Academic Achievement and Reasons for Pursuing Higher Education in Adolescence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schlechter, Melissa; Milevsky, Avidan

2010-01-01

The purpose of the current study is to determine the interconnection between parental level of education, psychological well-being, academic achievement and reasons for pursuing higher education in adolescents. Participants included 439 college freshmen from a mid-size state university in the northeastern USA. A survey, including indices of…

Do Parents Make a Difference to Children's Academic Achievement? Differences between Parents of Higher and Lower Achieving Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacobs, Nicky; Harvey, David

2005-01-01

Differences in family factors in determining academic achievement were investigated by testing 432 parents in nine independent, coeducational Melbourne schools. Schools were ranked and categorized into three groups (high, medium and low), based on student achievement (ENTER) scores in their final year of secondary school and school improvement…

Millimeter and Submillimeter Wave Spectroscopy of Higher Energy Conformers of 1,2-PROPANEDIOL

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zakharenko, Olena; Bossa, Jean-Baptiste; Lewen, Frank; Schlemmer, Stephan; Müller, Holger S. P.

2017-06-01

We have performed a study of the millimeter/submillimeter wave spectrum of four higher energy conformers of 1,2-propanediol (continuation of the previous study on the three lowest energy conformers. The present analysis of rotational transitions carried out in the frequency range 38 - 400 GHz represents a significant extension of previous microwave work. The new data were combined with previously-measured microwave transitions and fitted using a Watson's S-reduced Hamiltonian. The final fits were within experimental accuracy, and included spectroscopic parameters up to sixth order of angular momentum, for the ground states of the four higher energy conformers following previously studied ones: g'Ga, gG'g', aGg' and g'Gg. The present analysis provides reliable frequency predictions for astrophysical detection of 1,2-propanediol by radio telescope arrays at millimeter wavelengths. J.-B. Bossa, M.H. Ordu, H.S.P. Müller, F. Lewen, S. Schlemmer, A&A 570 (2014) A12)

Achieving a 100% Renewable Grid: Operating Electric Power Systems with Extremely High Levels of Variable Renewable Energy

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

Kroposki, Benjamin; Johnson, Brian; Zhang, Yingchen

What does it mean to achieve a 100% renewable grid? Several countries already meet or come close to achieving this goal. Iceland, for example, supplies 100% of its electricity needs with either geothermal or hydropower. Other countries that have electric grids with high fractions of renewables based on hydropower include Norway (97%), Costa Rica (93%), Brazil (76%), and Canada (62%). Hydropower plants have been used for decades to create a relatively inexpensive, renewable form of energy, but these systems are limited by natural rainfall and geographic topology. Around the world, most good sites for large hydropower resources have already beenmore » developed. So how do other areas achieve 100% renewable grids? Variable renewable energy (VRE), such as wind and solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, will be a major contributor, and with the reduction in costs for these technologies during the last five years, large-scale deployments are happening around the world.« less

Inventing an Energy Internet: Concepts, Architectures and Protocols for Smart Energy Utilization

ScienceCinema

Tsoukalas, Lefteri

2018-01-24

In recent years, the Internet is revolutionizing information availability much like the Power Grid revolutionized energy availability a century earlier. We will explore the differences and similarities of these two critical infrastructures and identify ways for convergence which may lead to an energy internet. Pricing signals, nodal forecasting, and short-term elasticities are key concepts in smart energy flows respecting the delicate equilibrium involved in generation-demand and aiming at higher efficiencies. We will discuss how intelligent forecasting approaches operating at multiple levels (including device or nodal levels) can ameliorate the challenges of power storage. In addition to higher efficiencies, an energy internet may achieve significant reliability and security improvements and offer greater flexibility and transparency in the overall energy-environmental relation.

A Work Force for Environment and Energy. A Master Plan for Environmental/Energy Higher Education in Illinois.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Illinois Inst. for Environmental Quality, Chicago.

This master plan for environmental and energy higher education in Illinois is a direct result of a mandate from the Illinois General Assembly. To prepare students to confront our nation's environmental problems, each university will submit a management and development plan, designed to preserve existing environmental values and provide…

[Energy saving achieved by limited filamentous bulking under low dissolved oxygen: derivation, originality and theoretical basis].

PubMed

Peng, Yong-zhen; Guo, Jian-hua; Wang, Shu-ying; Chen, Ying

2008-12-01

How to prevent and control filamentous bulking sludge has being a research focus and attracted much attention. To date despite the extensive research that has been done on bulking sludge, filamentous bulking still occurs world-wide and a comprehensive solution does not seem to be available. Particularly, there are few studies about making use of the characteristics of filamentous bacteria and achieving energy saving by filamentous bulking. Limited filamentous bulking, a novel method for energy saving while equal or better treatment performance by allowing slight and controlled filamentous bulking sludge at low dissolved oxygen (DO), was proposed based on full-scale field observations. The practical operation showed that limited filamentous bulking resulted from a decline in DO concentration. COD, SS and TP removal could be enhanced and energy saving could be achieved by limited filamentous bulking at low DO. The derivation of limited filamentous bulking is introduced firstly, and then the theoretical fundamentals of the technique of limited filamentous bulking are presented and analyzed, including the occurrence of limited filamentous bulking caused by low DO, the enhanced effect of filamentous bacteria on pollutants removal and the energy saving mechanism by using limited filamentous bulking. Besides, the paper provides some new perspectives about the application and research direction of limited filamentous bulking in future.

Achieving Ultrahigh Energy Density and Long Durability in a Flexible Rechargeable Quasi-Solid-State Zn-MnO2 Battery.

PubMed

Zeng, Yinxiang; Zhang, Xiyue; Meng, Yue; Yu, Minghao; Yi, Jianan; Wu, Yiqiang; Lu, Xihong; Tong, Yexiang

2017-07-01

Advanced flexible batteries with high energy density and long cycle life are an important research target. Herein, the first paradigm of a high-performance and stable flexible rechargeable quasi-solid-state Zn-MnO 2 battery is constructed by engineering MnO 2 electrodes and gel electrolyte. Benefiting from a poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) buffer layer and a Mn 2+ -based neutral electrolyte, the fabricated Zn-MnO 2 @PEDOT battery presents a remarkable capacity of 366.6 mA h g -1 and good cycling performance (83.7% after 300 cycles) in aqueous electrolyte. More importantly, when using PVA/ZnCl 2 /MnSO 4 gel as electrolyte, the as-fabricated quasi-solid-state Zn-MnO 2 @PEDOT battery remains highly rechargeable, maintaining more than 77.7% of its initial capacity and nearly 100% Coulombic efficiency after 300 cycles. Moreover, this flexible quasi-solid-state Zn-MnO 2 battery achieves an admirable energy density of 504.9 W h kg -1 (33.95 mW h cm -3 ), together with a peak power density of 8.6 kW kg -1 , substantially higher than most recently reported flexible energy-storage devices. With the merits of impressive energy density and durability, this highly flexible rechargeable Zn-MnO 2 battery opens new opportunities for powering portable and wearable electronics. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Differences between Higher and Lower Achievement Rate and Leadership Qualities, Instructional Practices, Parental Involvement, Opportunity to Learn, and Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ficarra, Laura

2017-01-01

The purpose of this mixed study was to investigate the differences between higher and lower achievement middle school rates pertaining to leadership qualities, opportunity to learn, instructional practices, parental involvement, and professional development. Qualitatively, principals were interviewed using a semi-structured interview protocol.…

Exclusive and Semi-Exclusive Reactions at a Higher Energy CEBAF

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

Carl Carlson

More energy at CEBAF provides more opportunity for studies of hadron and nuclear properties. Many of the experiments that could be done are extensions of things already done at lower energies. Others represent new initiatives that could not work or could not theoretically be interpreted at lower energies. The author concentrates on the new initiatives, but do not wish our thinking to neglect what can be learned from continuations of lower energy work. The author begins with a list of some things that should be continued into a new energy regime. (1) Baryon and meson spectroscopy of higher mass states.more » With 4 GeV incoming electron energy, strange mesons are limited to 1.8 GeV in mass and charm is not producible. (2) Exclusive reactions, including meson and baryon form factors and reactions on few nucleon systems. The latter includes deuteron photodisintegration, the A and B form factors of the deuteron, and the deuteron tensor polarization T{sub 20}. (And we should not forget T{sub 20} in inclusive scattering.) (3) Hadrons in the nuclear medium, with such topics as color transparency, electroproduction of {rho} mesons, virtual Compton scattering off nuclei, and backward hadrons from e-d reactions. The very last must be especially important, since it gives the logo used in the advertizing for this conference. In addition, there are new initiatives that this talk will call attention to, in particular: (1) semi-exclusive meson production; (2) duality in semi-exclusive reactions; and (3) new views of exclusive reactions and perturbative QCD (leading to ''off-forward parton distributions'').« less

Achieving Self-Reliance: Backyard Energy Lessons.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cook, Stephen

Appropriate technology (the process most appropriate for local cultural, economic, and social conditions) is geared toward projects which: are small in scale, decentralized, and energy efficient; use local materials, labor, and ingenuity; are not capital-intensive; and maximize the use of renewable energy resources. Descriptions of such projects…

Design and performance of tapered cubic anvil used for achieving higher pressure and larger sample cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Qi-Gang; Yang, Wen-Ke; Zhu, Pin-Wen; Ban, Qing-Chu; Yan, Ni; Zhang, Qiang

2013-07-01

In order to increase the maximum cell pressure of the cubic high pressure apparatus, we have developed a new structure of tungsten carbide cubic anvil (tapered cubic anvil), based on the principle of massive support and lateral support. Our results indicated that the tapered cubic anvil has some advantages. First, tapered cubic anvil can push the transfer rate of pressure well into the range above 36.37% compare to the conventional anvil. Second, the rate of failure crack decreases about 11.20% after the modification of the conventional anvil. Third, the limit of static high-pressure in the sample cell can be extended to 13 GPa, which can increase the maximum cell pressure about 73.3% than that of the conventional anvil. Fourth, the volume of sample cell compressed by tapered cubic anvils can be achieved to 14.13 mm3 (3 mm diameter × 2 mm long), which is three and six orders of magnitude larger than that of double-stage apparatus and diamond anvil cell, respectively. This work represents a relatively simple method for achieving higher pressures and larger sample cell.

Does achievement motivation mediate the semantic achievement priming effect?

PubMed

Engeser, Stefan; Baumann, Nicola

2014-10-01

The aim of our research was to understand the processes of the prime-to-behavior effects with semantic achievement primes. We extended existing models with a perspective from achievement motivation theory and additionally used achievement primes embedded in the running text of excerpts of school textbooks to simulate a more natural priming condition. Specifically, we proposed that achievement primes affect implicit achievement motivation and conducted pilot experiments and 3 main experiments to explore this proposition. We found no reliable positive effect of achievement primes on implicit achievement motivation. In light of these findings, we tested whether explicit (instead of implicit) achievement motivation is affected by achievement primes and found this to be the case. In the final experiment, we found support for the assumption that higher explicit achievement motivation implies that achievement priming affects the outcome expectations. The implications of the results are discussed, and we conclude that primes affect achievement behavior by heightening explicit achievement motivation and outcome expectancies.

Strategies for Increasing Academic Achievement in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ensign, Julene; Woods, Amelia Mays

2014-01-01

Higher education today faces unique challenges. Decreasing student engagement, increasing diversity, and limited resources all contribute to the issues being faced by students, educators, and administrators alike. The unique characteristics and expectations that students bring to their professional programs require new methods of addressing…

Inventing an Energy Internet: Concepts, Architectures and Protocols for Smart Energy Utilization

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

Tsoukalas, Lefteri

2009-04-29

In recent years, the Internet is revolutionizing information availability much like the Power Grid revolutionized energy availability a century earlier. We will explore the differences and similarities of these two critical infrastructures and identify ways for convergence which may lead to an energy internet. Pricing signals, nodal forecasting, and short-term elasticities are key concepts in smart energy flows respecting the delicate equilibrium involved in generation-demand and aiming at higher efficiencies. We will discuss how intelligent forecasting approaches operating at multiple levels (including device or nodal levels) can ameliorate the challenges of power storage. In addition to higher efficiencies, an energymore » internet may achieve significant reliability and security improvements and offer greater flexibility and transparency in the overall energy-environmental relation.« less

Effects of Traditional, Blended and E-Learning on Students' Achievement in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Qahtani, Awadh A. Y.; Higgins, S. E.

2013-01-01

The study investigates the effect of e-learning, blended learning and classroom learning on students' achievement. Two experimental groups together with a control group from Umm Al-Qura University in Saudi Arabia were identified randomly. To assess students' achievement in the different groups, pre- and post-achievement tests were used. The…

Achieving High-Energy-High-Power Density in a Flexible Quasi-Solid-State Sodium Ion Capacitor.

PubMed

Li, Hongsen; Peng, Lele; Zhu, Yue; Zhang, Xiaogang; Yu, Guihua

2016-09-14

Simultaneous integration of high-energy output with high-power delivery is a major challenge for electrochemical energy storage systems, limiting dual fine attributes on a device. We introduce a quasi-solid-state sodium ion capacitor (NIC) based on a battery type urchin-like Na2Ti3O7 anode and a capacitor type peanut shell derived carbon cathode, using a sodium ion conducting gel polymer as electrolyte, achieving high-energy-high-power characteristics in solid state. Energy densities can reach 111.2 Wh kg(-1) at power density of 800 W kg(-1), and 33.2 Wh kg(-1) at power density of 11200 W kg(-1), which are among the best reported state-of-the-art NICs. The designed device also exhibits long-term cycling stability over 3000 cycles with capacity retention ∼86%. Furthermore, we demonstrate the assembly of a highly flexible quasi-solid-state NIC and it shows no obvious capacity loss under different bending conditions.

Case study: Comparison of motivation for achieving higher performance between self-directed and manager-directed aerospace engineering teams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erlick, Katherine

"The stereotype of engineers is that they are not people oriented; the stereotype implies that engineers would not work well in teams---that their task emphasis is a solo venture and does not encourage social aspects of collaboration" (Miner & Beyerlein, 1999, p. 16). The problem is determining the best method of providing a motivating environment where design engineers may contribute within a team in order to achieve higher performance in the organization. Theoretically, self-directed work teams perform at higher levels. But, allowing a design engineer to contribute to the team while still maintaining his or her anonymity is the key to success. Therefore, a motivating environment must be established to encourage greater self-actualization in design engineers. The purpose of this study is to determine the favorable motivational environment for design engineers and describe the comparison between two aerospace design-engineering teams: one self-directed and the other manager directed. Following the comparison, this study identified whether self-direction or manager-direction provides the favorable motivational environment for operating as a team in pursuit of achieving higher performance. The methodology used in this research was the case study focusing on the team's levels of job satisfaction and potential for higher performance. The collection of data came from three sources, (a) surveys, (b) researcher observer journal and (c) collection of artifacts. The surveys provided information regarding personal behavior characteristics, potentiality for higher performance and motivational attributes. The researcher journal provided information regarding team dynamics, individual interaction, conflict and conflict resolution. The milestone for performance was based on the collection of artifacts from the two teams. The findings from this study illustrated that whether the team was manager-directed or self-directed does not appear to influence the needs and wants of the

Charting the course for nurses' achievement of higher education levels.

PubMed

Kovner, Christine T; Brewer, Carol; Katigbak, Carina; Djukic, Maja; Fatehi, Farida

2012-01-01

To improve patient outcomes and meet the challenges of the U.S. health care system, the Institute of Medicine recommends higher educational attainment for the nursing workforce. Characteristics of registered nurses (RNs) who pursue additional education are poorly understood, and this information is critical to planning long-term strategies for U.S. nursing education. To identify factors predicting enrollment and completion of an additional degree among those with an associate or bachelor's as their pre-RN licensure degree, we performed logistic regression analysis on data from an ongoing nationally representative panel study following the career trajectories of newly licensed RNs. For associate degree RNs, predictors of obtaining a bachelor's degree are the following: being Black, living in a rural area, nonnursing work experience, higher positive affectivity, higher work motivation, working in the intensive care unit, and working the day shift. For bachelor's RNs, predictors of completing a master's degree are the following: being Black, nonnursing work experience, holding more than one job, working the day shift, working voluntary overtime, lower intent to stay at current employer, and higher work motivation. Mobilizing the nurse workforce toward higher education requires integrated efforts from policy makers, philanthropists, employers, and educators to mitigate the barriers to continuing education. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Achieving Realistic Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions in U.S. Cities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blackhurst, Michael F.

2011-12-01

In recognizing that energy markets and greenhouse gas emissions are significantly influences by local factors, this research examines opportunities for achieving realistic energy greenhouse gas emissions from U.S. cities through provisions of more sustainable infrastructure. Greenhouse gas reduction opportunities are examined through the lens of a public program administrator charged with reducing emissions given realistic financial constraints and authority over emissions reductions and energy use. Opportunities are evaluated with respect to traditional public policy metrics, such as benefit-cost analysis, net benefit analysis, and cost-effectiveness. Section 2 summarizes current practices used to estimate greenhouse gas emissions from communities. I identify improved and alternative emissions inventory techniques such as disaggregating the sectors reported, reporting inventory uncertainty, and aligning inventories with local organizations that could facilitate emissions mitigation. The potential advantages and challenges of supplementing inventories with comparative benchmarks are also discussed. Finally, I highlight the need to integrate growth (population and economic) and business as usual implications (such as changes to electricity supply grids) into climate action planning. I demonstrate how these techniques could improve decision making when planning reductions, help communities set meaningful emission reduction targets, and facilitate CAP implementation and progress monitoring. Section 3 evaluates the costs and benefits of building energy efficiency are estimated as a means of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Pittsburgh, PA and Austin, TX. Two policy objectives were evaluated: maximize GHG reductions given initial budget constraints or maximize social savings given target GHG reductions. This approach explicitly evaluates the trade-offs between three primary and often conflicting program design parameters: initial capital constraints, social savings

Developing Students' Energy Literacy in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cotton, Debby R. E.; Miller, Wendy; Winter, Jennie; Bailey, Ian; Sterling, Stephen

2015-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to investigate students' energy literacy at a UK university, and recommends ways in which it can be enhanced using a behaviour change model. Developing students' energy literacy is a key part of the "greening" agenda, yet little is known about how students develop their ideas about energy use and energy saving at…

The Effectiveness of Advance Organiser Model on Students' Academic Achievement in Learning Work and Energy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gidena, Asay; Gebeyehu, Desta

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of the advance organiser model (AOM) on students' academic achievement in learning work and energy. The design of the study was quasi-experimental pretest-posttest nonequivalent control groups. The total population of the study was 139 students of three sections in Endabaguna…

Higher Education Quality Assessment Model: Towards Achieving Educational Quality Standard

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Noaman, Amin Y.; Ragab, Abdul Hamid M.; Madbouly, Ayman I.; Khedra, Ahmed M.; Fayoumi, Ayman G.

2017-01-01

This paper presents a developed higher education quality assessment model (HEQAM) that can be applied for enhancement of university services. This is because there is no universal unified quality standard model that can be used to assess the quality criteria of higher education institutes. The analytical hierarchy process is used to identify the…

Excitation of higher lying energy states in a rubidium DPAL

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wallerstein, A. J.; Perram, Glen; Rice, Christopher A.

2018-02-01

The spontaneous emission in a cw rubidium diode dumped alkali laser (DPAL) system was analyzed. The fluorescence from higher lying states decreases with additional buffer gas. The intermediate states (7S, 6P, 5D) decay more slowly with buffer gas and scale super-linearly with alkali density. A detailed kinetic model has been constructed, where the dominant mechanisms are energy pooling and single photon ionization. It also includes pumping into the non-Lorentzian wings of absorption profiles, fine structure mixing, collisional de-excitation, and Penning ionization. Effects of ionization in a high powered CW rubidium DPAL were assessed.

Developments in greenhouse gas emissions and net energy use in Danish agriculture - how to achieve substantial CO(2) reductions?

PubMed

Dalgaard, T; Olesen, J E; Petersen, S O; Petersen, B M; Jørgensen, U; Kristensen, T; Hutchings, N J; Gyldenkærne, S; Hermansen, J E

2011-11-01

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agriculture are a significant contributor to total Danish emissions. Consequently, much effort is currently given to the exploration of potential strategies to reduce agricultural emissions. This paper presents results from a study estimating agricultural GHG emissions in the form of methane, nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide (including carbon sources and sinks, and the impact of energy consumption/bioenergy production) from Danish agriculture in the years 1990-2010. An analysis of possible measures to reduce the GHG emissions indicated that a 50-70% reduction of agricultural emissions by 2050 relative to 1990 is achievable, including mitigation measures in relation to the handling of manure and fertilisers, optimization of animal feeding, cropping practices, and land use changes with more organic farming, afforestation and energy crops. In addition, the bioenergy production may be increased significantly without reducing the food production, whereby Danish agriculture could achieve a positive energy balance. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Achieving Energy Independence by Reviving America's Cities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldstein, Neil; Winterer, Amey

1982-01-01

Discusses how it is in our nation's energy interest that cities and city living prosper and that movement of people out of cities and into nonurban areas be reversed. However, national energy policy itself favors suburban sprawl-type development and works against city revival. (AM)

Giant energy density and high efficiency achieved in bismuth ferrite-based film capacitors via domain engineering.

PubMed

Pan, Hao; Ma, Jing; Ma, Ji; Zhang, Qinghua; Liu, Xiaozhi; Guan, Bo; Gu, Lin; Zhang, Xin; Zhang, Yu-Jun; Li, Liangliang; Shen, Yang; Lin, Yuan-Hua; Nan, Ce-Wen

2018-05-08

Developing high-performance film dielectrics for capacitive energy storage has been a great challenge for modern electrical devices. Despite good results obtained in lead titanate-based dielectrics, lead-free alternatives are strongly desirable due to environmental concerns. Here we demonstrate that giant energy densities of ~70 J cm -3 , together with high efficiency as well as excellent cycling and thermal stability, can be achieved in lead-free bismuth ferrite-strontium titanate solid-solution films through domain engineering. It is revealed that the incorporation of strontium titanate transforms the ferroelectric micro-domains of bismuth ferrite into highly-dynamic polar nano-regions, resulting in a ferroelectric to relaxor-ferroelectric transition with concurrently improved energy density and efficiency. Additionally, the introduction of strontium titanate greatly improves the electrical insulation and breakdown strength of the films by suppressing the formation of oxygen vacancies. This work opens up a feasible and propagable route, i.e., domain engineering, to systematically develop new lead-free dielectrics for energy storage.

The effects of higher-order questioning strategies on nonscience majors' achievement in an introductory environmental science course and their attitudes toward the environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eason, Grace Teresa

The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to determine the effect a higher-order questioning strategy (Bloom, 1956) had on undergraduate non-science majors' attitudes toward the environment and their achievement in an introductory environmental science course, EDS 1032, "Survey of Science 2: Life Science," which was offered during the Spring 2000 term. Students from both treatment and control groups (N = 63), which were determined using intact classes, participated in eight cooperative group activities based on the Biological Sciences Curriculum Studies (BSCS) 5E model (Bybee, 1993). The treatment group received a higher-order questioning method combined with the BSCS 5E model. The control group received a lower-order questioning method, combined with the BSCS 5E model. Two instruments were used to measure students' attitude and achievement changes. The Ecology Issue Attitude (EIA) survey (Schindler, 1995) and a comprehensive environmental science final exam. Kolb's Learning Style Inventory (KLSI, 1985) was used to measure students' learning style type. After a 15-week treatment period, results were analyzed using MANCOVA. The overall MANCOVA model used to test the statistical difference between the collective influences of the independent variables on the three dependent variables simultaneously was found to be not significant at alpha = .05. This differs from findings of previous studies in which higher-order questioning techniques had a significant effect on student achievement (King 1989 & 1992; Blosser, 1991; Redfield and Rousseau, 1981; Gall 1970). At the risk of inflated Type I and Type II error rates, separate univariate analyses were performed. However, none of the research factors, when examined collectively or separately, made any significant contribution to explaining the variability in EIA attitude, EIA achievement, and comprehensive environmental science final examination scores. Nevertheless, anecdotal evidence from student's self

Under-reporting of energy intake in elderly Australian women is associated with a higher body mass index.

PubMed

Meng, X; Kerr, D A; Zhu, K; Devine, A; Solah, V A; Wright, J; Binns, C W; Prince, R L

2013-02-01

Identify the extent of under-reporting of energy intake and the characteristics associated with implausible intakes in elderly women. Dietary intake was assessed using a 3-day weighed food record. Protein intake was validated by 24-hour urinary nitrogen. To examine under-reporting, participants were grouped according to their energy intake and compared to the Goldberg cut-off equation. Logistic regression was performed to assess the influence of body mass index (BMI) and social-demographic factors on under-reporting. Community dwelling elderly women from Perth, Western Australia. 217 elderly women aged 70-80 years. Under-reporters had a higher physical activity level (p<0.001) compared with acceptable-reporters. The under-reporters also had a higher body weight (p=0.006), body mass index (BMI) (p=0.001), waist (p=0.011), hip circumference (p<0.001), whole body fat mass (p<0.001) and percentage body fat (p<0.001) than acceptable-reporters. Under-reporters had a significantly lower intakes of protein, fat, carbohydrate and alcohol (p<0.001) and fewer reported food items, compared with acceptable reporters. However, 24-hour urinary nitrogen was only marginally different between the two groups (p=0.053). Participants with a higher BMI were more likely to under-report their energy intake (BMI=25-29.9: odds ratio=2.98[95% CI=1.46-6.09]; BMI≥30: 5.84[2.41-14.14]). Under-reporting energy intake in elderly women was associated with a higher BMI, body fat and higher self-reported physical activity levels. A higher BMI (≥25) appears to be most significant factor in determining if elderly women will underreport their food intake and may be related to body image. These results have implications for undertaking surveys of food intake in elderly women.

Sustained availability of trimethoprim in drinking water to achieve higher plasma sulphonamide-trimethoprim antibacterial activity in broilers.

PubMed

Sumano, H; Hernandez, L; Gutierrez, L; Bernad-Bernad, M J

2005-02-01

(1) In order to make trimethoprim (TMP) available to broilers throughout the day, a sustained release formulation (SRF) of the drug in the form of granules was added to the water tank that supplies drinking water. (2) Broilers were initially dosed with sulphachloropiridazine-TMP (SCP-TMP 5:1) and then further medicated throughout the day, achieving in the end a dose of 30 mg/kg each of SCP and TMP (group A). Group B received a preparation with the same dose of SCP and TMP (1:1) as group A, but administered as a single dose without the SRF of TMP. Group C received the customary SCP-TMP 5:1 preparation (30 and 6 mg/kg, respectively). Water tanks were completely consumed in 3 to 4 h. (3) Broilers were bled at different times and concentration of antibacterial activity in serum determined by correlating the composite antibacterial activity of SCP and TMP with actual concentrations of these drugs by means of a microbiological agar diffusion assay. (4) Time vs serum concentrations of activity were higher in group B; the increments in the maximum serum concentration for group B over groups A and C being 39 and 67%, respectively. (5) However, the sustained concentration of activity over time, measured as the area under the cu)rve, was highest in group A. Group B had higher values for area under the curve than group C. (6) An additional dose of TMP to achieve 30 mg/kg of both SCP and TMP improves the serum concentration of this combination over the customary 5:1 proportion. The best values for sustaining antibacterial activity were obtained using a 1:1 ratio as in group A. The use of a SRF as in group A may translate into better clinical results.

Higher Dietary Energy Density is Associated with Stunting but not Overweight and Obesity in a Sample of Urban Malaysian Children.

PubMed

Shariff, Zalilah Mohd; Lin, Khor Geok; Sariman, Sarina; Siew, Chin Yit; Yusof, Barakatun Nisak Mohd; Mun, Chan Yoke; Lee, Huang Soo; Mohamad, Maznorila

2016-01-01

Although diets with high energy density are associated with increased risk of overweight and obesity, it is not known whether such diets are associated with undernutrition. This study assessed the relationship between dietary energy density (ED) and nutritional status of 745 urban 1- to 10-year-old children. Dietary intakes were obtained using food recall and record for two days. Dietary energy density was based on food and caloric beverages. Higher dietary ED was associated with lower intakes of carbohydrate, sugar, vitamins C and D, and calcium but higher fat, fiber, iron, and folate intakes. While intakes of fruits and milk/dairy products decreased, meat, fish, and legume intakes increased with higher dietary ED. Stunting, but not other growth problems, was associated with higher dietary ED. Future studies should confirm the cause-and-effect relationship between higher dietary ED and stunting.

Obtaining high-energy responses of nonlinear piezoelectric energy harvester by voltage impulse perturbations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lan, Chunbo; Tang, Lihua; Qin, Weiyang

2017-07-01

Nonlinear energy harvesters have attracted wide research attentions to achieve broadband performances in recent years. Nonlinear structures have multiple solutions in certain frequency region that contains high-energy and low-energy orbits. It is effectively the frequency region of capturing a high-energy orbit that determines the broadband performance. Thus, maintaining large-amplitude high-energy-orbit oscillations is highly desired. In this paper, a voltage impulse perturbation approach based on negative resistance is applied to trigger high-energy-orbit responses of piezoelectric nonlinear energy harvesters. First, the mechanism of the voltage impulse perturbation and the implementation of the synthetic negative resistance circuit are discussed in detail. Subsequently, numerical simulation and experiment are conducted and the results demonstrate that the high-energy-orbit oscillations can be triggered by the voltage impulse perturbation method for both monostable and bistable configurations given various scenarios. It is revealed that the perturbation levels required to trigger and maintain high-energy-orbit oscillations are different for various excitation frequencies in the region where multiple solutions exist. The higher gain in voltage output when high-energy-orbit oscillations are captured is accompanied with the demand of a higher voltage impulse perturbation level.

The acitretin and methotrexate combination therapy for psoriasis vulgaris achieves higher effectiveness and less liver fibrosis.

PubMed

An, Jingang; Zhang, Dingwei; Wu, Jiawen; Li, Jiong; Teng, Xiu; Gao, Xiaomin; Li, Ruilian; Wang, Xiuying; Xia, Linlin; Xia, Yumin

2017-07-01

Both acitretin and methotrexate are effective in ameliorating psoriatic lesion. However, their combination has been seldom reported in the treatment of psoriasis because of the warning regarding the potential hepatotoxicity of the drug interactions. This study was designed to investigate the effectiveness of such combination therapy for psoriasis vulgaris, and the potential benefit as well as side effect during the treatment. Thirty-nine patients with psoriasis vulgaris were treated with acitretin, methotrexate or their combination or as control. Similarly, K14-VEGF transgenic psoriasis-like mice were treated with these drugs. Human primary keratinocytes and hepatic stellate cells were used for analyzing their effect in vitro. The results showed that the combination therapy exhibited higher effectiveness in remitting skin lesion, but did not significantly affect the liver function of both patients and mice. Moreover, the combination groups showed less elevation of profibrotic factors in sera when compared with methotrexate alone groups accordingly. Furthermore, primary keratinocytes expressed more involucrin as well as loricrin and proliferated more slowly on the combined stimulation. Interestingly, such combination treatment induced lower expression of profibrotic factors in hepatic stellate cells. In conclusion, the acitretin-methotrexate combination therapy for psoriasis vulgaris can achieve higher effectiveness and result in less liver fibrosis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Economic Evaluation of the Information Security Levels Achieved by Electric Energy Providers in North Arctic Region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sushko, O. P.; Kaznin, A. A.; Babkin, A. V.; Bogdanov, D. A.

2017-10-01

The study we are conducting involves the analysis of information security levels achieved by energy providers operating in the North Arctic Region. We look into whether the energy providers’ current information security levels meet reliability standards and determine what further actions may be needed for upgrading information security in the context of the digital transformation that the world community is undergoing. When developing the information security systems for electric energy providers or selecting the protection means for them, we are governed by the fact that the assets to be protected are process technologies. While information security risk can be assessed using different methods, the evaluation of the economic damage from these risks appears to be a difficult task. The most probable and harmful risks we have identified when evaluating the electric energy providers’ information security will be used by us as variables. To provide the evaluation, it is necessary to calculate the costs relating to elimination of the risks identified. The final stage of the study will involve the development of an operation algorithm for the North Arctic Region’s energy provider’s business information protection security system - a set of information security services, and security software and hardware.

Leveraging the Power of Experiential Learning to Achieve Higher-Order Proficiencies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henderson, Amy

2018-01-01

Although experiential learning approaches, such as service-learning, have been shown to increase student motivation and academic achievement, faculty concerns about the costs of developing and implementing such courses have limited their adoption within economics. One cost that can be eliminated is the opportunity cost typically associated with…

Low-cost and no-cost practice to achieve energy efficiency of government office buildings: A case study in federal territory of Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tahir, Mohamad Zamhari; Nawi, Mohd Nasrun Mohd; Ibrahim, Amlus

2016-08-01

This paper presents the findings of a case study to achieve energy-efficient performance of conventional office buildings in Malaysia. Two multi-storey office buildings in Federal Territory of Malaysia have been selected. The aim is to study building energy saving potential then to highlight the appropriate measures that can be implemented. Data was collected using benchmarking method by comparing the measured consumption to other similar office buildings and a series of preliminary audit which involves interviews, a brief review of utility and operating data as well as a walkthrough in the buildings. Additionally, in order to get a better understanding of major energy consumption in the selected buildings, general audit have been conducted to collect more detailed information about building operation. In the end, this study emphasized low-cost and no-cost practice to achieve energy efficiency with significant results in some cases.

Scholastic Achievement of Higher Secondary Students in Science Stream

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khan, Zebun Nisa

2005-01-01

The present study was conducted on 400 students (200 Boys and 200 Girls) selected from Senior Secondary School of A. M. U. Aligarh; India to establish the prognostic value of different measures of cognition, personality and demographic variables for success at Higher Secondary level in Science stream. The score obtained on different variables are…

Frequency Up-Converted Low Frequency Vibration Energy Harvester Using Trampoline Effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ju, S.; Chae, S. H.; Choi, Y.; Jun, S.; Park, S. M.; Lee, S.; Lee, H. W.; Ji, C.-H.

2013-12-01

This paper presents a non-resonant vibration energy harvester based on magnetoelectric transduction mechanism and mechanical frequency up-conversion using trampoline effect. The harvester utilizes a freely movable spherical permanent magnet which bounces off the aluminum springs integrated at both ends of the cavity, achieving frequency up-conversion from low frequency input vibration. Moreover, bonding method of magnetoelectric laminate composite has been optimized to provide higher strain to piezoelectric material and thus obtain a higher output voltage. A proof-of-concept energy harvesting device has been fabricated and tested. Maximum open-circuit voltage of 11.2V has been obtained and output power of 0.57μW has been achieved for a 50kΩ load, when the fabricated energy harvester was hand-shaken.

Achieving wood energy potentials: evidence in northeastern Minnesota.

Treesearch

Dennis P. Bradley; David C. Lothner

1987-01-01

A study of wood energy potential in northeastern Minnesota concludes that (1) the forests of the region could support a much larger wood energy harvest without significant cost increases for other forest products; (2) existing stands are predominantly overmature and cutting more now will enhance future wood supplies for all users; (3) converting to wood energy could...

EU energy policies achievement by industries in decentralized areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Destro, Nicola; Stoppato, Anna; Benato, Alberto; Schiro, Fabio

2017-11-01

Energy Roadmap outlined by the European Commission sets out several routes for a more sustainable, competitive and secure energy system in 2050. All the outlined scenarios consider energy efficiency, renewable energy, nuclear energy and carbon capture and storage. In this paper, more attention has been devoted to the energy efficiency issue, by the identification of new micro and small networks opportunity fed by hybrid plants in the North-East of Italy. National energy balance and national transmission system operator data allowed to collect industrial energy consumptions data on the investigated area. Applying industrial statistics to the local energy needs allows to collect a dataset including consumption information by factory and by company structure (size and employees) for each industrial sector highlighting the factory density in the area. Preliminary outcomes from the model address to the exploitation of local by-product for energy purposes.

Leadership and culture of data governance for the achievement of higher education goals (Case study: Indonesia University of Education)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Putro, Budi Laksono; Surendro, Kridanto; Herbert

2016-02-01

Data is a vital asset in a business enterprise in achieving organizational goals. Data and information affect the decision-making process on the various activities of an organization. Data problems include validity, quality, duplication, control over data, and the difficulty of data availability. Data Governance is the way the company / institution manages its data assets. Data Governance covers the rules, policies, procedures, roles and responsibilities, and performance indicators that direct the overall management of data assets. Studies on governance data or information aplenty recommend the importance of cultural factors in the governance of research data. Among the organization's leadership culture has a very close relationship, and there are two concepts turn, namely: Culture created by leaders, leaders created by culture. Based on the above, this study exposure to the theme "Leadership and Culture Of Data Governance For The Achievement Of Higher Education Goals (Case Study: Indonesia University Of Education)". Culture and Leadership Model Development of on Higher Education in Indonesia would be made by comparing several models of data governance, organizational culture, and organizational leadership on previous studies based on the advantages and disadvantages of each model to the existing organizational business. Results of data governance model development is shown in the organizational culture FPMIPA Indonesia University Of Education today is the cultural market and desired culture is a culture of clan. Organizational leadership today is Individualism Index (IDV) (83.72%), and situational leadership on selling position.

Achievement of cholesterol targets and prescribing of higher-cost statins: a cross-sectional study in general practice.

PubMed

Fleetcroft, Robert; Schofield, Peter; Duerden, Martin; Ashworth, Mark

2012-12-01

There is conflicting evidence as to whether achievement of cholesterol targets at the population level is dependent on the choice and cost of statin. To investigate the practice-level relationship between cholesterol quality indicators in patients with heart disease, stroke, and diabetes and prescribing of low-cost statins. Correlations and linear regression modelling of retrospective cross-sectional practice-level data with potential explanatory variables in 7909 (96.4%) general practices in England in 2008-2009. Quality indicator data were obtained from the Information Centre and prescribing data from the NHS Business Authority. A 'cholesterol quality indicator' score was constructed by dividing the numbers of patients achieving the target for cholesterol control of ≤5 mmol/l in stroke, diabetes, and heart disease by the numbers on each register. A 'low-cost statin' ratio score was constructed by dividing the numbers of defined daily doses of simvastatin and pravastatin by the total numbers of defined daily doses of statins. Simvastatin accounted for 83.3% (standard deviation [SD] = 15.7%) of low-cost statins prescribed and atorvastatin accounted for 85.7% (SD = 14.8%) of high-cost statins prescribed. The mean cholesterol score was 73.7% (SD = 6.0%). Practices using a higher proportion of the low-cost statins were less successful in achieving cholesterol targets. An increase of 10% in the prescribing of low-cost statins was associated with a decrease of 0.46% in the cholesterol quality indicator score (95% confidence interval = -0.54% to -0.38%, P<0.001). Greater use of low-cost statins was associated with a small reduction in cholesterol control.

Achievement motivation and memory: achievement goals differentially influence immediate and delayed remember-know recognition memory.

PubMed

Murayama, Kou; Elliot, Andrew J

2011-10-01

Little research has been conducted on achievement motivation and memory and, more specifically, on achievement goals and memory. In the present research, the authors conducted two experiments designed to examine the influence of mastery-approach and performance-approach goals on immediate and delayed remember-know recognition memory. The experiments revealed differential effects for achievement goals over time: Performance-approach goals showed higher correct remember responding on an immediate recognition test, whereas mastery-approach goals showed higher correct remember responding on a delayed recognition test. Achievement goals had no influence on overall recognition memory and no consistent influence on know responding across experiments. These findings indicate that it is important to consider quality, not just quantity, in both motivation and memory, when studying relations between these constructs.

Achieving Energy Security in the Caribbean Basin

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-04-01

however. Jamaica Broilers Ethanol, a subsidiary of the private company Jamaica Broilers Group, is spending an additional $15 million to expand its...limited basis. Jamaica Broilers , for example, produces 5MW of energy, but it is investing approximately $5 million to generate an additional 10MW of...Minister Upbeat about Jamaica’s Ethanol Prospects," 16 Dec 08 50 The BioEnergySite News Desk, "Jamaica Broilers Ethanol to Double Capacity," Feb 09

A description of an ‘obesogenic’ eating style that promotes higher energy intake and is associated with greater adiposity in 4.5 year-old children: Results from the GUSTO cohort

PubMed Central

Fogel, Anna; Goh, Ai Ting; Fries, Lisa R.; Sadananthan, Suresh Anand; Velan, S. Sendhil; Michael, Navin; Tint, Mya Thway; Fortier, Marielle Valerie; Chan, Mei Jun; Toh, Jia Ying; Chong, Yap-Seng; Tan, Kok Hian; Yap, Fabian; Shek, Lynette P.; Meaney, Michael J.; Broekman, Birit F. P.; Lee, Yung Seng; Godfrey, Keith M.; Chong, Mary Foong Fong; Forde, Ciarán G.

2017-01-01

Recent findings confirm that faster eating rates support higher energy intakes within a meal and are associated with increased body weight and adiposity in children. The current study sought to identify the eating behaviours that underpin faster eating rates and energy intake in children, and to investigate their variations by weight status and other individual differences. Children (N=386) from the Growing Up in Singapore towards Healthy Outcomes (GUSTO) cohort took part in a video-recorded ad libitum lunch at 4.5 years of age to measure acute energy intake. Videos were coded for three eating behaviours (bites, chews and swallows) to derive a measure of eating rate (g/min) and measures of eating microstructure: eating rate (g/min), total oral exposure (minutes), average bite size (g/bite), chews per gram, oral exposure per bite (seconds), total bites and proportion of active to total mealtime. Children’s BMIs were calculated and a subset of children underwent MRI scanning to establish abdominal adiposity. Children were grouped into faster and slower eaters, and into healthy and overweight groups to compare their eating behaviours. Results demonstrate that faster eating rates were correlated with larger average bite size (r=0.55, p<0.001), fewer chews per gram (r=-0.71, p<0.001) and shorter oral exposure time per bite (r=-0.25, p<0.001), and with higher energy intakes (r=0.61, p<0.001). Children with overweight and higher adiposity had faster eating rates (p<0.01) and higher energy intakes (p<0.01), driven by larger bite sizes (p<0.05). Eating behaviours varied by sex, ethnicity and early feeding regimes, partially attributable to BMI. We propose that these behaviours describe an ‘obesogenic eating style’ that is characterised by faster eating rates, achieved through larger bites, reduced chewing and shorter oral exposure time. This obesogenic eating style supports acute energy intake within a meal and is more prevalent among, though not exclusive to

What Happens to the Fish's Achievement in a Little Pond? A Simultaneous Analysis of Class-Average Achievement Effects on Achievement and Academic Self-Concept

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stäbler, Franziska; Dumont, Hanna; Becker, Michael; Baumert, Jürgen

2017-01-01

Empirical studies have demonstrated that students who are taught in a group of students with higher average achievement benefit in terms of their achievement. However, there is also evidence showing that being surrounded by high-achieving students has a negative effect on students' academic self-concept, also known as the big-fish--little-pond…

Music Achievement and Academic Achievement: Isolating the School as a Unit of Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frey-Clark, Marta

2015-01-01

Music participation and academic achievement have long been of interest to educators, researchers and policy makers. The literature is replete with studies linking music participation to higher state assessment scores, grade point averages, and Standardized Achievement Test (SAT) scores. If students from quality music programs academically…

Supported black phosphorus nanosheets as hydrogen-evolving photocatalyst achieving 5.4% energy conversion efficiency at 353 K.

PubMed

Tian, Bin; Tian, Bining; Smith, Bethany; Scott, M C; Hua, Ruinian; Lei, Qin; Tian, Yue

2018-04-11

Solar-driven water splitting using powdered catalysts is considered as the most economical means for hydrogen generation. However, four-electron-driven oxidation half-reaction showing slow kinetics, accompanying with insufficient light absorption and rapid carrier combination in photocatalysts leads to low solar-to-hydrogen energy conversion efficiency. Here, we report amorphous cobalt phosphide (Co-P)-supported black phosphorus nanosheets employed as photocatalysts can simultaneously address these issues. The nanosheets exhibit robust hydrogen evolution from pure water (pH = 6.8) without bias and hole scavengers, achieving an apparent quantum efficiency of 42.55% at 430 nm and energy conversion efficiency of over 5.4% at 353 K. This photocatalytic activity is attributed to extremely efficient utilization of solar energy (~75% of solar energy) by black phosphorus nanosheets and high-carrier separation efficiency by amorphous Co-P. The hybrid material design realizes efficient solar-to-chemical energy conversion in suspension, demonstrating the potential of black phosphorus-based materials as catalysts for solar hydrogen production.

Women in Leadership: Factors That Affect the Achievement of Women in Higher Education Administration at Four-Year Public and Private Universities in Texas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramirez, Dawn Marie

2012-01-01

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the factors that affect women administrators in higher education at four-year public and private universities in Texas. By comparing private and public universities, the research provided an assessment of similarities and differences of the factors impacting achievement of women in higher…

Achievement, attributions, self-efficacy, and goal setting by accounting undergraduates.

PubMed

Cheng, Pi-Yueh; Chiou, Wen-Bin

2010-02-01

Correlations were examined between two measures of accounting self-efficacy achievement goal setting, attributions, and scores on the Accounting Practice Achievement Test, obtained 1 yr. apart for 124 freshmen in junior college. Analysis indicated favorable attribution contributed to a higher mean score on accounting self-efficacy. Students with higher perceived self-efficacy performed better on the proficiency tests. Those with higher self-efficacy also set higher goals for subsequent achievement tests. Moreover, students who set higher achievement goals performed better. Goal setting mediated the relation of initial self-efficacy with subsequent test performance. However, the amount of variance accounted for by self-efficacy was small. An effective method for enhancing performance on an accounting achievement test might be to increase beneficial attributions, self-efficacy in accounting, and to encourage setting reasonable achievement goals.

A coupled piezoelectric-electromagnetic energy harvesting technique for achieving increased power output through damping matching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Challa, Vinod R.; Prasad, M. G.; Fisher, Frank T.

2009-09-01

Vibration energy harvesting is being pursued as a means to power wireless sensors and ultra-low power autonomous devices. From a design standpoint, matching the electrical damping induced by the energy harvesting mechanism to the mechanical damping in the system is necessary for maximum efficiency. In this work two independent energy harvesting techniques are coupled to provide higher electrical damping within the system. Here the coupled energy harvesting device consists of a primary piezoelectric energy harvesting device to which an electromagnetic component is added to better match the total electrical damping to the mechanical damping in the system. The first coupled device has a resonance frequency of 21.6 Hz and generates a peak power output of ~332 µW, compared to 257 and 244 µW obtained from the optimized, stand-alone piezoelectric and electromagnetic energy harvesting devices, respectively, resulting in a 30% increase in power output. A theoretical model has been developed which closely agrees with the experimental results. A second coupled device, which utilizes the d33 piezoelectric mode, shows a 65% increase in power output in comparison to the corresponding stand-alone, single harvesting mode devices. This work illustrates the design considerations and limitations that one must consider to enhance device performance through the coupling of multiple harvesting mechanisms within a single energy harvesting device.

Neuroanatomical correlates of the income-achievement gap.

PubMed

Mackey, Allyson P; Finn, Amy S; Leonard, Julia A; Jacoby-Senghor, Drew S; West, Martin R; Gabrieli, Christopher F O; Gabrieli, John D E

2015-06-01

In the United States, the difference in academic achievement between higher- and lower-income students (i.e., the income-achievement gap) is substantial and growing. In the research reported here, we investigated neuroanatomical correlates of this gap in adolescents (N = 58) in whom academic achievement was measured by statewide standardized testing. Cortical gray-matter volume was significantly greater in students from higher-income backgrounds (n = 35) than in students from lower-income backgrounds (n = 23), but cortical white-matter volume and total cortical surface area did not differ significantly between groups. Cortical thickness in all lobes of the brain was greater in students from higher-income than lower-income backgrounds. Greater cortical thickness, particularly in temporal and occipital lobes, was associated with better test performance. These results represent the first evidence that cortical thickness in higher- and lower-income students differs across broad swaths of the brain and that cortical thickness is related to scores on academic-achievement tests. © The Author(s) 2015.

Design study of piezoelectric energy-harvesting devices for generation of higher electrical power using a coupled piezoelectric-circuit finite element method.

PubMed

Zhu, Meiling; Worthington, Emma; Tiwari, Ashutosh

2010-01-01

This paper presents a design study on the geometric parameters of a cantilever-based piezoelectric energy-harvesting devices (EHD), which harvest energy from motion (vibration), for the purpose of scavenging more energy from ambient vibration energy sources. The design study is based on the coupled piezoelectric-circuit finite element method (CPCFEM), previously presented by Dr. Zhu. This model can calculate the power output of piezoelectric EHDS directly connected to a load resistor and is used in this paper to obtain the following simulation results for variations in geometric parameters such as the beam length, width and thickness, and the mass length, width, and height: 1) the current flowing through and the voltage developed across the load resistor, 2) the power dissipated by the resistor and the corresponding vibrational displacement amplitude, and 3) the resonant frequency. By studying these results, straightforward design strategies that enable the generation of more power are obtained for each geometric parameter, and a physical understanding of how each parameter affects the output power is given. It is suggested that, in designing with the aim of generating more power, the following strategies be used: 1) for the beam, a shorter length, larger width, and lower ratio of piezoelectric layer thickness to total beam thickness are preferred in the case of a fixed mass; 2) for the mass, a shortened mass length and a higher mass height are preferred in the case of variation in the mass length and the mass height with mass width and mass value remain fixed, and a wider width and small mass height are preferred in the case of variation in mass width and height (mass length and value remain fixed; and 3) for the case of a fixed total length, a shorter beam length and longer mass length are preferred. With the design strategies, output powers from the device can reach above 1 to 2 mW/cm(3), much higher than the 200 microW/cm(3) currently achieved in the published

A Governor's View of Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowen, Otis R.

A governor's perspective on higher education suggests that government needs to assure itself that the activities it funds are effective in achieving their goals, that college management practices are efficient, that postsecondary education is equally accessible to all citizens, and that excellence in higher education is achieved. Additional issues…

Black Women into Higher Education: Recognizing Achievement and Identifying Obstacles.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lyon, E. Stina

1995-01-01

Issues facing black women in higher education include whether their formal credentials are "relevant"; informal restrictions on access caused by prejudicial notions of suitability for a course or a job; and social and financial limitations emerging from their environment. (SK)

Crystal Thermoelasticity at Extreme Loading Rates and Pressures: Analysis of Higher-Order Energy Potentials

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-07-01

ARL-RP-0526 ● JULY 2015 US Army Research Laboratory Crystal Thermoelasticity at Extreme Loading Rates and Pressures : Analysis of...ARL-RP-0526 ● JULY 2015 US Army Research Laboratory Crystal Thermoelasticity at Extreme Loading Rates and Pressures : Analysis of...2015 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Crystal Thermoelasticity at Extreme Loading Rates and Pressures : Analysis of Higher-Order Energy Potentials 5a. CONTRACT

The influence of mass configurations on velocity amplified vibrational energy harvesters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Donoghue, D.; Frizzell, R.; Kelly, G.; Nolan, K.; Punch, J.

2016-05-01

Vibrational energy harvesters scavenge ambient vibrational energy, offering an alternative to batteries for the autonomous operation of low power electronics. Velocity amplified electromagnetic generators (VAEGs) utilize the velocity amplification effect to increase power output and operational bandwidth, compared to linear resonators. A detailed experimental analysis of the influence of mass ratio and number of degrees-of-freedom (dofs) on the dynamic behaviour and power output of a macro-scale VAEG is presented. Various mass configurations are tested under drop-test and sinusoidal forced excitation, and the system performances are compared. For the drop-test, increasing mass ratio and number of dofs increases velocity amplification. Under forced excitation, the impacts between the masses are more complex, inducing greater energy losses. This results in the 2-dof systems achieving the highest velocities and, hence, highest output voltages. With fixed transducer size, higher mass ratios achieve higher voltage output due to the superior velocity amplification. Changing the magnet size to a fixed percentage of the final mass showed the increase in velocity of the systems with higher mass ratios is not significant enough to overcome the reduction in transducer size. Consequently, the 3:1 mass ratio systems achieved the highest output voltage. These findings are significant for the design of future reduced-scale VAEGs.

Frequency Based Design Partitioning to Achieve Higher Throughput in Digital Cross Correlator for Aperture Synthesis Passive MMW Imager.

PubMed

Asif, Muhammad; Guo, Xiangzhou; Zhang, Jing; Miao, Jungang

2018-04-17

Digital cross-correlation is central to many applications including but not limited to Digital Image Processing, Satellite Navigation and Remote Sensing. With recent advancements in digital technology, the computational demands of such applications have increased enormously. In this paper we are presenting a high throughput digital cross correlator, capable of processing 1-bit digitized stream, at the rate of up to 2 GHz, simultaneously on 64 channels i.e., approximately 4 Trillion correlation and accumulation operations per second. In order to achieve higher throughput, we have focused on frequency based partitioning of our design and tried to minimize and localize high frequency operations. This correlator is designed for a Passive Millimeter Wave Imager intended for the detection of contraband items concealed on human body. The goals are to increase the system bandwidth, achieve video rate imaging, improve sensitivity and reduce the size. Design methodology is detailed in subsequent sections, elaborating the techniques enabling high throughput. The design is verified for Xilinx Kintex UltraScale device in simulation and the implementation results are given in terms of device utilization and power consumption estimates. Our results show considerable improvements in throughput as compared to our baseline design, while the correlator successfully meets the functional requirements.

Parental Involvement and Academic Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodwin, Sarah Christine

2015-01-01

This research study examined the correlation between student achievement and parent's perceptions of their involvement in their child's schooling. Parent participants completed the Parent Involvement Project Parent Questionnaire. Results slightly indicated parents of students with higher level of achievement perceived less demand or invitations…

Perspectives on achieving sustainable energy production and use

EPA Science Inventory

The traditional definition of sustainability calls for polices and strategies that meet society's present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Achieving operational sustainability requires three critical elements: advances in scien...

Leadership, self-efficacy, and student achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grayson, Kristin

This study examined the relationships between teacher leadership, science teacher self-efficacy, and fifth-grade science student achievement in diverse schools in a San Antonio, Texas, metropolitan school district. Teachers completed a modified version of the Leadership Behavior Description Question (LBDQ) Form XII by Stogdill (1969), the Science Efficacy and Belief Expectations for Science Teaching (SEBEST) by Ritter, Boone, and Rubba (2001, January). Students' scores on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) measured fifth-grade science achievement. At the teacher level of analysis multiple regressions showed the following relationships between teachers' science self-efficacy and teacher classroom leadership behaviors and the various teacher and school demographic variables. Predictors of teacher self efficacy beliefs included teacher's level of education, gender, and leadership initiating structure. The only significant predictor of teacher self-efficacy outcome expectancy was gender. Higher teacher self-efficacy beliefs predicted higher leadership initiating structure. At the school level of analysis, higher school levels of percentage of students from low socio-economic backgrounds and higher percentage of limited English proficient students predicted lower school student mean science achievement. These findings suggest a need for continued research to clarify relationships between teacher classroom leadership, science teacher self-efficacy, and student achievement especially at the teacher level of analysis. Findings also indicate the importance of developing instructional methods to address student demographics and their needs so that all students, despite their backgrounds, will achieve in science.

ZnO thin film piezoelectric MEMS vibration energy harvesters with two piezoelectric elements for higher output performance.

PubMed

Wang, Peihong; Du, Hejun

2015-07-01

Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin film piezoelectric microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) based vibration energy harvesters with two different designs are presented. These harvesters consist of a silicon cantilever, a silicon proof mass, and a ZnO piezoelectric layer. Design I has a large ZnO piezoelectric element and Design II has two smaller and equally sized ZnO piezoelectric elements; however, the total area of ZnO thin film in two designs is equal. The ZnO thin film is deposited by means of radio-frequency magnetron sputtering method and is characterized by means of XRD and SEM techniques. These ZnO energy harvesters are fabricated by using MEMS micromachining. The natural frequencies of the fabricated ZnO energy harvesters are simulated and tested. The test results show that these two energy harvesters with different designs have almost the same natural frequency. Then, the output performance of different ZnO energy harvesters is tested in detail. The effects of series connection and parallel connection of two ZnO elements on the load voltage and power are also analyzed. The experimental results show that the energy harvester with two ZnO piezoelectric elements in parallel connection in Design II has higher load voltage and higher load power than the fabricated energy harvesters with other designs. Its load voltage is 2.06 V under load resistance of 1 MΩ and its maximal load power is 1.25 μW under load resistance of 0.6 MΩ, when it is excited by an external vibration with frequency of 1300.1 Hz and acceleration of 10 m/s(2). By contrast, the load voltage of the energy harvester of Design I is 1.77 V under 1 MΩ resistance and its maximal load power is 0.98 μW under 0.38 MΩ load resistance when it is excited by the same vibration.

Minimum MD simulation length required to achieve reliable results in free energy perturbation calculations: case study of relative binding free energies of fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase inhibitors.

PubMed

Rathore, R S; Aparoy, P; Reddanna, P; Kondapi, A K; Reddy, M Rami

2011-07-30

In an attempt to establish the criteria for the length of simulation to achieve the desired convergence of free energy calculations, two studies were carried out on chosen complexes of FBPase-AMP mimics. Calculations were performed for varied length of simulations and for different starting configurations using both conventional- and QM/MM-FEP methods. The results demonstrate that for small perturbations, 1248 ps simulation time could be regarded a reasonable yardstick to achieve convergence of the results. As the simulation time is extended, the errors associated with free energy calculations also gradually tapers off. Moreover, when starting the simulation from different initial configurations of the systems, the results are not changed significantly, when performed for 1248 ps. This study carried on FBPase-AMP mimics corroborates well with our previous successful demonstration of requirement of simulation time for solvation studies, both by conventional and ab initio FEP. The establishment of aforementioned criteria of simulation length serves a useful benchmark in drug design efforts using FEP methodologies, to draw a meaningful and unequivocal conclusion. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effects of individualized assignments on biology achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kremer, Philip L.

A pretest-posttest, randomized, two groups, experimental, factorial design compared effects of detailed and nondetailed assignments on biology achievement over seven and a half months. Detailed assignments (favoring field independence and induction) employed block diagrams and stepwise directions. Nondetailed assignments (favoring field dependence and deduction) virtually lacked these. The accessible population was 101 tenth grade preparatory school male students. The 95 students enrolled in first year biology constituted the sample. Two by three ANOVA was done on residualized posttest score means of the students. Totally, the detailed students achieved significantly higher than the nondetailed students. This significantly higher achievement was only true of detailed students in the middle thirds of the deviation intelligence quotient (DIQ) range and of the grade point average (G.P.A.) range after the breakdown into upper, middle, and lower thirds of intellectual capability (ability and achievement). The upper third detailed DIQ grouping indirectly achieved higher than its peers, whereas the lower detailed DIQ third achieved lower than its peers. Thus, high capability students apparently benefit from flow and block diagrams, inductions, field independence, and high structure, whereas low capability students may be hindered by these.

Reflectiveness/Impulsiveness and Mathematics Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cathcart, W. George; Liedtke, Werner

1969-01-01

Report of research to test the hypothesis that reflective students would be higher achievers in mathematics than impulsive pupils. An achievement test was developed to measure understanding of mathematical concepts and applications, ability to solve verbal problems and recall basic facts. Data suggest that reflective students obtain better…

The relationship between energy information management and energy management performance in higher education sector in Thailand, considering from resource and process based views

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mongkolsawat, Darunee

The performance of energy management is usually considered through the energy reduction result however this does not sufficient for managing facility's energy in the long term. In combination to that, this study decides to investigate the relationship between the effectiveness of energy information management and the energy management performance. The interested sector is higher education institutions in Thailand due to their complex organisation both in management and property aspects. By not focusing on quantitative energy reduction as centre, the study seeks to establish a framework or tool in helping to understand such relationship qualitatively through organisation resource and process based view. Additionally, energy management structure is also accounted as initial factor. In relation to such framework, the performance of energy management is considered on its primary results concerning the issues of the data available, analysis results, and energy action. After the investigation, it is found that between the concerned factors and primary performance there are various specific relationships. For example, some tend to have direct connections as relations between the energy management structure and implemented actions, and between the investment in organisation resources and data available. While some have flexible relations as between data collection and results of analysed data. Furthermore, the load of energy management has been found influencing on organisation's motivation to invest in energy management. At the end of the paper, further application to the study is also proposed.

Sharing Leadership Responsibilities Results in Achievement Gains

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armistead, Lew

2010-01-01

Collective, not individual, leadership in schools has a greater impact on student achievement; when principals and teachers share leadership responsibilities, student achievement is higher; and schools having high student achievement also display a vision for student achievement and teacher growth. Those are just a few of the insights into school…

Faster eating rates are associated with higher energy intakes during an Ad libitum meal, higher BMI and greater adiposity among 4.5 year old children – Results from the GUSTO cohort

PubMed Central

Fogel, Anna; Goh, Ai Ting; Fries, Lisa R.; Sadananthan, Suresh Anand; Velan, S. Sendhil; Michael, Navin; Tint, Mya Thway; Fortier, Marielle Valerie; Chan, Mei Jun; Toh, Jia Ying; Chong, Yap-Seng; Tan, Kok Hian; Yap, Fabian; Shek, Lynette P.; Meaney, Michael J.; Broekman, Birit F.P.; Lee, Yung Seng; Godfrey, Keith M.; Chong, Mary Foong Fong; Forde, Ciarán Gerard

2017-01-01

Faster eating rates are associated with increased energy intake, but less is known about the relationship between children’s eating rate, food intake and adiposity. We examined whether children who eat faster consume more energy and whether this is associated with higher weight status and adiposity. We hypothesized that eating rate mediates the relationship between child weight and ad libitum energy intake. Children (N=386) from the Growing Up in Singapore towards Healthy Outcomes (GUSTO) cohort participated in a video-recorded ad libitum lunch at 4.5 years to measure acute energy intake. Videos were coded for three eating-behaviours (bites, chews and swallows) to derive a measure of eating rate (g/min). Body mass index (BMI) and anthropometric indices of adiposity were measured. A subset of children underwent MRI scanning (n=153) to measure abdominal subcutaneous and visceral adiposity. Children above/below the median eating rate were categorised as slower and faster eaters, and compared across body composition measures. There was a strong positive relationship between eating rate and energy intake (r=0.61, p<0.001) and a positive linear relationship between eating rate and children’s BMI status. Faster eaters consumed 75% more calories than slower eating children (Δ131 kcal, 95%CI [107.6, 154.4], p<0.001), and had higher whole-body (p<0.05) and subcutaneous abdominal adiposity (Δ118.3 cc; 95%CI [24.0, 212.7], p=0.014). Mediation analysis showed that eating rate mediates the link between child weight and energy intake during a meal (b=13.59, 95% CI [7.48, 21.83]). Children who ate faster had higher energy intake, and this was associated with increased BMIz and adiposity. PMID:28462734

Increased Eating Frequency Is Associated with Lower Obesity Risk, But Higher Energy Intake in Adults: A Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Wang, Yue-Qiao; Zhang, Yun-Quan; Zhang, Fei; Zhang, Yi-Wen; Li, Rui; Chen, Guo-Xun

2016-06-17

Body weight is regulated by energy intake which occurs several times a day in humans. In this meta-analysis, we evaluated whether eating frequency (EF) is associated with obesity risk and energy intake in adults without any dietary restriction. Experimental and observational studies published before July 2015 were selected through English-language literature searches in several databases. These studies reported the association between EF and obesity risk (odd ratios, ORs) in adults who were not in dietary restriction. R software was used to perform statistical analyses. Ten cross-sectional studies, consisting of 65,742 participants, were included in this analysis. ORs were considered as effect size for the analysis about the effect of EF on obesity risk. Results showed that the increase of EF was associated with 0.83 time lower odds of obesity (i.e., OR = 0.83, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 0.70-0.99, p = 0.040). Analysis about the effect of EF on differences in participants' energy intake revealed that increased EF was associated with higher energy intake (β = 125.36, 95% CI 21.76-228.97, p = 0.017). We conclude that increased EF may lead to lower obesity risk but higher energy intake. Clinical trials are warranted to confirm these results and to assess the clinical practice applicability.

Dependence of seismic energy on higher wavenumber components

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hirano, S.; Yagi, Y.

2014-12-01

Seismic Energy ESE_S gives a minimum of strain energy drop defined as an inner product of spacial distribution of coseismic slip and stress change on a fault surface (Andrews 1978 JGR). Traditionally, ESE_S has been obtained by multiplying mean stress drop and seismic moment divided by the rigidity by assuming the distribution of stress drop is constant in space, which yields an elliptic slip distribution. It has, however, been pointed out that slip distributions are approximated not as the elliptic distribution but as the kk-squared model (Herrero & Bernard 1994 BSSA), so that the product of mean stress drop and seismic moment does not give proper estimation of ESE_S. For the case of heterogeneous stress drop, the inner product requires shorter wavelength components of slip distribution (Andrews 1980 JGR). Mai & Beroza (2002 JGR) revealed that observed slip distributions in the wavenumber domain are well modeled with the von Karman power spectrum density parameterized by a corner wavenumber kck_c and the Hurst exponent HH, and quantified these two parameters for some inversion results. Although they discussed a condition of convergence of the inner product, they did not consider dependence of ESE_S on kck_c, HH, and a maximum wavenumber kmaxk_{max}. In this study, we analytically obtain the dependence and suggest how we should consider higher wavenumber components of slip distribution for estimation of ESE_S. We show that the relationship ES∝C(kmax/kc,H)μP2k3cE_S propto C(k_{max}/k_c, H) mu P^2 k_c^3 holds, where μmu is the rigidity, and PP is the seismic potency. An analytical solution of C(kmax/kc,H)C(k_{max}/k_c, H) tells us that even components of kmax/kc˜10k_{max}/k_c sim 10 or 100100 are not negligible for ESE_S under kk-squared model while such components do not contribute to ESE_S for the elliptic slip distribution. We discuss this feature quantitatively and show some examples of estimation of ESE_S based on results of slip inversions.

Performance of the LANSCE H^- Source and Low Energy Transport at Higher Peak Current

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pillai, Chandra; Stevens, Ralph; Fitzgerald, Daniel; Garnett, Robert; Ingllas, William; Merrill, Frank; Rybarcyk, Larry; Sander, Oscar

1997-05-01

The Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) 800 MeV linac facility uses a multicusp field, surface ion source to produce H^- beam for delivery to the Proton Storage Ring (PSR) and to the Weapon Neutron Research (WNR) areas. The source typically operates at a duty factor of 9.4% delivering a peak current of about 14 mA into the 750 keV LEBT. Each beam macropulse is chopped to create a sequence of 360 ns pulse, each with a 100 ns ``extraction notch'' for injection into PSR. The average current delivered to the short-pulse spallation target is nominally 70μA. One goal of the present PSR upgrade projects is an increase in the average beam current to 200μA. This will be accomplished by a combination of increased repetition rate (to 30 Hz), upgraded PSR bunchers, and a brighter H^- ion source that will produce higher peak current with lower beam emittance. The present ion source and injector system was studied to investigate the beam qualities of the source and the performance of the low energy transpot. The performance of the ion source at higher currents and the change in beam parameters in the low energy transport compared to those in the standard source conditions will be presented.

Review of "Within Our Grasp: Achieving Higher Admissions Standards in Teacher Prep"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cochran-Smith, Marilyn; Baker, Megina; Chang, Wen-Chia; Fernández, M. Beatriz; Keefe, Elizabeth Stringer

2017-01-01

Based on a review of GPA and SAT/ACT requirements at 221 institutions in 25 states, a new report from the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) recommends that states, institutions of higher education, and the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) maintain or establish a higher bar for entry into teacher preparation…

Australian Higher Education Reforms--Unification or Diversification?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coombe, Leanne

2015-01-01

The higher education policy of the previous Australian government aimed to achieve an internationally competitive higher education sector while expanding access opportunities to all Australians. This policy agenda closely reflects global trends that focus on achieving both quality and equity objectives. In this paper, the formulation and…

High Energy Density in Azobenzene-based Materials for Photo-Thermal Batteries via Controlled Polymer Architecture and Polymer-Solvent Interactions.

PubMed

Jeong, Seung Pyo; Renna, Lawrence A; Boyle, Connor J; Kwak, Hyunwook S; Harder, Edward; Damm, Wolfgang; Venkataraman, Dhandapani

2017-12-19

Energy densities of ~510 J/g (max: 698 J/g) have been achieved in azobenzene-based syndiotactic-rich poly(methacrylate) polymers. The processing solvent and polymer-solvent interactions are important to achieve morphologically optimal structures for high-energy density materials. This work shows that morphological changes of solid-state syndiotactic polymers, driven by different solvent processings play an important role in controlling the activation energy of Z-E isomerization as well as the shape of the DSC exotherm. Thus, this study shows the crucial role of processing solvents and thin film structure in achieving higher energy densities.

Higher weight, lower education: a longitudinal association between adolescents' body mass index and their subsequent educational achievement level?

PubMed

Larsen, Junilla K; Kleinjan, Marloes; Engels, Rutger C M E; Fisher, Jennifer O; Hermans, Roel C J

2014-12-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the association between adolescents' body mass index (BMI) z-scores and their subsequent level of schooling, extending previous longitudinal research by using objectively measured weight and height data. A longitudinal study with 3 study waves (1-year intervals) involving 1248 Dutch adolescents (49% girls; mean age = 13.7 years) at schools providing different educational levels was used to determine adolescents who moved and did not move to a lower educational level in the first year, or in the second year, and to examine whether this movement could be predicted by BMI z-scores (zBMI), after controlling for a large range of potential confounding factors. A total of 1164 Dutch adolescents continued in the same level of education, whereas 84 adolescents moved to a lower educational level (43 moved in the first and 41 in the second year). A higher zBMI significantly increased the risk of a general transition to a lower educational level, and of a transition in the first year, but not in the second year, after controlling for potential demographic, behavioral, and psychological confounds. Findings suggest that a higher zBMI during adolescence immediately lowers educational achievement level during general secondary education. © 2014, American School Health Association.

Capacitive Neutralization Dialysis for Direct Energy Generation.

PubMed

Liu, Yue; Zhang, Yi; Ou-Yang, Wei; Bastos Sales, Bruno; Sun, Zhuo; Liu, Fei; Zhao, Ran

2017-08-15

Capacitive neutralization dialysis energy (CNDE) is proposed as a novel energy-harvesting technique that is able to utilize waste acid and alkaline solutions to produce electrical energy. CNDE is a modification based on neutralization dialysis. It was found that a higher NaCl concentration led to a higher open-circuit potential when the concentrations of acid and alkaline solutions were fixed. Upon closing of the circuit, the membrane potential was used as a driving force to move counter ions into the electrical double layers at the electrode-liquid interface, thereby creating an ionic current. Correspondingly, in the external circuit, electrons flow through an external resistor from one electrode to the other, thereby generating electrical energy directly. The influence of external resistances was studied to achieve greater energy extraction, with the maximum output of 110 mW/m 2 obtained by employing an external resistance of 5 Ω together with the AC-coated electrode.

Moving to higher ground: Closing the high school science achievement gap

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mebane, Joyce Graham

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of West High School constituents (students, parents, teachers, administrators, and guidance counselors) about the readiness and interest of African American students at West High School to take Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) science courses as a strategy for closing the achievement gap. This case study utilized individual interviews and questionnaires for data collection. The participants were selected biology students and their parents, teachers, administrators, and guidance counselors at West High School. The results of the study indicated that just over half the students and teachers, most parents, and all guidance counselors thought African American students were prepared to take AP science courses. Only one of the three administrators thought the students were prepared to take AP science courses. Between one-half and two-thirds of the students, parents, teachers, and administrators thought students were interested in taking an AP science course. Only two of the guidance counselors thought there was interest among the African American students in taking AP science courses. The general consensus among the constituents about the readiness and interest of African American students at West High School to take IB science courses was that it is too early in the process to really make definitive statements. West is a prospective IB school and the program is new and not yet in place. Educators at the West High School community must find reasons to expect each student to succeed. Lower expectations often translate into lower academic demands and less rigor in courses. Lower academic demands and less rigor in courses translate into less than adequate performance by students. When teachers and administrators maintain high expectations, they encourage students to aim high rather than slide by with mediocre effort (Lumsden, 1997). As a result of the study, the following suggestions should

Energy implications of mechanical and mechanical-biological treatment compared to direct waste-to-energy.

PubMed

Cimpan, Ciprian; Wenzel, Henrik

2013-07-01

Primary energy savings potential is used to compare five residual municipal solid waste treatment systems, including configurations with mechanical (MT) and mechanical-biological (MBT) pre-treatment, which produce waste-derived fuels (RDF and SRF), biogas and/or recover additional materials for recycling, alongside a system based on conventional mass burn waste-to-energy and ash treatment. To examine the magnitude of potential savings we consider two energy efficiency levels (state-of-the-art and best available technology), the inclusion/exclusion of heat recovery (CHP vs. PP) and three different background end-use energy production systems (coal condensing electricity and natural gas heat, Nordic electricity mix and natural gas heat, and coal CHP energy quality allocation). The systems achieved net primary energy savings in a range between 34 and 140 MJprimary/100 MJinput waste, in the different scenario settings. The energy footprint of transportation needs, pre-treatment and reprocessing of recyclable materials was 3-9.5%, 1-18% and 1-8% respectively, relative to total energy savings. Mass combustion WtE achieved the highest savings in scenarios with CHP production, nonetheless, MBT-based systems had similarly high performance if SRF streams were co-combusted with coal. When RDF and SRF was only used in dedicated WtE plants, MBT-based systems totalled lower savings due to inherent system losses and additional energy costs. In scenarios without heat recovery, the biodrying MBS-based system achieved the highest savings, on the condition of SRF co-combustion. As a sensitivity scenario, alternative utilisation of SRF in cement kilns was modelled. It supported similar or higher net savings for all pre-treatment systems compared to mass combustion WtE, except when WtE CHP was possible in the first two background energy scenarios. Recovery of plastics for recycling before energy recovery increased net energy savings in most scenario variations, over those of full

Achievement goals affect metacognitive judgments

PubMed Central

Ikeda, Kenji; Yue, Carole L.; Murayama, Kou; Castel, Alan D.

2017-01-01

The present study examined the effect of achievement goals on metacognitive judgments, such as judgments of learning (JOLs) and metacomprehension judgments, and actual recall performance. We conducted five experiments manipulating the instruction of achievement goals. In each experiment, participants were instructed to adopt mastery-approach goals (i.e., develop their own mental ability through a memory task) or performance-approach goals (i.e., demonstrate their strong memory ability through getting a high score on a memory task). The results of Experiments 1 and 2 showed that JOLs of word pairs in the performance-approach goal condition tended to be higher than those in the mastery-approach goal condition. In contrast, cued recall performance did not differ between the two goal conditions. Experiment 3 also demonstrated that metacomprehension judgments of text passages were higher in the performance-approach goal condition than in the mastery-approach goals condition, whereas test performance did not differ between conditions. These findings suggest that achievement motivation affects metacognitive judgments during learning, even when achievement motivation does not influence actual performance. PMID:28983496

Discovering the Highest Energy Neutrinos Using a Radio Phased Array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vieregg, Abigail

2018-06-01

The detection of high energy neutrinos is an important step toward understanding the most energetic cosmic accelerators and would enable tests of fundamental physics at energy scales that cannot easily be achieved on Earth. IceCube has detected astrophysical neutrinos at lower energies, and at higher energies the best limits to date on the flux comes from IceCube and the ANITA experiment, a NASA balloon-borne radio telescope designed to detect coherent radio Cherenkov emission from cosmogenic ultra-high energy neutrinos. I will discuss a new radio phased array design that will push the achievable sensitivity and lower the energy threshold. I will discuss the initial deployment and performance of an 8-channel system in a ground-based experiment at the South Pole (ARA), and the plans for scaling to O(100) channels and lowering the power consumption for future balloon-borne and ground-based applications.

Higher Order Multipole Potentials and Electrostatic Screening Effects on Cohesive Energy and Bulk Modulus of Metallic Nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barakat, T.

2011-12-01

Higher order multipole potentials and electrostatic screening effects are introduced to incorporate the dangling bonds on the surface of a metallic nanopaticle and to modify the coulomb like potential energy terms, respectively. The total interaction energy function for any metallic nanoparticle is represented in terms of two- and three-body potentials. The two-body part is described by dipole-dipole interaction potential, and in the three-body part, triple-dipole (DDD) and dipole-dipole-quadrupole (DDQ) terms are included. The size-dependent cohesive energy and bulk modulus are observed to decrease with decreasing sizes, a result which is in good agreement with the experimental values of Mo and W nanoparticles.

Promotion Models and Achievements of New-energy Automobiles in Shenzhen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, Yu; Xiong, Siqin; Bai, Bo; Ma, Xiaoming

2017-08-01

As one of the pilot cities in China for demonstration and promotion of new-energy automobiles, Shenzhen, driven by the “two engines” of the government and the market, has made swift progress in promotion of its new-energy automobiles. This paper analyses Shenzhen’s governmental promotion policy concerning new-energy automobiles, summarizes Shenzhen’s commercial models for promoting new-energy automobiles, and is expected to provide reference for other provinces and cities to promote new-energy automobiles.

Motivation and academic achievement in medical students.

PubMed

Yousefy, Alireza; Ghassemi, Gholamreza; Firouznia, Samaneh

2012-01-01

Despite their ascribed intellectual ability and achieved academic pursuits, medical students' academic achievement is influenced by motivation. This study is an endeavor to examine the role of motivation in the academic achievement of medical students. In this cross-sectional correlational study, out of the total 422 medical students, from 4th to final year during the academic year 2007-2008, at School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, 344 participated in completion of the Inventory of School Motivation (ISM), comprising 43 items and measuring eight aspects of motivation. The gold standard for academic achievement was their average academic marks at pre-clinical and clinical levels. Data were computer analyzed by running a couple of descriptive and analytical tests including Pearson Correlation and Student's t-student. Higher motivation scores in areas of competition, effort, social concern, and task were accompanied by higher average marks at pre-clinical as well as clinical levels. However, the latter ones showed greater motivation for social power as compared to the former group. Task and competition motivation for boys was higher than for girls. In view of our observations, students' academic achievement requires coordination and interaction between different aspects of motivation.

Addressing Academic Dishonesty among the Highest Achievers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Angela D.; Murdock, Tamera B.; Grotewiel, Morgan M.

2017-01-01

Although research shows that higher-achieving students report engaging in cheating behaviors less frequently than lower-achieving students, the cheating rates among this population are still startling. Certain aspects of the context of being a high-achieving student support academic dishonesty. We investigate integrity among the highest achievers…

Photovoltaic wire derived from a graphene composite fiber achieving an 8.45 % energy conversion efficiency.

PubMed

Yang, Zhibin; Sun, Hao; Chen, Tao; Qiu, Longbin; Luo, Yongfeng; Peng, Huisheng

2013-07-15

Wired for light: Novel wire-shaped photovoltaic devices have been developed from graphene/Pt composite fibers. The high flexibility, mechanical strength, and electrical conductivity of graphene composite fibers resulted in a maximum energy conversion efficiency of 8.45 %, which is much higher than that of other wire-shaped photovoltaic devices. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Study Shows Philippine Power System Can Achieve 30% and 50% Renewable

Science.gov Websites

Energy by 2030 | News | NREL Study Shows Philippine Power System Can Achieve 30% and 50 % Renewable Energy by 2030 Study Shows Philippine Power System Can Achieve 30% and 50% Renewable Energy by of the Philippines (NGCP), and the Philippine Electricity Market Association produced the study

Energy implications of mechanical and mechanical–biological treatment compared to direct waste-to-energy

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

Cimpan, Ciprian, E-mail: cic@kbm.sdu.dk; Wenzel, Henrik

2013-07-15

heat recovery, the biodrying MBS-based system achieved the highest savings, on the condition of SRF co-combustion. As a sensitivity scenario, alternative utilisation of SRF in cement kilns was modelled. It supported similar or higher net savings for all pre-treatment systems compared to mass combustion WtE, except when WtE CHP was possible in the first two background energy scenarios. Recovery of plastics for recycling before energy recovery increased net energy savings in most scenario variations, over those of full stream combustion. Sensitivity to assumptions regarding virgin plastic substitution was tested and was found to mostly favour plastic recovery.« less

Relativistic Spacecraft Propelled by Directed Energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kulkarni, Neeraj; Lubin, Philip; Zhang, Qicheng

2018-04-01

Achieving relativistic flight to enable extrasolar exploration is one of the dreams of humanity and the long-term goal of our NASA Starlight program. We derive a relativistic solution for the motion of a spacecraft propelled by radiation pressure from a directed energy (DE) system. Depending on the system parameters, low-mass spacecraft can achieve relativistic speeds, thus enabling interstellar exploration. The diffraction of the DE system plays an important role and limits the maximum speed of the spacecraft. We consider “photon recycling” as a possible method to achieving higher speeds. We also discuss recent claims that our previous work on this topic is incorrect and show that these claims arise from an improper treatment of causality.

Higher-order finite-difference formulation of periodic Orbital-free Density Functional Theory

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

Ghosh, Swarnava; Suryanarayana, Phanish, E-mail: phanish.suryanarayana@ce.gatech.edu

2016-02-15

We present a real-space formulation and higher-order finite-difference implementation of periodic Orbital-free Density Functional Theory (OF-DFT). Specifically, utilizing a local reformulation of the electrostatic and kernel terms, we develop a generalized framework for performing OF-DFT simulations with different variants of the electronic kinetic energy. In particular, we propose a self-consistent field (SCF) type fixed-point method for calculations involving linear-response kinetic energy functionals. In this framework, evaluation of both the electronic ground-state and forces on the nuclei are amenable to computations that scale linearly with the number of atoms. We develop a parallel implementation of this formulation using the finite-difference discretization.more » We demonstrate that higher-order finite-differences can achieve relatively large convergence rates with respect to mesh-size in both the energies and forces. Additionally, we establish that the fixed-point iteration converges rapidly, and that it can be further accelerated using extrapolation techniques like Anderson's mixing. We validate the accuracy of the results by comparing the energies and forces with plane-wave methods for selected examples, including the vacancy formation energy in Aluminum. Overall, the suitability of the proposed formulation for scalable high performance computing makes it an attractive choice for large-scale OF-DFT calculations consisting of thousands of atoms.« less

Achieving Regional Energy Efficiency Potential in the Northeast

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

De Angelo, Laura

With this grant, NEEP sought to accelerate the adoption of energy efficiency in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic region through regional partnership projects that bring together leadership and staff from state and local government, utilities, industry, environmental and consumer groups, and other related interests to make efficiency visible and understood, reduce energy use in buildings, speed the adoption of high efficiency products, and advance knowledge and best practices. At the time of this grant, the NEEP region included the states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Washington DC, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, and Maryland.

Examining the integrity of measurement of cognitive abilities in the prediction of achievement: Comparisons and contrasts across variables from higher-order and bifactor models.

PubMed

Benson, Nicholas F; Kranzler, John H; Floyd, Randy G

2016-10-01

Prior research examining cognitive ability and academic achievement relations have been based on different theoretical models, have employed both latent variables as well as observed variables, and have used a variety of analytic methods. Not surprisingly, results have been inconsistent across studies. The aims of this study were to (a) examine how relations between psychometric g, Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) broad abilities, and academic achievement differ across higher-order and bifactor models; (b) examine how well various types of observed scores corresponded with latent variables; and (c) compare two types of observed scores (i.e., refined and non-refined factor scores) as predictors of academic achievement. Results suggest that cognitive-achievement relations vary across theoretical models and that both types of factor scores tend to correspond well with the models on which they are based. However, orthogonal refined factor scores (derived from a bifactor model) have the advantage of controlling for multicollinearity arising from the measurement of psychometric g across all measures of cognitive abilities. Results indicate that the refined factor scores provide more precise representations of their targeted constructs than non-refined factor scores and maintain close correspondence with the cognitive-achievement relations observed for latent variables. Thus, we argue that orthogonal refined factor scores provide more accurate representations of the relations between CHC broad abilities and achievement outcomes than non-refined scores do. Further, the use of refined factor scores addresses calls for the application of scores based on latent variable models. Copyright © 2016 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Higher-order gravity in higher dimensions: geometrical origins of four-dimensional cosmology?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Troisi, Antonio

2017-03-01

Determining the cosmological field equations is still very much debated and led to a wide discussion around different theoretical proposals. A suitable conceptual scheme could be represented by gravity models that naturally generalize Einstein theory like higher-order gravity theories and higher-dimensional ones. Both of these two different approaches allow one to define, at the effective level, Einstein field equations equipped with source-like energy-momentum tensors of geometrical origin. In this paper, the possibility is discussed to develop a five-dimensional fourth-order gravity model whose lower-dimensional reduction could provide an interpretation of cosmological four-dimensional matter-energy components. We describe the basic concepts of the model, the complete field equations formalism and the 5-D to 4-D reduction procedure. Five-dimensional f( R) field equations turn out to be equivalent, on the four-dimensional hypersurfaces orthogonal to the extra coordinate, to an Einstein-like cosmological model with three matter-energy tensors related with higher derivative and higher-dimensional counter-terms. By considering the gravity model with f(R)=f_0R^n the possibility is investigated to obtain five-dimensional power law solutions. The effective four-dimensional picture and the behaviour of the geometrically induced sources are finally outlined in correspondence to simple cases of such higher-dimensional solutions.

Correlation of Conditional Admittance and Student Achievement in an Undergraduate Higher Education Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parisi, Joe

2012-01-01

This paper explores several research questions that identify differences between conditionally admitted students and regularly admitted students in terms of achievement results at one institution. The research provides specific variables as well as relationships including historical and comparative aggregate data from 2009 and 2010 that indicate…

Higher energy efficient homes are associated with increased risk of doctor diagnosed asthma in a UK subpopulation.

PubMed

Sharpe, Richard A; Thornton, Christopher R; Nikolaou, Vasilis; Osborne, Nicholas J

2015-02-01

The United Kingdom (UK) has one of the highest prevalence of asthma in the world, which represents a significant economic and societal burden. Reduced ventilation resulting from increased energy efficiency measures acts as a modifier for mould contamination and risk of allergic diseases. To our knowledge no previous study has combined detailed asset management property and health data together to assess the impact of household energy efficiency (using the UK Government's Standard Assessment Procedure) on asthma outcomes in an adult population residing in social housing. Postal questionnaires were sent to 3867 social housing properties to collect demographic, health and environmental information on all occupants. Detailed property data, residency periods, indices of multiple deprivation (IMD) and household energy efficiency ratings were also investigated. Logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios and confidence intervals while allowing for clustering of individuals coming from the same location. Eighteen percent of our target social housing population were recruited into our study. Adults had a mean age of 59 (SD±17.3) years and there was a higher percentage of female (59%) and single occupancy (58%) respondents. Housing demographic characteristics were representative of the target homes. A unit increase in household Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) rating was associated with a 2% increased risk of current asthma, with the greatest risk in homes with SAP >71. We assessed exposure to mould and found that the presence of a mouldy/musty odour was associated with a two-fold increased risk of asthma (OR 2.2 95%; CI 1.3-3.8). A unit increase in SAP led to a 4-5% reduction in the risk of visible mould growth and a mouldy/musty odour. In contrast to previous research, we report that residing in energy efficient homes may increase the risk of adult asthma. We report that mould contamination increased the risk of asthma, which is in agreement with existing

Bone metabolic responses to low energy availability achieved by diet or exercise in active eumenorrheic women.

PubMed

Papageorgiou, Maria; Martin, Daniel; Colgan, Hannah; Cooper, Simon; Greeves, Julie P; Tang, Jonathan C Y; Fraser, William D; Elliott-Sale, Kirsty J; Sale, Craig

2018-06-19

We aimed to explore the effects of low energy availability (EA)[15 kcal·kg lean body mass (LBM) -1 ·d -1 ] achieved by diet or exercise on bone turnover markers in active, eumenorrheic women. By using a crossover design, ten eumenorrheic women (VO 2 peak : 48.1 ± 3.3 ml·kg -1 ·min -1 ) completed all three, 3-day conditions in a randomised order: controlled EA (CON; 45 kcal·kgLBM -1 ·d -1 ), low EA through dietary energy restriction (D-RES; 15 kcal·kgLBM -1 ·d -1 ) and low EA through increasing exercise energy expenditure (E-RES; 15 kcal·kgLBM -1 ·d -1 ), during the follicular phase of three menstrual cycles. In CON, D-RES and E-RES, participants consumed diets providing 45, 15 and 45 kcal·kgLBM -1 ·d -1 . In E-RES only, participants completed supervised running sessions (129 ± 10 min·d -1 ) at 70% of their VO 2 peak that resulted in an exercise energy expenditure of 30 kcal·kg LBM -1 ·d -1 . Blood samples were collected at baseline (BASE) and at the end of the 3-day period (D6) and analysed for bone turnover markers (β-CTX and P1NP), markers of calcium metabolism (PTH, albumin-adjusted Ca, Mg and PO 4 ) and hormones (IGF-1, T 3 , insulin, leptin and 17β-oestradiol). In D-RES, P1NP concentrations at D6 decreased by 17% (BASE: 54.8 ± 12.7 μg·L -1 , D6: 45.2 ± 9.3 μg·L -1 , P < 0.001, d = 0.91) and were lower than D6 concentrations in CON (D6: 52.5 ± 11.9 μg·L -1 , P = 0.001). P1NP did not change significantly in E-RES (BASE: 55.3 ± 14.4 μg·L -1 , D6: 50.9 ± 15.8 μg·L -1 , P = 0.14). β-CTX concentrations did not change following D-RES (BASE: 0.48 ± 0.18 μg·L -1 , D6: 0.55 ± 0.17 μg·L -1 ) or E-RES (BASE: 0.47 ± 0.24 μg·L -1 , D6: 0.49 ± 0.18 μg·L -1 ) (condition × time interaction effect, P = 0.17). There were no significant differences in P1NP (P = 0.25) or β-CTX (P = 0.13) responses between D-RES and E

Young adolescents who combine alcohol and energy drinks have a higher risk of reporting negative behavioural outcomes.

PubMed

Holubcikova, Jana; Kolarcik, Peter; Madarasova Geckova, Andrea; Joppova, Eva; van Dijk, Jitse P; Reijneveld, Sijmen A

2017-04-01

To explore whether young adolescents consuming alcohol and energy drinks combined were more likely to report negative behavioural outcomes than their peers who drink only one type of these beverages or are abstinent. We analysed data on a representative sample of Slovak adolescents 8502 adolescents (mean age 13.21, 49.4 % boys) from the 2014 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children cross-sectional study. We assessed the associations of alcohol and energy drinks consumption with negative outcomes and their potential synergy, as measured by the synergy index (SI). Adolescents consuming both alcohol and energy drinks were at higher risk of negative behavioural outcomes than their peers who drank only alcohol or energy drinks or were non-consumers. Consumers of alcohol and energy drinks were highly prone to be involved in fighting-the joint association of alcohol and energy drinks consumption was greater than sum of its associations separately in relation to fighting (SI 1.49; 95 % confidence interval 1.03-2.16). Preventive strategies should aim at increasing awareness of negative behavioural outcomes-especially aggressive behaviour associated with alcohol and energy drinks consumption among young adolescents.

Energy conserving site design case study: Shenandoah, Georgia. Final report

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

Not Available

The case study examines the means by which energy conservation can be achieved at an aggregate community level by using proper planning and analytical techniques for a new town, Shenandoah, Georgia, located twenty-five miles southwest of Atlanta's Hartsfield International Airport. A potentially implementable energy conservation community plan is achieved by a study team examining the land use options, siting characteristics of each building type, alternate infrastructure plans, possible decentralized energy options, and central utility schemes to determine how community energy conservation can be achieved by use of pre-construction planning. The concept for the development of mixed land uses as amore » passively sited, energy conserving community is based on a plan (Level 1 Plan) that uses the natural site characteristics, maximizes on passive energy siting requirement, and allows flexibility for the changing needs of the developers. The Level 2 Plan is identical with Level 1 plan plus a series of decentraized systems that have been added to the residential units: the single-family detached, the apartments, and the townhouses. Level 3 Plan is similar to the Level 1 Plan except that higher density dwellings have been moved to areas adjacent to central site. The total energy savings for each plan relative to the conventional plan are indicated. (MCW)« less

Engineering Corynebacterium crenatum to produce higher alcohols for biofuel using hydrolysates of duckweed (Landoltia punctata) as feedstock.

PubMed

Su, Haifeng; Jiang, Juan; Lu, Qiuli; Zhao, Zhao; Xie, Tian; Zhao, Hai; Wang, Maolin

2015-02-07

Early trials have demonstrated great potential for the use of duckweed (family Lemnaceae) as the next generation of energy plants for the production of biofuels. Achieving this technological advance demands research to develop novel bioengineering microorganisms that can ferment duckweed feedstock to produce higher alcohols. In this study, we used relevant genes to transfer five metabolic pathways of isoleucine, leucine and valine from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae into the bioengineered microorganism Corynebacterium crenatum. Experimental results showed that the bioengineered strain was able to produce 1026.61 mg/L of 2-methyl-1-butanol by fermenting glucose, compared to 981.79 mg/L from the acid hydrolysates of duckweed. The highest isobutanol yields achieved were 1264.63 mg/L from glucose and 1154.83 mg/L from duckweed, and the corresponding highest yields of 3-methyl-1-butanol were 748.35 and 684.79 mg/L. Our findings demonstrate the feasibility of using bioengineered C. crenatum as a platform to construct a bacterial strain that is capable of producing higher alcohols. We have also shown the promise of using duckweed as the basis for developing higher alcohols, illustrating that this group of plants represents an ideal fermentation substrate that can be considered the next generation of alternative energy feedstocks.

Building America Residential System Research Results: Achieving 30% Whole House Energy Savings Level in Mixed-Humid Climates; January 2006 - December 2006

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

Building America Industrialized Housing Partnership; Building Industry Research Alliance; Building Science Consortium

2006-12-01

The Building America program conducts the system research required to reduce risks associated with the design and construction of homes that use an average of 30% to 90% less total energy for all residential energy uses than the Building America Research Benchmark, including research on homes that will use zero net energy on annual basis. To measure the program's progress, annual research milestones have been established for five major climate regions in the United States. The system research activities required to reach each milestone take from 3 to 5 years to complete and include research in individual test houses, studiesmore » in pre-production prototypes, and research studies with lead builders that provide early examples that the specified energy savings level can be successfully achieved on a production basis. This report summarizes research results for the 30% energy savings level and demonstrates that lead builders can successfully provide 30% homes in the Mixed-Humid Climate Region on a cost-neutral basis.« less

Fast Atomic-Scale Elemental Mapping of Crystalline Materials by STEM Energy-Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy Achieved with Thin Specimens [Fast Atomic-Scale Chemical Imaging of Crystalline Materials by STEM Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy Achieved with Thin Specimens].

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

Lu, Ping; Yuan, Renliang; Zuo, Jian Min

Abstract Elemental mapping at the atomic-scale by scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) provides a powerful real-space approach to chemical characterization of crystal structures. However, applications of this powerful technique have been limited by inefficient X-ray emission and collection, which require long acquisition times. Recently, using a lattice-vector translation method, we have shown that rapid atomic-scale elemental mapping using STEM-EDS can be achieved. This method provides atomic-scale elemental maps averaged over crystal areas of ~few 10 nm 2with the acquisition time of ~2 s or less. Here we report the details of this method, and, inmore » particular, investigate the experimental conditions necessary for achieving it. It shows, that in addition to usual conditions required for atomic-scale imaging, a thin specimen is essential for the technique to be successful. Phenomenological modeling shows that the localization of X-ray signals to atomic columns is a key reason. The effect of specimen thickness on the signal delocalization is studied by multislice image simulations. The results show that the X-ray localization can be achieved by choosing a thin specimen, and the thickness of less than about 22 nm is preferred for SrTiO 3in [001] projection for 200 keV electrons.« less

Fast Atomic-Scale Elemental Mapping of Crystalline Materials by STEM Energy-Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy Achieved with Thin Specimens [Fast Atomic-Scale Chemical Imaging of Crystalline Materials by STEM Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy Achieved with Thin Specimens].

DOE PAGES

Lu, Ping; Yuan, Renliang; Zuo, Jian Min

2017-02-23

Abstract Elemental mapping at the atomic-scale by scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) provides a powerful real-space approach to chemical characterization of crystal structures. However, applications of this powerful technique have been limited by inefficient X-ray emission and collection, which require long acquisition times. Recently, using a lattice-vector translation method, we have shown that rapid atomic-scale elemental mapping using STEM-EDS can be achieved. This method provides atomic-scale elemental maps averaged over crystal areas of ~few 10 nm 2with the acquisition time of ~2 s or less. Here we report the details of this method, and, inmore » particular, investigate the experimental conditions necessary for achieving it. It shows, that in addition to usual conditions required for atomic-scale imaging, a thin specimen is essential for the technique to be successful. Phenomenological modeling shows that the localization of X-ray signals to atomic columns is a key reason. The effect of specimen thickness on the signal delocalization is studied by multislice image simulations. The results show that the X-ray localization can be achieved by choosing a thin specimen, and the thickness of less than about 22 nm is preferred for SrTiO 3in [001] projection for 200 keV electrons.« less

Higher Improvement in Patient-Reported Outcomes Can Be Achieved After Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion for Clinical and Radiographic Degenerative Spondylolisthesis Classification Type D Degenerative Lumbar Spondylolisthesis.

PubMed

Chen, Xi; Xu, Liang; Qiu, Yong; Chen, Zhong-Hui; Zhou, Qing-Shuang; Li, Song; Sun, Xu

2018-06-01

Clinical and radiographic degenerative spondylolisthesis (CARDS) classification defines a distinct subset of patients with kyphotic angulation at the involved segment (type D). Research using CARDS classification to investigate motion characteristics at involved segments or patient-related outcomes (PROs) following surgical intervention is sparse. We investigated the relationship between CARDS type D spondylolisthesis and dynamic instability and PROs in type D versus non-type D spondylolisthesis. We reviewed consecutive patients who received transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion for L4-5 spondylolisthesis between 2009 and 2015. Patients were assigned into type D and non-type D groups. Translational motion was determined by upright lumbar lateral radiography with supine sagittal magnetic resonance imaging or flexion and extension radiography. Demographics, radiographic parameters, and PROs were evaluated. Type D and non-type D groups comprised 34 and 163 patients, respectively. Compared with non-type D, type D group was characterized by lordotic angulation loss and higher degree of olisthesis on upright radiographs and demonstrated higher translational motion on upright lumbar lateral radiography with supine sagittal magnetic resonance imaging analysis. After surgery, mean reduction rate was significantly higher in type D group; type D had less slippage, but differences in slip angle and disc height were not significant. Preoperative Oswestry Disability Index and visual analog scale for back pain scores were higher in type D group. Type D spondylolisthesis and dynamic instability were associated with achieving minimal clinically important differences in PROs. CARDS type D spondylolisthesis is a distinct subset associated with dynamic instability and worse PROs. Higher improvement in PROs can be achieved in CARDS type D spondylolisthesis after surgery. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

SHARP: A Spatially Higher-order, Relativistic Particle-in-cell Code

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

Shalaby, Mohamad; Broderick, Avery E.; Chang, Philip

Numerical heating in particle-in-cell (PIC) codes currently precludes the accurate simulation of cold, relativistic plasma over long periods, severely limiting their applications in astrophysical environments. We present a spatially higher-order accurate relativistic PIC algorithm in one spatial dimension, which conserves charge and momentum exactly. We utilize the smoothness implied by the usage of higher-order interpolation functions to achieve a spatially higher-order accurate algorithm (up to the fifth order). We validate our algorithm against several test problems—thermal stability of stationary plasma, stability of linear plasma waves, and two-stream instability in the relativistic and non-relativistic regimes. Comparing our simulations to exact solutionsmore » of the dispersion relations, we demonstrate that SHARP can quantitatively reproduce important kinetic features of the linear regime. Our simulations have a superior ability to control energy non-conservation and avoid numerical heating in comparison to common second-order schemes. We provide a natural definition for convergence of a general PIC algorithm: the complement of physical modes captured by the simulation, i.e., those that lie above the Poisson noise, must grow commensurately with the resolution. This implies that it is necessary to simultaneously increase the number of particles per cell and decrease the cell size. We demonstrate that traditional ways for testing for convergence fail, leading to plateauing of the energy error. This new PIC code enables us to faithfully study the long-term evolution of plasma problems that require absolute control of the energy and momentum conservation.« less

Examining the Academic Achievement-Delinquency Relationship Among Southeast Asian Americans.

PubMed

Bui, Laura

2018-05-01

The extent to which poor academic achievement is strongly related to delinquency among Southeast Asian Americans (SEAA) remains unclear; reasons are methodological limitations and aggregated findings for Asian Americans, which mask evidence that SEAA have a higher prevalence of criminality and poor academic performance than other Asian American groups. The present study examines the academic achievement-delinquency relationship in a diverse group of 1,214 SEAA using data from the Children of Immigrants Longitudinal Study (CILS). Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to make causal inferences and assess whether poor academic achieving SEAA, after being matched with higher academic achieving SEAA, displayed a higher prevalence of delinquency. Findings showed that, even after matching, poor academic achieving SEAA were still more likely to exhibit delinquent behavior than those who performed academically better. Interventions targeting SEAA communities will need to focus more on improving academic achievement to directly prevent and decrease delinquent behavior.

Linking Emotional Intelligence to Achieve Technology Enhanced Learning in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kruger, Janette; Blignaut, A. Seugnet

2013-01-01

Higher education institutions (HEIs) increasingly use technology-enhanced learning (TEL) environments (e.g. blended learning and e-learning) to improve student throughput and retention rates. As the demand for TEL courses increases, expectations rise for faculty to meet the challenge of using TEL effectively. The promises that TEL holds have not…

Personality Factors and Achievement Motivation of Women in Higher Education Administration.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lester, Patricia; Chu, Lily

Female and male higher education administrators in Texas and New Mexico were compared in terms of their sex role orientation, motivational factors, and administrative styles. In addition to individual interviews of the 68 administrators, a questionnaire was developed that included items from the Bem Sex Role Inventory, Work and Family Orientation…

Distributed energy store railguns experiment and analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holland, L. D.

1984-02-01

Electromagnetic acceleration of projectiles holds the potential for achieving higher velocities than yet achieved by any other means. A railgun is the simplest form of electromagnetic macroparticle accelerator and can generate the highest sustained accelerating force. The practical length of conventional railguns is limited by the impedance of the rails because current must be carried along the entire length of the rails. A railgun and power supply system called the distributed energy store railgun was proposed as a solution to this limitation. A distributed energy storage railgun was constructed and successfully operated. In addition to this demonstration of the distributed energy store railgun principle, a theoretical model of the system was also constructed. A simple simulation of the railgun system based on this model, but ignoring frictional drag, was compared with the experimental results. During the process of comparing results from the simulation and the experiment, the effect of significant frictional drag of the projectile on the sidewalls of the bore was observed.

Theoretical Study of Monolayer and Double-Layer Waveguide Love Wave Sensors for Achieving High Sensitivity.

PubMed

Li, Shuangming; Wan, Ying; Fan, Chunhai; Su, Yan

2017-03-22

Love wave sensors have been widely used for sensing applications. In this work, we introduce the theoretical analysis of the monolayer and double-layer waveguide Love wave sensors. The velocity, particle displacement and energy distribution of Love waves were analyzed. Using the variations of the energy repartition, the sensitivity coefficients of Love wave sensors were calculated. To achieve a higher sensitivity coefficient, a thin gold layer was added as the second waveguide on top of the silicon dioxide (SiO₂) waveguide-based, 36 degree-rotated, Y-cut, X-propagating lithium tantalate (36° YX LiTaO₃) Love wave sensor. The Love wave velocity was significantly reduced by the added gold layer, and the flow of wave energy into the waveguide layer from the substrate was enhanced. By using the double-layer structure, almost a 72-fold enhancement in the sensitivity coefficient was achieved compared to the monolayer structure. Additionally, the thickness of the SiO₂ layer was also reduced with the application of the gold layer, resulting in easier device fabrication. This study allows for the possibility of designing and realizing robust Love wave sensors with high sensitivity and a low limit of detection.

Searching for the Golden Model of Education: Cross-National Analysis of Math Achievement

PubMed Central

Bodovski, Katerina; Byun, Soo-yong; Chykina, Volha; Chung, Hee Jin

2017-01-01

We utilized four waves of TIMSS data in addition to the information we have collected on countries’ educational systems to examine whether different degrees of standardization, differentiation, proportion of students in private schools and governmental spending on education influence students’ math achievement, its variation and socioeconomic status (SES) gaps in math achievement. Findings: A higher level of standardization of educational systems was associated with higher average math achievement. Greater expenditure on education (as % of total government expenditure) was associated with a lower level of dispersion of math achievement and smaller SES gaps in math achievement. Wealthier countries exhibited higher average math achievement and a narrower variation. Higher income inequality (measured by Gini index) was associated with a lower average math achievement and larger SES gaps. Further, we found that higher level of standardization alleviates the negative effects of differentiation in the systems with more rigid tracking. PMID:29151667

Energy Requirements in Critically Ill Patients.

PubMed

Ndahimana, Didace; Kim, Eun-Kyung

2018-04-01

During the management of critical illness, optimal nutritional support is an important key for achieving positive clinical outcomes. Compared to healthy people, critically ill patients have higher energy expenditure, thereby their energy requirements and risk of malnutrition being increased. Assessing individual nutritional requirement is essential for a successful nutritional support, including the adequate energy supply. Methods to assess energy requirements include indirect calorimetry (IC) which is considered as a reference method, and the predictive equations which are commonly used due to the difficulty of using IC in certain conditions. In this study, a literature review was conducted on the energy metabolic changes in critically ill patients, and the implications for the estimation of energy requirements in this population. In addition, the issue of optimal caloric goal during nutrition support is discussed, as well as the accuracy of selected resting energy expenditure predictive equations, commonly used in critically ill patients.

Strategic Planning for Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kotler, Philip; Murphy, Patrick E.

1981-01-01

The framework necessary for achieving a strategic planning posture in higher education is outlined. The most important benefit of strategic planning for higher education decision makers is that it forces them to undertake a more market-oriented and systematic approach to long- range planning. (Author/MLW)

Success in Higher Education: The Challenge to Achieve Academic Standing and Social Position

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Life, James

2015-01-01

When students look at their classmates in the classroom, consciously or unconsciously, they see competitors both for academic recognition and social success. How do they fit in relation to others and how do they succeed in achieving both? Traditional views on the drive to succeed and the fear of failure are well known as motivators for achieving…

WISC-III and CAS: Which Correlates Higher with Achievement for a Clinical Sample?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Naglieri, Jack A.; De Lauder, Brianna Y.; Goldstein, Sam; Schwebech, Adam

2006-01-01

The relationships between Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition (WISC-III) and the Cognitive Assessment System (CAS) with the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement (WJ-III) were examined for a sample of 119 children (87 males and 32 females) ages 6 to 16. The sample was comprised of children who were referred to a specialty clinic…

Achieving Metacognition through Cognitive Strategy Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Apaydin, Marina; Hossary, Mohamad

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present hands-on techniques that could help achieve higher forms of cognitive work of Bloom's learning taxonomy and progress toward self-actualization, the top of Maslow's hierarchy of needs. These results can be achieved by the combination of Apaydin's 3A approach and integrative learning.…

Maryland's Achievements in Public Education, 2011

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maryland State Department of Education, 2011

2011-01-01

This report presents Maryland's achievements in public education for 2011. Maryland's achievements include: (1) Maryland's public schools again ranked #1 in the nation in Education Week's 2011 Quality Counts annual report; (2) Maryland ranked 1st nationwide for a 3rd year in a row in the percentage of public school students scoring 3 or higher on…

Achieving Energy Savings in Municipal Construction in Long Beach California

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

None

Long Beach Gas and Oil (LBGO), the public gas utility in Long Beach, California, partnered with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to develop and implement solutions to build a new, low-energy modular office building that is at least 50% below requirements set by Energy Standard 90.1-2007 of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), and the Illuminating Engineering Society of America (IESNA) as part of DOE’s Commercial Building Partnerships (CBP) program. The LBGO building, which demonstrates that modular construction can be very energy efficient, is expected to exceed the ASHRAEmore » baseline by about 45%.« less

Reducing Energy Use in Existing Homes by 30%: Learning From Home Performance with ENERGY STAR

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

Liaukus, C.

2014-12-01

The improvement of existing homes in the United States can have a much greater impact on overall residential energy use than the construction of highly efficient new homes. There are over 130 million existing housing units in the U.S., while annually new construction represents less than two percent of the total supply (U.S. Census Bureau, 2013). Therefore, the existing housing stock presents a clear opportunity and responsibility for Building America (BA) to guide the remodeling and retrofit market toward higher performance existing homes. There are active programs designed to improve the energy performance of existing homes. Home Performance with ENERGYmore » STAR (HPwES) is a market-rate program among them. BARA's research in this project verified that the New Jersey HPwES program is achieving savings in existing homes that meet or exceed BA's goal of 30%. Among the 17 HPwES projects with utility data included in this report, 15 have actual energy savings ranging from 24% to 46%. Further, two of the homes achieved that level of energy savings without the costly replacement of heating and cooling equipment, which indicates that less costly envelope packages could be offered to consumers unable to invest in more costly mechanical packages, potentially creating broader market impact.« less

Professional Recognition: Promoting Recognition through the Higher Education Academy in a UK Higher Education Institution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thornton, Tim

2014-01-01

This study is on how one higher education institution included the United Kingdom Professional Standards Framework, developed by the Higher Education Academy, as a strategic benchmark for teaching and learning. The article outlines the strategies used to engage all academic (and academic-related) staff in achieving relevant professional…

The effectiveness of advance organiser model on students' academic achievement in learning work and energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gidena, Asay; Gebeyehu, Desta

2017-11-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of the advance organiser model (AOM) on students' academic achievement in learning work and energy. The design of the study was quasi-experimental pretest-posttest nonequivalent control groups. The total population of the study was 139 students of three sections in Endabaguna preparatory school in Tigray Region, Ethiopia. Two sections with equivalent means on the pretest were taken to participate in the study purposely and one section assigned as the experimental group and the other section assigned as the control group randomly. The experimental group was taught using the lesson plan based on the AOM, and the control group was taught using the lesson plan based on the conventional teaching method. Pretest and posttest were administered before and after the treatment, respectively. Independent sample t-test was used to analyse the data at the probability level of 0.05. The findings of the study showed that the AOM was more effective than the conventional teaching method with effect size of 0.49. This model was also effective to teach male and female students and objectives namely understanding and application. However, both methods were equally important to teach work and energy under the objective knowledge level.

Stable topological insulators achieved using high energy electron beams

PubMed Central

Zhao, Lukas; Konczykowski, Marcin; Deng, Haiming; Korzhovska, Inna; Begliarbekov, Milan; Chen, Zhiyi; Papalazarou, Evangelos; Marsi, Marino; Perfetti, Luca; Hruban, Andrzej; Wołoś, Agnieszka; Krusin-Elbaum, Lia

2016-01-01

Topological insulators are potentially transformative quantum solids with metallic surface states which have Dirac band structure and are immune to disorder. Ubiquitous charged bulk defects, however, pull the Fermi energy into the bulk bands, denying access to surface charge transport. Here we demonstrate that irradiation with swift (∼2.5 MeV energy) electron beams allows to compensate these defects, bring the Fermi level back into the bulk gap and reach the charge neutrality point (CNP). Controlling the beam fluence, we tune bulk conductivity from p- (hole-like) to n-type (electron-like), crossing the Dirac point and back, while preserving the Dirac energy dispersion. The CNP conductance has a two-dimensional character on the order of ten conductance quanta and reveals, both in Bi2Te3 and Bi2Se3, the presence of only two quantum channels corresponding to two topological surfaces. The intrinsic quantum transport of the topological states is accessible disregarding the bulk size. PMID:26961901

Reducing energy intake and energy density for a sustainable diet: a study based on self-selected diets in French adults.

PubMed

Masset, Gabriel; Vieux, Florent; Verger, Eric Olivier; Soler, Louis-Georges; Touazi, Djilali; Darmon, Nicole

2014-06-01

Studies on theoretical diets are not sufficient to implement sustainable diets in practice because of unknown cultural acceptability. In contrast, self-selected diets can be considered culturally acceptable. The objective was to identify the most sustainable diets consumed by people in everyday life. The diet-related greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) for self-selected diets of 1918 adults participating in the cross-sectional French national dietary survey Individual and National Survey on Food Consumption (INCA2) were estimated. "Lower-Carbon," "Higher-Quality," and "More Sustainable" diets were defined as having GHGE lower than the overall median value, a probability of adequate nutrition intake (PANDiet) score (a measure of the overall nutritional adequacy of a diet) higher than the overall median value, and a combination of both criteria, respectively. Diet cost, as a proxy for affordability, and energy density were also assessed. More Sustainable diets were consumed by 23% of men and 20% of women, and their GHGE values were 19% and 17% lower than the population average (mean) value, respectively. In comparison with the average value, Lower-Carbon diets achieved a 20% GHGE reduction and lower cost, but they were not sustainable because they had a lower PANDiet score. Higher-Quality diets were not sustainable because of their above-average GHGE and cost. More Sustainable diets had an above-average PANDiet score and a below-average energy density, cost, GHGE, and energy content; the energy share of plant-based products was increased by 20% and 15% compared with the average for men and women, respectively. A strength of this study was that most of the dimensions for "sustainable diets" were considered, ie, not only nutritional quality and GHGE but also affordability and cultural acceptability. A reduction in diet-related GHGE by 20% while maintaining high nutritional quality seems realistic. This goal could be achieved at no extra cost by reducing energy intake and

The Performance Cycle: The Association between Student Achievement and State Policies Tying Together Teacher Performance, Student Achievement, and Accountability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alexander, Nicola A.; Jang, Sung Tae; Kankane, Shipi

2017-01-01

This article explores the associations between student performance and the presence of state policies that include student achievement in teacher evaluations. We examined performance among states from 2007 through 2013. Including student performance in state teacher evaluation policies is modestly associated with higher reading achievement but had…

Achieving Energy Savings in Municipal Construction in Long Beach, CA

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

Parrish, Kristen; Regnier, Cindy

Long Beach Gas and Oil (LBGO), the public gas utility in Long Beach, California, partnered with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to develop and implement solutions to build a new, low-energy modular office building that is at least 50% below requirements set by Energy Standard 90.1-2007 of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), and the Illuminating Engineering Society of America (IESNA) as part of DOE’s Commercial Building Partnerships (CBP) program.3 The LBGO building, which demonstrates that modular construction can be very energy efficient, is expected to exceed the ASHRAEmore » baseline by about 45%. The new 15,000-square foot (ft2) LBGO office building has two stories and houses private offices, open-plan cubicle offices, and a conference room and call center on the second floor. The building’s modular nature allowed LBGO to realize the cost benefits of fasttracked construction while saving substantial energy and reducing operational costs. The project was funded by the utility’s ratepayer revenue, which imposed a tight budget limit. The design process was a collaborative effort involving LBGO and its design-build team, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), and subcontractors Stantec (formerly Burt Hill) and LHB Inc. The team proposed efficiency measures based on computer modeling of the building in full compliance with ASHRAE 90.1-2007; in the modeled building, the lighting and cooling systems were the largest energy users, so increasing the efficiency of these systems was a top priority. Promising measures were modeled to estimate their energy performance, and each measure was evaluated for its feasibility within the budget.« less

Low carbon and clean energy scenarios for India: Analysis of targets approach

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

Shukla, Priyadarshi R.; Chaturvedi, Vaibhav

2012-12-01

Low carbon energy technologies are gaining increasing importance in India for reducing emissions as well as diversifying its energy supply mix. The present paper presents and analyses a targeted approach for pushing solar, wind and nuclear technologies in the Indian energy market. Targets for these technologies have been constructed on the basis of Indian government documents, policy announcements and expert opinion. Different targets have been set for the reference scenario and the carbon price scenario. In the reference scenario it is found that in the long run all solar, wind and nuclear will achieve their targets without any subsidy push.more » In the short run however, nuclear and solar energy require significant subsidy push. Nuclear energy requires a much higher subsidy allocation as compared to solar because the targets assumed are also higher for nuclear energy. Under a carbon price scenario, the carbon price drives the penetration of these technologies significantly. Still subsidy is required especially in the short run when the carbon price is low. It is also found that pushing solar, wind and nuclear technologies might lead to decrease in share of CCS under the price scenario and biomass under both BAU and price scenario, which implies that one set of low carbon technologies is substituted by other set of low carbon technologies. Thus the objective of emission mitigation might not be achieved due to this substitution. Moreover sensitivity on nuclear energy cost was done to represent risk mitigation for this technology and it was found that higher cost can significantly decrease the share of this technology under both the BAU and carbon price scenario.« less

Mathematics Coursework Regulates Growth in Mathematics Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ma, Xin; Wilkins, Jesse L. M.

2007-01-01

Using data from the Longitudinal Study of American Youth (LSAY), we examined the extent to which students' mathematics coursework regulates (influences) the rate of growth in mathematics achievement during middle and high school. Graphical analysis showed that students who started middle school with higher achievement took individual mathematics…

Technical challenges and future direction for high-efficiency metal hydride thermal energy storage systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ward, Patrick A.; Corgnale, Claudio; Teprovich, Joseph A.; Motyka, Theodore; Hardy, Bruce; Sheppard, Drew; Buckley, Craig; Zidan, Ragaiy

2016-04-01

Recently, there has been increasing interest in thermal energy storage (TES) systems for concentrated solar power (CSP) plants, which allow for continuous operation when sunlight is unavailable. Thermochemical energy storage materials have the advantage of much higher energy densities than latent or sensible heat materials. Furthermore, thermochemical energy storage systems based on metal hydrides have been gaining great interest for having the advantage of higher energy densities, better reversibility, and high enthalpies. However, in order to achieve higher efficiencies desired of a thermal storage system by the US Department of Energy, the system is required to operate at temperatures >600 °C. Operation at temperatures >600 °C presents challenges including material selection, hydrogen embrittlement and permeation of containment vessels, appropriate selection of heat transfer fluids, and cost. Herein, the technical difficulties and proposed solutions associated with the use of metal hydrides as TES materials in CSP applications are discussed and evaluated.

Final Technical Report: "Achieving Regional Energy Efficiency Potential in the Southeast”

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

Mahoney, Mandy

The overall objective of this award was to facilitate sharing of DOE resources and best practices as well as provide technical assistance to key stakeholders to support greater compliance with energy efficiency standards and increased energy savings. The outcomes of this award include greater awareness among key stakeholders on energy efficiency topics, increased deployment and utilization of DOE resources, and effective policies and programs to support energy efficiency in the Southeast.

An optimized surface plasmon photovoltaic structure using energy transfer between discrete nano-particles.

PubMed

Lin, Albert; Fu, Sze-Ming; Chung, Yen-Kai; Lai, Shih-Yun; Tseng, Chi-Wei

2013-01-14

Surface plasmon enhancement has been proposed as a way to achieve higher absorption for thin-film photovoltaics, where surface plasmon polariton(SPP) and localized surface plasmon (LSP) are shown to provide dense near field and far field light scattering. Here it is shown that controlled far-field light scattering can be achieved using successive coupling between surface plasmonic (SP) nano-particles. Through genetic algorithm (GA) optimization, energy transfer between discrete nano-particles (ETDNP) is identified, which enhances solar cell efficiency. The optimized energy transfer structure acts like lumped-element transmission line and can properly alter the direction of photon flow. Increased in-plane component of wavevector is thus achieved and photon path length is extended. In addition, Wood-Rayleigh anomaly, at which transmission minimum occurs, is avoided through GA optimization. Optimized energy transfer structure provides 46.95% improvement over baseline planar cell. It achieves larger angular scattering capability compared to conventional surface plasmon polariton back reflector structure and index-guided structure due to SP energy transfer through mode coupling. Via SP mediated energy transfer, an alternative way to control the light flow inside thin-film is proposed, which can be more efficient than conventional index-guided mode using total internal reflection (TIR).

Achievement goal profiles and developments in effort and achievement in upper elementary school.

PubMed

Hornstra, Lisette; Majoor, Marieke; Peetsma, Thea

2017-12-01

The multiple goal perspective posits that certain combinations of achievement goals are more favourable than others in terms of educational outcomes. This study aimed to examine longitudinally whether students' achievement goal profiles and transitions between profiles are associated with developments in self-reported and teacher-rated effort and academic achievement in upper elementary school. Participants were 722 fifth-grade students and their teachers in fifth and sixth grade (N = 68). Students reported on their achievement goals and effort in language and mathematics three times in grade 5 to grade 6. Teachers rated students' general school effort. Achievement scores were obtained from school records. Goal profiles were derived with latent profile and transition analyses. Longitudinal multilevel analyses were conducted. Theoretically favourable goal profiles (high mastery and performance-approach goals, low on performance-avoidance goals), as well as transitions from less to more theoretically favourable goal profiles, were associated with higher levels and more growth in effort for language and mathematics and with stronger language achievement gains. Overall, these results provide support for the multiple goal perspective and show the sustained benefits of favourable goal profiles beyond effects of cognitive ability and background characteristics. © 2017 The Authors. British Journal of Education Psychology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Psychological Society.

U.S. Department of Energy Zero Energy Ready Home Implementation

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

VonThoma, E.; Mosiman, G.

This report documents the process and outcomes involved in achieving the U.S. Department of Energy Zero Energy Ready Home (ZERH) program certification standards while helping homebuilders in Climate Zones 5 and 6 in the Upper Midwest achieve ZERH certification.

U.S. electric power sector transitions required to achieve 80% reductions in economy-wide greenhouse gas emissions: Results based on a state-level model of the U.S. energy system

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

Iyer, Gokul C.; Clarke, Leon E.; Edmonds, James A.

The United States has articulated a deep decarbonization strategy for achieving a reduction in economy-wide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of 80% below 2005 levels by 2050. Achieving such deep emissions reductions will entail a major transformation of the energy system and of the electric power sector in particular. , This study uses a detailed state-level model of the U.S. energy system embedded within a global integrated assessment model (GCAM-USA) to demonstrate pathways for the evolution of the U.S. electric power sector that achieve 80% economy-wide reductions in GHG emissions by 2050. The pathways presented in this report are based onmore » feedback received during a workshop of experts organized by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Policy and Systems Analysis. Our analysis demonstrates that achieving deep decarbonization by 2050 will require substantial decarbonization of the electric power sector resulting in an increase in the deployment of zero-carbon and low-carbon technologies such as renewables and carbon capture utilization and storage. The present results also show that the degree to which the electric power sector will need to decarbonize and low-carbon technologies will need to deploy depends on the nature of technological advances in the energy sector, the ability of end-use sectors to electrify and level of electricity demand.« less

Prevention of type 2 diabetes through lifestyle modification: is there a role for higher-protein diets?

PubMed

Liu, Amy Y; Silvestre, Marta P; Poppitt, Sally D

2015-11-01

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) incidence is increasing worldwide, driven by a rapidly changing environment and lifestyle and increasing rates of overweight and obesity. Prevention of diabetes is key and is most likely achieved through prevention of weight gain and/or successful long-term weight loss maintenance. Weight loss is readily achievable but there is considerable challenge in maintaining that weight loss over the long term. Lower-fat carbohydrate-based diets are widely used for T2D prevention. This is supported primarily by 3 successful long-term interventions, the US Diabetes Prevention Program, the Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study, and the Chinese Da Qing Study, but evidence is building in support of novel higher-protein (>20% of energy) diets for successful weight loss maintenance and prevention of T2D. Higher-protein diets have the advantage of having relatively low energy density, aiding longer-term appetite suppression, and preserving lean body mass, all central to successful weight loss and prevention of weight regain. Here, we review the carbohydrate-based intervention trials and present mechanistic evidence in support of increased dietary protein for weight loss maintenance and a possible novel role in prevention of dysglycemia and T2D. © 2015 American Society for Nutrition.

Two-photon or higher-order absorbing optical materials and methods of use

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marder, Seth (Inventor); Perry, Joseph (Inventor)

2012-01-01

Compositions capable of simultaneous two-photon absorption and higher order absorptivities are provided. Compounds having a donor-pi-donor or acceptor-pi-acceptor structure are of particular interest, where the donor is an electron donating group, acceptor is an electron accepting group, and pi is a pi bridge linking the donor and/or acceptor groups. The pi bridge may additionally be substituted with electron donating or withdrawing groups to alter the absorptive wavelength of the structure. Also disclosed are methods of generating an excited state of such compounds through optical stimulation with light using simultaneous absorption of photons of energies individually insufficient to achieve an excited state of the compound, but capable of doing so upon simultaneous absorption of two or more such photons. Applications employing such methods are also provided, including controlled polymerization achieved through focusing of the light source(s) used.

Higher skeletal muscle α2AMPK activation and lower energy charge and fat oxidation in men than in women during submaximal exercise

PubMed Central

Roepstorff, Carsten; Thiele, Maja; Hillig, Thore; Pilegaard, Henriette; Richter, Erik A; Wojtaszewski, Jørgen F P; Kiens, Bente

2006-01-01

5′AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is an energy sensor activated by perturbed cellular energy status such as during muscle contraction. Activated AMPK is thought to regulate several key metabolic pathways. We used sex comparison to investigate whether AMPK signalling in skeletal muscle regulates fat oxidation during exercise. Moderately trained women and men completed 90 min bicycle exercise at 60% V̇O2peak. Both AMPK Thr172 phosphorylation and α2AMPK activity were increased by exercise in men (∼200%, P < 0.001) but not significantly in women. The sex difference in muscle AMPK activation with exercise was accompanied by an increase in muscle free AMP (∼164%, P < 0.01), free AMP/ATP ratio (159%, P < 0.05), and creatine (∼42%, P < 0.001) in men but not in women (NS), suggesting that lack of AMPK activation in women was due to better maintenance of muscle cellular energy balance compared with men. During exercise, fat oxidation per kg lean body mass was higher in women than in men (P < 0.05). Regression analysis revealed that a higher proportion of type 1 muscle fibres (∼23%, P < 0.01) and a higher capillarization (∼23%, P < 0.05) in women than in men could partly explain the sex difference in α2AMPK activity (r = −0.54, P < 0.05) and fat oxidation (r = 0.64, P < 0.05) during exercise. On the other hand, fat oxidation appeared not to be regulated via AMPK. In conclusion, during prolonged submaximal exercise at 60% V̇O2peak, higher fat oxidation in women cannot be explained by higher AMPK signalling but is accompanied by improved muscle cellular energy balance in women probably due to sex specific muscle morphology. PMID:16600998

Electron acceleration by a tightly focused Hermite-Gaussian beam: higher-order corrections

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

Zhao Zhiguo; Institute of Laser Physics and Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064; Yang Dangxiao

2008-03-15

Taking the TEM{sub 1,0}-mode Hermite-Gaussian (H-G) beam as a numerical calculation example, and based on the method of the perturbation series expansion, the higher-order field corrections of H-G beams are derived and used to study the electron acceleration by a tightly focused H-G beam in vacuum. For the case of the off-axis injection the field corrections to the terms of order f{sup 3} (f=1/kw{sub 0}, k and w{sub 0} being the wavenumber and waist width, respectively) are considered, and for the case of the on-axis injection the contributions of the terms of higher orders are negligible. By a suitable optimizationmore » of injection parameters the energy gain in the giga-electron-volt regime can be achieved.« less

The Little District that Could: Literacy Reform Leads to Higher Achievement in California District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelly, Patricia R.; Budicin-Senters, Antoinette; King, L. McLean

2005-01-01

This article describes educational reform developed over a 10-year period in California's Lemon Grove School District, which resulted in a steady and remarkable upward shift in achievement for the students of this multicultural district just outside San Diego. Six elements of literacy reform emerged as the most significant factors affecting…

Higher Education Pushes for Energy Education: GVSU Case Study

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

none,

2013-03-01

Grand Valley State University (GVSU) partnered with the Department of Energy (DOE) to develop and implement solutions to build new, low-energy buildings that are at least 50% below Standard 90.1-2007 of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), and the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) as part of DOE’s Commercial Building Partnerships (CBP).

Intellectual Interest Mediates Gene-by-SES Interaction on Adolescent Academic Achievement

PubMed Central

Tucker-Drob, Elliot M.; Harden, K. Paige

2011-01-01

Recent studies have demonstrated that genetic influences on cognitive ability and academic achievement are larger for children raised in higher socioeconomic status (SES) homes. However, little work has been done to document the psychosocial processes that underlie this gene-by-environment interaction. One process may involve the conversion of intellectual interest into academic achievement. Analyses of data from 777 pairs of 17-year-old twins indicated that gene-by-SES effects on achievement scores can be accounted for by stronger influences of genes for intellectual interest on achievement at higher levels of SES. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that higher SES affords greater opportunity for children to seek out and benefit from learning experiences that are congruent with their genetically influenced intellectual interests. PMID:22288554

Common Core, Socioeconomic Status, and Middle Level Student Achievement: Implications for Teacher Preparation Programs in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dotson, Lauren; Foley, Virginia

2017-01-01

This paper provides a history of the standardized testing and accountability movement, the curriculum standards attached to the accountability movement, and the attempted shift to common core. Student poverty and its impact on student achievement are the focus of this paper. Recognizing the impact of poverty on student achievement as measured by…

Low-energy collision induced dissociation (low-energy CID), collision induced dissociation (CID) and higher-energy collision dissociation (HCD) mass spectrometry for structural elucidation of saccharides and clarification of their dissolution mechanism in DMAc/LiCl.

PubMed

Bayat, Parisa; Lesage, Denis; Cole, Richard B

2018-05-29

The dissolution mechanism of oligosaccharides in N,N-dimethylacetamide/lithium chloride (DMAc/LiCl), a solvent used for cellulose dissolution, and the capabilities of low-energy collision induced dissociation (low-energy CID), collision induced dissociation (CID) and higher-energy collision dissociation (HCD) for structural analysis of carbohydrates were investigated. Comparing the spectra obtained using three techniques shows that, generally, when working with mono-lithiated sugars, CID spectra provide more structurally informative fragments, and glycosidic bond cleavage is the main pathway. However, when working with di-lithiated sugars, HCD spectra can be more informative providing predominately cross-ring cleavage fragments. This is because HCD is a non-resonant activation technique and it allows a higher amount of energy to be deposited in a short time, giving access to more endothermic decomposition pathways as well as consecutive fragmentations. The difference in preferred dissociation pathways of mono-lithiated and di-lithiated sugars indicates that the presence of the second lithium strongly influences the relative rate constants for cross-ring cleavages (rearrangement) vs. direct glycosidic bond cleavages, and disfavors the latter. Regarding the dissolution mechanism of sugars in DMAc/LiCl, CID and HCD experiments on di-lithiated and tri-lithiated sugars reveal that intensities of product ions containing two Li + or three Li + , respectively, are higher than those bearing only one Li + . In addition, comparing the fragmentation spectra (both HCD and CID) of LiCl adducted lithiated sugar and NaCl adducted sodiated sugar shows that while, in the latter case, loss of NaCl is dominant, in the former case, loss of HCl occurs preferentially. The compiled evidence implies that there is a strong and direct interaction between lithium and the saccharide during the dissolution process in the DMAc/LiCl solvent system. This article is protected by copyright. All

Nuclear energy acceptance and potential role to meet future energy demand. Which technical/scientific achievements are needed?

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

Schenkel, Roland

, which have recently been proposed for energy production, is critically reviewed. There are major challenges remaining that are shortly outlined. Scientific/technical achievements that are required in the light of the Fukushima accident are highlighted.« less

Nuclear energy acceptance and potential role to meet future energy demand. Which technical/scientific achievements are needed?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schenkel, Roland

2012-06-01

recently been proposed for energy production, is critically reviewed. There are major challenges remaining that are shortly outlined. Scientific/technical achievements that are required in the light of the Fukushima accident are highlighted.

Class Size, Academic Achievement and Public Policy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ziegler, Suzanne

1997-01-01

This report addresses some of the concerns surrounding smaller classes and looks at whether reduced class sizes result in higher achievement levels, and concludes that it in fact does increase student achievement, so long as classes do not exceed 17 students. But many critics question whether the high cost of reducing classes to 17 or fewer…

Engaging Tenants in Reducing Plug Load Energy Use

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

Schantz, Marta; Langner, Rois

Plug and Process Loads (PPLs) account for an increasingly large percentage of commercial building energy use in the U.S. due to the rising number of energy intensive plug-in devices. In addition, buildings are becoming more and more efficient and plug load energy use has become an increasingly pertinent component to achieving aggressive energy targets and netzero energy status. For multi-tenant buildings, controlling plug loads in tenant spaces can be a significant challenge. Luckily, there are a number of PPL reduction strategies, best practices, and lessons learned from numerous commercial real estate and higher education leaders who have successfully engaged buildingmore » occupants and tenants in reducing PPL energy use. This paper provides actionable PPL reduction strategies and best practices that building owners and managers can immediately apply to their own buildings.« less

Fast Atomic-Scale Elemental Mapping of Crystalline Materials by STEM Energy-Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy Achieved with Thin Specimens.

PubMed

Lu, Ping; Yuan, Renliang; Zuo, Jian Min

2017-02-01

Elemental mapping at the atomic-scale by scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) provides a powerful real-space approach to chemical characterization of crystal structures. However, applications of this powerful technique have been limited by inefficient X-ray emission and collection, which require long acquisition times. Recently, using a lattice-vector translation method, we have shown that rapid atomic-scale elemental mapping using STEM-EDS can be achieved. This method provides atomic-scale elemental maps averaged over crystal areas of ~few 10 nm2 with the acquisition time of ~2 s or less. Here we report the details of this method, and, in particular, investigate the experimental conditions necessary for achieving it. It shows, that in addition to usual conditions required for atomic-scale imaging, a thin specimen is essential for the technique to be successful. Phenomenological modeling shows that the localization of X-ray signals to atomic columns is a key reason. The effect of specimen thickness on the signal delocalization is studied by multislice image simulations. The results show that the X-ray localization can be achieved by choosing a thin specimen, and the thickness of less than about 22 nm is preferred for SrTiO3 in [001] projection for 200 keV electrons.

Maryland Higher Education Commission Data Book 2016. Creating a State of Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maryland Higher Education Commission, 2016

2016-01-01

This document presents statistics about higher education in Maryland for 2016. The tables in this document are presented according to the following categories: (1) Students; (2) Retention and Graduation; (3) Degrees; (4) Faculty; (5) Revenues & Expenditures; (6) Tuition and Fees; (7) Financial Aid, and (8) Private Career Schools. [For…

A Study to Assess the Achievement Motivation of Higher Secondary Students in Relation to Their Noise Sensitivity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Latha, Prema

2014-01-01

Disturbing sounds are often referred to as noise, and if extreme enough in degree, intensity or frequency, it is referred to as noise pollution. Achievement refers to a change in study behavior in relation to their noise sensitivity and learning in the educational sense by achieving results in changed responses to certain types of stimuli like…

Double sided grating fabrication for high energy X-ray phase contrast imaging

DOE PAGES

Hollowell, Andrew E.; Arrington, Christian L.; Finnegan, Patrick; ...

2018-04-19

State of the art grating fabrication currently limits the maximum source energy that can be used in lab based x-ray phase contrast imaging (XPCI) systems. In order to move to higher source energies, and image high density materials or image through encapsulating barriers, new grating fabrication methods are needed. In this work we have analyzed a new modality for grating fabrication that involves precision alignment of etched gratings on both sides of a substrate, effectively doubling the thickness of the grating. Furthermore, we have achieved a front-to-backside feature alignment accuracy of 0.5 µm demonstrating a methodology that can be appliedmore » to any grating fabrication approach extending the attainable aspect ratios allowing higher energy lab based XPCI systems.« less

Double sided grating fabrication for high energy X-ray phase contrast imaging

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

Hollowell, Andrew E.; Arrington, Christian L.; Finnegan, Patrick

State of the art grating fabrication currently limits the maximum source energy that can be used in lab based x-ray phase contrast imaging (XPCI) systems. In order to move to higher source energies, and image high density materials or image through encapsulating barriers, new grating fabrication methods are needed. In this work we have analyzed a new modality for grating fabrication that involves precision alignment of etched gratings on both sides of a substrate, effectively doubling the thickness of the grating. Furthermore, we have achieved a front-to-backside feature alignment accuracy of 0.5 µm demonstrating a methodology that can be appliedmore » to any grating fabrication approach extending the attainable aspect ratios allowing higher energy lab based XPCI systems.« less

Maryland Higher Education Commission Data Book 2014. Creating a State of Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maryland Higher Education Commission, 2014

2014-01-01

This document presents statistics about higher education in Maryland for 2014. The tables in this document are presented according to the following categories: (1) Students; (2) Retention and Graduation; (3) Degrees; (4) Faculty; (5) Revenues & Expenditures; (6) Tuition and Fees; (7) Financial Aid, (8) Private Career Schools, and (9) Distance…

Maryland Higher Education Commission Data Book 2015. Creating a State of Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maryland Higher Education Commission, 2015

2015-01-01

This document presents statistics about higher education in Maryland for 2015. The tables in this document are presented according to the following categories: (1) Students; (2) Retention and Graduation; (3) Degrees; (4) Faculty; (5) Revenues & Expenditures; (6) Tuition and Fees; (7) Financial Aid, (8) Private Career Schools, and (9) Distance…

Faster eating rates are associated with higher energy intakes during an ad libitum meal, higher BMI and greater adiposity among 4·5-year-old children: results from the Growing Up in Singapore Towards Healthy Outcomes (GUSTO) cohort.

PubMed

Fogel, Anna; Goh, Ai Ting; Fries, Lisa R; Sadananthan, Suresh A; Velan, S Sendhil; Michael, Navin; Tint, Mya-Thway; Fortier, Marielle V; Chan, Mei Jun; Toh, Jia Ying; Chong, Yap-Seng; Tan, Kok Hian; Yap, Fabian; Shek, Lynette P; Meaney, Michael J; Broekman, Birit F P; Lee, Yung Seng; Godfrey, Keith M; Chong, Mary F F; Forde, Ciarán G

2017-04-01

Faster eating rates are associated with increased energy intake, but little is known about the relationship between children's eating rate, food intake and adiposity. We examined whether children who eat faster consume more energy and whether this is associated with higher weight status and adiposity. We hypothesised that eating rate mediates the relationship between child weight and ad libitum energy intake. Children (n 386) from the Growing Up in Singapore Towards Healthy Outcomes cohort participated in a video-recorded ad libitum lunch at 4·5 years to measure acute energy intake. Videos were coded for three eating-behaviours (bites, chews and swallows) to derive a measure of eating rate (g/min). BMI and anthropometric indices of adiposity were measured. A subset of children underwent MRI scanning (n 153) to measure abdominal subcutaneous and visceral adiposity. Children above/below the median eating rate were categorised as slower and faster eaters, and compared across body composition measures. There was a strong positive relationship between eating rate and energy intake (r 0·61, P<0·001) and a positive linear relationship between eating rate and children's BMI status. Faster eaters consumed 75 % more energy content than slower eating children (Δ548 kJ (Δ131 kcal); 95 % CI 107·6, 154·4, P<0·001), and had higher whole-body (P<0·05) and subcutaneous abdominal adiposity (Δ118·3 cc; 95 % CI 24·0, 212·7, P=0·014). Mediation analysis showed that eating rate mediates the link between child weight and energy intake during a meal (b 13·59; 95 % CI 7·48, 21·83). Children who ate faster had higher energy intake, and this was associated with increased BMI z-score and adiposity.

Electrical Energy Storage for Renewable Energy Systems

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

Helms, C. R.; Cho, K. J.; Ferraris, John

This program focused on development of the fundamental understanding necessary to significantly improve advanced battery and ultra-capacitor materials and systems to achieve significantly higher power and energy density on the one hand, and significantly lower cost on the other. This program spanned all the way from atomic-level theory, to new nanomaterials syntheses and characterization, to system modeling and bench-scale technology demonstration. This program not only delivered significant advancements in fundamental understanding and new materials and technology, it also showcased the power of the cross-functional, multi-disciplinary teams at UT Dallas and UT Tyler for such work. These teams are continuing thismore » work with other sources of funding from both industry and government.« less

Energy Storage Requirements for Achieving 50% Solar Photovoltaic Energy Penetration in California

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

Denholm, Paul; Margolis, Robert

2016-08-01

We estimate the storage required to enable PV penetration up to 50% in California (with renewable penetration over 66%), and we quantify the complex relationships among storage, PV penetration, grid flexibility, and PV costs due to increased curtailment. We find that the storage needed depends strongly on the amount of other flexibility resources deployed. With very low-cost PV (three cents per kilowatt-hour) and a highly flexible electric power system, about 19 gigawatts of energy storage could enable 50% PV penetration with a marginal net PV levelized cost of energy (LCOE) comparable to the variable costs of future combined-cycle gas generatorsmore » under carbon constraints. This system requires extensive use of flexible generation, transmission, demand response, and electrifying one quarter of the vehicle fleet in California with largely optimized charging. A less flexible system, or more expensive PV would require significantly greater amounts of storage. The amount of storage needed to support very large amounts of PV might fit within a least-cost framework driven by declining storage costs and reduced storage-duration needs due to high PV penetration.« less

2016 Nebraska Higher Education Progress Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nebraska's Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education, 2016

2016-01-01

The 2016 Nebraska Higher Education Progress Report is the 12th annual progress report designed to provide the Nebraska Legislature with comparative statistics to monitor and evaluate progress toward achieving three key priorities for Nebraska's postsecondary education system. These priorities were developed by the 2003 LR 174 Higher Education Task…

Identifying Factors That Affect Higher Educational Achievements of Jamaican Seventh-Day Adventists

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Samuel P.

2011-01-01

This mixed-method explanatory research examined factors that influenced Jamaican Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) members to pursue higher education. It sought to investigate whether the source of the motivation is tied to the Church's general philosophy on education or to its overall programs as experienced by the membership at large. The question of…

Achieving Diversity in Academia: A Dream Deferred?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leonard, Jacqueline; Horvat, Erin McNamara; Riley-Tillman, T. Chris

Attempts to achieve diversity in the faculty in institutions of higher education have increased in recent years. Despite these attempts, faculty of color and women are still underrepresented in the higher ranks. This paper presents autobiographies focusing on the career trajectories of three junior faculty members at one institution: a divorced…

Excitation energies from particle-particle random phase approximation with accurate optimized effective potentials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Ye; Yang, Yang; Zhang, Du; Peng, Degao; Yang, Weitao

2017-10-01

The optimized effective potential (OEP) that gives accurate Kohn-Sham (KS) orbitals and orbital energies can be obtained from a given reference electron density. These OEP-KS orbitals and orbital energies are used here for calculating electronic excited states with the particle-particle random phase approximation (pp-RPA). Our calculations allow the examination of pp-RPA excitation energies with the exact KS density functional theory (DFT). Various input densities are investigated. Specifically, the excitation energies using the OEP with the electron densities from the coupled-cluster singles and doubles method display the lowest mean absolute error from the reference data for the low-lying excited states. This study probes into the theoretical limit of the pp-RPA excitation energies with the exact KS-DFT orbitals and orbital energies. We believe that higher-order correlation contributions beyond the pp-RPA bare Coulomb kernel are needed in order to achieve even higher accuracy in excitation energy calculations.

Enhancing Energy in Future Conventional Munition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peiris, Suhithi

2017-06-01

Future conventional weapons are envisioned to contain more energy per volume than current weapons. Current weapons comprise of inert steel outer case, with inner volume for energetic materials, fuzing, sensor package, propulsion system, etc. Recent research on reactive materials (RM) & new energetics, and exploiting additive manufacturing can optimize the use of both mass and volume to achieve much higher energy in future weapons. For instance, replacing inert steel with RM of similar strength, additively manufacturing fuzing packages within the weapon form factor, and combing the whole with new energetics, will enable the same lethality effects from smaller weapons as obtained from today's larger weapons. This paper will elaborate on reactive materials and properties necessary for optimal utilization in various weapon features, and touch on other aspects of enhancing energy in future conventional munition.

NUCLEAR ENERGY COMMISSION, HIGHER COUNCIL OF RESEARCH, AND THE CENTER OF RESEARCH IN PHYSICS IN MADRID, SPAIN.

DTIC Science & Technology

and controls essentially all aspects of scientific research in Spain, and the Centro de Investigaciones Fisicas (CIF) ’Leonardo Torres Quevedo,’ a...Commission; the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC) or Higher Council of Scientific Research, which is the governing body that administers...The report gives an account of a liasion visit to three institutions in Madrid: the Junta de la Energia Nuclear (JEN), Spain’s Nuclear Energy

Attaining the Photometric Precision Required by Future Dark Energy Projects

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

Stubbs, Christopher

2013-01-21

This report outlines our progress towards achieving the high-precision astronomical measurements needed to derive improved constraints on the nature of the Dark Energy. Our approach to obtaining higher precision flux measurements has two basic components: 1) determination of the optical transmission of the atmosphere, and 2) mapping out the instrumental photon sensitivity function vs. wavelength, calibrated by referencing the measurements to the known sensitivity curve of a high precision silicon photodiode, and 3) using the self-consistency of the spectrum of stars to achieve precise color calibrations.

Achievement goals in adult learners: evidence from distance education.

PubMed

Remedios, Richard; Richardson, John T E

2013-12-01

There is evidence that learners may adopt different kinds of achievement goals: mastery approach, mastery avoidance, performance approach, and performance avoidance. In higher education, this evidence has mainly come from young people who have recently gone straight from secondary education to higher education. However, higher education is increasingly populated by older students, and it has been theorised that the relationship between goals and achievement might be very different for adult learners. The aim of the present study was to examine whether the relationships between achievement, drop-out rate, and goal orientation observed for non-adult populations are mirrored in adult learners. The Achievement Goal Questionnaire (AGQ) was administered to adult learners taking courses by distance learning. Respondents were 195 men and 586 women between the ages of 19 and 87. The results confirmed the reliability of the 2 × 2 version of the AGQ for this distinctive population. As in previous studies of younger students, mastery-approach goals were unrelated to attainment, performance-approach goals tended to facilitate attainment, and performance-avoidance goals tended to impair attainment. In addition, mastery-avoidance goals tended to impair students' attainment and also increased the likelihood that they would drop out of their course altogether. The achievement-goal framework is as appropriate for understanding influences on attainment in adult learners as it is in younger students. Adult learners may be more sensitive to the deleterious effects of adopting mastery-avoidance achievement goals. © 2012 The British Psychological Society.

Higher Daily Energy Expenditure and Respiratory Quotient, Rather Than Fat-Free Mass, Independently Determine Greater ad Libitum Overeating.

PubMed

Piaggi, Paolo; Thearle, Marie S; Krakoff, Jonathan; Votruba, Susanne B

2015-08-01

Body fat-free mass (FFM), energy expenditure (EE), and respiratory quotient (RQ) are known predictors of daily food intake. Because FFM largely determines EE, it is unclear whether body composition per se or the underlying metabolism drives dietary intake. The objective of the study was to test whether 24-hour measures of EE and RQ and their components influence ad libitum food intake independently of FFM. One hundred seven healthy individuals (62 males/45 females, 84 Native Americans/23 whites; age 33 ± 8 y; body mass index 33 ± 8 kg/m(2); body fat 31% ± 8%) had 24-hour measures of EE in a whole-room indirect calorimeter during energy balance, followed by 3 days of ad libitum food intake using computerized vending machine systems. Body composition was estimated by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. FFM, 24-hour EE, RQ, spontaneous physical activity, sleeping EE (sleeping metabolic rate), awake and fed thermogenesis, and ad libitum food intake (INTAKE) were measured. Higher 24-hour RQ (P < .001, partial R(2) = 16%) and EE (P = .01, partial R(2) = 7%), but not FFM (P = .65), were independent predictors of INTAKE. Mediation analysis demonstrated that 24-hour EE is responsible for 80% of the FFM effect on INTAKE (44.5 ± 16.9 kcal ingested per kilogram of FFM, P= .01), whereas the unique effect due to solely FFM was negligible (10.6 ± 23.2, P = .65). Spontaneous physical activity (r = 0.33, P = .001), but not sleeping metabolic rate (P = .71), positively predicted INTAKE, whereas higher awake and fed thermogenesis determined greater INTAKE only in subjects with a body mass index of 29 kg/m(2) or less (r = 0.44, P = .01). EE and RQ, rather than FFM, independently determine INTAKE, suggesting that competitive energy-sensing mechanisms driven by the preferential macronutrient oxidation and total energy demands may regulate food intake.

Higher Daily Energy Expenditure and Respiratory Quotient, Rather Than Fat-Free Mass, Independently Determine Greater ad Libitum Overeating

PubMed Central

Thearle, Marie S.; Krakoff, Jonathan; Votruba, Susanne B.

2015-01-01

Context: Body fat-free mass (FFM), energy expenditure (EE), and respiratory quotient (RQ) are known predictors of daily food intake. Because FFM largely determines EE, it is unclear whether body composition per se or the underlying metabolism drives dietary intake. Objective: The objective of the study was to test whether 24-hour measures of EE and RQ and their components influence ad libitum food intake independently of FFM. Design and Participants: One hundred seven healthy individuals (62 males/45 females, 84 Native Americans/23 whites; age 33 ± 8 y; body mass index 33 ± 8 kg/m2; body fat 31% ± 8%) had 24-hour measures of EE in a whole-room indirect calorimeter during energy balance, followed by 3 days of ad libitum food intake using computerized vending machine systems. Body composition was estimated by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Main Outcome Measures: FFM, 24-hour EE, RQ, spontaneous physical activity, sleeping EE (sleeping metabolic rate), awake and fed thermogenesis, and ad libitum food intake (INTAKE) were measured. Results: Higher 24-hour RQ (P < .001, partial R2 = 16%) and EE (P = .01, partial R2 = 7%), but not FFM (P = .65), were independent predictors of INTAKE. Mediation analysis demonstrated that 24-hour EE is responsible for 80% of the FFM effect on INTAKE (44.5 ± 16.9 kcal ingested per kilogram of FFM, P= .01), whereas the unique effect due to solely FFM was negligible (10.6 ± 23.2, P = .65). Spontaneous physical activity (r = 0.33, P = .001), but not sleeping metabolic rate (P = .71), positively predicted INTAKE, whereas higher awake and fed thermogenesis determined greater INTAKE only in subjects with a body mass index of 29 kg/m2 or less (r = 0.44, P = .01). Conclusions: EE and RQ, rather than FFM, independently determine INTAKE, suggesting that competitive energy-sensing mechanisms driven by the preferential macronutrient oxidation and total energy demands may regulate food intake. PMID:26086330

Guidelines for Promoting Gender Equity in Higher Education in Central and Eastern Europe. Papers on Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miroiu, Mihaela

This book provides a practically oriented reflection on gender equity in higher education and offers insights on how to achieve such equity. Equity, rather than "equality," is the focus of the discussion, which refines the discussion of gender and higher education to go beyond traditional ideas of equal provision and the mathematical…

[Energy saving achieved by limited filamentous bulking under low dissolved oxygen: experimental validation in A/O process].

PubMed

Guo, Jian-hua; Wang, Shu-ying; Peng, Yong-zhen; Zheng, Ya-nan; Huang, Hui-jun; Ge, Shi-jian; Sun, Zhi-rong

2008-12-01

Preliminary studies had been conducted to determine the correctness of the theory and technique of energy saving achieved by limited filamentous bulking under low DO using a lab-scale A/O reactor with real domestic wastewater as the influent. The results showed that SVI could be maintained 150-230 mL/g and sludge settleability would not become very poor under the condition of low DO. During the period of limited filamentous bulking, COD and total nitrogen removal efficiencies were improved, and distinct simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (SND) was achieved, while ammonia removal efficiency would slightly decline with decreasing of DO, compared with the period of good settleability sludge under high DO. COD, ammonia and total nitrogen removal efficiencies were 86%, 70% and 63%, respectively. It was found that about 10%-25% nitrogen would be removed by SND based on the mass balance of nitrogen. Besides, SS in the effluent was almost negligible and the effluent turbidity was lower than 3 NTU. Significantly, aeration consumptions would be decreased by 17% under the condition with DO of 0.5 mg/L compared with 2.0 mg/L according to theoretical calculation of air requirements to keep different DO levels, which was about 57% in lab-scale reactor correspondingly.

Adolescent consumption of sports and energy drinks: linkages to higher physical activity, unhealthy beverage patterns, cigarette smoking, and screen media use.

PubMed

Larson, Nicole; Dewolfe, Jessica; Story, Mary; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne

2014-01-01

To examine patterns of adolescent sports and energy drink (SED) consumption and identify behavioral correlates. Data were drawn from Eating and Activity in Teens, a population-based study. Adolescents from 20 middle and high schools in Minneapolis/St Paul, MN completed classroom-administered surveys. A total of 2,793 adolescents (53.2% girls) in grades 6-12. Beverage patterns; breakfast frequency; moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA); media use; sleep; and cigarette smoking. Linear and logistic regression models were used to estimate associations between health behaviors and SED consumption, adjusting for demographics. Over a third of adolescents consumed sports drinks and 14.7% consumed energy drinks at least once a week. Among boys and girls, both sports and energy drink consumption were related to higher video game use; sugar-sweetened beverage and fruit juice intake; and smoking (P < .05). Sports drink consumption was also significantly related to higher MVPA and organized sport participation for both genders (P < .01). Although sports drink consumption was associated with higher MVPA, adolescents should be reminded of recommendations to consume these beverages only after vigorous, prolonged activity. There is also a need for future interventions designed to reduce SED consumption, to address the clustering of unhealthy behaviors. Copyright © 2014 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Adolescent Consumption of Sports and Energy Drinks: Linkages to Higher Physical Activity, Unhealthy Beverage Patterns, Cigarette Smoking, and Screen Media Use

PubMed Central

Larson, Nicole; DeWolfe, Jessica; Story, Mary; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne

2014-01-01

Objective To examine patterns of adolescent sports and energy drink (SED) consumption and identify behavioral correlates. Design Data were drawn from EAT 2010 (Eating and Activity in Teens), a population-based study. Setting Adolescents from 20 middle and high schools in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota completed classroom-administered surveys. Participants 2,793 adolescents (53.2% girls) in grades 6–12. Variables Measured Beverage patterns; breakfast frequency; moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA); media use; sleep; and cigarette smoking. Analysis Linear and logistic regression models were used to estimate associations between health behaviors and SED consumption, adjusting for demographics. Results Over a third of adolescents consumed sports drinks and 14.7% consumed energy drinks at least once a week. Among boys and girls, both sports and energy drink consumption were related to higher video game use; sugar-sweetened beverage and fruit juice intake; and smoking (P<0.05). Sports drink consumption was also significantly related to higher MVPA and organized sport participation for both genders (P<0.01). Conclusions and Implications Although sports drink consumption was associated with higher MVPA, adolescents should be reminded of recommendations to consume these beverages only following vigorous, prolonged activity. There is also a need for future interventions designed to reduce SED consumption to address the clustering of unhealthy behaviors. PMID:24809865

Toy-playing behavior, sex-role orientation, spatial ability, and science achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tracy, Dyanne M.

The purpose of this correlational study was to examine the possible relationships among children's extracurricular toy-playing habits, sex-role orientations, spatial abilities, and science achievement. Data were gathered from 282 midwestern, suburban, fifth-grade students. It was found that boys had significantly higher spatial skills than girls. No significant differences in spatial ability were found among students with different sex-role orientations. No significant differences in science achievement were found between girls and boys, or among students with the four different sex-role orientations. Students who had high spatial ability also had significantly higher science achievement scores than students with low spatial ability. Femininely oriented boys who reported low playing in the two-dimensional, gross-body-movement, and proportional-arrangement toy categories scored significantly higher on the test of science achievement than girls with the same sex-role and toy-playing behavior.

Achieving waste to energy through sewage sludge gasification using hot slags: syngas production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Yongqi; Nakano, Jinichiro; Liu, Lili; Wang, Xidong; Zhang, Zuotai

2015-06-01

To relieve the environmental issues of sewage sludge (SS) disposal and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission in China, we proposed an integrated method for the first time to simultaneously deal with these two problems. The hot slags below 920 °C could act as a good heat carrier for sludge gasification and the increasing CO2 concentration in CO2/O2 atmospheres enhanced the production of CO and H2 at 400-800 °C. Three stages of syngas release were clearly identified by Gaussian fittings, i.e., volatile release, char transformation and fixed carbon reaction. Additionally, the effect of sulfur retention of slags and the synergy effect of the stabilization of toxic elements in the solid residuals were discovered in this study. Furthermore, a novel prototype of multiple industrial and urban systems was put forward, in which the produced CO + H2 could be utilized for direct reduced iron (DRI) production and the solid residuals of sludge ash and glassy slags would be applied as cementitious materials. For a steel plant with an annual production of crude steel of 10 million tons in China, the total annual energy saving and GHG emission reduction achieved are 3.31*105 tons of standard coal and 1.74*106 tons of CO2, respectively.

Predictors of Academic Achievement and Their Possible Applications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lockshin, Jeffrey; Zamkov, Oleg

2009-01-01

A significant amount of attention has been given to the predictors of academic achievement in higher education. However, the vast majority of articles have centred on entrance criteria and the learning approaches or personal habits of students. Investigations into how achievement depends on student efforts, being almost invariably based on…

Higher energy intake at dinner decreases parasympathetic activity during nighttime sleep in menstruating women: A randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Tada, Yuki; Yoshizaki, Takahiro; Tanaka, Izumi; Kanehara, Rieko; Kato, Misao; Hatta, Naoko; Hida, Azumi; Kawano, Yukari

2018-06-09

Previous studies have found more frequent increases in dietary intake and nonrestorative nocturnal sleep during the luteal phase than in the follicular phase, but few studies have investigated how increased energy intake at dinner influences sleep by considering the correlation between female hormone and cardiac autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity. This study examined the effects of energy intake at dinner on ANS activity during nighttime sleep in order to evaluate restorative sleep in healthy women. We also examined whether ANS activity is associated with female hormone dynamics. Twenty-four healthy collegiate women participated in this randomized crossover trial. Each was assigned to receive a High Energy Dinner (HED) or Low Energy Dinner (LED) treatment. Energy ratios of each test meal (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) to total energy intake were 1:1:2 and 1:2:1 for HED and LED treatments, respectively. Each participant wore an ECG recorder before dinner and removed it upon waking the next morning. Power spectral analysis of heart rate variability was used to calculate low frequency (LF), high frequency (HF), and total spectral power (TP). Cardiac sympathetic (SNS) and parasympathetic (PNS) nervous system activity were evaluated as LF/HF and HF/TP, respectively. Mean HF/TP for the entire sleeping period was lower with HED treatment compared to LED treatment (41.7 ± 11.4 vs. 45.0 ± 12.13, P = .034). Intergroup comparisons of the initial 3-h sleeping period revealed that LF/HF (0.87 ± 0.82 vs. 0.66 ± 0.82, P = .013) and HF/TP (45.6 ± 13.9 vs. 51.5 ± 11.8, P = .002) were higher and lower, respectively, with HED treatment compared to LED treatment. Progesterone levels were positively correlated with LF/HF with LED treatment, and negatively correlated with HF/TP with both HED and LED treatments. Higher energy intake at dinner increases and decreases SNS and PNS activities, respectively, resulting in nonrestorative nocturnal

Branched-chain higher alcohols.

PubMed

Wang, Bao-Wei; Shi, Ai-Qin; Tu, Ran; Zhang, Xue-Li; Wang, Qin-Hong; Bai, Feng-Wu

2012-01-01

China's energy requirements and environmental concerns have stimulated efforts toward developing alternative liquid fuels. Compared with fuel ethanol, branched-chain higher alcohols (BCHAs), including isopropanol, isobutanol, 2-methyl-1-butanol, and 3-methyl-1-butanol, exhibit significant advantages, such as higher energy density, lower hygroscopicity, lower vapor pressure, and compatibility with existing transportation infrastructures. However, BCHAs have not been synthesized economically using native organisms, and thus their microbial production based on metabolic engineering and synthetic biology offers an alternative approach, which presents great potential for improving production efficiency. We review the current status of production and consumption of BCHAs and research progress regarding their microbial production in China, especially with the combination of metabolic engineering and synthetic biology.

The Economic Value of Higher Teacher Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanushek, Eric A.

2011-01-01

Most analyses of teacher quality end without any assessment of the economic value of altered teacher quality. This paper combines information about teacher effectiveness with the economic impact of higher achievement. It begins with an overview of what is known about the relationship between teacher quality and student achievement. This provides…

On-Site Renewable Energy and Green Buildings: A System-Level Analysis.

PubMed

Al-Ghamdi, Sami G; Bilec, Melissa M

2016-05-03

Adopting a green building rating system (GBRSs) that strongly considers use of renewable energy can have important environmental consequences, particularly in developing countries. In this paper, we studied on-site renewable energy and GBRSs at the system level to explore potential benefits and challenges. While we have focused on GBRSs, the findings can offer additional insight for renewable incentives across sectors. An energy model was built for 25 sites to compute the potential solar and wind power production on-site and available within the building footprint and regional climate. A life-cycle approach and cost analysis were then completed to analyze the environmental and economic impacts. Environmental impacts of renewable energy varied dramatically between sites, in some cases, the environmental benefits were limited despite the significant economic burden of those renewable systems on-site and vice versa. Our recommendation for GBRSs, and broader policies and regulations, is to require buildings with higher environmental impacts to achieve higher levels of energy performance and on-site renewable energy utilization, instead of fixed percentages.

Teacher Dispositions and Student Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vaughn, Kathleen Adams

2012-01-01

In an effort to close the achievement gap between students of minority and majority populations and between students in higher and lower economic circumstances, the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) added instruction and evaluation of teacher dispositions to its requirements for credentialing prospective teachers.…

Differentiating Positional Isomers of Nucleoside Modifications by Higher-Energy Collisional Dissociation Mass Spectrometry (HCD MS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jora, Manasses; Burns, Andrew P.; Ross, Robert L.; Lobue, Peter A.; Zhao, Ruoxia; Palumbo, Cody M.; Beal, Peter A.; Addepalli, Balasubrahmanyam; Limbach, Patrick A.

2018-06-01

The analytical identification of positional isomers (e.g., 3-, N 4-, 5-methylcytidine) within the > 160 different post-transcriptional modifications found in RNA can be challenging. Conventional liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) approaches rely on chromatographic separation for accurate identification because the collision-induced dissociation (CID) mass spectra of these isomers nearly exclusively yield identical nucleobase ions (BH2 +) from the same molecular ion (MH+). Here, we have explored higher-energy collisional dissociation (HCD) as an alternative fragmentation technique to generate more informative product ions that can be used to differentiate positional isomers. LC-MS/MS of modified nucleosides characterized using HCD led to the creation of structure- and HCD energy-specific fragmentation patterns that generated unique fingerprints, which can be used to identify individual positional isomers even when they cannot be separated chromatographically. While particularly useful for identifying positional isomers, the fingerprinting capabilities enabled by HCD also offer the potential to generate HPLC-independent spectral libraries for the rapid analysis of modified ribonucleosides. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Positioning Higher Education for the Knowledge Based Economy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

St. George, Elizabeth

2006-01-01

This article questions the assumption that increasing competition among higher education institutions is the best method of achieving a strong higher education sector in developing countries. It notes that there has been increasing emphasis on the importance of higher education institutions for sustainable development, particularly because of…

New Mexico Higher Education Department Annual Report, 2016

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New Mexico Higher Education Department, 2016

2016-01-01

The New Mexico Higher Education Department strives to bring leadership, guidance, and assistance to New Mexico's higher education stakeholders. The HED is committed to promoting best practices, institutional fiscal responsibility, and student achievement. Everything the agency does is through the lens of supporting New Mexico's higher education…

Achieving the Air Force’s Energy Vision

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

sor of logistics and supply chain management at AFIT. The US Air Force is the largest con -sumer of energy in the federal gov-ernment, spending $9...technology, motors , advanced bat- teries, and ultracapacitors. AFIT is playing a critical role in meeting Air Force and industry demand for more...Flight Design displayed a parallel hybrid-electric propul- sion system with an ICE and electric motor (fig. 2) for a general aviation aircraft. A

Ultra-high spatial resolution multi-energy CT using photon counting detector technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leng, S.; Gutjahr, R.; Ferrero, A.; Kappler, S.; Henning, A.; Halaweish, A.; Zhou, W.; Montoya, J.; McCollough, C.

2017-03-01

Two ultra-high-resolution (UHR) imaging modes, each with two energy thresholds, were implemented on a research, whole-body photon-counting-detector (PCD) CT scanner, referred to as sharp and UHR, respectively. The UHR mode has a pixel size of 0.25 mm at iso-center for both energy thresholds, with a collimation of 32 × 0.25 mm. The sharp mode has a 0.25 mm pixel for the low-energy threshold and 0.5 mm for the high-energy threshold, with a collimation of 48 × 0.25 mm. Kidney stones with mixed mineral composition and lung nodules with different shapes were scanned using both modes, and with the standard imaging mode, referred to as macro mode (0.5 mm pixel and 32 × 0.5 mm collimation). Evaluation and comparison of the three modes focused on the ability to accurately delineate anatomic structures using the high-spatial resolution capability and the ability to quantify stone composition using the multi-energy capability. The low-energy threshold images of the sharp and UHR modes showed better shape and texture information due to the achieved higher spatial resolution, although noise was also higher. No noticeable benefit was shown in multi-energy analysis using UHR compared to standard resolution (macro mode) when standard doses were used. This was due to excessive noise in the higher resolution images. However, UHR scans at higher dose showed improvement in multi-energy analysis over macro mode with regular dose. To fully take advantage of the higher spatial resolution in multi-energy analysis, either increased radiation dose, or application of noise reduction techniques, is needed.

Student achievement in science: A longitudinal look at individual and school differences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martinez, Alina

The importance of science in today's technological society necessitates continued attention to students' experiences in science and specifically their achievement in science. There is a need to look at gender and race/ethnicity simultaneously when studying students' experiences in science and to explore factors related to higher achievement among students. Using data from the Longitudinal Study of American Youth, this study contributes to existing literature on student achievement in science by simultaneously exploring the effects of race/ethnicity and gender. Capitalizing on the availability of yearly science achievement scores, I present trajectories of student achievement from 7th to 12th grade. This study also includes an exploration of school effects. Overall, student achievement in science increases from 7th to 12th grade, although some leveling is seen in later grades. Growth in achievement differs by both gender and race/ethnicity, but racial/ethnic differences are larger than gender differences. Hispanic, Black, Asian, and White males score higher, on average, throughout the secondary grades than their female counterparts. Achievement scores of Asian students are consistently higher than White students, who in turn score higher than Hispanic and finally Black students. Both background and science-related factors help explain variation in achievement status and growth in achievement. Parental education is positively associated with achievement status among all groups except Black students for whom there is no effect of parental education. Science related resources in the home are positively associated with student achievement and the effect of these resources increases in later grades. Student achievement in science is also positively related to student course taking and attitude toward science. Furthermore, both the negative effect of viewing science as a male domain, which exists for males and females, and the positive effect of parental support for

Energy Spectra of Higher Reynolds Number Turbulence by the DNS with up to 122883 Grid Points

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishihara, Takashi; Kaneda, Yukio; Morishita, Koji; Yokokawa, Mitsuo; Uno, Atsuya

2014-11-01

Large-scale direct numerical simulations (DNS) of forced incompressible turbulence in a periodic box with up to 122883 grid points have been performed using K computer. The maximum Taylor-microscale Reynolds number Rλ, and the maximum Reynolds number Re based on the integral length scale are over 2000 and 105, respectively. Our previous DNS with Rλ up to 1100 showed that the energy spectrum has a slope steeper than - 5 / 3 (the Kolmogorov scaling law) by factor 0 . 1 at the wavenumber range (kη < 0 . 03). Here η is the Kolmogorov length scale. Our present DNS at higher resolutions show that the energy spectra with different Reynolds numbers (Rλ > 1000) are well normalized not by the integral length-scale but by the Kolmogorov length scale, at the wavenumber range of the steeper slope. This result indicates that the steeper slope is not inherent character in the inertial subrange, and is affected by viscosity.

A higher-order Skyrme model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gudnason, Sven Bjarke; Nitta, Muneto

2017-09-01

We propose a higher-order Skyrme model with derivative terms of eighth, tenth and twelfth order. Our construction yields simple and easy-to-interpret higher-order Lagrangians. We first show that a Skyrmion with higher-order terms proposed by Marleau has an instability in the form of a baby-Skyrmion string, while the static energies of our construction are positive definite, implying stability against time-independent perturbations. However, we also find that the Hamiltonians of our construction possess two kinds of dynamical instabilities, which may indicate the instability with respect to time-dependent perturbations. Different from the well-known Ostrogradsky instability, the instabilities that we find are intrinsically of nonlinear nature and also due to the fact that even powers of the inverse metric gives a ghost-like higher-order kinetic-like term. The vacuum state is, however, stable. Finally, we show that at sufficiently low energies, our Hamiltonians in the simplest cases, are stable against time-dependent perturbations.

Physical activity, physical fitness and academic achievement in adolescents: a self-organizing maps approach.

PubMed

Pellicer-Chenoll, Maite; Garcia-Massó, Xavier; Morales, Jose; Serra-Añó, Pilar; Solana-Tramunt, Mònica; González, Luis-Millán; Toca-Herrera, José-Luis

2015-06-01

The relationship among physical activity, physical fitness and academic achievement in adolescents has been widely studied; however, controversy concerning this topic persists. The methods used thus far to analyse the relationship between these variables have included mostly traditional lineal analysis according to the available literature. The aim of this study was to perform a visual analysis of this relationship with self-organizing maps and to monitor the subject's evolution during the 4 years of secondary school. Four hundred and forty-four students participated in the study. The physical activity and physical fitness of the participants were measured, and the participants' grade point averages were obtained from the five participant institutions. Four main clusters representing two primary student profiles with few differences between boys and girls were observed. The clustering demonstrated that students with higher energy expenditure and better physical fitness exhibited lower body mass index (BMI) and higher academic performance, whereas those adolescents with lower energy expenditure exhibited worse physical fitness, higher BMI and lower academic performance. With respect to the evolution of the students during the 4 years, ∼25% of the students originally clustered in a negative profile moved to a positive profile, and there was no movement in the opposite direction. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Significantly Elevated Dielectric and Energy Storage Traits in Boron Nitride Filled Polymer Nano-composites with Topological Structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Yefeng; Zhang, Jianxiong; Hu, Jianbing; Li, Shichun; Peng, Cheng

2018-03-01

Interface induced polarization has a prominent influence on dielectric properties of 0-3 type polymer based composites containing Si-based semi-conductors. The disadvantages of composites were higher dielectric loss, lower breakdown strength and energy storage density, although higher permittivity was achieved. In this work, dielectric, conductive, breakdown and energy storage properties of four nano-composites have been researched. Based on the cooperation of fluoropolymer/alpha-SiC layer and fluoropolymer/hexagonal-BN layer, it was confirmed constructing the heterogeneous layer-by-layer composite structure rather than homogeneous mono-layer structure could significantly reduce dielectric loss, promote breakdown strength and increase energy storage density. The former worked for a larger dielectric response and the latter layer acted as a robust barrier of charge carrier transfer. The best nano-composite could possess a permittivity of 43@100 Hz ( 3.3 times of polymer), loss of 0.07@100 Hz ( 37% of polymer), discharged energy density of 2.23 J/cm3@249 kV/cm ( 10 times of polymer) and discharged energy efficiency of 54%@249 kV/cm ( 5 times of polymer). This work might enlighten a facile route to achieve the promising high energy storage composite dielectrics by constructing the layer-by-layer topological structure.

1W frequency-doubled VCSEL-pumped blue laser with high pulse energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Leeuwen, Robert; Chen, Tong; Watkins, Laurence; Xu, Guoyang; Seurin, Jean-Francois; Wang, Qing; Zhou, Delai; Ghosh, Chuni

2015-02-01

We report on a Q-switched VCSEL side-pumped 946 nm Nd:YAG laser that produces high average power blue light with high pulse energy after frequency doubling in BBO. The gain medium was water cooled and symmetrically pumped by three 1 kW 808 nm VCSEL pump modules. More than 1 W blue output was achieved at 210 Hz with 4.9 mJ pulse energy and at 340 Hz with 3.2 mJ pulse energy, with 42% and 36% second harmonic conversion efficiency respectively. Higher pulse energy was obtained at lower repetition frequencies, up to 9.3 mJ at 70 Hz with 52% conversion efficiency.

Achievement goals, social goals, and motivational regulations in physical education settings.

PubMed

Cecchini Estrada, José A; González González-Mesa, Carmen; Méndez-Giménez, Antonio; Fernández-Río, Javier

2011-02-01

This study examined the relationship between achievement and social goals, and explored how both goals affect students' level of informed self-determination in Physical Education. Participants were 395 high school students. Three scales were used to assess achievement, social goals, and motivation. Several hierarchical regression analyses revealed that mastery-approach goals were the greatest contributors to the individuals' levels of self-determination. Achievement and social goals were found to be separate predictors of students' levels of self-determination, and this highlights the importance of separating mastery and performance goals into avoidance and approach profiles. Girls reported significantly higher values than boys on responsibility, relationship, and mastery-avoidance goals, whereas boys scored higher on performance-approach goals. Researchers could use achievement and social goals to study students' motivation and achievement in Physical Education settings.

National GDP, Science Interest and Science Achievement: A Person-by-Nation Interaction

PubMed Central

Drob, Elliot M. Tucker; Cheung, Amanda K.; Briley, Daniel A.

2014-01-01

Maximizing science achievement is a critical target of educational policy, with important implications for national and international economic and technological competitiveness. Previous research has identified both science interest and socioeconomic status (SES) as robust predictors of science achievement, but little research has examined their joint effects. In a dataset drawn from approximately 400,000 high school students from 57 countries, we document large interest by SES and interest by per capita gross domestic product (GDP) interactions in the prediction of science achievement. Student interest in science is a substantially stronger predictor of science achievement in higher socioeconomic contexts and in higher GDP nations. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that, in higher opportunity contexts, motivational factors play larger roles in learning and achievement. They add to the growing body of evidence indicating that substantial cross national differences in psychological effect sizes are not simply a logical possibility, but in many cases, an empirical reality. PMID:25304883

Developing Energy Literacy in US Middle-Level Students Using the Geospatial Curriculum Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bodzin, Alec M.; Fu, Qiong; Peffer, Tamara E.; Kulo, Violet

2013-06-01

This quantitative study examined the effectiveness of a geospatial curriculum approach to promote energy literacy in an urban school district and examined factors that may account for energy content knowledge achievement. An energy literacy measure was administered to 1,044 eighth-grade students (ages 13-15) in an urban school district in Pennsylvania, USA. One group of students received instruction with a geospatial curriculum approach (geospatial technologies (GT)) and another group of students received 'business as usual' (BAU) curriculum instruction. For the GT students, findings revealed statistically significant gains from pretest to posttest (p < 0.001) on knowledge of energy resource acquisition, energy generation, storage and transport, and energy consumption and conservation. The GT students had year-end energy content knowledge scores significantly higher than those who learned with the BAU curriculum (p < 0.001; effect size being large). A multiple regression found that prior energy content knowledge was the only significant predictor to the year-end energy content knowledge achievement for the GT students (p < 0.001). The findings support that the implementation of a geospatial curriculum approach that employs learning activities that focus on the spatial nature of energy resources can improve the energy literacy of urban middle-level education students.

Ultrathin Coaxial Fiber Supercapacitors Achieving High Energy and Power Densities.

PubMed

Shen, Caiwei; Xie, Yingxi; Sanghadasa, Mohan; Tang, Yong; Lu, Longsheng; Lin, Liwei

2017-11-15

Fiber-based supercapacitors have attracted significant interests because of their potential applications in wearable electronics. Although much progress has been made in recent years, the energy and power densities, mechanical strength, and flexibility of such devices are still in need of improvement for practical applications. Here, we demonstrate an ultrathin microcoaxial fiber supercapacitor (μCFSC) with high energy and power densities (2.7 mW h/cm 3 and 13 W/cm 3 ), as well as excellent mechanical properties. The prototype with the smallest reported overall diameter (∼13 μm) is fabricated by successive coating of functional layers onto a single micro-carbon-fiber via a scalable process. Combining the simulation results via the electrochemical model, we attribute the high performance to the well-controlled thin coatings that make full use of the electrode materials and minimize the ion transport path between electrodes. Moreover, the μCFSC features high bending flexibility and large tensile strength (more than 1 GPa), which make it promising as a building block for various flexible energy storage applications.

The researches on energy sustainability in Northern China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Ping; Zhu, Zhiqiang; Zhang, Shuang

2018-06-01

Energy, which accounts for two-thirds of today's greenhouse gas emissions, is the key to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and slowing global warming. In this paper, the IPCC-recommended reference approach and scenario analysis were applied to evaluate dynamic change of the energy supply and energy-related carbon dioxide emissions within the period of 2000-2025 in Northern China (NC). The results show that energy importing reliance reached 85% in 2015 and the energy structure has become more diversified in NC. In addition, the per-capita CO2 emission is significantly higher while carbon intensity is lower than those of the national average. Under the LC scenario, CO2 emissions begin to fall for the first time in 2022. Hence, if Energy-Saving and Emission-Reduction strategy and regional planning for NC are implemented fully, NC will achieve the national emission reduction targets in 2025 and will have a large CO2 mitigation potential in the future.

Associations between children's intelligence and academic achievement: the role of sleep.

PubMed

Erath, Stephen A; Tu, Kelly M; Buckhalt, Joseph A; El-Sheikh, Mona

2015-10-01

Sleep problems (long wake episodes, low sleep efficiency) were examined as moderators of the relation between children's intelligence and academic achievement. The sample was comprised of 280 children (55% boys; 63% European Americans, 37% African Americans; mean age = 10.40 years, SD = 0.65). Sleep was assessed during seven consecutive nights of actigraphy. Children's performance on standardized tests of intelligence (Brief Intellectual Ability index of the Woodcock-Johnson III) and academic achievement (Alabama Reading and Math Test) were obtained. Age, sex, ethnicity, income-to-needs ratio, single parent status, standardized body mass index, chronic illness and pubertal development were controlled in analyses. Higher intelligence was strongly associated with higher academic achievement across a wide range of sleep quality. However, the association between intelligence and academic achievement was slightly attenuated among children with more long wake episodes or lower sleep efficiency compared with children with higher-quality sleep. © 2015 European Sleep Research Society.

Groups That Work: Student Achievement in Group Research Projects and Effects on Individual Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Monson, Renee

2017-01-01

Group research projects frequently are used to teach undergraduate research methods. This study uses multivariate analyses to examine the characteristics of higher-achieving groups (those that earn higher grades on group research projects) and to estimate the effects of participating in higher-achieving groups on subsequent individual learning…

Measuring Energy Scaling of Laser Driven Magnetic Fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, Jackson; Goyon, Clement; Mariscal, Derek; Pollock, Brad; Patankar, Siddharth; Moody, John

2016-10-01

Laser-driven magnetic fields are of interest in particle confinement, fast ignition, and ICF platforms as an alternative to pulsed power systems to achieve many times higher fields. A comprehensive model describing the mechanism responsible for creating and maintaining magnetic fields from laser-driven coils has not yet been established. Understanding the scaling of key experimental parameters such as spatial and temporal uniformity and duration are necessary to implement coil targets in practical applications yet these measurements prove difficult due to the highly transient nature of the fields. We report on direct voltage measurements of laser-driven coil targets in which the laser energy spans more than four orders of magnitude. Results suggest that at low energies, laser-driven coils can be modeled as an electric circuit; however, at higher energies plasma effects dominate and a simple circuit treatment is insufficient to describe all observed phenomenon. The favorable scaling with laser power and pulse duration, observed in the present study and others at kilojoule energies, has positive implications for sustained, large magnetic fields for applications on the NIF. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

Achieving waste to energy through sewage sludge gasification using hot slags: syngas production

PubMed Central

Sun, Yongqi; Nakano, Jinichiro; Liu, Lili; Wang, Xidong; Zhang, Zuotai

2015-01-01

To relieve the environmental issues of sewage sludge (SS) disposal and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission in China, we proposed an integrated method for the first time to simultaneously deal with these two problems. The hot slags below 920 °C could act as a good heat carrier for sludge gasification and the increasing CO2 concentration in CO2/O2 atmospheres enhanced the production of CO and H2 at 400–800 °C. Three stages of syngas release were clearly identified by Gaussian fittings, i.e., volatile release, char transformation and fixed carbon reaction. Additionally, the effect of sulfur retention of slags and the synergy effect of the stabilization of toxic elements in the solid residuals were discovered in this study. Furthermore, a novel prototype of multiple industrial and urban systems was put forward, in which the produced CO + H2 could be utilized for direct reduced iron (DRI) production and the solid residuals of sludge ash and glassy slags would be applied as cementitious materials. For a steel plant with an annual production of crude steel of 10 million tons in China, the total annual energy saving and GHG emission reduction achieved are 3.31*105 tons of standard coal and 1.74*106 tons of CO2, respectively. PMID:26074060

Achieving waste to energy through sewage sludge gasification using hot slags: syngas production.

PubMed

Sun, Yongqi; Nakano, Jinichiro; Liu, Lili; Wang, Xidong; Zhang, Zuotai

2015-06-15

To relieve the environmental issues of sewage sludge (SS) disposal and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission in China, we proposed an integrated method for the first time to simultaneously deal with these two problems. The hot slags below 920 °C could act as a good heat carrier for sludge gasification and the increasing CO2 concentration in CO2/O2 atmospheres enhanced the production of CO and H2 at 400-800 °C. Three stages of syngas release were clearly identified by Gaussian fittings, i.e., volatile release, char transformation and fixed carbon reaction. Additionally, the effect of sulfur retention of slags and the synergy effect of the stabilization of toxic elements in the solid residuals were discovered in this study. Furthermore, a novel prototype of multiple industrial and urban systems was put forward, in which the produced CO + H2 could be utilized for direct reduced iron (DRI) production and the solid residuals of sludge ash and glassy slags would be applied as cementitious materials. For a steel plant with an annual production of crude steel of 10 million tons in China, the total annual energy saving and GHG emission reduction achieved are 3.31*10(5) tons of standard coal and 1.74*10(6) tons of CO2, respectively.

Reading and math achievement profiles and longitudinal growth trajectories of children with an autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Wei, Xin; Christiano, Elizabeth R A; Yu, Jennifer W; Wagner, Mary; Spiker, Donna

2015-02-01

This study examined the reading and math achievement profiles and longitudinal growth trajectories of a nationally representative sample of children ages 6 through 9 with an autism spectrum disorder. Four distinct achievement profiles were identified: higher-achieving (39%), hyperlexia (9%), hypercalculia (20%) and lower-achieving (32%). Children with hypercalculia and lower-achieving profiles were more likely to be from low socioeconomic families and had lower functional cognitive skills than the higher-achieving profile. All four profiles lost ground in passage comprehension over time. Slower improvement occurred for the higher-achieving group on letter-word identification, the hyperlexia group on conversation abilities and the hypercalculia group on calculation and functional cognitive skills relative to the lower-achieving group. © The Author(s) 2014.

Research on the Orientation and Application of Distributed Energy Storage in Energy Internet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, Ming; Zhou, Pengcheng; Li, Ran; Zhou, Jingjing; Chen, Tao; Li, Zhe

2018-01-01

Energy storage is indispensable resources to achieve a high proportion of new energy power consumption in electric power system. As an important support to energy Internet, energy storage system can achieve a variety of energy integration operation to ensure maximum energy efficiency. In this paper, firstly, the SWOT analysis method is used to express the internal and external advantages and disadvantages of distributed energy storage participating in the energy Internet. Secondly, the function orientation of distributed energy storage in energy Internet is studied, based on which the application modes of distributed energy storage in virtual power plant, community energy storage and auxiliary services are deeply studied. Finally, this paper puts forward the development strategy of distributed energy storage which is suitable for the development of China’s energy Internet, and summarizes and prospects the application of distributed energy storage system.

A monostable piezoelectric energy harvester for broadband low-level excitations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, Kangqi; Tan, Qinxue; Zhang, Yiwei; Liu, Shaohua; Cai, Meiling; Zhu, Yingmin

2018-03-01

This letter presents a monostable piezoelectric energy harvester (PEH) for achieving enhanced energy extraction from low-level excitations. The proposed PEH is realized by introducing symmetric magnetic attraction to a piezoelectric cantilever beam and a pair of stoppers to confine the maximum deflection of the beam. The lumped parameter model of such a system is presented and experimentally validated. Theoretical simulations and experimental measurements demonstrate that the proposed design can bring about a wider operating bandwidth and higher output voltage than the linear PEH. Under a sinusoidal vibration with an amplitude of 3 m/s2, a 54% increase in the operating bandwidth and a 253% increase in the magnitude of output power are achieved compared to its linear counterpart. Moreover, the proposed PEH exhibits rich dynamic features, including the tunable operating bandwidth, adjustable voltage and power levels, and softening hysteresis.

High-Energy Passive Mode-Locking of Fiber Lasers

PubMed Central

Ding, Edwin; Renninger, William H.; Wise, Frank W.; Grelu, Philippe; Shlizerman, Eli; Kutz, J. Nathan

2012-01-01

Mode-locking refers to the generation of ultrashort optical pulses in laser systems. A comprehensive study of achieving high-energy pulses in a ring cavity fiber laser that is passively mode-locked by a series of waveplates and a polarizer is presented in this paper. Specifically, it is shown that the multipulsing instability can be circumvented in favor of bifurcating to higher-energy single pulses by appropriately adjusting the group velocity dispersion in the fiber and the waveplate/polarizer settings in the saturable absorber. The findings may be used as practical guidelines for designing high-power lasers since the theoretical model relates directly to the experimental settings. PMID:22866059

Flipping College Algebra: Effects on Student Engagement and Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ichinose, Cherie; Clinkenbeard, Jennifer

2016-01-01

This study compared student engagement and achievement levels between students enrolled in a traditional college algebra lecture course and students enrolled in a "flipped" course. Results showed that students in the flipped class had consistently higher levels of achievement throughout the course than did students in the traditional…

Development of the Advanced Energy Design Guide for K-12 Schools -- 50% Energy Savings

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

Bonnema, E.; Leach, M.; Pless, S.

2013-02-01

This Technical Support Document (TSD) describes the process and methodology for the development of the Advanced Energy Design Guide for K-12 School Buildings: Achieving 50% Energy Savings Toward a Net Zero Energy Building (AEDG-K12) (ASHRAE et al. 2011a). The AEDG-K12 provides recommendations for achieving 50% whole-building energy savings in K-12 schools over levels achieved by following ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2004, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings (Standard 90.1-2004) (ASHRAE 2004b). The AEDG-K12 was developed in collaboration with the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the Illuminating Engineering Society of Northmore » America (IES), the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).« less

Energy Storage Requirements for Achieving 50% Penetration of Solar Photovoltaic Energy in California

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

Denholm, Paul; Margolis, Robert

2016-09-01

We estimate the storage required to enable PV penetration up to 50% in California (with renewable penetration over 66%), and we quantify the complex relationships among storage, PV penetration, grid flexibility, and PV costs due to increased curtailment. We find that the storage needed depends strongly on the amount of other flexibility resources deployed. With very low-cost PV (three cents per kilowatt-hour) and a highly flexible electric power system, about 19 gigawatts of energy storage could enable 50% PV penetration with a marginal net PV levelized cost of energy (LCOE) comparable to the variable costs of future combined-cycle gas generatorsmore » under carbon constraints. This system requires extensive use of flexible generation, transmission, demand response, and electrifying one quarter of the vehicle fleet in California with largely optimized charging. A less flexible system, or more expensive PV would require significantly greater amounts of storage. The amount of storage needed to support very large amounts of PV might fit within a least-cost framework driven by declining storage costs and reduced storage-duration needs due to high PV penetration.« less

A highly accurate ab initio potential energy surface for methane.

PubMed

Owens, Alec; Yurchenko, Sergei N; Yachmenev, Andrey; Tennyson, Jonathan; Thiel, Walter

2016-09-14

A new nine-dimensional potential energy surface (PES) for methane has been generated using state-of-the-art ab initio theory. The PES is based on explicitly correlated coupled cluster calculations with extrapolation to the complete basis set limit and incorporates a range of higher-level additive energy corrections. These include core-valence electron correlation, higher-order coupled cluster terms beyond perturbative triples, scalar relativistic effects, and the diagonal Born-Oppenheimer correction. Sub-wavenumber accuracy is achieved for the majority of experimentally known vibrational energy levels with the four fundamentals of (12)CH4 reproduced with a root-mean-square error of 0.70 cm(-1). The computed ab initio equilibrium C-H bond length is in excellent agreement with previous values despite pure rotational energies displaying minor systematic errors as J (rotational excitation) increases. It is shown that these errors can be significantly reduced by adjusting the equilibrium geometry. The PES represents the most accurate ab initio surface to date and will serve as a good starting point for empirical refinement.

Preparing for a Global Community. Achieving an International Perspective in Higher Education. ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report No. 2, 1992.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pickert, Sarah M.

This report discusses the response of colleges and universities in the United States to the need of graduate students to become equipped to make personal and public policy decisions as citizens of an international society. Curriculum changes are showing a tightening of foreign language standards in schools of higher education and, throughout the…

The Centrality of Engagement in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fitzgerald, Hiram E.; Bruns, Karen; Sonka, Steven T.; Furco, Andrew; Swanson, Louis

2016-01-01

The centrality of engagement is critical to the success of higher education in the future. Engagement is essential to most effectively achieving the overall purpose of the university, which is focused on the knowledge enterprise. Today's engagement is scholarly, is an aspect of learning and discovery, and enhances society and higher education.…

Ferroelectric Polymers with Ultrahigh Energy Density, Low Loss, and Broad Operation Temperature for Navy Pulse Power Capacitors

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-02-01

by the electron hopping theory in the amorphous material. By further tailoring the molecular structures, meta-aromatic polyurea which possesses a...higher dipolar density than many polyureas reported in the literature has been synthesized. Preliminary experimental results show that an enhanced...dielectric constant and higher energy density can be achieved in the new meta-aromatic polyurea . Technical section; Technical Objective: The objective

Is the Consumption of Energy Drinks Associated With Academic Achievement Among College Students?

PubMed

Champlin, Sara E; Pasch, Keryn E; Perry, Cheryl L

2016-08-01

Despite widely reported side effects, use of energy drinks has increased among college students, who report that they consume energy drinks to help them complete schoolwork. However, little is known about the association between energy drink use and academic performance. We explored the relationship between energy drink consumption and current academic grade point average (GPA) among first-year undergraduate students. Participants included 844 first-year undergraduates (58.1 % female; 50.7 % White). Students reported their health behaviors via an online survey. We measured energy drink consumption with two measures: past month consumption by number of drinks usually consumed in 1 month and number consumed during the last occasion of consumption. We used multiple linear regression modeling with energy drink consumption and current GPA, controlling for gender, race, weekend and weekday sleep duration, perceived stress, perceived stress management, media use, and past month alcohol use. We found that past month energy drink consumption quantity by frequency (p < 0.001), and energy drinks consumed during the last occasion (p < 0.001), were associated with a lower GPA. Energy drinks consumed during the last occasion of consumption (p = 0.01) remained significantly associated with a lower GPA when controlling for alcohol use. While students report using energy drinks for school-related reasons, our findings suggest that greater energy drink consumption is associated with a lower GPA, even after controlling for potential confounding variables. Longitudinal research is needed that addresses whether GPA declines after continued use of energy drinks or if students struggling academically turn to energy drinks to manage their schoolwork.

A Critical Analysis of Accountability in Higher Education: Its Relevance to Evaluation of Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kai, Jiang

2009-01-01

Accountability, which is closely related to evaluation of efficiency, effectiveness, and performance, requires proving that higher education has achieved planned results and performance in an effective manner. Highlighting efficiency and effectiveness and emphasizing results and outcomes are the basic characteristics of accountability in higher…

U.S. energy sector impacts of technology innovation, fuel price, and electric sector CO 2 policy: Results from the EMF 32 model intercomparison study

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

Hodson, Elke L.; Brown, Maxwell; Cohen, Stuart

We study the impact of achieving technology innovation goals, representing significant technology cost reductions and performance improvements, in both the electric power and end-use sectors by comparing outputs from four energy-economic models through the year 2050. We harmonize model input assumptions and then compare results in scenarios that vary natural gas prices, technology cost and performance metrics, and the implementation of a representative national electricity sector carbon dioxide (CO 2) policy. Achieving the representative technology innovation goals decreases CO 2 emissions in all models, regardless of natural gas price, due to increased energy efficiency and low-carbon generation becoming more costmore » competitive. For the models that include domestic natural gas markets, achieving the technology innovation goals lowers wholesale electricity prices, but this effect diminishes as projected natural gas prices increase. Higher natural gas prices lead to higher wholesale electricity prices but fewer coal capacity retirements. Some of the models include energy efficiency improvements as part of achieving the high-technology goals. Absent these energy efficiency improvements, low-cost electricity facilitates greater electricity consumption. The effect of implementing a representative electricity sector CO 2 policy differs considerably depending on the cost and performance of generating and end-use technologies. The CO 2 policy influences electric sector evolution in the cases with reference technology assumptions but has little to no influence in the cases that achieve the technology innovation goals. This outcome implies that meeting the representative technology innovation goals achieves a generation mix with similar CO 2 emissions to the representative CO 2 policy but with smaller increases to wholesale electricity prices. Finally, higher natural gas prices, achieving the representative technology innovation goals, and the combination of the two

Long-Term Learning, Achievement Tests, and Learner Centered Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salinas, Moises F.; Kane-Johnson, Sarah E.; Vasil-Miller, Melissa A.

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of achievement tests to measure long-term learning at the higher education level in traditional verses learner-centered classrooms. Volunteer instructors who use comprehensive achievement tests as an important component of their grading system were asked to complete an instrument that…

Domestic wastewater treatment as a net energy producer--can this be achieved?

PubMed

McCarty, Perry L; Bae, Jaeho; Kim, Jeonghwan

2011-09-01

In seeking greater sustainability in water resources management, wastewater is now being considered more as a resource than as a waste-a resource for water, for plant nutrients, and for energy. Energy, the primary focus of this article, can be obtained from wastewater's organic as well as from its thermal content. Also, using wastewater's nitrogen and P nutrients for plant fertilization, rather than wasting them, helps offset the high energy cost of producing synthetic fertilizers. Microbial fuel cells offer potential for direct biological conversion of wastewater's organic materials into electricity, although significant improvements are needed for this process to be competitive with anaerobic biological conversion of wastewater organics into biogas, a renewable fuel used in electricity generation. Newer membrane processes coupled with complete anaerobic treatment of wastewater offer the potential for wastewater treatment to become a net generator of energy, rather than the large energy consumer that it is today.

Two-photon or higher-order absorbing optical materials and methods of use

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perry, Joseph (Inventor); Marder, Seth (Inventor)

2001-01-01

Compositions capable of simultaneous two-photon absorption and higher order absorptivities are disclosed. Many of these compositions are compounds satisfying the formulae D-.PI.-D, A-.PI.-A, D-A-D and A-D-A, wherein D is an electron donor group, A is an electron acceptor group and .PI. comprises a bridge of .pi.-conjugated bonds connecting the electron donor groups and electron acceptor groups. In A-D-A and D-A-D compounds, the .pi. bridge is substituted with electron donor groups and electron acceptor groups, respectively. Also disclosed are methods that generate an electronically excited state of a compound, including those satisfying one of these formulae. The electronically excited state is achieved in a method that includes irradiating the compound with light. Then, the compound is converted to a multi-photon electronically excited state upon simultaneous absorption of at least two photons of light. The sum of the energies of all of the absorbed photons is greater than or equal to the transition energy from a ground state of the compound to the multi-photon excited state. The energy of each absorbed photon is less than the transition energy between the ground state and the lowest single-photon excited state of the compound is less than the transition energy between the multi-photon excited state and the ground state.

New Horizons the Future of Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Egol, Morton

2006-01-01

Given the extraordinary success that higher education has enjoyed over a very long period, it is vulnerable to becoming the "victim of its own success." The challenge for higher education is multifaceted and includes: (1) Overcoming the tendency toward hallowed tradition and the status quo; (2) Formulating a vision for achieving the purpose of…

Predictors of cultural capital on science academic achievement at the 8th grade level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Misner, Johnathan Scott

The purpose of the study was to determine if students' cultural capital is a significant predictor of 8th grade science achievement test scores in urban locales. Cultural capital refers to the knowledge used and gained by the dominant class, which allows social and economic mobility. Cultural capital variables include magazines at home and parental education level. Other variables analyzed include socioeconomic status (SES), gender, and English language learners (ELL). This non-experimental study analyzed the results of the 2011 Eighth Grade Science National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The researcher analyzed the data using a multivariate stepwise regression analysis. The researcher concluded that the addition of cultural capital factors significantly increased the predictive power of the model where magazines in home, gender, student classified as ELL, parental education level, and SES were the independent variables and science achievement was the dependent variable. For alpha=0.05, the overall test for the model produced a R2 value of 0.232; therefore the model predicted 23.2% of variance in science achievement results. Other major findings include: higher measures of home resources predicted higher 2011 NAEP eighth grade science achievement; males were predicted to have higher 2011 NAEP 8 th grade science achievement; classified ELL students were predicted to score lower on the NAEP eight grade science achievement; higher parent education predicted higher NAEP eighth grade science achievement; lower measures of SES predicted lower 2011 NAEP eighth grade science achievement. This study contributed to the research in this field by identifying cultural capital factors that have been found to have statistical significance on predicting eighth grade science achievement results, which can lead to strategies to help improve science academic achievement among underserved populations.

Interaction of formic acid with nitrogen: stabilization of the higher-energy conformer.

PubMed

Marushkevich, Kseniya; Räsänen, Markku; Khriachtchev, Leonid

2010-10-07

Conformational change is an important concept in chemistry and physics. In the present work, we study conformations of formic acid (HCOOH, FA) and report the preparation and identification of the complex of the higher-energy conformer cis-FA with N(2) in an argon matrix. The cis-FA···N(2) complex was synthesized by combining annealing and vibrational excitation of the ground-state trans-FA in a FA/N(2)/Ar matrix. The assignment is based on IR spectroscopic measurements and ab initio calculations. The cis-FA···N(2) complex decay in an argon matrix is much slower compared with the cis-FA monomer. In agreement with the experimental observations, the calculations predict a substantial increase in the stabilization barrier for the cis-FA···N(2) complex compared with the uncomplexed cis-FA monomer. A number of solvation effects in an argon matrix are computationally estimated and discussed. The present results on the cis-FA···N(2) complex show that intermolecular interaction can stabilize intrinsically unstable conformers, as previously found for some other cis-FA complexes.

Technical and economic analysis use of flare gas into alternative energy as a breakthrough in achieving zero routine flaring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petri, Y.; Juliza, H.; Humala, N.

2018-03-01

The activity of exploring natural oil and gas will produce gas flare 0.584 MMSCFD. A gas flare is the combustion of gas remaining to avoid poisonous gas like H2S and CO which is very dangerous for human and environmental health. The combustion can bring about environmental pollution and losses because it still contains valuable energy. It needs the policy to encourage the use of flare gas with Zero Routine Flaring and green productivity to reduce waste and pollution. The objective of the research was to determine the use of gas flare so that it will have economic value and can achieve Zero Routine Flaring. It was started by analysing based on volume or rate and composition gas flare was used to determine technical feasibility, and the estimation of the gas reserves as the determination of the economy of a gas well. The results showed that the use of flare gas as fuel for power generation feasible to be implemented technically and economically with Internal Rate of Return (IRR) 19.32% and the Payback Period (PP) 5 year. Thus, it can increase gas flare value economically and can achieve a breakthrough in Zero Routine Flaring.

Associations between Children’s Intelligence and Academic Achievement: The Role of Sleep

PubMed Central

Erath, Stephen A.; Tu, Kelly M.; Buckhalt, Joseph A.; El-Sheikh, Mona

2015-01-01

Summary Sleep problems (long wake episodes, low sleep efficiency) were examined as moderators of the relation between children’s intelligence and academic achievement. The sample was comprised of 280 children (55% boys; 63% European Americans, 37% African Americans; M age = 10.40 years, SD = .65). Sleep was assessed through seven consecutive nights of actigraphy. Children’s performance on standardized tests of intelligence (Brief Intellectual Ability index of the Woodcock-Johnson III) and academic achievement (Alabama Reading and Math Test) were obtained. Age, sex, ethnicity, income-to-needs ratio, single parent status, zBMI, chronic illness, and pubertal development were controlled in analyses. Higher intelligence was strongly associated with higher academic achievement across a wide range of sleep quality. However, the association between intelligence and academic achievement was slightly attenuated among children with more long wake episodes or lower sleep efficiency compared to children with higher-quality sleep. PMID:25683475

Connecticut Coalition for Achievement Now. 2006-2007 Annual Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ConnCAN, 2007

2007-01-01

In January 2005, leaders from Connecticut's business, higher education and civic communities came together to create the Connecticut Coalition for Achievement Now (ConnCAN): a nonprofit organization designed to be a catalyst for the fundamental changes needed to move Connecticut from having the largest to having the smallest achievement gap in the…

Differences in energy expenditures and growth dilution explain higher PCB concentrations in male summer flounder

USGS Publications Warehouse

Madenjian, Charles P.; Jensen, Olaf P.; Rediske, Richard R.; O'Keefe, James P.; Vastano, Anthony R.; Pothoven, Steven A.

2016-01-01

Comparison of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations between the sexes of mature fish may reveal important behavioral and physiological differences between the sexes. We determined whole-fish PCB concentrations in 23 female summer flounder Paralichthys dentatus and 27 male summer flounder from New Jersey coastal waters. To investigate the potential for differences in diet or habitat utilization between the sexes, carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios were also determined. In 5 of the 23 female summer flounder, PCB concentrations in the somatic tissue and ovaries were determined. In addition, we used bioenergetics modeling to assess the contribution of the growth dilution effect to the observed difference in PCB concentrations between the sexes. Whole-fish PCB concentrations for females and males averaged 87 and 124 ng/g, respectively; thus males were 43% higher in PCB concentration compared with females. Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios did not significantly differ between the sexes, suggesting that diet composition and habitat utilization did not vary between the sexes. Based on PCB determinations in the somatic tissue and ovaries, we predicted that PCB concentration of females would increase by 0.6%, on average, immediately after spawning due to release of eggs. Thus, the change in PCB concentration due to release of eggs did not explain the higher PCB concentrations observed in males. Bioenergetics modeling results indicated that the growth dilution effect could account for males being 19% higher in PCB concentration compared with females. Thus, the bulk of the observed difference in PCB concentrations between the sexes was not explained by growth dilution. We concluded that a higher rate of energy expenditure in males, stemming from greater activity and a greater resting metabolic rate, was most likely the primary driver for the observed difference in PCB concentrations between the sexes.

Differences in Energy Expenditures and Growth Dilution Explain Higher PCB Concentrations in Male Summer Flounder

PubMed Central

Madenjian, Charles P.; Jensen, Olaf P.; Rediske, Richard R.; O’Keefe, James P.; Vastano, Anthony R.; Pothoven, Steven A.

2016-01-01

Comparison of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations between the sexes of mature fish may reveal important behavioral and physiological differences between the sexes. We determined whole-fish PCB concentrations in 23 female summer flounder Paralichthys dentatus and 27 male summer flounder from New Jersey coastal waters. To investigate the potential for differences in diet or habitat utilization between the sexes, carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios were also determined. In 5 of the 23 female summer flounder, PCB concentrations in the somatic tissue and ovaries were determined. In addition, we used bioenergetics modeling to assess the contribution of the growth dilution effect to the observed difference in PCB concentrations between the sexes. Whole-fish PCB concentrations for females and males averaged 87 and 124 ng/g, respectively; thus males were 43% higher in PCB concentration compared with females. Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios did not significantly differ between the sexes, suggesting that diet composition and habitat utilization did not vary between the sexes. Based on PCB determinations in the somatic tissue and ovaries, we predicted that PCB concentration of females would increase by 0.6%, on average, immediately after spawning due to release of eggs. Thus, the change in PCB concentration due to release of eggs did not explain the higher PCB concentrations observed in males. Bioenergetics modeling results indicated that the growth dilution effect could account for males being 19% higher in PCB concentration compared with females. Thus, the bulk of the observed difference in PCB concentrations between the sexes was not explained by growth dilution. We concluded that a higher rate of energy expenditure in males, stemming from greater activity and a greater resting metabolic rate, was most likely the primary driver for the observed difference in PCB concentrations between the sexes. PMID:26794728

Differences in Energy Expenditures and Growth Dilution Explain Higher PCB Concentrations in Male Summer Flounder.

PubMed

Madenjian, Charles P; Jensen, Olaf P; Rediske, Richard R; O'Keefe, James P; Vastano, Anthony R; Pothoven, Steven A

2016-01-01

Comparison of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations between the sexes of mature fish may reveal important behavioral and physiological differences between the sexes. We determined whole-fish PCB concentrations in 23 female summer flounder Paralichthys dentatus and 27 male summer flounder from New Jersey coastal waters. To investigate the potential for differences in diet or habitat utilization between the sexes, carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios were also determined. In 5 of the 23 female summer flounder, PCB concentrations in the somatic tissue and ovaries were determined. In addition, we used bioenergetics modeling to assess the contribution of the growth dilution effect to the observed difference in PCB concentrations between the sexes. Whole-fish PCB concentrations for females and males averaged 87 and 124 ng/g, respectively; thus males were 43% higher in PCB concentration compared with females. Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios did not significantly differ between the sexes, suggesting that diet composition and habitat utilization did not vary between the sexes. Based on PCB determinations in the somatic tissue and ovaries, we predicted that PCB concentration of females would increase by 0.6%, on average, immediately after spawning due to release of eggs. Thus, the change in PCB concentration due to release of eggs did not explain the higher PCB concentrations observed in males. Bioenergetics modeling results indicated that the growth dilution effect could account for males being 19% higher in PCB concentration compared with females. Thus, the bulk of the observed difference in PCB concentrations between the sexes was not explained by growth dilution. We concluded that a higher rate of energy expenditure in males, stemming from greater activity and a greater resting metabolic rate, was most likely the primary driver for the observed difference in PCB concentrations between the sexes.

2011 Higher Education Sustainability Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wagner, Margo, Ed.

2012-01-01

Looking through the lens of AASHE Bulletin stories in 2011, this year's review reveals an increased focus on higher education access, affordability, and success; more green building efforts than ever before; and growing campus-community engagement on food security, among many other achievements. Contributors include James Applegate (Lumina…

A Robust and Energy-Efficient Transport Protocol for Cognitive Radio Sensor Networks

PubMed Central

Salim, Shelly; Moh, Sangman

2014-01-01

A cognitive radio sensor network (CRSN) is a wireless sensor network in which sensor nodes are equipped with cognitive radio. CRSNs benefit from cognitive radio capabilities such as dynamic spectrum access and transmission parameters reconfigurability; but cognitive radio also brings additional challenges and leads to higher energy consumption. Motivated to improve the energy efficiency in CRSNs, we propose a robust and energy-efficient transport protocol (RETP). The novelties of RETP are two-fold: (I) it combines distributed channel sensing and channel decision with centralized schedule-based data transmission; and (II) it differentiates the types of data transmission on the basis of data content and adopts different acknowledgment methods for different transmission types. To the best of our knowledge, no transport layer protocols have yet been designed for CRSNs. Simulation results show that the proposed protocol achieves remarkably longer network lifetime and shorter event-detection delay compared to those achieved with a conventional transport protocol, while simultaneously preserving event-detection reliability. PMID:25333288

From Zero Energy Buildings to Zero Energy Districts

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

Polly, Ben; Kutscher, Chuck; Macumber, Dan

Some U.S. cities are planning advanced districts that have goals for zero energy, water, waste, and/or greenhouse gas emissions. From an energy perspective, zero energy districts present unique opportunities to cost-effectively achieve high levels of energy efficiency and renewable energy penetration across a collection of buildings that may be infeasible at the individual building scale. These high levels of performance are accomplished through district energy systems that harness renewable and wasted energy at large scales and flexible building loads that coordinate with variable renewable energy supply. Unfortunately, stakeholders face a lack of documented processes, tools, and best practices to assistmore » them in achieving zero energy districts. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is partnering on two new district projects in Denver: the National Western Center and the Sun Valley Neighborhood. We are working closely with project stakeholders in their zero energy master planning efforts to develop the resources needed to resolve barriers and create replicable processes to support future zero energy district efforts across the United States. Initial results of these efforts include the identification and description of key zero energy district design principles (maximizing building efficiency, solar potential, renewable thermal energy, and load control), economic drivers, and master planning principles. The work has also resulted in NREL making initial enhancements to the U.S. Department of Energy's open source building energy modeling platform (OpenStudio and EnergyPlus) with the long-term goal of supporting the design and optimization of energy districts.« less

Gross domestic product, science interest, and science achievement: a person × nation interaction.

PubMed

Tucker-Drob, Elliot M; Cheung, Amanda K; Briley, Daniel A

2014-11-01

Maximizing science achievement is a critical target of educational policy and has important implications for national and international economic and technological competitiveness. Previous research has identified both science interest and socioeconomic status (SES) as robust predictors of science achievement, but little research has examined their joint effects. In a data set drawn from approximately 400,000 high school students from 57 countries, we documented large Science Interest × SES and Science Interest × Per Capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP) interactions in the prediction of science achievement. Student interest in science is a substantially stronger predictor of science achievement in higher socioeconomic contexts and in higher-GDP nations. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that in higher-opportunity contexts, motivational factors play larger roles in learning and achievement. They add to the growing body of evidence indicating that substantial cross-national differences in psychological effect sizes are not simply a logical possibility but, in many cases, an empirical reality. © The Author(s) 2014.

Energy Level Tuning of Poly(phenylene-alt-dithienobenzothiadiazole)s for Low Photon Energy Loss Solar Cells.

PubMed

Heuvel, Ruurd; van Franeker, Jacobus J; Janssen, René A J

2017-03-01

Six poly(phenylene- alt -dithienobenzothiadiazole)-based polymers have been synthesized for application in polymer-fullerene solar cells. Hydrogen, fluorine, or nitrile substitution on benzo-thiadiazole and alkoxy or ester substitution on the phenylene moiety are investigated to reduce the energy loss per converted photon. Power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) up to 6.6% have been obtained. The best performance is found for the polymer-fullerene combination with distinct phase separation and crystalline domains. This improves the maximum external quantum efficiency for charge formation and collection to 66%. The resulting higher photocurrent compensates for the relatively large energy loss per photon ( E loss = 0.97 eV) in achieving a high PCE. By contrast, the poly-mer that provides a reduced energy loss ( E loss = 0.49 eV) gives a lower photocurrent and a reduced PCE of 1.8% because the external quantum efficiency of 17% is limited by a suboptimal morphology and a reduced driving force for charge transfer.

Wireless EEG System Achieving High Throughput and Reduced Energy Consumption Through Lossless and Near-Lossless Compression.

PubMed

Alvarez, Guillermo Dufort Y; Favaro, Federico; Lecumberry, Federico; Martin, Alvaro; Oliver, Juan P; Oreggioni, Julian; Ramirez, Ignacio; Seroussi, Gadiel; Steinfeld, Leonardo

2018-02-01

This work presents a wireless multichannel electroencephalogram (EEG) recording system featuring lossless and near-lossless compression of the digitized EEG signal. Two novel, low-complexity, efficient compression algorithms were developed and tested in a low-power platform. The algorithms were tested on six public EEG databases comparing favorably with the best compression rates reported up to date in the literature. In its lossless mode, the platform is capable of encoding and transmitting 59-channel EEG signals, sampled at 500 Hz and 16 bits per sample, at a current consumption of 337 A per channel; this comes with a guarantee that the decompressed signal is identical to the sampled one. The near-lossless mode allows for significant energy savings and/or higher throughputs in exchange for a small guaranteed maximum per-sample distortion in the recovered signal. Finally, we address the tradeoff between computation cost and transmission savings by evaluating three alternatives: sending raw data, or encoding with one of two compression algorithms that differ in complexity and compression performance. We observe that the higher the throughput (number of channels and sampling rate) the larger the benefits obtained from compression.

Promoting Creative Thinking Ability Using Contextual Learning Model in Technical Drawing Achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mursid, R.

2018-02-01

The purpose of this study is to determine whether there is influence; the differences in the results between students that learn drawing techniques taught by the Contextual Innovative Model (CIM) and taught by Direct Instructional Model (DIM), the differences in achievement among students of technical drawing that have High Creative Thinking Ability (HCTA) with Low Creative Thinking Ability (LCTA), and the interaction between the learning model with the ability to think creatively to the achievement technical drawing. Quasi-experimental research method. Results of research appoint that: the achievement of students that learned technical drawing by using CIM is higher than the students that learned technical drawing by using DIM, the achievement of students of technical drawings HCTA is higher than the achievement of students who have technical drawing LCTA, and there are interactions between the use of learning models and creative thinking abilities in influencing student achievement technical drawing.

Using ant colony optimization on the quadratic assignment problem to achieve low energy cost in geo-distributed data centers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osei, Richard

There are many problems associated with operating a data center. Some of these problems include data security, system performance, increasing infrastructure complexity, increasing storage utilization, keeping up with data growth, and increasing energy costs. Energy cost differs by location, and at most locations fluctuates over time. The rising cost of energy makes it harder for data centers to function properly and provide a good quality of service. With reduced energy cost, data centers will have longer lasting servers/equipment, higher availability of resources, better quality of service, a greener environment, and reduced service and software costs for consumers. Some of the ways that data centers have tried to using to reduce energy costs include dynamically switching on and off servers based on the number of users and some predefined conditions, the use of environmental monitoring sensors, and the use of dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS), which enables processors to run at different combinations of frequencies with voltages to reduce energy cost. This thesis presents another method by which energy cost at data centers could be reduced. This method involves the use of Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) on a Quadratic Assignment Problem (QAP) in assigning user request to servers in geo-distributed data centers. In this paper, an effort to reduce data center energy cost involves the use of front portals, which handle users' requests, were used as ants to find cost effective ways to assign users requests to a server in heterogeneous geo-distributed data centers. The simulation results indicate that the ACO for Optimal Server Activation and Task Placement algorithm reduces energy cost on a small and large number of users' requests in a geo-distributed data center and its performance increases as the input data grows. In a simulation with 3 geo-distributed data centers, and user's resource request ranging from 25,000 to 25,000,000, the ACO algorithm was able

Measuring more than we know? An examination of the motivational and situational influences in science achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haydel, Angela Michelle

The purpose of this dissertation was to advance theoretical understanding about fit between the personal resources of individuals and the characteristics of science achievement tasks. Testing continues to be pervasive in schools, yet we know little about how students perceive tests and what they think and feel while they are actually working on test items. This study focused on both the personal (cognitive and motivational) and situational factors that may contribute to individual differences in achievement-related outcomes. 387 eighth grade students first completed a survey including measures of science achievement goals, capability beliefs, efficacy related to multiple-choice items and performance assessments, validity beliefs about multiple-choice items and performance assessments, and other perceptions of these item formats. Students then completed science achievement tests including multiple-choice items and two performance assessments. A sample of students was asked to verbalize both thoughts and feelings as they worked through the test items. These think-alouds were transcribed and coded for evidence of cognitive, metacognitive and motivational engagement. Following each test, all students completed measures of effort, mood, energy level and strategy use during testing. Students reported that performance assessments were more challenging, authentic, interesting and valid than multiple-choice tests. They also believed that comparisons between students were easier using multiple-choice items. Overall, students tried harder, felt better, had higher levels of energy and used more strategies while working on performance assessments. Findings suggested that performance assessments might be more congruent with a mastery achievement goal orientation, while multiple-choice tests might be more congruent with a performance achievement goal orientation. A variable-centered analytic approach including regression analyses provided information about how students, on

Energy-efficient container handling using hybrid model predictive control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xin, Jianbin; Negenborn, Rudy R.; Lodewijks, Gabriel

2015-11-01

The performance of container terminals needs to be improved to adapt the growth of containers while maintaining sustainability. This paper provides a methodology for determining the trajectory of three key interacting machines for carrying out the so-called bay handling task, involving transporting containers between a vessel and the stacking area in an automated container terminal. The behaviours of the interacting machines are modelled as a collection of interconnected hybrid systems. Hybrid model predictive control (MPC) is proposed to achieve optimal performance, balancing the handling capacity and energy consumption. The underlying control problem is hereby formulated as a mixed-integer linear programming problem. Simulation studies illustrate that a higher penalty on energy consumption indeed leads to improved sustainability using less energy. Moreover, simulations illustrate how the proposed energy-efficient hybrid MPC controller performs under different types of uncertainties.

Filipino students' reported parental socialization of academic achievement by socioeconomic group.

PubMed

Bernardo, Allan B I

2009-10-01

Academic achievement of students differs by socioeconomic group. Parents' socialization of academic achievement in their children was explored in self-reports of 241 students from two socioeconomic status (SES) groups in the Philippines, using a scale developed by Bempechat, et al. Students in the upper SES group had higher achievement than their peers in the middle SES group, but had lower scores on most dimensions of parental socialization of academic achievement. Regression analyses indicate that reported parental attempts to encourage more effort to achieve was associated with lower achievement in students with upper SES.

Achieving cheap clean energy for all in the 21^st Century?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, Rajan

2006-11-01

Energy is essential for modern life and is a critical resource that we take for granted. Unfortunately, we are increasingly confronted by many unsettling questions: Is there enough cheap oil and gas remaining and should we start changing our life styles towards energy efficiency? What will be the price of oil and gas next year and will we face shortages? Are rising prices reflective of greed and manipulation or geopolitics or of real constraints? Will renewable sources provide a significant fraction of our energy needs? Is global warming already happening and is it a result of our ``addiction to oil''? If the answer to these is ``yes'', then what can we, as individuals, do to help ourselves, the nation, and the world? This talk will attempt to answer these questions by examining the global oil, gas and other resources, emerging constraints and opportunities, and geopolitics.

Characterization system for research on energy storage capacitors.

PubMed

Noriega, J R; Iyore, O D; Budime, C; Gnade, B; Vasselli, J

2013-05-01

In this work a characterization system for high energy-density capacitors is described and demonstrated. Capacitors are being designed using thin-film technology in an attempt to achieve higher energy-density levels by operating the devices at a high voltage. These devices are fabricated from layers of 100 nm aluminum and a layer of polyvinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene on a polyethylene naphthalate plastic substrate. The devices have been designed to store electrical charge at up to 200 V. Characterizations of these devices focus on the measurement of capacitance vs bias voltage and temperature, equivalent series resistance, and charge/discharge cycles. For the purpose of the characterization of these capacitors, an electronic charge/discharge interface was designed and tested.

Energy storage options for space power

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoffman, H. W.; Martin, J. F.; Olszewski, M.

Including energy storage in a space power supply enhances the feasibility of using thermal power cycles (Rankine or Brayton) and providing high-power pulses. Superconducting magnets, capacitors, electrochemical batteries, thermal phase-change materials (PCM), and flywheels are assessed; the results obtained suggest that flywheels and phase-change devices hold the most promise. Latent heat storage using inorganic salts and metallic eutectics offers thermal energy storage densities of 1500 kJ/kg to 2000 kJ/kg at temperatures to 1675 K. Innovative techniques allow these media to operate in direct contact with the heat engine working fluid. Enhancing thermal conductivity and/or modifying PCM crystallization habit provide other options. Flywheels of low-strain graphite and Kevlar fibers have achieved mechanical energy storage densities of 300 kJ/kg. With high-strain graphite fibers, storage densities appropriate to space power needs (about 500 kJ/kg) seem feasible. Coupling advanced flywheels with emerging high power density homopolar generators and compulsators could result in electric pulse-power storage modules of significantly higher energy density.

AY 2007-2008 Achieving U.S. Energy Security: Energy Industry Sector Report Seminar 8

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-01-01

de Desenvolvimento Economico e Social, Rio de Janeiro , Brazil Brazilian Petroleum, Gas, and Biofuels...Institute, Rio de Janeiro , Brazil Brazilian School of Public and Business Administration, Rio de Janeiro , Brazil Canada Energy Pipeline Association...Colombia, Canada Enbridge Inc., Calgary, Alberta, Canada Federation of Industries of the State of Rio de Janeiro , Rio , Brazil Point Lisas

Higher-protein diets improve indexes of sleep in energy-restricted overweight and obese adults: results from 2 randomized controlled trials.

PubMed

Zhou, Jing; Kim, Jung Eun; Armstrong, Cheryl Lh; Chen, Ningning; Campbell, Wayne W

2016-03-01

Limited and inconsistent research findings exist about the effect of dietary protein intake on indexes of sleep. We assessed the effect of protein intake during dietary energy restriction on indexes of sleep in overweight and obese adults in 2 randomized, controlled feeding studies. For study 1, 14 participants [3 men and 11 women; mean ± SE age: 56 ± 3 y; body mass index (BMI; in kg/m(2)): 30.9 ± 0.6] consumed energy-restricted diets (a 750-kcal/d deficit) with either beef and pork (BP; n = 5) or soy and legume (SL; n = 9) as the main protein sources for 3 consecutive 4-wk periods with 10% (control), 20%, or 30% of total energy from protein (random order). At baseline and the end of each period, the global sleep score (GSS) was assessed with the use of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire. For study 2, 44 participants (12 men and 32 women; age: 52 ± 1 y; BMI: 31.4 ± 0.5) consumed a 3-wk baseline energy-balance diet with 0.8 g protein · kg baseline body mass(-1) · d(-1). Then, study 2 subjects consumed either a normal-protein [NP (control); n = 23] or a high-protein (HP; n = 21) (0.8 compared with 1.5 g · kg(-1) · d(-1), respectively) energy-restricted diet (a 750-kcal/d deficit) for 16 wk. The PSQI was administered during baseline week 3 and intervention weeks 4, 8, 12, and 16. GSSs ranged from 0 to 21 arbitrary units (au), with a higher value representing a worse GSS during the preceding month. In study 1, we showed that a higher protein quantity improved GSSs independent of the protein source. The GSS was higher (P < 0.05) when 10% (6.0 ± 0.4 au) compared with 20% (5.0 ± 0.4 au) protein was consumed, with 30% protein (5.4 ± 0.6 au) intermediate. In study 2, at baseline, the GSS was not different between NP (5.2 ± 0.5 au) and HP (5.4 ± 0.5 au) groups. Over time, the GSS was unchanged for the NP group and improved for the HP group (P-group-by-time interaction < 0.05). After intervention (week 16), GSSs for NP and HP groups were 5

Renewable energy sources and the realities of setting an energy agenda.

PubMed

Potocnik, Janez

2007-02-09

The European Commission has been devoting considerable attention to energy issues. This Perspective describes recent progress in Europe toward achieving goals for renewable energy use, and the role that technology can play, as well as the new Strategic Energy Package.

An Energy Integrated Dispatching Strategy of Multi- energy Based on Energy Internet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Weixia; Han, Jun

2018-01-01

Energy internet is a new way of energy use. Energy internet achieves energy efficiency and low cost by scheduling a variety of different forms of energy. Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) is an advanced algorithm with few parameters, high computational precision and fast convergence speed. By improving the parameters ω, c1 and c2, PSO can improve the convergence speed and calculation accuracy. The objective of optimizing model is lowest cost of fuel, which can meet the load of electricity, heat and cold after all the renewable energy is received. Due to the different energy structure and price in different regions, the optimization strategy needs to be determined according to the algorithm and model.

The Future of Tennessee: Higher Education 1987-1993.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tennessee Higher Education Commission, Nashville.

This master plan for higher education in Tennessee sketches a framework for the continued improvement of postsecondary institutions and emphasizes the critical links between higher education and other components of the state. A set of principles and achievement targets undergirding the master plan are outlined. Specific action is called for in…

Control of pulse format in high energy per pulse all-fiber erbium/ytterbium laser systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klopfer, Michael; Block, Matthew K.; Deffenbaugh, James; Fitzpatrick, Zak G.; Urioste, Michael T.; Henry, Leanne J.; Jain, Ravinder

2017-02-01

A multi-stage linearly polarized (PM) (15 dB) pulsed fiber laser system at 1550 nm capable of operating at repetition rates between 3 and 20 kHz was investigated. A narrow linewidth seed source was linewidth broadened to approximately 20 GHz and pulses were created and shaped via an electro-optic modulator (EOM) in conjunction with a home built arbitrary waveform generator. As expected, a high repetition rate pulse train with a near diffraction limited beam quality (M2 1.12) was achieved. However, the ability to store energy was limited by the number of active ions within the erbium/ytterbium doped gain fiber within the various stages. As a result, the maximum energy per pulse achievable from the system was approximately 0.3 and 0.38 mJ for 300 ns and 1 μs pulses, respectively, at 3 kHz. Because the system was operated at high inversion, the erbium/ytterbium doped optical fiber preferred to lase at 1535 nm versus 1550 nm resulting in amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) both intra- and inter-pulse. For the lower power stages, the ASE was controllable via a EOM whose function was to block the energy between pulses as well as ASE filters whose purpose was to block spectral components outside of the 1550 nm passband. For the higher power stages, the pump diodes were pulsed to enable strategic placement of an inversion resulting in higher intrapulse energies as well as an improved spectrum of the signal. When optimized, this system will be used to seed higher power solid state amplifier stages.

Persistent human Borna disease virus infection modifies the acetylome of human oligodendroglia cells towards higher energy and transporter levels

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

Liu, Xia; Liu, Siwen; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016

2015-11-15

Background: Borna disease virus (BDV) is a neurotropic RNA virus persistently infecting mammalian hosts including humans. Lysine acetylation (Kac) is a key protein post-translational modification (PTM). The unexpectedly broad regulatory scope of Kac let us to profile the entire acetylome upon BDV infection. Methods: The acetylome was profiled through stable isotope labeling for cell culture (SILAC)-based quantitative proteomics. The quantifiable proteome was annotated using bioinformatics. Results: We identified and quantified 791 Kac sites in 473 Kac proteins in human BDV Hu-H1-infected and non-infected oligodendroglial (OL) cells. Bioinformatic analysis revealed that BDV infection alters the acetylation of metabolic proteins, membrane-associated proteinsmore » and transmembrane transporter activity, and affects the acetylation of several lysine acetyltransferases (KAT). Conclusions: Upon BDV persistence the OL acetylome is manipulated towards higher energy and transporter levels necessary for shuttling BDV proteins to and from nuclear replication sites. - Highlights: • We used SILAC-based proteomics to analyze the acetylome of BDV infected OL cells. • We quantified 791Kac sites in 473 proteins. • Bioinformatic analysis revealed altered acetylation of metabolic proteins et al. • BDV manipulates the OL acetylome towards higher energy and transporter levels. • BDV infection is associated with enriched phosphate-associated metabolic processes.« less

Gender Disparity Analysis in Academic Achievement at Higher Education Preparatory Schools: Case of South Wollo, Ethiopia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eshetu, Amogne Asfaw

2015-01-01

Gender is among the determinant factors affecting students' academic achievement. This paper tried to investigate the impact of gender on academic performance of preparatory secondary school students based on 2014 EHEECE result. Ex post facto research design was used. To that end, data were collected from 3243 students from eight purposively…

Examining the Link between Adult Attachment Style, Employment and Academic Achievement in First Semester Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beauchamp, Guy; Martineau, Marc; Gagnon, André

2016-01-01

Although previous research indicates that both employment and adult attachment style have an influence on academic achievement, the interaction of these two factors has not been clarified. The purpose of this study was to investigate the moderating effect of adult attachment style on the relationship between employment status and first semester…

Development of Design Guidance for K-12 Schools: From 30% to 50% Energy Savings

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

Pless, S.; Torcellini, P.; Long, N.

2008-01-01

This paper describes the development of energy efficiency recommendations for achieving 30% whole-building energy savings in K-12 Schools over levels achieved by following the ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings (1999 and 2004 versions). Exhaustive simulations were run to create packages of energy design solutions available over a wide range of K-12 schools and climates. These design recommendations look at building envelope, fenestration, lighting systems (including electrical lights and daylighting), HVAC systems, building automation and controls, outside air treatment, and service water heating. We document and discuss the energy modeling performed to demonstrate that themore » recommendations will result in at least 30% energy savings over ASHRAE 90.1-1999 and ASHRAE 90.1-2004. Recommendations are evaluated based on the availability of daylighting for the school and by the type of HVAC system. Compared to the ASHRAE 90.1-1999 baseline, the recommendations result in more than 30% savings in all climate zones for both daylit and nondaylit elementary, middle, and high schools with a range of HVAC system types. These recommendations have been included in the Advanced Energy Design Guide for K-12 School Buildings. Compared to the more stringent ASHRAE 90.1-2004 baseline, the recommendations result in more than 30% savings in all climate zones, for only the daylit elementary, middle, and high schools, with a range of HVAC system types. To inform the future development of recommendations for higher level of energy savings, we analyzed a subset of recommendations to understand which energy efficiency technologies would be needed to achieve 50% energy savings.« less

"Even with Higher Education You Remain a Woman": A Gender Perspective on Higher Education and Social Change in the Toliara Region of Madagascar

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skjortnes, Marianne; Zachariassen, Heidi Holt

2010-01-01

This article investigates some issues related to gender and education based on a qualitative, empirical study of women in higher education in the Toliara region of Madagascar. The focus is on how women's participation in higher education has created changes in gender relations, and how these women have succeeded in achieving higher education. In…

Tuning charge balance in PHOLEDs with ambipolar host materials to achieve high efficiency

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

Padmaperuma, Asanga B.; Koech, Phillip K.; Cosimbescu, Lelia

2009-08-27

lowering operating voltages, particularly if this is to be achieved in a device that can be manufactured at low cost. To avoid the efficiency losses associated with phosphorescence quenching by back-energy transfer from the dopant onto the host, the triplet excited states of the host material must be higher in energy than the triplet excited state of the dopant.5 This must be accomplished without sacrificing the charge transporting properties of the composite.6 Similar problems limit the efficiency of OLED-based displays, where blue light emitters are the least efficient and least stable. We previously demonstrated the utility of organic phosphine oxide (PO) materials as electron transporting HMs for FIrpic in blue OLEDs.7 However, the high reluctance of PO materials to oxidation and thus, hole injection limits the ability to balance charge injection and transport in the EML without relying on charge transport by the phosphorescent dopant. PO host materials were engineered to transport both electrons and holes in the EML and still maintain high triplet exciton energy to ensure efficient energy transfer to the dopant (Figure 1). There are examples of combining hole transporting moieties (mainly aromatic amines) with electron transport moieties (e.g., oxadiazoles, triazines, boranes)8 to develop new emitter and host materials for small molecule and polymer9 OLEDs. The challenge is to combine the two moieties without lowering the triplet energy of the target molecule. For example, coupling of a dimesitylphenylboryl moiety with a tertiary aromatic amine (FIAMBOT) results in intramolecular electron transfer from the amine to the boron atom through the bridging phenyl. The mesomeric effect of the dimesitylphenylboryl unit acts to extend conjugation and lowers triplet exciton energies (< 2.8 eV) rendering such systems inadequate as ambipolar hosts for blue phosphors.« less

A Human Achievement: Mathematics without Boundaries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Terzioglu, Tosun

This paper describes three fundamental principles, dictated by Wilhelm von Humboldt, that were widely adapted as the basic philosophy of higher education in the United States, and proposes to revise the unfulfilled dream of von Humboldt to make it come true. This paper stresses the achievements of humanity not only in technology, health, or the…

Achievement in Boys' Schools 2010-12

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wylie, Cathy; Berg, Melanie

2014-01-01

This report explores the achievement of school leavers from state and state-integrated boys' schools. The analysis from 2010 to 2012 shows school leavers from state boys' schools had higher qualifications than their male counterparts who attended state co-educational schools. The research was carried out for the Association of Boys' Schools of New…

Promoting Student Academic Achievement through Faculty Development about Inclusive Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmid, Megan E.; Gillian-Daniel, Donald L.; Kraemer, Sara; Kueppers, Mark

2016-01-01

The achievement gap, disparities in the academic achievement of marginalized students (e.g., underrepresented minority, first generation in their family to attend college, and low socio-economic status undergraduate students) relative to their non-minority peers is a pervasive problem in higher education. It impacts student access to the major and…

Crest: A Balloon-borne Instrument to Measure Cosmic-ray Electrons above TeV Energies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nutter, S.; Anderson, T.; Coutu, S.; Geske, M.; Bower, C.; Musser, J.; Muller, D.; Park, N.; Wakely, S.; Schubnell, M.; Tarle, G.; Yagi, A.

2009-05-01

The flux of high-energy (>1 TeV) electrons provides information about the spatial distribution and abundance of nearby cosmic ray sources. CREST, a balloon-borne array of 1024 BaF2 crystals viewed by PMTs, will measure the spectrum of multi-TeV electrons through detection of the x-ray synchrotron photons generated as the electrons traverse the Earth's magnetic field. This method naturally discriminates against the proton and gamma ray backgrounds, and achieves very large detector apertures, since the instrument need only intersect a portion of the kilometers-long line of photons and not the electron itself. Thus CREST's acceptance is several times its geometric area up to energies of 50 TeV, ˜10 times higher in energy than ground based techniques can reach. This measurement will overlap the recent HESS results and extend to higher energies. CREST is scheduled to fly in a long duration circumpolar orbit over Antarctica in 2010. An overview of the detector design and status will be presented.

CognitiveGenesis (CG): Assessing Academic Achievement and Cognitive Ability in Adventist Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thayer, Jerome; Kido, Elissa

2012-01-01

CognitiveGenesis collected achievement and ability test data from 2006-2009 for all students in Seventh-day Adventist schools in North America. Students were above average in achievement compared to national norms and achieved above that predicted by their ability scores. The more years students attended Adventist schools, the higher they…

Energy Harvesting by Subcutaneous Solar Cells: A Long-Term Study on Achievable Energy Output.

PubMed

Bereuter, L; Williner, S; Pianezzi, F; Bissig, B; Buecheler, S; Burger, J; Vogel, R; Zurbuchen, A; Haeberlin, A

2017-05-01

Active electronic implants are powered by primary batteries, which induces the necessity of implant replacement after battery depletion. This causes repeated interventions in a patients' life, which bears the risk of complications and is costly. By using energy harvesting devices to power the implant, device replacements may be avoided and the device size may be reduced dramatically. Recently, several groups presented prototypes of implants powered by subcutaneous solar cells. However, data about the expected real-life power output of subcutaneously implanted solar cells was lacking so far. In this study, we report the first real-life validation data of energy harvesting by subcutaneous solar cells. Portable light measurement devices that feature solar cells (cell area = 3.6 cm 2 ) and continuously measure a subcutaneous solar cell's output power were built. The measurement devices were worn by volunteers in their daily routine in summer, autumn and winter. In addition to the measured output power, influences such as season, weather and human activity were analyzed. The obtained mean power over the whole study period was 67 µW (=19 µW cm -2 ), which is sufficient to power e.g. a cardiac pacemaker.

Superstorm Sandy and the academic achievement of university students.

PubMed

Doyle, Matthew D; Lockwood, Brian; Comiskey, John G

2017-10-01

Much of the literature on the consequences of natural disasters has focused on their physical and psychological ramifications. Few researchers have considered how the impacts of a natural disaster can influence academic achievement. This study analyses data collected from nearly 300 students at a mid-sized, private university in the northeast United States to determine if the effects of Cyclone Sandy in 2012 are associated with measures of academic achievement. The findings reveal that experiencing headaches after the event resulted in a higher likelihood of students suffering a loss of academic motivation. In addition, experiencing headaches and a loss of academic motivation were correlated with a lower grade point average (GPA) during the semester in which Sandy made landfall. However, the more direct effects of the superstorm, including displacement and a loss of power, did not have a significant bearing on academic achievement. Lastly, the paper examines the implications for higher education policy and future research. © 2017 The Author(s). Disasters © Overseas Development Institute, 2017.

Bioinspired fractal electrodes for solar energy storages.

PubMed

Thekkekara, Litty V; Gu, Min

2017-03-31

Solar energy storage is an emerging technology which can promote the solar energy as the primary source of electricity. Recent development of laser scribed graphene electrodes exhibiting a high electrical conductivity have enabled a green technology platform for supercapacitor-based energy storage, resulting in cost-effective, environment-friendly features, and consequent readiness for on-chip integration. Due to the limitation of the ion-accessible active porous surface area, the energy densities of these supercapacitors are restricted below ~3 × 10 -3  Whcm -3 . In this paper, we demonstrate a new design of biomimetic laser scribed graphene electrodes for solar energy storage, which embraces the structure of Fern leaves characterized by the geometric family of space filling curves of fractals. This new conceptual design removes the limit of the conventional planar supercapacitors by significantly increasing the ratio of active surface area to volume of the new electrodes and reducing the electrolyte ionic path. The attained energy density is thus significantly increased to ~10 -1  Whcm -3 - more than 30 times higher than that achievable by the planar electrodes with ~95% coulombic efficiency of the solar energy storage. The energy storages with these novel electrodes open the prospects of efficient self-powered and solar-powered wearable, flexible and portable applications.

Ethiopian New Public Universities: Achievements, Challenges and Illustrative Case Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Deuren, Rita; Kahsu, Tsegazeab; Mohammed, Seid; Woldie, Wondimu

2016-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to analyze and illustrate achievements and challenges of Ethiopian higher education, both at the system level and at the level of new public universities. Design/methodology/approach: Achievements and challenges at the system level are based on literature review and secondary data. Illustrative case studies are based on…

Optimal allocation of land and water resources to achieve Water, Energy and Food Security in the upper Blue Nile basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allam, M.; Eltahir, E. A. B.

2017-12-01

Rapid population growth, hunger problems, increasing energy demands, persistent conflicts between the Nile basin riparian countries and the potential impacts of climate change highlight the urgent need for the conscious stewardship of the upper Blue Nile (UBN) basin resources. This study develops a framework for the optimal allocation of land and water resources to agriculture and hydropower production in the UBN basin. The framework consists of three optimization models that aim to: (a) provide accurate estimates of the basin water budget, (b) allocate land and water resources optimally to agriculture, and (c) allocate water to agriculture and hydropower production, and investigate trade-offs between them. First, a data assimilation procedure for data-scarce basins is proposed to deal with data limitations and produce estimates of the hydrologic components that are consistent with the principles of mass and energy conservation. Second, the most representative topography and soil properties datasets are objectively identified and used to delineate the agricultural potential in the basin. The agricultural potential is incorporated into a land-water allocation model that maximizes the net economic benefits from rain-fed agriculture while allowing for enhancing the soils from one suitability class to another to increase agricultural productivity in return for an investment in soil inputs. The optimal agricultural expansion is expected to reduce the basin flow by 7.6 cubic kilometres, impacting downstream countries. The optimization framework is expanded to include hydropower production. This study finds that allocating water to grow rain-fed teff in the basin is more profitable than allocating water for hydropower production. Optimal operation rules for the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance dam (GERD) are identified to maximize annual hydropower generation while achieving a relatively uniform monthly production rate. Trade-offs between agricultural expansion and hydropower

Nature of ground and electronic excited states of higher acenes

PubMed Central

Yang, Yang; Yang, Weitao

2016-01-01

Higher acenes have drawn much attention as promising organic semiconductors with versatile electronic properties. However, the nature of their ground state and electronic excited states is still not fully clear. Their unusual chemical reactivity and instability are the main obstacles for experimental studies, and the potentially prominent diradical character, which might require a multireference description in such large systems, hinders theoretical investigations. Here, we provide a detailed answer with the particle–particle random-phase approximation calculation. The 1Ag ground states of acenes up to decacene are on the closed-shell side of the diradical continuum, whereas the ground state of undecacene and dodecacene tilts more to the open-shell side with a growing polyradical character. The ground state of all acenes has covalent nature with respect to both short and long axes. The lowest triplet state 3B2u is always above the singlet ground state even though the energy gap could be vanishingly small in the polyacene limit. The bright singlet excited state 1B2u is a zwitterionic state to the short axis. The excited 1Ag state gradually switches from a double-excitation state to another zwitterionic state to the short axis, but always keeps its covalent nature to the long axis. An energy crossing between the 1B2u and excited 1Ag states happens between hexacene and heptacene. Further energetic consideration suggests that higher acenes are likely to undergo singlet fission with a low photovoltaic efficiency; however, the efficiency might be improved if a singlet fission into multiple triplets could be achieved. PMID:27528690

Highly efficient blazed grating with multilayer coating for tender X-ray energies.

PubMed

Senf, F; Bijkerk, F; Eggenstein, F; Gwalt, G; Huang, Q; Kruijs, R; Kutz, O; Lemke, S; Louis, E; Mertin, M; Packe, I; Rudolph, I; Schäfers, F; Siewert, F; Sokolov, A; Sturm, J M; Waberski, Ch; Wang, Z; Wolf, J; Zeschke, T; Erko, A

2016-06-13

For photon energies of 1 - 5 keV, blazed gratings with multilayer coating are ideally suited for the suppression of stray and higher orders light in grating monochromators. We developed and characterized a blazed 2000 lines/mm grating coated with a 20 period Cr/C- multilayer. The multilayer d-spacing of 7.3 nm has been adapted to the line distance of 500 nm and the blaze angle of 0.84° in order to provide highest efficiency in the photon energy range between 1.5 keV and 3 keV. Efficiency of the multilayer grating as well as the reflectance of a witness multilayer which were coated simultaneously have been measured. An efficiency of 35% was measured at 2 keV while a maximum efficiency of 55% was achieved at 4 keV. In addition, a strong suppression of higher orders was observed which makes blazed multilayer gratings a favorable dispersing element also for the low X-ray energy range.

Enhancing chemistry problem-solving achievement using problem categorization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bunce, Diane M.; Gabel, Dorothy L.; Samuel, John V.

The enhancement of chemistry students' skill in problem solving through problem categorization is the focus of this study. Twenty-four students in a freshman chemistry course for health professionals are taught how to solve problems using the explicit method of problem solving (EMPS) (Bunce & Heikkinen, 1986). The EMPS is an organized approach to problem analysis which includes encoding the information given in a problem (Given, Asked For), relating this to what is already in long-term memory (Recall), and planning a solution (Overall Plan) before a mathematical solution is attempted. In addition to the EMPS training, treatment students receive three 40-minute sessions following achievement tests in which they are taught how to categorize problems. Control students use this time to review the EMPS solutions of test questions. Although problem categorization is involved in one section of the EMPS (Recall), treatment students who received specific training in problem categorization demonstrate significantly higher achievement on combination problems (those problems requiring the use of more than one chemical topic for their solution) at (p = 0.01) than their counterparts. Significantly higher achievement for treatment students is also measured on an unannounced test (p = 0.02). Analysis of interview transcripts of both treatment and control students illustrates a Rolodex approach to problem solving employed by all students in this study. The Rolodex approach involves organizing equations used to solve problems on mental index cards and flipping through them, matching units given when a new problem is to be solved. A second phenomenon observed during student interviews is the absence of a link in the conceptual understanding of the chemical concepts involved in a problem and the problem-solving skills employed to correctly solve problems. This study shows that explicit training in categorization skills and the EMPS can lead to higher achievement in complex problem

Technical Support Document: Development of the Advanced Energy Design Guide for K-12 Schools--30% Energy Savings

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

Pless, S.; Torcellini, P.; Long, N.

2007-09-01

This Technical Support Document describes the process and methodology for the development of the Advanced Energy Design Guide for K-12 School Buildings (K-12 AEDG), a design guidance document intended to provide recommendations for achieving 30% energy savings in K-12 Schools over levels contained in ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-1999, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings. The 30% energy savings target is the first step toward achieving net-zero energy schools; schools that, on an annual basis, draw from outside sources less or equal energy than they generate on site from renewable energy sources.

Topologically massive higher spin gravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bagchi, Arjun; Lal, Shailesh; Saha, Arunabha; Sahoo, Bindusar

2011-10-01

We look at the generalisation of topologically massive gravity (TMG) to higher spins, specifically spin-3. We find a special "chiral" point for the spin-three, analogous to the spin-two example, which actually coincides with the usual spin-two chiral point. But in contrast to usual TMG, there is the presence of a non-trivial trace and its logarithmic partner at the chiral point. The trace modes carry energy opposite in sign to the traceless modes. The logarithmic partner of the traceless mode carries negative energy indicating an instability at the chiral point. We make several comments on the asymptotic symmetry and its possible deformations at this chiral point and speculate on the higher spin generalisation of LCFT2 dual to the spin-3 massive gravity at the chiral point.

All 2D materials as electrodes for high power hybrid energy storage applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kato, Keiko; Sayed, Farheen N.; Babu, Ganguli; Ajayan, Pulickel M.

2018-04-01

Achieving both high energy and power densities from energy storage devices is a core strategy to meet the increasing demands of high performance portable electronics and electric transportation systems. Li-ion capacitor is a promising hybrid technology that strategically exploits high energy density from a Li-ion battery electrode and high power density from a supercapacitor electrode. However, the performance and safety of hybrid devices are still major concerns due to the use of graphite anodes which form passivation layers with organic electrolytes at lower potentials. Here, we explore 2D nanosheets as both anode and cathode electrodes to build a high power system without compromising energy density. Owing to the high electrical conductivity and multivalent redox activity at higher potentials, the Li-ion intercalation electrode is capable of maintaining large energy density at higher current rates with less safety risk than conventional systems. Hybrid devices consisting of all in all 2D electrodes deliver energy density as high as 121 Wh g-1 (at 240 W kg-1) and retains 29 Wh g-1 at high power density of 3600 W kg-1.

Decoupling effect and forecasting of economic growth and energy structure under the peak constraint of carbon emissions in China.

PubMed

Wang, Shijin; Li, Cunfang; Yang, Lizhu

2018-06-26

The decoupling effect between economic growth and energy structure was quantitatively analyzed from 1999 to 2014 across China. The results showed it existed weak decoupling effects in most regions. Based on the analysis of the influence of energy structure on carbon intensity, using scenario simulation methods and Markov chain modeling, the carbon intensity was predicted for China in 2020. The impact of energy structure adjustment on the carbon intensity to meet China's carbon target by 18 possible scenarios are calculated. Furthermore, the peak value of carbon emissions was also calculated in 2030. The results showed that the carbon intensity predicted for China in 2020 can be achieved regardless of whether the energy structure was adjusted or not when energy saving and carbon reduction policies maintained with economic growth at 6-7%. Moreover, given fixed energy structure growth, for each 1% of economic growth, the carbon intensity will decrease by about 3.5%. Given fixed economic growth, the decrease of energy intensity will be greater if the control of energy consumption is stronger. The effect of energy structure adjustment on the decreasing of carbon intensity will be 4% higher under constraints than without constraints. On average, the contribution of energy structure adjustment to achieving the carbon intensity target was calculated as 4% higher than that with constraints. In addition, given relatively fixed economic growth at 6-7%, the peak value of carbon emission in 2030 was calculated as 13.209 billion tons with constraints and 14.38 billion tons without constraints.

Higher insulin sensitivity in vegans is not associated with higher mitochondrial density.

PubMed

Gojda, J; Patková, J; Jaček, M; Potočková, J; Trnka, J; Kraml, P; Anděl, M

2013-12-01

Vegans have a lower incidence of insulin resistance (IR)-associated diseases and a higher insulin sensitivity (IS) compared with omnivores. The aim of this study was to examine whether the higher IS in vegans relates to markers of mitochondrial biogenesis and to intramyocellular lipid (IMCL) content. Eleven vegans and 10 matched (race, age, sex, body mass index, physical activity and energy intake) omnivorous controls were enrolled in a case-control study. Anthropometry, bioimpedance (BIA), ultrasound measurement of visceral and subcutaneous fat layer, parameters of glucose and lipid homeostasis, hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp and muscle biopsies were performed. Citrate synthase (CS) activity, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and IMCL content were assessed in skeletal muscle samples. Both groups were comparable in anthropometric and BIA parameters, physical activity and protein-energy intake. Vegans had significantly higher glucose disposal (M-value, vegans 8.11±1.51 vs controls 6.31±1.57 mg/kg/min, 95% confidence interval: 0.402 to 3.212, P=0.014), slightly lower IMCL content (vegans 13.91 (7.8 to 44.0) vs controls 17.36 (12.4 to 78.5) mg/g of muscle, 95% confidence interval: -7.594 to 24.550, P=0.193) and slightly higher relative muscle mtDNA amount (vegans 1.36±0.31 vs controls 1.13±0.36, 95% confidence interval:-0.078 to 0.537, P=0.135). No significant differences were found in CS activity (vegans 18.43±5.05 vs controls 18.16±5.41 μmol/g/min, 95% confidence interval: -4.503 to 5.050, P=0.906). Vegans have a higher IS, but comparable mitochondrial density and IMCL content with omnivores. This suggests that a decrease in whole-body glucose disposal may precede muscle lipid accumulation and mitochondrial dysfunction in IR development.

Landfill Gas Energy

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This guide describes how local governments and communities can achieve energy, environmental, health, and economic benefits by using landfill gas (LFG) recovered from municipal solid waste landfills as a source of renewable energy.

Carbon Dioxide Hydrogenation into Higher Hydrocarbons and Oxygenates: Thermodynamic and Kinetic Bounds and Progress with Heterogeneous and Homogeneous Catalysis.

PubMed

Prieto, Gonzalo

2017-03-22

Under specific scenarios, the catalytic hydrogenation of CO 2 with renewable hydrogen is considered a suitable route for the chemical recycling of this environmentally harmful and chemically refractory molecule into added-value energy carriers and chemicals. The hydrogenation of CO 2 into C 1 products, such as methane and methanol, can be achieved with high selectivities towards the corresponding hydrogenation product. More challenging, however, is the selective production of high (C 2+ ) hydrocarbons and oxygenates. These products are desired as energy vectors, owing to their higher volumetric energy density and compatibility with the current fuel infrastructure than C 1 compounds, and as entry platform chemicals for existing value chains. The major challenge is the optimal integration of catalytic functionalities for both reductive and chain-growth steps. This Minireview summarizes the progress achieved towards the hydrogenation of CO 2 to C 2+ hydrocarbons and oxygenates, covering both solid and molecular catalysts and processes in the gas and liquid phases. Mechanistic aspects are discussed with emphasis on intrinsic kinetic limitations, in some cases inevitably linked to thermodynamic bounds through the concomitant reverse water-gas-shift reaction, which should be considered in the development of advanced catalysts and processes. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Fine motor skills and executive function both contribute to kindergarten achievement

PubMed Central

Cameron, Claire E.; Brock, Laura L.; Murrah, William M.; Bell, Lindsay H.; Worzalla, Samantha L.; Grissmer, David; Morrison, Frederick J.

2012-01-01

This study examined the contribution of executive function (EF) and multiple aspects of fine motor skills to achievement on six standardized assessments in a sample of middle-SES kindergarteners. 3- and 4-year-olds’ (N=213) fine and gross motor skills were assessed in a home visit before kindergarten; EF was measured at fall of kindergarten; and Woodcock-Johnson III (WJ III) Tests of Academic Achievement were administered at fall and spring. Correlations indicated that EF and fine motor skills appeared distinct. Further, controlling for background variables, higher levels of both EF and fine motor skills, specifically design copy, predicted higher achievement on multiple subtests at kindergarten entry, as well as improvement from fall to spring. Implications for research on school readiness are discussed. PMID:22537276

Energy transmission using recyclable quantum entanglement

PubMed Central

Ye, Ming-Yong; Lin, Xiu-Min

2016-01-01

It is known that faster-than-light (FTL) transmission of energy could be achieved if the transmission were considered in the framework of non-relativistic classical mechanics. Here we show that FTL transmission of energy could also be achieved if the transmission were considered in the framework of non-relativistic quantum mechanics. In our transmission protocol a two-spin Heisenberg model is considered and the energy is transmitted by two successive local unitary operations on the initially entangled spins. Our protocol does not mean that FTL transmission can be achieved in reality when the theory of relativity is considered, but it shows that quantum entanglement can be used in a recyclable way in energy transmission. PMID:27465431

Student academic achievement in college chemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tabibzadeh, Kiana S.

General Chemistry is required for variety of baccalaureate degrees, including all medical related fields, engineering, and science majors. Depending on the institution, the prerequisite requirement for college level General Chemistry varies. The success rate for this course is low. The purpose of this study is to examine the factors influencing student academic achievement and retention in General Chemistry at the college level. In this study student achievement is defined by those students who earned grades of "C" or better. The dissertation contains in-depth studies on influence of Intermediate Algebra as a prerequisite compared to Fundamental Chemistry for student academic achievement and student retention in college General Chemistry. In addition the study examined the extent and manner in which student self-efficacy influences student academic achievement in college level General Chemistry. The sample for this part of the study is 144 students enrolled in first semester college level General Chemistry. Student surveys determined student self-efficacy level. The statistical analyses of study demonstrated that Fundamental Chemistry is a better prerequisite for student academic achievement and student retention. The study also found that student self-efficacy has no influence on student academic achievement. The significance of this study will be to provide data for the purpose of establishing a uniform and most suitable prerequisite for college level General Chemistry. Finally the variables identified to influence student academic achievement and enhance student retention will support educators' mission to maximize the students' ability to complete their educational goal at institutions of higher education.

Deregulation and Higher Education: Potential Impact on Access, Affordability and Achievement in Ohio. Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Camou, Michelle; Patton, Wendy

2012-01-01

Prosperous regions are educated regions. Ohio's relatively low share of residents with college degrees has concerned one governor after the other and proposals for managing Ohio's university system have differed substantially. The Kasich administration's higher education proposal, the "Enterprise University Plan for Ohio," is based on…

Academic achievement in children with epilepsy: a review.

PubMed

Reilly, Colin; Neville, Brian G R

2011-11-01

To examine published studies which have focussed on academic achievement in children with epilepsy with respect to prevalence rates of academic difficulties and possible correlates of academic achievement. This review examines studies which have focussed on prevalence rates of academic difficulties and correlates of academic achievement in children with epilepsy from 1990 to 2010. Prevalence rates of low academic achievement and academic underachievement are reported and correlates of academic achievement including seizure/epilepsy variables, demographic variables, and child/family variables are examined with respect to published studies. Published studies suggest that low academic achievement is more common than academic underachievement (achievement below that expected on basis of IQ scores) and it is not clear from published studies if rates of academic underachievement are significantly higher than in the general population. Clear patterns with regard to the identification of correlates of academic underachievement have not emerged although low achievement may be influenced in many cases by lower than average levels of cognitive functioning. Most studies have not focussed on the IQ-achievement discrepancy definitions of (specific) learning disability. Children with epilepsy who are experiencing academic difficulties may not qualify for formal educational supports to address these difficulties if eligibility criteria for such supports stress an IQ-achievement discrepancy. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Improved specific energy Ni-H2 cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, L. E.

1985-12-01

Significant improvements in specific energy for Ni-H2 battery cells have been and will be achieved. Current flight cell designs in operation on multiple satellites have achieved a specific energy of 52 Whr/Kg (this value may be compared to 45 Whr/Kg for advanced, light-weight Ni-Cd space cells). Battery cells operating at increased pressures (61 atm/900 psi) have been manufactured and successfully tested demonstrating a specific energy of 70 Whr/Kg. Further optimization of electrode substrate, pressure vessel wall thickness and cell terminal/conductor assembly designs will permit achievement of specific energies between 75-80 Whr/Kg. Energy density (outline volume) will be improved from 49 Whr/L to 79 Whr/L.

Hybrid Electric Energy Storages: Their Specific Features and Application (Review)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Popel', O. S.; Tarasenko, A. B.

2018-05-01

The article presents a review of various aspects related to development and practical use of hybrid electric energy storages (i.e., those uniting different energy storage technologies and devices in an integrated system) in transport and conventional and renewable power engineering applications. Such devices, which were initially developed for transport power installations, are increasingly being used by other consumers characterized by pronounced nonuniformities of their load schedule. A range of tasks solved using such energy storages is considered. It is shown that, owing to the advent of new types of energy storages and the extended spectrum of their performance characteristics, new possibilities for combining different types of energy storages and for developing hybrid systems have become available. This, in turn, opens up the possibility of making energy storages with better mass and dimension characteristics and achieving essentially lower operational costs. The possibility to secure more comfortable (base) operating modes of primary sources of energy (heat engines and renewable energy source based power installations) and to achieve a higher capacity utilization factor are unquestionable merits of hybrid energy storages. Development of optimal process circuit solutions, as well as energy conversion and control devices facilitating the fullest utilization of the properties of each individual energy storage included in the hybrid system, is among the important lines of research carried out in this field in Russia and abroad. Our review of existing developments has shown that there are no universal technical solutions in this field (the specific features of a consumer have an essential effect on the process circuit solutions and on the composition of a hybrid energy storage), a circumstance that dictates the need to extend the scope of investigations in this promising field.

Goals, Strategies, and Achievements in the Internationalization of Higher Education in Japan and Taiwan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ho, Hsuan-Fu; Lin, Ming-Huang; Yang, Cheng-Cheng

2015-01-01

International knowledge and skills are essential for success in today's highly competitive global marketplace. As one of the key providers of such knowledge and skills, universities have become a key focus of the internationalization strategies of governments throughout the world. While the internationalization of higher education clearly has…

The Effect of Teaching Strategies and Curiosity on Students' Achievement in Reading Comprehension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gurning, Busmin; Siregar, Aguslani

2017-01-01

The objectives of this study were to find out whether 1) students' achievement in reading comprehension taught by using INSERT strategy was higher than those taught by using SQ3R strategy, 2) Students' achievement in reading comprehension having high curiosity was higher than those having low curiosity, 3) there was an interaction between teaching…

Strategic Enrollment Management: Transforming Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bontrager, Bob; Ingersoll, Doris; Ingersoll, Ronald

2012-01-01

As external forces demand change in the delivery of postsecondary education and institutions seek to take advantage of new opportunities, the potential for achieving higher levels of student and institutional success is vast. New technologies, communication tools, data use, and organizational constructs present key factors in improving the…

Investigation of energy weighting using an energy discriminating photon counting detector for breast CT

PubMed Central

Kalluri, Kesava S.; Mahd, Mufeed; Glick, Stephen J.

2013-01-01

receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for detection of microcalcifications was higher by greater than 19% (for the different energy weighting methods tested) as compared to the AUC obtained with an energy integrating detector. Conclusions: This study showed that breast CT with a CZT photon counting detector using energy weighting can provide improvements in pixel SNR, and detectability of microcalcifications as compared to that with a conventional energy integrating detector. Since a number of degrading physical factors were not modeled into the photon counting detector, this improvement should be considered as an upper bound on achievable performance. PMID:23927337

Energy for Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cook, Emma

2011-01-01

Increased energy efficiency and reduced reliance on fossil fuels are both essential if people are to have any chance of avoiding escalating energy prices and the grim reality of catastrophic climate change. By increasing the diversity of energy sources people can also achieve increased security, reducing their dependence on imports. As…

Energy for lunar resource exploitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glaser, Peter E.

1992-02-01

Humanity stands at the threshold of exploiting the known lunar resources that have opened up with the access to space. America's role in the future exploitation of space, and specifically of lunar resources, may well determine the level of achievement in technology development and global economic competition. Space activities during the coming decades will significantly influence the events on Earth. The 'shifting of history's tectonic plates' is a process that will be hastened by the increasingly insistent demands for higher living standards of the exponentially growing global population. Key to the achievement of a peaceful world in the 21st century, will be the development of a mix of energy resources at a societally acceptable and affordable cost within a realistic planning horizon. This must be the theme for the globally applicable energy sources that are compatible with the Earth's ecology. It is in this context that lunar resources development should be a primary goal for science missions to the Moon, and for establishing an expanding human presence. The economic viability and commercial business potential of mining, extracting, manufacturing, and transporting lunar resource based materials to Earth, Earth orbits, and to undertake macroengineering projects on the Moon remains to be demonstrated. These extensive activities will be supportive of the realization of the potential of space energy sources for use on Earth. These may include generating electricity for use on Earth based on beaming power from Earth orbits and from the Moon to the Earth, and for the production of helium 3 as a fuel for advanced fusion reactors.

Energy for lunar resource exploitation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glaser, Peter E.

1992-01-01

Humanity stands at the threshold of exploiting the known lunar resources that have opened up with the access to space. America's role in the future exploitation of space, and specifically of lunar resources, may well determine the level of achievement in technology development and global economic competition. Space activities during the coming decades will significantly influence the events on Earth. The 'shifting of history's tectonic plates' is a process that will be hastened by the increasingly insistent demands for higher living standards of the exponentially growing global population. Key to the achievement of a peaceful world in the 21st century, will be the development of a mix of energy resources at a societally acceptable and affordable cost within a realistic planning horizon. This must be the theme for the globally applicable energy sources that are compatible with the Earth's ecology. It is in this context that lunar resources development should be a primary goal for science missions to the Moon, and for establishing an expanding human presence. The economic viability and commercial business potential of mining, extracting, manufacturing, and transporting lunar resource based materials to Earth, Earth orbits, and to undertake macroengineering projects on the Moon remains to be demonstrated. These extensive activities will be supportive of the realization of the potential of space energy sources for use on Earth. These may include generating electricity for use on Earth based on beaming power from Earth orbits and from the Moon to the Earth, and for the production of helium 3 as a fuel for advanced fusion reactors.

High energy density and efficiency achieved in nanocomposite film capacitors via structure modulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, Yi; Shen, Zhong-Hui; Shen, Yang; Lin, Yuanhua; Nan, Ce-Wen

2018-03-01

Flexible dielectric polymer films with high energy storage density and high charge-discharge efficiency have been considered as promising materials for electrical power applications. Here, we design hierarchical structured nanocomposite films using nonlinear polymer poly(vinylidene fluoride-HFP) [P(VDF-HFP)] with inorganic h-boron nitride (h-BN) nanosheets by electrospinning and hot-pressing methods. Our results show that the addition of h-BN nanosheets and the design of the hierarchical multilayer structure in the nanocomposites can remarkably enhance the charge-discharge efficiency and energy density. A high charge-discharge efficiency of 78% and an energy density of 21 J/cm3 can be realized in the 12-layered PVDF/h-BN nanocomposite films. Phase-field simulation results reveal that the spatial distribution of the electric field in these hierarchical structured films affects the charge-discharge efficiency and energy density. This work provides a feasible route, i.e., structure modulation, to improve the energy storage performances for nanocomposite films.

The Associations between Adiposity, Cognitive Function, and Achievement in Children.

PubMed

Raine, Lauren; Drollette, Eric; Kao, Shih-Chun; Westfall, Daniel; Chaddock-Heyman, Laura; Kramer, Arthur F; Khan, Naiman; Hillman, Charles

2018-04-27

Although obesity has been related to measures of academic achievement and cognition in children, the influence of fat distribution, specifically visceral adiposity, on select aspects of achievement and cognitive function remains poorly characterized among preadolescent children. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relation of adiposity, particularly visceral adipose tissue, on achievement and cognitive function among children. Children with obesity (ages 7-9 years old, N= 55, 35 females) completed cognitive and academic tests. Normal weight children (N= 55, 35 females) were matched to this group on demographic characteristics and aerobic fitness. Covariate analyses included age, Brief Intellectual Ability (BIA), SES, and fat free VO2 (VO2 peak adjusted for lean mass; ml/kg lean/min). Adiposity (i.e., whole body percent fat, subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue (SAAT), and visceral adipose tissue (VAT)) was assessed using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. The results of this study revealed that, relative to their normal weight counterparts, children with obesity had significantly lower performance on tests of reading and math. Analyses revealed that among children with obesity, %Fat and SAAT were not related to cognitive abilities. However, higher VAT was associated with poorer intellectual abilities, p's≤0.04; and cognitive performance (i.e. Thinking Ability and Cognitive Efficiency), p's≤0.04. However, among normal weight children, VAT was positively associated with intellectual abilities and cognitive efficiency. In conclusion, the results suggest that VAT was selectively and negatively related with cognition among children with obesity. Along with the dangerous metabolic nature of VAT, its detrimental relationship with obese children's intellectual and cognitive functioning is concerning.

Target weight achievement and ultrafiltration rate thresholds: potential patient implications.

PubMed

Flythe, Jennifer E; Assimon, Magdalene M; Overman, Robert A

2017-06-02

Higher ultrafiltration (UF) rates and extracellular hypo- and hypervolemia are associated with adverse outcomes among maintenance hemodialysis patients. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently considered UF rate and target weight achievement measures for ESRD Quality Incentive Program inclusion. The dual measures were intended to promote balance between too aggressive and too conservative fluid removal. The National Quality Forum endorsed the UF rate measure but not the target weight measure. We examined the proposed target weight measure and quantified weight gains if UF rate thresholds were applied without treatment time (TT) extension or interdialytic weight gain (IDWG) reduction. Data were taken from the 2012 database of a large dialysis organization. Analyses considered 152,196 United States hemodialysis patients. We described monthly patient and dialysis facility target weight achievement patterns and examined differences in patient characteristics across target weight achievement status and differences in facilities across target weight measure scores. We computed the cumulative, theoretical 1-month fluid-related weight gain that would occur if UF rates were capped at 13 mL/h/kg without concurrent TT extension or IDWG reduction. Target weight achievement patterns were stable over the year. Patients who did not achieve target weight (post-dialysis weight ≥ 1 kg above or below target weight) tended to be younger, black and dialyze via catheter, and had shorter dialysis vintage, greater body weight, higher UF rate and more missed treatments compared with patients who achieved target weight. Facilities had, on average, 27.1 ± 9.7% of patients with average post-dialysis weight ≥ 1 kg above or below the prescribed target weight. In adjusted analyses, facilities located in the midwest and south and facilities with higher proportions of black and Hispanic patients and higher proportions of patients with shorter TTs were more likely to

Energy - 1977.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kansas State Board of Regents, Topeka.

A checklist of energy consumption reduction measures for universities is provided with the intent of achieving rapid and significant energy savings at minimal cost. Measures described should be within the scope of accomplishment by regular university operating and maintenance personnel. The measures involve non-technical actions such as adjusting…

Higher Education Cooperation Act: Fiscal Year 1997 Grant Allocations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Illinois State Board of Higher Education, Springfield.

This publication provides individual descriptions of grants allocated by the state of Illinois for aid to higher education for fiscal year 1997 under the provisions of the State Higher Education Cooperation Act. The Act provides funds for interinstitutional grants, minority educational achievement grants, minority articulation program grants,…

Responses of Chinese Higher Education to the Information Society

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cai, Yuzhuo; Guo, Wenge

2006-01-01

Compared to the advanced industrial countries, the use of information technology in Chinese higher education came relatively late. Nevertheless, recent Chinese practices have achieved significant progress in the country's efforts to bridge the digital divide. This article focuses special attention on the responses of Chinese higher education to…

Higher-order electric multipole contributions to retarded non-additive three-body dispersion interaction energies between atoms: Equilateral triangle and collinear configurations

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

Salam, A., E-mail: salama@wfu.edu

2013-12-28

The theory of molecular quantum electrodynamics (QED) is used to calculate higher electric multipole contributions to the dispersion energy shift between three atoms or molecules arranged in a straight line or in an equilateral triangle configuration. As in two-body potentials, three-body dispersion interactions are viewed in the QED formalism to arise from exchange of virtual photons between coupled pairs of particles. By employing an interaction Hamiltonian that is quadratic in the electric displacement field means that third-order perturbation theory can be used to yield the energy shift for a particular combination of electric multipole polarizable species, with only six time-orderedmore » diagrams needing to be summed over. Specific potentials evaluated include dipole-dipole-quadrupole (DDQ), dipole-quadrupole-quadrupole (DQQ), and dipole-dipole-octupole (DDO) terms. For the geometries of interest, near-zone limiting forms are found to exhibit an R{sup −11} dependence on separation distance for the DDQ interaction, and an R{sup −13} behaviour for DQQ and DDO shifts, agreeing with an earlier semi-classical computation. Retardation weakens the potential in each case by R{sup −1} in the far-zone. It is found that by decomposing the octupole moment into its irreducible components of weights-1 and -3 that the former contribution to the DDO potential may be taken to be a higher-order correction to the leading triple dipole energy shift.« less

Achieving Canadian Excellence in and for the World: Leveraging Canada's Higher Education and Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, 2004

2004-01-01

As Canada's opportunities to claim international leadership are assessed, the best prospects lie in a combination of our impressive higher education and research commitments, civic and institutional values, and quality of life. This paper concludes that as an exporting country, the benefits will come in economic growth. As citizens of the world,…

Advanced Manufacturing for Thermal and Environmental Control Systems: Achieving National Energy Goals

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

Bogucz, Edward A.

This project was part of a regional initiative in the five counties of Central New York (CNY) that received funding from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and four other federal agencies through the 2012 Advanced Manufacturing Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge (AMJIAC). The CNY initiative was focused on cultivating the emergent regional cluster in “Advanced Manufacturing for Thermal and Environmental Control (AM-TEC).” As one component of the CNY AM-TEC initiative, the DOE-funded project supported five research & development seed projects that strategically targeted: 1) needs and opportunities of CNY AM-TEC companies, and 2) the goal of DOE’s Advanced Manufacturingmore » Office (AMO) to reduce energy consumption by 50% across product life-cycles over 10 years. The project also sought to fulfill the AMO mission of developing and demonstrating new, energy-efficient processing and materials technologies at a scale adequate to prove their value to manufacturers and spur investment. The five seed projects demonstrated technologies and processes that can reduce energy intensity and improve production as well as use less energy throughout their lifecycles. The project was conducted over three years in two 18-month budget periods. During the first budget period, two projects proposed in the original AMJAIC application were successfully completed: Seed Project 1 focused on saving energy in heat transfer processes via development of nano structured surfaces to significantly increase heat flux; Seed Project 2 addressed saving energy in data centers via subzero cooling of the computing processors. Also during the first budget period, a process was developed and executed to select a second round of seed projects via a competitive request for proposals from regional companies and university collaborators. Applicants were encouraged to form industry-academic partnerships to leverage experience and resources of public and private sectors in the CNY region

Selecting HVAC Systems to Achieve Comfortable and Cost-effective Residential Net-Zero Energy Buildings.

PubMed

Wu, Wei; Skye, Harrison M; Domanski, Piotr A

2018-02-15

HVAC is responsible for the largest share of energy use in residential buildings and plays an important role in broader implementation of net-zero energy building (NZEB). This study investigated the energy, comfort and economic performance of commercially-available HVAC technologies for a residential NZEB. An experimentally-validated model was used to evaluate ventilation, dehumidification, and heat pump options for the NZEB in the mixed-humid climate zone. Ventilation options were compared to mechanical ventilation without recovery; a heat recovery ventilator (HRV) and energy recovery ventilator (ERV) respectively reduced the HVAC energy by 13.5 % and 17.4 % and reduced the building energy by 7.5 % and 9.7 %. There was no significant difference in thermal comfort between the ventilation options. Dehumidification options were compared to an air-source heat pump (ASHP) with a separate dehumidifier; the ASHP with dedicated dehumidification reduced the HVAC energy by 7.3 % and the building energy by 3.9 %. The ASHP-only option (without dedicated dehumidification) reduced the initial investment but provided the worst comfort due to high humidity levels. Finally, ground-source heat pump (GSHP) alternatives were compared to the ASHP; the GSHP with two and three boreholes reduced the HVAC energy by 26.0 % and 29.2 % and the building energy by 13.1 % and 14.7 %. The economics of each HVAC configuration was analyzed using installation cost data and two electricity price structures. The GSHPs with the ERV and dedicated dehumidification provided the highest energy savings and good comfort, but were the most expensive. The ASHP with dedicated dehumidification and the ERV (or HRV) provided reasonable payback periods.

Physical education and academic achievement in elementary school: data from the early childhood longitudinal study.

PubMed

Carlson, Susan A; Fulton, Janet E; Lee, Sarah M; Maynard, L Michele; Brown, David R; Kohl, Harold W; Dietz, William H

2008-04-01

We examined the association between time spent in physical education and academic achievement in a longitudinal study of students in kindergarten through fifth grade. We used data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998 to 1999, which employed a multistage probability design to select a nationally representative sample of students in kindergarten (analytic sample = 5316). Time spent in physical education (minutes per week) was collected from classroom teachers, and academic achievement (mathematics and reading) was scored on an item response theory scale. A small but significant benefit for academic achievement in mathematics and reading was observed for girls enrolled in higher amounts (70-300 minutes per week) of physical education (referent: 0-35 minutes per week). Higher amounts of physical education were not positively or negatively associated with academic achievement among boys. Among girls, higher amounts of physical education may be associated with an academic benefit. Physical education did not appear to negatively affect academic achievement in elementary school students. Concerns about adverse effects on achievement may not be legitimate reasons to limit physical education programs.

Correlates of Academic Procrastination and Mathematics Achievement of University Undergraduate Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akinsola, Mojeed Kolawole; Tella, Adedeji; Tella, Adeyinka

2007-01-01

Procrastination is now a common phenomenon among students, particularly those at the higher level. And this is doing more harm to their academic achievement than good. Therefore, this study examined the correlates between academic procrastination and mathematics achievement among the university mathematics undergraduate students. The study used a…

Aptitude Tests Versus School Exams as Selection Tools for Higher Education and the Case for Assessing Educational Achievement in Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stringer, Neil

2008-01-01

Advocates of using a US-style SAT for university selection claim that it is fairer to applicants from disadvantaged backgrounds than achievement tests because it assesses potential, not achievement, and that it allows finer discrimination between top applicants than GCEs. The pros and cons of aptitude tests in principle are discussed, focusing on…

Study of the Relationship between Study Habits and Academic Achievement of Students: A Case of Spicer Higher Secondary School, India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siahi, Evans Atsiaya; Maiyo, Julius K.

2015-01-01

The studies on the correlation of academic achievement have paved way for control and manipulation of related variables for quality results in schools. In spite of the facts that schools impart uniform classroom instructions to all students, wide range of difference is observed in their academic achievement. The study sought to determine the…

Motivation and social contexts: a crossnational pilot study of achievement, power, and affiliation motives.

PubMed

Xu, Xiaoyan; Xu, Yangang; Mellor, David; Duan, Liqiong

2012-01-01

Previous research suggests that there is a relationship between social contexts (e.g., economic growth, engagement in wars) and motives within populations. In particular, high achievement motive is associated with subsequent economic growth, which in turn increases power motive. Increased national achievement and power motives have been argued to precede social changes that lead to decreased affiliation motives, and engagement in wars. The present study aimed to examine differences in achievement, power, and affiliation motives between 266 college students in China (a nation with sustained high economic growth) and 255 college students in the USA (a nation with previously strong but now slowing economic growth, and engaged in war). Analysis of personal strivings suggested that Chinese college students showed significantly higher levels of achievement motive than the American college students, but American college students showed significantly higher levels of affiliation motive than Chinese college students. Overall, males exhibited higher achievement motivation than females. No significant interaction effects were found for gender by location for any of the three motives. The findings are discussed in relation to previous research.

Nanoscale Protection Layers To Mitigate Degradation in High-Energy Electrochemical Energy Storage Systems.

PubMed

Lin, Chuan-Fu; Qi, Yue; Gregorczyk, Keith; Lee, Sang Bok; Rubloff, Gary W

2018-01-16

In the pursuit of energy storage devices with higher energy and power, new ion storage materials and high-voltage battery chemistries are of paramount importance. However, they invite-and often enhance-degradation mechanisms, which are reflected in capacity loss with charge/discharge cycling and sometimes in safety problems. Degradation mechanisms are often driven by fundamentals such as chemical and electrochemical reactions at electrode-electrolyte interfaces, volume expansion and stress associated with ion insertion and extraction, and profound inhomogeneity of electrochemical behavior. While it is important to identify and understand these mechanisms at some reasonable level, it is even more critical to design strategies to mitigate these degradation pathways and to develop means to implement and validate the strategies. A growing set of research highlights the mitigation benefits achievable by forming thin protection layers (PLs) intentionally created as artificial interphase regions at the electrode-electrolyte interface. These advances illustrate a promising-perhaps even generic-pathway for enabling higher-energy and higher-voltage battery configurations. In this Account, we summarize examples of such PLs that serve as mitigation strategies to avoid degradation in lithium metal anodes, conversion-type electrode materials, and alloy-type electrodes. Examples are chosen from a larger body of electrochemical degradation research carried out in Nanostructures for Electrical Energy Storage (NEES), our DOE Energy Frontier Research Center. Overall, we argue on the basis of experimental and theoretical evidence that PLs effectively stabilize the electrochemical interfaces to prevent parasitic chemical and electrochemical reactions and mitigate the structural, mechanical, and compositional degradation of the electrode materials at the electrode-electrolyte interfaces. The evidenced improvement in performance metrics is accomplished by (1) establishing a homogeneous

Costs and Difficulties on the Way to a Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mogil'chak, E. L.

2012-01-01

A higher education continues to be a significant value to young people; this is manifested clearly in the growth of the numbers enrolled in higher educational institutions of Russia. This article examines "the process by which young people achieve their goal"--obtaining a higher education--as a set of stages linked to specific kinds of…

"Feeling" Hierarchy: The Pathway from Subjective Social Status to Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Destin, Mesmin; Richman, Scott; Varner, Fatima; Mandara, Jelani

2012-01-01

The current study tested a psychosocial mediation model of the association between subjective social status (SSS) and academic achievement for youth. The sample included 430 high school students from diverse racial/ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. Those who perceived themselves to be at higher social status levels had higher GPAs. As…

Influence of sward maturity and pre-conditioning temperature on the energy production from grass silage through the integrated generation of solid fuel and biogas from biomass (IFBB): 2. Properties of energy carriers and energy yield.

PubMed

Richter, F; Fricke, T; Wachendorf, M

2011-04-01

In order to determine influencing parameters on energy production of the IFBB process, herbage from a lowland hay meadow (Arrhenaterion) was sampled and ensiled at eight dates between 27 April and 21 June 2007. The silage from each date was processed in six IFBB treatments with and without hydrothermal conditioning at different temperatures. Methane yields and higher heating values were determined and an energy balance was calculated with whole-crop digestion (WCD) of the silage as reference system. Maximum net energy yields were 10.2 MWh ha(-1) for the IFBB treatment without hydrothermal conditioning and 9.0 MWh ha(-1) for the treatment with hydrothermal conditioning at 50 °C. WCD achieved a maximum net energy yield of 3.7 MWh ha(-1). Energy conversion efficiency ranged from 0.24 to 0.54 and was predicted with high accuracy by temperature of hydrothermal conditioning as well as concentration of neutral detergent fibre and dry matter in the silage (R(2)=0.90). Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Energy Storage Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mercer, Carolyn R.; Jankovsky, Amy L.; Reid, Concha M.; Miller, Thomas B.; Hoberecht, Mark A.

2011-01-01

NASA's Exploration Technology Development Program funded the Energy Storage Project to develop battery and fuel cell technology to meet the expected energy storage needs of the Constellation Program for human exploration. Technology needs were determined by architecture studies and risk assessments conducted by the Constellation Program, focused on a mission for a long-duration lunar outpost. Critical energy storage needs were identified as batteries for EVA suits, surface mobility systems, and a lander ascent stage; fuel cells for the lander and mobility systems; and a regenerative fuel cell for surface power. To address these needs, the Energy Storage Project developed advanced lithium-ion battery technology, targeting cell-level safety and very high specific energy and energy density. Key accomplishments include the development of silicon composite anodes, lithiated-mixed-metal-oxide cathodes, low-flammability electrolytes, and cell-incorporated safety devices that promise to substantially improve battery performance while providing a high level of safety. The project also developed "non-flow-through" proton-exchange-membrane fuel cell stacks. The primary advantage of this technology set is the reduction of ancillary parts in the balance-of-plant--fewer pumps, separators and related components should result in fewer failure modes and hence a higher probability of achieving very reliable operation, and reduced parasitic power losses enable smaller reactant tanks and therefore systems with lower mass and volume. Key accomplishments include the fabrication and testing of several robust, small-scale nonflow-through fuel cell stacks that have demonstrated proof-of-concept. This report summarizes the project s goals, objectives, technical accomplishments, and risk assessments. A bibliography spanning the life of the project is also included.

Providing Higher Education to Socially Disadvantaged Populations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guri-Rosenblit, Sarah

1989-01-01

An examination of the philosophy and implementation of two special programs offered by the Open University of Israel to socially and educationally disadvantaged populations focuses on whether both values of quality and equity can be achieved in higher education. (Author/MSE)

Energy Harvesting from Human Motion Using Footstep-Induced Airflow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, H.; Xu, R.; Seto, K.; Yeatman, E. M.; Kim, S. G.

2015-12-01

This paper presents an unobtrusive in-shoe energy harvester converting foot-strike energy into electricity to power wearable or portable devices. An air-pumped turbine system is developed to address the issues of the limited vertical deformation of shoes and the low frequency of human motion that impede harvesting energy from this source. The air pump is employed to convert the vertical foot-strike motion into airflow. The generated airflow passes through the miniaturized wind turbine whose transduction is realized by an electromagnetic generator. Energy is extracted from the generator with a higher frequency than that of footsteps, boosting the output power of the device. The turbine casing is specifically designed to enable the device to operate continuously with airflow in both directions. A prototype was fabricated and then tested under different situations. A 6 mW peak power output was obtained with a 4.9 Ω load. The achievable power from this design was estimated theoretically for understanding and further improvement.

Community-Wide Zero Energy Ready Home Standard

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

Herk, A.; Beggs, T.

This report outlines the steps a developer can use when looking to create and implement higher performance standards such as the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Zero Energy Ready Home (ZERH) standards in a community. The report also describes the specific examples of how this process was followed by a developer, Forest City, in the Stapleton community in Denver, Colorado. IBACOS described the steps used to begin to bring the DOE ZERH standard to the Forest City Stapleton community based on 15 years of community-scale development work done by IBACOS. As a result of this prior IBACOS work, the teammore » gained an understanding of the various components that a master developer needs to consider and created strategies for incorporating those components in the initial phases of development to achieve higher performance buildings in the community. An automated scoring system can be used to perform an internal audit that provides a detailed and consistent evaluation of how several homes under construction or builders' floor plans compare with the requirements of the DOE Zero Energy Ready Home program. This audit can be performed multiple times at specific milestones during construction to allow the builder to make changes as needed throughout construction for the project to meet Zero Energy Ready Home standards. This scoring system also can be used to analyze a builder's current construction practices and design.« less

Achievement Goals and Achievement Emotions: A Meta-Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Chiungjung

2011-01-01

This meta-analysis synthesized 93 independent samples (N = 30,003) in 77 studies that reported in 78 articles examining correlations between achievement goals and achievement emotions. Achievement goals were meaningfully associated with different achievement emotions. The correlations of mastery and mastery approach goals with positive achievement…

Strengthening the Management of the Higher Education System in Africa: The Role of a Regional Higher Education Management Information Network System (RHEMINS)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Emetarom, Uche G.; Enyi, Dan

2008-01-01

Contemporary higher education managers, in Africa, seem to have found themselves in a changed environment, with increased and increasing challenges, to operate and achieve success. Although, there is the existence of diversity in the label and typology as well as in the priorities and emphasis among the higher education systems in Africa, there is…

Assessment of the Potential to Achieve very Low Energy Use in Public Buildings in China with Advanced Window and Shading Systems

DOE PAGES

Lee, Eleanor; Pang, Xiufeng; McNeil, Andrew; ...

2015-05-29

Here, as rapid growth in the construction industry continues to occur in China, the increased demand for a higher standard living is driving significant growth in energy use and demand across the country. Building codes and standards have been implemented to head off this trend, tightening prescriptive requirements for fenestration component measures using methods similar to the US model energy code American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) 90.1. The objective of this study is to (a) provide an overview of applicable code requirements and current efforts within China to enable characterization and comparison of window and shadingmore » products, and (b) quantify the load reduction and energy savings potential of several key advanced window and shading systems, given the divergent views on how space conditioning requirements will be met in the future. System-level heating and cooling loads and energy use performance were evaluated for a code-compliant large office building using the EnergyPlus building energy simulation program. Commercially-available, highly-insulating, low-emittance windows were found to produce 24-66% lower perimeter zone HVAC electricity use compared to the mandated energy-efficiency standard in force (GB 50189-2005) in cold climates like Beijing. Low-e windows with operable exterior shading produced up to 30-80% reductions in perimeter zone HVAC electricity use in Beijing and 18-38% reductions in Shanghai compared to the standard. The economic context of China is unique since the cost of labor and materials for the building industry is so low. Broad deployment of these commercially available technologies with the proper supporting infrastructure for design, specification, and verification in the field would enable significant reductions in energy use and greenhouse gas emissions in the near term.« less

Assessment of the Potential to Achieve very Low Energy Use in Public Buildings in China with Advanced Window and Shading Systems

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

Lee, Eleanor; Pang, Xiufeng; McNeil, Andrew

Here, as rapid growth in the construction industry continues to occur in China, the increased demand for a higher standard living is driving significant growth in energy use and demand across the country. Building codes and standards have been implemented to head off this trend, tightening prescriptive requirements for fenestration component measures using methods similar to the US model energy code American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) 90.1. The objective of this study is to (a) provide an overview of applicable code requirements and current efforts within China to enable characterization and comparison of window and shadingmore » products, and (b) quantify the load reduction and energy savings potential of several key advanced window and shading systems, given the divergent views on how space conditioning requirements will be met in the future. System-level heating and cooling loads and energy use performance were evaluated for a code-compliant large office building using the EnergyPlus building energy simulation program. Commercially-available, highly-insulating, low-emittance windows were found to produce 24-66% lower perimeter zone HVAC electricity use compared to the mandated energy-efficiency standard in force (GB 50189-2005) in cold climates like Beijing. Low-e windows with operable exterior shading produced up to 30-80% reductions in perimeter zone HVAC electricity use in Beijing and 18-38% reductions in Shanghai compared to the standard. The economic context of China is unique since the cost of labor and materials for the building industry is so low. Broad deployment of these commercially available technologies with the proper supporting infrastructure for design, specification, and verification in the field would enable significant reductions in energy use and greenhouse gas emissions in the near term.« less

High-energy breakfast with low-energy dinner decreases overall daily hyperglycaemia in type 2 diabetic patients: a randomised clinical trial.

PubMed

Jakubowicz, Daniela; Wainstein, Julio; Ahrén, Bo; Bar-Dayan, Yosefa; Landau, Zohar; Rabinovitz, Hadas R; Froy, Oren

2015-05-01

High-energy breakfast and reduced-energy dinner (Bdiet) significantly reduces postprandial glycaemia in obese non-diabetic individuals. Our objective was to test whether this meal schedule reduces postprandial hyperglycaemia (PPHG) in patients with type 2 diabetes by enhancing incretin and insulin levels when compared with high-energy dinner and reduced-energy breakfast (Ddiet). In a randomised, open label, crossover design performed in a clinic setting, 18 individuals (aged 30-70 years with BMI 22-35 kg/m(2)) with type 2 diabetes (<10 years duration) treated with metformin and/or diet were given either Bdiet or Ddiet for 7 days. Participants were randomised by a person not involved in the study using a coin flip. Postprandial levels of plasma glucose, insulin, C-peptide and intact and total glucagon-like peptide-1 (iGLP-1 and tGLP-1) were assessed. The Bdiet included 2,946 kJ breakfast, 2,523 kJ lunch and 858 kJ dinner. The Ddiet comprised 858 kJ breakfast, 2,523 kJ lunch and 2,946 kJ dinner. Twenty-two individuals were randomised and 18 analysed. The AUC for glucose (AUCglucose) throughout the day was 20% lower, whereas AUCinsulin, AUCC-peptide and AUCtGLP-1 were 20% higher for the Bdiet than the Ddiet. Glucose AUC0-180min and its peak were both lower by 24%, whereas insulin AUC0-180min was 11% higher after the Bdiet than the Ddiet. This was accompanied by 30% higher tGLP-1 and 16% higher iGLP-1 levels. Despite the diets being isoenergetic, lunch resulted in lower glucose (by 21-25%) and higher insulin (by 23%) with the Bdiet vs Ddiet. High energy intake at breakfast is associated with significant reduction in overall PPHG in diabetic patients over the entire day. This dietary adjustment may have a therapeutic advantage for the achievement of optimal metabolic control and may have the potential for being preventive for cardiovascular and other complications of type 2 diabetes. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01977833 Funding No specific funding

A Flywheel Energy Storage System Demonstration for Space Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kenny, Barbara H.; Kascak, Peter E.; Jansen, Ralph; Dever, Timothy

2003-01-01

A novel control algorithm for the charge and discharge modes of operation of a flywheel energy storage system for space applications is presented. The motor control portion of the algorithm uses sensorless field oriented control with position and speed estimates determined from a signal injection technique at low speeds and a back EMF technique at higher speeds. The charge and discharge portion of the algorithm use command feed-forward and disturbance decoupling, respectively, to achieve fast response with low gains. Simulation and experimental results are presented.

Student Satisfaction in Higher Education: A Meta-Analytic Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Santini, Fernando de Oliveira; Ladeira, Wagner Junior; Sampaio, Claudio Hoffmann; da Silva Costa, Gustavo

2017-01-01

This paper discusses the results of a meta-analysis performed to identify key antecedent and consequent constructs of satisfaction in higher education. We offer an integrated model to achieve a better understanding of satisfaction in the context of higher education. To accomplish this objective, we identified 83 studies that were valid and…

Energy evolution mechanism in process of Sandstone failure and energy strength criterion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yunfei; Cui, Fang

2018-07-01

To reveal the inherent relation between energy change and confining pressure during the process of sandstone damage, and its characteristics of energy storage and energy dissipation in different deformation stage. Obtaining the mechanical parameters by testing the Sandstone of two1 coal seam roof under uniaxial compression in Zhaogu coalmine, using Particle Flow Code (PFC) and fish program to get the meso-mechanical parameters, studying Sandstone energy evolution mechanism under different confining pressures, and deducing energy strength criterion based on energy principle of rock failure, some main researching results are reached as follows: with the increasing of confining pressure, the Sandstone yield stage and ductility increases, but brittleness decreases; Under higher confining pressure, the elastic strain energy of Sandstone before peak approximately keeps constant in a certain strain range, and rock absorbs all the energy which converts into surface energy required for internal damage development; Under lower confining pressure, Sandstone no longer absorbs energy with increasing strain after peak under lower confining pressure, while it sequentially absorbs energy under higher confining pressure; Under lower confining pressure, the energy Sandstone before peak absorbed mainly converts into elastic strain energy, while under higher confining pressure, dissipation energy significantly increases before peak, which indicates that the degree rock strength loss is higher under higher confining pressure; with the increasing of confining pressure, the limit of elastic strain energy increases and there exists a favourable linear variation relationship; At the peak point, the ratio of elastic strain energy to total energy of Sandstone nonlinearly decreases, while the ratio of dissipation energy to total energy nonlinearly increases with the increasing of confining pressure; According to energy evolution mechanism of rock failure, an energy strength criterion is

The Economic Value of Higher Teacher Quality. Working Paper 56

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanushek, Eric A.

2010-01-01

Most analyses of teacher quality end without any assessment of the economic value of altered teacher quality. This paper combines information about teacher effectiveness with the economic impact of higher achievement. It begins with an overview of what is known about the relationship between teacher quality and student achievement, which provides…

Special education and later academic achievement.

PubMed

Ehrhardt, Jennifer; Huntington, Noelle; Molino, Janine; Barbaresi, William

2013-02-01

To determine whether grade at entry to special education is associated with improved reading achievement in children with reading disorders (RD) and whether the effect of grade at entry to special education differs by socioeconomic status (SES). The authors conducted a secondary data analysis using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS-K), a nationally representative cohort of children followed longitudinally from kindergarten through eighth grade (1998-2007). Using data from the fifth grade wave of ECLS-K, the authors identified children with RD (n = 290). The outcome of interest was change in score on the reading achievement test, which was developed by ECLS-K staff, between first and fifth grade. Using multiple linear regression, the authors modeled outcome as a function of a child's grade at entry to special education, controlling for several covariates. Early entry to special education (by first grade vs second or third grade) was associated with larger gains in reading achievement between first and fifth grade (p < .0001). Children who entered special education by first grade versus second grade gained 4.5 more points on the reading achievement test (p < .0001). Children who entered special education by first grade versus third grade gained 1.7 more points on the reading achievement test (p < .0001). There was no difference in the magnitude of gains associated with early entry to special education between children from families of low and higher SES. For children with RD, early entry to special education is associated with improved reading achievement during elementary school.

Fair Energy Scheduling for Vehicle-to-Grid Networks Using Adaptive Dynamic Programming.

PubMed

Xie, Shengli; Zhong, Weifeng; Xie, Kan; Yu, Rong; Zhang, Yan

2016-08-01

Research on the smart grid is being given enormous supports worldwide due to its great significance in solving environmental and energy crises. Electric vehicles (EVs), which are powered by clean energy, are adopted increasingly year by year. It is predictable that the huge charge load caused by high EV penetration will have a considerable impact on the reliability of the smart grid. Therefore, fair energy scheduling for EV charge and discharge is proposed in this paper. By using the vehicle-to-grid technology, the scheduler controls the electricity loads of EVs considering fairness in the residential distribution network. We propose contribution-based fairness, in which EVs with high contributions have high priorities to obtain charge energy. The contribution value is defined by both the charge/discharge energy and the timing of the action. EVs can achieve higher contribution values when discharging during the load peak hours. However, charging during this time will decrease the contribution values seriously. We formulate the fair energy scheduling problem as an infinite-horizon Markov decision process. The methodology of adaptive dynamic programming is employed to maximize the long-term fairness by processing online network training. The numerical results illustrate that the proposed EV energy scheduling is able to mitigate and flatten the peak load in the distribution network. Furthermore, contribution-based fairness achieves a fast recovery of EV batteries that have deeply discharged and guarantee fairness in the full charge time of all EVs.

Photoprotective energy dissipation in higher plants involves alteration of the excited state energy of the emitting chlorophyll(s) in the light harvesting antenna II (LHCII).

PubMed

Johnson, Matthew P; Ruban, Alexander V

2009-08-28

Non-photochemical quenching (NPQ), a mechanism of energy dissipation in higher plants protects photosystem II (PSII) reaction centers from damage by excess light. NPQ involves a reduction in the chlorophyll excited state lifetime in the PSII harvesting antenna (LHCII) by a quencher. Yet, little is known about the effect of the quencher on chlorophyll excited state energy and dynamics. Application of picosecond time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy demonstrated that NPQ involves a red-shift (60 +/- 5 cm(-1)) and slight enhancement of the vibronic satellite of the main PSII lifetime component present in intact chloroplasts. Whereas this fluorescence red-shift was enhanced by the presence of zeaxanthin, it was not dependent upon it. The red-shifted fluorescence of intact chloroplasts in the NPQ state was accompanied by red-shifted chlorophyll a absorption. Nearly identical absorption and fluorescence changes were observed in isolated LHCII complexes quenched in a low detergent media, suggesting that the mechanism of quenching is the same in both systems. In both cases, the extent of the fluorescence red-shift was shown to correlate with the lifetime of a component. The alteration in the energy of the emitting chlorophyll(s) in intact chloroplasts and isolated LHCII was also accompanied by changes in lutein 1 observed in their 77K fluorescence excitation spectra. We suggest that the characteristic red-shifted fluorescence emission reflects an altered environment of the emitting chlorophyll(s) in LHCII brought about by their closer interaction with lutein 1 in the quenching locus.

Bioinspired fractal electrodes for solar energy storages

PubMed Central

Thekkekara, Litty V.; Gu, Min

2017-01-01

Solar energy storage is an emerging technology which can promote the solar energy as the primary source of electricity. Recent development of laser scribed graphene electrodes exhibiting a high electrical conductivity have enabled a green technology platform for supercapacitor-based energy storage, resulting in cost-effective, environment-friendly features, and consequent readiness for on-chip integration. Due to the limitation of the ion-accessible active porous surface area, the energy densities of these supercapacitors are restricted below ~3 × 10−3 Whcm−3. In this paper, we demonstrate a new design of biomimetic laser scribed graphene electrodes for solar energy storage, which embraces the structure of Fern leaves characterized by the geometric family of space filling curves of fractals. This new conceptual design removes the limit of the conventional planar supercapacitors by significantly increasing the ratio of active surface area to volume of the new electrodes and reducing the electrolyte ionic path. The attained energy density is thus significantly increased to ~10−1 Whcm−3- more than 30 times higher than that achievable by the planar electrodes with ~95% coulombic efficiency of the solar energy storage. The energy storages with these novel electrodes open the prospects of efficient self-powered and solar-powered wearable, flexible and portable applications. PMID:28361924

Academic Effort and Achievement in Science: Beyond a Gendered Relationship

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adamuti-Trache, Maria; Sweet, Robert

2013-12-01

This study employs the 2004 School Achievement Indicators Program (SAIP) data to examine whether academic effort manifested by greater investments in school and homework does result in higher literacy scores in science for Canadian students. The study compares four gender-immigrant profiles: Canadian-born males, immigrant males, Canadian-born females, and immigrant females on their scores on teacher-assigned grades in science and on the SAIP science literacy test, and across a range of dispositions, beliefs, and behaviors suggested in the literature as predictive of achievement in science. Study findings show that Canadian-born students, particularly boys, have higher performance in the science literacy test despite their lower achievement in the science classroom and the least investments of time in doing science homework. In contrast, immigrant female students demonstrate the highest academic effort and achievement in science courses which are not matched by similar results in the science literacy test. We discuss these results in relation to different socialization experiences with science and technology that limit female and immigrant students' abilities to transfer knowledge to new situations that have not been learned in the classroom.

Achievement of Runaway Electron Energy Dissipation by High-Z Gas Injection in DIII-D

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hollmann, E. M.

2014-10-01

Disruption runaway electron (RE) formation followed by RE beam-wall strikes is a concern for future tokamaks, motivating the study of mitigation techniques to reduce the RE beam energy in a controlled manner. A promising approach for doing this is the injection of high-Z gas into the RE beam. Massive (100 torr-l) injection of high-Z gas into RE beams in DIII-D is shown to significantly dissipate both RE magnetic and kinetic energy. For example, injection of argon into a typical 300 kA current RE beam is observed to cause a drop in kinetic energy from 50 kJ to 10 kJ in 10 ms, thus rapidly reducing the damage-causing capability of the RE beam. Both the RE kinetic energy and pitch angle are important for determining the resulting wall damage, with high energy, high pitch angle electrons typically considered most dangerous. The RE energy distribution is found to be more skewed toward low energies than predicted by avalanche theory. The pitch angle is not found to be constant, as is frequently assumed, but is shown to drop from sin(θ) ~ 1 for energies less than 1 MeV to sin(θ) ~ 0 . 2 for energies greater than 10 MeV. Injection of high-Z impurities does not appear to change the overall shape of the energy or pitch angle distributions dramatically. The enhanced RE energy dissipation appears to be caused primarily via collisions with the cold plasma leading to line radiation. Synchrotron power loss only becomes significant in the absence of high-Z impurities, while radial transport loss of REs is seen to become dominant if the RE beam moves sufficiently close to the vessel walls. The experiments demonstrate that avalanche theory somewhat underestimates collisional dissipation of REs in the presence of high-Z atoms, even in the absence of radial transport losses, meaning that reducing RE wall damage in large tokamaks should be easier than previously expected. Supported by the US Department of Energy under DE-FG02-07ER54917 and DE-FC02-04ER54698.

The effects of chronic achievement motivation and achievement primes on the activation of achievement and fun goals.

PubMed

Hart, William; Albarracín, Dolores

2009-12-01

This research examined the hypothesis that situational achievement cues can elicit achievement or fun goals depending on chronic differences in achievement motivation. In 4 studies, chronic differences in achievement motivation were measured, and achievement-denoting words were used to influence behavior. The effects of these variables were assessed on self-report inventories, task performance, task resumption following an interruption, and the pursuit of means relevant to achieving or having fun. Findings indicated that achievement priming (vs. control priming) activated a goal to achieve and inhibited a goal to have fun in individuals with chronically high-achievement motivation but activated a goal to have fun and inhibited a goal to achieve in individuals with chronically low-achievement motivation.

The Effects of Chronic Achievement Motivation and Achievement Primes on the Activation of Achievement and Fun Goals

PubMed Central

Hart, William; Albarracín, Dolores

2013-01-01

This research examined the hypothesis that situational achievement cues can elicit achievement or fun goals depending on chronic differences in achievement motivation. In 4 studies, chronic differences in achievement motivation were measured, and achievement-denoting words were used to influence behavior. The effects of these variables were assessed on self-report inventories, task performance, task resumption following an interruption, and the pursuit of means relevant to achieving or having fun. Findings indicated that achievement priming (vs. control priming) activated a goal to achieve and inhibited a goal to have fun in individuals with chronically high-achievement motivation but activated a goal to have fun and inhibited a goal to achieve in individuals with chronically low-achievement motivation. PMID:19968423

Students’ Achievement Goals, Learning-Related Emotions and Academic Achievement

PubMed Central

Lüftenegger, Marko; Klug, Julia; Harrer, Katharina; Langer, Marie; Spiel, Christiane; Schober, Barbara

2016-01-01

In the present research, the recently proposed 3 × 2 model of achievement goals is tested and associations with achievement emotions and their joint influence on academic achievement are investigated. The study was conducted with 388 students using the 3 × 2 Achievement Goal Questionnaire including the six proposed goal constructs (task-approach, task-avoidance, self-approach, self-avoidance, other-approach, other-avoidance) and the enjoyment and boredom scales from the Achievement Emotion Questionnaire. Exam grades were used as an indicator of academic achievement. Findings from CFAs provided strong support for the proposed structure of the 3 × 2 achievement goal model. Self-based goals, other-based goals and task-approach goals predicted enjoyment. Task-approach goals negatively predicted boredom. Task-approach and other-approach predicted achievement. The indirect effects of achievement goals through emotion variables on achievement were assessed using bias-corrected bootstrapping. No mediation effects were found. Implications for educational practice are discussed. PMID:27199836

Emission Spectroscopy of Atmospheric-Pressure Ball Plasmoids: Higher Energy Reveals a Rich Chemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dubowsky, Scott E.; Rose, Amber Nicole; Glumac, Nick; McCall, Benjamin J.

2017-06-01

Ball plasmoids (self-sustaining spherical plasmas) are a particularly unique example of a non-equilibrium air plasma. These plasmoids have lifetimes on the order of hundreds of milliseconds without an external power source, however, current models dictate that a ball plasmoid should recombine in a millisecond or less. Ball plasmoids are considered to be a laboratory analogue of natural ball lightning, a phenomenon that has eluded scientific explanation for centuries. We are searching for the underlying physicochemical mechanism(s) by which ball plasmoids and (by extension) ball lightning are stabilized using a variety of diagnostic techniques. This presentation will focus on optical emission spectroscopy (OES) of ball plasmoid discharges between 190-850 nm. The previous generation of OES measurements of this system showed emission from only a few atomic and molecular species, however, the energy available for the discharges in these experiments was limited by the size of the capacitor banks and voltages to which the capacitor banks were charged. We are capable of generating plasmoids at much higher energies, and as a result we are the first to report a very rich chemistry previously not observed in ball plasmoids. We have identified signals from species including NO A^{2}Σ^{+}→X^{2}Π, OH A^{2}Σ^{+}→X^{2}Π, NH A^{3}Π→X^{3}Σ^{-}, AlO A^{2}Π→X^{2}Σ^{+}, NH^{+} B^{2}Δ→X^{2}Π, W I, Al I, Cu I, and H_{α}, all of which have not yet been reported for this system. Analysis of the emission spectra and fitting procedures will be discussed, rotational temperatures of constituent species will be reported, and theories of ball plasmoid stabilization based upon these new results will be presented. Versteegh, A.; Behringer, K.; Fantz, U.; Fussman, G.; Jüttner, B.; Noack, S. Plas. Sour. Sci. Technol. 2008, 17(2), 024014 Stephan, K. D.; Dumas, S.; Komala-Noor, L.; McMinn, J. Plas. Sour. Sci. Technol. 2013, 22(2), 025018

Alternative Energy Development and China's Energy Future

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

Zheng, Nina; Fridley, David

2011-06-15

In addition to promoting energy efficiency, China has actively pursued alternative energy development as a strategy to reduce its energy demand and carbon emissions. One area of particular focus has been to raise the share of alternative energy in China’s rapidly growing electricity generation with a 2020 target of 15% share of total primary energy. Over the last ten years, China has established several major renewable energy regulations along with programs and subsidies to encourage the growth of non-fossil alternative energy including solar, wind, nuclear, hydro, geothermal and biomass power as well as biofuels and coal alternatives. This study thusmore » seeks to examine China’s alternative energy in terms of what has and will continue to drive alternative energy development in China as well as analyze in depth the growth potential and challenges facing each specific technology. This study found that despite recent policies enabling extraordinary capacity and investment growth, alternative energy technologies face constraints and barriers to growth. For relatively new technologies that have not achieved commercialization such as concentrated solar thermal, geothermal and biomass power, China faces technological limitations to expanding the scale of installed capacity. While some alternative technologies such as hydropower and coal alternatives have been slowed by uneven and often changing market and policy support, others such as wind and solar PV have encountered physical and institutional barriers to grid integration. Lastly, all alternative energy technologies face constraints in human resources and raw material resources including land and water, with some facing supply limitations in critical elements such as uranium for nuclear, neodymium for wind and rare earth metals for advanced solar PV. In light of China’s potential for and barriers to growth, the resource and energy requirement for alternative energy technologies were modeled and scenario

Neighborhood Characteristics, Parental Practices and Children’s Math Achievement in Elementary School

PubMed Central

Greenman, Emily; Bodovski, Katerina; Reed, Katherine

2014-01-01

This paper investigates the relationships among neighborhood characteristics, education-related parental practices, and children’s academic achievement during a critical but under-studied stage of children’s educational trajectories – the elementary school years. Using a large, nationally representative database of American elementary school students – the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study – Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS–K) – and contextual data from the 2000 U.S. Census, we examine parental practices and neighborhood characteristics at the beginning of children’s school careers (grades K-1) and their associations with math achievement through the end of the 5th grade. Findings Net of family-level characteristics, higher levels of early education- oriented parental practices were associated with higher mathematics achievement at the end of 5th grade, while neighborhood disadvantage was associated with lower 5th grade math achievement. Families residing in high poverty, high unemployment, low-education neighborhoods employed fewer education- oriented practices with their kindergarten- first grade children, but the positive effect of such parental practices on children’s mathematics achievement was stronger for children who live in disadvantaged neighborhoods. PMID:25125713

Dose calculation for photon-emitting brachytherapy sources with average energy higher than 50 keV: report of the AAPM and ESTRO.

PubMed

Perez-Calatayud, Jose; Ballester, Facundo; Das, Rupak K; Dewerd, Larry A; Ibbott, Geoffrey S; Meigooni, Ali S; Ouhib, Zoubir; Rivard, Mark J; Sloboda, Ron S; Williamson, Jeffrey F